#and the kate bush resemblance

[screenshotingmonstercinema]

[sgiandubh]

News from Birmingham, part 3: verbatim

Verbatim means 'word for word' in Latin and it is often used in French to convey the idea something is being reported exactly as it actually happened.

Absolutely not sorry for the length, nor for the lost night spent on it.

So, here go the juiciest parts using the recording I am (for those joining in later) NOT allowed to post as is. Selection is mine and mine solely - editorial line and all the rest. Once I am done, I shall add my comments. It was hard for the girls to focus on what was being said on stage and write to me in DMs, at the same time. Recording everything was a risk, but also genius. The bits I am going to post are taken exactly as I heard them:

✔️on Blonde Bambino (yes, she elaborated and I had no idea when reporting live by proxy): '(...) and it's just amazing, he's the sweetest, sweetest thing and he looooves music. And, I feel like I succeeded being a mother purely because the other day he asked me if he could invite Kate Bush to his birthday'.

✔️on borrowed things from set: she regrets not having taken some things she liked from previous seasons. 'It's been a long time since I've borrowed anything (...). Terry gave me two nightgowns made in Season 1, she gave me one that was never used. And then she promised me a lot of things (...).' Wanted to 'borrow' something from her own surgery.

✔️on her involvement with the Blankfaces fashion label-cum- homeless charity in GLA: 'oh, that is Gerry who runs that, he is a friend of my husband's and he is just this amazing person who does grassroots organizing, you know, Blankfaces he's been doing for a long time. And I just met Gerry, you know, socially, and then I thought what he was doing was amazing, and I also found the clothes amazing and so I just bought them.' Further explains what Blankfaces does, the shop, the stories, including the food kitchen, but denies a more active involvement with the project/brand. 'I was just the other day at Hozier (...),he is amazing [cooing, booing] and I'm just paraphrasing from Andrew, and Andrew said this amazing thing, which was how we all want to be part of big things, right, you know to be a part of those things that would change the world, and all of that, but it's actually the small little things you do every single day, in your community, that have the biggest impact. (...) But you can buy their stuff online.'

✔️on producing a future movie based on Book Ten: 'I would not be in those competitions with Starz.'

✔️on her resemblance with Claire (oh dear God, not that question again!): 'As a kid, I was definitely not obedient, definitely not quiet and definitely not tidy, but as an adult, I ended up being more organized than I've ever thought I would be in my life (...) shocking (...). The world has changed crazy, (...) I used to talk to people and have opinions on things, but now it feels like a cesspool (...). I miss that space for conversation.'

✔️on 'Erself and the end of Outlander: 'well Diana came to visit, I actually don't know when it was, not that long ago, she came on set, sheeee... ugh, you'd have to forgive me, it was last season, it was so long ago, I can't remember what is what and I have to remember if she wrote something last season (...). Diana, she's created this world (...), she watches everything (...). But she's also allowed us to sort of make her characters our own and she's given us her blessing to do that, which has been amazing. And she still won't tell us the ending. [Voice in public: Sam knows!] Sammy... Sam THINKS he knows.'

✔️on the public impact of OL's Season 1 and sudden fame: 'I got this job so last minute, I was living in the US and I knew it was a US series that we're gonna be filming in the UK. And I read the first book so I was like, OMG sounds like an amazing show to film. But then I went from being cast to being in Scotland in one week. And then you're just like, you're working for 85, 90 hours a week. I didn't know who I was, where I was, what was going on. (...) and we went to Comic Con (...), I mean that whole year was a blur, an amazing blur, but a blur.' Had no expectations about what the show would become, it's now broadcast in 87 countries, 'it's insane, it's amazing'. Being able to be successful after 10 years is 'amazing'.

✔️on what she will miss most about Scotland or is she planning to stay in Scotland after OL is over: 'that's the million dollars question, I don't know. I mean, I think I'll... my husband is Scottish, so I think we'll always have something there, his parents both live there, so you know, we're not never going to be there at some point, but I don't know what is gonna happen after, but I am very, I feel, yeah, I feel like it's gonna be so sad not to... you know for 11 years, no matter like if we're gonna back in the United States or to London for a while we've always known we'd be back to Scotland at some point and be there for 10 or 11 months and so now I don't know, I don't know what the future holds, so....'

✔️on her and Tony sharing the same musical tastes: ' do Sam and I share the same music [Steve immediately BARKS: 'no, Tony, your real husband!'] Tony? Yes. Sam - no.'

✔️Sam's whisky or Graham's bourbon? 'Sam's whisky. I haven't tasted the bourbon, but bourbon is too sweet'.

✔️speaking about Steve - 'he's so mean'. In jest (?).

✔️her favorite part of making her own gin: 'tasting (...), trusting your senses'. The distillery changed, from the first to the second batch - the product's taste changed, a learning curve. They wanted to make sure it's still the same product.

✔️on regretting she did not start acting ten years earlier - mentioned not being ready for the responsibility of shooting 14, 16 hours a day, no sick days, etc: 'it's like a beast'. She felt OL came at the right time, was 'prepared and ready to be there' and eager to be given 'a shot (...): whatever you throw at me, I'll do it'. 'And I think for Sam was the same.'

✔️on memorable OL sets/places: Craigh Na Dun stones. 'The new place where we are, really cool. (....) Amazing stately homes like Hopetoun'. It's 'amazing.'

✔️on another parts in movies - she looks forward for 'good writing' and 'the character to speak' to her, in a new project, the people she will work with... Cliche AF. The Cut and The Amateur roles are 'not huge', the last she clearly said it was a small role, 'it's not my film, it's someone else's film'. She 'did not want to be working all the time, obviously with a small child'. Defined The Cut's plot as 'bizarre', and The Amateur as 'funny'. Loves her job, is happy with it.

✔️last question was asked by a French woman with a very thick accent, about traveling and learning things out of it - C. considers herself very lucky to have been able to travel all around the world as a model. Traveling taught her empathy, how to get over our very Christian centric view of the world. Mentions growing up in 'a very small village in Ireland, that was pretty much, you know, one church, one tiny school and one shop'. Her parents 'instilled a love of reading and learning'. Then she left Ireland to live in France and Japan, and traveled to Nepal. Nepal :'the trip that changed me and changed my life, because I was like seeing a completely different culture that had no correlation to anything that I grew up with, but it was the most beautiful spiritual awakening I guess I've ever had. (...) By traveling and by eating different foods and trying to speak other languages, which I try to do and I apologize to everybody because I try and speak your language, too, because I think (...) it's important to try and connect, because we expect people to come here and do that and it's so rude we don't go and do the same [ applause].' Being able to travel allows us to see how different and how similar we are'.

Ended with a huge thank you to fans, it's been so long that I wasn't attending a convention, 'but it meant the world to me to meet you all again, seen so many familiar faces, it feels so weird to be at the end of this show, because it has meant so much to me (...). Will see you all again soon.'

***

And now, for my comments and findings. Almost point by point:

Kate Bush, LOL (we'll never agree, C and I, on this one; but I can almost imagine Blonde Bambino cooing this - awww):

So, she basically repeated the same anecdote as last year, during promo. From Sade to Kate Bush, and hey, what about that birthday - 'the other day'? But let's not be nitpicky.

