#like. on fight or flight. religion is so interesting to me and how it affects family relationships.

[allthecastlesonclouds]

castles pls ramble about your wips /is there anything you're working on and/or excited to share????

omgggg yes i have been STRUGGLING this past two weeks because i. uh. sprained my right wrist (my dominant hand) and doing Anything At All hurts so i have SO MANY thoughts in my head and nothing's going to come out of it until i'm healed

fight or flight has been a really interesting fic for me to write specifically bc i. didn't grow up religious? my mom's atheist and my dad's catholic and i've never gone to church, but religion is really interesting to me, and the topic of fate and God is really intriguing. i like looking into faith and fate and learning about the different ways people see things, and i wanted to write a fic that felt. A Lot. like my dad's Catholic Childhood ExperienceTM and where he and his siblings are now in life, since all of them fell to different religions different ways and still keep in contact. i also wanted to touch on suburban family relationships in general bc goddamn those are fucked up.

fight or flight was originally going to be a lot more Kristen Vs Mac and Donna– the document title's still a pun based on that– but the more i thought about it the little it fit with her character: as much as kristen is bold, she's much more of a say something and run character– she doesn't quite know what'll happen after she says anything, does she? and she doesn't think before she speaks, so if anything goes wrong, she's likely to flee.

i've also started revamping my Coffe AU! it was, essentially, a modern coffeeshop au where different characters were in slightly different scenarios and the bad kids didn't quite become a friendgroup until after college, where adaine and ayda ran a coffee shop and the sig figs were Vibing and riz? worked five million jobs? and aelwyn actually gets therapy. the pacing of the fic was bad, though, and it was overall unrealistic, so i'm planning out a slightly different fic– they're all going to the same excessively large college, and keep meeting up at the coffee shop Ayda and Adaine run for said college. goldenhoard was the main villain in the first one; kalina was fully a housecat; cass didn't even EXIST because i wrote it before i got a dropout account and i only could watch up to ep3 of sophomore year! that's all changing, though; the gukgaks still have a cat named kalina but she Is Named After Someone

the "fic", if i ever get around to writing it, would be an actual longfic, written from one person's perspective, and a series of oneshots for a buncha other characters. the longfic was originally from adaine's perspective, but i might go fig this time around bc my girl adaine is Hard and i want the challenge of writing from the perspective of someone who isn't the Main Character of the story.

(also. coffe!aelwyn my beloved. she's trying so hard.)

i had a riz + mordred fic in the works, but since it seems mordred is going to be in jy a lot, that one's on hold until the season goes. i wanted to write it because the premise made me laugh: it was riz really sweetly bonding with different members of mordred and then him and zayn. awkwardly staring at each other as they realize their adaine's-best-friend title will never belong to either of them again and will forever be ayda's.

i wrote a drawtectives fic recently, which i know you're not in the fanbase for but i started a second one, from york's perspective, which cycles around rosé going back to college and york learning how The City is different and what family is to him (and also learning to cook bc grandma is the Only Competent One) AND i want to round out the trio, since the first was a rosé fic and this ones a york and so the third would be a grendan one, which is about getting york to his fashion shoots, i think? that one's a lot more up in the air, because. i want them to be Mostly Separate and so i want to see where york takes me.

and, in the drawtectives vein, i'm working on episode transcripts! pre-sprain, i could do 10 pages per hour, but now i'm down to 4-6, depending on the complexity. it's the only thing i don't struggle to do bc it's mostly writing names and correcting (or messing up) some grammar. i finished s1 on the... 18th? 19th? and i'm about 25 minutes into s2ep1 so. it's gonna take a while. but GOD i'm becoming a lore keeper for this. and also my vocal recognition for These Four People Specifically is. so good now. i can recognize their hums, it's insane.

and my friend (the most lovely and also basically inactive @mug-fullof-roses) and i are making plushies! just four drawtectives (the guys and also eugene), and we're still in the fabric buying but i think i'm going to try to find some good patterns over break because. clothing??? help??

and!! bringing it around again!! i've sketched out the dumbest comic for dance au bc something happened in my dance class that had me going "bad kids right here" the entire week. my hiphop teacher started playing that billie eilish song from the barbie movie, stared at the computer for a solid five seconds, then went 'sorry this isn't it' and tapped the computer once to change it to whatcha know bout me by nicki minaj. god. wild. love her dearly.

i have So Many Quotes from dance i might just make a danceau incorrect quotes post bc. we wild.

[swanmaids]

Hi, I was just wondering if you have any Findis and/or Lalwen headcanons if you'd like to share :)?

Ooh good question. Honestly I kind of feel bad because I don’t really think about these two all that much? Like I have a few thoughts but not many. I'd have more thoughts if Jirt had done more with their characters! But, anyway...

Findis interests me as an eldest royal daughter in a patriarchal society that practices male primogeniture. I'm sure it was clear to her pretty much all her life that her father favoured Feanor, but she may have been able to justify that as being down to his mother's death. But after Fingolfin was born -- how long did it take for her to realise that they would never be truly equals? This unfairness is why I headcanon her as favouring the vanyarin side of her heritage -- she turns to piety and religion as an escape. Perhaps the vanyar have some sort of priestess system that allows her to gain some power there. For some reason, I imagine Findis' religious duties as similar to a Vestal Virgin (though minus the burials....) maybe she's especially devoted to Este?

Despite everything, she never stopped loving her parents and wanting their approval and to do right by them, which is why she stays with her mother during the flight of the Noldor. I think there's a part of her that never forgives her siblings for (in her eyes) "abandoning" Indis.

Lalwen... unfortunately I have more thoughts about my lady's maid oc for her than I do for Lalwen herself :( sorry girlie

I do think it’s interesting that Fingolfin and Lalwen are canonically close, I like that. I imagine she was a comfort to him during the unrest of the Noldor (I imagine they become close as adults when Feanor was exiled) and crossing the Ice. Was she aware of how much Nolo needed her and did that ever become a burden on her? Quite possibly, and I'm not sure who she would have gone to in order to relieve that. I do think that she and Aredhel could have been close, and probably Elenwe too - maybe she was one of the people to be most affected by Elenwe's death. I think Lalwen was also a fighter, and died fighting in the fall of Hithlum in the Nirnaeth.

Since I mentioned canon patriarchy, maybe part of Lalwen's motivation for leaving Aman was a hope that Beleriand would be more egalitarian.

I've noticed that lesbian Lalwen hcs are pretty common and I think I agree! I think she had a fair few lovers and some long-term girlfriends in Beleriand, but had no serious romantic relationships. Her major love was her maid Morniel, but she was aware that Morniel did not reciprocate, so she never acted on it.

You didn't ask about her, but after being a Faniel denialist for the longest time, I might now be a Faniel truther after reading this headcanon of her being born after Finwe followed Feanor into exile and due to mutual parental stubbornness, never meeting her father. That's sooooo juicy I love it.

[secretive3amramenmaker]

More Fire Force Opinions That Literally Nobody Asked For (pt.2)

Guess who finished the manga~ Guess who finished the manga~ This gal~ I’m surprised that my Fire Force rant/essay meta was so well received by the fandom, thank you guys so much!!! Anyways, today I’ll be discussing some a lot of my ideas, opinions, thoughts, future predictions, and commentary on moments from the Fire Force manga.

Warnings: Spoilers for future Fire Force Season Two arcs, and for the Fire Force manga. Read at your own discretion! Now that the warnings are over, onwards! ヽ(ヅ)ノ

(I’m actually trying to order my opinions via arcs, but I feel that this is really important, so I’m putting it first.) 

1. There are no iPhones in the Fire Force. 

This is so sad? My favourite characters don’t know the joy that is staying up late, scrolling through social media, watching YOUTUBE, having MEMES, KNOWING👏THE👏GREATNESS👏THAT👏IS👏VINES!!!

I’m slightly disappointed that Vulcan, who is literally named after the god of forging himself, who can make frickin’ HOLOGRAMS, didn’t bring back any of the pre-Catalysm technology to recreate, improve, or experiment with. As an expert engineer (I say this 0.2% seriously, with the two years of high school engineering course experience under my belt), I would’ve been interested to see what kind of gadgets Vulcan could whip up. *insert ‘Inspector Gadget theme song*

Please have this very sad Jigglypuff to show how sad this is.

2. Sister Iris and Religion in the Fire Force Storyline

In the beginning of the Fire Force series, I’ve accepted the fact that Iris' role as noncombatant, meant to act as the religious and public face of the Eighth Company. I think it is a fascinating role, because it allows the story to explore the idea of religion and belief in depth, which I was really looking forward to. I was excited how the author would handle Iris’ character, but I’m somewhat disappointed that it took so long for us to see Iris and other side characters like Maki and Tamaki become more fleshed out (I’m not counting Iris’ and Hibana’s backstory in Season 1. I felt that was more backstory to flesh out Hibana’s character rather than Iris’).

Throughout Fire Force’s story, some of the things I looked forward to the most were the religious elements, motifs, themes, and questions that are sprinkled throughout the story, one of my favourites being the portrayal of the dichotomy of religion. In Joker’s backstory, we see the darkness of the Holy Sol faith, and what happens when any religious belief is taken TOO far, without any regard for human life or rights. This idea of viewing humans as a collective, no regard for the individuality and feelings of a single person in the pursuit of faith is embodied by the captain of the Shadow of the Holy Sun, Joker’s former captain and abuser. However, we also get to see the goodness religion and belief can achieve in Iris’ mini arc, which focuses on Iris’ internal struggle as she struggles with her faith after being informed of the Evangelist’s part in the founding of the Holy Sol’s religion. Shinra and Huo Yan Li, the bucket hat 1st Brigade lieutenant (Seriously, which is the correct way to pronounce this guy’s name? Huo Yan Li?? Foien Li???) interaction in the Iris arc really summed up the arc and Iris’ character beautifully. Religion and belief gives people closure, hope, and strength to keep on moving forward. Seeing the anime adaption was an amazing experience. Fire Force’s animation was the reason I decided to watch it in the first place (before staying for the intriguing plot and religious side plot), but this particular episode?? Pure art. The colouring, ambience, storytelling? So good＼\ ٩( ᐛ )و /／

Like, the little detail of the burning nun in Iris’ eyes? (lmao sorry for the extra trauma, sweet child) *chef’s kiss*

The importance of belief is also hinted in the Asakusa arc, where all the district’s inhabitants believe in Benimaru, and expanded upon in later manga chapters, when we learn that Adolla is linked to humanity’s perception and beliefs about the world around them.

I would’ve liked Iris a lot more if we got to further explore her character and the affects of religion on others more deeply, perhaps see Iris visiting the Infernals’ families and loved ones, trying to help give closure through the nation’s (mostly) shared faith in Sol. They mentioned offhandedly in both anime and manga that Iris visits the deceased’s families, and I felt it would’ve given the deaths more significance and depth if we get screentime of how families are affected by the death of their loved ones. It would have also given the Holy Sol’s religion more depth and meaning if we saw believers of Sol’s actions due to their religion, (also giving more impact when we learn surprise surprise! The Holy Sol temple is founded by the Evangelist!) since belief without actions is just lip-service.

I would have also liked to see how Iris’ prayers affect others in the Eighth company. We do get to see this, 140+ CHAPTERS LATER in the mini Iris arc does Shinra (finally) mentions how Iris’ prayers helps him not lose sight of why he serves as a firefighter and kills Infernal. I’m glad that we got this scene, because better later than never, especially since Iris’ and Shinra’s discussion and overall the entire Iris mini arcs shows the power of prayer, but I would’ve like to have this topic discussed sooner.

2. Obi’s Sole Flaw

I think that Obi was an okay character, but they kind of pushed the boundary of his “normalcy” when we saw him topple pillars and rip railways out of the ground with “brute strength”. There are limits to the human body, it is fragile, and it doesn’t matter how much conditioning or “going beyond your limits” you do. People do experience boost of adrenaline, which is probably what the very anime-like titled “Pressure of Death” is based on, since life or death situations can heighten your performance and strength. However, I do understand that this IS shonen, and it isn’t meant to be realistic.

What made Obi’s sole flaw (and a physical flaw, at that!) was his “normalcy” while surrounded by more powerful individuals then he, and having to make up for something he can’t help by working twice as hard as everybody else. Now, although I was disappointed that Obi didn’t have any character/moral flaws, what made Obi’s character mediocre to me wasn’t the choice of Obi’s sole flaw. In fact, I could see how this could be an interesting character narrative IF WE LEARN MORE ABOUT OBI’S BACKSTORY, THEREFORE EXPLORING HIS CHARACTER MORE!!! (We only know Obi was a regular firefighter, being decorated twice, and then having his titles revoked for prioritizing the lives of citizens before becoming the captain of the Eighth.) No, what I didn’t like about Obi’s character is that we never see him STRUGGLE with his flaw, how others were born “superior” to him thanks to there invulnerability to flames, how he lives knowing one day he could just burst into flames. There’s SO many interesting things about Obi’s character, that could explained further, making him so much more interesting!!!

On the other hand, Obi’s character is a great role model for what a “normal” person can do (while jacked up on adrenaline, and when they manage to overcome flight reaction in fight or flight). He works hard, training to the best of his ability, doing what he CAN do, pushing his limits so that he can go above and beyond, overcoming the “Pressure of Death”, and staying true to his ideals, something very hard to do in a world where you might burst into flames at any given moment. I know that if I were to wake in a world where I could die any second (I mean, I could die tomorrow in Real Life™, but what are the chances of that?), I would definitely find myself struggling with my faith, and staying true to the morals I admire and was taught by my parents, especially if I was putting myself in danger despite of this weakness.

3. Asakusa Showdown Arc and Shinmon Hibachi

The Asakusa Showdown arc. Yes. Just yes. I-

It was amazing, periodt. The art, the overall aesthetic, the storytelling. *Cue violent fangirling* I took SOOOO many screenshots of the fight between Benimaru and Hibachi, I’m pretty sure my camera roll is 95% manga caps now. I love how the author actually gave a (fairly) valid reason for the cool Japanese aesthetic of this arc, in that Adolla is slowly gradually colliding with the Fire Force universe, causing people’s perception of the fight to seep into the universe. Overall? It. Was. Amazing. Albeit not my favourite arc, (that honour goes to the mini-Iris arc) I think that the Asakusa Showdown arc is easily in my Top 5 Fire Force arcs.

