#give that man a 10 year old STAT

[kartsie]

It’s bring your kid to work day and Dick wanted to match

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[immamapletreekid]

work anxiety starting before work itself hahahahaahahahahahahhhaha

[ghoulfuckersincorporated]

I absolutely LOVED your eroticization of radaway/rad-x post!! It brings me so much joy to know others love ghouls as much as I do! I was wondering if you had any headcannons/thoughts on john hancock? love your work!

Thank you sooo much! I wasn't expecting that post to resonate with people the way it did, honestly; it was like 70% shit post. I absolutely love ghouls, both from a sci-fi point of view and from a monster fucker point of view, and I'm overjoyed to have found a like-minded group of people to share my stuff with. I'm usually a huge sucker for fictional physiology and in-universe biology (which I'm sure you can't tell at all based on the few thousand words I've written on this blog about various ghoul body fluids, etc.) and the Fallout universe has so much potential for stuff like that.

I have two requests for Hancock headcanons in the inbox right now, so I figured I'd split the SFW/NSFW stuff between this post and a follow-up.

SFW John Hancock (FO4) Headcanons

He is excellent at mending clothes. After years of partying and fighting and fucking in his old-ass cosplay, he's gotten very handy with a needle and thread. If you need something patched, hemmed, or appliquéd, he's your guy. He's also pretty competent at stain removal, to some degree.

Something else he's surprisingly good at is cooking, but not in the traditional "roast you a chicken" (or a radroach or whatever), "bake you a cake" sort of way; more in the "your stoned roommate with all the weird stories at 3 AM working with what's about to go bad in the fridge" way. He's the master of dressing disgusting shit up to be palletable, or elevating stuff that's easy to get your hands on into something you'll actually find yourself craving, especially when you're high.

We know he loves mentats (mmm...delicious and smarty) and I like the idea of him sitting up all night with his brain buzzing for knowledge, just reading whatever he can get his hands on. He has *one of the highest INT stat of any Fallout companion (a whopping fucking 14/10, quite literally), and I like to imagine that a lot of that can be contributed to behavior like this, in addition to him also being naturally smart.

He may give off the air that he's very confident and self-assured, but a lot of it is bluster and faking it until he makes it. Don't get me wrong, he certainly has aspects about himself that he is confident in, as his talents are many, but...he'd be lying if he said he was confident in his looks. Sure, they don't really bother him, but he's not the biggest fan of looking in mirrors. It's not necessarily because he thinks he's that ugly or anything, but his face reminds him so much of all his regrets; that didn't change when he became a ghoul. The new face is just associated with new regrets.

This man was born to be a gamer and he would absolutely love to chill and play something fun. The games on the Pip Boy don't strike me as THAT fun, but hey, would he really know the difference?

[gregoryeddiesgoldchain]

haven’t done one of these in a while but this ep was so cute so here’s my thots while watching:

- I simply must know what happened to 10 year old Ava to start this lifelong prepper relationship

- sorry am i the only one that thought mr morton had a husband?? need a phoebe reveal stat cause bbygirl im starting to understand lmao

- omg that stare into the camera after greogry yelled was so perfect ive never loved this man more. big ep for gregory eddie devotees lol

- avi is soo me i would be eating this upp chile he’s so real for that lmao

- hell yessss finally my bby erika is back in the building and looking good as shit too ugh i love her. she’s such a wonderful presence/dynamic in the ensemble and i lovee this hair on her

- totally missed manny clapping for olivia when gregory was like “she’s a hero she’s an emt” the first time i watched and UGH what a sweetheart!! like i love him and im so glad they haven’t fed y’all’s weird hatred of him. das my babyy. he’s so funny too!! i feel like y’all sleeping on him but it’s fine IM AWAKE. manny bae ily 🫶🏾

- gregory holding his beer like that is sending me like why two hands baby it’s okay relax 😭😂

- i neeeddd to see a clip of the Brunchy Bunchers next season im begging pls

- poor ms inez been going thru hell with these people since she got here lol i know she be so tired when she goes home

- alsoo im really really enjoying watching gregory and jacob’s friendship grow they are so cute

- and can we give it up for finally accepting our feelings like yayyy im so proud of him honestly

- i can’t wait to see what happens next this show does sweet moments between those two so well 🥹

[gayahithwen]

Apparently my blog turns 10 years old today, woohoo.

My stats:

513 followers. 107 people I follow. 36 mutuals. 🖖💖

8.5 thousand posts.

Mostly reblogs, with or without additional commentary.

A few originals, most of which are under 5k notes.

1 which broke containment (the landlord post).

My second most popular original post was me commenting on OceanGate and the Titan submersible implosion from a perspective of being disappointed with the writing of this universe.

A random few of my more popular reblog addition posts: ⋄ The 3 dates on your wrist are life goal, meet soulmate, and death date writing prompt story with a positive twist (Untitled short story). ⋄ Did-you-know about JRR Tolkien's response to Shakespeare's Macbeth? The trees actually move. (My addition being, there are TWO non-Men who take down the person who can not be slain by any man.) ⋄ That one addition to that one long thread on why Star Trek is the way it is. As a story universe, the TV verse has always been on the forefront of pushing actual representation. (My addition is about Sulu being Pan-Asian by Gene Roddenberry's design.) ⋄ Stories being predictable. (Chekov, get the gun!) ⋄ Tragedies in stories are supposed to be cathartic. (Subverting expectation should not be a goal in itself.) ⋄ Tips on how to hack your brain to be kinder to yourself. (Don't argue with people who want to be nice to you.) ⋄ A Knight's Tale, and Paul Bettany being glorious. (With me gushing about what to expect from the movie and why I love it so much.) ⋄ Tumblr discussing how some real world events sound like a setup to a horror story, and creating the beginning plot of a horror mystery movie. (I have thoughts on how to incorporate the musical horror into the movie.)

Some of my more political additions that have spread around: ⋄ Man attacks school, kills no one because it happened in the Netherlands, and he and his knives were driven off by teenagers with backpacks. (Gun control sure helps disturbed people not kill so many.) ⋄ Why the queer community call ourselves queer. (Don't help our oppressors by trying to give the word back to them.) ⋄ Thread discussing a Disney annual pass holder and the reasons why his choice makes sense for a whole lot of people. (I summarize the thread by pointing out that no matter what else you think, everyone can agree that there's a lack of walkable community spaces in the US.)

Probably missing some of my popular additions on that list, just some of the ones I could find right now.

Been a pretty good 10 years. Cheers.

[aloysiavirgata]

Thanks to @numinousmysteries for tagging me! I had never checked these stats before!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

92

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

484,620

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I’ve written for Hannibal, Battlestar Galactica, The Fall, and The X-Files, but only The X-Files at this point.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Parting Glass (smut)

Animus Possidendi (dark smut)

The Common Fate of All Things Rare (casefile, cowritten)

Lacuna (casefile)

This Her Fever (cancer arc)

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes and no. Not like I should. I am so deeply, truly grateful for every single one.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Well, I killed William in Inhaling the Different Dawn, but that wasn’t at the end.

Maybe Where The Vines Cling Crimson? Scully’s cancer comes back and her fate is ambiguous. And I had Scully kill Emily in Alabaster Stones. But I think that was the right ending for both of them.

