#learned it than eragon did

[dam-mar]

Things that I think will happen or want to happen in Murtagh.

As much as I want him too, I don’t think he’ll visit Eragon. However, I do think he’ll see or run into Roran. They’ve never interacted and I think they should. Same with Arya, they were friendly before, i want to see how the dynamic changed.

Nasuada. There’s gonna be so many mentions of her, and they’re probably gonna visit her too. Hopefully they address her whole “wanting to keep magic under lock and key” thing. Love her but that is not it. And, maybe they get to just exist together without the feeling of impending doom?

Unfortunately the Inheritance Cycle did end with me not learning what Angela’s deal is and she better make an appearance to make up for it. She’s too enigmatic not too. I also think we’ll get just a tad bit of her lore too. Maybe some more glimpses of the nomads and Angela’s master that Eragon ran into?

I’m really hoping that it touches on the fact that the Dwarves and Urgals have been added as riders.

Other than that, I think he’s just gonna do around as an independent rider and deal with politics and society of post-war Alagaesia.

[relto]

"ohh i will finish the vocab real quick so i can read" wrong. i will do all the vocab (not quick) and then not read.

[seeker-ophelia]

Ophelia’s Review, Part Two: Thedas, The Dragon Age System

Some things I need to get off my chest.

One. This does not feel like a Dragon Age game.

Two. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like it.

Three. I have a lot of feelings right now but I’ll come back when my brain has re-hydrated itself.

(I finished Veilguard at 10PM on Monday, and wrote this the morning after. And its still true, 5 days later.)

TLDR at the bottom

[Read Part 1 Here]

I do miss the heady blend of power, intrigue, danger, and sex that permeates these events games.

[Photo Cred: Dumped, Drunk & Dalish]

Because Veilguard is missing all of that.

Listen, it’s good. Great even. I loved it. Cried. Laughed. Dropped my controller and paced around the room for 5 minutes in anger and angst. Drank a bottle of wine in the bathtub after Solavellan’s happy ending (and my Rooks sad one). But this is not a Dragon Age game.

It is Dragon Age ADJACENT. Similar of course. The backbone is there. The direction, the vector, is there. But the execution…

Dragon Age (Origins through Inquisition) for me, was A Song of Ice and Fire. I love that series.

It was deep. It was harsh. It was MEAN. If offered me hope and then snatched it away. The world-building, the lore crafting, was intense and deep and required attention and critical thought. The characters were nuanced and troubled and real.

Veilguard, for me, is Eragon.

I also loved that series. It is pure and good and takes me on a journey through a fantastical land of dragons and heroes, of good versus evil, of mysteries and magic. But, it is juvenile. Its simple. It doesn’t try to be anything other than it is. Veilguard, is shallow.

The essence is there, beneath the surface Veil, pressing and bursting at the seams to escape, but is being held back by a gentrification of Thedas, the Tranquility of the Dragon Age world, if you would.

The Lore

I don’t want to go into to much about it (its going to be its own post, I think), but I love the lore of Dragon Age. I love learning about it. I love the questions, the pervasive theme that history is only as true as the historians who write it; things get lost, muddled, confused through and over time. And Veilguard, kind of feels like I’m being spoonfed? Like I’m a baby.

I think EA did BioWare a disservice by making this game for new players, instead of assuming that RPG players have the intelligence and wherewithal to comprehend at least a little bit of lore and history, or at the very least, introduce a cannon world state. You can have your cake and eat it to, but, as Veilguard shows, it diminishes the quality of the cake as a whole.

This game is an Action RPG. This is a game about combat. For the record, the first, second, third, 17th time I saw my Rook in their Takedown Animation, I said, out loud, ‘Dragon Age, G.O.T.Y.’ I swore at my inability to time dodges properly, I planned and schemed with primers and detonators and damage types. This is very reminiscent of The Witcher and Assassins Creed, for me (I have not played a ton of games, im sure there are others more like it). It was fun, it was challenging. But. This is not Dragon Age. Its Something Else™.

Dragon Age: Dark Origins

When people say Dragon Age is a dark game, they’re not talking about the gameplay, or the graphics, or the art direction.

Dragon Age deals with dark subject matter. Slavery. Racism. Religion. Politics. Power dynamics. Mages versus Templars. Addiction. Death. War. An unstoppable contagion that deals death indiscriminately. THAT’S what makes Dragon Age Dark.

These stories are deep. They’re hard. And yeah, they weren’t always handled properly (lookin’ at you, Gaider), but doing something wrong… looks like it might actually be better than pretending it doesn’t exist.

As a Sollavellan, I’m unspeakably glad they didn’t yassify Solas. He is still an unlikable character who has committed unspeakable war crimes. And we got a redemption arc that did not end in death. That’s a win for me.

But they kept his darkness at the expense of lightening literally EVERYTHING ELSE in Thedas.

What the fuck happened to Zevran’s Crows? I got the Puss-in-Boots-Found-Family Assassin Agency.

Where are the slaves in Minrathous? Where’s the trip to the upper city, gilded and clean, so we can compare it to the slums of Dock Town (which was not bad at all). Where is the “Rescue the Rabbits” Quest? Tevene Politics boils down to Dorian or Mave, “bad” or “good,” change from within, or power to the people.

The whole Qunari are just Bad™ now? The Antaam warriors turned into… what the fuck is even that? You know the advertising theory where women’s bodies are shown but not their heads or faces? This feels like that. Giant Grey Muscular Powerful Bodies with NoFace. THAT’S the Antaam? The Tamassrins really eliminate every embodiment of individuality from them? They’re just Storm Troopers?

And ‘Thal’enaste, what a lost plot thread to not have Lace and Solas meet in the deep roads, or Kal-Sharok, or fucking anywhere. Instead, you give her one little blurb of “companion banter.” Weak.

Where’s the racism towards the Elves? What happened to that? What happened to Dark Thedas? Oh, its actually all in the South, and thats destroyed now (lets put a pin in that for a minute).

The Companions

I have written and re-written this section 3 times. Its too long. I don’t need to mention them all. How to summarize them.

If you read my part 1, you’ll remember how I fell in love with Dragon Age 2, years after its release (after playing Inquisition, in fact), and how I fucking hard I fell for those very real, very troubled, very nuanced characters.

Anders and his quest for freedom, Fenris and his quest for vengeance. Merrill and her quest for knowledge, Isabella and her quest for… other cultures relics, I guess?

I hated the graphics in 2. It was the characters that carried that game. I don’t know how BioWare wrote them, but they failed to do that in VG.

My favourite character in Inquisition? Surprisingly, its not Solas. Its not even Cole, or the Iron Bull, or Dorian.

Its Cassandra.

I love her. Her story is SO complex. Her devotion to the Seekers, to the Andrastian Faith, is so pure, yet it does not impede her friendship with a Dalish elf who believes in gods that she does not. It does not stop her form forming close bonds with other people from different backgrounds, and although she is fearless in calling out the darkness in her own faith, its sins and its rot, she admits to her Herald that she is envious of the Heralds conviction.

Which character in Veilguard has that nuance?

The necromancer afraid of death? The Elvhen Engineer with ADHD? The literal Demon of Vyantium Puss-In-Boots? The smirking detective? The questioning Qunari? Or the gruff monster daddy?

Listen. I read trash. Smut, romantasy... I read objectively bad literature, for fun, all the time. And, I have a fantastic imagination. It is my own personal fleshing out of theses characters that saved me in this game.

But I should not have had to do that.

The Keep

I cannot explain to you, in words, how important those one-off codices and cameos are.

(Don’tThinkAboutIsabela Don’tThinkAboutIsabela Don’tThinkAboutIsabela).

*Grimaces* Okay.

I can speak no more about this. I am already writing a “Keep” DLC for Veilguard.

