#crafty whatnots

[crowtoed]

Always grab an extra skein of thread, all. You WILL run out on the last wheat stem.

[crowtoed]

Hey there! So yeah- I was inspired by Morgan Donner to make an ironing station because piddly-ass tables weren't cutting it.

I started with an IKEA Bror cart as the base, assembled without the casters. You could use just about anything as a base though, as long as it's sturdy. Morgan Donner used a slightly busted dresser, I've seen people use smaller tables or bookshelves. You just want to make sure it's not going to be obnoxious to bend down to iron on. I got a 36 by 48 inch sheet of plywood and covered it with 6 layers of cotton batting, a layer of muslin, then a layer of ironing board cover fabric, then my final layer of cotton ticking. It's important that you stretch each layer as taut as you can manage because the fibers will relax.

We were going to drill L- brackets in to connect the board and wooden top of the Bror, but the plywood is heavy and my base is broad enough that it doesn't move when I'm working. The shelves are perfect for storing my pressing and turning supplies and I don't get a backache ironing long lengths of fabric or hems. Some folks will make their boards smaller to go over tables or kitchen counters if they don't have room for a dedicated pressing station.

I cannot remember if it was you or someone else who had an ironing table (instead of a standard ironing board) but if it was you, how did you make it and out of what materials?

also, any thoughts on Brimfield for someone who's never been before? are there any particular things you see a lot of there? or is it really just EVERYTHING?

finally, your cats are so cute and i want to squish them every time i see them on my dash. <3

Yeah! It was my partner @crowtoed who took an IKEA work table and turned it into an ironing station. Tagging them to break down how they did it. :)

Brimfield rocks, it's truly a bit of everything, because it is multiple antique shows ("fields") happening simultaneously on the same strip of road. I park at the church by 7am, so it's easy to find my car again. If you arrive after 7am, you will not find parking on the main drag, so be prepared to walk. (Traffic is intense.) It isn't worth paying for early bird access to the fields that charge, imo, go back another day when they convert to free admission. Bring plenty of water, prep for about 5-7 miles of walking, and dress for the weather. I take my backpack with some towels so I can wrap up anything fragile.

As for the cats, I will give them a squish for you. Or a poke, for the moment.

[delirious-donna]

I finished the ATLA fire element cross stitch so now it’s officially time to get my threads sorted for the Nanami cross stitch.

[jlf23tumble]

hi Jen, what's your uo on Louis and Oli playing Sudoku? Who do you think always wins between the two??

My UO is that all anonymous receipts are bullshit and made-up, but if you're gonna do it, do it in an amazingly wonderfully sweet human way, I'm down for it! As for who wins? Who do you think, it's gotta be Mr 3-6-9 himself lmao

[venussaidso]

Rewatching Destined With You and it's actually not as bad as I remember it to be. It's not perfect but it's actually engaging and wholesome; it's also a nice little display of an archetypical dynamic between a Mercury nakshatra native and a Ketu nakshatra native. Ashlesha-Magha, to be specific. Both completely their nakshatras' stereotype if you watch.

The Ashlesha is a highly educated, wealthy, "cold" lawyer who has been cursed from generations and he meets a lonely quirky Magha civil servant who discovers that she has ancestral powers in witchcraft (couldn't get any more Magha than that). Both are into occult knowledge, the Ashlesha more than the Magha.

The gag is they're both tied by destiny and have unresolved karma starting from lifetimes ago WHICH COULDN'T GET MORE OBVIOUS THAN THAT SINCE THE GANDANTA POINT IS ONE WHERE THE WATER SIGNS UNTIE THE KARMIC KNOT (where all karmas/generational curses & blessings last stand as I've so briefly touched on in my Revati/Mercury Dominant Themes exploration) AND FIRE SIGNS ARE WHERE A NEW KARMIC KNOT TIE. The Ashlesha native's curse has been passed down through family generations and it is he, the Mercurial, who decides to end it in his current lifetime. But not without the help of the Magha native who, SPOILER ALERT, was the one who cursed his ancestors (yes the ketuvian being the one to tie a new karmic knot and whatnot YA GET IT NOW???).

Anyways this post is kinda overhyping this specific plot, I'll have you know the drama is more romance-centric and this story doesn't hold a lot of weight. I just find it awesome that they casted the perfect nakshatra natives for these roles. On point ASF.

Didn't I once make a post about gandanta nakshatras just being drawn to each other? Must be a heavily karmic thing going on, especially where there's that gandanta knot. Also they kinda look alike ngl. Especially them Revatis and Ashwinis mm mm.

EDIT: LMAOOOO I JUST REALIZED MY GRANDPARENTS ARE LITERALLY AN ASHLESHA X MAGHA DUO AMEN!!!! Grandma was a famous preacher who had the streets wrapped around her finger, very cult-like, which isn't surprising as Ketuvians have the power to ignite a cult around them. Grandpa was resourceful and very crafty which is Mercurial as hell, he moreso followed her lead though.

[audreyscribes]

PJO ROMAN DEMIGOD HEADCANONS:👟 MERCURY: GOD OF TRAVEL AND COMMERCE, GOD OF MERCHANDISE AND MERCHANTS, THIEVES, MESSENGER OF THE GODS ✉

Author’s Note: Out of everyone, writing the Mercury kids was so hard. Not because of what to do but literally Mercury's aspects are so restricted in the sense of how New Rome and Camp Jupiter is run. ROMAN DEMIGODS H/CS MASTERLIST LINKS: [TUMBLR] // [AO3]

So unlike Hermes, where the Greeks saw him as crafty, cunning, and resourceful hence the whole trickster aspect, the Romans saw Mercury more of a god of commerce and trade. So as a legacy of Mercury and a child of Mercury himself, there’s more pressure for them to be good with finances and trades, then being a trickster. Especially in a Roman camp where they value discipline, they see tricksters as pranksters and aloof then cunning, therefore believing it is harmful to the integrity and structure of the Roman military and see it as a nonsense; which they will immediately double down anything trickster and doll out punishments to cut off any thought of joking around. If you have a joking personality and whatnot, you have to suppress that part of yourself because once your superiors know you have the blood of Mercury in you, they will be harder on you and the punishments will be unfair.

So don’t be surprised if you see a lot of children of Mercury being the opposite personalities then the children of Hermes. It’s not because it’s inherent, but their environment making them sour and serious. However, like Larry who was sceptical and judgemental and stern in the beginnings of the books, once given the opportunity to be free, he is goofy and lighthearted like their Greek counterparts. Don’t let yourself be squashed by others so you can fit the mould; you’re just as quick footed and free like Hermes and Mercury should be.

