#is from a game about the corruption of capitalism

[ashley-kins]

Now that I won't be bashed in for saying this, I want to question why the Ashley Graves is asexual theory ever came to be.

It's surprising just how popular this theory was that it ended up being asked on the Q&A

Like, in the game she's seen to be the one to bring it up every single time. It's never been Andrew.

(and yes, this includes the devlog doodle too)

Like, it always made more sense to me that she was demi. She literally doesn't care about other people except Andrew. (Maybe other people too if they never got in her way of being with Andrew, as in, perhaps she'd give a shit if they didn't bully her or try to steal him away from her, but 🤷🏻‍♀️ we don't know)

Anyway, seriously, I'm really happy about the demisexual representation because this means Ashley Graves is the FIRST canonical demisexual character EVER represented in a video game.

Congratulations to her and oh my god, I will never stop talking about this.

[theskymother]

animal jam is a lot more fun when you're rich

[onlineufo]

theres a ghost haunting me its called psychological egoism

[imsobadatnicknames2]

Surprised to see that you as a communist (and a lot of other communists too) seem to like disco elysium so much. doesn't the game make fun of communists a lot?

It does! Quite frequently and gleefully, in fact.

My blanket response to this type of question about most pieces of media would be that, in the words of Big Joel, "I am not a politics robot". My enjoyment of a piece of art is almost entirely orthogonal to how much its implicit or explicit worldview aligns with mine. And I think ultimately that's the way you end up having to approach media if you're a communist who plays videogames at all. Or reads fantasy books. Or watches anime. Or... you get the idea.

But in the case of Disco Elysium specifically I think the read that the game depicts communism just as negatively as all the other ideologies it criticizes is a quite shallow one. Ultimately we're being shown this world through a very communist lens. Like yeah the game has a lot of (usually pretty funny) jokes about firing squads and about "communism is about failure" and about pretentious overeducated college communists who do nothing but read theory and then do some leftist infighting about it, it doesn't shy away from the immoral actions of the revolutionary army, it depicts the dockworkers union as extremely shady and corrupt and basically a crime syndicate (although this depiction is way more nuanced if you actually take the time to dig deeper and talk to people about it), and generally doesn't shy away from pointing at the ugly parts of a variety of communist movements past and present. But, under all of that, the game's understanding of issues like class and poverty and crime and colonialism and imperialism and international conflict is ultimately rooted in a very marxist worldview.

I once saw someone say something along the lines of "everyone in this game talks like a communist regardless of political alignment", and while that's obviously an extremely hyperbolic statement, I do think there's a nugget of truth in it, the clearest example being Joyce Messier. Joyce is an ultraliberal, the furthest thing from a communist you're going to find in the DE universe. And yet, when she talks about the world she does so in very marxist terms, like in her famous "Capital has the ability to subsume all critiques into itself" quote. Like. You'd never catch a real libertarian expressing that idea Like That. And a lot of the more serious, in-depth political discussions in the game are similar.

Plus, ultimately... regardless of how much criticism the game piles on it, of all the ideologies it criticizes, communism is the only one which is not depicted as a completely lost cause. The communist vision quest ends on a quite hopeful note, unlike pretty much any other one, and the Union is ultimately shown as having tons of popular support because they're the only ones who have actually gotten shit done to somewhat improve the lives of the people of Martinaise. I have lots of thoughts about the way Evrart Claire and the Dockworkers union are depicted actually, but for the time being I'm just going to say that the read of "unions are corrupt and union leaders are greedy fat cats who only care about their personal gain", while not exactly lacking in textual support, is likewise an extremely shallow one.

[beansprean]

WHAT WE CLUE IN THE SHADOWS: A FINALE CONSPIRACY BOARD

So. WWDITS may have the actual balls to do this to us. and I for one am INCREDIBLY excited for the possibility. If you're a WWDITS fan and haven't seen Clue (1985), I highly recommend taking 95 minutes to do so before the finale. Just in case.

Clue is my favorite movie, I have probably seen it upwards of 100 times for real, and I can recite it from memory with 90% accuracy. I also have the pleasure of owning and playing the WWDITS-themed Clue game, which is centered around finding out who stole the witch's skin hat and where in the house they hid it. I don't know if that will play into the finale at all, but it's something to think about.

The thing about Clue (the film), if you aren't aware, is that there are three different endings. On the vhs/dvd, you see all three in a row between 'that's how it could have happened, but what about this?' title cards. In theaters, there were three versions of the movie (labeled A, B, and C) that were dispersed to different theaters, so depending on where and when you went to see it you would see one of 3 endings. (It's kinda unclear which letter corresponded to which originally, so my labels will be assuming a 1:1 comparison between the order of the home version of Clue and the airing order of the WWDITS episodes.) The Clue endings are not all made equal, and on the home version, the final ending is announced as 'what really happened.'

So allow me to take a moment to talk about how the different endings work in context to each other and the film, and how that could translate to three different endings for WWDITS.

CLUE SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT (for real, go watch it)

(last chance to watch Clue go)

Ending#1: "Communism is just a red herring"

In this ending, the first one that plays in the home version, Miss Scarlet is revealed to be the murderer. She is a snarky, sarcastic madam who runs a "hotel and telephone service to provide men with the company of a young lady for a short while" and has policemen on her payroll. This is what I would consider the expected ending, the one that makes sense for most viewers. It's not shocking, but it's funny and well acted and it makes the most sense. Miss Scarlet has the right personality for murder, was in the most convenient area of the house to commit them, and had Yvette (the maid, formerly one of Miss Scarlet's call girls) committing some of the murders at her direction, so she had enough alibis to not make her too obvious. Many people watching this movie for the first time will have her high on their suspect list.

This ending also dismisses the idea of 'dangerous communism' that had been a thread throughout the film (as it is set in 1953 during the second Red Scare) as a misdirection. Miss Scarlet isn't stealing government secrets to betray the US; she's doing it to make money. The real danger all along was capitalism, something that s6 of WWDITS has said repeatedly.

So, to recap, this is the Standard Ending. The Second Best ending. Version B.

Ending #2: "Mrs. Peacock did it all."

This one, played second in the home version, is in my opinion the weakest ending. It reveals Mrs. Peacock, the neurotic, hysterical, and allegedly politically corrupt wife of a senator, as the murderer. She's hilarious and fantastic to watch throughout the whole film and I love her, but this charm drops after the reveal and she becomes cold and drab as she threatens her way to safety. She committed all the murders herself, which would be very difficult to achieve with the tight timing and her position in the basement during the search.

