#i think it’s fine to find him compelling and flesh him out more

[palms-upturned]

.

[cocksuki2]

Hey I finished reading part one of chainsaw man and like I don’t understand why people call it a masterpiece. Like the first half was great and the revelation of makima was great but afterwards it became messy and the plot just disappeared.

Like really? Makima reasoning of fucking everything up is bc she’s a fan of OG chainsaw man? There’s zero background information about the OG chainsaw man other than what makima said in the manga. Characters with the exception of aki,power, angle, denji aren’t even fleshed out and they just died like that. There were no hints that denji power erased devils existence like NOTHING was fleshed out or informative. The ending was so bland ig, like I was expecting some explanation but no, I received nothing. Chainsaw man is only great when it comes to fights, artsyle, and making people uncomfortable, but the plot wasn’t going anywhere and completely erased itself from existence.

Like people was hyping up the manga so much and I agree the hype was worth it until after makima revelation. I’m the type of person who likes good written plots like attack on titan or cliche shouen plots but not boring like jujutsu kaisen. Of all shouen manga I read I feel like chainsaw man is the only one I don’t feel like continuing. I’m in part 2 now and I don’t feel like forcing myself reading it, waiting for something great to happen or waiting for the PLOT to come back.

Anyways I’m just wondering if you can convince me to continue it.

hmmmmmmmmm while i can see what you're saying, i kinda disagree.

chainsaw man part 1 is exactly that... part 1. im under the assumption that the things we're going to learn about denji and the og chainsaw man will continue to develop as the series goes on, but i can see what you're saying about it not feeling fleshed out. but it's also not over yet.

as for csm being a masterpiece, i personally think that that part comes in with the visual storytelling. fujimoto's art is fantastic at indicating tone and power through the positioning of his characters, as well as putting symbolism within the art itself. i think fujimoto's skill shines through in the way he demonstrates denji being manipulated by the people around him, as well as how he goes about telling denji's perception of love, sex, and human connection. it's a manga about manipulation, set in an alternate universe.

imo, chainsaw man really shines when you read between the lines of what's being presented to you at face value. if you're reading the manga at face value... then you're only seeing one aspect of it. it's really clear that fujimoto put a lot of thought into the interactions his characters have in the manga, as well as how he positions them in the frames themselves. i think this is actually ESPECIALLY true for makima and the way she's portrayed.

also, when it comes to fleshing out characters, i agree that some weren’t fully fleshed out but i also kind of look at it as like... some characters are present to push the narrative forward. sometimes they aren’t fleshed out and that’s totally fine. like while i love the violence fiend, i don’t feel like the plot suffered because we didn’t get his backstory or like... a full character arc for him. he’s a side character, sometimes they aren’t fleshed out. i wanted to see more about kobeni, but i think she’ll come back later and we’ll learn more. the story isn’t over yet, so more information about characters is going to keep coming. it makes sense to me that they haven’t laid everything out already... bc that’s the continuation of the plot lol

fact is though, if you didn't like it, then it's probably just not the manga for you and that's totally fine. you don't have to like the story the way i do or even agree with me that it's a masterpiece. it's media, everyone is going to read into it differently. i just happen to think it's worth looking at further than face value because when i read it that way, it completely changed the way i see the manga.

though i am going to say... if you don't like jujutsu kaisen... you probably will not like chainsaw man. they're very similar series and fall into a super similar genre. jjk functions the same way, with its characters and stories having more depth (imo) than just what's being presented at face value. i happen to find jjk to be very interesting and well-written (aside from the way it treats its female characters on occasion) and that's probably why i like chainsaw man as much as i do. i enjoy media analysis and those two series happen to be ones that benefit GREATLY from it and have a lot to unpack.

i think you and i just happen to have differing opinions about the series we enjoy bc while i love aot, i think both jjk and chainsaw man have more coherent plots (though neither of them are finished yet). that's not to say i don't like aot and think it's good, i just think that csm and jjk are better.

anyway, i don't think i can convince you to like or continue csm if you don't already like it 😭😭😭 especially if you don't like jjk (since they're p much the same genre)

[k-odyssey]

zhang ruo yun is a fine actor, but i find him particularly compelling when he's vibrating from rage. there's something raw in his defiant eyes and his posture. he's at least half the reason i'm watching joy of life.

so i'm now 6 episodes into the 2nd season. fan xian has finally earned the right to be alive again after his fake death, with the help of a foreign princess and much theatrics. back in the imperial palace, he tells on the second prince and princess royal, which earns him nothing good and traps his sister in a disadvantageous match. and he is livid. because innocent lives are at the mercy of the powerful, who are left unchecked.

honestly, there is no better ad for democracy as a concept (although i am very aware democracy doesn't mean you instantly fix every power imbalance). there is no question that the system as it is doesn't work. and no one is happy in it. even the princes are in constant competition and deeply unsatisfied with their lives. either because they're trying to get ahead in the succession line, or because being the chosen one, constantly watched, and having to watch your back, takes its toll on a person. but it's actually fascinating as a study! and we keep getting insights into characters that make them more fleshed out and human.

i think i said this for joy of life 1 too, but it's always a small miracle to me when such a big cast of characters can be maintained and no one feels superfluous to the story. every single person helps the plot move forward or shows us what fan xian fights for/against.

this drama negociates tonal shifts like no other. i'm thinking of the whole storyline around moon embracing pavilion as an example. it's in turn funny, tragic and enraging, but never in a jarring way.

tl;dr

i love fan xian as played by zhang ruo yun. if i could i'd stay home to binge the whole thing.

[simlit]

Chosen of the Sun | | dawn // thirty-one

| @maladi777 | @izayoichan

INTERACTIVE POLL | Should Indryr use his [TRUTH SCROLL] on Duke Eldewyn? Voting to use the scroll will provide more information about the past history of the trials and those involved, however, there may be consequences from using such magic. Choose wisely. Vote now!

next / previous / beginning

INDRYR: A fascinating idea. There is a great deal of faith placed in lunar priests. Suppose if they should misdirect and say they have received visions they have not… No one would be any the wiser. ASTER: Now that I think of it, how does that whole heaven-to-earth pipeline work, anyhow? KYRIE: Quite ambiguously. Around the time of the Selenehelion, we begin receiving hazy visions. For my sister and I, it was always somewhat complicated. In general, there is only ever one lunar priest of age at any given time. However, because Alphanei and I were twins, our visions were often shared. It was suggested, once, that we conduct together, but I declined. Alphanei’s emotional investment in leading the ceremony seemed to strengthen her ties with the moon. My visions lessened, and hers became stronger. Only now that I’m leading myself do I feel an innate sense of connection to the Chosen. You were all strangers when I brought you here— I’d never heard nor met any of you before. But even before seeing you in the flesh, I felt as if we had known each other for years. INDRYR: And is there some consequence to you for not following the Moon’s vague instruction? KYRIE: I admit, I don’t know. A great part of me feels compelled. It’s hard to explain. Even when I sat aside and let my sister operate on her own, I felt overwhelmingly as if I was doing something wrong. I guess this connection we have, it’s something we’re born with, and impossible to eradicate. That being said, if we should act against that feeling… By that I mean, could a lunar priest have lied about the selected Ten? Yes. I think he could. LUCIEN: But wouldn’t that upset the goddess? KYRIE: Maybe. The truth is, I don’t hear her anymore than you. Divine sensation is just that: Sensation. If she were to punish me for going against her wishes, I can’t imagine what that might look like. Only, in our hearts, I suppose it would feel a bit like betraying someone… something… we love deeply. It would feel immoral. But… there’s nothing impossible about sinning. ELDEWYN: Fascinating, indeed. I never thought about it… Interesting creatures lunar priests! KYRIE: We’re not animals— ASTER: Well! How about that specialty brew you’ve been saving? ELDEWYN: Ah, yes! Let us retire to the parlor. We’ll be more comfortable there. KYRIE: If you don’t mind, I just need to step out a moment… ELDEWYN: Oh, of course, Your Grace. INDRYR: Are you feeling well, Your Grace? KYRIE: Yeah, it’s… I’m fine. INDRYR: Forgive my saying so, but you seem somewhat put-off. KYRIE: It’s alright. I don’t… mind. KYRIE: I think sometimes I feel a bit like a circus act… Maybe I am. INDRYR: Your gifts are unique. And specialness is strange, but not all of us think so shallowly. I understand perfectly well how it feels to be the odd piece out, but you’re no less part of the puzzle. You’ll find your place to fit, and it won’t be here with people like that. KYRIE: Thank you, Indryr, for saying so. INDRYR: No need to thank me. It’s simply what’s true. The Duke has a very… interesting perception. I wondered what sort of society might support the trials in their former iteration. Meeting him, well, it becomes clearer to me. KYRIE: I think there’d be more than a few happy to see the tradition return to the way it was. A sick sense of excitement… It doesn’t matter. I guess I’m more bothered by the idea that my predecessor might have been involved in what happened twenty years ago. You were right. If this was a cover up, the priest heading the ceremony must have allowed for it. INDRYR: I don’t think we can deny it anymore, Your Grace. KYRIE: No, but I do think there’s more to the story. Whether or not the Duke knows, is another question entirely. INDRYR: We could use the scroll? KYRIE: Yes, but it’s not without its risks. I suppose then we must decide… is it worth trying, regardless of the consequences?

[cooliogirl101]

Okay I realize absolutely no one asked for this but here are some of the changes I would make to Fourth Wing:

*Spoilers below and warning, this is gonna be a very long post with more or less coherent rambling*

To start with, Violet's mother's motivations for suddenly demanding Violet become a Rider 6 months prior to Conscription never made sense to me and that's something I'd definitely want to flesh out more. She fell in love with and married a Scribe, and was apparently fine with Violet training to become a Scribe up until then-- so what the hell changed, made her suddenly decide to throw her youngest daughter into a death college where she'll start off at a major disadvantage? I think it makes more sense if her decision coincided with the death of Violet's father or something. The pain of losing him, of wanting to avoid all reminders of him, led her to demand Violet become a Rider rather than a Scribe. It's also stated in the book that in the last few months of his life, Violet's father became more withdrawn and was likely looking into venin/wyvern-- she could've forbidden Violet from becoming a Scribe in order to get her away from all that and the possibility of discovering the truth (although granted, sending her away to the same College the Rebellion Kids-- who are very much aware of the truth-- are forced to attend may not be the best way of going about it).

For that matter, I'd stop giving Violet so many opportunities to leave. I know it's supposed to show off her determination or whatever, but it makes her motivations and characterization super inconsistent if she's constantly going on about how her dream in life is to become a scribe and she turns down literally every opportunity for her to go and do that. It's also a more compelling story for me if she literally had no choice but to become a Rider but managed to succeed anyway-- and it mirrors the rebellion kids' story as well.

The hair. There's no logical reason for Violet to have natural balayage, the fuck. It's stated in the book that even if she was to cut her hair, it would just turn silver again at the ends after it reaches a certain length, which...?? And there's zero explanation for this. Like, if you're gonna give the MC special hair, at least provide a good story behind it. For example: after Brennan's death 6 years ago, Violet shut down completely. She couldn't stand being around her mother's rage and her father's devastating grief and Mira's absence, so she just picked a direction and...kept going. It took them 3 days to find her and by that time, she was half-frozen and on the verge of death. Borrowing a trope from Chinese dramas, by the time they found her, her hair had turned completely white from stress. Her brown hair grew back in as she recovered but she keeps the white as a reminder to herself to never let herself get to that point again-- to never let herself shut down the same way again.

