#cornerstone ask

[teaboot]

I've been stuck in bed all day today and I'm morbidly curious

[notbecauseofvictories]

so my aunt is turning 70 in a couple weeks, and I've planned a blowout birthday for her---rented a lake house, invited every member of our family and also some of her friends; I have delightfully kitschy decorations (including a glittery BIRTHDAY QUEEN sash and paste-jewel crown, thanks for asking); my freezer is full of cakes, frosting, and cookies, so all I have to do is defrost, assemble and serve. I have been working on this since February, and I plan parties like a quartermaster just before the army decamps---there are a lot of lists involved.

My most recent task is assembling a guest book, filled with both blank space (so people can write nice messages) as well as all the photos I could get from family members. There's something almost meditative about assembling these pictures---here is my aunt as a teen, standing awkwardly next to her grandmother; here is my aunt as a grown woman, admiring a niece or nephew's sloppy Christmas present; here she is on vacation, or with a friend, or at the interminable succession of Sunday dinners, birthdays, and graduation parties that are the fabric of our family life. Despite having no biological children, she's so involved, she's so present---and this is just what we could grab from phones, my personal photos, facebook!

(She maintains the family archive, so I can't ask her directly.)

I don't know if I have a firm conclusion here. Just that---well, may we all be blessed with more photographs of ourselves than will fill a scrapbook, and a niece who will spend 6 months thinking about how to gently bully you into celebrating your birthday.

[creative-clawmarks]

since Tim enjoys chew toys...does he also enjoy the occasional,"good boy" ?? (This literally sounds freaky I don't mean it like that I promise 🙏)

As a general rule if you were to treat Tim like a dog it would upset him. Just because he can take on an animal form doesn't mean he isn't still a person, he's just wired a little differently.

Some things he can find exceptions to. Chew toys have a practical application in keeping The Wolf busy, games like fetch can be fun in the same way playing sports is, and even the most distant of people appreciate physical contact so getting pet now and then isnt a big deal.

But speaking to him like he's a dog, like he can't understand you or you need to patronize him, he hates that. It reminds him of the hospital when a lot of the staff would treat him like he was below human intelligence. So if you called him a good boy he would snap at you that he doesn't need your approval.

(The snag to all of this is that it's different if Brian is saying it.)

(And yes, it is for freaky reasons.)

[melongraph56]

either wholesome xephna or rival ship rythna. whichever you prefer! go as feral as you want with the latter if you pick it hehe

I just now realised I read your ask wrong. I'll redo this ask to do it justice another day whoops. but hey! have both ships :)) beating the shit out of each other,,

also I've run out of request, please send more!! you have until wednesday >:)

[genderkoolaid]

transmisogyny is the cornerstone on which transphobia is built on. denying that makes you complicit in hurting the fight against ALL transphobia.

[cantuscorvi]

What is something Raum takes pride in? How does he express that pride?

@malefikant

Oh, everything. Raum is a man who lives and dies by his pride, no matter the occasion. A side effect — or even a cause of — his narcissism, it bleeds into everything he does.

Raum takes pride in himself, as a whole. That is expressed in his utter self-centredness. Every thought and action he takes is measured against what benefit it has to him.

His thought process is always beating along to his own drum — Me, me, me!

On one hand, this makes him seem brilliant. He has charisma and confidence, he projects authority, energy and self-discipline. Like he can hold the world in his palm. It draws people in.

On the other, it makes him stubborn and dominant, arrogant, ruthless. He won’t give you an inch, and he doesn’t care how it affects you. It creates a wall, and it pushes people away.

A few examples —

Raum takes pride in his confidence and his strength of character. He expresses that liberally. He has a commanding, authoritative nature. He has a tendency to steamroll people who are timid or struggle to express themselves. He is intense. If he is not careful, he rubs people the wrong way.

He takes pride in his rationality, his drive, his determination. He is optimistic, and ambitious. He believes he can achieve anything he sets his mind to, even if it hurts, he doesn’t give up. He holds himself to an impossibly high standard, and it can be perfectionistic, to his detriment.

Raum takes pride in his appearance and status. He expresses that by indulging himself with fine things, nothing is ‘too good’ for him to experience or to own. He doesn’t know the meaning of too rich for one’s blood. He believes he deserves the best. It makes him look pretentious, picky or snobbish.

He takes pride in his intelligence and willpower. His ability to plan ahead and solve problems. Combined with his relentless self interest, it makes him secretive and manipulative. He is a liar and a pretender.

