#basically every game of thrones lady

[melenae]

how do the fantasy media ladies get those specific curls/waves in their hair

[sapchat]

Ways to add simple little details to Prythian in your stories!

For the Autumn Court this one is basic and many people use it: Males gift their fiancées, wives, mates fox kits as a symbol of their love and good luck with the relationship. To make it sadder, Beron never did this for Lady A, so when Eris found out about this tradition he got his mom one!

For the Dawn Court: Like how the night court Illyrians put the women down, what if the Dawn Court was the opposite and the Peregryn females would put the males down. In the real world male birds are held to a high standard for breeding, I feel like Peregryn instincts would cause this and it just gives more to a story than the females constantly being the abused. Also they’re stomach/side sleepers. I talk more about this below with the night court just to not repeat myself.

Day Court is full of bastards. You can NOT convince me that it isn’t. Helion is laying the fucking pipe like he’s discovered oil. And the reason I feel this is because of @florencemtrash ‘s story “The Shadow and the Inkbird” (also it’s really good go read it if you haven’t) where the MFC is Helions bastard, and meets Lucien and instantly realizes that they’re halfsiblings. And I was like ya know the Day Court is probably like Game of Thrones Dorne. Dorne is know for their bastards almost every persons name in that city is ‘Sand’ because they’re all bastards basically. So I just KNOW that Helion probably has other kids than just Lucien. And everyone in that court is fucking.

Summer Court has mermaids. It’s basic, it’s simple and it’s true. There’s mermaids.

Night Court, listen we already now a lot about the Nigh Court but this pertains to Illyrian’s so I feel it’s different. They’re stomach/side sleepers. They are. You can’t tell me that two massive wing sticking out of your back would allow you to lay on your back. It can’t be comfortable. Like have you ever tried sleeping with like a ponytail/claw clip in? It ain’t nice. Now imagine it with two that sit right beside your shoulder blades and the clips are like 3ft long? Idk how long the base would be but like probably pretty fucking long to allow actual flight capabilities. Also when they sleep on their side they just have their wings straight out, now like laying on one and the other out. They’ve got big ass beds for a reason spread out. (Cassian fully takes up a bed like star fish style just on his stomach. Nesta is sick of it.)

Spring Court, during the Spring Equinox the High Lord chooses someone to dress up and hand out spring gifts to family’s (usually kids). When Tamlin became High Lord he appointed himself to do so. During this time Tamlin also gives many of the less fortunate families something they can later use for the Tithe.

Winter Court puts on a celebration for the children called Three Kings Day. Family’s with children are welcomed to the castle(? Do they have castles…?) and the bakers leave a cake outside the doors of the family, inside the cakes (this is a real thing from Puerto Rico/France/Spain too btw, the cake is called la galette des rois (Kings Cake)) are toys/coins. Whichever children find them get to wear a crown for the day and called Kings/Queens (Kallias started the tradition that all kids get to do this, he’s a softy).

[terapsina]

#2 for the book worm ask game!

(ask game)

2. Favorite fantasy book(s).

(Eeeeexcellent, I do love fantasy books. Though how I'm gonna narrow it to only a few I've got no idea. Okay. I'm going to remove the very obvious choices like Lord of the Rings (though it is one of my faves)).

---

Monstrous Regiment. I love the entire Discworld series (especially The Witches) but I've also got a huge soft spot in my heart for Terry Pratchett's take on 'a girl dresses like a boy to go to war' (and thinks of everything except some spare socks in- erm... the right place). Along with Polly, the squad consists of a vampire, a troll, an Igor, a religious fanatic and two very, very close "friends" (and yes, the official summary put the friends in quotes too). And everyone has their own secret.

I love basically everything about this book and I can't tell you guys any of it because it would spoil all the fun.

The Goblin Emperor. This one's a story filled with light. Maia the half goblin son of the elven Emperor was never supposed to take the throne (or to ever even be at court. because racism). And then everyone ahead of him dies in a single "accident" and suddenly he's the new Emperor. Maia is a good person, and a kind one, and despite everything that gets thrown at him he keeps hold of that understanding of right and wrong and refuses to bend.

(I have to mention that the language of the writing is kinda hard to get into in the beginning, and the characters's have very complicated and long names, but once you get into it it really did enhance the story for me).

Good Omens. An Angel and a Demon try to stop the apocalypse and instead lose the Antichrist. I've loved that book for like a decade now and if I don't put it on a list of my faves that list would be a lie.

The King of Attolia. Third in The Queen's Thief series and my favorite one out of all of them. I've always enjoyed Outsider POV in fics. And here is a book that just... proves why. We've got Eugenides and Irene, the Thief and the Queen, and we know them from the two previous books. And adore them. But the story isn't from their POV, it's from the POV of Costis, a Queen's guard who's suddenly gotten assigned to the King. The useless, weak, undeserving king that as far as Costis is concerned doesn't deserve to even kiss the Queen's boots. And it's hilarious to read the story from the eyes of someone who knows so much less than us. And so satisfying, as he begins to understand.

(I recommend the whole series and am personally glad to have read them in the published order but Megan Whalen Turner has stated that she wrote them in a way that allows you to jump in at any point you want).

The Raven Tower. The story is from the viewpoint of a sentient, omniscient rock whose name is Strength and Patience of the Hill and it is the GREATEST THING EVER. The gods are real and must be very careful with their words, because if they speak a lie the reality will alter to make that lie the truth but if the lie is bigger than the power of the god... well. Inspired by Hamlet.

(the book also has a trans man as the main character; the other main character? The sentient rock is the narrator but the largest part of the story focuses on Eolo).

A Natural History of Dragons. The first book from The Memoirs of Lady Trent (and honestly it would probably be more honest to say that every single book from this series fits the category of fave but I'm putting up the first here because this isn't a series where you should skip ahead). The book focuses on the life of Isabella as narrated by her older self. This is the story how a Scirland lady bucked all tradition and became a world renowned expert on the Natural History of Dragons.

(this series has a piece of my heart and always will).

---

(and finally, here's some more of my favorite fantasy books that I also adore and would totally ramble about but I got tired of typing).

[ladyodium]

Controversial take: (this is my own opinion and you don’t have to agree, but I ask you to respect it because that is just how I perceived Rhaenyra not everybody perceives the characters the same way.)

I don’t think Rhaenyra would be a good ruler. Neither do I believe Aegon is either. I am neither Team Black or Team Green. I don’t like either factions, it’s a stupid civil war between families.

However, Rhaenyra herself made me angry throughout the whole show and while reading the book. Rhaenyra was given the chance to show the realm that she could be a Competent ruler, a leader, a new hope for the people and women that lived in a society ruled by the patriarchy. Instead, we get to see her just straight trash all the opportunities, have affairs, have illegitimate children, and then turn almost every noble lady and lord against her.

Before anyone says “she was mourning her mother.” “Her kids were still targaryens!” “Oh, well she did the right thing.” “Oh, you’re just saying that cause you have some Internalized misogyny.” I understand this to a point, and I don’t dislike Rhaenyra because she’s a woman, I don’t like Rhaenyra because she makes these selfish choices that only benefit her. You can argue that she did this for her kids, which is true, but she still could have done those choices without offending the Great houses.

She tries to pass off her kids as Velaryons, and everyone knows this isn’t true even the people who are apart of House Velayon know that her children are illegitimate, and it’s seen as a huge slap in the face to her biggest ally. I also wanna point out that’s why Vaemond, Corlys brother, was so offended that the King would accept that this illegitimate child should take the throne of House Vearyon.

Rhaenyra to me is a tragic character, I like how she’s charming, headstrong and willing to protect those she holds dear. I think she truly wants to show she can be a Great Ruler, but she plays the Game of Thrones like a man instead of playing it like a woman. Sometimes, when I was watching the show it seemed like she didn’t even want it until it wasn’t hers anymore.

To conclude this kinda rant, Rhaenyra was given the opportunity to become the first woman (after Rhaenys) to sit upon the iron throne, and instead of showing that she is capable of becoming the ruler of the seven kingdoms, she basically shows the realm that she is ill prepared to take the throne, and she takes advantage of the fact that her father, The King, is willing to be ignorant of her wrongdoings, and not a uphold her to the same laws of the realm that hold it together.

Rhaenyra was a child who was grieving the loss of a Mother who was always on the birthing bed and never in her life. She was surrounded by men in her life that continued to use and abuse her, even if she didn’t realize she was a victim. She is product of her surroundings and even after all my rants about her, I still want to believe she could be a Great Queen with the proper guidance and education.

( I’m gonna do one for Aegon as well and Alicent) 

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Even More New HOTD OCs

I have a problem i admit it (blame @ginevrastilinski-ocs and @ocmerunaway) , need to figure out their titles so i can add them to the masterlist

1 – Cira Waters in Nobody's Daughter (Florence Pugh); x Jace – Cira is a bastard girl on Dragonstone who one day accidentally runs into The Cannibal, almost dies but ends up claiming him (does not know that she's a dragon rider), Jace goes to investigate the chaos and finds this random bastard girl riding him

She inspires the idea of looking for more dragon riders

2 – Jaella Targaryen in In The Blood (Poppy Drayton) – one of Saera Targaryen's bastard's child from across the Narrow Sea, at some point Rhaenys, without telling anyone, decides to fly across the narrow sea to talk to her aunt Saera, Jaella decides to come back with her (just not sure about when, if she's back with them for Lord Of The Tides or not until the war)

3 – Sarisa Celtigar aka Lady Waters in If You Love Me For Me (Marina Ruy Barbosa); x Aegon & Aemond – inspired by Barbie Princess And The Pauper. Sarisa is from the Celtigar family (a noble house in the Crownlands), her father is not the heir though. Her parents liked to live beyond their means and incurred a lot of debt, in order to pay it off, their only child (Lady Sarisa) was sold to a pleasure house in flea bottom. The agreement was an upfront fee for her purchase, her virginity would be auctioned off to the highest bidder (Aegon) and her parents get 50% of that cost, and then some percentage of the earnings from every other client who pays for her

it's known that she used to be a lady but having been sold by her parents, she is now seen as no more than a bastard hence Lady Waters (mocking her having once been a lady, as well as mocking her having been disowned/forsaken by her parents); westeros version of My Parents Sold Me To One Direction

Aemond has to go get Aegon from a brothel again (maybe when everyone is there in Lord Of The Tides), as they're leaving they witness a kerfuffle in the streets, where one of the gold cloaks is about to kill this girl, claims she assaulted him, Aegon and Aemond are very confused by it all. What actually happened is that the gold cloak tried to assault her and she pushed him off but knocked him into something – she works at a brothel but this man wasn't trying to pay her, he decided that since she was a sex worker he could just take what he wanted

and Aemond doesn't know why but he defends the girl and brings her back to the Keep, which basically spirals into "it's her word against his so there's no proof that this is what happened" mixed with "even if she was free to leave and go back to the brothel, there's nothing stopping the gold cloak from going back tonight and killing her"; Aegon is already married and can't do much, Aemond still doesn't know what he's doing or why but basically ends up claiming her as his future bride and they're both very confused.

