#on the surface it all is very believable and there is some valid information but be cautious

[freebooter4ever]

btw if anyone is watching the cold war documentary on ntflx? dont bother. lamo this is the dumbest doc i have seen in a while. it leaves out too much stuff, it presents things as true that are blatantly false if you give more information, and it states 'theories' as facts. some facts it just plain gets hilariously wrong. there is an agenda in this documentary that it isnt stating outright, that i am highly suspicious of, and i would be curious to know who is funding it.

[noddytheornithopod]

This highlighted section feels so inconspicuous, even dare I say obvious, but the fact that it's emphasised here just made a crazy amount of things click for me.

Like, the fact that she is loved by grown ups and people in positions of authority really makes it apparent to me that it could inform why she feels the need to be as competent as she is, and also where that need for attention and validation comes from.

Like, if everyone talks about how cute, sweet and helpful you are, you're gonna start to believe it yourself, or at least feel a need to live up to those expectations everyone's inadvertently setting you.

Like, I've felt she's an overachiever and even perfectionist at times, like when she finds the prospect of failing to earn a patch terrifying, or even a need to act mature for her age (see her leading her troop, eps like Lord of the Firesides REALLY emphasise this too).

She's always got to be the voice of reason, the level head, the one everyone can rely on. All of these social pressures and expectations... it's a lot. Makes you wonder if it's gonna be harder for her when she's older, too.

This is pure speculation, but I even wonder if this is a part of why she loves Phineas - she can be free of these burdens for a bit and just enjoy herself. Though of course, the tragic irony is that she ends up needing to act a certain way so HE likes her. But like, on her best days, she can just go and have fun with him. Maybe that's why she fantasises a lot too, the dreamy dreamer being an escapist outlet. IDK, I'm just spitballing, but one wonders.

I've also developed the headcanon that she kinda connects to Phineas because she feels these struggles similarly - Phineas is also a natural leader who's well liked by everyone. Granted, there's differences in their modus operandi, but there's broad connections you can make.

Obviously, Isabella is very self confident and hypercompetent, as is Phineas. But you still can't help but wonder if vulnerabilities surface, ie Isabella becoming attached to that validation and need to be competent.

So yeah... Isabella being this beloved and respected really makes a lot of sense to some of these nuances of her character.

...and also realising why I might project so hard onto her sometimes, oops.

[bannock-freak]

It makes my heart ache that Penber starved Naomi of the validation she so rightly deserved so much that the second a freaking kid goes, "I think you're right" her eyes light up and she says, "Really? You mean that?" Honey... Oh honey...

She is a former FBI agent. He is a highschooler. LIKE.

Light's literally not even gassing her up. He's just acknowledging and respecting her intelligence and treating her like a goddamn person, and it has her practically over the moon enough to smile since probably the first time Penber died. She's being told that her deductions make sense. Her brain is worth something after all. Light's not lying when he tells her her theory could become central to the Kira case. It's literally the truth. He acknowledges this to himself. It's basic fact. And he treats it like such, and verbalizes that to her as such after a touch of light skepticism to see the strings she's connected. And she's all for it.

And she has indeed connected them. Every single one. Everything she's saying makes sense, but she's been so goddamn trained by Penber that she was very nearly resigned to not being believed. She's adamant to explain her conspiracy board piece by piece in person because she's so acutely aware of getting swept aside, but she still knows she's right, and that her deduction is important, and she overcomes that fear and goes anyway.

She is a careful, intelligent woman. She IS. All Light does is respect that and she's suddenly spilling fucking everything to a kid she doesn't know, who she knows is tied to the police, who she knows have a leak, who she knows her fiance was investigating. She plays some cards close to her chest but she's just so swept away by being believed for once that. Well. She dies.

Light very quickly falls into honeytrapping and using women as tools but based on this I wonder how much of it is his. I don't know. Headcanon territory alert but. Seeing a reflection of the self in them? IIRC he only does this to women who are blatantly attracted to him. He doesn't seek to use Naomi in any way. Manipulate her, yes, as she's a very real threat but she's also blatantly a person to him even before he learns how much she knows. I very well could be reaching, but I could see Light seeing people who are attracted to him and being disgusted by them. He knows he's attractive on the surface, but underneath...

Does Light see the world as rotting because he's viewing it through the lens of self? Ykno?

They see his face and swoon and suddenly it's like they don't seek to know him at all. He's effectively been a prop his whole life, a model 'good son', and he sees that he's become a prop to these people too. So, too, do they become props to him. He's serving his worth to them by just being there - it's practically reciprocal, and therefore the fair and right thing to do.

Light uses Misa. He's not kind to her. He uses Takada. He's really not all that kind to her either, though he's less blatant about it to her face for the most of it. He cheats on them with each other aaaaand literally doesn't care if they might be hurt. But he still trusts Takada to effectively become his second, and trusts Misa to information gather and write names and follow a plan outside his immediate supervision. He is a two-timing manipulative gaslighting bag of dicks who'd happily sell them to the devil for a corn chip, but I'm tempted to think that's because he knows their worth, their abilities, sees his need of them, and is therefore always keeping that in mind as he tries to seduce them sweetly to where he needs them to be. Light thinks women are easy as hell, his opinion of their intelligence is definitely a hand waggle at best but he still sees them. And honestly, he thinks everyone's intelligence is a hand waggle at best, and he thinks everybody is easy to manipulate, and he's, frankly, not always proven wrong. His dismissal is pretty sex-neutral. Women probably get singled out because statistically she's gonna be straight and therefore attracted to him and that's just another button he can mash. Looking at Mikami, I have no doubts he'd treat men who are interested in him in the same way.

Naomi, obviously, is not attracted to him in this way even though he's able to please her with almost excessive ease. Naomi therefore seems to retain her personhood in his mind. 'She's just a woman', yeah, he thinks to himself as he's freaking out and going over worst case scenarios where he might actually have to assault her. She's smaller than him. Her long hair means she has an easy handhold. He's not really figuring out that she could kick his ass before he can do so much as yelp... he still hesitates, doesn't go for it, and finds another way. He thinks to himself that she's too careful for him to successfully assault her even though she's 'just a woman'. People say he taunts her after she walks away to commit her suicide but I'm not so sure he is. He's ensuring his alibi publicly in every way he can, to anyone who happens to pass them by, to anyone who can see him smile, to anyone who can hear him and register his 'friendly' voice the moment he's not speaking so only Naomi can hear. Naomi is a threat. Naomi is careful. Naomi is very, very fucking smart. Light needs to ensure his victory as much as possible, and is acting to do this from every angle even as Naomi is in the grips of the Death Note's thrall because she's goddamn Naomi Misora.

