#huge statue

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Dungeon Meshi: The RPG

[randomidiocyncrazies]

there's some extra info on the TBHX social media accounts (most of them are light-hearted posts, but you do get some extra info sometimes)

huh. everything can be changed by trust, but it looks like people only really had the concept that Trust Value creates heroes 5 years before the Commission was formed... meaning the Trust System has only been around for 40-50 years. Aside from creating heroes, some people can also become geniuses in their fields thanks to Trust Value—these geniuses heavily contributed in the areas of AI, materials, energy conversion and biology.

Also we already got a hint of this in the PVs, but it's heavily implied the Hero Association Commission made Hero Tower to better control and monitor them; heroes immediately move when there's a change in rankings, which might explain why Nice's room was so bare—if you can get kicked out of your floor whenever your rankings change, you're probably not inclined to keep lots of knickknacks or furniture in your living space either.

[sha-brytols]

the reason why i'm so endlessly obsessed with the dynamic between the magi warden and jowan is because of how. insane the PRIVILEGE you get from irving is. like they're both around the same-ish age (with jowan likely being just a couple years older), they both came to the circle at similar ages (jowan being there longest), they're both arguably very similar in their skill level (the part where the warden and jowan both have to open the door through magic i think can be used as proof of this!) and more than that, they're both so inseparable as a pair that jowan says he sees them as a younger sibling.

but even despite this jowan was literally constantly thrown under the bus by irving literally every chance he got. we know jowan's blood magic was almost definitely a symptom of irving enticing young apprentices towards the forbidden arts in order to weed out the "weak" willed mages, but the thing is, we also know that the only reason jowan turned to blood magic at all was because he was being denied his harrowing, and at a certain age if you haven't had your harrowing then you're essentially guaranteed to be made tranquil. so the insane dogging on jowan from irving was done even *before* he was put on irving's radar for practicing blood magic.

meanwhile the magi warden is irving's favorite student. his pride and joy. he constantly sticks his neck out for them (literally having to be told off by greagoir for essentially cheating during the warden's harrowing by telling them exactly what they will have to face in order to succeed), practically showers them in praise when introducing them to duncan, defends them after helping jowan escape EVEN IF if they were doing it directly under his nose, and all but verbally thanks duncan for rescuing them from the circle. it's very clear that irving sees the warden as almost his own child. but its also like. why did he choose them as an apprentice? you can play the warden as belligerently hostile towards the circle as possible and he still adores you.

meanwhile jowan was doing everything in his power to be as compliant as he could even despite his obvious resentment towards the system, but he was always just so replaceable. the kid literally never stood a chance and i'm almost certain at least part of it is because irving already chose his model student to groom and mentor into his successor, and it happened to be the magi warden.

the fact that one of the two magi wardens is a human noble from the free marches as well also adds a delicious layer to me too because then its like. now the problem seems way more systemic. your star pupil just Happens to be a young mage from a prestigious human family. and then its like. fuck why was amell even In kinloch hold to begin with? why werent they sent to the gallows? they're canonically the eldest of their siblings, so it couldnt have been to avoid having two relatives in the same circle at once. you know what i think though. i think they were only sent there because their family was influential enough to avoid having them locked away in what is essentially the most notoriously evil circle in all of thedas.

just very delicious to me how depending on your origin theres almost very clearly a class element at play. jowan was just a random village kid compared to amell. insane.

[hunsa-jars]

Today's addition to my Nine Sols png collection: Grotto of Scriptures (part 1)

[m-m-m-myysurana]

The Herald of Andraste deserves to be cherished for who they are, not just what they represent, at least once in a while. Eira's here to ensure that happens 😌

Happy OC Kiss Week @aubergion!!

[windcarvedlyre]

Has this random event in Mondstadt ever been followed up on?

The screenshot doesn't show it well, but it produces the same feather particles Venti does except in abyss purple. We already know he has some history with the abyss but this is extra sus.

[stormofdefiance]

I wanted to share some wee thoughts about Ratio’s E6 art & why I believe it is a symbolic parallel to Michelangelo’s David. This speaks to both Ratio’s humanist beliefs and possible future plot points.

Ratio’s E6 is Vincit Omnia Veritas or Truth Conquers All. I’ve heard it claimed (although I have no idea if it’s explicitly stated anywhere?) that the character’s E6 art represents them at their innermost core, an honest and deeply vulnerable shard of themselves. Evoking David here is an interesting choice; the biblical figure who, using nothing but a stone and sling, took down the tyrannical Goliath. The parallel is perhaps as simple as this: Ratio views himself - and by extension the truth - as the underdog, someone never accepted into the Genius society, forever to be kept from Nous and THEIR gaze, but nonetheless will, in the end, prove himself the final victor. Truth will topple the seemingly unconquerable, whatever that might be.

