#i think?? i liked being a rogue?? but it's been so long I cannot remember.

[milidot]

This cringetober prompt was "childhood video game"! And adventure quest worlds is the first video game I ever remember playing. A person from my school bus introduced it to me in like, third or fourth grade, after showing me and my brother his hamster. Apparently we had like 12 different accounts? Anyway, I decided to draw the mascot characters Artix and... I forget the red creature's name. Not pictured is my main(?) account's outfit, which is:

...hey, past me, you ever heard of the LGBT community?

[thecutepoison]

This is very speculative, but I'm suspecting Kipperlily is using the Ethereal Plane to spy on the Bad Kids and if I'm right I might have figured how she got found out by the rogue teacher!

First, let me explain my paranoid thoughts about the spying. Since ep 3, we are aware that Kipperlily is hearing their conversations, even if we don't know for sure the extent of it. She, just like Riz, must have a crazy stealth modifier + reliable talent, however I don't think she's relying only on that.

So, there's a scene in ep 4 when the Bad Kids roll for perception to spot Kipperlily. Kristen casts See Invisibility and Fabian rolls a nat 20. Brennan describes, only to Fabian, that although he doesn't see Kipperlily, he feels the "twinge of some kind of sense". Very creepy. That implies that she's there but cannot be seen. She could be invisible, however I don't think that's the case because an invisible person could still be perceived through hearing or touch. Also, Kristen would have been able to see her because of the spell.

With that in mind, the paranoid goblin that lives inside my brain is convinced that she's using the Ethereal Plane to spy on the Bad Kids. The Border Ethereal is perfect for infiltration and spywork, since you pass through physical objects and watch everything in the material plane without ppl there perceiving you. There are a couple of ways to access the Ethereal Plane, with spells or items, but I have no ideia abt the specific method she might be using.

Her being in the ethereal plane explains why Fabian, with his nat 20, didn't notice any physical indicatives of Kipperlily but still felt a presence, like some sixth sense. Now, Adaine did use her Third Eye so she could see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet and still saw nothing. But that doesn't mean that Kipperlily isn't there since there's a very easy way to circumvent Adaine: Non detection. This is a third level spell that hides the target from divination magic - for 8 hours they "can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors". The Rat Grinders, long time haters of the Bad Kids, are for sure aware that Adaine is a divination wizard, they would be fools to spy on the party without casting Non Detection first. She's the motherfucking elven oracle!

Okay, now about the rogue teacher. In ep 3, Siobhan theorizes the rogue professor is the ghost teacher. I think she's absolutely right! We know most teachers of Aguefort and even if the ghost one was among those we havent seen, the Bad Kids would probably have heard about them if they were teaching something like ranger class. It's plausible that the reason for the party having no ideia who they are and not even passing by them in the halls is that the ghost is the rogue professor. After all, no one knows who the hell they are, it's the whole point of their teaching method. And for a ghost it would be really easy to go undetected since they can travel through the Ethereal Plane, beside the insane stealth.

Indulge my conspiracy theories for a minute. Rogue professor = Ghost Teacher and Kipperlily can wander in the Ethereal Plane, the plane of ghosts. Even with the advantage of being on the same plane as the teacher, it would still be a nightmare to find them since they are a pro rogue. In fact, Kipperlily didn't achive that: the rogue teacher found her.

But how did she manage to have the professor find her? I'm sure it wasn't an accident, she's too calculating for that. So, I started thinking about what would I do in her place and came up with the stupidest ideia. It's utterly ridiculous. But it could totally work and the strategy seems kinda Kipperlily's style.

Remember the Ghost Steak? The one Fig tried to eat when she invaded the teacher's lounge in season one? It's the ghost teacher's lunch, and Brennan reestablished its existence in ep 3 when Adaine used Ethereal Sight, explaining that the school wards are porous enough to allow ethereal travel and other stuff.

So if I was Kipperlily, my dumbass plan would go as follows: invade the teacher's lounge through the ethereal plane and hide inside the fridge. It wouldn't be a problem for me since I'm intangible and can pass through stuff, plus the other professors wouldn't see me even if they opened the fridge. Inside, I wait as long as needed, until the Rogue/Ghost Teacher gets hungry. They finally open the fridge to grab their snack, only to find me looking at them from inside the fridge like a lunatic. Mission complete: got found by the rogue teacher and aced junior year!

It's so mundane and stupid and that makes me more convinced that's exactly what happened. It's too funny to not be true.

[makotoismyson]

Thoughts on Dragons Rising Season 3 (episodes 1-5)

I put a read more underneath because some of the notes are long and I don’t want to spoil anyone who hasn’t watched it yet.

-We’re still getting new lore even to this day, huh? Remember when the show was just “long before time had a name”

-Frak is so adorable and I love how he’s a bit of a know it all but at the same time it’s probably a result of his previous conditioning by Ras which is kind of sad honestly. Also I joked to myself about Sora x Frak being a thing but I didn’t THINK THE SHOW WOULD ACTUALLY HINT AT IT WHAT. Guys Sora and Frak are both T4T and autistic trust me bro

-Kai doing that lip smacking thing in the first episode totally proves he’s canonically ADHD for real

-Speaking of the first episode and Kai why did they MAKE FUN OF HIS VOICE LIKE THAT like bro what did Vincent even do to deserve that kind of shade.

-also I was kind of expecting Kai to be an overprotective dad towards Wyldfyre and her new relationship but I love how (so far) he’s been supportive of not teasing about it, it’s so cute.

-speaking of which I don’t really know how people feel about Roby but I think he’s…fine. Like yes, his gen-z slang is annoying, and “influencer” characters are annoying, but with Roby he at least genuinely CARES about Wyldfyre and the rest of the ninja team. Like, last season he seemed like he genuinely just wanted a good, fair tournament while making it as entertaining as possible in order to pull in new audiences, but not at the risk of anyone getting injured. He was genuinely concerned when he noticed the challenges were rigged and when Lloyd was put into a coma.

-Also Roby actually LIKES Wyldfyre back so like??? Guys this could’ve been so much worse they could’ve played it as Wyldfyre constantly making moves on Roby and Roby being disgusted by her affections because she isn’t “feminine” or “attractive” or whatever but they didn’t do that HE LIKES HER FOR HER AND I LOVE THAT!!!

-Arin sweetie I know you’re upset but PLEASE go back to the ninja you are not good at being a bad guy.

-Rogue (Jay) is finally here and omg I love how the mechanical wings he has is a callback to the invention he was working on in the pilot that’s such a great detail! Honestly I’m not super invested in the plot about Jaya reuniting but I am interested to see more of Rogue. Also it’s really funny how they’re disguising Rogue’s voice even though we ALL know it’s Jay lol.

-I cannot believe this show used the word “serpent-splain” like seriously what timeline are we living in.

-And for the most hyped part of this season, Morro’s return! It’s good to see him again, I really like how his character is being handled so far and the realm he resides in is pretty cool too. I hope we see more of him in the latter five episodes. I’m SO curious how he’ll react when he finds out that Arin’s former mentor was Lloyd.

-I really hope Zane gets some better character development this season because he’s kind of done nothing so far…

-also Pixal is back! I love Pixane so much and I’ve missed them it’s so refreshing to see them back together again. Also Zane calling Pixal the “smartest and most attractive member of the team” in the first episode was WILD like why is Zane so weirdly smooth sometimes?

-Good to see the superior couple (sorry Jaya stans) fighting side by side again, also I literally started cackling like a mad man when Zane sacrificed himself and they played his death music AGAIN like it’s a running gag at this point.

-I REALLY hope Zane’s mech form isn’t a permanent thing because it’s…not great.

-The reveal that Arin’s parents are (presumably) dead is SUCH a dark note to leave on like wow I wasn’t expecting that.

-I don’t really care that much about the Forbidden Five or the Thunderfang stuff going on but maybe it’ll be more interesting as time goes along but right now it just isn’t very compelling to me despite it being the main conflict of this season.

stay tuned for my thoughts on the latter episodes…whenever that’ll be. Idk I’m really busy this month and I barely want to post here anymore anyways so…

[ahrianee]

[🌌] Courage and... Honor

Couple: Roboute Guilliman x Rena Caeruleun (Oc)

Warnings: English is not my main language, I'm sorry if there are things that are not understood, I tried to look for several translation sites to avoid mistakes, but surely there will be some, I apologize again

Notes: I didn't think I would continue writing, but here I am, without a chronological order and writing whatever comes to my head.

Summary: The memory of a better past haunts her in the bitter present she endures.

Slow and heavy steps, the sound of metal heels hitting the ground, tiredness is too noticeable on the shoulders of the Astropath of the Honor of Macragge, with a dull face compared to what was once a bright expression, full of joy and life. Right now, it remains an empty shell that hides when it must show itself to others.

Ten thousand years, ten thousand years is enough to change anyone. So many things have happened that she simply cannot stop remembering everything sporadically and painfully, discovering her longevity — no, rather her inability to age — was undoubtedly something shocking for her. She raises her right hand to her forehead: dizziness, headaches, tiredness. She has so many things accumulated, but she simply does not allow herself to stop at any time; she still has too many things to do.

Ever since she agreed to handle the diplomatic part of Macragge, there have been days without any rest for her or for anyone, really. After Roboute Guilliman was put into stasis, she felt like a storm on the high seas, as if losing him had been like losing herself. She spent almost entire months empty, staring at the ceiling of her room in silence, as if a part of her had also been put into stasis with her fiancé.

When she began to slowly resume her duties, she was overwhelmed by a pile of papers that accumulated in front of her, like marble columns. People trusted her to do it almost as well as Roboute; they truly expected her to handle this matter even half as well, always comparing herself to Roboute and how he made it look easy to a certain extent.

A heavy sigh escapes her lips. Not only that, but also her family. Her father had acquired the title of Rogue Trader, but after the death of Nero and Alair, she did not take the title until the next generation, left by her brothers, wanted to take her place. She basically became a matriarch in her own family, and until a few millennia ago, she continued to hold the position of Rogue Trader, since the children of her nephews were the ones primarily interested in inheriting the title.

