#more experiments ft

[caemidraws]

---

[weatherera]

Your decisions

[anxiously-sidequesting]

Big shout-out to the ocs and lore that depicts physical/appearance changes due to high concentration and uses of magic btw that shit is so cool. Whether your wizard's hair turns blue or straight up grows an extra arm due to the excessive amount of powerful magic they use everyday I eat that shit up. Bonus points if it's a rare/newly discovered condition or if your wizard is just straight up unrecognizable from arc 1 to arc 4. Bonus bonus points if the wizard gains a disability from it and has to learn to adapt to their new condition

[thistransient]

More Ladakh on film

[unproduciblesmackdown]

just in time to spin the prompt / inspiration wheel via @lotrmusical for the 1 year anniversary of watermill theater lotr musical today:

the way louis maskell says "mr gandalf—please" with a laugh in his voice as he kneels next to sam to "protect" him from being turned into anything unnatural

[aeolianblues]

was kinda thinking about this when I saw Renee Rapp live recently-- I didn't know her visual vibe, I'd heard a few songs here and there but I hadn't really *seen* her, and her attire at Osheaga was really casual, a jersey (baseball/basketball?) and slacks. And that was so amazing! I couldn't help thinking, the work Billie Eilish has done for how women in pop music are allowed to dress is incredible. Seeing her up there all comfortable you just know that Billie walked in her oversized tops so that Renee in her slacks could run; Billie walked through all the critcisms about how she dressed slobbily and having to assert that she didn't owe anyone a display of skin, so that Renee could be comfortable and unquestioned running up and down the catwalk in front of 10,000 people. How iconic.

And I don't think we even realised at the time how much something as simple as letting Billie dress the way she as a (then-) 17-year-old teenager dressed, could end up meaning for a future generation of women in music.

Obviously there is still way to go, there were weirdos complaining about how 'plain' Dua Lipa's Glastonbury outfit was this year (in 2024!!), l have to ask, are you at Paris Fashion Week?? She is the musical HEADLINER of an entire day of music at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, and you can't grant her the space to exist as an artist, you have to moan about her dress not being excitingly revealing enough. There's work to do, it's still dismal out there. But the space Billie Eilish has created for a most ordinarily-dressed woman popstar is still heartening.

[goldiipond]

vacation doodle dump <3

[slightlyplant]

ok but what if he was album covers

(albums in order: dawn by mxmtoon, am i a girl? by poppy, the family jewels by marina)

[loregoddess]

if I had a quarter for every time there was a zombie army of any size in a trpg/srpg, I would have an ungodly number of quarters, why does this keep happening

[linc-karo-27]

Some Fellow Travelers Theories

So on Monday I wrote out some theories i have for the show. Here are some (for ep5-8)

Spoilers for the book and spoilers from the showtime episode descriptions and stills. Written before the teaser of episode 3 so little knowledge on that. Only focuses on 6/7/8s plots, with 5 filled in with guesses. Spoilers of any small mention of the events from interviews from Ron/others as well as mentions of visuals seen through showtime/paramount BTS. 

Episode 5 

From what I've seen with the showtime descriptions, this is ending on a cliffhanger. It covers the events of section 2 (what isn't covered in 3 and 4) and 3, basically covering Tim's time in the army, and Hawks marriage and Lucy's pregnancy. Ends on a cliffhanger of Tim planning to come back to DC (if he goes abroad idk). Marcus fulfils the Woodforde and Paul Hildebrand roles of the book of being the messenger of Hawks domestication. Mary is maybe the letter receiver still but as no baby anymore, there's a focus on where we are with Marcus and Frankies lives. 

The implied Police Raids on Cozy Corner happen here. As there is a mention of Senator Smith being based on Lester Hunt, likely any resolution of what happened re him IRL (the shooting over his son being found out) is mentioned here if not in Ep4.

The 1980s is just the continuation of where we left off of the Tim and hawk domestic situation, though we meet Frankie again who fills us in on him and Marcus life + Marcus is coming back next week. Basically this is the happier story. 

Episode 6

This is the last time we see the HIV AIDS plotlines until episode 8. 

The 1968 story is simple. Mary is inferred to have told Hawk (still working in government) that Tim is wanted by the FBI for being involved with the anti Vietnam Protests and is somewhere in the country but she can't do anything because she's about to be voted in as senator. With his own life perfect, Hawk finds out via Marcus where Tim is and invites him to hide out at his as he is the last place they will look (which is ironic). He turns up and Lucy answers the door to him and is not pleased. The two men catch up, with Tim filling in the events of post 1957 (which only book people know so not told here) to then, including turning up at Maggies at 6am and the whole depression/breakdown/ implied suicide attempt from the epilogue of the book. When Tim leaves after a couple weeks to attend another protest, Lucy and Hawk fight about allowing a WANTED SUSPECT BY THE FBI into their home with kids. There seems to be fireworks at some point but idk if they have any meaning.