Otherwise, everything else seems pretty much the same with Mercury with Hermes. In terms of Roman use though, there’s more emphasis on Mercury children being communicators and on the battlefield, you’re either shouting orders to the legion or you’re running communication lines. If there’s ever a time to see a child of Hermes/Mercury running on the battlefield, it’s this. You’ll be zooming across the battlefield, bopping and weaving through your obstacles with letters and messages in hand. 

And in the senate, the trickster side of Mercury still shines through as your silver tongue allows you to have sway in the meetings, and you remember every meeting because after all, Mercury is still the god of Merchants, Thieves, and Messengers; you remember every transaction regardless its form and you know its value better than anyone.

[swimmingferret]

would you recommend infinity nikki as a game? i heard it's got like, loads of micro transactions and stuff since it's a gacha/lootbox game

Well the base game is entirely free with no paywalls anywhere and you don't actually have to buy anything. Like if you want certain outfits you really like sure, but you get enough crystals while exploring and doing the special events you don't need to unless you're one of those 100% perfectionist types and even then if you're crafty you prob don't need to do it. I don't mind buying stuff now and again but that's 'cause I got disposable income lol. It just means you'll need to do more grinding for items or crystals but it's actually fairly easy enough to do. I actually found the fact you have to play it constantly online as more annoying than the store.

The base game has more than enough content for you to ignore the store entirely. The game is also good if you like open world exploration and dress-up games, which I both like so I've been playing it a lot lol but yea, store is not essential. I just like this game a lot cause it's cute and pretty and open world like Portia and whatnot

[thevalkyriesshadow]

what is the first gift that azriel and gwyn get each other for solstice?

OH GODS

ok so in a fic I wrote, Gwyn gives Az this little magical item that projects the starry night sky for any night of the year, and I really fell in love with that idea BUT I also think any books on topics he's into or is curious about is definitely something she'd get. Or Az always talks about the Rhys' planetarium so she gets Az one (but cooler cuz she added that one theorized planet they read about) and it just makes it that much more special

BUT I could totes see her getting a silly, thoughtful gift like an elaborately decorated box for his shadows, it's super crafty and intricately made but it's literally just a box with tiny pillows for the shadows to sleep in, as if they're cats who need a soft, cozy place to curl up LOL

In the same fic I wrote that Azriel would have the House create a secret room just for them that was half library/lounge, half mini training ring, but I could also see Az getting her her own set of training leathers, not Illyrian, but custom made, with all the bells and whistles like places to hide her daggers and other various weapons

And just like Gwyn, I could see Az getting something goofy for her like Pegasus slippers and matching robe (complete with a Pegasus head hood and wings), or a "special" addition of one of her favorite books but it's really just one of her favorite books reprinted to change a word in it - so the female and male leads in a romance novel would now have their names or she once couldn't remember the word for water and she called it "hydration liquid" so that's the word he had changed in her favorite pirate adventure book

It really could go either way because they're friends first and they have little inside jokes and whatnot, but they're also super thoughtful of each other's wants and needs.

[skitariiposting]

A rant about roleplaying and taking advice from goblin eratta

Look, look, I get it. D&D is famous for its goblins and whatnot. But trust me when I say, pathfinder goblins are so much better art wise and writing wise than D&D's.

For example:

This is the D&D monster manual illustration for goblins.

Firstly, orange, chunky, this guy's has the aura of "might attempt tactics" about him. He looks more like he'd try and throttle you rather than run in fear at the sight of a large sword. The head is oddly shaped as a goblin's head should be, but it looks more lumpy warrior face than gobliny. The armor is far too organized. The ears are droopy and smooth. This is not goblin, this is a small ork at best.

Yeah they've got a brief section explaining the hobgoblins and bugbear relations, a little bit about goblin language, but not much as far as flavor text.

Now pathfinder goblins...

These are the quintessential goblin.

Green, scrawny, cowardly, chaotic, looks like they scrounge their clothes from local landfills, oblong football head, big ol' perky pointy goblin ears; *chefs kiss* perfection.

Pair that with the tidbits of goblin lore from pathfinder and ough you've got something good going on.

They are afraid of and have a burning hatred for horses. They typically wield 'horse choppers,' basically big cleavers or axes, instead of daggers or shortswords like in D&D.

One of the few occasions they'll organize and come up with plans is if they're pulling pranks or massive attacks under the command of a warlord or leader, of which they will occasionally get on accident.

They don't have to be bound to a leader, though, sometimes goblin bands can manage just with cooperation alone.

Goblins are crafty little buggers, laying traps and building ramshackle contraptions to get the jump on their foes. They prefer going for sneak attacks or surprise attacks over head on combat. They know they can't win a fair fight, so they fight unfair.

If you invade a goblin dwelling, they'll usually retreat on sight, but not always because of cowardice. Sometimes, they do so to lead you into their traps or to get you into a bottleneck. They can come up with strategies, but usually only if it's below the belt and breaks all the rules of engagement.

War crimes and chaos, if they aren't committing one of the two, they must be defective goblins.

There are occasions in the pathfinder modules where it encourages the DM to have the goblins get into antics over attacking the players. One such example is during a fight at a festival, it reccomends having some of the goblins focus on the festival food over the potential threat of the player characters, since they'd find the food much more important.

Some I came up with include swinging from ropes and attempting to grab players' hats, hoods or helmets, having some attempt to crawl into the clothes of the players instead of attacking, or even just crawling and wallowing all over them like opossum babies. My personal favorite and what got a huge laugh out of my players was having one find a big cast-iron stew pot and putting it on its head. It made it blind, but it also gave it more armor, making it sort of run at the characters to attack but not being able to hit them because it couldnt see, and the swords and maces bouncing off the pot due to the additional armor made it difficult to kill him. Pair that with the constant deafening the goblin would endure with the "bong" sounds any impacts would make, causing it to panic and run around more, bumping into walls and people alike.

What I love about these little tidbits of fight modifications is that it exemplifies the "combat doesn't mean roleplaying is over" factor many players and DM's either have never considered or just miss entirely. Many people complained that "man, if only combat in D&D was like the movie," and to that, I say: it can be, if you stopped being boring and made it that way! Describe what your character does! Add flavor to it! An action is 6 seconds. You can do so much in six seconds while still attacking! Describe the actions you take! Take free actions to do little flairs or flourishes! Show off! Fight with elegance, fight with brutality, fight with conniving, fight with confidence! Spend an action doing something in character instead of attacking! Yes, it's not efficient, but it's more interesting and entertaining to take a fall for a storytelling moment instead of spending yet another turn attacking. Flawed moments are far more interesting than constant perfection, that's why you use dice instead of always having a nat20 every turn. Use the failures to your advantage, show how your character reacts to a bad situation or rough luck!