She ends up being caught outside the house by a police inspector, who had earlier shown up disguised as an evangelist telling her to "repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Interestingly, they originally filmed him immediately shooting her dead without provocation, but they thought that was too dark and edited it into an arrest instead (which is why there is such a quick cut after he pulls his gun, and we only hear her rather than see her after that). This is the 'repent for your sins' ending. You do bad things, bad things happen to you.

The obligatory "it's always who you least expect" ending. The Still-Good-But-Not-The-Best Ending. Version C.

Ending #3: "You're Mr. Boddy!"

This is "how it really happened" - the twist ending! The hero was the villain, the villain was just a pawn, and everyone committed a murder in the house to cover their own asses. Prof Plum killed the fake Mr. Boddy, Miss Scarlet killed the cop, Mrs. Peacock killed Mrs. Ho (the cook), Mrs. White killed Yvette, Colonel Mustard killed the motorist, and Wadsworth/Mr. Boddy killed the singing telegram girl.

Mr. Green, who reveals he works for the FBI, kills Wadsworth/Mr. Boddy and arrests the rest of the cast. Understandably the best and most exciting ending (though not without some plot holes) that everyone loves. We get a surprising reveal from two of our main characters that not only changes the context with how you view them, but informs aspects of their character that have been there throughout the film! Now we understand why Wadsworth retained control of the house and the timeline of events, why he was so familiar with the house, and why this entire thing was orchestrated in the first place. We also understand why the cowardly and clumsy Mr. Green was consistently the first to jump to help and defend the other characters, even when it meant putting himself if physical danger. Unfortunately this ending also suggests that he was only pretending to be gay (wouldn't that be a twist for Guillermo lol), but he could also just be in a lavender marriage which is what I choose to believe.

This ending also has the iconic 'flames on the side of my face' scene and repeats 'communism is a red herring', this time in the context of Mr. Boddy's intention to continue blackmailing them all now that they have taken care of anyone who could have pointed the finger at him.

This is the True Ending. The twist you didn't expect but are delighted to find. The 'nothing was as it seemed' endng. The ending that is the most intentional and complete, where everyone gets to shine. Version A.

So what will we be doing in those shadows?

We can assume that e11 will not revolve around finding a murderer, but it does, from what we've seen in the trailer, revolve around making a wife for the monster. Do we get three different wives? Three different actors to play her? Three different superhero identities for Nandor and Guillermo? Three different levels of nandermo: one with a handshake, one with a hug, one with a kiss? Three different explanations for the origin and/or purpose of the documentary? (this is my personal favorite) Or is each ending entirely divorced from the other? Only time will tell.

What I'm leaning toward is that each episode will come up to the same turning point - a decision, a reveal, etc. The first two versions will have reasonable possibilities, the first less surprising but more enjoyable than the second, and the third... The third will be what really happened, and pull a twist no one saw coming. Perhaps even a character will reveal a hidden identity. Maybe, just maybe...we get Simon the Devious.

I only hope the order of the episodes doesn't change between channels or time zones because that will make things very confusing when liveblogging it in the group chat lmao.

[halfsixwakeup]

Come to Hermitcraft Season 9! We have:

Sentient mossman obsessed with the sun

A man who's become so British that he's stealing whole buildings for his museum

Insanely powerful dictator cyborg who is scared of two (2) angry ladies

Your Grandparents' favourite minecraft Youtuber from when they were kids

A woman in a mountain mansion who may have a extra-dimensional doppelganger

An elf-deer-witch who keeps the skulls of her friends as decorations in her torture basements

Walt Disney but he's a genuinely lovely guy

A man with a rock collection who doesn't really know what this 'Geneva Convention' is but would love to go some day

A hypnotist who showed up slightly late but has a farm for just about everything

Living slime who maintains a cathedral while in a war with his neighbour

Stereotypical dwarf except he also owns an island-sized motherboard and the Empire State Building

A second cyborg with an irrational hatred of one (1) rock

JoeHills

Perpetually shocked man with a loveable face

The most self-depreciative engineering genius you've ever met

Crazy Australian lady who may or may not be God

A King who is both corrupted (by a curse) and corrupt (through capitalism)

Woman who drinks tea, lives in tea, gets given tea and believe it or not enjoys tea

A man possessed by a killer dungeon he spent an entire year renovating

A miner with a web of tunnels stretching the length of the world

A blood-stained card game maker

A man of honour, followed around by his evil clone, the man of dishonour

Either a normal man living in a very large train car, or a very small man living a normal train car

DoomGuy but he's very polite

Video game completionist who is so desperate for challenges he's making new ones for himself

An undead puppeteer who can bring statues to life with their magical book

[lani-heart]

|| series masterlist || next // previously ||

genre(s) -> slow-burn, soulmate au, Hunger Games au paring(s) -> ATEEZ OT8 x FEM!READER warning(s) -> murder, mental health, gore, suicidal thoughts. words -> 2.4k

abstract -> would it be easier to give up? or to live for those expecting me to try ?

Y/N’S PERSPECTIVE 

“So y/n!” I heard my name… and I froze. Me? I… how unlucky of me. It was silent… but all I could listen to was the yells and pleas from the male section… Junghwan, who would take care of him when I die there?

I walked up composed… I tried to be at least. I couldn't hear anything but my brother’s cries. It's been years since District Three has won a victory. It's been so long that four years ago the only female victor from District Three passed. 

Yoon Jeonghan wasn’t a normal District Three citizen. He… was special in their eyes as he was corrupt and capable of horrible things.

Last year’s victor… was a male from District Twelve and the only victor in decades. His name… Kim Hongjoong. He was lethal, they underestimated him so this time eyes would be on the weaker districts and tributes... like me.

I wasn’t strong however, I tinkered around my dad’s old workshop trying to even keep it running for some money. 

I was taken inside and tackled in the tightest hug ever given to me. “Please win… please try!” he pleaded and I felt the tears fall down my face while I hugged him back. 

Everything was overwhelming. 

“You’re the smartest person I know! Hide, make something while you're in there! Nothing! Please just… j-just live” he pleaded with tears running down his face and his grip tightened on my shoulders.

“Times up” I heard and I felt my brother's body shake and tighten around me as he refused to let me go. 

“Hey, Junghwan?” I said and he reluctantly stood up on his own. 

“Don’t… watch the games this year okay?”

I didn’t think I would win, I lost all hope the minute I heard my name and saw everyone’s attention on me. The male tribute was fifteen… he had a life ahead of him, and yet he was frail. In comparison, I was healthy for my age… What was I going to do?

How did I want to die? By their hands? Their twisted take on nature? Or even… my own?

“Excuse your mentor he’s… he’s harsh he hasn't had a victory ever nor even seen the potential in… years” Our escort smiled… Yuqi. She was sweet and kind, she reminded me of a mother’s love. Especially in contrast to Jeonghan's brash and blunt words. Our lives were doomed… and all I could think about was everything that would happen to my brother… I'm sorry, Junghwan. 

