#narrative inquiry

[raven-serenity]

sometimes i forget how fitting voidgirl is to describe my gender, while also understanding the way i experience "void" may differ from other voidgendered people.

lately ive been characterizing the amorphous nature of the void as many different beings in my mind, spreaded across many spaces - all talking and interacting with eachother. some are closer to other, some hate eachother, some will never meet.

some are lovers, thats self-love. some never see eye to eye, thats self-doubt. some will be there to calm the anxious ones, thats self-care.

each one has their own discoveries, their own changes in their identities, their own hardships. some have adventures,some are more isolated, some are more settled.

they're in constant flux and flow. the result of their interactions makes up me.

rarely will you ever hear from just one, but rather you are always hearing from an averaging of all of them.

I can tell which ones are more dominant in a given moment, which is what my tags refer to.

its been somewhat therapeutic to write the stories of these beings, while also discovering new ones that can then connect with the others.

change and development amongst everyone is reflected in the discoveries Ive made in myself.

of course, i am always raven serenity.

and raven. and serenity.

[yourfavouritenpcandcats]

🧿 The Dark Side of Destiny: Villainous and Corrupted Chosen Ones

Chosen for Darkness

(Bonus Page: The Chosen One Project)

Not every Chosen One becomes a saviour.

While the trope traditionally celebrates figures destined to heal or redeem, many narratives explore a darker possibility: that those marked by prophecy, divine favour, or extraordinary power might fall into villainy instead.

These corrupted or villainous Chosen Ones add depth and danger to fantasy storytelling. They challenge the assumption that destiny equates to goodness, and they reveal how easily power can distort intention.

There are several key examples where the Chosen One turns toward destruction -and consider what these fallen figures teach us about fate, agency, and moral responsibility.

🌟 Destined for Ruin: Fallen Chosen Ones Across Fantasy🌟

Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars prequels) exemplifies the tragic Prophetic Archetype. Prophesied to bring balance to the Force, Anakin’s fear of loss and desperate need for control drive him into darkness. Rather than saving the galaxy, he becomes Darth Vader - the enforcer of tyranny he was meant to destroy. Or perhaps the perfect weapon of destiny who truly did bring balance to the Force.

Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII) presents another chilling image of corrupted destiny. Elevated by Shinra as the “perfect solider,” or Divinely Selected Figure. He was initially a celebrated hero, Sephiroth’s discovery of his manufactured origins -and his supposed greater “purpose”- leads him to embrace apocalyptic destruction, reshaping his destiny into a quest for godhood.

Emperor Zarkon (Voltron: Legendary Defender, 2016) offers a subtler tragedy. Once a noble Paladin of the Black Lion -an Artifact Wielder chosen for leadership and balance- Zarkon’s obsession with power and immortality slowly warps his destiny. The very force that once marked him as a protector becomes the tool of his downfall, transforming him into a brutal conqueror.

Oryx, the Taken King (Destiny video game lore) similarly ascends to dark godhood by making a bloody pact with cosmic forces. By taking Manifest Incarnation through force, his “chosen” path is one of annihilation, a deliberate rejection of mortality and community in favour of dominion.

In each case, destiny does not protect against corruption.

It amplifies it.

🌟 Narrative Power: Why Fallen Chosen Ones Matter🌟

Villainous Chosen Ones are more than mere reversals of the heroic narrative.

They force readers and audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about power, privilege, and the fragility of moral intention.

They show that being “chosen” is not an absolution -it is a test.

Fallen Chosen Ones:

Reveal the neutrality of destiny. Prophecy and selection are not moral judgments.

Highlight the importance of choice. Greatness requires conscious, continuous ethical action -not just anointing.

Mirror the hero’s potential for failure. They act as dark reflections, showing what could happen if virtue gives way to fear, anger, or pride.

By corrupting the promise of the Chosen One, these stories deepen their emotional and philosophical stakes.

They remind us that the power to save and the power to destroy are often terrifyingly close.

🌟 Corruption as a New Kind of Destiny🌟

The fall of the Chosen One is not merely personal tragedy.

It critiques the very systems that elevate individuals above others, questioning the societal need for singular saviours.

When heroes fall:

It becomes clear that no prophecy is infallible.

It exposes the dangers of concentrating hope -or power- in one figure.

It calls for vigilance, humility, and shared responsibility rather than blind faith in destiny.

In a genre increasingly aware of systemic injustice and complexity, villainous Chosen Ones feel not just relevant -but necessary.

They invite us to ask: If destiny can create monsters as easily as heroes, how should we rethink what it means to be “chosen”?

The Choice Beneath the Crown

Ultimately, the most compelling Chosen One stories -heroic or villainous- hinge on a simple truth:

Being chosen is never enough.

The heroes we admire, and the villains we fear, are shaped not by the hand of fate alone, but by their decisions in the face of it.

