#name change saga

[altruisticenigma]

I filed the paperwork today to do my legal name change ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

I am a NERVOUS WRECK, EXCITED and FEELING A LOT OF EMOTIONS RAAAAAAAAHHHH

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Names revealed and returned. (context)

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[divyasoup]

very shitty role reversal sketch

[gabichanwrites]

Can you... Can you guys imagine. Get in the Water. Poseidon is MAD happy to finally get Odysseus. Get in the Water, Odysseus. Or I will DROWN your Ithaca, or I will GOUGE your son's eyes. Odysseus answers, begs. What else can he do? It's Been Ten Years, they are both hurting from loses. Why can't they stop and just... go home. Finally, finally get to the home that is so close.

But No. The god says "Die". The god sends waves, sends him under. Ruthlessness is Mercy, he said before. He will not let Odysseus get away again. There is no escaping god of the sea now, not so deep in the ocean. Odysseus can hear Polites, can hear Eurylochous, can hear his mother. All of his comrades are Waiting, Waiting, Waiting. He can't let go but he must. They are Waiting. But then something unlike the sound of trumpets - crashing waves - resonates within him. A beat like his heart but getting stronger, getting more powerful. His chest is vibrating with it when he finally hears the tick-ticking, so familiar yet foreign. Then, a voice shakes his very being. "I was promised blood." Godly wrath fills him and suddenly Ares' instruments are all he can hear, followed closely by his soldiers' vengeful cry.

[myreygn]

modern au dad askeladd except he's not an actual dad but this random kid shows up to his house every day and tries to have beef over the closed food store askeladd bought and turned into an antiquarian store. turns out the food store used to be run by the kid's father until he passed away which is very sad of course but also askeladd is not gonna cooperate with some brat that borderline harasses him day by day. only that he can't call the cops because he kinda has a turbulent past and if they find out he's filling his store with stolen goods it's gonna become a huge problem. and note to destiny, the stupid kid finding out is not that great either because now he has to hear it out if he doesn't wanna go to prison and also he should probably learn the demon child's name while he's at it. shenanigans ensue.

[hanzajesthanza]

it really does matter so much that fringilla vigo is nilfgaardian, beauclairoise, for many reasons, but let's start here:

her entire role is that of an illusionist; one which she would not be were it not for her family lineage, rooted in beauclair:

There was a corridor in Beauclair Palace, and at the end a chamber, the existence of which no one knew about. (...) The corridor and the chamber, disguised by a powerful illusion, were known only to the palace’s original elven builders. And later–when the elves had gone, and Toussaint became a duchy–to the small number of sorcerers linked to the ducal house. Including Artorius Vigo, a master of magical arcana and great specialist in illusions. And his young niece, Fringilla, who had a special talent for illusions.

and since her talent in illusions is well-defined in the series, as it is her who grants geralt the very silver-mounted chrysoprase amulet which saves his life in the final fight against vilgefortz:

Geralt clenched Fringilla’s medallion in his fist. The bar fell with a clang, striking the floor a foot from the Witcher’s head. Geralt rolled away and quickly got up on one knee. Vilgefortz leaped forward and struck. The bar missed the target again by a few inches. The sorcerer shook his head in disbelief and hesitated for a second. (...) ‘I didn’t know …’ Yennefer said at last, scrambling out of a pile of rubble. She looked terrible. The blood trickling from her nose had poured all over her chin and cleavage. ‘I didn’t know you could cast illusory spells,’ she repeated, seeing Geralt’s uncomprehending gaze, ‘capable even of deceiving Vilgefortz.’ ‘It’s my medallion.’ ‘Aha.’ She looked suspicious. ‘A curious thing...’

that talent is something which cannot, by far, be separated from her character. and returning back to her lineage, it is again her familial relations which place her in beauclair.

she was positioned there, ready to intercept geralt, as early as the autumnal equinox in september, by which time geralt had barely just left the town of riedbrune:

