#dark lord discourse (discussions) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rey-jake-therapist · 5 days ago

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There's a lot of discourse around shipping lately, treating the concept of shipping a female character (in this case, Galadriel) with a male character as "sexist". Those who say this kind of thing will argue that shipping is equal to treating the female character as "a side character" for a male character, who would be considered by the shipper as the most important character of the two. For the record, this post is inspired particularly by a Reddit post, but I've read these takes many times.

Excerpt of said Reddit post :

People in this fandom center Galadriels entire character around the men she interacts with. Every time she speaks to a man, there is a group of people who start shipping her with that man. It's not even funny anymore how some people here can't talk about her character without bringing up some guy who she interacted with. And this is especially frustrating because a lot of these discussions push her into the wife role. She is "married to Sauron" she is "married to Adar" the ring she wears is totally an "engagement ring". Even though there are two men who also received rings and I don't see anyone calling their rings engagement rings. And then there are some discussions that are downright disgusting, especially the "the stab she received from Sauron is a metaphor for penetration," and I don't mind discussing that. What I have an issue with is the romanticizing of that moment. Because Sauron also stabbed Celebrimbor, but people don't have an issue calling out how fucked up that scene was. It's almost like people are treating her like an accessory to men, when the show doesn't even do that. One of the strongest relationships in season one in my opinion was her relationship to Miriel. But I barely see people talk about that.

Notice how this person says with their whole chest that they're all for the kinky stuff, but not for the romantic stuff; this screams like a person who reads Saurondriel smut in secret, but clutches their pearls as soon as there are feelings involved because "uh, he's evil !".

To see the whole thread, click here. Notice that there are some very intelligent reactions to this claim, proving once again that Reddit is not completely lost. At least, this sub in particular isn't.

I won't start dwelling on the fact that this trend which consists in claiming that romance somehow diminishes a female character is getting very old, it won't be the subject of this post. Others have already breached this subject in a much more articulate way than I could ever do.

When people say they don't like that people ship Galadriel, it almost always means, "we don't like her being shipped with Sauron, yikes". I mean, let's be real : the most popular ship, is, by far, Haladriel. We're the ones being "sexist" here . Tbf with this person, they mentioned other ships as well so I will give them the benefice of doubts. It's also clear that they can't take a joke, because I never saw any shipper, being Haladriel or else, who was serious when they called Galadriel "X's wife", but whatever.

But even if we were serious, what's sexist about that, exactly ? If she's "Sauron's wife", for example, doesn't that make Sauron "Galadriel's husband" as well ? Why is shipping always called out for making the female character "an accessory to the male character", and never as making the male character an accessory to the female character ?Why is it considered reducing towards Galadriel, but not towards Sauron/Adar/Elrond ? Do the male characters gain somehow more than female characters at being shipped ?

The same question can be asked about the sexualization of the characters : it's always considered "outrageous" and "sexist" to sexualize female characters, even when it's done by women (which is almost always the case, in the context of shipping), but generally okay to sexualize male characters, why ? Because male characters supposedly have "the power" in the dynamics, based on their gender ?

I mean, I just find these ideas very reductive.

Now on the subject of Galadriel always being "connected to male characters". Well, first, sorry, but Galadriel doesn't get to spend much time around other female characters, in the show. And even in the books written by Tolkien, errrrr...?? This person mentions Galadriel's relationship with Miriel, that no one talks about. Well, I would love for Galadriel and Miriel to have interacted more, but the fact is that most of her interactions were with Halbrand/Sauron, in season 1. She indeed had an interesting connection with Miriel, but the show dedicated so little time on it that it leaves not much to discuss, really.

And in season 2, it's even more simple: she doesn't interact with any other female character. There's a female Elf in the company who leaves Lindon for Eregion, but the writers didn't even give her a line until episode 7, and when they did they killed her off 10 sec after she opens her mouth for the first time. If she had a good relationship with Galadriel, we have no other choice but imagining it. So, yes, we discuss Galadriel's relationship with men, because this show is very male-centric. And Tolkien's world itself is very male-centric, as a matter of fact. That the fans, and the shippers in particular, are blamed for that is really something.

I would LOVE for other female characters, albeit non canon characters, to be introduced in the show and to interact with Galadriel. I would LOVE Galadriel to have a female best friend, or even a female rivale, an enemy, a colleague, whatever ! And if I hope that Galadriel will return to Numenor, and I think she will because it was hinted more than once (her vision in the Palantir identical to Miriel's, and Miriel's promise to Galadriel that Numenor will return, which could imply Galadriel's involvement), it's also because I want Miriel and Galadriel to resume their relationship. They'd have much to talk about, it'd be great !

Now I'd like to discuss Haladriel in particular, or more generally, Galadriel's relationship with Sauron. Another thing that bothers me with this discourse is that according to this person and many others, too much importance is given to this relationship, wether it's considered romantic or not. "Too much importance" ? Hello ? It's literally this relationship that led to all the events that followed ! In show!canon, I mean, not in the Tolkien lore. From now on, everything I'll write will be related to the show!canon, unless I specify otherwise.

I find very strange, to say the least, to feel criticized because I talk about Galadriel and Sauron, while the entirety of season was built around their relationship : even before they meet, she's obsessede with him. They meet on the sea, she saves him, they are brought to Numenor, they're thrown in jail together, Galadriel insists he's a lost king, he says nay, then he changes his mind, they fight together in the Southlands, she stops him from killing Adar, he does the same with her, they share a moment in the forest, she brings him to Eregion to heal him, then boom, she learns he's Sauron, they fight, and he leaves. And yes, Galadriel gets to interact with other characters, including Miriel, but c'mon now : the first season of this show has made Galadriel and Sauron's relationship the center of it all. Not just Galadriel, no ! Almost everything she does and says is related to Sauron. Is it our fault ? Is it the shippers fault, if the story was written this way ?

And don't get me started on all the sexual and romantic innuendos, that the tenants of this discourse are always prone to deny. "There was nothing romantic in their interactions !", "They were just friends !", "they were just political partners !". Sure, Jan. These innuendos were definitely present, the sexual tension was always present (and for God's sake, no, it wasn't the actors who wanted to jump each other, it was A-C-T-I-N-G). The writers and the directors wanted the audience to think there was, at the very least, a mutual attraction.

In season 2, Galadriel and Sauron barely interacted but they were constantly thinking of each other, especially Galadriel. Again, is it the fans' fault if they saw that and commented on a relationship that was broken, and yet still very present within the narrative ? Is it the shippers' fault if the writers decided to picture Galadriel as an ex lover in pain because her lover deceived her (or a friend deceibed by a fake friend, if that's how you interpret it !) ? Was it the shippers' decision to doll up an Elf woman as a discount Galadriel, so Sauron wouldn't take a break in his obsession for Galadriel ? No, again, it was the writing.

And actually, it makes sense that the writing spent so much time on this relationship in season 2, and will probably continue in season 3, 4 and 5 even if some of you firmly believe that Galadriel "shut the door" for good on him and will never see him or speak to him again. Because we know, this time from the Tolkien lore, that Sauron never stopped trying to grope to see her and her thought :

“I say to you Frodo that even as I speak to you I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns elves, and he gropes ever to see me and my thought but still the door is closed.”

It was literally the showrunners idea that Galadriel and Sauron must have had a sort of a relationship, based on this quote. Putting Galadriel and Sauron in a situationship was never a second thought !

It was meant to be important in the show, and it will remain important, because if it was what started this particular story told by the show, and it will probably be what will finish it as well.

To conclude : I understand why people don't all like Saurondriel... I understand why these same people don't understand why they are shipped, it's perfectly valid. But blaming the fans, and the shippers in particular, for talking so much about Galadriel's connection with Sauron, is speaking in bad faith, or being media illeterate because the writers WANT us to talk about it.

#haladriel #saurondriel #sauron #galadriel #the rings of power #galadriel x halbrand #sauron x galadriel #trop #rop #trop meta

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arkus-rhapsode · 1 year ago

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I want to talk about Crimson Flower and 3H as a narrative

So... after FE3H discourse makes the round every other week, I end up thinking about it for a bit until I realize, hey maybe its better to not focus on a 4 year old game at this point and occupy your time with something else. Everything has basically been said about it at this point and you know where you land.

But this time my thoughts were just getting too strong for me to ignore, so that's why I'm writing this both get it out of my system and maybe just be another voice in the crowd that some people might want to listen to on the divisive topic that is Crimson Flower route.

Now I really hate that I have to put this disclaimer up front, but I feel like the well of this discussion has become so poisoned that I have to before I make my piece. I want to say that if you enjoy Crimson Flower, if you love Edelgard and believe she did nothing wrong and this is the right route, if you are a Black Eagles stan and you genuinely do not have any issues with Crimson Flower route as a whole-that is perfectly fine.

This will be a somewhat critical examination of the narrative choices about the execution of CF, which I feel like whenever 3H, specifically Edelgard is discussed, there is often very disingenuous arguments people make. Which I believe can create more defensive fans of a particular aspect of a story that we should be able to criticize freely. Which perpetuates this never ending cycle of discourse of legit criticism and defense against that criticism becomes drowned out by trying to decouple these very disingenuous claims from legitimate flaws. So I at least want to make it known that I am going to try my best to be in good faith with this post about this tricky subject.

