#defensive -- devoted -- protective -- etc. ;

[sporkarts]

Rio and Subtext

I'm pretentious and I love media analysis so I wanted to break open the scene where Rio and Agatha fight, right after Agatha has broken out of the spell. The fun part about media analysis is that I could be 100% wrong!! and that's okay lol

SO! AAA uses something called re contextualization, where almost every interaction has a layer that is given a greater context later on and i LOVE it. It's not 100% perfect but the biggest moments work so so well. I think one of the best examples of this is the first fight between Agatha and Rio. Looking back, especially during eps 4 and 5 it's really hard to see what the hell Rio was even doing there. But I firmly believe that Rio showed up to warn Agatha that the seven were coming. YES OBVIOUSLY her showing up was also a vehicle for exposition, but diegetically, I think it was Rio's way of warning Agatha.

Sources:

The beginning of the fight, it's obvious even from a first watch-through that Rio is holding back. She easily overpowers Agatha multiple times and at first we're meant to interpret this as someone 'playing with their food' so to speak. On a larger scale, I believe this is a test. "oh hey, you really are out, but you're also so vulnerable"

next, Agatha yields, something I think Rio isn't used to seeing her do. It's here where Rio confirms that Agatha 1. has no power and 2. has no idea what's been happening while she's been trapped.

Then, Rio concedes. She can't kill Agatha, but the Salem Seven can. On the first watchthrough, it sounds like she's tangentially related to the Salem Seven. She's dressed similarly to them, she's the one that mentions them, and she also specifically says she'll "tell them where to find you"

However, in Episode 5, we get context on a few things.

Who the Salem Seven are

Rio is very defensive of Agatha ("when her own mother tried to have her executed" "where is she?")

Rio doesn't particularly like the seven, in fact she seems to, at least in part, dislike them ( "they became a feral, hive-minded coven bent on revenge")

Rio doesn't like Evanora Harkness ("yeah well, her mother can't have her")

At no point is Rio ever shown to command or work with the salem seven, but she is shown protecting Agatha (verbally) from anyone who tries to take her away

When Rio is revealed as Death, it re-contextualizes a lot of the rest of their interaction. Rio cannot kill Agatha because it's against the cosmic rules (which we also learn she follows STAUNCHLY) but she also cannot directly save Agatha. If the Salem Seven were to attack her, Rio could not save her from dying. This also puts a lot of emphasis on their final battle, wherein Rio is so distraught that she's more than willing to break the rules of her existence just to bring Agatha closer to her.

SO!

her parting words from ep 1

"I am not the only one who wants to see you dead. Wants to see you burn, or hang, or drown" ... "Okay Agatha, but I'll be sure to tell them where to find you." ..."the worst of them, the Salem Seven, I expect you'll see them at sundown. After all these centuries, Agatha Harkness will finally meet her end, it really warms the heart" ..."yes I do, it's black and it beats for you"..."te veo"

translation: I love you. I cannot kill you (because of rules), I'm upset with you, but I cannot kill you (because it would kill me). And I'm obsessed enough with you that I cannot let anyone else kill you, but I cannot save you. So I am warning you, they aim to kill you and they can kill you. They will not hesitate and you cannot escape this if they find you, so find another solution. I love you so much my Very Being is devoted to you. I love you, and I see you.

again, yes, so much of that is exposition (antagonist setup, inciting incident etc) but I really and truly believe that this was a warning above all. feel free to disagree! i just love love talking about the deeper meaning behind things :3

[diana-thyme]

Greek Gods 101: Medusa

Medusa is a Gorgon associated with water, rage, protection, reflection, and turning objects to stone. Excluding the universal offerings, some common offerings include:

Stones and Rocks

Depictions of Snakes

Depictions of Swine or Tusks

Water

Anything Relating to the Sea (Seashells, Driftwood, Coral, Etc.)

Depictions of Shields

Weapons or Depictions of Them

Journals

Self-Help Books

For devotional acts, some activities that can be done for her include:

Volunteering at DV or Women’s Shelters

Donating to Women in Need

Taking Self-Defense Classes

Exercising

Visiting the Sea or Other Large Bodies of Water

Stone Carving/Sculpting

Knapping or Learning to Do So

Journaling

Going to Therapy

Improving/Bettering Yourself

She is not celebrated in any Athenian holidays.

[thesweetestdevotion]

Hi can I get bts v as a boyfriend/husband? 💜 thanks

Hello!

BTS Taehyung as a Boyfriend/Husband:

As a Boyfriend:

Dice: Sun, 3rd House, Scorpio

Tarot: Seven of Wands, The Star, Knight of Swords Reversed, Ace of Swords, Two of Coins Reversed, Four of Swords Reversed, The Devil

He’s very defensive of his relationship here, he might feel the need to protect his partner from people’s opinions and comments. Could be his family and friends but also the public perception of his partner. He’s the type to defend his person to the death, very strict energy too. he feels like his partner needs to be deserving of his dedication so he’s very cautious of who he chooses to date. I just heard I know I’m a catch?? So cocky hehe. He’s just very aware of his good and bad sides and he knows he’s able to bring many benefits to his person, so he wants someone who appreciates that and also benefits him back. I think he’d try to be a healing place for his person, he’d want to soothe them and protect them. he also has obsessive tendencies here with the devil. He might be someone that gets attached easily to someone that meets his standards and is possessive. He could be harsh with his words too, because he’s so obsessive he has high expectations from his partner and is not shy about voicing his dissatisfaction with them if he feels it. With his dice, he’d try to keep his relationship quiet, preferring someone he’s familiar with and prioritizing clear communication with his person, even if it can come off as cold and uncaring. With the Star I’m seeing he has a clear vision of what he wants, and is probably someone that tries to visualize their perfect person often.

As a Husband:

Dice: 4th House, Moon, Aquarius

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Sun, The Hermit, Nine of Wands Reversed, Six of Cups, The Hierophant, Nine of Swords Reversed, Page of Coins, Six of Wands Reversed

I just started hearing lana del Rey’s ‘Sweet’ (maybe I’m in a lana mood lol) but specifically the part: Do you want children? Do you wanna marry me? Do you wanna run marathons in Long Beach by the sea? I’ve got things to do like nothing at all, I wanna do them with you, do you wanna do them with me? This song coming in with his dice tell me he yearns for domestic life. is he the type to talk about wanting marriage, kids, etc…?? Cause I definitely see he wants that life. The sun (fertility, children, happiness), the hierophant (marriage, traditions), six of cups (childhood, comfort, nostalgia) all paint a very picturesque view of married life. He’s definitely thought about this for a while, he probably feels like this will bring him a sense of completion and happiness. As a husband i think he’d disappear from public eye, or at least lower his prescience as he would want to focus on the life he’s building with his partner instead. He feels like marriage is an opportunity to get what he wants and heal his past wounds, also to get a better work-life balance and spend some time away from celebrity life. If he ever gets married don’t be surprised if he disappears for a while, it seems he wants that really badly. He’d be very in tune with his partner and would do anything to make them happy, very very devoted here. He’s like the stereotypical perfect husband archetype and is someone who would take marriage very seriously. He’s honestly very traditional in that sense. I think he’d be very aware of negative energies and would try to resolve any issues in his relationship. He’s the type to end up retiring after marriage hehe. I think he’s not that attached to fame as other celebrities are 😭. He wants outttt. Marriage would be the perfect excuse to do that, at least for a long while, maybe not fully permanent but who really knows.

This was very sweet!! Hope you guys like it xxx!!