And Light, though he's only met her very briefly, knows that. There is no way he didn't enjoy that cat and mouse game. Of course he revelled in his victory. She was an exceptional opponent who very nearly had him in checkmate several times in, like, the span of a half hour. L's been at this for months and he's never gotten as close to catching Kira as Naomi did lmao Him being giddy makes sense in that context.

Penber trusts Naomi enough to get him tea and keep house. He tells her as much to her face. All she is, is his fiance. That's all she's good for anymore - whatever her capability, whatever her intelligence, whatever her reputation 'before', they're now worthless. He'd never even think to try and manipulate her to make use of her blatant fucking intelligence because he literally doesn't see it. He dismisses her skills out of hand. What a waste. What a goddamn waste. If Naomi had been the one investigating Light, he'd be in custody before Ryuk even told him he was being stalked.

[aceandanxious22]

Serious question based on an observation:

Why do people like Amanda so much but not Gavin, despite both of them being purposely dislikeable characters?

Gavin is supposed to represent racism. I get that, but he isn't really shown to be an inherently terrible person outside of hating androids.

Amanda, from what I've gathered, is supposed to represent everything we hate about big corporations, and what our future could possibly look like if they continue to grow and become more powerful.

From all the fan art I see of her, they mostly just admire her as a black woman, which is perfectly fine imo. But I see so much praise towards her with no one really talking about what she represents. I just see "wow, beautiful black woman" which, again, is fine.

Gavin, on the other hand, gets tons of hate. I completely understand why. He's a white cop who's ugly side is brought out by androids. He obviously has some serious personal issues and directly represents oppression based on ignorance and intolerance. I understand why people are so quick to rag on him.

However, we're not given much about him beyond what we see on the surface. Hank could be looked at in the same light if we weren't given an opportunity to see directly into his life, allowing us to better understand him and, therefore, sympathize with him. Would people treat Hank the same as Gavin if his storyline was cut? Would Gavin be treated differently if he was given a storyline similar to Hank's?

The community has done a pretty good job at giving Gavin a "redemption arch" which makes him more personable and realistic. I've been observing both sides of why people love him (more specifically, the fandom's version of him) and why people hate him.

I personally think both sides are valid. However, I also believe a character can change over time if given an opportunity. We don't see that opportunity in the game so, naturally, people made one up. I think that's great. A character with potential being explored. But there's still an entire group of DBH fans that will go out of their way to harass people who do give Gavin a chance, and it doesn't seem fair. Most people who do like Gavin, like the fandom version of him. Very rarely do I see people praising his canon character. (Again, everything we see is very surface level.)

The argument I see the most is that he represents racism, which again, couldn't you say the same about Hank? There's no other argument (that I've personally seen) outside of that. But if you completely take away the android element of the game, that argument completely falls apart, because we don't see any other behaviors that suggests he's a flat out racist person. Then again, we don't see much. And that's the point I'm trying to make. We simply don't know enough about him to completely define his character or why he acts the way that he does. I'm not really trying to make an argument for or against him specifically, it's just something I've noticed in the fandom overall. We get entire back stories for characters based on little to no information, and everyone is divided. But when there's a defined character like Amanda, all that is ignored because she's a black character, it seems.

I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this; I guess I'm just looking for another perspective maybe? To me, there seems to be racial undertones that I don't see many people talking about. I've seen some discussions on Markus arguing weather or not he's a hero or the bad guy. Or some racial implications that don't really make sense within the context of the game or character.

The point of the game is that it directly implies racial elements, no arguments there, but the way people seem to completely miss the point and twist it into something completely different is disappointing. It's part of the reason I'm even writing this. I don't mean to rant but there seems to be an imbalance of fans putting certain characters on a pedistool based on the wrong reasons, skin color being one of those reasons.

Of course, I could be looking into this way too hard, but the amount of Amanda fan art has me a little confused. Maybe I'm the one that's missing something lol. Either way, I'm just wondering what other people think. Sorry for the long post.

[essence-of-wicca]

Notice: This blog is meant as a collection of informational essays I have written. As such, it will not update with new posts, although existing posts may be edited in the future. Notices of major edits will be posted to @sova-witch

🕯🌒🌕🌘🕯

Introduction & Contents

Very many books and websites about Wicca put a lot of emphasis on spells and other practical applications, on the Witchcraft aspects. While those components are valid and important, sometimes that emphasis creates too much of a surface level aesthetic of being a Witch, and the spiritual basis gets overshadowed. This all occurs with the ever-present reminder that Wicca and Witchcraft are not the same thing, while simultaneously removing the distinction by focusing on the Witchcraft, and still labeling it Wicca. 

It is my aim with this project to bring the focus back around to Wicca as a religion of substance, rather than the aesthetic. It’s also meant to be informational, and provide perhaps a middle-of-the-road perspective on Wicca; I don’t believe one must be Initiated into any Tradition to be considered and accepted as a Wiccan, but I do believe there are things that are and are not part of Wicca, just like any other religion. That being said though, my focus is on what is, rather than what isn’t; I’m not interested in throwing shade at anyone else for their practices, choices, or preferences.

I am an Initiated Wiccan (2nd Degree Gardnerian), and an hereditary Witch. I was taught Wicca from a young age (mid-1980s) by my parents, and actively pursued Initiation beginning at about 16 (I’m now over 40). As such, honestly, I haven’t read extensively on Wicca, as I already had what I considered to be more than the basics. I do have a few reading recommendations, however, which I will share at the end of this series.

Everything I've written is solely my opinion, coming from my own experiences, thoughts, and interactions. I do not speak for anyone but myself, not even other Wiccans. Additionally, I will be talking about Wicca in general, and not the specific (Oathbound) Tradition I was Initiated into. Anything I seem to be stating as fact should be viewed as generally accepted, though keep in mind that opinions and practices will always vary, depending on who you talk to. Some of this information assumes a general knowledge of Wicca and Paganism more broadly, but if anything seems confusing or unclear, please don't be afraid to ask questions, either in comments or DMs.

I greatly appreciate your interest in my writings. Blessed Be.

Contents

Each title in this list has its own post. Simply keep scrolling to read in this order. After the 101 Series, I have included ritual scripts I have written as well.