As a mother? A Basket of Reeds, where Scully gives William away. I can’t even reread it without a lump in my throat, man.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Tent of Shelter is fluffy and lovely gets a lot of love, and was inspired by a STUNNING manip by @avocadoave but I personally think In The Gale. It’s the one that, to me, feels the most like a grownup relationship of two people processing some trauma. I think that’s an ending that’s happy and also real - like “I don’t love being broken, but I can survive being broken with you.” Two abeyances that lean…

Foxfire for similar reasons. I real love that little story, which I wrote thanks to @perplexistan

I’m 43. I’ve been married for well over two decades and let me tell you that young love is a gift and mature love is a craft.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Some! And that’s really great too, that people read words I wrote and felt so passionately that they left me words about those feelings. What a strange but profound compliment!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do. PWP isn’t my personal taste so even though I wrote a LOT of smut for the old pornbattles at LJ I wanted the smut to still tell a story.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I can’t say it’s especially crazy, but Fern Hill is a Mulder/Stella Gibson crossover. There are a few little ficlets with XF/Silence of the Lambs crossovers in my Inbox Prompts series.

Oh fuck! Wait! I wrote a Fall/Hannibal/XF crossover called Anthemoessa where Stella, Scully, and Bedelia all meet. Okay that’s it. That wins.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Years ago. God, isn’t that sad? To need positive reinforcement that much?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! It was SUCH a compliment!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have - The Common Fate of All Things Rare

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Mr. Virgata and me. Followed by Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who literally invented the word. ❤️

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

The Fisher King

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I do pretty good banter and my education makes me pretty good at the sciencey bits.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I get too lost in descriptions and I try too hard to be clever. I do my best to self edit but sometimes I reread things and I’m like oh my GOD SHUT YOUR PRETENTIOUS ASS UP.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I’ve done it for Bedelia and Hannibal in Italian. I’m not sure I understand the question?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

TXF, my one true love.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

I don’t know that I have a favorite per se. I am most proud of the ones that challenged me to do something outside my comfort zone. Samson is one of mytop fives even though it’s Mulder/Diana. I think I did a nice job. I also wrote Pair of Aces/Double or Nothing which is Scully/Byers.

But I do really love the world of Petrichor and Singing of Mount Abora, and I like the cases.

[phoenix-manga]

Elu Sorrel

CV: Minami Tsuda

Biographical Information

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Birthday: December 10

Starsign: Sagittarius

Height: 158 cm

Eye Color: Saffron

Hair Color: Black

Professional Status

Dorm: Sagamore

School Year: 2nd Year

Class: 2-A | Student no. 12

Occupation: Student | Drm Leader

Club: Griffin Scout Club

Best Subject: Griffin Disc

Fun Facts

Favorite Food: Buttered Corn

Least Favorite Food: Biscuits

Dislikes: Complicated technology and unclean places

Hobby: Wood carving

Talents: Morse code

Idol Stats

Performance: A soft voice meant for ballads and folksongs

Choreography: She can do interpretive dance and hip hop, but she doesn't combine the two

Styling Jewel Outfits: Cultural | Cool

Elu is hesitant in new things but tries to keep an open mind. It’s difficult to adjust because she is unsure of what would happen if she tries something new and it might end up a bad experience. Not to mention growing up in an isolated village doesn’t give her enough exposure to foreign cultures.

Locals in her homeland know her to be a strong-willed girl who can be brutally honest because she intends to fix the problem right away, she believes that sugar-coating would delay the solution and make it worse. Though she does feel a little bad if someone cries from her criticism.

Being a beastman, she is very agile with a keen sense of smell as well as strength that surpasses humans. She often goes out hunting with the older members of the group and she displays full cooperation with other teammates.

But another thing to note is that she is a black bear beastman, her temperament is calm but she has a thin patience and she will growl or roar in anger. Despite being so small, she has incredible physical strength.

One thing she dislikes is when the team is unstable and problematic, she would quickly abandon that group and do the job herself or find another that’s got their heads together. She’d rather have the task done quickly and efficiently with no side tracking.

Unfortunately, this gives off the impression that she’s cold and unsociable which is far from the truth. She just needs to tone down a little bit.

Elu is actually mature and gives advice for those who can’t look after themselves. She enjoys the simple things in life and can have her moments where she spouts words of wisdom that makes others think she’s a wise, old sage.

Hometown: Bearland Woods

Family History

She grew up in a village where the locals rarely or never interact with outsiders. They aren’t against having outsiders visit but it was clear they don’t know how to handle interacting with people living different lifestyles.

The villagers are all beastmen who are mostly of the bear genus, though there are some who are deer and raccoon. Everyone knows each other and treat each other as if they were all family. Which means they don’t stand idly by if one of them gets hurt.

But they’ve been especially wary of outsiders after a group of shady businessmen started causing problems for them. Some of their people were imprisoned and branded as the bad guys when they retaliated.

They know nothing about the modern laws of the urban society and are pressured to take deals that would only benefit the other party. Thankfully, her father was a firm man and kept refusing them every time. But it won’t be long until they use every influence they have to chase them out of their home.

Elu is upset by these people and how they seem to be driven by their greed. It doesn’t help that they would disrupt the environment with their logging and illegal dumping.

Unlike city folk, life in her village was simple yet satisfying. They take what they need from the forest while also respecting the cycle of life. They don’t hunt out of vanity or pride. The males usually do the hunting but there have been women who are capable enough to hunt alongside them.

Due to Elu’s elder brother being born with weak body, she has taken the task of hunting for food and foraging. She has been taught knowledge on how to traverse the land and recognize edible and non-edible plants from her father.

Childhood Memories

Elu has a fond memory of her father protecting her from a bison that wandered too close, her father struggled but he overpowered the animal and sent it away from their borders. His tall stature and rough features may have come off as intimidating to others but to Elu he was her hero.

She wanted to be like him so she does everything she can to make him proud. Even courageously taking the chance to leave home to attend DCA in order to help their village.

There was an unpleasant memory where she was told to stay in the house by her father but she got curious and peeked to see these formally dressed businessmen. Whatever they said made her father mad, he eventually sent them away.

But what happened after that was scarred into her memory, a couple of houses in her village were suddenly set ablaze, her brother nearly losing his life when he was trapped in the rubble.

She smelled the source of the fire when the businessmen returned, they smelled like gasoline, when she cried out that they were the culprits. They mocked her by asking if they even have any solid evidence as well as a lawyer, implying that her village wouldn’t win because they have the money and power to make it their victory.

Elu’s rage from what the businessmen said made her determined to focus for the benefit of her village but this in turn made her closed off to outsiders. Afraid they would be like the businessmen, lying through their teeth.

Like Jinlong, she has trouble adjusting to the school life due to the culture shock. So, she often keeps to herself while occasionally asking the professors for advice when Elu feels like there was no other option. Which is the reason why she struggled a lot at first.

Not to mention, she doesn’t understand the concept of idol concerts and what the purpose of this was. She isn’t familiar with the pop songs or rock, she was more of a traditionalist but she felt like not many people would be interested in that.

She was at a loss for what she was doing and if she was even trying hard enough. Until Perrine approached her and made Elu comfortable enough to finally figure out how to get used to the school environment and subjects enough to guarantee her that she won’t need to drop out of school.