I couldn’t even bother indulging in the foods that the Capital got to enjoy. Instead, I was bitter… This was entertainment for them. I couldn’t even sleep… Instead, I decided instead of wallowing in self-pity, I'll try to set an example for my brother. I don’t want him to get the news about his older sister… died like a coward. 

The kids at school would bully him worse than they already did… and he’d be reminded constantly about how pathetic his sister would be. If she died on the first night… if she died at all. 

I began to watch the games… I watched so many until I got to last year.

“Kim Hongjoong… he was a devil in disguise last year” I heard and I saw my mentor behind me… I didn’t even hear him come in. He was… a weird victor for District Three. We weren’t known for anything like violence… but he waited out all of his competitors and killed them in their sleep. He was nocturnal… but he was also extremely smart. Even lied to the capatalites saying he was an insomniac… just to poison the lake with sleeping pills.

Yoon Jeonghan. The man with a soft persona, angelic features, and a siren-like voice. Career killer… Siren of the Capital. 

“Why are you looking at the games?” he asked and I couldn’t answer. He sighed tired of waiting for a response when he spoke again. “Your brother… His screams were deafening yesterday… What's his name?” he asked and I smiled softly. “Junghwan,” I said and he didn’t say anything, instead analyzed me. 

“Do you want to win for him?” he asked and I sighed. “I want to try but at the same time I know… this year the Careers have a lot of volunteers because of last year’s games… they won’t make the same mistake as last year in underestimating anyone,” I said and he nodded. 

“Are you good at anything?” he asked and I shook my head. “I-I've never held a weapon before…” I said and he scoffed and glared at me. “Clearly. How about this... are you smart?” he said, scoffing as if it was obvious that he was asking that from the beginning. 

“I would like to think so?” I asked and he glared. “What makes you think you can win? You’d have to be an idiot–” “I know. I’m a fool for even having a small amount of hope that I can make it back home to Junghwan. But I have to at least try! I can’t let my brother think I'm dying without trying, not when he begged me to win, when he screamed for someone else to volunteer” I muttered. 

“So y/n and Junghwan right?” he asked and I was shocked he knew of me. “Your family used to be renowned in the Capital, you know? Your dad was a genius… but he died alongside his wife to the peacekeepers leaving their twelve-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son orphans” he said and I couldn’t face him while he said that. 

“Surely your dad taught you something?” he asked and I sighed. 

“He used to say if I ever got picked… to try my best to guess what the arena will be. To focus on survival and use my survival skills to kill others" I said and he smirked. 

“Atta girl… so, what survival skills do you know?”

I didn’t sleep at all… I stayed up all night with Jeonghan talking about survival. It was mainly me talking and we watched and analyzed the last twenty years of games. Which had a pattern…

We narrowed it down… this year is in favor of District Four and it should have a mostly water arena. Meaning I had to learn fishing, rope tying, and test my limit underwater. Against District Four I'd die to the male tribute no doubt. Their female tribute unfortunately was thirteen so… as bad as I had to say it, she wasn’t a threat. 

Their male tribute… seventeen, a volunteer. So he was confident in his abilities.  Analyze my opponents… do my best to go against them and act weak… because even though they’ll be skeptical visually I look like no threat compared to him.  

“Wake up!” I heard and I felt my body jump up seeing my escort glaring at me with my mentor chuckling. “Seriously! Did you get any sleep?! It's important to get–'' I didn’t want to listen to her talk nonsense about beauty… it wasn’t going to help–

“She's the right kid, sometimes… beauty is everything in the arena,” Jeonghan said and I was confused. “Unlucky for you, you’re being assigned a newbie stylist but it's okay. I can work with you to help you out” he said and I was shocked at how much attention he put on me… my partnered tribute looked hopeless, and didn’t even try to get Jeonghan’s attention. While he seemed to put his bets on me. 

I was taken to get waxed, scrubbed, and exposed. 

While I was now sitting down waiting for my stylist. “Hello! I’m Park Seonghwa, your stylist” he said and I nodded as we shook hands. I don’t know why I felt like… I was drawn to him and I was more confused when he gave me a sad smile. 

“When I saw you, I had to request your dress,” he said and I was confused. What? “What’s your soulmate system love?” he asked and I sighed… “Red string of…” 

Soulmates were a strange phenomenon… but there were rules. So many rules, like using certain soulmate systems inside the arena meant automatic death.

“You can see a string connecting us then?” he asked… but why was another string leading in different directions? “I have dreams of our soulmates,” he said… “Soulmates?” I asked and he nodded. “Though… I can’t seem to ever see their faces. Until you… last night I had a dream of you. Most likely because I saw your picture when they were having us choose who we wanted to style this year. Because I'm new I was one of the last to choose… but I gotta have you, at least for a little” he said and I felt tears pool my eyes. 

“Don’t cry… I'll help you, I have friends who like watching the games. They can help sponsor–” I couldn’t stop the tears… first my brother… now my soulmate– soulmates?!

“I’ll let you take everything in, just trust me, my love”

I was dressed up in a white dress with luminescent accents like Seonghwa described. It made the dress shine… he said it was to portray light. He did my hair and everything… I looked like a different person.

“Well well well… looks like the newbie did you some justice. Though he made you look… too pretty” I heard Jeonghan say. He seemed worried… Seonghwa also glared. 

“Okay, kid…. You're going to sell it out there, act shy, cute, whatever you think your charm is. We need you to have sponsors–" "Is Jeonghan taking this year seriously for once?” I heard and I saw another stylist. 

“Hello, Mr. Hong,” Seonghwa said bowing… “Joshua, we’re gonna have a chat later. Tell Seungkwan I need a favor” he said and he nodded. 

“Let's get you up on the carriage,” Jeonghan said as he grabbed my hand and helped me out… I looked behind Seonghwa and he gave me a nervous smile. 

“Can I ask something?” I said and he looked at me waiting… “Why are you helping me so much? There hasn’t been–" "You’ll be the first victor from five for the last few years…  I've never seen someone tell me they want to guess an arena before. Besides… knowing who your dad was, you have a good chance to survive. I haven’t had a tribute in a while who didn’t… accept their fate so soon or athletes had such a selfless reason to live” he said and I saw it… 

He was desperate. 

“I see myself in you… the difference is you are going to use the arena as your weapon. You reminded me of me when I first got called up as tribute” he added. “Besides… I'm sick of seeing tributes die. I thought you accepted it when I saw you. Frozen and dull, so prove me wrong” he said and I nodded before having a sudden thought…

“H-have… you ever met your soulmates–” “No. And neither have you. I don’t care what you think, you haven’t met your soulmate, got it” he muttered almost telling me… we can’t talk about this. 