I would have rather lived in your world state than this abomination. Which leads me to…

‘The Soft Reboot’

So. The South is Gone. That’s the answer. The Hero of Ferelden. Hawke and their siblings. Everything is wiped clean, just as EA asked. All of the South, turned to the Hissings Wastes and the Anderfels, because of the Blight and the hubris of the Gods. What a tragedy. DA5 looks likes its overseas. Cool.

You know what would have been a better reboot?

Spite, taking over Lucanis’ body, walking through the Ossuary, or the catacombs of Minrathous, explaining to Rook how the heavy emotions of People manifest in the fade. The birth of a spirit. Or a demon.

Taash, meeting a spirit face to face in Arlathan, recoiling in disgust, until they help the spirit on its journey, and Taash begins to question their whole worldview surrounding demons. I- I mean spirits.

Emmerich, taking Rook on a lecture-walk through the fade, meeting spirits, solving puzzles, ‘you know, its not so bad in here, what’s the big deal?’

Bellara, instead of discovering Cyrian only to lose him, meets the demon formed of his death, and how to help him back into a spirit.

Neve, following a trail of wisps in the fade, learning things, memories, feelings, songs. Neve, reveling in the pure beauty of the wisps, until they lead her to Vir Dirthara, and her eyes grow wide, what is this place?

Davrin and Assan, after hard training in the High Anderfels, take a break, and while Rook and Davrin flirt, or joke, Assan finds a long string, and begins to play, the string growing and lengthening and thickening until a soft, feminine whisper fills the air, I Am So Sorry… And Rook and Davrin meet a strange spirit, a perfect combination of protection and regret, and they help her find her way home.

Harding, palms flat on the stone, pushing, working, threading her magic into a titan, tilting her face up to Rook, eyes shining blue, speaking in a thousand voices at once, let me show you what was lost, and for a millisecond, we FEEL Isatunoll.

The Dwarvhen was tranquil’d from their Memories, but the Elvhen were tranquil’d from the Fade.

And when Solas turns from Rook in Minrathous, I am sorry for this final betrayal, he is puzzled at the lack of retaliation, and turns to see the Veilguard, standing behind Rook, eyes locked on the giant eye-shaped rift in the sky.

Why are you not stopping me? He asks the group of misfits.

And Rook answers, I can admit when I was wrong. Tear it the fuck down.

And Solas, battered, bruised, and bloody, smiles, brandishes his ritual dagger with a flashy flip, banishes the blight, and tears down the Veil.

When I learned there were only going to be 3 choices carried over from the rest of the series into Veilguard, I tagged my complaint posts with something.

#You Cannot Dangle A Carrot In Front Of Me For 10 Years And Then Not Be Surprised At My Anger In Discovering It Was A Painted Dowel

Let me reiterate. I enjoyed this game. It was fun for me. I’m in the middle of my second playthrough and am planning a third, and a fourth. But this is NOT a Dragon Age game.

This is an EA game. And its good. But it could have been everything.

Bellanaris.

TLDR;

How torn I feel; lobotomized, rendered tranquil, separated from the memories, lore, and spirits, of the old Dragon Age, while still, like the Veilguard, wanting this world to endure.

Var lath vir suledin, BioWare.

For now.

[alagaesia-headcanons]

I've Had A Thought. I was thinking about the scene where Eragon is reminiscing over Brom's message to him as his father, and how Eragon is confounded and troubled that he in no way mentioned Murtagh. I found it a little sad that, for whatever reason, Brom decided Murtagh didn't bear mentioning. Then it crossed my mind to consider the possibility that Brom didn't know about Murtagh at all.

As it turns out, Eragon actually does think about it in that scene- he says, "He must have known about Murtagh. He couldn't not have." And admittedly I don't think this is the most likely scenario or that it's now my personal interpretation of canon, but the idea really has captivated me. Because it actually does fit within the facts! (the new book notwithstanding)

Brom was a gardener at Morzan's estate for three years, and while it's probably more likely that he learned about Murtagh in that time, I think it's certainly feasible for him to never know. Morzan was very determined to keep him hidden and took a lot of precautions to ensure just that. Oromis said Morzan forced all his servants to swear fealty and Brom found a flaw in his wards to infiltrate, and possibly he was able to do so because a job as a gardener didn't require such strict oaths because it wasn't in proximity to Murtagh.

Again, it may not be the most likely, but I can absolutely believe Selena might not have told him either. She also would have been aware of the serious danger Murtagh was in and would've wanted him to stay hidden. Even after Brom told her who he was and she started working with the Varden, she might have kept it secret. For one, Brom's hatred of Morzan is described as extreme and all consuming, and that it never waned with time. Even if she came to believe that Brom wouldn't harm Murtagh, she might not have trusted he could look at him kindly. And of course, telling him about her child with Morzan also risked damaging their relationship considering that they were lovers. Then there's the possibility that Selena did build all this necessary trust to tell Brom about Murtagh if he wasn't aware of him already, but it was too late for her to discuss it with him before she died. So I think it is conceivable that Brom actually never knew about Murtagh's existence.

Where this concept really shines is in an AU where Brom survives after Murtagh saves them from the Ra'zac. I've always liked these, and I sometimes toy with my own, but there's so many ways Brom could react and I've never been able to settle on one well enough to get invested in it. But I find this SUCH a fascinating take on it (especially if you wave off the detail that Murtagh's voice sounds ~exactly like~ Morzan's, which I tend to do). Brom recovers and meets their rescuer, and he has no idea he's looking at Morzan and Selena's son. Murtagh seems terribly familiar, but Brom has been relentlessly haunted by his past for so long now that he doesn't put much stock in the perceived similarities. Meanwhile, Murtagh realizes that Brom truly does not know that he's the son of the man he murdered, a precarious but welcome relief. Because he doesn't know- up until Murtagh's confession in the valley.

Brom is stunned by disbelief. It can't be true, Morzan had no children, because surely he would know, surely-! But another thought dawns on him, drowning out the memories of Morzan, because who could have been the mother of his child other than his wife: Selena? And Murtagh is looking at him with fear, fear that he'll turn on him because he shares the blood of the man Brom hated most. It's heart wrenching, because even as part of his mind tells him that maybe he should scorn him, Brom is looking at this man who single handedly saved him from the brink of death and saved Eragon and Saphira from far worse at the hands of Galbatorix, and who has given them extraordinary devotion ever since.

In his core, he accepts the truth of Murtagh's claim as he explains his past and recounts the story of his parents exactly how Brom knows it to be. The paradigm shift sends him reeling. Murtagh believes Brom is affected only because of his past with Morzan; he has no way of knowing what he felt for Selena. He still glances at him nervously, especially as he admits that he briefly intended to serve Galbatorix, yet then there's also a spark of trust and gratitude- maybe even hope- in his eyes when Brom doesn't rescind the way he vouched for him when they were stopped inside the gates. How could he? Murtagh has accomplished one thing neither Morzan nor Selena ever did: escape.

Despite everything, his aching heart feels something fiercely like pride. He would not dare ruin that for him.

Then to further prove the truth, like the world is laughing at his years of ignorance, Ajihad recognizes him, because after Murtagh was brought to Uru'baen, the Varden's spies informed him of Morzan's son. But of course, that was after Brom cut himself off and started living in Carvahall, so he never learned of that discovery. "Morzan's son" is said over and over, but in Brom's mind, that idea is far eclipsed by Selena's son. He's hurt and ashamed to realize he never knew something so significant about the woman he loved. And he feels guilty that Murtagh struggled for so long in Uru'baen because no one was there to save him when he was left helplessly alone. Brom must have been so close to him when he arrived right after Selena's death, but he just didn't know.