Carrying more than she can handle, but she simply cannot say no. She is not prepared to reject something like that, something so intrinsic to her family. They could not lose that title, a title that her father worked hard to achieve. She wants to keep everything as it was in the past, but the passage of time changes even the smallest detail.

The chain of thoughts overwhelms her again; dizziness and a headache return, as she has not rested for too long. With each warp jump she makes, it feels as if her body cannot take it anymore. Calgar spoke to her about supporting Astropaths, but the frantic pace they have been maintaining lately would harm any ordinary Astropath. She might have accepted, but her morale does not allow it. However, this is not the time to complain. She has become so accustomed to being in this state of agony for so long that it has simply begun to feel normal for her body.

A small misstep nearly causes her to fall; she has recently experienced several staggerings while walking, before almost collapsing to the ground. Hands covered by blue gauntlets gently catch her.

── Lady Caeruleun ──

Calgar's deep voice resonates. He has been quite attentive to the Astropath's condition, fearing that she might collapse at any moment. Several Astartes told him they had seen her staggering from a lack of energy. This would not be the first or the last time he has received such news about Lady Caeruleun.

Calgar sighs heavily as he helps Rena to her feet. He can understand what is happening, but he does not grasp the intrinsic thoughts that the lady harbors, which are indecipherable to anyone. When no one looks at her, she wears an empty and dull expression. Yet, when she is in front of others, she displays her best smile, even if it is a facade to avoid worrying anyone.

── You should rest. How long has it been since you took a proper break? ──

The question echoes in Rena's mind. She does not remember the last time she truly rested; only small breaks in Roboute's office, which is now her office, come to mind. She lets out a small sigh of fatigue, genuinely unsure of when she last had a proper rest.

She looks at Calgar in silence, and he softly shakes his head. He may appear rough, but Rena has proven her worth more than once, successfully carrying much of this burden on her shoulders without a hint of doubt or complaint.

── I truly ask you to rest, at least sit down for a while, Lady Caeruleun, there is still time until the next warp jump ──

Always so formal when it comes to referring to her, Calgar has consistently been very upfront with honorifics. The Astropath had already told him many times that honorifics were not necessary, yet Calgar remained just as formal with her.

── I still have many pending matters, Calgar. I will take a break when I have time ──

── Time is the only thing you never have, Lady Caeruleun ──

Marneus Calgar knows how stubborn the Astropath of the Honor of Macragge is. He also supposes that with that personality, she has managed to stay by the side of him primarch; few could understand Roboute Guilliman, and yet she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking without the need for words. Another detail is that the records show they were engaged from an early age but could never solidify the marriage. The main reason was the revolt that occurred in Macragge; the other consul made a coup to assassinate Konor Guilliman.

Calgar's serious gaze falls on the Astropath. She knew well what he was thinking; it is not the first time she has seen that expression on his face.

── I'm fine, Calgar. You don't have to put that worried face on for me ──

She says calmly, and this time Calgar's brow furrows. This was one of the things that bothered him the most about Rena—always putting others before herself.

He remembers how she always says she's fine, but anyone with two eyes can see that she's not in her best state.

── Should I remind you what happened in the last warp jump we made? ──

The bitter memory comes to Rena's mind, how her body suffered so much that her eyes began to bleed. Even with the support technology that the tech-priests provided, these two golden accessories shaped like wings that she always wears, she had ended up in that state of overexertion, warning her body. Had it not been for her, and if it had been any other Astropath, she would have been completely blind. But she was engineered for this; she was created to be the best Astropath. At the end of the day, her body has a connection with warp energy—she could endure it.

── Lady. . . ──

── It's fine, Calgar. I promise I'll take a break at the office; you don't have to insist anymore ──

The opponent sighs; he knows it won't be a real break, but at least the lady has never been one to make empty promises. With nothing more to say, the Astropath bids him farewell and continues on her way to her office.

The corridors are silent in the area she is heading towards, only interrupted by the echo of several Astartes' footsteps, who greet her politely. Respect is earned, and she has done enough for them already.

Rena slowly opens the office door. She still remembers the first time she came in here; it was with Roboute. But this is not the time to get melancholic, not again.

She walks calmly to the desk and sits delicately in the soft, padded chair. He hadn't changed the previous chair; he simply improved it a little to avoid back pain. Her elbows rest on the table as her hands rise to remove the accessories from her head, placing them to one side—accessories she has worn with such pride since the beginning, until now.

Her thumb caresses one of the golden wings, pain flickering in her gaze as a blurry memory comes to mind, the voice of her brother resonating in her thoughts.

[ . . . ]

── What are you doing here, lil' star? Surely Rommel is looking for you for your etiquette classes ──

The low voice of Alair, over two hundred years old, lies on a bed in the Caeruleun home. The face that had stolen the hearts of young ladies throughout Macragge now bears the signs of the passage of time: wrinkles, completely white hair, and that muffled voice that clashed too much with the lively tone he had in the past.

Rena sighs softly; for Alair, she is still his little sister. Even if she is now almost six feet tall, in her defense, she had stopped aging a long time ago. To him, it is as if she were still thirty years old, and with the memory problems she is suffering and the fact that she is becoming senile, he begins to believe they are still children.

── Calm down, I told Rommel that I was here. . . Mom gave me permission to be late to class to see you ──

She hesitates at that last thing she says. She wants to keep Alair in that bubble he is living in. The main reason she has come is that she was warned his brother might not have much time left, the brother he is closest to compared to Nero, the oldest of the three.

── That’s good; I’m glad Mom isn’t so strict with you anymore ──

Rena smiles softly as she takes Alair’s hand, slowly raising it toward her face. He reacts and begins to gently caress the accessories that cover her face.

── I always wondered why you started wearing those two golden wings, but I don't really care since my little star always looks beautiful in whatever she wears ──

Alair is direct; he always spoke the truth openly, and in this state, it seems he simply says what he thinks without any fear. Rena gently squeezes her brother’s hand. The eternal youth he possesses, she discovered several years ago when she saw the passage of time in her family but not in herself.

She asked her father, and the answer he gave her was something she simply did not expect. She would have expected anything else, except what he told her.

Born in a laboratory as part of an experiment by a technopriest, it must be emphasized that it was also a direct request from Duke Caeruleun. When Nero and Alair were born, neither of whom had been born with a Navigating gene, or it simply had not been activated.

The Duke, was not going to be left with the unknown, The Duchess Ceres had been one of the best Astropath of her time, she didn't want that gene to be lost, and that was the main reason for creating his third daughter. He offered resources to the tech-priests to complete a somewhat strange experiment, as the nobility would not engage in something like that. One last fact that the tech-priest had never disclosed to the Caeruleun until after the creation of the girl was that he had mixed in a part of Eldar blood, a small percentage to ensure an affinity with the warp and the ability to survive it.

── Are you lost in your thoughts again, little sister? ──

Alair's voice brings her out of her reverie, and she nods softly at her brother's question. Even though she was created in a laboratory, she still shared blood with her brothers, who never cared where their sister came from; blood is thicker than water.

── I'm just remembering things ──

── If it's because of that supposed fiancé you have, I swear I'll make him cry ──

Rena can't help but let out a soft laugh. He is always so overprotective of her; no matter how much time passes, he remains the same. Still, she can't help but imagine her brother facing Roboute—one standing at six feet and the other at over three meters. It would undoubtedly be funny to see that. Alair always made it clear that he didn't like Roboute, not because he had done anything wrong, but because he feared that, because of Roboute Guilliman's rank, someone would try to hurt his little sister to hurt him. He wasn’t wrong; several murder inmates corroborated this. Yet he must admit that Roboute was always there for her, and that's something he appreciates.

── Calm down, Alair, Roboute treats me very well. You should stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself ──

A certain bitter tone slips into that sentence. Being the youngest, she was always the most cared for by everyone, but also the one who was expected the most. Now that she knows more about herself, she can understand why they expected so much of her and why her mother was always so strict in her teachings.

Alair coughs with some force. Even in that state, he realizes that life is slipping through his fingers. In those small moments of lucidity, he understands how much time has passed and how bad his condition is.

── I promise you that if they do something to you, I will be here for you, little sister ──

── I know, I know that you will always be here for me ──

Rena bites her lip softly, trying not to let that expression of sadness escape. The last thing she wants is to sadden her brother in this state he is in; she has tried to keep smiling since she entered the room, but the sad atmosphere is beginning to overwhelm her.

When she looks back at her brother and notices that the strength of his hand is loosening, she begins to mentally realize what is happening. Alair's eyes lose the shine they always had, and Rena gently releases her brother's hand, placing it at the side of her body.

── You were always by my side, brother, no matter what I did ──

The memories of the time they spent together flash through her mind; each and every one of those memories overwhelms her in a matter of seconds.

She raises her hand to Alair's face and begins to close her brother's eyes slowly. She still doesn't want to accept his death, but the whole universe tells her yes; she can't hold on to something that is no longer there.

── Thank you, brother, thank you for everything ──

Rena slowly gets up, taking one last look at Alair's body, still smiling, at least he left this world without any regrets. She carefully walks out of the room where her brother was, looking around and closing the door behind her. Her servo-skull, which had been left outside the room waiting, begins to float towards her.

── Rommel, bring the doctor ──

She speaks with bitterness in her voice, watching as the skull flies towards the room where the doctor is staying. Rommel had died a long time ago, but in his last wishes, he requested to continue serving the Caeruleun family. Even in death, he remained faithful to the family and to his young lady. Although nothing remains of Rommel in this servo-skull, the memory lives on within it.

“── Even if these old bones turn to dust, I will continue to take care of you, Lady Rena ──”

He raises his right hand to his face, wiping away the tears that he can no longer contain. To match his mood further, outside his home, it begins to rain noisily. He sighs softly, feeling the need to stand firm today— the death of his father and mother, the death of his brother Nero, the death of Rommel, and now that of his brother Alair.