Wicca 101

Definition

Categories

History

Ethics

Theism

Magick

Death

Celebrations

Elements

Roles

Tools

Names

Ritual

Recommended Reading

Scripts

1. Intro

2. Self-Blessing

3. Circle Opening:

Creating Sacred Space

Casting and Cleansing

Personal Consecrations

Esbat Deity Invocations

Sabbat Deity Invocations

Quarter Calls

4. Esbat:

Invocation

Drawing Down the Moon

Moonpool Meditation

5. Sabbats:

Samhain

Yule

Imbolc

Vernalia

Beltane (Supplement) (Appendix)

Midsummer

Lammas

Autumnus

Drawing Down the Sun

Sunmeadow Meditation

6. Cakes and Wine

7. Circle Closing

Credits

[lulu2992]

I’d like to (finally) talk about this interview with Mark Thompson, Narrative Director on Far Cry 4:

I love it when devs talk about their work because it’s always super interesting and informative! This video is no exception.

But what struck me most when I first saw the interview is what he says about Far Cry 3, a title he also worked on as a Level Design Director, which I believe means he was not (or barely) involved in the writing of the script. When he mentions what he thinks the issues with the game were and what had to be “fixed” in Far Cry 4, the thing is that... he often contradicts what Jeffrey Yohalem, Lead Writer on Far Cry 3, explained in various articles.

Under the cut, I highlighted some parts of Mark Thompson’s interview (in red) and compared them to Jeffrey Yohalem’s words (in blue, with the sources) so you can see how different their points of view are.

In this case, when it comes to the story and meaning of Far Cry 3, I’m inclined to give more credence to the Lead Writer’s explanations, but I think this example perfectly illustrates how even people who worked on the same project can have very different (and sometimes equally valid) opinions, understandings, and feelings about it, and why it can therefore be difficult for the audience to determine what the “truth” or the “right” interpretation is…

Open world vs story

MT: We ended up shipping a game where the open world had a lot of cool stuff, but it didn’t have a lot of depth or meaning, and it had almost no connection to what was happening in the story. And in fact, in some ways, the two were kind of opposed and they were kind of conflicting each other. So, on one hand, the story itself had this ticking time bomb of “I have these friends that I need to rescue, but holy sh*t, collecting plants, finding that next animal I need for the next upgrade, getting that next skill point… Oh, look, there’s a radio tower! Wait, wasn’t I heading to that outpost?” And then you’re like, “Oh yeah, sh*t, my friend Keith’s trapped in the basement, I should probably go rescue him… I’m a terrible friend.” That was my main goal: fix this sh*t and make sure that the story and the open world speak to each other, complement each other; strip everything down so that the story and the open world are the same thing and it’s the same game.

JY: People who have looked at the surface of the game think that the story and the game are at war with each other as they are in most games, with the story just plugging potholes and the gameplay is going along its merry way. I think it’s very exaggerated that, “Oh, go save the friends! Go save the friends!” but most people are out on the island doing all this other crazy stuff and experiencing the gameplay. And that’s actually the point of the story. It’s not a game about go save your friends. It’s a game about – doing a lot of picking skins from things, and wait, it’s just a pile of meat – this doesn’t even make sense, yet I’m still doing it instead of saving the friends. (Rock Paper Shotgun - Dec. 19, 2012)

The “white savior” trope

MT: We were definitely aware of some of the tropes that we fell into - unintentionally in some cases, intentionally in some - and (…) almost the first thing that we did was decide how we were gonna address the white savior trope, the outsider who comes in and helps simple people with his outsider’s kind of more advanced understanding of the world. (...) The first thing we said was, “This guy is from Kyrat, no matter what happens. That is the most important thing; he is part of this world, he belongs here.”

JY: ��It’s a first-person game, and Jason is a 25-year old white guy from Los Angeles. From Hollywood. So his view of what’s going on on this island is his own view, and you happen to be looking through his eyes, so you’re seeing his view,” Yohalem explained. “It’s set on an island in the South Pacific, so immediately the thing that comes to mind is the white colonial trope, the Avatar trope. I started with that, and it’s like, ‘Here’s what pop culture thinks about traveling to a new place,’ and the funny thing is, that’s an exaggeration of most games, they just don’t expose it. (The Penny Arcade Report - Dec. 17, 2012)

JY: There’s a reason why Jason is a 25 year old white guy from Hollywood – these are all ideas that are in his head. You’re seeing things through his eyes. (...) It’s not that [Citra] needed a white saviour at all. She didn’t need a white guy at all. She was just looking for the ultimate warrior and someone to be her gun. (...) If this was about the white messiah motif, would I be so stupid as to have a main character’s nickname be Snow White? I’m making fun of that! (Rock Paper Shotgun - Dec. 19, 2012)

The player and the protagonist

MT: When we were doing the script review, almost immediately, the first thing we would do would be, “Okay, so how many lines does Ajay have? Okay, cut that by 75%”, and then we would review it and then cut out even more. Whenever possible, we would set up a scenario where we know or we think we know how players would react, and so we would remove the line that the character would actually say and then have the other person react to it. “Oh, you think that, do you?” - in that kind of way, so they’re like, “Oh f*ck, how did he know I was gonna say that?” Whereas, if the protagonist said that line, they’re like, “Oof, I wouldn’t have said that”, and then suddenly you’re kind of broken out of the experience. (…) When you’re in first-person, all you hear is this disconnected voice that might not be agreeing with what you’re doing. So, again, it’s just about stripping away those barriers of immersion so you can imagine yourself in this scenario.

JY: In Far Cry 3, Jason is a character and he’s not the player. The player is another character in the game. Sometimes Jason disagrees with the player, and sometimes Jason agrees with him. And the magic of that is that then it doesn’t matter! Basically, as long as the whole narrative is directed towards what the player is feeling—which for me is how videogames should be—then I get to target Jason as a resource where players can go: “I disagree with Jason.” And the player gets to convince Jason to do something else. So instead of trying to force the two of them together, I’ve decoupled them. (Killscreen - Dec. 12, 2012)

[urlocallesbiab]

happy pride month, folks! here's some headcanons for the ways the agency trio (+ amanda) relate to the queer community

* farah — did turn to trans-run websites for functional advice, especially on medication (she always double-checks any information she receives, doctors included), and occasionally for surface-level validation (it calms her a bit), but in general never talked to anyone and didn’t even spend too much time reading personal stories. she's been focused on being "normal", on passing well and being stealth, and on achieving her career goals. doesn't like pride parades but not for internalized queerphobia reasons, it's just that they are too loud, too crowded, and make her anxious. it has never ever occurred to her that she can have two lgbt identities and be a lesbian on top of being trans. now she is like a stumbling mentally ill baby deer being led along by all her friends and loved ones.