The Asakusa Showdown Arc mirroring and showing the ideals taught in the Mini Iris Arc was quite clever, though I’m not sure if this was purposefully done Okubo, or if I’m just scrabbling at crumbs.

In the Mini Iris arc, we see how religion and belief gives closure; a stark contrast to Asakusa with its proto-nationalist/atheist values. In THIS arc, centering around Asakusa and it’s proto-nationalist inhabitants, we see what happens when there isn’t enough effort to emphasize or give closure in what happened to Hibachi, and his subsequent death. 

Shinmon Hibachi, as the leader of the neighbourhood fire watch, understood the significance of killing Infernals; of taking somebody’s life. But because of the unwillingness to let others (i.e. the inhabitants of Asakusa, that one kid who stabs him) understand the weight of killing Infernals and gain closure through understanding the reasons behind his harsh actions, Hibachi shoulders the consequences of both his and the actions of his predecessors’ ALONE, therefore leading to his demise. 

The kid who stabbed Hibachi was still a CHILD, and children don’t always have a comprehensive understanding of death and the consequences of responsibility (no matter how much that kid believes he was ready to be an adult and support his mother).

3.5 Extra Worldbuilding Questions About Asakusa

I also have so many questions about Asakusa in general! How is Asakusa powered without being supported by Amaterasu, which is the country’s (and isn’t that mind boggling, that a whole country is supported by one power source with no backup source or other forms of energy/electricity, because of patriotic pride in a machine that might one day shut down, cough manga readers where u at?) I’m assuming that Asakusa mainly use coal, candles, and lamps for energy and lighting, since we did see one example of lighting in Asakusa (an ancient oil lamp), but I’m not sure if that would be sufficient to support a whole district of people. People were able to do that in the olden days, but back then there was a smaller concentration of people, and power necessary to support them.

Is Asakusa a district that is mostly atheist or polytheist? Do the inhabitants believe in no gods, not just the Sun god brought by the White Clads and Raffles I, including the Shinto or Buddhist gods from before the Catalysm, or do they believe in multiple gods/ancestor worship and they just don’t want to worship the Sun God like the rest of the Tokyo Empire because they’re unwilling to accept the new culture, immigrants and religion caused by Amaterasu, wanting to keep up the old Japanese traditions?

4. Arthur Deserves Better Parents 2k20 (Hint of Arthur’s Secret Ability?)

When Team Vulcan + Arthur found Arthur’s parents in the sewers Nether... Honestly, I don’t want to touch on them much, since I want to be (fairly) logical in my opinions on them, not letting my personal feelings twist my hypotheses for what may happen in the future of the Fire Force storyline.

Putting aside Arthur’s parents obvious neglect and bad parenting, I’m curious if Arthur's dad is actually a prophet or did he just get lucky with his delusions. Is this related to how Arthur can notice the difference between dopplegangers and real people? Perhaps because Arthur’s delusions of knighthood are so different from how he truly is (an abandoned child who deluded himself as a knight), therefore allowing him to notice the difference between dopplegangers and Adolla, as they are created by people’s perception of a subject.

5. Let Sho Be a Normal Kid at the End of the Show 2k20

Please let the small child be happy at the end of the manga. I mean, being raised by a cult underground isn’t exactly a Hallmarks childhood. For example, in the beginning of chapter 231, look at how Sho looks longingly at those kids on scooters and was so happy when he got a balloon from the firefighter mascots! (bruh, same balloons bring me so much joy)

I hope that in the end of the manga Okubo lets Sho, Shinra, and Eighth have some quality time. In one of the early arcs (with the first speaking demon, Minamoto?) Shinra saw some kids going to school wearing school uniforms, mentioning that if Sho was still alive, he’d be old enough to go to school. I’d be so sweet if at the end of the manga, Sho would have the chance to go to school, maybe the Fire Force academy (if it’s still running if by the end of the manga they’ve discovered the reason behind Human Combustion), makes friends and beat up anybody who badmouths the Eighth.

6. Cool Combat Medics!

I’d love to see more of the cool combat medics from the Sixth! We only saw the captain, Kayoko Huang, in action with her Asclepius staff pyrokinesis, which, might I add is a fascinating and terrifying ability. Think about it, she’s controlling CELLULAR DIVISION!!! She could start creating tumors in the bodies of her enemies! Could disintegrate people cellularly and no one would know, because fire snake, so no fingerprints!

Anyways, that is all I have right now. Thank you for reading my opinions about “Fire Force”, and for the nice response I got when I published my first opinion piece! Bruh, it took so long for me to edit this... 😔 I’m thinking of doing another meta going more in depth with my theory on Arthur and how he’s able to distinguish the difference between people and their dopplegangers, but that’s for another day. Feel free to discuss about your own ideas or thoughts in the chat, or tell me what you think! I promise I don’t bite. Have a wonderful day!

[mellometal]

Here are the last few things I want to say about Dhar Mann. Because he's not a good person to support and I cannot believe people support him unironically.

I was misguided to an extent in my first response to him on the video he made about ASD. The whole complimenting him thing in my comments was only to ensure that my comments would not be deleted and that I wouldn't get blocked. That's why it sounded like I was sucking up to him in some parts of my comments. I actually WANT people to see them. I would hope at least SOMEONE would resonate with them in some way. I want people to see how videos about subjects he knows NOTHING about and probably will NEVER know about can and do affect people. I don't think he's a good person. At all.

Dhar Mann's videos reek of wannabe superiority. There are some things that people have brought up about him having a savior complex on Reddit, but I don't want to go into the entire psychological aspect of him...if such a thing exists. I may find psychology interesting, but he's not worth going into a whole psychological analysis over. I'm not licensed to do any kind of diagnoses on him anyway.

His morals are extremely watered down with quotes that even kids in preschool can understand. It honestly feels like he's talking down to his audience. (Why does he have an audience? The world may never know.) Dude, NOBODY appreciates being talked down to like they're stupid.

While sometimes, it's obvious that he's trying to come from a good place, it still doesn't change the fact that he doesn't go into WHY the events that happen in the videos are bad, what we can do to change it, nothing. I don't recall him putting down any reputable resources for anything he makes. If he has, it must be like finding Atlantis. For example, in his videos that are supposed to be tackling homelessness, he only goes into the whole narrative that we gotta be nice to homeless people. He never goes into the factors that cause homelessness. He never goes into any statistics. He doesn't share any reputable resources for the homeless population. Just goes into, "Be kind to homeless people!" and nothing else.

Another big example would have to be the videos he has made about disabilities. He seemed to KINDA tackle physical disabilities, but here's the thing. Physically disabled people aren't all helpless victims. Yes, some physically disabled people do require full support doing things. There are other physically disabled people who require moderate support, or even minimal support. Treating physically disabled people like they're just all helpless victims who you should feel bad for isn't helping them at all. They're not subhuman. They're human beings.

The video he made about Autism Spectrum Disorder is personally insulting. Treating ASD like it's a superpower harms autistic people and it honestly sounds like autistic people aren't being taken seriously. Calling ASD a "different ability" instead of calling it a disability (which is what ASD is) treats being autistic like it's a bad thing. (For anyone who found me through my first Dhar Mann post about his video on ASD, y'all already know my feelings about this. For anyone who's new here, doesn't know what's going on, and wants to know where I stand on that video in particular, please refer to that post.)

Like an anonymous person mentioned in the ask they sent earlier, Dhar Mann also made a video that was pro-cop. I knew about the video he made about a bunch of cops in training being sexist towards the only woman, which obviously ain't great either. I've seen that one and it made absolutely no sense to me. Dhar Mann, defeating sexism? *GASP!* We did it, feminists! We can go home now! Not.

Anyways, back to the pro-cop video. I didn't know that he made a video like that, so I searched for it. It was a pretty recent video too...and it's gross. The lady protesting in an alley really shouted in eight point font to "fire all cops". It took some guy stealing her purse for her to "change her mind" about cops.

The "cop" in the video really went into his whole life story about how he risks his life every day for people, fighting bad people (they even had a black man as the assailant trying to threaten a white woman, which is a disgusting racist stereotype and does nothing to help stop police brutality), and basically told this lady "Before you judge me, get to know ME!"

MOTHERFUCKER. FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, AND THE ENTIRE MEDICAL FIELD, TO NAME A FEW, RISK THEIR LIVES EVERY DAY TOO. But you don't see a song that says "Fuck the fire department!" or "Fuck paramedics!", do you? (I have some choice words for parts of the medical field because of how some think it's okay to refuse to help people for being LGBT, not taking BIPOC seriously when they seek medical attention, refusing to help people for the religion they practice or lack thereof, the fatphobia, etc. I won't dive completely into it, but if you choose to be in the medical field and you refuse to help people for the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their gender identity, their religious beliefs or lack thereof, their weight, or ANYTHING along those lines, FIND A DIFFERENT CAREER.)

Police brutality towards black people is the highest out of every race. Not to mention that black people are the number one target for the police. The amount of black people being killed by the police will only keep increasing unless we all do something to put an end to police brutality towards black people. Black lives matter, and they ALWAYS will.

Can we also talk about how the police aren't equipped to deal with anything related to mental health or disabilities? Because the way they handle people having mental health crises, disabled people, and mentally ill people as a whole is heartless and ableist. AND THEY HAVE THE NERVE TO PUT ON THEIR VEHICLES THAT THEY'RE SAFE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND SHIT IN CERTAIN PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES.

Just because there are good cops, it doesn't make ALL cops good. It doesn't change the fact that ACAB. It doesn't change the fact that the police has way too much funding. It doesn't change the fact that the police need to be reformed. Honestly, in this day and age, there are way too many corrupt cops who want to be all superior and treat people like they're subhuman to see any good cops among them.

I did a little research on Dhar Mann's history before he decided to do all these fucking cringe videos. He was sentenced to five years of probation back in 2014 for five felony counts related to a scheme to defraud the City [Oakland, California] by submitting false claims and receipts in order to receive redevelopment grant money. He pleaded no contest to the five felony counts of fraud. Not a good look!

His voice is ear grating and crusty and he has a very punchable face. Every time I hear his voice, it triggers my fight or flight response.

HEEEEYYYY, DHAR MANN FAM! SO YOU SEE, HE MAKES ALL THESE CRINGE ASS VIDEOS WITH WATERED DOWN MORALS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOPICS OF ANY OF THE VIDEOS AND REEK OF WANNABE SUPERIORITY! I hope you learned something from this message! He's not telling stories. He's not changing lives. He's a cringe ass nae-nae baby who can't bother to do actual research on topics he knows NOTHING about. He's ruining lives! Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time!

TL;DR: Dhar Mann is a piece of shit human being. Please stop supporting him.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #455

“but you didn’t have to cut me off  /  make it like it never happened and that we were nothing”

