#and the whole prophecy thing and all that

[dream-about-dancing]

#in the end they settle on joint custody#half the year in the cloud receces half the year at lotus pier#but not after first re-litigating every point of contention in the 'wei wuxian should have come with ME' argument#poor sizhui is just confused and a little overwhelmed by the whole thing#being assigned nephew by Jiang Cheng is an honor and a horror at the same time#just ask Jin Ling#also he dosen't feel worthy of all this attention#but in a weird reverse self fulfilling prophecy sort of way#with both LW and JC to train him#he does end up one of the best cultivators of his generation#then WWX comes back and complicates things EVEN FURTHER#but somehow LS's joint custody situation is enough to prompt a Jiang Sibling reconciliation#and eventually LW begrudgingly agrees to live a few months out of the year at Lotus Pier#everyone is happy but the family dinners at first at awkwarddddddd @asha-mage

MDZS AU where Jiang Cheng realizes that Lan Sizhui is the Wen orphan that Wei Wuxian took care off during the Burial Mounds arc, decides that's close enough to qualify him as Nephew, declares that no Nephew of His (much less a surrogate son of Wei Wuxian's) is going to be raised in the Cloud Recedes, and immediately launches into a custody battle with Lan Wangji.

But since neither Jiang Cheng or Lan Wangji can acknowledge that Sizuhi has any connection to Wei Wuxian, both begin steadfastly and stubbornly insisting that he is a Cultivator of peerless potential and skill and he belongs in their sect thank you very much, and would clearly be very unhappy in the other's. This confuses the hell out of the already mystified Cultivation world, who had barely adjusted yet to gossiping about Sizhui being Wangji's illegitimate child by mysterious love affair.

(Eventually the common consensus in the rumor mills is that both JC and LW where in love with Sizhui's mother and both believe themselves to be Sizhui's real father.)

(LW couldn't care less what gossips say, but JC has to bite his tongue till it bleeds to avoid telling anyone the truth in a fit of anger.)

(It was Nie Huaisang who put that rumor out in the first place, partly to troll JC, partly because, in a way, it's a little true.)

[qinnyanimation]

A Field Trip turned Odyssey

A continuation of the kiss. This is a 3 days irl event of the school going on a field trip to Olympia.

It’s all fun and games until on the way back to Athen, Poseidon decided it’s a perfect time for that one teacher who yelled ‘POSEIDON IF YOU’RE SO POWERFUL N ALL THEN COME FIGHT ME YOU COWARD’ as a joke a few weeks ago to get what he deserved. A whole ass storm break the goddamn ship sending everyone in to the ocean. We were all saved by some random dolphins and were left on a random island.

Stranded on an island. Chaos broke loose.

All the teachers and students ran around helping each others as best as they could to ensure everyone’s safety. Pathoseus drag himself to the shore and is on the verge of breaking down due to his trauma taking effect. But before he could do so he spotted his closest student having a panic attack all alone so he forced himself together and ran up to help his student

Icarus drowning in oceans.

He made sure his student is okay and sent him to be with his friends. In that moment he realized everyone is now okay. He immediately started breaking down and ran to hide not wanting to cause another problem. But Oinops found him. He was a complete mess and started seeing things. He said sorry over and over again. Things about his sister that he avoided talking about slipped out.

Oinops managed to calm him down and get him back to his senses. They talk to each other about some of their past. Bonding over their hurtful memories.

This gave Pathoseus courage to finally take action about all the mysterious unopened letters on his desk. But that’s for when they managed to go back.

A night before big plan

They search the island and found out it was the island that Apollo and Artemis were born. Next plan being them traveling to Delphi to get prophecy for their safe journey, people gathered. Some rest , some talk. Oinops asked Pathoseus to drink with him which he refuse saying he’s a bad drunk (which intrigued Oinops even more-)

And boy oh boy was Oinops not prepared for Pathoseus to go full 180 when he’s drunk. No more naive and oblivious overexcited hyper-active guy.

But when Pathoseus woke up I can’t remember a thing that happened.

The next day they arrived at Delphi. Do the get prophecy thing. Make sacrifices to appease Poseidon. And journey back safely!