Destiny may light the path.

But it is choice -and the courage to choose wisely- that defines a life.

🧿 Project Navigation:

Start here: [The Chosen One: From Sacred Myth to Fantasy Staple (Part 1)]

➡️ [Typologies of the Chosen One (Part 2)]

➡️ [Psychological and Cultural Roots (Part 3)]

➡️ [Breaking Destiny (Part 4)]

[qcicle]

So. Question. Just like, out of curiosity, just a bit of a doubt, how the FUCK do we know who's the cursed team

[estarion]

[ CLOSER ] :3c

he never needs to think very hard when it comes to excuses for pinning a body  ( any body )  against a wall—or rock.  but there was a legitimate one tonight.  something nasty lurking in the woods near camp.  a need for stealth, and silence.  betty doesn’t budge;  ‘danger’ abates, and astarion glances down at her, the thrum of her pulse in his ears.  is she nervous?   having studied her for a time—long enough to make accurate guesses about her preferences—he’s only ever treated her the way a prince might.

forgiving, of course, the time he decided to spice things up;  mended shirts in his arms and thanks out of the way, he made his boldfaced proposition. she assumed he wanted to go mushroom-picking in the woods. to astarion’s chagrin, that ended up actually happening.  wasn’t the worst time.  halsin helped;  what they collected was thrown into some disgusting-looking stew, the only import of which is that it made her happy.  he reflected by the fire that night;  his motives, the innocent way she came back at him.  how gentle, confused eyes brought relief more than disappointment.  ignorance isn’t so bad, he thinks, when it lets him feel safe with a person.  he feels safe with her...  and they’re both safe, now that the threat is gone.

possibly, it was a farce. never any real threat at all. merely a way to heighten their night, add a touch of drama.  an animal that he might have tamed, made his meal—had he not been in ‘protect the princess’ mode, for whatever stupid reason.  but playing this role for her isn’t so horrid.  in some ways, it’s even been fun.   “let’s hurry back.”   he whispers so but makes no move to start.  to let her begin, either.  he’s distracted.  they’re closer than they’ve ever been, and something’s different enough about the shade and shape of her mouth tonight that everything in the world must pause for a moment.   “betty?”   his forefinger lifts, curled, tipping her chin upward.  as he thought.  berry-tinted, parted, her breath a tad heavier than usual.   “are your lips always so～?”   kissable.

[danthropologie]

idk about you but I'm really not liking all this l**do talk about going to red bull and how helmut is after his agent and his dad and how he's SO FUNNY MUCH TROLL and started to follow them... I don't like it

i agree with you but here's the thing-

1) lando would literally never in a million years. mclaren is literally built around him and him alone, in what world would his fragile ego allow him to leave that dream scenario just to play second fiddle to max. and that's not even getting into the zak/quadrant or his dad's team investment of it all!! plus with the silverstone result, you just knooooowww he's fully back in on the bullshit zak brown has been selling about properly challenging in 2025 (if he was ever truly on it to begin with, which i doubt 😭)....and at that point, again, why leave just to be second to somebody else

2) helmut marko is squarely to blame for this entire fucking NVD situation. both the hiring AND firing were his doing, it was his idea to go outside of the red bull system based on one (1) single result, and at that point you have to wonder if he has enough leverage in the team right now to be pushing for yet another outside hire, especially when you've got christian (and camp verstappen!) seemingly backing daniel, who's quite literally waiting in the wings

[blueheartbookclub]

Unraveling Destiny in "Rhesus: The Athenian Drama"

Euripides, through his timeless masterpiece "Rhesus," offers a captivating exploration of fate, war, and the intricate threads that weave through the human experience. In this poignant Athenian drama, translated with masterful clarity by Gilbert Murray, the audience is drawn into the depths of the Trojan War's aftermath, where the shadows of destiny loom large.

The play unfolds against the backdrop of the Trojan camp after the departure of Hector and the Trojans for the night. Rhesus, the Thracian king and ally of the Trojans, is introduced, bringing an element of prophecy and foreboding to the narrative. Murray's translation impeccably captures the nuances of Euripides' language, allowing readers to delve into the psychological intricacies of the characters.

The central theme revolves around the inevitability of destiny and the futility of attempting to alter predetermined outcomes. As Rhesus grapples with his own foretold demise, the audience is compelled to ponder the broader implications of predetermination in the grand tapestry of life. Murray's translation preserves the tension and suspense as the characters confront their destinies, creating a narrative rhythm that resonates with both intellectual depth and emotional intensity.

Euripides, known for his nuanced characterization, breathes life into the players of this ancient drama. Through Murray's translation, the motivations, fears, and aspirations of the characters become palpable, forging a connection between the audience and the timeless struggles of humanity.

