#and most of their early character work is still really strong

[shallowseeker]

In the Bible, angels are messengers of immense power, molded by Heaven's will. Yet again and again, it is humanity that carries wisdom. Humanity holds empathy.

Empathy is the engine of the soul.

This wisdom is not handed down; it is earned—through struggle, pain, growth, and making choice. Scripture—especially in books like Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes—portrays wisdom as something lived through, not simply bestowed.

So here it is: A son of Heaven has the juice, but the daughter of Earth—Kaia, "Gaea"—has the eyes.

Jack: I left to try to get a grip on my powers. I wanted to prove to you that I'm good, to do one good thing. So I did the thing you wanted the most. I experimented opening doors to other worlds. I could almost do it. I could get right to the edge. But I couldn't see. I could only feel around in the dark. I needed eyes. A seer. 13x09

///

Makes me think a bit of this too:

SAM: Why? CHUCK: I couldn't see you. I needed eyes and ears on the inside. Well, eyes, anyway. EILEEN: Screw you. CHUCK: Yeah. 15x09

Maybe the whole experiment here is that Chuck, in Season 15, is the one eating the apple—knowing both good and evil more fully because he's feeling it now. (After all, gods don’t learn the fullness of wisdom by staying above it all; they fall into it.) When Sam’s soul pierced him, Sam gets Chuck’s drafts, but Chuck gets infected with Sam’s HOPE and heroism. Chuck wasn’t a god or a serpent—he became a metaphorical Eve—but he doesn’t like falling. He doesn't like being essentially blinded. He doesn't like FEELING (would rather "feel" vicariously).

So Chuck works hard to stamp it out, because—much like Lucifer in 13x13 "Devil’s Bargain"—Chuck can’t bear the possibility of real change.

Chuck doesn't want HOPE. Because HOPE means... he can be DISAPPOINTED. And that's SCARY.

True hope and true faith is a naked, vulnerable state. It's putting yourself out there when you can't see the outcome... There's no surefire guarantee that your efforts will lead to success.

That's why "hope is the whole point." But Chuck will stamp out the hope in Sam, and he'll stamp it out in Amara too. He wants BOTH of them to hurt so much that THEY become hopeless and orient in the direction that HE wants instead.

//////////

BONUS #1: Lucifer's brush with humanity is also too much for him to handle. Unlike characters like Castiel or Metatron, Lucifer, like Chuck, doesn't respect or appreciate his humanity.

Lucifer does feel things... but when he feels things, he realizes he really doesn't want to.

(SEE Dean's: "Sometimes I wish I couldn't feel a thing.")

LUCIFER: No. No I always wanted to fit in, please a father I couldn’t please. And now I’m gonna be a father. Probably screw it up like he did. SISTER JO: Lucifer, the great and terrible. LUCIFER: I don’t know why I said that. Stupid. I mean it’s like pretty soon I’m not going to feel anything. I mean the more I do this, the stronger I get, the more “me” I become. Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, King of Lies. I’m back, baby. 13x13

It's the folly of these sometimes-too-backward-looking characters, who might just be afraid of change...

13x13, 15x08, and 15x11 all carry the thread of using, respectively, the (1) Lack of Feeling, (2) God's Missions, and (3) the Hunting Cause to feel big and strong.

"I'm back, baby!"

&

AMARA: And me? I'm done, Chuck. I've changed. I've adapted. I've... I've become the better me. And you? You are still the same... petulant, narcissistic. So... I'm leaving you here. Once, long ago, you sealed me away. Now, in a way... I'm doing the same to you. You're trapped, diminished, abandoned. So I guess you got what you've always wanted. You're on your own. 15x02

BONUS #2: There’s something haunting in Dean’s early season 15 fatalism too—this idea of losing himself in hunting after the crushing losses of Mary and Jack, and ofc the existential crisis surrounding Cas.

Historically, in a bit of an off-key echo of Chuck, Dean doesn’t handle disappointment very well, sometimes defaulting to always-and-never thinking and searching for absolute figures and rules/codes that don’t truly exist.

DEAN: What? I look exactly the same. [SAM glares at DEAN.] DEAN: Like nothing has changed. [SAM looks at DEAN again.] DEAN: Nothing’s changed. 15x04

//

BONUS #3: There’s something creepy, too, that unites Jack, Lucifer, and Chuck—it's in those lines about "being me again."

Despair is what predominantly drives people to the idea of God, after all, and it is this hopelessness and lack of feeling that can feel like a false strength:

JACK (robotically): Michael—He's dead. CAS: Jack, a-are you, uh— JACK: I'm me again. (Jack suddenly had light all around him as his wings spread out as a shadow behind him. then we see his face and eyes glowing) 14x14

///

But I will say that while Lucifer and God want to "feel nothing" to ESCAPE their own discomfort, characters like Jack and the Winchesters mostly aren't doing that.

They're casting off their humanity, as Dumah says, "in acts of goodness," to save other people.

///

Anyway, there’s something about gods needing human eyes here, and the classic angel kill being eyes burning out. Jack NEEDS his humanity and he needs his connections to others' humanity. Without it, his strength is blind.

In a healthy state, angels team up with humans for enhanced wayfinding, for a mutual sharing that allows for better navigation and a deeper understanding of the universe.

But notably, characters like Chuck and Lucifer want to see in order to control, not to see in order to emotionally understand or feel.

(It’s safer for themselves that way.)

///

It’s funny, really... especially contrasted against characters like Dean, who are practically begging to be seen.

At the end of season 12, Dean is pleading with Mary to see him, and in 15x18, it’s being seen by Cas that, as Amara puts it, "puts Dean's fire out." (What Dean needs is to be seen... for his love, but also to be seen honestly, and with love.)

Chuck has no interest in seeing Dean as an individual beyond the facade—he's actively trying to mold Dean into the facade.

Because Chuck wants Dean to fit the idealized image he already has of him. That’s why he keeps manipulating him, believing that if he just solves the puzzle with more skill that Dean will finally become who he’s "meant" to be. Escalating Dean's anger is Chuck's "proof" that Dean is who Chuck thinks he is.

(NOTE: Which, by the way, this mirrors where the audience finds themselves in SPNwin / The Winchesters—trying to see John as the twisted man he’s destined to become. We eat up every scrap of negativity as proof that John is, without fail, only the cruel scapegoat we know from SPN prime.)

MARS NETO: There is centuries of violence and rage in your blood, John. Become what you were born to be!

Worryingly, Jack shows Kaia wondrous things to get her more on their side... calling back Kelly's and Castiel's visions of paradise.

Jack's metaphorical connections to drugs in this episode are not accidental.

He is euphoria-inducing.

And when he does his? His eyes are a bit less gold and a bit more orange-tinged. It's unsettling.

The lighting is interesting, too.

His eyes are a HALO of light around a dark pupil, like a dark body blocking out the light.

But Kaia's pupils are lit, giving the impression of being lit from within.

She's moved by the experience. The tough, prickly girl we've been seeing all episode has thawed completely.

///

From here on, Kaia is solidly Team Jack.

She's keyed into his emotions. Converted by their shared visions. (Like Kelly? Like Cas?) A more charitable view may be that she saw the goodness of him, and she realized they have shared values.

But it's interesting to me how protective she seems. When he despairs, SHE MOVES TO PROTECT HIM:

"No, they won't (take you)."

///

She trusts him to tap into her powers, facing her deepest fears (The Bad Place).

(You can see Jack's fiery wings manifested here—first upright/folded, and then unfolding as the power intensifies.) Jack is a create of flight tapping into a navigation system.

It goes badly for Kaia:

///

In the next scene, Jack's face is then lighted in the same style that Azazel and John's are, perhaps even calling to mind the old movie-monster spotlight:

[sun-marie]

It's been a while since I last thought seriously about Dr*gon A*e (even prior to falling in love with BG3) and I think a big part of that is I'm not as big a fan of the setting and the worldbuilding as I used to be. Like to me it really does feel like BW looked at typical fantasy settings and went "hmm okay but what if there was Catholic-enforced racism and abelism". And like. Cool thought experiment bro. Do we really need three games made by primarily white guys about that.

[dilfosaur]

well i haven't spilled my guts on tumblr since i was in college but it's the platform that's felt The Most Mine thru the years, so

let's talk!

i've had a huge chip on my shoulder that i wanted off before the year ends. very bad professional experience to follow

so firstly to get ahead of the speculating, i'm not naming names or anything. some of you will puzzle out who i'm talking about, but please don't bother anyone especially not on my behalf. i've worked hard to distance myself from them the past few months. shit happens, especially when you're a dumb bitch (that's me!)

but also this person was someone i considered a close friend and it makes me uneasy to possibly direct backlash at them. "then why post about it" bc i did intermittent work for them for over a year. this is just about that. so hear me out

basically it started off fine. i initially did some commission work for good pay, then was invited to become more involved with their team. unfortunately as i became more involved with their operation it became more disorganized over time. projects started then forgotten, constantly shifting schedules, lapsing communication between roles, confusing financials, and often inconsistent if not late payments. during mid 2023 i was doing colorist work, sometimes on a one day turnaround (all while also preparing drawfee's summer merch launch). the payroll wasn't set up correctly so i wasn't paid for that work for over a year (more on that later), tho to be fair that was largely my own fault at first as i just didnt realize the payments didn't go thru lol

i always consider myself decently capable of separating friendship and coworker-ship; i run a company with 4 wonderful friends, going strong for almost 5 years. that didn't really work out in this case. by early this year our friendship was on the rocks; work issues fed into personal issues and vice versa. so as the rest of this shit plays out, we had just had our first "big fight" which i felt very bad about and added to all the upcoming tension

a huge point of friction was the fact that i really wanted to work with them to make a music video for one of their songs. i've always wanted a chance to make a music video, was confident in a concept i came up with, and even did some concept art for the idea. everyone insisted they loved the concept and that we should do it, but we kept pushing it back for various reasons. it ended up becoming a huge sticking point for my frustrations, which i tried to express productively. TLDR, we eventually got around to discussing it seriously around april.

i planned to ask for $4000 with negotiable add-on for the whole project, which was my Friend Discount price. i was offered a contract for $1000 flat rate, as they insisted that was the only budget they had for it.

don't ask me why i signed it lol. i didn't even counter offer

there was some girlmath to it: i wanted an extra 1k for a student scholarship i provide every spring and well, there it was. but if i had to guess, i saw it as something i just couldn't back down from any more. i caused these folks- my friends- a lot of problems bc i dug my heels in so deep to chase this project, so fuck it we ball

i had about 4 months to solo a 3 minute music video. they wanted it done in august so they could release it before summer ended, bc "it was a summer song". to be fair i was asked if i needed them to pay for anything extra like assistants (which i would have to find and manage) but i was so immediately overwhelmed that i didn't wanna slow down to wait on that process lol. there was very minimal communication other than brief progress check-ins every few weeks. i did everything for that project myself: the original concept, character designs, storyboards, layouts, backgrounds. i even did the editing/compositing for the final cut of the MV. the only favor i did myself was limiting the amount of it that was actually animated to simple loops and motions. hardly my best work but it was work still done

i did it all in between my full time job. i ended up having to take nearly a month away from most of my drawfee duties (with the support of the others) to make the august deadline. i only ever asked for a 3 day extension (notice given about a week in advance, around the same time i was given the final song file lol). i finished the music video at 6am on the final deadline and recorded drawfee the next day on 2 hours of sleep

but it was done, coolies. the team was very happy with the final product. honestly, without getting into it, those were a very emotionally taxing 4 months. on the professional side, i regretted agreeing to the project and especially for the dogshit rate they offered. i felt like a hypocrite- as someone who always wanted to advocate for younger artists demanding their worth in a world that's getting increasingly hostile toward creatives, i failed myself

so when i met with the manager to discuss the release plan, i told them to do whatever worked best for them as i only had one request: i wanted my credit removed from the project

tbh... like... lmao this dramatic bitch right!! but really, i decided that bad practices only breed worse business. friends or not, it was unprofessional of me to accept such a low paying job so i just didn't want my name used in association. everything felt so muddled to me and i was just really tired at this point

the manager was very understanding and then offered that i could be paid more. they said that their team "was surprised" i accepted their low rate and they would be happy to up the amount. this confused me as the initial budget seemed pretty set and at no point between april and august was i offered a better rate. i knew these guys weren't made of money. so, i declined. i didn't want to put anyone out of their means over work that was already done and agreed upon. but more importantly, i was over the whole thing and didn't want to prolong the project with a contract renegotiation. i just insisted my name be removed

they decided to use a pseudonym (which i was fine with) so they could create a story about a character who made the MV (this sounds really convoluted but i don't know how better to put it without getting specific, sorry). that way if people asked about the credit, they could speak comfortably about it without signaling that something went wrong behind the scenes. ok, kind of a silly narrative imo but whatevs. and maybe this is where i finally went truly wrong but. yolo i guess

i gave the name "D. Smithee", D as in dilfosaur and Smithee as in Alan Smithee. look it up for fun film trivia ig! was it passive aggressive of me to reference that in this context? yeah, honestly. but i thought it was kinda funny and really not that deep. if it was a problem, i have other real, non-cheeky pseudonyms i regularly use. the manager accepted it and all i had to do was wait for them to post the video and i could leave the whole experience behind me

a week later i received a message from the manager that my pseudonym had been denied by the rest of the team bc one of them got the reference. fair enough lol. however, they decided that rather than ask for a different name, the were going to make one up for me that they liked and would "fit the [story]", without asking me

and that! is when i finally snapped!