I went on the carriage waiting for the tribute music… when it finally happened. 

The horse was scary… I've never been on one and suddenly feathers from the dress started falling… almost like it was on purpose. Who knew I'd have a theatrical soulmate…

I tried to wave… but I was scared…

“act shy, cute, whatever you think your charm is”

He said something about that while I stayed up… victor had personas that helped them. And so I did… I smiled at the camera instead of the meek and scared persona many would give. I waved at the crowd… I tried my best to look appealing to them. 

When it was finally over Jeonghan helped me and my tribute partner down and we made our way to the elevator. We went to floor five where… was a luxury that I had never imagined. 

“Oh, there you two are! You two were cute out there… especially this dress y/n! You looked like a bird or even an angel with how the dress shined!” Yuqi said complimenting us both. Jeonghan laughed before putting a hand on my shoulder and looked at me with a serious look… 

“Now the hard part… training”

SEONGHWA’S PERSPECTIVE

From the moment I saw her on the TV screen I recognized her from my dream… but I also recognized the infamous Kim Hongjoong. A man who could care less about what others from the capital were. Born in District Twelve and suffering through poverty he survived last year through acting weak. A wolf in sheep's clothing… but also lucky because last year was a snowy tundra biome they implemented. I hope she gets lucky. 

Something that she could survive through. I also had a selfish hope that she wouldn’t push me away like he did. Cast me aside like he was disgusted by me. 

I always thought… my soulmates would be happy to meet me. We were made for one another after all.

Was it because I was from the capital that they thought differently?

Even if she did push me away… I wasn’t going to let her go. I was her stylist… something I wasn’t for Hongjoong last year which means I can only wait and hope she’d win so I can be by her side for the year.

She will survive… I know she will. I was selfish and hoping that she would. How cruel would that be… for fate to let me meet my soulmate only to take her away?

“You’re the District Three girl’s stylist right?” I heard and I saw Mr. Hong. I nodded and he sighed as he looked at me with worry and stress. 

“What do you have planned for her interview?”

Y/N’S PERSPECTIVE 

Training… I was studying the plants that lived in humid biomes. I was betting all in that the arena was beach or water-themed. 

I also tried my best to learn fish tackles… something I was pathetic at.

“You’re doing that wrong” I heard and I saw the girl from district four. “Oh… it’s my first time” I said and she smiled shyly. She took it over and fixed it. She was… skillful in it.

“Do… you want to be allies?” She asked and I didn’t trust her. She was from a career district— “they didn’t let me in their clique since I… since I don’t have any chance of surviving” she said.

I was shocked that someone from a popular district would say that. “Please? I just don’t want to die a painful death, I want to try to survive… my family will be watching” she pleaded and I reluctantly nodded.

“Don’t trust allies” Jeonghan offered… stating that they could betray you at any moment. Finding an ally you can trust was rare.

“Sure, let’s be allies” 

I said but I couldn’t mean it. I need to go back to District 3 and back to my brother. 

I had to be willing to do anything to survive.

please don't be a silent reader !! reblog, comment, and like <3

[felassan]

New BioWare journal entry:

"Journal #8 Exploration Across Thedas A look into how Rook will discover the world Hello everyone, Today, we’re back to share more about the world of Dragon Age: The Veilguard (minor spoilers below). While the game is a crafted experience telling a rich narrative, there are many areas to explore. The Lighthouse, for example, is a central place for Rook to rest, spend time with Companions, and learn more about the world through conversation. The Crossroads allow the Veilguard to traverse Thedas in seconds, connecting the Lighthouse to more of the world than ever before.  Throughout the story, you will go through many diverse areas, from the beauty of the lush Arlathan Forests to the busy streets of Minrathous. Veterans of the series have heard whispers in the past about each of these places in Thedas, but now you will actually be able to explore and experience them in-game. Each area has its own unique feel and style. There are several areas for exploration; each inviting you to delve deeper into the narrative and uncover the many mysteries Thedas holds. Check out a few of them here: Arlathan Forest – Ancient magic and powerful artifacts re-awaken and reality thins across the woodlands that once held the heart of the Elvhen empire. The Veil Jumpers, masters of ancient elven magic, seek to stabilize the region and keep reality from crumbling. Hossberg Wetlands – Much of this once-peaceful marshland has been consumed by the Blight. Darkspawn roam the swamps with impunity, but the Grey Wardens mount a valiant defense of the last safe haven – Lavendel. Minrathous – Capital of the Tevinter Imperium, the Venatori wield corruption as they try to turn the Empire’s heart to their own dark purposes. Yet the people resist, with the rebel Shadow Dragons leading the charge. Rivain – An ancient Grey Warden fortress sits among sparkling waters and lush greenery of the Rivain Coast; the Lords of Fortune call this paradise home. The servants of the gods have their own plans, however, and threaten to turn this sanctuary into a battlefield. Treviso – A merchant city known for the beauty of its canals – and the deadliness of its assassins – Treviso is under Antaam occupation, a state of affairs that sits poorly with the Antivan Crows.

WHAT'S THERE TO FIND? While exploring the world, the Veilguard will come across many things to do and people to talk to. Of course, there will be loot to upgrade your equipment but there will also be puzzles and lore! There will be ancient statues, letters, and artifacts left behind to read and collect those Codex Entries. There are also new modes of transportation to find throughout the world, including fast travel.  There will be new ways for your Companions to interact with the world as well, with specific exploration abilities. For example, you may come across some ancient Elven artifacts for Bellara to Tinker with while you wander through Arlathan. Even when the Companions are back at the Lighthouse, Rook can use the Lyrium Dagger to take advantage of their Exploration Abilities. You may also spot Companions out and about, interacting with the world on their own. When heading to Treviso, we recommend finding Lucanis and enjoying a cup of coffee together.

THE LIGHTHOUSE The Lighthouse will serve as your new home during Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Each companion will have their own room, for them to decorate to their own taste. Their rooms will progress over the course of the story, and it will also be the main location for one-on-one chats with them. Rook will have a room of their own, as well! Lastly, you will find the Caretaker’s Workshop here, where items can be upgraded and enchanted.

