#i'm terrible at remembering names so i can't guess who you might be

[kedreeva]

#we spoke of this a LOT at work after that one tech was murdered and hidden in a wall

hi!👋 hello! kedreeva! i’m going to need to ask you to explain this!!!!

So back in 2009, a lab student named Annie Le was murdered at Yale university. Cameras saw her going on into a building, but not out again and it was like, the eve of her wedding (or close to? I don't remember) so clearly she had places to be and people waiting for her so they immediately started looking and the next day (or so? Anyway on the day of her wedding) they found her body in a recess in a wall, down in the areas where the research animals were kept. It turns out, a tech had killed her, but since there were cameras like EVERYWHERE, he just, I guess, left her there. Well, hid the body where it was. I don't remember how they caught him, but they did. It was a horrifying story. It still is.

And it was a huge news story among the folks at my workplace because, at the time, I was working at a different university, as an animal husbandry technician. As you can imagine this was a kind of intense time to be in that situation. They started offering, like, I'm not gonna say counseling but it was "if you need to talk we would prefer you talk to us about something wrong rather than kill anyone about it" and as techs (even if we were not even the same kind of tech, the killer was a lab tech and we were husbandry techs but I think a lot of people assumed it had been a husbandry tech since she was in an animal area), we were kind of getting the side eye from lab people for weeks afterwards. Like they thought we were gonna go "wow that's a fantastic idea, you're next!" or something, idk. And I mean like, people would freeze when you were alone in a hallway, or turn and walk the other way, or duck into the nearest room and watch you walk past, and they were all being super nice/civil to us when they did have to interact. It was very atypical behavior for lab people. Like not all of them, some of them had always been nice and weren't worried, but some of the people who had been unbelievable dicks previously were walking on eggshells. And the people who had friends in other universities reported this was happening at their jobs, too.

And instead of talking to The Man (because all the higher ups were garbage at the time), we just. talked among ourselves. It was a lot of "I may say I feel like strangling lab people sometimes when they do things that drive me up a wall but I don't MEAN it you know that right" and it also led to group discussions of what would be a theoretical *better* solution to hiding a body than what happened, with clear disdain for doing things like hiding bodies in walls, which is a terrible idea and one we would never do (looking at the people who think we might have decided this was a great idea actually).

Which consequently led to a lot of supervisors and/or managers that happened to overhear us bringing us donuts or arranging pizza for lunch in like, some kind of bid to help us feel appreciated, I guess, so that we wouldn't murder anyone, even though none of us were going to do that anyway. But also none of us were in a position to turn down free donuts or pizza or whatever.

And then after a few weeks, maybe a month or so, people just kind of forgot and moved on and things went back to normal like fifty people hadn't spent every lunch hour for weeks talking quietly among themselves about how human bodies would definitely fit into a carcass disposal barrel or that you'd have to crush hip bones and/or skulls before incineration. Hypothetically.

Like I said, it was a VERY weird time to be at my job, and every time I remember it happening feels like a fever dream. I can't even imagine what it was like at Yale.

[howdoesagrapewrites]

𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬

Plot: Baela needs some stress relieving before the battle, and who's best than her sweet older sister?

Cw: lovesick!Baela Targaryen x reader, top!Baela x sub!reader, could be Blackfyre!reader but this is not really canon so who cares, smut, fingering, grinding, your usual unhinged medieval sexuality, incest, targcest could be read as internalized homophobia but not really, dirty talk, virginity loss, Baela's POV at first, then reader's POV

Notes: This is not really canon, or important in the Dragon Jaws/Blackfyre series, it's just a little treat

Baela and Y/N were in a tent after a session with the generals of the black army, they discussed the strategy for combat tomorrow. It was late, probably later than it was prudent, after all, no warrior with half a brain would go into war without proper rest; but it was not easy to fall asleep with so much in mind.

The sisters shared a tent, both as a security measure, and one of emotional need. They had spent their whole lives together, missing each other terribly when apart. They would exchange letters and travel on dragonback into the arms of one another, though the tent was missing Rhaena, their other sister, they accepted this gracefully, as it was to keep her safe.

They slept on a big bed (as much as it could be called a bed), usually ending up tangled in the other's embrace. For Baela, it was hard. She was in love with her sister, she desired her. It had evolved throughout the years, but she was sure she loved her sisters from the moment she was able to love. During puberty this feeling grew, it enveloped her, and now, as an adult, it was irresistible. For one, she was grateful she was born a woman, she could shower and dress with her without any shame, stare at her bosom, her perky nipples, her hips, her back, so soft and ready to be marked. She remembered this time during her younger years, where with the excuse of curiosity, she asked her older sister about her developing body, Baela standing naked before her, with her only in her undergarments, both getting ready for bed after swimming on the sea.

"I just can't know if they will get like yours, can you look at me?" She timidly asked. Y/N just caressed her curly hair, and said "It's normal, they look normal. They just might be small, that's lovely too" she said, innocent to the hormone-filled train of thought Baela was conjuring. Y/N topped it off with words that would be repeated over and over in Baela's head for years to come: "You can't tell anyone this, but you and Rhaena are the most beautiful Targaryens to have ever lived" they laughed and Baela felt butterflies erupt in response to her gentleness.

And now, Baela can't sleep thinking about that, she wants her, if not now, when? When will they ever find a better place and time to have each other? Probably many more, Baela thinks, however, what matters is that after years of simmering, her lust has come to a boil.

"Y/N" she calls

"Ahem?" She responds, sleep filled voice

"Have you thought about the end of the war?" She asks, snuggling her body close to hers, Baela is hugging her from behind, the bed feels warm

"I guess we all have"

"I'm fighting like a man" Baela stated "But once the war ends, I won't have the power of a man"

"I think we all want the power of a lord. Lord Baelon, how does that sound? I think it has a nice ring to it" said the oldest "How about me? How would my name sound as a lord?"

"Hmm... I'd like you to remain a lady" Y/N made a curious noise at Baela's words, and then noticed her hand going lower, from the side of her chest, to her waist. "That way... You would be lord Baelon's wife, keep the blood of the dragon pure" her hand hands reached for the buttons in her nightgown. "I would share you with Rhaena" she stopped to think of a fitting name for her sister "Lord Rhaegar, that would be nice... But she can be a lady too, what matters is that I'll have both of you"

Y/N aids Baela with the unbuttoning of her blouse, guiding her hand to her bare skin "I'm not liking it too much, you are cocky, I would like to marry a gentle lord" she says that, but she's undressing for Baela. "Remain a lady, for me, sister, I do not need more"

"I do" Baela says, flipping you on your back, looking deeply into your eyes from above, her hair tickles your shoulders as they fall like a cascade

She closes the distance and kisses you like a starved animal, like a dragon. She's fire, so are you. You devour each other, you grab her curls to trap her, she moans when she feels your nails massage her scalp. You break the kiss to gasp for air, Bae looks dizzy and lovestruck, all of her bold attitude is now gone.

Her hands touch your sides softly, and you nod so she can go ahead. Her palms are soft, but there's an undeniable roughness thanks to the dragon reins she holds onto.

Baela kisses your neck, by this point, your torso is bare, you get goosebumps from the cold air around you. She kisses all the way down to your navel, your underpants are tied with baby blue ribbons, and Baela softly tugs them down.

"It's not enough" she whispers in your ear as she exposes your cunt

You softly sigh as her slender fingers play with your folds, gathering the slick and rubbing your clit with it. She keeps kissing you, and teasing your hole with her finger, not quite fucking you with it. You enjoy it until you don't, and start shamelessly grinding against her, you get a little louder, whining "Lady Baela" and biting your lip in hopes of seducing her. She can't resist, and slowly inserts only her ring finger, slowly pumping in and out of you.

Soon the pace quickens, but you both agree is not enough, and Baela is shivering with the desire to be touched too. Mid-making out, she asks you to sit up.

"I have an idea, just-" she undresses too, with your eager help she lays down, resting her head on the pillow, now naked. She motions you to sit on top of her. You slowly lower yourself with Baela guiding your hips to where she wants them to be, both of you giggle with the tender awkwardness of both your cluelessness.

Your pulsing cunt comes to grind on top of her, you experimentally move, and are rewarded with a a breathy moan from Baela. You build your pace, wiggling your hips and riding her pussy, you start slow, feeling her clit and folds rub with yours, at first it's too intense, and your eyes get wet with tears from pleasure. But then it's not enough, and you ride her like it's the last thing you'll do, it gets difficult to hide your moans, but you think anyone would know what's happening, based on the wet clapping sounds of skin of skin.

It gets slippery with slick, and your hips get tired, but Baela's voice demanding more is just too intoxicating. You come and collapse on top of her, but she's still rolling her hips and sucking on your neck, you plead for mercy, but she's as ruthless in bed as in the battlefield, so after you momentarily stop, she bites you. "Did I say you could stop?" You are in fact tired, but just listening to her commands has you clenching, so your lower body gets a mind of its own and keeps moving to satisfy your sister. You know that you would probably see the sun arise before Baela had her fill of you.

...