Putting her inventing skills to use, she does a lot of favors in exchange for what she needs, be it some notes or tutoring. In time, she got better and has gained a reputation for herself in school. Elu thinks that it’s only a small group but in reality she helped a lot of people and they admire her a lot.

Her grades are fairly decent but it was clear that she started to improve the more she managed to understand the foreign subjects. Not among the top students but still high around the B grade.

An excellent archery shooter who can shoot with high accuracy even when on horseback. She is known to even shoot arrows through ring holes as small as a pinky finger.

School Relationships

Elu mostly kept to herself and her “strictly business” attitude made it difficult for idle chit chat. It wasn’t until she was forced to seek out the help of other students that she learns to communicate more.

Even though she was still a bit professional, she at least made progress. She’s learned to try out new things little by little and learn more about new topics.

Perrine was the first to approach her and wasn’t thrown off by Elu’s reluctance. She managed to win her over just a bit with food because who doesn’t? Plus, it would help the girl relax a little and feel welcome.

Rozeline and Elu started off as acquaintances who exchanged information of interest until they became close enough to consider each other as friends in a way. Elu figured she could gain knowledge she needed from Rozeline and in turn can hope to put her issues in the urban public.

Elu found Rozeline’s inventions innovative and would take notes from her, but she’s sure to also provide her own feedback on how to make it eco-friendly while still efficient.

Jinlong was an enigma to Elu, she has never seen other beastmen let alone something like a dragonkin like Jinlong. So, she is both intrigued but also intimidated. When she got to know Jinlong by chance, she began to admire her. Their goals were different but they both relate to feeling out of place, but unlike Elu who was hesitant at first, Jinlong pushed through and got to her position.

Skilli sees Elu as this lost bear cub who is figuring out the right path, but with so many things she doesn’t know, finding the right path seems impossible. Skilli’s form is from Elu’s desire to find the way to settle her problems that won’t end in turmoil.

Skilli shares her knowledge to Elu as well as guide her to opening her eyes to new things she won’t find from the comforts of her home. Skilli teaches her how to cherish those differences in order to understand the world better. The fairy is the wisest and the most patient out of all the dorm fairies.

Matelot

She is a woodpecker and acts as Elu’s scout, always on the lookout for anything of interest from the treetops. Matelot often marks using symbols that Elu recognizes, she even knows Morse code.

Matelot is very quiet and likes to hide her presence, often scaring people and other animals when she starts pecking away. An animal of very little words, she talks softly into people’s ears before leaving the conversation.

Tala

She is a gypsy vanner horse with a calm temperament. No matter what chaos goes on in the background she just goes, “Oh, the usual?” then does her own thing. But when it’s an emergency, she can go from calm to serious when needed.

Elu often rides on her back to drive away approaching danger. Tala is also powerful enough to push away fallen trees and break small boulders.

Her Unique Magic is called, “Arrow of the Wind”, she can control any direction her arrows to follow her targets with a special wind spell that only she can cast. She can make the wind faster and therefore have a greater impact on the arrows.

She can also use it as a shield, any projectiles within her line of sight can be slowed down or be redirected back to her opponent.

Elu’s magical capability is mostly nature based. Though these abilities are used to benefit her village more than mainly using them for combat, unless she needed to as a last resort. She seeks to use her skills in creating more contraptions that make life easier but not at the cost of the ecosystem.

Mato Sorrel

The chief of their village, he is a large bear beastman who is strong enough to carry about five pine logs. He is having trouble with the businessmen who try to trespass their land and try to trick him into signing a ‘beneficial’ contract, he refuses every time because he didn’t have the opportunity to gain outside knowledge. He isn’t narrow-minded to think that outsiders are greedy but he just hopes that his daughter will be able to handle herself in the academy and hopefully bring an end to the trespassers.

Alo Sorrel (23)

He has a weak body so he isn’t able to hunt or participate in activities involving strength, he chooses to help the village to advance economically while keeping the environment in mind. He often sends letters to Elu to inform her what has been happening in the village. He feels guilty that he can’t do much to prevent trespassers from walking all over their homeland due to his weak body.

The character’s name, “Elu” means “Full of Grace” and is a name of Native American origin while the last name, “Sorrel”, means “reddish brown”. The artist just thought this last name sounded better fitting for the character despite the meaning.

Elu’s dorm, Sagamore, was considered to be the equivalent of the Savanaclaw in NRC. Most of the students there are beastmen much like Savanaclaw. Though, Dragonstone, also shares this comparison but Sagamore has more beastmen than Dragonstone does.

She was originally going to be written with the same wise and calm personality like Pocahontas but then it was changed to be a tougher personality with the sense of adventure and navigation like John Smith. The calm personality went to her brother.

The artist chose to assign a bear to Elu as a nod to Brother Bear as well as to fit the characteristic of someone that looks cute but is actually fierce.

Elu was the hardest to design since the first design had too much details and took the longest to draw, not to mention drawing a mechanical bow was difficult for the artist since contraptions are tricky.

The artist is open to criticism and opinions regarding Native American culture since the internet isn’t always helpful.

[legendcry]

hey, isn’t that BALTHAZAR CARROLL, who looks a little like ALEXANDER SKARSGARD? i hear HE is a FORTY-EIGHT year old CIS MAN who works as a BUSINESSMAN/OWNER OF THE CRYSTAL RIDGE WINERY who has been in town for TWENTY-SIX YEARS. they AREN’T a member of one of aspen creek’s founding families. you can usually find them at MAPLE GROVE or LA BELLA VITTA. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of THE REBEL PRINCE THAT GREW UP, PUTTING YOUR FAMILY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, THE THRILL OF A HIGH-STAKES POKER, CLASSIC ROCK PLAYING ON A LAZY SUNDAY. just keep an eye on them & see if their true colors shine through!

stats.

full name: balthazar tristan arthur carroll iii

nickname: baz

birthplace: new york, ny

birthdate: 10 april, 1976

age: forty-eight

zodiac: aries

occupation: businessman/owner of the crystal ridge winery

gender & pronouns: cis man & he/him

sexuality: heterosexual

family: name carroll (wife), name carroll (son), name carroll (daughter), name carroll (daughter), name carroll (son), august carroll (son), tristan carroll (father), eleanor carroll (mother), theodore carroll (brother), alexandra carroll (sister)

about.

balthazar was born in new york city, the heir of two very powerful and affluent families. such prestige brought with itself a high level of expectations. from an early age, baz knew that there was a proper way to carry himself and a well-established path that he was supposed to take.

unfortunately for his parents, he was never good at following their directions and wishes in his youth. considered by many in the manhattan high society as a rebel, he was constantly getting himself into trouble (and being bailed out) and going against everything his parents wanted for him.

it took an ultimatum for him to finally do as his father wanted and go to college. it was either that or his parents would cut his money, and for all the rebelling and grievance against his family’s lifestyle, baz didn’t want to give up the life of luxury. he ended up going to his father’s alma mater, princeton university.

an expensive education wasn’t the only thing princeton gave him, that was also where he met the woman who would become his wife. baz instantly fell head over heels for the woman, and after only a week of meeting her, he would tell anyone she was the woman of his life.

it was all very fast and intense, just the way he liked. he didn’t spare much thought before proposing to her while they were both still in college, and only months later they were married. his parents weren't happy about the decision, telling him that it was too fast and they were too young.

once he graduated, it was expected that he would go back to new york and start working with his father in the family conglomerate. instead, he followed his wife to her hometown of aspen creek. it was another source of grievance to his parents, but balthazar didn't care, he would go whatever his wife went.

just like the marriage came fast, so did start a family. the twins were born soon after they moved to aspen creek, and they would have two more kids. it was after holding his oldest kids that baz knew that a modicum of responsibility was needed and that it was time for him to grow up.

following the path his father had set for him was never baz’ intention, so he had to find something that worked for him. it was how crystal ridge winery was born. he started acquiring selected vineyard plots, and then switched to winemaking. the winery has grown, and is known for producing award-winning wines.

