#but I wanted to draw it— so have at thee; let them be old and gay

[heartorbit]

find another role, carry on the show

[landfilloftrash]

“…I may do.” “You are the most sentimental being in the cosmos, truly.” “Mmph. I am no such thing, darling.”

[the-real-couchrat]

Post ending / rescue AU / recovering Curly is everything to me, so I’m making a list of other people’s posts that feature him. (The links will connect to a reblog of them in case anything ever happens to the original post)

If anyone ever see’s posts like these ones, PLEASE tag me in a reblog!! All posts are welcome, not just art!

Please note that I don’t decide what to add to this list based on shipping, opinions on the metaphors in the game, the accuracy of burn scars, the morality of Curly, or anything else that causes discourse in the fandom. I just add any posts that I come across that include Curly recovering from his injuries in any way. Prosthetics, wheelchair, wig, crutches, It just needs to have him in better shape than when he first got injured.

No NSFW

(Also this post is edited to add new ones when I find them)

Rehabilitated Curly

Party with no Jimmy

Stand around in medbay party (Idk if this counts, but he has prosthetics so I'm saying it does)

Happy abortion!

Post-ending speculation (text)

20 years later (I AM NOT WORTHY TO LOOK UPON THIS WITH MY MERE MORTAL EYES)

ANYA’S GRADUATION DAY

Post ending

Rescue/Recovery AU

My own post! (text)

Aftermath Curly

Good ending

Best way to approach captain’s disability?

A little sketch

They care

“I wouldn’t want to frighten her”

Anya doesn’t quite overdose

They’re safe

Guys rate my fanart

WWI face prosthetics

Less fucked up Curly AU

Fix-it type AU

Silly recovering time

Curly got some gifts for his b-day

Imagine Curly survived (twitter)

Curly with a service dog

I’m not a dog and you’re not a mare

Drawing the dentalcare crew (does this count?)

The quality will not be questioned

Fix-it AU

Want to make Curly some cool new mechanical hands so he can strangle Jimmy

One can dream

He’s got a wig now

Happy ending where they all survive (devianart)

It hurt my heart (twitter)

God forbid I get sick (translated?)

This might be controversial but… (text)

Let’s get you out of the house!

Cyberpunk AU

Cartoons with breakfast

Old-school surgeries (text)

Post-ending fic prompt (text)

Post-rescue AU curlyana

Post-rescue curlyana part two

Why is this goddamn white boy so hard to draw?

Captain stop infodumping the baby

Maybe never forgive

Draw Captain Curly having a prosthetic limb

Curly from Mouthwashing (good ending)

This is how I imagine Curly post OP

whats the worse fate, whatd be better for the tulpar crew

Wip

🐈

Mouthwashing AU (Reddit)

Curly if he survives (Reddit)

My own art

I’ll give him smoochies, prosthetics, and skin grafts

Art dump time✨

Hoppin on da trendin train

The crew built curly a mechanical hand

How to give Captain Curly a voice (idk if this technically counts, but it’s a disability aid so I will)

Doodle of the Tulpar crew post-rescue!

New hyperfixation just dropped

Hi Tumblr. Funny seeing you here

Another rehabilitated Curly

Who up washing they mouth rn

Don’t use the dog buttons (text)

Haunted part one and two

Prosthetics

AU were someone saves them

Mouthwashing doodles

A New Ladder-Reader x Curly (I’ll add the original art videos when I can) (also I didnt read it. if someone did read it, please let me know if it’s SFW)

I know he always have his headphones on

More rehabilitated Curly✨

You guys like this right

Anya, what’s it like working as a medic on a spaceship?

This is how we can still get the good ending

“I’m sorry Anya”

More cringe mouthwashing art be upon thee

Curly’s happy (and recovering) ending

Writing an AU of mouthwashing where the crew survives

Most people seem to be giving him prosthetics…

Doing a bit of study

2

Ladonb Kokosa (TikTok account, LOTS of great videos )

Giving the mouthwashing characters what they deserve (TikTok)

Zest for life

How I think the Tulpar crew would make YT videos

Edit: I am no longer seeking out these posts, and new ones will only be added if I’m tagged or such

[y-rhywbeth2]

Gods and Clergy: Bhaal (OBSOLETE)

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Religion | Gods | Shar | Selûne | X | Mystra | Jergal | Bane #1 | Bane #2 | Bane #3 | Myrkul | Lathander | Kelemvor | Tyr | Helm | Ilmater | Mielikki | Oghma | Gond | Tempus | Silvanus | Talos | Umberlee | Corellon | Moradin | Yondalla | Garl Glittergold | Eilistraee | Lolth | Laduguer | Gruumsh | Bahamut | Tiamat | Amodeus | The rest of the Faerûnian Pantheon --WIP

I did an updated and much longer version here; this one is significantly less detailed and lacking.

I'm in a Durge and Orin mood, so we're getting the full details on Bhaal and his priesthood now. Fun fact, did you know the Dark Urge couldn't even die without Daddy's permission?

Featuring:

Intro: Do you realise this cult is basically a crime syndicate supported by the rich and powerful?

Priests: Hierarchy. Responsibilities. Murder. I rather like the ceremonial regalia, personally.

Deathstalkers: Teleporting! Killing people with your mind! Unlimited ressurections courtesy of Bhaal!! And yet more crazy shit!

Bhaal: Kitten thinks of nothing but murder all day. Also mortal backstory and the Slayer is absolutely nothing like the games depict it

Right then, "Bhaal awaits thee," and blah.

"Make all folk fear Bhaal. Let your killings be especially elegant, or grisly, or seem easy so that those observing them are awed or terrified. Tell folk that gold proffered to the church can make the Lord of Murder overlook them for today." - Bhaal's Dogma

Unsurprisingly for an ex-assassin, Bhaal is the patron god of assassins. Assassins, mercenaries, bounty hunters who aren't bringing their quarry in alive and, presumably, executioners all tend to send a prayer to Bhaal for success. Faithful were called Bhaalyn in the East and Bhaalists in the West. As BG3 takes place in Western Faerûn we'll use the latter.

Amongst these assassin worshippers we find the oh-so healthy individuals for whom killing is more than a job. These killers who regard their murders as a "pastime and a duty" join the clergy.

That said, Bhaalists do not murder indiscriminately. The taking of another life is a holy act, a lot of thought and planning goes into both the kill itself as well as what impact the death may have upon the world. Once the target is slain, they are to smear the victim's blood over their hands and draw Bhaal's symbol by the body with it. If Bhaal is pleased then the blood will vanish.

Bhaal supports and encourages his followers attaining wealth and comfort (it's a good hook to draw them in, and it makes him look good if his followers are successful, and more importantly: money is power, provides a shield against repercussions when caught, and opens doors), and in exchange for their worship his priest-assassins receive the priest spells and administer to the lay worshippers, who benefit second-hand. The assassins have an easier time killing people and getting rich and Bhaal profits from more prayer and death. A win for everyone (who didn't die in the process).

Bhaalist temples historically have spent their time founding and sponsoring guilds of assassins and thieves, including infamous organisations such as the Shadow Thieves of Amn. These guilds survived their patron's death, and while they were mostly businesses throughout the years of Bhaal's death many still paid homage (although there was some confusion involving his replacement, Cyric) and have presumably resumed worship. There's a massive old temple still functioning over in Thay; the Tower of Swift Death, and the assassins work closely with the Red Wizards who rule the country.

Bhaalists have no tolerance for rival guilds and organisations not following Bhaal (which would make them independent of their control) and will eliminate them. They will also root out anybody in the area that will attempt to oppose or otherwise interfere in their business and ensure they have freedom to go about their jobs/worship.

Their other job is to ensure the church has a steady income. They terrorise the commoners into paying tithes in exchange for safety from being sacrificed this tenday (a protection racket, basically) while leaving "economically and socially important individuals live unharmed." I mean, the peasantry have far less enemies to assassinate and gold to spend, so. Plus the rich and powerful are brilliant at turning a blind eye to crime when it benefits them, as well as making sure the evidence never sees the light of day - know which side your bread is buttered on, and all. Baldur's Gate has no law against the worship of Bhaal. Why do you think the original temple exists, after all? Bhaalists actively seek out and sway such potential patrons who would be... amenable to sponsoring and protecting their technically-legal church and its not so-legal activities in exchange for their services.