At first it's her being Aemond's intended but being with Aegon, and then eventually they just share her and she's very happy

4 – Valaenyra Targaryen in Family Tree (Anya Chalotra); x Alicent – Valaenyra is lowkey ripping off my Game Of Thrones oc (with the same face), Nymeria of Volantis. She is Saera Targaryen's daughter, meets Daemon and Laena when they're in the free cities and they kind of take her in (she's similar age to Laena, they're super close and see each other as sisters) and she returns with Daemon & the girls for Laena's funeral, goes super mama dragon protecting all of the kids during the big fight in Driftmark, but also becomes close with Alicent – doesn't agree with taking Luke's eye but agrees with "how the fuck does calling someone a bastard justify a child losing his eye???"

[dontforgetoctober3rd]

He Is

(A timeskip Bridgerton/HOTDish fanfic)

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen X Philomena Finch (faceclaim for Philomena will be the amazing Taylor Richardson, who plays Bridget in The Gilded Age!)

Word Count: 2800ish

Cheesiness: Off the charts, cheesier than the state of Wisconsin

Summary: Just as her mother Philippa predicted: Philomena Finch is a writer.

But Philomena is disappointed that none of the men in real life live up to the fictional ones she reads and writes about. None of them until Aemond Targaryen, that is.

Author's Note: This fic is a somewhat convoluted, three-way crossover (kinda???) because it obviously has elements of the Bridgerton universe but also the HOTD/GOT universe, with mentions of the Skyrim video game lore! Basically, Philomena writes what we know in this world as Skyrim but in a book form and Aemond is the author of what we know as Game of Thrones in this fic. Get it? Alrighty. Also, yes, the fic title is yet another Ghost song big whoop I love them ok?!

Dividers: @cafekitsune

GIF Credits: In the gifs themselves, I used the gif search function

The first time Philomena Finch knew she didn’t fit in with The Ton of London high society was in boarding school at age 12, when the teacher asked each girl to come to the front of the class and share what their goals in life were.

“I want to start a charity for orphans,” came one of the replies.

“My goal is to throw the most glamorous balls anyone has ever seen!” another girl said.

“I will tutor respectable young ladies on how to speak French,” yet another said.

On and on the answers came, but they all had one thing in common: before telling what their goals were, they all prefaced their statements with “After I marry-”

Philomena knew she wasn’t going to marry then and she knew it still now, at age 19.  It's not that she didn’t want a husband, she just had always known that the type of man she desired to be with was not to be found outside the books she read or little stories she would write. The kind of husband she wanted had to be amazing and handsome and approve without question whatever she wanted to do in life.  The years had taught her she would not find him in the real world and she accepted as her fate that she was to remain unwed, as if it were a commonly given fact like any other.  Her parents’ and aunts’ marriages were simply lovely anomalies in the humdrum, rigid world of the english Ton.  The way of things would not change.

The sky was blue, grass was green, taxes were to be paid and Philomena Finch was destined to die alone.

That being the case, she preferred to fully throw herself into writing, which her parents wholeheartedly supported. 

 “The world is changing!” her father had informed her, contrary to what she herself believed. “Women hardly have a need for husbands like they did before and besides, how else could we survive the monotony of life without stories to read?.” 

Her mother agreed as well and for that Philomena was so grateful, as her own grandmother constantly moaned about having a spinster in the family and her well-meaning Aunt Prudence put the famous Violet Bridgerton to shame with the amount of gentlemen she sent her way at balls. 

It was relentless, so the minute Philomena would get home and dress for bed,  she went straight to her writing desk instead to create worlds she could escape to. Every time she sat to write she thanked her lucky stars that she had a mother and father who bought her all the quills, ink and paper she wanted.

 In fact, she was working on a story she hoped to publish soon but it was rather gruesome…and violent. Recent inspiration had hit her about two years ago after the country of Valyria had ceased its war with England and everyone had seen the new, foreign aristocracy trickling into London to break bread with new allies.  

Before the war, stories had floated around of beautiful white-haired men and women, but to see them in person?  Everyone in society clamored to be near them, to win their favor and possibly their love in some cases.  Philomena thought they were otherworldly. It was as if there existed a version of the Bridgertons that was fifty times as popular and a hundred times as good-looking.  Being near them felt practically magical. 

Certainly too magical for an ordinary, plain English girl like herself.  She knew this because only last season the one time Aunt Prudence had managed to snag a Valyrian Lord at a ball to bring to her, practically elbowing away other girls from him (a Daemon Targaryen, she remembered) the conversation had remained one sided.

  Lord Targaryen seemed incredibly disinterested and practically fled as he excused himself after hardly saying more than ten words the entire time.  “I must find my brother, pardon me.” Daemon had told her as he walked away. 

  The only type of men in reality that seemed to interest her…had zero interest in return. 

So Philomena dealt with her increasing feelings of inadequacy with writing, as always, and got to work.  A world of dragons and magic, of elves and warriors. Not at all what a typical lady would read, let alone write! 

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, she called it and she finally had about two thirds of the story written to show her parents before the new season got going. She had anticipated horror from them both, but they had been utterly enthralled by the story and wanted to know more. 

“Oh, please tell me Ulfric Stormcloak wins!! I need to know!” her father had begged.

Her mother was of a different opinion. “I do hope he gets executed by the Dragonborn! Preferably while Elisif The Fair watches! It's what he deserves after killing her husband! Hmph!”

Aunt Prudence was a fan of the character Maven Blackbriar, and positively preened when Philomena told her she had based the character off of her. “I do have a knack for finances and running my family well,” she had said with a smile at tea one day.

“Like no other, my love.” Uncle Harry was quick to put in. 

The most help had come from, surprisingly, her uptight grandmother Portia. She had dropped by for luncheon one day and insisted on seeing this story her daughters had been ‘blathering about’.

“I do wish you would concentrate on finding a husband instead of that scribbling…,” she had began, after receiving the hefty manuscript from Philomena in the parlor and having read through it for a few minutes. “-but if you must insist on continuing with it, then you might see about getting some assistance in trying to publish from your uncle Colin and Aunt Penelope, after their return from Germany.  No doubt they’ll go straight to the Viscount Bridgerton, who will then reach out to his contacts and ensure you have a chance at this little story of yours getting printed into an actual book. Maybe.”

Philomena was ecstatic.  Writing was her greatest passion, it was what brought her the most joy, and now there was a chance that hundreds (possibly thousands!) of people would read her work and feel that same joy. Who needed a husband?

The latest season started as the last few had: everyone shamelessly fighting to get a hold of a Valyrian lord or lady.  Or one of their lesser family members, but the objective remained the same for the Ton, which was to align themselves with a wealthy Valyrian family.

Philomena mostly avoided the season these days, as she was busy trying to publish her novel (which had turned into a several novel series, as her publisher had suggested because the story was so long).

A few weeks in, all of London high society received quite a shock: Daemon Targaryen had brought his nephew Aemond.  He was badly scarred on one side of his face, a patch covering the missing eye.  Rumor had it the Targaryens were  so rich, a sapphire was put in.  

What would have spelled doom for the prospects of a normal Englishman, however,  did nothing to cause Aemond to be seen as lesser by the Ton.  The loss of an eye didn’t deter daughters and their mamas in the least.  Aemond Targaryen was rich, beautiful and available.  

All were determined to secure the position of being his wife but that determination was soon snuffed out. 

 To the dismay of every marriage-minded mama, Daemon proclaimed to the queen herself that Aemond had already selected his future wife when she asked why he had brought his nephew along this time.  The surprises didn’t stop there, for soon after Prudence Dankworth and her husband arrived, Daemon and Aemond were witnessed by all approaching them and engaging in what seemed like a long and animated conversation. 

Lady Danbury gleefully suggested to Lady Kate Bridgerton that the gossip rags would soon be printing headlines about a very lucky match indeed, for no Valyrian had yet married anyone of English descent. 

Philomena could hardly believe it.  Aemond Targaryen was sitting across from her in the Finch  family parlor.

She had been in her father’s office minutes ago (which he had generously surrendered to her for the duration of however long it took to get Skyrim published) when she had heard a huge commotion near their front door and someone rapidly running (stomping, more like) to the office.

It had been Aunt Prudence, out of breath and slightly disheveled.  The maids didn’t even bother to try to announce her as they caught up and turned to leave just as quick. “Wash that ink off your hands and let down that bloody hair!” Aunt Prudence hissed. “And put on your best dress.  You are to have a special caller today!”

"In the evening?!" Philomena had said in disbelief. "The sun is about to set! I have candles already lit, for goodness' sake. Who calls at this hour?!"

"NEVER YOU MIND!" Prudence had all but shrieked. "Ready yourself!"

So Philomena had.  She was not really expecting anything to come of this visit but no sooner had she sat at the couch adjusting her hair than the maids were announcing the arrival of one Aemond Targaryen.  

Now here they both were.  Philomena’s parents were out but Aunt Prudence remained to chaperone. She tucked herself as far away as possible near a window with a large lamp lit nearby, pretending to read so as to try to give them some privacy.