Don't just spend the time in between your turns waiting for yours to roll around. Instead, be planning the sick ass thing you'll do if the dice allow you to, or the reaction to the adversity if they don't! And, sometimes, break away from the "I swing my sword, I cast a spell, I eldritch blast" combat! Push enemies off of elevations with the push action! Flip a table over to get cover from spells and ranged attacks!Grapple them to make it easier for your team mates to hit them or use them as a human shield! Grab a big rock off the ground and chuck it at someone! Cast a spell that doesn't just do damage!

Broke:

"You shoot a fireball at the thief as he attempts to escape."

Woke:

"As the the thief runs, I go to launch the fireball at him, but notice the mirror to the left of me. My narcisim gets the better of me, and I end up taking a second to check my hair. Ah yes, dashing. Oh, wait, I was doing something. I manage to tear myself away from the mirror long enough to barely catch the thief in my fireball as he attempts to flee."

So, I say all that to say this: players and Dms alike, roleplay during combat! It's a roleplaying game, not a roleplaying game+formulaic tabletop war game any time there's combat. And hey, if you ever find yourself needing inspiration on how to make fights more interesting in your tabletop games, grab a couple low level modules off Paizo, and read up on Pathfinder goblin scenes, they pay extreme dividends.

[zeejeythedoodler]

OC-tober day 4: under-appreciated oc

(also a long tirade about weird birds)

Alright so I'm gonna be honest this one's still simmering atm. But yeah, here's Clod (thon/thons) In all thons 2005 Bratz doll fashion glory.

Thon's not underappreciated as much as underdeveloped, but ehh, I do what I want.

Full name: Clod Brine

Species: twig spider/whip spider (A. Colubrinus)

Age: adult.

Very crafty. Likes to sew and whatnot. Also thon's a pretty decent cook. Kind of timid. Reclusive, but not unkind. Fully understands Labric (the dominant language in the world of Cibarium), but never speaks (except occasionally in writing and gesturing) for reasons only thon knows.

As previously indicated, thon shares a house in the third circle of Cibarium with Atom and Val, and Ara moves in during the course of the story. Ara and Clod don't get along particularly well, on account of she's extremely freaked out by Clod's pet cov, Peat:

(note the disparity between the pictures. I really need to update Clod's ref)

What is a cov, you ask? Well, to explain covs, first we'll have to talk about parallel universes corvons. What are corvons, you ask? Well...

(this is a very old and slightly bad sketch, but I hate redrawing things so here you go)

Corvons are the reason every city in Labrum is underground, high up, or surrounded by heavily guarded walls.

They're heavily evolved versions of the crows of our current era, whose wings have developed into walking legs to support their weight so they can use their feet to manipulate tools. Although this adaptation has effectively grounded them, they more than make up for the setback with their human-like ingenuity.

Covs are the domesticated descendants of corvons who decided to see bug people as friends instead of food. Their wide variety in size and shape made them practical as work animals, and some of the smaller varieties were once extremely popular as household pets. They've fallen out of favor in recent years, however, and the feral ones that haunt many a back alley are often regarded only as vermin.

Peat is one such vermin. Clod rescued him as a fledgeling and taught him to speak. I mean literally speak. He's not great with grammar, but he knows enough Labric to make decent conversation. (Usually about food, and the general location of said food, and how soon the food can be eaten by him. Also, skritches.)

As mentioned before, Clod is entirely non-vocal, so when thon's having trouble communicating thon'll have Peat speak for thon. It's for this reason that Clod always has him at thons side. (Also, skritches.)

[angelswing236]

"Is this normal?"

Fictober 24 challenge

Fandom: Downton Abbey

Fanfiction

When Jack Schofield, one of the under-gardeners, sidled up to him as he was outside sneaking a crafty fag, Thomas was completely unprepared for what he was going to ask.

‘All right, Thomas?’

‘What do you want?’ Thomas asked, side-eyeing him.

‘I want you to look at something for me.’

‘What?’

Schofield flipped up the back of his jacket and bent over, beginning to undo his belt.

Thomas jumped away, gaping at him and then casting desperate glances over his shoulder, praying nobody was about to come into the yard. ‘What the hell are you doing?’

‘Showing you the thing I want you to look at,’ Schofield replied, unperturbed as he dropped his trousers a bit and tugged his underwear over his backside. A huge, angry red boil stuck out from one of his cheeks. ‘Is this normal?’

Thomas gaped again. ‘Why the bloody hell are you asking me?’

‘You were RAMC, weren’t you?’

‘Yes, but I was changing bandages and whatnot, not peering at men’s arses!’

‘Aye, but you know stuff, don’t you? Medical stuff and such like. So, is this normal? Cos it hurts like billy-o.’

Thomas shot another look at the back door and then came closer, examining the swelling. ‘Looks like a boil. Bloody big one, too. Don’t think I’ve ever seen one that big.’

‘Should I squeeze it? Get the badness out?’ Schofield asked, peering over his shoulder, trying to get a look at the small red volcano on his backside. ‘I tried last night but, Christ, did it make my eyes water.’

‘No, don’t do that. You’ll likely get an even worse infection. Have you got a salve you can put on it? Disinfect it first. A clear alcohol rub would be best.’

‘Alcohol? On a pimple? Waste of good grog that is if you ask me.’

‘That’s more than a pimple, Jack. And I said clear alcohol, not bloody rum.’

‘Well, where do I get that?’

Thomas sighed. ‘We’ve got some in the house. Come back about six o’clock and I’ll give you some. And put your arse away before someone sees.’

‘Got any salve, too?’ Schofield asked, gingerly easing his underwear and trousers over his painful boil.

Rolling his eyes, Thomas nodded. ‘I’ll get you some of that, too.’

‘Ta. Much obliged. One more thing. Can you clean it for me and rub the salve on?’

‘Oh, for God’s sake!’

‘Only I can’t really see it to do it and it’s not like I’ve got a missus at home to do it for me.’

Thomas heaved another sigh. ‘Fine, but make it 10.30 in the coal shed instead of six o’clock here. I can’t be touching your bare hairy arse where anyone could see us.’

Schofield grinned. ‘Thanks, Thomas. You’re a pal.’

‘I’m an idiot, is what I am,’ Thomas grumbled. ‘If Mr Carson catches us, he’ll sling me out before you can spit.’

‘I’ll buy you a pint. To say thanks, like.’

‘You’d better bloody had,’ Thomas muttered. ‘Two pints.’

[sweaterrat]

For the fankid ask game!✨

🧠: which emotional traits does your child get from you? which do they get from your f/o?