Urban temples of Bhaal are usually dark, subterranean affairs built under the city streets, containing countless branching tombs that are home to the bodies of the clergy's victims - said victims are usually wandering around down there as restless undead.

-

Bhaal's clergy can be recognised as Bhaalists by their ceremonial robes - full body robes of black or deep purple with a deep cowl. The robes will be randomly and violently streaked with flashes of violet. Their entire face is fully obscured by a black veil, to both hide their identity and make it appear as though the hood is empty for the intimidation factor.

The leader of the church - and thus all of the temples - in a region is the High Primate/Primistress, who can be identified by a red belt/sash they wear over their robes and the fancy curved ceremonial dagger that marks them as a high ranking priest and a specialty priest known as a Deathstalker - more about them in a moment.

High Primates spent much of their time planning the proper strategies of manipulating nearby rulers, inhabitants, and organizations into the deeds and behaviour that the Bhaalyn desired.

The head of a single temple is a Primate or Primistress. The Primate is directly served by the First Deaths, who in turn can call upon a council of the nine most senior clergy; the Cowled Deaths. Below them were the regular priests, who were known collectively as the Deathdealers and are referred to by the title Slaying Hand. A Bhaalist rises in the ranks by hunting and ritually killing a target with nothing but their bare hands, which they will then report to a higher ranking priest who will confirm that they are being truthful. If they are then there's a party, and a ritual sacrifice is held to celebrate.

When on a job they dress in black - in the form that suits whatever their preferred method of killing in. Leather armour, mage robes, whatever.

Bhaalists pray to their god before sleep. In the temple the entire congregation comes together to pray in a formal ceremony called "Day's Farewell"). Bhaalists are also to pray before setting out on a murder.

Bhaalists only observe one holy day. It's the Feast of the Moon, a continent-wide holiday for honouring the dead and honouring one's ancestors. Bhaalists have their own spin on it where they remember dead Bhaalists and celebrate with stories of murder to honour them.

All Bhaalists are to commit a murder every tenday at midnight, should they be unable to fulfil this duty then they are to kill two people in place of the one who should've died that day. Before the victim dies, the murderer is to ensure that they know their killer and that they died as a sacrifice to the God of Death; "Bhaal awaits thee, Bhaal embraces thee, none escape Bhaal."

-

The specialty priests of Bhaal, those who dedicate their devotion and worship no god other than him, are the Deathstalkers.

One does not have to be a cleric to join the ranks, though the majority are. Rogues, rangers, barbarians and fighters are the most common, but all classes make an appearance (and most are multiclassed clerics)

To become a Deathstalker one must have murdered sixteen sapient creatures in sixteen different methods with sixteen different weapons. This presumably is also the rite of passage to becoming a member of the Brethren of the Keen Strike - an order of Bhaalist assassins to which all Deathstalkers belong.

Distressingly for people who aren't Bhaalist, Bhaal's Deathstalkers regained their Bhaalist abilities around 1372 DR, following the end of the Bhaalspawn Crisis, and resumed their duties, spreading death and terror in his name as they worked to bring him back to full power. The most popular argument for how the priests of a dead deity were getting their spells is that another god - likely Cyric, was granting them spells disguised as Bhaal. However, in the wake of the Bhaalspawn Crisis and the wave of fear felt towards Bhaal that resulted (which counts as prayer), the rumour mill became very fond of the idea that, despite how the crisis ended, Bhaal had still managed to resurrect at least some scrap of himself through that fear and the God of Murder was haunting the Realms once more.

The various abilities Bhaal gifts to his Deathstalkers include the following:

[From 3.5e] The ability to identify key weaknesses in a target by studying them for only a few moments, killing them in a single strike. They are also supernaturally good at stabbing people with their ceremonial daggers.

[3.5e] The ability to tap into the hatred of a person, stoking it into homicidal rage and direct it at another person who they will kill in a mindless bloody rage (also called the Urge to Slay, an ability Bhaal himself has)

[3.5e] Bhaal's own inability to just fucking stay dead - a Deathstalker Bhaal doesn't want dead will come back to life an hour after it is killed, with a single hit point left. During the time prior to resurrection they are an actual corpse.

[2e] They can point at a person, sending necrotic energy coursing through them and causing them significant damage, agony and possibly death.

[2e] They can inflict severe wounds on a person just by thinking it.

[2e] They can teleport! A Deathstalker can teleport themselves (and other people, if they're powerful enough) to the Throne of Blood and from there they can teleport to anywhere on Toril that isn't protected by warding magic. Bhaal won't do anything to protect Deathstalkers while they're in the Lower Planes - if you're strong enough to get yourself here, you're strong enough to get yourself out.

[2e] They can affect the emotions of those around them, reversing whatever emotions an individual is feeling towards them into its polar opposite.

[2e] They can accelerate the entropic aging process of objects.

-

Bhaal himself is "violent, cruel and hateful at all times." Being in the presence of the living fills him with an overwhelming urge to kill and destroy. He presents himself as either on the verge of a violent rampage or cold and ruthlessly calculating depending on which suits the occasion best. A Lawful Evil deity, his domain is the Throne of Blood in the first layer of the Lower Plane of Gehenna (Khalas), part of Bane's domain (Banehold). Hilariously, not a single Baldurs Gate game has got this right. BG2:SoA claimed it was the Hells, BG2:ToB changed to the Abyss and, for some reason, BG3 has put it in the Grey Wastes.

Bhaal served Bane, and was in turn served by Loviatar (goddess of pain) and Talona (goddess of disease).

His holy symbol is the Circle of Tears; clue in the name, it's a skull surrounded by teardrops of blood forming a circle.

Bhaal rarely manifested in avatar form. When he did, his main avatar in urban areas was the Slayer, which was not a four armed scaly monster:

"The Slayer look[s] like a corpse with a feral face, [bloodless] skin, and deep lacerations that endlessly [weep] black ichor that vanish[es] before it strikes anything."

It makes no noise at all when it moves. it can talk (its softly spoken and sounds creepy). It can levitate at will and summon floating daggers made of bone, that appeared and disappeared at will. They would cause any living flesh they hit to wither and die. Creatures slain this way would rise again as zombies under its control - or have its skeleton shattered into more bone daggers. Enough of these daggers form an area-of-effect; a wall made of a flurry of sharp shards of bone that would trap the soul of anyone they killed. Oh, yeah, and the Slayer can also inflict the overwhelming urge to murder everyone around you on the people around it.

Bhaal's other avatar was the Ravager, which was mostly an angry 30-foot tall giant with horns.

While in either avatar form, Bhaal also had the ability to create any form of undead loyal to him by touching a corpse (greater undead like vampires would be free once they'd completed whatever task he'd assigned them). He could also immediately destroy any undead, turning them to dust at a touch. Bhaal cannot be harmed by the undead.

Rather than using his avatars, Bhaal usually just manifested as a pair of flying undead hands that can shoot bone daggers at people. Or a laughing human skull trailing teardrops. Both these manifestations are capable of speech, casting darkness and driving everybody into a mindless bloodthirsty rampage - you might have noticed he really loves this trick.

He also invented his own undead monsters, the Harrla of Hate. Harrla are invisible creatures, which if you use magic to see them appear like human shaped wavering impressions. Guess what they do?? If you guessed "fill people with a sense of overpowering hatred and drive people into committing homicide" get yourself a fucking cookie!! (This isn't said anywhere in canon, but Bhaal has less imagination than a chunk of rock, I swear to god...)

According to one version of the story; in life Bhaal was a Netherese mortal wizard named Tharlagaunt Bale. He was one of a few hand picked by Jergal to bear a fragment of the god's divinity and raised from a young age to serve him (a Chosen, basically). Hilariously, one of the others was Karsus. These Chosen were promised godhood for their service as they set about performing a ritual to increase Jergal's waning power and make him one of the most powerful deities. Karsus chose to try and make himself a god instead and blew up the Weave, destroying Netheril and the plan and killing all of his coworkers except Bale.

Bale got a job as an assassin, changed the spelling to Bhaal and dropped his first name, teamed up with a bitter ex-slave with no name except the title "Bane of the Ancients" and a necromancer prince called Myrkul Bey al-Kursi.

