#give me them learning how to rebuild that love and devotion | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

brainrotbabe24 · 4 months ago

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Can I request Thorins company meeting readers family? And bonus if most of the family doesnt speak Common tongue/English so reader has to be the translator (story of my life)😭😭

Hi! I love this idea...i would be so nervous to bring any of them home lol!

I would also like to thank my friend who helped me. She gave me her perspective with translating and the language barrier she has! 💖

Balin: Balin being a traditional dwarf, would want to meet your family as soon as you both decided to start seeing each other. He'd make an effort to show his intentions by inviting them to a nice dinner. I imagine he knows a little bit about your family, so every evening after work, he’d stay up to learn the language.

Dwalin: Dwalin wouldn't meet your family until later in the relationship, specifically when you asked him to come over and help do a few chores. He’d put on his work shoes and be over in a matter of seconds. Realizing there was a language barrier, he’d ask you to translate what they needed help with. Initially, your family would be unsure, finding his tattoos and demeanor intimidating. They would say, “Why is he so quiet?” “Does he ever smile?” However, after seeing his devotion and how happy he made you, they’d slowly change their minds. He would regularly ask to come back and help, whether it was washing clothes, rebuilding a fence, or even helping put the baby to sleep. Comments about him would turn positive: “Look how strong he is,” “He is wonderful with kids,” “Does he have a brother? *wink wink*”

Óin: Oin would want to match outfits. He is such an old man! He would want to make sure you both looked presentable and would spend extra time on his braids and yours. It would honestly be so cute!!!

Glóin: Gloin would be incredibly nervous to meet your parents. However, his nerves would get the best of him, and he might drink a little too much, rambling on about his adventures. You’d have to translate—perhaps even fib a little—to make sense of his stories.

Gloin: “There was this dragon, and we had to kill it…”

You: “He says he works in accounting…”

Bifur: The first impression might not be great, with the ax in his head possibly scaring them. However, his skill in whittling, a.k.a. giving them gifts, and a potential family member knowing Khuzdul could turn things around. The gif below is what your family will look like when they see the ax lol

Bofur: I know I always associate songs with Bofur, but it fits him so well, lol! Singing is how he won you over, so he wants to win the family over too. He would make sure to sing all the favorites and would ask for requests! I think by the end of the night the entire family would be singing!

Bombur: Bombur would impress your family with his cooking. Once they learned he enjoyed cooking, they’d bond over shared recipes and favorite ingredient. He’d quickly become a favorite, often asked to help cook during holidays and special occasions.

Ori: Ori would be extremely nervous meeting your family, so much so that Dori and Nori might join to support him. They’d embarrass him, but it would lighten the mood. Your parents would find his family amusing and see Ori as a decent guy. By the end of the night, they’d give him a hug, and he’d be thrilled, talking about it for weeks.

Dori: The ideal boyfriend to introduce to your parents. Dependable, respectful, and family-oriented, he’d make a great impression. He’d also be impressed with your translating skills. Additionally, seeing that you were working overtime translating, he would go out of his way to help you. “Oh honey, do you need more food?" "Here I can show your grandmother to the bathroom." "Would you like extra wine, dear?”

Nori: You and Nori were new in your relationship and not ready for him to meet your family officially. However, they’d catch glimpses of him bringing you home after dates. They would think he was a "bad boy" and become suspicious. They would often ask, “What’s his job again?” because it changed so much. He’d win them over by bringing thoughtful “gifts” (definitely not stolen lol) after every date, and they'd start to appreciate his efforts.

Thorin: Thorin’s reputation would precede him, with your parents knowing about the adventure and his temporary gold/dragon sickness. They’d be skeptical, and the initial meeting would involve many questions. You’d have to translate everything, making Thorin increasingly nervous. A few of Thorin’s answers were: “No, I am not sick...yes, I go outside ... Madam, I can assure you, I shower." Despite the awkward start, they’d warm up to him, seeing his genuine intentions. He’d often host dinners and family events to show his commitment and might give you a promise ring to signify his dedication.

Kíli: Bless his heart for meaning well, but oh boy, is he a big himbo. Kili would think he was making a great first impression, but I feel like he would be making a fool of himself. First he would try to kiss your mother's hand, and it would be misinterpreted as flirting. Second, he would try impressing them with his skills, only to trip and fall. Finally, he would think your younger siblings were helping him learn the language, but they would end up teaching him dirty words. So when he gives a big speech and happens to use those words..well, let's just say you would need to do damage control. I think after a while it would become a family joke, and everyone would fondly remember his attempts to make a good first impression. I would like to imagine it’s an April and Andy situation lol 😂😂

Fíli: There must be something with the Durin boys..cause they are hot but dumb. Okay, so Fili would be super excited to meet your family; he would talk for days about how he was "preparing” and “had a surprise." Every time you ask him what that means, he will just give you a wink and say, “You’ll be so proud, babe." However, his attempts to impress might result in miscommunication. On the day of meeting your parents, he tries saying something in their native language and would slip up and pronounce something completely wrong. I imagine it’s kind of like papá and papas in Spanish—dad and potatoes. He would’ve revealed to you that he had asked Ballin and Nori for help on the language and just got horrible advice. Despite initial giggles and laughter at his mistakes, your family would appreciate his effort.

Bilbo: Bilbo would meticulously plan a party to meet your family, aiming to overcome any awkwardness with a grand feast and festivities. He’d insist on handling everything himself, wanting to be the perfect host. Once they arrived, he’d go all out, showing them around, serving them the best food and pipe weed, and even arranging for fireworks. “What can I say? Us hobbits love a good party,” he would say, putting his arm around you and squeezing!

Gandalf: Your family would be so confused! It would be like the gif below when Bilbo first talked to Gandalf. Pure shock and suspicion. I also think Gandalf would speak in riddles and confuse everyone!

#the hobbit #dori #ori #nori #balin #dwalin #bifur #bofur #bombur #bilbo baggins #gloin #oin #fili and kili #fili durin #kili #thorins company #thorin oakenshield #gandalf

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captainjacklyn · 11 months ago

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So this is part two of my first sagau post, I could turn this in a more detailed fic but knowing that it'll remain in my drafts to catch dust. I think I'll go against it and just give brief ideas for anyone who doesn't have my procrastination problem.

Now I was pretty vague about the other Primordials who watch over different realms as well as Teyvat. But I decided to give them their respective names and personalities (I suppose you can consider them OCs?) just so that we don't get too confused about the whole thing..

For a first born you have Barabath, at current times he's now an empty shell. He was the first realm to ever be created by you, born from an explosion of gas. And out of it poured a thousand dragons who all drank the fire of the first ever sun And yes I did steal that part from game of thrones, sue me. Each every one of them proceeded to descend upon their respective home, all seven of them forged from calamity. The world inhabited Erkanos (guardian of the earth), Belzo (guardian of the sky & stars), Lystéria (guardian of air & moisture), Akarnis (guardian of life), Erghyr (guardian of the mind), Steparyd (guardian of magic) and Valvers (guardian of decay). A war erupted between these gigantic yet majestic beast after your physical descent upon the lands. Their abilities were so great that it only doomed the realm after their final attack annihilated all that was left.

The second child did not end up passing like the former, you had managed to save him when disaster struck upon him. His name is Larbosa, and he is known as the god of wisdom, strength and honor. It was then that the first humans were created. So when you descended once more, they welcomed you with joy and love. But as centuries passed and wars for conquering broke out, people forgot about their creator to the point where all you became was a prize to win. You were sheltered in one of the old temples, its priestesses looked after you every passing millennium. Not as their creator, but as a simple individual who needed a place to stay. You were subsequently sold off to marry a warlord (do you see where this is going?), had three sons with him (whatever your gender is doesn't matter cause you are quite literally capable of anything), he passed, you took over, fell in love with a mortal who devoted him to you, he died, your mortal sons all perished in battle and once the people captured you, they dubbed you AN IMPOSTOR AND DISGRACE TO THE ALMIGHTY THEMSELF you were beheaded.

...

Yuh.

So what your children do when you die is that, your body will disintegrate and just turn into nothing. Then in order to in a sence 'reincarnate' you back into god hood, the realm needs to open itself and sacrifice its own part of you to rebuild you. You saved him because, you're the primordial why could you not, the first son is dead and you learn from your mistakes as a parent/jk. Larbosa is righteous and dutiful, as the second ever world to be created he takes great responsibility in aiding you. Most of the acolytes who follow him learn how to live a life of authority and perseverance through hard work. Like his second sister, he either speaks when spoken to or whenever something needs to be told. Dude is protective, will shove his arm so far up an enemy's ass it'll reach out of their mouth and wear them like a sleeve.

...Yarrhh I'm not cool today.

THIRD KID- THIS ONES A WOMAN! We have Alysia, goddess of love, beauty, and hatred. She's heavily based off of Hathor from Ennead, Aphrodite and Hera with a double personality. Because on one side she is the embodiment of what the 'ideal woman' was expected to be back in the olden days but on the other, her negative side goes against that entire facade of purity. One thing that she favors above anything else is lust, she loves toying with mortals and sees them as beings beneath her. Meanwhile you look after them like your own infants and it's something she uses to manipulate said mortals whenever they go against her judgement. Although she is is typically bright and cheery in public, she easily becomes flustered, particularly around strong beings, or when awkward situations occur. She does indeed become furious when people disrespect her or when she doesn't get her way. The only one who she holds the greatest respect for is her creator YOU, she is highly protective of YOU and will get frustrated when people use her love for YOU as a way to blackmail her. Alysia deeply cherishes her siblings though she has a tendency to call her younger sister a heartless little sh- they all get along, especially with Larbosa.

Second daughter I've mentioned in the past, holds the title of Cymbalia. Her people were known for their truthful justifications and judgment. They knew not of the creator as you were afraid that showing yourself to its collectives would cause yet another loss. Cymbalia, however, was fully aware of her birth-giver’s existence so she chose to be reborn in order to regain their godhood. Though she continued to watch over her people. This had been the first realm to survive complete wipe out but at the cost of being ignorant to your love for them. Cymbalia is mainly stern and focused, and she also often stands up to other powerful gods, like the former : Alysia or Larbosa. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind and utter her words of judgement at any given situation, this trait isn’t appreciated by her older sister who considers her a stickler for the rules. Cymbalia speaks in a assertive tone to display her power to those around her, whether it be a younger sibling or a simple acolyte. She can get especially irritating when commanding people, blackmailing them into obeying her orders. Strangely enough, she favors souls that go against the rules to reach new lengths, people like Il Dottore who quite literally break the laws of life. Goddess of Harmony, Truth and Justice.

Rhymar was the fourth attempt, once again unsuccessful. It only inhabited dry land with no life whatsoever, Rhymar felt insanely bored and began creating their own creatures which unfortunately resulted in a never ending time loop. You tried to help your child but Rhymar ended up insisting on their plans pushing its boundaries so far that the realm began to close in on itself (this was when the multiverse was created, Rhymar controlled the essence of time within himself and could rewind any event they deemed unfruitful). Leaving you no choice but to rebirth them and have their being ascend into godhood as well. Rhymar is quite sarcastic and unfazed, they are more sassy than straightforward. This was shown when you once tried to cheer up Alysia by telling her that she was doing a wonderful job but Rhymar had a change of heart and instead commented with : “I’d say no.” making their older sister feel terrible. Unafraid of defying the rules simply because they feel like doing so, Rhymar was baptized as the troublemaker in the family. When needing to apologize for anything they are stubborn enough to refuse unless their mother comes to them, requesting otherwise. They're the youngest kid, the most chaotic and the god of God of abundance, fertility and foresight.

so..

yeah.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAGHCHCGHCGCHCGHHCCCGEEEEUUUUUUUUGH-

#genshin impact sagau #sagau #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact x gender neutral reader #genshin impact cult au #cult au #genshin impact god reader

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i-eat-deodorant · 2 years ago

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[Shakes you] TELL US ABOUT YOUR LAMB

LMAO watching this appear in my inbox in real time was a treat.

In my headcanons, the sheep were total pacifists that lived in high-altitude villages in the mountains outside of Shamura's territory. Lamb did have a twin, but it died in utero; they were born as a single child in a species that normally births in doubles. Because of this, they compensated for the lack of siblings by making everyone their friend. They're generally pretty easygoing, gregarious, and considered their place in their family an integral part of who they are.

That's why being the sole surviving sheep hurt them so much.

Sheep get distressed when separated from their flock, and Lamb is no different. Shamura's genocide tore away everything they loved: their family, their heritage, their homeland. by the time lamb was sent to the executioner's block, Lamb had no purpose left. They had nothing--nothing except for an all-consuming rage at what the Bishops took away from them.