"Rhesus" is not merely a recounting of events but an exploration of the human condition. The play challenges conventional notions of heroism, inviting the audience to question the very essence of fate and the impact of one's choices on the unfolding of destiny. Murray's translation enhances the accessibility of these profound philosophical inquiries, making them as relevant today as they were in ancient Athens.

In conclusion, "Rhesus: The Athenian Drama" stands as a testament to Euripides' narrative genius and Gilbert Murray's linguistic prowess. This translation not only preserves the integrity of the original text but also presents it in a manner that resonates with contemporary readers. The exploration of destiny, war, and the human psyche makes "Rhesus" a compelling read, leaving an indelible mark on those who embark on this journey through the annals of Athenian drama.

"Rhesus," of Euripides skillfully translated by Gilbert Murray is available in Amazon in paperback 10.99$ and hardcover 18.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 112

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[anthonycrowley]

Are Steve and Crowley your characters in a way that you’d want them to inexplicably meet each other and suffer vaguely/seriously for it or are you not a crossovers person? Mainly I want to see Steve babysitting the Them and him and Crowley bitching at each other. Or actually him and aziraphale bitching at each other and Crowley trying to keep the peace and failing miserably

oh yeah i could get behind this yeah. the brainworms are wiggling both are fun loving this.

[tenth-sentence]

There is deep-time story in the echinoid, though, in the intelligent pattern its embodied knowledge left on that stone, and it has been working on me for a few decades now, driving me towards inquiries into distributed cognition and the way true narratives are created over time from an aggregate of viewpoints, including the ignorant ones.

"Right Story, Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking" - Tyson Yunkaporta

[raven-serenity]

serenity day 2023

[yourfavouritenpcandcats]

🧿 Why We Crave Chosen Ones: Psychological and Cultural Roots

The Enduring Appeal of Being “Chosen”

(Part 3 of 4: The Chosen One Project)

In a world often marked by uncertainty, chaos, and injustice, the idea that one individual could be destined to set things right is irresistibly comforting.

Despite its predictability -or perhaps because of it- the Chosen One trope endures. Across books, films, games, and myths, audiences return again and again to stories of heroes marked by fate.

But why?

What deeper psychological and cultural forces draw us to these narratives? And what happens when the fantasy of destiny begins to work against the stories themselves?

🌟 The Mythic Need for Meaning🌟

Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) argues that myths across cultures share a common structure because they address universal human needs: the need for purpose, transformation, and reconciliation with mortality.

The Chosen One, in this framework, becomes a vessel for hope.

Their journey reassures us that suffering has meaning, that trials lead to growth, and that the individual can triumph over chaos.

In an era increasingly shaped by disenchantment -the erosion of religious, communal, and mythic frameworks- the Chosen One offers a modern substitute for ancient sacred narratives. They provide a way for readers to experience transcendence through fiction.

When we read about a Chosen One, we are not merely entertained.

We are invited to believe, however briefly, that destiny itself has a plan.

🌟 Psychological Comfort in Narrative Coherence🌟

Beyond mythic resonance, the Chosen One also fulfils psychological needs for coherence and agency.

Research in narrative psychology suggests that individuals are drawn to stories that offer clear beginnings, middles, and endings.

Stories that affirm that actions have consequences and that lives have arc and meaning.

The Chosen One trope creates a powerful narrative coherence:

The world is broken.

A figure rises.

Change is inevitable.

In a reality often defined by randomness and systemic complexity, this structure provides catharsis.

It reassures readers that even in the face of overwhelming odds, individuals can matter -and that destiny can intervene when human will alone seems insufficient.

Especially for younger readers, narratives of exceptionalism offer a potent emotional anchor during periods of identity formation and uncertainty.

🌟 The Danger of Narcissistic Fantasy🌟

However, the same features that make the Chosen One trope comforting can also make it dangerously hollow.

As Anthony Rella critiques, the myth of the Chosen One can encourage a narcissistic fantasy: the belief that one’s mere existence, rather than one’s choices or efforts, guarantees significance.

When poorly handled, Chosen One narratives:

Strip agency from protagonists (they succeed because they must, not because they earn it).

Flatten character development (external destiny replaces internal growth).

Create unrealistic expectations in audiences about individuality and “specialness.”

In these cases, destiny becomes an excuse, not a challenge.

The hero succeeds because the narrative demands it -not because they struggled, learned, or sacrificed in meaningful ways.

Worse, when every hero is “chosen,” narratives risk implying that those who are not exceptional by birth or fate are simply irrelevant -an idea at odds with the humanistic ideals many of these stories aim to affirm.

🌟 A Tension Between Fate and Choice🌟

At its best, the Chosen One trope dramatizes the tension between fate and free will.

The most enduring Chosen Ones -from Frodo Baggins to Buffy Summers- are not defined by their prophecies alone.

