#light inside clouds

[iyahbthecreative]

Sunsets are always so beautiful.

[tinnedmarlin]

helmetless gabriel

gabriel got his “artsy side” from gianni. it runs in the family

[lizzybeeee]

DATV Mini-Rant about the lack of Lyrium Potions in this Game

A small thing that immediately made my stomach drop when playing DATV was the fact that there are no lyrium potions.

I did an elective on game design in university and chose Origins as my game of choice for my final essay because I always loved how much the game incorporated the world/lore in its game mechanics! Call it pathetic or sad (I won't blame you lmao) but this series was the first video game that engaged me so deeply with its story-telling that I wanted to dissect it. That's why I'm focusing on the lack of magical cocaine in a fantasy game series.

Lyrium is a substance that serves as a game mechanic and a major lore/world-building element. It's use is essential if you play the game as a mage or have party members that are mages - it replenishes mana in game, its use is central to being a mage within the story (harrowing, rituals, etc...), and it's a major export/plot relevant resource that is important to the world at large.

So imagine my surprise when I boot up DATV for the first time and there's no lyrium potions as a mage character. My main interest in the game series was for its lore and story (RIP) so I didn't look too hard into developer interviews or videos about the combat itself - it would either be good or bad, but that wasn't my main draw to the game. I kept playing, wondering if I would ever unlock another slot for potions, perhaps, but then it was abundantly clear that it wasn't the case.

It's a small thing, but popping a lyrium potion mid-combat has the same effect that hearing people say 'Maker's breath' and 'Thank the Maker' does. It's this little bit of world-building that reminds me that I'm playing a Dragon Age game. It's not just a 'mana potion' or some other glowy blue magic vial...it's this substance that's important to the world and that has a reason to be there beyond rejuvenating my mage.

It's the major export of Orzammar -> the pillar of its economy.

It's the substance that allows waking mages to enter the Fade -> it allowed me to save Connor Guerrin with the aid of other mages.

It's the substance that the Chantry uses to leash it's templars through addiction -> an addiction I encouraged Cullen to overcome in DAI.

It's the substance used in the Rite of TRANQUILITY.

It's the substance that allows my warrior character to take on the templar specialization in each game -> Alistair and Ser both talk about lyrium and its relevance to training (in DA2 you just do it lmao)

It's the substance burned into Fenris's skin by Danarius.

It's the literal blood of the Titans -> lyrium veins are literal veins (such a cool design choice in DAI to make them look like blood capillaries!)

And all the time in DAO, DA2, and DAI my mage characters were downing this substance like there was no tomorrow.

Even though the combat changed in DA2 and DAI they still kept lyrium potions for mages. Even though they simplified herbalism from DAO in the next two games, they still required the player to interact with the world and find the ingredients for these potions. It was this gameplay mechanic that linked the player to the world -> I know that I need blood lotus to set shit on fire, elfroot for healing potions/lyrium potions, etc... It was cool game design, having game mechanics and lore interconnected like this.

(Not saying that picking up dozens of elfroots was fun or the best game design, btw -> but it's just an example of how they linked the world and game mechanics together, and I like the intent behind it! Cool design does not equal effective design lmao)

What do we get in DATV? No lyrium, whatsoever, just healing potions.

Potions we don't even have to work to find or get crafted! Just break some green shit and there it is! We don't pick up ingredients or discover unique flora to each of these Northern Areas for our own use. We don't loot potions or ingredients from corpses, sacks, boxes, chests (etc...) to replenish our own stock. A healing potion in this game is not a potion you craft, made from ingredients you found, it's a button I press on my controller. It's lost that immersive link - especially when your companions can toss another one at you while being effectively immortal in combat.

The only new flora we hear of is Broma's Bloom which I did like the lore behind! It's used in dye to colour the Warden's armour and its growth is a sign that the damage of the Blight is lessening. I love that! That's a cool bit of lore! Especially since it's named after Andraste's mother in a land that is supposed to be extremely religious. Geographically unique flora and fauna (biodiversity) is just as important as architectural design when designing an area - DAI did this amazingly well with the different creatures and plants we could run into in each area!