💬: what was your child's first word? was it a nickname for you or your f/o or something entirely different?

💕: which parent does your child tend to cling to? does it make the other parent jealous?

For our sweet little Marie!💜💛

HIIII MJ HIII HELLO!!! <333

for the first question, Marie seemed to “inherit” my ability to cry really easily 💀 it wont take much for her to start wailing. She’ll start crying if she has to eat carrots. she hates carrots. As for what she got from Donnie, she’s very creative! she’s crafty and inventive but not in a techy way. she enjoys arts and crafts a lot!

i feel like marie’s first word would be “Bepper”! or Pepper (Kat and Leo’s adopted kid) since she hangs around her a lot! Marie mixes her P’s and B’s a lot when she speaks. That’s why she calls Donnie “Bapa”! (Bapa was her second word. I was salty about that /lh)

Third and last question! When Marie was chick, she was really attached to me (clinging onto body warmth and whatnot! Donnie’s not very warm) but as she grew up, she got more attached to her Bapa. I pretend to be salty and jealous but i think its really sweet how soft Donnie is with her <3 He’s a very good Bapa :]

Bonus

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #409

After writing yesterday's letter, I went downstairs to fulfill responsibilities – dishes and whatnot. I was very surprised when M prompted me into discussion. J seconded the desire for discussion between M and I. Though I was scared, I did it anyway, because I was asked. Though I was extremely reluctant at first to try to say anything.

In the end, after a lot of talking, tensions were resolved. For posterity, and for the sake of you potentially being able to learn from our fail, I will attempt to describe the mechanics of what happened since Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, J specifically requested for M's time for a Board Game Testing group that meets once a month at a local board game cafe. J and I initially scoped out the Board Game Testing group some time ago and we were relatively confident that M would enjoy participating, despite his introversion and social anxiety. M is very passionate about board games, and he's well-versed in game mechanics. He's also highly intelligent and creative, and so he's amazing at giving relevant feedback and making astute suggestions and observations. He has also made board games, and so I thought it might be a good opportunity for him to get some of his tested. When we came back and told M about it and asked him to try it with us next time, he responded positively and indicated that it was something he'd be open to trying.

Fast forward to Tuesday. M had agreed to give J his time. J invited me, too, to act as a buffer between M and the other people there (due to M's social anxiety). But then, when it came time to leave the house, M suddenly backed out of going, saying that J and I should go have fun.

This was hurtful for a number of reasons. First, J and I are autistic, and sudden changes of plans feel like fire and pain to our nervous systems. Second, M has a long habit of backing out at the last minute; it was becoming increasingly difficult not to feel rejected and abandoned by him – as though M simply can't stand being near us. Third, since J had asked specifically for M's time, and M agreed, it felt like a broken promise and it felt like being snubbed.

J, feeling hurt and rejected, pleaded with M to reconsider. I was there, and I have learned enough to know that pleading is poor form; if someone says no, you respect it and you drop it, no questions or argument no matter how badly you feel. So I paused J with a, “Hey; it's all right.” Uncertain of what J wanted to do next, I followed up with asking J, “Given that M is not going (to drive home the point that he should stop pleading), do we still go to the Board Game Testing?” J stopped pleading, said no, and went upstairs to process his pain. I went upstairs to derp around on my laptop and work some more on my weird crafty project.

Time passed. And then we were blindsided by this from M in our group chat:

Given that J had specifically asked for M's time and M agreed, there weren't a whole lot of ways for us to read that first message other than a polite way of saying, “Oh and, by the fucking way, it's not even that I'm nervous about going this time; I'd just rather do literally anything else besides spend time with either of you.”

Then the second part came as a shock to both of us, because he initially indicated a month ago that going to the Board Game Testing event might be fun for him and that he'd be willing to try it. Still, I tried to keep an open mind about it and give him the space he seemed to indicate he needed... only for his third message to come out, which read to me as a polite way of saying, “Actually, you fucking know what? Don't even bother asking me to go out anywhere or do anything at all anymore. Fuck you.”

...Which was also, admittedly, a shock. I do recall asking at one point if he would simply we rather not ask him to do things, because, again, he almost always agrees to do something and then backs out at the last minute, which raises the question of whether he actually wanted to go in the first place, which would effectively mean that he's been intentionally lying to us every time he agrees to anything. At the time, as much as I didn't like it, I was prepared to respect it if he said, “no, don't ask to spend time with me anymore.” But he asked me at the time to still continue asking him out to things.

...So, suddenly changing his stance on that represented a change that I did not understand the causes of. And though initially I agreed and was prepared to accept... not asking him to do things anymore... I realized that “social outings” is very broad, and I don't know precisely how he is defining it. And also, I wanted to make sure that his change in stance wasn't the result of a bigger issue that he simply wasn't telling either me or J about. Worried, because for the most part, the only acceptable ways to spend time with M is board game, video game, TV, or going out to eat somewhere... I didn't want to lose, broadly, one of the few means of connecting with him that we do have.

So rather than make assumptions and run with them, I went downstairs to try to define what does and does not count as a “social outing” so that I can reliably do what it is that he asked for. I also went downstairs to ask him if something else was bothering him. So I said to him, “Hey; it looks like you're pulling away from us; is something bigger up?”

...And he got upset. He said something about my question being a “deliberate overreaction.” I was alarmed. In response to his anger at me being worried about him pulling away, I tried to explain, but he wasn't having it, saying, “I have no idea where you're getting that from”. I dropped that subject, given that he seemed very upset that I brought it up. Still, I tried to persist in trying to clarify what he means by “social outing”, since it was so broadly defined. And he spat at me, “To be frank, don't bother asking me to go out anywhere if you're going to guilt trip me for saying no.”

...Which also came as a shock, because... pleading is not a guilt trip. Asking for clarification on the next steps is not a guilt trip. He may have felt guilty because J was not hiding the fact that he was upset. But that is not the same thing as us going out of our way to make him feel small and worthless in various subtle ways. In the whole 9 years I've known him, I have never once seen J try to give anyone a guilt trip. That's not who he is. It's not how he operates. He and I have our disagreements from time to time, as any pair of humans do. But he's not some manipulative, horrible person who's out to get people when he doesn't get his way.

...Effectively, M was unable to separate “internal feelings prompted by the conditioning he got during his childhood” from “someone externally trying to make him feel bad”. And so he lashed out at me, because he was scared. I realize that now, because we talked about it. But at the time, I didn't realize that he was triggered. And I think neither did he. He's not perfect (no one is!), and goodness knows that in the past, when I was still trying to figure out how to be a human instead of furniture, he received more than his fair share of me lashing out at him for various stupid reasons because I didn't know how to manage my feelings.