[superthatguy62]

Things Final Fantasy III does not tell you about Final Fantasy III.

When it comes to RPGs, information that the player has is far from a guarantee. Some games will tell players practically everything about their systems and leave it to the player to use that information. Others will leave some mechanics in the background, quietly applying them without the player's knowledge. The Final Fantasy III remake falls into the latter category, as there are some mechanics that the player may not realize even exist unless they look outside of the game. Here are seven of them.

This is based on the Future Press Official Strategy Guide. As far as SGs go, it seems pretty close to the Japanese SE guide (baring at least one case).

Party Member Levels (Life of the Party)

While temporary party aren't directly controllable, they seem to have their own levels and stats. Interestingly the Future Press strategy guide states that they also have stats. Though I should clarify: At this time, I have yet to find these in the Japanese strategy guide, so I am not entirely sure that these are accurate. However, the FP guide in general is close to the Japanese guide in terms of technical information, so I am willing to accept that risk.

These are:

Sara: Lv 5 (Str/Vit/Agi/Min: 6, Int: 7)

Cid: Lv 3 (Str/Agi: 5, Vit/Int/Min: 8)

Desch: Lv 10 (Str: 15, Vit: 10, Agi: 14, Int: 7, Min: 6

Aria: Lv 25 (All: 25)

Alus: Lv 30 (All: 35)

Doga/Unei: Lv 50 (All: 45)

Some observations:

The guide notes that the characters stats are usually significantly higher than the main characters' at the same levels. This is especially noticeable with Alus (The party's base stats, by compare, will be: Str/Agi: 24, Vit/Min/Int: 20)

Cid is the only party member to be weaker than the character before him (Sara), presumably due to how little time the party spends with him. He does have an impressively strong hammer, though.

Despite being portrayed as a White Mage, Sara's Int (7) is slightly higher than her Min (6).

It seems that after Desch, the devs kinda gave up with making varied stats, so Aria, Alus, Doga and Unei have the same number for all their stats.

Coincidence or otherwise, Aria's stat number also matches her level.

Doga and Unei share the same levels and stats as each other, a distinction no other party member has. For extra fun, Xande is also level 50, although his actual stats are unfortunately but understandably different.

Alus, a 10 year old boy is somehow twice as strong as Desch, a grown man.

Mognet Details (Stampin' N Stompin')

Most of Mognet's discussion usually begins and ends with it being connected to the sidequests. Because of this, there are a few features of Mognet that go undernoticed.

One particular aspect is the cards: For meeting the Legendary Smith with a mastered job and defeating the Iron Giant, the party can get cards signifying their mastery.

(I have yet to defeat the Iron Giant. I apologize for being a fraud).

In the PSP and Steam versions, these cards are mostly just rewards. In the DS version, however, they can be used as stamps for Mognet. And while the Iron Giant is purely to flaunt your superiority over the beast, the job mastery cards actually allow players to help out other players: If a player holding a signed letter runs into the Legendary Smith, she will give the player the respective job mastery item without having a level 99 job. While it doesn't break the game, due to how late it is before you can encounter the Smith, it does cut down on the grind you'd need if you wanted those items.

Encounter Frequency (Fights in the A.M. P.M. F.M.)

In Octopath Traveler, a later game by Team Asano, entering a new location will usually show you a danger level, giving you a general idea of how strong the enemies in that area are. While the mechanic is visible in OT, it was actually deployed discreetly in Final Fantasy III: Each area has a level that the guides recommend the player be at. However, the game itself uses a more subtle method: If your party is below the recommended level, the encounter rate will be higher than usual. By contrast, the further above the recommended level that the party is (up to six levels), the lower the encounter rate will be.

For example: The Nepto Shrine has a Danger Level of 10. If the party made it to the Shrine at level 7, then they will likely encounter more enemies than they would at level 10. By contrast, at level 16, they will have a chance at encountering the least amount of enemies.

Attack Types (SMASH! SLASH! STAB!)

In Final Fantasy III, elemental weaknesses are clear and easily implied by the fact that Mages have themed spells. However, the game also has a second, subtle weakness system: Attack Types, the physical counterpart.

The four attack types are

Unhanded: Despite the name, Claws are also included

Blow: Weapons that focus on slamming or bludgeoning the foe

Cut: Weapons that actually cut the foe, like Swords

Stab: Weapons that stab or have a stab-like effect, like Arrows

Interestingly, some weapons aren't mutually exclusive: Axes count for both blows and cuts, Knives count for both stabs and cuts and Unarmed counts for both Unhanded and Blow.

Hands (The Hands of Fate)

The Hand stat is a secret stat that the game silently keeps track of for each character. The hand stat represents how many times a physical attack has been made with a particular hand, the hand getting 3 XP for each use. Much like job levels only one hand level can be gained per battle, regardless of how many points are racked up. Theoretically, if you can have hands of different levels, although given how much III encourages dual-wielding, it's unlikely.

The FP guide recommends using the Ranger's barrage if you want to build up the hand stat, as that is a multi-hit attack that nonetheless counts each hit for the hand.

Weight (The Weight of the World)

Weight is not a new mechanic to Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy V, in particular has the stat help to determine who quickly a character acts (i.e. how fast the ATB bar fills up). However, V is the rare game where the game will actively inform the player of its existence. Other games in the series have it, including III (at least, in the remake).

Weight, along with Agility, determines how soon a character will act during the turn, as well as how many hits a character does (alongside the aforementioned Hand stat). This is why a Warrior with an axe will generally hit less than a Warrior with a sword, despite having higher attack. Interestingly magic also has weight to it with spells having a specific weight/cast time to it.

Boss Scripts (Script Write)

Bosses changing strategy mid-fight has been a Final Fantasy staple since at least Final Fantasy IV (Zeromus, for example, only starts to spam Meteo when he's close to dying), so the FF3 remake isn't particularly new or original for using this. Still, it's something to be aware of in case you make a particular fight harder than it needs to be.

A likely candidate for this is actually the final boss: While the Cloud of Darkness uses Particle Beam (and spams it during the last phase), it actually doesn't use the move until it's down to 80% of its HP, using the less threatening standard attack instead. This means that a player willing to take some turns to lower the danger can focus on the tentacles, which are the more immediate threat.

[infiniteeight8]

Fic Writer 20 Questions

Tagged by @sweaterkittensahoy

I have two AO3 accounts (infiniteeight and crimsonquills) because I switched pseuds due to a troll in a fandom like, 10 or 15 years ago. So for AO3 stats questions, first number is infiniteeight, second number is crimsonquills, total in parentheses. The crimsonquills number is misleading, though--only about half my works written under that pseud are uploaded.

