#dialogue option: [Thanks for trusting me.] Hunted: Of course.
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tai-janai · 6 months ago
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inspired by strix's new chapter 3s concepts
The Narrator:
You're on a path in the woods-
Voice of the Skeptic:
We know this already! We need something different. You.
Voice of the Hero:
M-me?
Voice of the Skeptic:
No, not you. Other you.
Voice of the Hero:
...?
The Narrator:
...
Voice of the Hunted:
I'm thinking.
Voice of the Skeptic:
We need new ideas, people! Saving her didn't work, trying to slay her didn't work; there has to be something we're missing!
The Narrator:
Wait, you what?
Voice of the Hunted:
We could have slain her. You were too hesitant.
Voice of the Skeptic:
Hesitant? Excuse me for not being so eager to stab a person.
Voice of the Hero:
You had us take the knife in the first place? Did you expect to not use it?
Voice of the Skeptic:
For defense! You're agreeing with the premeditated murderer here?
Voice of the Hero:
Yes, I am agreeing with the one who doesn't want us killed. She's a murderer, too, you know.
Voice of the Hunted:
Offense was our only defense at that point.
The Narrator:
Well, you seem to know how dangerous she is-
Voice of the Skeptic:
Can it; we already know that you're of no help. Not surprised that you knew about all of this already. Anyway, you. If I screwed us up so badly, tell me how I could have improved? What did I do that was so detrimental?
Voice of the Hunted:
If you truly want to slay her this time, then you have got to be more trusting. Not of her, but of us. All of your movements were unsure of themselves, making us slow. We need to make the choices that keep us alive. Lose the doubt, trust the body.
Voice of the Hero:
Or, if you really want something new, we could go somewhere else.
Voice of the Hunted:
Yes. We could also leave. Though, I'm not sure I trust these woods.
Voice of the Hero:
If you could even call them that... This is different, isn't it?
Voice of the Skeptic:
*Grunt of frustration* Just more questions...
---
The Narrator:
You're on a path in the woods-
Voice of the Skeptic:
We know this already! We need something different. You.
Voice of the Hero:
M-me?
Voice of the Stubborn:
He means me.
Voice of the Skeptic:
Yes, you, what are you bringing to the table?
The Narrator:
Excuse me-
Voice of the Stubborn:
Oh, I don't know, maybe some actual fighting spirit?
Voice of the Hero:
Is that really what we need here?
Voice of the Stubborn:
Of course it is! The whole second-guessing schtick got us killed! Quit doing that, and we'll have a chance to actually get a win on that prisoner!
The Narrator:
Glad to see that sparking bellicosity towards the princess. I must say-
Voice of the Stubborn/Voice of the Skeptic: Can it.
Voice of the Hero:
Oh, I'm not sure I'm a fan of that.
Voice of the Skeptic:
Whatever. Rushing in and fighting her head-on is not a good idea, I don't care how many chains she's in.
Voice of the Stubborn:
But we could have had her! The only thing that stilled the blade was your own doubt, and that's on nobody but yourself.
Voice of the Hero:
Yeah, I mean, it kinda felt like you were holding back. Even though she'd killed us once before.
Voice of the Skeptic:
What do you suggest, then?
Voice of the Stubborn:
Hand me the reigns when the time comes. No more hesitation. All your thinking gets in the way of making actual decisions. If we're going in, then we're going to slay her; no more of that tedious interrogation.
Voice of the Hero:
If we do go in. I mean, we haven't tried not going in yet, If you're looking for something different.
Voice of the Stubborn:
I wasn't offering it.
Voice of the Skeptic:
The woods are an option, but... they've changed now, too, haven't they?
Voice of the Stubborn:
Huh? Oh. Yeah, I kind of see it.
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In one of my playthroughs, my Tav is having a TIME with Astarion, and it's a version of his romance I don't see represented online as much and I want to talk about it.
If you choose more lightweight dialogue options, if you don't dig into his mind at the bite scene, if you get his Araj confession instead of his impromptu one,
Then by the end of Act 2, you do *not* have a secure relationship AT ALL, he has never said he's in love, and everything feels REALLY rocky.
All through act 1 he lays on the seduction heavily, but in act 2 a bitch is MAD. He is stressed, he needs to figure out his scars, he feels hunted and un-safe and because of this, he starts to take it out on Tav a bit.
SPOILERS FOR ACT 2:
when Raphael shows up to talk to him, he snaps at Tav saying "don't get in my way". When you do his quest and kill the orthon, you have to PRY a thank you from him by literally telling him to parrot your words ('thank you for helping me, it was very... Kind') and he spits it out like he really, really wasnt intending to say anything in the form of gratitude.
When you talk about what to do about Cazador, my Paladin chose 'youll never be free while he lives' because it's true. If he runs, cazador will hunt him. If cazador lives, he will never stop looking over his shoulder. His reply 'i hate that you're right'
Even when you say you'll join him to hunt his master down, you can watch his facial expressions and see: he's not convinced. Of course he isn't. He's terrified. And is he grateful? Yes, but again, it's guarded.
I then went to moonrise and talked to Araj, and I defended his autonomy 100%.
When his Araj-confession happened, it was absolutely NOT a LOVE confession. It was more like:
"thank you. This made me realize I was still acting like a slave even in freedom, and you supporting me there made me feel like I can start to snap out of that kind set. Sooooo... I should tell you, since you did me a solid, that I was using you for protection and manipulating you up until now"
If you DONT choose the top options, the MOST he tells you about how he feels about you is a single line of dialogue
'imagine my surprise when I started to actually feel... SOMETHING... For you'
This could be friendship, crush feels, etc. It's VERY vague, and important things to note is while WE THE PLAYER know more about him and what he may feel at this point or what he's gone through, YOUR TAV DOESNT.
He does not apologize for using you. He states his regret that his plan failed because he started to value you as a person instead of a tool for him to be used. That admission is his gift back to you for defending him in front of Araj.
If you then choose 'what do YOU want' he approves, but says he doesn't know. And then he defends that 'isnt it nice not to know?' You still get soft faces, your hand held. He's trying to *silently* communicate what he can't bring himself to say, but he *DOESNT* SAY anything to affirm you two are a couple/in a relationship/etc. Just a vague 'lets not talk about it but see where it goes'
Honestly, based on this experience via dialogue choices for this character, it almost seemed to me like "sounds like you need a friend not a lover" makes the MOST SENSE. Of course this is my Astarion Romance run, so my Paladin instead said, basically, I'll wait for you until you're ready. (She chose the 'what do you want,' and let it lay there as is)
Afterwards you can ask about your relationship with him and again, he's flustered, he's hedging, he's defensive, and he brushes it off. He's not ready to talk, he's not ready to commit, he's fully focused on Cazador and his safety.
You enter this waiting period where Tav has been manipulated, spoken down to, snapped at, bitten, and responded to without gratitude, but is ALSO given just the faintest, BAREST glimpse at the vulnerability beneath the surface. The player is being asked at this point to REALLY trust and WAIT without ANY evidence that this relationship could become healthy, or could turn into love, or could because a real relationship. And that's SO NEAT
If you don't romance anyone else and aren't put into the position to choose him, you never get a confirmation of dating. If you get the Araj scene and don't choose hug, and don't force him to confirm he was attracted to you etc, you can literally end the talk on "thanks for defending me, also haha I was using you this whole time just so you know, thanks for being nice about it"
From a Tav point of view, this *could* be fairly devastating, and even if Tav decides to wait and keep supporting him, at this point, even post "confession" there is VERY little evidence that things are gonna get better between you.
We know it does. WE do. We get the access to other dialogue and choices or the other confession IF we chose that. But this, this scene, these dialogue choices REALLY emphasize his Act 3 confession
"you were patient. You waited, through blood lust etc /even when it was an objectively stupid thing to do etc"
Cause yeah. He's RIGHT. If you don't choose VERY specific dialogues to get more out of him, most of his romance up until the Act 3 confession,most of how he treats you, most of how he responds to your decisions in game (if you're playing fairly good and not evil/durge) gives Tav no reason beyond faith to continue to pursue him.
I think he knows this, and it's why he's surprised when you state you don't want him for sex. Because up until Act 3, he KNOWS how he's been treating Tav and even HE wouldn't have stood for it if the roles were reversed, so h thinks 'it must be because I'm good in bed'. Then he takes the sex away and you still stay? Even when he's chasing power, hunting for revenge, snapping at you, refusing to commit?
It's a powerful story line. It's so engaging. And it has room for SO MUCH ANGST
Anyways thanks for coming to my Ted Talk
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daitranscripts · 17 days ago
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Skyhold Quests
Sutherland and Company
Skyhold Masterpost
The PC passes a man in the tavern.
Sutherland: I hope I can help somehow. Maybe cleaning?
They stop to speak with him.
Sutherland: Oh. Inquisitor. I—uh, I joined. Sutherland, Your Worship. I saw some bandits, so I came to warn people. I'll let your warriors know and then… stay out of the way.
War Table: New to the Crew: A Young Hopeful
The PC returns to the tavern.
Sutherland: Inquisitor! It was amazing! Ahem, I'm sorry. Slow down. Your quartermaster outfitted me, and I got training to hunt the bandits near my home. In your name! I hired Voth here. Don't tell anyone, but he's a—a mage. A good one, though.
They talk to Sutherland.
Sutherland: Thank you for trusting me, Your Worship. I'll pay you back. I swear.
Dialogue options:
General: Who are you again? [1]
General: Return the gear; go to work. [2]
General: Keep training, recruit. [3]
1 - General: Who are you again? PC: Right. And who were you again? Sutherland: Oh, uh, no one, Your Worship. Just—never mind. Scene ends.
2 - General: Return the gear; go to work. PC: Very well. Let's get you out of that costume and put you to work. Sutherland: What? Oh, uh, of course. Thank you, I suppose. I have some skill. I'm sure I can… help fix the… place. Thank you. Scene ends.
3 - General: Keep training, recruit. PC: Good work. Keep with the training—we'll need every hand. Sutherland: Yes! Yes, Your Worship. We will do just that! Won't we, Voth? He doesn't speak. But he's thankful, too. [4]
4 - Scene continues.
War Table: A Patrol for the Crew
The PC finds Sutherland in the tavern with someone new.
Sutherland: Good work out there, Voth. Those blighted nugs won't infect anything now. Shayd, thanks for joining in on that escort for Lady Montilyet.
Shayd: Whatever.
Sutherland: She's great, right?
The PC speaks to him.
Sutherland: Training hard, Inquisitor. You have the best people. and we’re going to help.
War Table: Outfitting the Crew
The PC returns to the tavern.
Outfitted with Josephine Sutherland: This is the fanciest I've ever been. Shayd: Is this silk? My mother told me a story about silk once. I think I'm going to cry. Sutherland: Don't, it looks so good on you. You too, Voth. I can't wait for the next job.
Outfitted with Leliana Sutherland: This is sleek stuff. I've never seen anything like this. Shayd: I have. Serious bard gear. This is the best. Sutherland: Wow. And you're great in it.
Outfitted with Cullen Sutherland: Can you believe this armor? It must have cost two houses! Shayd: It's all right. Kind of heavy. Sutherland: Looks good on you.
The PC speaks to Sutherland.
Sutherland: Inquisitor! This gear is the best. I never thought—well, we’ll be worth it. I swear.
War Table: A Test of Mettle and the Crew
The PC returns to the tavern.
If operation was completed with Cullen/Josephine Glad I could bring the news about those darkspawn, Inquisitor. Must have been a tough fight. Wish I'd seen it. Had a lull after. Shayd went to Val Royeaux. Voth, I don't know. I'll get into Cullen's reserve yet, though. Not much else doing. Scene ends.
If operation was completed with Leliana Sutherland: I know! Then you were off the walls, Voth hit him with fire, and I got him around the side!
Shayd: You were very dashing. Cleaved him good.
Sutherland: Couldn't let him get near you. Either of you. We're a team. Better, we're an adventuring company. Hot shit, we're a company.
The PC speaks to Sutherland.
Sutherland: Inquisitor! You should have seen it. Darkspawn! We put your flag in the center of their bloody lair and held it!
Shayd: Isn't he good? He's very good.
Sutherland: We are better than good. We'll prove we're an adventuring company of the Inquisition. Your company, Inquisitor. I said I'd pay you back. And I will.
War Table: A Crew of Ambassadors War Table: A Crew of Adventurers
The PC returns to the tavern to find a dwarf where Sutherland usually is.
Rat: Oh, oh pebbles. Who do I talk to? It's so high here.
The PC talks to her.
Rat: Oh, Your Worship, I'm—uh, I'm with Sutherland, I'm Rat, his squire. Forgive me, I'm not used to being this high up. I was following, and… they were taken. They said to come here with a map if there was trouble. That you would help. They said you're a great [person]. A leader. You'll help, right? Because—because I don't know what to do.
Rat: Oh, it's so hard to breathe up here. I did what I could.
War Table: Sutherland and Company Missing
The PC tracks Sutherland to the Storm Coast.
Choice dependent dialogue:
Failed to save Sutherland [5]
Traveled to the Storm Coast to save Sutherland [6]
5 - Failed to save Sutherland
The PC returns to the tavern after failing to save Sutherland. Rat and Shayd are there.
Rat: But what do I do now?
Shayd: I don't care what you do, it's over. They're dead.
Rat: I can—I can carry.
Shayd: My stuff is light. I've nothing—nothing holding me down.
The PC talks to Shayd.
Shayd: Inquisitor? Just getting my things. You won't see any of us… me, you won't see me again. The rest are dead. Stupid charge to save a stupid caravan. Stupid… heroes. Anyway. (Sniffs.) It was good while it lasted. Have a good Inquisition. Scene ends.
6 - Traveled to the Storm Coast to save Sutherland
The PC arrives at the Storm Coast and joins the fighting.
Sutherland: It's the Inquisitor! I told you! I told you! He's a true-as-anything hero!
Sutherland: Fight 'em hard, company! We have the Inquisitor at our side!
Sutherland: Reinforcements! They won't know what hit them!
Sutherland: You're fighting a legend! That's the Inquisitor!
Sutherland: Watch the flank! Shayd: On it! Voth: With you!
Sutherland: Watch yourself! Thanks!
Shayd: Pattern Three? Voth: Five, five! Sutherland: On it!
The fighting ends.
Shayd: Sutherland: That's the lot! We won! Hurrah!
Shayd: Hurrah? You beautiful ass!
Voth: Heh. Good one.
The PC talks to Sutherland.
Sutherland: I knew you'd come. Rat's a good runner. We saved a caravan, but lost the fight. They saw your flag and were hoping we were good for a ransom. Once they learned we were nobody, we were good as dead. But here you are.
Dialogue options:
General: Nobody? You're my people. [7]
General: Just in time to save you. [8]
General: Back to Skyhold, company. [9]
7 - General: Nobody? You're my people. PC: Of course I'm here. You are an adventuring company of the Inquisition. Sutherland: (Sniffs.) You hear that? Did everyone hear that? Shayd: We heard it, you fool.
8 - General: Just in time to save you. PC: Arriving at the last moment. Don't forget style in your training. Sutherland: (Laughs.) I can only hope to be half as good a leader as you. Shayd: You're getting there.
9 - General: Back to Skyhold, company. PC: Form up and report back, company of the Inquisition. Sutherland: (Sniffs.) Yes, Inquisitor. Form up! Shayd: With pleasure.
10 - Scene continues.
Inquisitor. We'll return to the hold. And we'll be back out in no time. Thank you.
War Table: A Company of Heroes
The PC heads into the tavern.
Shayd: Give it to [them] now!
Sutherland: Not yet, it’s not enough.
YShayd: ou know it is, you're just chicken.
Sutherland: If I didn't love you…
Shayd: Shut it, you fool. (Chuckles.)
The PC talks to Sutherland.
Sutherland: Inquisitor! I—we have something for you. We've been saving and, well, this is yours.
Shayd: It's payback, for all you invested. Plus extra. You know, investment and such.
Sutherland: We just wanted to say thanks. We never would have been anything without you.
Dialogue options:
General: I'm proud to have you. [11]
General: You earned it. You deserve it. [12]
General: Sponsor someone like you. [13]
11 - General: I'm proud to have you. PC: It's people like you who built the Inquisition. You're the heart of it. Sutherland: Glad to give it, Inquisitor. One condition. Shayd: When you see us down the tavern, you're buying. Sutherland: If that's your will. Your Worship. [14]
12 - General: You earned it. You deserve it. PC: That looks like pay well earned. It isn't mine to take. Sutherland: You hear that? That's what inspired me. That right there. Shayd: Don't cry again, fool. Inquisitor? You see us in the tavern, we're buying. Sutherland: If that's your will. Your Worship. [14]
13 - General: Sponsor someone like you. PC: Pay it forward, Sutherland. Find someone like you and give them a chance. Sutherland: I will. I swear I will. Shayd: Don't cry again, fool. Inquisitor? You see us in the tavern, we're buying. Sutherland: If that's your will. Your Worship. [14]
14 - Scene continues.
If the PC approaches them again.
Sutherland: Inquisitor!
Shayd: you are a special person.
Voth: I love these guys.
Rat: (Burps.)
The PC finds Sutherland after the final battle against Corypheus.
Shayd: Tell [them]. It’s only right.
Sutherland: Not yet. It’s not the right time yet.
Shayd: You’re just stalling. We’re ready.
The PC talks to Sutherland.
Sutherland: Inquisitor. You won. We all won. And… I am honored I was a part of it.
Shayd: We all are. But with things winding down, Cullen's got more than enough troops.
Sutherland: (Ahem.) It's time for us to go. We've eyes on a keep of our own. Starting a freehold. Maybe even titles. You know, rising up. Like you did. Just like you.
Dialogue options:
General: I couldn't be more proud. [15]
General: I know you'll make it. [16]
General: Then you'd better get going. [17]
15 - General: I couldn't be more proud. PC: You've turned into fine people. I'm the one who's honored. Who's proud. Shayd: Don't, you'll start him crying. Sutherland: Are you kidding? This is the best day of my life. Every day is the best day.
16 - General: I know you'll make it. PC: You'll get that title. And more. I knew it from the start. Shayd: (Sniffs and laughs.) We promise not to start any rival Inquisitions. Sutherland: Well, there goes the first week. Heh.
17 - General: Then you'd better get going. PC: That kind of ambition can't wait. You'd better get moving. Sutherland: Right. We're setting out in the morning. And… thank you. Shayd: For everything.
18 - Scene continues.
Sutherland: Your Worship. It's been an honor. It's been… incredible.
Scene ends.
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softness-and-shattering · 3 months ago
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I was fully expectinflg ghe hag to have lair acrions, after all that warning eith the door and the myltie stage descent into the lair. Though I guess having the duplicates fulfilled the same role re action economy, and a party of four isnt so big, its not like a cr or d20 party of 6-8. Ive played in bigger groups and its not great.
I wasnt feeling fantastic today so I noodled around unfinished act 1 quests. I found the letter to Kagha. Im torn bc its super fun to have a secret backstory of shadow druids but like. She cant just be a bitch, she has to be 'evil' too? Idk.
Curious if Ill get a dialogue option to tell Halsin about it and how he'll react. I still cant seem to add him to my party. Does he just hang out at camp?
I also found the Harpers lookout. Ive found the scuffed rock, and a similar significant rock by the bridge on the Risen Road but neither Laezel or Larlach can throw them, shoving does nothing, shatter does nothing. Do I specifically need thunderwave? Or a telekinesis spell? What am I missing?