Are you and the last person you kissed in a relationship or just friends? We're besties! :') Has anyone ever pointed out that your laugh was unusual? No. Would you get a lip piercing? I already have a vertical labret. I've considered getting spiked snakebites (they might be called devil bites?) too, though. With a vertical labret, it looks sick as FUCK. It might be a bit much too close together for me, though, idk. Nose piercing? I want my right nostril re-pierced. What are you currently waiting for? Girt to message me back. I've decided what I want out of our relationship and just want to see him. Do you have feelings for anyone? Hit me pretty hard through a lot of examination of my feelings that yeah, I do. Have you ever run over an animal? Oh my god no, I would be DESTROYED. Have you chewed gum after someone else already has? bro what the fuck When people sneeze do you say ‘bless you’? I do only out of expectation. I don't want someone to think I'm an ass or something for not saying it. When was the last time you were on a bouncy castle? A few years ago for my niece's birthday. She was scared of how loud it was and was very reluctant to get near it, so my fat ass got in there with everyone else to show her it was fine lol. I can't remember if she eventually got in. She loves them now, though. :') Have you ever went on a bouncy castle whilst drunk? No, but thanks for the idea, ha ha. Have you ever entered an art competition? Yes. What is one thing you will never do? Try hardcore drugs. What is one food that you detest? Asparagus. Did you have a rebellious phase growing up? Not really. What religion were you brought up with? Roman Catholic. Are you still that religion? GOD NO. Do you often find yourself questioning your future? That's my full-time job. How many friends do you have on Facebook? 124. What sort of music did you listen to when you were in high school? The same I listen to now. What pet names do you use with your significant other? I'm single rn, but usually, I go for "sweetie/sweetheart," "hunny," "love," "dear," stuff like that. What’s the name of the store you usually get your groceries? Wal-Mart. Have you ever seen a theatre show? Yes. What’s your favourite vegetable? Broccoli. Have you ever missed a flight? Yes. I was SO fuckin upset because it was on Sara's birthday and planned in secret, and I was supposed to wake her up. It still wound up being a big surprise to her when she walked into her room and I was chillin' at her desk, ha ha, but I still wish it coulda gone as originally planned. Do your neighbours have any pets? Have you ever met them? Yes; they have a yappy-ass dog that doesn't shut up. I haven't met them. What color is your bedroom door? White. If you were ever to become famous, would you grow annoyed at fans? This may sound very ungrateful, but I have heard A LOT of celebrities say it: it would get old, being stopped constantly in public for signatures, pictures, etc. Like yes, I still WOULD be grateful, but I'd miss just being off the radar and able to go outside carrying out chores and stuff like a normal person. Have you ever met your favourite band/singer? No. :( Are you embarrassed by any of the songs/singers/bands you like? Nah, not nowadays. Have you ever written a story? Yes, a kinda short one when I was little. Think of the last poem you wrote: What inspired you to write it? The breakup with Jason and the fact we're just strangers again. It was really short, but I like it a lot, honestly. Do you have a chance with the person you like right now? I think so. What’s the weirdest thing you were scared of as a child? A skeleton in my closet, lol. Literally. Are there any embarrassing stories your family tells about you? alkdsjflakjwle yes In your opinion, what is the funniest TV show? That '70s Show. 3rd Rock From the Sun is high up there, too. What is the maximum number of children you’d ever have? HYPOTHETICALLY, two, but I'm pretty damn serious about having none. I just always feel kinda bad for children without a sibling, but three would make me pull my hair out. Have you ever been concerned you had a serious illness? Yes. I overreact to even minor symptoms to ANYTHING. Are you comfortable with who you are? No. Pretty much everything about myself embarrasses me, even if it shouldn't. Would you date someone even if you knew you’d get made fun of for it? Yes? Others' opinions don't affect how I feel about someone. Does popularity matter to you at all? No, outside of trying to be a successful photographer. Would you ever consider homeschooling your children? If they really wanted that and it would benefit them, yes. Who told you about the band/singer you are currently listening to? I discovered them myself. Do you ever read fanfiction? Nah. Would you rather die in a plane crash, ship wreck or fire? Jesus. A plane crash, I guess, because in a lot of cases, it would be an immediate death. What are your top five favourite TV shows? Meerkat Manor, Fullmetal Alchemist (and Brotherhood; shut up, they go together), That '70s Show, Ginga Densetsu Weed, and Deadman Wonderland. What is your favorite superhero movie? Logan. If you died next week, what would be the cause of death? Uhhhh idk... I guess maybe a heart attack? Judging by doctor appointments, my heart is just fine, but the fact still remains that I'm technically obese, so that's always a risk. Have you ever taken a break from Facebook or other social media? Why? Facebook, yes. It was just depressing me. I was playing the comparison game REAL hard. Who is the most talented person you know? I dunno. I know many people talented in a lot of areas. Are you currently platonic friends with anyone you’ve had sex with? No. Where did you and your current interest go on your first date? Bowling. Have you ever experienced two people fighting over you (physically or mentally)? What happened? Jason and Juan pursued me at the same time. They'd known each other in the past, and Juan hated him for "winning" his ex-girlfriend. Then when Jason and I got together, Juan wasn't the happiest for sure. Have your parents ever thought you were gay? What happened? Before I actually came out as bisexual, I don't think so? Are your parents more liberal or conservative? Conservative. Mom is more open, but still conservative. I think. What year are you going into at the beginning of the next academic year? I'm not in school. How far away does your closest family member live? I live with Mom. If you’ve seen both, did you prefer the Disney version or the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland? I actually strongly prefer Tim Burton's. Would you have sex before marriage? Why or why not? Yeah. I just want to be in a long-term, serious, healthy relationship to reach that point and be as safe as possible about it. Are you more liberal or conservative? Liberal, but I do have some conservative beliefs, too. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? I don't have one, given I never got into that franchise. What’s the worst that could come out of letting gays marry? Not a goddamn thing. What’s the most sexual thing you’ve done? Done "the thing." Name something that you are against. I'll go with an unconventional one that's a problem as of the late: making owning reptiles illegal. Why are you against it? Because reptiles are perfectly capable of being brilliant pets and, most importantly, can tame people's fears of them. I think that it's very important to see the worth and beauty in all animals, and reptiles are one of the most unappreciated families out there. :/ Have you ever played the Tomb Raider games? I played some of either the first or second one. I could never beat it. Old games are hard, man. Do you like it or hate it when your partner is clingy? I absolutely believe that it can get to an extreme that I don't like, but for the most part, I don't mind a clingy partner because hey, I am too. Beatles or Rolling Stones? Stonessss. When was the last time you changed your opinion on somebody? It'd been on my mind for a while, but I *officially* realized that I really do like-like Girt a couple days ago. And since then it's gotten a bit hardcore and all I wanna do is talk to him bc fuck me and how attached to people I get. What was the last thing that made you feel proud and why? Every single time I go to the gym, I feel proud of myself because it REALLY takes a lot out of me. Do you feel uncomfortable when people you hardly know confide in you? Nope. I'm willing to be a shoulder to cry on for like... anyone. If you're hurting, talk to someone. I'll be there as an easy option. What was the last thing to fascinate you? It was... INCREDIBLY disturbing and almost nauseating even for me, but I saw a video of a dead whale explode. It was GRUESOME. Guts just kept coming and coming and coming and :x Is there a certain noise/sound which scares you? Hmmm... I'm sure there is, but what, it's not coming to me. Sudden, loud noises are an obvious answer. Do you have a favourite microorganism? ... No, I can't say I do. Out of the people you know, whose birthday is next? Girt's, actually. It's in October. If you have pet fish do you bother to name them? I did when I actually had them as a kid. Do you keep your eggs in the fridge? Ye. Have you ever owned chickens? No, but that'd be cool. Fresh eggs from a properly cared for chicken taste SO much better. When did you last listen to music? Currently. NOW I'm obsessed with Melodicka Bros & Violet Orlandi's cover of "Somebody That I Used to Know." It's done in a gothic metal style and is amaaaazing.

[thecoleopterawithana]

On the influence of Elvis Presley. The Beatles Anthology, Episode 1.

PAUL: I remember being in school when I was a kid, and somebody had a picture in one of the musical papers of Elvis. It was an advert for Heartbreak Hotel. And I just loved it, and I just thought he’s just so good lookin’. He just looked... perfect. 

JOHN: When I was sixteen, Elvis was what was happening. A guy with long greasy hair, wiggling his ass and singing Hound Dog and That’s Alright Mama; those early song records, which I think are his great period. 

PAUL: That’s it. That is the guru we have been waiting for. The Messiah has arrived.

-

Nothing really affected me until Elvis.

— John Lennon, in Hunter Davies’ The Beatles: The Authorised Biography (1968).

-

I nearly did very well at grammar school but I started to get interested in art instead of academic subjects. Then I started to see pictures of Elvis, and that started to pull me away from the academic path. 'You should see these great photos ...' Then you'd hear the records - 'But wait a minute, this is very good!' — and then the tingles started going up and down your spine, 'Oh, this is something altogether different.' And so the academic things were forgotten.

— Paul McCartney, in Barry Miles’ Many Years From Now (1997).

-

This fella I knew called Don Beatty showed me the name Elvis Presley in the New Musical Express and said he was great. It was 'Heartbreak Hotel'. I thought it sounded a bit phoney: 'Heart-break Hotel'.

The music papers were saying that Presley was fantastic, and at first I expected someone like Perry Como or Sinatra. 'Heartbreak Hotel' seemed a corny title and his name seemed strange in those days. But then, when I heard it, it was the end for me. I first heard it on Radio Luxembourg. He turned out to be fantastic. I remember rushing home with the record and saying, 'He sounds like Frankie Laine andJohnnie Ray and Tennessee Ernie Ford!'

— John Lennon, in The Beatles Anthology (2000).

-

That was the biggest kick. Every time I felt low I just put on an Elvis and I’d feel great, beautiful. I’d no idea how records were made and it was just magic. “All Shook Up”! Oh, it was beautiful!

— Paul McCartney, in Hunter Davies’ The Beatles: The Authorised Biography (1968).

-

Film clips of Presley’s American TV appearances now also began to filter through, revealing him to be almost ludicrously good-looking, albeit in a baleful, smoldering style more usually associated with female glamour icons. Here, indeed, was history’s one and only male pinup for straight males. In common with his other British converts, John obsessively read and reread every newspaper story about Presley, cut out and saved every magazine picture of him, pored over every detail of his hair, clothes, and sublimely sullen face for what it might reveal of his private character and lifestyle. At Mendips he chattered so endlessly about his new hero that an exasperated Mimi finally brought down the guillotine. “It was nothing but Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley,” she recalled. “In the end I said ‘Elvis Presley’s all very well, John, but I don’t want him for breakfast, dinner and tea.’”

— In Philip Norman’s John Lennon: The Life (2008).

-

[John] kept looking at Elvis’s picture on the cover and saying, ‘Isn’t he beautiful?’

— Maureen Cleave, in Philip Norman’s John Lennon: The Life (2008).

-

If black rock-’n’-rollers, like Presley himself, teetered on the edge of comedy, Richard’s exultant gibberish (“Tutti-frutti O-rooty…Awopbopaloobopawopbamboom!”) was a deep-South descendant of Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky.” “The most exciting thing…was when he screamed just before the solo,” John later recalled. “It used to make your hair stand on end. When I heard it, it was so great, I couldn’t speak. You know how it is when you are torn. Elvis was bigger than religion in my life…I didn’t want to leave Elvis. We all looked at each other, but I didn’t want to say anything against Elvis, even in my mind.”

— In Philip Norman’s John Lennon: The Life (2008).

-

I'm an Elvis fan because it was Elvis who really got me out of Liverpool. Once I heard it and got into it, that was life, there was no other thing. I thought of nothing else but rock'n'roll; apart from sex and food and money - but that's all the same thing, really.

— John Lennon, in The Beatles Anthology (2000).

-

In our imaginations back then, John was Buddy and I was Little Richard or Elvis. You’re always someone when you start.

— Paul McCartney, in The Beatles Anthology (2000).

-

Ever since I heard Little Richard's version, I started imitating him. It was just straight imitation, really, which has gradually become my version of it as much as Richard's. I started doing it in one of the classrooms at school, it was just one of the imitations I could do well. I could do Fats Domino, I could do Elvis, I could do a few people. (Smiles.) I still can! "I'm walking, yes indeed, I'm . . ." (Fats Domino impersonation) ''Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen," (Elvis Presley impersonation) That's Elvis.

— Paul McCartney, in Paul Gambaccini’s Paul McCartney: In His Own Words (1983).

-

I was very impressed by Paul playing “Twenty Flight Rock”. He could obviously play the guitar. I half thought to myself – he’s as good as me. I’d been kingpin up to then. Now, I thought, if I take him on, what will happen? It went through my head that I’d have to keep him in line, if I let him join. But he was good, so he was worth having. He also looked like Elvis. I dug him.

— John Lennon, in Hunter Davies’ The Beatles: The Authorised Biography (1968).

-

JOHN (March 1966): And we’ve got people who look like Elvis Presley too, in our camp, as well. So that he’s no trouble to us, you see.

-

John writing ‘I love Elvis’ on a portrait of Paul.

-

JOHN (August 1980): I’m a chameleon. I’m influenced by whatever’s going on, you know. It’s the same as, if Elvis can do it, I can do it. If The Everly Brothers can do it, me and Paul can do it. If Goffin and King can do it, Paul and I can do it. If Buddy Holly can do it, I can do it. So whatever it is, I can do it.

-

JOHN (October 1980): I come from the macho school of pretense, you know. I was never really a street kid or a tough guy. I used to dress like a Teddy boy and identify with Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley, but I was never really in any real street fights or real down-home gangs or nothing. I was a suburban kid, imitating the rockers.

[theoi-crow]

If you don’t mind, could I consult something? Lately I’ve been feeling a little sad or discouraged, and don’t know what to do or if is anything to do about it, because I don’t feel the gods. Not even Hermes, which is the one who I’ve had more contact. I want to have a closer relationship with them, but Indont know of that’s reciprocated or If they are “with me” at all, I talk to them, I give offerings daily, but I don’t know if they accept them or even want them from me, J guess I’m doubting (1)

(2) myself. I’m afraid I’m not a good hp for them, my flaws are many I think, as a practitioner included. Could you give me some advice or tell me your thoughts about it, please? Thank you very much! And sorry for the rant, please ignore this if this is uncomfortable.

----------------------

It's not uncomfortable at all and thank you for trusting me with such a sensitive topic.

I understand the idea of thinking you're not good enough for them because of the flaws but here's the thing, you're human and humans have flaws.

If the gods cared so much about flaws they would never want to work with another human again but they love us.

They admire us when we try, even when we fail because it means we made an attempt. When we seek to change old habits, even when we go back to them. When we try to better ourselves, even when we go back to square one. When we honorably pay for or try to pay for past mistakes like Hercules and his 12 labors. There's a reason why that story remains a favorite in society's eyes.

Hercules killed his family which is the biggest offense you can ever give to the gods and he worked really hard to be forgiven. Remember that he was not only forgiven but became a legend that is still admired to this day.

If the gods could forgive Hercules whose flaws are massive by comparison, believe me when I say your flaws really don't bother the gods.

I personally have ADHD, PTSD, and a laundry list of a bunch of other things people would consider flaws but the gods understand because I'm human.

As for being ghosted by a god, the gods do this thing where they talk to you, connect with you, give you lessons and then poof, they are nowhere to be seen, heard or felt.

I personally get ghosted by the gods all the time. One day I'll have this strong bond with Aphrodite and suddenly she's nowhere to be felt or seen for the next 3-6 weeks or even months.

At first I thought she was mad at me as well but then I realized she was guiding me and then letting me go off on my own because gods don't want to hinder our free will.

In Ancient Greece, with the exception of The Pythia (and possibly others, considering there were a lot of documents we lost) the gods didn't really connect directly with their followers like how they do now. They trusted their followers knew what to do because the Hellenic religion was everywhere.

Now, the gods talk to us directly because they know Hellenism is no longer as big as it once was.

But remember the human free will? The gods believe that free will is a big part of what makes us humans. What sperates us from other animals.

The free will to create and chase our dreams or to chase a better life, etc.

If a god spoke to you every day, 24/7, they know you aren't going to be using your free will because you will be doing whatever that god is telling you to do. In order to fix this dilemma while still communicating with us, the gods will take a step back and see what we do.

Think of it as a trust excercise and for a god to trust you is such a powerful thing. The more a god steps away while you still want to work with them the more they trust you to excercise what they taught you.

Notice I said: "... While you still want to work with them"? That's because I personally believe a god sends energy to keep you interested in them. (This is my own personal opinion but if you don't feel this is true for you, feel free to ignore this bit because there is no right or wrong way to work with the gods, just our own way.)