  Courteous introductions were made, stiff small talk attempted.  Aunt Prudence made a show of loudly flipping pages to fill the silence, so that the young couple might feel like they were being thoroughly ignored and perhaps open up to each other more.

Philomena did not know what she was supposed to do.  

She felt clumsy and ugly next to Aemond, whose hair seemed to sparkle in the candlelight and whose face looked like it was carved by the most expert of artisans.  His magnificently sculpted jaw tempted her so, she struggled to keep her eyes from simply staring at it the entire time.  

Her own hair was slightly frizzy from having been rapidly combed, wisps of it escaping in front of her ears. It was a rusty, orange color.  Not the beautiful, brilliant red that her mother had.  Certainly nowhere near the gorgeous silver of Aemond’s hair.  How she longed to touch it! To smell it! God must be mocking her, because she had also heard he was an avid writer. Simply put, he was perfect for her.  Too perfect.

Desperate to take her mind off of gawking at him so that he wouldn’t think her a lunatic, she hurriedly offered him some biscuits, which he politely refused. 

“The last thing I wish to be is overzealous, but,” Aemond began. “My uncle has told me about you.  His contacts in publishing say that you are working on…quite a story.”

Philomena frantically looked to her Aunt, who quickly mimed what looked like…writing on paper? 

Show him your book!  What you have been working on! Show him Skyrim!

The scene in the parlor was quite comical.  

Aemond could clearly see Prudence Dankworth furiously miming to her niece and yet she continued with it as though he wasn’t present.  It almost made him laugh but he did not wish to ruin his chances.

Philomena Finch was not everything his uncle had said.  She was so much more.

She had the most alluring, fire-colored hair.  Her face was the perfect shape, with full cheeks and deep brown eyes.  Keeping his one functioning eye on her face was a monumental task, as he longed to slowly drag it over her seductive body. 

Best of all…he had clearly just caught her as she was working on her writing.  Aemond could still see a few spots of ink she hadn’t managed to wash off.  

Aemond let himself think for a moment, gazing at Philomena as she “communicated” with her aunt.  

Writing was his passion.  It soothed him and gave him strength, especially when he had lost his eye.  It was everything to him.  To find a woman who shared his dreams…it was too good to pass up. 

“With writing, you can create anything from nothing, like a god.” his Uncle Daemon had told him once, when he had spiraled into doubting himself again.  “It is your gift, nephew.  Don’t throw it away.  For anyone.  If your future wife truly loves you, she will love all of you.  Do not stop your writing.” 

So Aemond hadn’t.  

He had cultivated it and was on the cusp of publishing his first work, A Game of Thrones. A great deal of people had been disgusted with it…but an equal number had loved it, likening it to a Shakespearean work. His uncle had friends who worked in the book writing world and he told him there was a somewhat similarly violent story in England, also with dragons, about to be published.  It was written by a lady. 

Aemond had begged for a copy of at least a few chapters to read it.  Obtaining it wasn’t difficult for him, being already an author about to release his own book.  

He loved everything about the story. 

Everything the characters felt, he felt.  Really, the similarities stopped at the dragons.  

He longed to walk in the world of Skyrim. To see the babbling brooks of Whiterun.  To wander through caves, fighting his way against hordes of Falmer. Everytime he reread his copy of Philomena’s beginning chapters, he lost track of time.

To have created such a universe…if she could only feel a fraction of that passion for him, as a husband, he would be the happiest man alive.  He knew it. 

His heart was already hers.  It was just a matter of letting her know it. 

“Marry me.” Aemond said, coming out of his thoughts.  Zero hesitation.  Matter of factly. 

Philomena felt like her heart was sliding into her throat as her head snapped to look at him.  Aunt Prudence audibly gasped. 

“Marry me.” Aemond repeated. “We belong together.”

He would be miserable married to her, she just knew it.  If they married, she knew she would love him…how she could possibly love a man that wouldn’t love her back she didn’t know but that was what she felt.  

He would grow to eventually hate her and still she would love him, like a fool. He would try to change her and when she refused, loving him the entire time,  he would hate her.  And it would break her heart.  So that was not going to happen.  It could not happen, because she would not let it. “I don’t know you!” Philomena cried.

“We will get to know each other over the years.” Aemond said, taking her hand. She did not remove it but continued to protest.

“I detest going to balls.” 

“I do as well. I prefer to write.”

“My aunts are a lot to deal with.”

���As is my uncle Daemon.”

“My family is nowhere near as wealthy as yours.”

“No matter.  I stand to inherit more than enough money for the both of us.”

“Well, I often argue.  It’s not my intention but it happens a great deal.” Philomena persisted.

“Husbands and wives will argue.  It's the way of things.” he shrugged, still holding onto her hand.

“I often write very depraved scenes.  I have a few more horrid bits to add to Skyrim.” 

“Did you know incest is featured prominently as a storyline in my own book?”

Undeterred, Philomena barreled on, Aunt Prudence watching in shock from her corner.

“I do not want to have children right away.”

“We have various useful contraceptive methods I can get for you.”

“I often get up at night to write.”

“One cannot control when the muse calls upon you. It’s good to work when you get the inspiration for it.”

“I want to travel.”

“I want the same.  We can go wherever you like first.”

“If any of your family were to insult me, I will not just take it.”

“Understandable.  I love them with all my heart but family can be quite insufferable at times.”

Out of options, Philomena didn't care how pathetic she sounded when she said it but it had to be said. “I am not…as beautiful as you.”

“I do not know what to say to ...that.” Aemond said, rubbing her hand gently.  “Other than youre wrong.  So very wrong.”

Philomena was silent. For once, she did not have words, either on paper or to speak.  What Aemond asked next felt like a dream. Prudence had long since dropped all pretense of reading her book and was watching, jaw dropped.

“May I touch your hair?” he asked.

“I- we are not even betrothed!”

“Aren’t we?”

“Yes…? I suppose...?” she whispered, her own eyes boring into his one.

“Excellent! I’ve been dying to to touch your hair since my uncle told me the color. No one has such a color in Valyria.”

“Very well.” Philomena said with a smile.  “I am right, though.”

Aemond looked puzzled. “Right about what?”

“You are more beautiful than me!” 

He fiddled with her hair, blushing.  “Lies.”

“I would not lie to you!” 

“Arguing with me already?

Prudence Dankworth could contain herself no longer. 

Loudly declaring her congratulations, she ran to hug her niece while Aemond Targaryen finally burst out laughing.

[cellsshapedlikestars]

As a writer, what’s something you would have done to improve the ending of Game of Thrones?

I mean. You could add back in all the plots that were interesting, like Lady Stoneheart, Dorne... not the greyjoys though, I found Feast SO BORING because it was all greyjoys lol.

But honestly, I think the biggest misstep was trying to keep D's villain turn a secret for as long as possible. They clearly wanted to keep using her in their marketing as their girlboss naked dragon barbie to appeal to as many demographics as possible, but it was at the expense of the plot and nearly every other character, including D herself. They ruined her character, along with Jon & Tyrion most egregiously. She could have been such a GOOD villain. She could have been so INTERESTING. It could have been excellent.

But honestly, I think a lot of the writing issues were D&D trying to be *shocking*. Some of their dumbest scenes/plots were for shock value only.

D being a villain is the most obvious, but also Sansa not telling Jon she contacted Petyr? It was already done, why not tell Jon to keep him from rushing into battle? Because D&D wanted to surprise us with the Vale army. Why spend an entire season pretending Sansa & Arya are fighting? Surprise! They were working together the whole time. Arya killing the Night King? Surprise! Bet you thought it would be a character who actually had narrative ties to the Others, like Jon or Bran or even Sam.

Whenever people ask me why I don't write show-canon, this is why. The problems with the show, for me, start SO FAR back that by the time I ret-conned them, it's basically book canon.

[lunamkardas]

COZY GAME?

So last night I saw this really cute looking farm sim game, yes another one, called Grimshire. It's just a demo but the pixel art is charming and it seems really interesting. So far you can only be a bunny or a fox so I picked bunny.

Game opens with a boat horn sounding. I and some random goat lady have been rescued from The Capital where Some Shit Is Going Down and we are both unconscious, dragged to safer shores by an otter named Fin. He lets the town know shit's going down and he's going back out on his boat to see if he can get more info.

We get taken to the town healer and I'm just a little banged up but fine. Goat lady is hurt much worse so she's going to take longer to wake up.

Day 1 Basic "hey welcome to town here's a run down farm house for you to live in new dude, we'd really appreciate it if you contributed to the town's root cellar by growing some stuff" tutorial. Quickly followed by the "You should talk to all 26 people in town newbie!"

They got a small town/hamlet version of Animal crossing's museum thing going on so any stuff I forage or catch for the first time can go there.

They gave me a pump and water pipes straight off the bat so it was SO MUCH easier getting the watering down for my baby farm.

Holy shit fishing is so much easier than Stardew valley my god I love it.

Day 2

Goat lady died in the night from her wounds.

None of us knew her name. The town burned her atop the mountain peak with all in attendance.

Everyone is pretty down about it. Some people mention they hope Fin gets back with news, especially since him and his boat are such an important part of their food supply because they're an island.

My eyes lock onto the root cellar and then to the previously mildly annoying but NOW VERY IMPORTANT game mechanic of food spoiling.

I immediately start selling everything I own including the swank new bed and bookcase I got for collecting specimens and begin rapid fire purchasing as many drying racks as possible, throwing every fish, fruit and mushroom I find onto them to start stocking up.

Day 3

Normal day of collecting and throwing stuff onto the drying racks. Selling junk to buy more drying racks. The game refuses to tell me how to make them myself.

Get a crack at the mines which has an interesting quirk where you actually mine out the rock from the walls and if you remove too much of the supporting walls it can cause a cave in. Also you can very easily find the ladder to lower levels, which I appreciate.

Learned how to make more pipes to improve my pumps range.

Did some logging for the woodcutter. Mining for the Smith.

Day 4

The Mayor and his assistant come get me and start walking me through the root cellar tutorial while telling me that they will no longer be expecting me to pay ANY TAXES under the circumstances. (Waaaaay ahead of you dudes I already pieced together I'm now the most important person on this island and I am panicking a little bit because I'm pretty sure Covid just entered your reality and thank FUCK we burned Goat lady.)

