#and why would you strive to be lesser

[bg3heart]

I've noticed people saying things like how Gortash tries really hard to seem like a noble and not like the commoner he grew up as

(and of course everyone is free to headcanon what they like)

but I thought it was clear he hated nobility and saw himself above them

I think the best examples of this are the busts in his office, specifically Carric and Dame

*Carric started from nothing, built a financial empire and founded the Counting House. He refused to mingle with the other patriars, saying, "They didn't want me when I was an urchin, and now they can't have me."*

*Dame Amafrey, the Orphans' Friend, founded several orphanages in the Outer City, as the Lower City was no place for children (and the Upper City declined to sponsor an orphanage).*

The narrator gets passive aggressive when reading about the upper city declining to sponsor, and the line about being an urchin feels very directed

So yeah I think at best he thinks lowly of them, at worst he hates these fuckers

[circeyoru]

Collection of Overlords _ Part 3 = Requested

[Alastor x Soul Owner of All Overlords!Reader]

Related Ask (1) + (2)

Part 1 — Part 1.5 — Part 2 — Part 3 (here) — Part 4 — Part 5 — Part 6 — Part 7 — Part 8 — Part 9  — Part 10 — Part 11 — Part 12 — Part 13

On the appointed day, you dressed your best and made sure everything was right. Then you sat at the balcony that overlooked the entrance of the hotel, enjoying your drink with a hum. You were pleasantly surprised when Alastor joined you with a plate of traditional breakfast platter, just as you like it but never spend the time to make

The two of you enjoyed a peaceful morning together, until a little argument got too heated between a hotel guest and an outsider. Alastor swiftly got up and bowed to excuse himself, working as the host of the hotel, he needed to handle the issue since Charlie was a bit of a pushover and not quite convincing when it came to breaking off fights

It led you to wonder if you should give Charlie some pointers like you did to her parents, but then you recalled how Vaggie, Charlie’s girlfriend, was by her side. You’ll admit that they have quite the unique dynamic in their relationship and not in the bad way. So you decided against it and let things go as they please

With a miniture earthquake and some screaming, the argument seemed to be handled well. Not long after that thought, Alastor had returned to your side. Both of you enjoyed your time together again, before you decided it would be fun to drop in on Camilla, not that she’d be preparing when it’s this late

Alastor offered you his hand with a bow, you rose from your seat and gave him your hand. A portal opened beneath you two and the both of you emerged on the other side in the blink of an eye

“Who dares to enter—! My Liege!” Carmilla caught herself half way when she looked over to see you and Alastor arrive earlier than expected, “Welcome to my humble abored. I hope this is satisfactory.”

“I sprung this onto you, so it’s okay.” You turned your head to her, removing your hand from Alastor’s while a small but soft smile played on your face. With your closed eyes, it gave you such a look of elegance that Carmilla strived to be.

“You’re too kind.” Carmilla bowed to you in greeting. 

“How are your daughters? I heard you’ve survived quite the ordeal last last extermination.” You inquired, your smile widening just a smidge. 

Carmilla flinched, though it wasn’t the fact that you knew since she did tell you about killing an angel and what to do if it got out. It was more on the sense that you were showing care to lesser individuals, as much as she hated to admit. “They are fine. Would you like to see them?”

You hummed, “Of course.”

Not even a second later, Carmilla’s daughter duo came out from whatever hiding spot they were at. Odette and Clara both gave you a bow of their own style, though still respectful. “Collector! It’s good to see you again!”

You raised their heads by the chin, then rubbing their heads with a chuckle, “Look at you two, still fun sized. You’re as beautiful as your mother, you know?”

Carmilla blushed while Alastor gave her a teasing grin. Meanwhile, Odette and Clara chuckled along with you. “Thanks!”

You turned to the Overlord, “Now, we have time, why not chat a bit? Tell me about your business.”

Carmilla Carmine was your first female and second Overlord that you came into contract with. She was by far one of the more successful souls that you favour and support from the shadows. Her initial deal was the right to make business ventures to other Rings of Hell in exchange for your ownership of her soul

It later changed when she knew angelic weapons can be wielded. For additional protection that would extend to lesser demons, namely her two daughters, she gave you a range of modified angelic weapons and crafted your Cages with angelic steel. Of course, with Carmilla’s successful, you later continued to support her and protect her daughters from danger

Passing along a card to Odette and Clara that holds the power to summon you in times of need no matter the case. Good acts are rewards, Carmilla learned, you weren’t at all evil to the core or cruel to abuse your owned souls like other would, that’s what she admired about you

Before your absence, you would hang out with her and her daughters on days to discuss about business opportunities and how business was going in the other Rings since it was hard for Carmilla to receive feedback like that

In fact, that day, they were trying to find you, only to end up being cornered by exterminators. While Odette and Clara wanted to summon you to their aid, Carmilla made them hold off. She was present, she can protect them and show you they weren’t weak. So she did what you had suggested before, to actually test out her weapons on the intented targets

You were overjoyed when you first heard the news. An Overlord had actually managed to kill angels and it was done while protecting others. You truly didn’t waste your time and energy on Carmilla, that’s for sure

Yet you wonder why Carmilla was still insecure about her position as one of the Elites that you’d never give up. She can’t be threatened when she has such success in her domain; the best Weapons’ Dealer of Hell

“I desire I wasn’t late to greeteth thee, mine own Liege. (I hope I wasn’t late to greet you, My Liege.)” Zestial greeted with a bow. 

You waved your hand, by now you have returned to the meeting room with Alastor stationed behind you by your left side. “No, no. I was early. Wanted to catch up with Carmilla, you see.”

Zestial took the seat to your right and next to Carmilla who had already left his seat empty, “T hath felt as though t hast been ages since we lasteth did talk. (It felt as though it has been ages since we last talked.)”

Zestial was your first and oldest Overlord by far. He maintained his spot at the top of your collection with ease. With his fearful reputation before your support, he was one to be reckoned with

It seems that his knowledge of Hell and wisdom served him well, as he was the one to seek you out when you were first on the hunt for potential Overlords to crown and give your support to. He offered himself to you wholeheartedly and obediently, something you didn’t expect someone of his caliber to do so. Yet it proves that he was knowledgable not to cross you

His humble nature earned your good graces. You offered him support and protection to which he agreed without much thought. Funny how he never asked for more as he was someone deserving of more. So you gave him a fearsome authority that makes sinners and demons alike trumble in fear in his presence

During your time of weeding out the weaker Overlords, it was with his knowledge that you overturned the system the sinners so ignorantly constructed without power or authority. To this day, you didn’t think your ‘Overlord rank’ planning would be this smooth if not thanks to Zestial

Needless to say, he was also another soul you won’t let go

“Oh, My lovely darling Liege! It’s been so long! Where have you been?! Oh, you’re always so mysterious!” Rosie greeted with a bow and a half curtsy to you, she came to your left side, setting her umbrella on the second empty seat as the first was for Alastor should he be told to sit. Then she opened a box and showed it to you, “A gift from Cannibal Town~! Prepared it myself, your favourites.”

“Thank you, Rosie. You know my taste well.” You smile, picking up the demon parts before nibbling on it, savouring the taste. “It’s wonderful. Tell me, how’s your town after the battle with Heaven?”

“Everyone had their fill, Alastor did me no wrong.” Rosie winked in Alastor’s direction who smiled back. “We’re all happy to be able to help out.”

Rosie was your third Overlord to form a contract with. Her record was quite perfect and ideal too, the leader of the Cannibals. At the time, she was a ringleader, sure. But she lacked the territory to provide for the other Cannibals, so you provided and supported. The moment the deal was signed, a town was constructed to be named as her domain

You’ll say, they were quite the nice ones, save for the devouring other demons. Rosie’s territory had to be one of the more respectful and disciplined ones that you love. You lament on the fact that Rosie wasn’t the violent type, though it’s a relief as well perhaps

“My Sovereign!” Zeezi bursted in, immediately bowing, “Sorry, I would have been here earlier but some pucks was trying to get in and I have to teach them a lesson!”

“It’s all well, the meeting has yet to start.” You eased Zeezi’s rushed thoughts.