"Y/N" she calls, this time she doesn't wait for an answer, as she knows you're awake "You will not marry anyone, you'll wait for me"

You get a little sad, you know that you can never marry Baela, and don't know exactly what she means "Yet you will marry Jace" you say, maybe a little too hurt

"I will" Baela makes you look at her in the eyes, as she promises you this "But I will make him take you as a wife too, you will not marry until that happens" she's tender, but you are aware she's being dead serious. Jacaerys taking a second wife? A bastard one at that? It sounds too fantastic, and you would like to live in that fantasy, but your mind will not let you.

"Trust me, Y/N."

"I don't think many would accept it"

"Then I suppose Moondancer will have grow fat from too many nobles"

[callsignfate]

Risk is my middle name

Day Nine of Writemas/Birthday posts!

If you want to see the scheduled posts go here

If you want to see more posts like this go here Reader wears glasses/contacts

TW: None? Let me know if I've missed any!

♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤

"Damn it!" You hissed as your last pair of contacts had dried out. You looked at them in disbelief before moving to find your glasses. Usually, the world was an uncomfortable blur; your terrible eyesight made people standing even two feet away appear blurry and their faces unreadable.

Valeria, who had perfect eyesight, watched you walk around, moving your hands over the objects on your nightstand and dresser, pulling them mere inches away from your face before putting them back down. An amused smile played on her lips, your mind so focused on finding your glasses that you had forgotten Valeria was still in the room, lounging in bed.

"What are you looking for?" she questioned with an amused tone. A small, startled scream escaped your lips before you turned and squinted your eyes to try to see Valeria clearly.

"What in God's name—have you been in here the whole time?" you questioned immediately as Valeria's laugh echoed into the room. "Yep, just enjoying the show," Valeria replied, her laughter continuing. "You're like a detective investigating a crime scene without your glasses. Or trying to decode some ancient script. It's cute."

You scowled, the effort of squinting making the expression comical. "This is not cute. This is a serious situation. I can't see anything."

Valeria sat up, her laughter subsiding but a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well, maybe you should've taken better care of your last pair of contacts. What's your plan now, Sherlock?"

You huffed, knowing you looked ridiculous. "I guess I'll have to go to the optometrist and get a new set. But right now, I need you to guide me. Help me find my glasses, Val, Please." you hummed out before you made your way back to the bed.

"You broke your last pair when you fell, remember?" Valeria added.

"Oh, right," you muttered, mentally facepalming. "Well, that complicates things. I might need a walking stick instead of glasses."

"Okay, blind detective, what's the plan now?" Valeria asked, settling in next to you.

"I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get new contacts," you replied, a hint of frustration in your voice.

Valeria patted your back reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out. In the meantime, you can enjoy the world of artistic blur. Who knows, you might discover a hidden talent for abstract art."

You chuckled, appreciating Valeria's lighthearted approach to the situation. "Maybe I'll start a new movement: Impressionistic Living."

Valeria grinned. "I can't wait to see your masterpiece." "You might be witnessing the birth of a genius," you huffed dramatically, gesturing toward the blurry surroundings.

Valeria pointed her blurry arm at random objects from the room. "Describe this masterpiece to me. What do you see?"

You squinted in the general direction of her hand. "It's a... uh, blob of colors.. Definitely represents the complexities of life."

Valeria burst into laughter. "I think you're onto something. Abstract art enthusiasts would pay a fortune for that description."

"I can't even see your expression's Val, you're a blurry blob, a hot blurry blob, but a blob." You sighed now even more annoyed with yourself.

Valeria playfully pouted. "Well, as long as I'm a hot blurry blob, I guess that's acceptable."

You sighed again, dramatically. "Imagine all the details I'm missing right now. Your fabulous hair, your radiant smile, and, most importantly, your evil plotting expression."

Valeria chuckled. "Ah, the evil plotting expression is a fan favorite. Too bad you're missing out."

You mimicked a gasp. "Maybe this is all part of your grand plan. Sabotaging my vision for world domination."

"Lean closer so I can." You pouted as you tried to release you eyes from squinting, the headache from the squinting, that wasn't helping, already forming.

Valeria leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "Yes, my grand plan is to make you utterly dependent on me. Step one: sabotage your vision. Step two: rule the world together. It's foolproof, really."

You groaned, "I knew falling for you was a risky move."

Valeria chuckled, her breath warm on your face. "Risk is my middle name." "I knew it." You playfully mumbled before she leaned in and left a gentle kiss on your lips.

♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤

If you want to see the scheduled posts go here

If you want to see more posts like this go here

[asha-mage]

i'm on desktop and i'm too lazy to pull up emojis but imagine a pepper emoji right here

The best adaption of the famous Superman story 'For the Man Who Has Everything' is not the Justice League episode of the same name (though that is a very good episode and adaption) but rather, the Supergirl season 1 episode 'For the Girl Who Has Everything'.

As with the comic, Kara- like Clark- is ensnared by the Black Mercy, a plant that entraps it's victim in a hallucinogenic vision of their ideal life, and like Clark, we learn that Kara's vision of an ideal life is living out her time with her family on a Krypton that is never destroyed.

What's interesting is that Clark's vision of Krypton is not really grounded in anything- it can't be. He was a baby when he left and he has no memories to cling to. It's shown that what Clark really wants is being able to live in a world where not only does he not have the power to be a hero but their is no need for heroes at all. His visions of his parents, of what Kryptonian life might have looked like, all of it- it's all a fabrication. Even his dream wife is clearly just 'Lois Lane but on Krypton'. Clark Kent's darkest fantasy is "I don't have to be Superman anymore", because being Superman is a terrible sacrifice, but one he feels he has to make, like he does at the end of the story when he finally breaks free.

But that's not the case for Kara, because Kara's darkest fantasy is not "I don't have to be Supergirl anymore". Kara likes being Supergirl even despite all the sacrifices it demands of her, in part because its her way of making up for not being there for Clark/Kal El when he first got to earth. Instead Supergirl's darkest fantasy really is 'Krypton was never destroyed and none of this ever happened'- because for all the good in her life: from her adopted family, to everything Clark has become, to the friends she cares about so deeply, to everything she has done as Supergirl- she would trade it all to go back to Krypton, back to her family, her world, her life before it was all violently ripped away from her.

Kara remembers Krypton in a way Clark doesn't, and so her vision is more cruel in a way his can't be. Those visions of her parents aren't guess work or fabrication, that's really as she remembers them, and her vision of Krypton and what it was like are grounded firmly in her lived experience. For her, she is seeing people and places that where killed and destroyed, and that she mourned. Clark's vision is of a life he thinks he can never have. Kara's vision is of a life she had but was taken from her and unlike Clark that means that she can not escape on her own.

Instead her adopted sister Alex has to go into the vision to try and reach her, and in the process delivers one of the best speeches in the Arrowverse, or a Superfamily story:

Life isn't perfect. I know it can be hard and it can be lonely. Especially for you. You have sacrificed and you have lost so much. I wish you could've had a life with your family. But even if you did, Kara, it wouldn't be this. Because this isn't real. And deep down, Kara. Deep down, you know it. I can't promise you a life without pain and loss because pain is a part of life. It's what makes us who we are. It is what makes you a hero. You fight every day to keep people from struggling like you have. I know you can remember, please. Please try, Kara. Because Earth needs Supergirl.

This finally breaks through and sets Kara free, because Alex is right. Earth does need her, and just because being Supergirl is not the same burden for her as it to Clark, it doesn't change that, and it doesn't change that it demands incredible sacrifices of her- including saying goodbye to her family and her world for a second time.

Anyways all this to say while the Arrowverse made some wild choices later on, it still had a way better understanding of the DC heroes and what makes their stories tick then basically anyone they've ever let write a Superman movie for the last twenty years.

[ri-writes-if]

I'm usually a Vezmancer, but this time I decided to try all the routes and Laz...my my my what do we have here? I love the Oracle being this morose, hissing wet cat to him, hitting him with the "Why are you doing this I'm doomed to die sooner or later, stop it, let me die in solitude" is just marvelous (I'm a sucker for that sort of thing). (I also love being able to just pick whoever without worrying about always picking that RO in other scenes).

I truly hope at some point we get to circle back to the loneliness conversation (for added angst maybe after Laz fs up and get to hit them with the "should've stayed lonely I guess" and idk turn invisible or into a bird/butterfly so they can't/won't look at us and fly off).

I do have a question, mostly because I can't remember what the warnings were prior to this chapter, but just how dark can we make the story? Cause I noticed that every time the Oracle starts to go dark, they immediately bounce back. Like with Argellan (apologies if that's not how it's spelled, I don't remember assholes' names out of disrespect lol jk I'm just terrible with spelling) they almost start to cry and then just don't. Or they feel helpless and then just get determined even if most options I pick are the passive/I deserve this and "oh well guess I'll die" options. I'm not complaining, mind, I get going down the major depression path is not something everyone wants to do nor is comfortable doing, and that's 1000% ok. Your story, I'm just here for the ride.

I'm mostly curious given the warnings on if those tags are for the other characters? Or if it depends on our sanity or if it can get darker later? To set my expectations if you will. No need for spoilers and if it makes you uncomfortable/upset apologies, please don't feel the need to answer.

