#noble schenanigans

[unravelingwires]

Overkind

“That’s so pretty,” Astra squealed.

“Thank you,” Vanity said. “If you’d please ex–”

“You have to show me how you embroidered those so neatly. Are you that good at all flowers, or did you just learn lilies? Have you thought about shifting the colors to make them seem enchanted? Oh, you could–”

“Myr. Ravenwood.”

Aster shrank back. “Sorry, am I being rude?”

Vanity sighed. “I– no. No, of course not.”

“Well, do you think–”

[haich-slash-cee]

Doctor Who

I may be back on the Doctor Who train with the recent Star Beast episode, y'all. Russel T Davies's trademark chaos and alien in the family living room chaos and absurd logic and emotions all mixed together that somehow all make sense in the end, with a "TRANS RIGHTS NOW" bullhorning directly at UK TERFS? You might as well serve up chocolate dipped almonds and ask if I want any.

Also some emotional h/c too I'd argue (did you see that reunion between David-Tennant-Fourteen and Donna? Do you seeee the arguably imperfect language around gender but supportive scripting and love for Rose Noble?).

And a little whump sprinkled in, in this ep. I predict more in the next two eps, because it's RTD and David Tennant, and have you see the entire run of the Ten era and also Casanova between these two? (and also Tennant and Broadchurch) These two are like "whump and H/C yes".

Other notes:

I did like Thirteen as a character. The writing of the eps under Chibnall never stuck with me, but I still am fond of Thirteen and it would be nice to see her pop in again in the future with time travel schenanigans.

Curious to see what Ncuti-Gatwa-Fourteenwill be be like with RTD. (Fifteen? I'm sort of assuming DT-Fourteen is temporal and NG-Fourteen is still Fourteen? IDK.) Will RTD write a Black character with any measure of Okay-ness. Like not being uncomfortably racist about it. ...Questionable, somewhat, IMO. RTD is a white gay man and he's written PoC wierdly before. But in this ep, RTD did come out swinging for trans stuff with a full heart, and he got the wheelchair user POV right too, according to internet reaction perusing. So RTD might have writing staff that will set him on course and/or he might have leveled up in the past dozen something years.

Will RTD go full whump with Fourteen: you know what, I think so, given RTD's track record. But also, a key component IMO, is wether Ncuti Gatwa is ALSO on board with this, and enjoys playing whump. Again, if you've watched interviews with DT about Doctor Who, you can see that DT is just leaning into this. DT says stuff like "I am playing a character who is sick in bed, other people are worried about me, I having a great time being unconscious" or "Then my character stands in the rain". This man gets it.

Anyway - Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who, just from glimpses of how DT-Fourteen is different from Ten, could to be softer and more open. I want to note that is prime "precious cinnamon roll" possibility, in terms of whump and hurt comfort theory*.

(*I am making this up, but also you know what i mean.)

But how will whumping a Black Doctor Who be, compared to the "default" White British Man (ie Ten)? Well, my view is: hopefully we will finally have more PoC being able to play in the whump and h/c game. Which, it IS a game - fictional characters get the attention and catharsis and pain and such, that makes up hurt comfort and whump. And to have that limited to the realm of White Men is severely lacking. (My concern, as noted, is wether RTD can handle writing Ncuti Gatwa's character being Black and doing an okay job of it, which still does fold into all of this.)

[monsoon-of-art]

mer thoughts under the cut

- I’m thinking about changing some events. Dawn still hits her head and falls into the sea and Ingo saves her, but Dawn doesn’t interact with Ingo again until AFTER she gets the coat from Volo. Uncle Ingo schenanigans ensue according to schedule. It makes the story flow a bit more: Dawn knows there’s something going on, and she relents to Volo’s offer to finally get answers

- Speaking of Volo, I think his deal is that a lot of artifacts and all the stuff he wants is underwater, but the selkie coat is just way, way too small for him to actually USE. Enter Dawn as his unknowing little pawn to get info he wants

- Alternatively, Dawn can just naturally shift forms. Arceus sends her to Hisui (potentially a parallel world) to bring together human and merfolk kind. (Arceus sent Ingo first, but Ingo got bonked on the head and cant shift back into his human form)

- I gotta draw the un-pokemonified nobles. Theyre ‘normal animals’ but also theyre definitely not ‘normal’. Theyre way larger, way smarter.