How many works do you have on AO3? 426 + 235 (661)

What's your total AO3 word count? 584,163 + 721,769 (1,305,932)

What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, IronStrange (MCU), Steter (Teen Wolf), and LazyTown. I have a lot of formerly serious fandoms, and I've dabbled in even more. There are 21 listed on infiniteeight and 28 on crimsonquills, to give you an idea, and that's not a complete list.

Top Five Fics by Kudos

For infiniteeight AO3 handle (all of these are Clint/Coulson, which makes sense, since it's the biggest fandom I've been in for the past 12 years):

Trump Card 

Relief 

Made Omega 

A House is Not a Home 

Five People Who Flinched From Phil and the One Person Who Never Did

For my crimsonquills AO3 handle (this is a little misleading--I have some very popular stories on this handle that aren't on AO3, though I keep meaning to upload them):

Full Body Workout (Steve/Tony, comic Avengers)

A Meeting of Minds (Steve/Tony, comic Avengers)

Beneath the Armor  (Steve/Tony, comic Avengers)

A Light To Guide You (Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon, The Phantom Menace)

Doubts  (Steve/Tony, comic Avengers)

Good grief, only now have I realized that my most popular Man from UNCLE fic (The Mirror, Mirror Affair) is not on AO3! I was certain it was. It looks like *none* of my MFU fics are on AO3. Oops? I really have to fix that...

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I went through a period where I was very sporadic about it, but now I reply to them all. I'm even going through and answering old comments that have been there, unanswered, for years. The responses I've gotten from folks receiving a reply anywhere from a few months to 8 years later have been lovely. :D

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Definitely no heartbeat detected (IronStrange, true Drabble). I don't normally write much angst, and when I do, it's always with a happy ending. But that one was a prompt.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I don't think I can actually pick one? Almost all of my fics have happy endings!

Do you get hate on fics?

Nope. Which surprises me, honestly, because I've written plenty of tropes that other people get hate for all the time.

Do you write smut?

Yes! In fact, before I started writing the daily ficlets, I was primarily known as a smut writer. Almost everything I wrote was smutty. I find it kid of amusing that the drabbles have changed that.

Craziest Crossover?

Has to be the Band of Brothers/Terminator crossover. It's only posted on my old livejournal, but I'll upload it to AO3 one day and just watch people goggle at it. LOL.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. The closest that I know of is someone who copied the entire first chapter (or couple of chapters?) of one of my more popular fics and then took it in a totally different direction. I contacted them and they were apologetic--the meant to go back and rewrite the beginning once they were done with their version, but they never finished it. They put a note and an inspired by tag on it after I contacted them, and that was fine with me.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Many times! Translations are always welcome.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yup! A couple times, although it's not something I do regularly.

All time favorite ship?

Hmmm. Difficult question. Longest lasting active ship is Steter, but all time favorite? I think it might be Marcus Cole/Neroon (Babylon 5).

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

This is a weird question for me, because I don't really work on more than one thing at a time, except for brief pauses on epic fics to knock out something short. And if I start to lose steam on a story I'm writing, there's not really a "doubt" phase. I either believe I will finish it, or it gets trunked and I don't consider it a WIP anymore, because it is no longer "in progress", it's just abandoned.

What are your writing strengths?

Characterization! I've had many compliments in this area.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Visual description, definitely.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

Peppering in other language words to remind me of a character's background and for flavour is useful, but writing entire sentences in another language knock me right out of the story. If I have to check a footnote or hover text to know what they're saying, I instantly lose immersion.

Other language text that you can figure out from context is better than footnotes, but in my experience people rarely do it well.

First fandom you wrote in?

Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was on paper (one of those yellow note pads), but I never shared it with anyone. First fandom I actually posted in might have been Star Trek: Voyager? Or possibly Stargate: SG1. I'm not actually sure which came first. I have the stories (I think), but they aren't dated.

Favorite fic you've written?

Oh, gosh, I'm not sure. Maybe Patterns (Marcus/Neroon)? I've written better stories and more popular ones, but I have a soft spot for that one.

Tags (very optional): @airas-story. Um, anyone else? I am bad at remembering people.

[marivelasc]

[female & she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [MARIANA VELASCO]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [EMERAUDE TOUBIA]. You must be the [THIRTY-TWO] year old [REALITY TV STAR]. Word is you’re [PASSIONATE] but can also be a bit [RUTHLESS] and your favorite song is [HELADITO BY KALI UCHIS]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [FISHERS COVE]. I’m sure you’ll love it! [kim, 28, MST, she/her, triggers (NA)]

STATS (underco) | PLAYLIST | PINTEREST | CONNECTIONS

tw: arranged marriage (i am not sure if there is something else i need to tag but lmk)

How long they've lived in Aurora Bay: 23 years (4 college years spent in SF)

Current residence: Fisher's Cove / @aurorabayaesthetic

You may recognize Mariana if you’re a fan of reality dating shows. She was only 25 when her casting video for a reality dating show similar to Are You the One was chosen out of the thousands the network received. She never admitted it while she was on tv, but it was more of an escape for her than anything else. It was the only escape out of the situation she was in that she could think of.

Mari was only 7 years old when she moved to Aurora Bay, California with her mom from Mexico. Her mother had told her that her dad would follow behind – only to be told that he was caught at the border and sent back home before he could reach them. This broke her heart as the two were close and it broke every day that passed once communication had ceased between the two. It was hard on her because she found it difficult adapting to new town and language. Not only did she have to teach herself English, but she had to teach her mother too. She did not start speaking full English until she was 10 years old.

When she turned 16, her mother introduced her to Augosto Valverde, a boy that was a year older than her. Mari didn’t think much of it as her mom had been a friend to his family through the years that they lived in Aurora Bay. The two got along extremely well and somewhere along the way they started to date. All during this, her mother convinced her that he would be the one she’d marry when they were both done with college.

By the time Mari had graduated college at 23 – she had fallen in love and it was not with Augosto. It didn’t help that he went to London for college, and she went up to San Francisco. She felt it become less serious for them both as there wasn’t constant communication. This man she fell in love with worshipped her and vice versa. The two were inseparable from the moment they met as sophomores in college up until they graduated. It was safe to say that Mari was not thinking about marrying Augosto.

She had gotten back to Aurora Bay when her mom sprung the news that Augosto would be back in town too and had already asked for approval to marry her. She was shocked. Again, she hadn’t thought about that conversation she had with her mom when she was a teenager. Augosto made it back and he caught Mari with the man she was in love with. She tried to explain that she didn’t know that they were going to get married and that the two hadn’t been serious in so long, why would she even think marriage was still on the books? Augosto was mad, revengeful even, so he revealed to Mari that their engagement had been arranged since they were kids. Her mother had made a deal, ‘sold’ her to say, to Augosto’s family in exchange for money.

When Mari confronted her mom – she confirmed everything. She did indeed “sell” her daughter to the Valverdes because they needed to pay off her moms debts. They were the reason they moved to Aurora Bay. It was the reason why she never saw her father again. Since the engagement was no more, the Valverdes turned their backs on them. Her mom was furious. So much so, that her mom tried to find another rich family to get her married into even if she had to force her daughter down the aisle. Mari was terrified. She felt that she had grown up with a stranger. She couldn’t believe that her mom wanted money so much that she could give her own daughter away.