Regardless I look forward to confusing all the ROs with my pessimism and chaos.

I’m glad you enjoyed Laz’s route! Thank you for sharing your thoughts 💛

I understand you might want more “depressing” options, but it’s just not the direction I planned for this main character. They can end up in a pretty bad situation if their sanity falls, but overall, their potential tragedy is in misinterpreting what they need to become happy.

The Oracle is someone who wants a better life. It’s at the heart of their character. Every decision they have been making their whole life is pushed by this desire. They might be doomed, but they’re not going down quietly. They will force themselves to get up even when the situation is bleak, and that was the point of that moment—to show that they don’t allow anyone/anything to beat them down easily. They never have, and that’s why they’re still alive and trying to not just live, but live well.

Their developing arc isn’t “I want to live love laugh” vs “I’ll die so everything’s meaningless”, it’s more like “I’ll become a better person against all odds and find my place” vs “I’ll take what I want by any means necessarily even if it makes me miserable”. That’s as much as I can say without spoilering things.

So yeah, they’re not staying in the gutter. We’re actually at the point in the story where they begin to pick themselves up and take control of their life.

For the warnings—it’s mostly for what the Oracle encounters, though some of it will apply to them if you go down a particular path. Let’s just say… they might end up in a worse situation than they’re in now, you know? 🌚 Perhaps you'll enjoy that route! :)

[iobartach]

okay but since this is hogging my brainrot all week, here's a taste of what acolyte!miguel is like, a.k.a mig in my gach dual síoda / each strand of silk verse 👀

Miguel is from piltover, so he was a scholar, with a bright and intelligent mind as ever. more specifically, i'm gonna draw this from the arcane version of piltover, where most folk there are adverse to magic, including the council. basically; heimerdinger was right

so hey, guess what, he is also a bit of a magic sceptic, probably more than in any verse i've previously established for him

another point to note for piltover!mig, during his studies, he potentially went on field trips around and near piltover? especially since the place is pretty much a nexus for merchant trade anyway, and heard more than a few stories from visiting adventurers that got him curious enough to explore other shores and lands.

one of the places he visited was most definitely bilgewater, since this'll be important later ~

bilgewater being, ofc, a completely different beast, even compared to what zaun might throw out. it'll be where miguel likely realises that his shiny lil' piltover degree aint gonna matter squatttt in such a lawless place lmao.

idk who'd be ruling bilgewater at the time -- i don't know enough about either miss fortune or gankplank to officially decide tgyhuj. but basically; mig is toast if he crosses the wrong person whilst visiting there

but well. maybe he went to bilgewater every so often, eventually getting in touch with some pilgrims and cultists, that make mention to him stories concerning the shadow isles, and the dark magic that has long come to infect such an accursed place.

mig, being the magic sceptic that he is, is all, 'bet', and doesn't buy such tall tales for a second bc an island? home to the living dead and ghosts? you've got to be kidding--

but no, actually, it might have some merit after all, as he'll eventually recall his studies back in piltover, where he had spent more than a few hours pouring over various scrolls and tomes that he had collected on his adventures, that spoke of.... the blessed isles.

which, ofc, the shadow isles later became, after viego's desperate attempt to revive his dead wife using the waters of life, that only happened to backfire spectacularly 💀

....but miguel's interest is piqued, now, and he seeks a way to pay such a ruinous place a visit. but there's a slight problem; no sailor nor pirate with any sense of self preservation left will be caught DEAD ferrying any smuck to such a place!!! helll nawh!!!!!! and these are the same folks that go hunting the eldritch-looking sea monsters for a living! so you know this is serious!

fortunately (or not 💀) for miguel, this is the point where he officially comes in contact with a cult, that happened to worship a particular spider god ( i can't remember if they have a name or not 🥹), which happily obliges, since you know.... more blood for the blood god hfghgfh

AHEM, so then!!! Mig and his party, head off to the shadow isles, and probably come across elise, who in turn takes mig & co to meet their god, that all pilgrims who visit the shadow isles are said to worship

and mig, sceptic that he is, falls for elise's alluring and -- deliberately -- seductive charms, happy to make false promises that all will be revealed to him, if he just follows her

so ofc he does, except that's a TERRIBLE MISTAKE, that earns him a venomous bite from the spider god himself, vilemaw 💀

who maybe, maybe, wanted to make an example of this nonbeliever. and transform him, by injecting him with a venom that runs through his veins and changes him forever

which also is significant when you consider; vilemaw tends to just straight up d e v o u r anyone that elise happens to bring before him. yes, even putrid arachnid horrors need to eat.... and, uh, dance, apparently

but, yeah, BAMMM, ACOLTYE MIGUEL IS BORN

a spooky creecher who has WEBS THAT STEAL YOUR SOULS

AND POTENTIAL SHADOW POWERS

And dont get me started on his bite 😤

but well, details details, tl;dr he'll become something similar to elise????

and as for what happens next, welp...... no more piltover for him. 🥹 if he's lucky, he might be able to lurk in the deepest caverns of zaun, but more than likely wouldn't really belong there??? or feel welcome? i'm debating --

but heyyyy, y'knw where he could go instead??? 👀

the black rose 😈

potentially through elise's connection with house kythera, back in good ol' noxus 👀 and through her, leblanc

bc yes, everything always fucking comes back to leblanc 🥹

and hey, guess what miggy? if he tries to decline, wanting to have no part of this (considering he is vilemaw's acolyte now, fun-funnn) , well guess what? leblanc is still gonna do her thing, and puppeteer him around. if need be.

but alsooo alsoooo, i need to point out; maybe sometimes mig does vilemaw's bidding? and mayyyybe sometimes he doesn't????

maybeeee sometimes he'll lead strayed souls back to the spider god....

or mayyybeee he might devour a few himself....

all whilst still being that saaaame damn sceptic at heart 🥹

who now seeks freedom, the chance to get away...

...but in true miguel fashion, it never works 😔

vilemaw's dark corruption is in him. as is the power of the shadow isles itself.

there's no 'quitting' from him, not even dying will grant him release.

but he still struggles, anyway. because that's how he always rolls.

🥹🥹🥹🥹

[supagogoman]

My thoughts on Shadow Generations

I played Shadow Generations. Here are my thoughts about it.

tl;dr it's amazing

Before it was released I was already expecting to enjoy Shadow Generations. It was, after all, a follow up to Sonic Generations, one of my favourite Sonic games, so more of that sounded good to me.

Of course, I'd been burned by this before; Sonic Forces also promised to be 'more Generations' and that game ended up being pretty mediocre. Still, things were clearly different this time. One of those differences was the huge focus on our antihero - Shadow the Hedgehog.

Before I go on, I should preface by admitting that I never liked Shadow the Hedgehog. I wasn't a big fan of Sonic Adventure 2, the game he debuted in, and was of the opinion that he should have stayed dead at the end of that game instead of being bought back for Heroes. He was a fine character in SA2, but the Shadow the Hedgehog game released in 2005, with it's dark, edgy writing, made Shadow a huge joke to me. I'm surprised anyone could take that character seriously after they thought it was a good idea to give a cartoon hedgehog realistic guns. His backstory seemed like the progenitor for those terrible deviantart era OC fan characters. He became a meme for years because of SEGA's seeming lack of self awareness. This edginess continued somewhat in Sonic 06, but after the disasterous result of that game it seems like SEGA tried to course correct, and since then Sonic became much more lighthearted in tone and they became much more self aware.

Perhaps they course corrected too much, as the self-awareness almost went a little too far - at the time, I remember thinking Sonic Colours' writing and simplicity was refreshing, but it seems these days people complain about the jokes and humour in that game, and the kids began to yearn for the wacky shonen anime plots of the earlier games. I didn't entirely agree with this sentinent (I was always worried about what would happen if Sonic went back to it's EDGY phase again), but in the end I didn't care how terrible the story was so long as the gameplay was FUN. I still hold Sonic Colours in high regard, but not because of it's plot, it's because it was one of the few Sonic games that didn't make me want to kill myself (which are surprisingly rare in the entire series).

Frontiers marked an apparent shift to direct the story back to taking itself more seriously, and this trend has continued in Shadow Generations. Actually, I guess Forces also tried to do this, but Frontiers clearly had more competent writers (namely Ian Flynn) at the helm. Compared to it's companion game, Shadow Gens is darker in tone, and way more serious and dramatic. Unlike Sonic Gens, which is a celebration of Sonic's past games and history, Shadow Gens is a story that basically acts as a sequel to the Shadow 2005 game, exploring the tragic backstory of Shadow and his relationship with Maria, Gerald and Black Doom.

From what I wrote earlier you might think that this return to it's edgy roots might be something I was opposed to, and I did have some reservations initially, but it has actually been executed incredibly well. It's dramatic, but not overly edgy. It's darker, but not devoid of personality or charm. They walked a fine balance of making Shadow a more serious character with additional nuance to avoid making him seem like a joke (competent writing and not giving him guns probably helped a lot with this). The game's story, as well as the Dark Beginnings animated short, actually made me like Shadow the Hedgehog as a character for the first time ever. That being said, Shadow has the luxury of being pretty much the only character in the series that has a dark, tragic backstory to flesh out. Sonic couldn't have a story like this because his backstory amounts to being a way past cool dude who like to go fast, and I can't see them doing something like this with any other character (as funny as a stand alone Chaotix game exploring their financial problems sounds) There's nothing wrong with that, but what I'm getting at is I'm hoping whatever the story of the next game is will show restraint and be of an appropriate tone.