For additional context, M's mother applies the guilt and shaming real thick when someone doesn't act in the way she likes or live their life in the way she likes; for example, when M told her that we now have cats, she bemoaned that now she can't visit us, as a guilt trip to make M feel terrible for having gotten cats because she's allergic, even though she never had any intention of visiting us. She's also quick to revoke love and approval while pretending externally that everything is status quo. Meanwhile, M's father has an explosive temper and verbally abuses everyone else around him anytime he faces even a minor inconvenience. I still recall one time when we went to Outback Steakhouse and he chewed the waitress out for not bringing the beer he ordered fast enough.

...M occasionally does a variation on these by which something will be bothering him, but he pretends to be okay. He'll also do a thing by which he seethes internally with intense anger, but doesn't say anything because he doesn't want to be like his father. The result is that he has a hard time being upset or saying no to things without him feeling like he's a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad person. So sometimes when those things come out... they don't come out very accurately. It happens.

...Conditioning is a powerful force. It's literally a physical object, manifested as neural pathways blazed through the brain. To defy our conditioning is to choose the path of most resistance. It is literally a thing that defies homeostasis and the biological imperative to expend as few resources as possible. I've been to therapy to help me through this process (initially at M's behest, admittedly, but now I see the value in becoming someone with mastery over one's own emotions and thought process). M, so far, has avoided going.

In any case. Seeing that M was struggling with J's pleading and my seeking of clarification, I tried to reassure him that J definitely was not trying to guilt-trip M; J was just feeling hurt and confused. M then proceeded to stare at me with a specific facial expression on – I don't really know how to describe it other than “withering”. But he also uses it for when he's thinking very quickly or very intensely. Unfortunately, my brain, in its state of heightened adrenaline, was unable to perceive the second thing, and interpreted the expression as code for, “you're full of shit.” So I said, “Well... I guess you don't have to believe me.” To which he nodded and said, “Mhm.” Taking that as confirmation that he thought I was lying through my teeth, I said to him, “What can J and I do to show you that we're not those kinds of people?” And the response was, “I don't know.”

Not knowing what else to do, and taking from this interaction the notion that my words aren't worth anything to him, and that further attempts to engage in basic relationship maintenance will result in additional accusations of “deliberate overreaction”, I smiled, bowed, and retreated upstairs to work more on my crafting project.

Later, J, after processing his feelings, wrote a LOT of words about what was going through his head. M also had words that seemed to indicate that he did not understand that what we were looking for was “time spent interacting with M that is not parallel play or passive consumption of food or media”, not “going to this specific event solely for our own pleasure”. So, instead of M interpreting “we wanted time with M, so going is now moot”, what he interpreted was closer to, “well, you're not doing what we want, so now we're gonna ruin our own time out in order to make you feel bad about saying no!”

...That's not who we are. But M has conditioning that makes him occasionally forget, especially if he's triggered or scared – just like crushing my skull into the floor is not who M and J are, but I have conditioning that makes me occasionally forget, especially if I'm triggered or scared. Just like sometimes I forget that I am in the present and not in the past, M also sometimes forgets that he is in the present and not in the past.

M keeps his stuff bottled up and handles it on his own most of the time instead of asking for help. And so... sometimes it's easy to forget that he doesn't have his shit together any more than J or I do. And that's okay; being a human is a bit of a learning curve for everyone. I have to do a better job of remembering that M isn't any better-adjusted than either of us. Though he has taught me a lot and I owe a lot of my recovery to his patience and support, I gotta try a little harder to remember that he's not some kind of paragon of anything; I have to defy the conditioning that tells me that I am beneath those I respect and admire.

M, still in the throes of his emotional flashback, said a bunch of things with very circular and roundabout and sometimes very mutually exclusive logic. Given his upbringing, he is VERY afraid of anyone being upset with him, the possibility that he did anything wrong, or even someone being even mildly annoyed with him. He has a pretty bad case of rejection sensitivity dysphoria, I think. And though he claims to have a good sense of self-confidence (though I doubt this claim because it is inconsistent with some of his other behaviors...), he tends to assume that everyone else around him is itching for excuses to hate him and scrutinizing his every move to look for even small mistakes. I think that's where the vast majority of his social anxiety comes from.

...So... naturally, he did everything in his power to try to prove to J and I that we have no right to be upset. Which I don't think is very fair, but... conditioning is conditioning, and... he hasn't worked on his, as much as he's done everything in his power to avoid situations in which it comes up. Sadly... avoidance tends to exacerbate C-PTSD symptoms, not make them better.

So we get stuff like, “I have felt miserable, guilty, ashamed, and angry since the moment you reacted”, with the implication being that it's our fault that he's upset because we expressed that we were upset, followed shortly thereafter with, “I will not take responsibility of your upsetness.” Which like... is mutually exclusive, because... he is expecting us to take responsibility for his upsetness, while also expecting us to be solely responsible for our own upsetness, which doesn't work, given the fact that we were not hostile at him to begin with; he simply interpreted implied hostility and expected that to be followed up with verbal abuse because he's used to getting that from his parents, and so he reacted preemptively to try to protect himself from retribution that was not coming.

When questioned about why his upsetness in response to our upsetness is our fault, he said something about having “complicated memories around family members being upset with him”. And... like... that also makes no sense, because I know from previous conflicts (and now from therapy!) that that's an explanation, but not an excuse. When I let my memories get the better of me, it is expected that I am held accountable, because it is my responsibility to apologize and do better, and... the hypocrisy felt like a knife, given all the effort I've put into rewiring my brain over the last 11 years.

Then we also get him saying things that indicate that he should not have to justify himself when he says “no” to things, followed shortly thereafter by him saying that if his “no” is not satisfactory by itself, then it's up to us to ask for his thought process. Which... like. The first issue is that we're damned either way. The second is that, though I understand that “no” is a complete sentence, given our closeness to him, asking to be let in on his thought process so we can understand him better is definitely not the same thing as demanding that he justify himself. However, given that he was still triggered, he was unable to distinguish between these two things at the time; his brain did an involuntary time travel to a place where if his “excuse” isn't good enough, he's gonna verbally get the shit kicked out of him.

...I was still mostly unaware that he was triggered. I feel pretty awful about that. So... I proffered a possible solution whereby if he feels the need to decline an activity, then it might help if he was more forthcoming when he does not like the proposed activity in the first place instead of pretending to be okay with it, if he gave more than a moment's notice for cancellation, and, in the case that he must cancel at the last moment, then perhaps suggest an activity that he would like better, to take place within the next 48-72 hours; given that what we want is “time with M”, any activity in which the three of us actively interact together will do. To my eyes, he shot my suggestion down by saying it shouldn't be his responsibility to proffer suggestions. Not knowing what else to do, I tried expressing what I am afraid of, only to have him, to my eyes, condescendingly invalidate every one of them and refuse to address them.