I also want to just say, this is also going to be mostly an examination of narrative. The thing that I personally enjoy the most in an FE game, but we need to genuinely acknowledge that narrative isn't the only reason why people may like Fire Emblem. The ability to form parasocial relationships with fictional characters and being able to experience something the genuinely brings you emotional fulfillment is not invalid. Being able to enjoy fighting against establishments or ideologies you in the real world disagree with through the experience of a video game is not invalid. The same way someone who plays this game for the experience of gameplay isn't invalid when their primary enjoyment stems from the actual mechanics rather than the "logistics" of the story. The point I'm trying to make is that everyone will engage in media in different ways and will enjoy it other ways and that you don't want to invalidate those feelings someone had with their personal experience. So this is going to be about me and my experience as someone who primarily enjoys narrative.

I am just one guy with opinions who is going to layout what I had an issue with and how I think for me that could've been improved upon. You don't have to agree with me on that, and I'm not saying my way is legitimately better. This is all opinionated.

Buckle this is a long one

First things first Im gonna say Im not going to be using any information given in Three Hopes that may contradict what Im about to say. As in my opinion Three Houses came first and does not include the content from Three Hopes so I should think that Three Houses can stand on its own merits and the content that was provided.

Next thing is I want to catch people up on what in my opinion are the points I think CF did for me that ultimately left me unsatisfied

The post time skip Fodlan was too different and felt contradictory to Byleth's role

Edelgard's Characterization in CF in comparison to the other lord's in their respected routes

The role of Rhea

The role of Those who Slither in the Dark

SO the first thing is probably the thing I'm mostly going to have to defend if I haven't lost you already, but Fire Emblem Three Houses as a narrative provides us with a five year time skip in the game that depending on the route will change who is control of the monastery at this point in the war, with each route providing a lord the chance the forge their campaign. However, something I don't think is brought up enough is talking about the liberties that CF takes with their time skip vs the other three routes. Azure Moon, Verdant Wind, and Silver snow all paint a post five years Fodlan as one where the monastery territory has been abandoned, Rhea has been captured, the Alliance territory is split between an imperialist faction and an anti imperialism faction, and the Kingdom has been split with Cornelia making an alliance with the Empire to create the Dukedom of Faerghus as the houses of Gautier and Faldarius hold up the Kingdom.

There are obviously minor changes like Dimitri camping out in the monastery in Azure Moon rather than in the care of Kingdom Allies, but for the most part there is a consistently defined world between the three routes. However, Crimson Flower's post Fodlan is much different. With a grid locked Fodlan after five years with just the church territory falling under the control of Adrestia, Rhea wasn't captured and instead made it to Faerghus, The Alliance is still feuding amongst itself, but most importantly than all, Faerghus is a complete kingdom with Dimitri as King and no Cornelia's Dukedom.

So there are two main reasons why this bothers me.

The first is that Three Houses as a game wants to present you with three options at first, with the idea that your choices will effect the outcome of the war when Byleth returns, however there's enough consistency to imply that this is what Fodlan would be like regardless of whose House you would join, with the primary effect being your class making it to the church for the festival which in turn will make the monastery your new territory for which route. However, Crimson Flower decides to do away with the consistency, implying that the effect Byleth had on the situation is far greater than that of any other route resulting in a drastically shifted Fodlan. So this is more of a problem with FE3H as a whole with the consistency of choice. Fire Emblem has never really had a BioWare style choose your own adventure type of game. There's only one real choice you're given in the case of 3H and that's which house you side with, which you are essentially locked into. Black Eagles is really the only route that offers a choice beyond that with choosing to side with Edelgard or Rhea which will effect who the class sides with in the time skip. The reason I bring this up is that it essentially means that you the player are for the most part on rails for a predetermined plot where all the choices for the series have already been made. So the Fodlan post five years being consistent makes some sense as essentially mostly everything that happened in White Clouds was the same with the acceptation of the class. However, the Crimson Flower one not being consistent and being so radically different based on a game with so minimal choice feels more like an act of narrative convenience. That this is what happened because of a writer fully independent from me the player had decided that this is how Fodlan shall be for this story because it fits what they want to tell.

Somewhere I had once read that FE3H shouldn't be treated as one story, but since its a bunch of routes they're all a different universe. Everything might look the same but everything is fundamentally altered that you should accept it as an independent universe. And I can't necessarily say that's wrong as the concept of multiverses is to create a world/scenario that allows to explore familiar characters in unfamiliar settings and you could say that Byleth effect on Edelgard in picking this universe was just so much greater that it would result in such a different universe.

I personally disagree with that which brings me to my second point as I believe this one is going to be a more philosophical point on game design. But I feel like the effort to make three routes so consistent with each other with one so different seems to deliberately undercut the core themes of the game. Offering you a choice that this is who you get to spend your happy schools days with and it is what is going to result in them returning to the monastery one the day of your return. That is the true effect of Byleth on the characters. But as you play through white clouds you can't change what happens to other characters which will result in a brand new scenario. Byleth's presence can never stop Dimitri from going blood mad, Byleth's presence can't stop Claude from discovering the Immaculate One research, and Byleths presence can't stop Edelgard from declaring war. And that is a good thing for this type of on rails route story. Byleth while a player insert who can help their lord in the future, right now everyone is on a path that Byleth can only lightly change. With the characters acting independently of what Byleth and the player desire. And the post time skip Fodlan is a sign of that. Its Five Years without Byleth. This is what these characters would do, that they were always capable of doing and that is why Byleth's return and effect on them is important. This also gives us the ability to observe what a lord is like now after the war, and Byleth's effect on them but also see what a character could be like without that Byleth effect on them. Without Byleth Dimitri stays mad, without Byleth Claude always flees Fodlan, without Byeth Edelgard... well lets put a pin in that.

The only other true choice the player can make beyond the initial one is the side with Edelgard or Rhea which radically alters her. Which honestly feels kinda defeating in a game that has locked Byleth so much on a path and the one time it can deviate actively alters everything. It just feels very hollow as there are parts that make you realize how great the effect Byleth could have on people's lives could be if the game actively wanted to integrate choice with the plot. But it didn't. It wants to make one early choice then lock you in that route for several chapters then remove Byleth and then have their return effect real change on the future of Fodlan. Except for this one route. Its why Crimson Flower feels so much like an asterisk compared to the other route. And I don't just mean the lack of chapters, but this feels like a route that can only exist because it was the one that the developers bothered to create something overly deviating from everything else.

Which brings us to Edelgard's role in Crimson Flower as a whole. Now lets just get this out of the way. Im not going to be talking at all on the morality/realistic implications of what Edelgard is doing. I feel like the "Is she a fascist/authoritarian" conversation is not really helpful to talking about FE3H as a work of narrative and mostly exists to create a bunch of petty beef. This is also not going to be a deconstruction of ever minute detail of Edelgard as a character. This is an examination of her as a character in the narrative that we are presented. This will also involve comparison's to Edelgard and other series lords and I want it to be known that this is not a talking down to the only female lord in the game as being something "lesser" than her male contemporaries. I believe there is genuinely sexism when discussing Edelgard as a character, so I want to say that I am approaching Crimson Flower and Three Houses as a whole in a good conscious that there is not a "right route." That this is a game that where all choices have their pros and their cons. Because that's why we like this entry, right? That 3H would provide us some genuinely complex lords who were all capable of doing great and terrible things regardless of gender?

That's why I had such a long winded discussion about why the change in the post time skip Fodlan is so important both for narrative consistency, but also just generally keeping with the tone, but also it reinforced that Fodlan and its lords while all righteous in their own way can be dangers in their own way. Well that's when I return to the pin about Edelgard. So first I want to go through how the lords are characterized in non devoted routes.

Dimitri in non AZ routes is portrayed as someone so damaged by loss that his who response is to avenge and fight. To never stop making those pay for the damage it has brought on his kingdom as well as any lives lost during the tragedies in places like Duscar and Remire.

Claude in non VW routes is portrayed as a brilliant individual with a lot of charm but seems to be hiding something from everyone. He's a lot smarter than one could assume and that he has some mysterious tie to the kingdom of Almyra that he departs after leaving his land to the stronger kingdom that has come so far, be it Dimitri or Edelgard or the Church.

Edelgard in non CF routes is portrayed as a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Now I want to talk about what happens to those lords as you play them in their routes.

Dimitri in AZ is portrayed as someone burdened by loss and his quest for vengeance has led to a neglect for his own health and his own actions. That his kill everyone attitude will perpetuate more loss of those he loves and that he needs to learn to rely upon others. That is his true responsibility as king.

Claude in VW is portrayed as an individual who is outside of Fodlan's system who has observed it more as a third party and believes it can be a great place if people work through diplomatically. He too is not a fan of inequality and racism and wishes to make a Fodlan that is more accepting and able to work through negotiation. While he still leaves Fodlan at the end, this time he has been able to implement real systemic change and make one that is sustainable beyond that of a ruler.

In CF we find out that Edelgard is a traumatized girl who was experimented on for the purposes of Crest Research. This makes her a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Hey wait a minute, that's the same?