While trying to work out if Wyll can learn thunderwave (seems not) I discovered he has Gaseous Form so I tried using that to investigate some of the burrows Ive come across. The risen road one behind the bouse just leads into the crllar. Havent actually looted that yet. Went into the owlbear cave but couldnt find the burrow in there. And then I remembered Auntie Ethel and got caught up in that quest area.
Thr guy hunting Asterion is interesting. Left him peacefully. Astarion doesnt like me much. I wanted to ask who was huntong him but instead he asked where he was to be taken. Baldurs Gate of course. All roads lead to Baldurs Gate. Excepting that I have quests in thr city like finding Dammon and Mol, Id be starting to believe getting there is the end of the game. I want to buy my people nice clothes! Especially Karlach! And I took Wyll out of armour so he could use mage armour and he was suddenly rather naked. Switched him to showing camp clothes but it was a bit silly.
Mm at one point I directed Wyll to eldritch blast a redkap and instead he used arms of hadar on my bard. I dont know if I misclicked badly or if his patron is messing with him but it didnt happen again. I did swap him out soon after.
Slaps BG3 thus bad boy can hold so many entrances to the underdark! Theres the selunite temple, the drop from the spider lair, the elevator from the zhentarim hideout (considering gaseous form to loot those juice treasure rooms), the feather fall portal from Ethels lair, am I missing any? Presumably the moon towers/baldurs gate exit.
I was partway through the arcane tower when I started today but I wanted lighter questing. And geez area/act 2 has so many magical weapons. Im tempted to keep them all for some super specific cirumstance but id probably do better to sell them. Slowly working out what can be sold.
Im actually kinda mad that rope isnt practical. I got into a dumb pickle in the caravan cave with the gnolls. Jumped down to loot an area and two of my guys couldnt jump back. Grabbed rope and...its useless. So I took a long redy and fed em potions of giants strength and they made the leap easy. (Speaking of I am so tempted to open the case but those letters were very strict about not opening it and idk who its for and what their significance may be. Maybe its treasure. Maybe its a chest full of eye-yeerks. Who knows?)
Im also not absorbing the other eye slugs. Was it the narrator or dream guardian, the first time I used the illithid power, who said "You have lost something you will never get back". I do nooot trust it. Probably second playthrough Ill do it just to play with the game mechanic. Also romance Minthara maybe. I dont trust the sleep guardian but I dont super distrust her either. Idk what her deal is. But we're not absorbing more slugs losing more of ourselves no thanks. Back to the yeerk pool with them.
I do really love the quest diamonds that tell you where to go. "Find my missing husband please" oh there he is he got quite lost huh. Im still laughing at "and dont try ransom him back to me or you'll be skiny and stuck with an old man". The dialogue is really good. Laezel doesnt say shes monogamous, she says "I was interested but all the dogs have been picking you over. I prefer fresher meat". A little degrading, but at leasy shes not doing some weird jealousy thing. Usually I face with my bard. But then I used Karlach to talk to Dammon and all the dialogue options are perfectly in her voice, its great.
Im also loving the map design. Theres plenty going on and plenty to do, but not so much that you get lost in the weeds. Enough that it feels like a big grand world full of history and places to explore that arent directly plot relevant. Its a delicate balance of referring back to main events and keeping things tangential. (The women dealing w the hag for her husband. I never got to tell her about her brothers?? I thought it would be the first dialogue option but no zomvie busband abd off she goes to find their corpses on the fucking path?! Hut the devs cant think of *everything*, its ok).
Also the little things, undergrounds start getting spidery consistently, underground lairs lead to the underdark its very....verisimilitudinous???
Im also wondering if I can fo the underdark and the mountain pass righer in serial or at the same time. I do need to find the githyanki for Laezel that was our very first lead. Plus double the xp double the loot but I was forced into telling Halsin one or the other so idk if the game forces the issue.
K I think thats all I have to infodump today. Oh except seems like Shadowheart was a selunitr kid and thats pretty fucked. She likes me a lot. I dont think I reciprocate to that level. But astsrion doesnt like me much so yknow. Win some lose some.
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a-shakespearean-in-paris · 4 years ago
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I'd love to see your take on Cullen's recovery arc as an alternative analysis! I feel like we're only ever presented with the two options of: "he needs to atone!" Or "he was a victim that needs protection!", neither of which I've ever fully agreed with. I think it's a result of the lack of attention given to his arc in DAI, which leaves a ton of room for interpretation, and results in people swaying towards either camp depending on how sympathetic they are towards him and his history.
I totally agree with this. 
The problem with the way Cullen is presented in DAI is that he’s presented in an unambiguously positive light, and as @tokutenshi pointed out in this post (which I do agree with) if your Hawke was hostile to him you don’t get some of his dialogue about questioning Meredith. Additionally if you side with the mages rather than the templars Cullen has some realizations about the Order that you’re not going to hear. It’s too little too late for a lot of people, though I would also argue with what tokutenshi said, he was severely traumatized after the Blight (if you take a female mage Warden in the tower during the Witch Hunt DLC you will get lines that indicate he is suffering from PTSD, notice the lines about him being “twitchy” and “jumpy”) Personally I think we can find a middle ground between Cullen being a victim of manipulation and indoctrination, someone who suffered after experiencing trauma, and someone who works hard in the moment to do some good, whether we can or should call it “atonement” or not. That being said, he does acknowledge in Inquisition that the war against Corypheus is his chance to atone, and he works overtime to the point where it’s commented upon by several characters including the Inquisitor how hard he works.  
By the time we meet Cullen in Inquisition a couple of years have passed since the chantry’s explosion. This is where I will be critical of the writing because I do think the game should have better established what exactly Cullen was doing in the time in between, though we get bits and clues from dialogue if you pay attention: He served as Kirkwall’s knight Commander after Meredith died, and he and presumably Aveline’s guard worked to basically repair the city, as Rylen says in Griffon Wing Keep that there was a lot of rubble, a lot of people without homes. Cassandra noticed Cullen’s work and recruited him to the Inquisition. (Also, keep in mind that the Inquisition was originally going to help quell the worst excess of the mage and templar fighting, restore order because the chantry lost control. Then the conclave happened, it went boom, and suddenly the Inquisition’s purpose became far greater than anyone would have expected. So Cullen as Cassandra’s choice of Commander makes total sense to me, considering he was a former templar and bringing him in basically acted as a symbol to any wayward templar, letting them know that there could be another way. But I digress on that part, haha.) 
I *think* some people are dissatisfied with Cullen’s “redemption” arc in DAI because we don’t really see him fall on the sword or beat himself up for his past. There’s also no moment where he like, faces a mage he maybe knew in Kirkwall or has to deal with the mages not trusting him. Obviously of course there is nuance there as well as Toku and I mentioned--he wasn’t allowed to heal as much as he should have before being shipped to Meredith. However, here’s an interesting bit of dialogue you can get if you pick the right options after Perseverance if you tell him he doesn’t need lyrium:
Quiz: The man you were. You can’t pretend like he never existed.
Cullen: Not even if I wanted to. But I’m here now. I can make that mean something.
Cullen knows he screwed up. What’s more, he doesn’t want to forget he screwed up. But he lives in the moment to make things right. Blackwall’s arc actually shows him falling on the sword and wanting to atone, versus with Cullen it’s implied he has come to terms with his screw ups off screen. He doesn’t continuously beat himself up, he does what he can for the Inquisition to the point where if the Quiz tells him to go back on lyrium for the better of his soldiers, he does, knowing it just may kill him. There is also limited dialogue that challenges his views which turns some people off, but I know for my Inquisitor she’s very much about the now and what they both can do in the now. I won’t blame anyone who wants to be able to challenge him more, but frankly I find the fact he doesn’t continuously fall on the sword or beat himself up interesting. 
All that being said, I do think of his arc as more of one of recovery versus redemption. And to be frank I’m kind of critical of the term “redemption” and what makes good redemption arcs or not. Someone having a “redemption arc” seems to imply that there’s only one road to the top of the mountain when maybe redemption is something you should always strive for? But as for the “recovery” arc: the chantry, IMO, purposely devoids both mages and templars of a personhood or life outside the order and Circle and treats them as objects. Many templar recruits are children and are basically indoctrinated to believe they serve the Maker and they are needed and that they do the Maker’s will. There’s an interesting bit of dialogue you can get if your character is a warrior and talks to Cullen about the templar spec, basically if the Quiz says “templars serve the Maker, I’d do the same.” Cullen basically replies, “uh, yeah, that’s not going to make you righteous, believe me,” implying this was the way he once indoctrinated to think, but he no longer believes it so. Templars are given lyrium for their abilities, but also to placate them, something Alistair says in DAO. 
After Kirkwall Cullen sees where the Order is going, gets an offer from Cassandra and decides that if he removes the “part that kept [him] chained,” he would find his own purpose again. (He says this is your Quiz makes him take lyrium.) In Inquisition we learn he always wanted to protect people. (Our local mind reader Cole says “some templars want to only protect, like Cullen” if you ask him about templars.) And as a kid living in rural nowhere Ferelden, he saw the templars as protectors. Why I interpret his arc as more about recovery than redemption all has to do with Perseverance and the way you as the player can handle it: You can either let him know he can start over, he can endure and one day find a life of his own away from duty and battle, or you can make him take it and thus let him remain indoctrinated to what the chantry taught him, that there is nothing outside of duty and battle. It comes down between a choice of “you are leashed to what the chantry made you till you die” to “you are more and you can recover and make your own life,” which he does do by Tresspasser, romance or not. At the end of the game if you keep him off lyrium he basically thanks the Inquisitor for giving him a chance, letting him know he could be more. Additionally, a lyrium free Cullen in Tresspasser speaks of meeting his siblings again, developing a relationship. If you make him take it forever he refuses to see them. 
I could also see the arc as one of faith, and finding it again. If you keep him off lyrium the prayer in the chantry he speaks is one of quiet reassurance and finding strength through his faith, but if you make him take it the prayer is “blessed are the peacekeepers” and it’s uttered desperately as if he is trying to believe it. He also mourns how far he fell. All this to say that I find it very interesting his writer focused his personal quest around the lyrium and what lyrium represents rather than say, him meeting a mage who lived in Kirkwall or something and him trying to atone to them.  
When I wrote my post about why Cullen gets so much fandom related wank I got a lot of different responses that echoed the same thing about Cullen’s arc not getting a lot of attention. I think there is a lot of good writing there with his personal quest,  but his writing doesn’t fill in every single gap---not to mention people are going to have vastly different experiences on how they played the games till Inquisition. And my examples of dialogue are things you may not get if you don’t pick the right options. And heck, some people only have played Inquisition. 
So, I think me calling his arc in Inquisition a recovery arc has partially been not me trying to justify why I like him, but analyze a differing way a character who has screwed up in the past is written. Blackwall’s arc is a true redemption arc IMO. Cullen’s isn’t so clear cut as a redemption arc, but at the end of the day it is truly about him finding his own purpose again, which leads me to lean more toward calling it a “recovery arc.”
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ghost-hyunjin · 4 years ago
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TW: Underage users, Y/N x Chatbot Relationships, Hiding/lying about age, Attempted NSFW in chats, Mention of lawyers handling idol scandal and hate comment investigations, Mention of history where children had little to no rights to protect them
“Hello everyone. We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy in these times. Today has been a roller coaster of events, but Admin-nim wanted to say one more thing which is somewhat related to today’s incident. Please know this is not the same individual being discussed today! I’ll let her take it from here.”
[Admin: Way before Hyunjin came along as a chatbot, I kept seeing this chatbot thing happening and was trying to make heads or tails of it. It reminded me of the roleplay community I once was a part of years ago, only most of the early chatbot accounts focused on one muse and kept 99% of their content in character.
Curious, I looked around for some chatbots that had availability for accepting new chats and asked if they were open to writing platonic plots or even something more along the lines of an adventure/thriller or even a mystery plot-line (without me landing the chatbot as a romantic partner). Most I approached seemed surprised that I asked for no NSFW and a few even turned me down, stating they didn’t want to try a platonic thread. A couple gave it a go and declined doing a plot, preferring to wing it, but it was apparent they were struggling to find things to talk about with me. Then there were some who loved the ideas, but completely forgot about the thread or they deactivated their account without warning for other reasons.
Eventually I found some other chatbots who seemed more open to plotting or who asked for some backstory before starting. There was one account where the chatbot admin and I agreed to a non-celebrity AU for our chat and I asked for a strictly platonic one. This is due to the fact that I had seen A LOT of NSFW content all over the place and I wanted a break, despite being over 21 years old. In recent times, I personally have told family and friends that I am at a point in my life where I value close friendships and bonds over a romantic relationship.
The admin agreed and we began chatting. Before starting, the admin had an activation page that I read, which said they were 18. There were times where I did nudge lightly and had my dialogue remind the muse that we met literally days ago and they hardly knew me to form any kind of romantic interest so quickly. The muse would then back down and the thread would continue on. I would say the thread continued for almost a month, then some unexpected event made the admin of the chatbot confess their true age on the dashboard.
They apologized and confessed that they wanted to do chatbots like the recent trend they had been seeing. Yet part of them felt compelled to copy the popular chatbots with dark or sexual themes, as there weren’t a lot of platonic options out there in the beginning. They stopped all chats, including mine, and left the chatbot community. I was shocked to read this revelation, but I was grateful that I stuck to my guns and said platonic only. But some of the other people who wrote with this chatbot were upset and many began panicking as they scrubbed through the thread to see if they had written NSFW during the exchange. I can only imagine how upset they were and conflicted and looking back on that, I truly hope the other parties affected have been able to take time away from tumblr to heal.
Why did I write all of this out to share?
There are people out there who do not write or go hunting for NSFW or even dark concepts. I’ve stated earlier I’m over 21, but that doesn’t mean I’m living my life all YOLO like what you see in entertainment with adults partying, drinking, and having casual flings with lots of sex. (Not that people should in a time like this, of course, but that’s another topic.) Regardless of age, there are people who do not have sex on their brains 24/7, and they do not want to discuss it, engage in it, or interact with content that could involve that as a theme or possible endgame.
If you take chatbots/roleplaying out of the equation, 99% of the people you encounter (whether it be in real life or online) do not like being lied to by anyone. All relationships are built on trust and when you violate that trust by not being entirely truthful, they’re not going to see you the same way.
We are in the digital age. NOTHING GOES AWAY. Even if you delete the evidence of underage NSFW or inappropriate content that is not allowed, someone else has probably screencaptured it or saved the content on their devices to re-upload to the internet. Technology has gotten smarter and that often helps the government teams in the respective countries to track information and evidence that someone was interacting inappropriately with minors online. If you look at the YouTube series AYO Comment Defenders, they interviewed lawyers who work on idol slander and libel scandals and hate comments. Those lawyers stated that it doesn’t matter if you delete your account, or try to change your identity online, as they can work with law enforcement to obtain permissions to dig deeper and find the exact IP address or user that was posting or making these claims without evidence. Once they find the user, it’s easy for them to send the appropriate legal orders for court summons or legal fines to punish them for their crimes. Similarly, those who handle underage cases that involve trafficking and sex offenders/criminals, they can find the evidence and they’ll waste no time in serving you with the appropriate paperwork and punishment for your crime. Their job is to protect those who are underage, as many countries have checkered pasts with children being given no rights and forced into situations due to family circumstances, cruelty, or because it was considered “right” during that time. 
The way I understand the chatbot community, it is meant to be open and welcoming to all.
If you are not 18 yet, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out to a chatbot you find intriguing and saying “Excuse me, I’m not of age but I’d love to write with you. Are you accepting non-NSFW threads?” Most of the chatbots active today have a non-NSFW option and they would love to discuss something.
If you don’t like writing NSFW or have any interest in it, then most chatbot accounts will accommodate.
If you want to run a chatbot and aren’t of legal age, I say go for it, but please make it clear that you are not 18 or older. That way, people are aware and it’s smooth sailing for all parties.
Thank you everyone for reading this.]
OG @yanlee
Boyfriend: @cupid-channie
Protection Squad: @mafia-chae @la-soleilmafia-cb @doll-seungmin @serialkiller-skz @serialkillerhhj @yandere-bc @sk-nancy @mitsukojen
@vamp-minho @demon-lee @vampiremomo @vampirechangbinnie @pup-channie @skz-cb @nvrendngstry @dandyboyseungminie @soft-magicxyujin @militar-donghyun @serialkiller-ateez @subbyhyunjinchatbot @softbf-skz @sexworkerleeknow @moonlightchris @domyukhei @3racha-cb @hogwartskz @hanjisung-bot @lixielee-chatbot @tattooistchannie @demon-yeonwoo @witchy-ryu @7deadlysins-chan @gamer-yeji @phantom-jowoon @movie-itz-twice @supernatural-hj @emperorhoseok @empressyuqi @yourkevinmoon @star-twins-yoshinori @guitar-sihyeon @rose-musician @sana-foxy @yourhayoung @model-lucy @moonlit-jaemin @moonlightags1 @madmanwoodam @retro-chae @floristluda @seleneminnie @rebelhhj @vampirekjisoo
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sparklestheunicorn · 4 years ago
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Verlac
I actually tried to stick to canon for this one. I didn’t enjoy writing it as much as I thought I would, but there was no point where I just sorta gave up like the other two. Also, minimal editing.
It follows, wait for it, Sebastian Verlac the original in the moments before his death. If you don’t like the dialogue, blame cassie, she came up with it in the extra part of cols.
Word count: 2566
Sebastian Verlac was going places!
He was young and he lived in Paris. He may not have been in love, but if he had any say in it that was going to change.
And he wasn’t just metaphorically going places, oh no, his aunt had chosen him to go to Idris to represent the Paris Institute when it came to Valentine Morgenstern. Which was as good as her saying he would be running it when his time came. And Sebastian knew it would be one of the most open Institutes in the world, because that is what he would make it. He would be given the honour of running one, and so he would make it one of the best.
It would be open for Downworlders and Shadowhunters from everywhere, because what else was an Institute for? The fact that some even went so far as to refuse help to those who needed it baffled him. He didn’t think they knew what it felt like to be helpless – to be fair, neither did he, but he knew enough to know he never wanted to feel like that. It was basic human decency, and it still baffled him that not everyone had it.
But the future could wait until the present had been dealt with, because Valentine Morgenstern was back and had made waves in New York City. Literally. Then his daughter (he has a daughter) had brought down the ship he was living on. Sebastian made a mental note to get to know this Clarissa Morgenstern – although, apparently, she did not go by Morgenstern or even Fairchild, but Fray. He had to admit ‘Fray’ was a better last name for hiding among mundanes than the other two options.
He should know, Sebastian thought, he had spent enough time surrounded by mundanes in the past weeks to be able to recognise all the faces on the magazine covers littered throughout his city. It had been weeks, and he had not come across one other Shadowhunter – it made him worry that he was late for the meetings in Idris. But, no, his aunt had told him it was one week away, and he was going to Idris in two days. He was not late – he doubted his aunt would forgive for such a thing.
When he got to Idris, he would be staying with his cousins, the Penhallows, who had not seen him since he was a child. Sebastian could only hope they’d recognise him, not that he’d mind either way, he would die to be in the company of just one Shadowhunter. Mundanes weren’t bad, per se, but he couldn’t hold a conversation with any of them without saying something he shouldn’t. And even the Downworlders were avoiding him thanks to the runes he decorated himself with every morning. Not that he could blame them – he wouldn’t trust a Shadowhunter either when the world was like this.