(To emphasize-- if she cuts it, it doesn't magically turn white again after growing out, that was just a one-time thing. She's not magically gifted with special hair "just because", that's stupid).

Violet's potential as a Scribe. The book continuously emphasizes how smart Violet is supposed to be, how she would've made the Perfect Scribe, and other than her tendency to conveniently regurgitate facts the author wants us to know about the world, we...don't really see much evidence of that. If anything, the book makes the argument that oh actually, deep down inside Violet had always been more suited to be a Rider rather than a Scribe, yadda yadda yadda. Which is just boring to me-- the most interesting thing about her character is the fact that she was never supposed to be a Rider, was never suited for it, and having her turn out to actually have "the soul of a Rider" all along or some bullshit takes away from that. I would much rather have her start off the book with a scribe's skill and mindset and gradually add the traits of a Rider as well for a merging of the two, rather than have her 'outgrow' being a Scribe.

Continuing on that theme, Violet is clearly a very emotion-driven character, which doesn't quite make sense to me given that she was trained to be the Quintessential Scribe. Scribes, after all, are taught to be logical, rational, to always control/hide their emotions: to fundamentally be a "blank slate", without biases or preconceptions, solely dedicated to the preservation of knowledge (emotions only get in the way of that). If anything, it'd make more sense to me if Violet was a little too good at hiding and compartmentalizing her emotions (especially after the deaths of her father and brother), to the point that she was nearly impossible to read and came across as a bit eerie to her peers. This is not to say that she wouldn't feel as strongly or have that same capacity for kindness-- just that she'd become very good at using intellectualization as a defense mechanism ("I'm not helping them because I care, it's because I'm already at a disadvantage and need all the allies I get. It's only logical." "It's only natural to feel a bit anxious watching them fight...they're giving me lessons and it'd be inconvenient if they died. I'd have to find another person to fill their place, which would be...well, it'd be better if they lived. I'm going to make sure they live.")

(The "woman is the openly emotional one and the man is the openly logical one" is also one of the tropes that annoys me the most, so...goodbye to that).

You also cannot convince me this girl was well-socialized growing up, which would cause her to value her relationship with Dain that much more. If he was her only friend growing up, the only person she was close to outside her family, it provides a huge opportunity for character growth as she struggles to learn how to trust, open up to, and rely on other people. It bothered me a little how in the book, several characters (Ridoc, Sawyer) were just suddenly on Violet's side without any actual scenes between them showing how they became friends.

(Ridoc is the first person to make Violet Sorrengail laugh at Basgiath. It wasn't even anything special, just a sarcastic-- but uncannily accurate-- impression of Professor Devera, and he glanced at her just in time to see her hastily turn away, covering her face. Her shaking shoulders gave her away, however.

Hah, he thought, smug satisfaction curling in his chest. So you can laugh. I knew you had a sense of humor hidden away somewhere deep down.

Deep, deep down.

The next second, Violet had managed to compose herself, face as blank and unreadable as ever, save for perhaps the slightly narrowed gaze she aimed at his direction, as if willing him to forget her momentary lapse in Not Being a Robot. He just winked at her, grin widening for the briefest moment before turning back to Sawyer.

Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.)

Also why is this girl starting her training off making enemies left and right? First off, instead of futilely trying to avoid every rebellion kid out there, it'd be more practical for her to just try and distance herself from her mother as much as possible. That relationship is definitely doing her no favors. And with Xaden/the other rebellion kids-- she, of all people, knows what it's like to be judged for who her parents are. She knows they know what it's like too. It's an angle that she can use to at least try to keep a hundred targets off her back.

("You're Lilith Sorrengail's daughter," Xaden said, studying her through narrowed eyes. It was impossible to pinpoint the emotion in his voice-- but well, she could take a solid guess.

"Yes," Violet replied, just as evenly. "And you're Fen Riorson's son, if we're doing introductions based on our parents now." She gave him a polite nod. "Best of luck on the Parapet today, although from what I've heard about your skills, I don't imagine you'll need it."

When in doubt, there was never any harm in falling back on manners and flattery. That was what Dain had told her, and she tended to trust his advice when it came to dealing with people. He'd always been more likeable than her.

His jaw tightened.

"Your mother killed my father," he said, expression cracking open the slightest bit to reveal something raw and wounded underneath.

And your father killed my brother, she didn't say. It was something they both knew, after all, and she didn't see the point in reciting facts back and forth for no reason.

Violet resisted the urge to sigh. So much for manners and flattery-- it looked like she was going to have to address this now. Directness it was then.

"Yes," she admitted, voice going even more flat. "And I understand you have every reason to hate me for what my mother did. But if you're going to try and kill me, at least have it be for something that I did." She started walking forward-- either he was going to kill her, or he wasn't. Either way, there wasn't much she could do about it. "Everything in my life has been influenced by who my mother is. At the very least, do me the courtesy of allowing my death to occur independently of her."

A pause. She'd caught him off guard.

"So just to be clear, you're not asking me to spare you. Just for some agency in your own death," he said finally. Was that a trace of humor in his voice?

"What I'm asking is for you to stop seeing my mother when you look at me," Violet said, causing Xaden's face to go blank again. "But that's easier said than done. I'm sure you would know, wouldn't you?")

For that matter, I'm also putting Violet on the aro/ace spectrum here (probably demisexual). Not out of any plot-related reason. Just because it was incredibly annoying reading all those descriptions of how inhumanly beautiful Xaden was every 3 pages. 'Lust at first sight' is also one of my least favorite tropes, so. Goodbye to that. (Side note though, I think it would be really funny for Violet 'never-felt-sexual-attraction-to-any-significant-degree' Sorrengail to go find Xaden while their dragons are fucking, completely freaked out about what the fuck is happening, while Xaden (after registering that she genuinely has no idea that the emotion she's feeling is Dragon-Induced Horniness, she legit thinks their dragons might be dying) has a mini panic attack thinking 'fuck am I really going to have to give the dragon sex talk to the girl I'm Definitely Not Crushing On'

One of the things that frustrated me the most about the book was how convinced Violet was that Xaden was out to kill her, despite all of his actions showing he was very much not going to kill her. This from a girl whose defining trait is supposed to be her intelligence. Now I'm all for characters being very smart in one way and dumb in another. But the essence of intelligence is the ability to gather facts and put them together to form a logical conclusion. To have multiple occurrences of Xaden helping her out/saving her life/turning down the perfect opportunity to kill her, and still reaching the conclusion that he wants her dead is...not intelligent.

("What are you doing?" Dain hissed. "I told you to keep your head down and to do everything you could to avoid Riorson's notice!"

That was rather unfair of him, Violet thought to herself. She was keeping her head down, she was trying her best to avoid him, Xaden Riorson just seemed to be annoyingly adept at seeking her out. She couldn't understand why he kept doing so. Surely he wasn't still trying to make sure she wasn't going to spill his secrets?

She felt rather offended at that. Did Xaden really think that lowly of her intelligence? If she reported him, he'd find a way to kill her, simple as that, and she rather enjoyed living. Reporting him would be against her self-interest. At the very least, if he couldn't trust in her word, he should be able to trust in her self-preservation.

She ignored the tiny voice in her head saying that if she was to report him, Xaden Riorson and the other rebellion kids would be dead before they could so much as register the word 'betrayal', much less be in any state to exact vengeance against her.

"If it helps, I really don't think he's going to try and kill me," Violet said honestly. Not as long as she didn't give him a reason to.

"Oh? And why's that?" Dain asked sarcastically. She'd never seen him so discomfited. It was rather...sweet, actually.

"Because it wouldn't suit his interests," Violet stated. "He wouldn't gain anything from killing me, but he does stand to lose a whole lot. It's true that killing me wouldn't be against the Codex-- he wouldn't be formally punished-- but targeting me for nothing else but the crime of being General Sorrengail's daughter...well, it lets everyone know where his loyalties lie, doesn't it? It sends a clear signal to all the higher ups that he hasn't forgiven his father's execution, and he's already on thin enough ice as it is. It would be impractical for him to kill me, and Xaden Riorson may be a lot of things, but he's never struck me as stupid."

Dain stared at her for a while.

"What?" Violet blinked, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He was the one who'd told her that it was rude to stare too long, so why was he doing it now?

"Nothing," he chuckled, shaking his head. "You're just something special, Violet."

"'Special' isn't always a compliment," she said, narrowing her eyes slightly at him. He'd taught her that as well.

"It is when it comes to you," he said, smiling. "Now come on, you have class soon."

"I'll be there in a moment. I just need to head back to my room to grab something." The moment she turned the corner, she paused as she heard footsteps appear at her back.

"Xaden," she greeted, without turning around. "You were listening." It wasn't a question.

"You don't seem surprised," he commented, easily stepping in place next to her as if he'd always been there.

"I've come to the conclusion it's easier to just assume you're there anytime there are shadows present," Violet responded, voice a touch dry.

"It's flattering to know you think I'm so omnipresent," Xaden replied, a touch of smugness in his voice. "You gave a very convincing argument to Aetos about all the reasons why I shouldn't kill you. You had a lot of faith in my...practicality." He seemed amused, although his expression didn't change. "Has it ever occurred to you that not everyone is as rational about these things as you are?"

"Of course. That's why I figure it never hurts to provide a reminder that it costs you more to kill me than to keep me around." Violet glanced down at her planner. "I figure I'll schedule the next one in another two weeks or so."

"No need. You remind me every day." He grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to a halt. "Kairi Stevenson. You helped her before her match yesterday. Why?"

Violet looked down at his hand pointedly. He ignored her. "If you're asking how I learn about the match lineups beforehand, I'm not going to--"

"I don't care about that," Xaden interrupted. "You helped her, even though her father--"

"Even though her father participated in the rebellion, yes," Violet finished. "I've asked you-- all of you-- to judge me on my own merits, rather than my parentage. It would be rather hypocritical of me to not do the same for you."

His grip on her shoulder tightened.

"There's a difference between that and going out of your way to help us," he said, voice low.

"Is there? All I've done is treat her the same way I did the rest of my squad," Violet replied. "She's part of my squad, so I helped her. End of story."

It had been the first thing she'd done since arriving, work on establishing herself as an asset to her squad, rather than a liability. She'd known from the beginning that she would need to build allies in order to survive, given her physical limitations, and her squad, the only people bound by Codex to not kill her, seemed like a good place to start. It started with secret notes passed around in Battle Brief containing hastily scrawled answers. It continued with tutoring sessions and, after discovering Brennan's gift, hushed whispers regarding the next week's sparring lineup. Anything to establish herself as someone who was worth more alive than dead.

She'd spent her entire life under the disapproving eyes of her mother attempting to justify her existence, that she had a right to exist. This was no different.

Xaden's mouth curved up in a sardonic smile.

"So what, are you saying you helped her out of the goodness of your heart? How very...altruistic of you."

"Hardly," Violet said dismissively. Xaden blinked, sneer fading. "It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. She's been offering me help on improving my accuracy with my daggers, did you know? Like Sawyer helping me with weight training and Rhiannon with sparring. It's not like I don't get anything out of it."