So this is where I get to the most glaring flaw for me in this case of narrative and why I think altering the post time skip so much did a lot of damage. Edelgard is a good character and a fascinating one, but in the practice of her narrative, her character journey in her own route isn't like the other lords. Rather she is "right" from the start of the time skip and with the world altering in ways to justify why she is that way.

Now look, I know right now someone could be saying I can't read, that its clearly stated in the text that Edelgard says without Byleth she may have turned into a complete monster to see her goals through to the end. This is referring to how in non CF routes she is on the backfoot getting beaten back and forced to take more drastic measures as whoever Byleth comes closer to ending her ideals. Unlike Dimitri or Claude there's not really a psychological arc she is working through with her sociological arc. Dimitri's arc is almost entirely hinged on him as a character changing in his route. And while Claude the character is also mostly the same, you get an understanding of how his continued participation in Fodlan's politics is so important as he effects sociological change. Claude also does the less stuff that could be considered questionable in Fodlan. He neither initiates the war nor does he intimate greater conflict that is tied into a character arc like Dimitri. Claude action's through the war are mostly to keep the Alliance fighting against each other with avoids giving one side a greater advantage. The truth is Claude real "flaw" is that by being an Almyra he is from a race outside of Fodlan that is inherently untrustworthy in society so his continued prescience in his expanded campaign is done with changing that mentality.

Now one could look at everything I said about Claude and say "well isn't that Edelgard though? She's not the one who needs to change but rather society needs to and this is you making it a fruition?" And I would agree however, then why did post time skip need to change and not Edelgard? So going back to the altered Fodlan, the Fodlan post time skip we see in non CF routes has what can be argued Edelgard's biggest moment of political conquest, making an alliance with Cornelia inside of Faerghus using her authority and influence to expand and bring over a chunk of the kingdom underneath Edelgard's wing. And this makes sense with what has been proposed before us-Edelgard had released a manifesto to lords that would side with her and become her allies in the war to come. This act of subversion is something that benefits her goals for conquering all of Fodlan. However, this is one of the key alterations in CF's time skip. Faerghus is not broken in half, with Edelgard having not empowered Cornelia over the five years. In fact, you do battle with Cornelia with her as a kingdom general.

So if Edelgard isn't a character who is subject to change, why did the world change? Well there is speculation in universe that perhaps Rhea fleeing to Faerghus didn't give her the ability. But I do believe the most likely reason is that narratively the writers of 3H wanted to avoid a scenario where while Byleth was gone Edlegard may have empowered and individual like Cornelia. One of the most objectively evil characters in the game. Now I won't go into to detail if I believe Edelgard knew Cornelia was a TWSITD or not, but as it is presented to us, she seems unaware. Instead I'll focus on the primary point is where they don't want to discuss that while in her route Edelgard was capable of doing something that would potentially cast her in such a negative light. After all, the point of her campaign is the while the bloodshed is worth it to make a new Fodlan free of crests, she's willing to show lenency to those who bend the knee. Again, an action not unreasonable for her character. However, I feel like this not happening in CF genuinely robs us from exploring the flaws of Edelgard's path/showing us what Byleth's effect on her truly is.

This is compounded by my issues with how CF is the only route in which you have an active choice beyond class. That by choosing to side with Edelgard when given the option in the tomb would result in this much radical history alteration. But also all of Byleth's effect on her not being as much conqueror over the last 5 years was all done pre time skip. That all that change was done at that moment rather than being something that prompted her to return to Garreg Mach where they'd remeet Byleth and then that would get them to claim it as a base of oppositions in their future war. In CF, Garreg Mach is already claimed rather than the formation of the Dukedom with no real progress. So it makes it seem as though Byleth's real effect on altering this lord's path was always possible in the short time they knew them before disappearing over five years. Of course this is again a bit miffling given that CF is the only route this is a possibility. We can't Change how Dimitri will act in the pre time skip. That he will make choices without Byleth even if they feel urged to remeet at Garreg Mach. But in the case of CF, Edelgard has apparently been changed despite the only real difference in white clouds fighting beside her in the tomb and against the church pre timeskip. But that has sociologically altered so much of Fodlan.

And maybe you genuinely believe that one extra change is enough. Perhaps that one extra choice is enough justification for such a radically new scenario. For me personally, I find that unsatisfying and feels more like the writers traded in a level of consistency for this new scenario that greater justified being on the side of someone who is portrayed as a more active antagonistic force in other routes (Reminder this not me saying the Empire route is an antagonist route. All routes are antagonistic relative to which side you are on).

This is where we get my first what I would've done to make it more narratively satisfying for me. Keep the same post time skip Fodlan as the other routes. Keep Edelgard having brokered a deal with Cornelia to establish the Dukedom and have Byleth find out about it. Be some that either Byleth or another character close to Edelgard questions the extremity of. Then have Cornelia do something evil like she's experimenting on people for TWSITD or maybe she's just abusing the power. Then have Edelgard clean it up. Have Edelgard realize that while she still wants to make her dream of a crestless Fodlan a reality she can't just back lords or nobles that are willing to go along with her for more power. She can still keep the Dukedom territory, but instead she'd be now more understanding what it means for there to be a ruler with a noble soul. So she continues her campaign of conquest but has realized that if she's going to be emperor, she can't just empower people arbitrarily.

In my opinion this not only would tie together some more TWSITD plot while also paralleling it to Edelgard's past and how there was no authority figure to step in and help her all those years ago. But now she is that authority figure. And while it doesn't call her method in question and like Dimitri and Claude she can continue her expanded influence over Fodlan, but now we actively see that Byleth has helped show her that her allies aren't just those pledging loyalty, she actually needs to empower those who are good. She gets to have her fight with Cornelia level and this won't stop her from killing Dimitri in the future.

Like I said, this is what I'd do. And in my opinion it would give Byleth's presence in CF more purpose beyond the bond with Edelgard is nice and fun. But also stay consistent with each route. Showing that there are flaws in Edelgard's sociological plan, but not undercutting what her actual goal is. You can still believe her quest is just and the only right one with her taking an active role in not making the mistakes she perceives Rhea as doing.

And if you are still with me up to my third point, lets talk about Rhea.

So Rhea as a character can best be described as a neutral evil throughout White Clouds. She doesn't really do anything but there is a lot of ominous foreshowing and presentation that Rhea may be up to something or at the very least complicit with many of her policies and tendencies. And when I say "evil" I don't mean she's bad (please don't skewer me Rhea fans). I mean that if the crest system is flawed and the church is emblematic of the systems maintenance of that flawed system. Then Rhea as the face/founder/head of that church bares some responsibility even if all she does is passive.

In all other routes, Rhea is captured by the Empire. Imprisoned in their capital. Anytime she is seen after she is characterized as somewhat docile or defeated, having been imprisoned for so long. VW goes a step farther to reveal what she did as Seiros and all of her actions leading to this point presumably all thanks to be imprisoned and rethinking her life over. CF is the only one Rhea is allowed to be an active player, she is now portrayed a ranting self righteous warrior priest who swears vengeance upon Byleth for being the reincarnation of her mother but not being a proper vessel as she intended and fighting against her. Naturally, if Byleth being the potential for the reincarnation of Sothis siding against her is what her drives her mad, that is believable, however much like the altered Fodlan Rhea in this version is not captured. This is now for Rhea to serve as Edelgard's true climatic opponent. With her symbolically killing the representation of the church and the power of crests being slain by Byleth and Edelgard. Its very poetic. But once again we reach my issue of the time skip altering so much in CF.

As stated before, Rhea was presented as a neutral evil, in doing so she's not really a direct antagonist in any route. Except of course Silver Snow. Where she is deployed as a weapon against Byleth. In this case killing the immaculate one symbolically is cleansing the church of Rhea and allowing it to pass into the hands of the new archbishop. However, Rhea in that fight is under control. Rather than be conscious as an opponent, they make her more of a beast without choice. Thus making this less a flawed character meeting their end and rather a forced confrontation by the evil cult of evil. Now Rhea I think being kept a neutral party was ultimately a good choice. We are given enough about her to understand she has done things questionable and should possibly not hold the authority she has. But she also has not instigated any open any hostility. As such Rhea is more a symbolic player. By making her an active player, CF has to make Rhea more domino and more a threat. She can't portray constant neutrality in a war. But by making her the active antagonist, it makes her less of a symbol and more if just a rotten character who Edelgard is justified in wanting dead. And much like Cornelia and the Dukedom, this alteration comes off as an attempt by the writers to never truly challenge Edelgard's plans for Fodlan. That Edelgard has no flaws in her plan and the bloodshed is beyond justified more than just philosophically. Had Edelgard captured Rhea in CF this would lead to some genuinely uncomfortable questions of keeping her a prisoner. And to 3H's credit they were actually willing to make the player uncomfortable already in Dimitri's route showing him as a mass murderer. Once again, I want to express this isn't me saying Edelgard's quest or goals are wrong and the plot should undermine it. This is me saying that for a game that wants to genuinely have nuanced and uncomfortable political choices made by their character, this is the route where they opt to alter the scenario so that Edelgard is the most justified and does less things that one could find objectionable. Flattening a lot of interesting implications this would raise and what Byleth as a force in this route could possibly able to influence.