── This is going to be a very long day ──

[ . . . ]

She doesn't even know when she fell asleep, but she really would have preferred not to, since her dreams had stopped being pleasant for a long time, reminding her only of each year that passed and that she is still alive here, each of those years, each of the people who were with her and are no longer here.

She sighs heavily, each memory that at first was nice to remember, now bitter memories of better days that seem like they happened a lifetime ago. With her head still resting on the desk, she begins to look from one side to the other in the office.

The small sofa to one side was specifically placed by Roboute so that she could be close to him while she worked; they enjoyed their silence together, tranquility without discomfort. She looks away, this time towards the bookshelf full of books. Among those books, there are several photos of her, either from when they were children or when they met again after the seizure of power at the hands of the other Macragge consul.

At first, she was so attentive to Roboute that she never noticed all the details he had in his office to remember her, but the more time she spent here, the more she realized that he never stopped thinking about her. The first time she thought this after everything that happened, it felt like a bucket of cold water. She was the one who always gave him affection, signs of love, while he hid all these little details full of tenderness. Rena lets out a small laugh.

── You really are very bad at expressing what you feel; you can guide five hundred worlds, but you can't express what you feel ──

Roboute Guilliman was always like that, a seemingly serious and distant man, but in truth he was just someone who didn't know how to express himself in a social setting, someone who had many things to say but simply kept them silent, or at least that was how it was until he met his fiancée.

[ . . . ]

With two glasses in her hands, filled with a reddish wine that has a sweet taste, she walks slowly toward the balcony overlooking the outdoor patio. It had been a while since the Astropath had seen her fiancé. The family meeting to which she was invited as Roboute's fiancée was surprisingly strange; meeting the Emperor of Humanity in person and the rest of the brothers Roboute had not yet introduced was an experience. She could understand why he hadn’t introduced any of them, especially Fulgrim, with that strange, seductive aura and the sweetness of his voice. Yes, she understood why he kept some of his brothers from her.

She lets out a soft sigh as she opens the balcony door and looks out onto the small terrace, closing the door behind her. Roboute's broad back is recognizable anywhere, not to mention his height. When they met again after what happened in Macragge, several years had passed. Obviously, she had grown, now over two meters tall, above any average woman, but without a doubt, he had surpassed her. He nearly didn’t know what to say when they saw each other again after so many years. I must emphasize that childish crush never disappeared.

── I knew you would be here ──

He stands next to her while offering her one of the glasses. Roboute tends to disappear for a few minutes at social gatherings, as if recharging his energy. He always remains so composed that it seems nothing can disturb him, but having grown up surrounded by books and writings, he struggles to approach certain situations. Rena's face softens when she sees him take a small sip from the wine glass.

── It is one of the wines that you like, sweet but not extremely sweet, i wouldn't bring you something you don't enjoy ──

The woman laughs softly, while Roboute looks at her in complete silence, his expression full of love. Seconds later, he places his hand on his fiancée's hip; she knows him too well. Rena smiles as she rests her head on his torso, understanding that there is no need for words when you can interpret every gesture of your partner. Roboute might not be someone who uses many words, but Rena was there to fill that gap. There is always a balance between these two, a perfect balance that they did not even try to find; it was simply something natural.

── Next time, at least let me know. Don’t leave me in the middle of a conversation with the Emperor and Horus. I felt so uncomfortable; I'm grateful that Sanguinius got me out of there ──

She jokes sweetly towards her fiancé, aware that he knows she isn't angry at all—she's just teasing him. This teasing is something Roboute has come to enjoy; it's Rena’s mocking tone that he could listen to for all of her existence, and he would never tire of it, although he must also emphasize that he understands her existence could be almost eternal.

── I'm sorry ──

Rena softly shakes her head while moving away from him slightly, raising her hand to her chin since she can't reach any higher. Her thumb gently caresses her chin.

── Don’t apologize to me for something like that. I just want to be there for you when you're overwhelmed. I want you to know that you can trust me through good times and bad; couples are meant to support each other, right? ──

The soft tone she uses leaves him certainly enthralled; he wouldn't admit it out loud, but she could be talking about anything, and it would be the most important thing to him. He remembers the exact moment when he fell in love with Rena. In the several months that he lived with her in his home, he noticed all the little details about her: how she bites her lip when she's nervous, how she looks to the left when she wants to hide something, and how she always tries to conceal her nerves back when they were young behind quick conversations.

All these little details that anyone else would have overlooked, but not him; he noticed each of the little things that make her who she is.

── I'm here for you, no matter where you go. I'm your Astropath; I'll guide you wherever you wish to go. I'll never leave your side, I promise ──

She raises her pinky finger while smiling at him. It could be the corniest phrase she has ever said, but who are we kidding? In this relationship, the one who always speaks openly is Rena.

Roboute also raises his pinky finger, joining it with Rena's.

── Then, I promise I will protect you until my life ends, and even if that happens, you will still be the most important person to me ──

[ . . . ]

She raises her hand to the ceiling of the office, staring at his pinky, promises, promises that can’t be kept, but she still can’t help but smile at the memory of him; it’s bitter and sweet at the same time.

── I hope... I'm still the most important person to you ──

She murmurs softly as she slowly gets up from where she sits. She raises both her hands to her face, giving soft pats to her cheeks; it’s not time to regret anymore, she’s too busy to have time to wallow in her misery.

She draws the best smile on her lips, even if it’s not the reality she wants to express; it’s better than walking around the ship with a gloomy face.

She picks up her accessories and begins to slowly place them; she has to keep going, she has to keep going for him, and when it’s all over, she might just stop and take a real break.

── Courage and... Honor ──

[elwenyere]

i too have been pinned like a bug by the choice to phrase the melshi dialogue in ep 9 That Way. coming from VEL too. vel who was probably viscerally reminded of cinta, seeing that gun she last saw on aldhani. vel remembering its wielder, asking not who owns the gun, but who does the gun own? (what I'm saying is: gay yearning recognize gay yearning)

what a way to make melshi's loyalty plain to us, and hint at melshi's hope that it'll be reciprocated ('i THINK that's mine' BITCH like you haven't been using a flagged corpo gun for four years instead of trading it for a fresh one the next alley over!!!!!)

i hope that what we got is a hint at much much more to come from him. personally i believe he reached rogue-one-cassian-level in terms of his readiness to rebel and lead a fight against the empire by the niamos beach scene, and cassian has been working his way to meet him on that level this whole time. and we'll get them both now for eps 10-12. i'm SO excited.

we've come so SO far from sgt sadeyes mcfivescenes, development-wise. and yes my point being, my shipper heart is fluttering like mad under tony gilroy's gayass wordsmithing pin.

Ahhhh yessss hello: so lovely to see you here on the Melshian pin board!!! Love to overread every moment in a 60-second sequence together. <3<3<3

I totally agree that gay yearning is an undeniable subtext of the hangar scene in light of Vel's participation, and the staging of the interaction invites us to read two sets of memories as intersecting in this moment: (1) the grief that clearly reawakens for Vel when she recognizes the blaster from Aldhani and remembers her fullest season with Cinta, and (2) whatever emotional force we choose to attribute to Melshi's decision to hold onto a blaster linked to his days in Narkina with Cassian. I spent a lot of time during the hiatus thinking and writing about how that blaster could end up functioning as a retroactive indication of how much Cassian and Melshi trust each other (Cassian giving Melshi something that might be linked to his legal name/arrest record, and Melshi holding onto it even knowing the risks that it could be boosted/flagged); and though I never imagined Vel being the one to clock the connection, I really loved the way that moment of recognition linked the Aldhani and Narkina plots, as well as - if we want to press on it, and of course I do - Vel's continued devotion to Cinta and Melshi's to Cassian. "Belonging" is such a powerful word in this context: not only in terms of what owns you and to whom you owe debts, but also in terms of where you belong, to what, and with whom.

In other words, one possible translation of Vel and Melshi's exchange: "whom has this weapon made to belong here? / I think that's my belonging you've recognized."

I also love what you say about Melshi rocketing to full commitment after Narkina in a way that takes Cassian some time to meet on his own terms. I think we see some of that shift in their relative levels of conviction in both their parting interaction on the beach and in the moment when it's Melshi to sprint first to the quadjumper. I've always chosen to read the lack of calls Melshi makes on Niamos as a sign that he doesn't expect anyone to be waiting for his return, and that's likely part of his speed in going all in, while Cassian has to work through a long history/unfolding present of struggling with the collateral damage that often accompanies his own survival. I also like to think that when Melshi decided to put his faith in Cassian - to give Cassian the power to speak freedom into being for him, in the prison and on the cliff wall - it served as a kind of springboard into putting his faith in resistance and Rebellion, and I'm incredibly excited to see how his interactions with Cassian and Kay play out in the final arc.

Thank you so much for the lovely ask and the company in yearning!!! I cannot WAIT to find out what's in store for us next. <3<3<3

[empressgeekt]

Trolls/Batman Crossover - Branch Wayne

Okay, so I've kind of been making little fic prompts where Branch falls through the walls of canon as a child and is raised in alternative universes. Today, lovely people of tumblr, we are going to send our wonderful little grumpy bean into the care of one of fiction's most notorious adoption addict, Bruce Wayne.

Not entirely sure on when it happens, but considering that Branch is around 24 at the time of modern canon, that would put him in the same age range as Dick Greyson (I'm going by Wayne Family Adventures, because that's the most wholesome batfam in canon, and likely this post i made a while ago pls read it for context), so, he and Branch would be taken in around the same time. Maybe Gotham first left Branch with the Flying Greyson, before going with Bruce along with Dick.

In this world Batman would have two child side-kicks, Robin and Meadowlark (I was going to go with Raven but that was taken and Meadowlark are birds that mean the end of suffering). I'd imagine that Branch wouldn't be as vengeful as little Dick, but he'd still follow Dick to make sure nothing bad happened, and did agree to training when Bruce offered as he wanted to protect himself.