Marcus and Frankies stories are yet again separate from the main one, but interlink back in 1986. It mentions they are also separated on Showtime. 

Back in 1986 things got a lot worse and a lot quicker than Hawk expected. You know the joke Tim makes in ep2 about the "dementia kicking in?" Well here is sure does. He suddenly falls sick; Hawk takes him to the hospital and while there he forgets who Hawk is and keeps asking for someone else (maybe the guy from Fordham or his parents) and we see Hawk get upset while comforting him. 

It ends up with the hugging scene seen in the BTS, Hawk is crying over an unconscious Tim and we are left on a cliffhanger. This is implying that maybe Tim's dead in Hawks arms (which isn't the actual case but we leave it there). 

Episode 7 

(if you've seen my theory on Reddit it's slightly different as it only takes into account what I think not what I've heard others say)

This answers basically how we get to 1986. Maybe shows from the early 80s. 

I think 1979 is going to basically tell us how we get to 1986. Maybe even show Tim getting sick at the very end. I feel like the show is following the rule of "If Hawk and Tim are involved with each other, sexually or not, there is about to be something bad happening". 

The description mentions Hawk is "drinking himself to death" after something happens to his family and that rumour (likely via Marcus) triggers Tim to go to Fire Island (which is ironic when its set up in ep1 Hawk is triggered by the push that Tim is dying to go help him (though in a less blunt way). My theory is mainly focusing on the reason hawk is there in the first place.

 Its one of two events- with both kids gone and Lucy finally done with Hawk sleeping around and basically being a bad husband (in her eyes) she calls it quits and that spirals Hawk - his perfect life (in the eyes of many) gone- or something happens to the kids. Either way he ends up on Fire Island and Marcus finds out and goes to Tim (who is working as a social worker) this and Tim's want to help triggers him to go.

 When there they mess around, get drunk and party. The description mentions a "dark turn" where one of them gets into an accident (be it serious or not) and it ends in an argument/fight and Hawk goes back to Dulles to Lucy and whatever mess he left behind there (be his own making or not). Tim then goes back to his work and life, but tells Marcus (and Frankie, Frankie is mentioned to still be with Marcus) he never wants to see Hawk again. This is interspersed with the Harvey Milk murder trial. 

If then the HIV storyline starts up (if not triggered by Fire Island like some people theorise) - Tim has sex with someone to "rid" himself of Hawk (which is similar to a book plot point) and he starts to fall ill in the early '80s and Marcus notices- we are either told or shown this, taking us back to wherever the 80s is left off when we last have a scene. Full explanation of this below: 

When Tim doesn’t turn up to work, a mutual friend asks Marcus if he’s seen Tim because he’s still missing from work, noting that its unusual for him to not turn up. Marcus admits that he’s not seen him since the Fire Island incident ( said in dialogue as “when he came back upset about something”) and said if he doesn’t turn up again he will go check in on him, suggesting he thinks the fight with hawk is still affecting him, and is isolating himself because of it. Maybe its hinted its the start of the AIDS crisis by the mutual mentioning it in passing. More of Marcus/Frankie’s plot is added in here to show time passing until its mentioned Tim’s been “missing” for weeks, prompting Marcus to turn up at his apartment and basically break in when he gets no answer. 

He finds Tim in a state, (physically on the floor looking awful) saying to Marcus that he hasn’t been well and he doesn’t know why (hence why he’s been MIA since the Fire Island aftermath). Marcus asks when he last had sex (implying he guesses its AIDS) which Tim refuses to answer. Marcus pushes him to answer and its: “The last time I saw Hawk” (THIS MAKES SENSE WHY MARCUS IS PISSED AT HAWK IN EPISODE 1). Marcus picks up the crying Tim off the floor and onto the couch (reflection to the 1980s we have seen) and tells him he needs to tell someone. Marcus returns to Frankie, explains he think Tim has AIDS and Hawk is the reason, and his temper is what we are left on. 

Why do I think this involves all four of them? Marcus in ep1. Well the scene that it opens with. When Hawk sees Marcus he looks too guilty for this to be just Matt's facial expressions, this has been done on purpose and is probably a hint Hawk knew Tim was ill and/or what Marcus was about to tell him - be it he worked it out or Marcus has already had a go at him for the events of 1979- he's already got some guilt. This is furthered by the fact Marcus looks extremely mad when Hawk goes "I'm Careful". 

Yes it could just be in general Marcus has lost so many people at this point and is about to loose Tim as well (which may in some ways be one of the hardest for Marcus and hence why he went to do his book deal to mean he doesn't have to see Tim suffer those last days but that is another theory) and here is Hawk making light of it all.

