#merle woo

[mutantceri]

Personal Note 1: Aliens

CW: Talk of suicide at the start

Been drinking. This will be as coherent as i physically can be… Was at the bar tonight, it was a rough rough day at work. I don't handle losing a patient well. Especially when some of the team still calls them 'specimens.' I understand, you look in the mirror and see an alien of yourself and start to lose sight of the end. It can get to you, but… don't ever think it won't get better…

Anyway. Drinking. Bartender knows me, knows I'm stuck as a monster. But sometimes I forget the rest of the waking world doesn't fully… get us. There was this group behind me at a table, and to their credit, were having a ball. A merle wolf, blonde coyote, black wolf, and a red fox. All at different stages, with the merle being a few months past the turning point. Well, this girl flags down down the waiter with her paw, and starts woof woo bork borfing at him. I think she was trying to order another drink. The party broke out laughing and told her to "use her human words." Problem is, that the waiter was noticeably alienated. Walked past me later, still with the 10,000ft stare. I bumped his arm: "you okay dude?" "Wha… what on earth are you? are… are you from this earth?" "Yeah man, just people that want to be something different. Science does wonderful things." "Seriously? I thought we had been invaded. Never seen anyone but you!"

Kind of hit me then… I can absolutely see why someone would think we all came from space. A bunch of, by definition, mutated humanoid beings, starting to come about the last few years. Body parts changing, disappearing, transforming…

Not to mention, I'm pretty confident that the one doctor is an alien. His clinic has made some cosmic transitions happen, which, is possible, but like… way before anyone else figured it out. Maybe his clientele is his experiment, and he keeps taking it back to his leaders. Hah. Wait a minute. … naaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

OH my god, imagine how wild furry conventions are going to be. Probably already are. Hah. We do walk among you. Haha. I mean our procedures were developed from tech we appropriated from… can I write that down? Fuck, I can't say thaaaaaaaaaaaa~~~~~~~

(Inspired by GraceWolfing's Caught Barking by Vanillayoteart)

[theroseyrat]

All merfolk sing.

Speculative biology/rambling under the cut. Background image sourced from this video.

I just really love the idea of merfolk in the Coral Island verse singing like the sirens and mermaids from mythology, but having their own version of it. This is just my take on what I'd imagine it to be like.

Mersong, despite its name, is not "singing" in the way that land-dwellers would despite the auditory similarities (though, merfolk are also capable of singing in the way that land-dwellers are.) Rather, it refers to a wide range of vocalizations made by all merfolk. Some vocalizations are known to be exclusive to specific morphs (think shark, fish, naga, etc.) These sounds are often melodic in nature, hence the name.

The exact origin of mersong is unknown. Parents of merlings will vocalize to their offspring. So, merfolk grow up hearing these sounds from a very early age, often from the day they are born. At one point, it may have been a prototypal language or basic form of communication. One of the primary purposes of mersong is communication, but, merfolk will often sing for non-social reasons.

Mersong has a wide variety of functions. For the individual, it aids with stress relief and is often a method of self-soothing. Merfolk are known to sing in their sleep. Merfolk often sing unconsciously, and without any prompting from external sources. Merfolk sing the most when they are happy.

Mersong also has a wide variety of social uses. Merfolk will often sing together, frequently harmonizing with one another. In either platonic or romantic settings, merfolk will often sing each other to sleep. Mersong is also known to be used in attempts to woo a romantic partner, with varying degrees of success.

Not all mersong has positive connotations. Some sounds are used when merfolk are sick or in distress. And, some are known to be part of threat displays or for cases of aggression. Merfolk will also sing for long periods while grieving. Other merfolk my join them in an act of empathy or commiseration.

[noodyl-blasstal]

Can't talk, library's haunted - Chapter 2

Taako goes to the library to get the book back. It should be completely straightforward and nothing can possibly go wrong.

Read below or on Ao3. Missed the first chapter? Catch up here.

--

Taako abandons the car at the back of the car park (fuck taking the time to park properly) and tries very hard to look like he isn’t running as he sprints madly for the door (Taako doesn’t exercise in public, there’s a reason he portals to Goldcliff for DanceDanceDance! class). He crashes elegantly through the door and heads straight for the counter. Well, gay for the counter, because he hasn’t been here in a while and the new guy is a definite improvement on Mrs Plunkett.

Although, actually, no. Priorities. First stop the hot library guy getting taken to the spirit plane or whatever, then look into taking him home instead. Taako can do that. Taako can avoid flirting for at least 10 minutes.

“Hey handsome, Taako hears that you’ve stolen something from him and it’s not just his heart.” Taako winks big and smiles big and hopes the guy will be charmed enough to just hand back the book and maybe his number at the same time if that’s not too much to ask for actually?

Hot librarian narrows his eyes at Taako. Narrows them in a way that implies he’s not feeling particularly wooed. In fact, if Taako had to pick a square on the feelings chart, he looks positively huffy.

“I’m sorry, I must be mistaken, because it sounds like you just came into my place of work and accused me of theft. I’m going to be generous and assume I’m wrong about that?” He says with the clipped, overly polite customer service tone that lets Taako know he’s fucked up real bad.

It shouldn’t make him hotter, Taako hates getting told no, he deserves to get what he wants all of the time forever actually, but hot librarian telling him off has apparently awakened something in him… much to ponder later. Right now though, right now he needs the book before it possesses a load of kids or something equally inconvenient. “Sorry Mr… er… Kravitz.” There, Taako can read name tags, he can be real polite when he needs to, probably. “I’m here because there was an incident with a book, a bookcident, if you will.” His portmanteau doesn’t get a smile exactly, but Kravtiz looks marginally less like he just took an unexpected chomp out of a lemon. “My friend Magnus, good guy, real tall, he’s doing this whole thing with sideburns…”

“Oh yes, I certainly remember him.” Kravitz has adopted the now-familiar-to-Taako slightly haunted look which means Kravitz definitely has encountered Magnus and probably had to put a few library displays back together afterwards. “He came in with a short guy.” Oh fuck. That’s going to make things harder, Magnus could definitely have mentioned that on the phone, he would have baked something to apologise.