Later on, Lamb would gather up the courage to ask him exactly why he chose them–why, in a meadow of flowers, he’d plucked a wilted one. "Wilted one?" came his rumbling laugh. "I chose you, vessel, because you called to me, even if you did not know me by name then. Your comrades, they soiled themselves and cried and sang sheer terror…but you?" An emaciated finger lifted their head, cold finger digging into the soft underside their jaw. "Every death, every head that rolled onto the ground–it fed your fury like an open fire. I could see it. You called out to me, in your final darkest moment, and wished to repay each and every one of their deaths in blood."

That's where TOWW comes in.

The thing about Lamb that sets them apart from all of TOWW’s previous vessels is that they were stripped clean of their worldly attachments before they were crowned. When they were resurrected, it was to a strange and unfamiliar world where everything they once knew was gone, and all they had left was a blood-red crown and a need to kill.

It made them incredibly susceptible to TOWW’s suggestions: of anger, of revenge, of rebuilding a community (but not the same, nothing will ever be the way it used to be) in his name. TOWW gave them purpose. They were literally his vessel–emptied of their own hopes and dreams and replaced with his. His fury was their fury. His hurt and pain was their hurt and pain. When they cut down every bishops and tore the hearts from their chests, they felt glee and satisfaction as if they were personally betrayed by each of them. The lamb they once were died on the executioners block; the Lamb that rose again had no life, and so they lived for him. There was no other choice except to serve. They were devoted, yes, but it was something so dark and twisted it could barely be called love.

It was a one way street of loyalty that worked for the both of them as long as Lamb could live for the TOWW. Their devotion made them much better than the other vessels, because they were willing to push themselves to the point of self-sacrifice to fulfill their god’s wishes.

However, the thing about experiencing the complete destruction of everything they’ve loved for a taste of godly power was that they came out at the end of it knowing it wasn’t worth it. Over the course of their crusades they learned how Narinder sacrificed everything he knew to become more powerful, and got chained as a result. It drew them closer to him, because they empathized with his loss, but they never agreed with his end goal.

So when he asked them to give up themselves, their followers, and the little community they’ve built from the ground up to set him “free”?

He's war-torn; they may not have seen it then, lost in their awe and their grief, but they could recognize the signs now. Hunched back. Nicked ears. Arms rotted to nothing. An eternally bleeding robe, always a wet shade of red. (He's tired. They'd know–they saw the same thing every time they looked in the mirror.) And so they fought. One last time. For him.

Personally I don’t think Lamb was ever afraid of death. They're surrounded by it. They've died way too many times to fear it, even if this last one would be final. Instead, they refused to give up the crown because of him. They knew him, or thought they knew him. They pictured themselves in his position: ascended, free, with all the power that they wanted and the world at their whim and so utterly alone. Power, they learned, did not buy happiness.

In the end, Lamb defied TOWW because they loved him too much to see him destroy himself, all over again.

It’s really hard to justify the in-game mechanic discrepancy of Narinder’s follower form (why did he survive when the other bishops just exploded?) and I think it’s Lamb’s unconscious will holding them back. They never wanted to kill TOWW. Despite everything, they’re still grateful for him being there to catch them and give them a second chance for retribution. Whenever he fell, they wanted to be there to catch him too.

When they brushed off the mountain of bloodied robes and chains and found a trembling little thing they slew curled in the epicenter, the last thing they expected was to fall for him all over again.

Post-game, Lamb tries to put everything behind them and focus on the cult, but it’s hard! They develop a bit of a two-faced reputation, where they’re incredibly kind and sweet to those in their flock but will coldly and mercilessly strike down anyone outside of it. They’re incredibly conflicted about this, to the point where they see the ruthless part of themselves as an alter ego, where they’re an impostor that took the skin and flesh of an innocent little Lamb after resurrection. Lamb also blames the crown for corrupting their personality (it didn’t, it just amplified a preexisting personality trait that wouldn’t have been expressed had Lamb not gone through what they did) and fears that the more they use their godly powers, the faster this evil side will consume them. Crusades always come with a bit of internal crisis.

Since serving Narinder was their purpose for so long, they kind of flounder on where to go afterwards. For a while, Lamb gets severe separation anxiety when they don’t know where Narinder is–had they made the wrong decision, turning him into a mortal? What if he dies? They live because of him, and if he’s done, they straight up do not have any reason to live anymore.

Even though he’s a little pissy bitch for the first half a year he’s a mortal, Narinder actually helps ground Lamb a lot. After centuries as an immortal god, they’ve become detached to their followers. Narinder, a former god, had long forgottem how to be a mortal. His slow road to recovery was him relearning how to appreciate life again in its fleeting little details, and through him Lamb was also able to relearn what they’ve forgotten as well.

Nothing’s ever perfect–they cannot fix the past, and even resurrection cannot bring back non-followers. However, Lamb has already built a life for themselves from nothing once. After the Bishops, after TOWW, they’re able to put the worst of their traumas to rest, and rebuild themselves; a death god dying and being reborn anew.

#half of this is directly copy-pasted from a discord conversation so some of it might sound familiar #tossing in some scraps i’ve never shared before because they apply well #anyways can let’s play spot-the-writer-projecting #you have a 50/50 chance to get it right tbh #i generally try not to project too much ehhhh they’re there #i wrote this all yesterday but then the internet cut out so i didn't have time to submit it until now #long post #my shit

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creativeroleplay-ads · 1 year ago

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Free RP Idea

Please feel free to use this in whatever way you want. It's an idea I came up with a long time ago and haven't been able to use. Feel free to message me and share what ideas or concepts you came up with from using this I would love to see it!!

General Overview: This all started at the beginning with 6 basic things: Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Light and Dark. They were seen as Gods, called upon in times of need and giving back to the creatures they created. Sadly as time went on they were betrayed by their own creation and banished by a group who deemed them too powerful. Years later they are reincarnated, and are brought together in modern times to choose vengeance or peace. Will they learn to live amongst the beings they created or decide to destroy and rebuild a world where they can never be tested again.

Characters:

FIRE Birthday: Summer Personality: Hot-headed, Stubborn, Protective Powers: Pyrokinesis, Atmokinesis, Thremokinesis, Melting, Fire Breath ICE Birthday: Winter Personality: Bold, Cold, Harsh Powers: Cryokinesis/Frigokinesis, Atmokinesis, Manipulation, Ice Generation, Freezing Earth Birthday: Spring Personality: Loving, Carefree, Unpredictable Powers: Geokinesis, Atmokinesis, Terrakinesis, Golem Creation - 2 at a time, Ferrokinesis

WATER Birthday: Spring Personality: Compassionate, Intelligent, Calm Powers: Hydrokinesis, Atmokinesis, Dehydration, Water Generation, Healing Air Birthday: Fall Personality: Easy Going, Compassionate, Adventurous Powers: Aerokinesis/Flying/Levitation, Atmokinesis, Wind Generation, Deoxygenation, Lung Adaptation Light Birthday: Spring Equinox Personality: Kind, Judgmental & Naive Powers: Photokinesis/Invisibility/Projective Invisibility, Light Generation, Photoportation, Forcefeild Generation

DarkBirthday: Spring Equinox Personality: Abrasive, Manipulative, Honest Powers: Umbrakinesis, Night Vision, Darkness Mimicry, Light Absorption

Ideas:

A false Idol tricked the first humans and made them doubt the original Gods and gave them the tools to bind/destroy them for the time being.

Outcome: The false Idol takes over in the Gods place and the once immortal humans start to die and all bad things come from this

A human from the secret society found out that the God’s were not just a belief, but actually true beings and wanted to become like them. He found a way to not only destroy the old Gods but take up their place

Before the first humans, The God’s created other deities and tasked them with dealing with minor things while the six focused on keeping the universe in line. These deities banned together and overthrew the Gods so that they could take their spot.

General Info/Planning:

Modern day British Columbia (Canada)

Aged 20

“Universe” draw to one another

Starting off as strangers but once powers are found they’re drawn together

Light and dark separated at birth

Drawn together by a mysterious invitations that simply has an address and code on the back

When the Invitations get to the Gods they react to their specific elements and that is how the society learns who they are.

Invitations are being sent out by a secret society who are devoted to them and have spent centuries trying to bring them back to life

The Gods are only able to be reincarnated every 99 years (999 being the number for rebirth)

Secret society devoted to the Gods is generational and their stories have been passed down in order to prepare the next generation to be of assistance in returning their memories of their past lives.

Social event: New Years eve/Day

#fandomless roleplay #literate rp #roleplay ideas #18+ roleplay #find roleplay

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corinneecrivaine · 10 months ago

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WILLOW FANFIC STORY

PART 14

A FRAGILE TRUCE

Co-autrice : Elodie DragonMistic

Airk's wound was getting worse, his face betraying every quiver of pain. Every step he took became a torture. Fatigue engulfed every fiber of his being, adding to the affliction gnawing at his battered body. Despite the physical support of two knights, standing was becoming insurmountable. The looks he exchanged with his mother expressed his heartbreak. Sorsha, determined to stay strong, tried to hide her worries. But every grimace of pain on her son's face distressed her inside. She noticed the blood seeping through the bandage, signalling that the wound had reopened. The situation was becoming urgent. But despite this torment, Airk showed his courage by moving forward, silently.

Sorsha took his hand, trying to give him some fragile comfort in the midst of this agony "We're not far off, my son. You've got to hold on." she murmured.

The young prince replied with a strained smile, "Oh, I have no intention of weakening, Mother."

*******

Meanwhile, Kit and Jade shared tender moments, slowly learning to rebuild their relationship. But despite their best efforts, the young Bone Reaver felt an overwhelming guilt tugging at her heart every time she met the gaze of the one she loved. In a fit of tenderness and devotion, she gently wrapped her companion's wounded hand, her fingers gently curling around the bruised palm. She could still feel the tension caused by the pain, as if through this gesture she wished to erase both visible and invisible wounds and restore trust. Kit, sensing the reassuring warmth of this contact, allowed herself to be soothed by it, and responded with a gentle squeeze of her hand, accepting this silent promise to move forward together.

Jade led Kit to meet her people, trying to reveal to her that behind their murderous appearances lay beings seeking to survive and free themselves from the chains of slavery they had endured for so many years. Every face the young princess came across bore the scars of a long struggle to win their freedom, scars etched into their flesh.

Kit realized just how much she had been raised in a golden environment, but above all in a world of false truths and deceptions. She could feel the weight of this past with every step she took, the wary, angry glances cast at her because of what she represented in their eyes.

Jade spoke confidently, "Look at them Kit, they're just people, used, hunted, simply trying to survive and free themselves from all these years of oppression." The young woman noticed the fatigue and resilience on every face. Jade continued, "They're not murderers, just victims of a conflict between two kingdoms."

Kit looked down for a brief moment, before meeting Jade's eyes. She was trying to go beyond the convictions sown in her since childhood. "I hear your words, Jade, but they served the cause of Bavmorda."

"For a promised freedom they never got." Jade replied firmly. She put her hands on Kit’s shoulders "Tir Asleen is not innocent in this war, kidnapping their children to make loyal soldiers and making their families look like murderers. Isn't that what Sorsha did to me." Kit felt the full weight of guilt for his family's actions toward the Bone Reavers.

Night had enveloped the Wildwoods in its nocturnal veil. Jade silently approached Kit. She found her sitting by a fire, her gaze lost in the dancing flames, her thoughts oscillating between anger and pain. She spoke, her voice heavy with sadness and bitterness: "I grew up in a world of privilege and lies. In the end, we're not so different from each other." Jade took her hand, squeezed it tighter and continued, "My grandmother, my parents, are at the root of all this." - We're not our parents, you don't have to carry this heavy burden alone. Together we can try to reconcile our two peoples."

- You're forgetting one thing, Jade: Scorpia. She'll never accept it. This dispute between our two peoples is too deep-rooted and the idea of reconciliation is impossible to contemplate."

At that very moment, an ominous noise erupted from the surrounding woods, plunging the two young women into anguish. Elusive shadows moved swiftly through the darkness. Disarmed and unable to face the impending danger, they exchanged worried glances, sharing their fear. However, as the silhouettes drew closer, the night revealed familiar faces, leaving the two young women with expressions of surprise and questioning. But when they recognized Sorsha, Airk, the knights and the people of Tir Asleen, anxiety gave way to calm.

Kit ran to her mother, happy and relieved to know she was alive, but also worried: "Mother, you shouldn't have. If Scorpia sees you". Anxiety choked her voice.

Sorsha tenderly stroked her daughter's cheek, observing her with a slight smile, "For you, for your brother, no risk is too great." A gleam of pride passed through her eyes, illustrating her love for her children and her dedication to protecting them.