Anyway, I have discussed at great lengths about the story. I just thought it was interesting as someone who wasn't a fan of Shadow that it would win me over. I think that speaks to how well it was written Taking plot points from shitty games and working them into something more palatable to me. Even so, none of that would have mattered if the game sucked. As I mentioned earlier, I liked Sonic Colours not for it's story, but for it's gameplay. Shadow 05 has a shitty plot, but I could forgive it if the gameplay was good (it wasn't). So if Shadow Generations was a game that sucked then having a good story wasn't going to save it.

Thankfully, not only is this a great companion to Sonic Generations, but in my view this is one of the best 3D Sonic games ever made. When I played Sonic Frontiers, I wrote how it was a good foundation for what the next Sonic game should be. Although I enjoyed traversing the open zones, I suggested that they could be downscaled, and have more effort be put into more traditional Sonic stages rather than bite sized Cyberspace missions. Shadow Generations does exactly that - it's hub world, rather than being a glorified level select as it was on Sonic Generations, is now expanded to be it's own mini open zone, filled with rails, springs, ramps and many collectables that make traversing and exploring the hub fun. It feels a more polished too - the pop in isn't particularly noticable unlike Sonic Frontiers, and though the scale isn't as impressive as Frontiers it more than makes up for that with it's main stages - each with 2 acts and several mini challenge missions. These are exactly what was missing from Frontiers - gone are the repeated themes and assets seen in the Cyberspace missions, and back are the intricately designed stages with plenty of alternate paths with cool set pieces and spectacles that are fun to experience over and over.

Also contributing to my enjoyment of the game are the controls. I already commended Frontiers for having pretty tight controls for Sonic, and these have only been refined further in Shadow Gens. Shadow just feels incredibly easy to control and being able to pull off those reactions and jumps needed to access those alt paths in the stages feels great. It also does away with the overly complex combat system, there are no crazy dodges, parries or combo moves to do, but Shadow does have his Doom Spear and launcher that mixes things up and ties into level traversal too.

In fact, it kind of makes Sonic Generations feel clunky in comparison. The original game has been 'remastered', but very little has changed, besides some rewritten dialogue and some hidden Chao to find in each level. Graphically it looks exactly the same, and the controls remain untouched. This is fine, the game was and still looks and plays great, but Sonic compared to Shadow feels a lot stiffer to control. The way Sonic handles has been refined in the years through Forces and Frontiers, so going back to a game from 11 years ago, packaged with a brand new game, unfortunately makes inevitable comparisons, and playing the two games back to back definitely takes some getting used to.

My main complaint about Shadow Generations is that there just isn't enough of it. Not that it was a short game, it's length is pretty comparable to Sonic Generations and I can see myself replaying more in the future, plus the hub world exploration certainly adds a lot to the experience. I also understand this is a smaller project, designed to be a companion to Sonic Generations and was clearly made to capitalize on the release of the Sonic 3 Movie, but part of me was hoping for something a little more comparible to the 9 levels Sonic Generations has, while Shadow Gens has just 5.

Supposedly Sonic Team are still working on their next game - possibly a follow up to Frontiers. I can only hope that they take the lessons they've learned and build upon them. They already have the framework of additional characters, introduced in the Final Horizons update for Frontiers. They could design a more intricately designed hub world in a similar scope to Shadow Generations, interconnecting fun, tightly designed traditional stages. There's a lot of potential here for the next game, and my hopes for the series haven't been this high since... well... since when Sonic Generations came out, I suppose...

[herefortheships]

You ever have a headcanon with interesting potential but then you remember canon and that busts it?

I just had the thought "what if 'taking your husband's name' was literal when it came to Delores and Betelgeuse?", which well, it would make sense to be able to summon the soul of your freshly-dead spouse if you were trying to steal it to gain immortality, right?

But then I remembered that Delores never tries to summon him by his name, nor seems to know that he can be summoned like that. I checked an "all Delores scenes" vid on youtube and she says his name just twice in the whole movie. Once to the janitor, and once in the church.

It just... it doesn't feel right that she doesn't seem to know how to summon him, bc it feels to me that ofc everyone knows how to summon him. It's Betelgeuse! Even Rory knows how to summon him!

...huh.

Actually, maybe she can't summon Betelgeuse bc her ritual wasn't complete. Which would mean she'd need to keep someone around who can summon B for her. Or, if it's more an issue with location rather than with ability, someone who can lead her to the model where B likes to hang out. Cause tbh, I'd quite like to see Rory again. Terrible person, but great character!

You ever had a headcanon that re-gained interesting potential while you were sharing it lol?

I think Delores might just be unaware of Betelgeuse's name curse. She was locked in those boxes maybe ever since she came into the afterlife (or maybe she was locked away because they knew she had become a Soul Sucker? Room for headcanons there). It's likely that Betelgeuse's name curse happened too long after his and Delores's death.

That said, she could have found out through the movie, only she didn't for some reason. The afterlife people like Wolf Jackson are no longer afraid just saying Betelgeuse's name (Wolf says his name several times and he isn't afraid of him at all), so she wouldn't have had a reason to be suspect of his name having some sort of power over him, anyway. In Rory's case, he only knew because of Lydia.

As for headcanons that are busted by the actual canon, I totally had one for years and I have no idea how I made this one up, but I was so sure of it 😆. Listen, I thought that Juno the caseworker was the one who casted whatever curse is upon Betelgeuse's name and banished him off to the model at the Maitland's house as punishment for something he did. (I'm sure I even wrote about it here recently even, when brand new to the fandom, lmao).

I knew he worked for Juno, but I'm pretty sure the only thing that's mentioned about the whole matter in the movie is that he was her assistant but he was a troublemaker and eventually he went off on his own as a freelance bio exorcist. Juno was aware that saying his name three times would summon him (she doesn't seem scared to say his name herself, though, but wouldn't let Barbara and Adam mention it even once), but upon rewatching the movie now that I'm obsessed with Beetlejuice vs before as a casual fan, I don't think there's any indication that it was her who cursed him.

I guess his name curse is still open for headcanons. Maybe he even casted some spell on himself, or maybe it's a punishment for his many crimes (the man has a thick file with his name on it in Wolf Jackson's office lol). His crimes also explain why he's been around for over 600 years unable to pass on. Being a civil servant seems to be a form of Purgatory in the world of Beetlejuice. He won't be able to pass on until he's served all those years, unless he does something to pay them back if that's possible, I guess. Violating code 699 now added 100 years more to his civil work time 😭 (I think I read it was 100 years, but I'm not sure, so fact-check me on that one).

But yes, that was my headcanon that I felt was pretty solid but then rewatching the movie I went like "wait, how did I come to that conclusion?" 😅. It happens. Earlier tonight even, I almost got to the conclusion that Astrid was dead all along, and then I remembered Jeremy literally almost stole her life. Plus, she interacted with other alive people who are normies, like her classmates, Delia, the people at the funeral, etc.

[rei-ismyname]

Rare Avengers Ws in Avengers Academy: Marvel Voices Infinity #6

Get it, Carol. It's nice to see Piotr back to being a big gay bozo and Carol being sexually forward. Shut up Logan, seriously. They should fuck.

By the White Wolf/Lenin's Ghost! I don't remember the last time Colossus was referred to as a communist, definitely not this decade. He doesn't dispute it either. The costumes 💜 Their body language/stances 💜 Pete's second speech bubble 💜💜

Good for you, Piotr. Emotional openness and declarations of love between men is very positive. Logan is being a bit of a stick in the mud here, gotta stay MASCULINE for the kids. They should fuck.

Not going to lie, I was concerned here. The Avengers as an institution have a TERRIBLE record with treating young people as people with agency, or even just as people. Just ask The Runaways or Young Avengers (or any mutant.)

I had to look it up but Shela is BlasterDame from New Mutants: Lethal Legion. Super gross how her parents are attempting to use the police/machinery of state to deny her personhood and gender identity (and let's be honest, endangering her life. Don't call the cops, especially not on trans kids.) It's cool that she's able to use her real name as a shield against the parents she's clearly gone no contact with. My worry increased a lot here. Even just giving up her location would be dangerous AF and against her wishes, and The Avengers work closely with cops.

Not sure of this kid's deal, but this one panel conveys a lot about his life so far. Tony Stark would probably ruin this kid's life by handing him over, Cap too depending on who's writing him. I can categorically say that being arrested for any of those warrants would be a terrible thing. He is shitting bricks, and it's sad that he expects to be in jail soon. Completely warranted based on past behaviour though.

No idea what's going on with the Red Goblin, but if snitching ass Spider-Man vouched for him he's probably G. I started to feel better because I doubt they'd set up a rule of three and then break it. It'd be cruel and hypocritical. Having a historically troublesome symbiote around is worth discussing.

