#and so i must deliver

[noblehcart]

“Are you happy here?”

@lordofthestrix

"There are many things to be happy about." Fingers delicately smoothed out the sheaths of paper on her father's desk- her desk- that then followed the sharp line of the edge. The empress gathering her thoughts in a moment of pause as the politically correct response hung in the air. The painstaking unthreading and resewing that was her vocabulary on display as the girl inside wept silently in the presence of the one man who bore her heart.

"I am happy for my Masha's engagement to cousin Dickie." Maria deserved happiness- she was always the sweetest of them all and Louis was absolutely besotted with her. Crystal blue eyes followed the line her fingers traced across the desk edge as she continued on evenly.

"I am happy for Mama and Papa's travels across Greece. They've always adored the coastline and travel by sea." They had lost an empire and found freedom instead. Her father's vivid descriptions and mother's relaxed letters spoke volumes on their health in the sea air in contrast to the atmosphere in Petrograd. Her nails bloomed a soft pink as she moved to grip her armchair, pressure to raise herself up to stand and glance towards a bookshelf, careful to avoid looking at him. Anywhere but him.

"I am happy for Tati finding her place in society with our English cousins and that she's been so regimented in her letters...that Nastya has managed to find herself a spotlight in the theater in England. She even finds the time to visit on occasion." The curtains are drawn, tied neatly back with gold colored tassel and rope, allowing sunlight to stream through and reflect the shimmer on her hand. And her heart sinks. Fingers curl into a fist at her side as she moves to the window to overlook the courtyard where staff and soldiers amble and go about their daily schedule.

"I am happy for the avoidance of revolution. For the stability and the peace."

There were many things to be happy for, but she couldn't bring herself to answer his question outright. It was easier to state facts. Truths she could admit to rather than pretty lies he'd see through. She couldn't break his heart like that even though she knew he could clearly hear hers as the engagement ring shrieked loudly between them. Leaders had duties. Empresses had responsibilities. Her country required reassurance, stability and most importantly unity.

The parties needed representation on the throne and it was only a matter of time before she'd be forced into it in the most ugly means. It was still ugly. It would always be ugly, cold and cruel. Everything her family now had were things she had been stripped of. Love. Freedom. Travel. Acceptance. Passions. All that sat on her shoulders now were the cape and crown of royalty that hid the shackles she hadn't realized came with it....even if she had known however she would've made the same choice for her family. She could've borne the weight of the crown, the imprisonment, the isolation if she could've followed the suit of England's Elisabeth. If she could've found a way to keep him. Just him.

"I have many things to be happy for, Tristan." But I am not happy.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Dead beat down

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[thewhizzyhead]

looking at the npmd tumblr posts I'm kinda glad that we seem to be all on the same page when it comes to npmd's portrayal of bullying and that putting a stop to it isn't as easy as simply having the victims stand up to them - examples being Max still beating the shit up out of Pete, Richie, and Ruth even when they make a stand in their own way. Standing up to them directly and telling them "i'm not a loser" or "you're just a bully" or something along those lines in order to take away their power is simply a disproven cliche because bullies don't care if their victims retaliate. They only care about the power they hold and when such power is taken away from them by force - so kudos to Starkid for having bullying portrayed as not just a regular schoolboy nuisance but as genuinely life-threatening shit that needs to be taken seriously because if it isn't nipped in the bud, once that bully gains more power, they will grow crazy with it.

[trashmallcw]

so i finally got my brother to start playing outer wilds (and stream it to me)

[senselessalchemist]

Bow problems (+ other nonsense)

[shmowder]

In case you missed it, Game Rant did an interview with Nikolay Dybowski about Pathologic 3. Here is the link for it.

And here are the bits that stood out the most to me:

Q: The non-linearity of time and how it will be related to the nature of the Town are also core story components. How did this affect design and direction?

A: Connecting non-linear time with a long, narrative-heavy story that involves many characters and cause-and-effect chains would be extremely difficult. We focused on what the player feels in the moment rather than on gathering information in the right order. The latter approach works well in shorter formats like Her Story or 12 Minutes, but in Pathologic, it would be overwhelming.