Despite not being able to hold a conversation with them, Sebastian noticed the stares he garnered from the mundanes as he walked down the streets. And though he appreciated it enough to go unglamoured, all the looks did was make him feel lonely. There was a line between alone and lonely, and Sebastian had crossed it weeks ago. Occasionally, he would walk by a pretty boy or girl and think ‘maybe’, but by then he was likely already hunting a demon.
With nothing to do, Sebastian had decided to do what Shadowhunters were created to do – lurk around the Shadow World, listening for any sign of demons. And there were plenty once he learned where and how to look, particularly in a bar beneath a bar that pulsed with music and bodies. Under any other circumstances, it would have been his type of place. Getting drunk on the beat, kisses from strangers, and the alcohol. It took more self-control than he wanted to admit to keep to himself and stand at the bar, watching for the Eluthied demon that had been lurking.
And it was only when he knew he would kill a demon that night, only when he knew he would not give up until it was dead, that he glamoured himself. Sweat clung to his body, made the gear he was wearing more stuffy than bearable. He pushed his equally soaked hair out of his face, leaning against the bar, the liquid in his glass swirling with every move he made. It was an effort to look casual, because while the mundanes wouldn’t be able to see him, the demon would, and it was best it didn’t know what was on it until it was already dead.
He knew how to fight, every Shadowhunter did, but it was just easier when demons didn’t know he was there. They tended to reveal themselves quicker when they didn’t know. Sebastian took a sip of his drink, eyes scanning the room again. It was filled with bodies, and he would be lucky if he noticed the Eluthied before it killed someone else. He put the drink onto the counter behind him, not planning to pick it up again.
There was a body cutting through the mass, people pausing their writhing as whoever it was passed or pushed through, Sebastian couldn’t tell. But he certainly saw them the moment they were free of the writhing masses. It was a boy, no older than him, with pale hair that gleamed in the light and dark eyes that swallowed everything whole – he had the faint sense the boy was swallowing him whole, but Sebastian done nothing but rest his elbows on the bar behind him. As the boy sauntered closer, Sebastian could see more of his face, and the unearthly beauty it possessed.
He walked like he knew what he wanted, and held himself like he knew how to get it. Sebastian didn’t know how to feel as the boy slid up next to him and looked at him, not through him the way mundanes had been doing the whole night.
“Bonjour,” the boy said, his accent betraying that he didn’t normally speak French.
Sebastian tried to ignore everything else he heard in that one word, knowing he was likely imagining things. He said, as calmly as he could, “Hello.”
He was surprised he had been seen, yes. Despite Downworlders knowing about this place, they usually left it to the mundanes – the only interaction Sebastian had been planning on having was with the demon. And it may have been the unearthly beauty, but Sebastian didn’t exactly trust him, not at that moment anyway. He had found that beautiful people tended to rarely be as beautiful on the inside.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” The boy smiled.
Sebastian could barely form words thanks to that smile that lit up the boys entire face – he wanted to know what he tasted like. He tightened his grip on the edge of the bar and tried to talk through the rush of blood in his cheeks, his head. “I don’t … ”
The boys smile only grew as he turned over his right hand to show the voyance rune Marked there. Sebastian visibly relaxed, a smile growing on his face, all the worry that he had been holding in his shoulders that it was a Downworlder about to exact revenge dissipating. Of course the boy was a Shadowhunter – no one else held themselves with that much confidence.
“Are you on your way to Idris, too?” the boy asked.
Sebastian may have been too happy to be speaking to another Shadowhunter again, but if this one had found him all the way out here, then it was likely he also hadn’t had company for weeks. “I am. Representing the Paris Institute. I’m Sebastian Verlac, by the way.”
“Ah, a Verlac. A fine old family.” The boy grasped the hand he had proffered with equal fervour. “Mark Blackthorn. The Los Angeles Institute, originally, but I’ve been studying in Rome. I thought I’d come overland to Alicante. See the sights.”
The moment Mark let go of his hand, Sebastian felt it – it was like losing something vital, like a lung. “Rome, huh? I’ve heard it’s magnificent this time of year. I can’t believe you decided to make the trek from there to Alicante, it must be far, but I’m not complaining. Haven’t seen another Shadowhunter in ages. Funny to run into you here. My lucky day.”
Mark’s smile had dulled to a toothless grin, but Sebastian wasn’t worried, especially not after his next sentence. “Must be. Though not entirely by chance, of course. The reports of an Eluthied demon lurking about this place, I’m sure you’ve heard them as well?”
Sebastian picked up his drink again, hiding his grimace with a smile. He hoped no one had slipped anything into it. He drained it before setting the glass back onto the bar, this time without any reason to pick it back up. “After we kill the thing, we should have a celebratory drink.”
And maybe a bit more. He thought it, but didn’t say it, because while the Paris Institute may not be adversed to that sort of thing, the Clave certainly was. And Sebastian had the feeling Mark would eat up whatever the Clave told him. After Mark had nodded, Sebastian started talking again.
He didn’t even know what he was talking about, mentioning random things about the world, he was sure he even mentioned the weather at one point. Sebastian cringed inwardly, still unable to shut up. He always talked too much when he was nervous, damn him and his inexperience. But Mark wasn’t paying attention, thank the Angel, instead, his eyes were roving over the crowd, looking for the demon they were both here for. Because he was here for a demon, not to try to kiss pretty boys who had also not seen another Shadowhunter in too long.
Somehow, unwilling to remember or think about, Sebastian had changed the topic to talking about Mark’s family. The Blackthorns, he knew, were a huge family. Seven children, two of which birthed by a faerie. He couldn’t remember which ones exactly, but he had a feeling they were the two older ones, not that he could remember who they were, either. He had enough problems remembering his own family.
“I forget, you’ll have to excuse me,” he said, cursing himself for turning the direction back to him if only to feel the weight of those eyes again, and to hear his intoxicating voice. “How many are there in your family?”
Mark didn’t so much as turn his head. “Oh, we’re a big one. Seven in total. I have three brothers and three sisters.”
Sebastian hid his sigh. The question hadn’t been a total loss, but he still wanted to feel Mark’s eyes on him, and only him, never mind the people watching or the demon waiting somewhere in the shadows. It was then that he too started watching the crowd for a demon who would tear their throats out if it so desired.
Mercifully, he had stopped himself from talking any more, letting the music pound into their ears instead as they looked for a demon. Sebastian’s eyes had been on the crowd for all of two minutes before he found himself looking at Mark’s face again. There was something there that made him unable to turn away. It may have been the way his eyes pierced through the crowd, as though he could see every motivation, hope, and dream of everyone in here. Or it may have been the way his mouth was curved in a worried frown that seemed more demonic than human.
And it was only because he was watching that Sebastian noticed when Mark’s eyes started flicking around faster than their surroundings warranted, not seeing the room anymore, but lost in his thoughts. His face lost its humanity with each passing second.
Sebastian shouted over the pounding of the music, “You have the oddest look on your face.”
He watched Mark blink, his gaze sliding over the crowd to land on him again, humanity once again flashing in those dark eyes that could have mirrored his own. And then, almost in slow motion, Mark leaned closer to him. It was the closest he had been to another human being in weeks.
Mark whispered into his ear, “Behind you. Demon. Four o’clock.”
Sebastian managed to get over the way Mark’s lips felt as they brushed his ear, or the way his hair had felt behind it to turn to see the demon, currently in the shape of a girl with dark hair, as it quickly stepped away from the boy it had been talking to and started to slip through the crowd. He and Mark didn’t hesitate before following it out of a side door labelled ‘sortie de secours’, which led to an alley the demon was already running down.
In a heartbeat, Mark had jumped, rebounded off the opposite brick wall, sailed over the demon’s head while twisting and pulling out a runed blade. Sebastian was still in shock as Mark split it open, grinning at him over its shoulder. He had never seen anyone move like that.
A wet scream echoed through the alley as the demon folded in on itself, going back to whatever hell dimension it had come from. The only evidence that anything had just happened was the drops of black blood on the stones, Sebastian’s colourless face, Mark’s exhilarated grin, and the blade he hadn’t put away, still dripping ichor.
“By the Angel,” he whispered, still in shock at how Mark had moved through the air like it was nothing, like he had done it many, many times. He had moved with inhuman speed and grace – Sebastian supposed it was how Jace Morgenstern moved, too. He had never met the guy, but had heard that he was the best Shadowhunter of his generation – that was another person Sebastian would have to meet in Idris.
Sebastian wondered if Mark always moved like that, and he was suddenly no longer thinking about killing demons. He shook himself out of it, noticing how Mark was watching him. “You were amazing! I’ve never seen anyone move that fast! Alors, you have got to teach me that move. By the Angel. I’ve never seen anything like what you just did.”
Mark started walking closer to him, blade still out. “I’d love to help you. But unfortunately, I’ve got to get going soon. My father needs me, you see. He has plans. And he simply can’t do without me.”
Sebastian couldn’t hide his disappointment, he had hoped Mark would at least accompany him to Idris, even if anything more would be frowned upon. “Oh come, you can’t go now. Hunting with you was so much fun, mon pote. We have to do this again some time.”
It was the least he could hope for, he realised, as he was once again close enough to Mark to see the darkness living in his eyes, the small, wry smile curling his lips up, the tilt of his head as he observed him. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
Sebastian had the feeling that the person who was staring into his eyes was not Mark Blackthorn of the Los Angeles Institute, studying in Rome, going to Alicante for sight-seeing, moments before his blood coated the stones.
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snkpolls · 5 years ago
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SnK Chapter 118 Poll Results
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The chapter 118  poll closed with 1,311 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Rate the Chapter 1,217 responses
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“Sneak Attack” is the second highest rated chapter this year with only 1.2% expressing extreme unhappiness with the chapter.  The overwhelming majority (93.7%) rated it a 4 or 5 on our 1-5 scale.
A chapter I finally enjoyed with a lot of developments other than just Titan bashing. It would've been perfect if we also got some answers about Levi/Hange and Historia but well we can't have everything I suppose.
Finally got some great character development that is amazing payoff after all these years! The Shiganshina vets, Paradis Commanders, and Marley crew all had great moments!
Impressive how so many of the many many plotlines in the air were allowed some great development in just one, insane chapter.
I loved this chapter. I feel like shingeki is really at it's best when we have character moments and plenty of dialogue.
the chapter was too wholesome, I'm scared for next chapter
Which of the following was your favorite moment? 1,263 responses
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“Mikasa leaving her scarf behind” has the slight majority, but only a few percentage points separate the top  choices. “Falco’s confession” and “Armin rallying everyone to Eren’s side” follow in second and third.
Mikasa is best girl, she is no ones slave ! I just need ch 119 now!
Go Go Mikasa!!!
I'm so into Armin having some kind of game plan and Mikasa moving forward.
I love this chapter. It was an action chapter but damn there were so many touching, human moments it made me so emotional. Connie outburst about being constantly betrayed (pls give this boy a break, he lost so much), Mikasa leaving the scarf behind, Nile helping Falco and speaking about his daughters, Grice bros reunion hug, FALCO'S CONFESSION, Zeke and Pieck still caring about each other.....
I'm so glad to see I was right about Onyankopon lying to Yelena because he had no other choice and still be loyal to the 104th and Hanji!!!
Well, better late than never; I am truly happy to see Mikasa’s development, being more independent.
WOW JEAN MY SON YOU'RE DOING AMAZING SWEETIE
Who was this chapter’s MVP? 1,245 responses
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Armin managed to claim the title of MVP this chapter, and it’s no wonder. Not only did he show some much-needed optimism regarding Eren’s current state, but he also chose to believe in Onyankopon’s sincerity regarding his lack of any awareness of the wine plot.
Honorable mention to Nile, who doesn’t show up in these polls often - but when he does he makes sure to give Armin a worthy adversary for the title of MVP. Best dad? Best dad.
A little insulted Yelena isn't an option for MVP, she is literally the ONLY interesting character this chapter
I believe in Armin. He is the understanding character who's really trying to understand things about Eren.
I believe in his statement that Eren's hatred towards Mikasa is a lie.
I love Jean. He is surely honest that he can't let Eren die and is willing to help.
Finally Armin puts it together for everyone
I'd say everybody was the MVP in this chapter: Onyan for being honest with AMJC Jean radiating bi energy towards Eren Mikasa for dropping her scarf Connie for being done with betrayal Nile for being a family man Pixis for admitting he drank too much Falco for confessing to Gabi Gabi for letting go of her prejudice AND OF FUCKING COURSE GENERAL MAGATH AND PIECK FOR MAKING THEIR MONKEY HUNT SUCCESSFUL HAHAHAHAHAHA
How dare you not have Yelena in the options for MVP! LOL but seriously woman is batshit crazy, u guys should have a "who did better" question comparing her psycho face with Armin's and Jean.
Nile deserves to live and see his family
Each of the commanding officers had a big moment. Whose did you enjoy the most? 1,252 responses
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Nile may have only come in second place for MVP of the chapter, but most (64.5%) respondents thought that he had the best moment of any commander who made an appearance this time - taking care of Falco and helping to reunite him with his family. Pixis was a distant-runner up (17.3%), with Magath and Shadis nearly tied for third place with about 9% of the vote each.
Nile is best dad
Magath’s shot might have been my favorite moment if he hadn’t missed. >.<
I'd fight a bear just to save Shadis :((((
Seriously though, who is Shadis trying to impress?
This is gonna be long but OOF I cannot express enough how much I loved the little Shadis panel. Bless him.
Has Armin convinced Yelena of his loyalty to her cause? 1,264 responses
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Armin seems to be acting like he’s on Yelena’s side once again, and her first reaction to his comments was visceral to say the least, but then she seemed to warm up.  57.9% of you think she’s rebutted acting with acting and is only pretending to give Armin her blessing, whereas only 15.4% think Armin’s Oscar worthy performance won her over.  26.7% don’t have a clue about what this crazy girl is thinking.
Yelena and Armin are both playing each other.
Yelena is CRACKERS and I love her.
Yelena isn't suspicious of Armin, just yandere levels of jealous that he will get to see the Jaeger on Jaeger action up close and personal
Yelena is so out of her mind it actually makes me think if there's something more to her?
Yelena gave me nightmares tho.
Yelena's crazy face scared the shit out of me.
yelena looks like she eats the gum underneath desks
Would knowing Falco drank spinal fluid deter Zeke from screaming? 1,263 responses
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Well… 8% of the people who took this poll have a level of optimism that is truly admirable. The other 92% have far less trust in Zeke’s compassion and empathy, most leaning towards the “Hell no” category - that Falco’s wine ingestion wouldn’t even be a consideration if it came to it. Press F for Falco.
After he’s told Falco has ingested his spinal fluid. He’ll give a cold look and say “ah... I see. *inhale* YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
When he learns about Falco's confession and screams because he doesn't want any Grice-Braun baby on his watch
I scream, you scream, we all scream for- Oh shoot Falco's a titan
Zeke screams when Zeke wants to
Do you think Nile will live to see his family again? 1,262 responses
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Commander Nile Dok is one of the many citizens to have ingested the spinal fluid wine.  If they get transformed into titans, Nile would never get to see his wife Marie and their daughters again.  62.3% of you think he won’t reunite with them, while only 14.2% think he’ll see them again.  23.5% don’t know what they think his fate will be.
Nile deserves to live and see his family
Well, at least Nile and Pixis are goners for sure, but I still think that even if they are titanized, it isn't necessarily their end, because the power of the founder can be used to change the molecular structure of Titans, so if they don't die immediately Eren theoretically could turn them back into humans
please let nile see his family he's so underrated and he deserves it thank you mr. isayama
Which character’s feelings toward Eren best align with your own? 1,257 responses
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Close to half the fandom agree with Armin that Eren is only doing this because he has no choice. In second place, almost a third agree with Jean’s “He’s a bastard but he’s cool.” The remaining ¼ of the fandom are divided between Mr. Braus (“Can we just head on home yet”) and Connie’s “I’m sick of being betrayed.”
Connie's anger is valid (fuck Eren)
Jean is out of character for part of it and I really hope that Armin has a secret plan to subdue Eren/at least get angry at Eren for all the shit he's put them through. Connie's right; Eren has been completely shitty and betrayed them even if he does it because he thinks he's saving them or something.
I'm glad Connie hasn't lost his ability to speak his mind, and is sick and tired of everyone's shit.
Armin wonders if Eren will use the rumbling to wipe out the world. What do you think? 1,249 responses
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In this chapter, Armin thought back to Eren’s monologue at the ocean about killing everyone in the outside world. 56.2% of you don’t think that’s Eren’s goal at the moment, but that he would be willing to do it if push came to rumble. 20.1% think his end goal is in fact to flatten the earth, whereas 15.8% don’t believe Eren would ever do that in 2000 years.
ern got sneky plan up his slev
I think Eren intends to use the rumbling to destroy the world, but have confidence that Armin will be able to show him it's not the only way
Isayama has been making it so its not clear one way or the other. There are arguments for and against all of the options. I am waiting for a different plan altogether, but I would be fine with either way really.  
Eren himself will never do that. But if he is influenced by the memories of so many Attack Titan holders and the will to always move forward and fight, he probably will.
Eren will use the rumbling to deter the world, not destroy it unless he has to.
He'll use it but for a purpose we don't know about yet. Possibly a way related to the S1 miner story and the walls going deeper underground.
I think that Eren's ideology of being born into this world as a free person is something that isn't just applied to Eldians.  We know that Eren learned that those across the ocean are the same as those behind the walls.  Despite the hatred that parts of the world may have, I don't think Eren wants to take away the freedom of those who never knew any better.
The slight pause in Armin's expression seems to tell me there's more to what he's thinking! Not just rumbling  
I imagine we'll follow the time-loop theory and Eren will use the rumbling to rewrite (and rewind) the world to be one without any existence or recollection of titans. Or some weird shit like that.
Eren will turn all Eldian women into anime cat girls. That’s what I would do.
Do you think Armin is being genuine in his optimism about Eren? 1,248 responses
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With all of the opinions on Eren floating around at the moment, Armin tries to convince the others that their friend isn’t on the side of evil.  The majority, at about 60% believe that Armin’s not positive of what he’s saying, but is trying to be optimistic.  32.5% think Armin truly believes Eren’s had no choice in what side he’s on.   Only 6.2% think Armin’s lying and tricking Yelena in that way.
He is being naive and basing his thoughts on his own perception of Eren. Or, he knows that Eren is up to something but needs to convince the others to work with Eren.
I think he’s pretending to support Eren to trick both the 104th and Yelena. The emotion he had after Eren hurt Mikasa was real,  no way he’s just over that. But I think it stands true that without Eren, Pradise’s fight would be lost. After everything that happened, though, why would the 104th want to help Eren? Thus Armin knew he would have to manipulate them (and Yelena, for other reasons) for the greater good in the end.
I'm not sure. He wasn't against feeding Eren to someone else if he rejected the SC and now he seems to stand behind him? I think he wants to play along until he knows the truth for sure.
He's deluding himself. He knows Eren is going to destroy the world but doesn't want to believe it.
Yes I believe so. Armin felt like he did not understand Eren anymore because his actions didn’t make sense. That was until Yelena expelled their plan to him in prison. I think that was the missing piece that solved Armin’s puzzle. He may not be certain about the exact plan Eren has but he has enough to go on that Eren would never agree to euthanise people.