Meanwhile, Jade looked after Airk, helping him to stand.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps and angry voices could be heard in the distance. Scorpia appeared, surrounded by Lori and her men. Her face froze in an expression of fury as she caught sight of Sorsha "What a nice surprise!" she spat contemptuously.

Sorsha, thinking more of saving her son and the people of Tir Asleen than her own life, tried to calm the situation. "Scorpia, we've been attacked by... my son is wounded, we must treat him without further delay. I implore your clemency. We seek refuge for the people of Tir Asleen. Do what you want with me, imprison me if you wish, I don't have the strength to fight. I've just lost everything. But please accept my request."

Despite Sorsha's pleas, Scorpia remained ruthless "Seize her!"

Her men rushed to capture her, but Kit objected, "Let her go!" receiving a blow to the jaw that sent her stumbling. Tension mounted as the situation degenerated into a coming clash between the two clans. The knights, ready to defend their queen, prepared to confront the Bone Reavers. Lying on the ground, Kit glanced at Jade, asking for help.

Wishing to put an end to this impending conflict, young Bone Reaver violently cried out "Stop it! Enough hatred and violence! Look at yourselves! Is this what you want, to sow even more pain and death! Sorsha came to us to protect her people and heal the prince." She addressed her sister, "What do you want? To give the image of a heartless, bloodthirsty person? Don't you think we've suffered enough from this image? As your sister, I'm just as much in charge of our people as you are. I order you to take care of the prince and cease all conflict!"

Everyone remained silent, waiting for an answer from Scorpia. The two sisters looked at each other, one pitiless, the other pleading. "I grant your request, Sorsha. The prince will be cared for and your people protected. As for you, you remain my prisoner, along with your knights. Lock them in the pit!"

When Jade approached Kit to help her up, she pushed her away.

Moments later, the young princess approached the pit where her mother and the knights were imprisoned. Her heart beat violently, overwhelmed with anger "I'm going to get you out of here, Mother."

Sorsha tenderly took her daughter's hand through the bone bars "My daughter, listen to me carefully. The danger is far greater than I could have anticipated. Betrayal is all around us. If you and your brother stick together, you're all I've got left. Don't venture down paths you might regret."

- Sometimes, to save what we love, we're forced to take regrettable action." The young princess replied aggressively.

*******

Entering the tent, Jade discovered Kit gripping her sword, preparing to fight. Concerned, she called out to her, "What are you doing?"

Without even looking at her, the young woman replied in an angry voice, "I'm going to free my mother."

The young Bone Reaver tried to reason with her, but to no avail: "Listen to me! I'll find a solution. Trust me."

- Trust you!!! You let Scorpia imprison my mother!!!"

- But I saved your brother and your people!

A heavy silence fell, broken only by Kit's gasping breathing. She stared at her lover and lowered her tone of voice for a brief moment "You've become one of them."

Jade stretched out her hand to hold her back, but Kit firmly rejected it: "We can fix everything, we can bring peace between our two peoples."

The young princess glared at her, her eyes burning with intense rage and pain, "The only way to bring about peace is for me to kill Scorpia."

Kit stormed off, carried away by her fury.

"I can't let you do it." Jade murmured, her voice full of regret.

*******

The young princess screamed Scorpia's name angrily through the Wildwoods, her cry ripping through the air, making every tree branch shiver. "Scorpia !!!! Scorpia!!! I'm waiting for you!!!" - I'm here.

Kit turned abruptly, her fiery gaze staring at the Bone Reaver leader with all the hatred coursing through her veins. "Free my mother!"

Scorpia stood up to the young woman, ruthless and unafraid of the threat posed by the princess.

- You know I can't do that.

- Release her, I command you. She clenched her fists, trying in vain to contain the rage that inflamed every fiber of her being, overwhelming her with uncontrollable power.

- I don't take orders from you, Princess. Do you know why you're still free? Because of your closeness to my little sister.

Kit remained silent for a while before speaking in a sharp voice: "I challenge you. If I win, my mother goes free."

- And if you lose?

- I take her place.

- Bring me my sword, Lori. she ordered curtly

The two young women faced each other, fury bubbling up in Kit's eyes, meeting Scorpia's coldness which provoked her "Come on!!!"

In a burst of anger, the young princess lunged, crying out with weapon in fist, but her sword clashed sharply against a blade. Surprised and shocked, she discovered Jade standing in front of her: "She’s my sister Kit. I can't let you do it."

Faced with the one she loved, the young woman froze, plunging her gaze inflamed with rage into that of her lover, where all the love she felt for her shone. In this visual exchange, a comforting warmth emanating from Jade seemed to seep into Kit's tormented soul, gradually calming the torrent of hatred that had invaded her. A few tears began to roll down the princess's cheeks, overwhelmed by all the tenderness reflected in Jade's eyes. She lowered her guard, exhausted, "I can't fight you." And walked away, her heart heavy with inner conflict.

Scorpia approached Jade, her incisive gaze expressing unwavering determination "You know I can't let her go free after what she's just done."

- Let me handle her. I need to talk to Sorsha.

Before leaving, Jade turned back to her sister, her grave expression showing the urgency of the situation "What threatens us is far greater than this conflict between our two peoples. Only you can maintain this truce, thin as it is."

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occultist-romantic · 1 year ago

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nietzsche's 'übermench' and becoming your own god in demonolatry

although everyone's practice means something different for them in the left hand path, the general idea has always been becoming stronger and breaking your old self down to give birth to a healed, powerful you. i don't see a lot of people worshiping the gods but instead, honoring them. devotion means exactly that for me. being devoted to the gods' teachings, words, to me.

i remember one time where i was meditating with King Mammon. i saw him on his throne, i went to get on my knees, yet he stopped me, and told me to stand up. he continued, talking about how he had traits of himself in me, in all of us; honoring the gods meant honoring ourselves.

and it made sense for me. especially when i connected it to nietzsche's philosophy, a philosopher who gave me so much comfort during my lowest. the reason why the LHP is so hard is because there is the rebuilding yourself part, but not with much support, what demons will teach is different. you are left on your own with what the gods had told you from before, and like proud parents, they watch you learn how to crawl, walk, run. and what builds us up? what gives us experience? in my opinion, its pain.

pain is something we grow from, its something that gives us a different perspective. now, don't get me wrong. i don't like to be in pain, at all. King Mammon has put me in (and still continues to) situations where i was in pain, but they were painful because i was confronting my fears, working through them. the pain was a good kind of pain at the end of the day. pushing myself to my limits, learning more and becoming independent. its when i wasn't 'human' but something more.

i think both philosophies are quite intertwined with each other, which i love. at least, in my observations, so comforting, warm. demons are teachers, and we are their students, its a lifelong education. thank you for reading, may the gods light up your path.

#nietzsche isnt a nazi #demonolatry #demonology #demons #philosophy #satanism #polytheism #paganism #witchcraft #shadow work #friedrich nietzsche

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gatekeeper-watchman · 2 months ago

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Daily Devotionals for October 7, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 25:26 (KJV): 26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

Proverbs 25:26 (AMP): 26 Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring is a righteous man who yields, falls down, and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

Thought for the Day

We should be as springs of living water to people who are thirsting for God. A spring polluted by bacteria brings disease instead of life. It is unfit to drink from. If we yield to compromise, our Christian witness becomes muddied, thus allowing unbelievers to mock us.

The Old Testament relates that the people of Judah became like polluted springs and were led away to exile in Babylon because of their sins. Jerusalem lay in ruins for many years and became a picture of a Christian whose life is wasted by the enemy. Nehemiah was a Jewish exile in Persia who became the king's cupbearer. This position enabled him to obtain permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. Because of his uncompromised integrity, God chose him to lead in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. When he met with ridicule and threats of attack, he resorted to prayer. When he was confronted with discouragement, he leaned on God and overcame it. When he discovered corruption and greed in Jerusalem's rulers, he confronted them in a godly manner. Through his example of unselfishness, during his 12-year term as governor, he rebuilt the moral, civil, and physical walls of Jerusalem.

To rebuild the church's reputation and the morality of our nation, we must be people of integrity. Too many Christians have become polluted springs. How does this happen? Many fall into sin because they accept leadership too soon. Integrity takes time to establish. Early promotion leads to pride, which precedes a fall. One who has not learned to withstand Satan's common attacks that come upon all believers cannot bear his crushing attacks that are aimed at leaders. Look carefully at the qualifications for leaders listed in 1 Timothy 3:2-7: "An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine, or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (NASB).

Whether or not we become church leaders, we all must walk in integrity. A good place to begin that walk is by watching what we say (James 3:9-13). By allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us of any sin, we can keep our words and heart attitudes pure. By guarding our hearts, we can keep from becoming a polluted spring.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I am one through whom sweet water can always flow forth. Lord, help me to guard my mouth and speak good things from Your Word. Deliver me from all compromise and give me the grace to always stand in integrity before men. Help Your people to be good witnesses in this world so that we do not bring any reproach on the Kingdom of God. Forgive us when we fall down and lift us back up and rebuild our walls, so that the enemy is defeated in our lives. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org TM ‎Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Jacksonville, Florida USA, Sunday, October 6, 2024, X … @ParkermillerQ,

GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO.

https://www.facebook.com/gatekeeperwatchnanhttps://www.facebook.com/

Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956

GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO.

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torgawl · 3 years ago

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if there's one xie lian headcanon i dislike is that he was depressed during the time he was waiting for hua cheng. in any way, shape or form, i just don't think that fits into who he is or his development throughout the books at all?!

don't get me wrong, xie lian did suffer a lot in the past and for a long time he did push back and tried to repress all those feelings. to the point of becoming the xie lian that gets introduced to us at the begining of tgcf. he appears and we question his position to the way others treat him. is he just incredibly confident or is this the way he learned how to face the world and move on? and we do get that answer. and we do see him face his past. and most importantly, rediscovering himself and what being alive is about. we see him rebuild a relationship with the friends he thought he had lost, we watch him be, for once, on the loving end of somebody else. we see devotion, adoration, we see care, patience and understanding. and those things change him. otherwise he wouldn't have said to hua cheng 'only after having met you did I rediscover that it's such a simple thing to be happy'.

i feel like what people misunderstand is that hua cheng wasn't his happiness and xie lian's character doesn't revolve around hua cheng. yes, their story interlaces quite early on. hua cheng decided to live for xie lian. hua cheng gives xie lian what he lacked. but xie lian didn't only receive a romantic partner. he was able to overcome his past and get a new outlook in life. he was able to become a better version of himself. for him and for others.

of course, hua cheng got almost ripped away from him as easily and as fast as he came into his life. i'm not saying it didn't impact him or that he didn't feel insecure or doubtful at any moment in time. those feelings are only natural if you cherish someone. but the fact he learnt of hua cheng's dedication and devotion, that he wasn't alone all those centuries, that the other did his utmost best to be by his side and to contribute to his happiness and well being? those things have to had mattered. and i don't think the xie lian at the end of the book would ever waste his time pitying himself because of it. if anything, i think remembering hua cheng would motivate him to retribute what the other did for him. and the thing is, we do see this. the only insight we have is xie lian being as devoted and as hopeful and as loving as hua cheng did to him. and isn't that part of the beauty of the story? isn't that almost a fulcral point in all of it? that xie lian's time to be on the giving end came and that it wasn't a burden or a task but something natural between the two of them? that they would always be there for each other? that their relationship might have started from a place of distance and devotion but it was never one-sided?!

their relationship is probably one of the healthiest - if not the healthiest - representations of a couple in media i have ever seen. and there's really no other way to look at their dynamic. they bring out the best in each other. their relationship is so good that they had space for personal growth and their inherent value isn't tied to one another. so it feels very reducing to try and make it seem that they have some sort of co-dependency that xie lian would ever go back to such a negative state of mind because he had to wait for his lover for a certain ammount of time. i'm not saying with this that that can't happen in healthy relationships. the brain is something complex. it's more that we have no motive to believe that is the case from what has been showed to us about them and especially regarding xie lian, who is the main character and narrator of the story. of whom we have first hand information. and although unreliable at some points, we have no reason to doubt his reciprocity towards hua cheng.

#of course this is my opinion #this came a little out of nowhere but i read this headcanon some time ago and i just can't put my head around it #i really don't think that's the xie lian we are presented to #and i don't thing that type of angst fits tgcf or hualian at all #xie lian isn't just a miserable guy #he's more than that and he has views and aspirations and reasons to live beyond hua cheng #i feel like him getting to rediscover that is the point of the books #his connections with others and feeling like part of something again #but yeah #idk what this is #it's no meta post just a ramble 😂#bye

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ariesjupiter · 3 years ago

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Mitski Birth Chart Reading

This is just my interpretation based on Mitski’s birth chart and what I know of her music. Let me know if you have any suggestions of someone I should make a post on next! If you’re interested, I offer natal chart readings, just check my pinned post!