Now one could again say, well the reason Rhea wasn't captured because Edelgard didn't use crest beasts this time. Edelgard not using crest beasts is a sign Byleth is changing her and thus that greatly alters the future. Once again, I can see that as understandable justification, but again, my issue off only ever being able to effect this lord pre time skip comes in again. If it was possible to get Edelgard to not use crest beasts, then how come it wasn't possible for me to get Claude to have Almyra support? How come I couldn't stop Dimitri before the war? The answer is again as a game the only other narrative choice that could possibly alter the story happens in CF which is the side with Edelgard in tombs choice. And while I'm not against the idea of angry pope Rhea, but I feel making her CF's full on antagonist was almost making a straw man antagonist for your opposition.

As an aside we also know Arundel is still on Edelgard's side and he is Thales so while she might not know his entire deal, I hesitate to imagine he'd stop using crest beasts in the war over the two years Byleth was gone.

If I was going to once again alter CF to be something I would personally find more satisfying. Have Rhea captured and then have Arundel use the same rage stuff he uses on her Silver Snow. This way you can facilitate an Edelgard vs TWSITD conflict AND you still get your symbolic victory of Edelgard and Byleth killing the symbol of the crests and church. Again, Edelgard is able to do what she wanted to originally, but now we are also confronted with the role TWSITD did play in her life and allowing her to rectify it as well as truly killing the old world by getting rid of Rhea and Thales.

And final point TWSITD. TWSITD are bad. They've always been bad. And they genuinely damage the overall story of CF because this is beyond just a narrative choice, its very clear CF as a story wasn't complete. I feel confident in saying that given the numerous chapters missing compared to the other routes, but also the epilogue needs to say "Oh yeah there was totally a bunch of war against them. Totally." I know this point is probably the least controversial when talking about CF, but I still think its a glaring flaw.

So what's the tl;dr?

This is not an "I hate Crimson Flower or Edelgard post" I genuinely have no interest in debating people about characters that like or enjoy. Nor did I want to turn this into a moral argument about the implication CF. I feel like these topics do real damage to any real criticisms one can have for CF as a narrative.

Which for me, CF as a route fails to really mesh with the rest of 3H as a whole. It feels like it takes a lot of narrative ways out to avoid potentially making their lord seem objectionable, despite much of this game wanting to be about how tragically flawed everyone is. Im not saying Edelgard needed a come to Jesus moment of "Are we the bad guys?" No absolutely not. In my opinion we just lack seeing Edelgard change the same way post time skip as others have due to creating an entirely brand new setting that keeping her as a mostly the same character is not questionable. Nor does she have to do anything that could truly be seen as flawed. Things that Byleth's influence may overcome.

Edelgard is a good character and her goals are understandable. I just personally find the narrative bending to accommodate her in ways so different from the other time skips genuinely make it a weaker narrative for me.

If you enjoy CF as it it. More power to you. Please keep loving CF. This isn't supposed to be a dissuading post. This is merely me as one guy who likes a lot of FE because of the stories it can tell sharing why he personally didn't enjoy this one. Maybe I helped put it words for some who might feel similar. But this is just my opinion

If you have something you'd like to add or reply in the replies or tags please flee free, but for the love god, please be cordial about it. There is so much toxicity and disingenuous takes around Fire Emblem Crimson Flower and Edelgard and Rhea in general, that I would like for us to please be able to talk about this in good faith.

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #black eagles #edelgard von hresvelg #crimson flower #rhea #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #claude von riegan #rhapsode rambles

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writesaboutdragons · 24 days ago

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365 Promises of God

Day 297 – Unless You Repent You Will Perish

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luk 13:3 NKJV)

Read: Luke 13:1-5

Ever imagine Jesus giving a facepalm? I sure do. I bet I’ve given him plenty of reason to have one. And today’s reading is no different. Jesus had just finished in Ch12 giving a discourse on being faithful to those put over you. Then he goes on to tell them that he’d come to bring division. And asks why they can’t judge among themselves rather than bringing each other to court.

These things seem random, but they are all connected, as we will see in a moment. The question that was presented to Jesus at this point was about a group of Galileans who followed Judas Gaulonites. Their sect believed that they had no sovereign but God, and did not recognize Caesar as king, refusing to pay any tribute or tax. They went so far as to endure suffering and death rather than call any man Lord. These men had been slaughtered by Pilate INSIDE the temple, and their blood had defiled the blood of the sacrifice, turning it into an abomination.

To those standing around, this seemed to them an indication of God’s judgement. They perished, and their sins could NOT be forgiven, because their own blood defiled their own atoning sacrifices. Surely God was condemning these vile sinners to hell, as evidenced by this tragedy. And frankly, the Jews in Jerusalem often thought those backwards people living in Galilee were bigger sinners anyway. Maybe Jesus was just like them?

It’s probable that this exchange was initiated because Jesus had discussed His own lordship in Ch12, and Peter had even called Him Lord. In fact, this word, kyrios, appears NINE times in Ch12. Would this multitude surrounding him call Him Lord? Eh, no, they missed the point to stab at him.

The men Jesus was addressing had condemned their brothers on circumstantial evidence. They turned the knife, so to speak, by pointing out that they were ‘Galileans’. But Jesus answers their question with a ‘question answer’. “Do you think these ‘Galileans’ were bigger sinners than all the other ‘Galileans’ because of this?” Normally, a ‘question answer’ isn’t rhetorical. But Jesus supplies the answer FOR them, because it’s critically important.

NO! They weren’t worse sinners than any other Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others for their misfortunes. Instead, look in a mirror and consider your OWN soul. Unless you REPENT, you will all likewise perish. Sadly, this was a prophesy and a promise. Because this tragedy DID happen to many standing there, in AD70, when Titus invaded Jerusalem to quell an uprising, and slaughtered a multitude there inside the temple where they’d taken refuge.

Jesus doesn’t stop there, though. He asks another question, much closer to home, about a tower in Jerusalem, overlooking the Pool of Siloam, that fell on and crushed 18 people. These weren’t ‘Galileans’. They were your close neighbors. Yet some random tragedy, an act of God so to speak, had happened, and killed them all. Were they worse sinners than all of YOU?

Again, he doesn’t leave the question unanswered. Away with your bigotry about the Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others. Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. And again, this is a prophesy that was fulfilled in AD70, when Rome, destroying Jerusalem, tore down towers, buildings, and walls, crushing the inhabitants of Jerusalem under the rubble.

Yet this sad promise doesn’t just pertain to the men standing there, does it? The statement Jesus makes here is critical for all of us to pay attention to. Hell is hot, and we are not. Unless WE repent, there’s outer darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and a lake of fire.

‘Repent’ is not a word we like. It indicates we’ve done something wrong. It tells us we are headed the wrong way, and need to turn around. Most of us would like to avoid that word. To pretend we are all ok, doing what we are doing, and that somebody else is the ‘bad guy’. But when we take a good hard look at the person in the mirror, we understand the truth. It’s only by His mercy and grace that we have any hope of avoiding the eternal ‘perish’ indicated here.

It's my prayer that this promise is NOT for any of us. But even if you, reading this right now, realize this promise is aimed at you, it begins with a sweet word. The word, UNLESS. The same word the Lorax left at the end of that Seuss classic, and it’s the same word left for you and me. That word gives us hope, that there’s a chance. A chance to avoid all that unpleasant eternal lake of fire. The judgement we deserve, but can avoid, through that simple word, repent.

This Greek word, metanoeo, is found 34 times in the New Testament, and each time translated ‘repent’. It means to turn around. Turn from sin to God. Agree with God that what you were doing was wrong. It’s so simple, yet so hard, sometimes. And everything depends on it.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for another chance. You are always giving me second chances. Lord, I repent of what I’ve been doing that wasn’t right and good and pure. Help me to follow you with all my heart, today. Amen

#christian #devotional #365 devos #365 promises of god #booklr #writing #chris solaas #repentance #faith #salvation #jesus #christblr

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vincentsims333 · 7 months ago

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Ephesians 6:10. This verse serves as a gateway to a powerful section in the Bible that discusses spiritual warfare and the armor of God. At its essence, this passage is a rallying cry from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Ephesus, encircling the theme of inner strength and divine might.

To envision the setting, imagine the Apostle Paul writing to a young church in Ephesus, guiding them through the complexities of their newfound faith amidst a world filled with challenges and spiritual adversities. It's in Ephesians 6:10 where Paul begins to draw his encouraging discourse to a close, voicing an impassioned exhortation that resonates through time: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."

These carefully chosen words pave the way to understanding that the source of our resilience is not within our own finite capabilities, but rather, it is found in the boundless power of God. The subsequent verses (Ephesians 6:11-17) extend this premise to the full armor of God, portraying a vivid metaphor for the spiritual defenses needed to stand against the forces of darkness.

Let's embark on a journey to decode the depths of this significant scriptural segment, as we explore how the timeless instruction to "be strong in the Lord" is not just for the Ephesians of the past, but a lasting beacon for us today, providing the key to enduring strength and unwavering faith in a complex and often turbulent world.