Brom is utterly at a loss. How can he process Murtagh- the child of Selena and Morzan, Eragon's half brother, and in a certain sense, his own stepson? What can he do now? He was already so terrified of telling Eragon the truth of being his father, and now he has another staggering revelation to inflict on Eragon and Murtagh both. The prospect feels terrifyingly impossible, but keeping his secrets has grown even more painful. Watching how easily and how well Eragon and Murtagh get along is now bitterly ironic. Even without knowing it, Murtagh is a great older brother, waiting vigilantly near his side after the battle. The injury Durza inflicted scared Brom in a way he can't put into words; he simply could not bear to lose Eragon. How could he risk that happening without telling Eragon how much he loves him and values him as his son? But telling him truth could be the quickest way to lose him. And now, with Murtagh, he has more to lose than he ever realized.

-And because Murtagh deserves it, I like all these changes resulting in the Twins never getting the chance to kidnap him, and so Brom has to figure out how to make the three of them into a family <3

[everythingloveandanimated]

Something I love thinking about, Murtagh’s interactions with Ismira when she’s older.

He talks to her like she’s a young lady in the court, like how he did with Essie. He listens intently to her, comments appropriately, gives advice and gentle correction, sometimes gives comfort.

When she’s five or seven years old, he teaches her how to dance. Starting by letting her stand on his feet so she can get used to the feeling of how her legs are supposed to move.

Depending on her height, he levitates her so that she is eye-level with him. She holds his jerkin or shirt in her fist while he keeps a hand at her back to move her along with him.

As she gets older, he teaches her some of the more complicated steps, a spin here while he moves in the opposite direction. He teaches a dance with moments where the lady does something different than the man, but they still stay in harmony.

Sometimes he’ll sing a song from court while they dance. Sometimes he’ll make up his own.

He loves treating his second cousin/niece as he would a lady of the court. To him it’s a game, but it’s also a respect to her station as daughter of the Lord of Palancar Valley.

****

Ismira laughs and giggles with delight during these dances. Sometimes she gets nervous when learning a new step. But Murtagh is always patient with her, teaching her how to properly put her feet, teaching her how to count the beats of a rhythm.

The spins and dips are her favorites. She loves the motion. She feels carefree as she twirls and safe when Murtagh catches her in his arm.

Once she has the dances of Carvahall under her belt, she helps her family help Murtagh brush up on the dance steps for upcoming festivals. While she loves dancing with her father, mother, Uncle Eragon, and her friends, there’s a certain grace, poise and dignity when she dances with Uncle Murtagh. She truly feels like a lady of the court.



[thexgrayxlady]

I think I like the idea of Murtagh and Thorn handling side quest type things for a while once they make it out to Mt Angor. As annoyed as Murtagh is that his already abbreviated training keeps getting interrupted, Thorn's the only mature dragon who isn't tied down to one location.

The first time, they're sent up to the north of the spine, near Carvahall. The longer they're up there, the more Murtagh suspects that the villagers did not need the help of a dragon rider to get rid of a particularly vicious cave bear, but he's already here and it's nice to feel useful and wanted and once he gets over himself, he gets to meet Roran. Reuniting with his brother wasn't nearly as horrible as he thought it would be. Adding a cousin to the mix shouldn't be that bad. Once the initial awkwardness is past, they get along like a house on fire. Even so, he tries to leave quietly once the bear's been tracked and dispatched.

Roran's having none of it. He and Thorn are family, even if he is a prickly grouch. They're at least staying for dinner. Thorn will not let him say no. Ismira is delighted by her uncle and his dragon friend. Dinner turns into a few extra days of helping around Carvahall and spending time with his family. By the time he actually leaves, he, Thorn, Katrina, and Roran are plotting to kidnap Eragon and bring him out here for Ismira's birthday.

Then they spend a few weeks in Illeria, trying to help Nasuada negotiate with the mages because the system, as it's currently set up, is a powder keg. They're happy to see Alin settling in nicely and that she's genuinely enjoying the outside world. Murtagh gets to be a fancy boy who knows politics at galas. He's having the time of his life dragging an ambassador for being a bad dancer. The four of them get involved in so many spy thriller shenanigans because Murtagh cannot go five minutes without kicking some kind of hornets nest.

They go north and fight a sea serpent alongside Uvek. Murtagh can only watch with horror while Thorn plunges into the icy abyss to stop it from dragging their boat under. Then lines on their harpoons go slack and come up cut. He's about to dive in after him when Thorn's head breaches the waves.

"She will not trouble your tribes anymore," Thorn says, dragging himself, panting, onto the pack ice, and adds softly, "I could not bear to destroy something with such a beautiful song."

They find more leads on the Draumar, only now they have enough experience to follow them safely.

Of course, half the time they either create or stumble into far more problems than they wanted. Murtagh can escalate taking care of some small time bandits into a narrowly averted major diplomatic incident between the Broddring Empire and Surda in under three minutes. At one point, they go to take care of some minor smuggling and somehow, wind up leading a heist in Ellesmera and both refuse to elaborate on how those two things are connected.

Eragon looses count of the number of times they come back far later than anticipated, and when questioned about it, Murtagh's first answer is just, "Fucking Durza!"

Thorn continues his side quest to get Murtagh laid, only now he's armed with the knowledge of romantic ballads. His arranged meet-cutes with any of the men or women he deems acceptable are met with a resounding lack of success.

Thorn builds his confidence up with bandits and wild animals and more of the little surprises Durza left around the continent. He learns drinking songs and ballads in taverns and from harvest festivals and on the road and eventually starts to share his own work. He watches people change from approaching him with fear, to caution, to acceptance, and eventually to joy.

And slowly, but surely the people of Alagaësia stop feeling dread at the sight of the red dragon and his rider and instead, feel safe.

[modern-inheritance]

Modern Inheritance: A Word from the Worldly (Eldest Short)

(A/N: The basic thread of this one has been around for a while, but lately I've realized that the first time I 'traumatize' Eragon in MIC, beyond the death of Garrow and the like, is when he first sees Arya's injuries from Gil'ead. In the bits and pieces I have for later Escape series stuff, Eragon has intermittent trouble just looking at her without remembering the wounds and how physically broken she looked. He's shellshocked that another living creature could inflict such cruelty on another, and that others would stand by and not just let it happen, but participate. Other humans!

It still pops up on occasion, even well past the events of Eldest, well into the war and even a few times here and there post-war. It's not an image he can get out of his head. But he learns to look past the wounds, the physical, and more see Arya's spirit as time goes on.