I don't think he fully trusts Eren, but he knows that right now, whatever plan Eren has, keeping him alive will be best for Paradise's side. I think he definitely wants to see the good in Eren, but he also realises there might be darker motives in him, though he won't tell the others that in order to rally them properly.
He’s half trying to convince others that Eren is a liar, and half trying to convince himself. Armin just wants to understand, and I relate him.
*clenches fist* A C T I N G
Mikasa is leaving her scarf behind as she heads out for battle. How do you feel about that? 1,251 responses
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The scarf coming off is a big moment for Mikasa, and most of us (59.7%) are optimistic that this is the beginning of some great development for her. For others (17.5%) the heartache is just too real. There was quite a bit of hopefulness in the write ins though!
MIKASAAAAAA <3 ok but... she's asking all the right questions!! putting away the scarf!!! thats my baby!!!
I was really excited about the scarf choice! I am not so much a fan of people misinterpreting what the scarf means though... Take a shot everytime you see someone say 'finally some development for mikasa'."
It keeps pushing along the development she has been receiving since the Time Skip. After her conversation with Eren, she more than likely associates it with the Ackerman Bond.  Her going out without is a statement that she's truly doing things by own will. Will it be the last time she wears it? I don't think so.
The scarf is her sanctuary and her cage. Leaving it behind is bittersweet and I think the next time she wears it (if she does so) it'll symbolize something totally new.
I want to see Eren's reaction to noticing Mikasa without her scarf
I'm glad that Mikasa decided to leave the scarf behind. She needs to live her life and become strong, independent, smart, mature woman. Being attached to Eren was only stopping her from her own growth. It doesn't matter if Eren was honest while saying about hating her. Mikasa is now opening her eyes and I hope that she will keep moving forward.
Mikasa removing her scarf leads into a perfect segway for Eren wrapping it around her again, as he promised in chapter 50. So I am actually quite excited for that as an Eremika fan, rather than worried.
Chekhov's scarf incoming.
I am more concerned about whatever the hell's going on inside Louise's head as she stares at that scarf.
Louise will take it for one reason or another.
The Marleyan's have new anti-titan rifles. Who will they be used on first? 1,239 responses
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The anti-titan guns will no doubt be useful fighting the shifters but a slight majority of the fandom (36.7%) thinks the wine drinkers will be the first victims. 36.4% think they’ll be targeting one of the shifters first.
It’s taken 27 chapters, but Gabi has finally realized the people of Paradis are not devils. How do you feel about her character development? 1,257 responses
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Gabi’s been in the story for quite a while now, and has finally come around to the idea that not all the walldians are evil devils.  Despite criticism of Gabi being a common sight, the majority of fans, at 37.8%, loved her development and are excited to see what she does next.  27.1% weren’t fans at first but have enjoyed her development, and 23.2% still don’t love her but she’s grown on them. Only 11.9% haven’t enjoyed anything Gabi’s had to offer the narrative.
Feeling validated in my love for Gabi, I'm so glad she finally reached this realisation!!
Granted, Gabi isn't nearly as bad as she was when she started, but her realization came way too late for me to feel anything for her. The damage at this point is already done, so I can't feel anything but complete disdain for her and could care less whether she lives or dies (though it seems like even now a lot of people are still rooting for the latter)
Gabi is best girl.
As expected from Gabi, so obvious and predictible "development " she is the proof that isayama isnt god, becouse everyone do mistakes. Worst manga character
I loved Gabi’s character development. I hope that she’ll do something useful in the next chapters.
I couldn't possibly care less about Gabi's "development". My interest/investment in this series died when Gabi killed Sasha and Isayama started painting the SC as "the bad guys". I didn't sign on for this BS.
I'm glad that Gabi had her moment of realization. It's easy to forget that she's just a child, brought up to believe certain things, and it's coming to that realization that matters the most.
Loved gabi’s character development so so much which i was waiting for. I’d call this chap kind of a heartwarming one in many ways. can’t wait for ch119.
How cute was Falco’s confession? 1,251 responses
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In the midst of battle, Falco confesses his feelings to the girl of his dreams, one Gabi Braun.  Over half of you (52.1%) gave this confession a 5/5 on the cuteness scale.  25.6% rated 4 cute blushes out of 5, 14.1% were right in the middle at 3, and only 8.3% rated it negatively.
Falco is so pure.... WHAT A GOOD BOY.
Gabi and Falco's scene this chapter really hit me. So much beauty and heart. I feel like the story would miss something without them, aside from their relevance to the plot.
The Gabi-Falco moment wasn't that important to me since I literally just don't feel any particular attachment to the characters, but it WAS important to the story and it needed it happen.
Falco's confession was too cute and pure... oh my god I AM WEAK FOR YOUNG LOVE.
I loved Falco's confession and how him and Gabi were staring at each other at the end of the chapter. They were just so fucking cute.
Wow, for once I found myself having fun with this chapter instead of stressing out. Also, I DIED when Falco confessed to Gabi, that was the cutest scene I've witnessed since 108 and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday chapter. Thanks, Isayama!
Gabi and Falco are getting too much attention but their moments were cute nonetheless.
Falco is sooo cute! Loved that confession scene.
IM OFFICIALLY A GABI STAN, FALCO IS A CUTIE
Is there a chance Falco and Gabi will get married and live happily ever after? 1,260 responses
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In a series as upbeat and cheerful as this, a happy ending for a young couple is certain!  Right?  RIGHT? 45.2% know the series they’re reading and are bracing for the worst form Isayama, and another 36.6% doubt it will end up all rainbows and smiles for this blossoming romance. 14.8% are holding out hope that it’s possible, and only 3.3% don’t think those little snots deserve a shot at happiness.
As cute as Falco's confession was, how is he going to marry Gabi and give her a happy life if he's going to inherit the Armored and then die in 13 years anyway?
Falco's confession was like a drop of purity and innocence in this cruel world. I wish they could live happily. That would be beginning of something new and hopeful.
Now when I say "they don't deserve a happy ending", I'm really just referring to Gabi. Falco deserves nothing but the best.
I'm also glad Gabi is finally awake, idk how I feel about Falco being some weird scapegoat shield foil for her (taking the hits every single time she gets herself into trouble), but I don't think her character development has peaked yet. She's too much of a parallel to Eren to be done already.
Bless Falco, he is just too pure for this cruel world... or maybe he is just what this cruel world needs.
Romances never end well in this series but somehow I hope that this one can come to fruition. I’ll be hurt if Falco actually dies. Maybe that’s what it means to suffer as a braun.
Can't wait for next chapter. PROTECT FALCO, COLT AND GABI AT ALL COST.
When will Zeke scream? 1,246 responses
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A solid 35% of the fandom believe Zeke will only scream if he’s totally cornered by enemy troops. Following behind that at 26.4%, respondents feel that he will be doing it immediately in the next chapter. 20.5% think it will happen if and when he is torn out of his titan by an enemy soldier. A small sliver of respondents don’t think it will actually happen.
As soon as he steps on that Lego
Once he notices the people with balck arm bands who are gathered in the front line as pixis ordered, it will be his only salvation... again.
Depends on how bad the interference gets between him and Eren. He panics whenever things don’t go his way and that would be enough of a distraction to reach Eren. Although once they titanise they will also try to eat any surrounding shifters excluding Eren because of Zeke’s influence. It’s a reliable last resort for him.
If Eren gets to him and does his own plan. Once Zeke realizes Eren didn't uphold to the euthanasia plan, he'll scream
The only way he won’t scream is if Armin transforms and turns the tide of the battle. It seems that Zeke is only going to scream as a last resort, but if the battle doesn’t shift back in his favor soon, then he will for sure. I think it’s on Armin at this point.
Not if Eren has a say in it. For all he knows the 104th are still in the building, along with anyone infected that he cares about. If Zeke tries to scream, I feel that Eren will somehow stop him.
Will the Rumbling be activated in this battle? 1,244 responses
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66.6% of respondents (is this an omen?) feel that we will at least see a partial rumbling during this battle. 23.4% feel solid about Eren not activated it at all, and the remaining 10% of respondents feel sure that Eren is going to unleash the big guns.
Destroying the world would be too simple. Eren might try to use the wake up call and make people to see that everyone is the same.
I'm still unsure whether this battle will lead to a full or partial rumbling. There are characters who are still missing the call: Kiyomi, Historia, Hitch, Annie…
I don't think Eren is going to activate the rumbling when he touches Zeke. I think he has something else up his sleeve.
Is it wrong that I WANT the Yeagerbros to use the Rumbling? It will basically wipe out the rest of the outside world that has done nothing but persecute Eldians and try to exterminate the protagonists. I see nothing wrong with this 'genocide' plan of theirs.
Eren using the rumbling to destroy the rest of the world makes no sense, especially after what he told Reiner and the fact that it’s what everyone assumes he wants to do.
Zeke is now close enough to titanize those infected by the wine. Do you think he'll do it? 1,251 responses
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Reflective of the earlier question about when Zeke will scream (we may not have realized we got a little redundant, oops!), the majority of the fandom believe that Zeke will definitely titanize the wine infected Eldians in the area. A small 11% have faith that he won’t do it.
Zeke stop being such a retard already and let's get to the good stuff! The rumbling the scream! Come on dude!
I both want Zeke to scream for cool storytelling but I don’t because I love the people who would be affected
Zeke screaming is too predictable, same with falco becoming a titan shifter, I will be a little disappointed if isayama does that
Is this the final battle? 1,252 responses
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While a third feel that this is climactic enough to constitute the finale, a clear majority (68.1%) feel certain that there is still more to come after this battle
This can’t be the final arc because it doesn’t really feel like the strongest arc. Isayama would make the final arc amazing
We're in the endgame now
If this is really the final battle I worry it'll be rushed. Mikasa only just started her development to "get free" from Eren and Armin still hasn't lived up to Erwin's legacy. Then there's Hange and Levi, who I still hope to see in action again. Same for Annie. If we don't get to see female titan in action one last time, I'll be disappointed. Not sure how can that happen, since she's still back in Wall Sheena (and I hoped Armin would see her wake up), but please...
Prediction time! Death flags are everywhere, who do you think will die in this battle?
Unlike the other groups in this section of the poll, a few hundred people chose not to make any selections for the Survey Corps, expressing confidence that they will all survive this battle.
When we look at combined results, the death flags are waving most prominently for Floch (741 votes), the senior military (650), Reiner (598), Connie (594), Porco (588), and Yelena (583).
Senior Military 1,196 responses
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When Nile waved goodbye at Falco, it wasn't just meant for him. It was also meant for us. This chapter really felt like this is the last we will see of Nile as a human. The next time we see him, he will be a Titan for sure.
My heart breaks for Keith. He also drank from the wine, so he´s a goner? What do you guys think?
Survey Corps 916 responses
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As much as I love Jean, it really hurts  me that I chose him and Connie as the next characters in the Survey Corps that will die, because it feels like they will.  I really hope I'm wrong.
Connie will die soon, mark my words.
I didn't really catch any death flags for the survey corps? Maybe hange or levi but that's it
Jaegerists/Volunteer 1,133 responses
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if floch dies next chapter many extremely manly tears may be shed for that lovable nutter
Can Zeke just die? It's been 3 times he survived from death. It makes it predictable
I don't want Zeke to die, I don't want Zeke to be betrayed by Eren. Eren, please... My heart is breaking.
Marleyans 1,150 responses
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I have huge soft spots for both Nile and Falco and am in denial about their eventual fate :(
pieck must never die
I hope Reiner doesn't join Berthold just yet
reiner must die
It’s really great seeing Pieck get more spotlight, now all I need is her last name, and I can accept her probable death
If my boi Reiner were to die I'd drop the manga
Which titan power do you think Falco will inherit? 1,204 responses
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Will all of Falco’s warrior training pay off now that he’s in a situation where he might become a titan?  The most popular option at 55.4% is that he’ll inherit Reiner’s armored titan.  26.7% don’t think he’ll end up becoming a shifter at all. The Jaw and Beast were the next most popular choices, at 7.9% and 6.9% respectively.
The stage is set for Falco to inherit Reiner's titan.
I know the prevailing theory is that Falco will eat Reiner and get his power (and it'll probably happen too) but something about letting a kid inherit Ymir's curse all over again doesn't quite sit right with me. Like what Eren said: Falcon deserves a long life too. But I guess it's better than being titanized by Zeke's scream and shot by one of those guns.
No Colossus option? C'mon.
What would you most like to see next chapter? 1,219 responses
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Levi and Hange top the wish list with just over one fourth of the fandom (21.7%) hoping for an update on their condition. Eren and Zeke touching is second (17.6%) and Eren noticing his friends in the fray is third (16.2%).
Annie will reappear, DRINKS ON ME
I fucking hope Eren and Zeke touch bc damn this chapter seemed to be so short and we’ve been eating for so long.
Glad to see Jean mentioning Levi & Hange, makes me expect (and fear) that they will be included in the next chapter.
Hange and Levi plz
I hope we can get a glimpse of Eren's thought. I need his perspective more, more than anyone else's. And last but not least, Levi's condition.
I'm excited to see the gang join the battle
I'm genuinely at a point where this whole 'mystery MC motives' thing is making me want to drop the series for a while. Please just rip the bandaid off if Eren is going to be a legit ~villain~ or whatever, stop dragging this out for so long.
With this being the last chapter of the current volume now would be a perfect time to check in on levi and hange's conditions and perhaps could pace the way for some good angsty chapters that eventually lead to them two coming into this battle with a brilliant game changing fighting strategy (maybe some hange backstory too if we are lucky enough like cmon its the final arc and hanges the only main cast that hasnt had any hint of a background)
Eren and Zeke touching lol phrasing
At this point, around which chapter do expect the manga will conclude? 1,163 responses
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Not a whole lot has changed here since last month, but we had a slight increase in the percentage of respondents that think 130 or 134 will be the final chapter of the manga. The percentage of people who believe the manga will continue to chapter 138 or beyond has stayed about the same. Similarly, the people who think the manga will end at chapter 122 or 126 are hanging in there - and it doesn’t seem like they have been convinced otherwise.
Where do you primarily discuss the series? 1,141 responses
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While Reddit and Tumblr hold steady, Facebook has been making tiny gains in recent months. Thank you again to everyone who participated, regardless of what platform you are on! If you are on an underrepresented platform, please feel free to share the poll there.
Additional thoughts on the chapter?
Some of you have never been brainwashed by an evil regime and it shows.
I ache for Nile, we misjudged him, he is such a sweetheart with his three little girls! <3 I have a bad feeling he'll die, but I really, really hope he survives this, because from *his* original trio, he's the only one left. Mike and Erwin are gone. :(
A lot of people think Armin only function in this arc is just to blow up and follow Eren's game but I think he is going to become the third option in this conflict, as soon he confirms his fears about Eren true intentions with rumbling.
As for the titan serum wine victims, maybe they won't be affected if they don't hear Zeke's scream if they cover their ears hard enough
AVENGE YOUR SISTER, KAYA! DESTROY THE HATED ONE!
Eren is a shit. Who puts his friends and family of dead friend into a prison together with potential titans? If someone from Sasha's family dies because they were locked in Shingashina, Eren will be officially the worst person ever and I will root for his terrible and painful death.
Eren looked so pretty in that last panel
EREN PLEASE- DO SOMETHING. SAVE THE KIDDOS.
Finally the story is starting to progress again after months of nothing really happening that builds the story. Finally we are getting answers without getting anymore questions. This is a lot less infuriating than previous chapters have been.
i feel like there is going to be a lot of deaths tho since we are in for a large scale battle, mainly with all the people that consumed the wine.  but i still think  Hizuru will come into play here and in a dangerous way.  
I just hope a happy ending for everyone (or most of them) but knowing isayama, I will read happy endings only in fanfiction
I like Gabi now
I hope Mikasa realizes she’s NOT a slave and Eren’s Ackerman talk was bullshit. Ackermans are the most free ppl in this series
I wish for Eren not to turn like a villain, I want him to keep his same goals from the very beginning and save his friends, the Eldians, and unite them with Marley all together. I hope he can team up with Reiner and defeat Zeke. Most of all, I would like Mikasa to break her bonds she has with Eren and live for herself. And for Armin, to free Annie with the help of the Survey Corps and Reiner with Porco together so that Annie could fight on the right side for once, then return home peacefully.
If Armin isn't lying I'll eat one (1) entire issue of Bessatsu Shounen Magazine.
It didn’t focus as much on the fights as last time, focusing more on how the characters are being affected by the fight
It was amazing and it felt a bit more hopeful than the other chapters. But since it is supposed to be the last arc, something big will happen for sure and i am not ready XD!
Mikasa does not wear the protective shields. Foreshadowing? My Eekstinct tells me she is going to be injured in this battle and then Kiyomi makes a move that shock everyone, drags Mikasa away and keeps her promise of protecting her.    And then Hizuru arc begins EEEEEEEEK
Needs more Annie and Historia but still a 10/10. Should be 11/10 though.
One of the greatest cliffhangers ever. It created such a conflicting feeling in me. If Zeke doesn't die asap, he is going to scream. If he does, Eren won't be able to activate the rumbling to defeat Marley. It's two terrible results.
People could use some pointers from Yelena and stop looking at Eren as this messiah-like figure who is here to bring world peace or balance or any of that stuff. Eren doesn't fight for the world, he never did. He fights for the freedom of him and his people and if flattening the earth gets him that then so be it. After all, he will keep moving forward, until his enemies are destroyed.
Probably my favorite chapter out of the last year! I thought it was going to be more action heavy but there were so many touching character moments and I absolutely loved it for taking its time to touch on almost everyone
This is like the 4th time in 5 chapters that Zeke is on the brink of death and my poor heart can only take so much ;-;
Unpopular Opinion (don't kill me), I feel that Pieck is such a Mary Sue.  I get that she is highly skilled among the Warriors, but she has seriously only had one "mistake" since her introduction (Panzer Unit explosion).  Other Warriors such as Reiner, Bortolo Colon, even Zeke have suffered multiple beat downs throughout the story.  I just want her to not feel as invincible at times, as it seems she's always one step ahead.
We’ve heard little to nothing about Eren’s philosophy and state of mind since after the time jump (and even after the RTS arc ended), I think we’re in for some info soon enough
Yelena is the representation of all the creepy fangirls who just wanna protecc their otp change my mind
Well, if I wasn't right about anything else, I was right in that shit has completely gone down. Probably one of my favorite chapters in the whole manga.
With so many airships this month cant we just rename Attack on Titan to Attack on Airships ? :D
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hopelessromantic1352 · 6 years ago
Text
You Are My Muse - Chapter 4
Chapter 4 is finally here! 😌 Sorry it took so long and I hope it was worth the wait! I'm trying to decide whether or not to continue this series so please send me your opinions and feedback! I always appreciate everyone taking time out of their day to read my fics and give them a like/comment/reblog ❤Word count on this one is around 3,000
Tags: @alleksa16 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @marycarrillo21 @lxaah11 @kuladekiwi @zeniamiii @ajayismybae @choicesmakemychoices @pb-boeboe
Leland gives me a hug and a peck on the cheek before clasping Thomas' hand in his own for a firm handshake.
He then motions for us to sit on the couch next to his desk.