[actualbird]

hello zak! i just showed my friend (who isn't into tot, but she had to suffer from listening to my incoherent tot ramblings) your volume 2 nxx investigation team behavioral studies, and she wants to say:

"please continue to be in this fandom, your presence is a blessing. for a lack of better word, you are like the fandom cornerstone. every fandom would wish to have someone like you in them"

in other words, your analyses cooked so hard (also in her words), she doesn't even go here and she enjoyed it very well. she also wonders if tot fans are okay /lh DASDJHASLJDH

HI CHIKAAAAAA!!! what a surprise to see in my ask box not on anon for once HAHA.

that aside, oh gosh oh gOSH THIS IS SO SWEET OF YOUR FRIEND TO SAY :((((((( first off, thank you for sharing the nxx analyses compilation with her, im glad it's something that crossed your mind because that means it hopefully made an impact on you too :"3

second off, IM SO FLATTERED UUUWAAAAAAHHHH //sniffling. i surely do hope people like having me in fandom ;w; frankly all i wanted to do with the nxx analyses volumes 1 and 2 was share my deranged ramblings to people. so to think that those deranged ramblings were enough for ur friend to say such kind words huhuhu, im emo ;-;

thank you both to you and your friend!!! im rlly rlly awed to get that kind of feedback, it warms my heart

ps: no tot fans are not okay. we're never okay. KLBDDSJFBLSDJF

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

You are such a good writer, it actually somehow breaks my heart when a story ends. How did you get so good? Any tips or tricks for people who want to start writing also?

anonnnnnn T_T you’re so so sweet. that means the world to me !!!! i love you !!!!!!!!

honestly i . still have a Lot to learn when it comes to writing so i don’t know if i’m very qualified to give tips </3 but!!! as basic as this answer is, i really do think the only ways to improve are through reading and writing. writing is obviously vital since you won’t get anywhere without actual practice, but so is reading!!! it’s so important to observe and notice different writing styles, and to find out what kind of writing you enjoy. by reading different works, no matter what they are, (my biggest writing inspo source is a video game lol) your brain will naturally store up words and expressions and techniques :3 it’ll make writing so much easier, i promise.

also, remember that it’s more than okay to imitate, especially when you’re starting out!! no one finds their writing style immediately. it’s totally fine to latch onto your favorite authors and try writing like they do — that’s what i did too!! (thank you richard siken + hit award-winning indie rpg disco elysium 🙏) so just try to have fun with it and experiment !! i believe in you!!! <33

[bear-do-well]

My bf and I often play board games together when we're in the comic book store, often cooperative games due to my stupid fear of board games, and we might just be the biggest cheaters in the history of cheaters.

The key to a healthy relationship is cheating together in games, not cheating on each other

partners in petty crime

[imperatorrrrr]

Will you write Luke/Simon? I love their dynamic. You can keep it platonic if you prefer I just think it’s nice seeing two rookies lean on each other the way they have

Simon Nemec is on his couch.

Or. Well, Simon Nemec is on his and Jack's couch, but right now its his couch because Jack has made himself scarce, laughing at Luke as he left their apartment telling Luke to give him a heads up when it was all clear to come back.

Luke had lobbed one of their throw pillows at Jack, hit him square in the ass because he has good aim, thank you very much, and then had to retrieve said pillow as Jack continued to laugh and laugh and laugh.

Simon had told Luke a number of times that he didn't understand Luke's nickname, "Rusty", and Luke, without thinking, had volunteered to watch the Ocean's Trilogy with him.

He's already good at watching movies with a European; he does it with Holtzy no problem.

But this European. This one is a problem.

Because Nemo is different.

Every other guy on their team knew Jack first.

But Nemo met Jack and Luke at the same time. And that means something.

It means something that they're both rookies. They're both defensemen rookies. Coach has handed both of them massive responsibilities from the get go. Luke on the first unit of the power play; Simon on the second unit of the power play and the penalty kill. They're both given big minutes each game. And sometimes, they even get to play together on the same D pair.

It means something that their time on the Devils will always be tied together. They will always be connected. They're going to be the future and they're going to be the future together. They're going to be the backbone of the Devils lineup for years to come.

It means something that they've hit it off so effortlessly. That even a slight language barrier can't dampen the connection they've made so quickly. That Luke is so drawn to him, that they're so drawn to each other.

And now Simon is on his couch and Luke's having a little bit of a crisis about the whole thing.

Because they spend so much time together on the ice and on the bench and at practice and now there's no hockey, there's just Matt Damon on the screen in a black turtleneck and Simon on his couch smiling, looking so bright and warm.

Simon who's cheeks are just a little red, who's made himself comfortable, who's quiet confidence has spread from his gliding on the ice to his stretching out in Luke's home. Everything about him amplified for the one man audience that is Luke Hughes.

Well.

At least he knows for sure he's a Hughes because here he is with his very own Emotional Support European (Boy)Friend.

He's pretty sure he can hear Jack cackling somewhere.

[wulfhalls]

When I saw your new url I was so confused. Where is iskarieot. Where : (

i go by tumblr user formerly know as iskarieot now lmao

[randomfoggytiger]

☕️ what do you think about RPF (real person fiction) and biopics? Do you think biopics should 100% be correct or is it okay for things to be changed for *dramatic effect*?

I would prefer 100% authenticity-- when biopics or biographies or autobiographies deviate from reality without specifying and explaining their changes, then it gets annoying.