“Look, Taako can’t control them, he’s tried, trust me my guy. There’s only so much anyone can do in the face of Magnus and Merle, you just gotta trust it’ll blow over, like a hurricane.”

“They have shelters for those, and warning systems.” Says Kravitz drily.

“If you give me your number I’ll warn you next time.” The words are out of Taako’s mouth before he can even begin to think about why now might notbe the best time. Kravitz sputters slightly, but thankfully doesn’t look angry. Maybe it’s fine if Taako scrambles the order of business just a little, he doesn’t argue with opportunity, thank you so much. He doesn’t stop to get the answer, just ploughs ahead “...But really, cha’boy came here to get a book back. One Magnus accidentally returned. You might have noticed?”

“I did, in fact, notice.” Confirms Kravitz who looks peeved again. “I told your friend immediately that it was not property of the library.” Ah, yes, Taako was swiftly remembering quite how many ‘uh huhs’ Lup had made on the phone. “Then he told me that it was definitely a library book and I must be mistaken.” Okay, not great, could be worse. “He suggested that I should check again while the short bearded guy with him, Merle, was it? Implied I couldn’t read.” That sounds about right. Why did Magnus have to bring Merle? Why did he hate Taako specifically and want to do everything he could to cause him misery at every turn? “But then Merle had to leave because a small child appeared in the door, screamed ‘Dad’ at the top of his lungs and flung himself into the soft play shapes in the children’s section.” Oh fucking hell, Mookie was there? They brought Mookie to a library? On purpose? And didn’t put him in some kind of cage first? Taako needed better friends immediately, yesterday, last week in fact.

“I’m sorry.” Taako says and he truly means it. He doesn’t say it often, but he’s always sorry when Mookie happens to the undeserving.

“I explained, politely may I add, that the book had no library stickers, codes, or stamps, and was therefore not part of our stock.” Kravitz continues.

“That’s super good of you, Magnus does just sometimes need someone to explain so he understands.” Maybe flattery will work? He hadn’t complained about any of the flirting Taako had been doing so that seemed to be a viable option too…

“Well.” Says Kravitz drily “... it clearly didn’t work, did it, or you’d have your book.”

“A good point well made.”

“That was when the shelf collapsed.” Kravitz’s mouth is a thin line now, like Taako forced him to chew down the rest of the surprise lemon, skin and all.

“The shelf collapsed.” He repeats, trying to buy himself time to work out how the fuck to get out of this one. If Taako had to pay damages he was never going to let them forget it. Double interest, charged every hour. “Merle’s kid… Mookie, did he…?” Taako trails off lamely, he already knows the answer.

“... he sure did. Then he got stuck on the top shelf because he’d been climbing it and started screaming, and Merle, was it?” Taako nods his affirmation. “He was too short to get him, and apparently didn’t see the three different step stools in the area. Do you know why we put step stools around the library?” Kravitz looks at him over his glasses and Taako passionately hates how into it he is.

“So people can reach things on high shelves?” Getting the answer right will hopefully demonstrate that Taako isn’t like them.

“Yes. Which would have immediately resolved the problem. Do you know what he chose to do instead” Please not plant growth, please not plant growth. “He grew some kind of vine, whispered something to it which I’m 100% certain was not suitable for public consumption judging by his body language, and it pulled Mookie down.” Kravitz’s face is stony again at the memory.

“At least he was safe?” Taako tries, but his heart isn’t in it.

“He screamed the entire time, the plant ruined my carpet, and most of the books had to go to the repair cupboard.” Kravitz looks like he would have been fine with Mookie splatting back down to the carpet as long as he did it without making too much of a mess. Honestly, Taako gets it. He’s been there himself.

“Yeah, the kid’s a lot, a lot, but I’m sure you can understand a father’s impulse to save his imperilled son?” Taako does his best imploring look, all big eyes and dramatic pout. Channels ‘think about kissing these lips’, and ‘stop thinking about the weird plant sex stuff we like to pretend Merle doesn’t do’.

Kravitz sighs heavily. “It would have been a lot of forms if he’d fallen.”

“There we go! That’s the spirit. Anyway, about my book?” Taako raises his eyebrows. He’s doing it baby, little flatter, little flirt, wham bam, return my book, how’s 8pm for dinner? Flawless transition.

“I’m afraid Magnus donated it.” Kravitz, to his credit, does look a bit sorry.

“He fucking what now?”

“Well, he told me to keep it.” Kravitz shrugs.

“And that’s it? He says keep it, and now you own my stuff? Even if I married you you’d only get half.”

Kravitz chokes on his own spit about that one. Serves him right, going round stealing books people give him. “Look, Taako, was it?” He waits for Taako to nod affirmation. Taako does, but really small, so Kravitz knows he’s not speaking to him. “I did try to give it back multiple times. After the shelf thing he told me to keep it, then I tried a few more times, and eventually he yelled ‘cheese it’, grabbed the other two, and literally ran out of the library with one of them under each arm. I’m not entirely sure what you expected me to do in that situation?”

“Give it back to the hot elf who stopped in to get it?” Taako smiles winningly, then remembers he’s not talking to Kravitz and clamps his lips shut again.