Oh, and a lot of elves? They need an attitude adjustment considering they were nearly wiped out by Galbatorix, a stinky human, with help from the majority elf Forsworn. I'm jus' sayin', y'all are talkin' mad shit for people being in sword poke range once your wards go down.)

~~~

A WORD FROM THE WORLDLY

“A word of caution?” Arya tugged on her elbow behind her head, stretching out muscles stiff from spending days on end pacing around the rafts like a caged animal. “Other elves…” She paused, rethinking her phrasing with a wry grin. “Best way to put it is that I am a horrible representation of my race.”

From where he sat lighting a twig over Saphira’s handily offered nostril, Brom let out a loud bark of laughter. He lit his pipe before taking a long drag and chuckling again. “Understatement of the century.”

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as you say.” Eragon knit his brows together. Brom had already alluded to Arya being…different. But surely….

The elf laughed. “Oh, it’s worse, but that’s beside the point. I wanted to warn you, though, that many elves seem to have the opinion that they are…eh, I wouldn’t quite say immortal, because we technically are, but…ah, indestructible.” She gestured in the air, as if pulling more adjectives from empty space as they floated by. “Infallible, untouchable, perfection personified, incapable of being wounded, beyond the rot and ruin of flesh, deathless in all forms, etcetera, etcetera.” 

‘You missed insufferable, if your description is correct.’ Saphira grunted. 

“That too. To the extreme in some cases.” The grin was a broad smile now, Arya quite happy that the dragon was catching on. “But Eragon, I want you to always remember something, especially if some elf starts harping on you for being human, or starts singing praises to just how ‘perfect’ they think elves are compared to your race.”

Eragon jumped slightly when the woman suddenly clapped her hands on his shoulders and steered him to look her dead in the eye. “We are but flesh, bone, nerve and brain, just like you. None of us are indestructible, none of us are quite as immortal as we think, and yes, we can be hurt, we can be killed, we can be dragged down by the limitations of our flesh and what our bodies can withstand. We are far from perfect, and far from truly immortal.” 

Her eyes took on a darker light, their flame flickering. “You and Saphira, of all people, know that better than most. I might be different in personality and culture than most of my people, but my body is just the same as theirs.” Eragon felt a rush of heat in his face when Arya slid her hands to his cheeks. “Do not forget that. If anyone says humans are inferior, remember that you did what I could not when you killed Durza.” She patted him on the cheek and beamed at him. “And if they don’t let up after Saphira has a go at them, send them my way.”

Unbidden, Eragon saw, for the briefest moment in his mind’s eye, Arya’s mutilated body as she lay unconscious across his lap, his hand shining with the first healing spell as he fought back nausea at the damage. Wondered at how she had survived, how she had fought in this state, shuddered at what else might be under the blood and bruises, the wounds long since healed before she had been sprung from her imprisonment. 

Elves could be broken. In body, yes…but not spirit. 

At least, not her.

Eragon swallowed. He could still feel the imprint of her hands on his face, warm and oddly rough from decades of life in the greater world. “I won’t forget.” 

“Good! Maybe you’ll put a few of them in their place.”

[pessimisticpigeonsworld]

I must be the minority of the minority here but god... HOTD is a mediocre adaptation, I don't understand people who treat HOTD as the new GOT (when GOT was good) the script of this series is poor, getting close to a poorly made fanfic made by Ryan. The characters are not 1% of what they are in the books (Rhaenyra/Alicent/Helaena/Rhaenys are practically new characters) and yes, it was only the female characters that they did that i think.... GRRM needs to stop letting people ruin his work, I thought he learned from GOT but no...

HOTD is definitely a mediocre adaptation. It falls into the traps of all the subpar and straight up bad adaptations do. It fucks around with character ages, it removes important plot points and characters, it changes characters' motivations and arcs, and it tries to cram too much information and too many events into too short of a run time.

The writing is sloppy or at best mediocre, the actors are good, but they can only do so much with what was written. The fundamental and purposeful misunderstanding of the story of the Dance alone shows how much HOTD has failed as an adaptation.

Actually, they did fuck over some of the male characters; Viserys becoming an old creep when he was in his late twenties in F&B when he married eighteen year old Alicent, Daemon murdering Rhea and marrying a teenage Laena, Laenor abandoning his children willingly. But it all is just a sign of how little Condal and Hess care about the actual story of F&B, just their rhaenicent fanfic.

I think this show wasn't GRRM's call, since HBO had already bought the rights to ASOIAF and it's world. He did have some input, as we see from Aegon's Dream, but clearly not very much.

I think one of the only reasons people pretend HOTD is a "good" adaptation is because the bar is in hell for those. Because it is, at the very least, better than the Eragon and Percy Jackson movies. But better than awful isn't anything close to good. Anon if you're in the minority, then I'm right there with you, HOTD isn't a good show.

[where-dreamers-go]

"Eragonson" Eragon x Fem!Reader

(A/N: Requested by Anon. Thank you for your cute request of Eragon and Reader having a newborn son. I really hope you like it. Warnings: Minor angst. Fluff. Word Count: 1,143 words)

New life and changes were important. Each moment could lead to a new experience and expanding knowledge.

The tiny new being in Eragon’s life brought in more love.

Time had seemingly gone by faster. Almost dreamlike for the Dragon Rider.

It had almost been a full week since a son was born. Yours and Eragon’s little joy in a world with dragons and magic. A new human still getting used to the sounds of the world around him; among other senses.

For the time being, he hadn’t been carried out of the living area much. He was much too young.

That was fine by Eragon. It was easier to keep an eye on him and you. Yet the Rider was still nervous holding his infant son, especially if he had to walk across the room. A bundle of gurgles so precious and delicate in his arms. He felt the weight of responsibility each day.

What always shook Eragon from his thoughts?

A dirty diaper. Oh, what a blessing and a curse those cloths were for a multitude of reasons.

Eragon Shadeslayer was almost always on diaper duty. It was the least he could do. It didn’t take nearly as long to clean and change the infant as it used to. Practice and learning came hand in hand. He just learned how to hold his breath longer, much to the amusement to both you and Saphira.

It was an action needed and in the end he did not mind; not when his son gave a small smile. He sweared that his heart grew with each one.

“You’re all smelly,” Eragon would tell the smiling infant. “Do you know your little bottom smells? You might need a bath.”

Eragon hoped he was doing all right. He hoped you both were good enough parents. There weren’t any examples nearby to study. But you had each other. He had you.

You, his brave, intelligent, strong, and beautiful partner were recovering. No tasks for you. No straining yourself. There was only taking care of your own needs, your healthy baby boy, and making sure Eragon had encouragement. He and Saphira could handle the rest, including caring for you when needed.

“I’m so proud of you,” said Eragon, half in a daze as he watched you cuddle your infant to your chest.

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true. You’re so strong.” His brown eyes looked to the baby. “He’s strong because of you.”

Your recovery would take time as would the baby’s growth to support his own head. As was life.

With all of the happiness came new fear.

The Dragon Rider and his dragon had become even more protective than prior to the birth of your son. An Eragonson. You were in no condition to fight off any attack if one had managed to get close enough.

What about a ward against sickness? Eragon inquired to Saphira.

There are many in multiple forms. Do you wish to stop them all? It would use too much energy.

Eragon scratched at his hand absentmindedly. You’re right. What about detection? Being able to detect a sickness off of clothing could be helpful. He suggested to which Saphira mulled it over.

It may very well be useful for others as well.

We can check more of what we bring in. He added, satisfied with the idea. Mentally, he grouped it with the few that could be used within reason.

Ignoring the parchment on his desk, Eragon sat back in his chair.

He could have trouble with the stairs when he starts walking, Eragon thought. Would adding—

“Eragon,” you called softly, interrupting them.

You just knew the pair were talking, it was a skill you picked up.

“Yes?” He turned in the seat.

“Can you hold him, please?” You asked and used your chin to gesture to the infant grabbing at your clothes. “I need to go.”

“Oh.”

Moving swiftly, Eragon made his way to the bed near Saphira’s nest. He sat down slowly as to not jostle you and the baby.

Gently passing your son to Eragon, you said, “I’ll be right back. Give your father some love.”

The infant had a strong grasp of your clothes that impressed the Rider as he delicately freed you to leave. A small complaint left the baby.

“It’s me,” Eragon cooed. “I’ve been way over there working.” He cradled his son to his chest.

“Ah.”

“I know. It’s not much fun.” He chuckled to himself.

Holding his son, Eragon recognized the paternal instincts within him. Something still so new and powerful.

With a light touch, he swept the fine hair on the baby’s head to the side.

His son reacted by grabbing for the Rider’s index finger, to which was allowed. All tiny fingers grasping around one of Eragon’s.

The sight took hold of his very being.

This is real, Eragon thought to himself. He’s here.

After many months of waiting and preparing, Eragon was a father. A parent growing a family with you.

My family.

Beside him, Saphira craned her neck to level a large gleaming eye to see the infant.

One day you shall be chasing him through these halls, Saphira spoke warmly in Eragon’s mind.

I want to show him the crops we harvest. He might want to play in them. He smiled at the image.

“Uhhoo.”

“Would you play in the mud after the summer rains?” Eragon asked playfully to the attentive baby who was pointing at Saphira.

I would certainly tear apart a forest for the tiny one.

Let’s hope it never comes to that. Eragon thought back to when he had hurt his hand so many years ago and she had reacted similarly, but much fiercer in the moment.

How time went by in a blink of an eye.

At sounds of soft padding on the floor, Eragon glanced up to see you smiling.

“What?”

“It makes me so very happy to see my family.” You begun walking over. “You’re very handsome between a gorgeous dragon and the cutest baby, you know.”

A long chuckle vibrated through him.

“I was wondering where your laugh went,” you sat down on the bed.

“What do you mean?”

They know, little one.

“Some of the wards you set up before you leave the room are very powerful, Eragon. Some tickle the air.”

“Do they bother you?”

“No.” You kissed his shoulder. “But if you worry so much, you’ll miss out on what’s right in front of you. Who is right in front of you and needing you to be a father.”

Sighing, he looked to his son who was wiggling at the sound of your voice.

Their words are wise. Saphira blinked as she too watched the infant.

I know.

“You’re right.”

“I know.” You smirked and lightly poked your baby’s tummy.

Curious hands reached for you. Just like his father.