...I was still not aware that he was triggered and just expressing himself poorly while engaged in old self-protective mechanisms.

...Before I knew it, the conversation was over and by then he had shot down or invalidated most everything I had tried to say. Not knowing what I didn't know, and taking all of M's words and anger and accountability-dodging mostly at face value, I concluded, erroneously:

1. He's been lying to us about how he really feels about things – evidenced by saying “yes” to things when he really means “no”. 2. From there, it seems like he does not want to be near us, but doesn't want to tell us or admit to it, and so is getting defensive when we ask him to spend time with us, because he doesn't actually like us as people anymore. 3. If his feelings are our fault and we have to tiptoe around them without him needing to explain, and also our feelings are our fault and it's our job to manage them without involving him at all, then he must be at a point where he neither wants us to have anything to do with his emotional world, nor wants himself to have anything to do with our emotional world. 4. Attempts at relationship maintenance will henceforth be seen as manipulation, and any other words I proffer will henceforth be seen as lies. There's nothing I can do, no communication I can make that won't be seen as suspect to him. 5. I love him, so... if he wants me less involved with his life, and if he wants to be less involved in my life, then that is something I must respect.

Feeling despair at the notion that I have been relegated from “wife” to “roommate, begrudgingly”, I retreated to the art room to try to make it so that he doesn't have to deal with me more than he has to. From there, I spiraled into, “If we are roommates now, I should not impose upon him in the ways that I have been.” Given my employment status, he is the one who pays for my therapy stuff and for my ability to eat things other than ramen and canned food. So I was gearing up to make it so that I'd not be going to either kinds of therapy anymore, and I'd try to pay for my own groceries with the $60 per week that I get at the bakery, and get around by bike instead of using his car.

I earnestly wanted to obey what I thought he was asking of me. And given my own conditioning, it seemed natural in my triggered state to conclude that what he wanted was for me to keep doing the various household things without me asking for things, speaking more than what is strictly necessary, or being present when I am not needed.

...I am alarmed at how quickly I was willing to become furniture again. I am alarmed at how quickly my brain put me into a state of perceived helplessness. I didn't even question it. Goddamn, but old habits really do die hard.

Thinking my place was in my art room when I'm not in use, that is where I stayed, trying to remain productive. Applying for state jobs. Crafty thing. Rearranging my room into something I can be comfortable living in on a nearly full-time basis. I spent all of Wednesday and all of Thursday like this.

When I went downstairs on Wednesday morning to eat and to wash the dishes and feed the cats, M greeted me with a bright, “Hi!” I felt insulted that he seemed to be pretending like nothing happened on Tuesday night, pretending like he didn't accuse me of “deliberately overreacting” to manipulate him, pretending like he didn't think I was a liar. But... if my protests will be seen as more “deliberate overreaction” and if he believes that my feelings are solely my responsibility and I shouldn't express them in his presence, I didn't know what to do other than quickly and quietly say “Hello” back and go about my tasks without demanding too much of his time.

In the meantime, J kept asking us questions. He does not have the “furniture is only to be seen and to take up space when in use, and only to speak when prompted” conditioning that I do. I am not privy to what J discussed with M.

On Thursday night, I went downstairs to wash the bowls in preparation for feeding our cats. M prompted me to speak on what's bothering me. Still remembering “deliberate overreaction” in response to initially trying to clear up misunderstandings, and with the knowledge that he speaks insincerely (like saying “yes” when he means “no”), I figured the question was a trap or a test. I responded with “My feelings are my own responsibility; there is nothing to discuss.”

J came up to me and requested that I make a different choice. I asked him if he would really ask me to “put my hand on the hot stove”, metaphorically, once more, and that I would do it if he asked. He asked. And so I did.

And so I went to M and asked him if he really wanted to know what was on my mind as opposed to asking out of obligation because J badgered him. M said of course he wants to know. And from there, I kind of... exploded with everything I told you. I told him that after 13 years of being with me, being accused of “deliberate overreaction” and to be treated as though I'm lying is a knife - “I am a person of integrity, goddammit!!”, I yelled. It... wasn't my proudest moment. I started crying and everything.

...Interestingly, when I started crying, my body immediately tried shutting that right down. It's a little scary how good I've had to get at dissociating, thanks to my upbringing. It's scary, internally, the fact that I can pretty much instantly go from feeling intense helplessness and despair and rage all at once to feeling wholly numb. “Turn off the fucking tears before I give you a REAL reason to cry, you overdramatic little piglet!” is a skill that was viciously beaten into me, and... I kind of hate that even after all this time, I'm still not 100% free of it. When I'm very stressed, sometimes the dissociation happens automatically before I even realize it's happening, and my whole mind goes blank and my body soon follows. I've often had to do this while being hit, to such an extent that I don't react at all to the pain, and... the only way I know how to do that is by pushing the sensation of physical pain out of my conscious perception. It takes A LOT of effort and A LOT of energy to do and to sustain this kind of numbness to physical sensation. Sustaining this kind of numbness for emotion is, by comparison, super easy – kind of a cakewalk.

Thankfully, J noticed that my body was doing that thing, and used a combination of gentle touch and his presence to help keep me grounded and to stop my brain from pushing the emotions and related pain out of my conscious perception. Given that we were trying to resolve the conflict, it was definitely not a good time for my brain to shut itself down.

Over the course of talking with M, I was made aware of several things.

1. Because he was in the heat of the moment, the whole “deliberate overreaction” thing he said was worded poorly; his intentions were closer to, “my brain is doing its level best to convince me that you're doing something like my mother used to do; please help me.” Because he didn't go to therapy like I did, he doesn't have as much practice with linguistically speaking of the goings-on of his brain as though he's an observer. If we are the pond and our emotions are the fish, he does not have as much practice speaking as though he is the pond, and sometimes still gets caught up in what the fish are doing. 2. The weird stare he gave me when I tried to reassure him that neither J nor I were trying to guilt him was his “I'm trying really hard to think and process” stare. Because he was triggered, he didn't have the space to process that particular bit at that time, and so when I said, “you don't have to believe me”, he took it as “we're changing the subject now” and his “mhm” was supposed to express relief. The “I don't know” in response to my next question happened because he was genuinely baffled why I was asking it; we weren't on the same page. 3. The thing that seemed like pretending Tuesday didn't happen was actually his way of trying to imply that he's ready to talk. Just... I'm autistic. And so I don't catch onto implications well. I have to be invited like a vampire.