The world over, the autumn Equinox was a night of spectres, nightmares and apparitions, a night of sudden, suffocating awakenings, fraught with menace, among sweat-soaked and rumpled sheets. Neither did the most illustrious escape the apparitions and awakenings; (...) In the huge castle of Montecalvo the sorceress Philippa Eilhart leaped from damask sheets, without waking the Comte de Noailles’ wife. The dwarf Yarpen Zigrin in Mahakam, the old witcher Vesemir in the mountain stronghold of Kaer Morhen, the bank clerk Fabio Sachs in the city of Gors Velen and Yarl Crach an Craite on board the longboat Ringhorn all awoke more or less abruptly. The sorceress Fringilla Vigo came awake in Beauclair Castle*, as did the priestess Sigrdrifa of the temple of the goddess Freyja on the island of Hindarsfjall.

* Slight correction - As explained in Chapter 3 of Lady of the Lake, Beauclair is not a castle, but a palace.

and she's only invited to beauclair in such a capacity because she is a relative of the duchess:

‘I’m in Beauclair because the largest, best-stocked library in the known world is here. Apart from university libraries, naturally. But universities are jealous of giving access to their shelves, and here I’m a relation and good friend of Anarietta and can do as I wish.’

(whom, you may note, she stands by and jointly receives geralt with at their first meeting, and participates in the festival of the vat with)

and therefore, she was in a perfectly strategic position to delay geralt, keep him captive:

‘(...) Please at least tell us … has the Witcher calmed down now? Are you capable of keeping him in Toussaint at least until May?’ (…) ‘No,’ she answered at last. ‘Probably not until May. But I’ll do everything in my power to keep him here as long as possible.’

because fringilla is not just an illusionist literally, as in the magic she is naturally gifted at, but 'illusionist' is her entire identity as a character.

and as her family hails from beauclair, this specific identity is compounded with the fact that beauclair itself is the center of illusions, a dreamland, a fairytale:

‘There’s something bewitched about this place, this fucking Toussaint. Some kind of charm hangs over the whole valley. Especially over the palace (...) no two ways about it, there’s something bewitched about this bloody Toussaint.’

fringilla is an illusionist because she is beauclairoise. she not only hails from a long line of illusionists, but hails from, is related to the ruler of, the very city of illusions and dreams.

she is the illusionist not just in a literal sense, but in the entire narrative role of casting an illusion over our hero, because it is the illusion of love which keeps her and geralt in beauclair. (the tricky trick is that geralt, taking a page out of yennefer's playbook of seduction, cleverness, patience, was able to cast an illusion upon the mistress of illusions herself, free himself from the witch's spell, awake from a pleasant dream to face the harsh reality).

(sighs) and even if you want to forget fringilla's beauclairoise identity and erase her entire positioning as the illusionist which poses a threat to our heroes, entices them to complacency, her role as nilfgaardian in the sense of her academic identity and imperial service also defines her.

because it is also fringilla, the illusionist who casts the wool over people's eyes... who blinded yennefer at sodden hill.

‘We’ve already met,’ Yennefer spoke again. ‘I don’t recall,’ Fringilla said without looking away. ‘I’m not surprised. But I have a good memory for faces and figures. I saw you from Sodden Hill.’ ‘In which case there can be no mistake,’ Fringilla Vigo said and raised her head proudly, sweeping her eyes over all those present. ‘I was at the Battle of Sodden.’ (...) ‘Occasionally one happens to see another person for only a split second, right before going blind, and one takes a dislike to them instantly.’ ‘Oh, enmity is considerably more complicated,’ Fringilla said, squinting. ‘Imagine someone you don’t know at all standing at the top of a hill, and ripping a friend of yours to shreds in front of your eyes. You neither saw them nor know them at all, but you still don’t like them.’ ‘So it goes,’ Yennefer said, shrugging. (...)