#bible scripture #bible study #god #jesus christ #jesus #proverbs

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gascon-en-exil · 10 months ago

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A bit late and a bit long, but to add to the Edelgard being sexualized post, it bothers this anon that nobody in the fandom is willing to acknowledge the issue with the developers making the ONLY female lord in 3h the one that no matter the route is unequivocally in love with/obsessed with the main character. A lot of people criticize the increasing avatar-worship in recent FEs, but Edelgard is almost never included in that discussion despite her being the biggest and most blatant (1/3)

example of that type of writing in 3h. Hell, compare how Edelgards obsession with the avatar is portrayed in fandom as a cute, awkward schoolgirl crush while other characters like Tharja and Camilla has their avatar-obsession near always be portrayed as creepy, unsettling and unhealthy. The FE fandom just does not view her like the other fanservice characters, and hilariously your original post actually contains a mistake that is an excellent example of this: when artwork for year four (2/3) of CYL was revealed, people were outraged at notorious sexy artist Cuboon for DARING to sexualize Edelgard by giving her boob armor - except thats exactly what her Emperor class outfit looks like in 3h. It was pretty funny to watch people near combust over this "blatant sexualization" when it was always there and they just failed to notice. I guess nobody who played CF actually used her Emperor class. (3/3)

Well, as multiple comments on my latest video are pointing out, dark mage/bishop being male-only doesn't matter all that much because those classes suck. You could say the same thing about emperor. *rolls eyes*

But seriously, I can somewhat excuse that reaction because the boob armor is a lot more prominent on her brave alt than on the in-game model.

That's just FEH being FEH.

Edeleth is a fraught topic no matter which angle you look at it. If you like or don't like how Byleth is a flat silent protagonist, how you feel about blatant Avatar pandering, which gender it's acceptable to ship Edelgard with, and of course the antis who call all Studentleth pairings grooming.

It must be tough shipping Edeleth sometimes and coming across discourse from so many different corners of the fandom...but considering how some of the ship's fans have acted (and continue to act) to me over the years, I find it very hard to be sympathetic. I believe I was being charitable in my Dimidue video when I called Edeleth - either M/F or F/F, of course - the most comparable pairing in terms of canon material.

#Fire Emblem

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diviningjade · 1 year ago

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you're here this early again? so diligent...

here are my rules! please abide by them, or i will block you. my roleplay boundaries summary is at the bottom of the post. apologies for the messiness of this post :(

general rules (both ask and thread roleplay)

please be respectful.

standard dni– do not interact with me if you are racist, transphobic, homophobic, etc.

please don't rush my replies etc. i'm a full-time college student and my free time will fluctuate.

do not download or use my graphics (banners, layout, replycons, etc).

no nsfw (i'm a minor). i'm fine with suggestive content/dirty jokes but outright nsfw is not okay with me.

do not negotiate my boundaries with me. no means no.

please do not send me stuff related to discourse/callouts. i won't post it, it makes me uncomfortable (but i will keep it in mind).

if i soft-block you, please don't ask me why i did.

please be patient with me. i'm pretty new to the tumblr roleplay scene and i am neurodivergent, so if i get something wrong, accidentally cross a boundary, do something you're uncomfy with, etc– please, please let me know. i don't bite!!

list will be updated as time goes on.

thread rp rules:

here's a general overview of my boundaries/stuff you should know: boundaries overview: nsfw: no do i write in lowercase: yes, unless if you don’t triggers tagged: yes (except for swearing, all caps/caps lock, self-depreciating/dark humor) dark/triggering content: maybe (see below for detailed notes) discourse/callouts blogged: no, see below for more details vagueposting: no do i post ooc/personal: yes (ooc/personal posts tagged w/ 玉 | aspen's ramblings) can personals follow: yes do i send passwords: yes are thread response reminders okay: yes block liberally: no (unless you fit my dni or break my rules) multi or single muse: single mutuals only: no selective: no crossovers: yes shipping: yes!! (multishipping okay) writing with duplicates: yes (if you're a mutual and you find this uncomfy, pls lmk) ship boundaries: no age gap, please ask me before shipping our characters length/style matching: yes (unless discussed beforehand) activity: fluctuates, usually semi active roleplay with ocs?: yes plotting: i like it, but if you don't have a plot, then that's a-okay (replies might be slower though)

and here's more notes:

i'm pretty causal when it comes to this stuff. i'll respect your rules of course but if you're looking for a serious roleplay partner, i'm not the blog for you, sorry :(

i will usually reflect your style. that is, if you respond with lots of text, i will as well. if you add replycons, i will as well. if there's anything you want me to do (respond with more text, no lowercase, don't use replycons, etc) please ask me and we can figure something out!

i have adhd and anxiety so my output and response time will fluctuate. please be patient! feel free to send me an ask if you're wondering about a response (but again please don't rush me ahaha).

i am comfortable with most topics except heavy gore and body horror.

i am comfortable with writing dark/potentially triggering content, except if that dark content involves characters that are canonically below 15 (unless they are aged up). i will only write dark content in dms/private roleplays with mutuals under 18 (as i am a minor as well and it make me more comfortable).

triggering topics will be tagged with "cw [trigger]". my catchall tag is "玉 | banned from the divination commission".

crossovers are okay!

i swear/use all caps a lot and dabble in self-depreciating humor, so that won't be tagged.

if there's anything else you wanna ask/want tagged, feel free to dm me or send an ask! i respond quickly (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و except during exam week lord help me

#玉 | navi

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azure-clockwork · 7 months ago

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Way to tell us your groundbreaking original opinion shared by only more than half the fandom in a "better than everyone" tone despite being an extremely surface level analysis.

Like damn, I'm not arguing with you and I'm sorry for the rude sarcasm, but you gotta understand that post like yours keep popping once in a while in the characters tag ( despite having all discourse tag and discourse-prone blog blocked ) when they don't add anything to the discussion. Three Houses is such an interesting game to analyze so if you're going to do discourse, at least get a bit in depth!

Because yes, you're complaining about the discourse but your post is just... participating in the discourse, just in the average "centrist" fe3h fandom way for a lack of a better word. If you hate it so much why add your grain of salt in it? You're the same as the annoying Edelgard/Dimitri/Claude you're speaking about! I mean at least some of them at least provide interesting analysis about the game within rant.

At least tag your post the next time, because even some of the worst lord stan have the decency to do that.

Sorry you got my rant, but your post was the drop that makes the ocean of badly tagged similar takes overflow my discourse limit. Three Houses discourse sucks hard in every form it takes. Still, have a good day at least.

Okok I did say I was asking for this so, fair

First, sincerely, how would you like me to have tagged this? This is an honest question to which I don't actually know the answer, and I'll go back and edit the tags cuz I don't want to bug more people (and kinda the only reason I'm replying because otherwise I feel like engaging is kinda not what I wanna be doing with my life nor yours, but sadly my brain doesn't shut its trap once I start thinking so I feel compelled to share with the class). Actually, you can skip the rest of this if you don't wanna bother lol

Secondly, I just wanted to be funny because I think that accusing fire emblem characters of war crimes is amusing. I recognize that the Geneva Convention sorta breaks apart the moment magic or crests or dark beasts or gambits come into play, and it's also not what people mean when they say 'Dimitri did war crimes' or 'Edelgard is a war criminal', but I think its hilarious to do anyways. When I see people making arguments about characters and using the term 'war criminal', roughly half of my brain starts laughing about how teeeeechnically using that one gambit with the poison barrels counts as criminal, regardless of if I agree or disagree with the argument made. And I'm memeing on myself here too (or at least trying to): "Jay is gay for Edelgard" is a truly terrible justification to base decisions of morality on . I'd argue that picking a house/the church based on attraction to the lord/Rhea is a sillier motive than a numerical tally of official violations of the Geneva Convention.

I really didn't want this to come across as Discourse tm because I don't want it to be; I just wanted turn my own desire to make a list of every single 'technically a war crime' into something semi amusing, because nobody actually wants to sit and read far too many words about how technically if you recruit and deploy Cyril to rescue Flayn (which is before his 15th birthday by like a month) that makes you a war criminal.

If you want my actual opinion (because making you scroll back thru my blog to read the unhinged rants I came up with while deciding between crimson flower and silver snow would be kinda a dick move), fe3h is a messy, morally grey game regardless of your chosen route. You have to make rough choices, kill your friends and former students, and stand by while everyone, including your allies, does terrible things. For me, I bonded really hard with most of the cast fairly quickly because white clouds let me feel like I was doing the worlds best job teaching my kids. And then you have to kill them. You cannot save them all. It broke me a little. The first student I killed, perma-killed, with the music dropping out and all, was Hilda during the Deirdru fight against her and Claude. It was an accident; she died on enemy phase, and I was out of Divine Pulse charges. She wasn't even a requirement for victory. That was the cost of taking Deirdru; that was the cost of waging war. I lay awake that night thinking about how if I had a different sword equipped I couldn't have counterattacked her from 2 tiles away, or if I had done less damage, or tanked a hit, or--

I'm not arguing that every route is equally morally reprehensible, but I think it matters quite a bit that every route makes you complicit in some terrible things. For several reasons, I'm a big fan of crimson flower (I Do Not Like The Church and I also agree with all of the characters who would like to do away with the nobility and crest systems), but that's tempered by the weight of the actions of Those Who Slither. I am continually unsure of just how much I feel the weight of TWSitD's actions falls on Edelgard herself, and I vacillate between "she didn't really have any other options to cause any kind of change from her position, so an uneasy alliance with TWSitD was the lesser of two evils" and "she bears a significant chunk of responsibility for all of their actions, including Jeralt's death". And I have similar, albeit often less strong thoughts about the rest of the characters. Nobody is operating with the full picture, the characters are all massively blinded by their emotions, and everyone makes choices between what they think is the lesser of a few evils. While the exact number of war crimes is irrelevant because whoops, the Geneva Convention doesn't exist in Fodlan and war crimes aren't the only immoral things you can do, thinking about what means are justified by which ends and who bears the responsibility for what acts is actually a really important part of the game for me.