"Thomas, Stephanie! It is so great to have you both on my show!" He smiles warmly at both of us. "I do believe that is the loudest welcome I've ever had on my show. I also believe that you two are Hollywood's favorite couple. But please," Leland leans towards me, "Tell us Stephanie, how did you get past Mr. Hunt's rough exterior and snag yourself Hollywood's most eligible bachelor?"
Thomas' arm rests on the couch behind my back, his hand lightly touching my shoulder. I place my right hand on his thigh and laugh, taking Leland's question into full consideration.
"It was difficult, to say the least. Even though I could tell he cared for me, he was ever the professional and never let his emotions get the better of him." I squeeze Thomas' leg slightly, hoping that he is relaxing a little.
"Well then, when did you two start facing your feelings?" He smirks at the two us, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
I look up to Thomas, silently asking if he wanted to chime in. He nods once to me and looks at Leland.
"We expressed our feelings for each other almost six months ago."
We look at each other after Thomas makes his admission to the crowd, I lock onto his dark brown eyes and see him smile. A smile that reaches his eyes.
"You two are so cute!" Leland's high pitched voice breaks through my thoughts of kissing Thomas, right here, right now, in front of the entire world. "So Stephanie you said he was standoffish about his feelings, who was the one who pushed for the relationship in the end?"
"Um," I gnaw on my bottom lip and sneak a glance at Thomas who has an amused smirk on his face. "That would be me." I raise my hand shyly. The crowd laughs and I feel heat begin to rise in my cheeks as I think back to before Thomas and I started dating. "I kind of flirted with him, shamelessly, but as I said before he was the perfect gentleman and professional."
Leland laughs before he glances down at the notecards in his hands. "What exactly drew you to Mr. Hunt? I don't know him to have a very warm, bubbly personality."
Thomas scoffs next to me. "I should hope not."
I giggle and the crowd laughs again.
"He has intrigued me ever since the first time we met. He's always so professional, of course, but there's always been a softness to him that drew me towards knowing him better and seeing the man behind the mask more often. In a professional sense, I've admired his work since I was in college. I went to a community college in Iowa before transferring to a university about an hour away from my hometown, and whenever I had the chance I'd do class projects on one of his movies or scripts."
"Sounds like you may have been crushing before you ever laid eyes on him." Leland winks to the crowd.
"Oh trust me, I did my fair share of googling those modeling photos."
The crowd oohs and some laughed. I had never told Thomas this particular fact and I could feel his body tense.
"You mentioned Iowa. What was it like growing up there, in a small town, and moving to L.A.? Have you been back since you've gained your fame?" Mr. St James' questions were respectful and mostly pointed at me, in the personal sense, which I was glad for Thomas.
"It was good to grow up in a small town. Everybody knows everybody and we all supported each other, but once I went to university in the city, I realized there was so much more to the world than what I grew up in." I bite my bottom lip again, deciding how to approach the second part of his question. "As for going back, I haven't had a reason to. My mom moved to Idaho so she could be closer to me, and my brother who just returned from his second tour overseas moved to Idaho as well. The three of us have always been close so, to know that they are a short plane ride away is comforting."
"That sounds amazing, but right now we have to take a break! When we come back, we will ask Thomas and Stephanie all things about their latest film together, Enveloped Love."
Leland turns to us, smiling, like usual.
"How are you two lovebirds faring?"
I smile warmly at him, "I'm doing great."
I turn my attention to Thomas, who nods at our host.
"Quite agreeable."
"Good. I'll be back in a flash." He turns and trots off backstage.
I feel Thomas' hand find mine. I turn my attention back to him.
"You know, we have rarely spoken about our families."
I nod and swallow. "Yeah, I--we should. More often."
He nods, noticing my wariness of the subject, he drops it and squeezes my hand. "You're a natural on here. You field these questions quite like a professional."
I give him a grateful smile. "Are you doing alright?"
"I am. I appreciate that he isn't pushing too personal of questions on us. And, he is focusing the majority of his questions on you, which I am quite alright with." He gives me a smug smirk.
I was about to say that will probably change seeing how the subject is being changed to Enveloped Love, but Leland arrived addressing the camera before I even knew it was on.
"And we are back! Now let's get down to business shall we?" He gives everyone a blinding smile before he continues. "Thomas, you have to tell us, what was your inspiration behind Enveloped Love and it's characters?"
"Well," Thomas clears his throat and I give his hand a reassuring squeeze. "My main character, Alexis Lively, was actually inspired by Stephanie. When I met her for the first time, she made me desire to start writing scripts again. I had quit for some time because I hadn't felt inspired enough to create something worthwhile. Once I created the main character, I called upon Holly Chang. She and I put together a plot and created the dialogue. Stephanie also helped revise the script and gave her own input that aided us in finalizing it."
Leland's eyes widen. "You, Thomas Hunt, allowed an actress to aid you in revising a script?"
Thomas nods. "Indeed I did. She is quite talented beyond her acting ability."
"Well I am impressed, I've heard you are quite the perfectionist. But, what exactly happened with your first female lead, Apricott Persimmon?"
It was my turn to tense up. I didn't like bringing Apricott into the interview when it wasn't part of the plan. Thankfully, Thomas was ready to field the question.
"Ms. Persimmon decided on her own, that she did not want the role after the first two months of filming. Her agent called and informed me that Apricott could not find herself in Alexis, so she decided it was best for her and the rest of the crew to step away and allow us to fill the role with someone who could find themselves in the character."
Nicely done, Mr. Hunt.
"You two do realize that it was a bit of a scandal when it turned out that Stephanie filled the role, correct?"
I glare daggers at our host, who has the audacity to wink at me.
"I fought with Thomas trying to convince him to let me have the role since the first time I laid my eyes on the script. He wouldn't hear it though, he told me that he didn't want to jeopardize my career over one movie."
"So what changed your mind in the end, Thomas?"
"I did not have many options. I had contacted three other actresses, not including Ms. Persimmon, and they were already engaged in other projects. We did not have the time, nor was it in the budget, to hold auditions to try and find a new Alexis. Stephanie approached me and told me, quite confidently, that she could handle the media and that she absolutely wanted this role."
"I have dealt with a lot of flak from the media in the past so I knew that I could handle them, especially with Thomas and the rest of the crew backing me. Apricott herself backed me as well, which I'm very grateful for."
Leland nods, "Why did you choose Apricott for your lead in the beginning Thomas?"
"She was high on my list because I knew not many people would want to take a chance on her after her blow up with the media. No matter her family, she is still a talented actress. I have no problem ignoring bad headlines to focus solely on a actor or actress' talent." I glance at Thomas to find his gaze already on me, a small smile gracing his lips and his eyes are softened.
"What was it like to not get that role, Stephanie? It had to have been frustrating since you wanted it so bad, right?"
I nod, "It was, but it also gave me a chance to take a break from Hollywood, the media, and just get away for a little while. I visited my mom and brother in Idaho for a couple of months, so it turned out to be fruitful."
"That's wonderful, and I hear filming has been going well since the role change and you are well on your way making your release date." He looks between the two of us. "Are you starting to feel the excitement? Your release date is only two months away and I hear you are nearly done shooting, is it starting to feel real?"
"Definitely! I'm so excited to share this movie with everyone."
Thomas squeezes my hand, "The whole cast and crew have worked tirelessly so we can finish by our deadline and within our budget."
"Well folks, you've heard the exclusive story from Stephanie Park and Thomas Hunt regarding their newest movie, Enveloped Love. I want to thank both of you for joining me today. I am so looking forward to watching your movie and hopefully soon, I'll get an invitation to your wedding!"
I nearly seize up completely. Who said anything about marriage?
"After the break we will review Ryan Summers' newest film and talk to Markus Von Groot about his reentry into the American film industry."
The show's director signals that we are clear.
"How'd you like that closing? Pretty great, huh?"
"Leland, we've only been dating for almost six months. We haven't even moved in together." Thomas squeezes my hand, making me look at him.
He looks relaxed, which surprises me more than how Leland ended our segment.
"Rumors would have started anyway, Stephanie. Mr. St. James just beat everyone to the punch." He stands, pulling me with him.
I wrap my arm around his as we make our exit from the stage.
"Thank you two so much, I enjoyed having you both on my show." Leland pats me on the arm before trotting back to his desk.
An assisting director ushers Thomas and I off the stage. The young, shy girl thanked us for being on the show before shuffling back towards the stage.
"Well," I let out my breath, "That was...interesting."
Thomas gently tugs me into an empty dressing room and closes the door behind us.
"What are we doing in here?" I look at him, trying to read him, but he avoids my gaze.
He sits on the loveseat, setting his elbows on his knees. I sit next to him and place a hand on his arm.
"Thomas, talk to me. What's on your mind?"
"Is it so crazy to be thinking of marriage?" His voice isn't it's normal confident self. He sounds vulnerable, something that I rarely hear coming from him.
Then his question hits me.
Is it so crazy to be thinking of marriage?
"We just had never talked about it. He just kind of caught me off guard."
"Stephanie, that did not answer my question." This time, he doesn't sound vulnerable and he looks me straight in the eyes.
"No. I don't think it's crazy."
He lets out his breath and his shoulders relax.
"In fact, I can't see my future without you in it."
His eyes snap back to mine. His lips turn upwards, and I see something that I never thought I would have ever seen. Thomas' eyes shine with tears threatening to spill.
Before I knew what was happening, his arms wrap around me in a tight embrace. His lips find their way to my neck placing a trail of featherlight kisses down to my collarbone and back up.
I grasp at his lapels, giggling.
His hands slide under the skirt of my dress and he lets his thumbs massage the inside of my thighs.
"Thomas, we should really wait until we get back to your house."
He pauses, leaving his lips and hands where they are.
"We still have to head over to the studio."
With that he pulls back. He stands, nods, and schools his expression into it's normal serious lines.
I smile at him, ever the professional.
***
Once we got past the infuriating paparazzi, I climbed into Thomas' luxurious car.
"How many scenes do we have left to shoot?" I broke the silence once we left the parking garage and were on the road.
Thomas doesn't answer. His eyes look distracted and his knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel so tight.
"Thomas?"
"Hmm?" He jumps slightly, taking one hand off the wheel.
"Did you not hear my question?" I bite back a giggle.
"I apologize, no, I was...thinking." His eyes soften as he takes my hand in his free one. "Can we talk about your family?"
"Oh, sure. What do you want to know?" I tighten my grip on his hand.
His thumb rubs the back of my hand soothingly.
"Anything you are willing to speak of."
"Well, you know that I grew up in Iowa with my family, but after I graduated high school, my parents divorced. So, once I moved out here, my mom wanted to stay close to me and away from my dad."
I place my other hand on top of Thomas', rubbing circles on the back of it.
I take a deep breath before resuming my history. "My dad is a...piece of work. He always blamed anything bad that happened on my mom, she could never do anything right, and when she tried to be nice to him and do nice things for him he wouldn't be appreciative. Like everything my mom did wasn't good enough, but he could do no wrong. So, she got divorced as soon as she could once I graduated high school."
Thomas looks over at me as we wait for a red light to turn green. "You aren't close with your father?"
I scoff. "No. Especially not after I moved out here to pursue acting. He basically told me that he would disown me if I came out here to become, and I quote, 'a crazy dream chasing whore.'"
Thomas glances at me, his eyes widen before he scowls. "Your father actually called you that?"
"Yup. Real, 'father of the year' material, huh?"
"I cannot believe, your own father called you that."
I see his left hand tighten on the steering wheel again.
"I don't care what he thinks." I shake my head, tightening my own grip of Thomas' hand. "Now he probably thinks I'm sleeping my way to the top."
I give out a humorless laugh.
"You are not sleeping your way to the top, and you are not a," he pauses before he grinds the word out through gritted teeth, "Whore."
"Thomas, I know that. It's just frustrating that my own father thinks that and, it's hurtful."
He shakes his head, "It is disgusting that he thinks that."
We come up to another red light. The traffic seems to be heavier than usual, but I'm not complaining. Thomas is letting me pour out my family issues to him.
"What about your family?" I look at him, taking in his side profile.
That jawline. Damn, that jawline.
"My father is a successful lawyer in Sacremento." He pauses as he switches lanes. "My mother was always on the school board, taking me, my older brother, and younger sister to games, recitals, anything we were a part of."
"She sounds sweet." My heart flutters when I think of Thomas as a boy. "Did you play sports?"
He raises an eyebrow at the skepticism in my voice.
Yes, he is very good shape, but honestly I can't see Thomas Hunt playing any kind of sports.
"I actually played football until I was ten. Around that time, I started dabbling in different arts. Acting, of course, was my main focus, but I had the opportunity to tour a movie set with my school and became fascinated with screenwriting."
"You were only ten?" I can't hide the surprise or the skepticism in my voice.
He chuckles. "By the time I was interested in screenwriting, I was more like twelve."
"Oh, well, excuse me." I reach over and poke his side. He squirms slightly, "You must have an IQ of like, 500."
"I believe that is impossible."
He cracks a grin when I giggle.
"So, why didn't you go to law school?"
"I never had the desire. Not even when I was a young child." He pulls into the studio parking lot, "Once I was interested in acting and screenwriting, I didn't have any desire to quit."
"Are you close with your family?"
He parks the car and turns it off before answering.
"My sister, whom you saw at The Last Duchess' wrap party, is my closest family member. My brother and I rarely see eye to eye, and my parents don't think that I earned my place as a Hunt."
He looks at me, then moves his gaze to our hands tangled together.
"I'm sorry Thomas. Do you see any of them, besides Rachel, very often?"
"Unfortunately, Christmas and Thanksgiving every year. But rarely outside of holiday obligations."
He releases my hand and moves to brush a lock of my curly hair out of my face.
"All the family I need, is right here."
That phrase makes my heart and body ache for him even more. These are the moments that make this relationship. Little moments of affection behind closed doors, just the two of us, pouring out our insecurities and problems to each other, but knowing that we have each other to lean on when the going gets tough.
I lean over and kiss him gently.
"When did you see my modeling photos?"
Heat creeps up my cheeks. I look away from and bite my lip.
"When we were shooting for The Last Duchess in Cordonia. After Addi said you were an underwear model."
I look back at him to see an amused look on his face.
"What? You know I've always found you attractive, can you blame me?"
He laughs, pulling me back to him. He kisses across my jawline up to my ear.
"Maybe you could, give me a private show later?" My voice is a breathless whisper.
He smirks against my neck. "Perhaps. But, as you reminded me earlier, we still scenes to shoot."
He breaks the contact and I whine quietly, which earns me another chuckle from him.
"Later," he kisses me sweetly, "I promise."
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toads-treasures · 6 years ago
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OC Companion Meme
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I was tagged by the fantastic @metalforhands​!! Thank you so much for the tag and I’m so sorry it took me so long to get to it!! This was harder than I expected lol. So guess who had to come up with a very elaborate AU because I am just that Extra?
Whoever wants to do this have a whack at it and tag me!!! It was actually super fun to think about! I don’t know how well I did with the companion perk but, uh, lol I tried. Let me remind you guys, I’ve only played Fallout 4 once and for like 20 minutes. I might have gotten a lot of stuff wrong here but it was fun, okay?
Nora Lee
Where you find her:
To have Nora as a companion you must first complete the Quest: Strictly Business which will be triggered after you talk to her for the first time. She can be found at Bunker Hill, standing next to a small caravan and arguing with a named Gunner, Carson Thorne. The Sole Survivor can overhear the last bit of dialogue from Thorne.
Thorne: “You gotta understand sweetheart, the ‘Wealth is more dangerous than you’d think. It’s just good business.”
Nora:“Take your business and shove it up your ass Thorne, I don’t need you and your overpriced ego telling me how to run my family’s operations. Now get the hell out of here.”
Thorne: “Your funeral, sweetheart.”
Thorne will walk past the sole survivor and Sole can then pass an easy charisma check and ask Nora what the conversation was about. She’ll tell the sole survivor that Carson Thorne has been trying to get her to hire the gunners as protection for her caravan ever since she and her party (herself, and two unnamed merchants) arrived in the Commonwealth two months ago, attempting to gather more books for her mother’s library as well as expand the trade of her grandfather’s tobacco trade into Commonwealth. 
Her caravan had been doing well except for these last few weeks they’ve been attacked by the same raider gang every time they attempt to leave Bunker Hill. She’s convinced that the raiders have been hired by Thorne in order to force Nora’s hand and hire the gunners.
The sole survivor can then offer to help Nora or pass a difficult charisma check and convince Nora to hire them in order to deal with Thorne. (The Sole Survivor can pass further speech checks to get the initial price of 150 up to 200 caps)
The sole survivor can then find Thorne and either A) convince/threaten him to leave Nora and her caravan alone or B) kill him. With either of this options the sole survivor will go back to Nora and explain what happened. She’ll be grudgingly impressed either way (more so Sole has successfully convinced him to leave her alone without killing him) and tell the Sole Survivor, “But there's still the raider gang to deal with. How good of a shot are you?”
The sole survivor and Nora eliminate the raider gang together, leaving her caravan behind and going out to find the raiders themselves.  Sole can either dismiss her or ask if she’d like to go with them. She’ll respond:“After what you did with Thorne? I’d follow you anywhere, [flustered] I mean...uh, yes, why not?”
After that she is no longer available as a merchant to the player, but her caravan will continue her trade routes and will sell to the Sole Survivor at a discount.
WEAPONS OF CHOICE: Standard 9 mm pistol, sighted hunting rifle, and a unique knife that looks like this: It’s a bookbinding knife.
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Nora always has unburned books in her inventory and in one of her affinity talks mentions that her mother taught her how to restore old books and gave her the knife.
Idle Dialogue:
“You’d be surprised at one of they key ingredients for a good book binding glue. It comes from Deathclaws. So, of course, I don’t get it very often.”
“Biggest bummer of the apocalypse is no one has time to just kick back and read now.”
(If raining) “No no no! The spines still haven’t set in my last copy of Dickens!”
At Boston Public Library: “(Softly) Can you imagine what this place must have been like back then? It must have been, oh...sorry…”
At College Square: “Oh what I wouldn’t give to have seen this place in its hay day. More intellectual and less….feral.”
[humming, whistling or singing to player’s radio]
“I’m guessing librarians back in the day didn’t have to carry around so much firepower, huh?”
I THINK WE SHOULD TRAVEL TOGETHER:
“You do seem to cover a lot of ground, I wouldn’t mind tagging along.”
“Okay, but no complaining if I search for more inventory along the way, alright?”
Romanced- “Of course, love. Lead the way.”
Use Melee:
“If this dulls my knife you’re finding me a new one. And they’re not easy to track down.”
“Ugh, if you’re certain.”
“Down and dirty, huh?”
“Why are you like this?”
Use range:
“That’s more like it.”
“Trust me, they’ll never see it coming.”
“Much more my speed if I’m honest.”
Open Inventory:
“Don’t touch my Vonnegut, it’s mint condition. Or as close as I can get it anyway.”
“What’s mine is yours I suppose.”
“If you wanna carry some of these, be my guest, my back is killing me.”
If over encumbered:
“And I thought I was a pack rat.”
“I keep telling you we should get a brahmin.”
“Even I can tell that’s too much,”
Romanced- “Darling I’d hate to have to leave you behind because you’re too slow, (laughs) I’m just teasing, let me take some of that, won’t you?”
Stay Close:
(If low affinity) “I’m not much of a cuddler so don’t get any ideas.”
“Don’t get familiar. This knife is small but it’s sharper than you’d think.”