"And Anderson?" Xaden questioned. "He's not even in our wing; yet I hear you helped bind his ankle after he twisted it last week. What benefit did you get out of helping him?" The corner of his lips twitched. "Or is he helping you with weight training too?"

"Well," Violet hesitated, unexpectedly flustered. Eli Anderson was a scrawny, hopelessly awkward boy who was quite possibly the clumsiest person she'd ever met. How he made it across the Parapet without tripping over the edge was beyond her. "It's always good to have allies outside of your own wing. It just means one less potential knife in the back some day."

Xaden hummed, studying her for a moment. "I'd worry about yourself first, Violet, before spending your time nursing other students back to health. Someone like Anderson won't make it in the long run anyway. It's better that someone take him out now before he gets someone else killed on the battlefield in the future."

Violet's eyes flashed, lips twisting into a scowl despite herself. Xaden's gaze sharpened and he leaned in, something almost hungry in his eyes. "Something the matter, Sorrengail?"

"I'm fine. I disagree with your argument, that's all," she said stiffly. "How do you know that Eli won't one day become an amazing dragon rider with the proper training? All this focus on 'weeding out the weak' and 'killing off the weaklings' with absolutely no emphasis on actually helping people become strong-- how does that make sense? We live in a world where the war is getting more dangerous by the day, where more people are dying by the day, and what are we doing here? Learning how to kill each other off," she scoffed. "What's the point in waging a war to keep our home safe, and then turning around and tearing ourselves apart inside it? The biggest threat here at Basgiath isn't the gryphons or Pomoriel-- it's each other. How sad is that?"

"All day, every day, encouraged to attack each other, to kill each other. I understand that killing is a necessity on the battlefield, but here?" she continued, tone scathing. "That's not training. That's not learning. That's just...that's just senseless cruelty and it serves no purpose. All you end up with then are people who won't think twice about stabbing a comrade in the back if it serves their own self-interest. It's meaningless, it's illogical, and it's...it's stupid."

Violet said the last word with a particular viciousness, as if it was the most scathing indictment she could imagine. Despite himself, Xaden found himself fighting a grin.

"It's better to get used to killing here, where you're in a relatively controlled environment, than it is on the battlefield," Xaden murmured. Violet shot him an unimpressed look and he had to press his lips together to keep the corners from twitching upwards.

"Are you volunteering yourself as a subject?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"As entertaining as it would be to see you try to murder me, I'll have to decline," Xaden replied, flicking her on the forehead just to see her scowl deepen. He coughed to hide a laugh as she reached up to swat his hand away. "Try not to die coddling some random stranger, Sorrengail. It would be a horribly anticlimatic end to your life."

"I'll try not to disappoint," Violet said, voice dry as the desert. She'd never coddled anyone in her life; at most it could be said she lent the occasional helping hand. And as she'd already established earlier, that was hardly altruistic in nature. The nature of things as they were was hardly conducive to her continued survival-- the current system was designed to swallow people like her whole. Obviously then, she needed to act differently from the established social order.

A favor given meant a favor received. Helping someone else now meant potentially being helped in the future.

That wasn't kindness. That was just common sense.

(Rhiannon, at some point in the future, after seeing Xaden and Violet interact:

"Oh my god," she said, mouth dropping open. "I thought he hated you because of your mother and that's why he wouldn't leave you alone, but...holy shit, he's just been pulling your pigtails this entire time, hasn't he?"

"I don't have pigtails," Violet frowned, even as Riorson shot her a warning glare. Rhiannon had to admit it was a fairly menacing one.

"Fine, tugging on your braid, whatever," Rhiannon waved her off, fighting a grin. Since discovering he was likely crushing on her best friend, the Wingleader suddenly seemed much less intimidating. "The point is, he li--"

"Matthias, I can and will give you double chore duty for attempting to spread untoward rumors about your Wingleader," Riorson growled.

He didn't say inaccurate, Rhiannon couldn't help but notice.

Violet tugged at Riorson's sleeve, brow furrowing slightly. Riorson's expression instantly softened a fraction and Rhiannon had to suppress a snort.

"What was that about?" Violet asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he replied. "Let's get back to practice, shall we?")

This post is getting wayyyy too long so I'll stop but one last point: not gonna lie, I was pretty disappointed by Violet's signet power in the book. It seemed to signify that deep down, she was the quintessential rider all along-- it's not a power that honors her intelligence or scribe background at all. Not to mention the whole her wielding lightning seemed to be a pretty deliberate counterpoint to Xaden wielding shadows, like come on, you couldn't come up with a less obvious metaphor to state they represent light and shadow? If I were to give her a power, it'd be something like probability manipulation or hyperintuition-- both abilities that compliment and highlight her intelligence.

[berrypass-de-murdler]

2 - 50 Killer at the Convocation

S E A S O N F I N A L E

...I'm the only person on tumblr who can't boop and it makes me sosad

I compLETELY forgot to say happy halloween and now it's too late WHOOPS

But I've got another scary murdler for y'all

Tiny Taupe was one of the first book2 characters I designed, and also one of my favorites because HELP

Poor thing was born without a head or arms and can only communicate through tap-dancing morse code. His life is miserable! Even Logico can't help but take pity on the creature... wait how does it hear and see- (I NEVER draw muscular characters but I don't think the drawing ended up too bad?? in my opinion-)

which murdler do you find the scariest in design? I think Dr. Crimson, Sister Lapis, and Philosopher Bone are up there

DON'T READ THE EPISODES WITHOUT READING THE BOOKS!!

They are at the convocation. Logico is to give a speech, then finally reveal the Special Secret. He is shaking with nerves. Irratino puts a hand on his shoulder.

IRRATINO: Shh. Hey. You’re okay! LOGICO: Oh… all right…

And they step into the gigantic building. Poor Logico! He’s so small, and the scale isn’t helping his anxiety. 

WHITE: Deductive. You’re late. LOGICO: There… was an accident on the way here. WHITE: I don’t care the excuse, cupcake, I want to hear your speech.

Logico is even more scared when he looks at who else is at the table - there, in the flesh, is the Major Red! 

Logico is so terrified, but can’t look away. The soldier is every bit as terrifying as the legends described - he looks like he was hand-designed to kill. And yet, Logico can’t help but notice his face twitch with uncertainty.

AMARANTH: Deductive Logico!

He gives the little guy a kiss on the cheek, who is less than pleased. Gico makes a pouty expression.

AMARANTH: Do not be so worried, mon ami. You will be fantastic. I believe in you!

Logico sighs, and steps up to the rostrum. Irratino gives a big goofy thumbs-up. The smol detective takes a deep breath, and begins his speech.

LOGICO: Countries, of the- OH!! Are you kidding me?! WHITE: NEXT LOGICO: NO, there’s another MURDER.

Yep, there sure is - the supposed ‘head of the Convocation’ is lyin’ on the cold hard ground!

IRRATINO: At least you’ll have more time to prepare your speech? LOGICO: Please… not now. 

The presentation is delayed as everyone stares at Logico trying to find the (probably meaningless) answer.

AMARANTH: As ze Président, I brought an exclusive pin. LOGICO: …now you’re starting with the quips? AMARANTH: But I look adorable while doing so, non?~ 💕

Logico officially hates this man.

WHITE: By decree of the Old Drakonians- RED: By the revolution-

SERIOUSLY? Fucking MAJOR RED? But he doesn’t say that out loud, for fear of his life.

Irratino gets a call from High Alchemist Raven.

RAVEN: My concoctions have turned a particular shade, revealing a major clue. IRRATINO: What was the shade?? RAVEN: Red, doi. IRRATINO: Oh! It’s Red! … Logico, it’s Red!

Logico is gone. 

IRRATINO: LOGICO! LOGICO YOU GOTTA COME BACK QUICK, I SOLVED THE MURDER AND YOU GOTTA DO YOUR SPEECH!

Irratino discovers that Logico has not ‘gone’ to the bathroom. There is a blood stain where he was standing. Irratino’s face goes pale. And he just stares…

IRRATINO: He’s fine. Everything I believe is true.

Amaranth approaches him.

AMARANTH: Sir?... IRRATINO: It’s not even his blood. Look! It’s not even his blood. He’s fine.

Red slowly exits his seat. Irratino lunges for him! White has to hold him back.

IRRATINO: WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHAT DID YOU DO?! RED: I was… I was… IRRATINO: I’LL GET YOU! WHEN I GET YOU… YOU’LL BE SORRY!! LET GO! 

And the happy-go-lucky man continues to lose his mind. Is Logico okay? Is he alive? Is this his sick, sick way of finally getting revenge?

The end!

I AM OFFICIALLY HALFWAY THROUGH BOOK 2

let's celebrate with uh

OH YEAH

I FINALLY GET TO MAKE MAJOR RED'S OFFICIAL ARTWORK!!!

The power of Goat Lord compels you!

See you next time murdlers!

[duhragonball]

Chainsaw Man ch. 75-79

"Mr. President, the camera is this way."

Last time, Aki had a disturbing vision of the future, in which Denji slew both Aki and Power. Angel Devil suggested he consult with Makima about this, but then Angel suddenly remembered his first encounter with Makima, when she mind-controlled him into slaughtering a bunch of humans whom he loved.

So the secret is out, Makima has been mind-controlling her Public Safety agents for some time now, except that the secret really isn't out, because Makima quickly re-establishes control over Angel before anyone can do anything about it. She compels both of them to make a contract with Makima, giving themselves to her completely. It seems odd that such a contract could be binding, but apparently that's the way Makima's power works.

For what it's worth, Makima apologizes to both Aki and Angel, but she believes this was the only way. There are many spies in Japan, and her plans for the Gun Devil have already been compromised. This is her only way forward.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the President is apparently on the phone with... the Gun Devil? He observes that Makima has become all but unstoppable, and most nations have already resigned themselves to defeat, but he can't let it end without trying something, so he makes a contract with the Gun Devil. One year of the life spans of the entire U.S. population, in exchange for the Gun Devil killing Makima, aka the Control Devil.

There's a joke in here somewhere about the United States sacrificing lives to a gun, but I can't quite put it into words.

So I was wrong about Makima simply being the Gun Devil. It seemed like the simplest explanation for a lot that was going on, but I wasn't too far off. I figured Makima had to be some kind of devil, and if she wasn't Gun then she must be some other devil just as fearsome. This series began with the notion that Makima was trying to save the world from the Gun Devil, but now things have reached the point where the world is hoping the Gun Devil will save them from Makima.

I'm... a bit irritated with this, actually. I was kind of digging what Makima was saying in the last few chapters, about Gun Devil already being defeated and his flesh scattered across the world. Apparently all of that was a lie, and Gun Devil was fine the whole time, because the President has his phone number. Everything keeps coming back to the Gun Devil, but what the fuck is the Gun Devil, then?

Well, here it is. As soon as the contract is made, this big boy rises up from the sea and starts moving towards Makima's position. The narration describes its movement, and lists all the people killed in Gun Devil's wake.

Here's a close-up shot of the guy so you can see all the horrified faces in its chest. It's a nice design, but this is kind of a letdown. Gun Devil has been set up as the main antagonist of the series, but now we finally get to Gun Devil and it's just another pawn in whatever game Makima is playing. It doesn't even get any lines.

As the Gun Devil approaches, it starts shooting at Makima. I think Aki and Angel might get killed here as well. Why is Aki missing both arms now? He had one arm before he came to this place.