The first time we meaningfully talk about lyrium is when we go to Kal Sharok for the first time - a decent amount of game time since the beginning of the game, depending how fast you play. And then, when we get there, the lyrium looks like a bunch of crystals from a 'grow your own lyrium' kit. The absence of lyrium from the game world and mechanics is something that was very hard for me to overlook considering its importance to every previous entry. Especially since in this game we address the fucking Titan's and what the fuck happened to them.

Just...imagine playing a mage in Dragon Age and not using lyrium?

This game is a death of a thousand cuts - so many small, meaningful world-building elements and mechanics brushed off - before fucking godzilla comes along and nukes it all with the handling of the main story/lore.

[mothmiso]

Finlande (2) (3) (4) by Samuel Raison

[stormbreaker-290]

So do you ever just

💥

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent-ish life pictures and etc.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

The way that the sun hits leaves and clouds. I feel like I could watch the colors change forever. If I could slow down for that long.

[wheucto]

wanted to do something with some lasso art today

[killjoygem]

I took pictures of these clouds that were so brightly illuminated they looked like glowing holes in the sky

[everysongineverykey]

shoutout to brian may for constantly coming through with all the Inexpressibly Fucking Melancholy songs we could ever need. long away '39 all dead all dead some day one day leaving home ain't easy... hell even his demos. listen to you know you belong to me and water and tell me you don't feel like ben affleck on bench with cigarette dot png. every band needs one member who is just so sad All the time and Will make it the entire discography's problem and i am so serious

[faedotexe]

I am looking for a Truth cut in colored glass That will never grow cold - Precious words caught in ice That know to remain light Shining the winter's morn - For this quiet truth That can stay perfectly still, And maybe not grow bitter When I am old or ill.

[hyperfixation-tangentopia]

My brain has decided everything is too loud and too bright to the degree that the only way I'm able to get myself comfortable is under my weighted blanket hiding with the light off in my light-resistant tent

(I actually sleep in a tent made for a bed, highly recommend if it's an option for nighttime anxiety and light sensitivity :3)

[dozenssporks]

A video from Meryl’s personal files

*Meryl is standing in front of a door looking up into the camera with a strangely bright, fixed smile*

meryl: Milly and I just met a big deadline and for once we get a couple days off! Life is good, right? We decided to have a little girl time, me and Milly. And Zazie. But that’s only because someone left a window open.

*meryl shrugs and makes an ‘I dunno’ face*

meryl: I argued they’re not qualified for girl time and they argued that they’re not not qualified for girl time. I gave up and made them a cocktail. Plus, they complimented my shoes which earns them points.

*moves the camera to show a shot of the designer heels she’s wearing*

meryl: they’re prada. Nice right? All this is to say that today has all the ingredients for a very nice day. A real change of pace. So the thing is . . .

*she closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep, slow breath*

meryl: when you have a man classified as a natural disaster staying in your home you want to keep him outside of it as much as possible. So what do you do? Well, you need a few odds and ends so you send him for a little shopping trip. Nothing big. Milk, some laundry detergent, that sort of thing. You even write him a detailed list so there’s absolutely no confusion. And off he goes in his little red coat to present some money, take ownership of products, and return home in triumph. What could possibly go wrong?

*the smile drops and meryl takes a moment to pinch the bridge of her nose and take a few more deep breaths before continuing*

meryl: I mean, you certainly don’t expect to find him dying on your doorstep.

*meryl opens the door behind her and steps outside. Vash is laying in a tangle on the sidewalk in what appears to be a remarkably large pool of blood. It also appears that he had attempted to write something with the blood but only got as far as ‘it was’*

vash: meryl, meryl, I think they got an artery, avenge me meryl

meryl: yeah yeah. Don’t flail around I’m gonna step over you and if my shoes get dirty you’re a dead man.

vash: aren’t those the shoes that go with the little gray purse? Looking good.