Her mom did not stop. It was two years that she had to deal with mom showing up to her house or calling her phone about a new potential match. It had become all too overwhelming. Mari had distanced herself from the man she loved and the two broke up a few months before she turned 25. It was amicable and she wished him nothing but the best. After the breakup, she could feel herself falling into a depression, and she needed to avoid that. Most of all, she needed to get away from her mom.

So, she did what she thought was best, and didn’t think it would happen in a million years… She applied to be on are you the one and was accepted. She went on and she flourished. She was known to be the one who spoke her mind and stood up for herself. She was called every name in the book by castmates and viewers yet somehow came out being loved by a lot of people. She did leave the show with a partner in hand – however it didn’t last long because of the distance.

Once she settled back in Aurora Bay, she got a call from her father who had learned that she was on reality TV, tracked her down and found her. He let her know that all contact was cut off and that her mother never told him that they were leaving. They were just gone one day. The two reunited in Aurora Bay and he was able to stop her mom from trying to get her to marry some random man. This left Mariana happy and free as she finally had the courage to cut her mom off.

It wasn’t long until Mariana found herself on another reality dating show. This time, she was on a show similar to Love Island at 27, and she enjoyed herself, but she got screwed over and sent home by the 6th week. This appearance made her even more popular and she was able to get into modeling, and would be asked to help at events through interviewing others such as music festivals, the MTV movie awards, and things like that. She’s had a couple of public flings and not so public flings, but has not had the urge to be tied down yet.

She loves her life and what she does. She feels closer to herself, but now she’s facing the trauma that her mother had given her. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s trying. It was something she was able to avoid by going on reality tv instead of dealing with head on. She's living her life day by day, mommy issues at a high, while learning to be okay with who she has become and what she's been through.

HEADCANNONS:

Her only dating profiles are Tinder and RAYA. Any profile you see on any other platform is not her.

She was one of those on are you the one contestants that did NOT try to be with the one the computer matched her with.

She is still bitter about being sent home early from her last stint.

She graduated with her bachelors a year later than her peers because she took a year break.

She used to live in Seabrook Quarter when she was 23-27

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

a best friend that has been there for her for years since before her first reality show and even one from after pls <3

friends she's met because of her fame

tinder/RAYA matches

ex flings/ex situationships, give her some hurt tbh. i honestly want an ex situationship/fling that she kept hidden from the public which could be plotted as to why she did it or why it ended

friend(s) she has fallen out with maybe due to her fame or other stuff, etc.

ex-boyfriend who she did love but ended amicably - it's giving "cool" by gwen stefani

a fellow reality tv star (could be from same show or different show, might send in a wanted connection)

neighbors from fishers cove

old neighbors from seabrook quarter

literally anything!! im open to all types of plotting and connections

CURRENT CONNECTIONS:

Used to be best friends with @connievanderbilt before she slipped and had sex with her brother

Was hooking up with @sebitorres but not currently as the two haven’t contacted each other in awhile

has known @tylerxhale since kids and has been attracted to him since but the timing for the two had always been off

loves @lonelyhcart because she's like a little sister she never had

[katyspersonal]

Hi! Can we get some headcanons or theories on Old Hunter Vitus?

HEY who is pulling that prank where people act like they want to hear my thoughts all day again?! xd /j

🧭 Okay, first things first - he was one of the less strong Old Hunters, that I am basing on the fact that his right-hand weapon requires Strength first of all but this is his lower stat (along with Arcane). He also has average build of the body; sliders are all on 128- I mean, Henryk whom I often see perceived as smaller has larger body according to sliders! Also both of his weapons are upgraded to full +10. Basically, he had to rely on agility, skill and upgrading weapons with Old Hunters' gimmics (with blood gems).

🧭 He is also a bit stuck-up and would not trade his weapon for anything else even after better ones were invented, despite Beast Cutter being far from perfect, especially for him. He is the type to latch onto the first thing he obtains until its end that can't and won't experiment.

🧭 It was @val-of-the-north's idea that the Chalice Dungeons go under ocean's level at some point, that might be further supported by the skeleton of a whale you see in Fishing Hamlet found in the dungeons too, and them being wet in general. We headcanon that Vitus is one of the 'still alive' cooperators, and he ventured down in the dungeons to try and find the exit in the 'real' world approximately in New Loran (or at least 'real' Yharnam) despite the long way. He's been looking for the exit for many years and has the most elaborate (and even semi-useful!) maps of the dungeons. Honestly, absolutely insane idea, but at the same time it might work. Eventually.

🧭 Him being slightly rigid and non-adaptive to new ideas played a very good role in keeping him sane and focused despite spending years in the dungeons. In communications and relationships with other people, though, he is like that one grumpy grandpa who thinks only his generation knew shit and younger people are too spoiled, though would offer advice and listening ear in good faith. Think of Narrow-minded Man but quite skilled and educated, and not shaming any category of people in particular.

🧭 He has Fire Paper, so I presume he has been there when Old Yharnam was burnt:

🧭 So, he left on his journey under assumption that Healing Church had it together and didn't need Old Hunters' help anymore- heck, he thought burning Old Yharnam was able to seriously hinder the beasthood spreading! But more importantly, he felt severely demotivated to stay after Gehrman's disappearance. He knows he is a dunce and needs an authority figure, that he simply didn't acknowledge in Ludwig. Like I said, he hardly can adapt to a change. Just eternally cursed with the duckling effect.

🧭 For this reason, he had many good, decades-long friends in his life that he still feels are bond to him despite their departure (or even death), but never was able to find a couple. He'd not venture unless he could find absolute commitment, but he was getting all too serious about living whole life and working together too soon, that'd push women he met away - sometimes it felt like 'rushing it', other times he just felt like the most boring guy ever. He just lacks this 'romantic' and emotional aspect, and quite basically just looking for a companion.

🧭 He knows a lot of stories, both his own and ones his friends told him, and could tell them in precise detail, down to year, month, day and hour like it happened today. Really good person to sit at the fire with.

🧭 Earlier, he used to run into other roaming hunters or Tomb Prospectors though, and would give them really cool items he found in the dungeons, to deliver to the surface. Currently, in his loneliness, he even learned to speak with Loran Clerics that would have the braincell to not attack him. From the audio files @val-of-the-north sent to me, Pthumerians have an unusual "language".. and I swear, Vitus is dangerously close to be able to teach it :') He tried to write a book of sorts on it, but it was unfinished and abandoned in one of his nooks. He doesn't stay in the same place for too long, and he tries to not carry too much unnecessary stuff with him.

🧭 In Loran Dungeons, there are a few followers of Irreverent Izzy that seek "enlightenment" she (or he, either works) found there once, by trying to communicate with its ancient beasts. Like Josef! They wear Charred Hunter set not because they once were those hunters, but because Charred Hunters were once chasing them with murderous intent, then killed and robbed of clothes for its incredible protection against the fire. They know to be scared of Vitus, since he doesn't spare them. He doesn't aspire to kill them, but will attack on the spot, it is 'you can live if you can run fast enough' attitude.