Zeezi bowed her head as a nod, taking her seat next to Rosie. “Right.”

Zeezi was the largest within your Overlord Collection and the most physical one. Whenever it was a more violent and brutal ordeal you needed taken clear of, she was the Overlord you call upon. Unlike those that came before her, she was more free spirited and you let her keep that element of hers

At first, she was hestitant to submit to your service, but you’ve showed her there was now to power than violence and brute force that she displays and revolves around. She pride herself as the strongest Overlord with great physical strength. Maybe she’ll win against another Overlord, but not you. As easily as squashing a bug, you had her pinned

In return for her soul, you offer her strength and authority, as well as your support in her rise and maintance as an Overlord. She was smart to take the deal without a need for a beatdown, while you’re delighted to provide, you didn’t want to damage your soul

“The Witching Hour is almost upon us.” You spoke. It was an indirect question to ask who was still not in attendance. 

Everyone turned to the opposite side of the table from where you sat, the three empty seats for the only grouped Overlords. Alastor suggested, “Perhaps they don’t want to attend.”

“Or their representative is running late.” Carmilla hissed, an obvious scowl on her face. 

The doors suddenly bursted open, though even more force as opposed to Zeezi’s entrance. However, they appear to be still in their little world.

“I told you it’s this way but you didn’t even listen!” Velvette shouted.

“How was I supposed to know? It’s all the same!” Valentino exclaimed back.

Alastor cleared his throat rather loudly, bringing the Vees’ attention to the room they’ve entered. “Quite brazen of you to not greet our Liege.”

Vox flinched, immediately passing by the other Overlords and stood to your side, he bowed repeated as he apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just trying to make sure you’re safe! It’s nothing like stalking! Really! Trust me! I’d never—!”

“Damnit! Stop apologizing so much!” Velvette came over to slap Vox in the back of his screen head, making her partner glitch and malfunction. Velvette pulled back Vox till they were next to Valentino, she silently whispered but everyone could hear as clear as day, “One, two, three…”

“We greet our Master.” The Vees all bowed, finally greeting you.

You hummed, head tilted a bit, “Arriving the last and creating a scene, you three almost amuse me so.” Your eyes peeked open a bit, “Not in a good way.” A chill ran down the three’s back while Alastor had a smug smile directed to them, especially at Vox, and the other Overlords remained quiet but were internally grinning. “Now sit down.”

“Yes…”

And then there were the Vees, the last to add to your collection and the most disappointing souls by far. They are strong in their own rights, yet they require the other two to boost their power. You were already able to do so, why would they prefer each other more? It was in a way insulting. However, you’d rather they be under your thumb than them running amok in the Pride Ring

It’s times like these where you wonder if Husk would make a better Overlord than them if he learnt his lesson

With Vox, he was trying to please you while also trying to appear better than Alastor. In your opinion, if he had focused more on himself and his strength, he could go places. Yet he opted to working with the other two

With Velvette, she was a strong lady, no doubt. Similar to Zeezi, but more chaotic and destructive. She doesn’t take criticism well, more focused on her own perspective and views. Nothing wrong in that sense, but it limits her capacity for more. She could have been so much more

With Valentino, oh, you don’t even know where to start. You honestly believe he’s a total lost cause. While believing so, your fear tactic worked to perfection. Your dissatifaction and anger was the first thing he avoids. Usually, he’s very very outspoken, but when you were around, he was more careful. Though that doesn’t account for his actions and behaviours when you were out of sight

You clapped your hands together, your eyes closing once more. All your Elites were here and accounted for, all three levels seated as you’d like. All the souls that you own have gathered before you once again. “Let’s begin the reunion of an afterlife time.”

Note: Still not the exact meeting yet, but the drama is gonna happen next one! I think this one might be a bit boring cause I'm laying out the relationship. Oh well~

Circe Y.

Other Works: MASTERLIST

Taglist:

@aconfusedwonderland @crowleysthings @donustellaron @mistpurpl3 @lucifers-silhouette @plutobots @ray-rook @thealienartist @serenity-songbird @galaxydreamer468 @raynerrold @wen01203 @hikari-michiko @colecreo @myromanempiree @xsamkuro

[punksocks]

Astrology Observations No.22: Lilith Edition Pt.2

*just based on my experiences only take what resonates

-Lilith house could show why someone wants to possess and “tame” you :

In 1st you just exude Lilith energy and a lot of mascs see that as a challenge -a challenge they want to feel dominate over (a fool’s fallacy tbh); 2nd your physicality is striking and they want it all to themselves; 3rd your fierce intelligence and academic reputation; 4th your nurturing abilities and how you exude dark femininity but you could be someone who could take care of them; 5th you seem totally wild and carefree and you know how to have fun; 6th your health and your passionate work ethic that make you come across as unstoppable; 7th I thought of that lyric “I’m so indecisive/ you can’t cuff me but I’m wifey” a lot of people see you as someone that will balance them out perfectly; 8th your s*x appeal and how your raw energy seems totally intoxicating; 9th your worldly air and how no one can stop you from speaking your truth; 10th your polarizing but memorable and powerful impact in public- you give off boss babe energy in such an effortless way; 11th how you seem like you have a lot of haters or ride or die friends; 12th your addictive aura and otherworldly untamable energy.

-Lilith conjunct your Lilith in a sex symbols chart could make you feel inspired by their style/attitude - by sign or house placement (A BUNCH of femmes I look up to have Lilith conjunct MC too)

-Lilith in Libra is a strong feminist placement- it’s the way they strive for balance even when it can be seen as taboo (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has this placement and it’s conjunct her Sun, Mercury, Mars and MC !)

-Lilith in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) tend to be feminists too. (It’s the “there’s no man alive who can tell me what to do” principe in their attitude)

-(light TW) in general I feel like Lilith harsh aspects, and like Lilith in hard signs (Scorpio, Capricorn, etc) and houses (8th, 12th) can make the native wary around men, usually after trusting the wrong one :/ (whatever happened was never your fault and that wrong one was just a a bad guy, I’m sorry)

-Hell I’ve had -dicey- experiences with -not so great guys- so I’ll also note that to a lesser degree it can apply to fixed Lilith signs (Scorpio, Leo, Aquarius, Taurus), and Lilith harshly aspecting 1st/7th/10th and maybe 4th.

-I totally almost got a sugar daddy a lifetime ago lol but I got afraid of getting human trafficked lol and ran off in the opposite direction Lilith square/opposition Asc bby (I’d guess Lilith conjunct, trine, and sextile Asc/2nd/10th would roll with this more easily if they wanted to)

-Said it an 18+ post, but it’s not an adults only observation imo - other girlies with fire/water Lilith placements have guys hit on them when they’re upset? (I used the example of like getting lost and heading to meet my family and an older guy tried to get me to go to his hotel room, but also more recently I -temporarily- lost my wallet and while I was searching in a panic not one but two guys hit on me :x like you’re not helping dude wtf)

-the element/sign of your Lilith can reflect someone’s sort of shadow reactions to you

Lilith in Aries could make a lot of guys compete with you; Lilith in Taurus would have someone try to buy their way into intimacy with you/try to control your finances; Lilith in Gemini would make a lot of people jump to correct you/undermine your intelligence; Lilith in Cancer could have people force you to nurture them in a sort of motherly way; Lilith in Leo could make people compete with you for attention or at worst try to trick you into having kids; Lilith in Virgo could point to people trying to micromanage you and restrict your routines; Lilith in Libra could point to people trying to tarnish your beauty and throw you off balance/force you to balance them out; Lilith in Scorpio can be scary because it points to people trying to force themselves on you/s*xually dominate you or causing your trauma in general; Lilith in Sagittarius could point to people trying to restrict your freedom/force religion on you; Lilith in Capricorn could mean that people try to sabotage your work reputation/public image; Lilith in Aquarius could point to others trying to restrict your uniqueness and trying to dull your outstanding qualities; Lilith in Pisces can point to others trying to get you addicted to substances/attacking you with their negative energy.