Oh. Oh, okay. This is actually going to be an emotional moment. I'm not familiar with Carol's family but I can guess. On a lighter note, look at those guns.

That's... how you do it. I do wonder if maybe opening with that might have been kinder. What do you think?

See that's beautiful. This does more good for humanity than a dozen punched bad guys. Unconditional support, protection and advocacy, community building. Yeah it's work to be there for queer/runaway/disadvantaged kids, a lot of work. It's not a problem you can punch and you're up against systemic Sisyphean forces pushing the other way. But traumatized kids without support will sink - providing them with it is truly superheroic.

Every team or institution in Marvel has failed at this time and again. In a world where the hero/villain paradigm is the norm they're basically guaranteeing that they'll be fighting that kid once they grow up - they'll remember asking for help and getting turned away or handed over to abusive parents/cops. It's the same IRL but Carol Danvers isn't going to show up for you. A surly dude with knives for hands isn't going to teach you self defense (probably.) Even in the comic it's only kids with powers getting this break.

It's a lot to ask of anyone but being aware isn't hard. Bare minimum just don't call the police bc they don't help people, especially minorities and marginalized kids. Try to keep in mind that a lot of people had different opportunities to you, and/or are dealing with things you can't imagine. I have experienced a lot of this, and the people who called the police on me for being homeless probably don't know the damage they did.

Great comic!

[longsightmyth]

Honestly one of the biggest problems here is that everyone has the same bland, stilted dialogue, and it's all designed to hit every beat of every tortured romance ever without giving us the tortured romance. There did not used to be anything getting in the way of Kelsey and Ren banging outside of my own deep conviction that he was gross, but the characters don't share that view.

So when all the characters speak exactly the same way, it makes them all blend together. When they all speak like wikipedia pages or like a ten year old wrote a conversation they think adults would have, it just adds to the bland and emotionless effect.

Observe.

“Hmm, maybe you have PTSD.”

“What’s that?”

“Post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s a condition you get when you’ve been exposed to terrible trauma and high stress levels. Soldiers in combat usually have it. Remember when you told Kishan that when you heard my name, all you could picture was Lokesh torturing you, questioning you?”

“Right. There’s still some of that, I guess. But now that I know you better I don’t associate you with him as much anymore. I can distance that from you now. It wasn’t because of you that it happened.”

“Part of your symptoms with me might still be related to that. Maybe you need a therapist.”

Ren chuckled, “Kelsey, first of all, a therapist would put me in an asylum for claiming I was a tiger. Second, I’m no stranger to bloody battles or pain. It wasn’t the first time Lokesh has tortured me. It was definitely an experience I wouldn’t want to go through again, but I know that you are not to blame.”

This is by no means the Wikipediaest of sections, but bear with me.

(Also the Tiger question could be resolved by simply turning into a tiger, and even if the therapist did think you were hallucinating or having delusions and good therapist would still try to help you with your ptsd)

(How does Ren know about asylums but not shellshock/ptsd)

(Undergoing similar traumas does not mean you can't have ptsd from one or both)

ANYWAY BEAR WITH ME.

"Maybe you have PTSD," I said, almost to myself.

"PTSD?" Ren asked, sounding out the letters clearly and individually rather than running them all together.

I winced. "Post-traumatic stress disorder. It's a thing a lot of soldiers get, from combat and all the other trauma."

Since I didn't have a whole lot of expert knowledge on the specifics of PTSD, I added quickly, "You told Kishan that when you heard my name, all you could think about was Lokesh torturing you. That's a thing, I think? A flashback."

"Oh, shellshock." Off my look he pointed out, "I was alive during the Great War, Kelsey."

"Right."

"Anyway, that doesn't happen anymore," Ren assured me a little too quickly, and when I frowned at him clarified, "Not often. I know it wasn't your fault. I can tell myself that and it works sometimes."

"I think it's pretty clear you're going to deal with that for a long time," I said, trying not to sound as hurt as I was. "You probably need a therapist."

Ren cracked a laugh. "I'm sure a therapist would believe me about the curse. I'll recover. This isn't the first time I've fought for my life, or even the first time I've been tortured."

I didn't think how many times somebody was tortured mattered much in the grand scheme, but I also didn't think I was going to convince an ancient Indian prince who's been living as a tiger for more than a hundred years to go to therapy in one night.

Even in a linear conversation there's going to be give and take outside of specific circumstances. In a first person narration, you get to add an internal monologue to circle in and around for more fun hijinks. Since this specific conversation is a slow one happening without particular urgency, breaking up the dialogue can convey a thoughtful or slow discussion. Giving the characters specific knowledge or different knowledge or the same kind of knowledge under different terms because the characters have different backgrounds informs the characters and makes them distinguishable from the others.

Anyway. This isn't the only way to rework this bit, but it's A way.

[mysticsparklewings]

Obscutober 2024 Day 16: Escutcheon 🛡️

----------

Escutcheon (n.)

a shield or shield-like surface on which a coat of arms is depicted

an ornamental or protective plate around a keyhole, door handle, drawer pull, light switch, etc.

----------

We are officially halfway through October/Inktober! 🎉 

You could say I went with something more on the simple side to “celebrate,” but it was mostly just a coincidence. 😅 I am still happy with it, though! 👍

Click the "Keep Reading" and we'll talk a little more about my thoughts/process. ✨

⭐️ Like My Art and Want to see more of it? Here's All My Links! ⭐️

----------

Once again for catharsis: We are officially halfway through the month, Sparklers! 🥳

...And you'd think that to celebrate, I'd actually be able to get today's piece posted earlier, but nope! And it really is no one else's fault but my own this time—I had this one already 90% finished, but I let myself get distracted by some other things I know really could've waited until after this was taken care of. 😅 I accept my fate!

But it is what it is; At least I don't think the art itself suffered as a result.

This one felt relatively easy since, as might be overly obvious, it put very specific images in my head—Much of which I thought translated well enough into a mandala design. Namely, I kept picturing a keyhole plate that was etched gold, and I went with a very basic, "classic" shield shape because the definition literally says "shield" and I associate coats-of-arms images with a pretty shield-like shape as it is. And I also associate coats-of-arms strongly with royalty, so that's where the crown shapes came from.

Once I had those shapes in place as a foundation, it felt fair to just kind of fill in with more general mandala motifs that, at least to me, feel reasonably adjacent to some detail work you might see in these kids of decorative plates...However, I will admit I didn't actually bother looking up references for this one, so if you're personally more familiar with "Escutcheons" and some of the motifs I picked look terribly out of place...Well, here's my excuses and an apology, I guess. 😆

The colors were also very straightforward. I went with silver and goal for the metal base, then offset them with some abstract shadows. I added the spots of red, blue, purple, and green as a last-minute pop; The whole package was missing something, and I each of these colors in jewel tones I again associate pretty strong with royalty, plus I think they're fairly common inclusions in colored coats-of-arms designs.

My one regret in the design is that the white lines + browns in the background make me think an awful lot of a Gingerbread house, but when I tried switching the lines to black, everything just felt horribly flat.

At that point I really did not feel like going back over the background colors to try and "fix" the black lines when the white ones were fine outside of the Gingerbread thing (and this was after I got distracted, so I was running short on time, too)...So white lines it is! Who says you can't make a Gingerbread house that looks more like a castle for Gingerbread Royalty, anyway? I'm sure someone out there has done it! 😉

...You'd think I'd have more to say than that, but...Well, this one was pretty simple, especially compared to all everything I tried to squeeze into yesterday's. I know I said once before these can't all be super complex, and that holds true for today.

Oh! I should mention: This is yet again one word where I left off part of the definition that I included on the "official" list because it both took up a lot of space and also didn't really fit with the direction I took the art in. Escutcheon, in nautical use, can also mean, "A panel on the stern of a vessel bearing its name and port of registry."

And one final note you Sparklers might find amusing: This is probably the word I'm the most glad I don't have to pronounce out loud for this challenge. 🤭 I've had trouble enough remembering how spell it!

...That should be everything for today, I think. Now let me get to cross-posting before it gets any later...or before I get distracted by something else that could really stand to wait. 😆

See you tomorrow, Sparklers. 🤗

----------

See the Prompt List

Artwork © me, MysticSparklewings

Obscutober Concept Inspired by nikolas_tower

----------

⭐️ Like My Art and Want to see more of it? Here's All My Links! ⭐️

[you-poopin]

from @nilesdaughter since my ask box wasn't open, even though I opened it? Anyway, song #13 is Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? by Taylor Swift, which was very hard to fit with Vaxleth Royalty AU, but I did my best! Enjoy!

Enjoy a look into the future of my Royalty AU (which is started here: A Glimpse of Light In A Mine of Gold - Chapter 1 - Dragon_Princess - Critical Role (Web Series) [Archive of Our Own])

The Asylum Where They Raised Me

“Is it always like this?” Vax asked the princess, who had all but collapsed against the railing when they stepped out onto the balcony. 

It was their first official appearance at a Ball as a engaged couple outside of Zephrah. Keyleth had been excited earlier in the day, flitting about and fussing with her gown and her tiara (things she normally didn't worry too much about, but she was worried about making sure everything went perfectly), chatting a mile a minute, and helping Vax remember all the names of the people they could bump into. 