Makima gets shot in the forehead, but we've seen this happen before when the Yakuza hitmen tried to kill her on the train. So what was the deal with that whole thing, then? Was it really set up by the Gun Devil after all, or was that just a ruse?

Suddenly we find out there's more people here with Makima besides Aki and Angel. We have Spider Devil, who was last seen in Hell, and I'm not sure she ever got out, but okay. We have the girl with the Snake Devil power from that Yakuza arc. I know she's dead because the Snake Devil ate her before she could be interrogated. And we have two of the Public Safety guys who got killed by the Immortal Bros. before they ever got the chance to actually do anything. Did none of these characters actually die? Or did Makima lug their corpses to this spot in preparation for the battle? Or is this just a representation of the power Makima took into her possession when she forced these people to make contracts with her?

Then this happens, and I'd love to tell you what this is, or why Makima needed those six characters to pull it off, but two of them were redshirted before they could even do anything in the story. This can't be some creative application of power that combines spiders, future vision, snakes, and whatever the Punishment Devil had going on. Hell, I don't think we even heard of the Punishment Devil until now.

Meanwhile, Denji is unaware of any of this, since he thinks the battle with the Gun Devil is supposed to be scheduled for later. Someone's at the door, and Denji thinks it's just Aki coming home, but then Makima calls him on the phone and warns him that it's the Gun Devil. She says they couldn't defeat him, and he took over the body of a dead human to escape, so now he's a Gun Fiend. And now the Gun Fiend is at Denji's door.

Oh, and the human the Gun Field took over is Aki. Oh. Okay.

So they have a big fight, with lots of violence and so on. Denji is unnerved that the Gun Fiend knows his name, and Power claims that the Gun Fiend has Aki's scent, so maybe this is more than a Devil inhabiting a dead body. Also, we keep seeing the battle from Aki/Gun Fiend's point of view and he sees it like he's a child having a snowball fight.

Denji gets hurt, and then a bunch of civilians surround him and start feeding him their blood to heal him. They know about him from the news, and they see him as their only hope of surviving the Gun Fiend's rampage.

And this motivates Denji to pull out all the stops and use lethal force to defeat the Gun Fiend before he can kill anyone else. Aki's dead, and the Future Devil looks on in amusement. Just as he foresaw, Aki died in the worst possible way... for Denji.

Wow, Aki just sucked the whole time, didn't he? Early on, I complained that he was less of a supporting character and more like a bystander who just experienced the plot without having much of an impact upon it. And now, at the end, we find him reduced to a warm body for Makima to use in her machinations. He was literally under her control from the beginning, and that doesn't surprise me a whole lot. I mean, you can't help but guess Makima has mind control powers, because she's got the whole spooky eye thing.

But at least the other characters had some agency. Aki seemed to have some, as he lightened up a bit over the course of the series, but this is where it all leads. He goes right back to being a pawn, helplessly ushered towards his fate.

Hell, the death he was promised wasn't even a great tragedy for himself. It was a horrible death for Denji. This all just feels really empty.

Well, at least Aki's out of the picture from here, so he can't drag things down any longer.

[moonlitlex]

ok hello. legend of ruby sunday.

i literally can't believe how underwhelmed i am honestly. like i'm not even angry i'm just underwhelmed. i've been pointing to rtd being bad at payoff as a reason i was unenthusiastic for this episode, but this is bad even by his standards.

as that other post i reblogged said, the other first parts of the season finales rtd wrote were actually good STANDALONE episodes while legend of ruby sunday is like a 45 minute long exposition dump. the actual solutions used are kind of questionable but something like army of ghosts or stolen earth is compelling on its own without needing the full season of setup to go with it. legend of ruby sunday underdelivers on its own.

like ok payoff wise i'm only gonna address the decision to use sutekh as the big bad. it's a questionable decision backed up with bad writing. like really... you're gonna pick sutekh.... guy who was in ONE classic who serial? in which he functions perfectly fine by the way! but like.... him?? he's your choice?

and what do we really know about him from this episode? that he's evil? he brings death? you can say that about half the doctor who villains that exist in the first place except the rest of them also come with opportunity for interesting commentary like the being engineered for hatred and killing with the daleks. sutekh doesn't really have any of that. so he's a shallow bad guy.

what he does have that's sort of unique at least in nuwho is that he's a god, and we haven't really done too many god-type antagonists, so that may be novel. unfortunately, rtd already shot himself in the foot by using both the toymaker and maestro recently. it's not novel anymore. it's not new and crazy anymore.

and like, usually the doctor showing real fear actually meant something, but he's been doing that really often recently. he was scared in wild blue yonder, then in the giggle, then in the beatles episode, then in boom, and now he's scared again. this doesn't really help sutekh's case because it seems like all the doctor does nowadays is walk into situations that freak him out.

and what i think this does is make sutekh a particularly bad season antagonist, because nothing makes him special.

do you guys remember how rtd introduced some other season antagonists? in army of ghosts or doomsday (dont remember which one), ten walks into the room and sees the void ship and for once, even the doctor is freaked out by something! he never gets freaked out by things! it actually meant something. when he realizes it's the master in utopia he's kind of terrified and it works because moments of the doctor being scared are reserved for situations that are actually scary. in legend of ruby sunday, he gets scared again, but we don't have that full season of him being unflappable, partly because he just has more occasions of getting freaked out by things than usual and partly because it's just a shorter season and we've only had him for 7 episodes (pre this one) so he's had less opportunities to be delighted at being in some type of crisis situation

and like character wise? does anyone get any character development?

the doctor is basically the same person he's been so far, with the added element of oh he thought this woman was susan. but she's not. so he doesn't really get anything.

ruby wanted to find her mother and was upset she couldn't. which was already her character ever since she was introduced. so she doesn't get anything either.

and the rest of the characters are just doing what they need to to make the story progress or standing around in the scene. and like i don't need mel or kate to be more fleshed out really because i think they're fine. but rose? she already had no character and she still has no character, and also now she works for unit.

and rose noble brings me to donna and ten3. where the fuck are they? like genuinely where are they? it needs to at least be addressed... like are we to understand fifteen is fighting sutekh while ten3 is doing the dishes at the noble household? or did he just wink out of existence at some point between the giggle and now? like there should be at least something about that? and i don't really care if that's going to be addressed later because it's been bugging me in both of the present day episodes we've had this season and fixing it later isn't really going to do anything to fix my initial viewing experience

anyway. this episode was ass. as usual. i can't believe some of you are liking this season i feel like we're watching entirely different shows

[ghosts-of-love]

havers and cap is a story we (the audience) aren't privy to and i think there's two ways people take that: either a) they acknowledge that something happened between havers and cap (which was confirmed/implied to be mutually romantic to a degree) but aren't on board because.. well.. we don't know about havers at all other than his service,

or b) they completely invent a havers to project onto - which is perfectly fine and with episode 5, there's more to make of havers, but it often falls into the realm of, well, a rather beige and boring character made to fill a spot rather than be his own person.

i feel like we're missing the little tidbits of havers that would make him and cap's relationship more solid in my mind - sure, he has a name, and an occupation, and a facial scar, but we don't know more. we don't know if he enjoyed runs like cap, or if they could've bonded over music, or if they both enjoyed discussing theories among themselves. there's a gap left and there's no real way of filling it unless there's a bit in the christmas special or book - which, well, neither guarantee him. i dunno

yeah i agree with this! i enjoy fleshing out characters by building on what we already have but with Havers we have...nothing really. I don't find him compelling because i don't know anything about him! I only get emotional because it's part of the captain's backstory, and because he so obviously loves him. There's a very brief mention of him playing cricket in Redding Weddy I think but there's nothing to say that he enjoyed it! I'd love to know more about how long they knew each other, what their growing friendship was like - just so I can know if Havers is the kind of man who is even good enough for the Captain!!

[alonelystargazer]

jjk for the fandom ask (hope i was first and also that you're doing well <33)

hi rin! I'm having a nice day today actually, and I hope you're having a nice day too! also yeah you're the first one!

The first character I first fell in love with: 

This might be a surprise to some people, but I actually was a Megumi fan when I first got into JJK 3 years ago. I always gravitate towards the dark-haired, moody, reserved guy in media lol, so of course I would end up liking Megumi. But then I met Nanami and he got bumped down. Sorry! I still like Megumi though, he's definitely a top 5 JJK character for me.

I'm putting the rest under a read more because this is really long.

The character I never expected to love as much as I do now: 

Hmm, I guess I would say Yuuta for this one. Not that I didn't think I wouldn't like him as a character, but he definitely jumped higher on my list after I read/watched JJK 0.

The character everyone else loves that I don’t: 

During season 1 I would've said Todo, because he seemed like one of those meathead frat boy type of guys, but he grew on me during Shibuya Incident as a source of inspiration for Yuuji, and in the more recent chapters of the manga.

But now, I would say Toji. Objectively speaking, he has a complicated history that seems interesting, and he's also attractive, but also he's a deadbeat dad who tried to sell his son to the Zen'in clan, and I can't really find any justification for that. Him sacrificing himself for Megumi in Shibuya is quite emotional, but I don't think it makes up for abandoning Megumi. Maybe it's just a personal issue for me lol.

The character I love that everyone else hates: 

I could joke and say Megumi for this one, but I'm gonna go with Mahito. He's a really compelling villain character and served as a foil to Yuuji in terms of philosophy regarding humanity. And him being the one to kill Nanami and Nobara, as his final acts as a cursed spirit, really impacted Yuuji and left a permanent mark on him.

The character I used to love but don’t any longer:

I wouldn't say I loved Mei Mei, but I liked her enough as an example of a morally-gray character, someone who only looks out for herself. But then Gege showed us where she disappeared to during the Shibuya Incident and THAT whole scene was really disturbing to me and from that moment on, I wanted to erase her from my memory. We really didn't need to see THAT to get the impression that she's greedy and has secrets and all that. It was enough of an example of her taking bribes from Gojo to have the students being promoted and all that.

The character I would totally smooch: 

Hehe, well, I think it's obvious I wanna smooch Nanami and Choso, but would it be weird if I also said Heian Sukuna? Also, Kashimo (old man or reincarnated is fine with me hehe). I would also say Shoko, but she's a smoker and I don't really like the smell of cigarette smoke, sorry. She has a gf anyway.

The character I’d want to be like: 

I really want to be like Nanami in the sense of being a mentor to the next generation, and also like Choso in being the best older sibling.

The character I’d slap: 

Fuck ass Mei Mei lol. If Mei Mei has no haters, then I am dead.

A pairing that I love:

ItaFushi my beloved! The angst, the devotion, it's just so peak tragic yaoi. I've already said what I like about them as a ship, so I won't write a long ass paragraph, but I still have some hope for them, unlike with SatoSugu. I also like Haibara/Nanami and Yuuta/Toge as my top 3 JJK ships.

A pairing that I despise: 

*looks at the long list of ships I dislike/hate* Uhh... well, besides the incest and adult/minor ships, I REALLY hate Nanami/Mei Mei, which is something I've seen on twt a few times and it made me wanna rip the flesh off my bones. They are the antithesis of each other, Nanami who's so selfless and kind-hearted and protects children vs MM who's so greedy and selfish and is a danger to her younger brother, not just because she's a weirdo but also because she uses him for his Cursed Technique. They would never work as a ship, and it really irks me how she's the one who gave Nanami the idea for "going south".

anyway, this was fun!