But I also think Michelangelo’s David is a specifically interesting parallel to draw on from a historical perspective. Ratio is pretty much the textbook definition of a renaissance man - he is a philosopher, a scholar, interested in medicine and science and the vast array of human achievement. He speaks in Latin (the language of education during the renaissance in Europe that allowed the transmission of information without having to rely on translation) while heavily styling himself on Ancient Greek symbols and drawing from Greek philosophy (often seen at the time as more ‘sophisticated’ and interested in ‘wisdom’ than the contemporary ‘militaristic’ Romans).

Michelangelo’s David was the first colossal marble statue to be carved since antiquity, and it came to be a symbol of the renaissance itself. This is interesting to me for Ratio and what I believe are his humanist beliefs. Humanism was an ideal that propagated during the renaissance that championed the belief that man had beauty, dignity and worth that deserved as much respect and adoration as any deity. Keep in mind this philosophy was emerging following the Middle Ages and at a time where religious institutions across Europe held exorbitant and sometimes absolute power. David as a statue is an ode to the sublime beauty of the human body, completely unashamed and uninhibited in his gigantic nakedness (Doctor! You’re huge!) retaliating against the idea that prominent idea at the time that man’s body is inherently sinful. The humanists sought to recenter humanity, and David became a symbol of man’s independence against the seemingly unconquerable might of the Church.

Consider how Ratio centres humanity in his Simulated Universe project, how he values every life, how interested he is in constant self-improvement. How this symbol - of not just the renaissance but of the re-centring of humanity itself - becomes an echo of an effigy fixed in the centre of his soul.

Ratio has never - as far as I’m aware? - stated or hinted at any desire to overthrow the Aeons or even disparage or rubbish them, but it is clear to me that he believes in the strength man can draw on despite them, through sheer force of intelligence and clever planning and fiercely independent thought, the weak can ultimately overcome, or at least stand shoulder to shoulder with, the strong. Perhaps this will become a more pertinent plot point in the future - who knows? - but this was fun to chew through nonetheless 🫶

[angeart]

grian for the assassin au

[katherynefromphilly]

While looking up real estate values of houses in other places (as one does), I saw this patch of land for sale, right on a lake, with a lovely grassy plain down to the water, and instantly, and I do mean immediately, was like:

“I wonder how much it would cost to put a cafe there with windows all along the front?”

[mrbrainworms]

im so fucking sick of capeshit where the main message of the story boils down to "status quo good and anyone who tries to change it is an evil terrorist"

[nadiajustbe]

AoS Nathaniel is so funny because he's all "everyone who hurt me will pay a great price, I would never forget this and I would never let it slide, all my enemies will perish for aiming at my loved ones, my revenge would be cruel, soulless, they will found out who they're fighting with, never underestimate me again or my face will be the last thing they see..."

He is twelve years old.

[min0uet]

#1 thing i'm most afraid abt in the revival is the candace characterization actually bc we are in a paradox here

fact: candace's endless torment was part of the backbone of the show, one of the constants that kept the plot structure going. phineas and ferb must always do something new. candace and doofenshmirtz must always lose. any exceptions to these rules can't be permanent. status quo must be upheld.

fact: candace against the universe's character development seemed to finally be breaking this cycle. candace isn't alone anymore, she's letting go of her obsession to see the support that was always there for her and thus she's escaped her sisyphean cycle. to go back to the old status quo after this would be massively unsatisfying.

fact: the reboot is supposed to take place AFTER candace against the universe.

so what do we do now

[atomicjellyb3an]

Arcane Analysis’

in a world full of godawful Arcane takes and mischaracterisation, i come to you with some of my favourite accounts that have some actual GOOD deep dives and takes

(All on TikTok btw)

@danpyxel (picks up on some INSANE details that i wouldn’t even think off, especially in regards to Caitvi and the characters outwith the relationship)

@willatheewisp (very underrated, i could listen to their analysis’ on different characters for hours)

@pinkygunslingy (their arcane takes are good but i also have to shoutout their red dead content bc i LOVE it too)

idk if this would even be of any interest to anyone but if anybody knows any other good accounts/video essays i’d love to hear them!

[slutforpringles]

via visacashapprb instagram story | Thursday | Spielberg

[corvidjuice]

Normal bbc Sherlock fanfic, but then John orders a pineapple vodka cruiser. Why the fuck not. What if my version of John Watson likes to drink highlighter ink and be sick outside after two drinks? What then. What if the trauma I’m coping with thru this fic is vodka cruisers? What then!!

[rozugold]

The one cphil moment I’ll forever love is when he, upon gazing up at the absolutely massive XD statue, immediately said “What a puny god.”