...With the notion that he thinks of J and I as horrible stinky manipulative liars dispelled, and with M no longer being triggered and engaging in his self-protective scripts, we were actually able to have a conversation. I have training (thanks to therapy) that helps me be able to still kind-of-sort-of mostly function even with adrenaline in my system; M does not have that training, because he has not gone to therapy. I am further along in the healing than he is.

So we talked, calmly, about the fact that what we wanted in the first place was just “time with M”, not “going to the board game thing”, specifically; M was genuinely unaware of that fact. We talked about roundabout things M said. The way he was talking in circles. The accountability dodging. The mutually exclusive expectations. The unfairness of the expectation that we are responsible both for his feelings and our own. The fact that he was not honest with us about what sounds like a fun time to him, or about whether or not he wants to go to things. I understand that he has conditioning that makes him think he's a very bad person when he doesn't do what others want, and when he doesn't agree with others, but... he has asked me to overcome my own same conditioning, and I basically told him that it is fair to ask him to do the same. He agreed.

At the same time, I will try to help hold him accountable for being truthful about what he really thinks of stuff; I will double-check. J will not plead if M says no to things. I will do a little better to remember that M struggles with his conditioning just like J and I do, even if he does not let it on. I... will also do a little better to remember that M gets scared just like we do, even if he seems to do his level best to hide it. I will do my best not to let my brain run away with conclusions and scenarios that are reflective of how I had to live in my past.

...Also. Once I have secured more consistent employment, I am going to expect that M will get therapy. He is scared of it, but we'll do it together; he's got a LOT of unreasonable beliefs and destructive self-expectations as a result of his childhood that he needs to work through (which I only just realized the extent of as a result of all this), and if he wants to be a healthy, sincere, and emotionally connected partner to me, he needs to seek mastery of his own mind and anxieties, just as I'm working on. It cannot be that I am the only one doing the work of learning and growing.

No one is a bad guy. No one is a villain. We were all just really scared and not handling it well. And given that our democracy is literally falling apart around us as we speak and we're all stressed about it, it's understandable that we didn't handle it well. We can give each other some grace.

Today was a normal day for real this time. M invited me out to lunch after getting fingerprinted for some project at his job that requires security clearance. We went to the local hotdog place; they sell natural casing mini-hotdogs, mini burgers, and mini sausage sandwiches, and eating there is a very good time.

...I wrote it down. I wrote it down to demonstrate how easily misunderstandings can spiral into bigger things as a result of the unchecked assumptions our conditioning tries to force us into believing. I try to demonstrate that even people who are consistently self-aware and actively working on themselves can still make mistakes; we're human. I write to show you that those who make mistakes are still deserving of love, grace, patience, compassion, and understanding. I write to show you that any conflict, no matter how world-ending it may seem, can be used to strengthen a relationship and build trust.

...And I write to show you that we can't run recklessly with our assumptions and beliefs because they're not always true.

Did you hear me?

We can't run recklessly with our assumptions and beliefs because they're not always true. It's a bit like running with scissors, actually; if you're not careful, you'll end up stabbing yourself or someone else with them.

...People of integrity live with their faults in the open and try to correct them, even knowing that perfection is not achievable. Even after 11 years, my body still will default to “furniture” type thinking and dissociation. These were my primary survival skills for 22 years; they'll never leave me fully. AND THAT IS OKAY. If perfection was actually achievable, it wouldn't be so much fun to chase after.

...My “fucked up” and “upsetting” life is still worth living, even if my old memories get in the way from time to time.

Anyhoot. I think that's about it today. More things happened – I applied for 6 more jobs (bringing my total to 27). I got a bunch of silly pictures of some of my cats. And I discovered a store called Fat Crow that has some teas I really want (I already have too many, I know... but I don't care! Bahahaha!!) But this letter is already getting too long, and it's past my bedtime and I gotta get up early for work tomorrow. So I'll tell you all about these things tomorrow.

I love you so much. And I love M and J, too. And I love the fact that earnest conflicts in which everyone comes together in good faith are blessings in disguise – ultimately, boons to relationships that serve to help everyone understand each other better, when wielded properly. Steps backwards are part of the dance that is recovery.

...Please make good choices out there, Sephiroth. Even when you fall down and get hurt or end up hurting someone else... just stand back up and try again. You have lots of hands out here willing to help you to stand back up. Just look at all of the people modifying the game files of the second part of your remade story, solely for the sake of trying to give you opportunities to wander freely outside, admire flowers, and pet baby chocobos.

Sephiroth. We love you. So many people love you. Please... please come home. We miss you. And no matter how dented and bruised and torn-up you think you are... we will help you tend your wounds. And when you cry to let out all the trauma of all the horrible stuff that happened to you, we will hug you and rock you and soothe you until you feel better. And we will keep doing that, every time the grief and the fear come back to you in waves, as it will do. I promise we'll be there for you. Just come home; it'll be okay.

I'll write again tomorrow. Count on it.

Your friend, Lumine

[goldninja91]

Epic: The Musical X Discord Murder Party

Does this count as an AU...?

I had a thought a while back about the Awakened being bored and deciding to put on a play of sorts. Yugo and Hailey are the ones who first come up with the idea, and Ezra is the one to tell them about Epic since, y'know, he's the only one who would know. Thorin would be all for it, and MG/Charlie would likely be on board pretty early, providing the sets and costumes and whatnot.

As for who's playing who... well, I have no reference for this, so I don't know if these would be wild takes or not XD I'll go in awakening order with the exception of Odysseus, who funnily enough won't be played by Vincent.

Ezra Crane: Odysseus. Why am I having Ezra play Ody instead of his uncle Vinny? Because I want to see him sing Would You Fall In Love With Me Again with Valencia I swear it'll be the cutest thing- That aside, I feel like his voice suits most of Ody's songs, and I think he'd have a blast.

Vincent Reid: Poseidon. Look, don't tell me you think Vinny wouldn't have a blast playing the big bad and get to beat up his nephew in song, you KNOW he would XD He'd also probably joke about this role being 'good practice' for his inevitable ascension into godhood.

Grace Garden: Athena. I know you're already imagining the lovely, lovely QueenCreeps belting out 'Warrior of the Mind.' Don't worry, I am too. Plus, I think that Grace could easily mimic Athena's demeanor given how into her role she can be in the murder games sometimes. She'd probably be reluctant at first, but I think she'd do great.

