#lau plays

[caeslxys]

Something I think is extremely interesting thematically when it comes to connecting what Downfall and the ideas it tackled to the overarching narrative of campaign three is that the things Downfall made a point to showcase of Aeor—Cassida, Hallis, the visual of an aeormaton proposing to her partner, the specific and intentional decision to shed light on a far from insignificant amount of the population being civilians or refugees—is that it plays in perfect parallel across from what is happening (and, really, has been happening) to the ruidusborn on Exandria in present.

Bear with me for a moment. Aeor is ultimately a city that was collectively punished for the decisions of its leadership. We could (and, judging by the amount of discourse around this particular topic already, probably will) argue about what the Gods’ motivation for all of this was—whether it be that they could not, in the end, bear to kill their siblings or that they were terrified at the prospect of mortality—for me it is a very healthy dose of both—but for this I am much more interested in the latter. They were scared. That, really, is the driving force behind both this arc and their role in c3 as a whole.

Why I point this out is: It is far more interesting to me, especially as we go back to Bells Hells this week, to dissect the Gods and their decisions not purely on sympathetic motivation alone but as beings in the highest seat of power in the highest social class in Exandria.

So, having established that the Gods (in relation to mortals) are more a higher social class than anything we could compare to our real life understanding of divinity and that Aeor was eviscerated largely because of their fear—what is the difference between those innocents in Aeor caught in the trappings of their autocratic government leadership and a divine war on the ground, and those of the ruidusborn being manipulated both by Ludinus and by the very thing that inspired such visceral fear in the Gods to start with. I would argue very little.

I think of Cassida, doing what she genuinely thought was right and good and would save people, her son, and the object of her worship—and how that did not matter enough to any of them to spare her because of the fear they held at the very concept of mortality. I think of Liliana and Imogen, one of which we know begged for the gods to help her or send her a sign for years on years, and how every single one of their largest struggles could have been avoided had the gods loved them, their supposed children, as much as they feared what they could be. I think of how the thing that did save Imogen, in the end, was a woman who herself existed in direct defiance of the gods will. I think of that young boy, sixteen years old, that Laudna exalted on Ruidus.

I think it’s completely fair to judge Aeor’s overall society as deeply corrupt—it was!—but its leadership and police force are not a reflection of every one of its citizens. Similarly, it is fair to judge the Ruby Vanguard as corrupt—it is!—but its multiple heads of leadership and even the god-eater further are not a reflection of every one of its members.

Notably, and what I think the Hells will latch onto, this did not matter to the Gods. It did not matter that Cassida was trying to help. She was still too much of a risk. Will it matter, what Imogen does? Will it matter, if that young boy is in the blast radius when they decide to take no further chances?

I’ve seen a lot of people say that the Hells will side with the gods and I don’t think I agree. Especially as Imogen has been scolded and villainized over and over for daring to try and save her mother—who herself has been seen by some as an irredeemable evil in spite of her drive being the exact same���her family—but when it’s the Gods it’s justified? When it’s the Gods, it’s sympathetic? Too sympathetic to criticize further than “they’re family”?

I obviously do not think the Gods should die or be eaten or what have you, and I certainly don’t agree with Ludinus (though I find him much more compelling than just a variation of hubris wizard), but when talking about the Gods in Aeor and in present it isn’t really at all about their motivation or their family. It can’t be. Too many people, including our active protagonists, lives have been effected for it to be as cut and dry as “they’re family”. These are your children. They are your family, too.

[laufire]

gonna say something really appalling but patriotic-specific (spaniards dni): none of us know where federico garcía lorca's grave is located, but I know in my bones he rolls in it every time that saccharine sequel of his most magnificent play is performed live.

[blondeaxolotl]

so lau is swapped with madam, and sebastian is swapped with grelle. im curious to know lau and sebastian's relationship. does it have the same amounts of romantic undertones? what are their reasons for killing people, if they did do that?

To answer your first question, yes:

And for the second question, Lau is a serial killer who fulfills his murderous needs by killing women who he deems will not be missed by the public due to their choice of work. And Sebastian just finds Lau attractive for that and just helps out because he thinks it's fun, not joking that's literally his reason. Lau doesn't really have a motive for his killings, he just lets his intrusive thoughts win and likes the fact he feels in control when he does. ---------- Yeah Lau's reason for killing isn't that special or interesting, but hey good amount of serial killers basically have the same/similar reasonings like this as well, so this lore still somewhat fits to the story. Plus, I can't just say "oh he kills women because they get abortions and throw away what they have that he doesn't" like- man, that weirdly makes him sound like a pro-lifer and I don't think I want that for him HEHAEH

[sieglinde-freud]

think the thabes mod has some issues doing some of the gay hack supports but only for the second gen so. um. hey guys drop ur het second gen ships 😭😭😭

[imagionary]

Absolutely in love with this au! Top Dog is such a fun character, and I love what you did with Spruce and Dave!