[edsheawrites]

Recommendation BL Manhwa

This is not donghua but a manhwa I happen to find. This manhwa still needs to be finished, and there is still much to be revealed. However, I felt compelled to write a review because I adore it.

The title is “Shining Summer”. So far, I enjoy this manhwa. I am not sure if the original tags said "psychological" or "body swap," but I prefer to think of it as psychological. There are numerous theories about this manhwa, but none of them have been proven.

Title: Shining Summer

Genre: Shounen ai, Drama, Slice of Life, Psychological (?)

Tags: Bodyswap (?), Manipulative Seme, Childhood Crush, Personality Change, High School, Accident/s

Current Chapters: 66

Rating: 10/10 (This is just my thing. Don’t mind the manipulative seme. You’d be his bitch. )

The story started when the MC and ML were 10 years old. They were involved in a bus accident on their way to the dojo where they had enrolled. Because the ML shielded MC, he only sustained minor injuries. Because of the accident, ML seemed to become a different person. He was saying that he does not know this boy who goes by the name Jihoon. He claims that Jihoon is not his name, that this is not his body, and that those are not his parents. MC was distraught and came out of the hospital room, crying. Is he telling the truth, or is it a truth he claimed by himself because of a head injury? Maybe it is more complicated than that...

You understand what I mean by "psychological" and "body swap." ML believed he swapped bodies with the original Jihoon, so when he grew up and reconnected with MC, they went looking for his original body.

I like the pacing of this story. The pacing is perfect for a story of this genre. Some people are upset about it, but I do not think there is anything wrong with the pacing taking so long to develop. This book requires a good build-up because there are many mysteries lurking. Not only to build up the plot but also to build up and flesh out their characters. The writer is doing great. This book keeps me going because I am curious about what is going to happen next.

Characters are also well-developed. They are not flat. Even the minor characters are well-developed. I particularly liked how the author shaped the ML into who he is. He is not entirely a good person; despite the book's many cute moments, he is not designed to be fluffy. That is fine because his character is tailor-made for him, given what he is been through. I just hope the best for him because he’s been through so much. Imagine if you were in his shoes. Most people would lose their minds.

I just hope the plot does not veer off course. And, if it does, I hope it swerves like a race car. I have high expectations for this manhwa. I wanted to savor it while also learning more about it and reading more of it.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Flesh and Fire Review Round-Up

I really like having reviews all together for series. That might just me me, but this went over decently well with the Bridgerton books, and frankly I thought the full Flesh and Fire series was VERY fun, so why not give you my whole journey with this quartet in one place? This is also Sera and Ash's journey, and they're objectively more interesting than I am, so think of this as their TLDR!

SPOILER WARNING. These reviews are spoilery AF. Proceed at your own risk, and don't come crying to me if you get spoiled after I've told you I'm spoiling things.

CONTENT WARNING. These books include some pretty heavy subject matter, and to talk about the books, I have to talk about the heavy topics too. So content warning for violence, sexual assault, mentions of suicide, violence, death, abortion, and physical, mental, and psychological abuse. This series does have a happy ending, but please take care of you. No book is worth your peace or mental health, so skip this if you need to. We'll be here if and when you're ready, and if you don't ever want to engage with these books/this post, we will happily see you in a space that you want to be and feel safe in.

A Shadow in the Ember

My middle sister and I have been sharing books since elementary school. Our tastes diverge a bit, and we definitely have favorite genres that the other pehaps does not roll with (literally, my PhD is in English lit and hers will be in bioinformatics, we are the Humanities-STEM divide writ large), but overall we can almost always find common ground in books. This sister is the reason I read The Hunger Games, so when she handed me this book, I dived on in...and now I have THOUGHTS. Let's talk A Shadow in the Ember.

Some light spoilers below the break. Nothing major, but take care if you haven't read the book yet!

When handing me this book, my sister basically said that she wasn't terribly invested in the leads, but the worldbuilding and subplot held her attention, and I have to agree with that assessment. Sera and Ash (or Nyktos, or Primal of Death...seriously, how did an editor not take one look at that and insist on the author picking ONE name???) are fairly generic YA protagonists. Sera has just enough character to not be Katniss or Bella Swan or [insert popular YA heroine here], but she's designed to be a canvas upon which a reader can project themself. Sometimes that's fine, and I want a blank slate I can find-and-replace myself onto. Other times...other times I would like an actual character to read about. Ash is very much the same; I imagine that a teenage reader could project themself onto him without too much trouble. The protagonists are definitely not the reason to read this book.

That said, some of the secondary characters--particularly Ezra and Nektas (seriously, where was the editor on this book? Nyktos and Nektas is just begging readers to get confused)--are intriguing and compelling and very fun to read about.

The worldbuilding and the (somehow this is a) subplot about the primals and who switched powersets with whom was incredibly interesting, and I was very much there for it. The concern about what the heck to do about the literal land dying and a prophecy/bargain with a primal that may or may not be real was intriguing. That said, it was worldbuilding and subplot rather than main plot, so it's not as fleshed out as I would have liked.

Overall, I agree with my sister on this one: I was weirdly invested in the background and worldbuilding, but the protagonists could have been any generic SFF protagonists, and while that didn't make the book less enjoyable to read, I definitely wanted the protagonists to be more than blank slates to project on.

A Light in the Flame

Ok, so two things are simultaneously true: First, if the sex in a book grinds the plot of a book to a screeching halt for like five consecutive chapters, that's just bad writing. Pacing is a THING, and the middle of this book didn't have it. Second, I am too invested in Sera and Ash's story to stop at this point, especially with the flippin' cliffhanger of this book. So let's talk A Light in the Flame.

Abandon all expectations of this being a spoiler-free review, ye who enter here. There will be spoilers.

Also some discussions of consent and assault.

Ok. Seraphena and Ash are AWFUL at communication, and I feel like if we improved that just a skoosh and cut some of the unnecessary sex scenes to tighten up the pacing, this book would have been excellent. Unfortunately, it's kind of caught somewhere between erotica and romantasy and doesn't balance those influences well in the pacing. Plus, we had all of book 1 to establish that Ash and Sera aren't good communicators, so when we got to the "oopsie poopsie, walked in on Ash and the mean girls primal appearing to be boning" misunderstanding, I was just like...have we seriously not moved past this?

And while we're here: I will acknowledge that men being assaulted by women happens, and it doesn't get the weight and representation in fiction it probably should. I also appreciate that this book handles it like the trauma and totally nonconsensual thing it is...but just because it's a guy doesn't mean I like reading about it. Because the book explicitly pulls feeding and sex apart as things that can but by no means have to go together, it pulls the metaphor away from sexual assault a bit. It's a weird one though because how much of Ash and Sera's relationship is sex, and how much the worldbuilding doesn't support reading this as not a sexual assault. It's a bit tangled and strange, but I can't even necissarily say it was badly handled, because unlike the majority of fictional instances where this happens to male characters, it's not written off as a joke. I just think the worldbuilding and intent are a little contradictory here. Like...yeah, sure, Ash and mean girls primal didn't ever actually have sex, but I literally struggle to the point of being totally unable to read this mini character arc as anything other than a sexual assault allegory. And I do not understand the mental gymnastics Sera does to try to pull apart forced feeding from sexual assault, because she did try that, but I was not following.

Moving beyond the pacing issues and issues with conflicting intent and worldbuilding, Ash and Sera's relationship was compelling. I appreciate the shift we see in Sera as she learns to value her own life--and the stab-twist as she is then condemned to die anyway, probably at Ash's hand was amazing (I am low-key an angst hound)--and in Ash as he begins to untangle all the conflicting control and wildly out of control aspects of his life. The character growth and dynamics there were always fun and believable and I was super invested in Ash and Sera's relationship with each other and their relationships with other characters.

Sera's relationships with the castlefolk--and Nektas and Reaver in particular--are darling and really lovely to read about. I also liked that we finally got to see her relationships with other primals, and her relationship with Kolis--such as it is.

Real quick before we wrap up, I just want to reiterate/clarify the point I rather haphazardly made in the intro. I don't have anything against sex scenes in books in principle. Go ham, authors, and readers can enjoy if they so choose. No judgement on their existence or the enjoyment of said scenes by readers or writers. What I object to is when sex in books that aren't explicitly meant to be erotica actually impedes the plot. And I think this book, especially the middle sections, had sex scenes impede the forward motion of the plot. We could have either cut back on the number of sex scenes or tied the plot into the sex scenes more closely so the plot kept moving even as Sera and Ash were smushing bits. So the mixed genres here was a bit of a detriment rather than a strength for this specific reason.

Just in general, the character work and worldbuilding in this book were excellent. The nice little parallel at the end where both Ash and Kolis want the embers out of Sera, but Ash refuses to kill Sera and Kolis refuses to kill Sotoria and if neither one sucks it up and kills her, her impending Ascension almost certainly will was also *chef's kiss*. I cannot wait to see how Sera wriggles out of THAT one, and the angst quotient is through the roof and I am HERE for it.

A Fire in the Flesh

One of these days, I swear I'm actually not going to do a thing I say I'm not doing. But today is not that day. This review isn't going to be as in-depth as usual, mostly because I just honestly don't have that much to say about it, and what I do have to say is...less complimentary than I shoot for on this blog. So all that said, I guess we're talking A Fire in the Flesh.

CONTENT WARNING: Some brief discussion of sexual assault. Always take care of you first; this book is not worth triggering or retraumatizing yourself over and we will happily see you next time if you need or want to bow out from here.

My biggest critique of this book is that it is generously half a book stretched to 600-odd pages. Like, you could have easily condensed the timeline, nixed about a third of the overall angst, and made this a really strong half of another book. The endless dragging out of Kolis releasing Ash and the agonizingly slow negotiations between Sera and Kolis could have paced faster without losing the stakes or the weight. Honestly, losing some of the dragginess might have ADDED to the weight, because honestly this book hit a point for me where you can only sit in a cage agonizing over whats-ifs and wherefores for so long before I am screeching at the book to *move the fuck on already*. There was too much of this book. Take some back, please.

Now before I jump into the conversation this book clumsily tried to have about sex and consent, I want to make one thing crystal clear:

Consent is important. Talking about consent is important. People knowing that they can choose to revoke consent literally at any time is important. Knowing what isn't consent is also important. This is an important topic and it deserves page time.

That said, maybe the king of "my dick wasn't actually inside you so it doesn't count" and gaslighting's court is not like...the best place to have that conversation. Especially with the mean girl primal (yes, she has a name, I don't care) actively going "I got off so its not rape" and making Sera question her own feelings about Kolis's assault on her. Gaslight is probably not the vibe you want in a romance book.

And yeah, the book tries to have nuanced conversations about this, but I didn't find them particularly well handled. The pacing and bloat of the book might have had something to do with that, because honestly I got tired of the repetitive nature of all of this. Again, brevity and speed might have strengthened an otherwise weak attempt at dealing with the absolutely fucky relationship North America has with sexual assault and its propensity to minimize, victim blame, and gaslight. And again, THIS TOPIC IS IMPORTANT. This book just wasn't well structured and paced enough to pull off the conversation it wanted to have, and then it also threw in the scene where Sera breaks a glass dildo in half and murders a guy with it. That is FARCICAL. Pick a tone and stick with it when you're trying to have a weighty conversation.