Thank you kindly can I PLEASE get back to foraging and fishing and drying so I can keep both herbivores and carnivores alive while we Quarantine.

Healer lady and her assistant had the same idea about us suddenly being cut off from the outside world. No one's saying 'disease' yet but I have my suspicions.

Anyhoo they put the town up to a vote over what we should build, a new medicine herb garden she definitely knows how to maintain and use or a mushroom hut to alleviate the island hamlet's food needs even though no one on the island knows the first thing about mushrooms.

I am sitting on a fucking throne of fish jerky and dried fruit/veg. WE ARE MAKING THE HERBAL GARDEN.

The other villagers agree and I immediately bum rush the donation box and slam all the wood and rocks we need into it.

Day 5 Herbal Garden is complete and Healer lady is excited to start researching new medicines.

I am desperately mining as much copper as I can to make more water pipes because I only have so much energy each day and I can't be wasting it watering 30 plants.

I also start planting the tree seeds I've been shaking out so I can have fruit trees. Fishing is easy but the island has both carnivores and herbivores and the plant supply is harder to come by every day plus Drying takes Time.

Day 6 The town gathers because Fin is FINALLY back with news!

It ain't covid.

The Capital is Gone and most of the other landlocked population centers are too.

But they weren't empty.

It's Zombies.

It's Zombies and the only places that still exist are boarded up and armed to the teeth refusing all entry or trade because it's ZOMBIES.

Thank FUCK we burned Goat Lady.

10/10 I need this shit now

[songofthesibyl]

More thoughts on Tamlin as a High Lord

I recently saw an interview with David Mitchell about British kings, particularly of the Middle Ages. Early on, he says point blank:

“They were all right bastards, basically, in terms of—the standard of conduct is woefully below what we’d expect.”

When asked what makes a good king or queen, he says:

“All of the things we expect from government today, you’ve just got to ignore that. They’re not trying for any of it, they’re not trying for peace—on the contrary, they’re waging war. In terms of education and healthcare, they’re just—they’re not interested, forget about it. Um, so all you can expect is stability. That’s—the good kings provide stability. The bad kings don’t. And the stability comes from being predictable in your actions, and firm, and not having favorites. And I think that’s why the people, you know I’m—you know Henry the First was particularly good at that. He’s even-handed, he didn’t have a clique. The worst kings, the ones that caused the most trouble—Richard the Second, Edward the Second, Henry the Sixth—have favorites.”

(Is the Inner Circle a clique? Who knows.)

But this brings up a sense of confusion I get about what makes a good leader in Prythian. Lucien and Tamlin both describe how brutal Prythian is in the first book; Lucien emphasizes this again in the next two books—that High Lords are a different “breed.” We see what Rhysand is capable of—we know what the fathers are and were capable of. This is a very regressive, patriarchal, toxic society overall. Are the Courts not featured as much—Dawn, Winter, Day, and Summer—any better? From what we see of Summer, there is a class divide, Cresseida mentions their obligation to return Feyre to Tamlin. Kallias doesn’t seem that enthused about Viviane being High Lady, nor has he apparently mentioned it before. Rhysand is supposed to have basically invented feminism. No women thought to change things before, or had any support in doing so—from anyone, including the magic of the land—before Feyre became High Lady. Because this is the kind of society described in the quotes above. It is a Game of Thrones-esque, medievalist world, and women thrive only on an individual level because of partners or family members like Rhysand. Who have the wherewithal to make said changes and protect the women they make them for (in Feyre’s case, anyway).

But then all of a sudden Tamlin is, alone, an absolute monarch. He alone is a tyrant, though an absolute monarchy is inherently a tyrannical form of government. He alone adheres to tradition, he alone is “conservative,” whatever that means in this world. He alone refuses the existence of High Ladies, he alone hoards wealth. His government is regressive, and patriarchal, and toxic—not Prythian’s as a whole. He stands apart in a bad way. What he does, according to SJM, is bad even for Prythian.

And I think this has to be referring to his personal sins against Feyre of course, his mistreatment of her. But as a leader—it has to be his general instability. He is out of control, unpredictable. Before, according to Rhysand, he wasn’t enough of a bastard, he was too stubbornly Stark-like in his morals (even if he resembles Theon more in the timespan of the novels).  

Now, he isn’t upholding the contract—his role had become defined by being a provider and protector of his Court—a traditional male role, yes. But also, the very basic role of a government. Is presenting a united front, showing strength weaknesses of Tamlin’s, or simply how leadership is seen in every world, for better or worse (mocking presidents when they cry on camera, for example). I saw an  ACOTAR analysis in which Tamlin is simultaneously decried as the epitome of toxic masculinity, and mocked because the fiddle/violin is not a masculine instrument.

So Tamlin rightly has consequences for his transgressions, and it’s one of the things that makes him such an interesting character. But bad even for Prythian? A tyrant compared to the rest of the High Lords? Regressive compared to the rest of the High Lords? Unstable compared to the other High Lords?

A history:

It was a shock to everyone when Feyre was High Lady.

Rhysand felt the need to re-enact UTM in his own Court. He pulled rank with Mor regarding her father in ACOWAR. The state of Illyria and the CoN is accepted as the status quo. Its citizens can’t leave, but it’s implied most of them are monsters anyway, that Rhys has been cursed to deal with. He still has to placate them as part of his army. He does what he can for Illyria, but the culture is almost too ingrained at this point, and its citizens also part of his army. 

The people of the Spring Court (at least the nobility) did not flee when Tamlin’s father risked war with the Night Court by slaughtering its High Lord’s mate and daughter. It fled when Tamlin became High Lord. 

The people of Autumn presumably didn’t flee when its High Lord murdered his own son’s lover in front of him, forcing him to watch. 

There is no word of a rebellion in the Summer Court after its nobility left the commoners to die in the attack on Adriata.

Every Court practiced slavery, and not all fought to end it.

Even with Tamlin—Tarquin knew about Feyre being locked up shortly after it happened; so presumably Spring would have known as well. He executed the sentries who failed to protect Feyre from Mor, in public view, with Lucien begging mercy. The mass exodus didn’t happen until Feyre returned, when the whipping, along with his violence against Feyre, finally convinced everyone to leave. 

David Mitchell, on Henry the First: “What you have to do—you have to be horrible. They were all horrible, you have to be willing to kill at a moment’s notice. But if you do it with a rationale, you do it even-handedly, you don’t have favorites, and you have some notion of the stable government you want to be heading towards, then—then it can work out. And he created a very peaceful kingdom. Albeit through violence. And—and in those days, that’s sort of as good as it gets.”

Tamlin had proven to them, at that moment, that he was not to be trusted, that he had betrayed them, that he didn’t have their interests at heart. That he was not in his right mind, even. And so they abandoned him. Even if it was partly due to mind control and manipulation.

Something is fundamentally rotten with the Spring Court’s training, and yet they abandoned Tamlin when he went too far—and the CoN, the Autumn Court, remain intact.

In reading through the books, even if he doesn’t stand out in a good way as a revolutionary leader (even if he might want to be, deep down)—how does he stand out as a bad leader compared with the ones we’ve spent any time with? How is he just as bad as his father when he doesn’t support slavery? How is he bad as a leader even for Prythian? What are the standards? Other than his instability after UTM.

This is why, reading these books, I suspended disbelief and enjoyed the story, because, really, they’re all right bastards. I am not looking for crumbs, making up something that isn’t there. I get he was a bad leader from ACOMAF onward, though it wasn’t as if he fought with Hybern in the end. But I simply didn’t see how, as a High Lord, he fundamentally differed from everyone else.

People say this isn’t a Game of Thrones-esque series. It’s romantasy. So why is politics in it at all? Why are people writing essays at equal length as this with quotes from the book about what a horrible High Lord he is? Why is it relevant? And how am I expected to turn my brain off for certain parts of the story and not others? I can’t.

[diviinus]

❝  𝖭𝖮 𝖪𝖭𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳 𝖨𝖭 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖲𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖭 𝖪𝖨𝖭𝖦𝖣𝖮𝖬𝖲 𝖢𝖮𝖴𝖫𝖣 𝖧𝖠𝖵𝖤 𝖲𝖳𝖮𝖮𝖣 𝖠𝖦𝖠𝖨𝖭𝖲𝖳 𝖧𝖨𝖬 𝖠𝖳 𝖧𝖨𝖲 𝖥𝖴𝖫𝖫 𝖲𝖳𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖦𝖳𝖧, 𝖶𝖨𝖳𝖧 𝖭𝖮 𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖨𝖭𝖲 𝖳𝖮 𝖧𝖠𝖬𝖯𝖤𝖱 𝖧𝖨𝖬. ❞

𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟⧸dossier : cassian lannister  ›› prince  consort  of  dragonstone ›› leo suter .

❛❛  aesthetic.  ❜❜   ―   ◜   . ―     visions  of    carrying  the  scent  of  sandalwood  and  smoke,  golden  warrior  with  calloused  fingers  scars  earned  from  countless  hours  in  the  training  yard.    master  of  war,  crimson  stained  over  the  bruises—  wit  as  sharp  as  a  sword  ,  the  steady  rhythm  of  horse  hooves  beneath  muddy  ground . ⸻   .

introducing... 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋 .

CASSIAN /basics :

age: thirty and three   gender:  cisemale,  he/him orientation:  heterosexual religion:  faith  of  the  seven   marital  status:  married  to daella targaryen princess  of  dragonstone,  princess  of  westeros loyalty:  house  lannister, house targeryen

CASSIAN / parallels :

tywin lannister (  got  )  ,  derek shepherd (    grey's anatomy  )  ,  kacey dulton  ( yellowstone  )  ,  odysseus (  the Iliad  )  ,    han solo  (  star wars  )  ,  sir  (  found  )    ,  robin of locksley  (  robin hood )  ,   billy butcher  (  the boys  ) , Zeus ( greek mythology .