(I have Lilith in Leo and now years after I settled down I’ve finally realized that a lot of guys that made jokes about having kids with me and getting me to skip birth control and running off an eloping …we’re not joking) (yikes, bullets dodged)

-Ok bc we live in a society I feel like the constant overarching theme with strong Lilith energy is less that it’s bad when a dude likes you and more that some guys get so into you that they’re obsessed and also hate you but will still do anything to trap you and when men don’t need any incentive to act out, that’s so scary. Like it’s power that cuts both ways.

Now, of my favorite pieces of obscure art as a Lilith girly :0 (Thank you for asking me about this @corvoidea!)

-Zola: a str*pper meets a potential best friend and the chick tries to highkey human traffic her, it’s insane and based off of a true story (the aesthetic and everything are so good too, it’s one of my favorite movies)

-Sanctuary: this movie just came out this year but I love it so much?? It’s about a s*x worker whose main client wants to fire her because he’s about to inherit his dad’s company. And she fights back. Unexpected ending. Sort of a Lilith love story. Really funny through out.

-Paprika: my favorite animated movie? Ever?? It’s about a scientist and her alter ego that moves in and out of dreams, solving people’s subconscious problems. Then the dream tech gets stolen and things go haywire. A visual marvel fr.

-Cabaret: a movie musical about the cabaret scene in 30s Germany through a club singer trying to love to good life as things get darker all around her.

-Chicago: Another great musical all about getting famous from m*rder because of the protagonist’s feminine ways. (so good, the music is just *chef’s kiss* and Queen Latifah is in it!)

-Crazy Ex Girlfriend: a musical comedy tv show, it’s like a fun deconstruction of trying to live like you’re in a romcom. (So it’s really about mental health and all that, and it’s funny!)

And some songs I love:

Girls is all about just vibing and embracing that divine feminine

I got really into feminist punk rock (aka Riot Grrrl) when I was like a tween finding out how I wanted to express myself, I always recommend Sleater Kinney and Bikini Kill. This song is like Madonna vs Wh*re and I love it :

-idek how to explain this song lol but it’s soooooo gooood

The singer from Bikini Kill started a different band that’s also so cool and punky:

Omg this song about dealing with a f*ck boy and bonding over it I love this song:

I love how Junglep*ssy says /Ain’t a damn thing A man think gonna drive me crazy/ (Google these lyrics they’re everything and the song is a vibe):

This is my song for when I was running around with dudes I thought were tolerable enough but not great lol, I literally played this song for my friends once in college and I was like Ah, yes my creed lol (I got nicer, it’s still a fun song) :

The lyrics: /I wanna hold a seance For every heart I’ve broken Put them all in a room And say “get over it”/ and the lyric /And when I first met you I wanted to kiss you And I I wanted to need you And now I’m forgetting why I tried/ (so good):

A song to describe some of the -weird behavior- I’ve caught lol, cathartic to hear tho:

[nepherit]

Justice for Raphael

I'm very new to Tumblr, I created an account here a few months ago after I discovered all the amazing Bg3-related art content that this place has to offer. Since then, I've never posted a single thing and barely left any comments, I'm not a very social person...but today I was scrolling my favorite bg3-related feed, when I stumbled upon a post of someone who received a rather rude ask from an anon whose sole purpose was to mock their works and insult their (possibly) favorite character Raphael, who was referred to by that anon as a "100% canon two pump chump bottom cringe clown". 

It is saddening to get yet another confirmation that some people out there aren't capable of respecting others' likes, not even in a fictional/virtual environment...but I guess that's to be expected. Besides the obvious, what made me decide to write this wall of text as my very first post is that Raphael happens to be my favorite too, the one and only fictional character I've ever felt invested in, and probably the reason why Bg3 will leave a life-long lasting impression on me.

So here I am, trying my best to point out some facts that (apparently) are easy to go amiss for some people out here:   First of all, there's nothing canon regarding what Haarlep says of Raphael, as a character's opinion about another isn't a fact to begin with. Especially if said character is (proved by facts) very unreliable as a source: him being an incubus whose standards are undoubtedly different from any mortals' and the fact that he hates Raphael are but the most obvious. Not to mention that "Speak with the dead" isn't 100% reliable either by D&D 5e rules ("the corpse is under no compulsion to offer a truthful answer if you are hostile to it or it recognizes you as an enemy"). Besides that, even if everything Haarlep says is to be considered true, the mocking words the players can say to Raphael before the fight are NOT, as Haarlep never gives such info to the player (he only responds with a "no" if asked about the matter). That line we can say before the fight is but the player's guess/ childish mockery, certainly it's not a fact.

From a purely objective perspective, the only info Haarlep gives to the player that isn't merely his opinion is Raphael's obvious selfishness and narcissism (the HoH is covered with images of him) and the fact that he likely only sleeps with himself (he has his incubus wearing his shape, even his name). By no means does that make Raphael a "cringe clown", nor would it even in the case where Haarlep spoke entirely the truth. Honestly, it never ceases to baffle me how some people can be so shortsighted and shallow. But perhaps those people are yet to grow up and come to learn that there can be much hidden beneath someone's (fictional or not) behavior. There's nothing to mock about the "Raphael only wants to sleep with himself and only loves himself" statement. 

How could it be otherwise? How, when the only person who ever loved Raphael, the only one he could trust and rely on since his birth, was himself? How could he crave someone's affection and so, be seen as weak? How could he care for another or their feelings when he never got that care or respect, to begin with? Despite his theatrics and his facade, Raphael was born Cambion, a half-breed never to be considered more than the lesser of the devils in the hierarchy of the Hells. Cambions cannot rank up, no matter their blood ties, yet Raphael managed to achieve all that he has...his palace, his many souls, and his power. None of that was gifted to him, he fought hard and earned every last bit of it with his claws, his wits, and his determination. I admire Raphael for that, for striving to become something greater than what he was supposed to be...something better than his father's "half-devil" son.

To reduce Raphael, who's most certainly one of the deepest and most complex characters we can encounter in the game, to a "100% canon two pump chump bottom cringe clown" is beyond low, very immature, and a rather shallow view, more so if it comes from someone who hasn't even had the guts to show their name...

Well, that's all. I doubt someone will make it this far, as I wrote a veeeeery long paragraph. But for once, I wanted to have my say ^^

[mondaymelon]

— 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝗱 !? ♥

:feat~ xiao, kazuha, scaramouche x gn!reader:

⤷ fluff. fluff to cure to soul.

ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ (open!) : @manager-of-the-pudding-bank, @iamdedinside, @ilyuu, @achlysis

Seems like someone is catching feelings... how do they hide them? (...or try to)

XIAO is impossibly perplexed... both at himself, and you.

Because when it comes down to it, he's an immortal and you're merely a human, two contrasting types of beings that should never strive to coexist... alongside one... another...

...Yet, why does he wish for that possibility, with the few remnants of hope that still remain in his soul?

It's something unnatural, these emotions that are welling up in his body, but he can't bring himself to detest it. The feelings that arise when he's with you, the quickened rate of his heartbeat and the strange heat that's risen to his face... while all of it is unnervingly unfamiliar, somehow, it's comforting.

And he can't begin to explain why... but he's felt this warmth in his being before... albeit on a lesser scale. The way his eyes seem to light up, ever so slightly when you appear before him... yes, he's seen this before.

He recognizes it.

And it's what they call 'love.'

He wants to scoff at the very notion of such an outlandish topic. One that he could never even dream of experiencing... until, of course, now.

He's certainly not the most expressive in his emotions, so at first, it's almost like the atmosphere between the two of you hasn't even changed. But soon enough, it's growing more and more clear, from the way his usually unreadable facade has morphed into one of a flustered expression whenever you get too close, how he sometimes flinches when the two of you make contact... and how sometimes, he refuses to meet your eye, staying silent.

Maybe you don't notice it in the beginning, but as time goes on, it'll only become more and more apparent. More and more obvious, until...

"I think I'm in love with you." ♥

KAZUHA has heard tales of such... emotions from the Crux's drunken sailors.

But to say that prepared him for confronting such feelings himself... that was a different topic entirely. The most he'd felt of such 'love' was when his past friend was still alive... but the affection he had experienced then was nothing compared to how passionate his adoration of you was.