THE CROSSROADS From the home base of the Lighthouse, you will be able to access The Crossroads, a meeting place of many Eluvians. This area will serve as the main connection from the Lighthouse to the rest of Thedas, as well as lead to a lot of side content. The Caretaker will act as a guide throughout this area, ferrying the party to different islands in the Fade. Additionally, there will be more puzzles to solve in this area and even some extra missions, but we’ll leave those shrouded in mystery to discover on your own. We recently held our in-person Preview Event with Content Creators and Press, so keep your eyes out for interviews and coverage in the coming weeks. While you’re waiting, don’t forget to check out our podcast Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance. Chat soon!             — The Dragon Age Community Team"

[source]

[assumptionprime]

I need to rant about the Fallout show

Because this is the person I am. Full spoilers, so I’m putting it behind a Keep Reading:

I’m a huge sucker for Fallout (yes even 3&4). And I went into the Fallout show with some… trepidation. Amazon has been a mixed bag on adaptations, we could have been blessed with a Good Omens, or cursed by a Rings of Power. But early buzz and reviews seemed positive, so I slammed the whole thing in one night with my spouse (we were staying at my in-laws house and they have Prime. Time was a factor.)

And y’know? I was really enjoying it! The characters were fun, the plot was engaging enough, and the costumes and visual design were extremely on point. There were some minor lore quibbles to be had: Ghouls needing some kind of medicine to not go feral. Really, more Enclave holdouts? Timeline and date whoopsies. Wait are they in California? Where the hell is the NCR?

I made a face at Shady Sands being bombed and the NCR collapsing. But I wasn’t completely out of the story. Based on what I had seen so far, I thought it was building to a reveal that the Brotherhood had done it. That the more zealous turn they took in Fallout 4, which has clearly carried to how they are portrayed in the show, lead them to bombing the NCR. War never changes, as they say. Maximus even says when asked what happened to Shady Sands: “The same thing that always happens.” Yeah, it leans into Bethesda’s weird desire to keep the Fallout world in a state of perpetual wastelands full of raiders and no civilization, but it wasn’t so terrible that I couldn’t still enjoy the show.

But then.

BUT THEN.

Episode 8, and the reveal of Vault-Tec apparently being the ones who dropped the first bomb in the Great War.

I was surprised to hear that some fans have apparently been debating over who fired first? Some even asked Tim Cain about it?

That’s really odd to me because, in the games, there is already a pretty definitive answer to which side sparked the Great War:

Who fucking cares?

The world ended. What does it matter who shot first?

There is no China, no United States, no communists or capitalists left to fight about it. 

It's a powerful little bit of lore.

For all the posturing, all the promises from each nation that their way is the true way, all the nationalism, the militarism, and blind loyalty to flags over humanity, they both lost. Everyone lost. All that remains of the ideologies and nations that were so important to the people of 2077 is faint echoes over vast expanses of radioactive ash.

Who started the end?

No one knows. No one cares.

It only matters that their conflict was so bitter, so all-consuming, that one of them dropped their bombs, and the other dropped theirs in return.

The truest legacy of the old world is the devastation left by their final, most horrific war.

Can we do better?

Then the show says "Nah, Vault-Tec did it. It's not a commentary on human nature and the futility of self-destructive conflict, it was actually these guys, these mustache twirling villains huddled in a darkened room literally plotting to end the whole world so they can rule what's left."

And I can see the attempt to make this a critique of capitalism. I actually paused the show to praise a bit of writing when Coop is talking with Charlie before the war, when Charlie tells him that the “cattle ranchers are in charge” to illustrate how capitalism and corporations hold too much sway over the government, it felt very in line with how in New Vegas one of the recurring critiques of the NCR is that all the real power is in the hands of the “brahmin barons.” Nice parallel, spot on!

But “we’ll set off total thermonuclear war so we can rule the ashes and have a True Monopoly” isn’t capitalism. It’s just dumb “we’re the baddies” writing.

And then Shady Sands was also Vault-Tec?! Forget any meaning in the NCR falling to the same corruption and/or factional fighting that consumed the old world, they were literally just bombed by the evil shadow conspiracy that apparently also killed the old world. Hank gives this speech about factions fighting and the futility of it all while we see the Brotherhood fighting Moldaver’s NCR remnant, and like, no! You can’t say that when you’ve made it so neither the old world or the NCR fell to war with another faction! It was you! You and your band of cryogenic supervillains!

I don't care that they changed it. Timelines and dates and little retcons don’t bother me all that much. I care that they changed it to something so much worse.

[planet-hwa]

୨୧  chihiro – 성화

  ୨୧  summary     did you take my love away from me?

pairing     seonghwa x reader genre     established [ex]relationship, angst in capitals and bold word count     1.5k

‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

warnings     toxic relationship, manipulation, almost drowning, arguments, mental/emotional abuse, getting chased, restrained?, swearing [once], break up

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“Seonghwa, come on! Just let me talk, please!” Your shouts fell upon deaf ears, the distance between the two of you growing further and further apart — almost like a retelling of your relationship. No matter how much you chased for it, it seemed to always be out of your grasp. Your legs were shaking and tired but you were too stubborn to give up easily, determination fueled your blood.

“There’s nothing to talk about, you clearly don’t trust me!” He yelled, though it was almost inaudible over the cars that were driving past. Your breathing grew heavy as you continued your stride, the cool air making it feel like all the oxygen in your lungs was being sucked out. Looking ahead at the dark-haired man, you watched as he turned off and hurried your pace, running down the path that led to the secluded lake.

Heaving and out of breath, you caught a glimpse of his figure standing on the edge of the decrepit wooden dock looking out onto the lake. He turned towards you smirking before lunging himself into the lake, a massive splash rippling the surrounding water. This was just one of his games, you thought, always wanting to assert power over you with manipulation.

You stood at the top of the path, watching and waiting for his head to pop back up… but it never did. Panic began to fill the atmosphere, sprinting over to the dock and looking for any sign of undulation in the water. 

Nothing.

Without hesitation, you dived in full clothed, searching the underwater for any sign of life. You weren’t a good swimmer, but you weren’t gonna sit and watch your boyfriend drown himself. Your breath became tight, popping your head above water to get air before submerging yourself underwater once more. Blinking harshly through the rippled lake and scanning the area, all you could see was darkness. It felt like you were drowning in the sorrows of your relationship, constantly thrashing around for security but being left alone.

The feeling of arms wrapping around your waist came as a shock, and before you knew it, your head was above water once more. Frantically thrashing your limbs to escape the tight grasp was no use, the body pulling you to the lakeshore. Your body fell limp to the ground as the grip around your waist faltered, your breathing heavy and desperate. The second body fell beside you, breathing just as hard.

Your clothes now stick to you like glue, wet and cold sending goosebumps to corrupt your skin. You turned your head to look at Seonghwa, his hair dripping and sticking to his forehead messily, his clothes just as soaked as yours. He didn’t meet your eyes, didn’t flinch a muscle, only stared up at the gloom of the sky.

“We need to end this...” You mumbled through wet lips, Seonghwa responded with silence. Your relationship began to slowly crack over the past year; but today the strongest rocks beneath it had crumbled and the avalanche came crashing down.

“Why?” His voice cracked slightly, an ounce of dejection twined in his tone — the most emotion he had shown in recent months sat in one question.