“No matter how hot the elf may” Kravitz takes a moment to give Taako a particularly lingering once over. “...or may not be.” Taako laughs indignantly. May not be? May not be? Taako has a mirror. Kravitz would be lucky. “Fine, who are we kidding, may be.” Kravitz rolls his eyes and Taako preens about it. “I did the paperwork and added it to our stock.”

“It’s in the library?” Taako’s back on task now, it absolutely cannot be in the library, there’s kids in the library. This book needs supervision at the best of times, but especially around children.

“Sir, you know what state it was in, there was no way I could put it straight into stock. It’s in the repair cupboard.” Kravitz side eyes him. “Thankfully I have restoration experience because most places wouldn’t even know where to start. Have you been storing it upright? Because that’s…”

“... bad for the spines, I know.” Kravitz looks pleased to hear it, maybe Taako’s winning him round here, surely Kravitz will understand. “Bubbleh, I can guarantee you it has been laid down flat as a pancake, but I also happen to really need it back for one incredibly serious repair which I’m not sure you’re gonna be able to do.” Taako realises his mistake immediately, Kravitz bristles at the concept that there’s anything Taako can do that he can’t.

“Oh, and you know a lot about my conservation degrees do you? About the previous works I’ve restored? Read my resume, have you, Taako?”

Danger, danger! Taako needs to tread carefully, delicately, he cannot escalate the situation.

“Says the guy who looked at me and decided I’m a simple idiot wizard with no idea what he’s doing that you can definitely outperform?” Okay, so maybe deescalation isn’t Taako’s strong suit, but Kravitz is being rude too.

“Sir, you need to leave. You donated the book, it’s part of my stock now.”

Sir? Sir! How very dare Kravitz customer service him. Plus, Taako can’t leave. He might have to say goodbye to Kravitz’s number, but he definitely has to get the book. “Can I see the repair cupboard?” He asks, desperately.

“That was absolutely terrible.” Kravitz laughs for the first time. “You, you thought, I’d? After you? Spectacular. Goddess, you’re the most fun I’ve had all day.”

“I can be the most fun you’ll have all night too if you just gimme the book, kemosabe.” It’s not Taako’s fault that Kravitz keeps setting him up. He only has himself to blame.

Kravitz raises an eyebrow. “Does that work often?”

“I can honestly and truthfully say I’ve never used it before, so you’ll be the only statistic I have to analyse.” Taako needs to stop. He really needs to stop.

Kravitz looks at him for a long moment. Hopefully Taako hasn’t pushed it too far. “What’s the issue with the book?”

“Sorry what?”

“Don’t make me regret asking. The restoration issue that I won’t be able to cope with, apparently.”

“It’s, er, something really complex. You probably wouldn't have heard of it.”

Kravitz laughs and shakes his head at Taako as if he’s some two bit incompetent liar who can’t come up with a convincing story or something. “Atrocious. You couldn’t even say something about gilt tile blocking on cloth spines. ‘Oh but Kravitz, the historical value of my book, it needs to be preserved to demonstrate the contemporary advances.’”

Taako really wants to ask more questions about the words Kravitz just made happen, despite the fact he did it in a terrible impression of Taako’s voice, but he really had to focus on the book.

“Well how was I supposed to know you’d be hot and smart.” It’s not exactly Taako’s fault that Kravitz just knows things, is it? “Look,” he says, and leans in real close. “...I’m gonna level with you, Taako knows when he’s been bested, you can have the truth even though it’s mortifying. I left some journal pages in there, Krav, very personal journal pages, if you know what I mean, and I’ll tell you all about them later over dinner if you just let me get them back.” Kravitz is doing his frowny face again. “I’ll just take it out to my car, whip them out, and head right back in with it. You’ll barely even know it’s gone.” Taako smiles his most reassuring smile.

“Just to check, just to clarify exactly what you’re asking me right now, you want me to give you the book you came here to get back and let you walk to your car with it, but it’s okay because you promise you’ll definitely bring it back?” Taako nods encouragingly. “... and you need to do that because you’ve got what I assume you’re implying is horny journal pages in there?”

“Yes?” Says Taako. Look, it’s not his best work, but he’s been busy. Taako needs a nap, so forgive him for The Horny Journal Pages Defence… on the upside he can add it to his list of ‘bands which don’t exist but I’m making merch for’.

Kravitz stares at him again and looks like he might be contemplating murder. Taako probably needs to fix this. “You can come with me if you want. There’s no one else in here.” He gestures expansively at the empty space.

Kravitz’s frowny face gets frownier. “So now you think I’m incompetent, incapable of fixing a book, and wasting my time being here!” Kravtiz ticks them off on his fingers as he goes and Taako should definitely be focusing on the words, but his flouncy shirt sleeves have fallen back and his forearms are toned and Taako wants to know if the rest matches. “Oh, and of course, stupid enough to be likely to go out to what might be your murder van for all I know?” Oh that’d do it.

“It’s a nissan figaro! It’s pink!” How dare Kravitz imply he’d drive anything blocky and unpleasant. Taako’s all about impractical and fun, baby. Just wait ‘til Kravitz sees the bumper stickers on Garyl. ‘Murder free since 1803’ is on there somewhere, maybe that will reassure him? A bumper sticker would never lie.

“Oh, sorry, my mistake, you want me to go out to your tiny pink murder car with you.”

“I’ll let you hold the book.”

“Yeah, until you snatch it out of my hands and do a runner.”

Taako gasps, how dare Kravitz accuse him of exercise. “My guy, my dude, Taako does not run.”

“I saw you sprinting across the car park. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with windows but they’re big glass walls which let you see in but also let me see out.”