Needless to say, he had found himself knee deep in such a predicament. Running through his mind all of those stories the sailors had spun... tales of a beloved...

Kazuha would be jesting if he claimed that he had never imagined himself in such rose-tinted fantasies. And now that he was in one himself, he's already far too entranced to deny it.

Ah... but working up the courage to confess is much too difficult... so for now, the wanderer will tarry with his time, writing poems of professing his adoration and daydreaming about the moment as the Crux's hull is gently lulled by the waves. Perhaps one day he'll sort himself out, perhaps one day he'll find himself speaking those three words that are spoken between lovers.

Kazuha is used to hiding, being a vagrant and a wanted criminal, however, cloaking his affection is another story. The male know's he's being painfully obvious, even when he's trying to act subtle... but he certainly can't help the way his cheeks flush whenever the two of you accidentally brush hands, or the way his mouth can't help but form a serene smile whenever you laugh. And every time those moments reoccur, time and time again, he gains just a slight more incentive.

In the moonlight, his beauty is striking, but all he can think of is you.

"...I have something important to tell you.

I'm in love with you." ♥

SCARAMOUCHE denies it. His feelings for you, and no matter how easily you're able to fluster him.

Why? To be exact, he's not even sure...

Maybe it has to do with the fact that he's closed off his heart to people long before he even met you. He who killed his emotions, so that they wouldn't hinder him. In order for his past torments to end.

"Killed..." Yet somehow, he still... felt something towards you, and unfamiliar emotion that seemed to bubble up from inside him and developed quicker by the day. An affection... obsession towards you that he couldn't stop.

...Would he want to stop it at all?

Needless to say, he's head over heels... but still persists onwards like nothing has transpired within that head of his. Sure, he feels strangely attracted towards you and everything you do, but that doesn't mean anything. Means nothing at all.

Ah, but even someone as powerful as Scaramouche can't keep such pining bottled up for who knows how long... sooner or later, a confession will arrive... and he knows full well of it.

The very thought of it has him disgusted.

Is he even able to feel such an emotion as 'love'? Perhaps he's just imagining it, a delusion forged by his own mind to satiate his sole self... after all, he doesn't even have a heart. He doesn't have anything to prove that he has a single shred of 'humanity.'

Or perhaps, he did 'have' one, and you were the one who stole it.

Haha, if that's the case, perhaps he won't mind. He'll bide his time, clench the fabric over his chest, smiling to himself as he imagines his absent heart beating alongside yours.

And maybe one day, he'll understand what his love towards you means. ♥

(a/n) once again, scaramouche is the only one who doesn't confess to it. (oops)

[positivelyruined]

In line with @sonics-atelier’s post.

Why did Tamlin lock Feyre in the house?

Well,

A) There’s a violently dark high lord in their midst who can appear and disappear at will. Warding off his home was much easier than doing it to his country. Because Prythian is the world, Spring is the district. Which, by the way, that makes Tamlin’s place as a high lord equivalent to a king.

B) She fights the mating bond so hard that she continually puts herself in danger. Reckless, impulsive, and used to running on the road not taken — that sounds like Feyre to me. Feyre as she should be refuses to be defined by anything or anyone but herself. This, also, is why she balks at marrying Tamlin. Even without Rhysand’s interference — her character should struggle with the idea of marriage.

Is it of a lesser force than a mating bond? Yes.

Can it still be used to control someone? Yes.

C) It still comes down to a bottom line — no one should be imprisoned for someone else’s crime. Yet, is a lock on a door true imprisonment? To lock your door is to be intelligent, aware, and realistic. It is an acknowledgement of the danger, without deprivation of the freedom to open it.

When you love someone, what do you do when they are in danger? You stand in front of them. You fight for them. You give them a safe place. No, this is not done perfectly, but it is from a genuine care for another person’s well being. One of my favorite TV relationships that executes this trope perfectly is Liv and Major, from iZombie.

They are both constantly sacrificing and compelling the other to be safe. They fight for what is right, even when they disagree about how it should be done. Their relationship hangs in the balance until the end of the story. When their world goes to war, they find their unique roles in it. Sometimes, they fight on what appears to be opposing sides. Yet, they are made for one another. In the end, they sit down and realize that they would have never made it through the experience without the influence of their partner. In deep respect, friendship, and genuine care — they continually strive (together and apart) to improve society, fight for justice and fight for a world where they can be together.

I never used names in that paragraph. Doesn’t it scream Feylin?

Can’t you say that Tamlin is constantly sacrificing to keep Feyre safe? Including separating himself from her when his magic becomes too strong to control.

Couldn’t you say that Feyre compels him? She refuses to go out a quitter. She runs into danger, facing unknown consequences, because he is in danger.

He respects her desire to be wild.

Yet, he knows her deep, inner need to be safe.

She respects his ability to put others above himself, but she knows that secretly all he needs is to be given care, affection, and kindness.

Together, they were meant to have built up a Spring Court that is a home to the wild people, the refugees, and the abandoned.

Because in knowing what it is like to be completely alone — they continually return to one another. When she has pushed herself too far, she runs back to him for safety. When he has given too much, she takes the burdens off his shoulders and reminds him that if you cannot care for yourself…you cannot care for anyone else.

Together — they are two of the most dangerous fairies that you could cross — because they balance one another. Tamlin and Feyre were designed (by accident) to compliment one another as a team — a badass, “I would let the world burn if the fire didn’t touch you,” team.

In public, they are iron and steel. In private, they melt for one another until every locked door and broken fence in their hearts can mend.

That is what SJM destroyed in ACOMAF. That was the sheer potential that this couple had. That is what makes ACOTAR a stand alone book.

Instead,

The dear and dead to us author decided to replace her characters with shallow imitations of what they could have been.

So, let’s be real. Feylin was destroyed by the simple fact that ACOTAR has a sense of right and wrong. ACOMAF obliterates that narrative.

[redsamuraiii]

In every fandom, there will always be those that are quick to use the word "misogyny", in this case, some fans calling Toranaga misogynic. Either they have not been really paying attention or do not understand what the word really mean. So allow me to explain.

"Toranaga killed Mariko".

Mariko had always wanted to die since her family was persecuted. Possibly wanting to reunite with her family. And she sure as heck is not going to die for Buntaro or even with him. So Toranaga offered a death that satisfy her, a death for the greater cause which will save thousands, while getting her revenge against Ishido, a trusted vassal of the late Taiko that wiped out her entire family.

She was given a choice which she could refused, but she accepted it. Because she's a Samurai. She accepted her fate and responsibility to save others instead of running away to save herself. (Buntaro look down on Ishido for running away to save himself in Korea). Toranaga never intended to sacrifice her but had to as a last resort when he failed to get the loyalty of the Christian lords.

Crimson Sky cannot take place as he cannot siege Osaka with the enemy behind him (Christian lords from Nagasaki) or he'll be sandwiched between them and Ishido. That's when he resorted to an attack from within, with the help of Mariko. She expose Ishido's true intentions and make a fool out of him by showing everyone that he is no man to hold the women hostage and to even kill a woman.

"Toranaga killed Fuji's family."

Fuji's husband is a Samurai and knows his place, so when spoke out of turn when he shouldn't, the mistake was his. He not only show Ishido that Toranaga could not control his own men but he also show contempt to Ishido who would use it as a pretext to wage war on Toranaga and his supporters, as he's been waiting for an excuse to wipe them all out in a war that will kill thousands.

And to ensure that the child will not grow up to avenge the father's punishment, causing another civil war, the child was ordered to be killed, along with the father. Two lives sacrificed to save thousands, something a Daimyo (Lord) was to supposed to do, protect his people from war, if it can be avoided, which is what Toranaga have been striving for, to end conflicts without a war.

But who is to say, Fuji would not want to avenge the death of her family too? So instead of having her killed, he gave another form of punishment, to be a consort for the barbarian, Anjin-san, for a period of time, after which she is allowed to live but as a nun. Historically, many Samurai were pardoned provided they became a monk, as temples have no political affiliation that would pose a threat.

So it is not something that is exclusive to women, but to men too, which is common in the feudal era, not just Japan, but all over the world. That's why the medieval period is called the "Dark Ages" because things were messed up, that's how feudal system works. The right thing to do may not be the moral thing to do.