[kingprinceleo]

Literally everything about Vampire Au since i irreversibly fucked everything up and im just so damn tired:

Early timeline stuff (google docs link)

everything else not on the doc-

eggman is around 100 years old and has been butting heads with gun for control of angel island the entire time

angel island is 1 main island (master emerald) and 7 smaller islands (1 chaos emerald each), GUN hid a chaos emerald on each island to keep them from being easily discoverable and to use their power to maintain the barrier, originally built by gerald as a safety feature

GUN has total control of 3 of the islands, they are more cyberpunk in terms of infrastructure, the further islands are called The Wilds, where mobians inhabit the old buildings from the flood. sonic fights to keep gun from expanding their reach further

Ghost, the head of gun, is an ancient vampire and one of the first Mobian vampires. scourned by what the mutations did to them, they want to kill the vampires of angel island to have their own peaceful domain far away from the surface world

shadow behaves differently depending on how close he is to GUN territory, before Ghost had lost shadow, his mind was altered to better fit Ghosts mission. he was meant to be used as a weapon to hunt and kill vampires, the closer he is to the city, the stronger Ghosts mind control over him is. though ghost isnt aware shadow is awake and running around yet, the mind control is a passive state shadow is in and doesnt realize. he only has a stronger drive to kill near the city.

first arc was meant to just be generally kinda silly, it wasnt meant to be super serious- hoax and shadow make their blood deal in order to get hoax to stop stealing shadows blood bags knukcles, defensive on shadows behalf, clocks hoax so hard he turns back into sonic, thus being the first person to learn about hoax being sonic (outside of amy and tails, who helped come up with hoax)

knuckles learns about the master emerald buried under his fucking pizza store. what the hell. and starts learning about his past as the last echidna from tikal, whos been haunting the pizza place until she was able to get knuckles attention

amy really wants to prove her devotion to sonic by making him a Light ring, a ring with magic infused strong enough to fully protect him from the sun. she is not a powerful enough witch to do it so she starts researching

tails is a shithead and cosmo tries to teach him about friendship

sonic starts learning about chaos emeralds while dealing with eggman etc etc

one of eggmans plots was to mess with the moon pull during a blood moon, driving up bloodlust in vampires and starting chaos

tails vampire reveal

rouge discovers sol and introduces mephiles and silver etc

eggman has a blood mining operation in sol (bc the planet is a living creature)

-arc 2 , generally

the chaotix send tails to gay baby jail , gets broken out by silver mephiles

amy starts getting real desperate bc she keep failing to make the ring, she starts checking out dark magic due to her own shortcomings, being suggested by eggman who is interested in the ring himself. she finds sol alongside sonic and starts researching more magic with blaze and other castle scholars. an attempt at dark magic goes wrong with blaze, the queen of sol. amy is exiled and back to square one, now even more desperate, she keeps trying with dark magic. unknowingly, poisoning her own magic and corrupting the gemstone embedded in sonics staff

shadow starts getting a teeny tiny bit comfortable with hoax, and also is informed about the master emerald by knuckles. tikal remembers him and he starts to realize something isnt quite right in his memories. time for a series of unfortunate events

he delivers pizza to the eggman himself, who talks remorse about what he put shadow through, but angles it in a way to spark further hatred for sonic in shadow, stating sonic influence is what made him have regrets

amys dark magic usage starts corrupting hoax himself, because he is a product of amys magic. the darkness slowly chews away at his mind, and if they dont fix him, sonic will become a mindless servant of dark gaia forever. this is the shadow hoax reveal. It takes all of the friends & shadow to be able to fight and wrangle hoax, once the gemstone is smashed, shadow gets to see hoaxs true form, sonic. shadow tries to KILL HIS ASS

mephiles, the shape shifter, has taken interest in shadow and his determined to make his life more miserable by shifting into rouge and biting him, exposing to shadow rouge has been hiding being a vampire from him the entire time theyve known each other shadow fucking snaps and fucks off to go work for GUN, all vampires are the same lying conniving bastards, and he wants to kill them very dead

shadow captures sonic and he gets held in the central GUN base. sonic finds out Ghost has been not only killing vampires, but draining their lifeforce to keep themselves alive bc theyre old as shit. rouge is also exposed as a vampire (the chaotix supervisor) and gets held in a cell as well. the chaotix think this whole thing is fucked up actually and bust their queen outta there. knuckles and Co come to save sonic, shadow and knuckles have a stand off about both being the protectors of the island and how their friendship has gone out the window if knuckles chooses sonic. Knuckles escapes with sonic

The realizations DO NOT STOP COMING. BOOM. GUN DOCUMENTS. maria was a vampire womp womp. gun killed her for it. Shadow is horrified and the memories start flooding back. Ghost doesnt like this. Get in the Suit Boy. we are gonna kill these heathens <3 ! mephiles takes control of shadows body but no one is aware bc hes inside the fnaf suit. terrible day for him mephiles is gonna use the eclispe canon to drill to the earths core and reunite with iblis ! the only reason he was in sol in the first place was bc he thought blaze was the iblis trigger

everyone is OBVIOUSLY trying to stop this including eggman what the hell shadow this isnt worth it what the fuck

mephiles casually tosses shadows body into the core of the earth once hes done with him and woah. silver and sonic solaris fight woahhhhh vine boom vine boom

arc 3 !

no more angel island barrier, sonic has left to pursue eggman on the surface since hes up to no good, leaving the protection of angel island to knuckles. amy has also left for the surface to spend time on her own and try to learn magic for herself

shadow , barely alive, is fighting his way tooth and nail from the core of the earth.

a year of time passes and during that year- sonic gets up to little adventures, shadow learns to live life on the surface knowing all of the truths about himself now. they both realize they kinda had a crush on the other guy.... damn thats unfortunate.

Ghost no longer has the chaos emeralds but has Created the phantom ruby as a replacement, and has raised infinite from the dead to be its bearer. they create a fake Sh4dow. infinite gets to live out his tormenting shadows life fanfic for fucking killing him !! smh . infinte also uses Sh4dow to infiltrate Sol, Ghost has just discovered the pocket dimension on Their island and wants it gone. This is Shadows sol apartment btw. the fake bought it and he just. took it.

things are gradually getting worse on angel island and both sonic and shadow return. shadow is informed of the fake and teams up with rouge and knuckles to get rid of it flower ball happens around here, Sh4dow trying to fuck up sol somehow and shadow has to stop him. amongus time sonics been flirting with the wrong guy for a while. :{ embarrassing.

something something this leads to infinite and Ghost fight and they both die whatever who cares

so thats what ive been doing for like 2 years !! i . really fucking hate it tbh. all of this work feels so wasted and i feel so stupid. sorry for wasting your time for so long

i like the characters and i like what they have going on but like man,,,, all of the surrounding context just feels so miserably hopeless, it was all for nothing and i just. i want to sleep forever

[williaml0ver]

☆ <3 Naib Subedar General Dating Headcanons ☆ <3

[🖇️] word count: 1423

[🖇️] warnings: g/n reader, talks of ptsd, miscommunication, not proofread wdgaf!!!!!

[🖇️] author's note: I don't really know how big the IDV fandom is since i am still quite new to both the game and tumblr itself. I have no experience in writing so i am sorry if my work seems tacky, i will be working on it 😭 Like i said I don't know if this fandom is active here so someone will either read this or i will be feeding myself self delusion for these sweet characters. I'm confused but i got the spirit id love to make some mutual followers!!!!

I love Naib. He's so precious i want to cuddle and take ibuprofen with him. I'd like to write more about him if i stick around.

☆ ☆ ☆

-You are his soft spot.

-Everyone in the manor would notice that his attitude changes when he's alone with you.

-He is going to absolutely always have his eyes on you when you're near. It's his love language.

-Naib's life has been forever stained by his early years in poverty and fighting during war, after so many hardships he would definitely try his best to make his loved one feel safe. He couldn't stand losing someone close once again. Showing you that you can feel protected near him means the same as saying "i love you".

-Naib is a mature person but you may sometimes hear flirtatious compliments from him.

-He sometimes questions himself why do you love him. While he doesn't necessarily understand he doesn't need any answers - he will cherish the moment as long as it lasts, making sure you know he is devoted to you.

-Naib may be a little insecure, but he'd like you to think he actually isn't. Whenever you'd praise him he would answer "I know".

-He's not afraid of showing you affection in public. And while he's not going to make a big show out of it, he would simply kiss your palms and hold them. Or hold you by your waist, sending death glares. That's enough for everyone around to understand that you're his and if someone messes with you they better start running.

-If you ever tell him you feel threatened by someone, he will tell you to go to his dorm and take matters into his own hands. You can beg as much as you like, but he will never tell you what he did.

-When someone hurts you, someone attempts to hurt him too.