Taako snorts out a laugh against his will, hopes Kravitz doesn’t notice, and leans on the counter in an attempt to look serious. “Look, if you tell anyone about the running stuff, I’ll have to kill you.”

“That is specifically the situation I’m trying to avoid right now.”

“Fuck, look, the book’s haunted, handsome, so unless you want spooks for days all up in this bitch, you need to let me yeet the beastie out of it. I’ll even let you have it back after, can’t guarantee what kind of state it’ll be in, but I have every faith in your ability to repair it.” Taako smiles the biggest smile he could possibly smile, then dims it a bit because Kravitz looks alarmed and he isn’t entirely sure if it’s because of what he just said or the amount of teeth he’s doing about it.

“The book’s haunted?”

“Yep.” Taako nods for emphasis.

“I see why you tried the sexy journal pages first. Goddess, that’s terrible.”

“It’s true, ghost book is what it is, kemosabe. I get that you’re doing the goth thing, but trust me, you don’t want this guy to add to the spooky mystique around these here parts.”

“You’re threatening me with a ghost?”

“No, I’m not threatening you with anything, I’m offering you a free book once I’ve de-spooked it. That’s a bargain.”

“You’re offering me a free book which I already own.”

“Look, I’ve got my proof of purchase, I can show you the book is legally mine and therefore legally not Magnus’ and therefore you can’t have it. I can also show you exactly why you need to give it back to me for like mmmmm 10 minutes.”

“Fine.”

“What?” Taako doesn’t know why that worked, he was throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping for the best. Thank the fates that one stuck.

“Fine, show me the ‘spook book’. If you can convince me it’s haunted then you can have it back for 10 minutes, but I’m sitting in the car so if you try to run away you’re taking me with you.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Taako flaps his hand dismissively. “Right Kraveroo, show me the cupboard.”

Kravitz doesn’t look like he’s sure if he’s about to explode into glitter or flames. Instead of either he just shrugs and starts walking. Taako hangs back a few steps, you know, for business purposes and not the view.

-

Thank you for reading! Find chapter 3 here

[sparklygraves]

imagine Gwaine saw Merlin pining for Arthur & was like nonono my buddy can do better! & so he dragged him to the tavern to meet some cute ppl to date??

aaaand some shenanigans & tons of Jealous Arthur ensue! definitely some kind of face off between Gwaine & Arthur where Gwaine growls that Arthur asks too much of Merlin & doesn’t appreciate him enough. & Arthur glares daggers & is basically like “I do what I want with my Merlin” & Gwaine is like woooow Merls let’s go. & Merlin is like y’all are both idiots bye.

& they both show up at his door the next day with apologies.

when things have calmed down a bit & they’re alone, Gwaine tells Arthur, “If you care for him, woo him. Otherwise, leave him to me. I’ll find him someone nice… I just want him to be happy. He deserves that.”

& ofc Arthur is like waaat??? Merlin???? gay for me???? unfathomable! & me??? gay??? for MERlin???? inconceivable!!

but once that’s over with he’s like oh ya shit i’m in love woops, time to woo my manservant, thanks Gwaine…

[poisonedfate]

"Don't you dare look him in the eye" is SO merwaine

hello!!! is it just me or are these getting longer and longer (the answers, i mean). either way! so very fun to write, not as much action as i had essentially wanted, but there's gwaine wooing merlin so. hope that balances out.

send me prompts

It was unusually quiet around him, even with the annoying ringing in his ears. He remembers most of the men being held up by the rest of the knights as Gwaine pulled him in the opposite direction. He remembers two of the men noticing, chasing after them. He remembers seeing the crystal in their hands. He remembers losing them. He remembers suddenly feeling the cold dirt under his cheek.  The men were mere soldiers of the sorceress whose name he couldn't place as he lay on the ground. She had given them a crystal that, if what they said was true, should help them figure out who Emrys was. He could feel the crystal, the pulse of it, when they were close, so he was inclined to believe it worked in its intended way. They talked of glowing eyes guiding them, so Merlin had averted his from their gaze. Maybe that's how they figured it out, maybe that's what tipped them off, maybe that's why they were chasing them.

Suddenly, there were two hands grabbing at the front of him, pulling him upwards, pushing his back against the tree. Merlin kept his eyes closed, both because he couldn't quite manage to open them yet and because it just seemed like the better option, all things considered. Gwaine was yelling his name, somewhere, in the distance.  He must've fallen unconscious because next thing he knew there was a splash of cold water on his face. It knocked a gasp out of him, eyes flying open. So much for better options.  "Come on, you've had enough rest, get up," the man growled, pulling at him again, this time upwards. He stumbled just so before finally finding his footing.  They must be waiting for the other man, he thought since this one hadn't reached for the crystal already. Merlin was right, as the other soldier soon approached: "Is it him?"  "I don't know, you had the crystal." "No, I- wait, yeah, there it is," the man laughed roughly. Were they playing some sort of game, or were they just plain stupid? Stupid, Merlin quickly decided. He's seen enough of those to know by now.  Merlin didn't think that the crystal had any other effects on his magic, though, in a perfect world, he wouldn't have to use his powers - he didn't know what had happened to the rest of their group, and though he trusted the knights, though he was quite sure he could deal with them as well if needed, he preferred not to risk it.  Before he could even think any further, he heard more footsteps coming in their direction. The first man was holding his head slightly upwards, the second was only about three steps away from him now. His odds weren't great, but as soon as he recognised Gwaine, he knew those odds were about to change.  The men barely had time to react before the knight was already right next to them, calm, sword drawn, eyes steady and dark: "Merlin," he said, almost like a greeting, more like a question. He could only muster up a small smile in response. Gwaine had come from the right, closer to Merlin and the man holding his face, clearly marking him as the first target. As the two fought, the second man took his chance to approach Merlin, committed.  "Don't you dare look him in the eye," Gwaine spat, as serious as ever, sword to the man's throat.  Merlin's head was still spinning slightly, everything moving both a little too slow and a little too fast, so he hadn't noticed how quickly Gwaine had taken care of the first soldier. Though if he was to judge by his second battle, the knight certainly wasn't wasting any time.  Merlin exhaled heavily, shoulders finally relaxing, as Gwaine came to hold him up, arm around his waist.  "Where did you even come from?" he questioned, trying to put the pieces back together.  "Can't get rid of me that easily, Merls," Gwaine laughed in response.�� "You know, I could've taken care of them too," he continued, holding on to Gwaine for dear life, which did not help his case at all.  "Oh, I know, but saving you is such a rewarding quest, pretty one."