"Toranaga is hungry for power."

Well, yes. I mean how else can you end the senseless civil wars that have been going on for years without taking control of the country to unify it? If you do not become Shogun, someone else will. Someone else worse than you. Yes, they're all evil but Toranaga is the lesser of all evil. He does what he can to avoid a war while others like Ishido is constantly looking for excuses to start a war.

The Dictator killed monks, nuns and children. The Taiko invaded Korea, killing many and lost. Toranaga went to war once and he won. That's when he realized the horrors of war and is determined to avoid it. What if it means sacrificing your vassal and his family to save the rest of your followers and the people you're supposed to protect? The Dictator and Taiko took control because of greed.

Toranaga takes control because he wants peace.

The Dictator takes power because of greed, that he sees everyone as a threat that he starts killing innocents and even disrespects his own vassal, Akechi, Mariko's father which cause him to betray the Dictator to stop his madness. The Taiko takes power because of glory, he wants to show others that a peasant like him can achieve greatness to invade Korea and China.

There is a difference between taking power for thrill and glory, and taking power to protect your people from more wars.

[justlarkin]

There's an underlying theme of perfection within this chapter and it highlights how perfectly imperfect Shaytan is for me.

Michael strives so hard to surpass Shaytan, to be worthy of his position, to be perfect, but despite all of his efforts Michael will never amount to him.

Shaytan bears the sin of pride and that pride led him to believe he could disobey the word of God and rebel against the heavens. Though not for his own sake, but the sake of others. He believed that sinners, those so beloved until they step out of line, shouldn't be damned and wanted to protect them from that fate. Shaytan was kind and he looked upon everyone equally no matter who they were. Even after he fell from grace, Lucifuge would recount that Lucifer still never showed any mockery, disdain, or scorn as he looked upon the residents of Gehenna, who were treated as lesser by Eden. He didn't want to hurt anyone for their mistakes. Shaytan selflessly did what he thought was right and tried to protect those beneath him who he cared for, which would make him the perfect loving God in most eyes, but in the process he made himself imperfect by disobeying God.

Michael also bears the sin of pride, but his pride has made him into a judgemental monster. He doesn't care for those beneath him and looks down on them. He can't even begin to fathom why Shaytan would sacrifice himself and throw away his position for them when he was at the top of the world. Michael shows no care or compassion. Instead of protecting the weak like his brother, he's the one causing the pain. He doesn't care who he hurts because he's superior to them and it's the wishes of God. Michael's obedience to God is what makes him perfect despite everything and at the same time it's what makes him so imperfect to everyone else. Michael lacks the love and kindness that Shaytan had for everyone equally, so he can never amount to him in the way that matters no matter what fancy titles or positions he receives.

Honestly I just think of Shaytan and Michael as representing the "Good Christian/Bad Christian" debate. Shaytan representing the commonly forgotten values taught like showing kindness and loving everyone equally while Michael represents the current bastardization where people weaponize their faith to judge and condemn others. So messy.

Loved, but flawed. You can really see why Shaytan has fallen into the position of WR at least twice and is so beloved even after everything. He's the perfect loving God for most people even if his beliefs are imperfect.

[whinlatter]

The broken family bond between Harry and Petunia!

wow while usher was dancing his socks off at half-time you were thinking about petunia dursley née evans' malicious treatment of everyone's favourite grouchy knobbly-kneed jock... what does this say about you anon? look inwards

i feel terrible that i do not have too many thoughts about the broken family bond between harry and petunia but i DO have thoughts about what harry represents as a challenge to the nuclear family unit and its associated class connotations that petunia cares so much about. one thing i have been thinking A Lot about recently is petunia's description of snape as 'that awful boy' in ootp (which ofc, at the time, harry thinks is a reference to james), and how petunia's ideas about class and social mobility colour her view of wizards and, by extension, her resentment and contempt for harry. sooo i have talked about that instead......... ctrl + f neoliberal renders 2 results below i'm so sorry

when we meet petunia in the canon timeline, she's a parody of a tory home counties suburban housewife, striving middle class in the very thatcherite neoliberal sense, all about the house prices and the pension pot, with her perfectly maintained peach home decor and pristine garden, with a husband who has made his money through a managerial position in industrial manufacturing, who sends her son to private school and monitors the material wealth of her neighbours and associates very acutely. we know that young petunia wanted to join wizarding society and was rejected by it, and we know that adult petunia now holds wizarding world and its culture in open contempt. we particularly know that petunia hated snape, and that, other than lily, snape was the first wizard she ever really met. to young petunia's eyes, snape had all the visible markers of poverty and of being working class ("They live down Spinner’s End by the river," she told Lily, and it was evident from her tone that she considered the address a poor recommendation.') nevertheless, by virtue of being a wizard, this shabby poor-looking boy was elevated above petunia as something particularly special, and sneered at petunia as lesser than him as a result. i think this is interesting, because i think young petunia processes her rejection from magic by starting to think of magic and wizarding culture as a perverse subversion of the class system she knows and believes in, where a visibly working class person can somehow be special and worthy. (we can speculate what she would make of james potter as her son-in-law - james, while obviously wealthy, is old money posh coded - he doesn't work for a living! - aka not at all invested in the hard-work discourse, keeping-up-with-appearances that the new money suburban types that petunia strives for).

why does this matter? i just think it's very striking that petunia's complaints about harry are so often expressed less in terms of the danger of his magic, than his threat to external perceptions of her and her family, and, especially, as a challenge to their class position

petunia makes critiques of harry's messy appearance, his misbehaviour at primary school (caused by his magic), his association with the criminal (sirius black) and the shabby (the weasleys), and his refusal to respect or show any deference to vernon and the family despite their great attempts to maintain the trappings of respectability. the particular horror of harry's presence in the dursleys' life, in petunia's mind, is that his existence makes her family an alternative blended family, which compromises all that petunia holds dear in terms of the trappings of middle class respectability that puts a great deal of social capital on the nuclear family unit and no deviation from it. i don't mean to suggest petunia only perceives magic as a class threat, or that she doesn't fear harry's magic as something dangerous. her response to dudley's dementor run-in proves how much she fears what magic can do (and, ofc, she knows what happened to lily). but what's striking in DH is that petunia is still umming and ahhing, as vernon is, about whether to go into hiding. unlike movie!petunia in that deleted scene, book!petunia still isn't convinced about 'what these people are capable of'. for this reason, i think petunia has come to think of wizarding culture in terms of a fundamental challenge to the class system she understands and upholds, and to the primacy of middle class new money neoliberal suburban identity that is petunia's entire worldview. and that's really the source of her beef with harry: not his threat to her safety, but to her class identity, which is adult petunia's whole world.

[madockisser]

I just read How the king of Elfame learned to hate stories, the "So long as you are begging, he doesn't mind a bit." line at the end of the blurb stuck in my mind

He mentions begging in the books. Although he also begs Jude at some point iirc

Do you have any thoughts about how this almost power dynamic is important to him? Or why he'd be fond of it

I'm not sure how to word it properly, he's in a precarious position with the rest of his siblings for a good part of his life, Balekin manipulates him amongst other things.

why is cardan such a sadist?/ cardans struggle w power

hi! great question, i hope i answer it to your liking!

from what we can tell of cardan and his character, he doesn’t have much. he has his status as prince, and that is all that he can cling to. it’s his only advantage.

we know that he is not fond of courtiers, faking their admiration for him, allowing him to slap and use them; all while they can go home to someone they truly love.

all his life he assumes that cruelty gets him what he wants, it ensures that he keeps the little amount of power that he has, while his brothers scheme and kill for the throne, he hurts and humiliates those that question his power.

but any sort of dig against ppl, making them feel lesser so he can feel greater, making jude beg and submit to him so he no longer has to feel anything for her, so she won’t consume his thoughts with her disobedience, gives him that small amount of power, since a human girl opposing him, all while he sorta loses that battle against her, makes him look weak. in the eyes of his friends, family and the court/gentry

anyway, while he ofc can “fall out of favor” w his siblings, those sort of relationships w them do not matter to him, he insults caelia to her face in htkoelths, he does not care for dain, he cares a bit for rhyia, perhaps bc he sees most of himself in her, the way she is casual when it comes to her royal duties, and bc she is kind to him when the rest are not, when the rest have deemed him as balekins princely little monster, with an awful prophecy over his head.