-A lot of people may consider his ways rather weird, but to him, as someone who was forced to be the head of his household, defending his significant other is something very important.

-He would stand up for you every time.

-If no one is paying attention to what you're saying, he'd quickly tell everyone to let you speak.

-When he comes back injured from a match, if it's not something life threatening, he prefers when you take care of him. He's capable of bandaging himself etc. but the fact that his dearest one worries about him makes him feel loved.

-While Naib is protective it doesn't mean he believes you are defenseless. He will respect if you want to be individual, he hopes you understand that you are free to do whatever you desire, though if in need, he will instantly be there. If you are scared or anxious, please come to him.

-He may not be the tallest, but he is still strong, he wouldn't mind carrying you if you're tired.

-If you ask him to teach you some self defense moves, he would proudly instruct you.

-He may not always read you properly. But he's not doing it on purpose. Tell him about your mood and he'll do anything in his power to cheer you up.

-His protectivness may lead to some arguments. He is not going to hesitate to scold you for doing something rather dumb.

-He could come out as mean sometimes.

-If you are injured, he is going to take it very seriously. That moment pulls a big trigger. Naib becomes very aggresive.

-He worries. A lot. He is afraid of hurting you because he is aware of his mental struggles. He may even raise his voice at you - but while it seems scary please be understanding. He's never had a lover before and he wants to shield you from danger. He tries to quickly apologize to you.

-He just needs you to be safe.

-Communication is key in your relationship.

-Early in your relationship, there may be some misunderstandings. At first glance, Naib may seem closed off. He is not the best with his words.

-He TRIES for you.

-As a soldier, he developed an unhealthy habit of keeping every emotion to himself. It will take a lot of time for both of you to open up. You promised to Naib that if anything ever bothers you, you will immediately talk to him. And vice versa.

-He's a man of few words, he may struggle with talking you through it, however he's going to make sure his partner feels comforted and heard.

-His advices are always well thought and wise.

-You spend a lot of time together just talking about your worries, thoughts or hopes. Sometimes in his bed, sometimes on a peaceful walk. He may make a few comments, or give advice if you ask him, though he mainly just listens carefully and holds you. He wants you to feel like he's a boulder that stabilizes you.

-While supporting you, he has issues with opening up with his worries. He fears you would call him weak.

-Naib struggles with PTSD, therefore he's also in need of comfort and reassurance. He likes when you ground him, by covering him with your body, your face hidden in his chest. But there are also times when he may push you away during one of those times. It's important for you to keep talking to him. Not shaming him for who he is.

-He desires honesty.

-He'd like you to sing him to sleep.

-He is a considerate lover. While he rarely initiates any touches without reason or words of affirmation, Naib shows his love by being with you.

-But when the touches or kisses ARE initiated, you know he absolutely means it all.

-Speaking of which, he doesn't have a need to take you out for fancy dates. But don't take it wrong. He thinks all you need is spending time together, simply in bed or on a walk in solitude. If you don't feel like talking - that is fine too. You can sit on the grass and watch him train. Those are worth more than the most expensive restaurant. That doesn't mean he will never take you to a more lively place though.

-Naib isn't also keen on huge, extravagant gifts. Roses, necklaces, love letters are his favourite of showering his lover with romance.

-He is a good listener. He remembers several small details about your interests or preferences.

-Extremely supportive. He may not word it directly, but he worships you. Your inside and outside. He would very indescretely check you out when you wear something pretty.

-If you ask nicely, he is going to give you some of his clothing. He feels absolutely proud of the fact that his love wants to wear something that is his AND he could smell them when wearing it later.

-He would keep a photo of you in his pocket, along with a photograph of his mother. He captioned it "My treasure" in his native tongue. He never tells you what it means.

-His favourite photo of you is a picture of you wearing his elbow pads.

-Pet names are not his thing. Though on rare occasions he will refer to you as his love, or his treasure.

-A treasure he worships and is willing to die for. Naib may be very reckless when it comes to your safety. You have to make sure he is well taken care of as well. He enjoys taking baths with you, when you wash his hair and cuddle.

-Although enjoyable, he sometimes may push away your need for physical closeness. He just sometimes needs to be left alone. It's always good to ask if he would like to be touched. Consent is very important for Naib. He doesn't mind it if you are very clingy. In fact, it makes him feel appreciated. He himself though thinks that intimate contact is meant only for special situations.

-One of the few ways into his heart is, of course, through his stomach. He loves waking up to breakfast made by his lover. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just the fact that you cared enough to prepare something for him is enough.

-He would love to show you some traditional nepali dishes and guide you while preparing them!

-As cliche as it seems, he'd like it if you'd directly feed him.

-I feel like he swears a lot, both in english and nepali. You'd unawarely pick up a few of them because of him. He would feel surprised that you paid so much attention to him you even managed to memorize a few words in a foreign language.

-He'd teach you a few sentences in nepali if you'd ask.

☆ ☆ ☆

This took longer than expected to. The way i had to post this once again because of a certain issue. Ijbol... i'm kind of intimidated by this fandom. By the way if anyone's reading this i'd love to do William headcanons next omg

[jeanjauthor]

What would be the top five non-natural (like a river or forests) things for a land to have that makes it super rich? in medieval times

Ouff...non-natural?

A really good agrarian situation, so that there is a food surplus instead of a lack. This includes good farming techniques and good animal husbandry practices, fertilizing, irrigation, flood management, coppicing skills for renewable wood resources, etc. Food surplus means that everyone has good nutrition and thus the strength to take on more tasks beyond the hard-scrabble life of hand-to-mouth subsistence living. In the latter situation, all of your time & attention is devoted to getting barely enough to eat to survive, but if you have good agrarian practices and take the time to educate yourself & others (observation, experimentation, sharing of ideas), then you can gradually turn things around, making acquiring a surplus of food much, much easier, freeing up your time and giving you more energy for other things.

A really good attitude of being charitable toward the less fortunate, so that the excess foods and other goods don't go to waste. A society that encourages sharing and discourages hoarding is going to be richer overall than one where a few control all the resources while simultaneously refusing to share them. This could include the royals, but it also could simply include a better-off neighbor who shares with one whose crops were wrecked by a bad flood.

A strong crafting industry, so that there are plenty of people who know how to build safe houses, good furniture, sturdy baskets, leak-proof barrels, excellent pottery for cooking and food storage, tiles or thatching for leak-resistant roofing, fiber crafts for durable clothing and stout ropes that don't break easily, so on and so forth. Once you have enough spare food that you don't have to spend every single moment getting that food to eat, you will have the time and the energy to practice various techniques and find ways to improve everything you make, which leads to a better quality of life overall for everyone over time.

A leadership that genuinely cares about making things better for everyone, (and by that, I mean the nobles & royals, clergy, mayors & burghers, clan leaders, etc). This includes trying to figure out ways to mitigate and manage natural disasters like flooding, making retention ponds for irrigation in case of drought, encouraging the basic freedoms of people so that they're able to go find careers that they honestly enjoy rather than being essentially a slave to a plot of land, and taxing just enough to pay for these public works (along with paying for the upkeep of defensive forces) without over-taxing the people. If all you have are leaders that hog all the resources to themselves, don't care about protecting their people from wild animals or enemy raiders, etc, you are not going to create and maintain a land that is rich. Personal wealth =/= national wealth, and all that.

Good relations & alliances with other groups. And not just for national safety reasons, though that one is perfectly valid! No, this is for trading reasons. No single location is ever going to "have it all" in terms of natural resources. During the Bronze Age, the only location within a couple thousand miles of the Mediterranean that had tin deposits existing closer than 500+ miles of copper was in the south of of the British Isles (like 80 miles at most, iirc). So in order to make good quality bronze, you had to be good neighbors, good trading partners, etc, with people far away from you as well as within your own country / territory. During the Middle Ages, the best wool was considered to come from the British Isles, but the best weavers were in Flanders on mainland Europe. The best dyes came from various places all across the land, so if you wanted high-quality clothes in bright colors (and contrary to Hollywood's over-use of grim-dark, medieval people LOVED bright colors), you'd have to have good relations with several nations to be able to get all the quality ingredients to make that fancy outfit to wear to the next feast or festival. But if you're at war with England, you're going to have a hard time getting your hands on their best-quality wool without, y'know, engaging in combat to get it.