[heteromerous-rhyming]

was talking to a friend and we both agree that this will likely not happen. but. but consider.

luke's mother as an immigrant woman basicallly confined to her own home because of a gift of prophesy she never wanted nor asked for.

my friend and i are both children of immigrants, and there is something within the dynamic of a woman, alone, in a foreign country with a child from a man that she believed in, slowly drowning in visions, eventually never leaving the house, as the man she loved pays her child support but never visits.

i don't hope for this, because i think that there is so much nuance in this story that i just don't trust anyone but an immigrant or the children of immigrants to be able to portray and even then, it's so hard. it requires so much understanding, so much emotional work.

but i remember reading the joy luck club and not understanding the mothers fully until i grew up and could see more clearly the women in my community. i remember reading merle woo's letter to ma and crying because she and i both understood why a mother would act in that way, but understanding isn't enough at some point. luke understood why his mother was the way she was. but that understanding wasn't enough to make him stay. and that is a terrible lesson a child must learn.

luke's mother remains at home, because of tradition, because she has nowhere else to go, because some part of her understands that she is going mad. she does not know what came first - the madness of prophecy or the madness of loneliness and isolation. she no longer fits into her community, removed from them because of a gift that is not of their faith, removed from them because she was clearsighted, not only through the mist but through the secrets and unspoken truths her community carries.

the story doesn't have a happy ending. not many of these stories do. i have seen these stories end in bitterness. i have seen these stories stretch across years with no resolution. but the story is important to tell regardless. it will always be important to tell.

both the mother's story and their child's

[ivanovaisalwaysright]

Stray Gods: the Roleplaying Musical

A musical indie game where you make choices in each musical number like you would in the dialogue trees of other games, written by David Gaider (lead writer if the first 3 Dragon Age games)

Now Releases on August 10th

You play as Grace, recently bequeathed with the power of song by the Last Muse who chose to pass you her gift before dying in your arms. Armed with the power of spectacular musical numbers, you have one week to prove your innocence in the Muse's death before a group of mythological beings known as the Chorus - take your life as punishment.

In Stray Gods, your choices matter. The route you choose to solve a specific problem, the trait you pick to elicit a response, the character you decide to approach for information will all influence how Grace navigates the world. Your choices will also impact Grace’s relationship with the four romance options in the game: Freddie, Pan, Persephone, and Apollo. Befriend them, antagonise them, or woo them. The decision is entirely yours.

Voiced by Laura Bailey, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Troy Baker, Janina Gavankar, Khary Payton, Abubakar Salim, Felicia Day, Rahul Kohli, Allegra Clark, Merle Dandridge, Erika Ishii, Ashley Johnson, Lauren 'Lolo' Spencer, Anjali Bhimani, Kimberly Brooks, and Anthony Rapp.

[aurora-light-blog]

Cicisbeo, male courtesans

    by Shella Longclaw

The renowned courtesans of Braavos are the beauties of ballads and stories. Men fight and die to attain their favor. They’re well known, though the cicisbeos aren’t. These handsome men are elusive and exclusive to mostly the Braavosi nobility and wealthy merchants. They have interesting tales to tell as well.

According to legend, two Braavosi women actually created the first cicisbeos. One was a widow of a keyholder, and the other woman was a wealthy merchant. It was said that they were vexed by the Braavosi men, who engaged in pitiful wooing attempts of them. When they saw the same men stumbling over each other to flirt with a courtesan, they fumed. Instead of pouting, the two women decided to get even. They found two handsome peasant men, clothed them and taught them etiquette. The men accompanied them on all their social affairs.

It ruffled the men’s pride. They probably thought it was merely a short diversion by the women. After a month, the handsome men were still by the women’s side. The Braavosi men confronted the Sealord on the matter. They feared other women might follow their example. To everyone’s utter shock, the Sealord sided with the women and allowed the cicisbeos to remain. Two attempts were made on the Sealord’s life after his decision.

The conflict between the Braavosi men and women only subsided once they both found a common ground. The daughter of a prominent family had been wooed by a pirate who stole not only the daughter but half the family’s wealth. The young maiden wasn’t fair and was easily swayed by the pirate’s pretty words. This event worried the Braavosi noble class. Anyone of their poor daughters could be preyed on unless … they used a trusted handsome man to counteract it. Thus, cicisbeo was accepted into Braavosi society.

A few courtesans noticed the wealth that these two peasant men had earned. They had handsome bastard sons of their own. It must have pleased them to finally help all their children attain work. So, their sons came to work as cicibeos. Still to this day, some cicisbeos descend from courtesans, and others are trained peasants. Their colorful names correspond to the courtesans: Shadowhawk to Nightingale, Poetess to Poet, Veiled Lady to the Masked Man, Merling Queen to Triton. Only cicisbeo Jaguar seemed to not match any courtesan names. They do have young men apprentices like the courtesans do.