Keyleth dragged her eyes up to meet his. Her face was flushed, but not from embarrassment or even the cold, just pure irritation. “Yes, it's always like this. It's terrible.” It was loud and people asked too many questions, people were looking at her, at them, and she hated it.

Vax stepped closer to her, taking note that they were still in clear view of the other party goers and unlike Keyleth’s father, most had strong ideas of what constituted as proper. And strong ideas about a princess courting a bastard. He didn't want to risk making Keyleth’s life any harder for doing anything deemed untoward by a nosy Nelly.

“Usually after the formalities, if he was invited, Percy and I would hide in the corner and everyone would leave us alone for the most part.” Keyleth continued, turning around so she could look over the forest and stars. Her hands held onto the railing. “But I guess I can't do that anymore.”

The de Rolos had not received an invitation to this particular Ball, and even if they had been, Percy was awfully busy doting on a rather heavily pregnant Vex in Whitestone. 

“Is this the first Ball you've been to without him?” Vax asked, his hand hesitating before settling on her forearm gently. The wind blew gently and sent the layers of Keyleth’s amber colored gown fluttering against his leg. 

Keyleth nodded. Percy was her dearest friend, her lifeline for the longest time. He was like her in all the ways many others didn't understand. She was safe when he was around. “Yes. Outside of Zephrah anyway. And now… now we're adults and I can't…” she took a shaky breath and tightened her grip on the railing. 

“Can't what, love?” Vax asked softly. 

“I can't do this!” Keyleth shouted suddenly. 

“Woah, woah, KiKi…” Vax said, stepping close enough to wrap his arms around her, not caring at all who might see. 

“No!” Keyleth yelled, writhing out of his grasp. Vax stumbled backwards, eyes wide, hands raised in front of him, palms toward Keyleth. “I can't do this, Vax! I can't do any of this! I feel like I'm going insane! I was raised for this life, to be a princess, and there's so many rules, especially now that I'm grown and… I'm in constant fear I'm going to do something wrong, upset my father, disgrace him, or something. I don't… it's so hard. And someday, I will be in charge of an entire kingdom and I can't do it!” 

“You can,” Vax said. “Keyleth, you can.” 

“I can't!” She shouted again, tears gathering in her eyes as the wind picked up around them. Clearly this had been festering for some time. “You wouldn't understand! You have no idea how different and wrong I am! You have no idea what it's like to be raised for a job you know won't be any good at. I shouldn't be a princess and I certainly shouldn't be anyone's queen.” 

“You're right, Keyleth,” Vax said gently. “You're right, I have no idea what it was like to grow up in a big castle all alone. I have no idea what it would be like to be raised to lead a kingdom someday. I won't pretend I have any idea what it's like, because that would be lying, and you know I never lie to you.” 

Vax could hear murmuring from the open door to the ballroom behind him, over Keyleth’s heavy breathing and the music still playing. He could only imagine what people were thinking; a crying, wild looking princess and her betrothed on a balcony, him looking for all the world like he was trying to calm a wild animal. He didn't care, not really. Keyleth meant more to him than nosy nobles, far more. And nosy, judgy nobles he did know a thing or two about. 

“I do know this, KiKi; I know that you are a kind, incredible, caring person. I know how capable you are. People can be terrible, my love, that I know as well. People will judge you for anything and anything you do. People will talk and gossip and complain about your ideas, your outfit, your dreams. But you're the strongest person I know. And you shouldn't care what others might think of you. You're perfect as you are.”  

The wind that had picked up around them slowed and Keyleth's lip trembled.

“You have to do what makes you happiest, what you believe in, and you will be a fantastic queen. I believe in you.” 

Keyleth threw herself into Vax's arms and he held her close, rubbing his hand up and down her back. She grabbed the back of his fancy jacket into her fists and cried into his shoulder. 

He didn't care who was looking when he pressed a kiss to her temple. “I've got you, my love. I've got you.” 

[blackjackkent]

Since Nocturne says she'll bail after one day, I guess we might as well exhaust all her dialogue now before moving on. Quick look around the room first - this seems to have been a dormitory for some of the adepts.

Nocturne's journal is next to one of the beds.

Aw. This is pretty upsetting to read about but does confirm a lot of what we'd already heard and/or suspected about Shadowheart's experiences here. The mission to get the prism was not the first time Shadowheart's memories had been erased; it happened repeatedly, and Nocturne was with her every time to help her recover. It's nice to hear that she had some sort of friend in this terrible place at least.

I also love the character detailing here, especially when combined with what I know from Delmak's playthrough. Over on that PT (where Delmak is romancing her), I had him pick up the noblestalk and give it to her, and she has a memory flashback from eating it - of having a friend named Rennald who was a young tiefling boy with purple hair and short horns, as Nocturne has. Nocturne is a trans woman, and it sounds like Shadowheart was a stalwart supporter of her, helping her shed her deadname and making sure no one bullied her. <3

Other things in the room include a log of interrogation/torture of a githyanki prisoner, which was how Viconia learned about the prism, and a bit of journaling from Viconia herself:

Again, this pretty much just echoes and deepens on what we already knew. One slightly interesting point, at least headcanonically - this mentions Suldanessalar, the ending location of Baldur's Gate 2, and implies that Viconia was there. In this particular worldstate, where Caden had nothing to do with her, this lends interesting implications about the possibility that she might have been there anyway for her own reasons.

It also implies from the way it's phrased that both the formation and self-destruction of her previous cloister at Waterdeep took place at the same general time as Baldur's Gate 2. This doesn't entirely make sense to me and I suspect isn't what the writers were actually intending to imply, but it could also be potentially interesting. XD

An unmarked bookshelf contains books about Shadowheart herself.

"These are all about *me*..." Shadowheart whispers, aghast. "Forty years of my life, documented like I was some sort of specimen..."

Even more interestingly, a key from Viconia's body opens a locked chest on a nearby table. In it are a few minor jewelry items and a key to a Counting House safety deposit box (which of course we'll go open later).

...Huh. I am not sure if there's a reference here that I'm missing, or if this is just continued reference to the possibility of Viconia having been at the battle of Suldanessalar, either with the BG2 Bhaalspawn or otherwise. Interesting.

Let's go have another chat with Nocturne. She'll only offer to trade with Hector, but if we talk to her as Shadowheart we get a controlled dialogue - one of the few times this has happened with the non-avatar character (the only other one I can recall is Wyll's argument with Mizora after the coronation).

"I can still scarcely believe it. You've returned, and the Mother Superior is gone... So much can change, so quickly..."

"There's much I still can't remember..." Shadowheart says. "Can you share anything with me? From when we were young?"

Nocturne smiles. "Well, you had a pet mouse for a while. It was against the rules, of course. You used to hide him under your robes and feed him from your rations."

Well, that's adorable af.

"Did he have a name?" Shadowheart asks.

"Nibbles," Nocturne says with a soft laugh. "I suggested Brie, but you were having none of it." A pause; the smile fades. "She caught you with him. Forced you to get rid of him... in front of everyone to make an example. You always loved animals, but you never let yourself get too close after that." Her gaze flicks away. "I'm sorry. Not the sort of thing you want to hear, I'm sure."

It isn't, really. Hector can see Shadowheart's head snap back a little as if she has taken a punch to the gut.

"I don't suppose there are any pleasant memories you could share?" she asks hollowly.

Nocturne considers. "Well... you know that little scar on your elbow?"

Shadowheart blinks, so startled that for a moment she forgets to be wary. "You know about that? It's barely the size of a pea."

Nocturne grins. "I was there when you picked that up. It was years ago, when we were initiates. Some of the others were intent on tormenting us... until you showed them the error of their ways. I think it was six against two, and most of them were bigger than us, to boot. But you saw them off, all of them. There were some bruised lips and black eyes in the mess hall that night. From then on, they left us alone. Or at least they bothered us less."

Behind Shadowheart, Jaheira makes a soft snorting noise; Hector glances sideways at her and sees that she's smiling. Karlach's grinning too; all of them are feeling a surge of pride at hearing this. Even in this dark, terrible place, that seed of good was in Shadowheart - the urge to defend a friend, to care for a helpless animal.

Selune's light was with you, always, Hector thinks. Even if you didn't know it. Even if you do not choose to follow her now. She is with you still...

"What about the scar?" Shadowheart asks curiously.

"A collision between your elbow and the teeth of a girl called Buddug," Nocturne says dryly. "She came away from it worse than you." She cocks her head. "She was on the same mission as you. I suppose she won't be coming back." A pause. "In any case, the Mother Superior soon broke up the fighting, though she didn't punish us. In fact, I saw her smiling. I think she was proud of you."

Hector's smile flickers. Not for the same reasons as we are, certainly, he thinks coolly. I suppose even a broken clock is right twice a day.

"Anything else?" Shadowheart asks.

Nocturne shrugs, rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. "Just small things, silly things. The sort you'd scarcely recall even if your memories were left intact. You had a little hiding place that you went to when you needed to get away. You brought me there sometimes. We'd talk, play, read, do each other's hair..."

It's a touching image, especially laid against the absolute misery that clearly seemed to imbue most of the days here. "A hiding place?" Shadowheart asks. "Where is it?"