CASSIAN / family :

mother:  lannister,  lorelei   ›   68   ›   ruling  lady  of  casterly  rock,  lady  paramount  of  casterly  rock,  warden  of  the  south   ›   npc.  uncle: lannister,  jason   ›   68   ›   brother  of  the  ruling  lady,  ruling  lord  of  lannisport   ›   npc.   wife: targaryen,  daella   ›   32   ›   eldest  daughter  of  the  king,  princess  of  dragonstone,  princess  of  westeros,  heir  to  the  iron  throne siblings:  lannister,  utp  ›   32+   ›   eldest  daughter  of  the  ruling  lady,  heir  of  casterly  rock   , lannister,  utp   ›   28+   ›   second  son  of  the  ruling  lady,  lord  of  casterly  rock   , lannister,  celia   ›   27   ›   second  daughter  of  the  ruling  lady,  lady  of  casterly  rock  .

significant  relationships:  tba .

𝖧𝖤𝖠𝖱 𝖬𝖤 𝖱𝖮𝖠𝖱 .

you are cassian lannister, the prince consort of dragonstone, but more importantly, you are a lion among dragons, cool and calculating beneath that golden exterior. they see you as gallant, magnetic even—a man who commands respect with every glance and a presence that demands attention. you walk the halls of power with the scent of sandalwood and smoke clinging to you, the echo of your footsteps as measured and deliberate as the thoughts churning beneath that lion’s crest. you wear your scars proudly, earned not just on the battlefield but in the brutal arena of politics and marriage.

the lannisters have always been ambitious, always striving for more, and you are no exception. but where others might roar and rush headlong into the fray, you are more controlled, more methodical. you are not driven by impulse but by purpose. you know the stakes of your marriage—the heir to the throne of the seven kingdoms is more than a title to you; it is your lifeline to a future where your name could be etched into history forever. and should she lose the throne? should the dragons falter? you already know what will become of you if your wife loses her crown. you would not just lose power—you would lose everything. and you cannot let that happen.

you may wear the crimson and gold, but you wield the shadows as well as any dragonfire. your wit is sharp, honed to cut through the muddle of court intrigue as effortlessly as a sword cleaves through flesh. you understand the game, not as a mere player but as a master strategist. others might see your marriage as a position of subservience, but you know better. you see it for what it truly is: a throne of your own, though it is gilded with caution. the weight of dragonstone’s legacy does not rest solely on the shoulders of your wife. you share it, bear it, and manipulate it with every carefully chosen word, every glance in the court that goes unnoticed by all but the cleverest.

you understand what it means to be the prince consort, to be a lion among dragons, and you have made your peace with it. but that doesn’t mean you will let the reins slip from your grasp. no, you are too careful for that. too cunning. too obsessed with the power you hold.

the court whispers of your growing intensity, your calculated movements, your gaze that seems to always be somewhere else—on the future, on what lies ahead, on what could be lost if things go wrong. you are not just supporting the heir. you are safeguarding your legacy, ensuring that your house—your name—rises above the chaos. you know how to play this game, and unlike others, you are not afraid to let your mask slip when the moment is right. a lannister always pays his debts, and you are prepared to collect on everyone.

you are cassian lannister, and you will play this game wisely—because you cannot afford not to.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

—      revelry  in  shadows:  his  companions  come  from  the  hidden  corners  of  society,  those  who  live  in  the  shadow  of  westeros'  grandeur.  these  individuals,  familiar  with  indulgence  and  rebellion,  share  a  deeper  bond  with  cassian  than  mere  friendship.  they’ve  tasted  forbidden  pleasures  and  survived  their  excesses,  thriving  on  the  edge  of  privilege.  together,  they  defy  the  constraints  of  highborn  life,  using  wit  and  shared  secrets  to  navigate  the  dangers  of  excess,  forming  an  inseparable  part  of  cassian’s  world.

—      gilded  rivalries:  in  the  dangerous  courts  of  king’s  landing,  cassian’s  enemies   wear  their  hostility  beneath  a  veneer  of  civility.  these  rivals,  often  driven  by  political  necessity  or  personal  grudges,  challenge  him  through  subtle  jabs  and  power  plays.  despite  their  animosity,  there’s  an  underlying  respect  for  each  other’s  intellect  and  ambition.  their  rivalry  sharpens  cassian,  keeping  him  vigilant  as  they  all  vie  for  control  in  the  ever-shifting  dance  of  courtly  intrigue. —   the  lion's  trust:  cassian’s  right  hand  is  not  just  a  subordinate  but  a  trusted  confidant  and  indispensable  ally.  this  individual  stands  by  his  side  through  victories  and  setbacks,  offering  counsel  and  loyalty.  their  bond  is  built  on  shared  battles,  political  maneuvers,  and  mutual  respect,  ensuring  that  cassian  has  someone  he  can  rely  on  as  he  ascends  the  ladder  of  power.  together,  they  form  a  formidable  duo  in  the  treacherous  world  of  westerosi  politics.

[pastafossa]

Stumbling and crashing and tripping with various crashes and a Wilhelm scream into your askbox to ask, YOU PLAY BG3????? ISN'T IT GREAT?!?!?!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH AKSHQKXBQ it's been my Focus since December!!! Who's your favorite so far?? How far are you in?? What kind of route are you doing?? Have you discovered any funny loopholes yet?? What race do you favor playing?? I LOVE to hear about other peoples playthroughs,

IT'S GODDAMN AMAZING AND I ALREADY HAVE MULTIPLE PLAYTHROUGHS PLANNED BECAUSE ONCE IS NOOOOT ENOUGH! I AM IN LOVE. Like I know these types of games (I've been a Bioware slut since KOTOR 2, so I looove this genre), and so I feel very confident saying holy shit, BG3 is one of the best! ALSO IT'S HUGE??? INSANELY HUGE??? AND FULL??? I LOVE IT SM.

Oh god favorites are hard, I'm gd attached to all of these little ducklings following my Tav. So far at least, storywise it's SCRATCH HE IS THE BESTEST BOY maaaybe Astarion. I LOVE his arc, his voicework is stunning, (I accidentally killed him with the big monastery laser and his reaction was hysterical) and his quest has been very moving. A close second is KARLACH, MY GIRL, MY FIREY BFF, like damn I HAD my little battle group (Gale + Astarion + Wyll) when I found her but I adore her so much I'm rotating Gale and Wyll to keep her permanently, SHE JUST WANTED A HUG. 😭

I'm in act 3, I just hit the city! I have no idea how but I am also STILL on my first PT after over a month of play. I love to sniff around under every nook and cranny granted, AND YET I STILL MISSED THINGS, IT'S SO BIG???

So far my route has been a chaotic good route! Outside, uh, occasional murdery hiccups goodbye creche but ya'll were assholes I've mostly managed to follow that alignment, and somehow still made friends with Lae? That was unexpected. I thought she hated my Tav's guts before she hit on her. 😂

Hilarious moments: setting off the giant laser at the monastery cause why wouldn't I grab the shiny weapon (sorry Astarion); being instakilled by Vlaakith at said monastery after basically mocking her with 'if you were really a god you'd be able to just kill someone yourself ha ha-splat'; friends telling me to talk to animals so I got excited when I saw a squirrel and ran to talk to it - it proceeded to bite me, then I failed a persuasion roll about being friends and it told me to fuck off; trying to get to that dwarf lady's husband in the Underdark and shooting an arrow at one of the mushrooms in the field he was in, thinking I could clear them one by one to get to him, only to set off a chain reaction that incinerated him and left the entire field a smoking crater (me as the explosions begin: oh, OH, oh no - wait, sir! Sir! Oh you're fine, you're - oh fuck, RUN SIR RU-shit he's dead); placing my druid in rothe/battle cow shape at the top of a ladder and charging whatever bad guy comes up so they fall back down (catchphrase: MOO, BITCH); and finally, I was having trouble with that one boss guy in the goblin camp, the one that sits on the throne. So when I saw I could get to the rafters, I painstakingly dragged every last explosive barrel and grenade I could find into the room and innocently placed them around the throne, then went up to the rafters and had Astarion shoot a fire arrow. I figured I'd at least bring the guy's health down but instead I set off the fourth of july, blasted that guy so hard he bounced around the room like a pinball before his body wound up glitch-stuck halfway through a wall, but hey, dead as a doornail sooo... it worked? Chaotic good alignment: MASTERED. 🤪

I'm playing a half-elf druid CAUSE I CAN BE AN OWLBEAR OR DINOSAUR TO FIGHT. I now have a chance to run around as a dinosaur druid with my 200 yo elf boyfriend, my BFFs, and find random bowls of poutine, this is the BEST GAME EVER. Also hilariously, I didn't check the stats closely and her intelligence wound up quite low, so she is very wise but also dumb as a bag of hammers, I love her, my first Tav is a good-hearted, unintentional bundle of chaos.

[heavenechos]

 announcing  the  arrival  of  nestor  of  house  royce,  the  heir of  runestone.  whispers  among  the  court  name  them  to  be  both  observant and haunted  in  disposition,  and  those  closest  to  them  speak  to  their  interests  in  training horses.  if  we  bards  could  compose  a  song  for  them,  it  might  tell  stories  of  the blue tint that coats the world in the hours before dawn; the creeping feeling of being watched, only to turn and see an owl in the trees, observing you, judging you, like he knows what you’ve done; catching a glimpse of your face in the river as you lean down for a drink- do you even recognize yourself?.  the  seven  whisper  to  their  most  devout  queen  as  she  sleeps,  making  her  question  where  their  loyalties  truly  lie.  are  they  right  to  whisper?  for  their  loyalties  truly  lie  with  house royce, the vale.

under the cut- tw: abuse, murder, drugging

# basic information.

official  name:  lord nestor royce.  nicknames:  n/a.  noble  title:  lord of runestone.  date  of  birth:  tbd.  age:  36.  birthplace:  runestone.  home:  runestone/the vale.  nationality:  westerosi.  gender:  cismale.  pronouns:  he/him.  orientation:  biromantic/bisexual.  monikers:  the ghost of runestone, assassin name coming eventually. languages:  the common tongue, low valyrian, braavosi.  accent: a neutral westerosi accent that is hard to place, which is by design. a sharp ear can hear a braavosi lilt to his voice, but it’s subtle and fades more every day. he speaks with authority and chooses his words carefully.