We wanted players to feel like “everything, everywhere, all at once”—similar to Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five. Different versions of reality coexist simultaneously, creating a “quantum” feeling for the player. Look at the time travel mechanic as an opportunity to correct mistakes, or even to make deliberate mistakes in order to unlock new paths and ideas. It is like a "sanctioned save scum."

-

Q: Conversely, how will it (Pathologic 3) connect to and consider the events and characters in Pathologic 2?

A: Consider it as two subjective retellings of the same events. This is the same Town, the same twelve days, the same participants and events that occurred in the Haruspex’s story. But this is a different perspective. Like two witnesses recounting the same event in Rashomon, the stories vary greatly, each focusing on different details. Finally, we always give our heroes the right to make honest mistakes, forget, and even lie. Every narrator is an unreliable narrator.

-

Q: How did Pathologic’s previous philosophical explorations help inform or play into the narrative and themes here?

A: Everything we now see as true and valuable, we’ve kept. Everything we’ve outgrown, like childhood clothes, we either reimagined and reinterpreted to give these ideas new meaning, or let go of them. After all, we’ve grown a lot (hopefully, along with the industry). When I first conceived Pathologic, I was 21 and completely alone. Now I’m 47, surrounded by incredibly talented people who enrich this universe as much as I do, and that makes a difference.

We’ve kept the idea of the tragedy of utopian projects. We kept the idea that the plague is a voice of the natural order—one that the thinking human mind cannot accept—and that it has its own truth. We retained the belief that evil cannot be defeated with its own tools or outplayed on its field; yet it can be defeated realistically in a different, orthogonal way. In another dimension.

-

Q: It’s mentioned that the Bachelor is searching for an immortal man in Pathologic 3. Can you say if this is in reference to Mark Immortell?

A: No, there’s no connection between Simon Kain (one of the town’s rulers) and Mark Immortell (the director of the town theater). Mark is a clown. He awkwardly mimics Simon, parodying him, which is why he takes on this pseudonym. He's fully aware that he’s a jester, and the gesture itself is ironic.

-

Q: What do you hope players will take away most from Pathologic 3?

A: The hope that humanity remains a promising and capable species.

-

Also, new game pictures and screenshots dropped:

(some are old ones I forgot to post)

[abyssal-ilk]

everyday i play veilguard in hopes that the writers will say something meaningful about the antaam. everyday i stare blankly at my screen in disappointment.

[kateis-cakeis]

I think what really gets to me with the finale is that Merlin was so close to getting Arthur to the lake. Yet, there was no plan beyond that. It's like even if they did get there, who knows if anything would have happened.

The idea that there was still more tragedy awaiting even if they made it, that yeah despite all of Merlin’s magic, he couldn't save Arthur's life.

It was always the possibility of the Sidhe, but there was no guarantee. It was all hope from the start, endless hope that failed them in the end.

Because well, it was always supposed to happen like this anyway... Arthur was meant to die so he could rise again, there was no alternative

[chevalperd]

day 4 of doodling ivan alien stage every day of ivan alien stage month until ivan alien stage day :3

[tennessoui]

I am a greedy monster who wants MORE MORE and is like, "big bang Christmas epilogue?" But also - THE VOLCANO. Quinlan making the kind of ruthless choices for the greater good that he does and then being bewildered that people on Team Good are objecting! ANAKIN KNOWING WHEN OBIWAN WOKE UP AND ASKING FOR IMMEDIATE EXTRACTION.

at first I read this as asking for a Christmas themed continuation of the Big Bang fic and i was fascinated by what that would look like. Vader has a crisis of conscience and gives obi-wan space for life day. Obi-Wan has a crisis in response and regifts that cause why would he want that. Be serious.