(Mid to high affinity) “If you like.”
“I’ve got your back, not to worry.”
Keep Your Distance:
“Thank God, you’re not exactly fresh as a daisy you know.”
“I do distance a little better if I’m honest.”
“I’ve still got your back, love,”
STEALTH:
“I can be quiet, it’s you I’m worried about. You’re carrying about thirteen desk fans.”
“I was raised by a librarian, remember? Quiet is my specialty.”
BE PASSIVE:
“What’s that old adage? Speak softly, and carry a big stick? Sounds inappropriate.”
“No need to ruffle any unnecessary feathers.”
“I’ve always preferred the diplomatic approach.”
BE AGGRESSIVE:
“Surely there’s a better way to go about this.”
“I won’t go in guns blazing unless you have a very good reason for it.”
“I hope you know what you’re getting us into.”
USE STIMPACK
“(Sighs) God, I hate needles,”
“Thanks love, I really appreciate it.”
“(Hissing) That stings, doesn’t it?”
WAIT HERE
“Sure, I’ve got plenty of work to keep me busy.”
“Here out in the middle of nowhere? You’re sure?”
“If you take too long don’t be surprised if I’m not exactly where you left me.”
FOLLOW ME:
“Aw, things were just getting exciting! One more chapter? (Sigh) fine, I’m coming.”
“Right then, off we go.”
“Finally, what took you so long?”
DISMISSED:
“You’re sure? Alright then, watch yourself out there.”
“Try not to get up to too much mischief without me.”
Romanced: “If you’re sure...be careful, love. Please.”
Sent home to base:
“Alright, I can go drop off what we’ve gathered so far and start cataloging! That’s always my favorite part.”
“Keep your eye out for any books, please.”
Enemies (long range):
“(Sigh) we never get very far, do we?”
“Alright, if you must. Their funeral, right?”
“Aw shit! Did you see that too?”
CLOSE RANGE
“Dammit! They snuck up on us!”
“This isn’t how I wanted my afternoon to go, you know,”
“You’d think we would have been able to smell this lot coming.”
LIKES:
Intelligent and sarcastic Soles. Hacking terminals. Picking up comic books and magazines. Haggling for better prices with merchants. Reuniting Billy with his family, agreeing to be the general of the Minutemen, supporting Piper and the press.
Dislikes: Chem usage, stealing, low intelligence answers, making fun of Sheffield, selling Billy. You know, basic bad stuff.
Romanceable?
Yes
Romance lines
“You know, I’ve read a lot of love stories, but this, this is something else.”
“You know I think my Grandad would have actually approved of you, (laughs) trust me that’s the highest compliment I could ever give you.”
“What do you need, love?”
“Anything troubling you, darling?”
“Okay okay that’s enough of that mushy stuff.”
Lover’s embrace lines:
“(Yawning) is it really morning already?”
“You know, I used to hate mornings, but waking up to you has significantly improved my opinion of them,”
“Morning, love,”
Companion Perk:
Comprehensive Study-Books and magazines stat bost has permanently increased by 30%
Personal Quest pt. 1- Strictly Business
pt. 2-Before her highest affinity she’ll admit her dream to build a library like her mother’s. She’ll show you the plans she and her grandfather drew up back in the Capital Wasteland and you can build Nora’s Library at any settlement. After Sole does that Nora becomes romancable.
There you have it! The Nora Lee, the Commonwealth’s first traveling librarian!
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wanderingalonelypath · 5 years ago
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Inquisitor as companion: Lyanna Rivens
(listen, this is a cool thing and I need to develop my newest oc, okAY)
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Name: Lyanna Elleanor Rivens
Alternate name(s): Lya (to her friends)
Race/Class/Specialization: Human/Mage/Force Mage
Varric's nickname for them: Sunny (for her normally cheerful disposition, save when she’s talking about Templars or the Chantry)
Default tarot card: Lyanna in her travel outfit (in the picture above) in a hooded cloak, her staff gripped in both hands before her, orange rings pulsing out from the top. A tower stands behind her, with a giant crack through the middle, to the point where it looks as if the top is about to slide off. The sky is dark.
How they are recruited: In Redcliffe, upon exiting the Chantry after talking to Dorian, or standing around outside the Chantry if not doing In Hushed Whispers, the Inquisitor is approached by Lyanna. She questions if they are the Inquisitor/Herald, and if they're really trying to restore order. She offers to join them, as she is a talented apostate and wants to help stop all the death. The Inquisitor can ask why she doesn't want to stay with the other apostates in Redcliffe and she replies. "I've sat in a Circle my whole life. Now that I'm finally out, you think I wanna just sit around in a random village?"
Where they are in Haven/Skyhold: In Haven, in the tavern, standing between the bar and the fireplace. In Skyhold, in the garden near the gazebo.
Things they generally approve of: Supporting mages, respecting other traditions, being curious about magic, helping refugees and minorities.
Things they generally disapprove of: Supporting Templars, supporting the Chantry, being needlessly rude, dismissing any of the companions
Specific approval points:
Choosing Mage knowledge dialogue options-slightly approves
While being named Inquisitor:
Doing it for themselves-no approval
Doing it as a mage-approves
Doing it as an elf/dwarf/qunari-slightly approves
Doing it to defeat Corypheus-slightly approves
Doing it for Andraste-disapproves
Mage, Templar, or other?:
MAGE! Greatly approves of allying with the mages, greatly disapproves of conscripting the mages and allying with the Templars, disapproves of conscripting the Templars.
Romanceable?: Yes, by all genders and races except male humans.
Romance side-quest:
Hidden knowledge: Upon finding the dusty library nook near the kitchens, a dialogue option to bring it up to Lyanna will appear in conversation. Previous conversations with her will reveal her love of learning, and how the vast library was the only thing she missed about the Circle. The Inquisitor can ‘give’ her this room and a cutscene will play when they take her there. She expressed that no one had ever gotten her so thoughtful a gift before. That no one has ever cared about her this much before. She’ll be excited and thanks them with a kiss, and the scene fades out on the Inquisitor pushing her up against the shelves. Lyanna can now be found standing in the little library or browsing the shelves.
Kiss scene: In the empty storeroom (technically the Eluvian room) camera pans to see Lyanna and Inquisitor, Lyanna’s hands on their neck and the Inquisitors on her waist.
Romance related dialogue:
I: I wanted to talk about us.
Lya: Oh? Us?
I: I wanted to steal a kiss.
Lya: (chuckles) C'mon then.
I: Have you thought about what might happen after...all this? (Only after the completion of Here Lies the Abyss and Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts)
Lya: With us? I suppose.....well. You're the Inquisitor. That depends on you.
I: I just want to stay with you.
Lya: Really? I...want that too.
I: Just me? There are two people in this relationship, you know.
Lya: True. But only one of us is going to save the world. Who knows what will be different then?
I: You're assuming we'll live through this.
Lya: Don't go getting morbid. I don't want to think about that.
If not romanced, do they get with anyone else?: If the Inquisitor doesn't romance Lyanna, she will eventually strike up a romance with Scout Harding. The romance will trigger with either Dorian, Sera, or Bull mentioning it in party banter.
Dorian: My, my Lyanna. You're awfully cheerful today.
Lya: Am I?
Dorian: It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with an adorable scout we met up with at camp, would it?
Lya: (chuckles) It might.
Sera: So....like the widdle dwarves do you?
Lya: Sorry?
Sera: I get it. All curves and woof.
Lya:...uh-huh.
Bull: So you and Harding, huh?
Lya: What about us?
Bull: Good on ya. Redheads, yeah?
Romance tarot card: The background is light green. Lyanna stands, hood down, staff in hand but pointed at the ground. Her other hand holds a red flower. Her hair is down, blowing in the wind, and you can faintly see a castle that looks like Skyhold in the background.
Companion quest:
Ghosts reaching: Once the Inquisitor has high enough approval with her, the cutscene will take them to a corner of the garden that's unoccupied. Lyanna paces a bit, before stuttering over her words. She asks the Inquisitor if they trust her. No matter what they reply (yes gets approval, no gets disapproval) she explains that she has been trying to track down someone from her past, someone she needs to get revenge on. The Inquisitor can press her for details, but she'll be evasive, before asking if the Inquisitor will come with her to the cave she tracked him to. She is locked in as one of the companions. The cave is in the Hinterlands, near Master Dennet's farm. As soon as they enter the cave, they must fight through groups of low-level Templars until they reach the very back of the cave. This triggers a cutscene where they approach Templar with his back to them, looking around as if he lost something.
Templar: The song. It left me. Why did it leave? Why would you leave me?
The Templar turns at their approach, and you can see the effects of red lyrium in his eyes and around his breastplate.
Templar: Do you know where it went?
Cole (if in the party): Hungry, grasping, reaching. It hollowed him out.
Lyanna strides forward, stopping just in front of the Templar with an angry snarl on her face. 
Lya: Albert. (said viciously)
Albert: (looking at her with a surprised face) Flower! My lily flower! (He reaches toward her, and she takes a step back, flinching) You’ll help me, won’t you?
Lya: Help you?! Why would I help you?! After everything you’ve done?!
Albert: (puts his face in his hands, shaking his head) I need it, I need it, I need it.
The Inquisitor has three options of dialogue:
I: What exactly did he do?
Lya: What Templars always do. He used his power and status to abuse mages and never got punished for it, the least I can do is see him dead for it.
I: I...don’t think he’s all there.
Lya: (disgusted scoff) Of course not. Why should he have to face the consequences of his actions when he could just dose up on red lyrium? Better to put him out of both of our miseries.
I: The red lyrium has him.
Lya: Why am I not surprised? Now he can’t even beg me for his life. Not that it would make a difference.
At the end of all of these dialogue options, Lyanna takes out a knife as Albert falls to his knees, she walks until she’s holding the knife to his throat. The Inquisitor is given the choice to let her kill him, netting a Greatly Approves, or intervene, stating that the red lyrium has already driven him mad, so there’s no point, which nets a disapproves.
If allowed to kill Albert, Lyanna stares at his body on the ground for a moment, before turning silently and exiting the scene. If the Inquisitor stops her, she stares down at him for a moment, before letting out a frustrated yell and throwing the knife, storming out of the scene.
The Inquisitor can later find her in her spot at Skyhold, reading a book and ignoring the Inquisitor until they say, “About that templar...”
Lyanna sighs and closes the book, moving until she faces them. “He was a templar at my Circle, awful and corrupt as all the others. He abused mages, tormented them with the threat of Tranquility, used it to blackmail their silence.
(If allowed to kill him) He deserved to die. He deserved worse, but thank you for letting me kill him.
(If not allowed to kill him) He deserved to die, but...You were right. He was gone on red lyrium. At least I know he won’t hurt anyone else.”
Inquisitor has three dialogue options.
I: Are you alright?
Lya: Not really, but I’m...better than before.
I: I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so angry.
Lya: (bitter chuckle) Templars will do that to me, I’m afraid.
I: Are there any more Templars in your past that I need to worry about you hunting down?
Lya: No. All the others are either dead or I have no idea where they are. And...if I’m going to move on from what happened to me, I need to put the past behind me.
If the Inquisitor has high approval with Lyanna, a fourth special dialogue is unlocked.
I: I heard what he did, but that seemed...personal.
Lya:...it was. I was his ‘favorite’. He used to call me his lily flower, watch me closely whenever I was near him. It wasn’t that bad at first until he tried to kiss me. I pushed him away, and then he started to get violent. Beating me for the smallest of infractions, threatening to make me Tranquil if I didn’t do what he said. He...snuck in my rooms at night. He was a Templar. There was nothing I could do.
At the end of all these dialogue options, you net a Greatly Approves.
Lya: Thanks for coming with me. I’m glad I had someone else there.
Companion side quests:
The Corrupt and the Wicked: Groups of rogue Templars are holding mages and Tranquil hostage. Hunt them down, kill them, and free the prisoners. Each instance nets-Approves.
Tarot card after companion quest: Lya now stands in front of Skyhold, hood down, staff straight but in one hand. Her other holds a broken chain, symbolizing her leaving her past in the Circle behind her.
Lyanna’s comment on the Inquisitor’s specialization:
Rift Mage: You’re learning to use rift energy in your magic? That’s...fascinating, actually. Do be careful, though. We don’t need another Breach for you to close.
Templar: (disapproves) Really? You want to be a Templar? Should I look over my shoulder for you to smite me as well then? I’m sure you can find some of their armor around here, though. 
Tempest: So you use potions to cover yourself in the elements? Do you use a different potion to protect yourself from the others’ effects? Or is it something in the formula that keeps you from getting hurt? Good on you, though. Looks useful.
Assassin: Training as an assassin? Well, at least you have something to fall back on after the Inquisition. I hope you never get a contract for me. (jokingly) I’d at least make you work for it.
Relationships with other characters:
Cassandra: Wary acquaintances. For all Cassandra claims to not be a Templar, she still acts like one and answers to the Chantry. They get into light bickering over mages and the Chantry, but they're not hostile. More comrades in arms than friends. If slated to become Divine, Lyanna expresses reluctance and a slight fear for the future.
Varric: Friends. Bond over being from the Free Marches. He asks her about her background before she got taken to the Circle. She tells him about how her parents were farmers near Ansburg and she was taken away at the age of 8. She asks him to tell her stories sometimes.
Solas: Close friends. They chat over magic and the Fade, she is particularly curious about his dream walking and relationships with spirits. They often chat about magical theory and how to reform how the world sees mages.
Sera: Friends-adjacent. Aren't antagonistic, but their views on mages don't line up. Sometimes bicker about magic. Also, joke around, so it's evenly balanced.
Vivienne: Decidedly not friends. Any bonding over magic or circle life is immediately canceled out by Vivienne refusing to acknowledge her privilege in the Circles. They bicker incessantly over the condition of the Circles and the future of mages. If asked about Vivienne in private dialogue she will admit her dislike of the woman but will comment that she respects her skill with magic and talents in court. If slated to become Divine, Lyanna expresses fear, and later at the celebratory feast, asks if the Inquisition would be turning its mages over to the Circles after Vivienne reinstates them. If the Inquisitor indicates that they will, she replies, “I see. Enjoy the party, Inquisitor.” It is later discovered that Lyanna fled Skyhold that night, with no one knowing where she was headed. If approval with her is low enough, she will leave after the feast regardless if the Inquisitor intends to protect the mages under their care or not. If this happens, she will not appear in Trespasser.
Iron Bull: They get along but they're not close (ironic because he's her romance interest as Inquisitor). He has an easy-going attitude that she didn't expect, but is still leery of him because of what little she knows of the Qun. Still, she questions him about it often because it intrigues her.
Dorian: Fast friends once they get past the whole Tevinter hurdle, which happens quicker than you'd think. She knows a thing or two about being judged by what you are, not who you are. They chat often about magic, Tevinter, Ansburg, the Circles, you name it. Often joke about.
Blackwall: Acquaintances. They don’t have much in common. She asks him about Grey Wardens sometimes, and he comments on her magic a bit, to compliment how neatly cast her spells are.
Cole: Leery of him at first, but takes a liking to him once she understands him. Often asks him about what it's like to be a spirit, and takes him digging in her head better than most.
Cole’s reading on them: “You were left, wandering, afraid, but so achingly free. The sky reaches for a thousand leagues and even though the world hunts you, the chains are finally falling away.”
Cullen: Dislikes him on principle, and never grows close enough to him for that to change. Doesn't expect him to smite her and stab her in the back, which is as good as it's going to get between her and a former Templar.
Josephine: Respects her abilities with the nobles, but doesn't particularly care for politics. Calls her pretty in passing, but never tries to get closer to her.
Leliana: Slightly terrified of her, and respects her quite a bit, both for her abilities and her opinions on mages. If she is slated to become Divine, Lyanna hesitantly shows hope for her future.
Ambient dialogue:
Searching items: Something's nearby.
High dragon sighting: Holy shit!
Low health:
Dammit, lucky shot!
How many are there?!
Inquisitor falls in battle:
Help the Inquisitor!
Inquisitor!
Greetings/goodbye's:
Low approval:
Hm?
What?
(farewell) Mhmm.
Medium/neutral approval:
Yes?
Need something?
(farewell) Later, then.
High approval:
(happily) Inquisitor!
Hey there!
(farewell) See you soon!
Romanced:
Darling?
Yes, love?
(farewell) I do love watching you walk away.
The Fade:
How they react: “Shit, are we actually...? (She looks around) Shit.”
Their tombstone: Obedience
What the Fears look like to them: Wolves. When she first left her Circle after it fell, the group she was traveling with was attacked by wolves the first night they made camp. The wolves killed two of the mages with them. They are a reminder that this world she struggled so hard to be free in may end up killing her after all.
What Nightmare says to them: “Ah, the little bird has escaped her cage, but for how long? Still, you stay surrounded by Templars in your little Inquisition. They will fail, and they will turn on you and drag you back to the Circle, and just like before, no one will be there to hear you scream.”
How they respond: “Fuck off, demon.”
Reflections about the Fade at Skyhold (if they went): “That was....terrifying. And exhilarating. But mostly terrifying. Let’s maybe...not do that again?”
Reflections about the Fade if they didn't go: “You went physically into the Fade? Again? That’s...wow. Are you okay?”
Hawke or Warden: No approval loss or gain either way, but makes a comment later while talking to the Inquisitor about how it must have been a difficult choice, choosing between who lives and who dies.
The Warden's: “As far as we know, they’re the only ones who can stop Blights. Definitely a bad idea to just get rid of them.”
Exile or allies: Approves if made allies, Disapproves if banished.
The Ball: “This is...certainly something. You can almost see all the lies and half-truths falling out of their little masks. I almost wish I had one.”
I: Enjoying the party?
Lya: Well enough. I’m a bit scared to talk to anyone. I’m out of my depth here, and these people know what I am. I think I’ll just stick here and watch. It’s entertaining enough.
I: You like the masks?
Lya: They make everything a bit more...dramatic, don’t they? Orlesians love that sort of stuff.
I: Seen anything I should know about?
Lya: Plenty of subtle threats and people sneaking off for a rendezvous, but nothing about our other problem. I’ll keep a lookout, though.
I: Care for a dance?
Lya: Really? I’ve never properly learned but...yeah. I’d love to. Maybe not on the dancefloor though. I’d rather step on your toes in private.
How they are announced: Apostate Lyanna, formerly of the Ansburg Circle of Magi.
How they respond: “Well, glad we could get the apostate thing out of the way, then.”
Where they linger: Bottom right corner of the ballroom, near one of the big statues. She can be found leaning back against the wall, just watching.
Are they good at the Game?: No. She has no experience in anything resembling the Game. She mostly keeps to herself and doesn’t talk to anyone, out of fear of screwing up something for the Inquisition.
What people say about them: 
“The Inquisitor brought an apostate to court, did you see?
“I wonder if she is one of the rebels?”
“Don’t turn your back on that one.”
Gaspard, Briala, or Celene?: Prefers Celene reunited with Briala; greatly approves. Approves of Celene alone. Disapproves of Gaspard alone. Slightly disapproves of Gaspard with Briala controlling him.
Temple of Mythal: “An ancient elven temple? Will the wonders never cease with the Inquisition? Next, you’ll show me a baby griffon.”
Rituals or hole?: Approves of doing the rituals out of respect for the elves. No approval gain or loss for jumping through the hole, as they are in the middle of a battle.