“Because I don’t know you anymore, Hwa.” You sat up quietly, watching the beginning of light rain drops ripple the lake’s water. Being sopping wet already, you hadn't noticed the start of the drizzle, the darker grey clouds beginning to gather above the lake. “You make no sense to me anymore.”

“What does that even mean, Y/N?” He scoffed, sitting up to meet your height. The quick attitude change is exactly what you meant, along with the constant manipulation and impulsiveness among other things.

The band of patience you had with him snapped within you, anger firing through your veins and sending a warmth to your cold body. You stood up hastily, glaring down at him from above, he unintentionally smirked at how quick it took to get you to snap.

“This! This is exactly why!” You shouted, your hands flung around to make a point. “You’re manipulative and controlling, and impulsive-”

“Manipulative and controlling mean the same thing.” He scoffed once more, an attempt to make you feel foolish.

“God, would you stop undermining me?” You started to stomp off before a cold slender hand caught your wrist — it felt like death had touched you himself. With a quick tug, Seonghwa whipped you around to face him, water droplets from his hair fell down his face as if they were tears.

“Come on, I’m sorry, okay?” He remarked, his eyebrows furrowed and his boba eyes turned puppy but it wasn’t enough to mask the annoyance behind his voice.

This was his game, how he would manipulate you like a puzzle piece to it. The insincere apologies that encouraged you to feel bad, the low toned sultry voice he would use, the puppy eyes he knew you could never resist — but this time you would.

“No Seonghwa, you’re not! You never are!” You ranted, tearing your wrist from his grasp and causing a shocked flinch from him. You had never fought back before.

“You haven’t been sorry in months, about anything, and I’m sick of it! I’m sick of fighting and I’m sick of falling into your schemes. I can’t deal with it anymore! I tried my hardest to fight for us, to bring back the love we once had but I can’t do it anymore!”

Seonghwa stared in disbelief as you listed off all the games he played. He knew himself that he was manipulative and impulsive like you said, but he never thought it would hurt anyone. The love you once felt for each other had completely vanished, a mere memory withering away.

The rain grew heavier as you continued to shout at him, the setting matching the situation like a movie scene, you raised your voice slightly to be heard over the roaring thunderstorm. You stopped to breathe for a second, calming yourself before your final breaking point. “You think I don’t trust you, and you’re right. You haven’t given me any reason to trust you, and I can’t rely on the blind faith of love anymore.”

“So you don’t love me anymore?” Was all Seonghwa took away from the argument, ignoring every other more important point.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You basically did.” He growled, noticing as he stepped forward, you stepped back to remove the space between you. Silence fell between you for a couple of minutes.

“How can I love you?” You sobbed, tears beginning to prick your eyes. “I don’t know you at all…”

The words finally sunk within Seonghwa’s chest, his heart shattering into a million pieces. 

You were right, he had changed since the beginning of your relationship.

He did truly love you though, but his controlling tendencies had taken over. The continuous little lies he told throughout your relationship had finally caught up with him, and he tried to turn it on you, make you believe that you were the problem. But you had finally cracked into his games — into his mind. Even today when he tried to turn the issue on you and make it like you created it, he couldn’t break you anymore.

You looked up at him through teary eyes, his deep brown ones finding yours instantly, pleading with you to stay. All you did was turn away, walking up the path and towards the road again,

Anger flooded into Seonghwa’s veins, his hands bunched into fists and his muscles tensed. He began storming towards you.

“Y/N, come back!” He pleaded, not with desperation but with aggression.

You turned to see him making his way up the path, his pace picking up once you stuttered to a stop. Examining his facial expression, your eyes widen at the anger that his held, barely visible behind the wet strands of his hair. Your legs started to tremble as you ran away — and the chase quickly began.

Running up and out of the entrance, you sped across the road and through the paddock opposite the lake, ignoring the blaring horns of cars on the street. The paddock was puddled with rain, soaking into your clothes even more. You ran away the fastest you could, heaving breaths through the thick foggy air and through your own anxiety.

Two arms wrapped tightly around your body, throwing you to the ground. You swung your arms and legs around, trying to escape the grasp of the man but ultimately failing. Rough hands pulled your wrists and pinned them above your head, the body weight suffocating your waist as your legs kicked behind it.

“Stop fighting me for one fucking second!” Seonghwa yelled, his voice piercing your ears as he stared daggers down into you. You halted your fights, knowing he was stronger than you. “Please, listen to me-”

“We’re done, Seonghwa. I’m done listening, and I’m done with you.”

Glancing at the seriousness in your face, he removed his body weight from you. You stood up quickly and dusted yourself off before you looked at him one more time, kneeling on the ground with his hands in his lap and head down. Now he had finally broken someone else: himself. You moved towards the paddock gates and followed the path up the street, leaving him to wither away in the rain. He stayed there in silence, face dripping with a mixture of rain and tears. He knew that you were gone and never coming back…

↳  hit me hard and soft ; billie eilish

[thesiltverses]

Feeding into the parasocial by sharing an article on a theme that made me think of the lack of wording on TSV (not once is capitalism said) and the way we all (me included) end up criticising capitalism without any actual arguments

https://www.infinitescroll.us/p/ugh-capitalism

Thanks!

I mean, I'd be a great deal more generous-minded to you / me / all of us than the article author Jeremiah Johnson, who I note is co-founder of some extremely vague enterprise called the Center for New Liberalism.

I think that complaining as he does that leftists keep conversationally using 'capitalism' as a broad-stroke catch-all term of complaint without drilling down into specific policy problems they want addressed (and that this amounts to poseury) is both craven and obtuse. It seems telling of the author's approach that he understands the concept of 'The Man' straightforwardly as a puerile conspiracy theory / blame-game for losers "taken from blaxpoitation movies", rather than stopping to think about the layers of joke and deadly sincerity for black communities in the US that might have given rise to that slang in the first place.

The very worst excesses of global capital are frequently broad, crude and childish - just as capitalist motivations of endless accumulation are inherently shallow and childish - and their consequences are hanging over us at all times.

It is both an obvious horror and a ludicrous everpresent joke, for example, that the planet is at the very edge of potentially tipping over into unstoppable environmental collapse, and yet short-term profiteering will clearly continue to drive us further towards our own unavoidable devastation, while attempts at regulation within the present political system have been and will continue to be routinely toothless and effortlessly corrupted.

For me there can be no serious issue taken with anyone - whether economists or teenagers - showing their contempt for that reality, or for the many layers of our dire present-day circumstances, by sometimes addressing the broad picture of capitalism in glib or insubstantial terms.