They are defined by what they choose to do with their burden.

They remind us that destiny may open the door, but it is choice that walks through it.

This tension creates the emotional and philosophical stakes that elevate Chosen One narratives beyond mere wish-fulfilment.

As modern fantasy continues to evolve, this tension becomes even more crucial. Readers increasingly demand stories where characters shape their fates -not where fate shapes the characters.

Why Destiny Still Matters (Carefully)

The Chosen One endures because it offers us hope:

Hope that order can emerge from chaos.

Hope that meaning can arise from suffering.

Hope that individuals can still shape history, even when the world feels immovable.

But when destiny replaces agency, that hope turns hollow.

Understanding the psychological and cultural roots of the Chosen One prepares us to see where the trope can grow -and where it must be challenged.

🧿 Project Navigation:

In the next and final section, we explore how modern Fantasy writers are breaking, reimagining, and reshaping the Chosen One narrative for a new era of storytelling.

Start here: ➡️ [The Chosen One: From Sacred Myth to Fantasy Staple (Part 1)]

➡️ [Typologies of the Chosen One (Part 2)]

➡️ [Breaking Destiny (Part 4)]

[blueheartbooks]

Unraveling Destiny in "Rhesus: The Athenian Drama"

Euripides, through his timeless masterpiece "Rhesus," offers a captivating exploration of fate, war, and the intricate threads that weave through the human experience. In this poignant Athenian drama, translated with masterful clarity by Gilbert Murray, the audience is drawn into the depths of the Trojan War's aftermath, where the shadows of destiny loom large.

The play unfolds against the backdrop of the Trojan camp after the departure of Hector and the Trojans for the night. Rhesus, the Thracian king and ally of the Trojans, is introduced, bringing an element of prophecy and foreboding to the narrative. Murray's translation impeccably captures the nuances of Euripides' language, allowing readers to delve into the psychological intricacies of the characters.

The central theme revolves around the inevitability of destiny and the futility of attempting to alter predetermined outcomes. As Rhesus grapples with his own foretold demise, the audience is compelled to ponder the broader implications of predetermination in the grand tapestry of life. Murray's translation preserves the tension and suspense as the characters confront their destinies, creating a narrative rhythm that resonates with both intellectual depth and emotional intensity.

Euripides, known for his nuanced characterization, breathes life into the players of this ancient drama. Through Murray's translation, the motivations, fears, and aspirations of the characters become palpable, forging a connection between the audience and the timeless struggles of humanity.

"Rhesus" is not merely a recounting of events but an exploration of the human condition. The play challenges conventional notions of heroism, inviting the audience to question the very essence of fate and the impact of one's choices on the unfolding of destiny. Murray's translation enhances the accessibility of these profound philosophical inquiries, making them as relevant today as they were in ancient Athens.

In conclusion, "Rhesus: The Athenian Drama" stands as a testament to Euripides' narrative genius and Gilbert Murray's linguistic prowess. This translation not only preserves the integrity of the original text but also presents it in a manner that resonates with contemporary readers. The exploration of destiny, war, and the human psyche makes "Rhesus" a compelling read, leaving an indelible mark on those who embark on this journey through the annals of Athenian drama.

"Rhesus," of Euripides skillfully translated by Gilbert Murray is available in Amazon in paperback 10.99$ and hardcover 18.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 112

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[cressidagrey]

A McLaren Meltdown

Pairing: Oscar Piastri x Felicity Leong-Piastri (Original Character)

Summary: Mclaren’s staff reactions to Oscar Piastri’s surprise marriage reveal.

(divider thanks to @saradika-graphics )

Sophie had three rules for race weekend PR.

Control the narrative.

Anticipate the chaos.

Never trust a “quick” fan stage.

She was halfway through writing a press release about tire strategy when her phone buzzed once. Then twice. Then thirty-seven times in under two minutes.

The group chat with the digital media team had caught fire.

[McLaren Media 🔥] 💬 “OH MY GOD.” 💬 “HE SAID HE’S BEEN MARRIED SINCE HE WAS EIGHTEEN.” 💬 “WE NEED A STATEMENT.” 💬 “WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘MARRIED’???” 💬 “Lando spat water. There is video.”

Sophie blinked at her phone, stunned.

Then came the link.

She clicked. Watched. Listened.

Oscar, calm as ever:

“Well, I already did one of those things.” Lando, shrieking: “YOU’RE MARRIED?!”

Sophie made a sound not unlike a dying animal.

She stood, tablet in hand, walked to the nearest wall in the media trailer, and very calmly banged her forehead against it.

Twice.

Across the room, one of the interns whispered, “Is she okay?”

“No,” someone else replied.

Sophie turned to the team.

“Does anyone have a marriage certificate? A formal quote? A—a photo? Anything we can use?”