Tommy Gwendolyn: Eurylochus. Insert Cancer Arms joke here, I suppose. But I think Tommy could pull off Eury's more serious attitude and he fits his range pretty well. I don't really have much more to say, other than I think he'd love Eury's anime buster sword XD

Percy Blackwood: Polites. You knew it was coming. That southern charm just fits perfectly for the whole 'Open Arms' philosophy. Of course, it comes naturally for Percy already. Makes you wish Polites survived longer so we could see more of the little dreamer.

Juniper: Telemachus. This one might seem slightly more out there, but they do have similar mindsets. Junior's range also feels pretty similar, and he does like to lift others up. He'd probably really feel a kinship with Telemachus when he consoles Athena in 'We'll Be Fine.'

Valencia Lynch: Penelope. Being a princess herself, Valencia is a shoe-in for Penelope. Plus, again, seeing her with Ezra as Odysseus would just be too precious. Given her more naturally high voice I feel like she might struggle with some of Penelope's power notes, but I think she could pull it off.

Thorin Blue: Polyphemus/other. I'll be honest... this one is kinda for the laughs. I mean, having the child play the cyclops monster is rather on-brand for DMP, and I know that Thorin would have a blast. Plus, he could also have fun playing the Winions or other roles to sort of fill things out, because despite how mature he is for his age I'm not quite sure how ready he is for the spotlight.

Yugo Hernandez: Zeus/Tiresias. Given his naturally deep voice and talent for getting in character, I feel like he could pull off Zeus pretty well. He's a performer at heart, and he gives it his all. He also fits Tiresias well in that regard, I can already hear him belting out the last note.

Hailey Huang: Aeolus. I think Hailey would have fun with this character, acting all crafty and mysterious. I know she's a bit more rough-and-tumble, but I think she'd still get to do some of that in this role. Plus, I think she'd vibe pretty hard with the song.

Stephen Cutter: Antinous. I know that Stephen prefers to distance himself from his past and all the unpleasant details, but he does have the charisma to be able to pull off Antinous. Plus, he's the perfect actor and could carry out all his parts flawlessly, without needing to process Antinous's own unpleasantness as much.

Charlie: Circe/Scylla. OK, listen. Having the former Black Star and eldritch horror play a six-headed sea monster and evil sorceress just makes sense. But she also has a lot of energy that I can see matching Gigi's Circe in the way that she never sits still. It would also be really easy to play around Scylla if Charlie could simple use her godly powers to transform into something like her XD

Doctor McGillicutty: Hephaestus/ensemble. Doc probably wouldn't be as into it as everyone else, so having a minor solo is likely the furthest he'd go. He'd still help out, just less center stage than others might expect.

As for other major roles, they'd obviously be filled out with the Awakened being double-cast. People like the other gods, crew, and suitors would be swapped out depending on who was needed for what scene.

Hermes: I mean if Chaos God wanted to get in on the fun, he'd be perfect for it. Although I could also see Juniper or Hailey filling it out.

Calypso: I'm... honestly not sure on this one. Feel free to help me out? XD My top picks are Valencia and Charlie, because they have the best looks and voices to pull it off. I know Grace would have an aneurysm trying to be half as clingy as Calypso and Hailey wouldn't be caught dead flirting with anyone else even if it's a show, she's far too loyal.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts on DMP: The Epic Musical or whatever this ends up being At the very least, I hope y'all have fun imagining the Awakened in costume XD

[shiloh-ia]

"Uhum, exactly. Some, quite honestly, look just like ruffled chickens. Not even proper white." Was he overly crude towards his fellow angels? Perhaps. But Shiloh clearly didn't care about it, nor would he miss the opportunity to diss his kind, which probably left no doubt about the fact that he wasn't on good terms with the holy family up above the clouds.

"Modest too, aren't we? I'll give you this one, I complimented you first." Shiloh commented teasingly, his eyebrows shooting upwards with the mirrorwalker stepping away from him. Frankly, he found the reaction quite amusing, endearing too if he were to be honest to the core, but today wasn't that kind of day, so the angel stuck with amusing. Straightening his position, the heavenly creature fixed his lips into a pout with Lee Know's response, letting his wings drop deliberately to emphasise his disappointment.

"Oh, I thought you knew things. Because you see, up there," he pointed towards the sky, "They are pretty strict. We even had a curfew and whatnot." Not quite. "But I mean, I could teach you how to make a rosary if you feel crafty. But honestly, I thought you could teach me something. Cool guys like you don't usually make rosaries."

@leeknow-ia

[historia-vitae-magistras]

What was Arthur's most expensive purchase (either "ever" or "in the modern era")?

Also, I think this is in the spirit of the question, so I hope it's okay: does Jack have any "crafting" type hobbies (woodworking, knitting, etc.) or is he mainly into sporty/active stuff?

What was Arthur's most expensive purchase (either "ever" or "in the modern era")?

Expensive as in relative to emotional cost at the time, it was his first ship, in 1066. Sigurd and Harald Hardråde got their ass handed to them by Arthur and the Anglo-Saxons. Arthur and the Anglo-Saxons, under Harald Godwinson, had their arses handed to them by the Normans under William the Bastard. As it became clear the battle was going south, Arthur shot his last Anglo-Saxon king in the eye to spare him the torture of being torn apart by the Normans and fled to one of his siblings.

Of the sibling's inheritance from their mother (This is inspired by the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain), Brighid took their mother’s fibula (a brooch that was a symbol of authority) and her loom of fates. Alasdair inherited his mother’s spear and chessboard. Rhys inherited her sword and obsidian scrying stone. Arthur got her ring and knife. When it became clear the Normans had come to stay, unable to go home and unable to cope with this last string of shocks from the French invasion, he traded her ring to Sigurd for his first ship and sailed to Constantinople. Sigurd later gifted it back in 1940.

does Jack have any "crafting" type hobbies (woodworking, knitting, etc.) or is he mainly into sporty/active stuff?

Jack does a LOT of fidgety crafty things. He worked a loom with Brighid when he was very small and is still very good at tab weaving and knots. He’s forgotten and learned how to knit and crochet about half a dozen times, the most recent during WW1 when he was so full of nervous energy Zee literally had to choose between stabbing him with her knitting needles or showing him again because he was driving her insane. A friend bet me that I couldn't make chekovs knitting needles so they were in Jack's pocket when he and Matt were taken as POWs in Spring 1918 and used to murder their way back to their own lines. Alasdair taught him how to throw pottery in the mid-19th century, and he's been very happy with that for a long time. He can certainly whittle a bit and paint. Leatherwork is something he's done for a long time, particularly horse tack, bridles and whatnot. He is also very good at repairing musical instruments, particularly the piano Arthur ostensibly bought for Zee, but Jack always played.