Libra sun: In terms of basic personality and ego, Mitski is focused on creating balanced, harmonic relationships. Intimate, one-on-one relationships are a major part of her identity. Libra is ruled by venus which represents love and beauty. After all, she is known for her lyrics relating to her romantic relationships. The lyric “I love everybody because I love you” is so profoundly Libra to me. She is friendly and charming. She sees herself reflected and other people and people see themselves reflected in her (for better or worse). Venus also rules the arts and Mitski is a natural artist in every sense of the word. Her music sonically is very unique, inventive, and creative as she experiments with mixing different genres. This is influenced by her sun in the 11th house. Sun in the 11th house also indicates an emphasis on friendships and memberships of certain groups and communities. It also indicates an importance of her hopes and dreams. Her sun in 3° explains why she is such a talented writer, communicator, and lyricist. Peak libra sun culture: “Young adult romance is the shit” (a real quote from the queen herself). And let’s not forget her iconic quote from 2016: “I’m a libra so my sexuality is essentially “you can really be any gender as long as you treat me like a princes.” Truer words have never been spoken.

Capricorn moon: Despite how personal her music is, Mitski is a rather private and reserved person, particularly when it comes to expressing her emotions. Also, Capricorn is associated with the father and she has been known to be especially private regarding her dad’s career. She is serious and intense with emotions but can sometimes get detached. The emphasis is on having control over her feelings. She is ambitious and a practical person. Her emotions are connected to her career. Those who do not know her well may see her as cold. In temperament she tends to be melancholic. Emotionally mature and wise beyond her years. Straightforward and honest with her expression. She is dependable, loyal, hard working, & realistic. Emotional fulfillment is often tied to achievement and success. Her moon in the 2nd house and 2° suggests material comforts make her feel safe. With the 2nd house being associated with venus, she is able to express her emotions in an artistic way. Could be protective over material objects. Sentimental. Music has a big impact on her emotions and mood. Peak capricorn moon culture: “I didn’t really feel anything. I’ve stopped feeling things for a long time” - Mitski, The Fader Interview, 2017. In all seriousness, I hope my capricorn moons are doing good.

Virgo mercury: Mitski is practical and detail oriented when it comes to communication and matters of learning. She takes the time to choose the right words to convey her thoughts. She is clear and concise. Mercury is in its sign of rulership here. Her mercury in the 10th house suggests that she will be known for her communication style. Has a lot of thoughts but is also organized. Analytical. Mitski likes making lists. Loves to give advice. Mercury is in 16° (cancer degree) and she has a soft spoken voice. Talks about the past and her roots (cancerian themes).

Virgo venus: In love, Mitski will assume a caretaking role and will gladly help her partner finish mundane tasks and chores. A devoted and faithful lover. Love is about the mundane and routine details of life. Love is about service. Acts of service tend to be virgo venus’ main love language. She wants to help improve her partner’s life. She is patient and observant. Values love that is simple and authentic. Appreciates a partner with whom she can have intellectual conversations. May have a tendency to be too critical on herself when it comes to love. Venus rules aesthetics & style and she tends to have a modest fashion sense. Mitski has voiced her interest in astrology and how she has asked people she’s interested for their birth times lmao. Her venus is in the 11th house, she treats a lover like she would treat a friend. In fact, romantic love probably equates to platonic love in her book. She has her venus in 24° which is a pisces degree, which explains this natural interest in astrology.

Gemini mars: Could be impatient because she moves quickly. Efficient. Has a lot of goals and likes to keep busy. She thrives when she talks to others and exchanged ideas. Likes to multitask. Very versatile. Probably has a flirty, bubbly energy when she’s attracted to someone. Attracted to intellect. Desire to see things from multiple perspectives. Gemini rules the hands so she’s skilled with playing instruments and writing. Likes to try new things. Witty and humorous. Could have nervous energy or fidget often.

Leo jupiter: The planet of luck and expansion in Leo is a big indicator of fame. Her jupiter is also in the 9th house and in 7°. Jupiter in the 9th indicates being born in a different country from where you reside now. Mitski is biracial and has lived in multiple countries growing up. She loves to learn, particularly about other cultures and ways of life. She is open minded, philosophical and values freedom and being independent. She attracts good fortune when she travels (touring!) and also when she focuses on partnerships/intimate relationships (7°). Combining this energy, Mitski attracts luck when she acts dramatically, demonstrates/teaches her knowledge, expresses herself artistically, shows her warm hearted and sometimes stubborn side, & takes chances, shows her bravery, and takes the lead. Be the Cowboy is big leo energy 🤠

Capricorn saturn: Mitski is responsible, practical, goal-oriented, and cautious. With saturn in the 3rd house, she probably had to grow up quickly and become mature at a young age. Capricorn saturn people tend to be very successful people. Strong willed. Tendency to be quiet and is a good listener. Could also be outspoken. With saturn in 18° (virgo degree), she’s very hard working but she may need to learn how to take a break and let herself rest and recharge.

Capricorn uranus: This placement also indicates that she goes after her goals and is efficient and practical in achieving them. Uranus being in the 2nd house shows that she could make money from being unique and groundbreaking. 2nd house also rules the voice! Her values are unique and she could be resistant to change them. Her self esteem could be in a constant state of flux and be tied to money. Her income could rapidly change, like maybe she did not get paid much but then suddenly she starts making a lot of money. Uranus is in 5° which is a fame degree. She’s famous for being authentically herself and very much an individual in the industry that can’t be compared.

Capricorn neptune: Capricorn neptunes are most likely realists. She is skilled at going after her dreams. Her dreams are practical and connected to themes of wealth, power, and control. Neptune in 3rd house shows a dreamy, poetic way of communicating. A very creative placement. Dreamy vibes. Could be elusive in communication, open for interpretation. Neptune is in 11° so this gives aquarian energy. Idealistic with friends and always searching for ways to achieve her dreams.

Scorpio pluto: Her power lies in her ability to analayze human interactions and be introspective with herself since it’s in the 1st house. She is very self aware. Mitski understands that life is about going through changes and she welcomes the ability to grow and rebuild. She has intense, deep emotions but has control over them and how she expresses them. Pluto in 16° adds a cancerian energy. Her strength lies in her ability to nurture and be empathetic.

Scorpio rising: First impressions of Mitski can be that she’s mysterious and secretive. A powerful and intimidating presence. This explains to me why she loves dressing in black. She probably has a strong dislike for anything superficial. She likes to get to know people on a deeper level and connect with them. She likes honesty and is probably very perceptive and intuitive. Privacy is so important to her! She has a lot of layers and wants people to unpack them, but it may take her a while to open up. She is powerful and has endurance. Her presence leaves an impact on people. Loyalty and intimacy is important. She’s not afraid to talk about taboo topics or scary, heavier emotions. Passionate and even a tendency to get fixed on or obsessed with something or someone. Her rising is in 15° (gemini degree) so she’s clever, curious, and thinks quickly. a little more flexible than a regular Scorpio rising would be.

Leo midheaven: People might see her as dramatic or arrogant. In the public eye, she was meant to be a performer. At her concerts she’s known for putting on a good show & includes interpretive dance and choreography. She becomes herself more when she’s on stage. The stage is where she shines. Has a lot of pride connected to her career. Reputation for creatively expressing herself and being brave and taking risks. Wants to be admired, especially regarding her career. Her purpose is to become a leader. Mc in 22° (capricorn degree) shows that she is a very hard worker when it comes to her career. She won’t let anyone stop her when it comes to achievement and success in her field. Another indicator of being at the top of her career and being publicly recognized for it!

TLDR: Mitski is a natural born singer, performer and artist. She is unique, talented, and an introspective writer. Being earth and water dominant, she balances practicality & stability with sentimentality & raw emotion. With all of her Capricorn placements, she is grounded and doesn’t let fame get to her head. Her chart ruler is Scorpio pluto in the 1st which means that major transformations will be a big theme in her life, especially regarding herself & her identity. She is always reflecting and looking at herself on a deep level.

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stiltonbasket · 3 years ago

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Renouncement-verse prompt-- learning each other's love languages. (For example LWJ getting WWX a bunch of presents when all WWX really wants is quality time. Or whatever way around you feel inspired to write)

this ended up diverging from the prompt, so take a little blushy WWX being drowned in gifts from his husband + a hint of some quality time in the future! >:3

On the first day after their bridal seclusion, Lan Zhan chases Wei Wuxian out of the jingshi and tells him to take a walk.

“Where to?” Wei Wuxian asks, puzzled. “Won’t you come with me, Lan Zhan?”

He barely left the house after the wedding, since newly married couples are allowed the leisure to honeymoon in peace for at least seven days, but he still feels strangely bereft at the thought of parting from Lan Zhan after this last week at his side. “Husband?”

Lan Zhan nods, looking inexplicably satisfied at the affection in Wei Wuxian’s voice. “I will, but not just now. The seniors in charge of household affairs sent word asking when you would come to inspect your wedding gifts, and according to custom, I should not be present.”

“Ah? Why not?”

“My uncles will explain it, xingan,” Lan Zhan says tenderly, making Wei Wuxian’s cheeks burn. “Go, and tell me what you would like for luncheon so I can go down to fetch ingredients in time.”

What? Wei Wuxian wants to cry. You’re the Chief Cultivator, and you’ve spent the last three weeks away from home, so why would you—

“Mapo doufu,” he finds himself saying instead, as his husband plants a lingering kiss on his cheek. “Or—no, that’ll be too spicy for you. What about eggplant soup with mustard greens? It’s mild enough for your tastes, my Lan Zhan, and savory enough for mine.”

“Eggplant soup with mapo doufu. Shall I bake some longan cakes for dessert?”

Wei Wuxian stammers something in reply, shaken root from limb by the warmth of Lan Zhan’s steady arms around him, and how safe and steady they feel. But then he finds himself standing on the porch, carried there like the new bride he is before Lan Zhan goes back inside to give Xiao-Yu a bath.

“Go on, my heart,” his husband calls. “And do not worry about hurrying back, if you must stay longer. I will keep your lunch hot for you.”

At some point—though Wei Wuxian cannot tell when, or how, since Lan Zhan’s hug dazed him so badly that he wandered away from the house without paying much attention to where he was going—Wei Wuxian ends up at the bottom of the hill, strolling through the disciple compound he stayed in during his first visit to the Cloud Recesses twenty years ago. Most of the houses here have two levels, unlike the cottages in the little square reserved for students belonging to the sect; this was one of the only compounds that survived Wen Xu’s siege untouched, and Lan Xichen chose not to rebuild it when Jin Guangyao offered to tear the old buildings down and replace them.

“It would be cruel to destroy them now, after they survived such an ordeal,” he had said. “I will find some use for that old compound, A-Yao. Do not worry.”

Rather than devoting the compound to visiting students again—which would have been an inconvenience, given its distance from the lanshi and new refectory—Zewu-jun had a set of hidden storage chambers hollowed out beneath it, and then left them to serve as a shelter in case the Cloud Recesses should ever be sieged again. But now the chambers double as a treasure vault, and a safehouse for Wei Wuxian’s dowry.

One of the Lan sect elders (Lan Qiming, if Wei Wuxian remembers correctly) grants him entry, opening a concealed door in the largest house and leading him down into a small room lined with carved shelves hewn from black walnut wood. Wei Wuxian stops on the threshold, gripping the frame of the door for balance as Lan Qiming unveils a cabinet filled with lacquered jewelry boxes.

Lan Qiming opens them all before Wei Wuxian’s astonished eyes, displaying pieces of engraved jade, silver bangles decorated with blue enamel glazing, hairsticks with pearl tassels gold necklaces and bracelets that would probably be forbidden to all but the highest-ranking members of the clan: which Wei Wuxian is, now that he and Lan Zhan are married.

It’s real, he thinks faintly. We really are married.

Until this very morning, Wei Wuxian thought of this marriage as a kind of play: like something he and Lan Zhan would have to act out, until Lan Zhan found his fated beloved and divorced Wei Wuxian to wed her. He thought it would be a marriage in name, no different from their friendship save for the fact that they would live together, and raise baby A-Yu together for a little while. But now one of Lan Zhan’s uncles is displaying Wei Wuxian’s inheritance from the late Madam Lan, and wishing out loud that Chen Mingyan could have lived to see her wedding gifts passed down to him.

“These have been given to you with Hanguang-jun’s blessing,” Lan Qiming insists, when Wei Wuxian begs him to keep his mother-in-law’s dowry registered under her name. “They belonged to Zaoheng-jun’s late wife before her, so it is not appropriate that the dowry be given to Lan Qing or Lan Sizhui. Only cultivators who marry into the inner family may use them, and since Zewu-jun is sworn to the path of chastity, these can only be yours.”