I guess at the end of the day, I walk away from this game believing the war should not have had to happen. But the world doesn't run on shoulds and should nots (in Fodlan or irl), so the best we can do is make choices based on what we do know, and to do our best to help people with the tools we have. I personally land on crimson flower in the end, but I think the real beauty of Three Houses is just how hard it makes that choice.

Ok, I'm done blabbing; just tell me how I ought to tag this to avoid bugging people and I'll be on my way. I mean this sincerely: have a nice day yourself, and sorry to have annoyed you!

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gobboguy · 11 months ago

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Chapter 12: The Realization of Dagdhelm

In the stately war room of the Viper Palace within Dagdhelm, Lord Edon, a man of cunning intellect and strategic prowess, found himself surrounded by the tangible echoes of past victories. The walls adorned with maps chronicling the expanses of his domain, and tables strewn with war plans testified to the meticulous thought that went into governing the Calona Duchy. Five years had passed since the region had grappled with border disputes, particularly with the stout dwarves of Bhia to the east.

At that critical juncture, as the whispers of conflict danced through the corridors of power, a roving warband of strange, green-grey-skinned creatures emerged on the scene—Orcs. Instead of yielding to the traditional adversarial approach, Lord Edon showcased a remarkable feat of diplomatic prowess. He treated with their formidable leader, Gelbeg, an Orc of undeniable influence and strength. Through a series of negotiations, Edon forged an unprecedented truce, transforming the once-perceived threats into unexpected allies.

The 1000 Orcs, who had initially posed a menacing threat to Calona Duchy, now stood as loyal allies under the banner of Lord Edon. The diplomatic triumph not only secured the Orcs a home but also mitigated potential raids on Edon's people and fostered a fortified border alliance with the dwarves. Edon reveled in the success of his astute maneuvers, a testament to the wisdom that governed his rule.

As he sat amidst the glow of dim candlelight, reviewing maps that detailed the shifting dynamics of his realm, a knock reverberated through the chamber. Atauma, the steadfast steward, entered with a bow of deference, bearing news of Duke Starfallen's royal messengers—envoys sent to discuss the ongoing border situation. Lord Edon, with an air of quiet confidence, prepared to engage in a complex diplomatic dance, eager to ensure continued stability for Calona Duchy and further solidify the newfound alliance with Gelbeg's Orcs. The war room, steeped in history and strategy, now became the stage for the next chapter in the intricate tapestry of Lord Edon's rule.

The opulent throne room of the Viper Palace unfolded in grandeur, a testament to Lord Edon's regal power and refined taste. Towering pillars of ebony rose majestically, their polished surfaces reflecting the dim glow of flickering torches that lined the walls. The air hung heavy with the fragrance of incense, weaving an atmosphere of subdued elegance. A vast tapestry depicting the emblem of Calona Duchy adorned the rear wall, a silent proclamation of the realm's authority.

At the heart of the room, Lord Edon's throne, an imposing seat carved from dark mahogany, dominated the dais. Its intricately detailed armrests curved into serpentine motifs, mirroring the venomous symbol of House Starfallen. Edon, resplendent in regal attire, sat with an air of composed authority, his eyes watchful and calculating.

As the Duke's Royal Messengers made their entrance, the room's hushed ambiance intensified. The messengers, clad in flowing silk replete with intricate designs, commanded attention. Logan, the Duke's Historian and Artificer, cut a striking figure with a wide-brimmed hat casting shadows over his sharp features. He had grey hair and dark eyes and clutched a cane tipped with a silver eagle with wings tucked in a dive. Beside him stood Snell, the royal messenger, a mousy fellow in ill-fitting clothing, the embodiment of nervous energy with a tic that betrayed his unease. Occasionally he would blink several times in succession, as if both of his eyes had something in it.

In the presence of Lord Edon, Snell, with an attempt at pompous confidence, stepped forward. His voice, however, carried a noticeable quiver as he declared, "My Lord Edon, we speak on behalf of Duke Starfallen, bearing grave tidings and seeking discourse on disturbing rumors that have reached the ears of Calona Duchy." The messengers' words hung in the air, casting a ripple of tension that echoed through the grandeur of the throne room, a prelude to discussions that would shape the destiny of the realm.

As the Duke's Royal Messengers stood within the grandeur of the Viper Palace's throne room, Snell, the mousy-looking envoy, shifted nervously, a hesitant timbre in his voice as he addressed Lord Edon. "My Lord, grave rumors have reached the ears of Calona Duchy. Whispers tell of monstrous creatures patrolling the border between Bhia and Calona, a border plagued by an escalating conflict. The dwarves of Bhia accuse your lordship of orchestrating these creatures to harass their caravans and settlers, fueling the flames of discord between our nations."

Edon, seated upon his imposing throne, arched a skeptical brow at the allegations. "Rumors and accusations, Snell. You bring unsettling words to the halls of the Viper Palace. I assure you, these monsters are not of my doing. While I've heard whispers of their presence, my knowledge is but passing, and I am as perplexed by their origin as Bhia seems to be. I've dispatched my men to root out these creatures, but patrolling the vast expanse of the Gorkin Mountains year-round poses a logistical challenge. This issue has persisted, an ongoing quagmire in the shadowed realms of the borderlands."

Snell, attempting to maintain an air of pompous confidence despite his unease, persisted in the dialogue. "Duke Starfallen wishes to address these unsettling rumors, Lord Edon. The dwarves of Bhia demand answers and resolutions to this conflict. The situation festers, and tensions between our nations threaten to reach a perilous zenith."

Lord Edon, his tone firm, responded, "I dismiss these accusations as baseless. I am not the puppeteer behind these creatures, nor do I desire conflict. My priority is the prosperity and stability of Calona Duchy. I extend my hand in earnest dialogue, willing to uncover the truth behind these monsters that haunt our borders and forge a resolution to the longstanding strife." The air in the throne room hung heavy with the weight of diplomatic uncertainty, the fate of nations hanging in the balance.

Logan, the Artificer, his figure stooped with age, spoke up in a gravelly and hoarse voice that carried the weight of years. "Lord Edon," he rasped, "what peculiarities do these creatures possess? Describe them in detail, and perhaps we can unravel the threads of truth woven into these rumors."

Edon, seated upon his imposing throne, took a moment to consider, his expression betraying a mix of disdain and solemnity. "Picture this, Logan. Muscular limbs, arms and legs alike, adorned with exaggerated fat guts, prominent breasts, and protruding buttocks. A nauseating odor trails them, and their behavior lacks any semblance of modesty or class. Brutes, uncivilized and crass."

Logan, the Duke's seasoned Historian and Artificer, scratched his grizzled beard in contemplation. After a brief silence, he chuckled, the sound echoing through the grandeur of the throne room like the grinding of stones. "Greenskins, you say? Lack of wit and poor mastery of the English tongue? It bears the hallmarks of some form of mountain troll or a Goblin subspecies yet unknown to our chronicles."

As the weight of this revelation settled in, Snell, the royal messenger, joined in the amusement, suggesting they retire to discuss this newfound information privately. The trio turned to leave, but Edon, finding humor in the situation, couldn't resist a parting laugh. "Curiously enough, they dub themselves 'Orcs,'" he remarked with a wry smile.

However, as they moved toward the exit, Logan abruptly halted, his gnarled hand gripping the hilt of his cane tightly. His pale eyes widened, and a sudden hush descended upon the room, a palpable tension lingering in the air. The revelation of the creatures' identity had triggered a reaction in Logan, awakening ancient echoes and hinting at a history that transcended the borders of the throne room.

Logan, the aged Artificer, moved with surprising swiftness, his gravelly voice rising in a tide of concern. "Edon, did I hear you right? Those creatures, the ones you so casually refer to as 'Orcs,' they truly call themselves that?" His eyes, etched with the wisdom of years, betrayed a growing anxiety.

Edon, perplexed by the Artificer's urgency, nodded. "Yes, Logan, that's what they claimed. About a thousand Orcs landed on the Northwestern shore of Calona Duchy. I let them pass through. Sent them on their way, you know, not wanting any unnecessary trouble."

Logan, his face paling, struggled to grasp the enormity of Edon's words. "One thousand? Did I hear you correctly? A thousand Orcs?" His words rushed out in a torrent of disbelief.

Annoyed by Logan's incredulity, Edon affirmed, "Yes, Logan, nearly one thousand Orcs. I dealt with the situation as I saw fit. We can't patrol the entire coastline."

In a sudden eruption of rage, Logan's voice rose to a crescendo, the air punctuated with curses directed at Edon. "Fool! Damned fool! Don't you realize the peril you've unleashed? Orcs breed at a prodigious rate! The great nations of the world quarantined their homeland long ago, and you, in your shortsightedness, have welcomed them to our shores!"