fringilla's (proud!) participation at the battle of sodden is a crux of the lodge, because she alongside her good friend, the scholarly assire, they are nilfgaardians who, owing to their nationality, find challenges meshing with the northern sorcereresses. the lodge brought together representatives of magic across nationalities in the midst of a raging, bloody war between them all.

and it's so integral to fringilla's character that she has imperial biases, that she approaches even the international lodge with an imperialist view.

with no factual basis, she initially exotifies and sexualizes the northern sorceresses, despite her own prior denial of these base stereotypes:

Fringilla Vigo was putting on a brave face, but she was anxious and stressed. She herself had often reprimanded young Nilfgaardian mages for uncritically yielding to stereotypical opinions and notions. She herself had regularly ridiculed the crude image painted by gossip and propaganda of the typical sorceress from the North: artificially beautiful, arrogant, vain and spoiled to the limits of perversion, and often beyond them. (...) Her untrammelled imagination offered up images of impossibly gorgeous women with diamond necklaces resting on naked breasts with rouged nipples, women with moist lips and eyes glistening from the effects of alcohol and narcotics. In her mind’s eye Fringilla could already see the gathering becoming a wild and depraved orgy accompanied by frenzied music, aphrodisiacs, and slaves of both sexes using exotic accessories.

she even has a difficult time understanding why the northern sorceresses are upset about the nilfgaardian invasion, believing it to be a boon to their society. only through their discussion does she just barely begin to grasp the meaning of "invasion" and why she wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it:

Some were clearly anxious about the close proximity of Nilfgaard. Fringilla had mixed feelings. She had assumed that such educated people would understand that the Empire was bringing culture, prosperity, order and political stability to the North. On the other hand, though, she didn’t know how she would have reacted herself, were foreign armies approaching her home.

all of this indoctrination into imperial beliefs, at the same time that she is an educated woman, and herself, as an imperial sorceress, known for being rebellious and an upstart within her own culture:

‘Stop staring,’ Assire said, touching her bouffant and glistening curls. ‘I decided to make a few changes. Why, I just took your lead.’ ‘I was always taken as an oddball and a rebel,’ Fringilla Vigo chuckled. ‘But when they see you in the academy or at court…’

this is such a chaotic rambling post, but all i want to say is that fringilla's character, like most of the minor characters in the witcher series, was not invented through random generation, a roll of the dice, a spin of the wheel. her specific traits - such as her nationality, lineage, talents - all relate back thematically. everything is relevant, specifically chosen to create a specific character.

if once changes her backstory (e.g., to place her at aretuza... though i don't know who would do such a thing for no reason) they would change her entire character, the series' commentary on imperialism, and because of her role she takes later on, even the entire ending of the story.

[minimooberry]

I knew you in another life You had that same look in your eyes I love you, don't act so surprised

[leaf4e]

Hi!!

I'm Leaf, Leaf4e, or Eli! Here's my pronouns page.

I'm neurodivergent, so I may struggle with conversations at times (but pls talk to me anyway i like making friends and interacting w/ ppl). Please try use tone tags with me and be clear and specific, im really bad with those

I make skins, builds and texture packs! You can send requests for skins and texture packs (just send an ask or message me on discord/pmc/@leaf43/etc.) I also don't mind feedback on my stuff, just don't be mean about it

I'm Leaf4e on Planet Minecraft, Modrinth, discord, in-game, etc. We also have a Simply Plural! We're Leaf4e on there too. Feel free to send a friend request!! no interaction prior required! (its specifically for introducing us separately, its not too personal to friend us there or anything)

For DMs and other main blog related stuff i made @leaf43 For very off topic stuff there's @leaf-f4e

[wolf-girl]

The Cullen-Hale Clan

and their cover-up story in Olympic Bay

Since they are planning staying in Olympic Bay for a few years they are considered as a Clan. However, Rosalie and Emmett live in their own house.