I will say that the ascension bits at the end and Ash full-on going "if you die, I'm dragging the world to hell after you" was entertaining, in a twisted kind of way. I did also think that it was an extension of the last two books' "Ash and Sera can't communicate if their lives depend on it" problem, but I'm starting to think this series is treating that like a feature rather than a bug, so... *shrug*.

That's more or less my take on this book. It was too long, it was too slow, and it could easily have been the first ten chapters of a stronger book. I wish I could say it was at least a dumb fun read, but the pacing just absolutely killed the reading experience for me.

Born of Blood and Ash

The book gods SMILED on me with this one, y'all. The book officially came out August 13, 2024, but it showed up a few days early to arrive on my doorstep the morning of my birthday. It was a TREAT <3

I was a little on the fence at the end of A Fire in the Flesh, because it was a lot of STUFF and I felt like the necessary aftermath was...just straight up not present. Well I should have more faith in authors, because this book handled the aftermath BRILLIANTLY, Ash and Sera finally figure out communication, and they get to kick unreal amounts of ass as they also figure out working through trauma. I absolutely adored this book! Small caveat: I have not read the Blood and Ash series. I have no idea what happens in those books, so it could not and did not color my read of the Flesh and Fire series, so if you HAVE read the Blood and Ash books, your experience may differ from mine and your mileage may vary.

This is your SPOILER WARNING and you CONTENT WARNING. I'm gonna spoil the crap out of this book. Please also be aware that this is going to require discussions of trauma, sexual assault, recovery from sexual assault, abortion, and a whole lot of murder. Take care of you and give this one a pass if you need to. We'll be here if and when you're ready.

So just to cover all my bases, and to start with a trend I REALLY hope we keep seeing in books, I'm going to share JLA's content warning from the front of Born of Blood and Ash here:

I love that authors are giving readers more autonomy to make informed choices about the books they engage with, and honestly given the hard conversations in this book? Well done JLA for including it. Because she's not exaggerating here; Sera was assaulted in multiple ways by Kolis in the last book, and this book is where that trauma comes home to roost.

Sera's reaction to her trauma resonated for me, because she spends a HUGE chunk of this book literally telling everyone "it was nothing," "I'm fine," "he didn't rape me [because there wasn't penetration]" (and just to be clear: He did. She gets there, but it takes time to process), and "other people experienced way worse than I did." We're not even ENTERTAINING the idea that she might have had a point, because the book absolutely does not and she DOESN'T have a point. Her experience was awful and it was real and her reactions and trauma are valid. That doesn't mean she sees it that way right away though, and I also appreciated that we got a reveal that Sera had been hiding the memory of what truly happened from even herself in this book. It can take time to acknowledge even to yourself what happened, and I honestly appreciated the time and space Sera got in this book to work through acknowledging the trauma in her own time.

So often the world wants you to just get better immediately, and that's not how brains work. That Sera was given the time, space, and support she was throughout the book was honestly lovely to see--especially since we had people like Kyn, Veses, and Kolis actively trying to twist and weaponize a narrative to try to shame, isolate, and embarrass her. But Ash was having none of that, and nor were Attes, Rhaine, or Aios. They also were very clear that they didn't need to know anything that Sera didn't want to share, and that is another really important piece for handling trauma. Nobody was judging, nobody needed Sera to be "the perfect victim" to support her. They simply validated her and offered whatever support she wanted or needed. That support and understanding was truly lovely to see, and there were moments I was full-on over here crying because of the support and grace extended to Sera as she found her own strength and her own ability to process and move forward.

And despite the fact that Sera does begin to process and move forward, there is no "have one good cry and one good conversation and suddenly everything is 100% better" nonsense. At the end of the book, Sera is in a SIGNIFICANTLY better space, and she is living with her trauma and experiences, but they're not gone. They've simply shifted, to be a part of her that she acknowledges and handles and has good and bad days with. I personally find that way more comforting and hopeful that magical disappearing trauma in books.

I could go on for a LONG time about how much I appreciated how this book handled Sera's management of her trauma, but at some point it's going to devolve into "OMG THIS WAS DONE SO SO WELL" over and over. The last little piece I'm going to say about it for the moment is that while some people might find the beginning of the book repetitive as Sera has very similar conversations about her trauma with people over and over, I would counter that with the fact that honestly? That felt deeply realistic to me. You have to bleed off the poison of just mentioning the cause of the trauma, and sometimes you need to visit and revisit that, and that is ok. Sera was allowed and given space to do that, and the world would be better if that was the case IRL too.

Now, just because we have to deal with the trauma Kolis dealt out in the previous book doesn't mean he's sitting on the beach with a book. No, Kolis is over here still trying to be the Primal of Blood and Ash and to get Sotoria back and basically wreak havoc and vengeance on everything and everyone. So not only are Sera and Ash working through the aftermath of the previous book, but Sera has to figure out her new set of Primal skills, face down Kolis and the Arae, and she has to deal with her own perceived monstrosity. That last one gets really bad when Kolis murders her entire human family, and in rage and grief Sera kills a LOT of people. Then brings some of them back to life, while forgetting that that will kill OTHER other people. Sera is super not ok after this, and spirals into "Oh my gods, I'm just as bad as Kolis" and we spend a really nice amount of time with Ash and Attes and Aios talking to Sera and helping her work through what monstrosity is and when a little monstrosity might be a virtue rather than a vice.

Again, this conversation isn't simple, it doesn't simply absolve Sera of her actions, and it doesn't even go "Oh no, sweetie, it's ok! You're not a monster!" because that would be a lie. Monstrosity exists, it is part of the reality of who Sera is and what she's become. But there is a really lovely acceptance of that, and a negotiation of how you live with monstrosity and where the hard lines are. I really appreciate the acknowledgement of that reality and the negotiation of it. There was something almost Eliot Spencer from Leverage about it, because it was coming to an equilibrium about who and what you are and how to leverage that for the most good you can do.

(Ok, I swore I wasn't going to take any cheap shots at Rhysand in this conversation, but I cannot help myself, because if ANYONE needs a come to Jesus about their own monstrosity and when it stops being ok, it's the lead bat boy!!! I said to someone when I was reading this book that JLA is the anti-SJM in some really key ways, and I stand by that...especially when it comes to the pregnancy thing.)

We're just going to take that parenthetical segue, because it's there and I am so excited to talk about the OTHER really good (if brief) conversation this book has: the pregnant person's choice when it comes to deciding whether to keep or abort a pregnancy. I did a whole little post about this while I was still reading because it was done SO WELL, and I'm just going to let Aios speak for herself about this one, because here is what she says to Sera:

Aios nodded. "Okay." She cleared her throat, her eyes glistening. "There doesn't need to be a choice [about whether to go into battle pregnant] at all." My breath snagged, and I recoiled. "I'm the Primal of Life, Aios." "You are Seraphena first." The eather intensified behind her pupils. "A woman who has fought for her autonomy. This is your body." My fingers dug into my knees. "You're a goddess of fertility, so hearing you speak of terminating a pregnancy to the Primal of Life is...kind of odd." "What I am allows me to fully understand the complex nature of these things." She reached between us, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. "Sometimes, the time is simply not right. It happens. And if anyone faults you for that, that is on them. Not you. They do not live your life. It is their problem. Not yours."

THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ABORTION. You speak directly to the pregnant person and give them all the information about their body. You remember that it is THEIR body. You don't judge. You offer space and compassion. This was such a kind, compassionate, and realistic conversation and I was almost in tears again about how well this was done.

(And again, to take a wee bit of a cheap shot at ACOTAR...JLA had the dang conversation here. SJM was just like, "C-sections aren't a thing, so I guess Feyre's going to just die. Abortion? That doesn't exist. Time for Rhys's man pain to take precedence over Feyre's choices about her own damn body!)

Sera decides to keep her babies, but the fact is? She had a choice. She would have been supported and loved whatever choice she made. There is a power to that kind of love, support, and acceptance that--once again--we could use more of IRL.

Those are kind of the big three conversations and themes that the book focuses on, but it's not all heavy and conversation-driven. The sex scenes are fewer in this book that previous ones, but they're well done and they don't bog down the dang plot, which I appreciate. Additionally, we get some purely DELIGHTFUL Ash and Sera being BAMF and going full primal. There are also some delightfully sweet scenes with Reaver and Jadis, plus some peak comedy with Sera trying to stop everyone and their mother from bowing to her.

And the best thing? Ash and Sera have cracked the communication code and they actually have FREAKING NAILED IT. That is character growth, and that is setup and payoff. I adored it.

Overall, while the middle two books of the series were a little hit and miss for me, the quartet as a whole was fantastic. I'm so happy my sister pestered me until I let her put the first book in my hand, and we've had such fun reading them. I cannot recommend these enough, and I absolutely adore Ash and Sera's dynamics.

[mournivaldisco]

Sang and Lion trying on some pretty dresses (or just general clothes) from each others culture? Feel free to throw in Rob if you feel like it!

The Lion looked sideways at Sanguinius. The garb he had tried on so far had been eclectic, to his eyes. None moreso than this - a flowing scarlet piece - gown, his mind supplied - encrusted with tiny rubies which winked in the firelight. The sheer fabric clung to his shape in a strangely compelling manner. The neckline plunged almost to his navel, revealing alabaster muscled flesh, with the shape mirrored at his back to make room for the hilt of his wings.

Sanguinius caught his eye. "You don't like it?"

"It is very fine," the Lion admitted. "But... more like something a lady of Caliban might wear."

The Angel gave a slow, slightly impish grin. "I see. Well, Baal makes fewer such distinctions. Light fabric is much the same in the heat, after all."

"I haven't seen you dress like this before."

"I suppose not." Sanguinius sighed, watching himself in the mirror. "Armour gets a little boring, don't you think?"

The Lion raised an eyebrow. "Going to battle in such get-up would be challenging."

He was met with a laugh. Sanguinius began a slow twirl, wings rising, the train of his gown flowing about his feet. One hand extended to the Lion, palm up in invitation.

He took it without thinking. Pale fingers closed about his own.

"You think a blade would find its mark on me?"

"No," the Lion said, voice low. "I do not think that."

"Hmm." Sanguinius' eyes on his were warm. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but they seemed increasingly suffused with a green hue. He released the Lion's hand, turning back to his closet. "I think I have something..."

When he emerged, the Lion blinked. Sanguinius was holding out a gown, less daringly cut than his own but no less beautiful. Shades of forest green faded into one another. It evoked memories of home. Dark undergrowth, sunlight dappling rich leaves, to the vibrant colours of new growth.

"I cannot wear that," he said hesitantly. "I am no maiden."

Sanguinius' lip quirked slightly. "Nor am I."

His cheeks warmed a little. He tried to halt his curiosity that the Angel meant something else entirely.

"There is nobody else here," Sanguinius continued softly, indicating the empty chamber.

The Lion pressed his lips together. His heart rate was slightly elevated. He tried to parse his emotions - anxious? Apprehensive? About clothing? Surely not.

Underneath that, was there... intrigue?

He reached out, and took the garment.

"Turn around," he said. His voice sounded gruff to his ears. Sanguinius did as he was bid, feathers rustling.

A few minutes later and he was smoothing the silken layers over his torso, studiously avoiding the mirror. He cleared his throat.