i was so tired of giving them concessions at this point and having a credit made up for me without any input from me felt genuinely violating and unethical. i started to Panic bc of how stressed i was, and asked for my overdue payments (aka the $500 still owed on the MV, and the colorist rate from a year prior that was never paid even tho i reported it in january) to be scheduled ASAP as i was leaving the work discord immediately

i finally told them off for exploiting me throughout the months while i kept trying to just be nice and finish my contact cleanly. in return i was told that it was unfair to say that as i agreed to everything- i accepted their cheap rate and denied further payment so that was all settled, and it was ok to change my credit without my consent bc i "said they could do whatever with the release". i called bullshit, ended the convo as kindly as i could, and cried lol. they agreed to ditch the pseudonym and just give no credit. that night was the last i heard from anyone on that team

and the real kicker?

august came and went. then september, october... and they never released the music video

and i don't know why, because i was never contacted about it. i've been removed from the picture entirely i guess. 4 months and boatloads of stress. just. up in smoke. i don't know what i expected honestly

it's hard to not take everything that happened personally and as done in bad faith. i really do, honestly. i've had plenty of shitty deals in my almost 10 year art career, but it hits different from people you saw as friends. but to the point of "why not keep it private", i have never felt so disrespected as a professional as i did this past year. i can toy with money and credits and other formalities all i want, but my work- my ideas, my labor, my effort- is still so important to me. i felt like the biggest idiot for doing so much work, pouring so much of myself into a piece for someone's use, for what has amounted to nothing

but more importantly i hated myself for undervaluing my work, even if initially i thought this person was a trusted friend. money is not really an issue for me- drawfee is my main job and i am fine and comfortable. it's so important to pay artists appropriately but i often undersell my own work bc i value the collaboration and passion between creatives more than the reward. i think a lot of artists tend to feel the same, and it often makes us easy to take advantage of. it's so difficult to find the balance between passion and making a fair living, and i think there's some shame within ourselves when artists choose to prioritize that passion

i wanted to finally get all this off my chest bc i was ashamed of every choice i made. things like this happen all the time i'm sure and hiding these mistakes only make it easier for it to happen to other people

tldr always value your work and protect your passion from people who just see it as a product. and don't give cheeky pseudonyms i guess lol

(and again pls don't bother anyone involved about this. a lot of chaos has left my life as i moved past all this, and this is me closing a door without opening new ones hopefully lol)

this shit was truly

so ass.

but i'm moving past it now

but on a nicer note. outside of all of this nonsense, i made lots of good memories this year. i'm truly so grateful to the many wonderful people in my life who keep me going even when i fuck up big time!

and thank you to all of you strangers who, despite everything, give me the time of day. especially if you read this whole thing. you're a real one :')

happy new year!

[prokopetz]

I apologise if you've already answered this, but I tried searching your blog and I'm unsure if you haven't or if it's another example of Tumblr's amazing search system.

I was talking with a friend recently about how much of a culture clash the Monk Class is compared to the rest of Dungeons & Dragons and was wondering if there is a coherent reason for their original inclusion. I'm aware that they're largely influenced by Shaolin monks as depicted in Hong Kong cinema in the 70's/80's as compared to the Sword and Sorcery stuff most of the rest of D&D takes influence from.

Basically, my question ultimately boils down to, "Is the Monk Class there purely because of an original player wanting to rule of cool their way into playing something wildly out of genre, or is there a stronger link between Sword and Sorcery and Hong Kong cinema that could have organically resulted in the Monk Class joining the rest of the classes?"

A lot of the link between the two was simply a matter of time and place. The kung fu craze hit North America at just about exactly the same time as the sword and sorcery revival that gave us films like Clash of the Titans and Beastmaster and The Sword and the Sorcerer and Dragonslayer and Krull – not to mention the Arnold Schwarzenegger Conan adaptation, which revived popular interest in first-wave sword and sorcery literature – so there was a lot of it going around. Analysis of early Dungeons & Dragons as a product of its media influences often overlooks that it was largely drawing on what was trendy in American popular media in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Even the tonally incongruous Lord of the Rings references weren't a deep cut; while the books were originally published in the 1950s, they'd experienced a strong resurgence in the 1970s, putting them firmly in the popular consciousness at the time that D&D was being developed. All this being the case, it's not surprising that early D&D was also substantially influenced by Hong Kong action cinema.

That said, the reason the monk character class in particular (i.e., as opposed to kung fu media influences more generally) is there is allegedly because one specific guy in one of the game's early playtest groups really, really wanted to play as Remo Williams from Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir's The Destroyer; several of the class's signature abilities are direct references to powers Williams exhibits in the course of the novels. Remarks from folks who worked at TSR at the time have pointed the finger at Brian Blume as the Remo Williams fan in question, though accounts are conflicted whether Blume was actually an uncredited contributor to Dave Arneson's Blackmoor (1975), in which the class makes its first proper appearance, or whether Blume's interest merely prompted its inclusion.

This is the case for the character archetypes in a lot tabletop RPGs of that era; instead of trying to work out what classes "ought" be be present, authors would simply start with the types of characters their playtesters actually wanted to play, often based on specific popular media characters, then work backwards to derive an IC rationale for why those were the setting's standard adventuring professions. Other examples from D&D in particular most obviously include the Ranger (based on Tolkien's Aragon, naturally), but also the Paladin (principally inspired by Holger Carlsen from Poul Anderson's 1961 isekai novel Three Hearts and Three Lions, also the source of D&D's goofy regenerating trolls), the Assassin, back when it was still a separate character class (probably mainly based on the Assassin Caste from John Norman's Gor), and even the Wizard to a large extent (less Gandalf than you'd think: a large portion of D&D's iconic wizard spell list is lifted directly from the 1963 Vincent Price film The Raven).

(I often think that modern indie RPGs could benefit from reviving this approach. Like, fuck textual consistency – just pick half a dozen of your favourite popular media characters without regard for the compatibility of the source material and work backwards to explain why these six random assholes are your game's playable archetypes!)

[riddlesrizzler]

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚

summary: The price of books these days is outrageous.

characters: mattheo riddle. ravenclaw!reader

warnings: none, just fluff

word count: 663

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

Mattheo Riddle was not a studios person. He didn't spend his nights buried in his textbooks, he never planned out essays in advance, and the only reason he even showed up to class most days was to make sure you didn't work yourself into an early grave.

So when you walked into the library, ready to gather everything you needed for your upcoming project, and found every single relevant book missing, you understandably distressed.

"What do you mean all the books on magical architecture are checked out?" you asked, staring at Madam Pince in disbelief.

The librarian huffed. "I mean exactly that. Someone got to them first."

You frowned, gripping your list of sources. "But that doesn't make sense. No one else is going this topic for their project. Who would-"

A slow realization settled over you, your eyes narrowing.

There was only one person who would go to such lengths to bother you.

—

You stormed into the Slytherin common room, marching straight past a very startled looking Theo and Enzo.

"Where is he?" you demanded.

Theo smirked. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you this mad."

"Mattheo," you said through gritted teeth. "Where is he?"

"That depends," came a familiar voice from behind you. "Are you looking for me because you missed me, or because you want to kill me?"

You turned on your heel, and sure enough, Mattheo was leaning casually against the doorway of the common room, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"You stole all the books I need for my project," you accused.

He tsked. "Stole is a strong word. I borrowed them."

"You don't even like books!"

"That's not true," he said, smirking. "I like you. and you like books. Therefore, I have an appreciation for books by association."

You crossed your arms. 'Give them back."

He tilted his head, pretending to consider. "Hmm, I don't know. See, I put in all this effort to check them out for you. Seems only fair that I get something in return."

You gave him a flat look. "Mattheo."

He grinned. Unphased. "One kiss per book."

Your mouth fell open. "You- you blackmailed me for affection?"

He shrugged. "I prefer to think of it as an exchange of goods and services."

"You are unbelievable"

"And yet, here you are, still madly in love with me."

"That is not what this is."

Mattheo stepped closer, smirk softening into something almost playful. "Come on, sweetheart. You're always so stressed about projects. I figured I'd help you out and have a little fun while I'm at it."

You signed, running a hand through your hair. "You really expect me to-"

"A deal's a deal," he cut in, raising a brow. "Unless, of course, you don't want the books..."

You groaned, but the warmth in his gaze made it hard to stay mad. You stepped closer, rising onto your toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

"There," you muttered. "Now give me my books."

Mattheo chuckled. "Sweetheart, that was one. you still owe me fove more."

You face flushed. "You are insufferable."

You huffed, glaring at him for a moment before finally conceding. You kissed the other side of his face, then his forehead, then his nose- and each time, he grinned wider, clearly reveling in your flustered state.

"Two more," he murmured.

You hesitated, heart thudding, before leaning in and pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth.

His smirk flattered, dark eyes flickering over you with something deeper.

Your breath hitched.

"Last one," he said softly, his voice lower.

You swallowed, pulse racing as you finally kissed him properly, you lips meeting his in a way that made the entire common room disappear.

Mattheo didn't let you pull away so easily this time. His hand found your waist, tugging you closer as he deepened the kiss, his usual teasing replaced with something far more intoxicating.

By the time you broke apart, you were breathless.

Mattheo smirked, brushing his thumb over your cheek. "You know, I was going to give you the books anyway."

You glares at him, although it lacked any real malice. "I hate you."

His grinned wideded. "No you don't."

You smile the smallest bit before turning away.

He was right, you don't.

[gffa]

With the confirmation of The Acolyte not getting a second season, I can't say I'm surprised, the numbers for that show were really bad given what its budgets was, like I kept an eye on The Acolyte's numbers and they were really, really down across the board (Ahsoka's numbers aren't super great either but that's getting its second season because it's Filoni's pet show, I suspect), like set aside all the other complicated stuff, whether it was good or bad, how much of the fandom's reaction was pretty heinous and racist, it just was not getting the numbers it needed and it's making me wonder about how all of these shows are not doing well. Mando is doing all right, OWK did all right, Andor's doing okay, but none of these shows are setting anything on fire anymore (ratings-wise, that is), what would it take to create something that takes off again?

I strongly suspect that The Mandalorian only took off because of Favreau, who really does know how to make something really good and fun in the beginning. Filoni gets a lot of credit for that show, but I'd be willing to put ten dollars on the table that Favreau was driving the vast majority of the success of that series. And that makes me wonder about the future of these shows, because I don't think Filoni is strong enough to really carry a show on his own, most of his best work is when he has a strong partner actively working with him or when he was working under Lucas.

And the creators they bring in to create these shows aren't setting anything on fire, either. Yeah, the sequels made a billion dollars for each movie, but I think it's pretty telling that we're not getting comics or books or games about those characters anymore, the way we did for the prequels characters for more than a decade after they came out. Yeah, Tony Gilroy and Deborah Chow had shows that did solidly well, but they're not anything that Star Wars can build future content off of, they're already backstories for other movies themselves. And I don't think Skeleton Crew is going to light anything on fire, either.

Lucasfilm just doesn't seem to know what to do with Star Wars TV and movies. They had some really good early success with their projects, but almost everything ultimately fizzled out after a few years or ended really badly, and it feels like the only thing that's really hitting with audiences are more Clone Wars-era content and The High Republic novels and maybe still The Mandalorian.

Honestly, if I were Lucasfilm, I'd cut out the live action shows and go back to animation and think long and hard about setting up a new movie series. I think, with the right creative team (and not just who they think is a big name to write/direct), they could have a great trilogy with The Old Republic era stuff, because they have got to expand beyond the PT/OT and the Skywalkers, especially since the sequels put a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths about how Luke, Leia, and Han's stories ended.

(I mean, in my ideal world, we'd get an animated series set in between TPM and AOTC or set like 30 years pre-TPM and getting to see the backstories for characters like Mace and Plo and Shaak and Luminara and Yarael, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.)