If Dave's flowers are are so... special, what does that mean for the ones toons sometimes get?

Dave's roses are mainly given out as silly little gestures; but he can use them for alternative motives (mainly to keep his eyes on toons and cogs that he personally finds suspicious or possibly possessed by those he doesn't trust)

[local-dryad]

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop" mfer you're literally hiding in a wooden crate

[lyselkatzfandomluvs]

Chén XinYû 陳欣予

Wb update 2024.02.10

🐉 Happy Lunar New Year!!!

[badoobea]

from the drafts

[bapydemonprincess]

So, say what you want but it's actually canonically accurate that Sebastian Michaelis is outright a thot and their son is absolutely 100% done with this fact at all times 😌

Bonus with our favorite skrunkly and his loyal group of fellow trolls lovely ladies:

[myfckingnameisnuwanda]

CH.2.1 Studies

November 24, day 18.

Hi, mom.

I’m really, really sorry, but I have to confess that we won’t be going to school at all while we stay in this universe.

It’s not that I haven’t tried, I promise! It’s just that we fear that if we get in the system in any way, the police will think we are orphans or illegal immigrants or something of the like, and separate us and put us in the system.

That would be, very obviously, bad, so we won’t be trying to get in any kind of official system, and school, obviously, is a regulated system we must avoid at all costs.

But I’ll keep up with the materials for when we get home, I promise.

And I’ll try to convince the others to do it too.

Love,

Andy.

CH.2.2 Play Date

November 27, day 21.

Today Felix and Sam interpreted a play for me and Jake.

Felix was a god, a lazy one, and Sam was a human trying to convince the god to help him heal his ill daughter.

The god just kept denying, and Sam had to get increasingly creative on his offerings, but the denials just kept on getting more ridiculous.

At one point, Sam offered the hand of his daughter in exchange for the cure, and Felix straight up told him she was just too ugly.

It was really funny, though. I’m just explaining it wrong, I think.

With love, when the lack of internet and immediate distraction from our daily lives has finally gotten to us,

Andy.

CH.2.3 First Catch

November 29, day 23.

I caught my first fish today, mom!

It was really scrawny, so mr. Rutherford told me to put it back in the water.

Apparently, if a fish is too tiny for consumption, you have to let them go to let them grow and then have the opportunity to catch it when it’s bigger in the future.

I don’t know if all fishermen do that or if it’s just mr. Rutherford, though.

It was a pretty fish, but I’ve yet to learn the name of the species.

Love,

Andy.

CH.2.4 Communication

December 02, day 26.

Today I caught Jake petting a big fluffy friendly orange cat.

The cat meowed at him, purring.

He meowed back.

It was cute.

Not for mom, just to get it out of my system,

Andy

CH.2.5 Park Date

December 06, day 30.

Hi, mom.

Today we went to the park, and Sam tried to show us how to use his skate.

I was pretty afraid, at first, but it’s not that bad. I can’t go very fast, though.

Felix apparently already had learned how to when he was younger. He has lost practice, but he is obviously better than me and Jake.

Jake fell a lot. Overly confident, I think. He just gave up after a while and switched to playing some basketball with some kids there after the kids made fun of him for his lack of ability with the skate.

Jake destroyed them at basketball, though, and came back to the cabin whistling happily.

Love,

Andy.

<- Ch.02, Ch.03 ->

Summary

[haldanare]

i thought it was just emma d'arcy but no there are (at least) three! (3) non binary baddies in HotD

[theunstablejester]

Girlies when they hear there is a new videogame that resembles Night in the Woods and Disco Elysium.

[lautheduckie]

Ah yes. Our grumpy anime grandpa

[lollki]

wish there was an app that would match you with an old guy who wants to drink and play chess with you and smoke

[tokkionline]

34 for laurent pls ?!?!

34. What would someone blackmail your oc with? Would they be successful in getting what they wanted?

ngl..... in his teenager arc, it's definitely outing him ANSDNF lau is 100 ft deep in the closet and he has no intention to get out of it for a good while. if you somehow find out he's gay and decide to blackmail him about it? yeah he's wrapped around your finger. he'd do anything in his power to keep his secret a secret, in order to stay far away from his father's ire

as he gets older and more confident, though, blackmailing him becomes sort of useless. he's completely accepted who he is, and if you try to blackmail him with whatever thing you've got? he'd just look at you and laugh, daring you to try