His other backstory features him as Arabhal; the spymaster and chief assassin of the Netherese City of Rdiuz, and an ally of Bane. The two became unwitting paws of Jergal, who directed them through nightmares to do his bidding and slay various primordial divinities who threatened his plans.

Regardless of backstory, they all grabbed more divinity by killing an ancient god (also Bane's ex-master) and then he went knocking on his old boss' door for that godhood he was promised (Jergal at this point had embraced depression and just went "yeah, whatever, have it. Idgaf, I'm retiring." Or was manipulating them into becoming his divine pawns. There's more than one take on this story.) and Bhaal walked off the god of murder.

He learned of a prophecy predicting he would die when his stupid ex-travelling companions would decide to piss of Ao who would then kick all the gods out and make them mortal, and Bhaal then decided to sleep with what seems to be at least 25% of Faerûn to produce kids who would hold fragments of himself so that they could all fight to the death and he could resurrect himself afterwards. He was killed by the soon-to-be-god Cyric not far from Baldur's Gate during the Time of Troubles. Cyric proceeded to take his job, and there was a huge fight between Bhaalists who converted and those who didn't and the converts killed all the holdouts.

The rest of the backstory is basically just the original Baldur's Gate games.

[relentlessconqueror]

sylus is so incredibly sebastian-coded. here's a list of the things i think they have in common lol (disclaimer: i haven't read black butler in a hot minute)

sylus' photobooth preset called "demon butler" complete with the tutor!sebastian glasses that have the cord on them. and sebastian is literally THEE demon butler, like come on (this has the honor of going first on the list because it's what made me realize their similarity)

air of perpetual smugness and confidence

red eyes

turtle smile

gourmand (see sylus' cafe interactions about going to new restaurants. sebastian starves until he finds a particularly tormented soul). related: sylus feels life to be banal but says that MC is interesting to him, and iirc sebastian purposefully seeks out high-quality souls whose owners can amuse/entertain him for the duration of the contract

making deals duh

multilingual

tells the truth (in their own way) — sebastian is bound by the contract, sylus is just Like That (and insanely forward...)

cool, composed, competent 🙄

sebastian helps ciel rule over the underworld of victorian england, sylus rules the n109 zone. related: they both stalk people as a part of their job descriptions

a stretch: i can't help drawing a comparison between sylus' love for antiques/classical music and sebastian dressing sieglinde in old-fashioned girls' clothing

looks intimidating (at least one of the phantomhive servants said this about sebastian because of how capable he is at managing the household. and obviously sylus is terrifying) but has incredibly goofy ass moments (that time in boyband arc where sebastian performed a part of the starlight four's song, dance and all. and sylus loves to sing. only one of them belongs on a stage though. sorry sylus)

the common theme of devouring the other person. obviously sebastian wants to eat ciel's soul, but this point is reversed in the sylusMC dynamic because she's the one hearing whispers about him belonging to her and to eat him lol

a stretch: ok this isn't about sebastian but ciel has the contract mark in his right eye, which is where sylus' aether core is. sylus also mentioned him and MC being kindred spirits and while i don't think ciel and sebastian's dynamic is like that, it is true that ciel's goals are, by virtue of the contract, sebastian's goals (in a sense sebastian is an extension of ciel)

sebastian wishes to draw out the worst parts of ciel to make his soul more delicious which i can't help but connect to sylus mentioning "all the crimes you'll inevitably commit." there's the assumption of hidden darkness in ciel/MC that will be revealed in time

likes cats (sylus likes small animals in general, but he's obsessed with calling MC kitten, so i say it counts)

sylus saying, "even if you wanted to sell your soul, you still have to find someone who can pay the price" and "there's a price you have to pay when you make a wish to a demon" which speaks for itself. like this is just all of black butler chapter 138

both ciel and MC wanted revengejusticewhatever for their families' deaths, and both sylus and sebastian "grant" their wish — sylus lets MC shoot him, sebastian helps ciel on his journey of revenge (AND it looks like caleb is coming back which is VERY real!ciel phantomhive of him. he even has the (pseudo-)incest thing going on LMAO though of course it's not the same as ciel and real!ciel's dynamic as blood brothers)

sylus' "don't be shy about using me" and sebastian being literally owned by ciel. it's also reciprocal: sylus' "after all, i want to use you too" and sebastian is promised ciel's soul after the contract is fulfilled

sylus' wanderer form vs sebastian's monstrous true form

(this doesn't count but i'll still put it anyway) because of a localization/translation issue (i think?), there was a time that a lot of people thought sylus made his body SPECIFICALLY to benefit/seduce/whatever MC because of him saying, "it's just there to make you feel better. i don't need it" (homescreen interaction iirc) and "they're not real but they can move" [lost oasis] about his abs. sebastian exists in his form because ciel requested it. there's also the moment in sylus' anecdote where he asks a man what's fashionable in n109 and he just chooses to dress like whatever was on the billboard that the man pointed to, which reinforces how sylus is an outsider much like sebastian, who isn't human

ciel and MC are both understandably put off by them due to their first meeting. sylus assaulted MC, and she falls back on viewing him through the lens of his reputation as onychinus' leader a few times in memories. sebastian appears to ciel in the traumatic event of losing his brother, and as a result ciel is unable to see that sebastian harbors at least SOME fondness for him at this point (though honestly the existence of that fondness is just my opinion, which is something not everybody shares. because i know every person who's read black butler feels differently about the question of sebastian's feelings for ciel, outside of wanting his soul). as of now, ciel and MC (in the main story?) are still unable to trust sebastian/sylus completely

that one moment in [radiant brilliance] where sylus tugs off his gloves with his teeth which is a Signature Sebastian Move

sylus telling MC that he won't lose the match because she told him not to, and something similar happened between ciel and sebastian during book of the atlantic (i made a post about this before). sebastian is also often ciel's champion in fights or contests both personal and business-related

[bnnuy-wabbit]

PIN TUTORIAL.

So. You want pins of your favorite band/cartoon/oc/funny thing to put on backpacks/jackets/pants BUT you're broke and/or have no means to Acquire Pins. You find yourself thinking must Man do i need to make these???? And the answer is yes. Sadly, one either needs to purchase items to have items or make items to have items. I know, i know. It's unfair. It'll be alright, though. Fear not, beloved internet user, for i have The Easy Solution to Your Problem. For thee. Let me hold your hand passionately.

What you'll need is:

Safety Pins - you can buy them for hella cheap in packages with Many Of Them. I'm probably not from your country so you'll have to look for them yourself online or in a store) Pair of Scissors - for cuttin' Plastic - Any kind as long as it's thick enough. reutilize something that would go to the trash, if you can. I'm using an old fanta bottle i stole from dad's pepper pot from the garden. you could also used those hard ish plastics from boxes too or packages. It doesn't have to be transparent, but that's recommended. Some sort of Glue - I recommend hot glue. I did not, however, have hot glue, so I used a two-part resin for fixing pipes instead. If it works it works. You can use anything as long as it secures the safety pin to the plastic. The Pin Content - I'm using STICKERS. i bought 200 6 months ago and have many left overs. You could also use a drawing you made or a cutout from a magazine and tape it to the plastic with transparent packaging tape.

That's all you need. However, if you'd like to make your life a bit easier, it'd be nice to have in hand:

tape - for tapin' razorblade - for scrapin' pen - for Penin'

See. easy. doesn't need a lot. I must say that since i'm a craftsperson i have More Materials laying about than the average arguably human population, but that's pretty much it.

tutorial with pictures continues under the read more. selfie under read more too with them on a cool jacket. here are the results so you know what you're getting into. Ooooo you want to make pins so bad oooooooo

TLDR: glue Pin Content onto the plastic, glue the safety pin to that next. Pic IDs added.

STEP 1.

Stick the thing you want to pin on the plastic. I'm using stickers, but you can use the non adhesive stuff. You can tape a piece of paper to the plastic with transparent duct tape. Just make sure to leave a margin on all sides.

STEP 2.

turn the plastic sheet around. Mark where the Up part of the sticker is and where you want the safety pins to go. This part is optional, but it helps making sure you're not going to put the pins in the wrong position. I didn't do it on my last batch and they turned out fine.

STEP 3.

Secure the plastic to your work surface using tape to keep it still while you work. Again, optional, but it'll help keep the thing straight if your plastic is bent like mine.