Edon, still bewildered, faced Logan's fury. "I had no knowledge of this quarantine, Logan. How could I have known? They appeared to be a disorganized horde, and I chose pragmatism over needless bloodshed."

Logan, seething with anger, spat out his words, "Pragmatism? You've sown the seeds of chaos! How did these Orcs escaped their island? By Antilaco, the consequences of their escape could resonate far beyond the borders of Calona Duchy! Do you realize that these creatures should never have been allowed to continue to exist, let alone escape? Their beasts! Only concerned with killing and breeding!" The room, once filled with intrigue, now crackled with the tension of unfolding consequences, the fate of nations hanging in the balance.

Logan's gravelly voice cut through the air with a stark revelation, "Edon, in the five years since those Orcs landed on our shores, their numbers could have nearly tripled, perhaps even quadrupled. Their breeding rate is unlike anything we've seen, and the great nations of the world feared and contained them for a reason."

Edon's face paled, and his usual composure wavered. Stammering, he muttered, "Tripled or quadrupled? That's… that's inconceivable. How could I have been so blind?"

As if grappling with a puzzle, Edon's mind raced, mental calculations etched across his furrowed brow. The reality loomed large—the Orcs, with their prolific breeding, threatened to overrun the mountains of Gorkin.

Suddenly, Edon leaped to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. In a voice that rang with urgency, he bellowed for Atauma, his loyal steward. "Gather my bannermen! We march on the mountains, now! We must root out the Orcs from their home before they multiply further. The future of Calona Duchy depends on it!"

The grandeur of the Viper Palace throne room was now charged with a frenetic energy, as the urgency of the situation spurred Edon into immediate action. The fate of the realm teetered on the precipice, and the mountains of Gorkin, once a natural barrier, now loomed as a battleground where the survival of Calona Duchy hung in the balance.

#fantasy #goblins #orcs #literature #gobboguy #SongsofPower6

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kripalumaharajquotes · 2 years ago

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The Role of Guru in Spiritual Progress According to Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita

In this blog post, we will discuss the role of Guru in spiritual progress according to the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita. Some people question the acceptance of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj as their Guru, as he is only visible on television screens. However, the scriptures make it clear that only a well-versed and enlightened soul can be qualified as a Guru. Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was a foremost scholar of all the Vedas and scriptures of this age, and his teachings are capable of dispelling ignorance. The Guru instills discipline and educates the aspirant in scriptural concepts and principles, which in turn purifies the mind of the aspirant. The purification process is entirely in the hands of the aspirant, and the Guru can only guide and eliminate obstacles.

As is stated in the Shrimad Bhagavatam 113.21 and Bhagavad Gita 4.34, only a shrotriya Brahmanishtha enlightened soul (i.e. one who is well-versed in the scriptures and has the practical realisation of God) is qualified to be called Guru and capable of taking you to your supreme goal. Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was the foremost scholar of all the Vedas and scriptures of this age. His discourses, sankirtans, and oceanic literary works are capable of dispelling the darkness of ignorance like thousands of bright suns, which can still be read and heard by anyone.

A Guru first instills in the aspirant the discipline required to perform devotional practice by educating him in scriptural concepts and principles, tattva jnana. Armed with this knowledge, and practicing devotion under the guidance of the Guru, the mind of the aspirant in time. Begins to purify. When this process of purification is complete, the Guru bestows divine love, which is in fact the only true initiation. How long this purification of the mind takes is entirely in the hands of each respective aspirant; it could be one life or many lifetimes. The determining factor is the speed of devotional practice which can only be performed by the aspirant himself. Guru can impart tattva jnana, guide the aspirant regarding the correct performance of devotional discipline and eliminate any doubts or obstacles that would otherwise hamper the aspirant’s progress along the path, etc. However, performing devotional discipline is the sole responsibility of the aspirant and is in fact their true duty.

So proceed on the path prescribed by him and he will grace you when your mind is completely purified. He will do his duty first and we should do ours. Listen to his discourses time and time again. Study his literature and imbibe his teachings and make it your driving force. Strengthen your faith that his divine discourses (through CD or DVD) will guide you after entering your mind. Try it and see; you will surely be benefited.

It is therefore clear that even today an aspirant can practice devotion according to Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj’s teachings and definitely be benefited. First of all, an aspirant needs correct spiritual knowledge and to know the correct path to be followed. Anyone who listens to Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj’s discourses will know what the supreme path is to attain the supreme goal. It is then up to the aspirant to practice devotion with the firm. Faith that Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj will guide him if his thirst is genuine.

He wrote I am always with you countless times and he will be right up to the attainment of God and even after that. We will again have his association in the divine abode of Lord Krishna. The one he adopts can never desert him.

In conclusion, the role of the Guru in spiritual progress is significant, according to the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita. Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj was a well-versed and enlightened soul and his teachings are still available through his discourses, sankirtans, and literature. It is up to the aspirant to practice devotion with firm faith in the Guru’s guidance, and the purification process depends entirely on the aspirant’s efforts. The Guru can only guide and eliminate obstacles but performing devotional discipline is the sole responsibility of the aspirant. We should follow the path prescribed by the Guru and imbibe his teachings, which can serve as a driving force towards our supreme goal.

youtube

#Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj #Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat #kripalu maharaj #kripalu maharaj books #kripalu maharaj news #kripalu maharaj reviews #kripalu maharaj followers #Kripalu maharaj book #Kripalu maharaj story #Kripalu maharaj articles #Kriplau maharaj motivation #bhagwatgeeta #Shrimad Bhagavad Gita by kripalu maharaj #Youtube

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strad-214 · 1 year ago

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Okay, I don't have the clout to publicly agree and get some kind of meaningful response, but I totally agree with this review and have to add my comments. I love this blog, and I love their contributions to Zelda discourse and I respect their observations and opinions on everything Zelda. Let me also further condemn my contribution to this discussion by saying that I haven't finished the game, but my need to add to / support this review comes from the fact that I can't bring myself to keep playing the game.

The Zelda franchise is deeply rooted in gaming culture and everyone who plays video games at least knows what it is even if they've never played it before. My childhood was centralized around my family settling down after their events of the day to eat dinner and watch either my father, my brother, me play through the most current Zelda game and help and heckle the player while they played the game. (We also did this with Banjo Kazooie and a bunch of the main GameCube games). Needless to say, therefore, the Zelda franchise is deeply rooted in my family life style; I would likely do the same for my family some day. That being said, this is the first Zelda game that I've stopped playing because I didn't like it for the exact same reasons as were already written.

There were other Zelda titles I stopped playing before completion: Majora's Mask was too complicated to beat until I was much older and I got stuck in a loop in Minish Cap because I got grounded for a month and had my games taken away and had no idea how to progress when I got it back (I deserved it, I was a brat who hated school and treated my folks like they were shit). But never before have I paused a Zelda game because I genuinely didn't want to play it.

It's just so.... boring. I have no interest in rediscovering Hyrule, getting around the sky islands feels like a chore, and while the underworld so absolutely stunning in its design, it too has become this chore to navigate. The story isn't bad, but it's context is so disjunct and entirely removed from BotW-- which makes no sense because it needs BotW's context in order to make sense-- that it's just off putting to literally be Link and exist in the game... like... what? That mmechanic made sense in Majora's Mask because Link wasn't in Hyrule, he was in his own personal Hell surrounded by cloudy memories of the world he once knew! How can you discount the apocalypse being prevented and the future ruler(s) of Hyrule emerging from legend to replace it and call that a plot point? It boggles my mind! Also, the progression used to be "fight the human dark lord, win and assume success, he immediately returns as a cacodemon nightmare who is powerful enough to end the world" (semi exceptions being Twilight Princess and Windwaker). In these past two games, we did that in reverse and make no connection between the two as if they're two completely different beings and forces.... are they supposed to be? Were they supposed to have been these whole time? Why would you change it now if it wasn't and why would you make that change irrelevant to the plot?! Final complaint, the building mechanic is almost irrelevant and the avatars get in the way of doing things right; I could just ride a horse, teleport, and glide places and any time I need to pick something up, the champion avatars destroy it/send it flying for me....

I'm going to finish the game because I love Zelda, but I'm probably never gonna play this game again afterwards. I would play Windwaker twice in a row first because that's an excellent Zelda game.

i was gonna write a big in depth review of tears of the kingdom but not sure when i’ll get a good chance to replay through the story so i can reanalyze the details, so for now i just wanna say this game frustrates me with how poorly planned it is in both gameplay and story, how it doesn’t properly follow from breath of the wild with plot points and information that don’t match up with the previous game, how unacceptably over-saturated and repeated content is (somehow even more than breath of the wild). it has some moments that are fun or moving or cool but it just doesn’t all come together very well

anyway i love the legend of zelda the wind waker

#totk spoilers #loz totk #totk #legend of zelda #zelda totk

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paperhats-and-evil-schemes · 7 years ago

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SO I WAS READING THROUGH YOU'RE TAGS BECAUSE I WAS BORED AND JUST SAW THAT YOU HAD A "TAGGED" TAG AND CAN I KNOW THE STORY BEHIND YOU THROWING A PUNCH PLEASE? I SERIOUSLY CAN NOT EVEN SEE YOU HURTING A FLY LET ALONE PUNCHING SOMEBODY AND I AM VERY CONFUSED

GFDSAGGFDHFGFDH THATS FAIR, IM NOT A VIOLENT PERSON AT ALL LMAO

Okay, so like, the only time I ever actually all-out punched somebody was out of defense of another person? So I can’t say I feel too bad abt it lol. Still not something I normally do, I swear. Violence is not how you should solve problems ever.