"Hidden at the back of the storage area. Luckily enough, as quartermaster, I was able to keep it hidden back there," Nocturne answers. "It should be-- well, if not how you remember it, exactly as you left it."

Definitely something to check out... but there's another question lingering. Shadowheart's lips twitch in a flash of muted amusement. "From what you said before, you're the one responsible for my hair?"

"The plait and fringe?" The tiefling grins crookedly. "Yes. On your instructions, of course. You were very intent on a bold look, I think you said. My hands were cramped by the time I finished, but you were very pleased." She draws her head back to look Shadowheart up and down. "I like the new look as well, though. You always did like a dramatic touch."

Shadowheart hesitates. It's clear she wants to say more but isn't sure how it will be received - she once knew this woman so well and yet there is a blankness in the spaces where she should be. But the kindness shown even in this tiny scrap of conversation shows that Nocturne, like Shadowheart, belongs somewhere beyond these shadowy halls. [ENEMY OF SHAR] "Are you just going to remain here?" she finally asks quietly. "There's no need. Viconia is gone."

Nocturne hesitates, forty years of history with Shadowheart warring with an equal forty years of seclusion and fear. "Remains to be seen," she says carefully. "This place is all I've ever known. In time, perhaps I'll venture out there, see what I've been missing. But for now... old habits die hard."

[perspectivestarters]

Perspective's Sentence Starters; Speak Now (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift (Part II)

ENCHANTED

"There I was again tonight."

"Same old tired, lonely place."

"Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy, vanished when I saw your face."

"All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you."

"Have we met?"

"This night is sparklin', don't you let it go."

"I'm wonderstruck, blushin' all the way home."

"I'll spеnd forever wonderin' if you knеw."

"I was enchanted to meet you."

"The lingering question kept me up."

"Who do you love?"

"I wonder 'til I'm wide awake."

"Wishing you were at my door."

"This night is flawless."

"This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends."

"My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again."

"These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon."

"Please, don't be in love with someone else."

"Please, don't have somebody waitin' on you."

BETTER THAN REVENGE

"Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did."

"Time for a little revenge."

"I had him right there where I wanted him."

"I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it."

"I underestimated just who I was dealing with."

"She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum."

"She underestimated just who she was stealin' from."

"She's not a saint and she's not what you think."

"She's an actress."

"He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches."

"Soon, she's gonna find stealing other people's toys on the playground won't make you many friends."

"She should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge."

"She looks at life like it's a party and she's on the list."

"She looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it."

"I think her ever-present frown is a little troubling."

"She thinks I'm psycho 'cause I like to rhyme her name with things."

"Sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know."

"They didn't teach you that in prep school so it's up to me."

"No amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity."

"Think about what you did."

"I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey."

"You might have him, but haven't you heard?"

"I always get the last word."

"Can you take it back?"

"Do you still feel like you know what you're doin'?"

"Show me how much better you are."

INNOCENT

"I guess you really did it this time."

"Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?"

"Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything?"

"It's alright, just wait and see."

"Your string of lights are still bright to me."

"Who you are is not where you've been."

"You're still an innocent."

"At night, you live it all again."

"If only you had seen what you know now then."

"Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catching days?"

"Wasn't it beautiful running wild 'til you fell asleep before the monsters caught up to you?"

"It's okay, life is a tough crowd."

"(Age) and still growing up now."

"Who you are is not what you did."

"Time turns flames to embers."

"You'll have new Septembers."

"Every one of us has messed up, too."

"I hope you remember."

"Today is never too late to be brand new."

"It's never too late to get it back."

HAUNTED

"You and I walk a fragile line."

"I have known it all this time."

"I never thought I'd live to see it break."

"I can't trust anything now."

"Something's made your eyes go cold."

"Don't leave me like this."

"I thought I had you figured out."

"Something's gone terribly wrong."

"You're all I wanted."

"Can't breathe whenever you're gone."

"I'm haunted."

"Stood there and watched you walk away from everything we had."

"I still mean every word I said to you."

"He will try to take away my pain, and he just might make me smile."

"The whole time, I'm wishing he was you instead."

"Something keeps me holding onto nothing."

"I can't go back now."

"You're not gone."

LAST KISS

"I still remember the look on your face."

"The words that you whispered for just us to know."

"You told me you loved me, so why did you go away?"

"I can still feel your arms."

"All that I know is I don't know how to be somethin' you miss."

"I never thought we'd have a last kiss."

"I never imagined we'd end like this."

"Your name, forever the name on my lips."

"You're showin' off again."

"I'm not much for dancin'."

"I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets."

"There's not a day I don't miss those rude interruptions."

"I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep."

"I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe."

"Hope it's nice where you are."

"I never planned on you changing your mind."

LONG LIVE

"Remember this moment."

"The crowds in stands went wild."

"We were the kings and the queens."

"The night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same."

"You held your head like a hero on a history book page."

"It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age."

"Long live the walls we crashеd through."

"How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you."

"Long live all the magic we made."

"One day, we will be remembered."

"All the years that we stood there on the sidelines wishin' for right now."

"You traded your baseball cap for a crown."

"The cynics were outraged."

"A band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world."

"Long live all the mountains we moved."

"I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you."

"Long live that look on your face."

"May these memories break our fall."

"Will you take a moment?"

"Promise me this."

"When they point to the pictures, please, tell 'em my name"

"Tell 'em how I hope they shine."

"I had the time of my life with you."

OURS

"Strangers' silence makes me want to take the stairs."

"If you were here, we'd laugh about their vacant stares."

"Seems like there's always someone who disapproves."

"They'll judge it like they know about me and you."

"The jury's out, but my choice is you."

"Don't you worry your pretty little mind."

"People throw rocks at things that shine."

"Life makes love look hard."

"This love is ours."

"You never know what people have up their sleeves."

"I don't care, 'cause right now, you're mine."

"It's not theirs to speculate if it's wrong."

"Your hands are tough, but they are where mine belong."

"I love the gap between your teeth."

"I love the riddles that you speak."

"Any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored."

"My heart is yours."

"They can't take what's ours."

SUPERMAN

"It's the same thing to me."

"He's got his mother's eyes, his father's ambition."

"I wonder if he knows how much that I miss him."

"I hang on every word you say."

"I love you forever."

"You've got a busy day today."

"Go save the world, I'll be around."

"Come back, I'll be with you someday."

"I'll be right here on the ground when you come back down."

"He's complicated, he's irrational."

"I hope someday you'll take me away, and save the day."

"He's not all bad like his reputation."

"I can't hear one single word they say."

"You'll leave, got places to be, and I'll be okay."

"I always forget to tell you, "I love you"."

"I loved you from the very first day."

"I watch you fly around the world."

"I hope you don't save some other girl."

"Don't forget about me."

"I'm far away, but I never let you go."

"I'm love-struck and looking out the window."

"Don't forget where I'll be."

"Wishing the flowers were from you."

"Wishing the card was from you."

"Wishing the call was from you."

[evildoombringer]

hi nakamura (i'm. not entirely sure which name you prefer to go by,,)

i. don't really know, personally, the depths of hurt that came from min leaving can't claim either. to understand what your going through right now

you both seem really close. it was always funny, to  read ur asks that you'd send i remember reading the "happy morning" one you sent and it had like this image of a smiling kid for some reason, for like a solid 5 months i just thought "oh cool, so that's what they look like:0" before i looked back and thought, "huh wait. they always added (very funny,  mind you) meme/pics to their asks. was that pic a meme too-?" and only then did i realize lmao

looking back on his responses, i can almost hear the amused tone or, however min would react. lol it was nice to see him talking to people who cared about him

im. not really sure what to say, without coming off as like.. pretentious.? but. if i can just assume for one second, from the asks they'd answer of yours, to everything i hear about min from all the people who know him, i. i. assume he really cared for you, and. i assume you cared for him as much.,

i dont. know your situation, at all. min had. already made up his mind when i even found his blog. so, just. i hope you'll be able to make a decision, you'll be. happy with

the future could get better. it could get worse i can't really see which one it'll be. i don't understand how close you and min were, at all but know. you arent alone im not sure, if you need to. understand or know someone to be there for them,but from the looks of it, min was. never really alone if he had you. so,i hope you also know your not alone there'are people here for you

im sorry. this is probably, meaningless to you in hindsight i just. yeah. in the end, whatever you choose is your decision but. your not alone im sorry if this comes off as assuming.  please. feel free to ignore this ask, if it oversteps in anyway or is just uncomfortable. i know sometimes one might just want- to vent and let it all out and the to have that acknowledged or responsded to might be. uncomfortable i. hope i didnt come off that way

but .yeah,

nice to. meet you by thw way. O(∩w∩)O (im sorry the kaomoji is so out of place jhsjsh i just remembered that one ask u sent hh)

hi custard

it hurts that he's gone, obviously, and i just haven't been on Tumblr for a minute, so seeing everything again is having a terrible effect on my psyche (ill live though haha). im just super weird about him and i realize that uhh nobody really knows that. but I'm super . . weird about him and uhhh yeah and um i regret everything lol

im surprised you thought i was a young chinese boy :sob: but. i understand how you could make that.... mistake.....