STEP 4.

Scratch the surface of the plastic so whatever gluing method you use actually works. The surface shouldn't be smooth or else it'll be hard to glue. You can use anything to scratch it. I did a criss cross pattern as shown in the picture.

STEP 5.

Glue the pins to the scratched surface.

In my case it was done in two steps since the resin needed time to dry. I made a hard base to secure the pin and waited for two hours for that to dry. Then i put a small layer of resin over the part of the safety pin that doesn't open and waited for it to dry again.

This would be miles easier if you used hot glue. Just hot glue the pin to the plastic, making sure to keep the movable part free.

STEP 6.

Cut the pins! If you taped them to the plastic instead of using premade stickers then make sure to leave more plastic to the sides. so it doesn't fall off. They're done. You now have pins.

If you want to go above and beyond, you can cover the pin with a thin layer of clear nail polish to make it impermeable and more durable, but i'm all out of clear nail polish, so i didn't do it.

RESULTS PART 2.

That's it. That's all. Have fun!

[blackjackkent]

Oho. I thought maybe we had run out of surprises, but nope! DURGE STUFF DURGE STUFF DURGE STUFF!

"I welcome thee to the Devil's Fee, where every hellish curio is a--"

"Oh. It's you."

(A/N: Lol. Rakha looks so tired.)

Excellent. Another face out of her forgotten past. Thus far, when someone has recognized her, it has not been a sign of good things to follow. (On the bright side, though, at least she is now free of the beast, which in the past has often risen up at such moments and, for instance, caused her to murder a cat with her bare hands.)

Rakha sets her jaw, instantly on guard but, for the moment at least, the diabolist doesn't seem to be offering particular threat, although she also doesn't seem too pleased to see Rakha.

"Your little scrote of a friend left this on my floor the last time you visited," she says, pulling a battered hat out from under the counter. Rakha feels her stomach churn unexpectedly at the sight of it; it's Sceleritas's.

Helsik lets the hat fall onto the countertop, raising a slight cloud of dust, and then squints at Rakha curiously. "I presume you have returned to re-engage my services?"

(A/N: There are a couple different dialogue options here, and realistically the flat, "I've never met you in my life," is the most Rakha-ish, but she keeps making incredibly tired faces in this conversation and so I can't resist taking the second option instead...)

"Shit," Rakha says wearily. "This again." She reaches out as if to take the hat, then seems to think better of it and just lets out a long, heavy breath. "Remind me of our past association?" she says between her teeth.

Helsik raises an eyebrow slowly, and then smirks. "You forgot what we did? I find that hard to believe," she drawls. "But if you speak truth, perhaps I could... jog that lazy memory of yours?"

"Enlighten me."

The diabolist clicks her tongue with a soft laugh. "You seek answers. Lord Mammon seeks coin. I will happily mediate - make me an offer."

Rakha doesn't know who this Mammon is, but the point is clear enough. Helsik wants money.

Irritation flashes through her. It is bad enough to have to cobble together scraps of her own broken past without being forced to pay for the privilege.

Her lips draw back off her teeth in a sudden angry snarl.

Growl.

"Ahhh, how cute," Helsik purrs, unintimidated. "You tried that last time, too. You want answers, you pay, just like everyone else. Mammon is nothing if not egalitarian."

Rakha sighs, reaches into her pocket, wordlessly dropping a gold piece on the countertop.

Toss a coin to the diabolist.

Helsik laughs. "Ah. Ahah. Ahah - quite the fitting token. Let it not be said that Lord Mammon's servant does not deal with paupers." Her eyes harden. "But I'm afraid you'll need to offer an awful lot more than that. I'll be keeping the coin though, of course." And she slips it into her pocket.

Rakha's irritation is growing - not the old mindless rage of the beast but her own cold frustration at being mocked and roadblocked. "Here's 100 gold," she says tightly, slapping ten platinum down where the first coin sat.

"Hmm," Helsik says cheerfully. "The King of Avarice accepts your humble offering." She spreads her arms in a dramatic gesture. "You stand before Mammon's Picklock, Latchkeeper of the Nine Hells. My business is not information nor hellish curios, not really. I break people into the Hells. That's my thing." She pokes a finger at Rakha's chest. "I opened a portal for you and Lord Gortash."

Rakha remembers that strange, tense conversation with Gortash back in Wyrm's Rock at the coronation. He said that back in the life she has forgotten, the two of them were partners in creating the cult of the Absolute. That she would have been in Orin's place, had Orin not stabbed a knife into her skull.

"What business did we have in the Hells?" she asks slowly.

Helsik laughs brightly. "My word... this is embarrassing," she says, lounging back on her heels. "Perhaps I should have explained our terms better. You asked me to jog your memory. Jog I did. Our micropact is complete." She peers at Rakha keenly, and then smirks. "Would you like to make another transaction?"

Rakha is struck suddenly with a very strange thought, which is that in some ways it was easier when the beast was still in her head. Matters of annoyance like this tended to end almost before they began, with the beast taking over and the one causing the annoyance examining their own body from an angle of several feet away.

She does not want that to be her default reaction; she is grateful the beast is gone. But she can't deny that it was simpler. Instead, now she must determine the long way through problems, which is very much not always a clear path.

"How much to tell me *everything* about your dealings with Gortash?" she says after a long pause to think, glaring at the dwarven woman steadily.

Helsik sighs dramatically. "You are just *no* fun," she whines, then begins to scribble rapidly on a piece of paper while Rakha reflects that this is probably the most accurate thing anyone has ever said about her.

"Adjusting for inflation," Helsik mumbles to herself, "the appreciable value of knowledge, Lord Mammon's tithe... a-hah." She finishes scribbling, then lifts the paper for Rakha to see. "There we are."

The paper reads, in remarkably elegant script, 5000 gold pieces.

(A/N: Damn. :O Hector had to pay 20,000, which only got knocked down to 10,000 by Karlach threatening to put one of Helsik's limbs in each separate corner of the room. I'm not sure if this is a) because we're on easy mode, b) based on the relative amount of money Rakha is carrying vs Hector, c) a Dark Urge specific discount, or d) Helsik getting nerfed in some intervening patch, or perhaps a combination of all four, but either way, I am entertained.)

Rakha, luckily, is pretty well stocked for coin at this point, and has never had any particular interest in it except as far as using it to accomplish more important goals, so she just shrugs.

"Sounds like a deal," she says calmly, and begins unloading her pouch of coins into a small pile on the countertop.

"Oh, yes, I should think that'll do deliciously," Helsik says, scooping the pile of platinum up with a smirk. Then she folds her arms and thinks, looking at Rakha for a moment before speaking.

"The two of you wanted to steal something from Mephistopheles, so I punched a portal into the Archdevil's dusty vaults. That 'something' was the inimitable Crown of Karsus. You and Gortash absconded with it - catching the interest of a devil named Raphael." She cocks her head to one side. "His House of Hope is furnished with a great deal of treasures, many related to Karsus. But alas, he lacks the crown itself. He's rather ambitious; one can only wonder what he has planned for the Crown."

She leans forward pointedly. "The answers to that can probably be found within his house."

(A/N: This speech is... a little baffling.

First of all - very interesting that Rakha was apparently involved in Gortash's initial raid to fetch the Crown in the first place, although it makes sense in retrospect and adds a fun extra new dimension to their previous partnership.

However, I'm deeply confused about why Helsik is telling them about Raphael. Helsik, at this point, doesn't know that Rakha is here to break into the HoH to fetch the Hammer, so she has no reason to believe Rakha has any interest in Raphael.

My initial thought was that Helsik has been instructed by Raphael to keep an eye out for Rakha and encourage her towards signing his contract to give him the Crown post-Brain, but I don't get the impression that Raphael knows Rakha was involved in the original plan at all.

Jaheira (and presumably the other companions as well) speaks up now and abruptly ALSO vehemently agrees with the need to go to the House of Hope, purely because of what Helsik just said and without reference to the Hammer (their initial reason for going) at all.

So I guess the TLDR of this conversation is supposed to be, "Hey, you were here one time before and stole the Crown of Karsus. Raphael is also interested in the Crown of Karsus and you had better find out why."