For the next few years things are peaceful, for Branch. He loves going to school, he loves his foster father, Dick is the best brother he's ever had, he loves being Meadowlark, Alfred is a saint, and the Batman's legend continued to grow. The trio really leans into the spirit garden accept of their mysterious nature, half the city thinks their demons. And all the rogues say it's true, because it's less embarrassing to get their butt kicked by demon's of dark justice then just a guy and two kids in furry costumes.

Of course all goo things must come to an end. While Branch can put up with Bruce's overprotective nature as he got older, Dick cannot and so he and Bruce are constantly butting heads. The hostile home environment, eventually boils over with Dick striking out on his own, but Branch does not take it well. Once more a brother has abandoned him, and it climax's in a total panic attack where Alfred gets the story of how Branch lost his bio-family, and he's terrified that it was happening again. All this Alfred, does tell Bruce and they both work to assure to Branch that he'd always have a home at Wayne Manor. Branch is one of the kids who didn't move out after he moved in.

When the other children come along, at first Branch is worried about doing what Dick and his brothers did and screwing up the littler ones even more, but eventually he finds confidence as his role of one of the oldest in the Bat's brood.

Jason is the one who has to deal with Branch's awkwardness the most, but the kid didn't really mind. Both of them were academically inclined and were often found cuddling after falling asleep from reading too long. Jason's adoption also prompts Branch to Ask Bruce if he could be adopted too, and when his request is granted he's nearly brought to tears. Because of all of this, Jason also grew much more attached to Branch then to Dick. Mostly because Branch was there, and wasn't fighting with Bruce every time they came in contact.

Speaking of post move out, Branch and Dick. After Jason's death (a crushing blow to Branch that forever solidified the joker as his least favorite rogue), Dick tries to come around more at Alfred's request, and well, Dick is heartbroken when he learns that Branch thought he wouldn't ever comeback. In Branch's mind, Dick fought with Bruce, left and wasn't ever going to come back. Dick will spend years trying to make it up to Branch, but they will never be as close as they were as young kids.

Tim had to deal with a grieving Branch and that Branch was mad. Mad on Tim's behalf that is. The Drake neglect hit all to close to him, making Branch remember the neglect that Troll village had for him. It like looking in a mirror, watching Tim go above and beyond to prove himself, as Robin. Branch is also pissed at Bruce, he gets it, Jason's death hurt him too, but that's no excuse to treat Tim like shit, when the kid was only trying to help. Knowing what it was like to have no one in his corner, Branch would do his best to be in Tim's both in and out of the Mask. They would bond over trying to solve famous cold cases, and sci-fi movies. With Branch, Dick, and Branch knocking some sense into Bruce earlier, Tim flourishes.

When Cass shows up, Branch's awkwardness returns, after all he's never had a sister before, and she doesn't talk. However, Branch would join in on the sign language lessons, and over time learns just how sweet of a girl she is. He teaches her to cook, and help her find herself.

Stephine (Yes, I count her, she might not be Bruce's kid, but she's definitely a bat-sib), is a little much for Branch. Her boundless energy is a lot like a certain pink Princess', but Branch can see the difference, Gotham knows Poppy would never be able to kick butt like Spoiler. Their not the closest but they know they can count on each other.

When Jason comes back as Red Hood, its bitter-sweet for Branch. On one hand Jason is alive, but the Red Hood is not same person that was once Branch's first little brother. Still Branch tries to get Jason to come home, it takes a while, after all Pit Rage is no joke. But Branch does help clear up a lot of the misconceptions between the stupid people in his family who won't communicate (not that he's any better at it).

For Damian, Athanasia, and Mara (The latter two are Damian's bio-sister and cousin/ Bruce needs more daughters people), Branch's job is simply, "Don't let them kill each other or anyone else". Athanasia is sweet enough, and is the least trouble maker out of all of them, but the other two? Mara seems to think she needs to compete for her place in the manor, and Damian is constantly trying to kill Tim, as he thinks that the middle child is after the batman title, which Damian wants for himself.

When Terry, Matt, Dana and Max, universe jump to save themselves, Branch is just there. He helps them adjust, but his role isn't that major.

By the time that he turns 24 in Gotham, Branch has a college degree (nothing about a bachelor's since, most masters/phd's holders become rogues and have been banned from the cave/manner), a father, a step-mother who cares (Selina), two loving Grandfathers (Alfred, Thomas Wayne [flashpoint]), Three badass aunts (Kate, Harley and Ivy), what ever the heck Luke and Babs are, and a gaggle of siblings he'd seriously maim anyone for (Dick, Jason, Cass, Stephine, Tim, Duke, Cullen, Harper, Damian, Athanasia, Mara, Terry, Max, Dana, Matt, and little baby Helena [also Keith, Zuko and Jet, if you count the other crossovers in the mentioned linked post at the top]), who all come over on Tuesday for a family dinner. His life is seemingly perfect.

However, for his bio-brothers things are very much not. By some miracle, they pull together to save Floyd, but it was a really close call. They all (+viva and poppy) make it to Gotham, via a very disgruntled John Constantine and a letter that Gotham left in Peppy's care.

I'm not entirely sure plot wise where it would go. I think they would probably land in Crime Alley, and be horrified by the place. The trolls world is bright and colorful, and Crime Alley is not. Maybe they'd come across some of the Alley kids and they would point out some grafiti of the Batfamily. Though, the would definitely get jumped once the sun goes down. Jason likely coming to their rescue.

Brozone's reaction to the Batfamily is a mix of shock and confusion. Branch has his own new family, and his new siblings aren't making it any easier. The adults (Bruce, Selina, Alfred, Kate, and Thomas) are civil, but still intimidating. The children however? Branch is their big brother, they are going to get a little petty revenge for him. Jason and Tim would just off the hand mention how dangerous their lives are and how Jason died. Cass would sneak up on them. Mara, Damain, Matt and Attie would openly threaten their lives. And the rest of them would totally flaunt how close they were as siblings even if they literally have tried to kill each other in the past.

A breakout would definitely happen at one point. Not sure when, but i'm tempted to pump up at least one of the Brozone members on Fear Toxin.

Also Bruce Wayne and TBruce meeting would be weird. Like two guys by the name of Bruce with over ten children each? Yeah, BW would take the possibility of them being multiversal counterparts way too seriously.

So ya'll thoughts? I have people from both of these fandoms watching my account, so I'm interested in what ideas ya'll have.

[luckyjak]

how I would fix veilguard

general note: I enjoyed Dragon Age: The Veilguard and it is very easy, post game release, for me (a person who doesn't work for Bioware and isn't the game's developers) to sit back in my armchair and go "This is what they should have done instead." That said, this is the internet, and I have opinions, so let's roll.

also, spoilers, obviously.

First, I would have made two games out of the material in Veilguard, not one.

Game one (which we will still call The Veilguard) takes place in Northern Thedas. The beginning of the game is the same: you interrupt Solas's ritual, and Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain escape. However, rather than taking over Thedas together, the two decide to divide and conquer: Ghilan'nain takes over the North, and Elgar'nan takes over the South.

Most of the game stays the same. You still play as Rook; however, the game starts with Varric recruiting you, so you get a chance to spend time with Varric before, you know, Solas. You still recruit your seven friends. For pacing purposes, romance and friendship scenes occur faster. This is because we're going to end the game sooner.

We're going to shave off all of Act 3.

Why would we do this? Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan are both stand-out villains who deserve their own time in the spotlight. As it is now, we hardly spend any time with Elgar'nan other than the constant looming threat of him, and Ghilan'nain mostly comes off as his lackey as opposed to a full-fledged "mother of monsters" she deserves to be. By splitting them into two games, each gets to shine as a villain, and Rook doesn't seem like such a overpowered protagonist who is able to kill (potentially) three elven gods.

So, where does Veilguard end? Last mission of The Veilguard should be "Isle of the Gods" and it should end exactly as that mission ends: Ghilan'nain's death, the realization of where Varric has been all along, and Solas trapping Rook in the Fade. Rook is trapped in the prison of regrets, realizes they are trapped, and then bam, end credits.

but wait, doesn't Veilguard suck now then? Most people agree acts 2 and 3 are the best part! And they are! But I think with tighter pacing, the whole game is improved. Remember, we are moving companion's Act 3 moments up to the end of Act 2 as well. We won't spend quite as long wondering when Lucanis will ever talk to us if we have his romance happen sooner, and that becomes true of all the companions.

So does the "Hero of the Veilguard" thing matter? It does, but not until the next game! Hold your horses!

--

So, now we make Game 5: Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. At the end of the last game, Solas established himself as a villain (by putting Rook in prison) so now it's time to really mess with that.

For starters: Game 5 cannot happen unless world state is included, and I'm talking about most of the Keep. Game 5 takes place in Southern Thedas, with the focus being on Fereldan, Orlais, and the Free Marches.

You play as the Inquisitor once more. You get to decide what happened between you and your LI in character creation: are you married now? Did you break up post-game? The game starts with you saying goodbye to your LI (if you still have one) then getting on a ship. No need for dialogue from LI, so no excuses about hunting down voice actors. The game starts with you getting a spirit hand, so that you can once again be the hero of the land. The ship is your Lighthouse, your base of operations that is always moving.

Your companions are:

dwarven grey warden woman (warrior)

human or elven orleasian bard man (rogue)

qunari runaway saarebas woman (mage)

spirit of wisdom (mage) *this is Solas in disguise, spying on you.

human avaar man (warrior)

human woman who definitely killed her husband (warrior)

dwarven artificer who is making bombs and got exiled to the surface (woman, rogue)

elf man who used to work for Solas but deflected (mage)

DLC character: my son Kieran, who is customizable, and also a blood mage

All of them are romancable if your Inky is single except for maybe Kieran.

Don't worry, though: you get frequent letters from your previous LI's giving you life updates (except for Solas but like. you know)

The core gameplay loop is sailing the Waking Sea to defend people from darkspawn and try to find more info on Elgar'nan, who is definitely causing trouble.

Places you visit:

Highever (Fereldan): I have legit always wanted to go there. Saving my origin character's hometown that is currently being ravaged by darkspawn? Fuck yeah

obviously, the slaughter of Denerim (Fereldan). Bonus points if we save the life of King Alistair/Queen Anora

Ostwick (Free Marches)

Val Royeaux (Orlais)

Cumberland (Orlais)

Maybe also Orzamar?