[ennabear]

i beg of you to write more mean abby.. i reread all of ur mean abby works religiously i swear i just love her too much ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

ʕ≧ᴥ≦ʔ NONNIEEEEE STOP THIS JS TOO SWEET!!!! IM BLUSHING IM BLUSHING I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! sorry this is a lil bit messy, i haven’t really had time to lock in on anything official I HOPE THATS OKAY!!!! here are some thoughts… 18+

i think mean!abby is one of those people who are discreetly rich. she’s not the type of person to go on big fancy vacations, or buy expensive sports cars, or to always have the newest technology. before she met you, she probably spent most of her money on books or expensive brands of tea imported from countries she’s never even heard of. after she met you, though? she’d swipe her card a million times a day to see you smile.

the best way i can describe her personality is like some old cranky grandpa, the scary guy on the block who never smiles but is very confrontational. if you’ve seen her around, you’d know that she’s always wearing a scowl, only leaves her penthouse apartment early to go to the gym, and has beef with most of her neighbors. but if you know know her? she’s a sweetie pie. she loves spontaneous sweet treats, slow dancing to 70’s music, old horror films (mean!abby letterboxd goes CRAZY i just know), and most shockingly, her cats.

and she LOVES those fuckers. it’s so perfect how she can have a companion who’s quiet and small and independent, and two of them? barely any responsibility. they have an automatic feeder, entertain each other, and only bug her about once a day for attention.

as for her job, i could see her having two possibilities. one being an extreme workaholic. maybe an office job or a surgeon or something?? (NOT a nurse because they’re supposed to be good at talking to people…) OR she only really works part time, some freelance job that doesn’t really have any rules. a photographer or a tattoo artist or some sort of small business that she can mostly manage on her own. money has never been an issue for her, coming from a family of doctors. her ass was spoiled rotten as a kid, and after her dad died she inherited all of that money.

she’s the biggest protector in the world. someone was talking shit about you? she’s breaking their nose right now actually. i think the biggest reason she’s “mean” is because she actually just has anxiety. the last time she felt a love this strong, it was for her dad. she can’t afford to lose you like she lost him, so she always has to make sure you’re safe and sound. it’s not like she’s trying to be controlling by texting you every half hour, she just worries that maybe she won’t be able to protect you for once, and it’ll be at the worst possible time.

ok lock in here are some nsfw thoughts :3

you know that trope that’s like “big mean stoic character is actually the subbiest bottomest little puppy in the whole world.” yeah…. if you don’t agree what are you still doing here.

it definitely took her a while to be this vulnerable, but jesus christ is it worth it!!! the way you get to watch her squirm and whimper underneath you, knowing that you’re the only one who can make her feel this way. to give your big protective guard dog girlfriend a night off, to take care of her in return for all that she does for you.

and she lovessss being tied up!!!! something about the intimacy of knowing you’re gonna give her a good time makes her submit to you almost instantly. she has to trust you on this, has sit back and relax and let her brain melt because she physically can’t do anything about it.

when she does dom i imagine she’s a pretty big brat tamer. c’mon, not everyone has the luxury of having a girlfriend like her. if you don’t act grateful she’ll whip you in to shape. literally. she’s not afraid of a good spanking.

also she’s strapped up 24/7 but this is canon in every universe… no matter what she’s doing or where she’s going or who she’s gonna meet, the strap stays ON!!! just in case she may need it….

but she’s the aftercare QUEEN. of course. apart from the basics like food, water, cuddles, etc. she has tonssss of knowledge on proper aftercare. you’d never have to worry about being hurt or getting a uti or feeling unloved because she’s read every forum to exist about aftercare!!! i just know this bitch runs a tumblr kink blog like it’s the military… 🤦

that’s all…. going to eep now……

[girlkisser13]

jjk characters college au headcanons

characters: choso kamo, hiromi higuruma, kento nanami, mei mei, ryomen sukuna, satoru gojo, shoko ieiri, suguru geto, takuma ino, toji fushiguro, utahime iori, yuki tsukumo, and yu haibara

CHOSO KAMO

major: psychology

• choso is that mysterious upperclassman people whisper about but don’t really know. he’s always seen alone or with a very small circle, never making unnecessary conversation.

• some people are intimidated by his serious expression, but in reality, he’s just deep in thought most of the time. those who do get to know him realize he’s incredibly kind and protective.

• he’s the kind of student who takes his studies seriously, not because he cares about grades but because he values knowledge. he has an old-school approach to studying— handwritten notes, library research, and a preference for quiet over digital distractions.

• he has a small, quiet off-campus apartment that feels more like a sanctuary than a student’s place. it’s tidy, minimalist, and filled with sentimental objects, like old books, photos, or little things that remind him of his brothers.

• his fridge is always stocked with homemade meals, and he prefers cooking over eating out.

• he spends a lot of time in quiet places— bookstores, parks, or the campus greenhouse. he enjoys activities that keep him grounded, like painting, journaling, or practicing meditation.

• he also has a strong interest in martial arts and trains regularly, though he doesn’t brag about it.

• he’s not one for parties or big social gatherings, but if his closest friends ask, he’ll go— mostly to keep an eye on them.

• he’s the guy who stands off to the side, arms crossed, silently observing but ready to step in if needed. he doesn’t make small talk, but when he speaks, it’s always something insightful or meaningful.

• professors respect him because he’s a serious student, though they wish he participated more. he listens intently in class but rarely raises his hand.

• when he does speak, his answers are so well-thought-out that the entire class goes silent. some professors think he’s intimidating; others recognize that he’s just reserved.

• he has a deep, soothing voice that makes people listen when he speaks.

HIROMI HIGURUMA

major: political science/pre-law

• hiromi is well-respected but not overly social. he’s the guy people go to for advice— whether it’s about legal studies or just life in general.

• some students fear him because of his serious demeanor, but once you actually talk to him, he’s incredibly fair and thoughtful. he’s got that "tough but kind" vibe that makes people trust him immediately.

• he’s always at the top of his class, but not because he wants recognition— he just genuinely believes in what he’s studying. he’s the guy who finishes exams early but sits there, double-checking his answers while everyone else struggles.

• he has a neat, quiet off-campus apartment that looks surprisingly cozy. his space is filled with law books, neatly organized files, and just enough personal touches— probably a few framed photos, a well-stocked liquor cabinet, and an expensive coffee maker.

• his place is never messy, but you can tell when he’s stressed because legal briefs start piling up on his desk

• when he’s not buried in legal cases, he enjoys classical music, fine whiskey, and quiet nights reading. he has a lowkey love for noir films and classic literature.

• he’s the type to stay up late working on a case brief but will still wake up at 6 am sharp the next morning.

• he has a habit of going to bars alone just to sit in a corner, sip his drink, and think about life. if he’s really stressed, he’ll take a long drive at night while listening to jazz or old rock.

• he’s not a party guy. you won’t find him at wild events, but if he does go, he’s the one quietly observing, sipping his drink, and making sharp but insightful comments about people’s behavior.

• he prefers small, intimate gatherings where discussions actually mean something. that said, if someone drags him to a party, he’ll tolerate it— but don’t expect him to dance or do anything ridiculous.

• professors adore him because he’s brilliant, respectful, and actually engages in meaningful discussions. he’s the student they trust to handle debates maturely and lead group discussions without turning them into chaos.

KENTO NANAMI

major: finance

• nanami is respected, not feared or idolized. everyone knows he’s insanely competent, but he doesn’t go out of his way to stand out.

• he’s the guy students ask for help with coursework, but he will not let you copy his work— he believes in earning your grades. professors trust him to lead group projects, and he’s the sole reason some people pass certain classes.

• he definitely tutors struggling students, but only if they’re serious about learning.

• he’s the type of student who has his entire academic career planned out to the letter. he takes meticulous notes, sits in the same spot every class, and actually reads the syllabus.

• his gpa is flawless, but it’s not because he enjoys studying— it’s just efficient to do well.

• he lives off-campus in a clean, well-organized apartment with modern furniture and precisely one personal touch— probably a nice coffee setup or a bookshelf stacked with actually good literature.

• his place is never messy, and he has a strict routine for cleaning. his fridge is full of actual food (no instant ramen here), and he cooks proper meals like a fully functional adult.

• nanami unwinds with quiet hobbies— reading or listening to jazz while drinking real coffee (not the burnt cafeteria sludge).

• he secretly enjoys baking but won’t admit it because it’s "not practical."

• he goes to the gym, but not for fun— just because it’s necessary. he also enjoys quality entertainment— classic films, well-written novels, and actual music, not the overplayed stuff on the radio.

• he’s not anti-social, but he does have a low tolerance for nonsense. he has a small, close-knit group of friends he actually trusts.

• he goes to parties maybe twice a year, and when he does, he immediately regrets it. he’s the guy standing in the corner with a drink, watching chaos unfold, and making scathing remarks under his breath.

• he refuses to drink cheap beer—if he’s drinking, it’s going to be good alcohol.

• professors adore him. he’s the student they wish all their other students were like. he submits assignments early, leads class discussions, and actually cares about learning.

• he’s probably the type to debate professors respectfully when he disagrees with something. if a professor is incompetent, though? he’ll silently judge them for eternity.

MEI MEI

major: business administration

• mei mei is famous on campus. she’s known for being gorgeous, brilliant, and ruthless when it comes to money.

• she never does anything for free— need tutoring? pay up. want a favor? what’s in it for her?

• she’s the type of student who doesn’t waste time with unnecessary coursework. she excels in every class but never overworks herself— she does the bare minimum required to get top grades and makes it look effortless.

• she’s the student who somehow always has the right answers but rarely ever looks like she’s paying attention.

• mei mei lives off-campus in a luxurious apartment that looks straight out of an interior design magazine. everything is sleek, modern, and expensive. she has zero clutter, an actual wine collection (despite still being in college), and a ridiculously comfortable bed.

• she’s never in a rush— her mornings are smooth and aesthetic, and she somehow always arrives places looking flawless.

• her entire mindset is "i have all the time in the world."

• she definitely has side hustles— investing in stocks, flipping designer items for profit, or even casually running a secret gambling ring on campus.

• she enjoys expensive hobbies like high-stakes poker, fine dining, and traveling for no reason. she also loves making money in the easiest way possible— if she can get paid for doing nothing, she will.

• mei mei is always invited to parties, but she only shows up if it benefits her. if she’s at an event, she’s chilling in vip, drinking top-shelf liquor, and watching other people make a mess of themselves.

• she doesn’t actively seek out friends, but people gravitate toward her. she prefers intelligent company— if you bore her, she’ll immediately lose interest.

• professors respect her, but she’s also deeply frustrating because she rarely puts in visible effort. she’s the student who negotiates grades, convinces professors to curve exams in her favor, and somehow always gets extensions without anyone questioning it.

• she never does emotional labor for free— if you’re venting to her, you owe her something later.

RYOMEN SUKUNA

major: history

• sukuna is infamous. everyone knows of him, but few actually know him. some fear him, some admire him, and some want him (even though they know it’s a bad idea).

• he’s the type of guy who walks into a room, and the entire atmosphere shifts. professors loathe him because he’s too smart for his own good, but they can’t technically fail him because he’s always right.

• he’s annoyingly brilliant— aces every class without trying, writes ruthless essays, and argues with professors just to prove them wrong. he rarely takes notes, yet he remembers everything, and if he ever does write something down, it’s probably just to mock the lecture.

• he could charm anyone if he tried, but he enjoys being feared instead.

• he has a sleek, expensive off-campus apartment that looks straight out of a luxury magazine— dark aesthetic, minimalist furniture, and not a single speck of dust. everything in his space is either expensive, dangerous, or both.

• his kitchen? barely used. his bedroom? looks like a villain’s lair. his couch? somehow the most comfortable thing you’ll ever sit on.

• he has expensive hobbies— high-stakes poker, fine whiskey tasting, maybe even fencing just to flex. he’s into classic literature but will never admit it.

• if he’s not reading, he’s either at the gym casually lifting twice his body weight or going on reckless, borderline illegal night drives.

• sukuna does not do small talk. if you’re not interesting, you don’t exist to him. he doesn’t have “friends” in the traditional sense— more like acquaintances he tolerates or people who amuse him.

• if he does like you, though, you’re protected— not because he’s sentimental, but because you’re his, and he doesn’t share.

• he never loses bets. if he does lose, he definitely cheated.

• every professor hates how effortlessly brilliant he is. he corrects them in lectures, ignores deadlines but still submits flawless work, and only participates in discussions to intellectually humiliate someone.

• some fear his presence in their class because they know he’ll challenge them.

• he always smells expensive— think deep, musky cologne with hints of spice.