So those are what I'd pick to be the 5 top non-natural resources a land should have to be able to be rich.

And yes, people are a resource. People are your #1 resource, if they have plenty of food & education, and are protected from dangers by good leadership type people.

...If you wanted natural resources, I'd say a decent supply of safely potable water for drinking, cooking, and irrigation, good soil for growing food, plenty of wood for building stuff, some mineral deposits for metals and things like limestone for making plaster & mortar, and terrain that mitigates bad weather while still providing good transportation routes--aka lots of sun-facing farmland but with like some mountains or hills on the windward sides to blunt the forces of winter storms, and maybe some rivers that are navigable by boat as well as good solid ground for making transportation roads.

[alwaysyouuuuuu]

Wolfstar Marvel AU

Folks.

Consider, consider, consider.

1940s.

Sirius as Steve Rogers and Remus as Bucky Barnes. And I mean it in a very, very vague sense.

So starting off like the comics-ish. So, Sirius is drafted a year before Remus is. (he wasn't allowed to, at first, because his family is practically HYDRA royalty, bffs with Voldemort (=Schmidt) and they kept tabs on him. But then Dumbledore (= scientist Erskine) lets him in after hearing his convictions etc.) And he is good at the stuff, a good soldier, good morals.

Remus joins up the next year, and he is in intel (like the Space AU haha) or in the Defense force. They barely get to see each other sometimes but they love each other and persevere (Wondering about period typical attitudes)

Situations get tougher and it is decided (by Erskine=Dumbledore?) that Sirius gets to take the Serum because it enhances the qualities of a person, right? So it has to be a person with strong ethics, i.e., Sirius.

There they meet James (=Howard Stark) and Agent Evans (Peggy Carter) and they get on like a house of fire.

(I am still figuring out where Peter fits in. It's been a while since I watched the movies.)

Sirius becomes the public face of the war, and now they are being sent on longer Missions. They need someone who knows every crook of the enemy bases, so Remus is there too (besides he is ruthless in a fight, did I mention that? when he does, he fights to kill.)

They are a formidable team when they work in together, and at a point HYDRA notices how protective they are of each other. Captain America is ruining a lot of their plans plus together they are a nightmare to HYDRA. Voldemort (= Schmidt = Red Skull) is not going to come out in the open for a common leech and they do not have another super soldier to subdue Sirius (can you imagine voldemort giving the horcrux idea to his death eaters?). But they can break him, right?

So they capture Remus (why is that a common theme in anything i think of) (We could have the whole him being kidnapped and rescued and then he falls off a train thing here. But I would be here typing the whole day, so.)

Anyways. After intense searches involving James (= howard stark) and Lily (= agent carter), Remus is assumed dead. Sirius is catatonic. He becomes single minded. He doesn't know what is to happen of the War, what he does know, is that Voldemort needs to lose the Tesseract. They confront each other, Voldemort manhandles the tesseract, gets pulled into space and the plane is damaged. The plane can't be saved, and Sirius wouldn't have even if he could.

*falls into the Arctic* and James finds his body and the tesseract in the permafrost.

And NOW we have the best part.

When he wakes up after 70 (?) years, Moody (=Fury) offers him the SHIELD initiative. And he accepts, of course, because what else does he have? He is dedicated, devotes himself to missions tirelessly, doesn't dwell on how the world has changed, doesn't dwell on the past if he can help it.

And then Loki brings trouble, and Moody gets him to the *Potter Industries*. The first time Sirius sees Harry, he almost has a heart attack (they might have a bit of an issue working together, because c'mon the past is hitting Sirius on the head.)

Another person he meets is a 20 something year old Agent Elena Chernova. Brown hair, grey eyes. Calls herself the Black Widow, fights every fight like it is her last, and is incredibly private. Well, Sirius can respect that. He doesn't give it much thought and they get on very well. And it turns out they fight well together, too. So well, that he gets whiplash sometimes from back the way he and Remus worked. Nope, he doesn't dwell on it.

Later, they hang out together. Sometimes, they play soccer. Sometimes, they rant about SHIELD policies to each other. Sirius joins *that* group therapy club and she does too. Fast friends, and they grow to rely on each other.

A few years later, Elena collects data from a ship's computer, Moody discovers SHIELD has been compromised, and is shot by

... the Winter Soldier.

and they discover SHIELD has been compromised. They start to gather data with help from Neville (=Sam?) and during a car chase, the Winter Soldier's mask slips.

And surprise, surprise. It's Remus.

Sirius' world is shook to the core and he probably would be rooted to the spot except. Elena sees him too. Now Sirius understands why he is standing there letting himself get beaten bloody by the love of his life who he himself saw fall to death and then mourned 70 years ago. He has seen a ghost.

What he doesn't understand is why Elena is standing there frozen and looking like she has seen a ghost.

[chaos-bites]

ah, sigyn! if you have any tips on how to begin worship, i’d love to know, as i’ve been wanting to honor her for a while.

Hey, Nonny!

For me, I began worshipping her after Loki introduced us. It was incredibly difficult to find information on her, unfortunately. I ended up pulling most of my knowledge from the myths and what little else I could find on modern worship. I had found some interesting accounts of modern worship in localized Scandinavian communities, but I can't remember where I found that source. 💀

When reaching out to her, I'd say just be yourself and be respectful, as you would with any deity. Personally, I got her a flower-scented candle, carved her name into the wax, lit some sweet-smelling incense, and lit the candle. I've heard from another Sigyn worship that you can do a ritual where you "hold the bowl" for her, so to speak. This is done by filling a bowl with water and holding it in your hands at her altar for however long you'd like. In this way, it was explained to me that you're holding the bowl of serpent venom for her to give her a break from tending to Loki. I don't personally believe in the myths in a literal sense, but I think the thought that goes into this ritual is what matters.

I suggest reaching out to @broomsick or @notthesomefather for more information; they both have some great resources on Norse deities, although I'm unsure if they know much about Sigyn either. I know Broom in particular is huge on learning about the historical worship of the Norse deities, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have at least something for you. c:

In regards to my personal associations with Sigyn, I'd be happy to share them, but be aware that they're mostly UPG based. Here are some things I associate with her:

Wolves (for her sons, Váli and Narfi); I usually depict them in wholesome, cute, or kind ways

Serpents (I don't usually give offerings related to them, though, due to their negative role in her myth)

Otters, orcas, polar bears/grizzly bears, reindeer/deer, and sometimes moths; most I associate due to their strong familial bonds and pack/herd nature

Bowls, especially ones with beautiful designs

Intricately designed plates, especially those that tell a story or are vintage

Her name is believed to mean "Friend of Victory", "Victory Friend", or something similar to the two; I therefore associate her strongly with victory and overcoming challenges

Family, familial love, loyalty, devotion, resilience, persistence, dedication, inner strength, compassion, caregiving, patience, and fidelity ← domains I associate with her

Light-colored flowers and plants

The colors light pink, gold, yellow light blue, and earthy shades of green and brown

Objects crafted out of love for another person or creature (drawings, wood carvings, crocheted works, etc.)