Esmeralda Ana Cullen Pereira

born 1691, in Spain bitten by Eleazar, at the age of 36 Leader of the Clan, whenever they decide to move to the same city at the same time. in Olympic Bay she's known as Esme Cullen - a social educator, who had renovated their houses before they moved there; Carlisle's wife, Edward's mother, Alice's adoptive mother

Doctor Carlisle Cullen Pereira

born 1640, in England bitten by a vampire he had been hunting, at the age 38 He was alone, until he met his friends Eleazar and Carmen again in 1859. Esme was with them at the time and they fell in love, leaving the other two only eight years later. They have been together ever since. known as Doctor Carlisle Cullen - an amazing surgeon; Esme's husband, Edward's father, Alice's adoptive father

Alice Mei Bando

born in 1901, in Mississippi bitten by Carlisle, at the age of 19 Due to her visions her father brought her to a mental asylum, where Carlisle worked at the time. There she endured electroshock therapy which rendered her with total amnesia. James caught her scent and would have killed her, but Carlisle transformed her. Since her father had spread the lie that his daughter had died and her family never visited, he had offered her that life. Alice has no memory of her human life left. she is known as Alice Cullen - studying international business at the Peninsula College in Olympic Bay; Esme and Carlisle's adopted daughter

Edward Anthony Masen

born in 1983, in England bitten by Esme, at the age of 19 He barely survived a horrific accident. His mother died at the crash site and used her last breath to ask her colleague, Esme, who was in the car with them, to save her son's life. he is known as Edward Cullen, but he prefers the nickname Ardy - studying music at the Peninsula College in Olympic Bay; Esme and Carlisle's son

Rosalie-Liane Halle

born 1515, in France bitten by Tanya, at the age of 23 After being reborn she travelled with the sisters until 1898. Then she and Emmett left them to live alone. known as Rosalie Hale - a mechanic; Emmett's wife, Carlisle's sister

Emmett McCarty

born in 1815, Tennessee bitten by Esme, at the age of 25 Emmett was being mauled by a black bear in the mountains of Tennessee, when Esme was in the area hunting. She saved his life by transforming him. known as Emmett Hale - a park ranger; Rosalie's husband

[stpansy]

another url option…

[altruisticenigma]

Have I changed my name into something people are going to have a hard time pronouncing? Yes

Is it so much better than having people say my dead name and it feels like a cheese grater against my ears every single time I hear it? Abso-fucking-lutely.

I love the validation and the care people have when hearing my name, either the shortened or full version. The curiosity. The funny remarks- Oh! I have a daughter also named Wednesday! - Oh, that’s so cool/pretty! - And I love that it’s the name I tell people. That I tell them I am actively choosing.

Yeah it’s a bit irksome that pretty much always, my name is gonna be a mouthful and a half, lol. But I’m slowly learning to own it. Because anything- literally anything, and especially how meaningful this name is- is way better than my dead name.

[longeyelashedtragedy]

i swear there was a time when i used to write more normal footy fics, but now we're halfway through 2024 and i'm writing franko dissociating out of a hetero quickie till john terry interrupts by coming in with a cart full of alcohol and it's 5 in the morning. not sure if personal growth or villain arc

[rush-the-stars]

thinking about changing my main blog’s (firein-thesky) name! hiding this poll on side blog. but help me pick a new url!

[percyouinhell]

Better late than never 😭

HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY S!! @lacunafiction

[m1d-45]

i’m having shining nikki sagau thoughts everybody beware. so first of all like i remembered that elves canonically exist in miraland (idk if we ever mentioned this before) and there’s elves or at least elf-like creatures in teyvat…… i’m connecting the dots (<- they’re not connecting shit)

second of all. the new skins. “sailwind shadow” and “blossoming starlight” are SUCH designer’s reflection names like if i opened up shining nikki and saw those there they wouldn’t even be out of place. idk about everyone else but i think it would be cute if sailwind shadow was bandit. i have more to say but i need time to put my thoughts in Order - teddy anon

shining nikki!!