🧭 He read every book in the Old Hunters' workshop. That was his normal hobby outside of the hunt. By the time of the game's events, he'd need reading glasses though, since old age and spending too much time in hardly-lit areas reduced his eyesight a lot. The adventurous stories going into further detail about tech or nature or history were his favourite! I think his favourite author would be Jules Verne.

🧭 He was one of the people telling Maria to 'just drop the pretend and be herself' when she joined the Old Hunters, presuming that there was no way an aristocratic, noble woman from Cainhurst would willingly look modest and even masculine like other Old Hunters. He believed the nobles to be "all the same", but kind of overcame his doubts about her after the day of seeing her all bloodied and dirty, dragging Gehrman that just lost his leg all by herself and showing quite the leader skills growling at the others to get their shit together. It is just one of the examples of where he'd only drop a stereotype when something jaw-dropping happens. It is also one of the examples where he obtains a respect to a person that doesn't fade through years; if you show yourself to be very worthy and strong to him once, this effect will linger probably forever, even if you fall from grace afterwards.

🧭 Yeahhhhh I know I am making the 'quite rigid mind and if he remembers something fondly it is forever and also eager to learn' his whole personality, but I think he is understandable by now! I do not have much complexity for him, he is just another old man! ...well, he was middle-aged man in Old Hunters' prime, but you get my point!

___________________

Thank you for the ask! Some of the points I've made existed for a while now and just were forgotten, so it was nice to blow the dust off the old ideas.. Honestly, other Chalice Dungeons summons could use my attention too at this point.

[monowires]

little vito infodump ‘cause i wanna share him with the world :D (info under the cut!)

BASIC INFO Name: Vito Rivera Class: Nomad Alias(es): V; was often called ‘Riv’ or ‘Vera’ when he was with the Bakkers but no longer goes by these aliases. Birthday: 12/12/2046 Pronouns: he/him Labels/Identity: Bisexual, Ambiamorous, Transgender Man

APPEARANCE Height: 5′10″ (177.8 cm) Eye Color: Light blue; I often compare them with the color of a cornflower. Hair Color: Black Physique: Slim and lanky, Vito can often be called small despite his height; his strength lies in his agility and reflexive response rather than sheer brute force. Tattoos: Vito has the Johnny + V tattoo on his right forearm; besides these he has a web of flowers and patterns across his back, chest, and shoulders (body tattoo #4 in the game). Scars: Vito only has one scar; the small ones he’s acquired over his lifetime were often cosmetically modified at his request. He has a rough, jagged scar that peeks out from his hairline just above his right eye. It follows the curvature of his skull and stops above his ear; most of this scar is hidden by his hair, though, as Viktor was able to effectively conceal the scar. He does, however, have cyberware in place of top surgery scars, shown in this very rough concept image.

ABILITIES Stats: Body 12 | Reflexes 20 | Technical Ability 18 | Intelligence 5 | Cool 16 Weapons: Prefers blades and handguns; most often uses Kerry’s Archangel, Johnny’s Malorian Arms 3516, and the knives Stinger and Headhunter. Despite his preference for smaller blades, he can wield machetes and katanas, too. He is also incredibly skilled with his monowire, though he tends to use it only in tight situations. Cyberware: Vito utilizes a Sandevistan Mk.5 to give himself an advantage in combat, Kiroshi Optics Mk.3 as his optical system, and a Ballistic Coprocessor. His supporting cyberware includes the following systems: Fortified Ankles (allows him to jump further/higher), Microrotors (increases his attack speed), Microvibration Generators (increases melee damage), and the Kerenzikov, which tunes his reflexes. Perhaps his most important piece of cyberware is the Monowire, which he utilizes as a backup weapon when necessary. He prefers this to the Mantis Blades as he fears that the blades would be easy to tear off/apart should he be overpowered; with the wire, he has relative peace of mind as the wire is generally too hot to grab directly.

PERSONALITY Traits: Anxious; daring; determined; embittered; empathetic; guarded; impulsive; persistent; powerful; reliable; restless; volatile. Fears: Being forgotten; death; inactivity; sudden loud noises; vulnerability; wide-open spaces. Overview: Vito tends to prove himself to be an enigmatic character. He is capable of befriending people while simultaneously revealing very little personal information about himself and his past. He is sort of an extreme in that he is very loyal to his friends (as long as they would provide the same loyalty to him) and conversely very brutal with his foes; he holds grudges vehemently and often does not rest until he feels his scores have been settled. He’s very open with himself and his sexuality, though knowing him on a romantic level is something that is incredibly difficult to do (so, it’s easier to be FWB with him than it is to take him on a date). TIDBITS • Vito is capable of playing Chippin’ In, Never Fade Away, and A Like Supreme on the guitar — he doesn’t actually know how to play guitar, but his brain retains this muscle memory even after Mikoshi.  • Similarly, he picks up a smoking habit due to Johnny. • He is an only child and lost his parents when he was about fifteen years old. • He was with the Bakkers from age sixteen (near seventeen) ‘til the start of Cyberpunk 2077 (age thirty). • Due to his inability to protect his parents and then his inability to protect Jackie, he doesn’t trust himself to take care of those he loves, so he keeps everyone at arms’ length. • He is autistic and will infodump given the chance. His favorite thing to talk about is his extensive collection of knives (but he can also debate things like gun firepower). • He loves to ride motorcycles more than anything! • He is a very weepy/emotional drunk; this goes for all emotions, though. Since he is already emotionally volatile (thanks to his inability to process his emotions), this only worsens when he’s drunk (so don’t piss him off if he’s hammered). • I have aphantasia alongside the inability to hear things in my head, so his ‘canon’ voice is that of Male V in the game. • His fingernails are painted black. • His favorite color is grey. • He can’t cook for shit. • Dude’s got a fat ass, the world’s best hips-to-waist ratio, and basically makes men and women (and everyone in between) simp for him BUT he is blissfully unaware of this and tends to react with awkwardness when hit on. • He has almost no romantic experience; this ties into his fear of being unable to protect his loved ones. He had something going with Jackie, but... we know how that ended.

[captain-grammar]

Netflix cancelling a BUNCH of their shows featuring diverse casts and WLW characters reminded me of a rant I had earlier in the year on Twitter with regards to The Old Guard but didn't share here. So, here it is.

I've seen tweet after tweet on yonder Twitter from people who were unaware that there's going to be a sequel to The Old Guard so if you'll indulge me, I'm about to don a tin-foil hat and speculate wildly as to why it's slipping in under the radar and what might be the reasons for that.

Within the first week if The Old Guard being released in July 2020, it was already in the top 10 most streamed movies on the platform at reached around 72 million households in a month. Incredible viewing figures. It was well-reviewed by critics and a runaway smash hit with viewers - "certified fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes - and gained an active, passionate fanbase online the instant it was released (hello, welcome to Tumblr) due in part to the fresh take the movie had on the dull, formulaic action-movie genre.

Netflix had momentum. They had the stats to work with and a fanbase to back them up. They could have announced their intention to make a sequel back when interest was fresh (as they did with the likes of The Gray Man) and gotten everyone excited while it was being talked about. Because it was being talked about. A sequel was in the works fairly early on with the cast and crew pretty much confirming as much on social media. But in this fast-paced, binge-consume world, Netflix seemed to wait until all the hype had died down before making it official.