~~~

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Best wishes and happy reading.)

~~~~~

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[atlasira]

Out of all of RC’s characters that I’ve encountered so far, Malbonte still remains one of my top favorite of all time. He’s so well written and compelling.

My first playthrough I sided With Him because, while his methods are controversial, his ideals made sense. On my most recent playthrough I chose to Stand Against Him and the different perspective was worth it.

(DISCLAIMER: I have not played HS2 yet, and am unaware of any new information revealed in HS2.)

Antagonists like Malbonte are simultaneously right and wrong which is a large reason why they’re some of my faves.

> How He’s Right

Malbonte is right in that a significant chunk of his path was the result of other people’s actions. His birth and (natural) abilities were not his fault. He did not ask Shephamalum to whisper in his ear and force him to be the only living immortal that knew of Heaven’s Secret. He did not ask his parents to murder a child. And he certainly did not ask Shepha to brutally split him in two and imprison the halves of himself for a millennium.

SHEPHA

Shepha fucked up. No, Shepha is fucked up, and the more I learned about Him in the Season 3 finale, the more agitated I got. Demon!Vicky alludes to it all the way back in Season 1, but she could not have known how accurate she was about Shepha’s corruption.

Shepha is not the symbol of purity He and the Angels believe Him to be. He offers support only as long as He has control over who gets it and how they use it. He explicitly says He wasn’t opposed to the oppression of Demons because he has lesser power over them, and therefore felt uncomfortable with them being treated as equals under his rule. He feels no shame sharing this bias.

And if you so choose, Vicky then has to beg to enlighten other immortals about Heaven’s Secret. This is up for debate, but I also felt that if she hadn’t been able to convince Shepha of the value in revealing the truth, He would’ve killed her “for the greater good” and to protect the Secret. He says He regrets not killing Malbonte as an infant, making it clear He is not opposed to murder if, in His eyes, it helps more than harms.

Malbonte was right in that everything that was done to him simply for being born was majorly fucked up. He is also right in saying Shepha is flawed. Shepha is not evil, but He is power hungry and corrupt, and change needed to come.

> How He’s Wrong

“SELF DEFENSE”

However, Malbonte’s most damning flaw is his narrow-mindedness.

While his rage and indignation are the understandable result of what came before, his actions after he escapes confinement are his own doing. He says several times that he does not want to kill certain people, but will “if he has to.” He does not have to, he is the aggressor here. Malbonte has the skewed belief that his war is in self defense when it is not.

While it’s true he was seen as a monster, that rumor was created and spread by immortals that, from what we see, have been gone for a long time. Aside from Eragon, most of the present day immortals only know Malbonte by what they’ve heard. They do not know anything about him personally. So now, as an adult capable of complex understanding and self expression, he could’ve introduced and explained the truth about himself. But he does not even attempt to.

I don’t fault him for his actions when he was nothing more than a spirit of hatred, that I blame on Shepha and Shephamalum, but once he and Bont merged, that was Malbonte’s opportunity to set things straight. Or at least try to — whether the Angels and Demons actually believed him isn’t the point. Malbonte faults all immortals for seeing him as a monster, but he does nothing to enlighten the ones of today (who know nothing about him!!) on how that’s not the case. Instead he proudly proves their inaccurate beliefs. He resorted to bloodshed without even attempting peace first.

UNCLEAR GOALS

Another one of Malbonte’s issues is that his solution is black-and-white with zero nuance. He intended to kill Shepha and replace Him as the ruler of all. But his exact plan were he to succeed gets confusing every time he explained it, and it quickly becomes clear he can’t make up his mind.

Sometimes Malbonte says he’ll place Demons on top because they’ve been mistreated for so long.

Sometimes he says he’ll make sure Demons and Angels are finally equal to one another.

So which is it?? Because these are VERY different approaches. The more time you spend with him, while he denies it, the clearer it is he’s more focused on revenge than brainstorming new political policies.

SHEPHAMALUM

He also just does not account for Shephamalum at all. One of Malbonte’s defining traits is his arrogance. Now, I fully understand that self confidence can be an act of rebellion against those that hate you. However, Malbonte’s arrogance is just too short sighted.

Malbonte is incredibly strong, but he still needed Shephamalum’s power/darkness to defeat Shepha. Let’s say he succeeds. What did he think Shephamalum was going to do once Shepha was gone? Did he think Shephamalum would just give him a thumbs up and then take a nap??

Malbonte says he only wants to change the world for the better, but he either could not see or simply didn’t care that he was obviously Shephamalum’s pawn to eliminate Shepha. And by removing Shepha and having a less powerful being take his place, there would be no one to challenge Him should Shephamalum find a way to return. Malbonte either could not figure this out (which I doubt) or cared more about getting his revenge than helping and “liberating” the immortals he swore the war was for (which I believe.)

It can be taken into account that Shephamalum was manipulating Malbonte since he was a child. Manipulation from childhood is always a sure fire tactic monsters use (ala Palpatine and Vader). On the other hand, Malbonte has proven to be quite intelligent. Well to me anyway lmao. So while manipulation can be a factor, I highly doubt he trusted Shephamalum 100% and didn’t suspect he was being used as a pawn. He simply didn’t care because, as I said earlier, his main goal was revenge on Shepha rather than true fairness, so Shephamalum’s ulterior motives was just a “cross that bridge when we get to it” issue in his eyes.

HONESTY

Malbonte is brutally honest with others, but he is not truthful with himself. He was not honest with himself about what his primary goal for the war was. He was not honest with himself about how Shephamalum only saw him as a pawn and how his actions would play a role in a much larger problem. And he was not honest with himself in that the immortals of today are not to blame for things that happened thousands of years ago.

> Despite Everything, He Was Needed

Malbonte is a flawed individual and as such, his methods and motivations were too. However, like other antagonists like him, I believe he needed to happen in order for there to be actual change.

Change only happens when there’s an interruption in routine. Malbonte’s return was a massive one. Am I saying his war was good? Not necessarily. (Am I saying his war was bad? Also not necessarily!) Regardless of how we view his methods, he revealed the truth about Heaven’s Secret, shined a spotlight on the discrimination Demons faced, and unveiled how inappropriate the Law of Segregation was.

For a time, he gave those who felt wronged a voice that all immortals were forced to pay attention to. Whether Vicky reveals the truth about Shephamalum or not, whether Malbonte survives the final fight or not, the world of immortals will never be the same.

> Conclusion

Malbonte continues be a very beloved character to me because of how complex his storyline and development are. He is very well written and I could probably talk about him all day.

[smimon]

The other promised personal post, this one about my self-discovery that I completed last year and in the result gained a weirdly powerful feel, like when Eragon found his true name if you know what I mean

Three main paths: art, brain training, isolation.

1. Art

Art was something I always loved, of course all kids do art but I never stopped. I kept making up characters and settings and stories and theme songs and game designs. I did my first zine at like 6 years old lol.

Living in capitalism meant that the most attractive stories were beyond my reach for financial reasons, so out of disappointment I decided to start telling my own stories, as if that was hard. This was all very early in my life and I believe I was always meant to be an artist and storyteller, and the skills I gained only helped me later.

Like when things started to get more difficult around middle school. When family started demanding and gave nothing back anymore. When the only protector I had left me alone to pursue a career, repeating that if they can handle it, I can too - but I was still a child.

When it was forbidden to talk, feel and hurt, I kept creating. Losing myself in fiction, which years later turned out to be much less fictional than it seemed. Most of my writing was about myself this whole time. I was scared someone might find out so I concealed the message so deep that I alone couldn't see it anymore.