SATORU GOJO

major: theoretical physics

• gojo is legendary. everyone knows him, whether because of his ridiculous antics, insane intelligence, or sheer charisma.

• he’s ridiculously smart but never takes class seriously. he’s the student who barely shows up, flirts with professors for fun, and still somehow gets top grades. his essays are either brilliant or completely off-topic because he got bored and started rambling.

• if he’s losing an argument, he’ll just switch to a completely different topic to confuse everyone.

• he has a high-end off-campus apartment because there’s no way he’s dealing with dorm life.

• his place is way too nice for a college student— minimalist but stylish, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a fully stocked fridge (except he mostly orders takeout). he has a collection of expensive sunglasses, and his bed is obnoxiously big for no reason.

• he has an obscene amount of money for a college student, but no one knows why or how.

• he spends his free time causing chaos— pulling pranks, sweet-talking his way out of trouble, and randomly deciding to start new hobbies just to master them effortlessly.

• he’s really into arcade games, expensive desserts, and photography (but he only takes dramatic, artsy pictures of himself and his friends). he’s also weirdly into conspiracy theories— not because he believes them, but because he finds them entertaining.

• he will absolutely buy expensive desserts for his friends "just because."

• gojo is everywhere. he’s at every party, every event, and somehow in every social circle. he’s the type to befriend both the most popular people on campus and the quietest nerd in the library.

• at parties, he’s either dancing on a table, starting a drinking contest, or dramatically announcing his presence like a celebrity. he never gets blackout drunk— he’s always the one causing the chaos, not suffering from it.

• he never waits in lines— he just charms his way to the front.

• professors despise how naturally gifted he is because he never takes anything seriously. he’s the type to argue with them for fun, correct their mistakes, or write an entire essay about how their syllabus is boring. some admire his intellect, while others just want him to shut up for five minutes.

SHOKO IEIRI

major: biology/pre-med

• shoko is the chill but scary smart girl. she’s laid-back, sarcastic, and gives off an effortlessly cool vibe. people know of her but don’t approach unless necessary because she looks perpetually exhausted.

• she’s the go-to person for medical advice— half the student body has probably asked her for help with random injuries or hangovers.

• she’s terrifyingly good at diagnosing people just by looking at them.

• she has a small off-campus apartment that’s mostly clean but has a permanent "organized chaos" vibe—half-empty coffee cups, scattered medical textbooks, and a pile of scrubs that she swears she’s going to fold.

• she has a cat that just showed up at her apartment one day, and now they’re roommates.

• she barely spends time at home since she’s always at the library, the lab, or sleeping in random places on campus.

• if she does have time off, she’s either smoking outside a coffee shop, watching true crime documentaries, or napping.

• she has a morbid sense of humor and enjoys dissecting medical cases like it’s light reading. she also has a soft spot for stray animals and will 100% stop to pet any cat she sees.

• if you text her with a medical question at 3 am, she will answer it correctly but also judge you.

• she barely goes to parties, but when she does, she’s the one holding a drink in one hand and tending to someone’s drunken injury with the other.

• she’s friends with gojo and geto by default but pretends to be exhausted by their antics (even though she secretly enjoys them). she’s the friend who texts "bring water" at 2 am and then disappears for a week.

• she gives the best advice but in the most unserious way possible.

• professors love her intelligence but wish she’d apply herself more. she’s the student who disappears for weeks, then shows up and gets the highest score on the exam.

• she has a reputation for being blunt— if a professor says something dumb, she will call them out, but only if she’s in the mood.

SUGURU GETO

major: theology

• geto is an enigmatic intellectual— the type of person who speaks once in class and leaves everyone rethinking their entire worldview. he’s well-respected but keeps his social circle small.

• some students are lowkey intimidated by him, while others admire his wisdom and composure. he has a quiet but undeniable presence wherever he goes.

• he writes insanely well and can turn in a last-minute paper that sounds like a published thesis.

• he has a minimalist off-campus apartment that’s almost too clean, with shelves full of philosophy books and a neatly arranged tea set. He keeps his space serene, like a personal sanctuary.

• everything is in its place, but there’s a stillness to his apartment that makes people feel like they shouldn’t disturb it.

• he enjoys reading, meditation, and really long walks where he just thinks. he’s deeply interested in different cultures, philosophies, and spiritual practices, and he will have a long discussion with anyone willing to engage.

• he prefers tea over coffee but will graciously accept a high-quality espresso.

• he also enjoys traditional tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and subtly flexing his knowledge of obscure topics.

• he’s not a party person, but he’ll go if the right people invite him. he prefers deep conversations over mindless socializing, so if he’s at an event, he’s in a quiet corner having a profound discussion while sipping tea or whiskey.

• he has a habit of standing on balconies and looking unnecessarily dramatic while lost in thought.

• professors admire his intellect but sometimes feel like he’s too insightful. he’s the student who challenges the class material in a way that makes everyone feel deeply uncomfortable. 

• some professors genuinely enjoy his perspective, while others don’t know how to handle his quiet, piercing observations.

• he gives the best advice, but only if he actually thinks you need it.

• he’s a silent but deadly presence in debates— he’ll let others argue, then quietly dismantle their entire point with a single sentence

TAKUMA INO

major: communications

• ino is the underdog everyone loves. he’s friendly, loud, and always trying his best— sometimes too hard. he’s the type of guy who gets involved in everything— sports, clubs, random student events— but never actually commits long-term.

• people like him because he’s genuinely a good guy and is always down to help out (even if he has no idea what he’s doing).

• he’s the guy who tries really hard in class but isn’t necessarily top-tier academically. he takes decent notes, studies at the last minute, and somehow manages to scrape by.

• he’s always determined to do better but gets easily distracted by literally anything more interesting than his textbooks.

• he has a notebook full of terrible pickup lines.

• he definitely shares an on-campus apartment with at least one roommate, and their place is chaotic but functional. there’s always a broken chair, a fridge full of leftover takeout, and a gaming console permanently hooked up to the tv.

• his room? messy but livable— random clothes everywhere, half-drunk energy drinks on his desk, but somehow he knows where everything is.

• he’s obsessed with the gym and probably does some kind of martial arts on the side. if he’s not training, he’s either gaming, watching action movies, or failing miserably at cooking.

• he tries to meal prep but always ends up just eating ramen instead. he also gets way too invested in fantasy football or any kind of competitive game.

• he genuinely believes that protein shakes and energy drinks count as "a real meal."

• ino is the guy you call when you need a last-minute wingman. he’s at every party, every game night, and somehow gets along with everyone. 

• he loves being around people, even if they tease him for being a bit of a himbo. he’s the type to hype up his friends, carry drunk people home, and absolutely lose his mind over karaoke.

• he gets way too competitive over dumb things, like rock-paper-scissors.

• professors like him because he participates and actually tries, even if he’s not the best student. he’s the guy who raises his hand to answer a question but gets it slightly wrong— but everyone appreciates the effort.

• some professors pity him because he clearly stresses over exams but never fully prepares.

• if he loses a bet, he fully commits to whatever embarrassing thing he has to do.

TOJI FUSHIGURO

major: business

• toji is that guy— half the school doesn’t believe he’s actually a student, and the other half wants to be him or be with him. he’s the shady upperclassman people whisper about, the guy who never shows up to class but somehow gets credit.

• professors hate him, but there’s nothing they can do because he technically meets the minimum requirements. some suspect he makes money through illegal means— which… they’re not wrong.

• he never studies, barely shows up to class, and still somehow passes— either through luck, bribery, or ridiculous test-taking skills.

• toji refuses to deal with dorm life. he either rents a cheap apartment or crashes with someone when he’s between places. his living space is minimalist by necessity— a mattress on the floor, a mini fridge stocked with beer and takeout, and one chair that’s definitely stolen from campus.

• he doesn’t need a fancy place— he spends most of his time anywhere but home.

• toji always has a hustle— gambling, underground fights, fixing things (for a price), or finding things people lost (also for a price).

• he has a gambling addiction but refuses to admit it.

• if he’s not working the system, he’s at the gym, betting on something shady, or sleeping (because this man is chronically exhausted from his questionable lifestyle).

• he doesn’t have "friends"— he has connections. people know him, people owe him, and people fear him. if he does let someone close, it’s because they’re useful or entertaining. 

• he doesn’t go to parties— he runs them. if he does show up, it’s purely to make money, cause trouble, or steal someone’s date.

• professors hate him. he’s smart enough to pass but lazy enough to frustrate every professor who knows he could do better. he never shows up to office hours, barely participates, and has probably gotten into multiple arguments with faculty members.

• the only reason they haven’t kicked him out is because they can’t prove he’s doing anything wrong.

UTAHIME IORI

major: education

• utahime is the reliable upperclassman— the kind of person professors trust and underclassmen go to for advice. she’s well-liked but also has a zero tolerance policy for nonsense.

• she’s the one who tries to keep things orderly in chaotic situations (like when gojo inevitably does something dumb), but it doesn’t always work.

• she’s a hardworking and responsible student who actually studies ahead of time (unlike some of her chaotic friends). she takes meticulous notes, color-codes everything, and is probably the unofficial mom of every group project she’s in.

• she has perfect handwriting, and people always ask to borrow her notes.

• she has a cozy off-campus apartment with a warm aesthetic— think soft lighting, scented candles, and way too many blankets. her place is always tidy, and she’s the type to invite friends over for tea rather than go out to loud parties.

• she has a tea collection that could rival an actual café’s inventory.

• she definitely has a cute little balcony garden where she takes care of plants like they’re her children.

• she loves music and probably plays an instrument (piano or violin, most likely). in her free time, she enjoys reading, visiting cafés, and going to quiet nature spots to relax.

• she’s the type to stress-bake, meaning her friends always have access to homemade treats.

• she also stress-cleans when she’s overwhelmed— if you walk into her apartment and it smells like lemon-scented cleaner, she’s definitely frustrated.

• she’s not a party girl but will attend events only if she trusts the people there. if she does go to a party, she’s the responsible one making sure no one does anything too stupid.

• she’s the friend who remembers everyone’s birthdays and plans thoughtful surprises.

• professors love her because she’s responsible, respectful, and takes her studies seriously. she’s the kind of student who asks insightful questions and actually cares about what she’s learning. if a professor is unfair, though, she will call them out (politely but firmly).

YUKI TSUKUMO

major: anthropology

• yuki is that upperclassman— legendary, unpredictable, and impossible to pin down. she’s known for showing up to class once every two weeks but still acing everything.

• if there’s a student protest, she’s leading it. some people worship her, others think she’s too much, but everyone knows her name.

• she’s banned from certain campus events for stirring up too much chaos.

• she’s insanely smart but does not follow traditional academic rules. she’s the type to write a brilliant essay at the last second while sipping a drink at a bar.

• she has a loft-style off-campus apartment that looks like it belongs to an eccentric genius— random books scattered everywhere, half-finished projects lying around, and somehow, it all works.

• her fridge is mostly empty except for beer, instant ramen, and one healthy thing she forgot about weeks ago.

• she’s always traveling, hiking, or getting involved in some wild adventure. she’s the type to randomly disappear for a weekend trip without telling anyone.

• she loves motorcycles and probably works on one in her free time. if she’s not outside, she’s either deep-diving into conspiracy theories or passionately debating something over drinks.

• she will offer people rides on her motorcycle just to freak them out.

• yuki has zero social anxiety and can talk to anyone. she’s the type to crash a random group’s table at a café and somehow leave with three new friends.

• she’s always at the center of fun, whether it’s an underground party, a debate club event, or a spontaneous road trip. if you hang out with her, expect chaos.

• she always has the best stories, like "that one time i accidentally joined a secret rave in another country."

• most professors are deeply frustrated by her because she refuses to conform to their academic expectations. others recognize her genius and just let her do whatever she wants.

• she’s the student who writes an entire research paper challenging the class material and somehow gets an a.

• she’s impossible to beat in a debate— she thrives on proving people wrong.

• if she calls you at 2 am, it’s either for a life-changing conversation or because she’s about to drag you into something ridiculous.

YU HAIBARA

major: kinesiology

• haibara is the social butterfly of campus. he’s friends with everyone—from professors to the random guy who sits in the back of the lecture hall.

• he’s the type to remember baristas’ names, help people move their stuff, and always have an extra pen for classmates. people love him because he radiates warmth and positivity.

• he’s the kind of student who genuinely enjoys learning and makes class fun for everyone. he’s not a straight-a student, but he tries his best and makes up for it with enthusiasm.

• he’s the guy who shows up to class with a coffee, a big smile, and zero notes, yet still somehow manages to pass.

• he always has gum, snacks, or a spare charger on him.

• he shares a lively on-campus apartment with at least one roommate— his place always has something going on, whether it’s a game night, random people stopping by, or just music playing in the background.