# physical information.

faceclaim:  manny jacinto.  ethnicity:  westerosi.  hair:  dark, short.  eyes:  dark brown.  height:  5’10”.  build: lean and muscular.  scent:  like a walk in the woods during a rainstorm.  dominant  hand:  left.  allergies: none.  scars: a long scar along his chest, which peaks out the top of his shirt if the collar is low enough (he wears them high for this reason).  distinguishing  features:  watchful eyes, staring like they can see through to your core, his uncanny ability to enter a room without being noticed. clothing  style:  neutral, comfortable, specifically designed to blend into the crowds. prefers light, bronze armor, as is typical for his house.

# personality.

label:   the lost soul, the phoenix.   mbti:   infj.   enneagram:   8w7.   element:   earth.   star   sign:   cancer.   temperament:   tbd.   character   inspirations:   bucky barnes (mcu), kendall roy (succession), simon basset (bridgeton), lord varys (game of thrones), edward cullen (twilight), this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARakFevks18&ab_channel=TheSilentEskimo .   deadly   sin:   wrath, envy.   heavenly   virtue:   temperance.   godly   parent:   poseidon.

# drives.

hobbies:  sailing, raising/training horses, hunting.  religion:  the faith of the seven.  alliance:  house arryn, the vale.  personal goals:  to keep runestone secure, to maintain his family’s safety. (possibly in the future, to get revenge against the people who manipulated him.)  would they choose family or power? power, if it means security.

# familial ties.

parent one: lord yorbert royce.  relationship:  tba.  parent two:  lady alayne royce. relationship:  tba.  spouse:  tbd. relationship:  tba.  sibling:  melantha bolton (royce). relationship:  tba.  

  narrative... TW: abuse, murder, drugging (to be safe, will put section with this trigger in italics)

TLDR to avoid triggers- nestor’s early life was defined by an intense pressure to be the perfect heir, and some time in his twenties he decided to run off with some unsavory characters who manipulated him into doing their bidding. it took a few years, but he eventually returned home, even if he was not the same as he was before. he is slowly coming back to himself and mending the connections he’d severed. 

WE REMEMBER. fitting house words for the boy who couldn’t forget. every moment, every detail, seared in his mind. 

it is easy to be the son and heir that you’re expected to be in the first years of your life. so full of potential, every milestone celebrated with glee, every need tended to, every action projected upon. the trouble comes once you start acting in ways contrary to the personality bestowed upon you by an eager lord and lady. 

nestor was silly, mischievous in ways his father believed was unbefitting of a lord. it was unclear to nestor why he had to live a life that was so serious, so grey, so devoid of the things that it meant to be alive. even lords were human- right? 

the pressure was manageable for many years, especially with the little outlets he found and kept hidden from his father, lest they be taken away. after his twenty-seventh name day, he realized he was a piece of coal, expected to be a  diamond, when he was really just… soot. 

nestor, in his search for human connection without conditions, befriended a small group of men who had sailed across the narrow sea from braavos on a whim, landing in runestone for a few nights before returning home. they offered him a spot on their ship, and for the first time in years, he acted on impulse. he offered the men a fake name, promised his sister he’d be home in a few months, and sailed for braavos the next morning.

the first weeks were easy enough, though he noticed the group played a bit fast and loose with the laws of the land. but that’s why he was there, wasn’t it? to break the rigid bones that society had forced him to grow? slowly they pulled him into their schemes, starting with simpler things like stealing chickens or pickpocketing drunk noblemen in the streets. 

(murder, drugging tw) like a frog in boiling water, they started dosing him with increasing levels of poison to keep him docile and malleable, putting him into a dreamlike haze and intensifying what they asked of him until he was essentially functioning as an assassin. he can’t pinpoint the moment that he came back to himself, but it shook him out of the poison’s grasp long enough to escape, to find passage on a ship back to westeros. as the poison faded, the memories returned, and he was left horrified, traumatized, and terrified. 

he thought he’d been gone for a few months, but nearly six years had passed. if it wasn’t for a handful of letters that he’d sent home, he’d have been presumed dead. 

the last four years have been focused on healing and fully recovering the man he was before. many who knew him before his disappearance comment on the quiet way he walks, the way he can slip in and out of rooms without being noticed, moving through runestone like a ghost. with time, the softer parts of his personality have returned, especially around those he trusts. 

his focus is now on his duty as heir, but he can’t get the idea of revenge out of his head. 

# wanted  connections. fellow horse girls:  platonic. nestor searched for a way to cope, and he found it in breeding, taming, and training horses. there’s something about the trust they build, the connection they create. it makes him feel separate from himself, and what he’s down. if an animal conditioned to run from danger can form a bond with him, maybe he isn’t the weapon he feels he became. this could just be someone he goes on rides with, or someone who has hired him to provide well-trained horses. either way, it’s something they bond over. 

connection name tba <3: platonic. people who didn't know him before, that he has learned to trust. he can be himself in their presence, and it's with them that his goofier side returns. nestor treasures these friendships because they are untainted by his past, and he feels they are the rope connecting him to a future where he can truly let go of what has happened, so he has no interest in opening that side of him up to them.

who the hell is bucky:  platonic, negative or positive potential. one of nestor’s closest friends, who was blindsided by his disappearance. whether or not they know what happened, if they harbor some resentment over him disappearing, or if they’re still close is entirely up to plotting, and there’s a lot of directions we can go with it! maybe they even received a letter while he was gone, or wants to help him get justice. -2/2 available. the lead:  misc. nestor has almost no information about the men he was with, except that they all spoke braavosi. they all seemed to be from different parts of the world, though, so that isn’t much of a lead. he has no real names, no permanent location of the group, nothing that would identify them. this connection knows something that might help him find them, and its information that nestor is becoming increasingly desperate for. why did you ghost me: negative. there are some in the vale that believe he is unfit to take his father’s place, and while his continued presence in court has settled the minds of many, he still needs to convince this connection. maybe they have something to gain from his downfall, or maybe they genuinely worry over the future of runestone, but they hold strong to the belief that he should be deposed, and house royce should pass on to another. 

[beesmygod]

overthinking quickening and the old hunter's bone aka the cope theory

the old hunter's bone is an item that gives the player hunter the art of "quickening" (dude if this was intentional this was a 10/10 translation job), which increases your roll and quickstep speed. visually, the player appears to disappear into a moving puff of smoke. this short video demonstrates the effect:

item description:

The bone of an old hunter whose name is lost. It is said that [they were] an apprentice to old Gehrman, and a practitioner of the art of Quickening, a technique particular to the first hunters. It is appropriate that hunters, carriers of the torch who are sustained by the dream, would tease an old art from his remains.

editing mine. a rare objective translation error; the original japanese is ungendered and it does in fact turn out that gehrman's apprentice was a woman. the description is as intriguing as it is incomprehensible. lets break it down:

first the basics: the number of hunters that can use the quickening without an item can be counted on one hand: gerhman the first hunter, lady maria (his apprentice) and I THINK the vermin infested old hunters in the DLC (i will need to double back to check for sure u_u but theres a gif of at least one of them doing it on the fandom wiki). on the other hand, since the player character is not an old hunter and did not practice "quickening". therefore, they have to use the old hunter's bone to gain the same effect for a short time at the expense of their quicksilver bullets. only one other NPC hunter uses this item: the bloody crow of cainhurst.

the old hunter's bone is found in gehrman's abandoned workshop at a grave strongly implied to belong to lady maria, his apprentice. we would, therefore, have to assume its lady maria's bone. but, i can hear you say, isn't that bone a tibia? lady maria has both of her legs!

but....does she?

she's completely covered up from head to toe. we don't know for sure. but we do know that you can do your quickening with only one leg and move completely unhindered on a prosthetic; gehrman is proof positive of this. there are a number of clothing items that reference the removal of the right leg because that's where they believed that the beast scourge originated from. in hindsight, its obvious that this was because of all the wolf infected blood they were unknowingly injecting into themselves via their right leg.

in fact, the statues at cainhurst reflect this belief as well. the statues of knights in the queen's throne room are all missing their right leg.

the bloody crow of cainhurst is a weird wannabe guy so he probably got his bone from the corpses of one of these knights. the people of cainhurst and their ancestors, the pthumerians, both have some form of enemy that can disappear and re-appear or pass through tables. quickening-esque abilities.

the point of this is mostly this: i do not think that maria's entire body was buried at her grave, just the part of her that was left behind: her severed leg. the rest of her was captured in the hunter's nightmare. much like how ludwig's body does not exist outside of the nightmare. they are not "dream versions" of the characters made of their consciousness or some stupid shit there's no precedent for and sucks ass. they are physically trapped.

this extends to laurence and wraps back around to my "laurence is objectively the headless bloodletting beast" thing in spite of his stupid appearance in the DLC. the objective canon im choosing to go with is that DLC laurence was a last minute terrible idea retcon based on the fact that its literally just a reskinned cleric beast and has no concept art or appearances in art books. laurence is the only one who breaks every known convention in the game while simultaneously being one of the most overly ham-fisted addition to a game

the end

[bybloods]

*  ♔  ◟     (   abbie hern,   twenty six,   cis  woman,   she/her   )     the  capital  of  king’s  landing  welcomes  alerie  of  house  redwyne,  the  lady  of  the arbor.  news  borne  by  raven  sends  word  that  they  are  reputed  to  be  pious,  but  with  the  eyes  of  court  watching  their  every  move,  they  might  prove  to  be  exacting.  when  songs  are  sung,  their  verses  speak  of  a resemblance to one's mother so striking that it goes beyond similarity and into the realm dopplegängers, only recognizing oneself when blanketed in solitude, pleading to the seven so often that they begin to know you better than those that share your blood, and a long and storied history of sneaking crunchy, cool grapes from vineyard vines.  whispers  throughout  the  seven  kingdoms  claim  that  their  allegiance  lies  with  house targaryen of king's landing and house redwyne,  where  they  conspire  to  live up to her newly bestowed family name.  but  in  the  end,  fealty  means  little  when  you  play  the  game  of  thrones.