Despite having the same beauty and training, cicisbeos aren’t highly regarded by most of Braavos like the courtesans are. It is a pity, since this means learning more about them will be hindered. Outside of one former cicisbeo apprentice, the rest have been silent upon my inquiries. I think they are uncomfortable discussing their work. Some might do more than mere seducing. They might be spies for the Sealord. It’s even possible that some courtesans have been spies too for Sealords. It’s not known for certain if this just occurred once or has secretly been going on for years. Though the practice isn’t unheard of in Nefer, they’re rumored to have courtesan spies.

I entreated any respectable maesters to investigate this matter further. Perhaps, the cicisbeos might be more willing to divulge their secrets to a fellow man.

[moon-ursidae]

THE LAST OF US HBO SPOILERS

i’m just gonna do one long post bc it’s easier

TESS!!!! I LOVE HER SO MUCH ALREADY

ELLIE!!!!! BELLA IS AMAZING ALREADY

oooohhhhhhhhh i’m interested in this tommy situation

i’m fucking obsessed that the original game score is being used in here i’m so emotional

omg joel’s place is kinda slay i love that blanket

ohhhhhhhhhh no joel. sarah’s screams😭

JOEL IS THE LITTLE SPOON THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE AND I’M NOT ELABORATING LMAOOO

the way he SPRUNG into action when he saw her face🥺

goooodddddddd someone hug this man please

i love him. i love her. i love them together.

“robert is terrified of you” AS HE FUCKIN SHOULD BE LMAO

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so the battery is the cargo in this case gotcha gotcha

MARLENE!!!!! MERLE DANDRIDGE!!!! QUEEN FIREFLY!!!! LET’S GOOOOOOO

“you tell me to look for the light and i’ll break your jaw” FUCKIN SLAYYYYYY JOEL

he looks so goddamn fucking good. holy fuck.

I LOVE ELLIE. I LOVE BELLA AS ELLIE.

she’s so fierce.

LMAOOOOOOOOOOO the way she instantly jumped to marlene being her mom

RILEY MENTION RILEY MENTION AHH AHH AHH AHH AHH

TESS AND JOEL FUCKIN SLAY WOO WOO WOOO WOOOOOOOOOO

his wet hair?👀

FUCK the fungal practical effects look so goddamn good.

i mean, these effects are BANANAS

“this has been construction corner with joel miller” HAHAHAHA I LOVE HER

oh shit that’s robert!

FIRST JOEL AND ELLIE INTERACTION AHHHH

I LOVE THAT ELLIE’S FIRST IMPRESSION OF JOEL IS THAT HE REDIRECTED/THREW HER INTO THE FUCKING WALL💀💀💀

FERAL ELLIE SLAY

PLEEEEEEAAAASSSSSEEEEEEEEE OH MY FUCKIN GOD THE WAT HE RAISED HIS EYEBROWS AT HER LIKE “don’t fuckin move” LMAOO

i also love that tess is wearing the same color shirt in the game. wardrobe slay

PEDRO IS SO ATTRACTIVE OH MY GOD

OH MY GOD IT’S FRIM THE GAME AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“what’re you doing?” “killing time” “well what am i supposed to do” “i’m sure you’ll figure that out.” “your watch is broken.” “you mumble in your sleep.” JAVSKWHSKSBSKSBSKSBSKS KSBSKSBSKSB

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH ALREADY.

“you some kind of big wig’s daughter or something?” “something like that.” KABSKABSKSVSKSBSKSBKSBSID

i’m gonna freak out everytime something STRAIGHT from the game is in this

and idgaf if that’s annoying bc i’m excited as fuck

WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO GO JABSKSBSKSB

omg she punked him to fund out what the code is I LOVE HER

THE SHIT EATING GRIN HAHAHAHA

THE STANCE™️

OMG THE STEALTH SECTION AHHHHHH

the closeup on the watch🥺

“holy shit i’m actually outside!” KAHSKSHSJSVSHHEHEHDHXH LIKE THE GAME AHH AHH AHH AHH

THE TUNNEL!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS SO BADASS

THIS IS FROM THE PROMO WHERE JOEL PUNCHES THE FUCK OUTTA THE GUY

OHHHH SHIT IT’S THE SCANNER SCENE OHHHHHH

joel is so pissed they got caught

THE FLASHBACK??? FUCKIN AYE.

WITH ELLIE BEHIND HIM OH MY GOD

oh my fuckin god. that’s why he’s so brutal with it. goddamn.

ellie is standing in an odd way watching joel pummel this guy. it’s not fear or danger, but like she wants to watch? idk it’s odd

this is fuckin crazy dude. tess finding she’s “infected,” ellie saying “it’s 3 weeks!” and joel reeling back from beating the fuck out of the guy oh my god

is this what they were talking about with his hearing? or is this just him coming out of it? probably coming out of it

THE RADIO IT’S AN 80s SONG OH MY GOD IT’S FUCKIN DEPECHE MODE AHHHH

OH MY FUCKING GOD

THE CITY LOOKS SO GOOD!!!!

OH MY FUCKING GOD MIXED WITH THE CLICKER SOUNDS

CREDITS???? MORE PLEASE. PLEASE.

THAT WAS AMAZING.

holy fucking shit. i-

i need to rewatch and process. this was phenomenal. i’m obsessed. fucking obsessed.

i’m so happy i’m crying. oh my god.

this game means so goddamn fucking much to me even though i’m newer to it. and i’m so happy that other people that love the game got to work on and create this. i’m so proud for them.

IN THE WEEKS AHEAD???