Vader and obi-wan also gift the council with valuable information via encrypted comm link from Obi-Wan to Windu (“not kidnapped, taking a holiday/sabbatical, don’t respond cause I can’t talk to yall right now, Sidious is Palpatine apparently xoxo obi-wan”)

obi-wan eventually gifts anakin a kiss on the forehead cause he believes in baby steps when rehabilitating a sith. anakin freezes over for 2-4 hours in response

[theropunk]

bonus silly doodle post of my self insert feeding fidds leftover food from work because instead of self shipping my real fantasy is taking care of this poor old man because nobody else in town did

[rocketonthemoon]

Listen it is my duty to report to all my little sapphic phone friends that not only did My Adventures with Superman make Livewire the hot lesbian we all know she deserves to be but she’s ALSO in a relationship with a hot hunky butch version of Heatwave

[shadelorde]

“To hate me is to give me breath. To fight me is to give me strength.” Is actually like one of the gayest lines spoken in Legend of Korra and yall sleep on it WAY too much

[optimismxmagicism]

"That's quite the combination of colors," Lukas remarks, mask muffling his voice slightly as he observes the costumed individual before him. Baby blues and pinks -- not something he would have thought to see here, but it stands out as rather cute in a night full of ghosts and other monsters.

He wonders what the broom is for, and if the little lantern on the end of the hat is lit with actual flames or some level of magic.

"I'd be quite curious to learn what inspired you to create such a costume -- perhaps as we collect what candy is left to be had in trick or treating?" he asks, gesturing to the moon high in the night sky. "After all, we only have so much time left to fill our pockets."

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH?!!?! WHAT IN LATONA’S HOLY BUTTCHEEKS IS THAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!”

A shrill shriek pierced the cold night air as a little witch met his match. Vampires? He could handle. Devils and fellow witches alike were no trouble to him.

But this?! What even was this?!?! Ewan wasn’t sure what he was looking at. From shoes to neck he looked like a completely average guy, not even seeming to be dressed up as anything. But his face was perhaps the most disturbing thing he’s ever seen- and this coming from a native Magvelian, former home of giant demonic spiders and other nasties. It absolutely did not help that this person came from a small distance away, the lighting of street lanterns painting an even eerier picture.

“Grr.. WHATS THE BIG IDEA THERE, BUSTER?!” Embarrassed at being caught off guard so easily, he tried to cover previous fright with red hot anger instead. The boy’s cheeks were flushed pink as lips turned into a grimace, small fists clenching. “You think it’s funny, scaring innocent witches like this?! Ya got some nerve!”

Heart still going pitter patter, he took a few deep breaths to try and regain composure. The boy put a sleeved hand to his mouth as he cleared his throat. “S-Sheesh… I know this is the season for spooks and all that, but this is just disturbing.”After a little bit longer, it seemed like the young mage finally calmed down enough to take a proper look at the masked man. It was indeed just a mask, and not some sort of unholy visage.

[deadqueernoldor]

Thinking thoughts about those from Cuivienen and how they later treated the Valar, especially after Cuivienen was destroyed.

I imagine a foundation of sorrow and a layer of betrayal and pettiness. They had promised safety. And how did it turn out? Kin of Tata and Tatie their first leaders, slain in Valinor by the Dark Hunter from which the Valar promised protection in Valinor.

And then, the War of Wrath comes and with it the destruction of Cuivienen.

If any of those were re-embodied in Aman, I wonder if they make it a point to always turn their back to Valar and Maiar. I wonder if they only speak in the tongue they had first devised all those millennia ago and spoke in Cuivienen before time and different kindreds changed the tongue, not Sindarin or Quenya from the Great Journey's time or later. I wonder if they sing songs in their ancient tongue, songs about the beauty and unsullied health of Cuivienen every time any of the Ainur are near.

I wonder if the Valar feel any shame when those who they once looked upon in wonder and love gaze back at them with indifference or disgust.

[moowithmidnight]

I think I wouldn’t really care about Jemily not being canon if Paget wasn’t really hyping it up and hinting at it being canon. I can tell I’m jaded, because so many people are so excited, but it almost feels like I’m being made fun of.

Has it not been 20 years? Why now?

Because if the writers think pulling some bullshit longing glances thing is “listening to fans” they’re full of it. It really just feels like the set up of a cruel joke that’s going to hurt if it turns out to be queerbait.