[shamerli]

Gather ‘round, ye merry souls, and let me spin ye a tale so wild, so full of twists and turns, ye’ll scarce believe it true. It’s the story of a rogue, aye, but not just any rogue—nay, this one’s a beast of a different sort. Trunk Shadowveil, they call him, a Loxodon, if ye can fathom it. That’s right, an elephant, skulkin’ through the shadows of Baldur’s Gate like some great tusked ghost. Now, I know what ye’re thinkin’—an elephant rogue? Pull the other one, stranger! But I swear on me mother’s grave, every word of it’s as true as the ale in yer mug.

Picture it: a massive beast, ten foot tall, with a trunk that could snatch a coin from yer pocket afore ye even knew it was gone. Stealthy? Ha! Ye’d think a creature that size couldn’t sneak up on a deaf man, but Trunk, he’s got ways. He’s a marvel, he is, a walkin’ contradiction, and that’s what makes him legend.

Like all good tales, this one starts with sorrow. Trunk’s herd—peaceful Loxodon folk, mindin’ their own—were slaughtered by poachers. Ivory hunters, hired by some shadowy noble with a taste for rare trophies. They came in the night, and by dawn, Trunk was the last of his kin, a wee calf standin’ amidst the carnage, his heart heavy as stone. Aye, it’s a grim beginnin’, but that’s how these stories go, ain’t it?

But fate’s a funny thing. Just when ye think all’s lost, along comes a band of rogues from Baldur's Gate Guild. They stumble upon this tremblin’ calf, and instead of seein’ a burden, they see potential—or maybe just a good laugh. They take him in, raise him in the underbelly of the city, teach him the trade. Lockpickin’ with that nimble trunk of his, daggerplay—though his daggers are more like swords to the likes of us—and, aye, even stealth. Now, stealth for an elephant? Ye can imagine how that went. He’d try to blend into the shadows, but let’s be honest, a Loxodon’s about as subtle as a dragon in a library. He’d pose as a statue in the marketplace, or knock over a stall and claim it was “part of the plan.” And somehow, bless him, it worked. He was never outmatched only on one terrain - in a tomato field. No matter how hard others tried - no amount of scrying was able to find him hiding between these red veggies.

The Guild loved him for it, especially his mentor, a halfling named Sly Jack, a rogue with a silver tongue and a heart black as coal. Trunk looked up to Jack like a father, trusted him with his life. But ye know how these tales go—betrayal’s always lurkin’ ‘round the corner. During a heist on a corrupt merchant’s vault, things went sideways. The Flaming Fist was waitin’, tipped off by none other than Sly Jack himself. He pinned the whole mess on Trunk, sold him out for a fat purse of gold. Trunk, in a panic, did what any self-respectin’ elephant would do—he smashed through the wall and bolted, leavin’ a trail of chaos in his wake. From that day on, he swore vengeance on The Guild that raised him, determined to bring ‘em down, one bungled caper at a time, and he does not intend to back out of this whole revenge gig - you can say what you want about Trunk, but he sure does have a damn good memory.

But here’s where it gets interestin’. Despite his life of crime, Trunk’s got a heart of gold. He’s no common cutpurse, oh no. He only steals from the rich—greedy nobles, shady merchants, the lot—and slips the loot to the downtrodden. They call him the “Elephant of the People,” a hero with tusks. He’s got a code, ye see, won’t harm the innocent, and he’s fiercely loyal to the few friends he’s got left. Aye, he’s a rogue, but he’s the kind ye can’t help but root for.

And if that weren’t enough, there’s whispers of more to Trunk’s story. Some say he’s the long-lost heir to an ancient dynasty, rulers of a forgotten empire, beyond Chult. Some madmans claim that he is an offspring of a powerful wizard, strong enough to walk between planes of existance, and that his kind is from another world. Others mutter about an ancient prophecy, a “great tusked shadow” destined to bring balance to the underworld. Trunk dismisses it as tavern talk, but sometimes, in the quiet of night, he dreams of a crown atop his head and wonders if there’s truth to it.