'Gerry' actually is Gerard McKenzie Govan, one of the three Directors and the founder of The Blankfaces CIC, a Community Interest Company (regular company with an increased social responsibility twist and, as such, heavily subsidized by the local authorities, too). More on him, here, for those who really want to know about him: https://www.glasgowwestendtoday.scot/magazine/the-man-behind-the-blankfaces-1391/. But that is not the most juicy part, actually - some blatant inconsistencies are. Like 'Gerry' being a friend of Nameless Husband's, but still she met him socially (huh? I thought he was a friend of Nameless Husband, hence a family acquaintance?). Also, C doesn't know shite about The Blankfaces, but still bravely fills in those blanks, like when she tells us fans Gerry has been doing Blankfaces 'for a long time'. The UK competent public authority, Companies House, says something very different and I can prove that the CIC was registered in 2018. Which is not really a long time at all:

'March 6, 2018 - Incorporation of a Community Interest Company' - see above. It also doesn't seem to be very well managed, at all:

Both its yearly accounts and its confirmation statement are long overdue (since 2023, in fact). The CIC is, actually, subject of an 'active proposal to strike off', which means it will be closed/dissolved, and rather sooner than later:

In their case, I suspect a compulsory strike-off, issued by the Companies House register. Fits with the legal criteria:

In a nutshell: because The Blankfaces failed to file its annual accounts and confirmation statement AND because it did not answer to the Companies House's two kind reminder letters, it will be forcibly dissolved in less than two months from now and there is NO going back on that decision, according to UK law.

Wouldn't C know about her Nameless Husband's Friend huge problems? I mean, how more tone-deaf and disconnected can you be, promoting a clinically dead business and inviting people to buy their clothes from their online shop?

Unless... Yeah, unless - but oooh, stupid shippers, slap a shipper, etc.

[Source: Moore and Stoke, an insolvency practitioners' firm based in Stoke-on Trent, UK - simply because they had the simplest and most recent legal explanation, see here: https://www.moorestoke.co.uk/active-proposal-to-strike-off/].

Compared to that, the fact that Tracula was nowhere to be seen at the recent Andrew Hozier-Byrne's concert in GLA is really peanuts. This is serious, legal stuff and please don't give me the 'she's an artist, she doesn't know shit about business' lame excuse. She is also a businesswoman, with her own spirits brand and several other companies, at least in the UK, Ireland and the US. Give me a break, #IYKYK.

Can't wait to be done with OL. Even the thought of a future movie based on Book Ten makes her cringe. Felt it in her voice and it was enough.

World feels like a cesspool? Why on Earth? She is a beautiful, successful and accomplished woman, with her own family and free from want. A cesspool is a very strong and strange word, in this apparent context. Unless.. but yeah, stupid shipper, slap a shipper. Missing conversations, expressing her opinion.... Not even LOL. It made me feel sad. Everything that happened to them since 2016 must be such a burden.

Sammy. SAMMY? Whoa, girl! Merci beaucoup, vraiment. Term of endearment, anyone? Compare with the stiff dead 'my husband' - again, the difference between a teddy bear and a guillotine is transparent in her voice. Also, DG - a difficult topic for her. She doesn't like 'Erself much and I think we all know why.

You tell me about 87 countries, Ma'am. I experience it every day, from the sidelines, so I can easily imagine what the impact could be for you. OL, that blessing and that curse. Also, when she is fed up with prodding and unwilling to kiss arses, she'd quip something along the lines of 'amazing' and be done with it.

Bonnie Scotland and the Day After. Another great moment of 'what the hell ever, just say anything'. Also, Caitriona Mary is a terrible, terrible liar - just like Sam Roland, you know. Her answer came out as incoherent and borderline illogical. Look at this: ' I mean, I think I'll… my husband is Scottish' - the 'I'll' part was her spontaneous starting to answer, about herself, but then inhibition kicked in and shit, she remembered she is married and had to somehow insert Tracula and both his parents (alive, just to make sure). Also, excuse me, hellooo: 'I think we'll always have something there'. Sounds like a flat, more like a pied-à-terre, but lo and behold, she suggests life is going to be elsewhere. What about that pharaonic McMansion, we so passionately followed the painstaking refurbishment of, double glazing included and borderline scandalizing the local heritage protection NGOs in the process? That doesn't really sound like 'something there', does it? That Bear Grylls flat looked more like 'something there', so where's the catch-22, here? What if I was right about McMansion being a fixer-upper she never planned to live in (where, oh where does The Happy Couple live? ooooh, ROFLMAO)? What if I was right about some other thoughts I am not ready to discuss yet? Questions, questions. And yes, London. IYKYK and very different from the emotional, savant blur. Also, for a very organized grown-up woman (her own words, see above), not knowing what the future holds... I mean I get it, but how peculiar, isn't it? Drawing a line, that question unsettled her. She was not planning to answer. She ended with a joke on not being able to see 'that yellow thing in the sky for five months in a row'. Get me out of this question and quick.

The music tastes' question was very clearly audible, even from the back of the room and I had zero trouble to distinctly hear it - it was also asked in a posh & polite British accent, so that helped a LOT: ' do you and Tony share the same music tastes?' The Freudian slip is simply inexplicable. Also, she answered Tony, not 'my husband' : Tony+ my husband in the same phrase is something beyond her strength. But why answer about S at all, that was NOT the question? Why? There are limits to dumbfuckery, after all. Also, Steve is such a pain in the arse. Who, in your mind and heart, is the real husband, C?

Whisky vs. Bourbon, she mumbled her answer, very uneasy, had to listen three times to untangle it. The Soup Nazi had to step in and bark the answer, train station megaphone style, for everyone to hear and get the memo. Now I understand why. And you should, too.

'He's so mean'. Definitely not in jest. Steve, that is. Fire that dick. Plus, later on, she quipped to him: 'you have the reputation of being like a strict schoolmaster'. Answer: 'maybe I am'. A cara nem treme, like they say in Brazil.

In that gin question, the Stan dutifully mentioned Tony (arse kissers, ALL OF THEM) - she could have mentioned him openly, she had a boulevard in front of her. But nope, she came back to mainly mentioning her own experience and a very vague 'we'.

'And I think Sam was the same' - conversations were had early on. In Central Park, London. And then things went very fast, as it sometimes happens. Sharing takes things on a very different level. I think this is exactly what happened to them.

Memorable places: they both are very moved by Craigh Na Dun, and it's absolutely normal. And Hopetoun - LOL, hello, of course ('The Door Faces North', pun totally intended).

Next two movies: so long for her Stans' delusions she was given a main role. She wrapped deception with grace and hid behind being a mom. ALL THE ANTI BLOGS WERE EERILY SILENT ABOUT THIS. I wonder why. Actually no, I don't. But sure, shippers twist things, shippers hide things. No shame, those people.

The last question, on travel, was my favorite one. I think it was perhaps the only time she felt able to fully express what she meant and wanted to. Many will jump on that Nepal reference and it is correct, but to me, on a very personal level, it spoke in many, many other ways. This is the C I have managed to embrace, reluctantly at first (I admit) and like a LOT. This is the witty girl I thought I have lost forever in that sea of painful innuendos, stupid Stans ass-kissing and blurring everything in the process, plus a Nazi minder on top. Fire that dick. Seriously. He wanted to end on a 'funny' Kumbaya note - she subtly managed to break free. Thank you, C. Seriously. The wonder you are and completely unaware of it. And the things you can do with words, if only you'd dare play with them some more.