Family heirlooms, especially those passed down from a maternal figure

Childhood toys, stuffed animals, comfort items, etc. (bonus points if you tell her the stories behind them and why you loved them so much)

Poetry written for or about her, art made of or about her

Defensive weapons; a wolf may not attack humans often, but it still has teeth and claws if needed (protection of loved ones is my reasoning here)

Honey, herbal teas, warmed pastries, warmed breads, soups, and childhood comfort foods

It's not a big list of things, and like I said, it's mostly UPG, but I hope it helps. Take care, and I wish you the best, Nonny! 💚🖤

[a-d-nox]

lenormand cards: key phrases and an example of a card combo (part 2)

this is just a beginners guide to the lenormand. these are key phrases that come to mind when i think of the cards - NOT how they should be directly applied. they needs to be thought about situationally - the card / when it is in specific combos can change or alter its meaning in a reading.

child: innocence, nativity, spontaneity, seeing only the good in people, carefree attitude, an actually child, smallness, newness, beginnings, playing, immaturity, etc.

child + heart = young love, blind devotion, puberty, just happy to be around others, small joys in life, parallel play, nostalgia, an olive branch, etc.

fox: plotting, protection, security, stealth, deviousness, treachery, manipulation, deception, trickery, loyalty, work, routine, obligation, responsibility, duty, cons, etc.

fox + child = white lies, feigning ignorance/innocence, impulsive actions based on opportunity, pretending to be better than you are, avoiding responsibilities, etc.

bear: defensive, fierceness, resourcefulness, power, strength, courage, protection, maturity/matriarchy, stability, security, management, finances, investments, income, possessions, diet, food, etc.

bear + fox = protective yourself, a fierce loyalty, seven of swords energy, white collar crime, savings account, etc.

stars: peacefulness, tranquility, guidance, direction, happiness, hope, encouragement, perseverance, confidence, etc.

stars + bear = protecting your peace, the power of ones mindset, seeing a way out of the red / debt, etc.

stork: esteem, admiration, respect, babies, fertility, fruitfulness, productivity, birth, renewal, change, movement, new job, new home, new person in your life, extra money, improvements, pregnancy, adoption, new activity, new projects, progress, advancement, renovations, evolution, etc.

stork + stars = good self-esteem, becoming pregnant soon, encouragement from the universe to get a new job, don't lose hope in a project/task, etc.

dog: best friend, companionship, protection, loyalty, fidelity, guidance, sincerity, partnership, acquaintanceship, therapist, boyfriend/girlfriend, an affair, advisor, doctor, reliability, etc.

dog + stork = your best friend is pregnant, meeting a new friend, renewal of vows, a reliable new source of income, real estate agent, taking things to the next level in a relationship, etc.

tower: shelter, protection, confinement, imprisonment, government, corporation, judicial system, military, guarding, ego, ambition, isolation, guidance, schools, law, hospitals, high self-esteem, condos, movie theaters, office building, mall, airports, chain businesses, legal matters, bureaucracy, etc.

tower + dog = a sheltered friend, a friend you protect, roommate, an egotistical friend, water cooler encounters at the workplace, needing to visit the doctor for testing, etc.

garden: courting, public gatherings, harmony, beauty, relaxation, birthday parties, concert, play, movies, restaurants, public/private occasions, reunions, conferences, seminars, meetings, crowds, audiences, celebrations, abundance, etc.

garden + tower = little to no dating experience, solitude, hotel stay, movie theater, cafeteria, airport reunions, a convention, etc. 

mountain: immobility, resistance, standing still, endurance, blockage, obstacles, what must be overcame, challenges, delays, interruptions, burdens, postponement, procrastination, remoteness, faraway retreats, etc.

mountain + garden = stage fright, an enduring relationship, social anxiety, social burden, secrets, a rain date for an event, etc.

crossroads: options, choices, free will, multiple directions, doubts, hesitation, double lives, cheating, etc.

crossroads + mountain = analysis paralysis, the many ways to overcome an obstacle, challenges within a relationship ("where do we go from here"), etc.

mice: sickness, fast, smart, group work, damage, reproduction, stress, worry, restlessness, agitation, palpitations, anxiety, nervousness, apprehension, tension, fatigue, lost items, small problems, tediousness, repetitiveness, excitement, eagerness, agitation, etc.

mice + crossroads = options of treatment, anxiety, paranoia, worrying about doing the wrong thing or picking the wrong choice, decision fatigue, etc.

heart: love, passion, devotion, affection, emotions, connections with others, appreciation of others, happiness, joy, contentment, satisfaction, fulfillment, gratification, peace, harmony, delight, pleasure, enjoyment, kindness, charity, generosity, hospitality, feelings, desires, fondness, intentions, fidelity, etc.

heart + mice = heart break, a wave of emotions, instant gratification, manifesting, etc.

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[iamnmbr3]

Your post about harry being a lion animagus was so interesting. What are your thoughts on draco's animagus?

Oh thank you! (Post anon is referring to is here). I'm not really sure about my answer here. I don't have as clear an idea as I do about Harry.

My little darry heart kinda likes the idea of a jackal bc they follow after lions and like hang around their kills and often come pretty close to them and aren't intimidated by them (kinda like how unlike most people Draco is never scared of Harry or intimidated by his glares - even when his friends are). Lions also tend to tolerate jackals around their kills a lot more than other scavengers. though sometimes there can be tension between them which kinda mirrors the push and pull of Harry and Draco's relationship. Jackals are also associated with being clever and cunning and know how to look after themselves.

They have a reputation for cowardice too which is actually exaggerated - they defend their territory vigorously and often take on prey much bigger than they are - which kinda parallels how Draco can seem cowardly and self serving but he also is able to rise to the occasion and be brave when he really has to be. Jackals also seemingly don't hunt in packs which kind of mimics Draco's relative isolation. And they have kind've long, pointed features like Draco does. Apparently they also mate for life which I like for drarry reasons and because I think Draco is actually very loyal to the people he truly cares about (refusing to give Harry up at the Manor, being devoted to his parents in book 6 etc.)

The other option for Draco that I can imagine is a wolf. I like this because of the loyalty to his pack inner circle that I mentioned above and because the animagus form represents the inner self and although Draco can seem cowardly and undisciplined he's actually a formidable fighter in his own right (he holds his own in a duel against Harry - who is extremely good at fighting - longer than Voldemort does, and probably could've beaten most other opponents) and can also be very brave when he has to be in defense of those he cares about. Also a wolf is a little nod to the Black side of a heritage (since the Black family crest has dogs on it). Plus I like the aesthetic of him turning into a pale white wolf.

I actually think I like the wolf option a little bit more. Especially because the concept of the "lone wolf" kind've symbolizes how Draco comes into his own and has to look after himself and make his own way in the world. Ultimately he turns his back on his Death Eater ways and his parents to protect Harry at the Manor and decides to forge his own path after the war. So it reflects his intelligence, courage, capability, ferocity, and independence - and also his will to live and how against all odds he is a survivor. But yeah. I like both concepts.

[greyskyflowers]

Listen, I fully support the whole idea of demon Zoro but I think a small part of me will always root for a more war god/goddess approach.

Hear me out because this goes in a few loops before tying together but my words wouldn't word right and my thoughts wouldn't thought right. So this is as good as it's gonna get and hopefully it kind of makes sense at the end. 🤷‍♀️

I listened to a podcast years ago that talked about how war goddesses always got portrayed as these terrible women, their stories warped until they were just bloodthirsty and vindictive.

But that's such a shallow, shitty take on them.

Yeah, war is bad. We all know that.

But war could be...

• defending your home

• fighting for the safety of your family and friends

• protecting yourself

• the only way to progress, justice, freedom, etc.

Point is, I love the concept of mother goddesses of war.

The ones that love their devotees with all their heart.

The ones that keep the fires going in the hearth and bring rain frequent enough to keep the soil wet

The ones that offer a full harvest and constant refuge

The ones that speak in gentle tones and vicious snarls

I love the ones that ride into battle beside their believers

The ones that wear blood like war paint and gently stroke your cheek with hands calloused from weapons

The ones that led the charge one steady feet and strong beliefs

The ones that howl like wolves, cry like ravens, and bring with them the wrath of a pissed off mother

The ones that stand in defense, tall and unmovable when someone has asked for safety, when called out for by those scared and desperate like all humans call out for their mothers when faced with death

The ones that say you will not die here because you are mine and I will come when you call

I love that.

I also think that type of role is very specific to the mother goddesses.

I also think that fits Zoro perfect.

The crew has not sailed without Zoro.

He's always been there, right next to Luffy.

He was the first, and that's important, meaningful.

He stands unwavering when they hide behind him, cling to his clothes or arms

He's safety when there's danger. Arguably, I'd even say more so than Luffy.

Luffy is kind of a wild card in a lot of situations and it's a guarantee he'll be dealing with the main big baddie, so it makes him a risky place to seek shelter.

It's a safe bet Zoro will be in the middle of the action too but he always seems more reachable than Luffy.