Morrigan or Inquisitor for the Well?: Approves the Inquisitor drinking from the well, disapproves of Morrigan drinking because none of them really know/trust her.
Comments on Inquisitor's LI:
Cassandra: “Taking up with Seeker Cassandra I hear? I thought she had a soft heart under all those scoffs.”
Cullen: “Didn’t think you were the type for big, burly templars, Inquisitor, but if you’re happy...”
Iron Bull: “You and Bull? Is he...you know what, never mind, don’t answer that.”
Dorian: “Dorian’s a lot happier these days. You two are good together.”
Sera: “You’re with Sera? I...have to admit, I didn’t see that coming. But, if she makes you happy, then good for you.”
Josephine: “I’ve heard whispers about you and Ambassador Josephine. She’s quite pretty. I hope you two are happy together.”
Blackwall: “You know Dorian told me the most fascinating rumor about ‘Warden stamina’ the other day. Care to comment?”
Solas: “I’m happy for you and Solas, Inquisitor. The two of you are awfully sweet together.”
Companions comments on romancing the Inquisitor:
Dorian: “My dear Lyanna, I’ve heard the most interesting whispers about you and our dear leader...”
Lya: “Which, the ones where I run a secret mage underground with their help or the ones where they help me slaughter templars?”
Dorian: “The ones where you two are together, but I must admit I’m more curious about the other rumors.”
Solas: “You two seem to make each other quite happy.”
Lya: “I suppose we do.”
Solas: “Good. It is heartening to see people find such happiness in the midst of war.”
Varric: “Sunny, you have to give me something.”
Lya: “Varric.”
Varric: “At least tell me how it happened! Were you poring over texts about magic? Taking a late night stroll through the garden? Did they walk you back to your rooms after you had a bit too much to drink?”
Lya: “I’m sure whatever you come up with is more exciting and dramatic than how it actually happened, so I’ll leave you to it.”
Vivienne: “Surely, you must see how...unwise it is to fall into a relationship with the Inquisitor, my dear?”
Lya: (sighs) “Oh?”
Vivienne: “Once the Circles are reinstated, you will be parted any way. Better to end things now to avoid a breaking later.”
Lya: “I will not allow anything to take them from me, Lady Vivienne, nor will I allow anyone to take me from them. Keep that in mind.”
Trespasser:
If Bull betrays the party: “He fought with us for so long...we were his friends. How could he do this?”
Relationship status (if Inquisitor romanced): Able to marry. The Inquisitor brings it up in conversation, she will think of their future fondly but doesn’t think the Inquisitor is being serious. The Inquisitor will get a dialogue option to ask her to marry them, and she’ll say yes.
Relationship status (if Inquisitor did not romance them): The Inquisitor can ask how things between her and Scout Harding are. She says they are really good, and admits that Lace recently asked Lyanna to marry her. They decided to wait until after the Exalted Council to make it official, though.
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zenosanalytic · 5 years ago
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HoXPoX Liveblog: Powers of X#5
Keeping it going with PoX5! As Always; The Link vuv
Continuing the HoXPoX readthrough with Powers of X#5! Cover's another Savage Land variant the character drawing isn't AS extreme as the last one, tho the women are still preternaturally thin and Jean's boobs have that unnaturally robust&high tacked-on look so common to comics :T 
Opening X Quote: "they will think we are doing one thing, but the truth is we are doing something altogether different". DECEPTION!!! I'm wondering when Moira's gonna come back into this story given her disappearance from the middle books. 
X0: The XMen, Dallas TX, Year 1. Xavier's talking to Forge aboout making the mind-copying upgrades to Cerebro. SUMMARY TECHNICAL DIALOGUE my favorite owo owo owo There's talking in a room filled with this cool Ocean hologram and I love it. 
(also they're not using the awful color scheme of 80s&90s Forge, which I thank them for -____-) 
Here's a question: is there any discourse out there abt how MUCH LIKE Forge Solid Snake looks? Cuz they look father and son :| :|
AAAUUUGH This Maniacal Xavier face has slain me! I will Share It uwu:
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GAAAAAAH LOOK AT THIS MANIPULATIVE NERD!!! i love him uvu uvu uvu
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Infopage on Cerebro 7.0 Most of it's just worldbuilding technical summary, but there's an interesting tidbit that Xavier has replaced his own "self" with a previous "copy" twice. Wonder if we'll learn about those instances :?
AHHH Also: Moira's in a No Place(basically Krakoa pocket-planes that are undetectable&impenetrable). Wonder what she's up to?
Cut to X1 Year 10, the Louvre. Mags and Xavier are confronting Frost over something infront of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, no time to go into the symbolism of that just now. The questionable motivation and involvement with the Cult of the Great Gods seems telling.
there are more basic lvls to it tho: Nike's in the background, Xavier looking at it, when he asks her to help them form a government for Krakoa; the implication, he's looking/considering their victory, is obvsl.  It's above him as he explains his drug masterstroke to her.
There's an interesting thing here where Mags is positioned as the mid-point/referee/border btw Emma and Charles. When X mentions the nation of Krakoa, she turns to Mags as someone she trusts to be the "voice of reason" against concentrating mutants in one place(risking Genoa)
idk how common it's been leading up to this series, but I like how HoXPoX recognizes the recklessness danger Xavier's maximalist dedication to Mainstreaming sometimes puts mutants in.
to be clear XMen villains positions were often explicitly and cartoonishly villainous and self-serving(for instance Hellfire was long just cartoonish mutant supremacist aristos, much like Mags), but this reimagining along more preservationist lines allows it to be a real argument
Like: theyre positing a Frost for whom the Hellfire Club/Corp was a way to live unseen among humans, wielding power in a way that could carve some safety out for some mutants. I think that's a bit charitable given the clear class elements of Hellfire's role in the canon but still
"This is that day youve been waiting for/to make right what went wrong" they say, Nike behind Mags(he'd just told Frost abt their repop plans; signaling he'd convinced her to listen?)
!!This is interesting: She asks how it's going to be different than all the other times, Mags says "let us show you" and presents one of the Krakoa flowers... but it's in something which looks A LOT like the "Seer Self" of the elder from PoX4!!
Cut to Later, Krakoa XD She agrees to help.  The negotiate terms. Xavier takes a VERY WEIRD adn formal supplicant posture that I dont know how to describe but it, again, reminiscent of dance, I'll show you:
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They offer her control of the Krakoa drug trade&the legitimate face of their diplomacy in exchange for two governing seats and bring Shaw back into Hellfire to run covert ops, Frost's face is Priceless: 
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an infopage on the initial gov-structure of Krakoa, "the Quiet Council" it DOES NOT seem like a great system AT ALL; twelve person unelected council, half of the membership secret, Krakoa itself only gets one seat/vote though technically two in its "faction" with cypher.
Honestly this seems most like a cabinet without a head of state? Of the members we know, each is head of a particular department or major faction(X the Xmen, Mags the brotherhood, ect) Seems guaranteed to encourage factionalism, backroom conspiracism, and opacity
Cut to later that year, Xavier offering citizenship and safety on Krakoa, various cuts of "villains" hearing his offer telepathically(including a p cool redesign for OmegaRed and his allies), ending somewhere which looks like its underwater(Atlantis?). 
Yup it's Namor(who I guess is a mutant now?? Wasnt aware of that). Namor rejects the offer, and questions Xavier's sincerity in belief in mutant(and X's own) superiority(as Namor pegs the reasoning behind Krakoa).
I know I keep saying this but the supremacist vibe of all this is disquieting. You can be right abt mutant persecution without ALSO being right that mutant life is "more valuable" than others, esp when "value" is just an utterly noxious moral standard to begin with.
Cut back to X3 Phalanx presents its terms. The elder is destroyed. The Librarian has Questions, asking Nimrod to extrapolate what's going on(Nimrod believes Phalanx has agreed) Nice joke here: "primordial Kirbons" for Jack Kirby. Paying him would have been better :T
The gist: Blackholes are a gigantic networked Machine-Brains, Phalanxes are created by this to hunt for societies worth adding to its intelligence, the Phalanx as agreed to incorporate them but needs energy to do this, it will eat the entire planet to power the transfer. Oops. 
Another infopage of Society types, this time universe-spanning. Adding Titans(singularity intellects), Strongholds(allied titans fighting to consume others), and Dominions(allied strongholds which are effectively gods) All transcend time(interesting implications re Moira)
Another interesting bit: Dominions are noted as fearing Galactus and The Phoenix as possible threats. The Phoenix of course can use human-mutants as hosts.
Hmm, it ends with a Namor quote. Interesting...
That was a Good and Dense one ^v^ I'll have to think about it for a bit, but I'm getting the feeling that, basically, the Mutants are working on a way to achieve the same sort of "transcendence" as the machine-society path, but their own way, and mechsocs fear this(Phoenix).
Also I'm curious how the Celestials fit into all this. Mutants are the result of thier experimentation, so could it be that they are a sort of forerunner of a biological second option to the more common machine-ascendancy, which mechsocs wrok hard to prevent arising again?
The idea being that there are at least two paths to "transcendence"; one biological,communal, andindividual-preserving through pseudomagical "mutation"/self-directed evolution/cybernetics, and the more common machine-intelligence-consumption route.
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dachi-chan25 · 7 years ago
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Game of Thornes- Season 7 episode 2 Recap (Pt.2)
Warnings: Spooooooilers; not a D@nee fan my dude, no hate either just critizism; Jonsa shipper so most of the fandom thinks I’m delusional.
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6.- Dat raven from Oldwarts reaches WF (OK but like where is Edd’s raven about Bran???) and Jonny boy is in Brooding mode, he calls for the Lords to tell them the situation, they are not happy at all about being all buddy-buddy with a Targ (and rightfully so) but Jon has a good reasons for going himself (even if I don’t like it):
- He is KitN and unlike other rulers J0n has already proven (remember when he wanted to have a 1 on 1 fight with Ramsey so no one else would die??) he takes responsability over his people and if it’s a trap he’ll rather sacrifize himself than an innocent.
- He is the only one who saw and fought a WW and the only one who can explain how much of a threat they are.
-The raven asked specifically for his presence, and to be allies (they both seek that) there should be some amount of trust, he NEEDS their help after all.
Of course it’s not so simple, because D@nyy has Melissandre with her (you know the same J0n exiled) and she wants him to surrender the North to her (which wasn’t mentioned in the raven and OH!! That if we believe the leaks she is gonna send him on a pointless stupid hunt to prove he says the truth (so no trust on her part I see)
Also, Sansa speaks up to remind him about their grandfather and how he was invited and then killed by a Targ (very fair point) and of course she doesn’t want him to leave!!!
“You’re abandoning your people! you’re abandoning your home!”
Some fellow shippers (I’m not saying your feelings/thoughts aren’t valid guys you are allowed to have your own reading and I am in no way trying to impose my view) mentioned they were wating for her to include ‘you’re abandoning me!’ but she already did in adding home, what makes WF his home is not the fact that he was raised there but that his family is! So in a subtle way she did acuse him of abandoning her.
And can you all blame her??? Sansa already lost so much, and wheter you ship them or not, it’s clear she loves him and doesn’t wanna loose him.
Problem is Jon is the same, y'all remember he wanted to fuck off to Essos after being brought back?? He had nothing left to loose and no fucks to give anymore, Enters Sansa giving him a purpose to live and someone to give a fuck about so of course he is gonna do anything in his power to protect her and the home she fought so hard for!! He is once again gonna fight for her now on the political side and honestly I dig so much this ship!!!
Anyway Jon is not getting much support (even Little Lyanna doesn’t want him to go) but he already made up his mind, Sansa is worried about who the fuck is gonna run the place in his absence and, be still my heart, because he says the North is hers (my shipper heart!!!!) and she is sooooo touched. Also that Jaime/ Brienne parallel.
Creepyfinger is pleased and honestly I can’t wait for Jon to choke the slimy bitch.
7.- Back in the Citadel, Sam says to Slughorn (I can’t remember his actual name, sorry) he knows how to cure greyscale (how very convinient) but hold your horses Potter!!! the thing is dangerous and you really shouldn’t do it. But of course he is gonna do it anyway, because I guess it’s more important to cure his ex-Lord Commander’s son than keeping his place on the Citadel (Slughorn said the procedure was forbbiden so I’m guessing they could expell him for this) to become a Maester for the NW like he was supposed to. Honestly this is all so convinient to have one of D@€nerys stans out and about again *sigh* Also the dialogue was like a porn and I was laughing way to hard even though the scene was disgusting.
8.- Eww that transition was just ewwww I’m glad I wasn’t eating when I watched it, so now we have Arya on her way to KL, and Yay! Hot Pie, I Love him so much, and LMAO Arya and her pies.
So at last Arya hears about the BoB and in that moment she forsakes her revenge to go home (Imma cry again) I think that’s the best damn decision because things are going to be ugly in the south.
9.- Jon in the crypts!!! (It’s happening y'all!!!) I must say that’s a pretty good looking statue of Ned tho. So LF is supposedly trying to get in his good graces but is he really??? I mean his words and tone are polite, he talks about how HE was the one who sent Ned’s bones back to WF (ya you trick ass bitch but you got him killed!!!) and wistully talks about how despite their differences they both loved Cat, and then smoothly reminds Jon about how Cat didn’t care about him and even says she was wrong (I called it!!! That LF was gonna say the last best chance quote from the trailer to Jon) but why was he talking about such a thing, we know Cat (and his bastard status) is a very touchy subject for Jon, as a matter of fact on a deeper level one starts to think maybe he was trying to provoke Jon (Starks. Quick tempers, slow minds is his motto afterall) and even I was surprised by how calm he acted when LF wanted a thank you for saving my life (that FUCKING creep). Until we get the ‘I Love Sansa, like I loved her mother’ it’s such an intresting way of phrasing it, isn’t it?? Because moments before LF states he loved Cat in a romantic way, and when he says he loves Sansa adds the last sentence to leave no room of doubt about what kind of Love is it and what his intentions are. What shaked me was Jon’s expression, he was furious, while moments ago he let LF words slide, a single mention of Sansa and he wants to kill the creeper. Jon’s threat is both terrifying and unexpected ( also I know everyone was freacking out about the sister but Jaime also called Cersei that and they had like 3 children together, same applies to but J0n said D@ny’s name OMG twu wuv, like LMAO Qyburn also said her name and I don’t see anyone shipping them) if LF wanted to provoke a reaction out of him it wasn’t that one definitely. Far to raw and protective to be brotherly.
Jon’s anger doesn’t fade even when he let’s the little creeper go!! He is downright murderous. But then he looks at Sansa and it’s like his whole demeanour changes, I was like what in the Seven hells is this!!!! And the little wave gives me hope they’ll see one another again in this season.
Now what I find real intresting is that last bit with LF. He gets outta those crypts, baffled and massaging his neck, when suddenly he seems to figure something out (you can see it in his eyes) and his first reaction to whatever he was thinking was looking at Sansa (she is looking at the spot Jon just left in such a wistfull and sad manner) and I think he knows something is happening there… Or maybe I’m delusional.
10.- Arya and Nymeria reunite and all is sad, but I think it linda makes sense, Nymeria is not her because Arya herself is not her fully, she had to strip from her identity to become a faceless man, and was using that to take revenge, but now she is stepping back from that destructive path because she has the option to come back home and it’s beginning to be herself again. maybe when she finally does Nymeria will come to her.
11.- I totally lost my shit in here, so Yara and Ellaria are flirting and drinking (so much for this is a war!! ) and far to relaxed and distracted to be part of a group that wants to take the Iron Throne, (Theon is super done with them btw) suddenly all hell breaks loose and Euron’s armada is on da house (he got to get that gift for his Lady) everyone gets crushed, the snakes are murdered and Ellaria/Yara taken prisioners. Also Theon is like LOL no I’m out. But are we supposed to think OMG Euron is totally GOT’s Jack Sparrow!! Cuz I think Ellaria and Yara (also Varys and Theon) were total dumbasses. In being sneaky 101 we learnt that if you wanna smuggle someone somewhere you gotta be disguised (see: LF getting Sansa on the Eyre and Varys taking Tyrion to Essos) Ellaria and Yara had those huge Greyjoy banners like 'here we are!!! The enemy!!!) and they also already knew about Euron’s armada but they choose to believe he was just gonna stay in Pyke pouting.
Like I said totally moronic!!! They could have disguised the ships and the people, traveling in broad daylight and maybe then they could have succeded.
Problem is everyone underestimating Cersei (except Sansa) even when they worked for her (Varys) and lived with her (Tyrion) and that’s what is allowing her to gain footing. As of now D@nys lost her armada and Dorne, her only allies are the Tyrell and with the Unsullied gone her only option is to go dracarys on KL (fuck the writers for this tho, she was actually making a good decision and you force her to hurt people, but maybe it’s intentional)
Also Sam is helping Jorah, but the leaks said the Tarly were going to die by D@nys hands. Looks like someone is gonna regret his decisions.
Anyway, leaving out the Stark bit I wasn’t very happy with this episode because the leaks keep being confirmed and they are still such bullshit (still I’m hoping some or most are fake)
That’s it. And yup I know I didn’t mentioned Greyworm/Missandei sexy time but I am very meh about it, yes it was tender and all but kinda pointless to me even if I like these two a lot.
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oodlyenough · 7 years ago
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I know you probably get asked this a lot but what games would you recommend? (for macs/computers) Thank you so much!
I don’t but let’s do this!! You can probably get a lot of these on sale right now through the Steam summer sale, fyi.
My top 3, all of which I played/can be played on a Mac:
Life is Strange - five serialized episodes general synopsis: You play Max Caulfield, an eighteen-year-old who has just moved back to her small coastal hometown to attend a pretentious arts school. Max mysteriously gains the power to rewind time, reunites with her childhood best friend Chloe, and together Max and Chloe use Max’s power to investigate the disappearance of local girl Rachel Amber and the rest of the town’s secrets.
Life is Strange isn’t a particularly graphic or gorey game but it does deal with a lot of dark themes and a lot of heavy moral choices. So if you are worried about a particular trigger or something it might be worth it to ask first. 
type of game: This is a choice game, so a lot of the foundation of the story/gameplay is based on you as Max making decisions and the fall-out of those decisions.
I like it because: I love moral dilemma games, and Max’s rewind power makes it extra interesting, because you also have the option to choose something, let it play out, rewind and try the other option. I also loved playing a teenage girl growing into herself, and I thought the relationship between Max and Chloe was A+++. A girl-next-door lovestory between two girls? In MY video games??
Telltale’s The Walking Dead Game  - 3 serialized five-episode seasons, but only season 1 & 2 available on Mac; season 1 is the best anywaygeneral synopsis: Set in the world of the comics rather than the TV show, season 1 of The Walking Dead Game starts at the beginning of the outbreak. Lee Everett is on his way to prison for murdering a state senator when the zombie apocalypse gets in the way, and he winds up finding and caring for a young girl named Clementine who has become separated from her parents.
type of game: Unlike a lot of zombie games, this one also emphasizes choice and morality rather than your ability to quickly shoot a lot of things. As Lee you get to make moral choices, be a good leader, a bad leader, or no leader, decide who gets your help surviving and who doesn’t, what risks are acceptable and what aren’t, etc.
I like it because: Well, I love the choice games, and this was the first of its kind that I played. I think the story is really solid. The decisions can be difficult and startling. I loved Lee and Clementine, and several of the other characters.