- a BIG sticking point is that the Pearl Clan are all mammals and require air. This is how Palina almost drowned.

[bvnhargreeves]

hargreeves siblings as D&D classes/races⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

Luther: Human Fighter. I don’t think this needs much explanation. he’s the most common class/race combination and he would be a super intense player (I could also see him taking a few levels of barbarian or paladin?? he likes the aesthetic of a noble paladin but ultimately he just wants those 4 attacks)

Diego: Human Ranger/Rogue multiclass. he knows elves have better suited stats when it comes to being rangers but he thinks elves are prissy. he picked ranger so he could throw knives and rogue so he could look good doing it. he’s also very intense and has started PvP w/ Luther multiple times

Allison: Aasimar Sorcerer . Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking- “Allison would want to be an elf!” and that’s true, but i think ultimately she wants to play an attractive race (which Aasimars certainly are) AND have the charisma, which is what i would correlate to her canon powers. aasimars have +2 to charisma and sorcerers have charisma-based spells. she’s a pretty serious player but she’s ultimately just there to have fun and live out her fantasy hot girl summer

Klaus: DROW NECROMANCER. this is another obvious one that i really don’t have to explain. (i could also see him being the chaotic player that’s like... a gnome barbarian or something) but yeah he’s definitely a chaotic player and gets super creative during fights (the dm hates him)

Five: High Elf Rogue. this gives Five everything he wants— sophistication and the ability to kill people before they even know what hit them. i could also see him being a halfling rogue, which has the same +2 dex and would match his short height, but he probably thinks he’s above halflings. he’s the player that tries to keep his party on track WHICH IS WHY I ALSO COULD SEE HIM BEING THE DM!! so yeah

Ben: Human Cleric. we still don’t know a TON about him yet (so excited to see his alt self in s3) but from the way he is trying to help klaus (and vanya and the whole family, as shown in s2) and offer support i definitely see him as a cleric. he would go along with klaus’ in-game schenanigans up until the party is in danger, then he would get serious.

Vanya: Tiefling Wild Magic Sorcerer. tieflings are often misunderstood and left out bc of their hellish ancestry, which is a feeling vanya can relate to. she’s a wild magic sorcerer because wild magic surges emulate the crazy amounts of energy she can put out, even if it is sometimes to the detriment of her party (and the world). tieflings make good sorcerers bc of their charisma! perfect! vanya really enjoys the escape that dnd gives her and she always feels really bad when she rolls badly a wild magic surge

[unravelingwires]

Biceps

“The gala will start in two hours,” Mother said. “I expect you downstairs in 30 minutes.”

Jaya was doing push ups, her legs propped up on her bed frame. “Yes, Mother.”

“And be careful with that, please. You’re going to end up bulky.”

[unravelingwires]

Pageboy

Jaya found it funny — she never thought she’d miss chores — but when she first got adopted, feeling lost in an echoing house and uncertain how to spend her time, she used to go down to the kitchen. It was weird for things to get cleaned and arranged without Jaya working. Joining Myr. Warner’s crew felt right. 

Jaya spent less time in the kitchen as she got older. First, she realized she was significantly worse at cooking than the people trained in it, and she had to be slowing them down. Second, she realized other, better ways to help around the house, ones that used her new last name, for all that she didn’t actually change it. On the day of the Uncrowned King’s first attack, though, Jaya ate cucumber slices she’d cut herself, her expression bland and unworried even as she kept herself out of her family’s conversation.

[unravelingwires]

Soakers

On the day her disgraced sister’s freak child became a university lecturer, Lady Chel broke two glasses and a wine bottle. The first glass was in front of both her children, who swiftly exited the house.