And then he tells Wei Wuxian to sign the book of records in his arms, signifying that ownership of the sect dowry (passed from each successive zongzhu’s bride to her daughters-in-law, up to Chen Mingyan’s time) has been transferred to Wei Wuxian himself.

“You may add or take away items as you wish,” Lan Qiming tells him, taking the brush from Wei Wuxian’s limp fingers. “None of these originally belonged to the last Madam Lan, so you should not worry about losing or breaking anything, but there is an unwritten expectation that you should let Hanguang-jun know which pieces you wish to remove.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Wei Wuxian wheezes. “Is that all, qianbei? That has to be everything, right?”

“Not quite. There is tribute addressed to you in the next room—silk, books, spices, and the like—from some of the minor sects that hope you will choose to do business with them, and then you can examine Hanguang-jun’s personal gifts to you in the next two chambers after that...”

_____

“It seems that Wei Ying had a tiring day,” Lan Wangji hums, after his beloved comes home for lunch with sweat on his nose and ink smudged under his fingernails. “I will draw a hot bath after you finish eating, and then you can rest and take a nap with Xiao-Yu before tonight’s council.”

“You, draw a bath?” his husband gapes. “Aiyah, Lan Zhan, I can’t put you to work like this. I’ll fetch the water myself.”

Xiao-Yu shoves his little face into Wei Ying’s bowl and sucks down a mouthful of spicy tofu. “Xiao-Yu has a bath,” he says importantly, emerging from the bowl with sauce all over his chin. “Bath with A-Die, and A-Niang!”

Wei Ying turns crimson, his cheeks lighting up like a fall bonfire as Lan Wangji thinks wistfully of the time they bathed together in the cold springs twenty years ago. “Yu’er, you can only bathe with one of us,” he chides. “The bathtub’s too small, so A-Die and A-Niang can’t take a bath together. Do you want me to help you wash, or Lan Zhan?”

“My bath with A-Die and A-Niang.”

“That can be arranged,” Lan Wangji assures him. “In the morning, perhaps.”

Wei Ying’s neck flushes even darker than before. “L-Lan Zhan, you shouldn’t just—”

“A-Yu is old enough to try the cold springs,” Lan Wangji says peacefully, pretending not to notice as Wei Ying hides his red face in Xiaohui’s fluffy hair. “If he cries, we can simply take him out.”

Perhaps it is a little cruel, to tease his heart’s dearest this way. But the more he does, and the more he loves, the more his Wei Ying melts for him, before his very eyes.

Lan Wangji puts another helping of tofu into his husband’s bowl.

“And if Xiao-Yu does not like the cold spring,” he continues, trying not to smile, “I will send for a larger tub.”

#wangxian #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #renouncement verse #wangxian arranged marriage au #my fic #RENOUNCEMENT VERSE IS BACK YALL #ahhhhh #please rb if you can!!!

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annalyticall · 3 years ago

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Thoughts on Dragon Age: Inquisition

Other Dragon Age Thoughts: Dragon Age: Origins | Dragon Age 2 Part 1 | Dragon Age 2 Part 2

It's done!

Going into Inquisition I was aware of two things: one, that it heavily revolved around the theme of faith, and two, that Solas was the villain somehow. I didn't know much more beyond that, so I was excited to learn that by playing an elf mage I was going to be playing a Dalish First like Merrill was, instead of a circle elf like my Surana. This gave me more narrative threads to follow since I was originally only planning on exploring the question of faith from the viewpoint of a mage (a continuation of Anders' influence, I suppose) but ended up exploring much more the question of warring faiths - faith in the Maker and faith in the elven gods.

My Inquisitor was Eva Lavellan, a soft-spoken yet fun-loving First dedicated as much to preserving elven culture as she was to finding peace with her human neighbors, doing her best to balance the honor of their past and the betterment of their future. While she never claimed to be Herald of Andraste, she didn't deny it either, hoping the title would give humans enough faith to rally behind an elven hero. It wasn't until her experience in the Fade and the Well of Sorrows that she realized the Chantry would erase her heritage anyways, so she rededicated herself to her elven culture despite the Chantry. Her vallaslin honor Ghilan'nain, the halla mother. I used halla leather to tint her armor because I'm nothing if not devoted to my character aesthetic lol.

Major story decisions include: Allying with the mages, reuniting Empress Celene and Briala, sacrificing Hawke to the Fade instead of Alistair, recruiting the Grey Wardens, drinking from the Well of Sorrows, inspiring Leliana (on accident, I only knew this was possible from a coworker who congratulated me for it lol), getting Leliana promoted to Divine, spreading the truth about Ameridan, vowing to redeem Solas, and disbanding the Inquisition. I completed all companion's personal quests and maxed out my approval with all except Sera, who greatly disapproved of my drinking from the Well of Sorrows and would not become my friend after that. I made Cole more human, sentenced Thom Rainer to serve as a true Grey Warden, did not sacrifice the Chargers, and encouraged Cassandra to rebuild the seekers. Lavellan married Cullen with Dalish vows.

Like before, I'll break down my thoughts into "The Good, The Bad, and the DLC" a well as "The Companions" since they were a major part of the game. Then a special bonus section for Cullen and Solas because wow do I have Opinions on those two and their respective romances, so skip to Conclusion if you don't care about them lol

The Good

Knight Enchanter. I was pretty disheartened when I learned there was no healer specialization and that I could no longer spam heal since that's how I survived combat the last two games. However, the lack of healing made the combat more interesting. For once I had to think strategically about the gameplay and figure out which skills would work best together. Knight Enchanter was a godsend. Even when my team was down I was able to solo kill a dragon with no healing potions. The ability to play as a tank warrior and still be a mage was genius, and even better was the fact that the specialization in-lore aligned perfectly with my character: a skill originating from the elves and reappropriated to serve the Chantry. Sounds familiar. In any case, this game was the first one I didn't set the difficulty to easy just to skip the combat.

Atmosphere. The music. The level design. The subtle physics of character movement. Everything worked together to immerse me in the world, even the locations I didn't particularly like, like the Hissing Wastes and the Deep Roads. I LOVED the Emerald Graves and the Exalted Plains, and the entire Crossroads Shattered Library section in Trespasser (perhaps a biased opinion for a Dalish elf). I listened to the soundtrack of this game on its own because the ambient music was just so good.

Companion Quests. Every game has had them so far but the ones here felt most worthwhile. There were some very big and long-lasting decisions to make here, such as the fates of Thom Ranier and Cole and the Chargers. I also liked how many quests involved other companions - Cole's involved Solas and Varric, Thom's involved Cullen, Cullen's involved Cassandra, so on and so on. Really felt like the Inquisition was one unit instead of disparate companions lumped together by association to the main character.

Wow That's a Lot of Content. There was. A lot. To do. And that was both good and bad, but I'll start with the good. I liked having the opportunity to get to know the places I was exploring and having time to hear the banter between my party. The downtime between missions helped build that sense of camaraderie and nostalgia once I stopped playing.

Get-Along Shirt. Something that rubbed me the wrong way about Dragon Age 2 was how much everybody fucking hated each other and nobody ever learned or grew. Anders and Fenris were at each other's throats from day one and they never realized how much they had in common. Inquisition more or less fixes this. There are still some companions who never get along, but you can at least sense they are developing some respect for one another. Although I didn't get to see the romantic consequence of it, I was still able to appreciate this sort of growth in the Dorian/Bull banter.

Romance. Yes, for once I'll praise the romance scenes here. I only played through Cullen's romance and watched a playthrough for Solas', but I do like the variety of romantic dynamics you can have and the progression of each is believable enough, culminating in some very sweet and touching moments that were fairly well-paced. I was mostly spared from sex scenes this time around, though awkward kissing animations still haunt me.

The Bad

Too Much Too Soon. I'm going to say it: The Hinterlands is a terrible location to start the game. The map is too big, there's too much to do, and it's not very easy to navigate for a new player. I think a location like Crestwood would have been much better to start with. It's more streamlined and has a main quest that's easy to follow. As it is, I had to restart the game 10 hours in based on a save file error, and even replaying the first 10 hours again felt like I was replaying the tutorial.

Wow That's a Lot of Content. My god. Once I hit the 100-hour mark I was quickly starting to tire of this game. I know the devs probably put so many side quests in there so people enjoy the hard work they put into the level design but having so many needless collect-a-thon quests padded out the game unnecessarily. I think this game could have easily been cut down to 80 hours or so and not lose anything for it. I don't need to collect 144 crystal shards I just don't.

Decisions, not Consequences. Something I praised Dragon Age 2 for was making the consequences of your decisions unclear until you finally experience them. For example, the game will not ask you if Carver should become a Grey Warden or a Templar, it solely depends on if you brought him and Anders with you on the expedition. That felt real. Inquisition does not do this often and I think it suffers for it. It asks you if you want to ally with or conscript the mages, warning you that allying with the mages might leave them open for corruption. This decision never backfires. Same with recruiting the Grey Wardens. Drank from the Well of Sorrows? Well, Mythal can control you now but she barely asks you to do anything so don't worry about it. There are no consequences for your actions, except who becomes Divine. You will win regardless. That severely hinders my enjoyment from making any decision at all.

War Table Missions. I like the idea in theory but in execution, it was too much reading for too little reward. Cutting down on the number of missions and the reports you have to read would have made a big difference, or even better, getting the player physically involved in some way. My favorite table missions ended up being ones I came across naturally in the field. That or ones that made reference to previous characters, like getting a letter from my Warden, helping Zevran, or defending Kirkwall from Sebastian.

No Evil Allowed. I get it. You're the Herald of Andraste, a supposed holy prophet. You probably shouldn't have total freedom to do the kind of shit you could do in the last two games, like defile a holy relic or sell your friend back into slavery or kill all your companions. Not being able to be anything worse than rude or disagreeable DOES give the effect that you are being stifled by this all-powerful religion, and I think that really could have gone somewhere. However, that's never truly explored, and the player is never given the teeth to fight back against any differing opinion. At worst you might be a little too execution-happy as a judge but since most of those who are brought to you have done some great evil anyways it's not like it can't be justified. The abundance of middle-of-the-road options makes the game feel too limited in possible personalities and doesn't make me feel nearly as good when I choose to be good.

The Dalish. I had this whole thing prepared for how this game handled the Dalish, then I found an article that basically made all my arguments for me. TL;DR though, the Dalish always get the short end of the stick; the Dalish inquisitor's clan can be slaughtered in a war table operation without so much as a mention by anyone including the inquisitor, there are no companions vocally sympathetic to the Dalish, and the Dalish religion and culture is constantly challenged or questioned or proven wrong, and all of this is frustrating considering the Dalish clans are coded to be minority nomadic tribes.

Blood Magic and Red Lyrium. You thought I was done ranting about blood magic? The thing is, my problem with blood magic and red lyrium in Inquisition is somewhat different from my problem with it in Dragon Age 2. In DA2, I thought it was a cheap way to blur the moral line between religious persecutors and the religiously persecuted. In Inquisition, I think it's a cheap way to hide any nuance there could have been in the mage/templar war. This war should have been a BIG DEAL, considering that's what Dragon Age 2 was building up to. But there was no room for an honest debate here because both sides are being manipulated to do vile things - the Red Templars are under the influence of red lyrium and the mages at Redcliffe are heavily implied to be under the influence of Venatori blood magic. There isn't any real side to take because no one is acting on their own accord. I allied with the mages based on principle but I wasn't even happy about it because I could have boiled down my argument to 'they would be best to close the breach and also they were being mind-controlled by other mages so maybe they're not completely at fault here.' My decision had almost nothing to do with the fact they had been systematically oppressed by the Chantry for a thousand years, you know, the whole reason this war started in the first place?

Tranquil. I was pissed when I learned most rebel mages left the Tranquil to fend for themselves which essentially meant they were left for dead. You can't tell me Anders and that one mage you meet first in Haven are the only mages who give a shit about the tranquil - most mages would have seen their friends become tranquil and I'm sure at least some of them would have wanted to help even if they weren't the same anymore. Again, I just got the feeling this cruelty was written into the rebel mages in order to blur morality lines between them and the templars even though it doesn't make any fucking sense.

Corypheus. What an underwhelming villain. His introduction was pretty cool but then he just kind of fucks off and doesn't do anything until the last act. Until then we have to fight his minions and I don't care about them because they're not Corypheus. The decision to make Samson evil (as opposed to making Cullen good?) was also questionable. If I remember right Samson was one of the few templars who had some sympathy for mages in DA2, something Cullen lacked at the time. Felt weird. Probably would have more to say about that if I gave more of a shit about the templars. I also think a better villain for this game would have been the Architect. He was already introduced in Awakening and depending on your choices in that DLC the Grey Wardens being allied with him would have made more sense (because I did ally with him in Awakening). His intentions are actually somewhat noble - he's an enlightened darkspawn who wants to end the slaughter of his mindless darkspawn bretheren. That's SO much more interesting than a guy who wants to be a god. The Architect also mirrors Solas in a way, having a vested interest in his people and wanting to bestow a higher consciousness onto them to better their future.