It may be implied at the very end that Lucy is coming but I feel like no 1986 is shown. 

Episode 8

This is the reverse of Ep1. Lots of 1986, but a small 1950s going on. 

Basically it picks up where 5 left off with the whole of section 4 from the book (minus the book only plots). Hawk does the infamous "ditches Tim in over whatever the charity aid thing is" because he knows Tim will be an issue as he grows old and has more stability in DC (this could be why we have the whole suits gala outfit BTS) and he rats him in after one last sleepover. Tim leaves DC to go home to New York (his mention of the breakdown in 6 now makes sense) after the funeral (basically the same scenes as the book but change Woodforde to Marcus) . This is the end of the book plot. This may be inter-cut with the next bit. 

Most of this episode is set in 1986. We pick up where episode 6 left us + knowledge Lucy is in her way. 

With the end near and Lucy on her way, Tim uses the last few dregs of lucidity to banish Hawk (+ anyone else from the core group) away from the hospital, saying he doesn't want them there, and he wants to the end of his life to be alone. The others (if there) leave but Hawk refuses to, and Tim tells him again he wants to be alone and that Hawk doesn't need to see this /he's seen enough. Hawk's reply is a reference to ep2: "I'm not scared but I know you are". He apologises for everything, every single thing over the last 35 years and how he can't let himself allow Tim to suffer alone one last time. Tim repeats for him to go, which he does finally. Marcus is outside (even if he's not present in the earlier scene) and Hawk storms off saying he needs to get his stuff. He's crying and Marcus looks back at the door to Tim's room and then back at the camera. 

WE DON'T SEE TIM DIE ON SCREEN ITS IMPLIED IN THE LATER SCENES. 

Cut to Hawk phoning Mary back at Tim's apartment basically saying that him (+Marcus/Frankie if applicable) were banished and that he's going home. Mary accepts this, noting Hawk seems upset, and mentions the whole "HIV timeline" that 7 gives us, asking if he knew without him it would have never happened. Hawk asks about if Mary knew about the group in SF and how he wants Mary to mention it to Congress before she retires (or least to the SF senator. Doubt she's it). 

It's implied Tim dies soon after this or before by Maggie /someone else coming in upset. Marcus and Maggie are left in the flat when Lucy turns up and she makes some snarky comment about how she is pissed Hawk broke his promise about coming home for the realtor. Marcus and Hawk part ways and Marcus repeats the "hope Milan is good" comment from Ep1 but this time Hawk goes 

"If you all need anything let me know". 

Marcus and Frankies last scene is an adaptation of the epilogue from the book where they both discuss how society has changed since they met in 1952 and how they hope things get better. This is the last we see of them. There's been a mention of the AIDS blanket in filming BTS so it's likely it is about here, maybe Marcus and Frankie are walking away from it. Time has passed since the last sighting of Hawk by both and it's implied their lives are happy (or happier than Hawk and Tim end on). 

The show ends on Hawk sitting in the car on the way to the airport to go to Milan with Lucy and it flashes back to an unseen (so far) happy memory from 1957 with their theme overplaying it (likely the dancing scene that made Ron cry he kept bringing up). Credits roll. 

There is likely a quote at the end of the credits here. 

[girlwiththegreenhat]

tell me you've never had to use skype without telling me you've never had to use skype: you complain about discord

[kelpiemomma]

Brain worms so bad....

Still rolling nowhere king Khan around but. Nowhere king Khan from a different universe. He got pulled to Hisui against his will and was trying to go home. The Akari from his universe was pulled along with him and they were family. Khan was trying to get her home. To keep her safe. He destroyed himself for her but they both ended up stuck. Khan became a monster and Akari couldn't stop him. When the Khan from this universe arrives, trying to help Ingo get home, she's livid and jealous. This universe's Khan made it. This universe's Akari made it. They made a family. She and Khan, her Khan, had tried, to find others, but they were so constantly ostracized that their only companions were pokemon.

She's happy for them as much as she hates them. Her only family has completely lost his mind and there is no future he will ever survive in. And when he offers his head to her, waits to be killed, that Akari thinks about how her older brother tried so hard to get them back. To take them home. That he loved a sibling he wasn't related to so dearly he destroyed himself instead. And as much as she's angry and hurt, she can't kill him. She cant.

He's not going to give her a second chance.

[moonwreathe]

being 15 in the fairy tail rp community and running a Cana blog was such an interesting time. I was blissfully unaware of inflation anons. People would kill your muse in a thread with no warning. I didn’t even have a rules page.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

blade gunnblade !!!!!!!!

via eliza simpson:

There are no words for this true warrior. They kill me. MMM: went in for a post show hug. Me:"ow!" Asia: "oh sorry, that's my bullet necklace." 😳........ 😍

[bloodmoonborn]

FROM VILLAIN TO SINGLE MOTHER OR THE FAMILY WE MAKE

exclusive verse with @cruelprincae

The lost princess was born under a blood moon and a sky devoid of stars. A bad omen, they all said. A harbinger of death and carnage. Perhaps her disappearance will bring prosperity to the kingdom after all.