Her tone at the end was emotional. Very. It was the same tone as for that 'partner everyday' gala speech. Oh, the things she wanted to tell all of us. And if we only knew. But hey, she promised we will meet again, soon. Perhaps in Paris? I'll gladly speak to you. In French.

A HUGE thank you. Both of you. I love you, girls.

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

pt II our flag means death but I've never watched it

HELLO OFMD FANDOM! It's the Good Omens Mascot and Resident Dumbass, back again for part II. First, let's clear the air of all controversy!

Some of you lovely maggots were kind enough to warn me about certain discourse about a salad spoon and also about a certain gentleman named Izzy. I was warned not to make assumptions and not to take sides, and I hear some members had to leave the fandom for a while because it got toxic. Maggots. All the rest of you. Worry not about me. I'm here to unite the OFMD fandom! How, you ask? By being so undeniably stupid in my own opinions that you all will have to unite to disagree with me. You underestimate the power of my dumbassery. Well, let's not dilly dally and dawdle, here's the updated summary:

I have been informed there is cannibalism on this ship but it is not real. Someone pretends to eat someone and then their wife helps them fake their death while they run away from the ship though their lover wanted them to run to China.

There are BDSM lesbians, which is honestly such a slay, Pinterest has let me down by not informing me of that when I made Part I. I will no longer be using Pinterest a reliable source in future academic essays.

Mermaid Stede performs necromancy while a song called Kate Bush plays (I don't know who this is, a politician? Idk whether of US or UK).

Gravy Basket is a destination and Buttons is a sea witch and there is educational stabbing. Buttons is then a bird because of the BDSM lesbians.

There is a lady who is extremely beautiful and intimidating and powerful and she has twenty husbands and I assumed incorrectly that you were all talking about a Jack Russel terrier.

Let's start with the controversy! Izzy. Secondary protagonist or antagonist? Good or bad? Kindly father figure or homoerotically charged friend? Necessary death or not? No no no. Behold:

I present a new question, a hot take sizzling from the pan: Did Izzy really exist?

Personally, I firmly believe that no, he did not. I believe that the rum on the ship was spiked with hallucinogens.

Izzy was simply the manifestation of Ed's Freudian subconscious, taking the shape of a human being, vaguely resembling a humanoid potato Ed was forced to boil as a kid. I was a psychology student with a final grade of 99% and I accept only destructive criticism on my posts thank you. Feel free to discuss whether he boiled the potato in a fit of rage or whether he was forced to.

There are assorted Ned's, Mary's and an uncertain number of Jeff's on ship.

One of the Jeff's is an accountant, and there is a nonbinary talking sword named Jim. Actually I'm not sure if they talk.

Love you all, rooting for the show to be renewed.

REMINDERS. Be polite to each other in the reblogs, on tumblr reblogs spread posts and not likes (which don't do anything for visibility) unlike other social media sites, but MOST IMPORTANTLY.

I ACCEPT ONLY DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, THIS BLOG IS A GODLESS, LAWLESS LAND, AND ALL RAGE AT EACH OTHER MUST BE REDIRECTED AT ME. UNDERSTOOD? YAY.

[wheelercore]

If i was less insane about the theme of motherhood in st i would not have noticed that kate bush on the cover of hounds of love lowkey kinda ish resembles maxs mom.

What if all you ever wanted was your mothers lullaby but it wasnt there.

[reallyromealone]

What in the name of _ do you think you're doing?

Amber Heard's right cheek

Al Roker's resemblance to Steve Harvey

The violin part of Kate Bushes, "Running Up That Hill"

Every downstairs railing for sliding

Wasabi's power to decongest the nasal cavities

Spot's holes from the Spider-verse

The taste of ranch and buffalo sauce combined

Chipping paint from every painted wall

Choose your number.

8

[lensman-arms-race]

Skibidi Toilet episode 66 thoughts (spoilers)

First off: holy shit, this is 3 minutes long. No wonder it took nearly 2 weeks! I assumed DFB was taking a well-deserved break before starting a new season of episodes, but he must have been working all this time!

Not really a spoiler because we've seen these before:

Haha, they have camera-shaped helicopters because they're camera-people. But hang on, we're humans and we don't make helicopters shaped like human heads! ...Maybe we should??

Okay, spoiler time from now. Avoid if you want to go in cold.

Cinécam is dual-wielding anti-tank missile launchers! Happy for them!

But WHAT'S THAT SPOOPY THING BEHIND THEM??! It moves slightly! D: (Not the cactus! The thing in the mist in the background.)

YOU BASTARDS! YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER BASTARDS!!

Titan Speaker! Titan Camera! I'm going to cry forever!!!

I think this is our first look at a cam-head getting the proper rage. When they first threw down their stun-gun and starting shaking, I thought they were getting possessed and the Skibidis had found a way to mass-possess hardware-heads remotely -- but no, they're shaking with fury.

It's a gripping scene because the cam-heads generally come across as being quite mild-mannered, so when they start rampaging you know some serious shit has gone down to work them up into that state.

Is it just the fiery lighting making their coat look reddish, or is this our friend the brown-coated simp?? (If so, I'm happy they didn't die in episode 57.)

Freakout time. Who is handing POV camera-head this knife?? They've disappeared in the next shot. It's that freaky teleporting human we keep seeing!

Yess! It's our favourite Kate Bush fan.

Yess! Flechette-cam!! I love them.

THEM!!!

Camera-head gets to return the favour to speaker-head!

It's Mr Stabby! They're here too!

Also Plunger-cam! Everyone's here! Why are they all here; what's here??

DISAPPROVE. (Do they disapprove of Plunger-cam's use of Skibidi tech? Or their showy entrance?)

DaFuq, why must you twist the knife so??! (This is clearly a callback to Titans Speaker and Camera making the same gesture in episode 58.)

OwO

Man, DaFuq can ping-pong us between heart-rending anguish and 'ahahaha they're so silly'.

Nooo, Cinécam! F in chat.

Neat - we get our first look at what is presumably the TV base, and a TV scientist (assuming they have a similar dress code to the Camera scientists).

IS THIS GOING TO BE WHAT WE THINK IT IS??!

Also, 'heh' at the imagery of a glowing white void plus a TV with an aerial resembling an angelic halo.

[hairtusk]

you resemble kate bush with the baby fringe, that was so sweet of you :(

honestly sometimes i think i should bring the baby bangs back ... especially after this ask, kate & i are soul-bonded :'))

[pers-books]

Doctor Who: What to expect in the series’ return

The 2005 rival of the hit television show Doctor Who (2005) recently celebrated its 19-year anniversary by announcing season 14—comically titled “Season One!” Trailers and teasers previewed flashy storylines, vibrant costumes, and a stacked set of guest stars this March. At the end of the month, the official Doctor Who social media accounts released teasers, including titles for the eight episodes to come.

Fans are flocking back to the franchise with the knowledge that showrunner Russell T. Davies, the writer who rebooted the 2005 series in the first place, will be returning.  Before his return with the most recent anniversary specials, aired in November 2023, Davies had not written an episode of the show since the sensational fan-favourite two-hour special, “The End of Time,” aired in January 2010. These past two years have marked the end of his (too long) hiatus from the franchise. Thankfully, out of the eight episodes released this season, Davies will be involved with six, bringing brand-new stories, characters, and ideas with him. 