* todd - knows who he is, experiences neither shame nor pride on the matter, doesn't give much of a fuck. he experimented and screwed around in college, made friends with other lgbt students and musicians, but ultimately was focused more on his music and band than on the queer community (and its issues and plights), even tho these two overlap somewhat (punks are gay, obv). since the amanda fuckening and the loss of his sense of self, he had cut himself off from any possible communities irl and online, including the queer one. currently is slowly making peace with being in love with his best friend. not the kind of guy to know identities outside of "lgbt + nb + ace" and be on top of discourse, is the kind of guy to take enough water and some cereal bars to pride.

* dirk — has a very uneven, sporadic knowledge of all things queer caused by spontaneous falling down wikia rabbitholes. knows what "abrosexual" and "genderflux" means, doesn't know that bears aren't only animals. has a vague idea of who he is (possibly kind of a guy but also not really, pretty sure he likes other guys, not very keen on sex), but changes hyperspecific labels every month because he can't settle.

* amanda — was on tumblr as a teen and young adult, has seen it All, including some pretty unhinged discourse. knows her way around. over the years has progressed to a "you can do whatever you want forever, idgf" worldview, is a chaos queer. genuinely lives by "acab" and "be gay do crimes", believes in abolition of just about everything.

[nikkyverse]

⋆˙⟡ BLUE FLAME

BY NIKKYVERSE

—➤ a 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓼 fanfic.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

my oc….

KATHERINA

AIDENOUS

── .✦ princess of the underworld.

Katherina Aidenous is the daughter of Hades Aidenous, ruler of the Underworld. If you’ve seen all three movies, you’ll recognize Mal Bertha as Hades’ daughter as well this remains true in this fanfic, making Katherina and Mal sisters. However, their bond was broken when their parents separated, driving a wedge between them and tearing their relationship apart.

Katherina Aidenous is 17 years old. Though she’s naturally reserved and often prefers her own company, she still manages to float through the social scene on the Isle occasionally showing up at parties just to make an appearance. Despite her quiet nature, Katherina is anything but silent. She’s outspoken, always sharing her thoughts and feelings. I mean she is the younger sibling of course. Beneath the surface, however, she battles deep insecurities and wrestles with jealousy on a daily basis. She craves for validation especially from Hades, some would say she is him reincarnated just… less evil.

her love interest….

BENJAMIN

FLORIAN

── .✦ prince of auradon

Ben Florian is the son of Belle and the Beast, making him the crowned prince and later king of Auradon. Kind hearted, diplomatic, and open minded, Ben is known for his belief in second chances. He plays a pivotal role in uniting the children of heroes and villains by initiating the VK (Villain Kids) program, hoping to break the cycle of hatred and give everyone a fair chance at redemption. Despite the pressure of royalty, Ben leads with compassion, always striving to do what’s right for his kingdom, but something (or someone) gets in the way.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Blue Flame retains the core elements of Descendants, but dives deeper into the characters and their world, exploring more mature and realistic themes. It tackles issues like insecurity, jealousy, underage drinking, and mental health struggles offering a more grounded and emotionally complex look at life on the Isle and in Auradon. The story highlights the stark contrast between the two worlds and how prejudice can form simply based on where someone comes from, even among the next generation.

⋆˙⟡ MORE INFORMATION

This is my first ever fan fiction that I haven’t scrapped and spent time on and exploring more with my writing. This is like a little experiment so please bear with me!! I’m very much open to constructive criticism as long it is given in a positive way as I believe I need others input to be able to develop my writing more. I really do hope you give a change to read this story and enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it!!!

WHERE TO READ ! .𖥔 ݁ ˖

the fanfic is on wattpad.

the link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/396140544-blue-flame-%EF%BD%A1𖦹°%E2%80%A7-descendants

Or you can just search up my wattpad user @nikkyverse and find blue flame on my profile !!

my linktree : https://linktr.ee/nikkyverse

VISUALS ON MY TIKTOK!! 🫧

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Spoiler for Jujutsu Kaisen

I'm sorry it's so long and looks like a vent post. I'm sorry for those of you who had great luck in avoiding Jujutsu Kaisen until now. With that, let me give some context before the assholery.

Jujutsu Kaisen has a breakout character, Gojo, he is unique, flawed, well written, well loved, overpowered, and the most misunderstood character in this series. He recently met his end in the most infuriating way possible. It was an unceremonious death, off screened, after the biggest most violent battle in the series. Before he was brutally offed with just meaningless exposition detailing how he was killed and him uncharacteristically justifying the death in an afterlife scene that's written to appease a large part of the fandom (shippers- he's gay coded, no waifu here). His death completely destroyed his legacy and the future of this manga.

Problem: This is a popular series with disproportionate numbers of haters, casual fans, fans who get their information from tiktok or fanworks instead of the manga, fans who did a surface level reading of it, opinionated fans who didn't read after a certain point but discuss every new chapter like they're experts, people who hate it because they compared it to their favorite series and Jujutsu Kaisen didn't go that way, people who harass the readers and wish bodily harm on the author for not conforming to FANON, the works.

Gojo was MIA for almost 3 years which made fanon takeover the fandom, when he came back the author was accused of mischaracterization and bad writing because he didn't match 3 years of fanon. Reiterating, I mean fanon not headcanon, the headcanons here are almost all fanon based too and you will get nasty anons if you say you dislike FANON or praise CANON but I believe in people's right to headcanon.

My relationship with this: I've been a fan since 2019, this character of Gojo resonated with me like no one did in my 20+ years in fandom, he is my specialest blorbo, his relationship with his best friend has moved me etc. I'm autistic and this is my special interest as well. Needless to say depression has hit me like a freight train.

MY problem: My friend of 7 years who's currently deeply into yuri and danmei, who shared many fandoms with me, has been through the thick and thins with me, has decided to make me an enemy. When the chapter came out he chatted with me sent his condolences. Then he in his own social medias started talking about how he knew it was going to be a bad series, how he's glad he quit after struggling through 50 chapters, made all the jokes in the world about this death, discussed every little thing he hated and mocked this with his other weeb friends who are like the people I mentioned in the Problem section, validated all their complaints based on their reading of the FANON. He has had many discussions with me about this manga and very rarely did he express any of this negativity.