Her email pinged.

Subject line: Netflix Inquiry — Episode Rights: Oscar Piastri Reveal

Another ping.

BBC Radio Request: “Interview With the Most Mysterious Woman in Motorsport.”

And then, like he’d been summoned by sheer rage, Zak Brown strolled in, looking far too calm.

“Hey team. Saw the fan stage. Oscar’s married, huh? Wild stuff.”

Sophie slowly turned. “You knew.”

Zak gave her a sheepish smile. “Mark Webber mentioned it once. Years ago. Said she was great. Didn’t seem relevant at the time.”

“ZAK.”

“What?”

“HE’S BEEN MARRIED FOR FIVE YEARS.” Sophie was dangerously close to combusting. “He’s our youngest driver and he eloped at eighteen. That’s relevant!”

Zak held up his hands. “I didn’t think it was a secret. Oscar’s a private guy.”

“Private guy?! He said ‘on the bed’ like it was a normal engagement location!” Sophie nearly shrieked. “Do you know how many headline puns they’ve made about that already?!”

Someone from graphics called out, “Can we use ‘Lights Out and Vows Away’ or is that too much?”

“It’s not damage,” Zak said helpfully. “It’s engagement.”

“I swear to God, Zak,” Sophie hissed. 

Slack was already full of memes. Someone had gif’d Lando’s meltdown with the caption “Me finding out my best friend is secretly married like it’s a normal Thursday.”

The press inbox was collapsing under subject lines like:

“IS SHE A CELEBRITY?” “DO THEY HAVE A CHILD?” “LAN-DRAMA: Norris Betrayed???” “Can we get her on The Paddock Panel?”

Sophie clutched her forehead. “Okay. Okay. Deep breath.”

“We need Oscar to post something,” she declared, her voice rising above the din.

Zak tilted his head. “You sure? That might just fuel it more.”

“He already fueled it, Zak. He turbocharged it and strapped fireworks to the back.”

“Fair point.”

Sophie groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I’m going to have to rewrite everything. Update the media deck. Issue a statement. Reprint bios. Plan a WAG-friendly feature piece. And deal with Lando, who’s spiraling like his best friend betrayed him.”

A pause.

“And someone call Netflix,” she added darkly. “Tell them they just got their best episode of the season. No edits required.”

***

Andrea Stella prided himself on knowing his drivers.

Their tells, their ticks, the way they thought—how they braked, how they communicated, when they needed space and when they needed a push. It was part of his job. But it was also personal. He’d always believed that good leadership came from paying attention to the whole person, not just the lap time.

Which is why the events of this morning left him quietly, genuinely stunned.

He hadn't seen the fan stage live—he’d been in an engineering debrief—but by the time he stepped into the media office, it was all anyone could talk about.

Oscar. Married. For five years. Since he was eighteen.

The video played on loop in the corner of the room, muted but unmistakable. Oscar’s dry calm. Lando’s shocked scream. The social media team was in shambles. The PR team looked like they were trying not to hyperventilate.

Andrea just… stood there for a moment.

Watching.

Processing.

He felt the frown settle between his brows. Not anger. Not exactly disappointment. Just… a quiet ache in the chest of someone who’d thought he was closer to one of his drivers than maybe he actually was.

Oscar had been married. For five years. And Andrea hadn't known. Not even a hint.

He stepped out of the room, calm as ever, but his mind raced.

And then, with all the subtlety of a man who’d been blindsided one too many times today, Andrea found himself heading toward the physio area—toward Kim.

Kim Keedle was Oscar’s trainer, his shadow, his constant presence in the garage. If anyone knew Oscar better than Andrea, it was probably Kim.

Andrea found him in the paddock gym, casually adjusting a resistance band on the wall.

“Kim,” Andrea said, voice even. “Quick question.”

Kim turned, cheerful as always. “Hey, boss. What’s up?”

Andrea tilted his head, arms crossing. “Did you know Oscar was married?”

Kim blinked. Then blinked again. “Uh… yeah?”

Andrea waited.

Kim scratched the back of his neck. “I mean, yeah. They’ve been married since—what—just after graduation? Felicity’s great. ”

Andrea was silent for a beat too long.

Kim winced slightly. “You didn’t know?”

“No,” Andrea said softly. “I didn’t.”

And that—that was the part that surprised him the most. Not the marriage. 

But the fact that Oscar, his driver, his stone-faced, brilliantly strategic driver, had managed to keep an entire wife away from the paddock spotlight… and never once let it slip.

He thought about all the long flights, the post-race reviews, the hours spent talking about the future. He had asked Oscar about his offseason plans, his training routines, even his travel preferences.

Never once had he thought to ask if Oscar had someone waiting at home.

And Oscar, ever calm, had never offered.

Andrea nodded slowly. “Thank you, Kim.”