• his room is messy in a controlled chaos way— laundry in a pile, books scattered, but he swears he knows where everything is.

• he’s super active and probably part of multiple clubs— sports teams, volunteer organizations, or even student government (not because he’s super political but because he likes people).

• he has zero sense of direction but refuses to admit it, so he always gets lost on campus.

• he’s the type to randomly drag his friends on outdoor adventures, like hiking or spontaneous road trips. he also definitely watches dumb reality tv and gets way too emotionally invested.

• haibara is the life of the party— he’ll drag you onto the dance floor, challenge someone to a friendly drinking game, and somehow make friends with everyone by the end of the night.

• he’s the guy who hypes you up at karaoke and makes sure no one feels left out. he sings horribly but will still belt out songs with full confidence.

• if you text him "i’m sad," he will show up at your door with snacks and bad jokes.

• professors love him because he’s genuinely engaged in class. even if he’s not the best student, he makes discussions fun and actually cares about learning.

• he’s the one who gets participation points just for making the class laugh. some professors wish he took things a little more seriously, but they can’t dislike him.

• he gives the best pep talks and hypes up his friends constantly.

[seraphinitegames]

The Wayhaven Chronicles—Update 19/July/2024

Some really fun scenes to write this week!

One of them being a major villain POV, which I just had a blast with, hehe! :D

As I was writing, I wanted to make sure this villain’s main strength was obvious, and how much it contrasts with some of vampires, who definitely don’t have this strength. *cough*A, N, and M*cough*

Adaptability.

Having someone who can adapt and react to situations, especially ones they are SO unfamiliar with, incredibly fast is a surprisingly strong—and terrifying—trait for this villain and something a bit different! But they really do it very well :D

I also got started on the scenes for the different Units, and the MC gets to interact with a different Commanding Agent of the three available depending on which one gets rolled up in the random selection for that scene.

Writing the different ways those characters approach those moments—all different but with the view of a leader—definitely shows why they were picked from their teams to be the ones in charge! It was great fun writing the choice sets for the MC and working out how these characters would respond to that, especially some of the more intense choices!

I also FINALLY made the very last decision on the new stats that are going in that relate to your character’s new role as an Agent! It’s taken a looong time as well as a lot of reworking, but I’m finally happy with them and think they will have impact needed. Stats aren’t really my thing, so I wanted a selection that would actually add and enhance the choices and variations rather than just simply adding in things to add points.

Also got those coded in, as we’re coming up to the section where you start really pushing forward on those! The stats your character has gathered so far will still play into narrative, it’s just these will help add a different element for the more Agency-focused career your character is now a part of!

So yeah, a seriously fun week of really getting to some awesomely fun scenes with characters I can’t wait for you to interact with and meet, hehe! :D

It looks like we’re still on schedule for the late July/early August release of Chapter Two in the demo! Will keep you updated on how that is going too as I get comments/edits back.

Hope you all have the most amazing weekend! We’ll be offline as usual, so I’ll update you all again next week! <3

[echo-bleu]

The Sculptor in her Workshop, Unknown, Late Third Age, Tirion.

and

The Return of the Lost Son, Unknown, Early Fourth Age, Tirion.

This is something of a companion piece to this Nerdanel character study (on AO3). In it, she sculpts her husband and sons as she feels them die across the sea, and she waits long ages for Maglor until he comes home.

(Makalaurë, standing still in the empty space that long awaited him, makes a better marble than live body.)

I think this is the most detailed piece I've ever done. I genuinely started it as "oh, I have a very vivid mind picture of this scene, I could do a little sketch!" and here I am about two weeks and 19 hours of painting later. I'm really proud of it, though.

Please reblog if you like it!

IDs (also in alt), details and more rambling under the cut.

[ID: Two digital paintings of the same room, a sculptor's workshop. In the first, Nerdanel, a light-skinned elf woman with long curly red hair, is working on an abstract sculpture in marble. Behind her are six marble life-sized statues: Fëanor, brandishing a gem, Maedhros, with one hand missing, arms partly crossed, and after a gap, Celegorm, kneeling down to hold Huan, Caranthir, reading a book, Curufin, forging a dagger on an anvil, his arm raised to hammer it, and Ambarussa, holding each other. On the foreground right is a large stab of marble waiting to be sculpted. The second painting has the same background with the workshop and statues, with a more reddish tint as if it's sunset. The abstract sculpture has now replaced the slab of stone and in the middle, Nerdanel is kneeling in front of Maglor, as light-skinned elf with very long dark hair, holding his hand, while she has her other hand on her mouth. She is crying. Maglor is standing in the gap between the statues of Maedhros and Celegorm. The other pictures are details of the first two.]

The statues in order: Fëanor, Maedhros, (Maglor), Celegorm&Huan, Caranthir, Curufin, Amrod and Amras. Feel free to zoom in, they are each pretty detailed.

This is the first time I've drawn any of the younger sons. I did Nerdanel and Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor and Celegorm before, each in slightly different AUs, but desiging Caranthir, Curufin and Ambarussa was fun!

Maedhros is missing his hand and has scars, because while Nerdanel never saw it, Finrod came to tell her what he looked like after Angband. She first sculpted him with his hand, though, so I imagine taking a hammer to it must have been... a specific sort of pain.

Curufin is a mix of Fëanor and Celebrimbor, they all look like each other, but I headcanon that Fëanor was more thin and wiry (though still strong), while Curufin was a bit buffer, as he focused more on large works (weapons and infrastructure) than jewellery, and Celebrimbor who was a teen/young adult in the war put up more fat once in Ost-en-Edhil, after many years of privation.

I can never settle on Caranthir's craft/occupation, but it's something bookish. As for Ambarussa, I think Nerdanel just wanted to remember them as happy youths, rather than attach them to any activity.

[jayaury]

Marrying the Maid

More archive short stories. Get more on my P*treon. Enjoy! https://www.patreon.com/JayAury

---

Baron Lukas Instaf fell into his office chair with an audible groan.

Yes.

His office.

He had to keep reminding himself of that fact. To think, he would inherit the barony at a mere twenty years of age. It was quite a bit of pressure, he had to admit.

He found himself looking back at the imposing portrait hanging over the mantle of the fireplace. His father’s picture was of a grim, sullen man with dark hair and a face of hard, disapproving lines.

Lukas had inherited the man’s hair, if not his rough features. He was slimmer than his stocky father. Many said handsomer, and certainly younger. He flexed his hands on the arms of the chair uneasily and scanned the study. He didn’t much care for the decor. But that had always been his problem, as his father had frequently berated him. He was indecisive. Weak.

Well, Lukas had best start getting decisive. For this was his home now.

Well, mostly.

The door swung open with a bang. “Good morning master!”

He sat up sharply as a familiar figure bounced into the room. Clarissa, the family’s maid of two years, was a forceful personality in the house. She filled every room she stepped foot in with her presence and somewhat unconventional character. Lukas had no idea why his father had kept the boisterous redhead.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He had a good idea. Two of them, actually. Clarissa was bustier than some holstaurs. In fact, there were rumours that she was one of those bovine maidens, but had filed down her horns. Lukas wasn’t sure how much he believed that, but he did know that she did attend that new cow goddess church that was making waves. And she was unbelievably brash and forceful for a servant. Not to mention teasing. He’d often been at the receiving end of her attentions, leaving him flustered and annoyed.

And she was wearing scent again, he noticed with a sigh. Honestly, it seemed like every day she wore a new kind of perfume. The current one was jasmine, and was shockingly potent. Well, at least it was better than the rosemary she used to wear around his father. In fact, it was almost… pleasant.

“Clarissa!” he sighed, forcing himself not to stare at the maid’s impressive bust. “You-”

“Here with your tea!” she said, sliding the tray into place before him with a wink of her long lashes. “Starting off the morning well, as the big, strong baron should!”

“Clarissa, really. You can’t just-”

“Not to worry, my baron! There’s plenty of cream. I know how much you like it,” she added, picking up a pitcher and pouring a generous helping into his cup. “And you’ll need it today! Because we have quite a bit of work to do.”

In the midst of tidying his papers, Lukas paused. “We do?”

“Of course, my lord! Now that you are baron, we must decide on your betrothed.”

“M-my what!”

“And I have them right here!” Clarissa chimed, lifting a folder out from some hidden recess of her scandalously short skirt (it had to be custom. No other maid in the estate had such a revealingly tight uniform). “Shall we take a look, my baron?”

“Wh… Hold on now, I can’t just-”

“My baron!” Clarissa cried in mock horror. “Surely you realize the importance in choosing your bride? The barony cannot be left without a mistress. Not only for the hard work running the estate, but also the vital work of carrying on the family line! Which means we must choose the most ample, breedable, lovely wife for you.”

“B-breedable? Clarissa! That is-”

“Not to worry, my baron. I’m sure you can manage that. Why, any woman would consider herself lucky to be bent over your table as you thrust home, stuffing her full of your droit de seigneur.”

Lukas’s face burned as it always did whenever Clarissa got going like this. Not to say she was wrong, unfortunately. She was absolutely right. He did need to get married, but it still seemed so early to be shopping for a bride. “Clarissa, really. I-”

“Early to start, my baron! We must be. Once word gets out that Baron Instaf is not only single, but such an adorable, impressive, handsome piece of stud meat, why, we’ll be besieged by eligible young ladies looking to have you mount them like a prized mare! And whichever does will be lucky to have you. Take my word for it!”

“Clarissa! This is… that sort of talk is hardly-”

“You’re so right, my baron. Here I am, chattering away, and you haven’t even gotten a chance to look at the choices! Let’s take a look at the candidates, shall we?”

Lukas sighed, finally giving up. It was near impossible to stop Clarissa once she set her mind to something, though by gods he would soon. He’d have to talk to the head butler about firing her. She treated him far too casually. But for now, he supposed the best thing was just to get this business with the portraits over with.

“Fine,” he said. “Let’s take a look…”

“How wise, my dear baron,” Clarissa chirped merrily as she opened the folder to the first page, propping it up just underneath her immense bosom.

Lukas cleared his throat, forcing himself to look at the portrait and not the impressive pair of breasts just above it. “And this is…”

“Mirria Mable. Daughter of a lord in the southern country. Quite the pick specimen. An attractive if air headed young thing. Pretty, but not terribly bright. And not nearly as endowed as me, hm?”

“Clarissa! That’s hardly appropriate,” Lukas said, though he had to admit it was true, and his eyes did quickly steal a glance at Clarissa’s chest as if just to make sure of that. Gods, the room felt suffocating in the perfume she wore. He should open a window, though the scent wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, it was a bit… soothing.

Clarissa giggled. “Very true, my baron. We cannot judge a woman less blessed than myself in that respect. Some of us were merely born with a generous bosom. Perfect to lay one’s head upon.”

Lukas rolled his eyes, but felt his cheeks warm at the thought. “I ah… Well, what about the others?”

“The others? Of course, my lord,” Clarissa said, turning the page, her chest bouncing as she did so.

The sight made Lukas realize quite suddenly his mouth was very dry. With haste, he picked up a teacup and took a sip. Mm. Normally he wasn’t a big fan of cream in his tea, but wherever Clarissa got hers, it was delicious.

“Now then,” Clarissa said. “Lady Blumen from the duchy of Clausen seems like a perfect match for you. Nearly as busty as I am, and I know how important that is for you, my baron.”

“Not that important…” he mumbled.

“Ho ho!” Clarissa laughed, the throaty mirth making her breasts bounce most distractingly in her tight top. “How droll you are, my baron! But I know how much you value an impressive pair of breasts. You can barely keep your eyes off mine!”

Lukas flushed again, realizing he had been staring at her chest. He hastily took another sip of tea. Gods, he was feeling a bit light headed. “I ah… What else is there about her?”

“Why, only that she is something of a black widow, my baron. A nasty piece of work. She delights in wedding rich men, then crushing them beneath her heel. Nitpicking them until they don’t dare breathe without her approval. And what a cruel thing, my baron! Why, she cannot understand true love. The love of a good husband willing to do anything for his darling wife. Adore you. Worship her! She’s only in it for the quick cash! No sense of adoring her new spouse like the good boy he is.”

“S-sorry. Good boy?” Lukas said.

Clarissa giggled, her long lashes fluttering again. “Oh yes, my baron. A husband must be assured what a good boy he is. What a good, obedient, lovey dovey dummy he is to his beloved wife. Otherwise, he might get the most silly ideas in his head.”

Lukas felt his cheeks redden at the degrading words, even if they weren’t addressed to him. And he found his eyes looking at Clarissa’s breasts again. Big and soft. The subtle heave as she breathed. Or rather, the not so subtle. Looked like she was as into the discussion as he was.