Maybe the intention here is that Helsik is hoping to wrangle another sale by informing Rakha about a potential threat. I guess that makes the most sense. And I guess Rakha does want to know about why Raphael wants the Crown, in addition to wanting to steal the Hammer. It still just kind of reads rather oddly, like Rakha's involvement in the initial theft is the REASON that she would care about Raphael's interest, which doesn't really seem to follow.)

"Time for a social call, then," Jaheira says dryly. "I'm sure Raphael makes for a wonderful host."

"Can you help me break into the House of Hope?" Rakha asks.

A familiar low voice resonates abruptly through her head. "Such a task would be tantamount to suicide," the Emperor growls. "Do not even entertain it."

It has been a little while since Rakha heard anything from it; their last conversation was directly after Orin's death, and it has been remarkably quiet since. Perhaps it is sulking. Perhaps it has simply realized it has no more leverage over her.

Does it know that she seeks the Hammer, that she has decided on a final, irrevocable breaking of their alliance? Perhaps the Emperor, like Helsik, thinks her interest is in Raphael's plans for the Crown. Better it continue to think so as long as possible.

"So keen to return to the Hells," Helsik quips, unaware of the discussion happening inside Rakha's mind. "I suppose it's warm this time of year. Very well - if you wish to die in Avernus, that's your business. Mine is charging you for it." She sticks out a hand. "Of course, such a task will require quite the substantial donation to Lord Mammon's coffers."

(A/N: Oh, there's the 20,000gp charge, rofl. So never mind, Dark Urge just gets charged a quarter again MORE than Tav does. Brutal. XD )

Rakha watches as she scribbles another, much larger, number on the same sheet of paper, and begins to feel a headache throbbing inside her temple. Twenty thousand gold. She still doesn't care about the gold in and of itself - but she doesn't have that much, and there will be no way for her to get it without losing far too much time that is needed for other matters.

She thinks rapidly, then presents a counteroffer. [PERSUASION] "Waive the fee," she says. "And I'll add one of Raphael's artifacts to your collection."

Helsik squints. "You put me in a difficult position, mortal," she says pensively. "You are almost certain to fail." A pause. "Almost. And so there is a chance you might succeed. Fine - I'd like to be able to carry all of my precious stock without the need of a team of oxen. There are Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength within the House of Hope. Free passage, and you fetch them for me. Deal?"

Given the far more significant thing Rakha is en route to steal, this feels relatively simple by comparison. "Deal," she says flatly. "Let's do this."

Helsik nods firmly and begins unloading several small bags of items and a large book out onto the countertop. "Allow me to outline how this is going to work," she says briskly, suddenly all business. "First - you were never here. We never spoke. Second, you will perform the rites yourself; I want absolute deniability. Here's the grimoire and necessary components. Take this key, too. It unlocks the ritual room upstairs. There's a blood circle already drawn." She smirks faintly. "Don't ask whose blood."

Narrator: Along with the grimoire and components, Helsik hands you a note containing precise instructions for performing the ritual.

She leans forward, narrowing her eyes firmly at Rakha. "Finally - you were *never* here. That is of utmost import to remember. Now... begone!"

[lilgreeneyes71]

Vain Worship

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Lukewarm Christians

Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Characteristics

1 : They have no desire to depart from sin the want to try to get by on grace alone.

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2 : All of their conversations are about worldly things and the cares of this world

1 John 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

3 : Their actions ( No Change in them ).

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

4 : They spend no time praying or alone with God they might show up for church once a week but God is always on the Blackburner .

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

5 : The conversations they have never involve God but rather business or financial or plans they have made. Or what new item they intend on purchasing.

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

6 : No conviction of sin they feel no grief or guilt for sinning.The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (see John 16:8-9)

Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

7 : They could care a less about the unsaved or reaching out to them. They outright try to stop us from preaching to the unsaved

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Proverbs 29:10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

8 : They care more about pleasing people rather than pleasing God

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

9 : They fear man but have no fear of God

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

[justaboot]

I’ve never been so interested in a HBO au until now 👀

I doth beseech thee to graciously bestow upon me a greater abundance of knowledge pertaining to the subject of HBODT, in the form of an infodump or fanfic

the boys were born early in a pitch black cave system.

infodump incoming a month and a half before the boys were supposed to be born, Donald and Scrooge go deep-diving in an underground city. Apparently a luck demon was wreaking havoc on its citizens, and Scrooge and Donald go down to capture it, but things go south fast. They'd all but padlocked Della to the couch at home with Gladstone as a babysitter, but when they don't come home, she dragged his ass all the way out there and goes after them. They rescue them with great dramatic flair, capture the demon, (Gladstone was very clever about it, and Donald was furious), but in all the mess, della goes into premature labor. They get about halfway out of the caves before they can't go any farther, it's pitch black, they've got half a canteen of water, no supplies, no drugs, a dying oil lamp, and one uncle who paid attention in lamaze class. Multiples are all but impossible to deliver naturally, they get tangled, they can't all turn down, they don't work. They've got nothing to do but try.

Huey's the only one already head-down. It's impossible, it's a miracle, and gladstone's a thousand percent sure its him, but they make it through his birth.

The other two aren't as lucky. They're not coming, there's too much blood, one of them is kicking too hard in the womb, della's losing strength. There's discussion of c-sections. Huey's not breathing right.

Scrooge slips away. He draws out the demon, ready to deal. He'll release her again, on the condition they all make it out of here, safe and healthy.

She's not interested. Grant four lives for the freedom he took from her? No, she wants more. She wants his.

Fine.

She lays out two dice on the stone. Luck demon. Let him roll for how many years he'll have left. Won't total more than twelve. He rolls, but she won't let him see the result.

Then she's gone. Miraculously, luckily, the boys are born fine, Huey's breath stabilizes, Della's got the best story she'll ever have, Gladstone's on cloud nine because there's no way that wasn't his luck, Donald's suspicious, and no one can believe they actually made it home.

Scrooge tells no one. He has no idea how many years he rolled, but he's got at least two years to find a loophole.

Then the Spear happens. Everyone leaves. His health starts declining, but its slow, and he's retired anyway. He wonders if he even cares anymore. Bentina's the only one who notices, and he tells her to shove it or leave.

Then the kids come back. Donald just thinks he's changed, grown older and bitterer and slightly slower. He takes pills, now, because he's just old. The kids and audience don't realize that some of the adventures are looking for cures to impossible illnesses, curse breaking, loopholes. He's started searching again behind the scenes.

Season 2, the kids and audience figure out somethings wrong when he starts looking for a cure in earnest. It comes to a head, and he comes clean about what happened, and why. It's been eleven years. He rolled two six sided dice. It couldn't have totaled more than twelve.

I don't know how or why, but I think Magica cures it in the end. because that'd be cool. You can figure it out.

anyway.

[mid0khan]

AO3 Wrapped (author's edition!)

I'm very late (again) for this, but I've been tagged by the lovely @samsalami66 so here I am! Darling if you think your wrap looks sad mine is going to hurt x)

Anyway, let's get on shall we

in chronological order, the fics I posted this year:

Let's erase the old tales and write our own happy end (The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

Just a weekend (The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

Farewell, my lovely (The Sandman - (Hob/Dream)

Dancing in the sky (drawing- The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

The best weighted blanket in the world (The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

I'll follow thee and make a Heaven of Hell (The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

Basic survival tip: don't shoot the eldritch entity's lover (short comics - The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

The first day of the rest of their lives (The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

The pirate and the plushie (The Sandman - Gen)

Our hopes and expectations (Black holes and revolutions) (WIP - The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

Yeaaaaaah the hyperfixation is a little bit obvious isn't it ? x)

stats

Works published: 10 (29 total)

Works subscriptions: 95

Kudos: 424

Comment threads: 67

Bookmarks: 124

Hits: 4,224

Word count: 44,633

Hey that's honeslty not bad! Spread accross the whole year I didn't realize I had achieved that much! (Though to be honest, half the hits and three quarters of the word count are Hopes and Expectations alone)

Top 3 fic (of all years) by kudos:

Our hopes and expectations (Black holes and revolutions) (WIP - The Sandman - Hob/Dream)

A simple little draugh (BBC Sherlock/Harry Potter - Sherlock/John)

Don't be late (BBC Sherlock/Sherlock Holmes and related fandoms/Good Omens/Doctor Who - Sherlock/John, Aziraphale/Crowley)

This is very funny because my two top fics according to kudos are literally my very last fic (Hopes and expectations) and my very first (A simple little draugh, my own translation from french to english of my first fic)!