#im not a violent person gfdsgd #and it was my dad anyway so like whatever #he's not exactly a kind person #he and my halfsister were having a huge fight #i dont wanna get into too much detail but basically it was ending up with her bleeding and like #i panicked #idk #i dont know if there was any better course of action i could've taken but he wasn't the most physically fit person so at least i managed to #like #get him to stop #that was a terrifying day tbh good lORD #sorry for the dumb dark stuff u were probably expecting something else idfk im sorry #im here being depressing but like u wanted the story so eeehhhh //shrug//#long story short i can throw a punch or two ahaha #Anonymous #so aNYWAY #ALSO ON A SOMEWHAT RELATED TOPIC CAN I JUST SAY THAT I HATE HOW MANY OF U HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE BC LIKE JFC #LIKE BACK IN THE DISCOURSE DISCUSSION #I SEE ALL THIS 'AS AN ABUSE VICTIM' AND IM LIKE NOOOO #IT BREAKS MY HEART #ALL YALL IN THIS FANDOM ARE TOO GOOD FOR THAT SHIT #I WOULD GLADLY PUNCH MORE PPL IF IT MEANT PROTECTING U LOT GODDAMN #//S C R E A M S//#I AM AN ANGER #ABUSERS CAN FITE ME

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darklorddiscourse · 7 years ago

Audio

Happy Birthday to everyone’s favorite wizarding sociopath!

This is the second official Dark Lord Discourse podcast, in which we talk incessantly about Tom Marvolo Riddle. The first can be found here.

Thanks so much to @riddlemostpowerful and @a-princely-heir for helping me out with this!

#bane of my existence (tom riddle)#dark lord discourse (discussions)

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kaus-quietis · 3 years ago

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Bungou Stray Dogs Volume 22 cover analysis - Even More edition!

Merciless spoilers ahead. Of a sacrifice that has already been made. Of the enigmatical Book and its related colours. Of possible implied power dynamics with future consequences in the manga.

Several analysis posts have already been made, all of which are beautiful and valuable, thus I will not repeat the main ideas covered by other BSD fans. Instead, I will focus on what caught my eye and will tag & reference other posts related to the general “BSD vol. 22 cover analysis” discussion, when connected to my observations. If you want your tag removed or edited, feel free to inform me via reblog tags, replies or ask box.

Without further ado, welcome to the Bungou Stray Dogs All-Smiles Problem-Solving Roooooundtable*! *Note: Problem-solving efficiency may vary.

Let’s start with adding our beautiful image of reference first:

The walls of analysis text are under the Keep reading cut. Enjoy!

1) The red flowers and the ram skull. A sacrifice already made

Like @thecoffeelovingfreak here, I don’t believe the flowers are red camellias (I cannot identify their particular inner yellow stamens, but it could be just the artstyle’s fault). I think they are something else, either carnations, like they suggested, or a specific type of roses (Rosa William Lobb), or perhaps Pelargonium Lord Bute (symbolizing ardour), I would say. I hesitate in any case. Since I am not 100% sure what they are, I suggest we focus on what is certain: the flowers are red, which is a very common yet elegant representation of blood being spilt. For me, these flowers together with the ram skull (it is definitely a ram skull, not a bull skull, the horns tell them apart) put forth a certain idea more than other meanings carried by the ram skull symbol especially: the idea of sacrifice.

Not to mix manga fiction with actual Biblical research too much, but I want to (briefly) share why to me that part of the cover is undoubtedly suggesting the idea of sacrifice above anything else. First of all, the ram is a sacrificial animal par excellence. There is a much larger Judeo-Christian context to this – I will refer strictly to the ram, not the lamb, which is another symbol with a different discourse entirely. In the Hebrew Bible (it is described in multiple places, first instance being Exodus 25-31), God instructed prophet Moses on the construction of the tabernacle and on conducting its holy rituals (the tabernacle refers to the dwelling place of God on Earth, in Latin it was translated as tabernaculum, “tent”); these instructions were very, very specific, and the sacrifice of rams, among other animals, plays an important role in the rituals (see Exodus 29 as a starter). Now, the offerings and sacrifices were in the end given at the altar, which is the sacred place of communication between God and man, the official meeting place so to say (this stayed basically the same in Christian conception). Consider the altar as standing directly in front of God’s eyes, an idea expressed plainly through the composition of the volume’s cover (Eye of God above the ram skull).

Then, red flowers “flowing” around the ram skull can very well suggest spilt blood (so, blood that has been spilled already), therefore the flowers make the sacrifice theme more evident. Moreover, to the right, the ram skull is broken, but not because of natural decay: it appears the skull has been violently smashed with an axe with something that left a big hole in its snout (snout? is that how you refer to that anatomical part of…sheep…? English is not my native language). This is independent from the Biblical exposition from before: the ram skull could depict both 1) the violent action that caused the ram’s death, and 2) the spilt blood (which is not fresh blood anymore, if we take a step further and consider the flowers withered, as they are a pale dark red of sorts). In the end, at least for me, this imagery tells me a sacrifice has been already made, and @bergamotex’s reply on @stories-from-saint-petersburg’s post here makes me think Chuuya, the former King of Sheep, is the sacrificed one indeed. Even more, @lastlenore‘s post here used the very fitting term “infected” for the ram skull we could further describe as “corrupted” by the red flowers. If that is so, and it all alludes to vampire-infected Chuuya as Fyodor’s current new pawn, then it would be valuable to re-evaluate how we associate the red flower side with Dazai and the smashed skull side with Fyodor: perhaps, instead of hinting to their respective future condition, the sides together refer to Chuuya’s condition fully.

2) Fyodor’s mysterious card: colours of the Book and its creative powers

Unlike Dazai’s card, which clearly represents Atsushi, albeit curiously from behind (!), Fyodor’s card is very ambiguous for a handful of reasons. Firstly, since its depicted content is very abstract, we can only speculate it to be representing a person, an ocean, water, anything really, and any guess could work. Secondly, I myself am unsure if what we see is the inside of the card or its backside. Despite all the mystery surrounding it, one thing is fascinating for certain: the main colours of the card. Whatever is represented on it, its main colours are pale shades of purple and a distinct type of turquoise. These shades of purple are predominant in the overall volume 22 cover, especially on Sigma’s and Nikolai’s hair and clothes. But the specific turquoise of Fyodor’s card is present in the form of glowing droplets or reflections, as if it is made of liquid metal. This would imply creative powers in Fyodor’s hand, because it goes hand in hand with the general metaphor of metal-forging / metallurgy as an art, an action and a power specific to a “creator”, creating both animate and inanimate beings in mythological or religious settings. Not to speculate too much on this, below I will add images emphasizing the shades of turquoise present in Sigma’s eyes and hair, Nikolai’s eyes and hair, both of their clothes, and floating as droplets over Fyodor and Dazai (only Fyodor shown below). I believe all these shades have the same type of turquoise as their base colour.

As to what this could mean, I can only dream that it is related to the Book, thus deepening the link between Fyodor and the Book, or, if not the entire Book, then at least the individual page from the Book. Indeed the page that (we so far know) was used to create Sigma and the circumstances in which he lived in the Sky Casino, all of which (many speculate, me included) could have been written, in other words created, by Fyodor himself.

3) Additional remarks on the grid lines. Even more questions as a bonus

One last thing for this post: the grid reminds me of a radar, more than other things. I have no argument to expand on this, it’s just a hunch based on visual similarity between the respective grid lines. The Gogol game’s location is a well-kept secret, and Nikolai is positioned as if he is the master of said “radar space” aka a certain space he has a total map of. I have to mention @elf-osamu’s observation from here, it is excellent: as they wrote, the space itself is contained in a mirror frame, elegantly decorated with golden (Japanese oak?) leaves that are already a symbol attributed to Sigma in the manga so far. In that case, who will be more powerful in this game: 1) Nikolai surveilling the space (like an omnipotent god, hiding everything under his overcoat and even symbolically sanctifying Fyodor by putting a “saint” veil on his head, as discussed here), or 2) Sigma “embracing” all its contents? Regarding the latter, @stories-from-saint-petersburg also noted here how the golden leaves, Sigma’s plant in other words, even extend into the inner space, towards the Eye of God and the ram skull, and yes that could indeed hint towards Sigma’s possible profound influence in things of key-importance (such as the sacrifice itself, by extension Chuuya himself, in this post’s case, if that turns out to be correct). Or, on the other hand, should we take the Eye of God “literally” and immediately think of the superpowerful “Eyes of God” software Fitzgerald now owns, as @bsd-el discussed here? In that case, Fitzgerald could once again turn the tables around, his Eyes of God previously leading to Fyodor’s arrest. Oh, but would Fyodor fall for the same trick twice?

Conclusion: I love Bungou Stray Dogs.

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