Going by my own beliefs (again, ignore this part of it does not ring true for you) if a god is ghosting you but you are still drawn to them, it means this god is letting you excercise your free will away from the pressure of doing what they said just because they told you to do it. They want to see you choose it for yourself.

Like a parent holding their barely walking toddler's little hands and then letting them go as they try to get the baby to walk toward them without holding onto anyone.

Another reason why it's important for a god to step back and a devotee to excercise their free will is because that god may ask for something the devotee feels pressured to give them that may not be within their budget.

An example: a year or so ago, Aphrodite wanted a very specific ring embellished in diamonds as payment for something she had helped me with. She was more interested in the diamonds than the ring itself but I didn't want to disappoint her so I was trying to figure it out. I'm very sensitive to energy so while she was around me, I had a type of floaty high where I felt it was "just a diamond ring, no big deal" but as soon as Aphrodite was gone, I was able to reason with my wife and realize it was way out of our budget. When Aphrodite came back we talked and came to an agreement for me to just get her a beautiful but flawed diamond (whose flaws are only visably under a special lense) that was within my budget.

Another thing a god can produce is a specific feelings/energy. When Dionysus is around me for too long I feel tipsy which is a fun feeling but not when others begin to ask me if I've been drinking and look at me suspiciously when I say no. Especially on days when I really need to focus.

Speaking of feelings, if Ares is around me for too long I begin to get a fight or flight survival feeling and I've learned that between fight or flight I always choose fight so having Ares near me for too long makes me want to defend the ones I love with whatever it takes.

The gods know this. They know being around us for too long makes it hard for us to excercise our free will and depending on the god and person (again, I'm very sensitive to energy), we also start to be affected by their energy.

But what really sells it for gods is that a devotee learns by trial an error. A god guides them, but it's up to the devotee to choose their steps and engrain those lessons with the trust they give us.

You are loved and I believe that if you still want to work with the gods, crave to work with them, it means they still want to work with you.

Being ghosted by a god happens to a lot of devotees (it's a noticeable trend among Apollo followers but all gods do it.)

I know it can be hard but know that your gods will be there if they see you are about to fall.

Another thing that could cause the seeming disconnection could be stressors around your life that could be making it hard to see signs.

Make it a point to actively look for these signs.

Read anything and everything involving that god because they will occasionally reference a myth they were involved in as a sign. If they have a specific animal, bird, items, songs that remind you of them or if they keep popping into your mind are all signs of them trying to connect.

A lot of times people assume a god's energy will connect with them or the god will literally talk to that person but gods communicate in so many ways that I sometimes have to piece it all together.

An example of a Godphone moment for me: Hermes' face randomly pops into my mind. A song comes on and the line "just go get it." Keeps replaying in my head. I come home and find I have to choose between getting a thing or not. I get it and it leads me exactly where I wanted to go.

This is one of the many types of Godphone moments that I'll get. It's usually drawn by this ache to go to a place, read a verse or look something up as well as personal intuition.

So there's a lot of reasons why the connection might be off but I feel like a god disliking you isn't the answer. They love you so much more than you know.

I hope this helps.

May the gods' energy WiFi keep highbars for your Godphone connections.

[aquariusxiv]

Strike! AU magic

Strike! has a very unique class system in that a class defines only what overall mechanics you can use and actively encourages a total reskin or refluff if you want - on the one hand, it's easy to make a concept work, on the other you gotta start with a concept rather than start with your class (I'll just play a cleric since we need a healer) and then letting your concept grow over time.

Still, that flexibility appeals to me. One of the classes, shapechanger, is generally intended to be a druid-like wild shape class; but one of the suggested reskins is for a Metroid-like suit of powered armour that has different offensive modes or functions you can activate. Necromancer works fine as an actual necromancer, but I quickly saw it could be used to play a Diplomacy-based negotiator character that (after an enemy is roughed up a bit) convinces them to fight on your side.

So because I'm sick and bored, I wanted to do an experiment: Take five character concepts, identify the role and class they would be normally.

Then keep the role the same, randomly roll for class, and see how that changes/would fit the concept.

Using my own characters from LARPS or MMO roleplaying, with the caveat that I can only use one Valentein because otherwise they'd all be similar concepts.

Strike! has five roles: Leader (healer/buffer), Defender (tank), Striker (focused damage-dealer), Controller (debuffer), Blaster (area damage-dealer) and eleven classes: Necromancer (uses defeated enemies as a resource), archer (ranged attacker), martial artist (stance fighter), warlord (party support), magician (ranged fighter with vancian spell slots), bombardier (area attacker), shapechanger (can change into a different form once per encounter, so different type of stance fighter), summoner (summons static zone or power effects), buddies (pet class), rogue (class powers focus entirely on mobility rather than attacks.)

- Leader (Epoch) - - Valentein Prince, Scholar of the Arcane, Archmage, Lord-Accountant of the Carreg Wynn Cavaliers, Commander of the Carreg Wynn Guard, Zell of the No'Jiyuu Pryde, Scion of Familia Flaccara, Apprentice to the Goddess Malabascamabara, Slayer of Cascadian, and Prime of Carreg Wynn -

Epoch Valentein, because I really want him to be, would be a Necromancer Leader. Despite being a priest of a nominally undead-banning religion (a mite bit heretical) his skill with Essence and Void-aligned magic grants him the ability to animate and revive dead and dying bodies - serving to both subvert enemies and heal allies.

Roll the dice and... Buddies, essentially a pet class but can work as two characters fighting as a duo. Ok.

- Buddies Leader - - Prime Valentein Amaris and Talon Knight Leona Rey -

A personal bodyguard, Leona is armed and armoured. The Leader-powered healing magic originates from Valentein, but Leona has a majority of offensive and defensive manoeuvres.

Leona is healthier and sturdier than Valen is, so taking the Super-Buddy feature represents that. Leona has some typical tanky passives - Brave to intercept hits, Tough to be armoured - and some weapon-related Actives - Focused to mark, Pushy to knock away. They work as a team to support their allies.

- Defender (Secrets of Magic) - - Łukasz Żelazowski, Lendzianie Knight -

Łukasz would be a Martial Artist Defender, the mechanical 'stances' of the class being represented by different weapons and equipment he carries with him. At his core, he is a nonmagic character who is super tough and tanky.

Roll the dice and... Martial Artist. And... Martial Artist. AND... Martial Artist.

One more time... finally, Magician. Wow.

Magicians are inherently ranged fighters who can pick several of many spell options, made for people who like the utility of D&D wizards - not really fitting with a nonmagical fighter. Łukasz does also have some connections with death magic, since I was considering making him a necro-knight, but that never actually took shape. However, looking at the Blood Magic class feature - spending some of his own inner essence to generate otherworldly abilities - and the fact that there are defensive and melee-ranged spell effects in the Magician's kit we can assemble him into some kinda Witcher.

- Magician Defender - - Łukasz the Returned, Demon Hunter -

Dying an honourable death and glimpsing the dark powers that wait to swallow souls, Łukasz willingly allowed himself to be resurrected by a draconic sorceress in order to defend his world.

Magician Features: Ranged Basic becomes range 10 - Łukasz can slash a sword wind to hit at a distance.

Blood Adept: Łukasz can put more of his life essence into his attacks to increase their potency. Only once his blood has been spilled can he access higher-level supernatural effects - probably something a restricting or making vulnerable nature. Eventually he gains a Blood Curse - when he is Taken Out, he can spend his life energy on a major spell effect - used to make normally invincible demons vincible.

- Striker (Elegy) - - Crow, Wilder Survivor -

Crow was the dumbass last survivor of a dumbass Wilder forest clan that wandered over to Bartertown because his dumbass family was dead. He had shit luck with firearms, his 'old trusty' revolver jamming every time he fired it, so he relies mostly on a machete and getting the hell away from trouble to not die. He can swing a good hit when he lands, so overall he sounds like a Rogue Striker - prioritizing mobility and evasiveness to fancy attacks.

Roll the dice... Archer.

Crow's original concept was supposed to be more of a highwayman until I decided not to actively seek PvP and could not get a working dart gun for the life of me. So, let's hew close to that concept...

- Archer Striker - - Crow, Wretch Highwayman -

Leaning into 'soft control', Crow picks up Sentinel and a well-cared for revolver to take down those that get too close to him, or something he cares about. Focusing on opportune strikes he delivers the damage at range to multiple targets. Taking a trophy from every victim, he wears mostly black leather.

- Controller (Ultima Online) - - Dark Lord Ultimus, Vampire Mage -

Well, since I was 13, he'd probably also be a Necromancer but his original build in UO hewed closer to a Summoner Controller. Using mage abilities to summon elemental creatures to ensnare, bamboozle, and confound his targets. Also he's half-drow for maximum emo. Atlantic-shard UO Roleplay was... a lot.

Roll the dice... Shapechanger. Hm.

Well, he's already undead and half-drow. There's something there, right?

- Shapechanger Controller - - Tathkah Eilsett, Death-Cursed Shade -

Ultimus fluctuated through several concepts in my turbulent youth. One that stuck with me was his 'Shade' that came up when he was hiding his identity for some reason - emotionless and quiet, with more direct shadow powers in place of his elemental magic.

With this concept, he can manifest traits of different undead as his form power: Wraith (Hawk), Mummy (Viper), Shade (Kraken).

Manifesting the Wraith form lets him fly with moderate insubstantiability (no major changes needed to the flight power, since it already makes you untargetable).

The Mummy form lets him spread a curse that eats away at a foe's life-force.

Shade (for lack of a better idea) lets him grab multiple targets with shadowy tendrils, siphoning away their life-force.

- Blaster (Guild Wars) - - Warmaster Victor, Ascalonian Elementalist -

Cheating a bit, since this character was technically a Valentein but that really only stuck because I didn't want to remake the character with a new name. One of the names I was considering with Victor, so here we are. Elementalists in Guild Wars (1) are area-damage magical casters; Bombardier has mechanics that are best used by a non-magical concept, so he'd be a Magician Blaster. Hailing from the farms in Ashford, he joined the army as a battlemage.

Rolling the dice gives us... Rogue.

- Rogue Blaster - - Lightbringer Victor, Order of Whispers Elementalist -

The Order of Whispers, in opposition to the Ascalonian Army, teaches ways to move about in secret and to fight Torment Demons. Victor applies his elemental knowledge to move about in gusts of wind, travel on streams of water, shaped earth, or jets of fire. He uses his wide-ranging magic to affect groups of foes with status effects - blinding lightning, poisoned water, burning fire, and ankle-breaking stone.

So for some like Łukasz, the class affected the concept more than others - Crow just fought in a different way, whereas Łukasz changed specialties entirely from a fighter to a mage-knight. Something like this might be interesting to do as an in-game adventure. A divine curse or magical effect might have rewritten the party's history or changed their cutie marks around, resulting in a changed moveset for a spell until the bad guy is defeated. I dunno!

[rcsefleur-blog]

hi all !! this is an introduction to my freshest muse and newest baby yeo eunchan otherwise and more commonly known as ‘chan’, he’s a sweetheart but of course because its me and i can’t resist giving my muses slight torture, he’s a tormented sweetheart. if you look at his pinterest here you’ll get an idea of his style better since that’s pretty essential to him as a muse in this case hshd. below the cut you can find out a bit more about him and if you hit the like, i’ll be sure to throw him at you for plots !! lets get into it: 

BACKSTORY: 

chan’s childhood wasn’t particularly dark or strained. he is by far the least tragic out of all my muses. but for me, that’s still pretty tragic by mosts standards. growing up he always had a very supportive father in regard to his homosexuality and androgynous qualities. he grew up in a happy home and despite not being rich he was very fortunate to have rich opportunities come his way. to be fair he’s pretty easily pleased but most of his experiences thus far have been plentiful

perhaps that is why his luck has to run out somewhere down the line, in the worst way it possibly could. his mother passed when he was young due to cancer. it was a grave and difficult time for his father as well as the rest of the family. his father crumbled eventually, in the hospital with health issues now that are so severe he’s due to pass any day and is basically in a vegetative state already. chan was left to raise his five year old sister nari and take on the responsibility. 

for this reason, he could be considered a struggling single father as he’s pushing his own dreams and goals aside to accomodate for nari and make sure she has the best upbringing which is comfortable for her, where she can see chan as a father figure as well as an older brother now, who can be relied upon and responsible. balancing the line and the roles between brother and father isn’t always easy though when the lines are constantly blurred. he has sacrificed most of himself and his youth to keep nari happy and healthy and mostly untouched by the death of their parents. 

this hasn’t been easy though, it’s left chan isolated and with no one to speak to but the five year old girl a lot of his feelings get locked in a box and left unexplored, he cannot have a moment of hesitation or weakness because then that will affect nari. his mourning process and grieving has been put on a backline, and he only really allows himself to break down in quiet moments without nari. such as when walking through the forest to be with nature, visiting their graves or on the edge of his bed having a good cry when nari is fast asleep due to the feeling of living in the empty space where his parents used to fill it all up. 