AHAHSHSKSBSKSBSKBSKSBS

THE HOSPITAL AT THE END YOU’RE FUCKING JOKING

OMG BTS???

INSIDE THE EPISODE??????? WHAT????

this is fucking epic

“my sarah”🥺

“i could not ask for a better on screen dad”😭

MERLE DANDRIDGE WOOOOOO

i fucking love her

NEIL SAYING JOEL COULDN’T SURVIVE LOSING ANOTHER DAUGHTER😭

“joel forgets that the girl that is standing behind him is not his daughter.” “primitive instinct takes over. he can’t help but act. something else took control of him in a similar way to how the cordyceps does. except for him it’s a version of love.”😭😭😭😭😭😭

oh my god i thought the way ellie was standing there was weird dude it’s bc she liked that she was being defended

“these two were meant to be together, but look out.” SO FUCKING ACCURATE

holy shit. that was fucking awesome. oh my god

i need to process lmao

this is gorgeous. i’m so fuckin happy.

[dear-indies]

Hi there! I'm wishing you a very bright and fun filled day ! Would you mind giving some fc ideas for a Korean fc over the age of 30? They don't just have to be Korean, they can be mixed! I'm really hoping to get some age diversity so please, any fc over the age of 30. Thank you for taking the time to read ! Take care of yourself out there!

Nicky Endres (1982) Korean - is non-binary, transfeminine, genderqueer, and genderfluid (they/she).

Charlyne Yi (1986) Yuki, Kapampangan Filipino, Korean, Mexican, Spanish, Irish, French, and German - is non-binary and queer (they/them).

Women:

Youn Yuh Jung (1947) Korean.

Go Doo Shim (1951) Korean.

Jean Yoon (1962) Korean.

Jin Xing (1967) Korean, was born in China - is trans.

Sandra Oh (1971) Korean.

Kim Seo Hyung (1973) Korean.

Grace Park (1974) Korean.

Harisu (1975) Korean - is trans.

Merle Dandridge (1975) Korean, Japanese / African-American.

Moon Bloodgood (1975) Korean / Dutch, English, Welsh, Irish.

Kim Joo Ryoung (1976) Korean.

Kim Hee Sun (1977) Korean.

Linda Park (1978) Korean.

Denyce Lawton (1978) African-American / Korean.

Ha Ji Won (1978) Korean.

Lee Si Yeon (1980) Korean - is trans.

Sandra Yi Sencindiver (1980) Korean / American.

Cho Yeo Jung (1981) Korean.

Jun Ji Hyun (1981) Korean.

Jung Ryeo Won (1982) Korean.

Son Ye Jin (1982) Korean.

Jamie Chung (1983) Korean.

Greta Lee (1983) Korean.

Jung Yu Mi (1983) Korean.

Shin Min Ah (1984) Korean.

Jessica Lu (1985) Chinese / Chinese, Japanese.

Kim Ok Bin (1987) Korean.

Men:

Yoo Joon Sang (1969) Korean.

Park Hee Soon (1970) Korean.

Don Lee (1971) Korean.

Rick Yune (1971) Korean.

Hu Bing (1971) Korean.

Will Yun Lee (1971) Korean.

Sung Kang (1972) Korean.

David Lee McInnis (1973) Korean / German and Irish.

Soji Arai / Sohee Park (1975) Korean-Japanese.

Song Seung Heon (1976) Korean.

Brian Tee (1977) Korean / Japanese.

Ha Jung Woo (1978) Korean.

Gong Yoo (1979) Korean.

Leonardo Nam (1979) Korean.

Daniel Henney (1979) Korean / Irish, English.

Kim Nam Gil (1980) Korean.

Miyavi (1981) Japanese / Korean.

Lee Joon Gi (1982) Korean.

Steven Yeun (1983) Korean.

Kevin Kreider (1983) Korean.

Uhm Tae Goo (1983) Korean.

Yoo Ah In (1986) Korean.

Please do not use these for krp!

[brokeyuppiepunk]

To be fair, there was always some conservative country. The most prominent example that comes to mind is Merle Haggard and his song "Okie from Muskogee” (1969) with dumbass lyrics like:

And we don't make no party out of lovin'

We like holdin' hands and pitchin' woo

We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy

Like the hippies out in San Francisco do

And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee

A place where even squares can have a ball

We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse

And white lightning's still the biggest thrill of all

But I agree with this post that the vast majority of country had anti-capitalist sentiments (which were sometimes, though rarely, reactionary) and often leftist ones too into the 1990. And for every Merle Haggard there was a John Prine, a Woody Guthrie, a Willie Nelson, a Bobbie Gentry etc.

The kids on TikTok think that just because he was a classic country singer, Johnny Cash was conservative??? My babies he covered a Nine Inch Nails song in his seventies.

Classic country singers (the majority of which came from poor roots) were always talking about how much The Man sucked because they were taking money from poor rural folk. You’re gonna tell me that’s conservative?? Get outta here.