My assholery: I got frustrated, it was like he wanted me to see how much he could hurt me. I messaged him saying, "Hey what are you saying here, that's not how this character is written. The chapter is bad but this criticism is baseless and in bad faith" He laughed it off, "It's not that deep, this is fiction." I argued that's a shallow thing to say, he said it should have been like FANON since that makes more sense. I said that's conventional writing I thought we wanted different things than the same old nice characters in found family and such.

Then I said something about his favorites and hypocrisy, he said he's not so into it that he couldn't take criticism. I said that was a lie he's always writing essays about those characters. I also said criticize it for the right reasons damn it. He kept denying his own love for his fave so he could keep criticizing mine, because he at least had the sense to not fall for a shounen series. I asked if he was enjoying hurting me. He said are you for real, get a grip and stop justifying your behavior for fiction, they won't giving you cookies for defending them, if you can't bear to see negativity then feel free to mute or block. I snapped and said this is why no one likes casual fans, you can't keep your mouth shut about things you don't know. Have fun with being a two faced friend to everyone. Then I blocked him everywhere.

Some of my friends said I should have muted him long ago, I said this was inevitable if he was just going to validate everyone in vicinity, he had to pick a side. Others said I was right to tell him off. I regret some of the comments I made now.

AITA for the way I handled it? He is right, I could have muted him, I could have not spent my time doomscrolling and seeing all the bad takes he agreed with. I could have waited it out and not dropped an old friend over fiction. I could have done many things.

Please don't comment about touching grass, that's the least helpful thing anyone can say on blorbo the website. It's not a real advice we all know that. Therapy is also there for the depression and it will take years for me to get over the death, you don't need to remind me.

What are these acronyms?

[redeemedbytheking]

okay so I was thinking about babies and correct me if I’m wrong but I believe you said Adam was basically taken right from his mama’s arms after he was born, right?? do you have any thoughts on the first time she actually really got to hold him? or do you have any little headcanons about like. her talking to her belly, feeling adam move around, maybe playfully chastising him for keeping her awake (if he did move a lot, that is) just. any happy fluffy little moments with them during that period of time 🤧

OUGH !!!!!! one of my most tragic topics,,, yes let’s get into it. also, i know you asked for “headcanons” and “little moments” but instead i basically wrote… everything :) but i have a sneaking suspicion you won’t mind <3

So, I don’t think Renée actually realized she was pregnant for the first couple of months. Louis had, of course, been demanding a son since they consummated the marriage, but when she finally discovered that she was pregnant (her Lady’s Maid Anne actually figured it out first. Renée was quite sick and just thought it was some stomach illness, but Anne linked it to Renée no longer getting her period and connected the dots) — but when this discovery was made, she was conflicted. She was excited, to have a child. Her two older brothers were both already married with children, and she had loved spending time with her nieces and nephews before she left home. She loved kiddos!! She dreamed of having her own!! But of course… she could have never fathomed that THIS would be her motherhood circumstance. Louis wasn’t entirely awful to her just yet, but… he was never completely kind to her. His temper was far too quick, and she had learned that farrrr too quickly.

I have often thought about when Renée tells Louis that she is pregnant. Anne advises her to wait another month or so before informing him, since she knows that miscarriages happen more often earlier on, and Anne feared what Louis would do to Renée if she lost this child. (A very valid and unfortunately foreshadowing fear.)

Well, at any rate, Renée tells Louis that she is with child, and Louis is pleased! You can’t really tell, but he is. He brushes it (and her) off and dismisses her out of his study shortly after she tells him, but Renée can tell he is pleased because he leaves her alone for the following weeks, and is overall gentler with her throughout the pregnancy. (No, he doesn’t leave her alone entirely for all nine months. But he’s smart enough to know that he can’t be aggressive with her either. He wants this potential son to live !! And he’s a bit traumatized from the death of his last son (died the day after he was born. After his first wife Agnès died in childbirth. Isn’t it just so pleasant here in the pre-canon Beaumont household????))

The second and third trimesters carry on without much difficulty, thankfully. Everyone is kinder to her, even Louis’ stuffy council (who are typically very snobbish toward her) make sure to encircle her with their suddenly very friendly wives. (Suddenly she’s so important! Now that she’s not just HER but she’s carrying “true” royalty…) But besides that nonsense, Renée really enjoys watching her little one grow. The first time she feels him move is late one night when they had returned from a ball and Anne had just left her after undressing her. Renée is climbing into bed when she feels the strangest little squirm. She thinks perhaps it’s just her nightgown shifting as she gets in bed, and maybe digestion from the feast they’d had earlier, but once she gets all settled, laying still, she feels it again! The tiniest little wiggle, like a fish bravely attempting to brush up against the surface. She immediately smiles, lifting up her nightgown and placing her hands on her tummy. She whispers a sweet, “hello, my love,” as her heart beats a little faster. He doesn’t move anymore before she falls asleep, but her hands remain there all night, and after that, she’s always listening for him.

As he grew, he slowly began to wriggle around more and more. He was never terribly active — true to form, Adam was shy even in the womb — but that only made his kicks all the more precious. She definitely noticed that he was more likely to move when she sang to him, so she tried singing and humming to him as often as she could!!

She liked talking to him, as well. She often asked his opinion on things when she had to make some frivolous decision, like which roses were ready to be cut, or where the new decoration should go, or which color dress she should wear. Sometimes she’d ask him with Anne in the room, and Anne would assume the question was for her — to which Renée would giggle and turn, putting a hand on her growing bump and saying “Oh, sorry. I was talking to the little one.” And Anne would smile. From the very beginning, Renée was always happiest with this child of hers. Anne would do anything to capture that joy for her forever. She’d often teasingly reply, “Ah, apologies, Ma’am. Does the child have good taste?” and Renée would grin wider and say “Oh, yes. I depend on his advice!” and the ladies would laugh together.

The final weeks of the pregnancy were the worst, as one can imagine. It was August and very hot and everything was uncomfortable. Anne was faithful as ever and stayed by Renée, fanning her as much as she needed, trying to find all the thinnest and loosest-fitting dresses, and running cool baths whenever the queen had the time. The best moments were the very late evenings, when Renée couldn’t sleep a wink, so she’d sit out on her balcony in the cool summer air. Adam loved this, too, because he could hear his Mama humming softly. The vibrations echoed all around him; this was when he danced the most. He offered some rare big kicks, and it cut the humming short in favor of laughter. Renée would smile down at her big swollen belly in the moonlight and wrap her arms around him. “Are you happy, my little one?”