PERSONALITY: 

chan is a makeup artist, he does it professionally for models and artists all throughout the industry but he also does it for fun, becoming pretty popular as a person who gives tutorials on youtube and instagram as an ‘influencer’ but he really hates that label and prefers to simply think of himself as an artist. he also does the bit of fashion blogging and photography on the side. 

he considers himself an adventurer and for that reason he also travels a lot, usually while he is there he’ll study as he does photography for a course as well as a part time student and his main interest is in ancient architecture and art. most of the time he’ll roadtrip in his styled up vintage pick up but occasionally its flights to more beachy area’s, his two favorite places are greece and italy and he spends most of his time in those places if he can.

chan has a very vintage sense of style and he enjoys doing most things the traditional and old school way. although he does add a modern mindset to a lot of it. aesthetically style wise envision chan as fingers full of plenty of rings, ankle bracelets and arm cuffs with loose puffy sleeved shirts and ripped up mom jeans or high waisted ones. he cycles mostly everywhere on his vintage style bike. 

very much a gentle soul, little bit of a nerd and activist in the sense he wants to save the earth. he can be really intense about learning about nature and how to preserve it. he has always felt the most in touch with the natural world compared to the hum and chaos of the modern world and city life. he’s no saint of course and he’s still a sucker for coffee but other than that he likes to think he does his best. 

paints and draws very amazingly likewise, he prefers to draw flowers and people the most but he’ll work with whatever he’s got on hand. usually you can only catch him whipping out a sketchbook if he’s feeling stressed or overwhelmed as a form of escapism and quiet time. 

he is a little bit of a quixotic type so sue him, like one of the ‘have you ever fallen in love’ 'five times a day’ types but it’s not obsessive, it’s more of an admiration he considers all people beautiful and worthy of love in their own way and would state most of them are art to him. you could be the worst person and he’d be all ’ you dont have all the facts’ 'which are?’ 'i love them’.

although he doesn’t identify as genderfluid, he has a very genderfluid and androgynous sense of fashion and often wears clothing and makeup typically labelled as being more feminine. he likes a soft and classy look that usually consists of a good lip tint or ultra glossy lip and a natural but glittery smokey eye look. think kinda like the instagram influencer ivanbaaaaah for reference. 

MISC: 

growing up chan struggled with religion a lot, he and his family are very religious but his sexuality caused some issues. his father had always been supportive but his mother was a different story, unfortunately his memories with her aren’t the fondest. though he has a very dark history with religion, he loves to be in churches that are empty or abandoned for moments of reflection. often he wonders if he doesn’t even have god as the one consistent and reliable thing in his life, then what the hell does he have. he feels even now sometimes that he’s letting god and his mother down for the way he is but there is less shame now than what he suffered when younger. 

everything in his life basically revolves around nari, she goes most places with him and any task he’ll find a way to make fun for her, he doesn’t spoil her but he also doesn’t ever leave her to go without even if that is at his expense to do so. they love to bake together and he does that pretty often. 

has a part time job as a barista on night shifts and also in a patisserie. he works from home on his influencer content again to accommodate for nari and he also takes his course in photography and media online to best suit nari so he doesn’t have to leave her with a babysitter too often as he believes that’s no childhood and him just being lazy in his duty towards her as her parental figure at this pivotal time in her life. 

he’s putting off most of his dreams and aspirations right now for until nari is older, he could’ve been much more famous as an influencer but he chose not to be and put those opportunities to broaden his career on hold for a while because having a famous sibling in her life wasn’t the kind of overwhelming attention and pressure nari needed to be surrounded with right now. 

he honestly just wants to make sure nari grows up feeling safe, comfortable and happy as well as confident in herself and chan. she’s his primary responsibility and he considers himself her closest bet to a father now so he wants her to feel she has that bond with him as well as the bond of him being her brother. 

PLOT BUNNIES: 

a babysitter plot would be great, someone who he can rely on and uses often to leave nari with when he has no other choice and particularly on nights when he has to work. ideally it would be someone nari felt very close to and idolized so he knew they had an amazing relationship and she’d be happy and relaxed when he was gone. he’s very over protective of her so he’d also have to feel pretty close to the person. it could go any way really, it could be a pining thing, a best friend thing, whatever honestly. 

this boy definitely needs a confidant so throw that at me any day. 

friends who can help him reconnect with religion and spirituality in different ways so he knows there’s always a way for him to feel tied to god somehow and a god who loves him and best suits his needs somewhere even if it isn’t necessarily in the religion he grew up with. 

work buddies at the cafe he works in or patisserie would be amazing too. 

maybe a tutor/study buddy kinda person he met online through doing his course of media and photography to make sure he was making up for the classes he was missing out on by not being able to attend day lectures in college. 

just people with the similar hobby of photography would also be awesome or models even that he can do a couple of freelance jobs for on the side when they need him. 

muses for him to draw they’d be very special people indeed bc chan will rarely whip his sketchbook out in front of anyone let alone ask to draw them. 

more single parent muses would also be awesome eventually or older siblings who kind of take on that role half the time so have some idea of what its like who he could meet through taking nari to things like nursery, etc. 

neighbor bc who doesn’t love a good single dad and his neighbor plot  who’s all like woah that guy is super young and he has a kid but im also sure there’s no woman on the scene and wow they’re noisy and its kinda infuriating but its also cute as hell cause he’s a hella good dad and in the mornings i can hear them baking and doing food fights or playing together and i often see them messing about coming back from grocery shopping etc and actually its kinda touching?? 

gay pals cause we love gay pals as well as ur everyday pals we love a platonic bond between fellow gays. 

love interests of any kind rlly, pining situations, crushing, flings, ex’s ( they’d have had to have ended on good terms tho bc chan just can’t hate anyone ), first times e.g. sexually, boyfriend, kiss u get the idea 

[margridarnauds]

greenwitchpinkcrystals replied to your post “It turns out that every time I see “Danu” listed as an “Earth...”

Why

So, first off, let’s get this out of the way: This is not meant to affect ANYONE’S religious or spiritual practices. If you have a relationship with any of the Tuatha dé that doesn’t fit a given analysis, I’m not going to be the one who says “No, that’s wrong.” That’s YOUR relationship and your belief system, and I’m not going to touch that. That is NOT my place. 

What I’m talking about is purely on an academic level, reading the original medieval texts, and I will say that what I’m about to say, while I think it LEANS towards what I believe the academic consensus is, is not holy writ either. I fully admit that, if it came down to assigning myself to EITHER anti-nativist or nativist, I would probably class myself in with the anti-nativists, AKA The Party Poopers of Celtic Studies, as you’re probably going to find out soon.

On a more simplified level, there are three figures from Irish Mythology who I do NOT like discussing simply because they tend to elicit very strong reactions from people when Commonly Accepted Truths are questioned: Bríg, the Morrigan, and Danu. All three of them tend to activate my fight or flight response when they’re brought up (and, most of the time, my option of choice is FLIGHT.) 

Point 1 (AKA “In Which Rachel Rants About 99% Of The Over-Generalizations of the Tuatha dé Into a Given Function”)

 it’s nearly impossible to concretely assign almost ANY of the Tuatha dé to a function. They aren’t really...a PANTHEON like that, if you look at the texts. They’re an ever-shifting cast of figures loosely tied together by a sprawling body of texts, poems, and genealogies who, while they MIGHT have had a pre-Christian past, are being primarily used as literary figures. And it’s nigh impossible to tell where the one begins and the other ends, especially since the  Tuatha dé SHIFT depending on the text (and sometimes even in the same text!) 

One of my favorite examples is Lugh. Generally regarded as one of the best figures of the Tuatha dé, the hero of Cath Maige Tuired, master of all skills. A GOOD GUY, right? Except...in Sons of Tuireann, he brutally manipulates the deaths of three men simply because he decided that he wanted to have his cake and eat it too. And in the Dindsenchas poem Carn Ui Neit, where he kills Bres. And in How the Dagda Got His Magical Staff, where he kills Cermait for sleeping with his wife. And the main text where he’s a Shining Hero, Cath Maige Tuired, is generally accepted by scholars these days (most notably John Carey and Mark Williams) agree that the text primarily comes out of a 9th century context and is meant to be basically a bolster for the literary elite in light of the Viking invasions (the Fomorians come from Lochlann “Land of Lakes,” which can either mean “Norway” or “Norse occupied Scotland” in a medieval Irish context). It’s not that Lugh is NOT a pre-Christian figure, because the figure Lugus with Gaul is...pretty indicative that there’s SOMETHING, but we have no idea WHAT. And, really as far as the Tuatha dé are concerned, there are probably...less than five figures I would SOLIDLY say we have any evidence for worship for and an idea of where they MAY have fit. Give or take one or two depending how I’m feeling on a given day. (Obviously, some people, even on the more skeptical side of things, can be more or less generous than me; I’m just a naturally very suspicious person. The ‘less than ten’ thing should not be taken as any indication of a consensus here.)

Basically, they couldn’t even agree on how these guys were supposed to behave, much less give them a FUNCTION. Their powers, what and who they’re associated with, etc. all is variable, and it’s impossible to tell which figures were genuine pre-Christian figures and which ones were literary figures who were invented to serve the purposes of the time. (Also, there are some figures who are highly associated with the literary elite but who...don’t pop up in any of the folktales that adapt the same stories, which leads me to suspect that their MAIN association was with the literary elite and they didn’t have any real influence out of that. See: Bres. I WANT my special boy to have been a Big Figure who was worshipped and respected, but the evidence, to ME at least, strongly suggests that he was a figure strongly associated with the literary elite who was tacked on as a villain to Cath Maige Tuired.)

So, my tl;dr here is that, really, it’s hard to assign a “mother goddess” or “Fertility goddess” to the Tuatha dé because, simply put, there is no way to assign that kind of specific function to almost ANY of the figures of the Tuatha dé. How they’re depicted really depends more on what the individual scribe wanted to convey rather than consistently associating them with ONE thing, and even in cases like Cormac’s Glossary, which DOES give a FEW of them functions, it’s....shaky at times, as we’re about to deal with. There are figures who ARE mothers, but it’s hard to really say that they’re...THAT associated with it. Generally speaking, the designation seems to be given to female figures in the text mainly because...they couldn’t think of anything else to apply to women? Ditto for “Fertility”. (See: Bríg. There is no reason to assume that Bríg had ANY association with fertility, and yet it’s a claim I see regularly trotted out.)

Point 2 (AKA “Okay, but what about DANU? Who IS said to be ‘Mother of the Gods?’”): 

Even by the usually-shaky standards of Irish Mythological continuity, (D)anand (not Danu in any of the medieval texts) is...strange, as far as her background. Not in a “There are like ten layers of literary stuff lightly sautéed on top of a Pre-Christian background” way, but in a, “Holy Shit, they REALLY created a goddess out of nothing, didn’t they?” way. The tl;dr is that, INITIALLY the Tuatha dé Danann were...the Tuatha dé. Just “Tuatha dé.” Which translates out very, very roughly to “God-Tribe.” Which WORKED but also, unfortunately, was the same term used for the Israelites in the Bible, which caused Confusion understandably. 

And, well. I’m going to let Mark Williams explain the rest, since he’s the man with the PhD (Also, if you have ANY interest in how our current conceptions of the Tuatha dé have been formed, I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s a VERY solid, accessible book that doesn’t bog itself in academic jargon and instead tries to create something that can be read and enjoyed by anyone, and unlike me, he’s very open as far as the possibilities): 

This tangle indicates two things: first, the origins and developments of the mysterious Donand are not fully recoverable, and secondly the idea that Irish paganism knew a divine matriarch named Danu cannot now be maintained. The compilers of ‘Cormac’s Glossary’ may have been quite correct that there had once been a goddess called Anu or Ana associated with the Paps mountains, since it beggars belief to think that the pre-Christian Irish would not have associated so impressively breasted a landscape with a female deity. On the other hand it is suspicious that so important a figure as the glossary’s ‘mother of the Irish gods’ should go unmentioned in the early sagas, teeming as they are with former gods and goddesses. This raises the possibility that Ana/Anu may have simply been a local Munster figure, less familiar or even unknown elsewhere in Ireland. 

Michael Clarke foes further, and suggests that the lofty description of Anu/Anu in ‘Cormac’s Glossary’ may itself owe more to medieval learning than to pagan religion, and result from a monastic scholar musing learnedly on the goddess Cybele, mother of the classical gods...He also quotes Isidore, Irish scholars’ favourite source for the learning of Mediterranean antiquity, who describes Cybele in striking terms: “They imagine the same one as both Earth and Great Mother...She is called Mother, because she gives birth to many things. Great, because she generates food; Kindly, because she nourishes all living things through her fruits.” 

This, as Clarke notes, is so close to the Irish glossary entry that it is hard to avoid the suspicion that the ‘personality’ of the goddess Ana-’who used to feed the gods well’-has been cooked up in imitation of the classical deity. That Clarke’s analysis may be right is suggested by a distinctive oddity in the ‘Ana’ entry: While traces of the activities of divine beings are constantly detected in the landscape in Irish tradition, nowhere else is a natural feature described as part of a divinity’s body. This is rare even for the better-attested gods of classical tradition, with the signal exception of the great mother-goddesses of the eastern Mediterranean, of whom Cycle, the ‘Mountain Mother’, came to be the most prominent. Ana/Anu is simply not on the same scale or plane of representation as síd beings like Midir or Óengus, and it is telling that the Paps of Ana were imagined (by the early thirteenth century at the latest) as a pair of síd-mounds, the separate and unconnected dwellings of different otherworldly rulers. 

(Ireland’s Immortals, pg. 189-190)

So, just as much as it’s hard to assign a function to MOST of the Tuatha dé, it’s even harder to really....SAY whether Ana actually existed prior to a certain period of time. She definitely wasn’t called “Danu;” that form of her name is never used at that point. 

Was there a figure who was “Mother to the Gods?” I don’t know. Maybe there was! Maybe she was the Great Mother Goddess of the pre-Christian Irish! I’m not going to claim to KNOW one way or another until we invent time machines and I can properly go back in time to shake an answer out of Cormac in person. But it’s impossible to know and the evidence is scant at best, definitely not worthy of the press she gets. I wish I could tell you. I really do, even if the answer was something that I personally wouldn’t like. But then, we wouldn’t have a field, either. 

[asktheboywholived]

i think it's wonderful you want to approach the world with empathy, and encourage others to do the same. have you read about or experienced tone policing? it's a tactic used by the majority to undermine how justifiable our anger is. being empathetic and being angry aren't mutually exclusive (not that you've said that are). i just think it's worth considering tone policing, and its affects, in relation to your fb post. you wrote well, and i just want to continue the conversation.

(( OOC: I’ve never heard of the term tone-policing specifically, but after looking it up, I’m sure that many people, myself included, have experienced it to some degree. It’s hard to avoid it really. 

“[Tone Policing] attempts to detract from the validity of a statement by attacking the tone in which it was presented rather than the message itself.“

I’d actually really like to discuss this, thank you for bringing it up. 