Sanguinius turned. He paused, eyes widening. His mouth opened.

"What?" The Lion fidgeted. The Angel's eyes were definitely green, he observed.

Sanguinius breathed in slowly. He looked at him with open admiration.

"Beautiful."

He blushed.

[alister312]

Gregory and Christophe Builds for D&D 5e

If you didn’t know, one of my great loves besides Gregstophe is D&D 5e. I’ve been playing for about five years and DMing for about four. I think it’s super fun to create characters, even when I know I’ll never play them. There’s just so many interesting paths to take! More recently, though, I’ve been interested in the art of adapting existing characters into the D&D universe. It’s a fun challenge, as it requires not only an intimate knowledge of D&D, but also the characters you’re adapting.

As someone who wrote two entire meta posts on everything we canonically know about Gregory and Christophe, I’d say that definitely applies to me.

Today, for day 7 of Gregstophe Week 2023, I’m going to put together D&D 5e character builds for Gregory and Christophe. These are intended to not only be instructions for how to play them in a oneshot or campaign, but also a further exploration of their characters based on what canon tells us they could be.

To preface, I will not be going too much into depth about the rules or lore of D&D 5e. I will maybe explain a little if I feel it’s necessary, but I will usually assume that the reader knows what I’m talking about. When discussing ability scores, I’ll be using standard array but should you use these builds, rolled stats work perfectly fine. In terms of classes, subclasses, feats, and backgrounds, I’ll only be going off whatever I can find on the DnD 5e Wikidot. Any homebrew/UA not on there won’t be considered. These builds will be considered all the way through to player level 20, but ability scores/stats will only be discussed at first level. While I think taking feats is more fun and helps further flesh out a character, I leave it ultimately up to the player whether or not they’d like to take feats or ability score increases when the time arises.

With that out of the way, let’s start with Gregory!

GREGORY’S STATS

At the end of my Gregory meta, I came to the conclusion that Gregory is a highly intelligent character, well-versed in politics and adept at strategy, so it makes sense for Intelligence to be his highest stat (15).

Despite the fact that he can’t always relate to others his age, Gregory has strong morals and always tries his best to stand up for others. This seems to earn him respect, or at least convince everyone to sing along with him and follow his plan, so let’s put 14 into Charisma.

For the 13, let’s put that in Dexterity because, true to canon, I want him wielding a rapier so having decent DEX will come in handy. Plus, he’s provenly adept at ice skating— a rather dexterous activity. 

I think the 12 should go into Wisdom. I considered making this the 10, as he doesn’t always have the ability to read the room in terms of other’s emotions. However, his mission planning as a revolutionary shows that Gregory can read certain situations very well. 

There’s nothing particularly compelling about his Constitution so keep that average– 10.

This unfortunately leaves Strength as his dump stat (8), but it’s better than having that be CON. Plus, we never see him performing any particular feats of strength, so I can’t find any justifiable reason to make it higher.

ANCESTRY/RACE:

We’re trying to make this build as close to canon as possible. Therefore, Gregory must be a Human. To keep things fun and interesting, however, we’re going to make him a Variant Human. The two ability scores I want to increase are DEX (bumping it to a 14) and CHA (bumping it to a 15). For the feat, I think it makes the most sense to take Diplomat. This will bring up CHA yet again (making it ultimately a 16), as well as give him proficiency in Persuasion. It also gives him the ability to attempt to charm any non-hostile creatures/people. This ability sounds like something he’d utilize often in his soapbox speeches and rallies. Plus, when Gregory stands up on Wendy’s behalf against Garrison, I’d call that him being a diplomat.

BACKGROUND:

Backgrounds in D&D never really have that much influence, in my opinion, outside of the skills they give you. Still, I think it’d be cheating to choose a background that didn’t fit Gregory just because it has cooler skills. Since Gregory demonstrates often how highly he values his education and we know he’s a good student (having a 4.0 from Yardale), I debated between either Sage or Cloistered Scholar for him. Both are solid choices, as they both give History as a skill and proficiency in two languages of your choice. Ultimately I say go with Sage, because I’d recommend Arcana from among the Cloistered Scholar skill options anyway. For languages, if French was an option I’d say that, but it’s sadly not. Instead I say go with Dwarvish– its alphabet is similar to many other languages and Gregory seems the type to do something like learn Latin first so he can learn all the romance languages faster. Second language take Celestial as a nod to Gregory’s Christian-based ideology.

With Gregory’s stats, race/ancestry, and background solidified, it’s time to move on to class and subclass! This is probably the most fun part of making a character build, especially those that don’t normally fight. So, what drives Gregory then? At his core, he is a revolutionary and a public speaker. This led me to go with a very classic multiclass build for him: bardladin.

For Gregory’s first three character levels, he’ll be taking paladin. Throughout the movie, he seems to be constantly talking about his ideals— the need for equality, for freedom of speech, for others to be brave and selfless like he sees himself to be. This all seems like the attitude of someone who adheres to and lives by an oath. Additionally, paladins are often associated with connection to divinity and Gregory clearly believes that revolutionary work is a divine mission.

The first choice for a paladin are skill proficiencies. As Gregory already has Persuasion from his Diplomat feat, I think the best two to take from the other paladin options are:

Athletics

Religion

Again, Gregory places a lot of value in God so it tracks that he’d know Religion. As for Athletics, I know his dump stat is STR but he does alright in running around an active battlefield so he’s probably got some hint of athleticism.

For his Fighting Style, continuing on the idea of divinity, I think Gregory should take Blessed Warrior. As he is one of the “children” who is fighting “with all [his] bravery”, this makes Gregory (by his own standards) blessed. The two cantrips that I think make the most sense to take are Resistance (in reference to “La Resistance”) and Word of Radiance (for Gregory’s soapbox tendencies). Speaking of spells, since canon Gregory doesn’t cast any actual magic I don’t think his spell selection (for either paladin or bard) is something to stress too hard about. Take any that you feel fit him best.

Now onto subclass, or Sacred Oath as it’s called for paladins. Since this Gregory build is only taking three levels in paladin, he’ll only just barely get to choose a Sacred Oath. So, rather than basing it on the things you get, I based it on the tenets given. I originally thought Oath of Heroism would be the best fit for Gregory, and while I still think it’s a decent fit, the classic Oath of Devotion works much better.

These are the tenets of Oath of Devotion:

All of these seem to be ideas that Gregory adheres to. While his political soapbox speeches might come off as a bit holier than thou, it’s clear he’s trying to educate others out of compassion and want for them to know their rights. He admires Stan and the others for their bravery in volunteering to go on the rescue mission, as well as laments when he sees he was wrong in trusting them. He considers himself very capable and virtuous, at least more so than most of the others, which is why he initially volunteered himself, rather than put anyone in harm’s way. If this is what makes an Oath of Devotion paladin, then Gregory is absolutely that.

With the first three levels out of the way, we can now start multiclassing into bard. There’s not many options to choose between (other than spells, but I don’t want to think too hard about multiclassing with a halfcaster) until level 3 of bard, when you can choose your college. There’s a few colleges that could work for Gregory, but the most fitting is probably College of Eloquence.

Much of Gregory’s time in the movie is spent trying to convince the other kids to help understand the need to fight for freedom with him. Both on the playground and during the La Resistance meeting, he is up on a soapbox preaching to them. College of Eloquence bards are all about trying to sway others to their side, much like Gregory, whether by Deception or Persuasion. Since he’ll be going up to level 17 of bard, he’ll get all features of the College of Eloquence. I’m not so sure if the subclass features Silver Tongue and Unsettling Words are quite his vibe, but I think the idea of buffing his Inspiration (in both Unfailing Inspiration and Infectious Inspiration) does fit very well. Gregory isn’t really able to convince the other kids on the playground, but once he sings through La Resistance, they all seem rather inspired and convinced. I also really like the idea of Universal Speech for Gregory, who I headcanon as a polyglot.

Again, I don’t want to dictate exactly what spells you take for Gregory, neither for general bard magic nor for Magical Secrets. However, I will say that if you don’t take extra bardic spells for Magical Secrets, you should take either warlock spells (as they are also CHA-based) or wizard spells (as they are INT-based, Gregory’s second highest stat).

Now that we have Gregory all figured out, it’s time to move on to his other half: Christophe.

CHRISTOPHE’S STATS

We’ll put the highest stats (15 and 14) into Strength and Dexterity respectively. Some of the most notable things about Christophe are his mercenary work and digging prowess, both of which require a lot of athleticism and precision.

Jumping off of his mercenary work, Christophe seems to have a lot of innate knowledge and street smarts when it comes to it. He’s quick on his feet in assessing and rectifying a situation, but I think this comes less from him being clever and more from him being experienced. Therefore, we should put 13 in Wisdom.

Going back to his digging skills, he’s able to dig incredibly fast and multiple times within only a few minutes, so he must have very good stamina. It only makes sense that he’d have a relatively good Constitution then, so put the 12 in there.

Completely opposite to Gregory, I think Charisma should be Christophe’s dump stat (8). He’s a very abrasive person, grabbing and fighting with Stan always out of nowhere, adding inappropriate comments to conversations (i.e. talking about how his mother failed to abort him after Kyle wishes him good luck). He doesn’t care about being liked, so he doesn’t make himself very likable.

That leaves the average 10 for Intelligence, which seems fair. While Christophe doesn’t seem stupid, he doesn’t seem especially book-smart either.

ANCESTRY/RACE:

Similarly to Gregory, we’re trying to go as close to canon as possible with Christophe so he will also be a Human, specifically a Variant Human. I could also see regular Human working for Christophe, but I like that Variant Human lets you start with a feat. The two ability scores we’re bumping for Christophe are STR (bringing it to 16) and WIS (bringing it to 14). For the feat, we’re going to take Tavern Brawler. This will give him a +1 to STR or CON (I say choose CON, making it a 13), as well as make him proficient in improvised weapons. Since shovels aren’t official weapons per D&D rules, this will allow you to let him wield a shovel as a weapon anyway.

BACKGROUND:

For his background, I considered Mercenary Veteran for Christophe since he is a mercenary but I think the skills you get from Soldier (Athletics and Intimidation) work better and you can flavor Soldier to be mercenary-like. You get an extra skill as Variant Human, but I feel most every skill I want Christophe to have, he’ll get from his background and class. Since you must choose, however, I decided on Sleight of Hand, mostly based on his ability to subtly cut the barbed wires and his attempt at lockpicking Terrance and Phillip’s restraints.

I went back and forth for a long time on what class best fit Christophe. On the surface, something simple and straightforward like a fighter or a barbarian seems to make the most sense, but that seemed too simple for him, especially because I don’t think he’d multiclass. He knows what he is and what he wants and he goes for it. I briefly considered rogue for him, to fit with the sneaking around he does, but I think there’s grit to Christophe that rogue doesn’t delve into enough for me. In the end, I realized what the fit best for Christophe was: ranger.

Rangers are typically associated with things like archery or animal companions in D&D, but really at their core they are about wilderness tracking and hunting. Christophe’s intense focus on the rescue mission to me fits the vibe of a ranger.