Jader

Final battle at Halamshiral because we love a callback.

Essentially, all the stuff we hear about in Inky's letters about the south, we now get to experience in the game.

Elgar'nan has done something fucky with time magic and now Halamshiral is half modern Orlais, half ancient elven empire. He's trying to bring the veil down, and Solas is unsure if he wants to stop him, or wait until he brings the Veil down to stop him.

Inky requests Rook from the Fade. Rook tells Inky about Solas's betrayal. Double-team Act 3 time, where people may still die depending on faction strengths in Veilguard, and who/what Inky has managed to save in Dreadwolf.

Assume you manage to stop Elgar'nan, and then the question becomes:

Do you, the Inquisitor, stop Solas? Save him from himself? Or die trying?

[eponymous-rose]

So I've been playing Baldur's Gate 3 like everyone else and had An Incredibly Wild Combat Experience just now...

(spoilers under the cut for an early-game fight; if you don't care about the game, this is 100% parse-able as a d&d fight)

So there I am with my character Amisra (elf fighter), and a party consisting of Karlach (tiefling barbarian), Astarion (elf/vampire-spawn rogue) and Gale (human wizard). We venture into the lair of a hag to try to rescue this woman she's kidnapped and I'm getting a little blithe when it comes to spell slots and short rests - everyone's starting to look pretty rough, and then there's a long stretch of having to navigate carefully around traps, mostly via jumps that I actually remember to have Feather Fall on this time. "No problem," I think like every D&D player before me, "I'll simply take a long rest before the boss battle." And the game, in its DM-ish wisdom, says, "No, you can't long rest in the lair of an actively hostile enemy, what were you thinking???" and that's how I get into a fight that's way, way over my head.

I'm giving it my best shot, dealing with illusory hag-enemies and complicated terrain, but it's clear this is going to be my first total-party-kill of the game. Several characters have been knocked down and brought back up, and we've been in enough of a bad state that all of our healing potions are gone (leading me to the realization that you can craft in battle, which then leads to all of the crafted potions also being consumed).

The stage is set for disaster: the hag still has half her health (60-something points), and my whole party is out of all spell slots and fancy tricks. Astarion and Karlach are knocked unconscious on the other side of the room via Ray of Sickness, making death saves. Gale and Amisra are in some sort of necrotic zone that's dealing damage every round.

The immediate turn order: Gale, Hag, Amisra. Gale has 1 HP and will be unconscious from the necrotic damage after his turn. Amisra has a whopping 7 HP but is being held in the damage-over-time area by a Hold Person spell she cannot seem to save against. The hag has a perfect shot on everyone in the room.

So I'm sitting there like "well, it was a fun run while it lasted" and trying to remember when I saved last. At this point, I figure I might as well go for a little roleplay flair and try to think of what Gale would do for this, his final turn. Well, he'd look to magic. But, uh, sorry, those cantrips aren't going to deal 60 points of damage and get you out of your current predicament. Too bad.

Hang on. I've picked up so many scrolls, surely there's something there that might be a fun finish. Scroll of Flying? Nah, then I'll just die in midair. Scroll of Ray of Enfeeblement? Yeah, I'm sure she'll be real sad that her melee attacks do marginally less damage as she annihilates us with ranged attacks anyway. Scroll of Feign Death? Who's ever even used that spell successfully in a video game? What would you even--

Wait. Scroll of Feign Death. Resistance to all damage types except psychic, puts the target in a comatose state. Gale's going to be unconscious next round, but Amisra still has 7 HP...

So Gale, very dramatically, pulls out this scroll and casts the spell on Amisra, who Feigns Death very convincingly considering she's frozen on the spot and slowly taking damage. And Gale takes the last burst of damage himself and falls unconscious.

The hag absolutely doesn't stop there and keeps hitting Karlach, Astarion, and Gale until they're dead... but she never targets Amisra. She thinks she's dead. She actually thinks she's dead! And she might be right, as Amisra takes 2 HP and 1 HP of damage each turn, frozen in place...

And the hag just... stops. Everyone is dead, right? Yup, four bodies on the ground. Time to go and do whatever it is hags do for fun. She leaves the battlefield.

And Amisra finally saves against the damage-over-time with One. Frickin'. Hit. Point. Remaining.

I as the player have about 1 HP remaining myself as I fumble frantically to move Amisra out of the dangerous area and manage to remember how to use a mouse in time to cast a Scroll of Revivify on Gale. Two of us, each stumbling around at 1 HP, no other healing available, no idea where the hag is in her lair, the rest of our (very dead) party on the other side of the giant room, and a huge path of traps and treacherous drops to get back to the surface. What can we do but press on, deeper into the lair?

In the next room, which I have never seen before, I am shaking. If there's a trap, we're probably done. I'm too nervous to try looting anything in the room - what if she comes back? And then I see a sparkly fairy circle of mushrooms, looking an awful lot like an exit. No way. NO WAY.

I click that fairy circle so many times and just hold my breath as the two remaining party members stumble to the exit... and promptly appear back in the (slightly less dangerous) bog. The bog where, in its infinite DM-ly kindness, the game finally allows us to make camp, where I can resurrect Karlach and Astarion in peace.

And that's how we avoided a Total Party Kill with the most situational spell scroll use imaginable!

Edit: Also, a tip for when I did go back to fight the hag - a 2nd-level Magic Missile auto-hits up to 4 targets, so if you position Gale toward the middle of the room you can take down all 4 illusory hag-clones in one turn. Ahh, it was nice to have spell slots again.

[classicequinox]

crack AU of your fic where Touya still becomes a villain - except it's not bc of Endeavor's parenting but because he catches All Might making out with this parent(s).

like the kid has spent YEARS defending them from all the accusations and article and nosy fans and tabloids "misinterpreting" the vaguest of interactions between the 3 of them as romance. Like - he knows they're all friends and All Might has dinner at their place at least twice a month, but he was old enough to remember how his dad used to hate all Might with every bone in his body. not to mention, his parents are so so much in love. it would never happen. his parents would never cheat!!

and then he walks in on All Might making out with his mom and assumes the worst - he's forcing her or something - and tries to murder all Might. all Might had no idea that touya's fire was several hundred/thousand degrees hotter on enji's until he get third degree burns. anyway eventually enji arrives and tries to get touya to chill and calmly reassures him that Rei is fine, and that the 3 of them are in a consensual relationship but poor Touya's brain Cannot Handle It. he's been denying it to everyone (especially himself) for YEARS. He assumes Enji has been affected by a mental quirk and goes rogue.

I'm sorry this was so long but I spent all of dinner and my shower thinking about it lol.

Oh my that escalated very quickly 😂

But alright challenge accepted *dusts off knuckles and keyboard* in keeping with the crack themes of it all: 1. Touya promptly goes to recruit Geten, who (thanks to that convo with Kotarou) still believes that All Might is a homewrecker who ran away with Shimura Nana for nefarious reasons after seducing her. Geten valiantly joins his rogue cousin's crusade and they launch a smear campaign against the number one. 2. Kotarou, just to be a little shit, publicly confirms this accusation. 3. Touya is still in extensive contact with his family (read: he is still in the group chat and forces Keigo to be added in so he can @ all his replies at him and not any member of his family even when he's replying his fam's messages). Enji is in denial that after everything THIS is what got Touya to slide back into villany and aggressively acts like this situation is normal. 4. Rei, being a little shit herself, is too amused to not let it continue. (5. All Might might have perished of mortification somewhere)

[kayfabe-is-king]

I have been thinking a lot about what happened at Wrestledream. So much so, I wrote a long post about it on my main blog @justagirlandhersims. One thing that I see coming up time and time again is who will they pit Marina Shafir against in this new era under Jon Moxley's championship reign. And the answer to that, to me, seems obvious.

Willow Nightingale.

In my other post, I described Orange Cassidy as the "heart of AEW". I still stand by that but I'd like to amend it a bit. He may be the heart of it but Willow is the very soul of what makes All Elite Wrestling great. Much like OC, she was told she would never truly fit in within the world of professional wrestling. She wasn't the right size, she was too "positive", her wrestling style wasn't ladylike (yeah, she mentioned that little tidbit during a SDCC interview that I remember clearly but cannot find the clip of now). But again, like OC, she didn't give up. And she found her home in All Elite Wrestling.

She is a home grown star - worked her way up from an extra in the rogue's gallery during the pandemic shows to being in main events. She is a powerhouse unlike a good chunk of the women's division (I don’t mean that in a negative sense - just that she has the brute strength and talent that mirrors Marina’s own style). She is also very kind, spreads positivity and joy every chance she gets and represents AEW all over the world. Does that sound like somebody else on the current roster? There's a reason her and Orange Cassidy are often paired together for press and other media events. So now that AEW is "under attack", who better to take down Moxley's murder sidekick Marina than our very own murder Care Bear.

Dynamite is going to be a helluva show this week.