Top 3 fics (of all years) by word count:

Our hopes and expectations (Black holes and revolutions) (WIP - The Sandman - Hob/Dream) - 32,093 words

Un simple courant d'air (BBC Sherlock/Harry Potter- Sherlock/John) - 3,895 words

Let's erase the old tales and write our own happy end (The Sandman - Hob/Dream) - 3,721 words

With no surprise, Hopes and Expectations is first by very far; this fic is my biggest project so far and I'm very proud of what I have already done for it, and I can't wait to do more ! (When chapter 13 stops actively fighting me with every word ><')

Also second is the french version of Just a little draugh! It stayed my longest fic for a looooong time (I wrote it in 2020), and it's also my one and only fic in the HP fandom (for now; the Sandmerlin fic will change that eventually, even though I'm not the one writting the Harry Potter part of the crossover)

Top 3 ships of 2024:

1- Dreamling (Hob/Dream)

That's it. I've literally written only about them the whole year XD

Top 5 tags of 2024:

1- Hurt/Comfort (2 works)

2- Panic Attacks (2 works)

3- Hob Gadling Needs a Hug (2 works)

4- Hob Gadling Loves Dream of the Endless | Morpheus (2 works)

5- Angst (1 work)

And here you have the proof that I don't know how to tag properly x)

Since I'm already very late with this one, I'm not going to tag anyone directly, since chances are most people have been tagged already and I'm (as usual) too lazy to check. So I'm just gonna say: if you haven't been tagged and want to play, I'm tagging you!

[theskeletonprior]

The ????: I Skipped A Few Days

This is a casual little writing challenge to get myself into a habit, perhaps, or if not, to get some words from the meat of my brain to the pulp of the page. All of my stories for this challenge are set in the world of RAVENOT, and if you’re curious, you can take a look at my WIP intro right here. And if you’re really keen, you can read the first chapter (sort of a pilot as I toil) right here! Now onto the daily ramble.

I didn't get nearly as much writing done in that first week as I hoped. With the work that I do, and the commute that I have to take to get there, it's tough to squeak in the time for a particularly inspiring amount of daily writing. 5k and one completed story per week was ambitious, and not a goal that I think I can attain at this time without taking some heroic measures. And the purpose of this exercise is to be pretty chill. So there will be no heroic measures (at least not on my part!). Instead, I'll reset my expectations, and hope to get this short story completed by the end of the month. On the brighter side, as of this posting, I've clocked about 2k. Not exactly the kind of numbers that would see me pump out 50k in a month, but again... We're being chill, here. I'm still struggling quite a lot with the horrors of my internal world, and occasionally with the horrors of the external world, and whether or not, in the midst of all that, my writing is any good. What am I doing any of this for? The short answer seems to be that I simply don't know how to stop, and I also don't want to stop, or I would. I figure the rest will come on its own time. Anyway, here's an excerpt for today.

Hadan took the arrow back, the shaft already beginning to blacken at Ravenot's touch. "I will not keep thee from thy watch," he said, keenly aware of the sentry's desire to flee. That was good, in its own way. Few were those who ought to linger long beside him, and even they did so at their peril. Hadan looked to Yarrowling, the silent look still so evident in its beseeching that Ravenot could almost hear the plea. The old woman nodded, and Hadan was gone so swiftly he seemed as though he ought to have kicked up dust. "Thanks for bringing that arrow back," Yarrowling said, "those silver tips don't come cheap." She paused then, wrinkled lips puckering as she sucked them in over her gums. "So what's the word, Unmade?" "I will await the dawn here in thy square," Ravenot told her. "I would not cause further unease with my presence here, but I must stay for a time." "I'll have our watch draw lots before I send 'em back to their beds. If one of ours is with you, it'll settle most of the worry what will come of your visit to our town." "For this, I thank you." Ravenot lowered his head. "I won't call you welcome," Yarrowling said, "but I hope you know it ain't personal." "Trouble doth sit astride my very shoulders. I shall fainly bear it elsewhere, should our fortunes prove fair enough." That earned him a taut grimace from Yarrowling, which he took for a semblance of a smile.

Until next time!

Taglist: @rosieartsie @void-botanist @carmillasboywife

As always, let me know if you’d like to join or leave the taglist, and I’ll act accordingly.

[angelsdean]

thinking abt this ask some more and well, it also all boils down to dean is not john because dean is not john.

dean is his own person with different life experiences and trauma and morals and agency. yes dean learned and internalized some things from john but dean literally IS NOT john. he's dean. and crucially he is a victim of john, who was Thee angry man in the house.

john is the first person he learned pain and shame and anger and self-hatred from. and dean has not been able to properly unpack or cope with those early experiences or any of the other traumatic events that follow. for nearly 40 years. PLUS 40 years of hell trauma. and still !! still !! dean tries to do better. he apologizes and he expresses his regret for past actions and even his worst actions are rooted in love and a need to protect. he most often acts out of fear, worry, and/or grief. as cas said, the good and the bad, everything he has done has been for love. he fears jack and is angry at jack during widowers arc because he loved cas so much and does not yet know jack is good and can be trusted. his reaction is understandable. we as the audience see and receive more information than the characters. but based on what dean himself knows at the time, dean has every right to be fearful and wary.

but anyways. back to dean and john. widower's arc IS meant to draw that parallel between them. we're supposed to see dean echoing john. we're supposed to feel john's ghost acting through dean. but we are also meant to see where they diverge. dean does not become obsessed with revenge. he does not go on a quest to get cas back (despite how much he wants him back) and abandon everyone else. he even starts to come around to jack, even before cas gets back.

then, there's john and his own complicated trauma. and i do feel some empathy and sadness for him. but his trauma is notably different from dean's, and that's why dean garners more of my empathy, compassion, and forgiveness.

john felt abandoned after his father's disappearance and then internalizes those abandonment issues and those unresolved feelings fester into anger. then john enlists illegally in the military chasing his father's ghost. in the military he experiences more trauma. but he did choose to go into the military. it's different from dean being forced to be a soldier and weapon for his father from a young age. john was 17 ? when he enlisted and did so of his own free will (as much free will as you can have being one of chuck's blorbos but still, you get what i'm saying), while dean never had a choice, and by the time he had the choice to leave he'd already been guilt tripped into staying by john and also had very few connections outside of the winchester family unit. IF dean were to leave john (after sam left) he'd be largely alone because john never let them forge connections and relationships. john purposely kept them isolated from others. finally, john loses mary which exacerbates his preexisting issues, anger, and trauma. losing mary was not the catalyst that turned john "bad" it was just an accelerator added to the fire that had been slow-burning for years.

so yes, both john and dean have abandonment issues regarding their fathers, except john's are based on a perceived abandonment that he lets become a deep anger and propel his actions re: joining the military. whereas dean is literally abandoned and neglected repeatedly and often throughout his childhood which leads to a lot of unresolved fear and anxiety regarding losing people and people leaving him. cas dying during widower's arc and losing mary at the same time too (and crowley!) definitely triggers those deep seated fears and anxieties. dean also just has trauma surrounding death bc of mary. dean, like john, also has trauma surrounding being a soldier and having to kill people. however, john chose that path (and then later chose hunting) while dean had that life thrust upon him. (the first time he's handed a gun he is six years old and his father believes he somehow has a "killer instinct").

finally, dean, like john, loses cas who is yes mary-coded during widower's arc and he is left with a child. however, unlike john, this child is also an extremely powerful being whom dean knows nothing about except the fact that he is the biological son of lucifer. he also believes jack manipulated cas and got him killed. people will parallel jack to sam in this instance but john likely had no idea sam was infected with demon blood until much later after years of research and following azazel's trail. so early on, john's neglect and mistreatment of sam and dean cannot be blamed on john being afraid of sam or something like that. john IS afraid of the world though. he's paranoid as all heck and that fuels a lot of his actions. but dean is not wrong in this case for being wary of jack. he has every right to be afraid, it's just that his fear, coupled with grief, ends up being expressed as anger. the same may be true for john in those early years, but eventually, john lets his anger and need for vengeance consume him and he prioritizes the hunt over his children. as he says in 1x22, "killing this demon comes first. before everything." dean wants cas and mary and crowley back, but he doesn't put it before everything. he doesn't turn away from sam or jack to pursue that quest. in fact, it is sam who becomes obsessed during this arc with the quest of getting mary back to the point of using jack and training him specifically for that purpose.

dean is not john because dean is dean. he doesn't see the world as black and white as john did. he still has fears and trauma that when triggered often come out as anger. but anger is not his norm, it is a trauma response. most often, he wants to do good and help people. he cares about his family and wants them to be safe and alive. his fears may inform some of his actions and decisions, but his actions are always rooted in love and care. cas saw him as a being of love. as more than what john tried to make him. more than a blunt instrument. more than a weapon for heaven and hell. more than chuck's favorite toy. dean is dean. and that's why cas loves him. and that's why *i* love him.