⋆ BASIC INFORMATION .

full name:  alerie redwyne, born flowers.  nickname:  ale, to those that know her well.  official title:  lady of the arbor.   moniker(s):  n/a.  age:   twenty and six.   date of birth:  the twenty first day of the tenth moon, 75 ac. gender & pronouns:  cis woman, she/her.    allegiance:  house redwyne, the targaryens of king's landing. spoken languages:  common tongue, bits of braavosi but nothing substantial. religion:  raised in the faith of the seven, very devout, never seen without a seven pointed star somewhere on her person.

⋆ PHYSICAL TRAITS .

eyes:  dark brown.  hair:  dark, long, and worn lush and curly, almost always loose.  dominant hand:  right.   height:  five foot five.  build:   slim, unimposing in stature.   notable features:  she is known for looking like an almost exact copy of her lady mother, so much so that a small but growing sect of the smallfolk in the arbor believe she was borne of some kind of magic rather than in the traditional way. she is very often mistaken for lady uma.

⋆ PERSONALITY TRAITS .

positive:  pious, dutiful, observant, tender - hearted.  negative:  green, indulgent, estranged, sensitive, exacting.  moral alignment:  lawful good.   favoured weapon:  crying.  interests:   prayer, needlepoint, sunbathing, fruit - picking.   fears:  true responsibility, failing her mother.

⋆ FAMILY TIES .

father:  unknown hedge knight (d. 27 years ago).  mother:  lady consort uma redwyne née lowther.  siblings:  lady talla lannister, lord gwayne redwyne, tba.   birth order:  adopted and given the redwyne name by lord redwyne 8 years ago.  status:   unmarried, unbetrothed.   children:  none.

⋆ BACK STORY .

born to the daughter of a merchant lord from the reach and a hedge knight who had promised her marriage in one breath and died with the next, alerie flowers could not say that she lived the same life as those who shared the flowers surname. she grew up within a small portion of house lowther's modest manse, told to keep out of her grandsire's way and be thankful that she hadn't been cast out onto the streets of the nearby settlement of three towers. her mother raised her in the way she herself had been raised, making alerie's most travelled path the one from her mother's rooms to their town's sept. all the while, house lowther grew their wealth, filling their coffers with the use of their fleet of one ship carrying tarragon from braavos to the reach. lady uma's marriage to the widower lord redwyne came as a surprise to many — but not to all. the arbor has long been known for its wealth, and the redwynes known for maintaining it as such. a monopoly on the ship trade going in and out of the reach was in their best interests, and leaving house lowther with no known named heir would accomplish just that. the wedding took place just two years after the passing of lord redwyne's first wife, when alerie was only ten. for ten more years, she bore the name flowers — no more a redwyne than she had been a lowther. her step father was a discerning man, one who would not add just anyone to his line of succession without proper thought. despite his mind for ruling, he grew to love alerie's mother, a devotion that resulted in the birth of alerie's younger half brother gwayne two years after they were wed. her years in the arbor passed slowly, but it came to be that alerie preferred them that way. the vineyards were her respite, the warmth of the sun on her skin making up for the lack of acknowledgement from her step father. she needed not the redwyne name the rest of her blood bore as long as she were permitted to spend her days in the paradise they called the arbor. but a day prior to her eighteenth name day, her step father bestowed upon her a letter of adoption, earned for his staunch and unwavering support of the targaryens of king's landing. she was to be a redwyne, to join his line of succession and enjoy all the privileges of a true lady. the responsibility weighs heavy on alerie's shoulders, even nearly a decade down the line. only recently has her step father given her any semblance of noble duties, and the redwyne name hangs heavier than ever.

[fzzr]

The Eminence in Shadow is Premium Garbage

The Eminence in Shadow is the best anime of the Fall 2022 season. I enjoyed it more than Bocchi the Rock!, Mob Psycho 100 III, Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family Part 2, and all the rest, and it's not close. There's nothing else I looked forward to every week more.

We have to start with the protagonist. Cid "The Eminence in Shadow" Kagenou looks every power fantasy protagonist and attempted parody of the same dead in the eye and says, with the swagger of one who won before the battle began, "I am not here because I want your throne. It is already mine, and you sat upon it by my grace. Your time is past now, for I have come to reclaim what never belonged to you." Kirito hasn't finished grabbing a weapon before he is reduced to one inch cubes. Ainz Ooal Gown freezes in place, eyes empty, with no answer. Anos Voldigoad gives a knowing smile and steps aside. Rudeus Greyrat stands with tears in his eyes, grateful to be freed of his burden. Rimuru Tempest bows with grace. Maple doesn't know how she got here, but she's very happy for him. Kazuma and Subaru are nowhere to be found. A thousand other guys with messy hair and dark cloaks are silenced, with no time even to cry out.

The basic concept of Eminence is thus: Our protagonist has always wanted to be the ultimate badass. Realizing this is not possible in our mundane reality, he truck-kuns himself and is reborn in a fantasy world, intelligence and ambition intact. He does the usual isekai thing where he becomes stronger than anyone else with magic no one else uses mostly off screen - we're not here to see him struggle to earn his power. We do see him recruit Alpha, his first disciple in Shadow Garden, the underground antihero agency he made up to fight the Cult of Diablos, which he also made up. He decides for this scene that she will be descended from the hero to explain why those baddies wanted her blood.

Wait, "he decides?" That's right, Cid/Shadow is making it up as he goes along. He is playing a character, and the only way he knows how to do that is to actually become that character. While not being the magical Punisher, he plays a background character. He's not so good at that role - he keeps stumbling into relevancy. Eminence is improv, and Cid is very good at making things up and getting everyone to play along.

When Cid goes to the obligatory high school for aspiring magic knights (where he plans to be a C student), it turns out the princess in his class is the next target of the Cult of Diablos! Not one to leave a prompt like that unfulfilled, he yes-ands that encounter into one of the greatest statements of badassery you will ever hear. When Alpha and the rest of Shadow Garden show back up, he's grateful that they still enjoy their little game and are so accommodating of his quirks. He can't say that out loud, of course - that would break character. He just makes whatever cryptic statement feels right to him at the moment.

The world really does seem to revolve around Cid, and like the thousand shadows of his glory, he has no idea. As Shadow, the leader of a secret agency/cult of personality, he obviously has a harem of badass bombshell beauties in tight magic spandex, and just as obviously he's completely oblivious to their worship. As Cid, aspiring nobody, he has a separate, ever growing harem of less badass bombshell beauties. He is fully aware of their attention, but having an increasing number of ladies lusting after him doesn't fit the background character vibe, so he does his utmost to avoid their ever-compounding thirst. You heard me right - Cid/Shadow has two separate harems, so he gets to parody two different types of oblivious harem protagonist. There's even a power fantasy within that power fantasy, as the Shadow Garden harem regularly shows off how much better they are than Cid's collection of extremely eligible bachelorettes.

The 11/10 strength of Eminence is undoubtedly in its dialogue. In multiple places Cid/Shadow delivers lines with more impact as comedy than some of the most powerful statements in serious dramas deliver even once. I honestly struggle to find a comparison here. Monogatari is another shining example of dialogue, but even it never quite reaches that height.

Eminence does not have a deep emotional thread binding it together. It has no subtle themes woven into an intricate plot. The point of this exercise is unadulterated fun, and Eminence has that in spades. As for the rest of the factors that go into making a good anime great: The music is good all the time. The simple animation is consistent, and the expensive scenes really flex that budget. There's a bit of background CGI, but seriously who cares.

Conclusion

Score: The Eminence in Shadow is 9/10. Hammy, scenery gobbling dialogue can be found anywhere. Eminence manages to implement some of the best bad dialogue ever and it makes no apology, while also being gripping in its own way.

Recommendation: The power level requirement here is quite high. Eminence is only of interest to those already familiar with (and maybe a bit tired of) power fantasy/isekai anime. Additionally, it indulges in occasional fanservice you wouldn't want someone to see over your shoulder. However, if you do fall in the target audience you really should feel obligated to watch it.

Comparisons

I already said it's better than every isekai ever made. As a parody of power fantasies in general, it is perhaps best compared to The Misfit of Demon King Academy. That protagonist, Anos Voldigoad, is reborn with all the knowledge and powers of a nigh-omnipotent Demon King. He can literally reduce someone to a puddle of blood with the beat of his heart, and resurrect them with a snap of his fingers. Unlike Eminence, Demon King Academy has no winks at the audience - its position as parody is derived entirely from being presented as a straight implementation of the premise turned up to 20. As such, I think Eminence allows itself more room to play in that space. If you end up liking Eminence, Demon King Academy is a good pick for a follow-up watch.

How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend is the universal solvent of anime comparisons. It has many secret weapons, but the hook is in the title. Megumi stubbornly avoids classification under any well-established romcom stereotype. She's a nobody, a background character, a storytelling blank slate. In short, she is naturally what Cid tries his hardest to be. So, let's compare what these two anime think a background character actually is. Megumi defies tropes. Whenever someone tries to paint preconceived characterization onto her, it slides right off. You have to actually get to know her to understand her. Cid's view of a background character is instead someone you don't get a chance to get to know in the first place. He wants to be the guy who gets rejected to show that the love interest is picky. He wants to be the first guy to die in an action sequence to show the stakes are real. He wants to be disposable. So, to Saekano, a background character is someone you just haven't gotten to know. To Eminence, it's someone you never will. A subtle difference, but since Saekano is taking a look instead of taking the piss, it's the more interesting way to look at it.

Final Words

I will indulge myself in stealing borrowing from Susan Sontag's Notes On Camp. "Not only is Camp not necessarily bad art, but some art which can be approached as Camp... merits the most serious admiration and study." Eminence is not necessarily Camp, but it swims in those waters. I recommend you watch Eminence for the sheer audacity that it was made in the first place, but if you have a particularly open-minded professor and are desperate for a topic for a term paper, well... you might as well have fun with it, right?

[xpiester333x]

Final Fantasy 16 Review!!

Good god, what a game.