“Er, right. Sure,” Lukas said, taking another sip of tea, sinking back into his seat with a sigh. “So, not her.”

“Oh no, my baron. You deserve so much better. So much bustier! So much more loving and adoring. A sweet wife who would show you what a good boy you are. Who would let you adore her like the happy, dopey husband you were always meant to be.”

“Er, yes. Yes. But uh… Who is the next one?”

“Oh yes, my baron. That would be the Countess Francesca,” Clarissa said, turning the next page. “But she wouldn’t make an appropriate wife for you either my lord.”

“Hm?” Lukas said, taking another sip, barely paying attention as he watched Clarissa’s breasts bounce. “She wouldn’t? Why… why not?”

“Oh my baron! Why, she does not want children.”

“O-oh,” Lukas said as he took another long drink of his tea. “Yes, that might… might be a problem. Need an heir…”

“Oh no, my baron. Not just one.”

“S-sorry?”

Clarissa gave him a knowing look. “Why, my dear baron, your wife must bear you many children! A dozen at least. A dozen happy, lovely children. Your wife needs to be very eager to take your virile seed. Because I know, my dear baron, that you’re far too much a stud to be satisfied with just one child. That you would like nothing more than to breed your beloved wife at every opportunity. To make her breasts so big… so heavy… so creamy and soft that you can’t help but play with them and kiss them every night.”

Lukas stared at her breasts. Gods, he could imagine it. Imagine those breasts bouncing. Heaving. Wobbling and Clarissa positively glowing from… from…

But… but no. He… he needed to only think of… of his wife like that. Yes. Only his wife. His beloved wife, whoever… whoever it turned out to be.

“I uh…”

“Oh dear, my baron,” Clarissa sighed, closing the folder dramatically, crossing her arms beneath her jiggling bust. “This just won’t do! It seems like there isn’t a noble woman in the land who can satisfy all your needs. A woman so busty. So loving. So beautiful and fertile to satisfy your very high standards.”

“I… y-yes. No one…”

“Oh!” Clarissa suddenly said, brightening visibly. “But then, of course! How silly of me. I didn’t think of that at all! Why, you don’t need a noblewoman for your wife.”

“I… I don’t?” Lukas said, frowning a little, brow wrinkling in concentration. Didn’t he? He was under the impression that was important…

“Oh no, my beloved baron,” Clarissa cooed as she planted her hands on the table, climbing onto it and crawling towards him, pendulous breasts swaying teasingly, her eyes hot, molten with something that made Lukas’s pulse quicken and pound. “Not at all. Why, if the noble stock isn’t up to the standards, then we must simply find another who is. One who is capable of seeing the greatness in you. The handsomeness. The virile… powerful… studliness in you.”

Lukas found himself instinctively retreating, pressing into the back of his chair, watching his maid move towards him like a she-wolf on the hunt. “Wh-who?”

“Now that is the question, isn’t it, my baron,” Clarissa giggled, straightening so she was kneeling on the desk in front of him, her hands cupping her breasts, fondling and massaging them teasingly. “She’d have to know your domain inside and out. She’d have to have every servant in the house already under her thumb. She’d have to know the ways you love things done. She’d have to be so pretty… so clever… so very… very… busty that you just couldn’t say no to her. Every idea she had would just seem like the bestest idea ever. Oops! Did I say breastest?”

“D-did you?” Lukas said, fairly drooling as he watched her bounce and mold her breasts together.

“Maybe I should have, hmm?” Clarissa said. “Because I know how much my baron loves breasts. Big… bouncy… soft breasts. That’s why I know he’ll make the right choice. I know he’ll decide on exactly the right person to be his baroness. To be his loving wife. His devoted mistress. His gorgeous… bouncy… beautiful bride. But who, my baron? Who is busty and smart and beautiful enough for that.”

“Wh-who?” Lukas gasped.

“Think hard, my baron,” Clarissa crooned.

Lukas tried to. He really did. But his mind just didn’t seem to want to cooperate. Every thought he had swirled and squished and bounced and wobbled like Clarissa’s breasts. He whimpered, biting his lower lip, trembling with need as his maid continued to massage her breasts, her buttons straining against her ample tit flesh until… until…

“Mmmm,” Clarissa moaned, tearing open the front of her uniform, her ample, pale breasts spilling into the open. Bouncing with heavy softness. Nipples dark accents to their creamy slopes.

Lukas gasped, jolting like from a physical blow as her breasts bounced free.

“Whoops!” Clarissa giggled. “Did I do that?”

“Y-you… you…” Lukas stammered.

Clarissa’s smile widened. “Me, my lord?” she said coyly. “You want me to be your gorgeous baroness?”

Lukas blinked blankly, his sloshing thoughts struggling. “I…”

“Well, it is true, my lord,” Clarissa cooed, her leg extending, foot pressing against his chest and pushing him and his chair back with a squeak. “I am so very smart. So very beautiful. So very…” she breathed, sliding off the desk, into his lap, Lukas groaning as her weight settled on the hardness of his tenting cock. “Very…” Clarissa moaned as she leaned forward, her ample titflesh pressing against his face. “...Busty…”

Lukas shuddered, inhaling, breathing in the heady scent of Clarissa’s breasts and body. A scent so potent and strong it made his toes curl. Sweet. Heavy and wonderful. Something so real. So potent. The jasmine stuffing his nose. Suffocating his thoughts. And with… with just a faint hint of cream…

“Oh, but whatever would society say,” Clarissa groaned, her hips rocking, rubbing herself upon his thick cock, making Lukas moan and pant under her as his cock throbbed with need. As her breasts squished his face between them and Clarissa’s weight ground him under her. “They might say such terrible things…”

“Ohhhh,” Lukas groaned.

“You’re so right, my baron,” Clarissa giggled. “True love overcomes all odds. And oh, but you do love me, my baron. You do love my big… soft… breasts. And I love you. Loved you so much I tried all sorts of alraune perfumes before I found the one that just. Makes. You. Melt.”

“Mmmm,” Lukas moaned as he inhaled deeply.

“And you love my wonderful, clever mind, don’t you?” Clarissa cooed as she gave her breasts a bounce, swirling his thoughts again to a lather. “So smart to think of buying that holstaur cream for your tea. So clever to know how malleable it makes a good boy. How needy and aroused by big breasts it makes him. How adoring and dumb. How needy and horny and obedient.

“But there is something bigger than my breasts, my baron,” Clarissa moaned as she squeezed her tits around his head. “Oh yes! Believe it. And that is my warm, adoring heart. Perfectly made for my darling baron. Utterly devoted to him. Because I know, my beloved baron, how haaaaard it is for you to think with me around. How distracted you get from a big… soft… pair of breasts. How hard it is for you to rule. You’re not suited for it, my lord. You’re just suited to be a lovey dovey bimbo. A perfect, obedient stud to your darling wife. And oh, my baron, do you really want me? Do you really need me?”

Lukas whimpered beneath his maid, his mind whirling. Drunk on lust and love and heavenly cream and her body. His hands trembled as they touched her, stroking her hips and rump. Touching her back and causing Clarissa to lean forward and bounce teasingly atop him, his chair creaking.

“Oh my baron. If you begged me, then, well, maybe,” Clarissa giggled. “If you told me how much you loved me, how much you need me, then maybe I’d believe you. Maybe I could be convinced to make you my adoring husband. My sweet, brainless stud of a man who’d do anything his busty wife said. Shall we try, my baron?”

“Mmmm,” Lukas moaned into her breasts.

“Let’s,” Clarissa crooned.

Lukas gasped as her breasts came off his face. He blinked dully as he found Clarissa smiling down at him, gaze smoldering and smirk hot with desire.

“I…” Lukas said.

“I want you, my baron,” Clarissa breathed. “Don’t you want me too?”

The note of hot passion in her tone dashed any effort of resistance from him. Lukas’s mouth trembled and he nodded, the truth escaping him in a panting gasp.

“Y-yes,” he said. “W-want you.”

“Do you, my baron?” Clarissa cooed as her hips rose, her hands teased down his chest and to his crotch, Lukas gasping as her fingers played with his bulge, undoing his zipper. “Do you want to fuck your beautiful bride? Propose to her and fuck her and breed her glorious pussy?”

“Y-yes!” Lukas whimpered, his cock springing into the open, a shock of pure ecstasy surging through him as her fingers wrapped around his length. “C-Clarissa, I… I…”

“Oh my baron,” Clarissa giggled, leaning in closer, her molten eyes hot, her rouged lips soft, enunciating every word as he felt his cock guided under the tickling hem of her skirt, brush the smooth skin of her inner thigh, drawn towards the heat of her naked pussy. “Just say… I do.”

“I… I… d-dooooo!” Lukas groaned, head falling back as Clarissa’s body eased down, his cock swallowed in the warm tightness of her pussy. His face buried again under the buxom softness of her ample tits.

“Mmmmm!” Clarissa moaned, her hips rocking, riding her atop his cock with slow, passionate motions that sent throbbing ecstasy radiating through his body and manhood. “Ohhhh my baaaaron! Yes! Yes! I will! I’ll be your baroness! I’ll be your gorgeous wife! Your perfect lover! Your loving, breedable bride. Ah. Ah! Oh goddess yes! Fuck me! Fill me with your cock!”

Lukas groaned beneath her, his lips kissing and licking her breasts, lost in the creamy valley of her tits, trapped in the ecstasy of her figure and the seemingly endless ampleness of her bouncy breasts. His cock throbbed in her, squeezed by her adoring inner walls. Heat consumed him. Pleasure subsumed him.

It was so good. So perfect. He couldn’t break free. Couldn’t resist. The need to cum surged within him. Devoured him. Urged him towards the inevitability of climax. He panted, gasping, moaning under her.

“Yes!” Clarissa gasped. “Oh my baron! Oh my husband! Yes! Fuck me! Fill me! Stuff me full of your cum! Ohhhhh my baron! I neeeed it! Need your mnnn! Your cum! Ah. Yes. Yes! Cum in me, Lukas. Cum in your bride! Fuck me! Breed me! Now! Breed me… nooooow!”

Her voice rose, a crescendo of shameless pleasure, her inner walls tightening, flexing, squeezing his cock with the glory of her peak. As her breasts shuddered around his head, Lukas cried out, surrendering to her pleasure, his cock throbbing, his balls tightening.

And he came.

Blessed release seemed to burst within him. Sear him. Devour him. His cock surrendered to her, filling her in sharp bursts of heady pleasure.

Lukas moaned, lost in her breasts. Lost in the pleasure. Floating in a sea of creamy ecstasy and delight, his mind sinking under waves of soft, bouncy bliss.

Atop him, Clarissa cooed, giggling as she felt him sag, lost beneath her breasts. Her arms wrapped around her new husband’s head, pulling him deeper into her bosom as she looked about the study. Ugh. Such depressing decoration. She’d have to get it cleaned out. And the room would make such a lovely nursery too.

She giggled, admiring the dazed expression of her former master as she smothered him beneath her breasts. She couldn’t wait for the wedding. Especially since she promised that holstaur priestess and her alraune friend they could be her bridesmaids. After all, when one was looking for a husband, one needed a foot in the door. And she just knew her beloved betrothed had some friends in need of busty, brainwashing brides.

Clarissa hummed contentedly, lazily rocking her hips, feeling Lukas’s cock stir anew within her, ready for round two.

Mmm.

All too easy for a clever, busty girl like her…

[aspenscore]

Artist: Aspenscore

Title: Don't Be That Guy

Don't Be That Guy © 2025 by Aspenscore is licensed under CC BY 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Size: 512 x 384

Skizz gets in trouble with the law for leaving floating trees… he really shouldn't have Been That Guy

Process TL;DR:

Skizz has played two different law-adjacent roles this season and I thought it'd be funny for them to come after early season Skizz for making all those early game mistakes

The hardest part of this process was the composition, as it was hard to balance storytelling with visual appeal

I switched from Sketchbook to Medibang Paint for this one and the timelapse recording went so much more smoothly (video imminent!)

One of my favourite things about Skizz's HC10 season is how much he commits to his various character roles on the server. They are all unique and entertaining in their own ways, and I thought it'd be funny to put those strong personalities all together in one scene. Since his two main roles have some sort of involvement with the law, it only made sense for them to come after his early season self (Don't Be That Guy Skizz) for breaking some basic server etiquette. My initial plan was to have POE Skizz writing up Don't Be That Guy (DBTG) for leaving floating trees and Lawyer Skizz coming in to defend DBTG, but it was hard to make it clear who Lawyer Skizz is actually coming after, so he could also have teamed up with POE Skizz to bring down the (literal) hammer on DBTG. It's entirely up to your interpretation. I just like his general threatening aura.