But let’s not forget the best part—his signature flair. Trunk’s got a move that’s all his own: usin’ that trunk of his to snatch purses or keys while distractin’ foes with his sheer, absurd presence. “Look at me, I’m just a harmless elephant!” he’d say, all innocent-like, while his trunk’s riflin’ through their pockets. And he’s got a lucky charm, a chipped ivory die from a fallen comrade, which he rolls before every job. Street-smart as they come, but ask him to read a scroll, and he’ll scratch his head like a confused ox.

Now, I know what ye’re thinkin’: an elephant rogue? It’s madness! But that’s the beauty of it. Trunk Shadowveil’s a walkin’ punchline, a lumberin’ legend who somehow makes it all work. I’ve seen him with me own eyes, ye know. Once, he tried to sneak into a noble’s manor, got his trunk stuck in a window. Took three of us to pull him out, and even then, he claimed it was “all part of the plan.” Another time, he faced down a gang of bandits, only to trip over his own feet and send ‘em scatterin’ in confusion. But somehow, he always comes out on top.

So, if ye’re ever in Baldur's Gate and ye hear a trumpet blast in the night, don’t be alarmed. It’s just Trunk Shadowveil, the clumsiest, cleverest rogue ye’ll ever meet, bunglin’ his way through another heist. And that, me friends, is a tale worth drinkin’ to. ------------------------------- Let me know if you want to bid. Current bid is $170

[doctorsiren]

AU concept where Nanami is a knight and Gojo is royal but like it’s deeper than that

So the Gojo Kingdom had a prophecy of a princess with snow-white hair and glowing blue eyes who would be the next Six Eyes and Infinity user, but uh oh Satoru was born instead of a princess, so his parents parade him around as one and call him Satori. Nobody sees his face behind his veil (that part of the design mimicking his blindfold). “Princess Satori” was messing around with one of the knights on duty one night and got him to break character by revealing that there is no princess and it’s been a prince this whole time. That knight was Knight Lieutenant Nanami, who Gojo then requests to have as his personal guard

Blah blah blah they fall in love and they get married (they allow this to happen to keep selling the idea that Satoru’s a woman lmao) but on their wedding day, the exiled king of the Zen’in Kingdom, Toji Fushiguro (DON’T ASK HOW THAT BUM BECAME KING 😭💀), sneaks in and kills the king and queen, along with Gojo (so we moved the whole Toji thing to when everyone was a little older because it made sense in this plot). Gojo’s actually alive bc he revives himself with RCT, but Nanami doesn’t know that. And now that the king and queen are dead, and so is Satoru, this leaves Nanami to immediately become the king of the Gojo Kingdom. Eventually, after hiding out for a month and letting Toji think he’s truly gone, Gojo goes out and decimates the guy, comes back to the kingdom, and reveals that he’s been alive this whole time while also revealing that there was never a Princess Satori and that it’s been Prince (now King) Satoru the whole time.

Gojo and Nanami go and adopt Megumi and Tsumiki from the Zen’in Kingdom (as both an act of peace between the kingdoms and also to get these kids outta this place where they’re hated) and then have a redo of their wedding on a very small scale on this private beach that only a few people know about

So the bottom drawing is Nanami after he’s been king for a while and I thought it would be silly to give him haha funny mustache teehee because y’know that’s what medieval fantasy kings feel like to me :) there’s a lot more stuff that I left out but that’s the general gist of it all so far 😁

[patchwork-crow-writes]

This. This is the kind of Ralsei take I'm looking for. In a sea of "Ralsei only cares about the player" and "Ralsei is secretly evil", this is a liferaft and I am clinging onto it for dear life.

This got long, so here's a read more

I initially believed that Ralsei was in fact speaking over Kris's head the entire time and talking exclusively to the player - see the ambiguous use of the word "you" in reference to the Kris/player gestalt, his knowledge of game mechanics that Kris wouldn't be privy to, and the entire Acid Tunnel sequence. That viewpoint is in fact what allowed me to begin pulling myself out of depression and join the fandom in the first place, it's a whole thing and I shan't bore you with the details.