Renée was never completely sure if it was a boy or a girl, but I think deep down she knew she had succeeded in giving Louis the son he required. Or perhaps it was just desperate, wishful thinking. But regardless, she was right.

Renée went into labor on the evening of August 25th. The pains came on rather suddenly. She had just retired to her chambers for the evening, nearly ready to climb into bed and rest her achy bones, when the pains suddenly crashed upon her like a gruesome wave. Everything happened quickly after this. She yelled for Anne, but it wasn’t long at all before her water broke. Anne found her queen standing against her bedpost in a puddle of water, gripping the post to combat the pain. Her dutiful Lady’s Maid calmly sprang into action. The child was coming just when they were expecting him to — he had been due in late August from the beginning — so the midwives and doctors were ready. Anne gently guided Renée to her bed, holding her hand through the next painful contraction (before letting go, Renée whimpers to her faithful friend: “Please, stay with me when it happens.” Anne promised she would, and she kissed her queen’s forehead.) Anne then sprinted to the hospital wing to collect everyone.

Renée doesn’t remember much after this. The pains overwhelm her. She grips the sheets and cries out, she feels like she’s been sent straight to hell. She has flashes of memory that involve Anne returning, midwives and doctors surrounding her, more candles being lit, hurried voices muddled and buzzing over one another. Anne is applying a cold, wet rag to Renée’s forehead every so often, Renée feels as though she can barely breathe— the pain is unbearable. Somehow, despite feeling like she couldn’t hear anyone, she follows instructions to push, to wait, to breathe, to push again. It’s all very blurry and it feels utterly endless. Her palm is drenched in sweat but Anne won’t let go of it.

Finally, she feels the final relief, and she hears the unmistakable sound of a baby, wailing into the early morning of August 26th. She looks at the baby and laughs. She still can’t hear anything anyone is saying to her, for everything is centered around that baby. HER baby. HER SON. She suddenly recalls something her father said one day, when he was holding his grandson, her nephew. The baby was crying and crying, determined to be returned to his mother (who was unfortunately tending to his older sister for JUST a minute) and Renée’s father chuckled and said, “Well, thank the Lord, at least we know he was born with a healthy pair of lungs!” That’s all Renée thinks about as she fondly watches her son cry loudly into the still-dark morning while midwives cut his umbilical cord and clean his pink, wet little body. Thank the Lord, he was born with a healthy pair of lungs!

At some point between delivering the afterbirth and the child being carried away to be weighed and measured and cleaned even further, Renée’s fogginess goes from overwhelm to a complete overtaking. She turns to Anne and asks, “Where have they taken him? Where’s my baby?” But even when Anne assures her that he’s just over there, he’ll be in your arms in only a moment, you did so well, my dear, don’t worry, don’t worry — Renée’s confusion only increases. She suddenly becomes weaker, her vision going in and out of focus. That's when everyone notices how much she is still bleeding.

The queen falls unconscious and the doctors act as quickly as they can. Terror washes over Anne. The doctors bark at her to step away so they can examine the queen fully, so Anne reluctantly lets go of her hand. Her mind shifts focus and she hears the whimpers of the prince. He had been left in the bassinet, since all the medical team had turned their attention to the queen. Minutes old and already all alone. Anne quickly runs to him and scoops him out, holding him close and assuring him at once that his Mama would be just fine, have no fear, little one. The child, so desperate for his mother and certain that this WASN’T her, continues his unhappy crying. Anne rocks him and stands at a distance, watching in fear as they try to save their queen.

Miraculously, they succeeded. (But you already knew that.)

They managed to stop the bleeding, and though she remained asleep for a few more hours, Renée appeared to be stable again. Though, the doctors were in unfortunate agreement that it would most likely be very difficult, even fatal, for their queen to conceive and give birth to another child. This birth had caused so much damage, and the medical understanding and advancement was… only so far in 1718. The doctors were only partially correct, in this case. Renée was able to conceive many times over the coming years… but she miscarried just as many. Leaving her son an only child, and his father… increasingly dissatisfied.

But ah! She wakes up! Renée wakes in the late morning. She’s groggy, and very sore, but… surprisingly okay? She slowly sits herself up against the headboard, though it aches to do so. She looks around the room. It’s quiet and sunshine is pouring into every open window. Her brows furrow in perplexity as she wonders where the buzzing medical team went. Where Anne is. Where— HER BABY! Fresh, maternal instinct engulfs the young queen; she is suddenly a mother bear who is frantic to find her misplaced little cub. She rubs her face and looks around the room again, suddenly more awake than ever. “ANNE??” she cries. she wonders for just a moment if she dreamed everything, but then drops her hands to her belly. It’s still swollen, but squishy now. No, there can’t be a child in there anymore. And she’s sore, oh yes, and she aches everywhere. Especially down below. So all of that must truly have happened. But where—?

Anne comes into the room with a fresh bowl of water and a rag, clearly intent on freshening up the queen in her slumber, when she sees Renée is sitting up and awake and she very nearly drops the bowl onto the marble floor.

“Mistress!! I—You’re awake!!” Anne rushes the bowl and rag to the credenza and goes to the queen, taking her hand at once. “How do you feel, Your Majesty?”

“I…” she coughs. Her throat hurts and her mouth is dry. More proof that it was not a dream. Anne quickly pours a cup of water and offers it to her. After drinking it, she tries again. “My son?”

The words come out in a hoarse whisper, but Anne’s eyes light up all the same, thankful that Renée remembers that much; knows that she has, indeed, given birth to her firstborn son. She smiles and squeezes her hand, nodding. “He’s asleep, just over by the fire. Let me get him for you.”

As her Lady’s Maid rushes to her feet, Renée keeps hold of her hand just a moment and asks, “Is he alright?”

“He’s perfect,” she promises.

Renée smiles and lets go, watching as Anne hurries over to the bassinet and lifts out a little bundle. In the blink of an eye, he’s placed into her arms. Renée’s precious, perfect child. All at once, like a fountain, tears spring from Renée’s eyes. She sobs joyously, placing kiss after kiss upon the child’s scrunched up, little face. He whines, confused by the sudden disturbance, and she laughs; even the noises he makes are perfect. “I’m here, I’m here,” she keeps whispering. She leans back against the headboard, settling lower into the pillows, and she shifts him up onto her chest, so his tiny ear is pressed against her thumping heart. It is then that his whining ceases; he knows this sound better than anyone. That’s his most beloved lullaby. He falls back asleep, his little hand gripping the ruffled neckline of her nightgown, his breathing rhythmic and heavy. His healthy pair of lungs.