Social media has made conversing very difficult. Because of the anonymity and lack of face-to-face, human interaction, people don’t really see or feel the consequences of words and actions. It also allows people to read into the words being written and manipulate the tone of the statements.  

Tone policing is clearly a method used to detract from and rationalize set beliefs when they are being challenged.

This is why, when addressing controversial topics, it’s so important to channel the anger into calm, educated discussion. It takes a lot of understanding of human nature and how they react to certain phrases or words to get your point across the way you want to, without eliciting an aggressive response. That’s not to say that tone policing won’t still occur, but when we focus on our wording, it can help detract from that.

I won’t deny for a second that sadness and anger are a valid and justifiable reaction to oppression. I can honestly say that I’m angry and hurt, often. Anger and aggression have a place, but we have to be cognizant enough to gage when and where that’s appropriate.

Let’s talk about how the human mind works in relation to communication.

When our personal views are challenged, our brain reacts as though we are being physically threatened. 

If you think about how your body reacts to threats, and then apply that to an argument, or even a discussion that opposes your world view, the instant reaction is usually the same... adrenaline, heart racing, breathing picking up, a general feeling of discomfort, unease, dread or anger, etc. 

It’s the fight or flight response. 

Why do we react that way? 

Because the opposing view forces us to consider an alternative version of ourself, one that we have not personally experienced based on the life we have lived... thus the response connects directly to that instinctual gut reaction of self preservation... the self that we have created that has kept us safe.

THIS is why it’s so difficult to change our opinion, or for anyone else to change theirs. 

It would require a complete shift in identity and an enormous amount of mental energy, which your brain tries to preserve as much as possible. Mental energy/stress can be more taxing on the body than physical energy (for example, after taking a test you feel as if you ran a marathon, and all you did was sit and fill out answers).

The mental energy required to reevaluate everything that you have experienced/been taught, and connect new pathways in the brain, is extremely taxing on the body and therefore causes the mind to react harshly to anything that challenges the “reality” that it has created. 

I can honestly say that for the three years it took for me to deprogram from a lifetime in religion... I was physically exhausted, almost constantly.   

Taking that into account, it makes our approach to opposing views that much more important. If you can find a way to ease your way past that initial, instinctual fight or flight reaction, you can open the door for healthier, and more productive/effective communication. 

Now, I’m going to switch gears for a moment, because I know I didn’t touch on this much in my last discourse on the topic (since my focus was on empathy and calm discussion as a first priority)... but I’d like to address it now. 

There are people who will be unwilling to listen to any form of communication, no matter how you approach it, and will instead only engage in conversation to attack or win the argument. 

I had a ‘discussion’ with a man who’s only goal was to get his point across. He didn’t address any of the points I made... he simply waited for me to respond so he could send his next, pre-written response. It was a one-sided conversation and in the end there was nothing I could do. 

In those instances, it’s best to distance yourself from the individual, and take the fight to a different platform or arena where you will be heard. 

Furthermore, there are people who will put you in danger. Anyone who reacts violently to an opposing opinion should not be engaged with. It would take a beyond-drastic change in their life to make them come to a place of agreement (if ever), and your safety is never worth that. 

Something I also didn’t approach in my last post was aggression. 

Aggression has its place. Aggression can draw attention to a cause, or an injustice. Aggression can break down walls that may not be breached otherwise... but there is a time and place for aggression, and generally, that is not in personal interaction or disagreements, but in grander, political movements. 

Let me also clarify what I mean by “Aggression”.

Aggression has several definitions, and many of them are based in hostility and violence... however, the form of aggression that I’m talking about is a “forceful and sometimes overly assertive pursuit of one’s aims and interests”.

Aggression often finds itself hand-in-hand with excessive negativity, violence or hatred, which I don’t personally condone or agree with. There are ways to be aggressive without resorting to hatred. There are ways to express anger and hurt without resorting to hatred. We have to be more calculated in our aggression, or it will turn into something that won’t have a positive or progressive influence on the world.

We have to gage our audience. We have to know when to use discourse, and when to use aggression... 

You cannot use the same methods on everyone. It has to be on an individual basis. People who react with aggression to every topic will inevitably fail in their approach. People who only utilize passive conversation with every topic will inevitably fail as well. We need to be analytical in our approach to each situation.

Here’s an example... Utilizing the same aggressive reaction towards a lack of representation as you would to someone threatening your safety is not an appropriate response. Those are two, entirely different situations that require different approaches. Reacting with aggression or violence to the former is, as stated above, a base, fight-or-flight reaction that needs to be calmed and overcome so that discourse can happen.

The window for discussion and expression has been growing smaller and smaller in favor of aggressive response... and because it has been growing smaller, and less conversation has been happening, aggression is having to be resorted to far more frequently. 

By shutting the opposing side down instantaneously, by not allowing their views to be thoroughly expressed and analyzed, by instantly labeling others as “bad” or “immoral” without understanding their reasoning... we’re creating an environment that doesn’t encourage open discussion. 

It’s a vicious downward spiral that we need to break out of, or it will only become harder for us to climb out of the pit. 

So, I will state again... put empathy first. Then process, analyze and choose how to continue from there. )) 

[brightbeautifulthings]

Feed by Mira Grant

"The zombies are here, and they're not going away, but they're not the story. They were, for one hot, horrible summer at the beginning of the century, but now they're just another piece of the way things work. They did their part: They changed everything. Absolutely everything."

Year Read: 2017

Rating: 4/5

Context: Mira Grant is a pen name for Seanan McGuire, and after reading and loving her Wayward Children books, I'm well on my way to wanting to read everything she's ever written. Ironically, Feed was on my TBR long before I knew who she was because of its zombie plot. Spoilers will be clearly marked.

About: More than twenty years after the zombie outbreak, society has more or less stabilized. The threat of zombies is just something people deal with every day, and Georgia and Shaun have grown up fighting the undead and blogging about it. People lost faith in mainstream media after the apocalypse, and many of them get their news from blogs instead.

Georgia is a Newsie, a news reporter dedicated to telling the truth as objectively as possible. Shaun is an Irwin, a blogger who deliberately puts himself in dangerous situations with the undead for the ratings, and their friend Buffy is a Fictional, a poet who also runs all their technology. When the three of them are chosen to travel with a political campaign, they have the opportunity to create their own blogging site with some of the highest ratings in the country. But somebody doesn't want the campaign to succeed, and the conspiracy goes deeper than any of them could have imagined.

Thoughts: This is such an original take on a zombie novel. It never would have occurred to me to pair the undead with blogging and political campaigns, and it brings a fresh new outlook to the world after the apocalypse. McGuire’s future America is detailed and well thought-out (although the Republican who supports healthcare stretches my suspension of disbelief a little). It's also one of the only zombie stories (novel or film) to acknowledge that zombies are a major part of mainstream culture, and that would affect how people react to an outbreak. There are times when the attention to technology wore on me, along with a thousand blood tests (probably not an exaggeration, much), both of which drag at the pacing.

Thematically, though, the novel really succeeds. McGuire is able to delve deeply into socially relevant concepts like the trustworthiness of mass media and the threads of religion that are deeply embedded in some factions of politics to excellent effect. Her characters strongly advocate reliable news, thinking for yourself, and being active in the political process. Truly, she's using the zombie genre to its best purpose in providing social/political commentary as well as gruesome fun gore. (This, despite numerous references to George Romero being trashy horror. What? Romero is excellent horror. There's always some kind of commentary going on in those films. Flight of the Living Dead is trashy horror, let's get real.)

The characters overall are great, with particular emphasis on Georgia and Shaun. Georgia is logical, stoic, and ruthlessly committed to the truth, and Shaun is her perfect counterpart, friendly and reckless but, in his way, just as standoffish as his sister. Their relationship is the realest and most developed in the book, and it's the driving force behind most of the best parts. It's not as common to see siblings who are close in fiction, and I really loved seeing the "country" of two that they created together. Buffy, Rick, and Senator Ryman are also interesting in their own rights, with enough layers and backstory to keep readers guessing. (Also, it can't be a mistake that the four main characters are named after horror icons, can it? Georgia as in George Romero, Shaun as in Shaun of the Dead, Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Rick from The Walking Dead? At least two out of four are intentional.)

Despite the details that occasionally dragged (and the blood tests that failed to be suspenseful after the thirtieth one), McGuire is skilled at building tension in other ways, which is something that horror often lacks. Much of the novel is a slow burn, but there are enough plot twists in there to keep things moving and to keep even seasoned readers guessing. I called two out of three of the major twists, but the third one was definitely a punch that I didn't see coming. McGuire proves herself to have real guts when it comes to storytelling, zombies or not, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. TURN BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Okay, I wasn't expecting to cry so much over a zombie book. The novel makes it almost too obvious that Tate is the villain (and a somewhat flat one at that), and I guessed that Buffy was the spy in their group. However, I never saw Georgia's death coming. Throughout the novel, I was ready to riot if something happened to sweet, precious Shaun, but I didn't really think that McGuire would sabotage the best relationship in her book that way.

I'm never really happy about character deaths, but Georgia's is a lot like the ending of the film adaption of The Mist. It's brutal and gutsy and leaves me reeling, but it's also well done enough that I don't feel cheated out of a great character. In other words, her death does her justice. It makes it deadly clear that the stakes are really high and none of them have a good chance of surviving the end of the series. I'll miss Georgia's narrating; I like her, but I'm interested to see how Shaun takes over (and now that I know he talks to his dead sister, that relationship can develop in new and different, if somewhat grim, ways.)

[majingojira]

120 Years, 120 Monsters, Days 27, 28, and 29

This one is going to be a doozy! 

101) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - Orcs/Uruk-Hai

One of J.R.R. Tolkien's original creations for his Mythopoeia were the Orcs, and their spawn the Uruk-Hai.  They’re the template example of the ‘evil minion’ that can be slaughtered in droves yet still poses a danger if only from their numbers.  

Crude, vile, filthy, disgusting, rough, and cannibalistic, the Orcs were made to be as repulsive as possible, and that made them memorable.

102) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - Nazgul/Ringwraiths

Eh, might as well complete the trilogy.  With only one monster left to claim as its own, but still so many to choose from, it was a hard choice to make.  I decided to go with the one that has their own memorable musical motif.  

The Nazgul are an inspiration for every kind of “Undead” in gaming fiction.  Men who were granted immortality thanks to their magic rings, but their bodies did not last with them.  So now they are wraiths that animate armor and clothes in order to affect the world of the living.  Capable of dark sorcery, a shriek that drives men to madness, weapons capable of making more like themselves, and being unkillable save a few specific methods.  Drawing from old folklore and myth, it became a standard for generations to come.

And with their horses gone, they upgrade their mounts to Fell Beasts for the movie -- winged horrors that allow them to take down armies almost by themselves.  Since they are the inspiration for so many RPG horrors, I think the best way to describe how terrifyingly powerful and dangerous the Ringwraiths are is with an RPG term.

“HAX!  I CALL HAX!”

103) Freddy vs. Jason (2003)     - Jason Voorhees

Jason had to be on the list, but let’s be honest with ourselves: they were pretty crap for the most part. Often incoherent, relying more on spectacle than story, they’re good schlock at best, but some are also quite painful.  And he didn’t become a true monster until later in the series.  Before that, he was a human killer, and before that the killer was his mom and the best scare of the movie came from a damn dream sequence.  

Which is probably why, in the end, I went with the one where he fights the incarnation of nightmares for the film to include him in.  This was a labor of love, and that love shows through the film.  As you might have guessed, I’m not a fan of the Friday the 13th movie series. The love this movie shows that series makes me want to give them another chance (or a chance in some cases).  

As to Jason himself, he is in pretty good form. Archetypal “Slasher” or “Relentless Undead”. Driven to kill in part for revenge, in part mad obsession against perceived impropriety, and in part because his mommy told him.  It makes him more . . . sympathetic.  He’s still a remorseless killer, and nearly unstoppable juggernaut, but he’s the lesser of two evils here.

But that bar is REALLY low.

104) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - Dementors

Harry Potter had a lot of creatures in it, some from folklore, others were unique.  But only one really, truly resonated.  Those were the Dementors.  According to the writer, they were her expression of depression.  What it did to her is what the dementors do to others.  It’s quite succinct, but that’s what they are.  It’s a YA series, they can be deep, but sometimes the meaning is spelled out clearly.  

Their design, faceless, shadowy wraiths, works well to support them as incarnations of depression.  Plus the mouth the movie’s give them is just damn creepy.

105) Call of Cthulhu (2005) - Cthulhu

H.P. Lovecraft’s works have had a long and powerful influence on monsters, but his work has rarely been translated to film, and even rarer has it been done well.  One of those exceptions goes to a group of dedicated fans of Lovecraft: The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society who made an adaptation of one of his most famous works . . . as a silent film.  They made it as though it were adapted around the time it was printed.  

This choice allows for low budget and simple effects to carry the day.  It turns R’lyeh into full expressionist germanic horror. Including some practical effects taking advantage of visual illusions (creating a concave structure that looks convex, etc).  

Lovecraft’s stories are generally about the buildup, and the film works well in that regard.  It convinces the audience of the insignificance of man in the setting, and the reach and power of the sleeping god-monster.  Once Cthulhu shows up, there’s no real dialogue for that sequence. The actions are all primal and universal, with R’lyeh as much a danger as Cthulhu himself at times.  

There is one change: Cthulhu doesn’t ignore the poor humans.  It considers them.  Little more than pests, but it still considers them.  

And he’s a GREAT stop-motion effect, and even once shown, he is kept in shadow and shown only in part, adding to the menace he emanates.

106) The Host (2006) - Gwoemul

The Host is an odd film.  One part comedy, one part tragedy, one part absurdity, one part social commentary.  In the end, it works, but it’s an odd journey to get there.  

The creature itself is a mutation, and one of the best looking mutations I’ve seen.  It’s so mutated that it’s hard to identify exactly what it is, or what it was to start with.  Most mutants in fiction are just organism A + Extra stuff.  This thing is . . . well, aside from being horrendously ugly and amphibious it’s hard to say what it is, exactly.  And that works well in its favor.