[drawnecromancy]

Get To Know Your Moots Writeblr Interview

Tagged by @ceph-the-ghost-writer, questions are from @davycoquette (and like Ceph, i'll link the template riiight here :))

If you see this post and consider yourself part of writeblr, please consider yourself tagged. I don't actually feel like I know enough people who would nod and go "yes, my blog is a writeblr", to tag anyone except @isabellebissonrouthier and @literarynecromancy LOL (also Ceph already tagged Jez so I can't tag him)

On the Tumblr Writing Community

How long have you had your writing Tumblr/Writeblr ?

Well, that's the thing isn't it.

This blog isn't a writeblr. I've defined it in the past as an art blog, because i made it in 2017 primarily to show my drawings to other people. The thing is that said drawings tend to be part of a bit of writing anyway, so of course I'm including that. And it's also a personal blog.

This is just my house man.

What led you to create it ?

Accidentally answered this earlier - I wanted to show my art to other people.

What’s your favorite thing about the Writeblr community ?

My friends ! I, genuinely, do not interact with the writeblr community much beyond my friends/mutuals. I have no idea how I stumbled into having genuine writeblr mutuals in the first place.

What’s one thing you’d like your mutuals to know about you ?

I tend to reblog on @irianeth without further comment because my brain is empty 99% of the time

Is there anything you’d like to see more of on your dash ?

...i don't know ?

What tips/advice do you have for someone who made a Writeblr today ?

Probably go in the writeblr tag and see how people do it ? I have no idea. Have fun I guess.

WIP it Good

Which Works-in-Progress (WIPs) or writing projects are you noodling about, lately ?

I've been a bit frustrated at my inability (largely due to time and energy constraints) to keep poking at my novel, Le prix du sang. [Hélianthe et Atropa tag] Genuinely I would like to be able to write a bit on it soon because i want this story out of my brain and into people's hands.

Other projects I've been Thinking about... Mostly roleplay stuff with @lee-thee-bee [Neseah tag]. There's so many AUs rolling around in my brain you have no idea. I can grab almost literally any character and go "here's an AU where shit goes differently". Sometimes it's better sometimes it's worse. Been rotating a funny one lately including fake kidnapping this time around.

How long have you been working on them ?

Le Prix du Sang ? Oh boy. I think it started before university, so probably in the 2017-2018 ballpark... Man, that's like 6 or 7 years.

Lee and I've been making Neseah since December 2023, I believe. Not even a year old but there's So much.

Do you remember what inspired them/what got you started ?

LPDS : I had a weird fucking dream. I was a woman, armed with a crossbow, running away from an entire village trying to kill me for being a witch. I eventually ended up in the living room of a sexy vampire who was basically offering me a job (helping him massacre the village) in exchange for letting me live. We massacred the village. I woke up like "hold on, if you change some things, it could be a short story". ...and then, the short story got out of hand. The village massacre is essentially just the first chapter.

Neseah : "Hey, do you want to do roleplay sometime ?" "Yeah sure !"

How much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them ?

24/7 for the Nesean guys as of right now.

Hélianthe and Atropa I mostly think of when I'm writing them, since I've got a Lot of things down for them I don't feel the urge to rotate them every second anymore. That, and it's no longer a hyperfixation.

When someone asks the dreaded, “What do you write about,” question, what do you usually say ?

Is it a dreaded question ? I reply "Fantasy". That's the truth.

Let’s Rotate Blorbos

Name any characters you created.

You mean, this long ass list that should be updated with everyone from Neseah ?

Highlights include : Alan, Hélianthe, Atropa, Anne de Monthaut (I LOVE YOU ANNE), Valiandra (The Emperor - he has his own tags bc I think about him SO much), Benadryl (we love Ben).

Not included yet on the long list, but will be included shortly : Maran of Neseah, Nelvaren of Neseah. Insane wizard son and unhinged ghost father. Also Nadir, who's basically "what if Nelvaren was a 25 year old trans catboy". (if you're wondering, yes, Nelvaren's also trans.)

Who’s the most unhinged ?

I think probably Valiandra. Due to the Horrors.

That and also the fact that sometimes he is his own parent in increasingly fucked up ways.

Who comes the most naturally for you to write ?

Maran and Nelvaren - due to being roleplay characters, mostly ! Spontaneity and being able to Just Get Into It feels important to me to sling stuff back and forth.

Hélianthe goes also fairly smoothly because he's fucking ridiculous.

Do you ever cringe at them ?

(Side-eyeing Hélianthe) You could say I do, yes.

How much control do you feel you have over your characters ?

All and none at all.

Sometimes shit Just Happens and Just Makes Sense (Alan dramatically revealing stuff about his past, him being Margot in Le Prix du Sang). Other times, a character presents me with an idea, and I rotate it, and go, no. Most times I'm between putting them in situations to see what happens, and/or building from things I want to write about.

You gotta be able to reverse stuff you don't actually want in your writing.

Do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters ?

Yes ! It's a lot of fun ! I don't get a lot of them and I'm 100% sure it's because I also don't send enough questions to others ! I want to get bettter at this tbh.

On Writeblr Engagement

What makes you want to follow another Writeblr account ?

If they seem nice !

What makes you decide against following ?

If I feel like I wouldn't vibe with them or their writing !

Do you interact with non-mutuals often ?

No. But that's because I don't go to the writeblr tags. Due to not being a writeblr.

Do your mutuals’ characters occupy space in your noodle ?

@bitchfitch's Arlo lives in my mind rent-free. I need to throttle him so bad but also I want to have a nice day with him and braid his hair or something. I am very normal about this goat. Also Adonis. Every so often I'm just like man, I wonder what Adonis and Ione are up to right now.

@isabellebissonrouthier's Chrysanthemum Clawe - Chrys is so fucking funny. I didn't expect she'd be my favorite but she's a disaster and I love her so much.

@logarithmicpanda's [SPOILERS FOR HEART OF STONE THAT WOULD TAKE A WHOLE PARAGRAPH PROBABLY]. Besides it, there's Ordyr my best friend Ordyr, I want to go hang out with her. And Orion. Funniest little shit I've ever met I need to redraw that slurping the source image.

@jezifster SHADOW. And Veronica to some extent but she scares me, while Shadow just makes me laugh so hard I want to study him like a bug

[thehollowprince]

Randomly thinking about The Vampire Diaries, specifically season 4 which was the final season I tuned in for because I was just fed up with the bullshit, and all the wasted potential + just bad writing all around.....

Professor Shane should've been a straight up villain, Thee Big Bad. Make it so he's Silas, no doppelganger shenanigans. Have him be the powerful immortal who is going to unleash Hell on Earth. Giving Michael Langdon from AHS, Amaru from From Dusk til Dawn or Eclipso from Stargirl vibes who's a legitimate threat, the way Dahlia and The Hollow had the Originals running for the hills. Like, if you're gonna have yet another person using and exploiting Bon-Bon, then fully commit and make him a major threat because having him just be some human guy understandably desperate to resurrect his family and then die pitifully was disappointing. Like, have the island give some The Ritual vibes with a deranged cult worshipping Silas picking people off and then it's revealed Shane is Silas.

Season four was... weird.

Like, they started off badly by having Elena become a vampire, thus destroying the whole draw of two idiot vampires fighting over a human who is identical to their shared ex (not weird at all). Add onto that the Hunters plot line and Caroline slowly "falling" for Klaus (gross) and them just having Matt stand around (once again), that by the time we got to Bonnie's plotline that season (more suffering - who'd have guessed?), it was just kind of... boring.