Kim gave him a sympathetic smile. “He didn’t mean to keep it from you, you know. He’s just… private. He thinks if something doesn’t affect the job, it doesn’t need mentioning.”

Andrea looked away, exhaling through his nose. “Still. I would’ve liked to have known.”

“Yeah,” Kim said, voice gentler now. “I think he’ll understand that.”

Andrea gave a small nod, but the sting remained.

He wasn’t angry.

Just... quietly hurt.

Because he cared about his drivers—not just the helmets and telemetry and podium stats, but the people beneath all that.

And maybe, just maybe, he thought they cared enough to let him in too.

***

The room had all the energy of a bunker mid-airstrike.

Half the PR team was gathered around the conference table in McLaren hospitality, the other half hovering behind Sophie, who had summoned Oscar with the same tone one might use for code red, house on fire, or Lando’s Instagram Live just crashed the website again.

Oscar walked in like it was any other media meeting.

He sat down. Calm. Collected. Completely unaware that his entire personal life had set the internet on fire six hours ago.

Sophie didn’t even look up from her laptop. “Okay,” she said, voice clipped. “Let’s talk about The Reveal.”

Oscar blinked. “The what?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Zak leaned back in his chair, thoroughly enjoying himself. “You nuked the internet with six words.”

Andrea Stella, unusually quiet, just sat with his arms crossed. Still processing. Still mildly wounded.

“‘Well, I already did one of those things,’” Sophie quoted flatly. “That’s what you said.”

Oscar nodded. “Yeah. Because I did.”

“You have been married for five years,” Sophie said, very slowly, “and you did not think that was something the team—your teammate, your PR department, the people who make the media decks—should know?”

Oscar gave her a polite shrug. “I didn’t hide it.”

Sophie made a strangled noise. “You also didn’t say a word.”

“Different issue,” Oscar said mildly.

Andrea exhaled sharply through his nose.

Zak smirked. “To be fair, he has a point.”

Sophie gave him a look that could kill.

“We need a response,” she snapped. “A controlled response. Instagram. Twitter. Something that gives people what they want without fueling every gossip rag on Earth.”

Oscar nodded thoughtfully. “Okay.”

Sophie blinked. “Okay?”

“I already have a draft.”

The room fell silent.

“You what?” Sophie asked.

Oscar reached into his hoodie pocket, pulled out his phone, and calmly opened his Notes app. “Wrote it earlier,” he said. “Figured you’d ask.”

He passed the phone to Sophie.

She scrolled.

Stopped.

Scrolled again.

By the third paragraph, she was blinking fast and biting the inside of her cheek. By the end, she was holding the phone with both hands like it was a fragile heirloom.

One of the interns leaned over her shoulder. “Did he just… write a romance novel in his Notes app?”

Oscar shrugged. “Seemed easier than a press conference.”

Andrea, still quiet, tilted his head. “You wrote this yourself?”

Oscar looked at him. “Yeah.”

Andrea just gave a small nod. No words. But something in his expression shifted. A little less hurt. A little more understanding.

Sophie passed the phone to Zak.

Zak read three lines, then huffed. “Jesus. You really are a wife guy.”

Oscar shrugged again.

“Well,” Sophie said faintly. “It’s perfect.”

Oscar took his phone back. “Should I post it now or wait until after FP2?”

Sophie threw her hands in the air. “How are you so calm about this?!”

Oscar looked up, deadpan. “Because I’ve been married for five years.”

And there it was again—that maddening, infuriating, charmingly psychotic Oscar Piastri calm.

Sophie sat down, defeated. “Fine. Post it. Pray Lando doesn’t say anything unhinged in the comments.”

Andrea glanced at him one more time. “Next time, Oscar,” he said softly, “you can tell us. It doesn’t have to be relevant to the car.”

Oscar looked at him, then nodded. “Noted.”

And with that, he pulled out his phone, opened Instagram, and hit post—like it was the most normal thing in the world.

(Which, to him, it probably was.)

Ten seconds later, Sophie’s phone buzzed again.

And again.

And again.

“Buckle up,” she muttered. “Here we go again.”

[nicholasandriani]

An archaeological look at the history of games through East Asia

As an archaeologist and historian of gameplay and material culture, I’d be delighted to provide you with a brief overview of the history of games in East Asia and beyond the Western canon. Games have been an integral part of human culture for centuries, serving as a source of entertainment, education, and social interaction. Let’s dive into the rich gaming traditions of East Asia and explore some…

[intersex-support]

Intersex Resources: Books, Art, Videos

Here's a list with some resources to learn about intersex community, history, and politics! These include some academic sources and some community sources. I'd love to add sources in other languages and that focus on countries besides the United States, so if anyone has recommendations, please let me know. Continually updating and adding sources.