The main thing that made Lawyer Skizz's intentions difficult to portray was the fact that I needed to balance storytelling with visual appeal. I needed to make it clear what was going on and why, while making sure all the characters' faces were visible, and ensuring the overall positioning of everything looked good and visually flowed well. I probably sketched at least ten different options for this piece at work (to save time), narrowed them down to about five strong ideas, and then got many people's input on the composition and posing (shoutout to my partner, various friends with degrees in media design, and the spoonies discord server). I finally landed on this one, as it was one of my favourites composition-wise. It was the most interesting to look at, everyone's face is visible, and it communicates enough of the main story elements to at least give a general sense of what's going on. The only issue I had with this one was figuring out how to make the floating tree obvious without upsetting the visual balance of the rest of the piece. I'm not sure I really fixed it, but there wasn't much I could do without starting all over, and I figured the story is still clear enough even if it's not immediately apparent what DBTG's crime was.

Tech-wise, I have way less to say about this one than the Joel piece I did a few weeks ago, and that's a good thing. The main issue I had with the other piece was recording the timelapse, because my main drawing program (Skechbook Pro) doesn't have a timelapse feature. After all the problems I had last time, I decided I was willing to switch to an entirely new drawing program if it meant I was able to avoid all that mess, and luckily for me, the drawing program I used to use before Sketchbook (Medibang Paint) has a timelapse feature! This was a huge relief, because I already know how to use it and I know my tablet can handle it. Everything went smoothly and I am so relieved to have a solution (I even fixed that problem my monitor started having back when I was troubleshooting the Joel piece recording setup!). You might notice, however, that this piece is still rather low-res. Unlike last time, that was not an unfortunate accident; I just didn't scale up the dimensions. Don't know why. Sorry about that lol

Since the tech side of things went so well this time, I'll have a timelapse video coming out shortly and I'm very excited to share it with you all! I am also considering doing timelapse videos of some of my other art (most likely my video thumbnails) now that I've got a reliable recording setup for that. (Is that something y'all'd be interested in? Please let me know!)

Overall, I wanted to say a big thank you to Skizz for making such wonderfully entertaining videos. I look forward to the rest of the season, and I can't wait to see people going through the finished pyramid!

I also want to thank all of you reading this for your time and support! I know this isn't usually the sort of thing I post, so it makes me happy that people seem to enjoy it just as much as my regular content. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

[furiouskettle]

random Look Outside character headcanons/opinions

(may be incorrect cause ive just been watching playthroughs. going off of the info i got from that which may be missing some parts.)

body horror talk, spoilers from all over the game and ending under the cut.

Sam

I love sam. hes just nice (potentially a pushover) and a dork. HES JUST A GUY!!!! i love that the game gives him time to show you how he’s processing his/your actions?

Really funny to me that him being unemployed is part of the reason he’s the protagonist. Can’t become a monster if you don’t have to go outside.

Am curious why he isn't working at the grocery store (if he did work there). did he leave or get fired?

OW losing an arm has GOTTA HURT. i cast pain upon this man.

his hair is just Like That no matter what he does

Joel

mY SWEET BABY BOYYYY i want to see him grow up big and strong (not too big and strong considering the everything but you get the idea).

looks like he has some form of "vision" post-mutation?? he doesnt seem to have any issue playing video games so i opt that he can “see”, just not very well. it’s short range and fuzzy. might be more of a feeling of his surroundings than real vision? whatever it is, it's good enough to play super jump lad.

I also HC that he’d developed shortsightedness when he had eyes, just that nobody had noticed yet that he’s squinting at things more than he should…

I think his biting/devouring is involuntary when he’s agitated. thankfully it hasn’t come to him biting any friends so far!

get this boy some popsicle sticks to gnaw on. not even for tooth reasons. eight year olds just love chewing on popsicle sticks. (preferably after popsicle has been consumed)

Apart from not fully understanding everything going on due to his age, he seems a bit dazed from the mutation and probably has brain fog for a few days after, which is Definitely not helping sam with the Oh My God this kid doesnt know his parents are dead. OH GOD I KILLED THIS KID'S PARENTS AND I HAVE STOLEN HIM AWAY

oddly chill with losing teeth. has taken some of his baby teeth out by himself! gives joel my childhood trait of oh hey my tooth is wobbling! lemme get rid of that real quick. twist twist twist

Jeanne

i dont have much to say on her atm but she’s lovely and really doesnt deserve what happens to her. on the bright side the worst seems to be over for her?? if she’s still growing does that mean that she’s gonna have to be like “oop a new head’s budding. gotta get someone to lop that off for me before it becomes a problem.”

Lyle

FIRST OF ALL i LOVE how his design kind of references how old cameras had to be covered with fabric so the photo wouldn't fail.

i think he wore glasses when he was human! …the lenses got absorbed into his face. the camera he was holding did too. I think he didn’t own as many cameras as he ended up with. That big one he has seems specific enough that maybe that was the one he was using to snap a sky pic??? idk if he touched any other cameras after that but THAT one has gotta be the one he was holding.

idk if he finds spiders GROSS but he is definitely the kind of person to be afraid to be in the same room as one.

I think most of his legs are telescopic to some degree! he just doesnt see the need to make himself any taller than he already is, except for photography reasons.

reiterating from one of my doodle posts, i like to think his eye lenses shed over time. if you took off the lens early on an eye (via injury) it would have weak vision. built-in glasses!

I hope the soul photo thing is like a special attack thing for him that he has to set up intentionally? it feels mean to have all the photos he takes with his built in cameras be the soul-stealing kind. he does take photos by accident/involuntarily a lot but the one he takes after the kiss with sam is totally on purpose and he absolutely still has that one. concerning.

idk if he gets out of his apartment much during the Visit, but it could be that HE hasnt seen any mutations worse than his/doesnt know that sam has totally seen worse. Hence why he's trying to hide so hard from Sam (not to mention the guy is crushing HARD, he's not gonna wanna be vulnerable in front of him).

....also hideous monster or not hes naked under there. i dont blame him for wanting to stay cloaked

Xaria & Monty

oh god theyre art students. that explains SO much.

very funny to me that xaria heard a voice in her head compelling her to check out the window and decided she’s gonna be contrarian about it.

I imagine a lot of Monty’s projects are setting something on fire. shows up to class with a pile of plastic baby heads. sets them ablaze. the most important part of being an art student is the time honored tradition of bullshitting some sort of meaning that’s gonna satisfy the lecturer.

Probably decent at life drawings but he keeps burning his works. (not to mention realism doesnt appear to be his kind of style)

Xaria feels like she’d stick to slightly more traditional mediums (painting, sculpture)? a lot of surrealism, mixed media, themes of nonconformity and violence. has totally used blood in a project before. More intentional about the meaning of her art- the intention being that she wants to make people uncomfortable.

i think it’d be hilarious if they’d been binging horror movies the night before. funniest options are The Thing and Tetsuo the iron man.

Since Sam mutates into something regardless of what you do up on the roof, i’m guessing the same goes for these two if you bring them up there. cool/nasty idea for their mutation is they fuse into one being... not necessarily an idea im running with atm but fun to think abt anyway

Sybil

AGH, sybil….. i love her. she's just really nice...

I think she’s in some sort of schrödinger’s cat situation - dead and alive until observed. or maybe like a quark (particle that cannot be observed but you can see the effects of it).

it’s unclear if someone ever was next door to you, but if I recall the astronomers tell you there’s no way she’s there? (cant recall if its bc she was “dead” by then or if its the totally wrong floor.)

the game says it was a mystery what happened to sybil, but a potential course of events could be your Real Neighbour just got sucked outta their window same as what happens to you if you look and sybil THINKS shes next door to you.

I’m pretty sure she’s in all of the walls? some of her text implies that, even tho she doesnt seem to be really aware of it.

far as she knows, she's in her apartment. what's her apartment like? well, it's an apartment. it's got walls. she can see out the peephole. there's.... furniture. What else do you want?

(man. between her, the pipe lady, the water pump guy, and the boiler room the walls are CROWDED. no wonder the roaches decide to move to your place.)

The Visitor

what do i even say about it? it is, in the most direct meaning of the word, awesome. it’s unfathomably immense. it's beautiful. it's horrifying. I love that in a single eye out of infinite eyes, it sees a miniscule creature who just wants to live. Sam becomes a smaller reflection of the Visitor, and the visitor gains a fraction of what makes sam human…

I wonder, did the visitor even “exist” until witnessed? same as sybil, maybe it could have some quantum thing going on. i can’t speculate on this any more than the astronomers have.

Sam (ritual-denial)

while it’s the nicest ending possible, i still feel kinda bad for sam :( he can never be truly alone anymore, but at the same time isn’t becoming a giant god-creature kind of isolating? sure, he must grow used to it over time but MAN. WHAT AN ADJUSTMENT.

regardless, it’s nice that he decides to use his new form to take care of the world, and sounds like he probably gets some extra brain capacity to be able to do all the stuff he does. (probably a few extra mini-brains to control the different arm nodes)

I hope he gets to take time for himself too, sometimes. probably sleeps like a dolphin (switch off half the brain for a power nap)

I don't think he can do verbal communication (at least, it's gonna take him a WHILE to figure out how to talk with his feelers) but at least there's keyboards.

also its funny how he gains like a gajillion arms after potentially losing one of two.

also i love the cafe patrons and the mutants at the camp. theyre all so fun. AND MANUEL FUNKY LITTLE DUDE WITH THE JAMS.

i need to find more about the lady with the slasher mask i just know she exists.

@mtgc858 @deafeningfestivalpaper @kasprawn39 @contract-crawdad @goawaypopup @eyessss come get yer headcanons

anyway uhhhhhhh hope you found my rambling fun to read byee

[enteringdullsville]

I got bored so I made a thing. Modern Nick AU featuring a handful of the child protagonists, a chibified SpongeBob being their chaperone? A summer camp setting, perhaps? With everyone save for Danny, Jenny, and Dora having their ages fudged to be closer?

Sure, why not? From left to right:

Sanjay Patel

He may or may not have snuck Craig into his cabin, and Craig may or may not have started charging people for “sage advice from the talking snake”

Sanjay’s a relatively good kid but kind of a hellion. Manny spends much of his early life in a moral dilemma. Having them be partners seemed like a logical decision

His bowling pin head was really hard to adapt to my usual style without utterly mangling his face, but I think I did alright

Manny Rivera

He’s wearing the boots and scarf from his El Tigre costume

Bessie thinks he’s the coolest thing, but his and Danny’s egos clash almost immediately

This presumably takes place after he’s settled on heroism, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a troublemaker

April O’Neil

She’s quite possibly the only person getting any actual work done in camp

She’s ostensibly the least insane person in the group, but she’s prone to egging on the others’ antics and starting bets on how much things will escalate

Her age has been dropped a couple of years, so she’s often with Lincoln foiling Dora’s whole escape artist routine

Tommy Pickles

Still on his filmmaker career from All Grown Up! He has a lot of footage of a lot of things in a lot of places

Normally mild mannered and agreeable, but being given “strict orders” instantly makes his good mood vanish

His mind tends to wander when he’s bored, and it has no regard for its curfew

Lincoln Loud

He’s a weeb canonically, so he’s been given a vaguely animesque appearance

Whatever camp this takes place at, I can guarantee at least one of his sisters had been there prior. Since most of the characters here are the Everyman type, Linc’s cunning and trickster attributes are played up a bit

Has no regard for the fourth wall. Tommy has no clue what he’s on about and thinks he’s insane

Aang (Just Aang)

Whether or not he can bend is based purely on what’s funniest at the moment, especially since he and Dib make it impossible for this to be canon compliant

He’s definitely living in an AU with a less horrific backstory. Less responsibilities, less issues

Wouldn’t hurt a fly, but he’d definitely give a wasp a warning shot if it was being a jerk

Danny Fenton

Danny, and only Danny, is actually a little older here. He and Jenny are the counselors. Lucky them.