Bonnie started off the season rather strong. At the end of the previous season, she was tapping into Dark Magic. And not Dark as in "I make deals with demons," but Dark as in "everyone else is allowed to use their magic for personal gain without consequences, why can't I?" And the thing is, she wasn't even doing it for personal gain. She was trying to use Dark Magic to save her friend from becoming a vampire, which she didn't want to be. Yet once again, she's punished where no other witch is ever punished.

After that, the Dark Magic was immediately dropped in favor of the Darkest Magic (Expression). And here's where we get into your ask, because it would have made so much more sense to have Shane be Silas, as he was the one teaching her Expression. Shane could have simply been Silas' physical form, an immortal cursed to wander the earth without his power and him needing a powerful witch to help access it. That would have made an infinite amount of more sense than here's this dorky college professor who just so happens to academically know about this powerful form of witchcraft that is so powerful and old and dangerous that all other witches fear to even call it magic, let alone practice it.

He could have very easily tricked her by saying, "Hey, here are these old grimoires that were in your Grams' collection that talk about this old form of magic." He could have thrown out the lure for a Cure, with it just being a fakeout to get them to the island where, like you said, his Cult still worships him and separates the group one by one until he gets Bonnie close enough.

After that, keep the rest of the plot pretty much the same. Katherine impersonates Elena and steals what she thinks is the Cure and have Elena spiral, and Bonnie finally come into her own magically.

The further I get away from when I first watched TVD, the more I realize how crappy all the writing and story was.

[zorilleerrant]

UNTO THEE I SEND MY LONE QUERY!

Thoughts on Jason Todd

First impression: haha, shooty batkid. that's funny

Impression now: After having read a lot of stories with him, I really like how much depth of emotion there is to play with in his character. He's a deeply unreliable narrator; he lies a lot; he has difficulty sorting out his own emotions; he wants his thoughts to make sense but they don't make sense even to him, so he has to make up explanations for them to understand himself. He has a lot of trauma but he likes to pretend he doesn't - he convinces himself he either never had it or he's already better. Does terrible things for good reasons, but his reasons aren't his real reasons anyway.

Favorite moment: Dog. I love the idea that he sees himself in her; he can tell that she's scared, not mean, that she doesn't know what to do if not protect herself. He's also been the victim of violence and victimized with it, and it's hard for him to always draw a line between the two. He wants to save her because he wants to save himself. And also because he loves dogs.

Idea for a story: I want to see someone kidnap all the Batkids and lock them in coffins for some sort of Villain Plot, and everyone else is scared and either trying to escape or trying to contact rescue. Jason, however, is just lying there, and sighing, trying to find his antidote to fear toxin. When he can't find it, he tries to meditate, and when that doesn't work, he just waits the toxin out. It would be told in ideally two different art styles, with a kind of warm watercolor look as Jason lets his mind wander to different topics he's concerned about at the moment, and a more standard style as the rest of the family gets increasingly concerned about Jason and tries to pry him out of the box he's trapped in. The look on Bruce's face at the end of it snaps him back to reality, of course.

Unpopular opinion: I really don't think Jason smokes. As a kid he'd be too young for his parents or neighbors to want to give him cigarettes, so at most he'd sneak a few with friends, not enough to develop an addiction. Without an addiction, on the streets he'd have better things to beg, barter, and steal, so he wouldn't develop one there, either. Bruce definitely wouldn't let him have any, and there wouldn't be any in the house for him to sneak - and when giving things to his old friends, he'd again have better things to want to give them than cigarettes, even if he found a way to buy them. No one in the League would give them to him while he's brain damaged - and I think they're probably against smoking for environmental reasons anyway - and by the time he's recovered he's too adamantly and violently against drugs to even consider smoking. He'd ease up on the 'kill all smokers' thing as he rethinks his morality but by then he's too old to buy into the cigarette industry's propaganda.

Favorite relationship: I'm fairly fond of JayRoy because I think there's a lot to work with there in terms of seeing a reflection of himself and seeing reflections of his fears and vices as well. I see a lot of people do a lot with that. (Also they're cute.) I like a lot of his relationships with his family members but I tend to be a little particular about the ways in which I want to see them portrayed, so it's not as favorite. I also really love all his Robin figures (including Dog) but I feel people either overlook them or treat them flatly, instead of exploring the complexity of his relationships with them. Overall I'm more about his internality than his relationships with other characters.

Favorite headcanon: Okay I know I'm saying too much about Dog but I'm really convinced he named her after Good Omens and that he names a lot of things after book characters. Fanwriter Jason Todd also lives in my heart forever.

[cwarscars]

🔥

Send me a “ 🔥 “ for an unpopular opinion.

i'ma shape this one around the final fantasy vii fandom and go off on my usual spiel ( or, old spiel? cause i haven't chatted it in a while lol ).

i honestly despise the lack of love that the side-characters get as a whole from the fandom. i really don't like what the remake did for the franchise ( i do love the remake, don't get me wrong, but i think it bought about some of the fandoms worst traits ), and i cannot stand the 'one rule for thee, another for me' mindset that fans have regarding characters.

let's start with numero uno - so, obviously i write heid. lol. he's not particularly liked & that's totally fine...but man. finding content for him is horrible. there's nothing. like, barely anything. the few fics that exist are either rape fics or are ( and i hate saying this ), sorely out of character. the art is few and far between and usually more bara-anime-oriented. overall, i feel like i'm drinking from a dried up well. actually, nah. there was no well in the first place.

i always understood that heid isn't exactly the character who would get much fanfare but it's so disheartening to shift through five million pics of 'x' character and find two of heid. i can't even draw ( or at least, im not at all confident in my art ) and yet i took to drawing heidegger all of the time because i had to start making content for him. and in doing so - my art gets no regonition and is totally ignored anywhere but here. i think if i drew a popular character, i'd maybe get more attention but...i can't bring myself to do so.

in general though; heid isn't the only one. even reeve is quite underrated and ignored by the fandom as a whole (or implied to be an owo cat boy which makes me cringe). even, dare i say, barret is often shoved aside in favour of the more 'popular' characters ( the whole tifa/cloud are now marlene's parents suggestion by some people enrages me, like, wtf? )

secondly, i don't like what the remake did for the fandom because i think it bought the worst out in the fans. it appealed to cloud/sephiroth shippers despite that ship making no sense. you could argue the sephiroth cloud sees is just an extension of himself. they're both essentially jenova. but the remake makes it overtly sexual / suggestive. even as i played, all i could think was 'yeah, this was done for fan service'. i don't even think sephiroth should have been seen in remake part 1. ( obviously that'd never happen ).

but whereas there are things i adore about the remake. i think that they dumbed down the story and by extension, made the worse aspects of fandom writers become apparent. like, by making AVALANCHE basically entirely innocent ( despite being literal terrorists ) - they make shinra ENTIRELY evil. in the og, shinra were weirdly nuanced. they were 'evil' sure, but then they were also genuinly trying to save the planet from sephiroth. as for AVALANCHE; yes, they were fighting on behalf of good. but they did murder people in their quest to shut down reactors. in the og, reeve even calls barret out on this. but...now we probably wont get that? like, way to go rid your main heroes of any nuance. god forbid a hero does something bad.

my final point cause goddamn is this getting long is - i despise the way that the fans talk about characters & the whole 'LOL i can ship this but if you ship that then lol stinky gross smelly ewww'.

i've always wanted to explore shinra/heid as a young men. like, really explore their relationship. potentially even one-sided ship them. i love the idea of it, it's interesting and i imagine their dynamic was similar to tseng/rufus. how many jokes have i seen about shipping them? tonnes. but it's not okay to diss any other ship. make a joke about tseng/rufus and ohhh noo, you fucked up, kiddo.

i've seen people imply heidegger is a pervert because he commented on sephiroth being good looking. literally suggesting he 'creeps' on sephiroth and people wholly agreeing like 'omG LoL YEs' - as if calling someone good looking is an alien thing to do or means immediately that you want to bang them (smh).

in general, i constantly see the fandom make jokes about certain characters & imply that if you ship them, like them etc - 'loool something wrong with uuu'. it's dumb as shit. don't be mean about other people's preferences when half of the fandom can't take being told that cloud shouldn't be shipped with whoever.