Through interviews, Davies revealed that he plans to do at least three or four seasons as showrunner and will incorporate some new sci-fi concepts never before seen in the series. While Doctor Who (2005) has long oscillated between fantasy and sci-fi, typically landing in science fiction as it is primarily grounded in reality, a recent anniversary special breaks this status quo with the return of “The Toymaker,” played by Neil Patrick Harris. This character comes from another universe, “where science is a game, and all of us are toys.” He can bend the laws of reality to his own will in ways that can’t be scientifically explained.

Davies has said in interviews that the cracks the Toymaker’s influence has left on the show’s canon will be important, allowing for more possibilities than fans could imagine. This opens Doctor Who (2005) up to a more supernatural or magical realm to a degree that is fresh and exciting for this long-running classic. 

Davies isn’t the only familiar face fans can expect to see from the original series, though! Jemma Redgrave, a beloved guest star, will reprise her role as Kate Stewart. Bonnie Langford, who first appeared in the 1980s, will also come back as Mel Bush. These familiar faces are sure to evoke nostalgia and excitement among long-time fans.

Many viewers have also expressed excitement about the casting of Jinkx Monsoon, American drag queen and season five champion of RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-present). She will be playing a villain in the upcoming episode, “The Devil’s Chord.” which will take place in 1963, primarily at Abbey Road; Doctor Who (2005) has yet to do a Beatles episode, and fans are giddy just thinking about what the episode will entail. 

Another American actor set to play an antagonist is Broadway star Johnathan Groff, who will appear in the episode centred on the Regency period, “Rogue.” Unfortunately, little to no details about his character or the episode’s plot besides the outfits resembling Bridgerton have been revealed. After receiving insufficient information, the Doctor Who fandom did what all fandoms do—theorized! Many viewers have theories about who Groff may be playing, everything from a new villain to a younger incarnation of an old fan-favourite character, Captain Jack Harkness (formerly played by John Barrowman).

Amongst this spew of excitement, it’s important to bring up the concern of many fans regarding the lack of diversity in the writer's room, specifically when it comes to writers of colour. With the season being the first to feature a black actor to play the titular role, Ncuti Gatwa, many fans hoped to see more of a diverse influence in the writer’s room and on the screen.

The season will premiere on May 11 in the United Kingdom and May 10 in the United States. Two episodes will be released simultaneously, and the season will follow a weekly release schedule after through June. One thing of crucial note is where to find the highly anticipated season 14, “Season One.” In the U.S., “Season One” will be available on Disney+, and if you’re a fan of any kind, make sure to tune in!-

-- I am posting this purely for the line I highlighted - beloved guest star indeed! Yes, thank you! 😍

[companion-showdown]

contestant lists here

since I think the specific list for can't they win just this once might affect voting, that one is (constructed in a way that resembles objectivity, ie I gave points to each companion depending on the rounds they got to in each tournament)

Grace Holloway

Graham O'Brien

Ben Jackson

Polly Wright

Vislor Turlough

Wilfred Mott

Kate Stewart

Peri Brown

Mel Bush

Zoe Heriot

Liz Shaw

Chang Lee

The remaining four slots will either be Victoria Waterfield, Jo Grant, Mickey Smith, and Yasmin Khan, or determined by a group stage between Katarina, Gillian and John Who, Alison Cheney, Handles, Kamelion, Lucie Miller, Sara Kingdom, and Evelyn Smythe. The specific information here is incorrect, I've since realised I miscounted some stuff which has changed the specific names, but the poll at the bottom is being used to decide which set to use

[kulturegroupie]

I feel like you're the person to go to with this question so I'mma ask you: how do you dress groovy? I cannot for the life of me find any vintage-looking clothes anywhere and I have no idea how to look hippie-ish. Any ideas?

hii dear!! yes i'm definitely very passionate about groovy fashion 🥰

first of all, i apologise if this took a while but i had to research a few things in order to be as accurate as possible 🤍

i started dressing 60s and 70s five years ago and it was a bit hard for me too at first!

this is my advice:

look to your wardrobe first. find a few pieces that remind you of that era and start building your outfits from what you already have

ask your parents and grandparents if they have something specifically from that era or that might resemble that style

shop in thrift stores near where you live and these online stores:

invest in a few pieces that you feel might go with everything and slowly start to build your wardrobe from those.

where to take the inspiration?

what you should know when dressing 60s and 70s is there are three main trends you can take inspo from during both decades:

- the early 60s were largely a continuation of the conservative elegance of the 50s

- the mid 60s were defined by mod style and futuristic designs inspired by space exploration

- in the late 60s, fashion was all about the hippie and bohemian look and diy clothes

more info on 60s fashion here and here

- in the early 70s we have a continuation of what was trendy in the late 60s, so the hippie and bohemian look + diy clothes

- in the mid 70s punk fashion and hippie/bohemian fashion are prevalent

- in the late 70s we have a mix of disco, punk and hippie fashions (the latter of which was slowly dying out by this point)

more info on 70s fashion here and here

pick the style that most resonates with you, or mix them all up if you desire! remember that 60s and 70s fashion is all about youth, rebellion and self-expression: you can basically do what you want and what feels more like you.

if you want, you can buy a few vintage accessories (big sunglasses, rings, beads, bracelets, patches etc.) and use them to give some additional ✨spice✨ to each outfit!

remember that just like nowadays, back then not everyone was famous and rich - even though regular people used to get inspired by the celebrities of the time, usually outfits were pretty simple, so you don't have to go out dressed like elton john all the time, lol. stick to a few accessories that you really like and if you're feeling a little extra add more accessories and/or layers of clothing.

find a few style inspirations, like models, musicians and actors, and copy their looks.

here are the ones i take most of my inspo from:

- brian jones

- jimi hendrix

- jimmy page

- david bowie

- pamela des barres and the gto's

- the fool (design collective)

- george harrison

- rod stewart

- marianne faithfull

- syd barrett

- eric clapton

- stevie nicks

- kate bush

- vali myers

- john entwistle

- bebe buell

- agnetha fältskog

- anita pallenberg

- brian connolly

- brian eno

- cass elliot

- cherie currie

- david johansen

- jenny boyd

- nancy spungen

- neil young

- todd rundgren

- colleen corby

androgyny is a big part of groovy style so don't be afraid of taking inspo from male celebrities!!

you don't need a lot of money to dress like a hippie! remember that hippie fashion is all about abolishing consumerism and uplifting individual taste, so spending too much money to achieve that style is pointless :) people in the 60s and 70s LOVED thrift stores and finding older pieces to add to their wardrobes as opposed to buying pricy designer clothes.

jimmy page owned a 75-year-old coat in 1966 and pamela des barres was very much into 1920's fashion in the late 60's!!

this is all, i hope i was of help ❤️ sending all my love and encouragement to start your groovy fashion journey 🌺🍄

[skylarsin7]

Chapter 6: Curses, Cults, and Chocolate Chip Pancakes

When Lily awoke next, she found herself once again in the Wheeler’s basement, with no recollection on how she had gotten there. She was laid out on one of the couches, a jacket haphazardly thrown over her. She felt lightheaded and dizzy, but at least there was no pain. At least, not at the moment. She closed her eyes again as the world threatened to spin, breathing through the spell. When it passed, she opened them, slowly sitting up. The others were sound asleep around her, and she had to smile as her eyes fell on Dustin. He was leaning against a dresser, a thin trail of drool hanging from his mouth. He was clutching onto a blanket as one would cradle a teddy bear. Not for the first time, she felt protectiveness rise in her chest. The more time she spent with these people, the more she realized just how isolated she had been in Philly. This tiny group was becoming a family to her. And it scared her to think what was currently hunting them. 