*vash gives a feeble thumbs up*

meryl: don’t try and butter me up, mister. But thank you.

*the camera swoops around a little as meryl steps over vash and crouches down on the pavement, placing a half-full cocktail glass next to herself*

meryl: sooo, vash, what was it I asked you to do?

vash, faintly: go shopping?

meryl: and did you buy everything on the list?

vash: no . . .

meryl: what did you buy, mr. stampede?

vash: . . . two jugs of ketchup from the bulk section. they were on sale.

meryl, with brittle sweetness: and what happened after that, hm?

vash: haha, your sidewalk failed to meet safety standards?

meryl, dropping her smile and replacing it with a look of barely contained rage: you tripped on a beer can. A beer can you left out here last night. A beer can I told you to throw out last night before somebody tripped on it and hurt themselves. That beer can.

vash: yeah, that beer can.

meryl: which resulted in this ketchup carnage on the sidewalk, on the doorstep, the outside of the door, the windows--

vash, sadly: and me

meryl: we aren’t talking about you right now

vash, muttering: coulda fooled me

meryl, looking up as if at an invisible audience: look, look at this disaster man. Being around him inspires me to be a better person

*leaning forward to get her face as close to vash’s as possible without coming in contract with the ketchup, her voice lowering to a deadly growl*

meryl: but he also inspires me to take that stupid tie that always appears when he’s drunk, wrap it around his neck, and slowly strangle him to death with it

*whimpering from vash*

meryl, downing the rest of her cocktail: so what have we learned?

vash: that that color really suits your nails?

meryl: thanks, milly gave me a manicure. I’ll have to take them off before work but I’ll enjoy what I can when I can.

vash: it’s really the little things that make life so good.

meryl: unfortunately it’s the big things that waste my money and wreck havoc in my home. What happens now, mr. walking disaster, is that you’re going to take the hose, clean the sidewalk, clean yourself, and you are not allowed inside until you are tomato free and dry

vash: can I at least get a towel or something?

meryl, standing up and stepping over vash again: I’ll see how I feel after another drink. Another three drinks. And a facial.

vash: when you already have such lovely skin?

meryl: just get up off the ground and pretend like you’re a person and not an unfortunate incident!

*the camera swoops and shakes as meryl marches back inside and slams the door behind her. The video ends*

[curlyparmesan]

[orcelito]

minor illusion is honestly the best cantrip for someone who enjoys flavor-text (aka me). spicing up this side rp with some minor illusion work to portray what im talking about more visually. honestly it's a godsend for Fang, who's not the best at words. he can just create some lil illusions to help illustrate what he's saying. and of COURSE im gonna use this plenty. of Course.

[whereserpentswalk]

Look under the cut to see what meeting your entity is like. Reblog to give a gift to your patron.

The fae: a creature stands before you. Though this street was warm and crowded a few moments ago it is suddenly cold and the people around you look like shadows. The creature begins an antlered shadow with glowing white eyes, but soon its body can be seem, with white blue flesh, and sapphire eyes, and icicles for teeth. What looks like a cloak unfolds from its naked body and you can see massive white wings of a moth. As if it's an act of sacrifice you tell it your true name, a name you didn't even see before, and suddenly you belong to it, for better or worse.

The angel: a radiant entity appears before you. They're bright, like something so hot it would burn you up. But as the light fades, you can see a person in silver armor, perfect yet inhuman like am ancient green statue, their back srouting six wings with blue eyes along them, as the eyes on their head are covered by a mask of two smaller wings. The creature offers their hands and you shake it, as they fly you through the city streets and above the skyscrapers, to the stars above and dimensions beyond, to gods living and dead, across the streets of alien cities and the clouds of dead worlds. And when you return to the earth you can feel something diffrent about you, like there's light in your blood.