All review is going to be under a cut since this is a new game and limited to a single system so not everyone has the chance to play it yet. I'm also gonna break the review down from like least spoilery to most spoilery. So if you're on the fence about it you can read the less spoilery parts to get a feel for if its your thing or not. Each progressively more spoilery section is going to be divided with BIG warning letters so you have the opportunity to flee.

This is gonna be a long one.

SPOILER LEVEL: NON-EXISTENT (BASIC GAMEPLAY)

First let me just give a generic gushing about this game. This is absolutely my pick for GOTY. I loved the story, I loved the characters, I loved the game play, I LOVED the music.

I do not typically play action games, like ever. I have old lady reflexes and usually they feel really difficult to me, and then I get frustrated and then I stopped having fun. This game did everything in its power to appeal to people like me as well as people who enjoy suffering. I played this game in story-focused mode which (I'm assuming) has a lower difficulty. It didn't feel braindead simple by any means. It still felt challenging enough without making me mad.

There were also a ton of accessories to help with gameplay if you're having trouble. Accessories that heal instantly for you, or give you a pop up with a prompt to dodge, or one that does auto combo's for you. I didn't end up using these, because I felt I had enough grasp on how to move and dodge that I didn't need them but they definitely offer a lot of accessibility if your like me and inexperienced (and old).

If you like the challenge and suffering there is an action-focused mode with (assuming) a harder difficulty mode meant for people with more experience. They also have challenges in the game where you can replay the "levels" at increasing difficulties.

My first playthrough was about 75-80h. I did all the side quests but I skipped a lot of the challenges. There's a NG+ mode, and like I mentioned a lot of challenges of increasing difficulty so I think your time/dollar value in this game is well worth it, even at the $70 price.

Also if you're ever lost in the story (or if you're just a huge lore nerd) there are "live" lore points available at any point in the game that can provide a quick recap of what's relevant to where you are in the story at any given moment. There's also a loremaster you can visit anytime that holds a compilation of ALL the information in the game. And about half way through the game you get another character that can break every moment down in a timeline that shows you what you've done so far.

AND THE GRAPHICS. My god, they really made use of that new gen tech. The characters were so lifelike in some scenes. I cant even tell you how amazing it was to watch their faces make the most minute twitches, subtle movements that just really brought them to life and it was incredible to see how far tech has come.

THE MUSIC. Oh my god. Soken is really a genius. And the way he managed to marry a lot of FF14 music into some of the fight music really felt like being in on a secret. Idk it was a very epic soundtrack that didn't disappoint.

Also you can pet the dog. As much as you want. And he's the goodest boy.

SPOILER LEVEL: MINOR (CHARACTERS MENTIONED, MINOR PLOT DISCUSSION)

I had high expectations for this game as an FF14 player. I had total faith Yoshi P (producer) would not put his name on anything that would be disappointing. I was not let down.

First I could not get over how much of a world they managed to build. Sometimes it was almost staggering how they managed to not just create a world with various environments and people but fleshed out that world with history, political turmoil, a class system, rebellion, secret organizations... It was like playing Game of Thrones (fun fact, it was an inspiration) with how much was going on and how deep the world building ran. There were times I really just paused the game and went "My god they created a literal universe here".

It did have some plot holes. At then end while my boyfriend and I were exchanging our thoughts, we both had kind of a few "uh weird how they never mentioned ____". I feel like sometimes the game just expected you, the player to suspend disbelief. That aside though, it was a beautifully told story, and while I was playing, none of the aforementioned did anything to detract from my enjoyment of the story as I went.

If I did have one complaint for the story and the lore though, it's how overwhelming and immersion ruining the side quests can get as the game progresses. At the start there's not many side quests. You finish and arc and there is maybe 2-3 side quests available after. But towards the end of the game? You finish a single quest and theres 7-10 side quests to do. The side quests added so much to the game for side characters and lore and world building so I didn't want to skip them. But at some point it also started to feel tedious and distracting to have to do them.

It was VERY MUCH a JRPG. I heard a lot of people saying it didn't feel like an FF game and that it lost the spirit of the franchise but did we even play the same game? This was every bit a JRPG that was very true to its roots and it was the breath of life this franchise frankly needed.

The CHARACTERS. First let me just say:

A CANON GAY?!?!? IN MY FINAL FANTASY?!?!? AND HES NOT A JOKE?!?!

When Dion kissed his lover I fucking screamed and cried. And that the game didn't make him like... stereotypical? He wasn't overly flamboyant, he wasn't used as the butt of any jokes, he wasn't predatory. He was actually an incredible character, very complex, very good hearted. (Also beautiful to look at but they all were.) and when I mentioned minute facial movements earlier, I was specifically impressed by Dion. I feel like they told so much of who he was through just his face that it was stunning.

On the negative side though, I was really unimpressed with Jill's character. There were a lot of interesting and strong female side characters, but some how Jill stayed so flat the whole time. I felt like she was nothing but Clive's girlfriend and they didn't really develop her a whole lot beyond that? Even her entire arc just kinda felt... incomplete? Cobbled together at the last minute and rushed through? I think if there is one super critical thing I have to say about this game its Jill.

Oh and did I mention all the characters in this game are "old"? Like 30s, 40s, 50s, a few in their late 20s. Unheard of for an FF game but it really made a difference.

SPOILER WARNING: MAJOR!!!! (DETAILED CHARACTER AND PLOT DISCUSSION)

Let me just do a little character gush break down:

Clive: Absolutely the best FF protag ever. Like they built him like some meme edgelord but actually he's a cinnamon roll. I am actually so heartbroken for Clive because he had a troubled life from the very start with a mom that absolutely hated him, being the first born but not being the Dominant of the Phoenix, carrying the guilt of killing his brother around with him for 13 years. My heart actually breaks for him

Joshua: Baby boy. Sweet sweet baby boy. I sat in fucking suspense about this boy the whole game. From the moment he was revealed (adult him anyway) I fell in love with him and then spent the rest of the game saying "please don't kill Joshua please don't kill Joshua" I bit my nails down to nothing every fight sequence. My one criteria for not quitting this game on the spot was if he died before he reunited with Clive. If that had happened, there wouldn't be this 3000 word review rn.

Jill: The most disappointing character. I couldn't even hate her, because I didn't feel like there was enough to her to hate. She loved Clive. They worked in the whole deal about her feeling guilty (suddenly) for all the death she caused as Shiva but then as soon as Clive won the battle for her she didn't feel bad at all ever again? Idk I feel like they just didn't really care about Jill but needed a female lead so she was made?

Cid: Daddy. Cid was a great character that wasn't with us nearly long enough.

Gav: GAV. G A V . I LOVED Gav. Like from the moment he appeared I genuinely thought he was going to be a pretty minor side character and I was sad because I really loved him right from the start. But then we got to spend more and more time with him and man I LOVED him. He was such a ray of sunshine, big golden retriever energy, loved this baby boy so much. There was one point in the game where the party was Clive, Joshua, Gav and Torgal and I said to my boyfriend "they have such potential to ruin my life right now". Anything happening to Gav was my other condition that would make me stop playing the game lmao.

Anabelle: Listen. I have never hated a character so much. This bitch ruined her children's lives with a smile on her face. This bitch massacred bearers for funsies. And at the end she got to commit suicide ezpz? There really is no justice in the world.

Dion: I think I gushed enough about Dion up above but man I can just do it again. I don't know how they made me love a character that was like, barely in the game so much but they did. They made him bear all the guilt and pain and deny himself anything good and become a martyr and they just made me love him.

Now about the FIGHTS. I said the combat system was fun but I didn't even mention the Primal fights. That fight with Titan Lost? FUCKKK. It was so epic my blood was bubbling. The fight with Bahamut? CHILLS. I thought Primal fights were gonna be kinda gimmicky and cinematic and to some extent they were (VERY cinematic) but they felt so high stakes and fast paced it made your heart pound, even if you were only minimally participating during a cut scene. The devs kept saying they really wanted to give the primal fights a sense of enormity and they 100% accomplished that.

SPOILER WARNING: BIG BIG MAJOR!!!! (ENDING DISCUSSION)

The fucking ending. This fucking ending.

First of all when I say this was every bit a JRPG, I mean it so literally. The formula is all there. Pick a human trait and then fight god about it. In this case human will making them prone to destruction means god, Ultima, should take back what he gave them. And then it all cumulates in to this end fight where Clive is powered by friendship and punches god in the face lmaooo.

But it was good. Even recognizing it was cheesy at all get out didn't make it less good. (I mean ffs he says "The only fantasy here is yours. And we shall be its final witness"). It made me giddy tbh. It was an exciting fight, and epic battle, and I felt so nostalgic because it felt so classic at the same time. It was beautiful (even if I really sucked at it and forgot to get pots beforehand lmao).

And then the fucking end. Listen. Listen. Was that flashback of Clive meeting baby Joshua really necessary. Was any of that flashback really necessary? Trust the writing and dev team that killed Haurchefant to throw that in there and make sure my heart was thoroughly crushed.

I already said I was biting my nails about Joshua dying but I really wanted to believe they were gonna some how rez him and everything would be fine but no they just left him there dead. And then they also killed Clive? I did not see that coming at all. I saw Joshua coming, I dreaded it the whole game for a reason but killing the main protagonist?? I never saw that coming.

And I sobbed. Like a baby. From the moment Ultima was finally defeated until the end credits I literally just sobbed (quietly to myself so that my boyfriend who was a little behind me in the game wouldn't hear). In fact I cried so much I'm pretty sure this whole review is a grammar and typo mess because my eyes are sticky. It left a hole in my chest.

I DID read a comment that said they both lived because in the post credit scene there is the book Final Fantasy written by Joshua Rosfield and I understand that but idk it didn't feel like they lived? Aside from that book being there nothing about the end really confirmed anything? Idk it was a weird post credit scene or maybe I'm just dumb and didn't understand. SO if you finished the game and actually sat through my garbage so far, you tell me what I missed.

I'm sure I will come up with another 30 random things to gush about when I post this and I know I didn't cover everything I even wanted to talk about before I started, but this is like, way too long already for a review. Basically, in conclusion, I really loved this game. I really highly recommend it to anyone and everyone that can play it.