  She stood quietly, tiptoeing around bodies as they slumbered, then padding up the stairs. Once again, she found Karen Wheeler in the kitchen, in the middle of what looked like preparation to make pancakes. “Good morning.” Lily said quietly, carefully as not to startle her. Mrs. Wheeler offered her a sleepy but warm smile. “Good morning, dear, are you feeling better?” The concern in her voice had Lily’s chest tightening. It had been nearly three years since her own mother had voiced any concern for her at all. It was almost pure agony to hear it from a complete stranger. “Much, thank you.” She managed, glancing away. Busy…she needed to be busy… “It may be presumptuous of me, but…may I?” She gestured towards the bowl and ladle in Mrs. Wheeler’s hands. Karen seemed to ponder it a moment before handing her the ladle. “If you’d like.” She said with a smile. Lily couldn’t help but return that smile. Family. She affirmed. They were becoming a family.

Max awoke to the most wonderful smell of breakfast she had ever encountered. She rose, following her nose into the kitchen. What she saw however, had her stopping short at the top of the stairs. Lily stood at the stove, flipping pancakes, stacking them neatly on a platter. Butter so thick it was dripping off the stack only added to the rich smell of the chocolate chips inside. Max’s stomach rumbled. “That smells incredible.” She remarked, announcing her presence as she came into the kitchen. Lily offered her a soft smile. "Thank you. I can make you a plate if you are ready." Max nodded, stepping closer to Lily as she did so. "I wanted to thank you. I…I heard your voice when I was with…him…" Lily didn't need to be told who she was talking about. “Your voice distracted him for just a moment and that gave me the means to escape. I don't know how you did it, but I owe you and Kate Bush my life." Lily smiled at her again, wrapping her arm around the redhead. "I told you…I don't ever want to have to read that letter." She released her, and Lily's smile seemed to dim a little around the edges. "But I also don't know what I did in order to replicate it if need be." 

Max placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I don't think we have to worry about that. At least, not right now. We have to focus on taking him out." She said, a fierce edge to her voice. Lily nodded. "Kill Vecna, clear Eddie's name." Max nodded, letting her hand drop from Lily’s shoulder. She made her way over to the table, greeting the little girl that colored there as “Holly”. Lily watched as Max interacted with Holly, who she assumed was the Wheeler’s youngest child. She bore a startling resemblance to Karen at the very least.  Her heart ached slightly. She had always wanted siblings, but fate had intervened. Now, she was glad that Arland Ramsey had been unable to get her mother pregnant. 

She turned her attention back on the pancakes, the repeated action of flipping and pouring relaxing her. Her head still felt like it was full of cotton, but at least she knew that Max was safe, for now. Her thoughts strayed to Eddie. He had told her once that chocolate chip pancakes were his favorite breakfast food. She swallowed hard as unexpected emotion welled in her chest. She wished desperately for different circumstances, so she could have been making him the breakfast he loved. She wondered how he was, what he was doing right now. As she flipped the final pancake onto a platter, she hunted through the drawers for a Ziploc bag. Since she couldn’t make them for him fresh, she would take him some as leftovers. She set them aside, placing the platter on the kitchen island and turning to wash her dishes. 

Dishes done, she made Max and Holly a plate each and offered Mr. Wheeler a cup of coffee. He grunted in her general direction and she took that as a yes. She poured him a mug, leaving the little tray of sugar and a small bottle of creamer she found in the fridge on the table for him. Karen watched her with silent praise, and that only made Lily’s heart ache even more. Despite the chasm that had grown between them the last three years, she missed her mother desperately. She shook her head, clamping down the tears that threatened her vision. Now was not the time to fall apart. Her thoughts were interrupted by the pounding of feet up the basement steps. She half turned to see Nancy in the doorway, her hair wild, panic stamped onto her features. She visibly relaxed as she saw Max sitting at the table, coloring with Holly. Dustin followed hot on her heels. 

Nancy smiled at Lily, who gestured to the platter of pancakes as she passed. While Nancy did not take any, Dustin stopped and took a deep inhale, sighing as if they were the ambrosia of heaven. “These smell sooooooo good, Mrs. Wheeler.” He said. Karen laughed. “Thank you Dustin, but I didn’t make them. Lily did.” Dustin’s eyes met Lily’s and she smiled, nodding. “And why exactly are we letting some random teenager make pancakes in our kitchen, Karen?” Mr. Wheeler asked, taking a sip of his coffee, barely looking up from his newspaper. “Because she cleans up after herself and had asked me nicely, Ted. Maybe you should try it sometime.” She hissed. She turned to Dustin and Lily, apology in her eyes. “You know you are welcome here anytime.” She said pointedly. Ted rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. “Totally, you’re like family.” Dustin agreed. Lily nodded, but couldn't find the words. “May I?” Dustin gestured to the platter. “Help yourself.” Karen said before turning away. “Yeah, why not? Take us for all we’re worth.” Ted muttered sarcastically. Dustin grinned up at him. “Okay.” He said cheekily, clearly not daunted by Ted’s less than friendly demeanor. Lily chuckled softly. This is how she imagined it was like on a daily basis. She had to admit, she was jealous. The mausoleum that was the Ramsey home had been stark and deafeningly quiet as of late. Here, it was warm and alive. Albeit a little tense sometimes. Dustin took several pancakes, stacking them on a plate, already eating one as he sat down at the table. Lily edged closer, taking a pancake and eating it like a slice of pizza. She had to admit, even though it was a store-bought Krustez mix, it wasn’t bad by half. The chocolate chips seemed to take some of the weirdly tangy/sweet flavor out of the mix. 

  She watched Nancy and Max, only hearing a little of their conversation as she ate. Max was describing the scene she had been recreating with Holly’s crayons. Most of the images were vague and disjointed, but the main theme of them was red, like a film of haze had fallen over everything. Lily moved closer, her skin going clammy as recognition struck like a dissident chord. “It was like they were on display or something…” Max was explaining. Nancy had her hand on an image of two stalagmites, human bodies sticking out of them like some kind of demented doll displays. Lily shuddered. Chrissy and Fred, no doubt. “Do you think Vecna is just trying to scare you?” Nancy was asking. Max shook her head. “With Billy, yes. But when I got here…I dunno, something was different. He seemed surprised, almost. Like he didn’t want me there.” Lily set the rest of her uneaten pancake on a napkin. Her stomach roiled and suddenly she had no appetite at all. “Maybe you infiltrated his mind.” Dustin offered as he finished his last bite of pancake. The girls looked at him in confusion. “Well, he invaded your mind, right? Is it that big of a leap to suggest that you somehow wound up in his?” Nancy and Max shared a look that suggested that they had not thought about that. “Like Freddy Kreuger’s boiler room?” Lily shivered again. She had not been a fan of that film.