Princess Velara

From day one, she hadn’t been destined for grandeur. As a first born halfling child marked by the bleeding moon, there was no way she would ever ascend to the Seelie Throne of her mother’s kingdom and so she was raised at the palace (by servants) up until the tender age of 4. The Queen had only kept her around as backup heir in case she couldn’t conceive another one. Though as soon as the Queen found out she was pregnant with the legitimate heir, she ordered for her first child to be killed in a clandestine sacrifice to the Great Mother to bring prosperity to the kingdom. Fortunately for the little one, a servant snatched her just in time and fled to another faerie realm, killed the mortal child of a couple living there and put the little one in its place. The couple was then glamoured to believe she was their child.

Kaethryn

She's not Kaethryn. The love she receives all her childhood is meant for someone else and she knows it. None of it is actually real. If those people knew what she really was, and what happened to their real miracle child, she would be despised. The rare moments she actually felt connected to her semblance of family was when the woman taught her how to sew and the man taught her poetry. There was just something special about being taught a skill so gently and creating beauty all together. Ten years later, her caretakers were killed by a fae who kidnapped her. Her kidnapper/new caretaker was abusive, making her a test subject for all sorts of potions and poisons since her halfling nature made her a more enduring subject than her regular mortal servants. She fell in love with a mortal servant named Enora who was a witch and her caretaker didn’t take it kindly once she found out. She fled with her lover. They got married and managed to have a few decades of happiness before her past came back to take her wife. She was not there when it happened. They’d just had a fight and she was out to get some air. Enora wanted a family whilst she was too scared of ruining this potential child without meaning to.

As she was dying next to her fallen wife’s body, in in a burning cottage in the woods, she heard a voice. It called to her, promised her revenge and power. The price seemed simple enough: give up on life. And so she did. She rose from the embers, her connection to nature completely severed, with a new face, a new name and a goal: get her hands on that Blood Crown and make Faerie pay for what they took from her.

Nyx 

She finds herself supplying Prince Dain in poison without knowing what he’s using it for. It’s not until she becomes a seamstress in High King Eldred’s Court, and notices the symptoms of her very craft, that she understands her client has been feeding it to his father. An information she shares with Prince Balekin. To which he replies that it is bold of her to admit to treason against the High King to his own son. She holds his gaze and tells him that she does not fear death and that whatever suffering he wishes to subject her to will never be enough to truly break her because she’s felt it tenfold already. It is love at first sight for Balekin (or whatever equivalent of love exists in his wicked mind). He has no idea his beloved is half-fae nor that she plans to get rid of him once she takes the Blood Crown for herself. But her priorities shift once she’s made aware of what Balekin does to his little brother, of the abuses he subjects the little one to. She’s suddenly reminded of growing up unloved and abused, reminded of Enora’s words in response to her asking why she would make a good mother: you know what it’s like to be unloved and uncared for, my love, and i know you’ll never let a child suffer as you did. And so, that night she made love to the monster in her bed and, once the poison upon her lips and skin took him into a deep slumber filled with his worst nightmares, she left the room and ran to the dungeon, freed the boy and fled with him to the mortal world.

She had no intention of becoming a mother, no intention of ever nurturing life, and yet there she is, raising a 10 year-old prince of faerie in Portland, away from the crown and the land she wished to claim and tear apart for taking the one person who ever truly loved her.

[inklingofadream]

So, having given up on the book that was vexing me a couple days ago I'm now reading Unmask Alice and it's killing meeeee

Things I knew: Go Ask Alice is not a real diary; subsequent anonymous diaries were also super fake; it's not even an especially good fake if you are not a suburban parent in the 70s who has never encountered The Drugs; there was some deeply hinky stuff going on with the author's subsequent fake diaries

Things I didn't know: Beatrice Sparks was Mormon. She grew up in Logan. She lived in Provo at the time she wrote the diaries

This book literally opens with "I know we're all used to being able to look up what we're doing to find out where it's going but I think you'll have a better time if you don't."

I have not obeyed this directive. I know this guy doesn't have the information I need. He isn't going to bother to tell me the name of the restaurant in Logan she worked at as a teen. He isn't going to tell me where in Provo her house was. He won't bother with whether her and her husband were eventually sealed in the temple in their lifetime, or if they were just kinda passively next to the church but not doing much about it

I went on familysearch trying to find this information. I went DEEP. I also FAILED. but. all attempts to search HER got me a 404 error. Searching her mother and getting to her page via the family tab DID work. which is all very suspicious to me...