And new stories kept coming, I kept drawing, the XP I gained brought improvement. Never completing anything but always creating something new, finding endless joy in rotating the blorbos in my head. And this continues until today.

Many many times I had doubts if it's all worth anything, a devil telling me I should drop art. And always some inner force pushing me back to the drawing desk. So many times I had to ask myself the question: why do I keep making art? And finally, very recently, I have found the answer.

I am an artist. Artists make art. It's that simple.

2. Brain training

Similar to other body parts, brain can be trained. Solving puzzles, finding patterns, learning, math, there are many ways.

For me it was trying to understand my family.

Recognizing patterns level hard. Predicting what will happen. Inventing ways to protect myself. Teaching myself to do things no one would explain to me but everyone demanded me to know.

School was easy compared to this. Studying gave results in a short term, sometimes it was even fun. Teachers noticed and behaved as if it was their success. Other kids' parents noticed and started bullying their children to get the same results, because if I can do it, why can't they? They were not abusive enough to trigger a similar mechanism, but abusive enough to make their children hate me.

But I haven't noticed. I had a few friends and did not even notice everyone else was against me. This was my elementary and middle school, and then at high school the level was much more even so I could be more invisible.

All the time I tried to figure out my family, and they kept surprising me. All the time I could get good grades, and felt like this is the only thing I am good at.

But as Master's degree approached, I had to accept this can't continue forever, that I am not smart enough to get a PhD. That after graduating I will have to start a job, live a normal life, do things I never learned. I was sure I will die within months, but hey, it's been years already and it only gets easier!

My true victory came just a few years after. I have finally realized there is no way to understand my family because they are simply irrational.

That's it! I am free now! High-fiving all the mathematicians who proved a problem to be unsolvable because hey, that's an accomplishment too!!!

3. Isolation

Introverted by nature, I don't like to spend too much time with people, especially the same people over and over again. Especially my family. Three days is my limit.

And I was tied to them all my life. So when I finally moved out, the sudden experience of freedom overwhelmed me. I did not want to give it away until I get saturated with how good it feels to be alone. Also, gaining distance feom my abusers allowed healing to start. But before that, long hours of remembering and understanding and grieving. Gaining courage to finally meet myself, discover who I am. Forget who I was supposed to be. A journey of self-discovery that brought peace and hope and skill and confidence.

But I am still human. Humans are social animals. I need some contact every now or then or I go insane.

For a few years, I used pokemon go. Going to raid hour every week. But everyone was busy playing so the contact was very shallow.

I started going to fandom conventions trying to relive the same kind of wonder I felt as a teenager. It is different this time, of course. I got used to the fun parts. Nothing seems as impressive as earlier. But even then, I felt like this is my place, and my kind if people. I only needed a way to connect.

Then Käärijä happened, of course. Suddenly I had a thought: the biggest fandom convention in the country doesn't have much to offer for me, but maybe I can do something crazy, maybe I can make this event a bit more me-friendly. I returned to fb after years of break to ask on groups if there are any Käärijä fans willing to meet up.

And they were. It only gets crazier from there.

I started talking to some of them. One suggested a Frank fanclub because we all had some Frank gadgets. I designed a sticker. I designed another one. I organized three meetups, day after day. People came. I made friends. A group chat was founded. Was it me who did it?

Then another crazy idea. Make more stickers. Repeat this at other conventions. And so my convention tour started. With many many stickers.

And then I start a daily Käärijä sketchbook. And then I find friends through the stickers. And then I find friends throught the art. And then the friends warm my heart and break it open and put a foot inside so it doesn't close back too soon.

And I realize I am not alone.

Okay?

So I am an artist, I stubbornly forced my way through my early years and ended up with a pretty cool job, and now I get just enough money and independence to decide how to spend time with people who are in general pretty amazing after all ✌️ still no idea what I want next but I am really happy I made it to here

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 222

Sorting out actual new followers from bots has become.... very time consuming. You can’t see me, but I am pinching my nose right now.  I love giving readers shout-outs, and the nasty little buggers are making it a challenge.

(That said, please be on the lookout for a post from @ areasontobreathe, my main blog, regarding fighting back against the bots. I’ll be sharing it here, but want to make sure the interactions don’t get mixed up.)

So, after much digging, reader shout outs this week go to: @asters-veil, @wings-of-indigo, @nao-eragon, @ann-aha, @lil-dabbler, and a special shout out to @dierotenixe, who is by no means a new follower but who I appreciate very much!

Also, as always, thank you to @baelpenrose for your beta-readership and help with the day to days. Huge huge help!

“This is frustrating,” Hannah sighed, gesturing towards the image projected above the table. “When is Parvati coming back?”

“When she’s ready,” I repeated for the sixth time that shift.

“And not a moment before, I should hope,” Alistair sniffed. “And if I feel that she’s been pressured to come back earlier than that, I will send her home and box each of you upside the heads. None of you take care of yourselves.”

My eyes nearly rolled out of my head. “I’ve been this way longer than you’ve known me,” I retorted.

“But there was no need to teach it to them!” he mock-cried, gesturing at Hannah.

She tried to hide a smile behind her hand. “Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I’m fairly sure I accepted the mentorship because I care for others.  I certainly didn’t just learn it on the job.” Turning back to the projected map, she groaned again, dropping her hand. “This I did, though, and it’s still eluding me.”

Stepping around my desk, I moved to sit beside her. “Let’s take a look. What’s up?”

“I’m trying to balance currently-large families with soon-to-be-large families. Some of these spaces are fine for several adults, but not once children are added to the mix.  Add storage areas, workspaces, and classrooms, and it just - “ she slowly stretched her hands apart and made a whoosh noise. “It just blows up.”

“Got it,”I nodded. “You’re forgetting one key factor.”

“There’s more!?”

“Less, Hannah,” I emphasized. “Less.”

“No, I accounted for everything,” she insisted.

“Hannah.” I set my hand on hers and gently shook it. “There won’t be any children for five years. People can move quarters as needed once that starts happening.”

Alistair sat across from us and pivoted the map. “Huynh will need to confirm, but it’s likely that we can expand some spaces.  Will need to, more likely.” He glanced at me, questioning.

“He and Xio have been making noises about needing to at least smooth some walls out,” I confessed. Reaching with both hands, I zoomed and adjusted until I found one of the caves they had evaluated. “Look here. The cave is stable if these scans are accurate - which we believe they are since this one doesn’t vary between any of the scans. But the surfaces are very jagged. They think they can smooth it out, make some more space, and use the debris for construction material in other areas. There’s hundreds of spaces like these. Once the engineers have eyes on, we’ll know for sure.”

Hannah stood and leaned in, squinting. “Nosy thing. How do you find all this out?”

“Conor’s lead on the project,” I murmured. “He and Maverick go on for hours about it every night, like it’s a competitive sport or something.”

She slapped my shoulder. “And you didn’t think to get any prospective maps?”

“Ow!” I laughed, rubbing the spot. “They don’t have any yet! How dare you think I didn’t ask!”

“I’m not apologizing,” she insisted primly. “You still could have told me something sooner. I’ve been struggling with this for over a week.”

“You needed distraction,” I insisted. “We’ve all been worried about Parvati, and now we know she’s fine and coming back eventually. She even told me to tell all of you for her, to get it out of the way. So… not as much distraction needed. Instead, you need to focus.”

“I hate it when you’re devious,” she muttered, calling up her datapad to make notes.

“Devious, but right.”

“That’s even worse.”

I smirked and looked back at the map. Something looked wrong. After adjusting and turning it, then confirming it was oriented correctly, I pointed to it and turned to Hannah, darting eyes between her and Alistair. “Are we certain this is oriented correctly?”