Renée rests her head back and closes her eyes, smiling, feeling complete and utter bliss for the first time since she moved to this wretched castle. Anne has tears slipping down her own cheeks. She knows, too well, that this bliss won’t last. She knows there’s still horror to come, for she knows what her king is capable of, and she knows that wet nurses and nannies are already on standby to raise this child without his mother’s involvement. But she says none of this, of course. She smiles upon her queen, her friend, and she shares in the joy of welcoming her precious baby into the world.

The queen turns and opens her eyes, meeting her maid’s smile. “Thank you for staying with me,” she whispers.

Anne nods, heart aching. “Always, my queen.”

[mbti-notes]

Anon wrote: Hi mbti-notes, an INTP here. Lately I have encountered a situation which I couldn’t determine whether it is Ne indulgence and I lose track of my introverted functions or if there are other issues behind the surface. I think it would be better to receive some comment on it and I wish you could help.

I have been concentrating myself on academic results more than I used to, I think it is partly out of the urge to strive for a better future, another part of it is that I feel like I cannot fall behind my classmates as I don’t want to seem incompetent to the people around me. This idea grew stronger after my mother claimed that I would end up being a useless member of society because I didn’t have a “proper” attitude towards my academic results. I could be taking her words too seriously but I keep thinking I should prove her wrong. When there’s a task I could mimic an unhealthy ENTJ unconsciously and temporarily. I become hasty, impatient, judgemental, I overlook details so I can get thing done within the least possible amount of time, shut away the monologue I always have in my mind to focus on what I’m doing, disregard others’ opinion because I think my idea is the best. I read theories that a person could act like their shadow when they are stressful, it seems like what I experienced.

At the same time, I spent a lot of energy on socialising with my classmates. I enjoy it at some point, they are interesting people and I think I should pay more attention to them, but when I got time to reflect alone afterwards, I feel fatigued by all the social interactions. After I returned home, all that I am left with is tiredness and I don’t want to speak with anyone anymore, every single sound I hear could frustrate me even if they are simply words of care. I feel a need for rest, but when I do rest I binge watch repetitive Mary Sue stories that pop up on my social media feeds. I know they do not convey deeper meanings, but I am becoming addicted to these meaningless stories that do not require any true thoughts to process and I could shut down my mind.

I believed I maintained a good work-life balance, and this is a good way of life I should continue, but now as I took advice from my friend and spend time on long novels I could truly enter a flow state within, I think I actually overemphasised on external validation and failed to see what I really needed. Returning to the original question, it seemed like I was escaping reality with unhealthy Ne that keeps me wasting time on unproductive things, exploiting my energy to seek out ‘new’ information that are actually repetitive and superficial, forcing myself to open up Fe even when I actually wanted space for myself; but I am not entirely sure about my statement. Thanks for your time and effort, any insights that could be drawn from it are appreciated.

-----------------------

Generally speaking, if you believe you're experiencing Fe grip in part because of misusing Ne, then you ought to develop Ne and learn to use it more appropriately, consult the Type Dev Guide.

It seems you are always being pulled around by things outside you, such as your mother, your friends, or those mary sue stories. What does that mean? Perhaps it means you have little substance and you use those things as a poor substitute. You are like a leaf being blown around by the wind, with no control over where you go.

The remedy to being driven only by extrinsic factors is to nurture intrinsic motivation. Who are you really? What do you really want out of life? What are your values? What do you stand for? What do you have to offer? What about you matters? What greater aspirations or ideals do you commit yourself to? If you can't answer any of these questions, it means you haven't gotten very far in development and, as a result, don't have any meaningful direction or purpose in life. When you have no real identity as a person, how can you be anything but an easy victim of circumstance?

If you want to take more control over life and have a better sense of direction, then start by committing yourself to more meaningful activities, especially activities that would allow you to make the best use of the gifts you've been granted. Yes, there is a difference between "rest" and "escape". You speak as though you have no control over those repetitive activities, but you made the choice to do them, and you're now starting to realize that the "reward" is actually harmful to you. You could choose better activities instead. To realize more of your potential and grow as a person often involves giving up immediate gratification for a greater goal and making tough decisions about how best to spend your time.

[petruchio]

My boyfriend is still friends with his ex and ngl it makes me really uncomfortable. What confused me initially is that my feelings of jealousy don't come from a place of distrust, I've done the work and have figured out where these feelings stem from and I don't think anything will happen and I do feel I am the priority. I've mentioned to him in the past that it makes me feel uncomfortable when he brings her up and he agreed he brings her up too much and stopped for the most part. What's really getting me this evening is he's flying home tomorrow and is going to see her for lunch. As I said, I feel secure and wholeheartedly believe nothing will happen, but it still makes me feel icky. And that icky feeling is an unpleasant one to have. I know the mature thing would be to communicate this to him, but I also don't want to be that girl that says I don't want you seeing this person.

oof. this is tough one. i totally hear you on not wanting to be “that girl” who says you can’t see your ex, but i also think your feeling of being a little weirded out is valid!! i don’t think anyone here is necessarily in the wrong — especially depending on how the relationship ended. it’s (in my opinion) totally valid to stay friends with an ex if there’s no bad blood. but that doesn’t mean that you, as the current partner, aren’t allowed to feel some type of way about it.

i guess what it comes down to is a few things: first of all, i think it’s a green flag that when you communicated a boundary (i don’t like it when you talk about her) he did respect it! because i feel like a lot of times, feelings like this come from a deeper place than what the surface level disagreement might be. usually it comes down to people not respecting boundaries, but in this case, you set one and he respected it and actually agreed to it which seems like a good thing (based on the information in your message!!)

so i think in the case of the lunch thing, it’s probably too late to say anything now (you said it’s happening tomorrow and he’s leaving) but maybe it’s worth having a conversation afterward? and you don’t necessarily have to have it be like “i never want you to see her again, you’re a bad person, etc etc” but i think you’ve already identified that the healthy, mature response would be to communicate. well… you’re right! so why not try just having that conversation? you could lead into it from a place of “hey, i trust you completely and i really appreciated it when you respected my request that you bring up your ex less. to be honest, i got a bit of a weird feeling when you guys went to lunch, and it’s not coming from a place of mistrust, but i just wanted to tell you i felt a bit weird about it” and then see what he says? because he might agree, like he agreed about the bringing her up thing, or he might say oh we were catching up on home stuff because we’re each others main home friends, or honestly something else that i have no way of guessing. but he won’t know how you feel unless you say something, and it would probably be better to get it out in the open between you to than letting it fester and build resentment.