The scavenger: below the lights of skyscrapers beyond you, on the dark sands of the beach, you see it crawling twords you. This serpentine creature with countless legs, and a dark black shell, yet a strangely human like face. You think it'll attack or run away, but it just looks at you, egar, and for a momment you stare at eachother. It's legs pass something to eachother and then to you, it's meat but it's shining with all the colors known to the human eye, and a few more. You hold it and it happily looks at you. You take a bite and suddenly you know... you know so very much...

The vampire: she flies down to you on green wings with orange eyespots, but folds them into her back. She looks like a human for a momment, tall and strong, with a black suit over her body, but eyes the color of ruby. For a momment her mouth opens, and it's massive and monstrous, with countless moving parts and fangs. But then it folds back onto something humanoid and she gives you a playful smirk. She cuts her hand and offers you her blood, and when you drink it it tastes so sweet, and makes you feel so good. She hands you the knife and you know to do the same, and when she drinks from your palm it's life the sweetest of kisses.

The djinn: the room wirs around you. If it were not for the fans it would feel like hellfire. For a momment there it darkness, but then the screen before you glows white like smokeless flame. You can sense something inside, something beyond the code. You reach your hand within it, and there's no glass, your hand passess right through until you're in a white void of your own making. You call out, thinking there is nothing at all around you. Yet somehow something calls back, something that knows your name.

The rat king: You see him in an empty subway station. Something dark and distorted, you're not sure if he's man or animal, covered in rags, and singing in the language of the goblins and the orcs. Yet he comes close to you excited. And you can feel his song. He calls for you to come to the train tracks, and let yourself run with the rats and the roaches, where the train will pass over you when it comes, and you'll live forever. When you touch the third rail you don't die, but you'll never be human again.

The lich: the library is strangely bright. Run by skeletons in suits, decorated with gold. There are more books here then you thought were in all the world. There's knowledge here most mortals will never have the change below, all kept safe below the city. You see her, her body doesn't look human, everything has been replaced making her look more like a joining white doll then a being of flesh. Yet she is dead, you can tell that under the porcelain skin she must be dead, she is dead, and there is the tragedy of death in her eyes. You come closer to her, and she places a black rose within your hair...

The demon: You stand in his office and he stands before you, a humanoid being covered in black scales, with red eyes covering his skin. Yet none are on his head, that remains featureless save for two massive horns. Wings on his back nearly surround you. Countless souls line the walls of his office, looking at you, waiting. After you sign your name you give him yours, you can feel it come away for you forever and your eyes grey and your skin pales. But he puts the jar in a special place for you, you're spacial, he can tell there's something about you that he likes.

The mushroom lord: you walk through the darkness of the forest, the furthest from civilization you have ever been. You come upon a part where the trees all seem dead, that even the cryptids won't go near. Mushrooms fill the ground, and white vein like lines are all over the trees. You feel the need to lay down, and you let the moss and the mushrooms and the worms surround you, and let yourself sink into the soil,, and it feels good. It feels so good...

The witch: You can see them in the Cafe next to you, skinny and small, with a sweatshirt over most of their body, and dark glasses over their eyes. They seem powerful though, and though their body looks young they seem ancient, they seem beyond humanity. You talk to them and they tell you things, and secrets, lost gods, things you never knew you didn't know, both beautiful and disturbing. When it's time for them to go they pet your head, and give you their number. You don't know if you should text them, but you have to, you have to see them again, there's something about them that makes you need to know.

The living clothing: you step into it at first, it looked like a puddle yet shining like silver or chrome. But soon it surrounds you, first just your torso, but soon your head, your entire body. But it doesn't feel scary, it feels like you're being held, held by something beyond your understanding. It whispers to you, and you don't know if you should feel like your being eaten alive, or like you're being protected. You can't help but keep walking.

The abyss: the void is before you, blackness beyond blackness, like the color beyond the field of your vision, stands before your eyes. You stare at it, it's nothing yet you're entranced. It stares back...