I also, personally, think Zoro knows absolutely everything that goes on in their crew and on their ship. He hears and sees it all.

I think the one of the worst situation someone could be in is having legitimately pissed of the strawhats.

Firstly, because they're all fucking crazy.

But more importantly, you're going to have Zoro and Robin looking for you.

Zoro carried the title of hunter. He regularly tracked people down for bounties before meeting Luffy.

Luffy strikes and strikes hard, but Zoro had to have patience, that relentless chase, hunting.

I think he lets himself be more loud and careless because of Luffy.

He settles under Luffy because he wants to. He has devoted himself to Luffy because Luffy is someone worth devoting himself to.

Zoro is fierce and strong but Luffy is a king, a god.

More importantly though, they balance each other, sometimes as opposites and sometimes as equals.

They provide something for each other that no one else quite can. They are the same breath in separate lungs.

Lightning and Thunder

Sun and Moon

Clouds and Stars

Sea and River

Blood and Bone

Skin and Steel

[lutethebodies]

Escape and Endurance: Headcanoning Minthara's Abilities

To elaborate on my perhaps-needlessly shitposty judgment of Ketheric's armor, some notes on my headcanon for a DEX-based Minthara. Disclaimer: it's only my opinion and of course shouldn't matter to anyone who doesn't do this, especially Strong Minthara fans. You are legion, you do you, etc.

When I do me, though, I respec Minthara immediately upon recruitment. I base this on two things: her abilities as an enemy in Act 1 (16-15-14-10-12-17), and the idea that the Absolute's control has warped her with buffs, as opposed to nerfs.

Now, I understand that Gale and/or Wyll confirm somewhere in banter that they certainly feel nerfed by the tadpole's influence, but they're also protected by the Prism where Minthara is not. So I feel it's plausible that her Act 1 ability scores can be roleplayed as a doped-up, roided-out blunt instrument of the Absolute.

Her recommended abilities on recruitment (17-12-13-8-10-15) are notable for interesting RP possibilities: a bit higher for STR but lower for everything else, especially DEX, INT, and WIS. Mechanically this can maybe get written off as the optimized default for paladins, but as many other Minthara fans have observed, her INT score degradation can be interpreted as a result of the mental torture she suffered at Moonrise. Perhaps the other nerfed scores can too.

So then why would STR get a little bump? Sure, she could have been nerfed like Gale and Wyll said they were. But what if Minthara had been so pumped up by Absolute-fervor for so long that all six of her abilities were nerfed from torture? How would that manifest as a STR (or in my case, DEX/CON) bump upon liberation?

What if that's where Tav/Durge comes in as liberator? What if their Prism-based interference gave Minthara just enough of what she needed (STR or DEX/CON) to break free? "Share my strength [to bully our way out of here]," says Tav/Durge. Or "I have a plan [to lie our way out of here]." Since almost all of my Tavs are built with DEX instead of STR, they usually go with Option 2 (unless my bard is feeling scrappy and wants to really impress her), so if I needed escape-and-endure RP-reasons to respec her to DEX-based, I could use that.

After a quick visit to Withers, then, my Minthara starts with these abilitites: 10-17-15-8-10-14, with the Defense fighting style for extra AC. Her next ASI will bump DEX to 18 and CON to 16, and the ASI after that gets her DEX to 20. Any bonus ASI would grant her the Performer feat and an extra CHA point, because she's gotta be able to play that spider lyre, right?

As for equipment, I ditch the maces and stow the Spidersilk in favor of the Yuan-Ti scale, Shield of Devotion, the Wondrous Gloves (and on "good" runs, the Evasive Shoes), Phalar Aluve, and whatever my party's best longbow or crossbow is. Later in Act 3, the Armor of Agility and a +1 Shield boost her AC even further. On good runs she can top out at AC 28 (on grove-raiding runs, 27). She smites with more than enough power, nothing hits her, and her ranged attacks never miss. She is unstoppable.

I also like this respec lore-wise, since vanilla Minthara is the "typical" short/svelte/sleek drow-elf. But if it matters (because maybe for some people it might), my Minthara build is still two points stronger than my male human swords bard Tav who romances her. His 8-15-14-10-10-17 goes to 8-14-15-10-10-17 after the créche (a respec shifting 1 point from DEX to CON thanks to the Gloves of Dexterity). He's also the one who rescued her from Moonrise after nobody else would, so I don't think she'd give a shit about his ability scores anyway.

[fumifooms]

I think Kui intended for Kuro's Touden party counterpart to be Toshiro, not Izutsumi as is commonly fanonized. Dia being the counterpart to Namari implies that Kabru's party are stunt doubles to the pre-dragon Toudens, not the new party comp, which shakes out Kuro = Shuro pretty easily. The Kabru/Kuro and Laios/Toshiro relationships invert pretty neatly too. Thoughts?

I do agree, but I think there’s stuff to be said about Kuro-Izu too. I think it’ll be fun eventually for me to try every way in which every party member parallels another in some way, but just casually spitballing for a bit here… With Kuro the first thing I notice when comparing to Toshiro is armor. The shape of the chestplate is pretty common, but the whole of it feels reminiscent, the silhouette, the pants... Also the way all three of them are similarly stanced up hah. Behavior wise, being quiet and stoic and devoted is a Toshiro thing. Kuro’s quite well spoken when in his native tongue and seems generally coolheaded, observant as well. He’s defensive and ferociously protective but otherwise very passive, friendly and gentle. He doesn’t seem to particularly care about morals, he bases what course of action he takes on Mick’s wants and needs.

Kuro is only there for Mickbell, up to a point Toshiro is mostly there for Falin (He did let himself get dragged in before he fell for her, and he’s searching for ways to prove he’s worthy to his father in the dungeons so). Quiet devoted guardian thing. Out of the three, Kuro is the only one without formal fighting training (assumedly), but he’s more of a warrior than a rogue I’d say.

Something else we can look at is their names. Kuro means black in japanese, in meta japanese is the original language of the work and is the "common" that the characters speak. Considering the backstory extra about him having lived in a cage, unable to speak common, I think Mick named him that. This does parallel more to Izutsumi, since she has a history of being given a name (Asebi) but then choosing her own for herself. Toshiro’s by comparison, but you could draw a parallel about the nickname Shuro, butchering his name. There’s a language barrier/culture clash theme for them two in particular. In any case, japanese is something they all share because of this. Kuro-shuro is also pretty close. If you want to dig at more into their name I recommend this paper, Izutsumi’s is particularly interesting.

Do they similarly struggle with identity? Eh. Compared to Izutsumi’s arc being about accepting her beastly half and herself as she is… Kuro is alienated from wider society by being a kobold yes but his character is more centered on unhealthy devotion which is closer to Toshiro 1) running himself ragged to save Falin and 2) being trapped in his noble role and duty to his household. ALTHOUGH you can argue that that’s the point, that Kuro and Izutsumi took that shared experience of being caged and kept as property and reacted in diametrically opposed ways to it: Izutsumi decided she never wants to rely on or get attached to anyone ever, meanwhile Kuro decided he just had to find the right person to follow unconditionally. Izutsumi has an arc but she ends it still being independent and she grew closer to the group in general, not just latching onto one person, so again I feel like this is more Shuro. But then the Laios-Kabru parties shadow doubles tend to both parallel and contrast a lot, so who knows what angle is more intended. It’s possible parallels to both are intentional, but then again parallels just tend to happen when you have a developed story.

Izu-Kuro wise the biggest thing is definitely their shared experience of poverty and slavery, and really yeah it’s less being poor and more being taken and treated as less than human & property. Being Servants. Having lived or grown up with the harsh bare minimum. They’re both barefoot. Cat & dog, black & white, etc etc. And then like we went into, obedience vs rebellion- obedience which is pretty Toshiro. So it’s truly a matter of well ok and now what do we do with these threads.