         “Freddy Kreuger?” Holly asked, making them all jump slightly. So intent on their conversation they seemed to have forgotten that they were not alone. Dustin began explaining what Freddy Kreuger was, despite the fact that Holly didn’t look a day over six years old. “Dustin, seriously?” Nancy chastised him. “Sorry, it’s a movie. It’s not real.” He amended. Lily shook her head. “Just, think about it… What if you somehow unlocked a backdoor into Vecna’s world? Like, maybe the answer we’re looking for is somewhere in this incredibly vague drawing.” He wasn’t meaning to be insulting, just truthful. “God, we need Will.” He sighed in frustration. Lily assumed that this ‘Will’ was an artist. “Yeah, no shit. But I tried them again this morning, and it’s the same busy signal.” Nancy was once again looking at the images, and had stood to get a better angle. She picked one of the pages up. “Is this a window?” She asked, holding it up. Max nodded. “Yeah.” Nancy drew in a breath. “Stained glass with a rose in the center.” Lily offered. “Yeah, see, I’m not so terrible after all.” Max quipped. Dustin shrugged. “Yeah, well it helps that I have seen it before.” Nancy added.

She began folding some of the pages, angling them like puzzle pieces. When she was finished, she laid the stained-glass window down in the center. Grabbing a marker, she followed the lines of the creases, standing back when she was done. “It’s pieces of a house.” Max breathed. “Not just any house.” Nancy added, glancing at the younger girl. “It’s Victor Creel’s house.” Nancy turned abruptly, heading back for the basement. “Where are you going?” Dustin called as he rose. “Waking the others.” She announced over her shoulder. Dustin grabbed another pancake off the stack as he moved. “Sorry, fuel for the road. Thanks, Mr. Wheeler!” Max, Dustin, and Lily followed, grabbing the Ziploc of pancakes as she passed. 

***

The house, at one time, might have been a masterpiece. But it stood in dilapidated ruin now. Boards covered all the windows and the front door. The gables were sunken and rotting, the roof tiles cracked and crumbling away. Lily didn’t like it one bit. It gave her Frankenstein vibes. The others got out of the car, but she hung back. “Umm, guys…” She called after them. They turned to face her. “I’m not overly fond of old, spooky houses, so I think I’m gonna stay out here and keep watch. Just in case.” She offered. The group hesitated, then Steve nodded. “Holler if you see anything.” He told her with a smile. She returned it weakly.

She watched as Steve pried the boards off the door, the stained-glass window coming into view. The sun chose that moment to come out from behind the clouds, catching the rainbow glass and shining like splintered stars. “Liliana…” Lily jumped, the growling voice sending goosebumps skittering over her skin. It sounded so close it was like it was being whispered directly into her ear. She turned, glancing warily from side to side. There was no one there. Her heart pounded. “Vecna?” She whispered. The street was silent once more.

Steve and the others moved into the house carefully, wary of the broken glass on the floor. Robin had been a little less than delicate about smashing the window with the 'key' she found. “Guys…I really don’t like the idea of leaving Lily out there by herself.” Dustin said quietly. Steve rounded on him. “Awww, does Dusty have a crush? What would Suzie think of that?” He said mockingly. Dustin glared at him. “No, it’s not like that. She isn’t exactly Ms. Goodie Two-Shoes, okay? She stole her mother’s car and wallet to get here. I’m just concerned that if someone happens upon her, it could spell bad news for all of us. That’s all.” Steve placed his hands on his hips. “If you are so worried about it, why don’t you go back out there with her? I mean, she’s a big girl, I’m sure she can handle herself.” He said bluntly. Dustin shook his head. “No, I’ll stay. Someone has to look out for you, Steve.” He replied sarcastically. “Little Shit.” Steve said it with affection but still managed to sound annoyed at the same time. 

  “Liliana…” The voice whispered again. Lily gasped, whirling as the voice was accompanied by a rush of freezing air, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “Where the hell are you?” She demanded, gritting her teeth as her eyes searched in vain. “I am here Lily…All around you…I want you to see what power is waiting for you here, in my realm…” The voice was slimy, like a slug, and it slithered down her spine. “What power? What the hell are you?” She hissed. “I want you to watch…. “ Vecna replied in lieu of an explanation. Before Lily could react, the world started spinning and then faded into darkness.

She found herself floating, the sound of waves rippling offshore oddly calming as she swayed back and forth. The rumble of a vehicle engine caught her attention, and her head jerked towards the sound. When she could open her eyes, she wished she hadn’t. She was floating alright, floating about sixty feet above Lover’s Lake. She recognized the boat shed Eddie was supposed to be hiding in. Three jocks got out of the jeep parked in Rick’s drive, each brandishing a makeshift weapon. Lily’s skin went clammy. They were clearly out for blood. She screamed for Eddie, but her throat made no sound. Panic flooded her. Seems she was only meant to observe. She spied a shadow moving in the window of the boatshed and released a tiny breath of relief. Eddie was alright. For now. 

The jocks disappeared into the house, and all was silent again save for the sound of the waves. Lily wanted to scream for Eddie to escape, to take the boat moored there and flee for his life. But try as she might, she could not make her throat expel any sound. Not even a wheeze. She watched as the sun sank below the horizon, the night world slowly coming to life. The jocks still hadn’t left the house and if she could, Lily would have laughed. Not the brightest crayons in the box, were they? No sooner did that thought cross her mind when one of them, a blonde, left the back door of the house. This must have been their leader. Her eyes darted to the boatshed, where she could see the outline of the dingy as it made its way out onto the water. 

Eddie was crouched low into the boat, rowing slowly with likely the same oar Steve had used to prod him from his hiding place. Lily could see blondie enter the shed, returning a moment later and making his way down onto the beach. “Hey FREAK! Where do you think you’re going?!” He bellowed, being followed very closely by a taller, dark-skinned jock. Eddie looked back, and Lily could see the panic on his face. The jocks started stripping out of their Sunday best, kicking off their shoes as they dove into the water. The blonde one had a strong stroke, knifing through the water with practiced ease. If the situation wasn’t so screwed up and dire, Lily might have been impressed. But they were closing in on Eddie far too rapidly for her liking. Eddie stood, struggling and failing to get the dinghy’s engine started. The blonde jock had just barely reached the boat when Eddie brandished the oar, swinging it like a bat. “Stay back, man! Stay back!” Eddie warned. The dark-skinned jock stopped, treading water. And that is when Lily heard it. The chime of a grandfather clock. Lily’s blood ran cold. Vecna was here.  

The blonde jock turned, calling out to the other, whose head was whipping back and forth like he was searching for the source of the chime. The blonde jock called his name, but ‘Patrick’ wasn’t hearing him. It was evident that neither the blonde jock nor Eddie could hear the chimes. A second later, Patrick was pulled under the water, leaving the blonde jock to call after him frantically. Seconds later Patrick was ripped into the air, his eyes rolling back in his head. He came to hover in front of Lily, his face slack. 

Eddie fell back into the water, disappearing beneath the surface. Patrick’s body trembled a moment before his bones began to snap like twigs, the sound as loud as gunfire. Lily could only watch in mute horror as his bones splintered, jutting out at odd angles until finally his eyes imploded in his skull. He seemed to collapse in on himself as gravity resumed and he fell like a crumpled, fleshy ribbon into the water below. Lily screamed, though no sound escaped her. Her stomach dropped as she tumbled backwards through the air, the lake rushing up at her as she plummeted from the sky like a stone. 