No Sense of Urgency. What really got me hooked on Dragon Age Origins was the fate of Lothering. Thinking that game was going to be like Skyrim, I left Lothering with some side quests unfinished assuming I could just come back and finish them later. Nope! The Blight is coming, it destroyed Lothering, and you really thought you had time? And after that, while I was traveling across Ferelden, I could see the Blight physically grow on my map and that made me nervous as it touched the borders of another town I needed to go to. THAT'S effective. Dragon Age 2 does this to a lesser degree, making some missions time-sensitive and locking you out of completing them if you don't do them soon enough. Inquisition does not do this at all and from a narrative perspective that doesn't make sense. Corypheus, for all his failings, is a Big Threat. He's world-ending. Possibly worse than the Blight. Yet I'm free to roam the Hinterlands collecting shards and no one remarks on how maybe this is a bad use of time. I get it, the developers probably decided there was so much content that it would be unfair to make any of it time-sensitive. That's fine, then at least give me a sense like this is urgent, like the Blight on the map in Origins that didn't actually end up destroying anything after Lothering. Give me some narrative reason why I can't just jump between The Western Approach and The Hinterlands and have it feel like that months-long journey only took 2 minutes.

The DLC

The Deep Roads. This was probably the most successful attempt any of these games have made in making me interested in the Deep Roads. Unfortunately, I still did not like it. I liked the two dwarf companions we traveled with, and I actually loved the final level at the Titan's heart because it wasn't just another fucking cave filled with darkspawn. That doesn't rectify the fact I still had to fight through 5 levels of caves filled with darkspawn to get to it. I did think the lore implications of the Titan were pretty interesting though.

Jaws of Hakkon. Started off pretty slow, but it quickly picked up once I made contact with the Avvar of Stone-Bear Hold. Learning about their different way of life and approach to magic was refreshing after living in this Chantry-dominated society for the last three games. But most importantly: Ameridan. He felt like a crucial puzzle piece in my Lavellan's story about her heritage being erased from history. I could not have written that better, I loved the ending.

Trespasser. I love this DLC so much that I hate it. I hate it because it SHOULD have been the ending of the base game. I am sincerely sorry for anyone who had to shell out $20 or whatever for the actual ending of the game they paid $60 for. The locations were stunning, the music was gorgeous, the resolutions with your companions and advisors were heartfelt, the way the DLC built up to a big boss fight and you ended up just having a quiet conversation with an old friend was extremely appreciated. Solas himself is an interesting villain and while I worried I was missing out by not romancing him, I actually didn't feel that way at all once I reached the end. Vowing to redeem him as a friend feels somehow just as impactful, maybe in some ways more so.

The Companions

Cassandra. Took a long time to grow on me but by the time I reached the romance novel quest I started to like her. She's just a hopeless romantic at heart and I found that endearing. I also was surprised when, during party banter, she expressed concern for Anders after Hawke was sacrificed to the Fade, asking Varric if he had told Anders yet. For someone who has reason to hate Anders, that really made me soften to her. Didn't mean I thought she would make a good Divine.

Varric. I loved him in DA2, it makes sense I would love him here. He did feel different though. Wiser and kinder, maybe. I had used him as a companion a lot up until I sacrificed Hawke, then something about bringing him along didn't feel right and I switched to Cole as my main rogue. Maybe because I wanted to remember him as Hawke's companion, not Lavellan's.

Dorian. I didn't expect to love Dorian as much as I do, but he's great. I love his sarcastic and witty commentary on basically anything, but his excitement about history especially made me excited about history. He was so sweet and I maxed out his approval in no time since apparently we share similar opinions on things 90% of the time. I definitely would have romanced him if I could lol

Cole. Love Cole. It was a little difficult for me to understand him at first but I quickly picked up on what he was saying after I learned what he was and I was eager to bring him along on most missions just to hear what more he could sense from the locations and people we met. He's also like 80% of the reason I decided to romance Cullen after he told me he could sense his soul was soft or something sweet like that, and also why I decided to redeem Solas after he said he was well-meaning. I trust the compassionate ghost boy with my life.

Blackwall/Thom Ranier. I really liked him as I do most Grey Warden romance options, and apparently, I came really close to romancing him until I chickened out last minute. I'm kinda glad I did considering he lied and wasn't really a Grey Warden, but I still appreciated his down-to-earth company.

The Iron Bull. He was cool. I loved the first little cutscene I had with him where he wanted me to sit down with my army and listen to how I inspired them without them noticing who I was. It was a refreshing perspective to have, and I liked the variety he brought to the group. He's also deceptively intelligent. He feigns disinterest I think, but when I brought him to The Hissing Wastes and The Crossroads he was incredibly knowledgable on the ruins of both dwarves and elves. I guess he wasn't a spy for nothing.

Vivienne. Oh Viv. I DO see why she's hated, being a pretentious Circle mage who favors the confinement of the Circle and Chantry order. But really, if you look beyond that, she cares. She was perhaps the only one besides Cullen and Blackwall who cared about my wellbeing once we arrived at Skyhold, and unlike those two, I hadn't been actively flirting with her at the time. Everything she does she does because she thinks it's what's best to protect her people from themselves, and while it might be a narrow viewpoint to have, I do understand her.

Sera. It's hard for me to judge her since she's the only one I didn't get to befriend (although I probably would have had I finished her war table missions before the Well of Sorrows) so if she had a more heartfelt scene unfortunately I never got to see it. I had the hardest time understanding her at first, but I somewhat got the hang of her speech patterns after a while and started to like her after that. I like how she kept the inquisitor down to earth and places an emphasis on helping the little guy, although I wished she saw that the Dalish were also the little guy. I hated how mean the game could let you be to her. The writing felt almost biased against her, and I was surprised that I still had the option to kick her out of the Inquisition so late into the game when no one else had that option.

Josephine. She is very sweet! I don't have much of an opinion on her beyond that. I did appreciate that she was the ONLY person who asked me what it was like to be a Dalish elf with any honest and open-minded sincerity, so that was appreciated. I just didn't find much of her family's political conflicts very interesting as I was helping her with them.

Leliana. I was sad at first to learn she was hardened despite the fact that I had kept her soft in Origins, and that Surana stopped talking to her even though she was my Surana's best friend. Still, I was able to chip away at her, and in the end, she felt like the Leliana I loved before. I'm very happy that her being Divine meant reform for the Chantry's acceptance of elves and mages. I know it's not the canonical reason, but I like to think her friendship with Surana influenced her views on elves and mages, and her decision to make those changes.

Cullen and Solas

If you don't give a shit about either of them (I totally understand) then I'll just put my bullet points on them here but I will elaborate for anyone who is interested:

Cullen. Surprisingly, I thought he made a good love interest even to a mage inquisitor. He was kind and thoughtful and I am admittedly weak for men who are awkward and shy when flirting. But Inquisition Cullen is not DAO Cullen or DA2 Cullen, who I hated so very much. There was growth there but it all happened offscreen between DA2 and DAI and it's hard for me to say all of it felt natural; most of the time I felt like the writers did a complete overhaul of his character just to make him more palatable as an advisor and love interest and because of that his character across the series feels like a confused Frankenstein's monster of different writers' intentions. His most believable character development happened in the war table missions sometimes. I at least appreciate the apology he gives for the hurtful things he had said to my Surana, that was a pleasant surprise.

Solas. He frustrated me. I wanted to consider him a romance option since everyone kept telling me he's the best one for a female elf. Unfortunately, he gave me the immediate hurdle of not respecting Dalish culture, which made it hard for me to justify that my Lavellan, a Dalish clan First, would want to date him. Beyond that, he's closed-off until you actually get to know him better, and by the time I did, I was already halfway into Cullen's romance track. Once I did get to know him, I did start to really like him. He is gentle and good-hearted, which is why I completely believed Cole when he said Solas had good intentions as we were chasing him down in Trespasser. I do see him as more of a brother figure though, like a narrative foil to my Lavellan. He's the Anakin to my Obi-Wan.

Here is where I talk about them and their romances because boy let me tell you I was torn between these two as someone who has an interest in romancing the Most Narratively Relevant Character. And that is Solas, undoubtedly. Cullen has his relevance too - he's an ex-templar trying to see the good in mages after hating them for so long, which was relevant for as long as the mage/templar war was relevant but also he was personally relevant to me since I had a vendetta built against him starting from my Surana Origin story. But looking at both characters from a pure quality of romance perspective, I honestly think Solas' romance is the one that's lacking.

Here are the qualities they both share that make their romances feel somewhat similar:

Grumpy/unemotional loners

Has an "I can fix him" type quality

Has some pre-existing bias against you if you're a mage with Cullen or a Dalish elf with Solas (which is all you can be if you want to romance Solas)

I will say this now: Cullen's romance executes on all of the above better than Solas. Cullen is grumpy sometimes but he's not opposed to spending time with others as evidenced by his willingness to participate in the card game. Solas almost never willingly interacts with others with the exception of chess with Dorian (which Cullen also does) and mentoring Cole who doesn't count since Solas only sees him as a spirit, so you're never quite sure what he thinks of anyone else but you, making his romance feel isolated from everything else.

The "I Can Fix Him" is also executed better with Cullen because YOU are not the one fixing him. Cullen's decision to get off lyrium was his own and was initially aided by Cassandra, not you. Cullen's decision to place faith in mages and admit he was wrong was his own and was made well before he even meets you. Romancing him means you are supporting him through these decisions, but you are not the one bearing the burden of them. That is how it should be. By contrast, YOU are the one fixing Solas, full stop. He knows what he is doing is wrong and yet he continues to believe he is justified in it. YOU are the one bearing the burden of that decision. Which, to be fair, you would do anyway if you vow to redeem him and are not romancing him like I did, I'm just elaborating on why this doesn't appeal to me as someone who really does not like the idea of "fixing" in a romantic context.

Then there's the pre-existing bias. I think they both get a lot of flak for this because they have similar lines addressing their bias in their romance and both can be interpreted as "I only changed my mind about your people because I am attracted to you" but I think that's oversimplifying it. Cullen, specifically, says "If I had known you back then, I don't think I would have cared about you. And the thought of that sickens me." To me, that's admitting to his own fault rather than placing any on the mages. He's saying you're a good person and he wouldn't have been able to see that because he used to believe all mages were evil. He never claims to think you are an exception to that rule, only that the rule itself was wrong and he's disgusted for ever believing it. He also never realizes he was wrong because of you, since he already made that realization before a flirting option was even available. You're really only further confirmation.

Solas, on the other hand, says "For all they got wrong, the Dalish did one thing right. They made you." Solas IS saying you are the exception to the rule, a rule which he still very much believes in and never apologizes for having in the first place. But at least he's consistent about it, romance or not. In the friendship scene, he says something like "I wonder, if they could raise someone like you, have I misjudged the Dalish?" which is not an outright admittance of his own fault because it's phrased as a question. He deflects that fault onto you to decide if he was wrong or right. If you say he was right and that he didn't misjudge them, you actually gain approval from him. Gross. Please stop hating my family, man.

Also, Solas' offer to remove the vallaslin is sweet on the surface but his declaration of love being "your culture uses these face tattoos as a symbol of pride in your elven heritage after having been subjected to human slavery for centuries but because they used to actually be slave markings themselves in ancient times (which nobody could have known other than me) you should let me remove them to show how much I care about you, although doing so will surely alienate you from your own people and culture who I still harbor undue disdain for" is kind of awful. Maybe the Dalish were wrong about the original meaning behind them, but the current meaning of them and how they came to be so important is what matters, and it's one of the only things the Dalish have left to declare pride in themselves anymore. Needless to say, if I romanced Solas I would have kept my vallaslin.

That's not to say Cullen's romance is perfect, I still have major issues with it. For one, his line about not being able to care about you if he had known you earlier in his life, as well as saying he was "unworthy" for judging the mages so harshly in the past, is about the closest he comes to ever apologizing for the harm he's done to mages. And he has done A LOT of irreversible harm to mages, more than those two lines could ever possibly atone for. Every time you ask him about how he feels about you being a mage, he either deflects the question or never answers it. I asked him what he would do if I were possessed and he sadly said "I don't want to think about it" okay well if we're dating I feel like the subject of you potentially killing me is one that's important to discuss. He benefits a lot by not having an approval meter because if he did I don't think I would have been able to romance him at all. Everything he advised me to do when it came to the recruitment of the mages or templars I blatantly ignored and did the exact opposite because he's still more sympathetic to the templars. That would not have earned me any approval I think.