This can actually be a throughline: Characters from the Kabru party tend to contrast against their Laios party counterpart in weirdly specific symmetrical ways. Namari is more alike Dia than Senshi. Toshiro is alike Kuro whereas Izutsumi heavily contrasts against him. Holm is alike Falin. If we go by "the Kabru counterpart is alike the old Laios party member and dissimilar to the new one" I think that’s a fun angle. Dia’s the more ambiguous I think, I should make an analysis on her she’s so interesting…

Also, this scene is a direct parallel, and of course Toshiro isn’t around but Izu here is the Kuro to Chilchuck’s Mickbell.

And while we’re on the topics of Toshio and parallels, there are so many between Toshiro and the black haired half-elf Forva from Daltian Clan btw omg… Aka Marcille’s favorite character. Aka there’s so much we could dig into here. It’s interesting because general Hareus the character she simps for looks exactly like Mithrun and it 1000% has to be intentional, but it’s not like Marcille thinks of that when she sees him, so much like the Laios party-Kabru party parallels what it adds to the story is meta instead of in-world… And in this way it’s interesting to think of possible Daltian-rest of the cast parallels as well. Uriel the protagonist looks like Milsiril somewhat, she’s a bumpkin found to actually be from a noble house and becomes the protagonist at the heart of the romance political drama plot… A play on Milsiril being a recluse? Because if we go from Mithrun-Hareus parallels then to me the point of the parallels at all is to either joke about or do commentary on fiction vs reality, idealized vs real. Mithrun being part of the military like General Hagreus and having lost an eye like him but it’s not glamorous, it’s not chivalrous, Mithrun is not a figure to be idolized but one to look at and realise that ah, the elven military is a flawed system pushing people into unhealthy mindsets and death. So like with Toshiro-Forva… Similar case of "don’t meet your heroes"? Lonely doomed love hinorbound noble sad you can’t make this shit up……

[simlit]

tagged by @izayoichan | (very unexpected, who could have foreseen!)

Who is the more romantic one? Do they wish their partner was more romantic?

Obviously we know the answer to this is Yehl. This is their major conflict; Taryn's lack of emotionality against Yehl's, perhaps, overemotional nature. Yehl constantly wishes Taryn was different in this aspect, and a lot of times, Taryn wishes he was different, himself.

What's something they can never agree on?

Sleeping indoors lmao

Who said 'I love you' first?

Again, we know this was Yehl (and only just recently, too!). Tbh, I'm more happy with the way it came about in the prose. It's more fitting.

Who is more likely to steal the other's clothes? What are their favorite items to steal?

Welp. Lmao I think every answer is just "Yehl". But well, it just wouldn't work the other way around now would it xD Tbf, there wouldn't be any clothes-swapping going on in canon, in Modern AU it's still pretty rare, because their styles are so very different and not really fit for sharing. But now and again after a night together, Yehl will put on Taryn's button up shirts and nothing else (Taryn's favorite ofc, ofc).

What are their favorite activities to do together?

*coughs* PG answer: Travel. This doesn't happen for a long time, Not till long after things have settled post original novel timeline. Then when Yeryn can finally be "together" in a domestic sense, before they build Lazu'Lei, and during that period before Zehel is born, they spend a lot of their time traveling, both for political reasons, but mostly so Yehl can see the world. Taryn promises to take him everywhere, and he's very committed to this promise.

Who is their biggest supporter (friend, family, etc)?

Valerian, their number one most devoted simp fan, and Judine. They get little support from the "other side" i.e. the dragonkin, and many still have reservations about their union even after the war. But Judine's friendship with Taryn persists. He is one of the few elves who never doubted Taryn's heart, and he has a good understanding of what he means to Yehl.

Which one is more kind-hearted and who angers easily first?

Both of these answers are, yet again, Yehl lol. The little paradox he is.

What is 'their song'? Officially or unofficially.

Bury Now | Crywolf

Who does what chores? Which chore do they both avoid?

Cop-out answer. Neither. Benefits of being a King and a Prince lol.

What’s their favorite “domestic bliss” moment? Do they cook/clean together? Do they like to go out shopping together?

They don't have many of these, but the most meaningful one is during Iphelia, the elven spring festival and biggest holiday for Yehl's people, Taryn always prepares him a traditional meal in accordance to elven Rules of Hunt. He does this by hand, it's the only time Taryn ever "cooks" or does anything related. I made a post about this once! Though they never eat together, Taryn always sits in on Yehl's mealtimes just to enjoy the closeness.

How do they silently show love or affection towards the other?

Yehl always stays close to Taryn. It's as much for his own sense of security as it is to show affection, as Yehl's past trauma dictates most of his actions. He feels a constant need for protection, so he'll gravitate to wherever Taryn is unless circumstance keeps them apart. Taryn is almost entirely non-verbal as far as how he shows love. Aside from the obvious, sex being his primary tool of communication, he actually does become very affectionate (somewhat surprising to me) over the course of the novel. Especially with the way he handles Yehl as his feelings for him begin to shift. These can be quite fleeting things, like brushing the small of Yehl's back as he passes him, or the way he begins to instinctively draw Yehl into his side, especially when around others. His defensiveness and need to protect, but also possessiveness comes out, and he'll often put an arm around Yehl and bring him close just to "secure" him, quite literally.

If they had a movie (or other fiction) couple equivalent, what couple would it be and why?

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are the most equivalent. It's one of the things that drew me to TGCF, initially, because I actually didn't find it until some years after AoA, and immediately drew parallels between the nature of their relationship. Hua Cheng's legendary simping did inspire some of my rewriting with Taryn. I would say it is mostly their relationship dynamic, though. Not so much their personalities. Yehl is nothing like Lian (aside from maybe Lian's darker days during the Yong'an arc). But I do love to do this thing in the story where the wife (or "submissive" role) is far strong or more powerful than the dominant role. This is true for both Yeryn (Celaedian arc onward) and Naiven. This directly mirrors Hua Cheng and Xie Lian's dynamic. But honestly, HC is the superior simp. He'd never hurt XL. Taryn can't fucking relate.

What is the sweetest thing they've done for one another?

I'd say Taryn's is the above answer (the Iphelia breakfast). Yehl's isn't really a "thing", but something he said. Which is the line where he tells Taryn that he can never see his own mother again, but Taryn still can and that "he wants that for him". I think that singular line completely broke Taryn lmao, because it was the first time he ever realized Yehl had the capacity to love him as a person, and not just in a lustful or selfish way.

Which one is more likely to think Valentine's Day is lame?

Taryn, lmao. But he would never cuz that would upset His Highness.

How do they comfort each other?

Yehl knows that Taryn is his own worst enemy. So he will always try to get his mind away from whatever is bothering him, usually by asking him questions, trying to change the subject, or make Taryn think of something else. Because if he's mentally preoccupied with a different thought, then he can't beat himself up. For Taryn, he always comforts Yehl physically. He's still not great at understanding how to be "uplifting" otherwise lol. But most of the time Yehl really does just need to be held, so it works anyways.

What does a relaxing night in look like for them?

Sitting together in the quiet of a terrace overlooking the forest. Just listening to the sounds of night and being close. Talking idly about things that don't really matter, or saying nothing. Just enjoying the peace and tranquility of nature.

What is their favorite or most admired quality in the other?

For Yehl, it's Taryn's confidence. It's the thing he lacks most. Taryn is unafraid of most things, and faces them boldly, head on. Yehl wishes he was more like this. But he most loves Taryn's level-headed nature. For Taryn, it's Yehl's ability to accept his own flaws. His self-awareness, if you want to say that. That Yehl knows exactly who and what he is, and that he doesn't take his shortcomings out on others, but rather embraces them. Taryn always feels guilty for one thing or another, but never truly learns to make his peace with his flaws.

Which one apologizes first? How do they apologize?

Yehl. Sort of messily. He likes to apologize because things bother him, not necessarily because he did something wrong. Taryn is so unbothered by everything, so Yehl takes it upon himself to get upset over things he does or says on Taryn's behalf lmao. Even still he's reluctant about it lmao (so self-inflicted).

What's something seemingly innocent that the other does, says or wears that turns the other on?