Lily awoke leaning against the side of Nancy’s car, drenched in sweat and trembling. Her heart raced at breakneck speed, climbing into her throat with the distinct acidic taste of bile. She hunched over to the side and splattered chocolate chip pancake on the pavement. Her eyes watered as she heaved a few times, nothing else coming up. Bile burned her throat and her tears ran freely. She forced foul tasting air into her lungs, willing her heart to slow its pace. It refused. She stood slowly, leaning heavily on the station wagon as her world tipped dangerously. She felt like she was drunk, and vowed then and there that she would never have alcohol. It was dark now, and almost eerily quiet. Her eyes went in and out of focus, grey and black splotches threatening to blind her. She shook her head as a pounding began in her temples. Not again. She staggered a step and nearly fell. Her ankle throbbed, and she wondered briefly what could have happened to it. She must have twisted it as she fell. She shook her head again. Her nose tingled with what she would have guessed to be a coming nosebleed, but she ignored it. Her limbs trembled, bone deep exhaustion claiming her in its grip. She shook it off as best she could. Eddie was in trouble. She had to get to him, fast. She had no time to ponder. She staggered another step, and then another, gathering speed and stability as she went.

         She was hobbling through town when sirens assaulted her ears. They blew right past her, screaming down the street and out of sight. She pushed herself faster, her legs wobbly and unstable. She had to keep going. She had to get to Eddie. The sound of the sirens faded as they got further away from her, and her energy was waning quickly. Her head pounded as if someone was driving two ice picks into her head. She came upon a bench and couldn’t hold herself up any longer. Despite her determination to keep going, she collapsed onto it, her vision swirling once again as she passed out cold. 

***

Dustin had a bad feeling settling in his gut as they left the Creel house. That feeling intensified as he looked up and the car came into view. “Um, guys…” He called as he broke into a run. He skidded to a stop beside Nancy’s station wagon, turning, wide-eyed to the group. “We have a problem.” Steve stopped short of the car, drawing the others with him. “Where’s Lily?” He asked. Dustin shook his head. “She’s gone.”   The group spread out, calling her name, coming up empty and converging once again at the car. “She can’t have gotten far. Looks like she is on foot.” Robin said, her voice a little breathless from panic. “That’s true, she has to be close. What in the hell would make her run off like that?” Steve wondered aloud. “Maybe it has something to do with Vecna. I could hear her voice when he had me…Maybe she somehow tapped into whatever backdoor I managed to find.” Max offered.  “I think Max may be right.” Nancy affirmed, pointing to the splatter of chocolate chip pancake on the ground. “Looks like something happened to make her sick. Maybe that surge in the attic was…an attack. If Vecna knew she invaded his mind, she may be his new target…” A shudder ran through the group. “I hope not.” Lucas said quietly. Max gave him a sideways look. He shrugged. “What? I kind of admire her a little. She’s got one hell of a reputation in Hellfire and did what she had to in order to get to Hawkins. She’s fighting for what she believes in.” He explained. Max couldn’t hide the hurt in her expression. “I’m not saying that you don’t. It’s just…nevermind.” He broke off, his voice defeated.  “Maybe she had to hide. I think I heard sirens not too long ago.” Nancy’s gaze darted up and down the street. “Well, we aren’t going to find her standing around here.” Dustin said harshly, yanking on the door of the car before climbing inside. “Come on, let’s go.” He urged. His hand fell on the Ziploc of chocolate chip pancakes and unexpected panic filled his chest. He wasn’t religious by any means, but he started to pray then, prayed that Lily, wherever she was, that she was alright.

[psychsounds]

Discovery Zone @ Yes Basement on 31st October

We watched Discovery Zone on Halloween and it was truly beautiful to behold.

She has this metallic, yet warm and feminine futurescape synth music that could be somewhere between Kate Bush and New Order but more stripped, bare, not as produced.

She also had robotic visuals playing during each track, resembling vapor wave tech informercials from the future announcing the 'journey' of each track within set, which felt light and fun and cosmic, and decidedly post-modern. Great for dancing to, especially the hook on Remote Control, my favourite foreboding sweet melody dance track of the album.

[invinciblerodent]

I feel like as the release draws near, I should update my Rook concepts a little bit, post a bit more about how they've been taking shape in my head... (no visuals of the designs yet- while I have loose ideas, I'm also undecided, and kind of going back and forth on many things, lol.)

Divvying them up by class, the warriors are gonna be:

Verbena Mercar, main Rook

the Idealist, who likely wouldn't really be in this mess if it wasn't happening right on her doorstep (and ngl, fully thought she was just taking this job for like, a month at best), but someone has to do something, and it might as well be her. So far what I know about her is that she has a good head on her shoulders, a strong sens of justice, and few scruples about breaking the rules to do what's right, and she will trip over her knickers the first time she sees Davrin.

She'll be the first character I play, a human sword and board warrior- she's had a first name since roughly 2016, and I can't wait to explore her personality more. For now, I'm kind of torn whether on her appearance I'll want to lean more into her being from Minrathous (so stealing Dorian's color scheme a little bit), or her being distantly related to my Inquisitor Trevelyan (so kind of resembling Ray)(and Kate Bush)(I can see her looking more like Ray's sister than his actual sister, that'd be fun)- but either way, the one design thing I'm firm on is that she'll have some really interesting steel-grey eyes. (I'm calling them her dagger-greys in my head, and I love the thought of them looking cold and almost colorless until there's something for them to reflect- like the warm light of the fire in Davrin's room~)

Tristan Thorne

the Professional, who is Totally Not A Zombie or a Wandering Spirit looking for Purpose, but maybe, just maybe, saving the world will be the way to finally find it. (maybe it's somewhere in Emmrich's pants, who knows, he'll need to investigate.)

For him, I've a short snippet of his backstory as a very normal 17-year-old human Fereldan boy who once took up arms to fight for his village, and "died" in the Battle of Ostagar, so I hope to kind of lean into the "undead" angle a bit more.

I know regardless of what the CC actually allows, he'll have a number of tattoos chronicling his life (and death) all over his body, partly as a way to reclaim ownership of it, and I'm hoping that in the background, I can kind of start off what he'll have going on with Emmrich underscored by a ~purely clinical~ interest. (until the pierced nipples on a wide, hair-littered barrel of a chest come out, which is when all scholarly sense goes out the window.)

(I'll need to see the CC for him most I feel, because no picrew I've found lets me make burly greying gentlemen with appropriately sad and haunted eyes, lol. But I'm thinking fairly low-maintenance short hair, maybe a touch lighter than the black I had planned initially [so he'll not look like a knockoff Blackwall], pale skin, and eyes that are a shade of brown that look unsettlingly red if the sun hits them slightly wrong.)

The rogues:

"Tanner"

(or Nalinda Bramunt, Elena Firavanti, Loseck Brovo, Stéphane Rousselot-Poincaré, and honestly, who even knows how many more, the list goes on and on- but as far as anyone is concerned, Laidir will do), the Daredevil: adventurer, treasure hunter, poet of some renown, spy more than just incidentally. She's an Orzammar-born dwarf and ex-Inquisition agent enamored with the ocean, she's 500 pounds of whoopass in a 120 pound bag, she likes knives a bit too much, and she's here to sweep Harding off her feet and get paid.