Then there's Cullen's attitude towards the Dalish. It was leagues better than Solas' (or Sera's) so I took it, but unfortunately "leagues better" means "basically no opinion or interest whatsoever." I asked him how he felt about me being an elf and he said he doesn't mind because elves and humans were viewed the same in the Circle (which I call bullshit on, my Surana was able to say life wasn't easy for elves in the Circle but I digress). But elves in the Circle are not the same as Dalish elves. I was less interested in how he viewed me as an elf since I already knew he could be attracted to elves (see Surana), and I was more interested in if being a Dalish elf specifically bothered him since that meant I did not believe in the same faith he did. Unfortunately, this is not a question I can ask him.

In the end, Cullen pleasantly surprised me by encouraging me to make my Dalish vows at our wedding, so apparently he also didn't mind my differing faith, but it would have been nice to know that before our literal wedding day. Otherwise, his attitudes towards the Dalish were a mixed bag at the war table. Some missions he was flippant about them ("Blasted halla") and others he was in complete favor of them ("the Dalish deserve honest reparations", saving my clan from annihilation) so all in all it was a wash. Romancing him still did help my whole "warring faiths" narrative I was going for though. Something something marriage between elven gods and the Maker something something making peace with human neighbors something something. I AM glad she was able to get married to someone who wouldn't leave her in the end though, really hit home with the theme of "taking the happy moments where you can find them." I needed her to have a happier ending than Hawke.

This all to say I think Cullen and Solas are interesting characters but there are some pretty big and glaring issues with both of them and I do think Solas' romance specifically is a bit overrated and somewhat troubling when scrutinized, even ignoring the whole 'wanting to destroy the world' thing. Cullen is overrated too but purely because he's handsome and scrubbed clean of all his ugly past which is not always properly addressed. I hear Cullen had some hardcore stans from his DAO and DA2 days and I have to say, please love yourselves. Cullen was intentionally terrible in DAO and DA2. I only care about arguably redeemed DAI Cullen but let's be honest, he still pales in comparison to Alistair who never wanted to be a templar in the first place because he was too kind-hearted to become one.

Conclusion

Sorry, I couldn't conclude my reviews of these games without mentioning my love for Alistair one last time. Truly the best video game boyfriend I've ever had.

Overall, I think Dragon Age is great. I know I ragged on these games a lot but it's impressive they even got me to think about them as much as they did. I love most the characters, I love the atmosphere, I love the impact of choice on the world. There isn't much more I can say about them that I haven't already said.

So what's my favorite game? Well, I do think Inquisition is, technically speaking, the best game. It's the most polished, the most mechanically competent, the most expansive. However, I think Dragon Age 2 had the best plot. It was different, took risks, wasn't afraid to say something even if that something was a little muddied by the world itself. So in those ways, I think both Inquisition and DA2 have merits.

But after pondering it for a while, Origins is my favorite. While the plot is pretty standard compared to DA2, and the game isn't as technically impressive as Inquisition, it holds up just fine and I overall thought its characters were among the most endearing barring Oghren. It was the funniest and most light-hearted game of the three, and the various origin stories do so much to enrich the narrative you can build for your character and your experience. It's the perfect length, and side quests almost never feel like a chore. Grey morality isn't forced and doesn't bog down the narrative. Also, you can romance Alistair in it, so really none of the other games stood a chance lol

Thanks to everyone who read my thoughts on these games! I really enjoyed it! :D

#anna plays dragon age #woof this was long I'm surprised it didn't cut me off like the last one did

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sunleaffe · 4 years ago

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the whole guizhong reincarnation thing with ningguang really has me thinking and honestly it makes me lean towards the ningguang and zhongli pairing a lot. now im not the biggest fan of zhongli’s story (in terms of his current whereabouts and choices) BUT the idea of him leaving li yue in charge of his dead wife’s reincarnation scratches a particular itch in my brain.

theres a lot that kind of points to the theory of reincarnation with ningguang and some of the more notable ones that ive noticed are listed below. a spoiler warning is in effect so scroll at your own risk!

- she is extremely powerful for a geo user. a lot of geo character abilities revolve around construction (hence geo construction inc. being a meme), but this could fit in thematically of being a fallen god that is rebuilding what was lost to her. her shield (?) ability is different than other geo characters. zhongli literally creates a pillar, lumine/aether build...a more stout pillar, and albedo has a lotus elevator lol. but ningguangs is more functioning as a wall of protection while also not exactly being physical per say. it looks more like a transparent scroll when unrolled, sort of like transluscent magic at play.

- in the fight against osial, ningguang uses a lot of magic that does not look elemental based lol. it just looks like...pure magic. i wonder where she picked that up or if shes just naturally gifted in channeling magic like that. there were lots of symbols that did not look geo related in many of the cutscenes. but thats just my observation.

- her ascension materials include glaze lillies which we all know zhongli will NOT shut up about. even if current glaze lillies aren’t the “real deal” as zhongli puts it, having them be her ascension materials is a big deal. im not entirely sure about the entire story revolving around them but i believe they carry a symbolic meaning of the wishes of people (i remember lumine had to sing to one to harvest it correctly or something). it seems to bear a lot of importance to zhongli and his past, and i may be remembering this incorrectly/it may be a fanmade fact but i believe rex lapis and guizhong led their people through fields of glaze lillies during the archon war. plus you can find all sorts of fanart of zhongli standing in a field of them lol.

- ningguang mentions having a dream where rex lapis came to her before she had to rally the qixing against osial in the last archon quest. idk if other archons do that or if zhongli regularly shows up in people’s dreams, but its a “hmm” moment considering zhongli did plan to leave the fight up to the adepti and the qixing. perhaps it was his way of passing on his duty to ningguang by visiting her in a dream to help her in her fight. not only that, he was close to guizhong. perhaps he is giving back what he feels was hers to begin with? part of li yue’s rule? who knows.

- a LOT of fanmade designs of guizhong mirror that of ningguang’s. this isnt like a “ahah its coming together” moment as much as the ones mentioned above but its a neat tidbit regardless

- ningguang started from nothing before becoming one of the richest if not richest person in li yue. her decision to sacrifice the jade chamber shows her selflessness and devotion to her people, qualities that guizhong most likely exhibited towards her own people before her tragic death. not only that, it fits thematically with the concept of archons, meaning that it was possible for humans themselves to ascend to celestia (though i think you have to be a vision bearer to be able to do that). assuming that all gods in ancient times started as nothing (such as venti being nothing but an elemental being) and had to earn their spot in celestia, then ningguangs path to success and rulership closely resembles it, albeit in more modern terms.

- zhongli definitely does know about ningguang and shows quite a lot of respect for her, even chiding people about not touching pieces of ningguang’s property after fragments of it fell from the sky after the fight against osial. okay, sorry, tangent time, but how does he know that stuff was part of her tea set? or is he just good at guessing everything lol? did he ever go to the jade chamber and have tea with ningguang? who knows.

and some of my personal reasons why i like the pairing:

- yes childe can be zhongli’s wallet but ningguang could be his vault

- their color pallets match so well. its kind of like how chongyun and xingqiu’s match perfectly lol.

- they are both tall. you get a tall aunt and uncle. posh wine aunt and broke uncle vibes?

- the idea of them being intrigued by each other due to past lives and connections- im a sucker for that idea

- zhongli learning human connection while also still having a part of guizhong with him at all times?? exquisite

- its rare. im gonna be honest, some rarepairs just make me smile and i wish more people considered them. the only other one i can think of rn is scaramona (but mostly because their colors fit well together again).

wow this was long idk if anyone will read it but if you do, lmk your own thoughts on this reincarnation theory!! id love to hear them! and also please remember to be respectful! as with any fandom, i am aware that some are very steadfast in certain ships, but lets all let each other enjoy what we enjoy, thank you!

#ningguang #zhongli #genshin impact #zhongguang #zhongli x ningguang #guizhong #text #rex lapis

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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years ago

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The Thief and the Tinker, Part 4: Circles and Cycles

part 3

Part 4

Viren: *smirks and plinks Runaan's coin to Ethari*

Ethari, furious: You throw another Moonshadow at me and I'm gonna lose it.

Circles and Cycles

Angst rating: 8/10

Back to Ethari, because we're not done with him yet. Ethari is soft, but he isn't weak. He won't be a willing pawn for Viren. He loves Runaan to the point of invention, and his devotion is more constant than the moon itself. He'll agree to do what Viren says, and he'll be Very Sad. But his spirit is in no way broken. Viren bribing him with the coins containing his family will only have the opposite effect. It'll give Ethari something to fight for.

We could get Focused Chaos Ethari. We could get Angery Trickster Ethari. We could get Rules, What Rules? Ethari. Let him try to steal the coins, try to break them, try to kill Viren, and be stymied at every turn, until he settles and seems cowed. And then all he does is craft his way out of the problem.

What if we are gifted with Iron Man Elf Ethari, who pretends to build a fake Key for Viren, but meanwhile he's really building a coinbuster with whatever he can get his hands on - primal stones, magically imbued gemstones, stolen artifacts, his own arcanum, his own reputation as the Master Craftsman of the Silvergrove. He'll use almost - almost - anything, to stop Viren and free his family.

Ethari may have to choose between those two things, though. And he's a hero, deep down, just like his family, just like his daughter. If he has to choose, he'll choose to stop Viren and save Xadia. He'll pay the same price as his family has if he must.

He'd let Viren think he was motivated purely by wanting his family back, but Ethari is far too steeped in the illusion and sacrifice for that to be all there is to his motives. It's a so-close-and-yet-so-far thing, how he and Viren almost embody the same ideals. Almost. Ethari would take one look at Viren, who just burnt down his whole Forest, he'd see the biggest threat in Xadia, and he'd say anything to get a chance to stop this juggernaut of destruction from getting his hands on whatever that ultimate power really is, locked behind that missing key. If he has to abandon his people and bawl his eyes out to convince Viren he's in, then he will.

And Viren wouldn't make it easy for him. He knows clever when he sees it. He went through all this trouble to persuade Ethari to work with him. He would need to keep Ethari as off-balance as possible to ensure that he keeps working as he should.

Angsty jewelry, anyone?

Viren giving Ethari his husband in pendant form to remind him what he's working for, when Viren and Ethari both know full well that only dark magic can open the hellcoins. Ethari wearing another pendant of his love, except it's not a metaphor this time. It's literally his love, in a coin around his neck.

Viren would love making Ethari stay close to him of his own free will if he ever hoped to free Runaan. Making people bind themselves to you is a big power flex. Remember that TDP stream future-season teaser note about Bait being in a creepy restraint in a future season?

This card is written on in all-caps, so that really could be "Bait" or "bait," or--knowing this show--both. Viren's been using Runaan as bait for Ethari all along. Putting his coin in a dark magic pendant casing for Ethari to wear would be a great parallel for that. Oh god. Oh man.

Maybe he'll stab the coin's scary casing right through that circle on Ethari's chest, right over his heart, make that Iron Man reference really obvious. Ethari also losing his shirt at some point, for angsty Viren-related reasons? It's more likely than you think. I mean... Ethari is literally involved in both forms of forging at this point. Shirt's gotta come off for uhhhh work reasons. And because he's hot. Because of all the forging. Mmhmm. I mean how else are we finally going to discover what his markings look like this is research I swear

I mentioned that I liked god-tier villains, right? Yeah, this is amazing. I haven't wanted to die and ascend over an idea for quite a while, but Ethari vs Viren in a drawn-out battle of wills would kill me in the best way. Especially since, while it looks like they're essentially fighting for who gets Runaan, they're truly fighting a much larger battle with much higher stakes. They're fighting for the future itself. It's an epic struggle between the Narrative of Strength and the Narrative of Love. And we've seen what happens, over and over, when the Narrative of Strength gets to call the shots.

On a meta note: If Ruthari's story arc isn't a love letter from one trauma survivor to another, and on a broader scope to all survivors who see it, I don't know what is. Sometimes life just chews us up and spits us out and we can't stop it and it breaks us. But sometimes we can reach out and grasp the chance to help each other, even after that, even when it hurts a lot, because we know what it means to be loved, and to love, and to want a safer future for each other and for people we'll never meet. The future is worth standing together for, helping each other back up for, fighting side by side for, even if you can't see how it'll end, or even how to begin. We are stronger together, and sometimes we need to fight for our "together" before we can fight for anything else. And that's worth it, every time.

This is glorious, it's beautiful, it's tragic, it's amazing, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to scream into the void, it makes me want to slap someone with a semi truck. No, someone specific, don't worry, and he super deserves it.