[edapparently]

Rogue [Novelisation] by Kate Herron & Briony Redman - My Thoughts

Doctor Who has always been a special thing for me. When I was younger and dealing with a lot of homophobia being directed at me, it was one of my few safe spaces Knowing that for a few weeks, every Saturday, I could escape and indulge in science fiction was a big drive to keep me going during that time So, naturally, it was a very big moment for me to watch The Doctor fall into a gay romance, even just for an episode and even after I had long left that toxic environment behind me I sobbed at the end of the TV episode. It was everything I had been waiting for, if 13 year old me had seen Rogue he probably would have fainted And then, a little while ago, I was in Waterstones with @spiritbox713 (a dangerous combination) and I spotted the Doctor Who books on the shelf. I remember thinking the new blue spines and covers were beautiful and then actually noticing which stories were there All 3 of the 60th specials (get in!), Space Babies (meh), 73 Yards (oh?) and Rogue (OOHH!!!) I was then stuck for a good few minutes deciding which ones I wanted to get. That is aside from Rogue, I knew I was taking that one home I decided on 73 Yards, not that it mattered, as @spiritbox713 decided he would buy the rest of them for me anyway behind my back. Like the amazingly generous and cunning best friend that he is (I love you dude, I owe you a lot (told you it was dangerous)) And so I read the books in order, like the nerd that I am, and finished Rogue last night and I cannot praise it enough I am, as is the case with every one of my book thoughts posts, completely biased towards my own opinions and emotional attachments And I am totally and absolutely biased in thinking that Rogue is one of the best Doctor Who novelisations out there I love the balance of the period piece with the interjections of sci-fi, my particular favs being the flash back at the beginning (along with all of Art's moments ngl) and the chapter that attempts to describe what is known about the Chuldur And I love how drenched in camp everything is with the period characters. The Duchess and Lord Barton (Chuldur and non-Chuldur) are so entertaining to read and it makes perfect sense for the Chuldur to want to invade this particular party Speaking of the Chuldur, I honestly think they're pretty underrated, though there are some lines they have I'm not the biggest fan of. They remind me, funnily enough, of toxic fan culture. Of someone's ego making them feel they HAVE to be the interesting or main character And, as I have already said, I am a huge sucker for The Doctor and Rogue's romance. Even with how brief it is In short, Rogue (the book) is one of my all time favourite Novelisations and I look forward to seeing and reading more from Kate Herron & Briony Redman

[logarithmicpanda]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard - a full review

This is going to have extensive spoilers! the TL;DR is that I had a lot of fun with the game, a very good 8.5/10 overall, also be aware this is highly subjective to my experience as a DA fan

And I lied previously, I am actually doing a second run immediately as an Antivan Crow Rogue hehe

Gameplay

The Good

Actually functional map (I hated the Inquisition map that wouldn't actually let me know where I could walk)

Fun and dynamic combat, the animations are really pretty, the style is fluid

Combos are nice and a good alternative (at least to me) to the stilted strategy stuff. I liked not having to keep track of the companion's healthbar, only their attacks cooldowm

Not overwhelming with useless quests, everything feels tied up either to the companions storylines or to the main issues

Exploration feels nice, probably my favorite part

I realized fairly late in the game that I could boost the broken faction by selling valuables through the Crossroads ship! I think it's fun, and it makes sense, like you're giving supplies to the city that needs it! I wish the shop were in the city itself, but it was fun so I'll allow it

A bit of an occupational bias on my part but I enjoyed how easy the UI made things? Comparing new equipment as soon as you get it, ease in reassigning points in the skill trees...

It's not specific to this game but I really like that there isn't that many weapons/armors but that you gain levels on them. Also huzzah for getting rid of inventory limitation and allowing me to pick every single thing on the map like the gremlin I am. Also also, bonus points for the appearance override on stuff, love being able to be vain rather than wear whatever is stronger even when it's ugly haha

The Bad

The way some zones are blocked with no explanation or hint of when they will unlock is frustrating. I love backtracking when I get a new item/ability and that I can remember several places where to use it, not so much having to go back to random spots and just hope for the best.

Gift giving feels useless, there's barely one line of dialogue and no visible effect on approval. I really wish there had been more gifts and that you'd be able to help each companion make themselves at home throughout the game

I cannot understand the reasoning between making an early choice like the Treviso/Minrathous one lock the romance entirely. I wanted so badly for it to simply make things angsty, to make me work for the romance, only to be rewarded by Lucanis and Neve suddenly being a thing, even as I had been trying to get with either lmao (let me have polyamory if you want to play it this way??)

Aside from unlocking the shops and I'm assuming changing the result of the end battle, the factions were a bit useless. I expected to be able to really send out armies like in Origins maybe...

Dragon battles get repetitive I swear there was like ten of them or something

The final battle dragged a bit for me, it was long but not that hard, just wave after wave of fodder until getting to the main baddie, which. Could have been faster! (I would actually have loved if, for example, the factions allowed me to skip those boring battles lol)

World

The Good

The environments are amazing, Treviso is an incredible city, I liked the designs of the story cards and of the enemies

Some parts (mostly explorations of buildings) felt super reminiscent of DA2 in the best way

The Solas lore is driving me absolutely insane!!!

I really enjoyed the way some things were recontextualized

The choices in the ending feels weighted, like I had to really think through my actions

I really enjoyed the variety there was in terms of side characters and their dynamics

It felt very rewarding to go after the world's hidden secrets, both in terms of story and gameplay

The Bad

There is maybe too much magic. Like put some back.

Where are the consequences of the choices of the previous games? It doesn't even feel like it matters all that much whether the Inquisition disbanded or not

What happened with the Mage/Templar conflict?

Minrathous in the intro is all cool and futuristic why don't we see that for the rest of the game? Dock town is both poor and somehow super sanitized.

Speaking of sanitation... Like I disagree when people say the game is not dark, it has plenty of twisted shit, but there are ways in which the game feels retconed to avoid callouts. You put us in a city built on slavery, but we never really see that. You put us with the Crows, but the horrible, mafia aspect of it is reduced to nothing, smoothed until they're vigilante rather than people who buy kids out of brothels to train them to become assassin (notably through torture!) Also for a game with that much blight - where are the brood mothers? The horrifying concepts that existed in previous games feel like they're being either hidden away or forgotten entirely, to be replaced with only smaller chunks of darkness, if that makes sense.

It feels like the good guys are all good, and the bad guys are bad but really they had reasons to, rather than how it was in previous games: even the good guys are unbelievably morally fucked.

Characters

Just to start, I really enjoyed the variety of options in the character creator. I was able to do the same noses that elves had in DA2, which I really enjoyed as a design choice. I'm also super glad the game had options to be trans and non binary, with no restriction to what that looks like! I was already delighted in BG3, but I am not over having game characters use they/them for me <3

I wish the romances were better (longer, less formulaic, more involved) and that the characters didn't start up morally upright. They're all a bit too wholesome, they don't really have conflict, which I missed from previous games, though I have to say, I love the companions overall a lot more than in Inquisition!

Companions

It was nice to see Harding again, I flirted with her in Inquisition haha. Her questline with the dwarves and the titans ties up nicely with the overall theme of the game

From the trailers I expected to adore Neve and to have a lot of romantic tension with her, but uh the romance was rather underwhelming. I do like her a lot, and her calling Rook Trouble as a cute nickname made me giggle, but tbh I shipped her more with Rana. I already said it but I was not a fan of her and Lucanis, it feels unfair that she and my Rook were both shadow dragons but Lucanis only got mad at me lol. I don't really understand that design choice

Bellara is my surprise fave. She looked kinda interesting to begin with but ended up being sooooo relatable. She's brilliant and awkward and writes books? She got blighted in my run and it was so satisfying to get her back, and to see her exploit the blight for her own ends. I was afraid she was going to remind me too much of Merrill, but the similarities are only surface level.

Lucanis broke my heart and is the main reason I'm doing a second playthrough straight away. I did watch his romance and I think it is a tad underwhelming compared to how the writers were hyping it up, but as a demi, I actually really love the slow burn lmao. I wish his storyline had more conflict with Spite, and touched more on the darker aspects of the crows, but I really liked that they went countercurrent and made him a bit awkward and shy, and obsessed with food and coffee. He's a nerdy (affectionate)

Davrin gave me so many fuckboy vibes at the beginning hahaha he grew on me, his relationship with Assan is lovely and the evolution he has might actually be my favorite of the lot (then again, when have I not enjoyed a character that's just a little bit suicidal). He died in my first run and I cried, definitely changing that for my second run, RIP Harding

Emmrich was really interesting for the lore, but also tragically reminds me of my ex xD so he was off the table as a romance for me but I looked around and it seems he actually has the better romance of the lot! I loved his questline, I'm a sucker for spirits and skulls and green fire hehe. I wish the lich thing was a bit more problematic like. Yeah no I do not actually think turning into an immortal undead that watches over mortals makes any sense, especially when an overall theme of the game seems to be that immortals keeps fucking people over?? Such a weird take to make liches into good people imo

I know Taash is controversial, and I'm not gonna lie they weren't my fave to start with. I do find their storyline a bit too simplistic on the gender side, and plain weird on the cultural side. Why would they have to pick one culture or the other? It's bullshit and it feels tone deaf after the whole argument that they don't have to choose between being a woman and a man. Also (and that's more a general gripe I have with games that touch on dom/sub dynamics) why are the beefy tall people always the doms. Why can't my tiny Rook be the dom, uh?

Returning Characters

The Inquisitor felt like they really were there just to placate fans of Inquisition tbh. I did lookup the solasmancer scene and it is pretty sweet, but for me seeing my Inquisitor again did very little, especially since I had romanced Dorian but that barely seemed to matter.

Speaking of Dorian I was so hyped to see him again, and then felt kinda underwhelmed. His little fight with Maeveris made me feel like I was supposed to pick her over him but tbh I think he's right lol

It was nice to see Isabella again but my Hawke had romanced her so not really seeing her mentioned felt weird as hell. It also felt like Isabella was more a caricature of herself than a character tbh

I was sure Varric was dead from super early in the game because everyone was weird in his scenes hahahaha *sobs* I was sad but I also really liked the way they handled it

Solas is so much more of a dickhead hahaha I was tempted to do the bait and switch even though I had everything ready to reason with him one last time. I liked that I was able to change his mind, but I feel like I should have been allowed to kick him. Just because. His dreadwolf transformation was fire though, 10/10 no notes

Morrigan my beloved I kinda wish they hadn't brought you back. I guessed very early the meaning of her wearing Flemmeth's headpiece thingie, but I think it was underexploited! Their relationship was frought with angst from Origins on, and it feels like it's been retconned, and Morrigan made into someone overall way too nice??? Where is the sense of danger?