WHY? Why take a big-hitting, genre-bending, record-smashing movie that you KNEW had proven to be a success and KNEW had a follow-up in the pipeline and let it die? A hugely sceptical part of me has a theory that it was down to just how genre-bending it was.

From my experience online, the vast majority of those who enjoyed it reflect the characters of the movie and the team behind it - diverse, LGBTQ+ individuals who rarely see themselves on screen without it feeling like a kind of tokenism. The movie was directed by the amazing Gina Prince-Bythewood - a black woman. The cast was lead by two strong females who were neither sexualised or portrayed as damsels in distress. Two of the men were unashamedly in love with each other. All of the main male cast were allowed to be emotional and even cry. In the action genre, these things are all but unheard of. Male characters are rarely given emotional complexity beyond revenge and women are usually relegated to the role of side-kick, love interest or doe-eyed ingenue learning from the "best".

Because the genre tends to lean towards a stereotypical male audience.

A part of me wonders whether that's why Netflix didn't give it much promo and kudos and have let the pot come off the boil in terms of hyping The Old Guard's return. The service has a history of platforming voices that are anti-LGBTQ and cutting diversity within its ranks. And now they're at it again, axing a slew of shows after only one or two seasons that all seem to feature wlw relationships fairly prominently.

If you're not a straight, cis, white male then they're not interested in catering for you. If you're a minority, too bad. The fact that The Old Guard was a hit with the very communities they seem to be actively oppressing is a hurt that Netflix seemingly refuses to live with.

I'm just sick of "was the movie/show popular among straight white men?" being the metric against which a piece of media's success is measured. As if that demographic is the Holy Grail and if your fans aren't 28 year-old cis dudes, you've somehow failed.

I thank Netflix for bringing some truly great stories to life but at this point, I cannot trust them to keep them safe any more.

[angiedarling]

— &&  if you’re hearing NORTHERN ATTITUDE by NOAH KAHAN playing, you have to know ANGIE MONROE (she/her; cis female) is near by! the 41 year old CHEF has been in denver for, like, 15 YEARS. they’re known to be quite BOSSY, but being KIND HEARTED seems to balance that out. or maybe it’s the fact that they resemble RACHEL WEISZ. personally, i’d love to know more about them seeing as how they’ve got those FRESH BLUEBERRY PANCAKES, LILY OF THE VALLEY, MOLLY WEASLEY, THE SOUND OF SOMEONE WHISTLING AT HOME, DINER AFTER CLOSE vibes. and maybe i’ll get my chance if i hang out around the RINO long enough!

check out her stats and info below !!

stats

full name: angela monroe  nickname(s): angie (sometimes ang or ella, but angie is the main and favoured one) age: forty one date of birth: the thirteenth of february zodiac sign: aquarius place of birth: corpus christi, texas gender: female sexual orientation: bisexual religion: agnostic by choice, jewish by mother’s family occupation: chef/baker/owner of the Night and Dine

language(s) spoken: english, basic spanish accent: slight to moderate southern accent pet(s): two great pyrenees financial status: lower middle class  tattoos: sunflower on her right hip, a trio of birds of her shoulder positive traits: empathetic, fun, thoughtful, and well-spoken  negative traits: tardy, well-meaningly bossy and a bit of a gossip goals/desires: to do good and help her loved ones, to be happy, to fall in love  fears: acrophobia, monophobia family: youngest child, comes from a big family and had always wanted that for herself as well hobbies:  baking, cooking, painting, dancing quirks: nail biting, whistling,  likes: music, denim, vines, baked goods, dogs dislikes: lime green, quiet, tangled hair, liars myers-briggs:  mediator (INFP-T)  temperament: phlegmatic 

bio

tw: mentions of infertility, mentions of infidelity

angie was a happy kid with a mostly happy childhood, growing up with her mother (father rarely, if ever around), her siblings and a little black cat. her mother was her everything, never letting baby angie and her siblings feel like they were missing anything growing up. she was a curious kid, getting to camp, fishing, exploring and learning about the world.

after graduating highschool, angie (19) was going through a bit of a tumultuous relationship. she didn’t go to college, instead idolizing a stay-at-home mother position, willing to forgive nearly anything from her partner, if it would allow her to have children and give them her everything like her own mother had done. unfortunately (or fortunately, depending who you ask), they were unable to conceive. around that time, her partner had decided to be unfaithful and actually fathered a child with his affair partner. this hurt angie to her core, almost more than the cheating itself.

the baby’s name was kiara, and as much as the precursor to her existence was shocking, angie actually became very close with her partner’s child and it’s mother. after about 3 years, angie decided she couldn’t stay with an unforgiving, untrustworthy man and left, keeping in contact with lea (the unknowing other women) and kiara who had also separated themselves from angie’s ex.

she moved to denver when she was twenty seven, feeling like corpis christi had given her all it could. her family had dispersed over the years and with her ending her 10+ year relationship, she needed a fresh start.

angie had been scared to meet new people and try new things but following her mother’s philosophies, she’s trying her best to live her life to the fullest. when she arrived in denver, the old owner of the night and dine was retiring and looking to sell and she took the chance and bought it. finally embracing one of her life long passions, she threw herself in some minor renovations and some huge menu rehauls. 

now, she’s living peacefully with her dogs, working in and running the diner, sometimes thinking of her potential other life, one where she went to school, had a child, was close with her family. her dreams as a child were just so different, it’s hard not to think about it.

headcannons/fun facts about angie! 

the only person who ever called her angela was her mom so she just doesn’t really use it anymore.

her favourite baked good is a lemon coffee cake and her favourite meal is homecooked soup and corn bread.

she took spanish in high school and fell in love with the language.

she throws herself into her baking and cooking, feeling like she can express her feelings through food.

angie sometimes listens to texan weather channels because the accents comfort her.

she loves nicknames! nicknames for others and for herself, hit her up with any nickname and any sort of pet name and be prepared for her to dote on you with a sweet pet name of her own.

she loves like old art and old photographs.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

we can potentially add a second to any of these if we really feel one of these connections!!

friendship  ✨ 

first friend in denver

best friends

friends from childhood (she grew up in texas though but she did travel a bit?)

bad influence

sibling friendship (like an older/younger sibling relationship)

staff (at the diner)/friends who look out for each other -  ZANE

coworker/staff (at the diner)

friendzoned

breakfast club (total opposites but wind up bonding anyways)

so's sibling (she dated their sibling and even tho the relationship ended, they kept in touch)

mentee / protective kinship (someone who she tries to always look out for, she feels a little 'motherly' over them)

current romance ✨ 

flirtationship

mutual crushes (angie kinda has commitment issues so it could be interesting to see the conflict with these new feelings)

mouse and cat (they just keep chasing each other but nothing really happens)

breakfast club (total opposites)

past romance ✨ 

ex that was a rebound for her when she arrived in Denver (hard feelings, unresolved feelings?)

exes that ended on bad terms (maybe something bad happened to make it end and there is bad vibes/animosity)

exes that ended on good terms 

exes with lingering feelings 

casual relationships ✨ 

next-door neighbours

diner regulars

family ✨ 

older brothers x 2/3 (she grew up in texas but she's the youngest child so they could have grown up elsewhere)

close cousins

ex-husband (bad relationship with manipulation, gaslighting and cheating)