what matters to him is his father, not that he likes him much but he still strives for what seems like attention from him. so he is cruel and sadistic for the sake of his father taking notice of him, bc thats all he knows

in twk, jude finds a crystal ball where asha neglects cardan until he hits another boy, and at that she laughs greatly and pays attention to him. being cruel is all he knows, the only way for him to be seen by his father, even if it is bad attention, atleast it is attention at all.

as for that power dynamic, again, he relishes in any chance to show ppl he is powerful, that he is important, even when he really isn’t.

so as jude opposes him, he is reminded time and time again that not only does jude have everything he wants, a loving family, but she has a strange sort of power over him, the power to make him feel not only desire but eventual care for her well being. which isn’t a feeling that he feels often

pair those feelings with the fact that she is human, and the fact that balekin encourages him to kill humans but cardan instead frees them, and takes beatings for them, he is very conflicted and angry and upset at his feelings for her.

he doesn’t want to care, it would be easier to act as those he has a heart of stone.

i assume his feelings make him feel awfully powerless, which is obviously a feeling he does not like, since he consistently goes out of his way to show his power to the court by acting without consequence and casting those that get in his way out of court.

anyway, later on he is begging to jude because at this point, i think he’s realized just how far gone he is in his love for her. he is vulnerable w her in a way that he never was w nicasia or anyone.

w nicasia he flaunted his power, pretended that he was more important and influential than he was, w nicasia he formed his group of friends that took advantage of his power and hurt him w it.

but w jude, he felt powerless bc of the powers she had over him, first off, his desire for her, second, his love for her, and third, ofc the bargain that quite literally made him her slave.

until jude, his sadistic power dynamics were used to hurt those around him, but then he learned that he’d much rather feel powerless so long as jude is there w him. he’d also learned that he can be useful, which he’d never thought before jude. he learned that he doesn’t have to hurt and lash out for a power thrill, that he can be powerful in being a good high king.

jude was the only person that taught him that he could be loved and worth something at all, without having to reach out and claw that love from someone’s hands.

jude and cardan understand each other in a way no one else in their lives ever bothered to.

and abt the begging part, im sure he also likes to simply see jude begging as well. after all they put each other thru, im sure they both like seeing each other beg.

hope this answered your question! if not, feel free to leave another ask!! 🫶🫶 and feel free to add on as always!

also i just want to add, i see everyone’s asks, and am working on quite a few, though i am still doing my reread, which is why it’s taking so long to get to my older asks! so sorry!! i answer the newer ones if they are easy to answer, w things that i already know w out having to grab my books to look for it.!

[burningvelvet]

Forever mourning the fact that most editions of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall are based on the edited 1854 Hodgson text and not the original 1848 Newby text (accessible via Internet Archive) and therefore most editions leave out the majority of the iconic 28th chapter. Aside from the opening letter of the novel, this is the other most important alteration of the text, and the other biggest section of the text to be omitted.

I believe the full original chapter gives us some of the best insight into Arthur’s thoughts as well as his relationship with Helen before it totally imploded. We can see her trying to bargain and rationalize her feelings for both Arthurs. Helen later says that the only reason she leaves Arthur is in order to protect their son, and in a way, this moment from the original chapter 28 is the catalyst of this decision, as no where else in the novel does Arthur blatantly explain his lack of paternal feeling. The last lines are especially brutal:

"If you were less selfish yourself, Arthur, you would not regard it in that light."

"Possibly not, love; but so it is; there's no help for it."

But the chapter isn’t only brutal. The crux of it is that it shows how at this point, Helen is still able to rationalize her feelings and her decision to remain with her abuser. She has not totally come to hate him yet. She still believes that his “jokes” are truly jokes, and he still cares enough to placate her into believing so. In a way, his awkwardness with their child is almost comical, but as the moment continues, it becomes more apparent that he’s exhibiting the traditional paternal behavior now known as “weaponized incompetence.” He isn’t a good father because he simply doesn’t want to be. He isn’t a good person because he doesn’t want to be. It is his own self-belief, it is his own self-will which guides him on this path.

This is why Helen’s belief in universal salvation, a huge theme of the novel, is so powerful. When Arthur is on his death bed and pleads with Helen: “Pray for me, Helen!” she replies, “I do pray for you, every hour and every minute, Arthur; but you must pray for yourself." We cannot save other people. She began her diary by declaring several times that she would “save him,” as we see in the following statement:

“I have such confidence in him, aunt, notwithstanding all you say, that I would willingly risk my happiness for the chance of securing his. I will leave better men to those who only consider their own advantage. If he has done amiss, I shall consider my life well spent in saving him from the consequences of his early errors, and striving to recall him to the path of virtue. God grant me success!"

But by the time she decides to leave Arthur, and perhaps more than ever on his death bed, she realizes one of the most important lessons in life there is to learn. We cannot save anyone but ourselves. To a lesser extent, we may also save our children when they are young, as she does by steering her young child away from his father and onto a healthier path in life. But eventually, they must learn to save themselves. In Anne’s discourse, saving one’s self entails a quite literal Christian salvation granted by God. However, I believe that many secular, humanist readings can be drawn from this rhetoric, even despite the implications of Arthur’s lack of faith (if not blatant atheism) contributing to his infectious degradation and death.

[abby118]

"if you did, you'd be the fool I always took you for. trust my rage." I don't understand, why does Loki tell Thor (in the first sentence) that it would be stupid for her to trust him? I thought one of Loki's problems was that people didn't trust him because they thought he was evil due to various prejudices. instead here he seems to suggest that the right and intelligent way to treat him is to be wary of him (English is not my first language)

To me, it has always stood out as something conflicting because on one hand, as you'd said, the people in Loki's life didn't have too much trust in him (despite his continuous efforts to be someone trustworthy) and whilst that did affect him, he is making it known to Thor that he isn't putting himself in a position to be trusted anymore. Why should he?

He had strived to do so all his life without the people around him recognising and appreciating it (essentially, all he got in return was them failing him and lying to him) and now that he's lost everything, he's letting go of that. But then, he does follow it with "Trust my rage", which I've always interpreted as him letting Thor know that whilst the previous statement remains true, he shouldn't doubt his motivations to assist him in what they were about to do. Thor promised him vengeance after all.

But then again, I suppose there's also an element of self harm in it. After all, he tried to kill off the Jotuns because of the hatred towards the race that he had been raised in (and therefore, himself), attempted to commit suicide as a result of discovering his heritage coupled with over a millennium of being treated as lesser than his brother, was tortured for about a year, his mind was heavily affected and then, after all of that, he got sentenced to life in the dungeons (in solitary confinement, mind you, and remember we are talking about four thousand years here) without a proper trial, with no chance of ever getting out. He was disowned, told the only reason he wasn't executed was his mother whom he would never see again and that he never really mattered in the first place. And then, after a year and a half, Thor shows up and basically promises him he will kill him if he betrays him (or you know, the second option being the cell of course...). So no, I wouldn't be surprised if that had also been a part of it.