Alistair nodded. “Crust, core, To, From, all oriented correctly.”

“There is no thermal mapping?”

So slowly that I swear I could hear her neck creaking, Hannah turned to face me, wide-eyed. “Thermal… mapping?”

“Yes? Where the heat from the surface and the hydrothermal vents are? Don’t want to assign someone to live in the bath.”

When she stared at me in panic and confusion, I glanced at Alistair. No recognition at all. “You have got to be shitting me,” I groaned. “You’ve been doing this with the thermal mapping off?”

The information seemed to have finally hooked into their minds, as Hannah dropped her head and growled in frustration. “You mean I have to start over completely?”

“I doubt it?” I offered gently. I pulled up my datapad, made sure the most recent scans were being used, then started adjusting the projection. Blues, greens, oranges, and reds filled the network of caves. After a couple more adjustments, springs and aquifers were overlaid. “There.”

Peeking up at the map, Hannah steeled herself and started cross checking caverns.  Only a dozen or so caverns needed to be entirely vacated, while a few needed to be adjusted so that currently-larger families were in more appropriate quarters.

“There,” she said firmly after several minutes. “That’s much easier.” Dismissing it all, she leaned back and shoved her hair out of her face. “Probably best if I put it down for the rest of the day and come back fresh tomorrow.  Trying to do this while frustrated isn’t going to get me anywhere.”

“Accurate,” I agreed. “What’s next on the agenda?”

It was Alistair’s turn to check his notes. “Updating work assignments has already been assigned to Tyche. Suggested locations of public works is part of the housing assignments… somehow. I assume that makes sense to Sophia.” Scrolling and mumbling to himself, he eventually stopped the list abruptly. “Decommissioning of the quiet rooms?”

Puffing out my cheeks, I blew an overwhelmed breath. “As close to last as we can manage,” I advised. “And I would like to keep the materials, take them with us. So we should do a full inventory of each one, to start, and see what can come with and what can’t.”

“We’ll need new lights in most,” Alistair observed offhand. “Only a handful have been converted over to Miss Harper’s bio-bulbs.”

“We have them,” Hannah clarified for him. “They were placed in storage as soon as we came out of relativistic space, since we would just have to take them down and relocate them six months after installation, anyway.”

“Good to know.”

“I want Sam and Conor consulted on who should help with relocating the plants in those rooms,” I continued. “Apparently they are very delicate, and I’ve been forbidden to do anything but pet them gently.”

“Duly noted,” Hannah let me know. “And you’d rather we consult with Conor and Sam than with, say, Grey? Technically, botany falls under their purview.”

“And they will refer us to Samuel, who will consult Mister MacMaoilir,” Alistair pointed out. “Unorthodox as it seems, it’s much shorter. Councilor Hodenson’s suggestion, actually.”

“Grey got very huffy and asked if we were idiots,” I whispered loudly to Hannah. “I know you are on good terms with them, please ask them going forward rather than perpetually stealing ten minutes of my time at a go. I am sure it occurred to you.”

“Ooo, very snippy,” she giggled. “Pillows and the rest, I think Sophia and I can pack.”

“And Alice, and Maverick,” I confirmed. “Lazybones that they are.”

Alistair rapped firmly on the table. “Neither of you are fooling anyone, calling those two lazy.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Arthur is my brother, not you. You don’t have to defend my partners from me.”

“I don’t have any brothers,” Hannah snorted. “Unless you count Derek as a brother-in-law.”

“I do.” Turning back to Alistair, I pushed down my habitual need to tease him. “That’s twice today that you’ve been very defensive of the people who work in this office.  What is going on?” He opened his mouth, clearly about to bluster and object, so I held my hand up and turned my face away. “Don’t deny it.  First you were salty about the fact that none of us take care of ourselves in the way you wish we would, and now you are making sure we know our partners pass muster. What is going on?”

Consternation clouded his face for a moment before he stood and started tapping his jawline with one hand. “I never had a family,” he blurted out. “And when I started reporting to this office, the sheer abandon with which Sophia bandied about the term was appalling. Just… Inconsiderate, uncouth. As though family were trinkets to be collected.”

“That explains why you hated Arthur so much,” I murmured.

“No, that was simply because the man is insufferable,” Alistair corrected, deadpan. “Nonetheless, over the years… Very simply, if they weren’t so open about the fact that their shared history goes back a full lifetime, I would never know that Tyche was the only biological family Sophia had on this Ark. And I am still unconvinced that Miss Harper is not playing a prank on me to hide the fact that she is the third Reid.”

“You yourself pointed out that I’m not a good liar,” I reminded him. “So did Miys.”

“Hence why I consider the fact it could be true,” he admitted. “But now, finding myself… enveloped in this appalling but genuine bastardization of family…”

“You want to be part of it,” Hannah finished. “Not just watch.”

He sighed. “Unfortunately. It’s… tenacious. Insidious, even.”

Several deep breaths enabled me to keep from laughing at his very genuine show of vulnerability. “So, you’re saying that you like us. You really do like us.”

Another scowl, though this one included a hint of a smile, and he shook his finger at us. “I will deny it until my dying breath.”

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[weltato]

I Despise The Eragon Film (rant, spoilers)

@after-nine-at-the-oasis requested my rant about the Eragon film, so here it is. Quick disclaimer that I haven't seen this film in about 6ish years, so some details may be off and most memory of this film is faded now.

I'll start with a positive: the visuals are good. I don't remember much about the acting tbh, but the film is nice to look at if memory serves, so I can give the film that. Also, there was the lovely touch of Saphira at Brom's funeral. Yeah, that was also in the book, but it was nicely realised in the film.

Now for the rant :)

First of all, the film is called Eragon, and yet it goes through the story of all four books in 1 hour 44 mins. At least call it Inheritance or Inheritance Cycle, c'mon, that's the actual name of the series of books.

There's a transformation scene for Saphira and I understand having a montage or speeding up the time it takes for Saphira to learn how to fly and stuff, but in her first flight she suddenly grows to adult size and fully knows how to fly and I'm pretty sure we see her breathe fire before she actually learns how to do it in the books. I understand the creative liberty behind the fire breathing situation, but really? They couldn't make it a montage thing? I just. No. No, thank you.

If I'm remembering this correctly, they also have Eragon and Arya on relatively friendly terms really quickly - again, they ran through the story that spanned four books in under two hours - and this is just so against the books. Sure, Arya isn't exactly mean to Eragon, but she's standoffish and distant to him, not really respecting him for much outside of him saving her life because he's a human and she'll outlive him. Even when their relationship has mellowed a little and Eragon admits his feelings, Arya is still like "no, sorry, you're human". In the books it was amazing to see not only the character growth of Eragon from this scrappy kid to a reliable warrior, but the growth of Arya from a bigoted elf to someone who learned how to make friends with others and get along with humans. Even when Eragon is made into an elf/human hybrid thing and can now live much longer than humans, even then when he mentions it to Arya, she just brushes him off again but this time it's not without a smile. By the end of the story, their relationship is friendly and hopefully open for more.

Did we see Arya's dragon in the film? I think so. Did we see how she got him? Not that I can remember. I have a vague memory of Thorn in the film, but now that I'm actually thinking on it I don't remember Firnen. I remember that Glaedr was there, but I don't think we ever saw his Eldunari?

Basically, my main gripe with the film is that they missed out so many things by cramming the entire set of books into such a short time. Harry Potter managed to split up the last book into two films, what was wrong with having a film a book like HP?

I may need to rewatch the film (🤮) to properly get a grasp on how bad I think it is and if it really is as bad as I remember it being. I don't have high hopes.

PSA: READ THE INHERITANCE CYCLE BOOKS!!

That is all.

[alagaesia-headcanons]