We all deserve better than some preening, pettifogging git turning up to call us trendy faux-socialist poseurs and insisting that we come up with a bullet-pointed list so he can argue back that actually Good Properly-Regulated Capitalism would be OK. What an absolute schmuck.

[tossawary]

The "Star Wars" prequel trilogy films do not do a good job of clearly establishing and clearly explaining "attachments" within the Jedi Order (What is their definition of "attachment"? What are their traditions versus official rules surrounding the different relationships one might have with outsiders? What are the traditional consequences in each the cases where the "attachment" is considered a problem? What does it mean exactly to leave the Jedi Order?) and this confusion has caused many fandom arguments over whether or not this Jedi Order "rule" is inappropriate when few people can agree on what the rule is exactly, even as various additional materials (shows, comics, books, games) have tried to answer some of these questions for us.

This lack of clarity in the films specifically (and across various other installments) is going to keep causing fandom arguments forever, probably, especially when everyone is bringing their own interpretations and opinions to the party! But something that is absolutely not helping this dust cloud fight over Jedi Order political policy and traditional religious practices, in my opinion, is that both of Anakin's attachments are obviously extreme edge cases here! They're not typical!

Like, with Shmi Skywalker, the main issue here is NOT actually "Should Jedi be able to maintain contact with their families at all?" The problem is intentionally colored by the fact that a woman has been left in unstable SLAVERY on a dangerous planet, and it's perfectly reasonable for her traumatized child to fear for her life!

Thus the "attachments" conversation from this angle tends to devolve into heated arguments about how the Jedi Order as an organization's complicated ties to the increasingly corrupt Republic (a bloated, non-transparent "democracy" which apparently contains a variety of monarchies!) both permits them to do good on some planets and actively prevents them from doing good on others. The institutions are failing the individuals all over the place in this story. Which is, you know, part of the overall point of the prequels; the traditional ideals of this one particular religious order don't really mesh well with these various machines of politics, war, and capital stretching across a galaxy! In fact, they're actively in conflict! Palpatine is preying on this and laughing the whole time!

And on the other hand as an extreme case, Anakin's relationship with Padmé as presented in the films kind of gets treated as "Should Jedi be allowed to love romantically at all?" when Anakin is trying to have everything at once by having a secret marriage with a SENATOR without leaving the Order. If the Jedi Order is trying (struggling) to maintain some sort of separate and neutral position as peacekeepers within the Republic, then, uh, yeah, it doesn't seem unreasonable that they might at least have rules against their members being (legally?) bound in any fashion to Republic politicians or other similarly significant figures.

If the space paparazzi got a shot of Anakin and Padmé smooching, then it would be a SCANDAL. Regardless of what the actual rules on marriage might be within the Jedi Order generally, it's not unreasonable that to Anakin specifically the Jedi Council might be like, "Congrats on your marriage, but you cannot be a member and representative of our Order and the Senator's trophy husband at the same time. You have to pick one."

[bethanydelleman]

I keep thinking about Katniss's relationship with her mom and how it's this perfect representation of how you keep the oppressed from seeing their real oppressor.

Katniss's dad dies in a mine explosion, leaving behind Mom, Katniss, and Prim. Katniss is still too young to qualify for the charity food, so the mom needs to work to make up for the loss of the dad's income. Unfortunately, the mom goes catatonic with grief and they all almost starve to death. Katniss despises her mom and admires Gale's mother, as Gale's mother worked herself to the bone doing laundry to keep her kids alive...

Except, Gale's mother couldn't keep her kids alive on her income, that's why Gale traps animals. Katniss is mad at her mother for not doing the impossible, for not being able to replace the main breadwinner's income in exactly 1 month. And even while she blames her mother, she observes that people starve to death in District 12 all the time. It's normal.

Which means this was never a failure of her mother's, it was always a failure of the system itself. No government should be routinely allowing it's citizens to starve, especially after something like a mine explosion. They gave Katniss a medal instead of the means to live. But Katniss can't take down a government or fix a broken system so she does the same thing we all do: she redirects her anger towards something accessible, her mom.

It's why people blame "welfare queens" when the welfare cheque is far too small. We hate people who abuse the system (or at least we perceive that they abuse it) instead of recognizing that the system itself is unjust. And the Capital encourages this by turning district against district in The Hunger Games, don't hate the people who put your children in the arena, hate the kid from 2 that actually used the knife.

Katniss can't help it, it's not her fault that she feels that way. It's what we do. Governments and multinational companies are faceless and untouchable, so we hate the people beside us. And so corruption and oppression lives, until we lift our eyes and find the real evil.

[bizarrebazaar13]

FL-inspired book recs!

brought to you by hotel wi-fi

Locations

The Royal Bethlehem: “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and “The Room in the Tower” by E.F. Benson. these are short stories, not novels, but they are fairly quick reads and are about locations where reality becomes twisted. the yellow wallpaper deals with mental illness and medical neglect, while the room in the tower is more about the overlap between dreams and the real world.

Port Carnelian: Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. ok, hear me out on this one. if you’ve ever thought port carnelian would be great if it actually dealt with British colonialism and racism in a meaningful way and also had a murder mystery, you might like this book. a much younger Mycroft Holmes goes with his friend Cyrus Douglas to Douglas’s home in Trinidad to investigate a series of mysterious deaths.

Ladybones Road: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley. Nathaniel Steepleton finds a gold pocket watch in his bedroom one day, but he cannot open it or even hear it ticking. six months later, it opens on its own, and an alarm goes off at the precise time that a bomb explodes in Scotland Yard. he then goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, who claims the watch was stolen from his shop. Mori has a gift for elaborate clockwork, and though he seems kind and relatively harmless, Nathaniel is sure he is hiding something.

Ambitions/Major Storylines

Early Light Fingers: The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz. it’s a Sherlock Holmes pastiche, but it can still be understood and enjoyed even if you don’t share my Sherlock Holmes autism. I specified early light fingers, because the mystery of what exactly the house of silk is, and the theme of corruption in highest levels of society, reminds me a lot of exploring and learning about the orphanage. just a heads up, this book is centered around a murdered child, and deals with the systemic abuse and neglect of children in victorian london. its biggest content warning is also its biggest spoiler, so I won’t give it here, but feel free to ask me. I had it spoiled for me on accident and still liked the book a lot.

Late-game Nemesis: “The Moonlit Road” by Ambrose Pierce. another short story, it recounts in three parts the murder of Julia Hetman, as told by her son, her husband, and Julia herself. it specifically reminds me of the dreams of the dead section of nemesis.

Evolution: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. Tory Stewart becomes obsessed with mermaids after her sister Anne’s disappearance. Anne was filming a mockumentary about mermaids in the Mariana Trench, but the ship she was on disappeared, and was recovered weeks later with no trace of the crew. footage was found that appeared to show the crew being murdered by mermaids, but it’s largely believed to be for the movie, not real. seven years later, Theodore Blackwell recruits Tory as part of his mission to return to the Mariana Trench and capture a live mermaid. it hits sort of the same spot for undersea survival horror that the diving bell section of evolution did for me.