But the more I thought about this take, the more... unsatisfying it became. Inconsistencies quickly made themselves apparent - why would Ralsei have need to send us away to talk to Kris alone if we were the only being he was interested in serving? Especially when I started to notice all the similarities between Ralsei and Kris, the thematic threads tying the two characters together, entirely separate from the player's influence. Of course, he knows we're there too, because he can divert our viewpoint by using Susie as a focus. But to say he's only interested in us flattens his character and makes him out to be needlessly callous and manipulative, when in actually he's more likely to be confused, lonely and desperate to be relevant to something/someone.

I think you are correct when you say that to Ralsei, the prophecy is sacrosanct, and he recognises that the player's involvement is necessary to make that happen - if it wasn't, why would we even be acknowledged by the game's own narrative in the first place? But he does also clearly care about both Kris and Susie, because they're his first real, tangible friends, in a way that the player can never truly be. And that's the tension at the core of his character, which is neatly embodied by the Kris/player gestalt. On the one hand, he serves the abstract, almost divine notions of prophecy, narrative and player, to which the messy "material" world he exists in is a secondary concern - and on the other, he is learning what it is to be "Ralsei-like" through his tangible, concrete interactions with Kris, Susie, Lancer et al, and that things are not always as uncomplicated or self-evident as they might seem when considering more "lofty" aspirations.

It's the line between dreams (ineffable, immutable and ultimately unattainable) and reality (complicated, messy, but malleable). Ralsei's potential relationship with the player would be perfect, uncomplicated, but only because it is largely illusory, unable to be truly tested or strained because it exists only in the participants' imaginations. His relationship with Kris, by contrast, is complex, fraught, far from straightforward, and there are several roadblocks they must both navigate and overcome before anything real can materialise there - but the potential for them to become kindred spirits despite all of that is very real, and very compelling.

One invites stagnation, the other change. Ralsei has thus far been able to navigate that delicate balance - a largely thankless task, as Kris doesn't seem all that enamoured by him, and much of the fanbase casts him in an unfavourable light - but cracks are beginning to appear, as evidenced by the aftermath of Spamton NEO. I wonder how much longer he can realisticaly keep this up - and when the tightrope snaps, as it inevitably must, which way will he fall?

...haha, I got a bit carried away there, sorry! I think about Ralsei a lot, so it's nice to see when people engage with him on a level beyond just "he cute" or "he evil" or "he wants to have the player's babies". I appreciate the opportunity to ramble about my thoughts on him, so thank you for that! And thanks for reading, if you got this far! XD

i've seen people say that the reason ralsei is such a doormat towards kris is because he wants the game to he a pleasant experience for the player - but i don't think that's really the case.

he apologizes to kris when learning R-Action, even though from a player's perspective, this is a great thing - it's very useful to have characters other than Kris be able to ACT.

however, the ability to ACT was the only thing that made Kris unique in battle - hence it being "Kris' unique talent." being in the dark world turns their biggest insecurity, their humanity, into a strength only they have.

but when the other party members can ACT too, and can also cast magic, then kris is just a worse version of their other party members.

i really do believe ralsei cares about kris - he wants them to be happy. but he sincerely believes that the prophecy is the most important thing in existence. he would never go against it.

so if kris being possessed is part of the prophecy, he will never try to change that unless his worldview gets absolutely shattered.

so he just tries to make kris as comfortable as they can be while being possessed. slapping band-aid after band-aid on it to avoid addressing the fundamental problem.

[rubys-domain]

so... i finished act 2. now what

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

All along there was some invisible string tying you to me // Lovers spend years denying what’s ill-fated // We were blind to unforeseen circumstances

Remember looking at this room? We loved it ‘cause of the light // Resentment rotting away galaxies we created // I left all I knew, you left me at the house by the Heath

Once upon a time, the planets and the fates and all the stars aligned // Stars placed and glued meticulously by hand next to the ceiling fan // Years of labor, locks and ceilings in the shade of how he was feeling

We thought a cure would come through in time // Tried wishing on comets // But even statues crumble if they're made to wait, I'm so afraid I sealed my fate

I miss you, but I miss sparkling // Tried dimming the shine // Just how low did you think I’d go before I’d self-implode, before I’d have to go be free?