Characters that should have returned >:( (or be mentioned a couple times)

The Warden. How do we still not know what happened to their quest of ending the Calling?? In many ways, the game feels like a sequel to Inquisition specifically, and kinda ignores the first two games. (Yeah yeah they need to let new players come in, but still)

Zevran??? I have no words for how disappointed I am to have a game set in Antiva, and the only hints to Zevran are subtle and missable ( I did not get the banter about Crows no longer taking contracts in Ferelden). It would have been so interesting to have him, who comes from the worst, most violent houses of Crows, as a contrast to Lucanis, who was born into it (and whose worst times are glossed over in the game)

I would have liked a mention of Leliana, but I guess since they don't ask if she became the Divine, it was not going to happen. She already came back once so I guess it's fine but still.

A mention of Sven could have been cool (maybe I missed it)

I am so devastated that a game set in Mirathous makes no mention of Fenris, especially after the whole blue wraith thing????? And the design of the spirits like the Caretaker are so reminescent of his lyrium markings, come on, it's not like the devs forgot he existed??? I low key headcanon that a romanced Fenris with a Hawke left into the Fade created the Shadow Dragons, with the name being a wink to Hawke's love of dragons.

Speaking of Hawke. We spend so much time in the Fade in this game it would have been really easy to add their journal or something even if you don't want to have the character physically there??

I need Merrill and Solas to be in the same room. Come on. The blood mage ready to do anything to learn of the past, and the god of lies who despises the current Dalish culture? I need them to have a conversation. Also I always feel mad that she worked so hard on her Eluvian, and now they're mentioned and shown everywhere but she is seemingly entirely forgotten????

Josephine also feels like she could have been hanging around Treviso but I'm not that mad about it, I was never as insane about the Inquisition characters compared to the other games lol

Conclusion

Is the game perfect? No. Did I expect it to be? Absolutely not haha come on I love this franchise but there has been valid criticism of absolutely every single one of them, and retconned things all around. Plot lines dropped and abandoned.

Honestly I think my biggest disappointment has been the romance (I wanted the angst so bad lol) but I loved the story, loved the gameplay, and do not regret any of the 70 hours I spent on my first run. It never happens, for a game this long, that I want to replay it right after finishing.

8.5/10

[samobservessonic]

StC Post-Mortems: Captain Plunder

Captain Plunder and his cast of support characters - including many enemies, two regular crew members and a whole host of disposable extra crew members - may have suddenly disappeared from StC as of issue 108, but they still enjoyed a lengthy career in the comic before that. So it’s time to take a look at what was, what might have been and my admittedly far too long list of fan ideas I’d have liked to have seen from him (I like Captain Plunder, okay?) as I examine him for today’s StC Post-Mortem

How it started

This is Richard Elson’s original design for Captain Plunder, which seems to have stayed mostly the same when he appears in the comic. It’s interesting to see notes such as “gorilla type features with tusks”. I’ve never put much thought into what “animal” Plunder was based on, since I guess I generally think of him as being more human-like, but seeing gorilla, I can see that. That makes sense to me

Captain Plunder’s actual first appearance was in the main story of issue 23, where he’s presented as a villain who’s kidnapped Amy Rose (not long after her own first appearance), but ends up being talked around to being somewhat on the heroes side - even if he did have his fingers crossed behind his back when he made a deal with them

At the time, there weren’t many other villains outside of Robotnik and the few that there were tended to be one-off characters who worked for Robotnik anyway. So when Plunder appeared to buffer the rogue’s gallery, it was a welcome addition

How it went

With lots of silly pirate adventures fighting against everyone! After his first appearance, Plunder was a somewhat regular guest in the comic, sometimes working with Sonic and sometimes against him, but always for his own gain. He generally didn’t work with Robotnik, so at least he had that going for him

Of the crew members shown above, only Filch - the lizard ghost who Plunder shot dead for taking the last biscuit -  would remain constant from the start to finish of the series as Plunder’s loyal second-in-command, with the background fodder of crew members being cycled in and out on every adventure. There was a professor guy for one story that Plunder made a big deal of, but then he was gone without a word about him in the next story

The only other notable character to join Plunder’s crew was fan fave Simpson the Cat, a forth-wall-breaking rubber hose character who Plunder met in prison and, upon helping him to escape, would become the only other permanent member of Plunder’s crew

This would also mark the beginning of Plunder’s solo stories. For his early appearances, Plunder would always be escorted by a Sonic character, but it was clear that the team wanted to focus on telling stories about Plunder himself. With his new own series being introduced as a backup story in an issue that also featured Plunder in the main Sonic story, it was a good way to get the kids who came for Sonic onboard with these extra pirate adventures

How it ended

Exactly like that. In the conclusion to a six-part Captain Plunder solo story called the Spice Maidens, we see the crew marooned on what appears to be a desert island, after their ship was blasted out of the sky by yet another old enemy who Plunder wronged

To top it all off, Plunder was still cursed with bad luck at this point. I remember as a kid that I’d sometimes wonder what became of Captain Plunder and if we’d ever see him again. Maybe I should’ve written into the comic to say that I missed his stories

Were there any unused future plans from the StC writers?

Wait, so we were going to get a Plunder and Ebony story? That would’ve been the coolest thing ever! Two of my favourite StC exclusives in the same story? Damn, we truly live in a cruel timeline that this didn’t come to pass. I do wonder what what Kitching meant by the curse being “something far more significant” as well

What would I personally have liked to see next for him if StC continued?

Are you kidding me? I cannot come up with something better than Plunder seeking help from Ebony to get his curse lifted. Just throw Super Sonic into that story as well and it’ be perfect

What if he was in other Sonic media?

I have a bunch of different ideas for stuff I’d have liked to have seen from Plunder in a fantasy scenario where he could’ve appeared in other Sonic media:

Classic Sonic Games:

By “Classic Sonic” I mean the current version of it that’s still getting new games and comics and stuff. Captain Plunder was introduced to us as a pirate from the Mystic Cave Zone and if he was in the games (or the IDW Classic Sonic comics), I’d like to see them focus on that. Give him a cool boss fight. Make him a regional boss for that zone. The sort of character where Sonic knows that if he goes to that zone, he’s going to have to deal with Plunder. Honestly, the Mystic Cave Zone theme is already like Captain Plunder’s theme in my head, so that’s the association I have with it

You could potentially use the same idea to make him something like an Egg Boss for the Mystic Cave Zone in a Post-Reboot Archie Sonic setting, but I just don’t really like the idea of him working for Eggman. He’s better as a separate problem who can be swayed either way

Modern Sonic Games:

“We already have pirates on Blaze’s world” …Cool! Add more pirates!

The Sol Dimension is still largely unexplored by the franchise, but we know there’s a lot of sea-faring, so we can assume there’s more than one group of pirates. So, have Plunder be another problem for Blaze to deal with who’s either from the Sol Dimension itself or else a dimension traveller using that starpost of his who crops up every now and then to cause trouble

Alternatively, have him be a zeti. This is where I hold my hand up and admit that I haven’t played Lost World, it’s in my Steam backlog but it came out during an era where I wasn’t that into Sonic outside of the comics. So I don’t have a lot to say about this idea. In general, Plunder is a character who I don’t think needs to be “Sonic-ified” because I think his unique design already makes him stand out as a villain in the Sonic line-up, but if he does have to get a Sonic-y makeover, then instead of making him something like a walrus or gorilla, why not use him to expand upon an area of the series that SEGA keeps calling back on (at least, they invite Zavok over for sports sometimes) but hasn’t explored much? Adding pirates to the zeti mix just sounds fun to me

Sonic Underground:

I maintain that you could wholesale put the entirety of the StC exclusive characters into Underground without having to change a thing. I mean, this guy exists in Underground for crying out loud! Plunder wouldn’t even by the most unusual sea-faring character Sonic's seen over there

Skies of Arcadia:

I also have a couple of non-Sonic suggestions and this is my first “hear me out”. Captain Plunder is a sky pirate. SEGA already has a game about sky pirates. You know who’s favourite game is Skies of Arcadia and has also worked collaboratively with Nigel Kitching in the recent past? Ian Flynn. What I’m saying is that Plunder could totally work in this world. Let Kitching (& Dobbyn) handle the Plunder parts and let Ian handle the Skies of Arcadia parts and I’m sure they could make a fun crossover of it Captain Plunder, No Strings Attached:

My final suggestion and probably my greatest wish for the character is that Captain Plunder could’ve existed outside of Sonic Yeah, I know I went hard on wanting to include all of the Plunder stories in my blogging because he’s part of Sonic’s world, but mostly it was just because I like them! Team Nigel clearly had stories they wanted to tell about this character outside of Sonic, they were always very quick to ditch the Sonic elements in the Plunder stories up until they could finally tell a few stories that were purely Captain Plunder stories, so I want to let them cook. The reason I know about this character is because of Sonic, sure, but now that I do know about him, it’s a shame that he’s tied to Sonic when this could’ve been a wholly original series. And yeah, we’ve seen guys use the Sonic brand to tell stories about their own stuff before - look at Archie Knuckles or the Paramount Knuckles series - but Captain Plunder is one time where I’m like “Actually, this slaps and I would love to have more!” It makes me regret that after StC finished, I didn’t think to look into other stuff these creators worked on. Hell, I could still do that right now, but I’m gonna get this blog finished first

So yeah, my final answer is that I think there’s lots of ways you could fit Plunder into the Sonic brand that I have fun thinking about, but ultimately I’d want to keep Plunder as he is… just without the Sonic strings attached

[super-hero-confessions]

Unpopular opinion but I think Rogue is overrated.

It feels like since the 90s she’s been made so ooc there’s nothing actually interesting about her on her own. Her powers for one thing, I’m a real nerd for how powers work etc so I do a lot of research on them, obviously different writers do different things and that’s a big part of why I’m no longer a hardcore marvel comic fan, they make stuff up to fit their narrative and it’s flopped on a lot of interesting, unique characters. Rogue’s power is absorbing powers and memories briefly by skin to skin contact. So her being invulnerable, being able to fly and having super strength isn’t her. I get her having Carol’s powers and memories for a little longer for the trauma arc but that’s long since over, she shouldn’t have any of that anymore but it makes her a big, bad powerful woman that a lot of writers use as self-inserts to come off as Rogue is badass but it’s cringe. Use the source material, do your research. Rogue is written in a way, by writers who are Rogue fans interestingly enough as a mean girl. She’s constantly the centre of attention, having very judging opinions on characters who’ve done way less damage in their pasts than she has and is incredibly flawless even when it’s showing her flaws. Flaws are human, writers should remember that fact. Every other character has them yet Rogue is never wrong and when it’s pointed out you get jumped on. She’s a bit of a bully which has really shown recently with how she treated the Outliers who she’s supposed to be mentoring but has spent more time shouting at and beating up than teaching and helping with their trauma. And of course her husband who is always to blame for everything ever, no matter what.