I hinted earlier at Christophe’s class giving him the skill proficiencies he needed. From among the choices, go with:

Perception

Stealth

Survival

These are all on full display through the whole rescue mission. Christophe is leading the boys through stealthing into the USO show, knowing exactly where and when to go to avoid searchlights and guards. Not only does that require good Stealth, but also the ability to quickly assess a location and situation quickly (aka good Perception). He does that too when he makes accurate observations about Terrance and Phillip’s situation (despite using the ViewFinder). These abilities, combined with his penchant for dirt (and, presumably, nature in general) makes Survival the last most obvious choice of skill proficiency for Christophe.

A particularly unique thing about rangers is that they have both the Classic Ranger from the Player’s Handbook and Revised Ranger from UA. Personally I think Revised Ranger is better play-wise and less specific to fantasy campaigns so it’s better for Christophe. Therefore, take Favored Foe and Deft Explorer. For the doubled skill proficiency, I think Intimidation works best since Christophe’s dump stat is CHA and yet he’s a very intimidating presence, roughing up Stan and putting him and Kyle at unease. Language doesn’t matter too much with Christophe, I feel, so anything works there.

Next choice is Fighting Style. The literal name of Tunnel Fighting sounds like it would be best for Christophe, but the wording of Blind Fighting fits better for if he’s fighting in his tunnels.

This would give him a bit of darkvision, and considering tunneling seems to be his main method to sneaking around (breaking into the USO show, getting on stage with Terrance and Phillip), I imagine he can see in the darkness at least a little and is highly aware of his surroundings in close quarters. Again for spells you can choose what you want, especially because I don’t think Christophe would really use spells (save for maybe the classic Hunter’s Mark). I think he’d equate magic with God (especially since so many magic users do get their magic from a higher being) and be very much against using it.

The last thing to figure out is Christophe’s subclass, or as they’re called for rangers, his Conclave. Again, keeping with Christophe’s tendency towards intense focus and dedication to whatever he sets his mind on, I think he’d simply be a part of the Hunter Conclave.

The Hunter Conclave is full of more choices, so let’s try to be quick in each summary.

For Hunter’s Prey, I think Colossus Slayer works best. So much of Christophe’s personality hints towards fierce determination, especially his shared sentiment with Gregory of the necessity of sacrifice, so the idea of his “tenacity [wearing] down the most potent foes” makes the most sense to me.

Next for Defensive Tactics, the one most in line with Christophe is Steel Will. With the exception of guard dogs and his mother, nothing seems to scare Christophe. He gets frustrated with others’ incompetence, but otherwise he keeps a level head throughout the rescue mission, despite the extremely high stakes. He isn’t even scared of dying and meeting who he views as the ultimate enemy.

For the Multiattack, take Whirlwind as Christophe uses a shovel and not a ranged weapon, so the other option wouldn’t make any sense.

Lastly for Superior Hunter’s Defense, I say take either Evasion or Uncanny Dodge. Both of these are actually from the rogue class, which I mentioned earlier that I had considered for Christophe, so I think either could fit him rather well! Christophe’s unconventional spying methods like tunneling to sneak around and his constant fights with Stan make him out to be a kind of scrappy individual. Even though he didn’t outrun the guard dogs, I think he is normally quick on his feet in getting himself out of bad situations, which both of these Superior Hunter’s Defense options imply.

Now you are equipped with everything you need to play as Gregory and/or Christophe in a D&D 5e campaign, from level one all the way to level twenty. You could even stick them in your own campaign as NPCs if you’d like! If you have any suggestions for aspects that would fit them better (background, class, subclass, etc) feel free to message me at any time. Hell, feel free to message me at any time generally about the two of them and/or D&D! I hope despite this being late and very long, it was a fun read and you have a better grasp on the two of them as characters.

[liminal-zone]

[HEAVY BREATHING]

Unhinged fic snippet as requested. Saurondriel with a guest. TW for discomforting sex and violence, consent very much questionable. Just an idea I’ve been playing with for my future dyad ring fic. I may go another direction though. ANYWAY. UNHINGED.

“Come, my queen,” the dark lord says with his hand outstretched. “Our guest won’t mind.”

She recognizes the lie for she understands the horror of his intention, but she takes his hand all the same. The dyad rings bind their spirits together, yes, but her lord makes sure to bind their flesh as well.

And she cannot live without his smile and to see her light reflected in the black of his eyes.

When he’s sated his lust in her, when her lungs are sore and her throat is hoarse and her immortal blood is on the floor and her skin is sticky and her sex is numb, he holds her body close to him and whispers into the shell of her sensitive ear. “If you love me, Galadriel,” he says and she immediately nods without thought for she loves him beyond reason, “you will kill him.”

With uncommon gentleness, he turns her head to their guest, tied to a chair and quieted by a spelled rag in his mouth.

There’s a dagger in her hands and she clutches the hilt tight. An orc blade, poisoned by the unseen world. She rises, her body shaking still from their wretched and wanton acts, and approaches their guest. Doesn’t let him speak a word, and immediately lances his heart. Blood blossoms from the spot, a deep red staining that fine feathery shirt.

Her lord willed it, and it is done.

But she is compelled to move, take a step closer and raise her hand to the elven lord’s face. Touch his cheek and look into his eyes. Wonder at how his expression is no longer anguished–

She blinks three times and finds herself on a beach, sand at her knees and the roar of an ocean near her. She is much younger and she is holding a young man in her arms who is slowly drinking from a bottle she gave him.

“Forgive this intrusion in your mind, my dearest friend,” he is saying. “But I have little time.”

She blinks and he is older now and standing above her. “I cannot convince you with words.”

There’s a small vial in his hands and he offers it to her. “Our most beloved star,” he says. “May it be a light to you now, as all other lights have gone out.”

She blinks and sees another life. Thousands of years of friendship with this elven lord, the joys of a loving daughter wed to him, the noble grandchildren that come to bring her laughter and strength. The way her family is knit together in the war against their craven enemy and holds fast, even against temptation and sorrow. The love that lingers until the breaking of the world. A power beyond any ring.

“Namárië,” she hears Elrond say to her and when her eyes open, their guest is dead. And when her eyes open, the orc blade is gone from her hands and in its place, the light of Eärendil.

She thinks: he wanted this death to be a sign of my fealty She thinks: he wanted this death to mean something

A strange manipulation; her dark lord and her murdered guest. Galadriel hears the whisper of the ring at her finger for the first time. It is her own voice saying, at last, no.

Something in her breaks into shards, and something new is forged in the flame of her grief.

“Get on your knees,” she says, her voice soft and even toned.

The dark lord laughs, confused.

Galadriel is at her full height now, and even in her state with her blood and his seed on her naked flesh, she is imperial in her stance and expression. The daughter of the golden house reborn anew, and now more terrible than the dawn.

“Get on your knees, slave, or I will drag you to the ground.” Her words reinforced by the power of the ring at her finger, and echoed in the ring on his.

His face is briefly a snarl of disgust and horror, before she reaches for him, her hand not outstretched in partnership, but a palm to press against his throat and nails to dig into this skin. His face falls and his smile is gone. (She will see it again, she knows, after his penance is done. After all, she loves him beyond reason.) His face shifts, an expression of submission.

“Knees,” she says softly before removing her hand. He does more than that. A supplicant on his belly before her, his lips immediately at her ankle.

[mango-jpeg]

anticipation, then flesh notes

i made a full outline for this fic and remembered to preserve a copy, so that's tacked on at the end

worked on this for about two weeks (~19th to ~1st)

not totally sure why this pairing occurred to me rn but 1) needed a break from pwp 2) enjoyed the peaceful tone of Baizhu’s character stories

also, embarrassing to notice, but ever since i started writing fic i write something sappy about getting/being married around my birthday... whatever could it mean.......

i’ve always been into this pairing but wanted to wait to know more about Baizhu before writing.. just didn’t think it would take years for him to become playable lol..

wanted to write something funny and short so landed on the old engagement plot. almost immediately wrote the widower line and had to walk that back lmao 

wrote the coal miner bit bc i had the thought that i needed a bit more background on the relationship. i liked it but had to work hard to find a way to fit it in

now whenever i write these asides i think You're Doing It Again.. addicted to narrative breaks.....

title from a short history of the apple, not for any particular reason. previous title didn't quite work, and i thought something to do with apples would be better

reading

I Was Told There'd Be Cake, and Cult Classic, both by Sloan Crosley

some persona 5 pwps

this is the first (and only) outline i made, what i'd call the first 'draft' (since i don't really do drafts). the starting point of a fic usually looks something like this - then i write over it as i go. almost 100% of the time i start with dialogue

full outline:

and there you go again, stopping just as things are heating up. huh— wh— while i am fully aware there are no adverse physical effects of— what’s that quaint term the youth use?— being blue balled, as it were. But i didn’t take you to be such a tease Gui. Gui is so, so red. Dr.— I, i mean— just what does a man have to do to get his cock sucked around here? gui flusters. then: you’re going to laugh at me. i promise to do my best to keep my amusement private, gui. i always… i [wanted to wait until after marriage] … oh. baizhu says. that’s not funny at all, turns out.

there are two reasons why people get married. and they are? taxes and children, baizhu answers promptly, since we cannot have children it hardly seems relevant

besides, you’re already entitled to half my wealth in my will, so-- excuse me? didn’t i tell you? no? well, half my property and assets go directly to you. He takes a second look at Gui’s expression and feels compelled to add, if that doesn’t seem like enough i could try to increase it, only, i want to leave enough to ensure Qiqi— gui grabs him by the shoulders. i’m the primary beneficiary in your will? of course you are. Baizhu has never known Gui to be prone to dramatics, but perhaps he was just saving it up for this moment. Gui buries both hands in his hair and makes an anguished sound as he turns away, yanking at his hair. 

there’s another reason, gui says.  what’s that? another reason people get married. his expression is set. baizhu looks away. oh, that. i don’t put much stock in sentiment. a long pause, then Gui puts his face next to Baizhu’s and whispers right into his ear; Liar.

gui out delivering medicine to old folks goes upstairs to “talk to” old lady neighbour she swears is being loud (no one lives there) talks to door about his problems

back at pharmacy Chengsheng gives Baizhu a hard time ch - fine. since you’re going to be morbid about it baizhu - to marry is to make Gui a widower ch - yes and?? don’t you see if you leave things as they are there will be no word for what you were to him except employer? that no one will understand his mourning? there is no easy way to grieve but you could at least give him the dignity of acknowledging what you mean to him. baizhu- … baizhu - also i will find the secret to immortality ch - yes, yes. that too

gui doesn’t return to pharmacy baizhu goes out looking for him after dinner - he’s not at home with his family. they try to invite him in for tea but he demurs  wanders around - it’s foggy / a light rain

in the morning baizhu feels a little fuzzy but gui is back  acting normal / professional (gui went to funeral parlour to get his will drawn up)

baizhu is beginning to come down with a cold.  don’t— you’ll catch it. baizhu, gui says, solemnly, i am going to suck your cock. i will do it as long as it takes to learn what you like best.  ah. this is called compromise, and it means you’re going to have to be okay with maybe giving me your cold.

props baizhu up on some pillows so he can breathe well. makes him hold onto the bars of the headboard. 

baizhu grabs Gui’s hair at one point and he stops. Hands on the bars. Gui— Gui looks up at him. His face is red all the way to his hairline, his mouth swollen and wet. the twist of his lips is nervous, but his gaze set. Baizhu’s cock jumps in his hand.  Hands on the bars, please. Baizhu does as he’s told.