In the ocean separating us, remember how I'd fly to you? // Tried to orbit his planet // I didn't opt in to be your odd man out

Are you really gonna talk about timing in times like these? // Some stars never align // Northbound I got carried away as you boarded your train south

You know that I’d give you my wild, give you a child // And in one conversation, I tore down the whole sky // You say that I abandoned the ship but I was going down with it

[luck-of-the-drawings]

[<==PREV PAGES] [NEXT PAGE==>(not out yet.wait a year.or maybe more.imagine.]

saw alot of comments on prev pages; saying 'i HATE that mean teacher! im gonna FIGHT HIM!!' & i LOVE the energy!! it WOULD be nice. to have that catharsis. but the story of young tidestrider is Not one of catharsis. it is a story of being so small and so special and sucking so bad.

[kuroko99]

did absolutely no one else but me think KDJ's loophole for the dark castle arc was "incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the one he loves most" when he was already a constellation.

like.

[sesamenom]

maglor's first time getting to go to a concert / his favorite singer attending maglor's first big concert

[justaz]

Stumbled across anti-luke castellan posts on tiktok and scrolled through the comments and have been reminded of how vile a person he really is in canon. Like I already don’t like him but posts like that help me remember that I HATE HIMMMM

[dragonloanshark]

evil dancing.gif

[acaciapines]

on today's episode of 'acaica's background thoughts for the dess raises kris au': okay but lets be serious do dess and chara actually stay together in the end--

[kateis-cakeis]

Okay okay thinking about it, really thinking about it. My post from the other day (here) I said "you see him slip into this version of himself that is hardly recognisable, even when you compare him to his characterisation in S4" talking about S5 Merlin.

And then I really thought about, okay but what if say S1 Merlin was put into S5 Merlin's shoes, would he do any different? Would he?

Honestly, think about it.

Let's take him at the end of S1, where he was ready to give up his life for Arthur completely to save him. I mean sure he did that in S1Ep4, and tried to do it in S1Ep11, but Ep13 is where it really hits. He said goodbye after all.

This is a Merlin that was ready to tell Arthur about his magic, but was locked out of the possibility after Will lied as he died to protect him.

This is a Merlin who already tried to kill Mordred. Or well, let him die really. Not so much kill.

So let's look at lines from S1EP8 about Mordred dying vs Arthur dying, shall we? ...

"Would you let something terrible happen if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?"

"One of them's bad, really bad. And the other, it's...unthinkable."

"For once, you don't have to worry. I'm going to do nothing."

I cut out Gaius's replies because Merlin's lines are more important here. The 'something terrible' and the one that's 'bad, really bad' refer to letting Mordred be executed.

Meanwhile the 'something even worse' and 'it's unthinkable' refer to Arthur's death in the future.

He decides to do nothing as we know, he decides to let Mordred die, right up until Mordred pleads with him through telepathy.

That's the S1 Merlin we're dealing with.

Maybe if you took him from Ep1 or pre-S1 yeah he'd act differently, but S1 Merlin is as much defined by Arthur's impending death as S5 Merlin is.

The only difference is between them, S1 Merlin has destiny propelling him forward just a little more than S5 Merlin does. Whether by love or sheer dedication, S5 Merlin is even prepared to push aside his own freedom to save Arthur's life, just to condemn Mordred to death.

Would S1 Merlin do any different?

No, no I don't think he would. Not if he saw the vision, not if he saw Arthur fall.

S5 Merlin is defined by what he saw in the pool, he's defined by seeing what he believes is Arthur's death (not yet knowing he would survive for days after acquiring that wound)

If S1 Merlin, or even S2, 3, or 4 saw that same vision? I don't think they would do any differently.

Maybe he had more hope earlier on, sure, but that would be missing the way that S5 Merlin hopes. He tells both Mordred and Finna that it "won't always be like this". He hopes for freedom as much as S1 Merlin does, he's just more prepared to prioritise Arthur.

But isn't that what he's always done? S2, when he struggles to lie, but still does lie to Arthur about Morgause and his mother - He's thanked for reminding Arthur that sorcerers are evil.

The way he acts just before telling the lie is so similar to his expressions when he's about say "There can be no place for magic in Camelot" in S5Ep5.