Exceptional Stories

The Bloody Wallpaper: Sign Here by Claudia Lux. hell is an office. literally. Peyote Trip sold his soul while he was alive, and now works in hell, convincing other people to do the same. he’s one deal away from a big promotion, and all he needs is the soul of one last member of the Harrison family. normal laws of space and time don’t apply, the real hellscape is capitalism, and secrets don’t stay hidden forever… sound familiar? in terms of violence and body horror, I don’t think it gets much worse than the text of the bloody wallpaper. one of the main characters does have a pretty brutal backstory involving christianity-related child abuse though.

Totentanz: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. set in late 1920s Mexico, the story follows Casiopea Tun and the Mayan death god Hun-Kamé on a journey across Mexico and eventually into the underworld. Casiopea finds Hun-Kamé’s bones in a chest in her grandfather’s house, and when she cuts her finger on one of the bone shards, Hun-Kamé becomes bound to her. together, they must find the rest of his body, which has been scattered around Mexico by Hun-Kamé’s brother Vucub-Kamé, who took over control of Xibalba from him. Hun-Kamé intends to retake Xibalba, but he and Casiopea must face sorcerers, demons, and twisted family dynamics- and that’s before they even get to the underworld.

[drunkrabbitsobs]

the closer we get to the next season of mythic quest the more I think about it. the thing that calls to me specifically is the backstory ep, every seasons got one, they all seems to try and have a theme/meaning, there almost always the best ep in a season... so the main question on my minds been what's this seasons backstory ep gonna be?

my heart says brad backstory, how I yearn for it. though just saying I hope its a (insert character) ep" is only half the story, the backstory eps are supposed to have a meaning to have something to do with the rest of the season or at least the eps after. so the real question is what should this season do and how would that tie into a brad backstory ep?

In my opinion the answer is to do something with Dana and Rachel for fucks sake. i mean i love em as much as the next guy but they barely got half a personality between them. Dana's a vaguely girlboss shaped cardboard cut out and Rachel's just what the writers think a leftist is. so how do you take theses two extremely nothing characters and give them meaning? well when it comes I think the moves is clear, corruption.

At the end of season 3 Dana is set up as a parallel to Ian, having created her own company and given herself his exact position + Danas few moments in season 3 do seem to set up that she and Ian are very similar people. As well Rachel is set up as a parallel to brad with her getting his job and all that. so season 4s gotta have them become more like their respective parallels, Dana starts being obnoxious and self centered, Rachel finds herself getting more and more greedy.

then you get to the backstory ep, and we see just how brad got here. hoe he ended up as the person he is, as well showing us that he and Rachel aren't to different after all. maybe jo to, I think that would be neat.

I think the most painful thing they could do is show us that as a child brad had an interest in writing. to parallel Rachel and aborted character trait of being a writer, turn what the writers gave up on into a message about giving up on your dreams.

looking at it from this angle, the theme of corruption is obvious, how a person gives up on there morals and dreams for success under capitalism. to an extent that what all the shows about isn't it? ties in real nice at the least. I mean the first backstory ep is about a couple who make their dream game only for the game, their relationship and to a certain extent themselves to be destroyed in the pursuit of success. C.W's is about a man with a dream who's just not that good at it, who sees the future of his industry and ends up a failure. his only success in life, the only reason he has any respect on his name, is stolen from a better writer. I haven't rewatched the third season in a bit but i could probably find a way to tie the third one in when I rewatch it.

that's all to say, if I was writing the season that's what id do. who knows what it'll actually be, might be better then my idea, might be worse. wont know until it comes out, fun to think about though.

[windmaedchen-oceanhorn]

I have found the strength to draw one (of two) OCs for AFK Journey. So let me record a few details about her here.

Lavinia

Close childhood friend of Valen. Her father was an Imperial Knight stationed there (Stoutstone Isle) but died on duty in her early childhood years. Since then she dreamed of stepping into her father's shoes, bravely (and angrily often) tagging behind Valen to prove she was no less than him, despite being nearly 3 years younger. Sometimes even managed to kick his butt!

Left for the capital at 11 with her mother. She hated the city and missed the island (and her friend), but then found the Heroic Order and saw that girls were allowed - and then didn't think of anything else.

She had agreed with Valen that they'd meet again as knights but he never showed up and so time passed. On occasion she'd discuss with her mother what he might have been up to, not knowing that he's been in Holistone the past few years.

Her design was influenced by the two other Imperial members Guywin and Joey. She isn't meant to have any special rank, but somehow the design looked bland without the touch of gold.

Her story would be experienced as some extended side quest. At that point she's been through stupid stuff and hit rock bottom. She hid in the Ashen Wastes for a few weeks, before Berial senses her despair. He grants her continued life in exchange of being entertained... so now Lavinia is returning to the capital to follow up on her dark thoughts and assassinate the current leader of the Heroic Order.

She would not actually be wearing her uniform, but some rags she got in Mauler territory a few weeks prior. Only after the side quest is over she'd be seen in uniform again.

Valen's got to attend an important meeting of the Solitaries in the capital, and Merlin joins for the opportunity to see more of the Lightbearer Empire (and refresh her memory). They run into Lavinia on the road and travel together for a bit.

"Who the heck gave you permission to grow into such a stud of a man?!" "The same entity that made you grow pretty beautiful curves. You actually look like a girl now!"

Then lots of things happen. xD Friendships rekindled and broken again. Attempted murder in broad daylight and witnesses.

Truths are being shared, faith and trust are lost. Futures put on line. Hypofiends and a Hypogean in the middle of the capital!

Valen nearly throws the towel on the Heroic Order.

Corrupted Lavinia versus Valen (and others)

Berial is causing chaos but escapes from Merlin and the celestials.

The leader of the Heroic Order ends up very dead. Lavinia lives, somewhat against her expectations and wishes.

Hogan saves the situation, at least he tries to.

The Happy End is not missing, though: while leaving behind the capital for good, Lavinia continues to serve under and among better men in Holistone. ;-)

Due to previous events, Lavinia's life is dependent on Berial's grace. She's also got some perks due to that but she'd much rather not have anything to do with a Hypogean. Thankfully, he forgets about her until I need more drama many years down the line. xD

And finally... she wouldn't be a playable character ever, her skills are boring and greatly overshadowed by Valen or even Guywin. I might think about her stats in the future but since that part of the game isn't what sparks my interest, I probably won't. *shrugs*

Thanks for reading. :-) Until next time! <3