did you know the :smile: :sob: thing is a discord reference? :sob: is 😭 and :grimace: is 😬. if you're on a phone and u type the emoji out it should probably pop up, and the same thing happened on discord so he. um would do that when posting on Tumblr too out of habit, and i guess it eventually became a Min-Pal staple haha

and yeah he definitely cares about me, and im mad at him because he cares about me and left me his emails and shit to take care of and he did that because he knew im. weird and needed more than old messages and tumblr posts and i . m glad he did do all that and i love having some stuff to hold onto like his Spotify but. it's just upsetting i guess, since you know, id rather have him.

its really funny seeing how other people view him, to me, at least, i guess since i got to see not just him being bad-pathetic but him bad-bad in general (and I'm not going to explain further than this, as i, despite claiming to find it funny, am happier than not that he died with a t least a somewhat positive. Uh. Perception.)

idk I'm not like, a great persoj, and i did Just let him die instead of going to unimaginable lengths. and I regret that everyday, but he was so steadfast. he just didn't care anymore , and he had me to talk to but it was like he didn't care about trying (because once he decided he'd died, what really mattered past that?) Ssorry this is all so congested and contradictory and I make no sense

and, id love to believe you when you say stuff like "you're not alone" but it's terrible because I really am. like it's out of personal fault, but even the people I feel as though I could go to for help, I coukdnt bring myself to,, not when it's anything Too serious,, not to mention the fact I just got dumped because he said I was 'unhealthy' (after 10 months of reassuring me that its ok if I am cuz he'll help... but that's. A whole different thing and has nothing to do with min and I'm just bitter and bringing him up out of.... bitterness.)

and im glad u left the ask mikey i really am

idk it's just kinda sweet. now I feel more like angel and saki..... Auuuhhuhhh

i don't know what to do in any regard currently though so I think I'm just gonna continue mourning something that's been gone for a year now. Someone. and being bitter and upset, and reminiscing and trying his memory into music I like (and emailing my bf. [not considering him an ex] [email cuz he blocked my number] obsessively until he decides to take me back)

[thesinglesjukebox]

SHINEDOWN -"A SYMPTOM OF BEING HUMAN"

Something to say about the human condition!

[3.13]

Ian Mathers: Brah, help he out here: is being undistinguished and boring as fuck also a symptom of being human? [2]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Makes the Eminem song we reviewed earlier sound like the peak of musical agility. Even relative to the decayed standards of modern rock radio stalwarts, this is dire -- I'd go for the most recent singles from Finger Eleven, Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, 311, and many other bands without odd numbers in their names before I opted for this one. You can hear the exertion in every minor move here. Melodically and lyrically, this is effortful music, trying its hardest to convey the weight of the world and the uplift of its "Normal is just a setting on a washing machine"-ass wisdom. The song is ultimately a paradox; you can at once hear all of the very human failings at play in this song's construction, but all of those disparate, repugnant choices come together to create something altogether inhuman. [1]

Aaron Bergstrom: I once got stuck in a traffic jam trying to leave a parking garage at the same time a Shinedown concert was getting out. This song is a pretty solid approximation of what that felt like. [2]

Harlan Talib Ockey: Come on down to the Shinedown Emporium! We have: 1) Uncanny valley processed vocals! 2) A synth pad that sounds kind of like strings! 3) Conflicting lyrics! (Is anxiety a special, exclusive ticket to a “lunatic ball”, or an ordinary “symptom of being human”?) 4) A hollow bid for as many listeners as possible, especially adult contemporary and country fans! Buy as many as you want; we’ll be here for just over four minutes, but it’ll feel like a lifetime. [2]

Taylor Alatorre: I think Brent Smith sees himself as performing a public service by watering down his firsthand account of a panic attack to make it palatable for Hot Adult Contemporary. There's a respectable logic to that; sometimes the "YOU ARE NOT ALONE" message needs to be skywritten in big block letters for it to get through, particularly in the parts of the U.S. where acts like Shinedown still reign supreme. On the other hand, the stab at universality may end up filtering out those who see themselves as, or know they are seen as, more than just "kinda weird." If everyone's invited to the "lunatic ball," including those who present as normally functioning members of society, then what is the point of labeling it as such? The answer may lie in post-grunge's strange place in the current landscape -- exiled from the mainstream, but not oppositional to anything in a meaningful sense. Genre reflexes being what they are, Shinedown can't avoid the ever-present temptation to prescribe a sold-out rock concert as a kind of collective therapy session. It's a quaint idea, in the sense that it needs to be preserved for those who are helped by it. [5]

Will Adams: Always a fun game when a song I'm hearing for the first time ends a line with "remember" and I have just a few seconds to guess which month it'll be rhymed with. (I guessed December. Bzzt.) Things don't improve from there, with Brent Smith making so many maudlin choices to describe the human condition ("the lunatic ball"?!?) that I was expecting a children's choir to appear near the end. (Bzzt.) [3]

TA Inskeep: With more pneumatic production -- and getting rid of the strings -- this could damned near be scaling the Country Airplay chart. Singer Brent Smith's pleading voice makes me wanna punch him in the throat, as do the terrible lyrics here. [1]

Isabel Cole: As someone who has in fact always been slightly awkward, kind of weird, there are moments where I can glimpse a version of this I might like; it scans as sincere, I think, and I'll always have a soft spot for songs offering up this kind of connection over the loneliest parts of ourselves, where cliche can work because it proves the point that none of us are as burdened by uniqueness as we might imagine ourselves to be. But those schmaltzy strings smack of a failure to trust that the song itself was enough to sell its own pathos, draining it of any power a sparser or beefier or otherwise less saccharine arrangement might have let it display, and the yelping vocal that totally lacks in any kind of dynamism doesn't help matters. Plus, "lunatic ball" is way too Joker-core to be forgivable.  [3]

Nortey Dowuona: Zach Myers's guitar line is a simple lick that keeps looping in the background as the piano and strings, arranged by producer and bassist Eric Bass, swirl around Brent Smith's inflexible and stolid voice, providing it a gravitas and weight it does not have alone. The issue is that because the guitar line is the core melodic information, it feels like an anchor to the first few bars, which feel trite and limp, barely able to move. The mere fact that it has to be drowned out by the piano, then the strings, then Barry Kersh's barely propulsive drums, is galling enough. The way the piano plays this lick comfortably and sweetly before choosing not to resolve is worse. It feels like a way to occupy Myers's hands while he and Bass sing background, a way to avoid him being sidelined entirely. A symptom of overloading the song with too much information. [4]

Andrew Karpan: I admittedly missed out on the chance of paying attention to these post-Nickelback butt rawk champions of the sunshine state during my teenage years, but this is very much the kind of thing that would have spoken to me then, a smooth, piano ballad that earnestly insists upon itself and that appears strangely banal in the cold light of adulthood.  [4]

Jonathan Bradley: More than for its pomposity and its voracious appetite for cliché (“coloring outside the lines,” “crystal clear,” unpack all your baggage,” “a ship of fools”), “A Symptom of Being Human” stands out for its unsettling competency. There’s little notable about yet more post-post-post-grunge glurge, but Shinedown’s strained-vocal, string-soaked balladry soars thanks to a structure built on precision engineering -- like a Predator drone, perhaps. That makes it remarkable but also lethal: any song can invoke “November Rain” and sound like it might have been played immediately afterwards on the radio in 1992, but only by knowing how to deploy a big chorus and an arpeggiated riff that starts on acoustic guitar and alchemizes into piano can it reach the grim realm of the actually repulsive. Call it the Hinder rule: ineptitude can’t produce a “Lips of an Angel.” [3]

Mark Sinker: This is how whiskered the “Ship of Fools“ metaphor is: Plato gives Socrates oblique recourse to it in book six of The Republic. Some two millennia later, Sebastian Brant made a German phrase of it, for the title of his much-translated hit novel in the high-blogging Gutenberg moment, just as the Reformation was grinding into motion. It was popular as a figure for statecraft and as a satire of religious conflict primarily because everyone could enjoy the image without having to agree which side of the argument it depicted. Today that enjoyment may have drained away a little: hard to tell in a context where melody and timbre and style and an unbroken line of other lyrical clichés are all so grating. There's some nicely tiny tinny little-mini echoes off at the edge of the vocal now and then, and then there's this clod in clown’s whiteface smirkingly bellowing how everyone’s mad here.   [4]

Katherine St. Asaph: While moving last year, I accidentally ripped some paint off the wall while taking down an adhesive hook. Taking the errant chip to Home Depot, I learned how surprisingly difficult is to find a color of paint that replicates the exact microshade of landlord off-white that was applied to the unit years ago, or at least something that blends in well enough to not jeopardize your deposit. Thus, I can appreciate the effort it took for Shinedown to recreate the radio fixtures of Hoobastank or Lifehouse or Train this faithfully. [5]

Alfred Soto: Declarations of woundedness disguised as pleas for solidarity are as old as the crucifixion, but when I want Nickelback I listen to Nickelback, m'kay? [2]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: The best, prettiest P!nk song I’ve heard in years!  [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]