RPF is either or: if the person being RPFed is amused more than discomfited by it, go for it! XDDD If they're not, it becomes that weird area of "real person doesn't like that aspect of their public/personal life but also other people have the freedom to do/write what they want", etc. Personal morals or ethics would dictate from there. :)))

[ask-obt]

Dielle would you kiss rune on forehead when she sleeps if you cloud get away unnotice

Dielle: Oh... um, no... You shouldn't touch anybody's body in an intimate way without them knowing! Especially considering Rune already seems on edge about what happens to her while she's unconscious...

[melongraph56]

draw lomadia NEOW (if you so desire)

can I please you with a buff lom?

[kitakamismonster]

still not sure how this whole rotomblr thing works

Or just this online stuff in general... um here are my friend's I made....

Reminder that I need ask for this blog to work qwq/ooc

[katyspersonal]

That one interpretation about Micolash’s fate now lives rent free in my head. I’m not opposed to the notion of him dying once and for all, and I like the irony of a scholar obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge spending his last moments in ignorance. But being forever trapped in his own mummified body seems like the perfect punishment and suits the theme of hopelessness so well. For someone who despised his humanity so much, who went above and beyond to escape the limitations of his body, being forced back into his pathetic, frail, powerless body must be pure torture. Once Micolash’s consciousness is brought back, he’ll have all eternity to ponder over the fact that his efforts were fruitless and he’s nothing but a withered corpse, a manifestation of human fragility and mortality. But in contrast to the situation with Lovecraft’s priest, there’ll be nobody around to destroy his brain and end his sufferings.

No, this is absolutely valid, and from the standpoint of a person that gives "proper" judgement to Bloodborne characters - yeah, he "deserved" it!

I just have a completely different way to look at the things, and Soulsborne games offer me the most freedom in this. Like I said, the whole theme of 'fate worse than death' applied to the war criminals we meet in these games just doesn't do anything to me. Doesn't make me mad (because, again, they probably "deserve" it) but also doesn't really excite me... The problem with Soulsborne settings is that things are so chaotic and flipped upside down that morality, principles and and judgement as we know them no longer apply in my opinion- heck, I always said I can't really guilt characters like Aldrich or Rykard for how much atrocities they've committed, because the world they're in is so fundamentally broken and doomed that in the end, what they'd have to do to escape it no longer matters...? Elden Ring didn't touch upon it well enough, and even gave us *gasp* OPTIMISM!!!!, but Dark Souls totally falls for this... mess.

On the other hand, characters like Allant or Shabriri in my interpretation I'd totally say deserved "real" judgement. And Micolash is kinda complicated... He falls exactly in the middle. Dude did quite the unthinkable things to break free from the humanity, but also his setting kinda falls for the trope of "humanity is doomed anyways" and his only fault is that he tried to escape, whatever it takes, rather than pull the whole 'I will perish but at least not lose my human decency uwu' thing. For most people, choosing the latter feels like an axiom and they don't need reasoning to why it is "the only acceptable way", but for this type of high IQ investigators not necessarily so. Because hooooow many tiiiiimes you fuckers need an evidence that huge intellect caaaaaan be as much of a cuuuuuurse.

But, again, Bloodborne setting is less obviously... that. Dark Souls IS doomed, yes. Bloodborne is, like... well, he is (presumably) stuck in the city that will wither under endless cycle of the hunt no matter what. So I speculate his problem (and many other characters') is witnessing the knowledhe humans were not meant to see - and losing the sight of worth of his humanity as a result. Again, the smarter you are - the more damaging this effect will be! More simple-minded people would be able to withstand the comprehension of futility of humanity and the cyclic trap that deems both beasthood and Kinship meaningless because "but humanity is still important just because". (Also love how Bloodborne itself addresses this complexion by the fact that the higher person's Insight level is, the stronger Frenzy damage they take!)

__________________

Basically, what I am saying is, this is a "satisfying" fate for Micolash by common logic.. But I personally would rather either let the guy die a real death, or let him be reborn into something else. His setting and the things he learned make his pursuit to transcend humanity at all cost not only fair in my eyes, but even couragerous, in a way. Actually.....

^^^ what really skewed my perspective on most of the Soulsborne's "war criminals" was Miyazaki himself perceiving Fauxsefka as a heroine xD I was instantly able to decipher it as the fact that her courage is doing a 'morally reprehensive' thing (turning people into cosmic Kin) for the greater good (so they lose any chance to become the beasts instead). Not everyone will "dirty" their own hands for some greater idea. But, yeah, Micolash is likely not 'heroic', as he simply cared for helping himself. The only other Mensis scholar we know of is Damian, who actively works against Mico's goals (which is very telling); the other participants of his ritual are prisoners (damn, Miyazaki, can we go against the dilemma of "deciding for everyone else" for ONE game??).

I am glad that you've found a resolution for Micolash's arc that is very satisfying and exciting for you, though! This sorta thing always feels cathartic!