[fereldanwench]

i'm still holding off final judgement until the gameplay today, but seeing some stills on twitter kind of helped me solidify what i found so off-putting about the style in the companion trailer

although before i post those, a few counter arguments because i'm already tired of ppl bashing the ppl who aren't vibing with it, and my head is clear enough to put these thoughts down:

"cinematic trailers rarely look like the actual game" - true to a point. however: 1) typically cinematic trailers strive to look like a higher definition version of the game, which seems to be the opposite here. in the case of DAO and DA2, i would say the cinematic trailers actually strived for more realism, not stylization, as that was the trend at the time. 2) this is a cinematic trailer, but it is also done in the game engine so it's not unreasonable to assume that the end product is gonna look somewhat similar 3) this was supposed to be their best foot forward so suddenly going "don't worry, it's gonna look better in-game" is just a bad marketing move. it's not on the audience to give this company the benefit of the doubt (particularly in light of all the shit that has gone down there in the past decade)

"not everything has to be super realistic!" - agreed! not liking elements of this particular style doesn't mean i'm opposed to stylization in DA at all. i think DA2 is much more stylized than DAO, and not only does it look nicer, it looks more distinctly dragon age. DAO visually is also very generic, especially for its time. i still love the almost painterly look of DA2, even all these years later

and i think DAI has issues with the character models, especially the uncanny valley disconnect between the really stiff animations and realistic faces (having played it within the past year, they've aged pretty roughly), but in terms of environment and armor and whatnot, it did build off the style presented in DA2 in a way that effectively modernized it for that era. it did go for a more realistic look, but it was cohesive and still distinctly dragon age

"people reacted like this to DA2 and DAI's trailers too" - no, they did not, lmao. DA2's trailers were the reverse--they looked more realistic than the actual game. now there was some backlash against the stylistic choice in the actual game. i remember david gaider talking about it in a panel at dragon con in 2012--apparently ppl were upset that the companions looked like they were made with cosplayers in mind, which i thought was an interesting criticism. but no, the trailers did not get this sort of response.

and DAI's trailers used a lot of in-game footage, and the cinematic ones were both pretty accurate to the game and well-received by the audience. DAI's marketing was also absolutely bonkers and nonstop for like 9 months before the game was released, which in hindsight i think was way too much, but in terms of visuals, we knew exactly what we were getting.

"you guys just think anything with a style to it looks like fortnite" - lmao, okay, yeah, describing it as fornite is probably unfair and inaccurate, but i know for me, i kind of use it as a shorthand to reflect my general dissatisfaction with the way so many 3D styles (in both games and movies) just have this bland, cartoonish look to them. the pixar-ification of everything. i just don't like it.

and the logo with the bright purple and overly smooth text doesn't really help here either. i think a less saturated and darker purple paired with a grungier font would also help in making this feel like less like fornite season 3458345: dragon age avengers.

plus it was originally gonna be a live service game and i think that it still has some of that dna artistically

SO ANYWAY

these stills, which i think are also in-game engine but im not entirely sure if they're from cinematics, gameplay, or just renders but they seem to be in-line with the trailer:

and seeing emmrich and to a lesser extent neve in these pics solidified why the stylization didn't work for me on a visual level (never mind it being paired with the light-hearted planning-for-a-silly-little-heist vibes)

so when i first saw the trailer, and i saw varric, i was like "nice"

he looked like a higher definition, older version of a DA2/DAI hybrid of his model. he looked really good. i thought harding looked good, too. it did take me a minute to realize who she was, but it really wouldn't be a DA trailer if we weren't left wondering who tf a returning character was lmao (remember the confusion over alistair's appearance in one of the DAI trailers? this is actually tradition now)

but as the trailer goes on, the style doesn't even stay consistent--it just gets progressively more cartoonish right up to emmrich, which is the exact moment that made me go WHAT

he looks like a cartoon character. the hard lines in his face, the stiffness of his hair, his overall proportions--he looks like he should be a villain in a pixar movie. like i'm digging his overall vibe and as a concept of a character design, i love it. but this execution of it next to fellow old wrinkled man varric looks so off

and then we go right into davrin who is beautifully rendered and designed--he doesn't look out of place next to varric or harding

some characters have the soft, wispy hair while others have hair that looks like a hard shell with lines carve into it. some characters have finely detailed wrinkles while others have thick, cartoonish ones. some characters have realistic proportions while others have more exaggerated features.

stylization is only effective when it's purposeful and consistent, and from what i've seen so far, it's not. it's all over the place.

so there's my thesis about why i dont like the art direction in the trailer lmao

and like i've been saying since it dropped, i am reserving full judgment for the gameplay reveal, but based on the other stuff bioware has teased, i'm not expecting this aspect to change too much. i've seen other ppl who were on the fan council thing say the tone in the game is more in-line with the tone in the other games, so maybe that'll help smooth out this disconnect

[thehollowwriter]

(Idk if I send a lot of asks but)

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

💛: What is a popular ship you just can't get behind, and why?

💛: What is a popular ship you just can't get behind, and why?

Fucking

Leoruggie and jamikali. It's a tie.

Leona is 20+. Ruggie is 17. Ruggie is in a servant role and far less privileged than Leona, who is a prince. This ship just frustrates me so much, and so many fics involve Leona treating Ruggie even worse than he does in game so it's just... bleh.

Jamil is the Asim family's slave. He is a slave. "Servant", "caretaker", "bodyguard", etc are are all nice ways of putting it. Jamil's entire being revolves around Kalim. He cannot exist outside of Kalim. He takes the subjects Kalim takes, thinks of Kalik at all times, and can never truly enjoy himself. His life from the start is deemed as lesser than Kalim's, as he's his poison tester as well. He resents Kalim for this.

Kalim essentially owns Jamil. He is a kind boy but so awfully unaware of the harm he himself is causing Jamil. In his vignettes, in the events, etc, whenever he's faced with a problem or wants something done, he tells people, "Jamil will handle it!" And carries on with no regard to Jamil's feelings or if it's even possible to do such things.

When Jamil tells him to stop doing something, or that he can't get this thing done in time, Kalim ignores him and says "I can count on you Jamil!" Why? Because Kalim is spoiled and even he is sweet, doesn't really understand the word no. Obviously, he's not doing this maliciously, but it's still very harmful and does nothing but contribute to Jamil's stress and suffering.

Idk, this whole ship doesn't sit right with me because it just feels like romance is a bandaid slapped onto a gaping chasm of a problem. Not to mention, no matter how kind Kalim is, it's very toxic and dangerous for Jamil to be dating someone with complete and unquestionable control over his autonomy like Kalim.

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

Azul beats out the tweels by 0.0000000001% so...

People either make him too much of a soft hearted crybaby, or too much of an evil capitalist.

Azul was hurt deeply as a child. The emotional scars left will take a very long time to fade. To cope he strived to make himself better, stronger, more desirable, and so on. In doing so, he's hardened his heart and it's a lot more difficult to get him now. It's literally stated in game that he hasn't cried in years. So no, reader giving him some affection won't make him burst into tears. He's not emotionless, but he's not going to turn into Season 1 Deku 2.0.

Then there's the other end of the scale. Some of ya'll make Azul way worse than he actually is. No, he's not going to force someone to date him. No, he's not going to make a potion to fucking... drug the reader??? Idk so many fics make him so overbearing and aggressive it's just... not like him.

And, let's not forget, he's a restaurateur's son and is literally just... a guy who owns a restaurant and wants to expand it. Sometimes people treat him like he's going to be the next CEO of Amazon or something. Azul is not ever going to be as viciously awful as most if not all CEOs are. Remember those guys are also sexist, homophobic, and racist and often fund bigoted organisations. Which... Azul would not do?

I know Azul can be a difficult character to write. It's hard to get a good balance when he's so morally grey. He's not an angel, but he's definitely not a complete monster either.

Sorry this is so long Elena, I got excited 😭

[falleri-salvatore]

How I would write Papa Arc explaining to Jaune the Arc Family history, and the reason as to why he didn't want to train him.

Papa Arc: *sigh* sit down, boy. It's clear that I should have explained this years ago before you went and foolishly stole Crocea and joined Oz in his pointless war. Papa Arc: You said that you wished to become a Hero *insert sneer of disdain*; just like my father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather and all of the others before them. But answer me this, Jaune; Just what is a hero, exactly? Just what is it the Arc family is so highly lauded and esteemed for? Papa Arc: Here is the truth about "Heroes", they are simply monsters and killers who happened to be at the right side of history and thus were lauded as champions. The Arc family is legendary for one simple fact: we produce natural killers; cold-minded and highly-analytical prodigies with an uncanny affinity for the arts of war. Papa Arc: Do you remember our family values, Jaune? Not just "An Arc never goes back on their word", but also: "An Arc shall never raise their blade nor their fist without due cause", "An Arc shall always strive for excellence; both of character and in aptitude" and "An Arc shall always endeavour to do good works". This is not out of virtue, this is out of self-restraint. Papa Arc: Arcs are aggressive warriors by their nature, it is in our very blood but we must also integrate ourselves into a civilized society and thus we restrain our worst impulses by imposing upon ourselves a code of ethics to live by. Papa Arc: But you were different Jaune, and your sisters as well, if to a lesser extent. While your sisters still retain the assertiveness of an Arc in their character, you were born gentle in every way. Yet your Grandfather and eventually, even I, could feel it; your innate talent and potential as a Warrior far eclipsed your sisters' and any other Arc before you, but you lacked the disposition to truly harness it.