I'm thinking a butch/futch lesbian(? unsure on that, could be bi, she'll have to tell me herself) dwarfette with dual daggers, I'm thinking blonde and sea-tanned, I'm thinking pierced lip/tongue, I'm thinking tattoos ("gaatlok-spots", as a reference to gunpowder-spots of actual sailors), and I'm thinking her having more trouble confessing her actual first name to Harding than she'll have confessing her romantic feelings. (She smokes. She 100% smokes. And if there's at all a chance for her to have a poly romance with Harding and Taash, she'll TAKE it.)

(myesh i knoooow that there's a Sister Tanner agent in Redcliffe and a Tanner in Bull's first Skyhold friendship scene, I figured it's both a spy's profession name and a fairly common unisex name in Ferelden- I was thinking about tanning leather, because I wanna call her and Harding "leather and Lace" in my head.)

Coris de Riva

the Cynic who'd like to correct all in the rumor that she once dispatched a mark by tearing his still beating heart out of his chest with her teeth. (He actually bled out when she bit through his windpipe- she only cut his heart out afterwards, upon the client's request.) A pretty surface dwarf with a checkered Chantry past, enough arrows in her quiver, more than enough resentment in her heart, and no small desire to force the First Talon to his knees- if only he'll then actually look her in the eye.

Her plan is going to be to live out her grudge deeper than a Titan's asshole against the Crows by making herself the Lady Macbeth whispering in a Dellamorte's ear, and she'll be very pleased to have the more favored grandson that was believed dead (she had her doubts on that one) dropped into her lap. Except she'll not expect to realize that, along the way, he'll actually worm his way into her cold little shriveled up heart, and suddenly, pushing him to take over the Crows and then stabbing him to take over herself doesn't sound like that fun an idea anymore.

The mage:

Marcus Ingellvar

the Scholar with more talent, curiosity, and compassion (and excellent sideburns) than good sense, who's not really had a conversation longer than 20 minutes with a living person in more years than he can count, and will likely feel his very core turn into warm vanilla pudding the first time he lays eyes on Taash.

I'm toying with the thought of fucking with gender a little bit on him, but I'm unsure what that means for him. I'm getting a Vibe, but I'm wondering if it's just that he'll have an interesting approach to masculinity (which sounds like heaps of fun to explore and contrast a little bit with Ray's fairly traditional masculinity), some flavor of nonbinary-ness, or if this guy is just... trans, and that's it lol. But for him, I'm really thinking of an appearance that's rather tall and lanky, and... kind of if Rezaren from DA: Absolution was both very, very tired, and a semi-starved Victorian urchin child. (With, again, excellent sideburns.)

Either way, my goal is that people will look at him, and immediately want to feed him warm soup. I hope Taash will need to physically pull him from danger and carry him to safety more times than either of them can count, and I think he'll be very, very pleased with that. (And let's be real, no matter who happens to be wearing the penis at the time, she'll be the one topping.) (And again, he'll be very, very pleased with that.)

Undecided:

Syl Aldwir

the Double Agent who, after having worked with the Friends of Red Jenny as an Orlais-born elf (long story), joined the Veil Jumpers in hope of connecting with her elvish roots, but wound up with her butt planted firmly on the ground between the two proverbial chairs she could have landed on.

Her design is the one that varies the most wildly in my mind, but my inspo for her is a certain piece of Tabris concept art, so she'll probably look either a bit like that, or like Cid, the Tabris I had played once.

I'm planning for a lot of sapphic yearning with Neve, but depending on her relationship with her elvishness, I can see it ultimately being Bellara too- it'll need to unfold during the gameplay (hoping for a love triangle type of thing, or some jealousy-dialogue, if there is any in the game), but personally I'm leaning towards Neve- partly as a rejection of the elves' clinging to the unclear ancient past, and partly because, well, fucking look at her lol.

(She'll either be an archer rogue or a sword and board warrior, depending on which type of gameplay I enjoy more.)

[thepostofficesketch]

Hot take but despite the resemblance in mysical style and as performers chappel roan could NOT do running up that hill while kate bush would absolutely knock good luck bake out of the park

[scythelucifer02]

Him: you better not be a toy dog resembling Kate bush when I get there

My ethereal ass:

[chirpsythismorning]

It's okay! It's extremely likely this is going to be an early s5 plot twist to pay homage to s1. Though it obviously can't be identical to s1 with Mike dead/presumed dead/missing/injured throughout the entire season, otherwise that would be too repetitive. I think if anything it will be a 1-2 episode ordeal, with this having been foreshadowed quite a bit.

I do think that this arc for Mike in s5 could likely resemble his Paladin-hood and him presumably winding up needing to seek penance from a cleric (Will). Hence the upside down imagery with Mike going first and Will following:

Tapestry behind Jonathan's bed in s1-3

Tapestry behind Jonathan's bed in s4 (Upside down)

Upside down couch at Hopper's cabin

But most importantly, if we're indeed circling back to s1, Mike's first line could actually be giving us a hint for the beginning of s5...

You know what this reminds me of?

Dude is literally breaking the fourth wall to say this...

'How am I gonna survive a whole week without you guys?'??? When the week in question is not technically over yet? And s5 is opening right where we left off...

Especially considering the timeline for the s4 finale landed us on Saturday, March 29th aka one day before Easter. Meaning we're about to hit the resurrection of Jesus Christ...

And we already have someone in that role arguably...

But here's the thing... Will is also in danger. And I'm not even talking about the very in text indications he's in danger, I'm talking about similar subtextual coding we've got throughout the series, with the iron rod imagery...

I think it's possible we could see both Mike and Will meet an ill-fate. NOT PERMANENT! Just want to make that clear. It could honesty come off as one of them going missing and/or being presumed dead. I do think that Mike could likely go first bc it would match withthe foreshadowing of that Karen lookalike in front of the missing person's board at the end of s4...

It's possible they could pull what appears to be a bury your gays right at the start, only to subvert it just as quickly.

I think it's likely Will is going to be framed as being in danger a lot. It's the most obvious assumption everyone has. But if you think about it, if they're fine with us all thinking this and even insisting it... with Will's importance in s5 being one of the very few things they're even disclosing about s5, then that probably means there's more to it... And I think s5 will likely start with Will being in danger (with birthdaygate implications), and with Mike pulling a Kate Bush to save Will, only for Will to follow right after him...

I do have a theory for when this could take place...

Either as early as season 5 opener early OR more likely 5x02...

This shot could be hinting at not only something happening to Mike and/or Will by the 5x02, but it also could be hinting at lettergate arguably...

We know they kind of used Suzie at times in place of Mike, just like they did with a few of the other characters in those hectic Easter egg filled scenes at the Bingham residence. And within the context of this scene with 5:02 on the clock, it seems like they are hinting at the guilt Mike could have in store with the the newfound knowledge since returning to Hawkins that his monologue did not work...

This could also explain the filming rumors rn... Which are just rumors but within the context of something like this going down, with them being isolated from everyone for a bit early in s5...

What even is that thing behind Mike an ancient fan??? What the heck is up with all of these fans everywhere in the show