Doesn’t even bother with the secret identity since Bob’s the only one dense enough to not connect the dots

Being able to turn invisible is really helpful when Dib has questions he doesn’t feel like answering

Jimmy Neutron

There he is, officer. That one’s the ringleader

Aang’s existence is a constant source of frustration for him since he can’t come up with a scientific explanation for all…that

He’s right off the heels of Nicktoons Unite and is wondering when and why SB became so serious

SpongeBob SquarePants

The only adult we see at the camp for some reason, and the only nonhuman besides Jenny

I messed up his scaling, he was supposed to be small enough to fit in someone’s hand, hence his overly simplified design. That’s the height he is in-universe

Ironically and disproportionately strong. Not Jenny’s level, but about as strong as he is in Unite…without being adjusted for size. In other words, he can easily pick up and throw the campers like rag dolls

Jenny Wakeman

The only nonhuman kid at camp, as well as the oldest/youngest at 16/5

She’s the one thing stopping land bears from tearing the camp apart

She’s justifiably a little wary since she’s not exactly nature proof, but all the kids think she’s the coolest thing

Timmy Turner

A closer look at him reveals three familiar looking trinkets shaped like a wand, wings, and a floaty crowny thing

He doesn’t need magic, anyway. He’ll make everything possibly go wrong his own way

He and Bessie butt heads almost immediately; Timmy’s fine with one hypercompetent overachieving Girl Scout in his life, but he does not need another

Ginger Foutley

Usually found with fellow artsy types Rudy and Lincoln

Riddled with anxieties and restless leg syndrome. She comes of as brooding, but she’s just introspective

Since April’s a menace, she’s the actual least insane camper

Eliza Thornberry

It took her a bit to realize SpongeBob could actually talk to begin with and that everyone else didn’t have the same power as her. In fact, there’s a non-zero chance there are a bunch of animals from assorted Nick shows that are screaming in the background constantly and it’s messing with her head

I gave her just the one braid to make her distinct from the other Elizabeth in the cast

She slips in and out of her father’s mannerisms. SMASHING!

Rudy Tabootie

Mysteriously disappears to parts unknown it’stheChalkZone every now and then when he needs to blow off some steam

I find it funny how stylized I made everyone else while Rudy’s just slightly taller

SpongeBob sees a lot of himself in the kid. Rudy doesn’t know how to feel about that

Dora Marquez

Y’know, I added her as a joke, and she immediately became my favorite

She’s the youngest kid at her canon age of seven, so she’s coddled by everyone else. She HATES it, given that she’s been adventuring on her own for the longest time, so she’s a lot more cynical than usual. Easily the biggest departure from the norm

Constantly tries to escape supervision in favor of wandering the wilderness, but the talking cheese won’t let her

Arnold Shortman

He doesn’t know how he ended up as the “cool guy”, but he’s not gonna fight it

Appears detached and aloof, but he’s more likely just dissociating

Always seems to know what he’s doing to the point of parody. As smart as he is, I must reiterate he’s just improvising

Dib Membrane

Eliza, Rudy, and especially Timmy aren’t too keen on hanging around him for very obvious reasons

The fact he’s with people who are reasonably sane this time around means he’s in much better spirits. Lincoln’s probably his best friend at the camp, although Dib’s still a loner

He and Jimmy always run the risk of killing each other if they talk for more than two minutes at a time due to differing views on magic

Bessie Higgenbottom

The kid most likely to actually listen to the inane drivel that comes out of SpongeBob’s mouth

Since she’s still working on the whole Mighty Bee thing, she’s all over Manny, Danny, and Janny

There are very few campers that aren’t at least a little intimidated by her

There were a few other characters I wanted to add like Nate Wright (Big Nate), Annie Bramley (It’s Pony), Mikey Munroe (Bunsen is a Beast), but I scrapped them for space.

I elected to only use one character per series, causing me to drop Korra, Sheen Estevez, Ronnie Anne Santiago, and Hazel Wells for being spinoff characters (especially since Sheen and Ronnie Anne were around before getting their own shows). It also forced me to remove Fanboy and Chum Chum from my initial plan entirely.

I additionally wanted to keep SB as the only organic nonhuman character due to the inherent absurdity of having him as the sole adult figure, which is why Dib and April represent their series rather than Zim or a Ninja Turtle and why I chose not to use Harvey Beaks.

[call-me-copycat]

Got some photos of the MHA x reader Doujinshi! I'm may have to reblog this because there are 24 photos and I can only post oh so many photos -⁠ᄒ⁠ᴥ⁠ᄒ⁠-

(Update - finishing this on my computer because you can upload 30 photos on the computer but only 10 on mobile >.<)

This is the cover!

The inside with more info on the authors and their work + the chapters ^⁠_⁠^

Each chapter is made by a different author, this is a big collaboration! So there are many different art styles ʕ⁠ ⁠º⁠ ⁠ᴥ⁠ ⁠º⁠ʔ

Each character on the cover gets 2 chapters, but there is also an addition of Tokoyami and Dabi, who each get 1 chapter

As you can see it starts off with Deku looking at you (the reader) and the series is seen through "your" perspective

It's implied the reader is female, and some chapters even show a partial body (most keep it vague though, mainly showing just hands)

"You" never directly speak in the book, it's sort of what Dora does where she asks a question, waits while looking at you, then answers for you. Sort of like: (Character - What do you want to eat?) They look forward, directly at you, the reader (Character - That sounds good! I'll have that as well!)

This book reminds me of those anime dating Sims ⁠(⁠๑⁠¯⁠◡⁠¯⁠๑⁠)

Glimpse of Bakugo's chapter

Todoroki's chapter (he looked really off in this book, but in the second they seemed to get a good idea of how to draw him so he looks more like he does in canon)

Iida's chapter is where you see more of "you", and the few panels across the book that do (about less than 3 so not many) hide the head in the speech bubble

Kirishima was very interactive with the reader in this entire chapter, it was very cute ⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)

Glimpse of Denki's chapter

It's out of order but moving on from Iida's chapter earlier is Shinso! My favorite guy! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) (Ignore the Iida panel - it looks bad out of context but this book is extremely fluffy and cheesy)

Shinso's text states that he wears plain clothing to dates in order to make the girl stand out since he knows girls put lots of effort into their outfits - however he said that he does like to wear accessories like a watch or something every now and then (´▽｀)

You see a little more of "you" in here

I just thought these pages were funny, plus you get to see more of the reader in this one (very rarely shown, only in Iida and Shinso's chapters - otherwise it's just hands from your perspective that actually interact with the characters)

This was funny too ("you" want to walk home with him, he says no because he runs to and from school to train. He says a couple times it's because 'he's not strong enough', the last panel is him roughly saying "You've got a bicycle?!)

The image under it is an event the authors did - apparently when making the book they'd have the audience comment as to what they wanted the characters to be drawn wearing, and the top comment would win. Apparently to the audience, Shinso is the type to still wear clothes with the tags on lol

Tokoyami! A very short chapter since he wasn't one of the main characters shown on the cover O.O

The lovely Aizawa! This first chapter has him sick, "you" come by to drop off some papers he needs to grade, sees that he's sick, then "you" barge in and have him rest while you take care of him (he's only stubborn because he sees being taken care of as "irrational")

My personal favorite chapter (●'◡'●)

Still on the sick chapter, here's my favorite panel lol

(The hands holding the phone is "you")

This chapter was written by the only man in the group of talented authors that collaborated by the way (oﾟvﾟ)ノ

The next Aizawa chapter has a jarringly different art style! Probably the strongest contrast in collaborators in this book (minus Todoroki's)

Essentially in this chapter "you" and him go on a date, he arrives 10 minutes early, and "you" ask him why he has that big satchel - it's his capture scarf ("you" call him a workaholic)

The date in question was just helping him pick out a pair of glasses to wear that'd prevent his eyes from straining too hard since he's always using his computer to work on papers or grade assignments

It's cute though, because he says something to the effect that if he could do whatever he could to boost his efficiency, then he'd do it because he only wants to benefit his colleagues and students

That last panel was him complaining about his bangs, so "you" pin them back, then he jokes that if his coworkers saw him like that then they'd laugh at him

After that is a Present Mic cameo! Apparently the top comment wasn't even for Aizawa (ˉ▽ˉ；)...

The top comment was for Mic to be drawn with braided hair! Off topic but I love this artist's icon at the top (^.^)

Last chapters are for All Might! I really liked this perspective in particular, it's very immersive o(^▽^)o

Whoever made this chapter is number 1 out of all the authors when it comes to reader immersion, I'm not the biggest fan of AM x Reader but as someone who hopes to draw manga one day I really appreciate the effort they put into this one (❁´◡`❁)

That's all I have for a brief introduction! I'm going to share Dabi's entire chapter for someone, so if any of you would like me to add on to that and share+translate a chapter of any of the other characters then I'd be happy to do so!

I really like this book, it's so different from all the other Doujinshis out there （。＾▽＾）The artists put a lot of love into this I can tell, so when I get the second book then I'll share that as well!

[hotdaemondtargaryen]

EWAN MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHED AND INTERVIEWED FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE.

ABOUT BEING RECOGNIZED

Like most people, Ewan Mitchell is accustomed to anonymity.

So during a recent trip to Manhattan, he was surprised by what a hotel doorman asked when he arrived: “You haven’t packed your eye patch?”

The actor is still getting used to strangers making the connection in public.

“I wouldn’t think people would recognize me, but they do.”

“I think it’s because of my strong chin.”

“When I’m dressed up as Aemond and catch myself in the mirror, he scares even me a little bit.”

When he’s not in character, Mitchell is soft-spoken and occasionally flashes a boyish grin, though he retains much of Aemond’s seriousness and quiet intensity.

He is also very private: He stays off social media and in the past has shied away from sharing much with the public.

“Once you lose the mystery, you can’t really get it back.”

HE KNOWS THAT AEMOND'S KEY ROLE IN S2 MEANS HE MUST ALSO EMBRACE THE SPOTLIGHT

“There is a point where you have to go, now’s the time to pull back the curtain.”

Like Aemond, Mitchell is a second son.

He grew up in Derby, an industrial town in the middle of England, and his parents expected him to follow his older brother’s footsteps and work at Rolls-Royce (the aerospace and industrial technology company, not the carmaker).

HIS INSPIRATIONS AND BECOME AN ACTOR

Inspired by films like “Citizen Kane” and “Taxi Driver,” Mitchell knew early on he wanted to become an actor.

When he was 13, his teacher asked each student in his class what they wanted to do when they grew up.

“Then it came to me, and I said, ‘I’m going to be an actor,’ and everyone laughed at me.”

His family could not afford tuition for drama school, so Mitchell attended a two-year vocational school, where he studied design and technology while working part-time at a restaurant and in customer service at a local soccer club.

Midway through the program, at 17, he was accepted into the Nottingham Television Workshop, a drama group that trains young people in acting.

Through the Workshop, Mitchell landed a leading role in a 2015 short film called “Fire,” about a young man who leaks fire from his hands.

Once the short was released, Mitchell downloaded it onto a dozen CDs, took the train to London and stopped by the offices of every agent he could find, handing them each a copy.

The one person who called back continues to represent Mitchell.

“By hook or by crook, I wanted to make sure that I was going to be in this business.”

ABOUT BEING CASTED AS AEMOND TARGARYEN

Aemond’s growing prominence in the show requires Mitchell to embrace the spotlight as well.

“There is a point where you have to go, now’s the time to pull back the curtain.”

But being cast as Aemond in “House of the Dragon” has been his biggest professional turning point by far.

“Since landing him, I feel like I’m able to now steer the course of my career.”

Mitchell had been rewatching the classic Hollywood adventure film “The Vikings” (1958) and musing about how he wanted to play a morally dark character similar to the one played by Kirk Douglas when he received an email inviting him to submit a taped audition for Aemond.

When he eventually auditioned in person, he left a lasting impression on Ryan Condal, the showrunner for “House of the Dragon.”

“When Ewan came into the room, he just had this presence to him that I can best describe as unsettling,” Condal said.

“It was kind of quietly terrifying the way he performed it, and it was totally different than everybody else. And then he thanked us very politely and left the room.”

Condal recalls asking Kate Rhodes James, the casting director, “Is he always like that?”

She replied, “Oh no, he’s just a very intense northern boy.”

To prepare for his role, Mitchell did not watch “Game of Thrones.” Instead, he read portions of “Fire & Blood,” the book by George R.R.

Martin that inspired the show, and studied the performances of Michael Fassbender in “Prometheus” and Peter O’Toole in “Lawrence of Arabia,” each playing a figure who wields power for his own ends.

ABOUT MATT SMITH AND DAEMON TARGARYEN

On his first day on set, Mitchell consulted with Condal and decided that he would avoid interacting with Matt Smith, who plays Aemond’s similarly menacing uncle and rival, Daemon, in order to heighten the tension between the two characters.

Mitchell had grown up admiring Smith’s performance in “Doctor Who.”

But on set Mitchell avoided any eye contact with him, keeping his distance until the climactic scene near the end of the first season when Aemond and Daemon finally face off.

“There’s this addictive kind of quality when you’re in the shoes of a character.”

“When you lose yourself for a moment, it’s almost like a dream.”

ABOUT HIS HOME AND HIS DOGS

When he isn’t acting, Mitchell still lives at his family home in Derby and spends time with his dogs, three whippets named Eva, Bella and Bonnie.

“Now that I’m on it.”

“I’ve just got to stay on the dragon.”