honestly despite red being in my head on and off, i didn’t even CONSIDER sailwind shadow and that is a tragedy. i have his skin but didn’t do the quest relating to it yet (it’s a costume he wears for a play right?) but the entire thing with this event. god he’s so perfect.

blossoming starlight is probably just klee but higher energy and less fear, and while i don’t doubt the power of klee dps i do doubt your conscience allowing you to bring a child into battle, double so after red split. she’s just. a little girl. so we move on.

sailwind shadow. i’ll choose to interpret him as a mix of the dagger bandit and kaeya himself, which makes for a fun little guy in my opinion. always trying to sneak you off to somewhere “more interesting than sitting around all day, no?” and thinks that the others are being far too uptight. does he understand the gravity of the hunt? absolutely. but whereas red (and the two archons) want to keep you safe in the cave you’ve made home, he’d much rather whisk you away down a path in the forest.

less for combat, i’d imagine, leaving that to nikki and the others. has quite a few stories to tell, most made up but some gathered from his weak memory. dislikes kaeya, but less so than red, surprisingly. he seems to view him as having no other choice, that he’s “already conflicted enough without that fake touting him about as their sword.” he views kaeya with more pity than anything else.

he and red have a.. strange relationship. at their cores, they are diluc and kaeya, but that affection is hidden beneath the several layers of trauma painted over. they both worry for the other in their own ways—he checks red for injuries from afar when you all regroup after a fight, and red makes sure to make chicken mushroom skewers when he’s having a bad day—but it’s still a tough trial. it’ll probably go quicker than diluc and kaeya, but you’ll have to wait a while before they connect properly.

in his early stages, he’s not all that dissimilar from red. clingy and always hesitant to leave, but does do more to try and keep your attention on him. he’s kaeya at his core and the costume is from a play, so he’s got quite a few tricks up his sleeve to prolong his stay.

(these tricks commonly include starting to tell you a story only to reveal that the ‘ancient artifact’ is one of fischl’s arrows, or red’s rings. your laughter is enough to keep him stealing them back—anything to be the source of that shine in your eyes.)

less prone to violence than red, and definitely safer to take out in public after everything’s over. at worst, he’ll make a passing comment, but is too worried about his image. what if you see him sneer, or if the other person sees and tells you? no no no, it’s far safer to just pull you away again, even if he has to lie as to why. you’ll understand if the crowds are getting to him, or if he feels trapped indoors, right? you were meant to be amongst nature anyway, so if anything he’s just doing you a favor, surely.

(he doesn’t often leave your side as you sleep, but he did see red in the middle of.. taking care of some things once. while he prefers to keep his hands clean—it’s awfully hard to lie to you, and he doesn’t think he could stay quiet if you asked—he doesn’t look down on red’s choice of problem solving. he recognizes the person beneath his boot anyway, hands slightly twitching at the memory from earlier today. when the two of them return to camp by morning, he lets red do most of the talking, only adding in the small half truth of “just having some fun” when prompted. he did his best to wipe his sword clean of any unsavory stains, but does keep it safely in it’s sheath whenever you’re around.)

however, just because he’s less violent than red doesn’t mean the source of said violence went away. he still gets jealous, and if he finds his theatrics don’t make you laugh as much as they used to, he‘ll begin to panic. are you growing bored with him? are his stories getting predictable? do you look down on him for running away with hunters with you instead of staying like the others do? he promises he’s not just dead weight! please, what does he have to do? do you want him to be more like barbatos? he can’t quite help you fly like he can, but he can try to pick up a bow! do you like red more? he’d really rather not get blood on his outfit, but anything for you. anything, anything at all… just keep your attention on him for a little longer. please?

[baasthasthezoomies]

Orange Cat Update!

The feral-to-living-in-my-house pipeline is once again operating smoothly.

Mr. Baby Man here is FIV/FeLV negative. 🥰

So he has been spending his cold winter nights in my heated basement while I get the guest bedroom ready for him.