Reading list:

Intersex History:

"The Intersex Movement of the 1990s: Speaking Out Against Medical and Narrative Violence" by Viola Amato.

Hermaphrodites with Attitude Newsletters.

Jazz Legend Little Jimmy Scott is a Cornerstone of Black Intersex History By Sean Saifa Wall

"Hermaphrodites with Attitude: Mapping the Emergence of Intersex Political Activism" by Cheryl Chase

Chrysalis Quarterly: Intersex Awakening, 1997.

"What Happened at Hopkins: The Creation of the Intersex Management Protocols" by Alison Redick.

Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex by Elizabeth Reis.

Intersex Politics

“A Framework for Intersex Justice.” Intersex Justice Project

"Creating Intersex Justice: Interview with Sean Saifa Wall and Pidgeon Pagonis of the Intersex Justice Project." by David Rubin, Michelle Wolff, and Amanda Lock Swarr.

"Intersex Justice and the Care We Deserve: ‘I Want People to Feel at Home in Their Bodies Again." Zena Sharman.

Critical Intersex edited by Morgan Holmes.

Envisioning African Intersex: Challenging Colonial and Racist Legacies in South African Medicine by Amanda Lock Swarr.

"Intersex Human Rights" by Bauer et al.

Morgan Carpenter's writing

"I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me: Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US." by Human Rights Watch.

Cripping Intersex by Celeste E. Orr.

"From ‘Intersex’ to ‘DSD’: A Case of Epistemic Injustice" by Ten Merrick.

"Did Bioethics Matter? A History of Autonomy, Consent, and Intersex Genital Surgery." by Elizabeth Reis.

Intersex Community

"Normalizing Intersex: Personal Stories from the Pages of Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics." edited by James DuBois and Ana Iltis.

Hans Lindhal's blog.

InterACT Youth Blog.

Intersex Justice Project Blog.

"What it's like to be a Black Intersex Woman" by Tatenda Ngwaru.

Intersex Inclusive Pride Flag by Valentino Vecchietti.

The Interface Project founded by Jim Ambrose.

Intersex Zines from Emi Koyama

Teen Vogue's Intersex Coverage

YOUth& I: An intersex youth Anthology by Intersex Human Rights Australia

Intersex OwnVoices books collected by Bogi Takacs.

Memoirs:

Nobody Needs to Know by Pidgeon Pagonis.

Inverse Cowgirl by Alicia Roth Weigel

XOXY by Kimberly Zieselman

Fiction:

Icarus by K Ancrum.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Video/Audio

Every Body dir. Julie Cohen.

Hermaphrodites Speak! 1997.

Liberating All Bodies: Disability Justice and Intersex Justice in Conversation.

"36 Revolutions of Change: Sean Saifa Wall."

Inter_View: An Intersex Podcast by Dani Coyle

Hans Lindhal's Youtube channel.

What it's Like to be Intersex from Buzzfeed.

Emilord Youtube channel

I'm intersex-ask me anything from Jubilee

What it's like to be Intersex-Minutes With Roshaante Andersen.

Pass the Mic: Intercepting Injustice with Sean Saifa Wall

Art

"Hey AAP! Get your Scalpels Off Our Bodies!" 1996.

Ana Roxanne's album Because of a Flower.

Intersex 1 in 90 potraits by Lara Aerts and Ernst Coppejans

Anyone can be Born Intersex: A Photo-Portrait Story by Intersex Nigeria.

Pidgeon Pagonis "Too cute to be binary" Collection

Juliana Huxtable Visual Art

Koomah's art

Please feel free to add on your favorite sources for intersex art, history, politics, and community !

[meanbossart]

Pin!

Hi, I'm RJ (Male, 28 years old) I'm a -usually- horror oriented artist and collaborator alongside my partner and better-half @barbatusart, though I'm currently on a Baldur's Gate 3/DnD streak with both my art and writing, specifically centered around the Dark Urge I created for my campaign and his antics, so that's most of what you will find here!

I want to leave a warning right here that I occasionally venture into delicate topics in regards to character lore and history - though none of it strays too far from what the game already delves into and I try to give a heads-up ahead of time whenever I feel like something might catch someone off-guard otherwise.

PATREON: patreon.com/meanbossart/

MY INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/meanboss_art/

BLUESKY: https://bsky.app/profile/meanbossart.bsky.social

PRINTS: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/meanbossart/

TWITCH WHERE I STREAM SOMETIMES: twitch.tv/meanboss14

PSA: I get a lot of asks and I'm slow to go through them, please don't take it personally :U

Anyway, here's the guy of the hour:

🚨FAQ BELOW🚨

Q: Does your Durge have a name? A: Nope! I named him "drow" when I played the game because I didn't feel like thinking up anything special. His lack of a name has become part of the character's lore and you will find him to always be tagged with "DU drow", or referred to as The Drow or just Drow.