My other pet peeve is how in more recent comics since the 2010 era it feels like a lot of characters are being absorbed into Rogue’s cheerleading squad. Maybe this is just me but whatever, 🤷🏾‍♀️ a few characters who already have well balanced backstories feel altered by writers to make them fit into Rogue’s circle. Nightcrawler for example. A lot of history, well thought out content for his past that bled into his life as an X-Man. His battle with his looks being the son of a demon and a catholic priest are non existent now he’s just Rogue’s sister. He has an adoptive family who loved him, his demon father who is the reason he will never reach heaven, his other siblings from both Raven and Azazel feel hastily removed now he’s suddenly Raven and Irene’s bio son and only Rogue’s brother even though they’ve never really had that sort of bond until recent years. Fyi, Raven’s shapeshifting powers does not work that way, she cannot have a child as a man because she does not possess that type of metamorphosis. It kind of makes Nightcrawler a nonentity when he was one of the best characters who had one of the steadiest backstories. As a long term fan who was deeply invested in the comics it’s really turned me off Rogue’s character, I just don’t understand they hype or why everything seems to revolve around her in almost every issue of the X-Men.

Another big character who fell into writers Rogue syndrome is Wolverine. He was Kate’s father-figure and that seems to have fallen off for Rogue even when they never had that kind of relationship. He has children of his own and two prominent X-Kids who he’s fatherly to and yet Rogue gets all of his attention. Sure they’re friends but recent comics, particularly Uncanny just reads wrong. Then there’s Gambit but the non-Romy fans have that base covered. I feel sorry for Gambit fans who don’t ship Romy, it’s hard to see the character you love so much be reduced to a shadow of another character with no light at the end of the tunnel. Everything about Gambit now is Rogue, you can’t even look up his tag without her flooding it. I can only imagine the burnout and frustration, then you have the Romy/Rogue cult telling you your opinions are wrong and invalid. It’s a lot. It’s why I don’t buy marvel comics anymore. Writers are busy self-inserting themselves or being overly prejudice (looking at you, Simone) on things, that other storylines and characters get squashed. Superhero comics feel like trashy rom-coms without the comedy, long time fans aren’t impressed. For me Rogue was never overly interesting but had potential, these days it’s hard to read anything with her in it, which seems to be everything. It’s bland unless she’s being bossy, mean and taking over all the time. It’s not a good look.

Obviously this is a writers flaw, not the made up character but that’s who we channel our frustrations through unfortunately and I can never get past the years of unnecessary drama and poor writing to enjoy anything involving her especially with the writers who currently have their claws into things. You should have respect for the character you’re writing or not be hired, fanfic is there for a reason and that’s what 616 canon has become. Lacklustre melodrama. You get a few snippets of good art or pages in a comic and it’s raved over because there’s nothing for so long, it’s tiresome. Devoted fans are given crumbs and the complaints are washed out by fans who aren’t seriously invested so we keep getting trash, not that I’m bashing them, I’m glad some people can enjoy it if that’s what they like but it’s a downer when long term fans aren’t getting a look in at all in fear of upsetting certain fans who have completely taken over and somehow the writers pander to that. Lots of storylines coming out, nothing meaningful or genuine in sight.

[bonefall]

Two questions! What's Leopardstar doing after her death? She got dammed so hard that there was a comet in the sky iirc, and Starclan happily gave Mistystar her lives, so I imagine that Lep is PISSED that her murderer is being welcomed as a hero, while she's rotting in the DF. I would like to know how she feels about Tigerstar's plans, since BB Lep was an active supporter of his idealology

I thiiiink the fallen star thing was a joke, but it is a very funny image to think that any damned spirit becomes one tbh

But actually! Leopardstar and Mudclaw are both kind of ashamed of what they did. Leopardstar is more resigned to her fate, while Mudclaw eventually decides he wants to atone and gets involved with the StarClan bridge.

Being around Tigerstar and a bunch of the worst offenders of TigerClan has brought a lot of it back. Distance had made her begin to feel that there was no need to "throw the kitten out with the tonguewash." Tigerstar himself was bad, yes... but is it *really* so wrong to want a pure, strong Clan? What's wrong with putting RiverClan first?

But now she's back under his claw. Being spoken over, used as a pawn, just like old times. She hasn't confronted the CORE of how her ideology is bad, but she does remember know how humiliating this situation was, and how terrible Tigerstar really is.

But at the same time, she is proud. She cannot let Mistystar go unpunished. She wants "revenge," though, to her "revenge" is a rematch.

On the day she died, Mistystar attempted to poison Leopardstar's food, in a way unintentionally similar to how Leopardstar poisoned Crookedstar before them. So she recognized it right away. It struck her in that moment that she was sick of these dirty, dishonorable tactics.

So she pushed it aside, leapt to the top of the stump, and announced that she had learned of a pack of vicious rogues on the border. "Mistyfoot and myself will confront them. Alone. Don't follow."

Mistystar only won the fight through luck. There was a stone in the river where they fought, and she smashed Leopardstar's head on it until she stopped moving.

So, Leopardstar uses this in her death to hold a grudge. I think on some level she knows it's an excuse, or perhaps a quirk of her pride, that she feels her death was unfair. She believes she gave leadership to Mistystar by covering for her own murder-- and she WANTS that perfect fight.

But before the BOTTE, I plan for her to have a conversation with her apprentice. Hawkfrost's arc is to break free of his father and his legacy... and he needs to speak to his proud, strong leader, who he comes to realize is being used like a tool.

It's another step in his revelation about cycles. How he was used, how he's done the same thing to Ivypool, how people have been doing this to his loved ones long before he was born.

[lazerv4]

Thoughts on Dragon Age: Inquisition [REPLAY]

Just my raw thoughts not a review or anything

Coming back to Inquisition after 10 years now, is like seeing an old friend that you truly didn’t realize how much they really cared until now that they’ve been gone for a while.

I loved my time revisiting the third entry in Dragon Age especially after last year’s Baldur's Gate 3 and the release this year of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in a few months.

Besides a few issues with the ambition of the story not quite being able to be realized at the time the game is incredibly fun, charming, epic, funny and honestly kind of ahead of it’s time like it’s series tends to be.

First speaking for the gameplay I played a rogue who specialized in assassination, which was incredibly fun a had an entertaining loop once I got my build finalized because man it took a bit to get to the good stuff and I’m not sure if I would have the patience if I already didn’t love the game which is a big slight issue that while the game eventually solved took way too long. The open worlds are all nice, fun and expansive if you remember that not all of them are gigantic and the hinterlands is a go back to every so often kind of place instead of staying there forever like many did. The combat flows well with the level design for the most part having areas that are open and easy to maneuver through however the prowess of the engine holds back some scenes trying to create a large scale that can’t be fully realized since the engine can’t hold that many enemies on screen even with a ludicrously over specs PC like most gaming PCs would be today. However even when the game itself can’t realize the massive world and scale of everything going on the story pulls through and does the heavy lifting. The main plot itself is rather simple, it follow your created character becoming the Inquisitor and expanding your influence to slowly figure out who killed the Divine and created a rift in the sky which eventually turns out to be a returning Corypheus from Dragon Age 2 and then you uncover a lot more things about him, the nature of dark spawn and the mysteries of Thedas as you work to beat Corypheus once and for all. The 3 DLC are 2 main story expansion and an epilogue, the first being Jaws of Hakkon which expands the world into previously uncharted lands further making the world of Thedas feel alive and well thought out as you interact with the Avvar people who basically share nothing besides their species and language with the rest of Thedas as well as uncovering the secrets of the first inquisition in what feels like a fantasy Indiana Jones jungle adventure at times just being incredibly satisfying. Next was The Descent which expands even further into Dwarves and the Deep Roads finally making them feel as cool as the series has always wanted you to think they were, the plot is a simple go down and explore what is causing sudden earthquakes and the resolution to it while leaving you with a bunch of new questions expands on dwarves in fascinating ways that I hope The Veilguard explores more through Harding. Finally you get to quite possibly one of the greatest pieces of DLC ever made with Tresspacer, the third and final story expansion set 2 years after the events of the campaign where an Exalted Council is held by your current Divine to see the future of the Inquisition post Breach and political pressure from both Orlais and Ferelden as a Qunari invasion starts within Eluvia Mirrors (teleporters to a different dimension) as you slowly uncover the mystery old the olden elven gods and why Solas left after the defeat of Corypheus then learning that he is in fact the Dread Wolf, the legendary trickster god who defied the gods and imprisoned or killed them as your mark which turns out to be his doing starts to slowly kill you. Trespasser alone is worth getting into Inquisition with how fantastic it’s quality is, I cannot stress enough how cool of an epilogue plot it is and how it’s unlikely anyone will quite be able to do it like they did.

Inquisition as a whole package is incredible with how it weaves a story spanning the entire continent through it’s side quest and DLC and a pretty fun fantasy story in it’s main plot as you live and breath along with everything in Thedas in a medium that is inherently the best at making worlds feel lived in. Few do it like Dragon Age and none do it better, Skyrim gets a lot of props for being “immersive” but that is only true superficially, if you truly wanna see what a believable world is then go ahead and give not only Inquisition a chance but also the entire series including material outside the games, it’s all great and you get to visit so many places that you basically come to know Thedas as if it was a place you’ve actually lived in. I wish I could write more about how great this game and experience was but I feel like The Veilguard will cover some territory that I want to mention here so I will save it all for that.