[ugfriends]

In the Henry James novel “The Portrait of a Lady” a young woman Isabel Archer is sitting alone with a book in a house in Albany and hears footsteps in an adjoining room. This sounds like the beginning of a horror story and after meeting Gilbert Osmond and Madame Merle you may certainly wonder. Isabel greets the visitor and tactlessly says “you must be our crazy Aunt Lydia!” Isabel is taken by this aunt to England. Isabel meets her uncle the elderly Mr. Touchett who is sufficiently charmed to alter his will in her favor although it is her sickly cousin Ralph’s idea for him to do so. She receives but rejects offers of marriage from Lord Warburton who lives nearby and Caspar Goodwood who has pursued her from Boston to try to continue his courtship. Also coming over from the states is Isabel's opinionated friend Henrietta Stackpole whose amusing friendship with Robert Bantling is a delightful aside in the novel. One of the main themes going here is freedom which is important to Isabel as she makes clear to her cousin Ralph. “I’m very fond of my liberty.” And later Ralph can’t believe the change in her. “You were the last person I expected to see caught.’ ‘I don’t know why you call it caught.’ ‘Because you’re going to be put into a cage.’ ‘If I like my cage, that needn’t trouble you,’ she answered.” Of course Isabel doesn’t like the cage to which hubris has delivered her. “It was the house of darkness, the house of dumbness, the house of suffocation." Osmond remarked about his marriage "We're as united, you know, as the candlestick and the snuffers." Late in the novel when Caspar is still pitching woo at Isabel he says: “The world is all before us” which is an allusion to Milton’s Paradise Lost. Isabel much like Milton’s infernal crew pursued freedom and got bondage instead. In England old suitors haunt her as revenants from her past and Isabel decides to go back to Rome. If she were an anachronistic Shaggy she might be saying "Zoinks! Like, let’s get out of here, Scoob!” I will remember best from this novel who Isabel thought of as "a beautiful blameless knight" Mr Bantling who when visiting Henrietta in America delighted in being able to order ice cream in railway cars.

[yourdailyqueer]

Merle Woo

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Lesbian

DOB: 24 October 1941

Ethnicity: Korean

Nationality: American

Occupation: Professor, poet, activist

[365daysoflesbians]

OCTOBER 24: Merle Woo (1941-)

The Asian-American poet, professor, and activist, Merle Woo, was born on this day in 1941. She is known as an uncompromising leader of the student protest movement and as the author of “Letter to Ma,” a breakout essay from This Bridge Called My Back.

“Until we can all present ourselves to the world in our completeness, as fully and beautifully as we see ourselves naked in our bedrooms, we are not free.”

Merle was raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown by her Chinese mother and Korean father. Though her father worked as a traveling Methodist minister, the Woos sent their daughter to Catholic schools throughout her life, believing them to be better than the local public schools. At eighteen, Merle enrolled in San Francisco Stat University to study English. 

By the time she was pursuing her Master’s degree, Merle had already married and had two children, Emily and Paul. However, the outbreak of the Third World Student Strikes at SFSU in 1968 would forever change her life. The campus activism radicalized her politics and led Merle to the discovery of her lesbian identity. 

Since earning her Master’s, Merle has spent her professional life as a writer and a university lecturer, living fully as a lesbian, a mother, and a leader in the Radical Women and Freedom Socialist Party. She was fired twice from the University of California at Berkeley for her support of student protests, but eventually won reinstatement both times through free-speech lawsuits. 

Today, Merle is best known for her poetry collection “Yellow Woman Speaks,”  which chronicles her experiences with racism, sexism, love, and sex, and the biographical essay “Letter to Ma” which deals with her mother’s silence surrounding her lesbian lifestyle. In 2003, she joined fellow activists Mitsuye Yamada and Nellie Wong to write a longform book titled Three Asian American Writers Speak Out About Feminism.

[paledarklight]

So here's the thing, they gave comic book Carol to Andrea, Comic book Carol is pathetic and needs attention , that's what they did to Andrea, Comic book Andrea isn't stupid.

There are a million things she did that I feel a adult with a brain that works wouldn't have a issue with comprehension like she does,

Michonne literally tells her that he's a funky little goblin, and then Hershel and she's still like surprised Pikachu face

She is the one who made the meeting between the Governor and Rick and he kicks her out and she gets her feelings hurt, she really thought she was above the excepteption, like at the end of the day she wasn't just some chick he's tapping.

Like she mattered

And when later she asks how it went and he stays silent...

Or when he literally abdicated from being in charge and then literally doesn't step down at all

She had the chance to end everything, she wanted to be a bad ass fighter and when the time came she couldn't do what needed to be done

And I don't want it to sound like I hate Andrea, I did like her , parts of her, and I'll explain so it doesn't come off as me bashing her ..

She was the oldest and from what I gathered about how her dad treated her she has it harder than Amy did,

Amy was allowed to fish for fun but Andrea had to fish for the family and that puts pressure on you from a young age which you are forced into early adulthood, she didn't get her needs met where someone made her feel taken care of

She looks for it in Shane and he uses her while still pining for Lori , how she thinks she herself changed his mind to stay at the farm when it wasn't...

She looked for it in the Governor, Merle wasn't a bullshitter , he wouldn't have strung her along but he wasn't a romantic like Phillip and that definitely wooed her, he drew her in with Scotch and broody caring about his community and she fell for it

She believed she was important to him and that she was irreplaceable cause for once maybe she believed she was. Someone finally chose her .

she wasn't a place holder for another woman

Except she wasn't competing for another woman it was his own ego

I honestly don't get all the hate around Andrea. Yeah sure. She was a bit annoying at points, but so was Carl. Yeah, she could've had better writing but so could've Dale and Beth. Yeah sure she fell in love with the governor and was blind to his evilness, but in a world like that, you take love where you can. I know I wouldn't have handled it any better than her. She is honestly one of the most realistic characters in my opinion. Never getting over the loss of dead ones, being blinded by hope, only pushing on for others sake. You can hate, but Andrea has a special place in my heart. Not as high as Carl or Rosita, but still there.

[inthemarginalized]

I will work with anyone, support anyone, who shares my sensibility, my objectives. But there are barriers to unity: white women who are racist and Asian American men who are sexist. My very being declares that those two groups do not share my complete sensibility. I would be fragmented, mutilated, if I did not fight against racism and sexism together. 

 - Merle Woo

She is a lesbian, academic, poet and activist.