Can you imagine the resolve it must have took for Murtagh to never stake a claim of Zar'roc after he discovered that Eragon had it? He calls it the one thing he expected to receive as inheritance, and he does have that right to it as the son of the man who owned it. In a way, an inheritance could have been the only potentially positive thing Morzan left for Murtagh. It still would have carried heavy connotations, but it would have given him control over some piece of his father's legacy. But in the absence of Zar'roc, Murtagh apparently inherited nothing else from his family, implying that everything he had access to in his youth didn't belong to him; that it was provided by Galbatorix at his discretion in a way to stifle his freedom. And Zar'roc in particular holds so much significance to Murtagh. There's a poetic notion that he shouldn't have to carry his father's misery, but even while it was lost to him, Murtagh had to shape himself around Zar'roc. He grew with the wound it inflicted on him and adapted himself so he could learn to live with it. A ghost of Zar'roc haunts him from the mark on his own flesh. But Murtagh did survive and adapt and learn to live- he mastered Zar'roc before ever laying a hand on it.

But when he finally does, he gives it back to Eragon. At first, no doubt he refrains from claiming it out of reluctance to reveal his identity. Yet when he does eventually tell Eragon the truth about his father, he still doesn't assert his right to Zar'roc. He never even tries to guilt Eragon into considering giving it to him. He only tells him that it was his only expected inheritance which he still didn't receive to show that he has no ties to Morzan and his cruelty. And Murtagh has reason to want Zar'roc, not just the right. For the sword to belong to him could replace that ghost of his past with something real that he has control over and that offers the chance to determine what this piece of his father's history gets to mean in his future. But Eragon also has a right and reason to use Zar'roc. A dragon rider has a right to a Rider's sword, and he uses it because he has no other. It speaks to Murtagh's deep care for Eragon that he doesn't infringe on that. He would hate for Eragon to be deprived or hurt and he refuses to take from his friend who has less than him.

That then illuminates why Murtagh later does take Zar'roc from him in the Battle of the Burning Plains. Eragon no longer has less; he has so much more. He has companions, he has support, he has resources, he has safety, he has his freedom. And he has a perceived moral high ground that he shoves in Murtagh's face. He condemns him as a traitor, just like his father. He asks to murder him and Thorn because he apparently doesn't care to try to find any other way to save them. Murtagh sees that Eragon will revile him no matter any efforts to cast off Morzan's legacy, and if he leaves him the advantage of Zar'roc, he will use it to try to kill them. Because Murtagh is now also a Rider. In his mind, what reason is there left to let Eragon keep the sword? And now, more than ever, Murtagh would want to grasp for that control over Zar'roc now that he's been stripped of his control over everything else. So of course he takes it. When no one will give him care, he seizes what he can in its place.

[ivorydragoness44]

Once Paolini said something along the lines of "Murtagh's actions in Urû'baen had made it so that any future romance between him and Nasuada would be impossible" and I hope that he stays true to his past words, I hope that he doesn't fall on the fanservice route and turns the whole story into a cloying romantic fairytale.

Also Nasuada's decision to put magicians on a watchlist made me think that she may be one of the future antagonists and it would be a really interesting development to read if well written.

Hi, Anon!

Great points. I hope the impossible romance remains impossible for a few reasons. I'm fairly sure Nasuada understood that Murtagh had no choice in the matter, and maybe forgave him (it's been years since I've read the books, sorry), but you definitely cannot forget something like that whether or not you were crushing or otherwise romantically interested in someone. If they did something like that to you, forced or not, that's going to leave some damage more than just the physical kind.

Also, for the impossible romance, I'm fine and good reading a character having a crush or interest in another character, but (being with we don't know where Eragon and Arya are going to go relationship-wise for example) a character doesn't need to be with the first person they fall for, ESPECIALLY if the other character has no interest, etc.

Romantic fairytale? I hope not. I think Murtagh and Thorn have a lot to work out within themselves. Personally, I don't think Murtagh would be necessarily ready for a romantic relationship. And I want to learn more about Thorn. Like, what's his personality? How are they together, etc?

Nasuada having magicians under her thumb, AH! I remember understanding but not liking the idea when she was discussing it with Eragon. Like, you would have to hide your magic abilities in Alagaësia if you didn't want to swear your loyalty to her; to keep your free will. Or leave, like Eragon did. Antagonist vibes are possible. Like, "Tell me you don't trust anyone, Nasuada. And you want to control everybody." I'm glad that Eragon decided not to give her, at least her magicians, the Name of Names.

Wow, this is a long post. Sorry!

Thank you for the ask! 😃

[elkian]

HP Alternatives

A lot of the discussions around H*rry P*tter right now are centered around shutting down all interest. The series was really important or at least entertaining to a lot of people for a pretty long time, so just excising it from one’s life can make for a big gap. Here’s some other works and series that might help fill that:

Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede:

Follows a group of genre-savvy princess, dragon, prince, and witch who live in/around the titular Enchanted Forest, where a lot of Fairy Tale stuff tends to happen. The first book has a dragon on the cover so I snapped it up, and was glad I did! Very fun and easy to get into. Generally slanted towards younger viewers, but still a ton of fun regardless of the age you’re reading at.

Tortall and Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce:

Pierce’s writing has only gotten more diverse over time, and its lent a lot of depth to her works! The Lioness series was where I started, where a girl swaps places with her twin brother so she can earn a knight’s shield in a time when women aren’t allowed to be knights; this has a ripple effect throughout the rest of the Tortall series(es?), each sub-series focusing on a different protagonist - like animal-speaker runaway Daine, or followup knight aspirant Kel. Circle of Magic is about four kids whose lives have been turned upside down, with each book typically focusing on a different one of the four before coming back together, as they navigate losses, found family, enormous catastrophes, and learning their own (and each others’) powers. Largely YA-oriented while still willing to engage with complex issues and allow characters to be flawed and nuanced!

Discworld series by Terry Pratchett:

Like Pierce, you can see Pratchett actively increase diversity as the series goes on, with one of the last Discworld books focusing on goblins, who were written off as a sort of joke species early on; Pratchet choosing to focus on them, their rich inner lives, and how they’re treated by other species in the world ties neatly into his own previous dismissal. Aside from that, expect witches and wizards and those in between, dwarves navigating both surface dwelling and what exactly gender is, enmity between peoples for both very valid and very ridiculous reasons, and an assortment of anticapitalism, antimonarchism, etc. The first few books are a tough place to start - everyone has their own recommendations. I’d say Going Postal (about a conman who now has to deal with Real Life Consequences and topples the capitalist upper class in the process) or Monstrous Regiment (about a girl pulling a Mulan to get her brother back, and learning the truth behind chest-beating patriotism and machismo) are decent starting points. The core series is a bit more “adult” than the previous recommendations, but still really accessible.

The Tiffany Aching subseries (starting with The Wee Free Men) is technically more YA-slanted, but never talks down to its audience and can be easier to get into. Alternately, I can suggest Nation, a standalone book that exists outside of the Discworld series entirely, but is a really good example of the kind of writing you’ll see at Pratchett’s peak or thereabouts. He has a very particular writing style, so Nation is a good litmus for if you’re going to enjoy his work or not.

Honorable Mentions:

The Percy Jackson Series - I never read past the first book, but the first one was pretty good and I know it’s popular, though not without its own issues (specifically treatment of Indigenous American characters?).

The Eragon Series - I was never able to finish this (maybe someday!) but I do recall it being pretty interesting. Can’t speak to the politics in any fashion, it’s been a long time since I read it.

This is a starter pack.

I don’t have the time, attention, or ability to list every fantasy series under the sun, but I think these hit close to how reading the HP books (long before this all happened) felt. Feel free to add your own!

(This is the answer to “why didn’t you mention-” ☝)