That's the thing. I know I bang on about how S5 Merlin is so much darker and he is, he grew up after all. But I truly think if S1 Merlin saw that vision, nothing would have changed.

Nothing. Not even his actions with the Disir. Why would he, if there's a chance to try and kill Mordred Merlin always took it. Or tried to as much as he could.

S2 Merlin, put in S5 Merlin's shoes, might even edge closer to murder, that man tripped that kid up in the hope that two guards would kill him, and instead watched as Mordred killed the guards instead.

What, Merlin was innocent back in earlier seasons? That boy, that man, he was never innocent, man was down to murder from his very first day in Camelot.

So yes, S5 Merlin has ten years give or take of saving Arthur and setting aside his freedom, and that did indeed darken him and change him and mould him, but S1 Merlin already had enough experience that nothing would change.

Merlin was always going to condemn Mordred, he barely knew him early on after all, and later, he already had the knowledge of the vision.

Let's not forget that in S5, Merlin says he likes Mordred, but that he can't ignore what he saw. That he can't save the life of a man destined to kill Arthur, that he can't ignore what the dragon said. That Finna was right, he cannot trust Mordred, not after all he's been told.

I don't think any Merlin could do any differently if he was told all that, and shown Camlann.

There's no such thing as an innocent Merlin, not when it comes to Arthur's life. We can say he became too blinded, but in S4 he killed Agravaine, used dark magic to lock away Morgana's magic for a time, and took away Arthur's free will. S3 is a little harder, but he did command Kilgharrah against his will. S2 Merlin is easy, he tried to kill Mordred, and morbidly held Morgana as she was dying to the water he poisoned. S1 Merls is just people dying left and bloody right. Nimueh, god should we ever forget about the way he killed Nimueh. She fucking exploded.

All this to say, S5 Merlin didn't abandon his values because he already did that when they all first met Mordred. He just became more and more set, darker and darker over time. But if any version of himself was given that vision by the Vates, it's over, it's so over, because that's all it took.

To see Arthur fall, that's all it took. It's all it would ever take.

[stormyoceans]

https://x.com/papangpt/status/1912791149959626996

https://x.com/hiajimnongsea/status/1912820886790652007

🧎‍♀️

IM CURRENTLY BEING ATTACKED ON SO MANY LEVELS IM PRETTY SURE THIS IS WHAT GETTING AN ADRENALINE SHOT WITH A TEQUILA CHASER WHILE ALSO HIGH ON CRACK COCAINE EXPERIENCING FEVER INDUCED VISIONS OF GOD FEELS LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START WITH THESE

GRADUATED TOP OF THEIR CLASS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SERVINGTON WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CUNTOLOGY AND A MASTER'S IN SLAYOLOGY. WHILE ALSO BEING NEWLY APPOINTED FATHERS OF SIX. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM I CAN FEEL THE CHEMICAL MAKE UP OF MY BRAIN GETTING ALTERED I TRULY FEAR FOR MY MENTAL WELLBEING ONCE IM GONNA HAVE THEM ON MY SCREEN

SLACK JAWED SHAKING OUT OF MY SKIN CRYING SHITTING YELLING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS FOAMING AT THE MOUTH SPINNING COUNTERCLOCKWISE ON THE FLOOR WAILING WEEPING GOING INTO CARDIAC ARREST ENGAGING IN FITS OF FEMALE HYSTERIA TO COPE

THE WARMTH THE TENDERNESS THE DOMESTICITY THE ADORATION THE COMFORT THE JOY THE TRANQUILITY THE SOFTNESS THE CARE THE LIGHT THE LOVE JIMMYSEA ARE ABOUT TO REINVENT ROMANTICISM SOULMATISM TRUE LOVISM ONCE AGAIN AND I FEEL SICK IN THE HEAD ABOUT IT I NEED THE ORDERLIES TO LOCK ME INTO A SENSORY DEPRIVATION CHAMBER TO COME DOWN FROM THE SHEER UNHINGED RABID ENERGIES THIS HAS ME GOING ON

[non-un-topo]

Kind of obsessed with this nickname actually