[unravelingwires]

Eyebrowed

Laurena, Astra, Jaya, Max, and Raine all spent a significant amount of time shaping their eyebrows in the morning before the war. After the war, only Raine kept up the practice, though admittedly, Laurena might have for another 10 years if she didn’t die.

[unravelingwires]

Intercorrelations

Myr. Kumari moved to the United Kingdom. At first, she stayed in the Chel household, and they were very kind to her. Eventually, though, she moved to the Narayanas, ultimately marrying Myr. Narayana when they were both in their 20s. The young Noble Chel– not yet a lady or even an heir– was very angry when Myr. Kumari moved out of the house, particularly when Myr. Narayana put little effort into keeping in touch. Nevertheless, when the Narayanas passed away, the then Lady Chel adopted their young daughter.

Myr. Kumari moved to the United Kingdom to escape her parents despite her long-standing family legacy: leaving behind her diviner responsibilities may have been the hardest thing she’d ever done. She originally moved to into the Chel household. They treated her well, acting as her sponsors, but when it was time to marry, she ignored their wishes, falling in love with the dashing Myr. Narayana. They moved together to a house in the suburbs, taking his parents with them. She tried to keep in touch with first Noble, then Heir, then Lady Chel, but they ran in such different circles. She made sure Lady Chel’s son and her daughters knew each other, though. That was important.

Myr. Kumari moved to the United Kingdom to escape her parents. Myr. Narayana didn’t meet her until after she moved in with the Chels, who provided her with anything she’d ever need except freedom. The two fell in love. The Chels didn’t approve, but Myr. Kumari chose Myr. Narayana. They got married, moving in together to a house in the suburbs. Myr. Narayana was uncomfortable with the Chels continued presence in their lives, but his wife thought the connection was important. He wrote in his will that when she died, her children should go to his parents.

Myr. Narayana– the younger, the daughter– outlived both her parents and her younger sister. She expected she’d stay with her grandparents, but they didn’t want her, so she went to the Chels. She only asked after her mother’s family once. She heard nothing.

[unravelingwires]

Whinnies

“You have ridden a horse before, right?” Astra asked. “How are you having so much trouble with this?”

“I haven’t ridden an actual horse in years,” Jaya grumbled, yanking irritably on her reins.

“You haven’t ridden a horse in years?” Lilith snorted.

“I mean, why would you ride a horse if you’ve got any other animal?” Raine asked. “They don’t fly, and they freak out at the slightest provocation.”

“And besides, carriages were invented for a reason,” Jaya added.

“Rich people.” Lilith rolled her eyes.

[unravelingwires]

Vertebrae

“Mom, this is gross,” Lilith whined.

“Have some respect. This deer,” Mom was carefully reaching into its chest to slice its windpipe, “is a living thing deserves our recognition, if nothing else. We are all equal under the Lady. Today, this deer will feed the entire neighborhood. We should be grateful.”

“It’s not as if it chose to die for us,” Lilith pointed out. “It would rather be alive right now. If we really wanted to be respectful, wouldn’t we stop eating meat?”

“Do you want to stop eating meat?”

“...should I?”

“If you want to become vegetarian, you can,” Mom said. “If you want to eat meat, you can. No matter what, we have to kill something to eat. But if you want to eat this deer, you should be able to watch me field dress it. You should know where the food we eat comes from, should know the mess and sacrifice that goes into the process.”

“This is wonderful, Mother,” Max said. “Is it chicken?”

“Quail, I believe,” Mother answered before hesitating. “Well, I’m fairly certain. We’re either having quail today or tomorrow.”

“Well, it’s divine.” Max primly took a bite, blotting at his mouth after. “The servants have outdone themselves.”

[unravelingwires]

Nonunionist

“The faded may need crutches like that, but on this side of the veil, we understand community.” My. Ravenwood crossed his arms. “Inflation of 20%, vetch prices rising, and these people are still want more! Blockading our food as though we shouldn’t be coming together after the horrific attacks on the Crossroads this year.”