The creature also moves around and acts as though it were in constant pain, which is another nice touch.  It is still a villainous beast at the end of the day, but the constant pain it feels and its need to feed make its actions understandable.  

107) The Mist (2007) - The Leviathan

The Mist has a great, simple premise.  “A fog rolls into town and a person with blood on their shirt comes running out, screaming ‘There’s something in the mist!’”

It’s so simple, it’s brilliant.  What is in the mist?  An entire alien ecosystem, foreign enough to be hard to kill, but close enough to eat us without suffering.  Of these, one monster stands above all the others (literally).  A creature as massive as a whale that has other horrors following in its wake.  After all the monsters and killer creatures (and madness driven humans), it shows up and easily demonstrates how insignificant humans are in this strange world order that peaked into our world.  It doesn’t interact with the survivors, it just passes by as the things which they thought were the deadliest things in the mist fly around it to pick up its scraps.  No more than oxpeckers to the horror.

It says so much with so little screentime.

Also, the ending of this movie messed me up in all the best ways.  

108) Cloverfield (2008) - Clover

This was America’s giant monster answer to 9-11 as Godzilla was to Japan after Hiroshima.  It didn’t quite work out as well, but it was still a good monster and good film.

I think part of the reason why Godzilla worked, and Clover did not has to do with symbolic resonance.  He manages to capture the fear, confusion, and similar fears brought up by the incident, but doesn’t go to the same lengths and depths of understanding of the situation (because, frankly, almost no one understood them yet at the time, at least not fully, as it was the result of almost 100 years of turmoil that can date itself back to the FIRST World War).  

The creature is just as confused as everyone else in the movie, which is a stark contrast to all that possible allegorical connection.  Still, it set one thing up: Large American monsters would have a bent-legged stance from here on out.  

109) Trollhunter (2010) - Trolls

A variety of perspectives and stories is always helpful.  It’s as true in life, as it is in film.  This is partly why I tried to include a few of the foreign film monsters that I have seen (that are worth it, I’ve seen some that were derivative as hell without adding much worthwhile).  So I was quite pleased to include Trollhunter on this list.

It walks a fine line between horror and comedy, which I always appreciate. It also treats the Trolls as sources of horror as well as treating them as big, dumb, dangerous animals.  All the strangeness of them is explained decently (they’re so dumb because of what they eat for the most part -- a mix of meat and rock, they turn to “Stone” because of a runaway chain reaction of calcium buildup due to an inability to process vitamin E or some such technobabble), save one detail from the folklore.

They can still smell the blood of a Christian man.  

The Found Footage style makes sense here and works well with it, and leads to some interesting humor beyond the usual “Camera Damage’.  We get humor ranging from surprise reveals to the mundanity of what really should be an awesome sounding job (To meme: Paperwork? For my troll hunter? It’s more likely than you might expect!).  The FX are convincing but what really sells it is the title character and his interactions with the creatures.  They’re just animals, big and dumb, and he has to clean up after them.  And his job is as terrible as you might expect.  It’s one part character study, one part journey into a hidden world.  And I’m a sucker for that sort of mix.  

110) How to Train your Dragon (2010) - Dragons

The Dragon in folklore, myth, and religion is one of the most diverse creatures within those fields.  Beyond even the vampire, which at times usually means “Usually nocturnal thing that attacks people in a debilitating/draining way rather than outright killing them”.  Very few movies go into the sheer variety the dragon can encompass.  They usually focus on one individual dragon or one species of dragon.  Before this series of books was turned into a movie and TV franchise of epic proportions, the only thing that even came close to doing that was the Rankin-Bass animated feature Flight of Dragons.  Which showed two main varieties of Dragon (Eastern and Western).  

The advent of cheaper CG allowed for a whole slew of dragon shapes and sizes to be used and while they didn’t go as nuts as some of the folklore went, they made a really good effort.  And one that I think should be rewarded.  

While the ones in the film have a similar general behavior (in the way that big cats have similar behavior), the visual variety made them a treat to all see on the screen at once.

[pueraeternuspan]

99 questions for the MUSE and 1 question for the MUN.

//Note: I kind of went from me talking about him to him talking about him.. he decided to take over late -_-

Rules: Don’t reblog! Repost with your own answers, tag whoever you want

Developing a character.

1. What is your full name?

Puer Aeternus, Peter Pan, Malcolm. (he has multiple names since he had like centuries of living)

2. Where and when were you born?

It is unknown. He had stated once he had been on earth for a thousand years. He could have been around much longer but he cannot remember. He was supposedly born in what is now called Kensington Gardens

3. Who are or were your parents? (Names, professions, personality …)

His parents are unknown. He was raised by the fae, a queen and king while in the garden.

4. Do you have siblings?

Not by blood. He considers some Lost Ones his siblings.

5. Where do you live now and with whom? Describe the place and the people who live with it.

Lives in Neverland, natives, merpeople, pirates, beasts, faeries, some lost children live on the island to. The land is small at a distance but much larger when on it, crammed with danger and adventure.

6. What do you do?

I'm an explorer, captain of the lost ones, a warrior, and of course a guardian of Neverland. King some call me. I just am a boy that has fun.

7. Write a complete description about yourself. You should consider height, weight, race, hair color, eyes and tattoos, scars or any other mark that differentiates you.

I stand about 5'8 since my time in the Underworld, Hades thought it was funny to force me to grow up some. My weight.. I'd say 112 lbs. Could be more or less. I'm thin without my wristbands and outfit. I'm half-fae half-human at this point. My eyes are a wild green. Tattoos? Eh none really (depends on the verse). I have many scars from Hook, beasts, and other beings on the island. Most hidden under my tunic. My hair is brown in color and messy. I wear a thimble around my neck at times from Wendy (hidden most of the time. It is dented since it saved him once from an arrow.)

8. What social class do you belong to?

Middle Class on Earth. High Class on Neverland.

9. Do you have allergies, illnesses or other physical weaknesses?

I can get sick easier on earth. Neverland is different, it lacks pollution and stuff. So I tend to have trouble staying for long. Physical weakness? Hmm hit me in the right place on my back and I will be unable to fly.

10. Are you right-handed or left-handed?

Right handed?

11. How does your voice sound?

British I say. Not really deep but not really high either.

12. What phrases or words do you use frequently?

Peter Pan Never Fails, Believe, Adults/Grownups (idiot, dumb, etc that goes with that.), Bloody/Bloody Hell, Laddie.

13. What do you carry in your pockets?

A vial of dreamshade, a vial of pixie/fairy dust, arrowhead, some acorns. 14. Do you have tics, hobbies, strange habits or other characteristics that define you?

No tics I don't think (not counting the brow raising), hobbies include hunting, killing, flying. Strange hobbies? Hmm I like playing a pirate at times. No one is the wiser.

15. How would you describe your childhood in general?

(From Malcolm): I lacked a childhood because I was sold by my own father as a child to a blacksmith. Only thing childish was dreams I could slip into. (Pan):  It was fun. It still is fun.

16. What is your earliest memory?

I remember voices. I think it was my mother, it was kind.. but also the words frighten me. I can't remember the words. Just fear. I remember Tink introducing me to the Faerie King and Queen.. and them saying my name.

17. What studies do you have?

None? Does being taught by Fae, Natives, Pirates, and Merpeople count? 18. Did you have fun at school?

Didn't go to school?

19. Where did you learn your skills?

Neverland. Captain Hook does deserve a thank you because he taught me unintentionally.

20. Have you had models to follow in your childhood or adolescence? Describe them.

I'd say hmm don't let him know. But the Codfish. He was interesting.

21. Growing up … What kind of relationship did you have with the members of your family?

No family and no growing up.

22. What did you want to be when you grew up when you were a child?

Hmm I wanted to be a ruler of the world. Rule over those annoying adults.

23. What were your favorite activities as a child?

I like hunting and exploring Neverland and the Neversea.

24. What personality traits did you have when you were a child?

I guess I was more innocent and kind hearted way back when.

25. Were you a popular kid? Who were your friends and what were they like?

I'm sort of a guardian of neverland. I think I'm popular?

26. When and how was your first kiss?

My first kiss. It was sudden. It brought forth feelings I never knew I had. Wendy saved me that day..

27. Are you a virgin? If you are not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?

Um... no comment (depends on the verse.)

28. If you are a supernatural being (eg magician, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you have become or have learned your own abilities. If you are a normal human, describe any influence that has led you to do what you do today.

Didn't I explain it already? I was born mortal as any other baby I suppose. The Queen always said I was once which is why I lack wings of a Fae. But I stayed among them and slowly I become more Fairie than human. It is hard to explain but you can stay with them forever if they trust you and care for you enough. I was brought to Neverland on the behalf of The Shadow. Chosen to be a Guardian of Neverland (the Natives, Merpeople, Beasts have a guardian.) And so I accepted. I am now the Guardian of Neverland. The only one. I don't know for sure why but I am the King now.

29. What do you consider the most important event in your life so far?

My first flight.

30. Who has had the greatest influence on you?

Once again, tell him and I'll gut you. But Hook.

31. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Becoming King of Neverland.

32. What is your greatest repentance?

Tinkerbell's death and returned to life. It made me realize that not everything is a game.

33. What is the meanest thing you’ve done?

Hmmm meanest thing... meanest thing (ignores cutting off James' hand, killing Lost Boys, torturing things) .... nope got nothing.

34. Do you have any criminal records?

With the human laws. Needless to say I'd have been locked away for life. 35. When was the time when you were most afraid?

Tinkerbell dying. I never felt fear like that before and never wish to feel it again.

36. What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever done?

No one will know my embarrassing things EVER.

37. If you could change a thing from your past, what would it be, and why?

I don't know.

38. What is your best memory?

Wendy and discovering Neverland.

40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?

Optimistic

41. What is your greatest fear?

Growing up.

42. What are your views on religion?

Eh. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Some call me a God. Great God Pan funnily enough.. I am no goat man though.

43. What are your views on politics?

Waste of time.

44. What are your views on sex?

Whatever with me.

45. Could you kill? Under what circumstances would you find killing something acceptable or unacceptable?

I would wake a pirate just to slit their throat... what does that tell you? I'm a tad honorable though, if I'm challenged I will fight fair-ish.

46. In your opinion, what is the meanest thing a human can do?

Lying to me, trying to trap me, try to make me an adult.

47. Do you believe in the existence of “soul mates” or true love?

I want to say yes. I've seen it a few times in my long life.

48. What do you think makes a successful life?

To live how you want.

49. How honest are you about your feelings and thoughts (eg, do you hide your true way of being from others, in what way?)?

50/50. I can either be very honest or hide my thoughts.

50. Do you discriminate or have prejudices?

Only towards adults. If you prove you are trustworthy I will tolerate you.

51. Is there anything you refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?

Betray Neverland. I rufuse to harm Fae, even if it was a choice between me and them.

52. Why or who, if there is, would you die (or do other extreme things)?

Tink, some lost boys, Wendy or any of the Darling family.

53. In general, how do you treat others (Sincerely, rudely, keeping them at a distance, etc.)? How you treat them changes according to how well you know them, and if so, how does it change?

keeping them at a distance unless I approach first. The longer I know you, the more I either grow closer or distant.

54. Who is the most important person in your life and why?

The Darling Family, Tink. Why? I care I suppose. They are the only ones I can remember and care for.

55. Who do you respect the most and why?

I respect myself most. I respect some natives, merpeople, Fae, and some people.

56. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe those people.

Slightly, Nibs, Toodles, The Twins, Curly, Tink, Wendy, Michael, John.

57. Do you have a spouse or person of affection? If so, describe that person.

Not really (depends on verse).

58. Have you ever fallen in love? If so, describe what happened.

I fell in love with Wendy. I use love very loosely because it was a game.

59. What are you looking for in a potential lover?

Someone who understands me, won't tame me, understands how wild I can be. Love me for myself.

60. How close are you to your family?

I'm close to my lost ones.

61. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If so, you want? Why or why not?

(Malcolm): I had tried. Fiona was my one and only love and I had a son named Rumple. It was nice until fate destroyed it. (Pan): like.. love? family by blood? No. Not my thing.

62. How would you react if you were desperate for help?

It is rare. Very rare but expect me to bow to the one I'm asking for help. I will be in their debt if they do that.. and who can pass up Pan owing THEM a debt.

63. Do you trust someone to protect you? Who Why?

No. I can protect myself, they should think of themselves.

64. If you die or go astray, who would miss you?

The land, the beings on it. Children on earth would miss me, they would be sad.

65. Who is the person you most despise and why?

Hmm I don't know. Funnily enough I don't despise Captain Codfish.

66. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?

Fight Me!

67. Do you tend to take the leadership role in social situations?

I tend to be a leader. I can play follower for so long.

68. Do you like to interact with large groups of people? Why or why not?

No. I have a bit of anxiety that grows in large groups I don't know.

69. Do you care what others think of you?

Nope.

70. What is your favorite hobby (s) or hobby (s)?

Adventure, Hunting

71. What is your most treasured possession?

the thimble necklace,

72. What is your favorite color?

Green, Black, Blue?

73. What is your favorite food?

Steak.

74. What, if there is, do you like to read?

Fantasy/Adventure novels.

75. What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?

Music, movies.

76. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to leave it / s?

I drink at times when I'm bored. (he does drugs in other verses). Never really want to leave it.

77. What do you do on your typical Saturday night?

Sitting at my Thinking Tree.

78. What makes you laugh?

Merpeople jokes? Blood.. death... um I mean?

79. What, if there is, does it shock or offend you?

Assuming my choices in life.

80. What would you do if you had insomnia and should you find something to relax?

I always have insomnia. I don't really like to relax unless I know I'm alone.

81. Do you get the stress?

battling near daily brings stress..

82. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to plan?

Can be one or the other.

83. What makes you angry?

Adults, certain words, calling me a coward.

84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when that routine is interrupted?

Sleeping half the day, flying around while exploring, killing some enemies, hunting a boar for dinner. Watching over the sleeping lost boys.