Because Ethari is going to win. He was always going to win. He's soft, and he's clever, and he hasn't forgotten what love means. It's what he's fighting for. Not power, not control. Love. He doesn't want to dictate Runaan's future or anyone else's. He just wants his husband--and everyone else--to have one at all.

So he's going to win.

What thwarting Viren looks like, I couldn't possibly guess. TDP is no stranger to angst, so there will probably be a high cost involved in outwitting the dark mage. Maybe not everyone can be rescued from the coins. Maybe Ethari will lose his life, or his soul, or his vision, or something else really angsty. Viren could even kill him and resurrect him as a smoky craftsman, or a zombie craftsman, or something equally biddable but horrible. The only thing I'm sure of is that Ethari would never willingly make a working Key of Aaravos Ethari as long as there's a chance Viren could possess it. But I do believe that if he gets the right opportunity while he's busy saving the world from Viren's dark intentions, he'll break his husband's hellcoin open somehow and set him free, even if he has to smile at the devil to do it.

Ethari understands the difference between "you can" and "therefore you should." He might sacrifice his own world to save his husband, but he'd never sacrifice someone else's world. That's one of the Moonshadow cultural limits I've noticed: they accept boundaries when it comes to other people's autonomous rights, especially regarding life and death.

These limits could get pushed. Ethari will be under great duress and emotional strain if he goes through this kind of interaction with Viren. And maybe he will choose some dark things. Everyone else has. But I'm placing all my eggs in the basket labeled "Saved By Love." Either I'm right, or I'll get the best angst omelets in the universe. And I do love omelets. A villain invented them, you know. ;)

Another support for Ethari not making the key for Viren: the real Key exists!

Callum has it right now. The plot doesn't need Ethari's key (yet? ever?), but it does need Ethari to learn what he's made of, to stand up for something, or against something, or both at once. And once he learns what he will and won't do and the universe has rewarded his discovery with the return of his beloved husband then Ethari will be ready to take on whatever else the plot has in mind for him.

Depending on the plan, all of these events could happen in S4, as a setup for even bigger things to follow. Viren's wishes can be thwarted here and the show's overall tension will only continue to rise. It would let Ethari flex yes pls his skills so we know who he is, it would show how driven Viren can be for a long-term goal, it would let Claudia saunter further downwards, it would reveal some human/Moonshadow history, and it would resolve the seasons-long tension regarding Runaan's fate, allowing for the cycle of speculation, feels, angst, and Ruthari fanart to begin again. ;) Viren would need to find another way to pursue his long-term goal. And Callum's Key will get a little more clarity on just how important it is to the fate of the world - which will make everything he does, and everyone he talks to, and anyone who knows what he's carrying, intensely important.

Nyx is gonna steal it isn't she, omg chaos birb

To Viren, Ethari was a main course, meant to be devoured and consumed in his lifelong quest for something that will finally satisfy. But to Ethari, Viren was just empty calories to be passed over in favor of ordering his perennial favorite dish, one more time.

Once Ethari escapes Viren's clutches with as much of his family as he can rescue, Viren may turn back to looking for the real Key, especially if someone's seen it recently. Hunting a kid probably seems easier than hunting a full-grown Moonshadow craftsman who just outsmarted him. okay so maybe Nyx stealing it would be a good thing and save Callum's life

Ethari could go on to help repair the Sunforge, or rebuild the Moonhenge, or work on constructing Moonshadow villages in Katolis if he hasn't been ghosted for abandoning everyone after the forest fire. He might build magical devices for any number of reasons, to help all kinds of characters. Hopefully, wherever he goes, he'll have Runaan with him, in some way, for at least a little while. Cycles be like, and I feel like Runaan will not want to remain still for long, for whatever reason. Does he need revenge, atonement, justice, a new body, to find Rayla, to find Ezran? He'll be back in action as soon as he can, I think.

Okay, but, I'm so soft at the thought of a scene where Runaan and Ethari come before King Ezran. The husbands tried to save their people Runaan's way, the old way, and it only continued to endanger them. Following the cycle, as Moonshadows do, was the wrong move. But the son of the last human Runaan killed reached out with mercy and broke a thousand years of suffering and sorrow and hatred. Ezran did what Runaan couldn't: he saved the Moonshadow elves from total destruction. And that, more than anything else in the world, could soften one very broody assassin's heart toward humans again.

What would Runaan do, if his heart truly changed toward humans? What would he say to Ezran? I could see him struggling for a long moment before dropping to one knee to pledge his heart as he once had to do before the Dragon Throne. He doesn't know any other way but to serve. Ezran, reading the whole room and everyone's feelings before he tells Runaan that No, we don't do that here. That he's free, and free means free. No chains, no oaths. Just trust and friendship. He should get to make his own decisions for a change, even though that can be hard and scary sometimes. Runaan being genuinely scared, because that's too much freedom. But he's not alone. He has Ethari, and Ezran, and Rayla, and Callum, and their people, and their allies. And no matter what else happens, the people of Katolis - elven and human - will find a way forward. Together.

part 5

#tdp #tdp theory #tdp speculation #tdp parallels #tdp angst #heavy angst #viren #ethari #runaan #moonshadow elves #hopepunk #ezran #runaan's super getting a tart of jelly tm

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kayspaceprinceart · 2 years ago

Text

I’ll Be Good

Aysa’s playlist + some explanations!

1. Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

2. All Good Gifts - Godspell Soundtrack

3. Angels Meet Me at the Crossroads - Bobby Horton

4. *God's Promise - Ellis Paul*

5. The World Upside Down - Chumbawamba

6. Healer's Dilemma - Mercedes Lackey

7. Meet Me on the Battlefield - SVRCINA

8. I'll Be Good - Jaymes Young

9. O-o-h Child - The Five Stairsteps

10. You'll Be in my Heart - Phil Collins

11. *Comes and Goes (In Waves) - Greg Laswell*

12. For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti - Sufjan Stevens

13. Metaphor - The Crane Wives

14. Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons

BONUS

15. **Holding Out for a Hero - Hildegard von Blingen' and Whitney Avalon**

16. **Always - Erasure**

17. **GUY.EXE - Superfruit**

Teach Your Children

This is a good song for Aysa because of his relationship both with his parents, who were very protective of him as a half-elf in their almost entirely human society, as well as his relationships with the younger members of his church and his siblings. He very much has oldest child syndrome, feeling like he has to take care of everyone and teach them the peace he believes in.

Don't you ever ask them why/If they told you would cry/So just look at them and sigh/And know they love you

All Good Gifts

While his family was never very religious, when he was younger Aysa would occasionally see the god Torm in his dreams. This experience made him into a very devoted follower, and the overall vibes of this song suit his general attitude. While Torm, as a god of duty and protection, is not responsible for things like the harvest, Aysa considers him a kind of guide in life, and therefore at least indirectly responsible for the good things in his life.

No gifts have we to offer/For all your love imparts/But that which thou desirest/Our humble thankful hearts

Angels Meet Me at the Crossroads

This one is just mostly because it's an upbeat religious song, good to sing while working (when he's not nursing the injured, he does a lot of handyman work and rebuilding), as well as touching on the fact that Aysa doesn't really consider himself a good person.

Angels meet me at the crossroads/Don't charge a sinner any toll

God's Promise

This one is just basically very literally Aysa's relationship to Torm, from Torm's persepctive. All he asks of his god is guidance and light (both metaphorically and literally in the case of his spells). As the campaign is progressing, this is only becoming more true in that Aysa has started having dreams from Torm again, and their relationship is becoming closer to friends than disciple and master. Still, Aysa desperately wants someone to tell him what to do; he isn't confident in his own choices and is at heart a follower.

All that I promise/Is strength for this day/Rest for my worker/Light on your way/I give you truth when you needed my help from above/My undying friendship my unfailing love

The World Upside Down

Another song that Aysa would actually sing, just his general hope for a better, fairer, world. The setting his game is in has a lot of inequality and problems with racism, which he's had to deal with the lighter end of all his life as a half-elf. Because of this, he's rather naive about it, and believes that by being good enough or kind enough he can change people's minds and the world, which causes friction between him and some members of the party who have suffered much worse.

I dreamt all men were equal/And there were no starving poor/And nations never did quarrel/Nor never went to war

Healer's Dilemma

This one is also a fairly straightforward one about Aysa learning to be a cleric, how to heal, and how to deal with the emotional fallout. While he hates to cause any harm, as he's grown and learned, at this point in his life if a friend begged him to help them pass peacefully, he would. Aysa loves his job, but simultaneously wishes it wasn't needed.

Oh child your healing hands are guided by your healing heart/And that is all the wisdom my learning can impart/You take this pain upon you as you challenge life unknown/And there can be no answer here but one that's your own

Meet Me on the Battlefield

Aysa is fiercely loyal to anyone he feels a duty towards, especially the paladins it's his job in the church to back up and heal. Specifically, this song relates to the inciting incident of the campaign, where Aysa's company is sent to a town to find out what wiped out the previous company. At the time, the carnage was one of the worst things he'd seen, and it quickly became his new nightmare. Still, he treasures his comrades from that time, even and especially Cedric, the lone survivor of the previous company. Aysa also considers himself something of a shield in general, preferring to be between anyone and danger.

Meet me on the battlefield/Even on the darkest night/I will be your sword and shield, your camouflage/And you will be mine

I'll Be Good

This one almost makes the 'practically canon' mini playlist, minus the references to alcohol. Aysa has a LOT of guilt, over the trouble he caused his parents, anyone he couldn't save, and more pointedly his reasons for joining the church (he believes that if he truly were a good person, he would be a worshiper of Ilmater, an ally of Torm and the god of self-sacrifice, as well as still living in his hometown. Instead in his view, he ran away to join the church and seek honor and acclaim to protect his family, and he sees this as a less-than-honorable reason). It also connects back to his more frequent childhood nightmare, men from the guards coming and taking his father away because he had been a bad child, living up to stereotypes about wood elves.

I'll be good, I'll be good/And I'll love the world like I should/I'll be good, I'll be good

O-o-h Child

Look, sometimes Aysa just needs a little hope. Ironically, this could also go at the beginning where his mother is comforting him, or here at the end where he insists on hope for his community.

Some day when your head is much lighter/Some day yeah, we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun/Some day when the world is much brighter

You'll Be in My Heart

***spoilers for my dnd party!!***

This song is specifically about his relationship to Dresden, another half-elf child adopted by the River family. If Aysa hadn't been called away by the church at the time to a very dangerous mission, he would have likely adopted the boy himself. Aysa loves kids, and was especially close to Dresden. They have not been able to communicate for 2 years at the current point in the game.

My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm/This bond between us can't be broken/I will be here, don't you cry

***end spoilers***

Comes and Goes (In Waves)

This was one of the first songs I ever connected with Aysa. It really captures his gentle, caring side, as well is the origin of his first love (a little orc girl that came through his town with her family. He was too shy to make friends, so instead he taught himself orcish). Basically, Aysa tries to take life in stride and help those around him.

This one's for the lonely, the ones that seek and find/Only to be let down, time after time/This one's for the torn down, the experts at the fall/Come on friends get up now, you're not alone at all

For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti

Another vibes-based one! Not much to say beyond that, but it also connects to his feelings about Cedric- at this point in the campaign, he's all at once Aysa's underling, living proof of someone surviving Aysa's greatest fear (being a lone survivor, the ultimate failure of a protection cleric), and someone his god had charged him to protect. Even before that, Aysa "misled" the church for him. Needless to say, there's very little Aysa wouldn't do for the kid.

If there's anything to say/If there's anything to do/If there's any other way/I'll do anything for you

Metaphor

This one is a reflection on how Aysa has changed, particularly how he feels like he's been telling more half-truths and keeping secrets lately which he understands, but hates. Also again, he finds it hard to state his own opinions on things, often hiding them behind the words of others like church rules or holy books, or just Not Thinking about troubling things.

I've gotten good at leaning on metaphors/I've gotten good at living on someone else's page

Little Lion Man

A classic. Aysa's time in the church (over 15 years now) has taken a toll on him. Especially over the course of living on the island, he's become much more fearful. Along with that, he feels that much of the worsening of the troubles are his fault - he didn't notice his superior was replaced, he didn't have the courage to truly help Cedric, and he is choosing the party over the church.

Weep for yourself, my man you'll never be what is in your heart/Weep little lion man, you're not as brave as you were at the start

BONUS SONGS

These are mostly here because Aysa is a Bi Disaster tm, but there is a kind of serious section in Always - when it's cold outside/am I here in vain?/Hold on to the night/there will be no shame about him eventually fully choosing the party over the church and his own internalized guilt and shame.

#not art #ocs #aysa river #oc playlist #writing

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