Lmao the way I knew the answer to this the instant I read it. When Yehl calls Taryn "Your Majesty". Anytime Yehl addresses Taryn by his title or uses official/honorifics it's always, always to troll. Because he knows Taryn absolutely hates to be called by his title, and Yehl knows exactly what he's doing. Sometimes he does it specifically to piss Taryn off but these moments are few and far between. But to have Yehl say "Your Majesty" is the one way to ensure he'll be waking up unable to walk, because that shit gets Taryn.

What is their biggest regret in their relationship so far?

Yehl's death. Despite everything, and the fact that Taryn loves him unfailingly as Celaedian, he knows the burden the role brings, and all of the excess pain Yehl has to endure because of it. Even after Yehl "has his revenge", Taryn never ceases to feel that he, in some aspects, ruined Yehl's life. And, in some aspects, it is kind of true. As much as Yehl insists otherwise, the fact is he can't escape his life as Celaedian, and he can never go back to being "Yehl".

What is their favorite place to kiss their partner? Do either enjoy 'leaving a mark'?

For Yehl, Taryn's shoulders and arms. The place he holds his strength, and where he's most protected. For Taryn, similarly shoulders and neck, but stomach and thighs, too. The places where Yehl is most fragile and feminine. And yes, they both share a biting fetish. Taryn being the giver and Yehl being the receiver obvi. Taryn loves to mark Yehl, it all ties into his possessive dragon nature, but Yehl is more than happy to oblige him lol.

Which one is more adventurous in the bedroom? Which one has more experience?

Love this question, cuz I love expectation flips lmao. The answer to both is Yehl. Yehl was always the most experienced, having been pretty loose prior to meeting Taryn. He used sex as a way of spiting his father, but also attempting to fill a void inside him. By contrast, Taryn had never been with anyone before Yehl, and had to act entirely off of sheer animal instinct. Still, I wouldn't say either of them are crazy adventurous, they're very straight forward in the bedroom, and a lot of that has to do with Taryn's specific "kinks" i.e. Taryn having to be able to see Yehl's face during, and being the one to service (he doesn't enjoy Yehl to do so, Yehl must be worshipped everywhere, even in bed lmao).

Include one of your favorite moments between them!

Gosh this is so hard because I have so many lmao. I think I usually say when Taryn vows himself to Yehl, and it probably is my ~ultimate~ favorite moment. But the rewrite has had so many small scenes I just love between them. I'll say (again, probably not Valetine's appropriate cuz this scene hurts), towards the beginning of the prose during the monsoon, where they're sitting together on the chaise in Yehl's room and Yehl realizes he can't control Taryn. When Taryn tells him white is his favorite color, but he resents that it's "Yehl's color". The way that breaks Yehl entirely, as he begins to understand that he knows so little about Taryn, but that he deeply desires Taryn's attention. Idk why I just love the way it hurts so much and tells even more.

[rucbarthatbowtiesarecooldw]

September 30, 2023 Saturday Morning Session

How Wondrous and Great

How Firm a Foundation

Conducting: President Eyring

Elder David A Bednar

The Stalwart souls who travelled with the last wagons

They of the last wagon pressed forward

Captain Moroni – if more were like him the devil would never have power Alma 48:17

Walk in the path of your duty and press forward

Samuel the Lamanite: most walk clearly

Quiet members who often go unrecognized with their sustaining influence

Reverence the sanctity and importance of Life in God’s plan

Heavenly Father loves those who minister to children with love and unending kindness

Sister Amy A. Wright 1st Counselor Primary

Parable of the ten virgins Matt 25:1-13

Spiritual preparedness and discipleship

Cancer – “everything is going to be okay

At one point it will be too late to put more oil in your lamps – every drop matters now – but remember that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we will all be ok.

That is the greatest power on earth

Here is your reminder that the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers so many more things than just repentance or helping with forgiveness – it is also there to help us gather strength when filled with pain or sorrow, help us know that we are not alone even in the darkness of our mental health.

Gather and focus light

God with infinite knowledge, love, and glory

We cannot share our oil but we can share His light

We need more holy and revelatory experiences

He is the reason why there is never an end to our story

Eternal Life is Eternal Joy

Look to Jesus Christ and Live – like the story about the people of moses looking to the snake on a staff

I Feel My Savior’s Love

Elder Robert M. Daines, 70

Face blindness from being shot

How do you suffer from spiritual faceblindness?

Do you see Heavenly Fathers love and mercy, or a thicket of rules and thorns?

Spiritual faceblindness = seeing the rules but not recognizing God’s love

Can you sometimes only lipsync and not sing the song of redeeming love?

Does this activity/lesson help people see Jesus?

Also are we being inclusive in how we are presenting the activity/lesson?

Pray and study to see who He is and what He loves

God is completely devoted to His children in every age and nation

They are not rules to earn His love – He already loves you perfectly!

We worship our Father and not a formula

Covenants are the shape of God’s embrace

Elder Carlos A. Godoy, Presidency of the 70

Got in the wrong taxi

Heavenly Father does not do coincidences.

Omar ended up returning, being baptized and baptizing his wife and children, and then were able to be sealed a year later

Felt it was about time to go back to church for the sake of their children

Anything broken can be mended with Jesus Christ

The decision of one will impact whole generations

Not just from someone choosing to leave – also because of what caused them to leave

We should always be asking where will this lead?

Decisions, impact on self and future generations etc.

Shouldn’t we be more valiant and less lukewarm

High on the Mountain Top

D Todd Christofferson

What is the purpose of this gathering?

Protection of the covenant people

A defense and refuge from the storm

He holds the keys to administer in all authority

Keeping a proper and faithful record

Eternal families by the sealing powe

Baptisms and sealings for the dead

Add strength to your chain

Ian S. Ardern 70

Love your neighbor, refugees?

“lets all talk about Africa” – ahhh Uganda

Give to humanitarian efforts – Partners in Health (Green brothers approved donation website)

Compassion is an attribute of Christ, it demonstrates love to others and knows no boundaries

God will guide you in compassionate acts of discipleship

True compassion is more than merely flinging a coin to a beggar, it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs reconstructuring- MLK

Compassion does not require us to know them, it only requires us to love them.

Faith in Every Footstep

President Dallin H. Oaks

Fullness of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ

Heavenly Father loves all His children so much, that He wants us all to live in a kingdom of glory forever.

In our Fathers house is many mansions

Your divine potential has everything to do with God’s love for you, and nothing to do with which glory you might possibly obtain later in life – this is something to be between you and God

You will be where you are comfortable

Do not just go through the motions and make “deposits”  - less of a checklist

He will force no one into a sealing relationship against his or her own will

TW - Plan of Salvation, Family Proclamation

Come Listen to a Prophets Voice

[devout-of-the-elder-scrolls]

Devotional Acts & Offerings to Mephala

Most of this post is based off of UPG and personal experience.

Long post, so read more link.

❂ devotional acts . . .

talk to Her

pray to Him

read to It

share a meal with Her

meditate with Him

protect spiders

keep a pet spider

wear spider-themed things

eat super sweet things

do things in multiples of 8

cultivate spider lily

tell lies for your own safety in Her name

keep secrets that serve you, share that which doesn’t

teach someone about something

educate yourself on something

watch documentaries or video essays

tend to your relationships

communicate with someone

welcome in someone who was unfairly casted out

be androgynous or gender non-conforming in some way or form

self-care

fight for yourself

enact your independence

work with other people for a common goal

destroy that which doesn’t serve you

fight for yourself

rebuild from the nothingness for yourself

work out and build your physical strength

build your emotional and mental strength

take self defense classes

make a new friend

teach someone something

. . . offerings ❦

↘ natural ; 

devil’s claw / wood spider

grevillea / spider flower

spiderwort

lycoris / spider lily

dead flies

venus flytrap

damiana

↘ foodstuff ; 

hot fudge

honey

meat in general

vanilla

artichoke

cubeb berries

ginseng

sugar

chocolate

Note: Mephala loves (sickly) sweet things.

↘ items ; 

spiders and spiderweb figurines

fly figurines or those stabbed dead bug display things

things in multiples of 8

stress balls

educational books

↘ music ; 

upbeat

dissonant stuff

breakcore

phonk

noise (not really music but listed here)

↘ etc ; 

black candles

a fly trap (not the plant) on the altar (so it catches food for Her)

musk