85. What is your greatest strength as a person?

My thoughts, magic,

86. What is your greatest weakness?

I am not sure.

87. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?

Nothing?

88. Generally, are you introverted or extroverted?

Both? It depends on the situation.

89. Generally, are you tidy or cluttered?

I'd say tidy?

90. Name three things in which you consider yourself very good, and three in which you consider yourself very bad.

Very good:

Magic

Way with words

Sword/Knife skills

Very bad:

Trusting

Tends to kill and ask questions later...

Thinks is invincible.

91. Do you like the way you are?

Yep!

92. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing anything heroic that an RPG character would do)? Do the real reasons you do differ from what you say in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons)

Life is an adventure, my friend. Every day could be my last and I intend to make the most of it. Searching for the precious treasures, uncovering ancient legends, learning and reading languages long thought dead.

93. What is the goal you most want to accomplish in your life?

Make a world that is safe for children. Where they can never fear their parent, never be abused or neglected. Neverland can only do so much but I can only take so many..

94. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Still doing what I do now? I don't know.

95. If you could choose it, how would you like to die?

Fighting

96. You know you’re going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do before your time runs out.

Choose a new leader Probably talk to the Darlings Talk with the dear captain and I think we'd have one final fight. Hey he wouldn't know I'm dying so when I die he'd assume he finally killed his worst enemy. Last good deed.

97. Why would you most like to be remembered after your death?

I think I'll always be remembered in stories. Peter Pan, no matter how you paint me. Hero or Villain. I want to be known for a savior of lost souls and truly the boy who won't grow up.

98. Which three words best describe your personality?

Sarcastic, Cunning, Wise/Immature?

99. What three words would the others use to describe you?

Asshole, Freak, Demon?

100. (Question for the mun) If you could, what advice would you give your character? (You can pretend that you are sitting in front of you and use the right tone for him / her to pay attention to your advice)

Stop being a prick to people geezus crimity! Seriously my only advice is maybe you can act more human and less demon with some people.. and by some I mean 98% you meet. You aren't an island and you may eventually have to ask for help OUTSIDE those living on Neverland (or Storybrooke, Auradon, etc)

Tagged by: @loveisforchildren-percivalgraves

Tagging: @stanleylovesswords @kingxfmischief @harryxhookxfirstxmate @my-speciality @514-a @timxtopaythxpipxr @theirlastregret @thecursedson @tinypaintedthings if you want. and any one else that wants to!

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Hello! Do you have list of your all time favorite or current favourite books? Would you mind sharing it? I need some recommendations, because lately every book I pick up turns out to be awful.

MarHere’s a dangerous question. :) I read A LOT. So giving you a list of what I like right now would be a LOT of books. So, let’s start with authors I generally enjoy.

Barbara Kingsolver--I especially love “The Bean Trees,” “Poisonwood Bible” and “Flight Behavior.” Kingsolver writes multi-layered, interesting characters who learn about environmental and cultural issues in very real ways. “Poisonwood Bible” is always very high on my list of favorite books because it does a stunning job of investigating the sudden freedom of the Congo from the Belgium from a group of white missionary daughters.  Each of them takes turns telling the story, and each of them are very affected by events. It is not in any way a white savior story. It is the absolute opposite. These women are in this situation because their father thinks he has to save the tribes of Africa from themselves. They take away many different lessons from living under his roof.

Ed McBain--Fucking awesome, old school police pulp. He wrote the 87th Precient for 52 years, and his characters are vivid. The cases are also interesting. Be warned: He started writing them in the 50s, so there’s some problematic stuff (and Fat Ollie is a lazy, fat cop stereotype in a lot of ways), but if you like a solid mystery, he’s a good guy. 

Erik Larsen--Non-fiction guy. I’ve only read two of his books, but they were both fantastic. He likes to take two things happening in the same time and place and weaving them together into a larger cultural examination. “Devil in the White City” is about creating the Chicago World’s Fair while also investigating how that creation assisted H.H. Holmes, America’s first defined serial killer, in getting victims. “In the Garden of the Beast” is about an American ambassador in Berlin in 1933, and how he saw first-hand and early exactly how bad Hitler was going to get. It’s juxtaposed with his daughter falling in love with the city and culture of Germany and becoming slowly disenchanted. Larsen writes in a very friendly style that makes his books super easy to read.

K.J. Charles--Historical m/m romances that sometimes include magic. A+ porn and lots of feelings.

Heidi Cullinan--Modern m/m romances that include characters with disabilities or mental issues. A+ porn and lots of feelings.

Matt Fraction--He wrote my very favorite version of Tony Stark in “Invincible Iron Man.” “Sex Criminals” is fucking hysterical. “Hawkeye” landed at exactly the time I needed to watch a depressed superhero attempt to unfuck himself. “Satellite Sam” was drawn by Chaykin (fuck Chaykin), but the story is worth your time. 1950s live tv sleeze.

Kelly Sue DeConnick--”Bitch Planet” is a fantastic prison explotation feminist critique on life, love, and patriarchy. Her “Rescue” one-shot where Pepper Potts gets her own suit is everything I ever wanted. Her “Captain Marvel” makes me want to punch the sky.

Jen Van Meter--”Hopeless Savages” is a goddamn gift, and we should all give thanks.

Greg Rucka--Greg can write anything. He can also always write women well. This man is a gift.

Carla Speed McNeil--”Finder” is the science fiction you want in the world. Don’t let the brick-thick volumes 1 and 2 intimidate you. Pick up “Tailsman” or “Voice” to see if it’s your bag. 

Beverly Cleary--Re-read them. Trust me. Even as an adult they fucking rock.

Gonna stop there for authors, or I’ll be here all day. Some other stuff I’ve enjoyed:

YA

The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowery--I’m not a huge fan of “The Messenger,” but I think it’s worth reading to have the background to read “Son.” Overall, I think it’s a strong series. 

Shadow Children Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix -- What I found lacking in world build in “Hunger Games,” Haddix absolutely gave to me in this series. I haven’t finished it yet, but I fucking love it so far. The premise: There was a food shortage. People were only allowed to have two children. There are to be no third children. There are totally third children. They are ready to fight to exist. Haddix pulls no punches, so be ready for people to get hurt and die. 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness -- I have PTSD related to cancer. This amazing book helped me out a lot. I still have PTSD, but this book gave me a catharsis I cannot put into words. It is deeply important to me.

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu -- a young woman in a fundamentalist patriarchal Christian family starts questioning her place in her religion and her family. This one’s gonna punch you in the gut, but it is so worth it.

Fiction

Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews -- Southern gothic cranked to 15 with all the incest you never needed. The writing is particularly over-dramatic, and I fucking love this book. 

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Bejamin -- A historical fiction account of the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh told from her perspective. Includes direct confrontation with Charles Lindbergh’s Nazi beliefs and a very good take on the kidnap of their baby. 

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg -- lesbians in the 1930s and the very best of second wave feminism (and I hate second wave feminism) combine in a book that I could read forever.

Flannery O’Connor the Complete Stories--Oh, to be able to write like this. 

I am going to stop there for now, since the list could go on for a long time, and there’s a lot of stuff here. I have tried to keep it fairly light in comics (but I do love comic writers, so they’re there) but also light on non-fiction, since I don’t know what you read. If you want a longer list of both, just drop me a line.

[lastalostrasz]

Songla

Sitting upon a solitary hill outside a Pandaren Village in the Jade Forest, the Pandaren female’s eyes were closed. She sat in a cross legged position, her hands resting in her lap as she took in a breath and let it out slowly. Dressed in robes of a simple cut, she seemed to be enjoying a moment’s peace while it could be taken. The winds of her homeland often called her home, at least for a little while, before her wandering blood once more called her to return to the mainland. It would soon be time for her to return to Dalaran to resume her duties.

“Hello there,” a voice said, a male from the sound of it. She slowly opened her eyes to see what looked like a male high elf, a slight smile along his lips. Songla slowly unslung her body from the position it was in, moving to her feet as she pressed her hands together in a formal Pandaren bow. “Good morning,” she said politely. Though it had been a surprise for the stranger to come forward, she did not believe that she was in danger from this one. Perhaps he was only looking for directions, she thought to herself. “May I help you?”

“Oh….perhaps, perhaps.” The elf seemed to regard her quietly a moment. Songla returned his gaze, a brow raised faintly as she regarded him in return. Sensing her scrutiny, the elf smiled. “Let me ask you something….a hypothetical excercise, if you will. I see the raiments and the prayer book at your belt….and I see the staff that you have left with your bag. I can see that you are a priestess. So hypothetically, if you could not touch the Light, what would you do with your life?”

The Pandaren woman tilted her head slightly, staring at the elf once more, though she was already thinking of the question. She folded her hands in front of her as she mulled over her response in her mind. “While I think it is an amazing gift I have been given….to heal, to support, to protect…..I would do what I have been doing, I think. Helping people is my passion, and it is my life. Even if I could never touch the Light again, if I could help even one person, then I think I would have fulfilled my life’s purpose.” She looked at the man expectantly.

He regarded her and made a noise of acknowledgement, neither agreeing with her or condemning her for her choice. “And if a non-mortal required your help….would you give it unconditionally, or would you expect something in return?”

She frowned thoughtfully. “To give someone aid and then expect gratification for doing so…..that is not the way I grew up, nor it is the way I would wish to live my life. It is also not the way a Priestess should behave. Aid should be given to anyone, regardless if they are mortal or non-mortal. I would give them aid, and no, I would not expect anything in return.”

“Hm,” he said thoughtfully. “One last question. What do you think of life?”

“What do I think of life? I believe that it is one of the most sacred things about this planet. Though war does seem to affect our world more and more, people are willing to band together to protect it. We have whole sects of religions dedicated to the preservation of life. I am no fool….sometimes you must take lives to protect others, though I wish it were not needed….but life is worth fighting for. Take the Legion, for example. They are, without a doubt, a perversion of life in their wish to eradicate everything in their path. However, we have two very different philosophies gathering together to do what they can do to stop their march. These people are fighting in the defense of life on Azeroth….and it is a worthy crusade.” She let out a breath. “Those like me….who can touch the Light to heal….should feel honored to help heal these brave fighters.”

“Interesting,” the elf said. He smiled faintly before he took a step back. “You are…an interesting creature, Priestess Songla. I am wondering…if you are prepared to live up to your words.”

Songla blinked slightly. “What…do you mean?”

The elf grinned and took another step back and slowly his form began to enlarge and grow scaly. Standing before the Priestess stood a rather large red dragon. He lowered his head to regard the very small priestess, gauging her reaction mirthfully. Songla stared up at the dragon, but the creature’s aura seemed calming and peaceful. Slowly, she put her paws together and bowed to him once more. “It is a great honor to meet one of your Flight, master dragon.”

He laughed, the sound booming as he regarded the Pandaren fondly. “My my, you have a spine of steel, Priestess. And still so polite.” He studied her a moment. “I have a task for you,” he said. “As you know, the Flights are not as powerful as they once were. We once were infinite….but now, after so much…the Flights need the help of mortals such as you. The task I have for you is this…will you care for one of our whelplings? Teach them how to work with mortals? Teach them your views on life? Protect them, nurture them? Will you do this?”

Songla lifted her head, eyes widening slightly. “I….yes. It would be an honor.”

Lastalostrasz’s Response:

[Music]:

Paved by the consequences of war, the red dragon generally found himself involved in the midsts of battle. But when the Dragon Queen called, his agenda quickly changed to satiating her favor. Since the destruction of the Dragon Soul, there was little direction with the Red Dragonflight’s involvement in Azeroth. Having grown distant with her newfound mortality, Alexstrasza was no longer enabled to cherish one of the greatest things that life had to offer. Provided with a single egg Lastalostrasz grimly accepted his task. In his mind he could only think of one place that was acceptable for raising a red dragon whelpling. 

A bag rested over his shoulder as he traveled through a collection of bamboo in the Jade Forest. Upon his exit of the green straws, he’d note the Pandaren sitting alone on the hill. Regarding her while she sat in her lotus pose, he realized that a priestess would better be suited in teaching right from wrong. But more importantly, he wanted someone that could offer hope. Dawning himself in what appeared to be a High Elf illusion, he strode up the hill with a purpose in mind. Setting the bag down beside him, he’d clear his throat before initiating conversation.

Through their interaction he found himself reassured by her answers. A mortal who could exhibit the idea of fairness and respect, but be truthful and genuine in any given situation was a worthy candidate indeed. But in order to add emphasis to the situation and drive the point home, he decided that revealing his true form was necessary. Despite it being painful to shift, he let his body expand to encompass most of the area outside of the village. It would not surprise him if the inhabitants there witnessed his transformation; being one of the largest dragons within Alexstrasza’s brood, he’d easily match the height of the Temple of the Jade Serpent. Meeting the Pandaren’s bow with a low tilt of his head, he’d close his eyes to offer a sense of respect back. In his mind - this was something that he knew would please the Dragon Queen herself. 

Having informed Songla of what was to come, he was pleased that she accepted without hesitation. Moving forward with his long neck, he’d gently nip at the strap of the bag and lift it towards Songla. Within the bag, the egg shifted with excitement - almost as if the whelp inside was ready to hatch and indulge in the journey of the world. When the Pandaren took the egg, Lastalostrasz stretched his wings out from his body and placed a claw on one side of the hill. His head rose towards the sky as the air in his lungs surged through his throat and into his maw for an explosive roar. Once he concluded the ceremony with a dragon’s blessing, he’d begin to flex the joints of his wings and take to the sky. Crimson flames were added in contrast of dense blue sky before he moved through the air and departed from Pandaria.

@splinterofthemindseye - Hello again! I’m happy to see that Songla is beginning her legacy in serving the Red Dragonflight. It was certainly an entertaining angle to spin and offered diversity with my submissions. I was happy to have Lastalostrasz meet with her and offer one of the Lifebinder’s youngins’ to her. Congratulations on being the 4th place Grand Prize Winner!