Q: Where can I read your BG3 fan-fiction? And what is it about? A: Right here! The main plot follows DU Drow, Astarion, and Shadowheart on a new adventure that fractures into a couple of different directions, but mainly focuses on the aftermath of the spawn that Astarion has released and the personal development of the main cast, alongside a number of original characters that get involved in the narrative. My goal was to create a kind of "DLC" experience, so you can expect a lot of themes that parallel the main game.

Q: Can I draw one of your characters, a scene from your story, or any of your characters interacting with mine/other characters? And can it be NSFW in nature? A: YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN, AND I'LL BE DELIGHTED TO SEE IT IF YOU CARE TO SHARE. I'm equally fine with NSFW as long as everyone involved (in the art and otherwise) is an adult.

Q: What drawing software/tablet/brushes do you use? A: I draw on a Wacom Cintiq 22, using Clip Studio Pro. I switch around brushes quite often but most of what I use comes from the DAUB super-bundle by Paolo Limoncelli.

Q: Where can I find more of your work? A: You can find mine and my partner's comics here, but please bear in mind that most of it is highly violent stuff and you should read the content warnings on the store page carefully before making any purchases - if in doubt of whether or not any of it could be detrimental to your mental health, DON'T BUY IT. Stay safe!

Q: Do you take commissions? A: I am not currently taking any new commission inquiries, sorry!

[afloweroutofstone]

Before "The Blair Witch Project" properly introduced mainstream audiences to found footage horror in 1999, people were unfamiliar with the idea of a movie made to seem as though it was not a movie. No musical score, no introductory credits, unstable shots that seemed realistic to how early handheld cameras worked at the time— all of this gave viewers the impression that what they were watching was real, actual footage.

Like HG Wells' radio broadcast announcing an alien invasion, the found footage horror subgenre's playfulness with the boundaries between fact and fiction got it in a lot of trouble. Many of these incidents have been obscured by years of rumor and urban legend, but there are at least three examples of pre-1999 found footage horror fooling audiences.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)— the infamous found footage mockumentary about a film crew being captured and killed deep inside of the Amazon— was the first to experience this issue. Though the extent of the inquiry has been exaggerated over time, there is generally believed to have been some form of investigation by Italian authorities into whether Cannibal Holocaust was a real snuff film.

Guinea Pig 2: A Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985) had something similar happen several years later. A particularly gruesome Japanese slasher filmed from the perspective of the killer, this movie circulated amongst VHS traders until it eventually reached actor Charlie Sheen, who alerted the FBI under the belief that it was real. The FBI took it seriously until they found a making-of documentary which detailed how Guinea Pig 2 did its gore effects.

My favorite example is Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County* (1998), which depicts an alien abduction in rural Montana. When the film was aired on TV, most viewers only tuned in after the opening credits that made clear Alien Abduction was a fictional movie. Many early internet users came together to discuss their experiences seeing something on TV late at night which displayed a disturbing, seemingly realistic alien encounter, and none of them knew what it was or where it came from. People started reaching out to Montana law enforcement for more details only to be told that no one with the main character's name had ever lived in Lake County, Montana. A TV station in New Zealand even reported that the movie's legitimacy was "a topic of dispute."

Now that most people know about found footage horror, the same type of hoax is far more difficult to pull off. A few more recent entries in the subgenre take this dynamic to an even deeper level of meta-narrative: the plot of Butterfly Kisses (2018) revolves around the idea that, because the public has grown accustomed to these types of fictional found footage hoaxes, no one would seriously believe a genuine piece of found footage horror were one to emerge. If something truly inexplicable were caught on film by an amateur, everyone would just assume that it's part of a marketing campaign for some new film coming soon to theaters.

But I think the events of the last few years have made it clear that there's still lots of unexplored territory for found footage mindfuckery. Why not set up TikTok and IG accounts for fictional characters (like what Cloverfield did with Myspace), have actors run them as normal accounts for a year or two, gradually start introducing weird and inexplicable details to their videos that are minor enough to be dismissed as coincidence or fluke, build tension until a climax in the form of an elaborate livestreamed hoax, and then create deepfake news coverage of the event that looks like it's coming from a real local news station. If we're going to have a general collapse in the public's ability to distinguish fact from fiction, we should at least have some fun with it.

Side note:

*Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County is often confused with an earlier version of the film released in 1989 called The McPherson Tape. Even though Alien Abduction was just a remake of the equally-fictional The McPherson Tape, rumors continued to swirl after Alien Abduction's debunking that it was a reenactment of a real abduction supposedly captured in the "raw footage" of The McPherson Tape. You can probably still find a few UFO people who believe this, even though the original The McPherson Tape is now available online and uses cheap amateur film-making effects that are easy to spot for modern audiences.