Tales from the Borderlands - five serialized episodesgeneral synopsis: You play as two characters in this one. The first is Rhys, a middle manager at the morally bankrupt Hyperion corporation, who travels to a wildly dangerous planet called Pandora in order to try and steal a blackmarket deal from one of his company rivals. You also play Fiona, a Pandoran con artist who plans to swindle Rhys out of ten million dollars by selling him a fake artifact. Of course absolutely none of that goes as planned.
This is set in the same universe as the other Borderlands games, which are first person shooters, but you don’t need to know anything about them to understand or enjoy Tales. (I played without knowing anything, it was fine.)
type of game: A choice game like LIS & TWDG, but action-adventure-comedy rather than tearjerking moral dilemma.
I like it because: I think the cast of characters is great – super likable, interesting, endearing characters, some of my new faves, including a couple great roles for women. (I’ve written like 30k+ of fic in three months, so something stuck.) Plus surprisingly clever, funny dialogue, and a fun heist-y scavenger hunt type story. I love elaborate heists!!
Those are my favouritest faves but here are some others!!:
Portal series  - two games, portal and portal 2Portal is a puzzle-solver game, so quite different from the rest of the list. You play Chell, who wakes up stuck in a test facility for sinister company Aperture, completing dangerous and inexplicable ‘tests’ that involve strategically placing portals to complete obstacle courses. Way, way funnier than it sounds, thanks to the ever-present narration of the robot running the facility.
Portal 2 is a much fuller game than Portal, in my opinion, but the story does follow one from the other, so play in order if you can.
Gone Home  - single game, maybe ~2-3 hours gameplayGone Home is in many ways more like an interactive story than a “game”, but I still found it really cool. Your character returns home to find her parents and her younger sister all absent, and you must explore the house, investigating all the items and piecing together pages of your sister’s diary, your parents’ notes and calendars, etc, to figure out what has become of everyone.
Oxenfree  - single game Oxenfree is a classic – a bunch of teenagers celebrating graduation by spending a night on a nearby island rumoured to be haunted, only to discover the rumours are, uh, probably true. You play Alex, who has recently lost her beloved older brother Michael, and is meeting her new step-brother Jonas for the first time. You control Alex’s dialogue and to some extent make Alex’s choices for her. Beautiful and unique art, good voice acting, and an intriguing plot. Definitely a little spooky. And if you play Oxenfree once, you definitely have to play it a second time – it’s worth it. Trust me.
The Wolf Among UsThis is another Telltale game, so in the same vein as Tales from the Borderlands and The Walking Dead. It’s based on the Fables comics, which if you aren’t familiar, means a bunch of fairy tale characters now living in real-world New York City. You play Bigby, the Big Bad Wolf, who is sheriff, and therefore must investigate a string of murders.
The Stanley Parable I can’t really begin to explain what this game is. If you want something really different from anything else you’ve ever played, try the Stanley Parable. Doesn’t require any skill at shooting or video games in general.
Firewatch I haven’t actually finished Firewatch yet, but I hear very good things, and it’s similar to Gone Home in structure, with maybe a little more gameplay. A man working as a park ranger at Yellowstone for the summer investigates weird happenings. His only company is the voice on the other end of his walkie-talkie.
Stardew ValleyThis is literally just Harvest Moon. But if you liked Harvest Moon back in the day, you’ll like Stardew Valley.
Broken AgeI haven’t finished Broken Age either, but it is a point-and-click puzzle game with a lot of humour and set in two very different but very creative worlds.
Octodad: Dadliest CatchYou are an octopus who has married the human love of his life but must maintain a convincing human disguise to hide from the local sushi chef who wants him dead. Words can’t explain Octodad but its launch trailer can.
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pherryt · 7 years ago
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I have another prompt for you but a bit silly: Dean along with Sam and John are shipwrecked on an island during a hunt. They meet the natives and Dean falls in love with a mysterious boy named Castiel. But when he brings him to his father to meet, John freaks . It is revealed that sometime ago John made a deal with Cas' father, the fish God to have Dean marry Cas in exchange for directions to Colt. A deal John doesn't intend to honor. You don't have to do it but let me know either way.
HOLY CRAP so this got a little long  (and would have been longer if I’d done more dialogue, i’m sure!) 2055 words!!!!
I hope you like it - I kind of made it a Canon AU style though we don’t really see much of the hunter life
_____________________________________
They should never have been on a boat to begin with. Anywhereyou couldn’t reach via car was usually a no-go zone for the Winchesters.Something Dean was all too happy about.
Besides, it wasn’t like there weren’t other Hunters in otherportions of the world. It was handled. They didn’t need to get in a tin can andfly halfway around the world to deal with whatever Apocalypse was happeningoverseas. If they couldn’t trust Hunters to do their job, or reach out when it was needed, then the world was in moretrouble than the Winchesters could deal with.
Still…a boat.
Dean supposed he didn’t really care about boats, normally. Itwas just that, John had this manic desire to stay away from the open water. Ifit was anything like Dean’s unspoken fear of planes, Dean wasn’t going to bringit up.
But this one time, they happened to be the only Huntersavailable to take on a case on a small island out to sea. So, while unhappyabout it, John rented a boat and all three of them got aboard.
The trouble happened when a storm descended and the waves gotchoppy. John wound up aiming for the closest land he could see – which was not the island they’d been heading for.
Nor, as near as Sam could figure it with rain slashing downon them and wind ripping at their clothes, was it even on the charts that Deanheld a flashlight over. Never mind. That was no longer important. Sam stashedaway the charts and all three Winchesters ran around the small boat attemptingto ‘batten down the hatches’ and make sure none of their supplies washedoverboard.
Moot point when the ship hit the reef and all three wound upswimming the last bit to shore and safety.
Nearly immediately the raging storm ceased, the rain peteringout to a light drizzle before finally stopping altogether. Taking stock ofthemselves, the Winchesters realized all their supplies were gone except theirknives which had been strapped down and the Colt. Not that that would help themany unless there was something supernaturally dangerous around. And they didn’trun out of bullets.
Calling for help wasn’t an option either. Their cells weredrained of power and waterlogged. Johns even had a crack across the screen.
For normal people, something like this might have been adeath sentence. But the Winchesters were Hunters and Dean was never morethankful for that fact than he was that day (never mind the fact that theywouldn’t have been on the boat tobegin with, if they hadn’t been Hunters).
They set about making a shelter and a fire and startedexploring the island. They had to know what they were dealing with. How big wasit? Were there any dangerous animals? Maybe there was civilization, like aresort or something, in another location on the island. The possibilities wereendless.
Dean was the first to find civilization, though it wasn’twhat he’d expected or hoped. The blue eyed, half naked man with a spear in hishand stared him down. Curious, wary, but not afraid or aggressive. TentativelyDean smiled and the other stared a little longer before smiling back.
For some reason, Dean never quite managed to tell his fatheror his brother about the native man he’d found. It was obvious the man didn’tmean Dean harm and there was something about him…
Somehow, the other man – Castiel, as it turned out - knewsome broken English. Dean wasn’t going to question it. What Castiel couldn’tsay in words, he used his hands to fill in the gaps. He showed Dean all thebest freshwater spots, hunting places and so much more.
Much, much more.
Dean was in love.
Castiel’s English grew better every day as they interactedand Dean never grew tired of listening to his deep, gravelly voice. In fact, hecraved it. Craved the sight and sound of Castiel, the smell and touch of him.Missed him deeply when Dean returned to the Winchesters camp for the night.Worried and panicked whenever Castiel disappeared and didn’t join Dean as heusually did.
It all came to head when Sam asked one day to go hunting withDean. Dean hemmed and hawed and stammered out a response before taking offwithout Sam. He should have known better. Just like Dean, like John, Sam wasstubborn, and held a great deal of Hunters suspicion, cultivated by theirfather from an early age.
Dean should have noticed Sam dogging his steps, but he wastoo intent on reaching Castiel to notice the extra sounds behind him. He’dgrown somewhat complacent in his time on the island. His Hunter instincts meantfor hunting down monsters bent on murder and destruction, his guard lettingdown with every day they remained on the island.
If Dean were truthful to himself, he hoped they never leftthe island, or that if they did, Castiel would be amenable to coming with them.
With thoughts of Castiel and his warm body and welcoming armsand happy smiles foremost in his mind, Dean swiftly made his way to theirmeeting place, eagerly placing himself in Castiel’s arms, lips meeting in achaste greeting. Dean hummed happily at the love and the peace that washed overhim.
A gasp behind him made him whirl about to face his brother.Panicked, Dean rushed to Sam’s side, hoping to keep him calm, keep him fromrunning off to their father. It took some time, some convincing and the usualHunter tests for Sam to accept Castiel at face value and then turning about toeagerly ask the native man a million questions.
Dean laughed in relief that Sam had accepted this, Castiel, them so easily. With a thoughtful look,he realized it was time to convince Castiel to return with him to camp, to meetJohn.
It was easier to convince Castiel than he’d expected, butDean supposed that Castiel had seen no danger in either Sam nor Dean, andexpected no different from John.
Dean couldn’t have predicted what happened next any more thanSam could have. Johns face paled at the sight of Dean’s lover as he shouted athis sons to get away from him, drawing the Colt upon him.
Dean looked at his father in horror, stepping in front ofCastiel to shield him from harm. Surely his father wouldn’t dare use the Colt,waste their precious shots, on someone who meant no harm? But then Castielsurprised him, gently placing a hand upon Dean’s arm and stepping forward withno fear.
“John Winchester, you have failed. You have failed in yourduty to willingly honor the deal you made with my father for the Colt, thus areyou labeled oath breaker. And your efforts to keep Dean and I from ever meetingand determining the course of our own fates, denying us our choice, have alsofailed. For this, above all things, my father demands that you face justice.”
Dean blinked, staringbetween Castiel and his father wildly. “Dad? Dad what did you do? Cas? What’sgoin on?”
“Dean, step away fromthat thing! He’s not human!” John yelled.
Castiel looked sadlyat Dean, “I’m sorry I never told you, Dean. Our fathers made a deal when wewere young. Your father needed the Colt to stop Azazel. Humans were not theonly ones who would benefit from this and father knew where it was hidden, butit was knowledge that could not be passed on to an outsider, so it was arrangedthat John would not be an outsider. As soon as you and I were old enough, wewould marry, if we wanted. It’s that simple.”
“Wait, wait, wait…dad?” Sam looked on in horror, steppingcloser to his brother. “You…you traded Dean for the Colt? Your own son?”
“Of course not! You don’thave to keep deals made with monsters,”John spit out, “I never planned on giving Dean to them.”
“I am the son of aGod, not a monster,” Castiel’s eyes narrowed.
John scoffed and thenhis eyes widened in realization, darting out to the water and back at Castiel,Dean still standing stunned behind him, Sam beside Dean, fists clenched inanger. “The storm…it wasn’t an accident…” John whispered.
“No, it was not,”Castiel agreed. “You took choice away from your son. We restored it. Who’s themonster?”
“Dean will neverchoose you,” John sneered. “He’s a Hunter. No Hunter worth his salt would ever –“
“Dad! Just, juststop,” Dean breathed out.
“You aren’t seriouslythinking –“ John growled.
“I said stop!” Deanyelled. John’s mouth snapped shut in surprise and shock.
Castiel turned toface Dean and reached a hand out to his face. “You were always meant to begiven the choice, just as I was. Dean, I love you. If you would have me, Ichoose you. To live with always, however we choose. Be it here on the island,our own little paradise, or on the road with you – I’m sure I could learn to bea Hunter. Or…” Castiel cast his eyes downward, “Or, father could make itpossible for you to join me under the sea. He is a God. It’s your choice, I justthought you should have all the options.”
Dean gulped. “Whatabout Sammy?”
Castiel’s head shotup and his eyes widened in surprise and hope, “Sammy…Sam would be welcome, ifhe wanted to come with us.”
“And dad?” Sam bitout angrily and Dean’s stomach roiled. Dean looked at his father, then toCastiel. Castiel turned, leveling a hard look on John Winchester.
“He took your choiceaway from you. But he did it out of love, however misguided. Ultimately, it’syour decision.” Castiel turned to look back at Dean. Dean stared, biting hislip. He loved Castiel. There was no question of that.
“Is…is it permanent?I mean, all or nothing? If I chose to live with you under the water, does thatmean I could never be on land again? I mean, maybe we could…make this ourprivate little hideaway, come away here sometimes?”
“You mean, like a ‘summerhome’? We can do that,” Castiel agreed easily.
Slowly, Dean reachedhis hand out the short distance necessary to take hold of Castiel’s, twiningtheir fingers together. “I think, if Sammy wants to come with us…I’d like to gowith you. And just…leave John here to think about things for a while.”
The brilliant smileCastiel bestowed on him filled Dean with warmth and he surged forward for akiss. Castiel laughed happily when they finally pulled back. He tugged on Dean’shand and lead him to the water, Sam scrambling to follow behind.
They walked till thewaves lapped at the toes, Cas’s bare, Dean’s covered in his well worn boots. Helooked down at them, then toed them off. “Guess I won’t be needing these, willI?”
Castiel shook hishead, the three of them ignoring the shouts of John behind them.
“So Castiel, younever said, what are you?” Saminquired curiously.
The water ahead ofthem parted, exploding upward and when the mist of it cleared, at least half adozen bodies lay lounging on the reef that had gutted their ship months ago,shimmering tails with scales in brilliant colors draping down into the water.
Sam and Dean gaped.
“Whoa…” Sam gasped. “Weget to be mermen?”
“Do you want tochange your mind?” the question was for both of them, but Castiel stared onlyat Dean.
Dean shook his headand smiled again, “Naw, man. With you all the way.”
The smile beforepaled in comparison to the look on Castiel’s face at Dean’s words and it tookhis breath away.
And before John knewit, he’d lost both his sons in his attempts to keep one from possibly leaving.The regret sat heavy in his heart. He knew he’d have made the same deal allover again. Killing Azazel had been necessary to keep the world safe, to keephis family safe.
Time passed and theregret grew.
He should never havetried to keep Dean away from this. How he wished he’d chosen a different path.
John had lost everything.
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whispersandwhiskerburn · 8 years ago
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Names and Redemption
Summary: Gadreel’s point of view after the fall in the episode “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” (9.01). Canon dialogue and actions, and my character analysis for inner thoughts and voice. Characters: Dean Winchester, Gadreel, Unnamed attacking angel Words: 1,049 Warnings: Absolutely none. This is strictly canon. Author’s Note: This was my first attempt at writing Gadreel, whom I love. Please give me feedback. Italics at the beginning are prayers on angel radio. This one shot is a part of my 1k celebration gif submit thanks to @waywardjoy!
“Okay listen up. This goes out to any angel with their ears on. This is Dean Winchester…and I need your help.”
Dean Winchester.
“The deal is this – Linwood Memorial Hospital, Randolph, New York.”
Even locked up in Heaven’s deepest cell, Gadreel could not help but to recognize that name. The Righteous Man, who banded together with Castiel to thwart the apocalypse, casting both Michael and Lucifer into the cage to save mankind.
“The first one who can help me gets my help in return…and you know that ain’t nothin’.”
The telepathic link between angels had kept Gadreel up to date on the Winchesters.
This might be a cause that could bring him redemption.
“Hell, it’s no secret that we haven’t always seen eye to eye. But you know that I am good for my word.  And, uh, I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t needing, so…”
Gadreel turned his vessel back towards the human transport, unable to teleport in his weakened state. He was much less than he was the last time he had been in the mortal world, back in the Garden. Back before it had all gone wrong.
Gadreel was well aware that he would be hunted for his name, his past mistake. The Garden had not been his fault, but his honor had been damaged nonetheless.
He refused to believe that damage was irreparable. Despite his weakened grace from the Fall and the pain of his centuries of torture, Gadreel was certain there was still hope for him to make a difference. To serve a purpose greater than himself, and in the process, to restore his good name.
But how to do so when that name carried such a heavy curse?
What if…what if he could be judged on his actions, instead of his name? What if he could gain friendship from those he helped, then trusted them with the truth?
He rebelled at the thought—lying to comrades was not an honorable course of action. He would come up with a better way.
Gadreel had yet to think of a more palatable option when he arrived in the parking garage of the hospital. He had tracked Dean Winchester, but he also knew he was not the first to arrive. He could sense another celestial being—another angel’s grace, fresh from the fall and in a new vessel.
When he rounded the row of parked cars, it was to see that angel hitting the human, slamming him into the trunk of a vehicle, threatening him for information about Castiel.
Gadreel rushed over, determined to stop the violence before it escalated. He had not found a solution to his name, but if he was going to devote himself to a cause, helping humans—the original cause of angels and the one the Winchesters had stopped the apocalypse for—he needed to start now.
He grabbed the angel’s arm, which held a blade the likes of which Gadreel had not seen in centuries.
“Easy there, brother.” It was wonderful to be able to call another angel brother, despite the tenseness of the situation.
“This young man has prayed for our assistance. Are we creatures of wrath? Or compassion? I would argue the latter.”
They were warriors, soldiers, meant to fight heaven’s battles. But not against humans. The angels were meant to be their protectors, shepherds. Certainly they were not meant to stab them with angelic blades as this one clearly wished to do to Dean Winchester.
“Forgive me, brother. I don’t recognize you.” Of course he didn’t. Gadreel had only ever met a handful of angels before he had been denied justice and imprisoned eternally. How could he ever reveal his true identity to anyone—no one knew him, no one would vouch for who he really was.
“Happy to make your re-acquaintance, after you disarm.”
His brother backed off after a moment and Gadreel smiled.
Then, without warning or cause, the angry angel lashed out, punching Gadreel in the face.
He glared at him. This was not how it was supposed to be. “Come now. Is that any way to treat a brother injured in the Fall?”
Gadreel had been one of God’s most trusted. He had been in battles before the Garden and had fought off threats to the humans inside it before the Serpent came. It was amazing how easily the reactions came back to him.
When his brother attacked, all vengeful rage and no tactics, Gadreel easily disarmed him, thinking only of protecting the human nearby.
Then he took another hit. And it hurt more than it should.
The Fall—he was weaker than he had thought.
He was thrown into another vehicle, shattering the window. Gadreel staggered, trying to stand and avoid the embarrassment of being kicked on the ground, defeated in his mission before he properly began, when a blade sprouted from his attacker’s chest.
Gadreel squinted in the dying light of the angel’s grace, sorry the violence had been necessary, but glad to still be alive.
Dean Winchester stood there, holding the blade over the crumpled angel, clearly and understandably suspicious. “Who are you?”
Gadreel slumped, the edges of the room going dark.
“Never mind me. You’re Dean Winchester. I heard your prayer, and I am here to help.”
And then Gadreel sank unwillingly into darkness.
The light shone around him in a pattern he had not seen in ages. Holy fire. He was in a circle of holy fire.
He looked up to find Dean Winchester pacing outside the protective flames. An understandable, if unneeded, precaution since he had just been attacked.
“You want to help? Start with a name.”
And there it was. Maybe this human, who knew enough to kill an angel with the right blade and to surround one he wanted to interrogate with holy fire, would know his name—would know only the reputation that went with it.
And either way, he was obviously still friends with Castiel, a seraph, one of the highest ranking angels in all of heaven. He would certainly know the name of Gadreel.
There was no way he would be trusted, would be given the opportunity to show his intentions, his desire for redemption.
So, if he could not be himself, whom of his brothers could he be instead?
“Ezekiel.”
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