Papa Arc: Rather than an Arc, you took after your mother *sees Jaune about to protest at that and raises hand before Jaune could speak* that is NOT a bad thing, quite the opposite. In you I saw a bright future, a future in which our family's cursed legacy could finally be purified; a future in which we were no longer known for savagery but rather for gentleness and kindness. Papa Arc: And also, the path of a hero, as you yourself found out painfully, is nothing but loss, torment and eventually, a meaningless and pointless death. It is a path that I, as a father, absolutely refused to let you OR your sisters go through. And when you asked me to train you; to teach you how to plan, how to organize, how to analyze and manipulate your enemies, and eventually, how to mutilate them in the most efficient manner possible... Papa Arc: ...I admit it, I was terrified; terrified of the very idea of my gentle son being forced to go through that path, repulsed, as a father, at the very thought of training my own son in how to kill his own gentle heart so that he could hunt and kill others without remorse. And because of those feelings, I reacted in anger, I called you weak; because your heart was too gentle to kill and your sanity would not last the moment you would be forced to spill your first blood, to take your first life. Papa Arc: So there you have it son. It was never a lack of belief in your talent and potential that made us expect you to fail Beacon, it was the fact that the moment you were forced to see the ugly side of the path you chose, the moment you were forced to discard your morals for the sake of "the greater good"; we expected you to leave Beacon out of disgust and horror. Papa Arc: But of course *shakes head while chuckling wryly*, you just had to make me look foolish. I kept focusing on your gentleness, that I completely forgot that you also inherited my stubbornness.

[mydarlingdearestdead]

The Things We Do For Love - Chapter Seven

The mortal interpretation of an amphitheatre was a mere imitation of that in which the Olympians held council. Two plush thrones sat in the centre, separated from the lesser immortals by two ivory-gilded, waist-high fences, where Zeus and Hera took residence. Each of the remaining Olympians lingered and congregated as their own convenience. The disinterested retreated to the upper balconies, farthest away from the display, whereas the involved and engrossed strived to be close enough to feel the rush of air as the accused spoke. On this day, the trial of Hyacinth of Sparta, the lower rows were bustling and cramped.

With some prick of distaste, Apollo noted Hebe slipping into his favoured spot. It was of no matter, of course, as he would hardly take the role of audience in this play but, regardless, he reserved the right to his own emotion as a matter of principle.

Hades sat alongside Dionysus, whose goblet sloshed with each uncoordinated movement, having been called upon to speak on the matter of raising Hyacinth from Asphodel. Hebe, too, was released from her employment as Cupbearer to consult. Eternal youth, as you know, is her speciality. Ganymede, shrinking in the shadows by Zeus’ shoulder, had been all but commanded to replace her. He paled with each word from Zeus’ lips and the hands which carrier the cup of the gods shook ceaselessly. Hebe looked upon him, glancing over her shoulder, with something akin to pity.

“Today,” Zeus began- And Ganymede flinched-, “We’ll sit council on the case of Hyacinth of Sparta. Hades, Hebe and Hestia have been asked to join us as honorary members of the council. We will vote on the matter when Apollo rests his case in three days time. Questions and input are encouraged- You know the drill.” He addressed his son, “The council is in session.”

Apollo nodded, unsure of how to begin. He thought to thank his father may reveal the resentment bubbling beneath his skin and thus deemed the endeavour wholly too perilous. Eventually, he thought it best to just speak and see what came of it. “We, as gods, have often taken mortals as lovers.” He began unsteadily, as a doe finds balance upon foreign limbs he scrambled for purchase upon the slope of his words, “This is not unusual. For them, it is an honour and for us, an opportunity. An opportunity for a love that will not haunt us for eternity or a friendship without resentment. Take Athena for instance.” He addressed the grey-eyed goddess directly. The owl, residing on her shoulder, hooted as if indignant, “You adored Odysseus, did you not?”

Athena moved to reply, narrowing her eyes. Zeus, however, had not the required faith in his daughter.

"There was no case to make Odysseus immortal." He replied sharply, "This is a different matter."

"Odysseus also wasn't killed by the west wind in a blind rage." Apollo's voice, devoid of melody, rose like Poseidon's tide, "And if he had, you would not hesitate to appease her."

Athena rose her head. She did not protest, nor did her owl release any further ungodly noise. Zeus looked hopefully toward her gilded expression for a long moment. Something unspoken passed between the two, Apollo knew, though even he could not decipher the language in which they conversed. Silence, as someone had once told him, speaks more than the loudest crackle of thunder. Her spear head shone in the final strains of sunlight filtering through the columns, risen by her side. Zeus swiftly faced his son once more.

"What would your mother say?" He attempted, a white-knuckled grip on the arm of his throne. Ganymede, in the shadows still, stood flat-backed against the wall.

Apollo conjured an image of his mother- Lovely-haired Leto- and a soft smile grew upon his lips, "Why, father... If I didn't know better, I'd say you were deflecting." Zeus sneered and, cautious, Apollo retracted, "Good thing I do know better.

“My mother... Leto traversed the Earth in an effort to birth me and my sister-" He held a hand to Artemis, who instead rose and, beckoning him closer, brushed his cheek lightly. A gesture, perhaps, of lending strength. Without a word passed between them, she returned to her seat. Apollo, try as he might, powerless to decipher her action resigned himself to continue, "-And Delos became her sanctuary. Our sanctuary. My mother knew both love and agony..."

He turned from his father in a flash of clarity, seeking the goddess who sat silently by him. "Queen Hera,” He addressed her with an instinctively bowed head, “I will not say I do not hold resentment toward you for your treatment of Leto. But... But I have grown to adore you in every manner of the word despite. I think my mother would respect that... In the few moments before she turns me into a frog, that is."

An eternal moment passed between the council. Hera held Apollo's gaze, ox-eyes wide and inviting. Eventually, she parted her rose-petal lips in a reply, "I do not believe you to have answered my husband's question."

Apollo bowed to her- This, a true gesture of respect- And addressed his father once more, "As I said, my mother knew both love and agony in our birth. I do not speak of her love for you, Lord Zeus, because that is simply false, nor do I speak of the agony of childbirth as Lady Hera mustn't be blamed for that. Love for the children she carried-" Apollo spared Artemis another hopeful glance, "- and the agony resulting from the man who raped her. My mother, should she see me here today, would cheer in my favour."

An uneasy look passed between the remnants of Zeus' children at Apollo's words. They each looked to their father in turn, cautiously dissecting his neutral expression. Apollo remained, flawed confidence unperturbed.

Hebe was the first to shatter the fragile film of silence.

“The case to raise Hyacinth from the underworld, I can understand, but why immortality, Apollo? You said it yourself: Loving a mortal affords you the chance to love without an eternal obligation. Why mess with a perfect system?”

Her father bore down upon her disappointingly. Thunder crackled in the distance and Hebe, instinctually, shivered where she sat. Her wills, however, were stronger than her fear. She did not think for a moment to retract her question.

A small smile grace Apollo’s lips. He replied with dignity, “I soon realised that eternity without Hyacinth would be akin to eternal torture. Without him, immortality is cruel punishment.”

His melody returned and the words dripped from his lips as the sweet nectar of immortality might.

Athena, unimpressed by the proceedings, lay her spear across her lap and took to delicately cleaning the head. Ares looked upon her and began doing the same with the sword which hung at his waist, having taken her action as permission.

Zeus’ voice boomed amongst the council once more.

“We will reconvene on the second day of Thargelia… That if, if you haven’t anything else to say?”

Apollo plucked a minor chord with idly nimble fingers. Dismayed, he nodded in a vague dismissal. Zeus accepted this begrudgingly.

Masterlist

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