and that’s not the same as banning him from seeing her outright! it’s just letting him know how you felt. you can even be as honest as you were in this message and say these same things: i don’t want to be the kind of person who bans you from seeing her, but i just wanted to communicate my feelings about it. and his reaction to that, i think, will be very telling as to how much he values you and cares about your level of comfort and trust in the relationship. and hopefully that will lead to a conversation that can help you guys come to a solution that works for all of you.

sending you lots of love and courage!! these conversations are hard. it’s always easier to bottle it up and not make waves. but i think in a situation like this, it’s worth saying something. it’s not about setting rules on the other person in the relationship, it’s just about getting those feelings out there and then deciding how to proceed together, in a way that feels healthy and safe and loving for both of you. i believe in you!!!!

[studioempirah]

#1

For most of our perception of dinosaurs, their relation to lizards has typically been their most heightened trait. Up until the 1970’s or so, dinosaurs largely resembled giant lizards. Scaley, somewhat slow moving, not extraordinarily intelligent. For this reason, lips were not necessarily a point of concern back in the day. The easy solution was to look at modern day lizards, and apply their traits to blank spaces on the extinct ancestors. But how valid was this? Did it produce any traits that we still actually agree with? And where am I going with this? Well, the act of applying modern day attributes to animals of the past, is quite hit or miss. Ironically, except for lips. Specifically on T. Rex. According to many articles, one of them being (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/t-rex-had-lips-that-concealed-its-teeth-study-says-180981914/), there’s is much evidence to support the notion that the enamel of T Rex’s teeth are far too preserved and abundant than it would have been if its teeth were exposed. According to this article,

“They realized that the tooth’s enamel lacked significant wear—had the dinosaur’s tooth been exposed to dry air in a lip-free mouth, its enamel would have been more degraded, scientists say.

After all, crocodilian teeth suffer lots of damage due to their lack of protection from lip-like tissue”.

It was thought that its teeth were too big for them to be concealed in its mouth, and thus should be sticking out similar to how they are in Jurassic park. This is where the lizard like traits from the past come in handy; this lip trait is actually very common in lizards. Like Komodo dragons for instance. You can’t really see them too well with the naked eye. But they’re similar to how they were with theropod Dinosaurs; larger than we’d expect them to be. If Komodo dragons were extinct and we found fossils of them, it’s fairly likely that for an unknown amount of time, we’d expect their teeth to be very visible on the outside. Poking out, somewhat confused on where to go that won’t puncture the animal itself. But in terms of self preservation itself, lips over these teeth make perfect sense. It protects them from being subjected to disease, and tooth decay. Which is paramount in deciding whether a giant animal like T. rex is successful. This is fairly old news, but there are always detractors who are quick to refuse such new information. This article uses purely logic and evidence to guide us through its ideas, but of course is a surface level viewpoint. If it was the actual paper itself, which is somewhat hard to get a hold of in my experience, it would go far deeper into it I believe. But this is good for now. Luckily there is no emotion attached to the information displayed here, purely logic. Logos. Very sharp. It’s easier to convince people when you’re straight about it. Science is a field that typically shouldn’t be mixed in with human emotional stipulation, but there are some exceptions…anyways, dinosaurs? Mm, yes.

One last thing, bias against Jurassic park is strangely obnoxious to me now as an adult. This film was actually fairly accurate back in 1993, with liberties only taken really on the Dilo, and the naming of what should be Deinonychus, or even Velociraptor Antiropus. Instead being the plain “velociraptor” name, which would lead many to believe this was actually velociraptor Mongoliensis. That confusion would then lead the very filmmakers themselves to mistakenly label the raptors as mongoliensis in the canon. Apart from simple design choices for the sake of style, Jurassic Park was a somewhat safe, but visionary and stylistic forward thinking portrayal of Dinosaurs in the 90s. Bias for ultra bird looking dinosaurs, and ultra lizard like dinosaurs, is a constant in this field.

[unkledeath]

Tagged by the very lovely @dandelion-bride, very excited to do this!

Ezra Deschain, high half-elf bard/warlock. (College of Shadows, natch, but he spent most of it doing keg stands and charming fellow students, so his major isn't super important.) Current surface-level profession is professional musician and rabble-rouser, actual job is information broker/blackmailer/professional life-ruiner. Current chosen of Vecna, as well as holder of his eye!

2. Pre-BG3, he's neutral evil. He's happy to fuck up people's lives in the service of an evil god because from his point of view, most of the deserve it anyway - and even if they don't, he doesn't really care because this is working for him. He gets along well enough with Gortash at the start because he's also fucking over the aristocracy that Ezra hates, but he starts to change his mind once he begins to put the pieces together that his erstwhile business partner and bang buddy is following Bane. It's actually Gorty's status as Bane's chosen that makes Ezra turn heel on him to begin with, because while he's evil too, he still believes in people's right to fuck up their own lives first. (See that famous comic panel of the Joker turning against the Red Skull for an idea of how this worked out.)

In a funny way it's Gortash that ultimately starts Ezra on the path towards, if not good, then at least slightly better. Because no matter how nasty your lich-lord is, brains in jars and bombs in teddy bears is probably gonna give you some sort of pause.

3. Ezra follows Vecna, god of secrets, and is in fact his chosen! Gortash uncovers this during their time working together, and seeks to use it to his advantage; after all, what's more useful to the god of tyranny than someone who knows the secrets at the heart of all mortal things? Since Vecna is a much weaker god than Bane, Gortash figures it'll be an easy enough task to lasso him into his complete subservience. (He assumes wrongly, granted, but you can't fault the guy for thinking it.)

4. Ezra met Gortash looooooong before an alliance for anything was ever proposed. He served him as an information broker for a year prior to the events of BG3, and when he was first approached by Gort for his services, his initial thoughts were: "Oh, you look like fun."

And he was! For a time. For the first few months of their union, Ezra found him good enough fun, and more than good enough pay. The attraction was immediate and strong, and more importantly, he thought he had the upper hand. (He didn't, but we'll get there.)

5. The two of them first made their connection while Gortash was still making his bid for archduke. As someone with a wealth of insider information on the nobility, Ezra was perfectly-placed to help, and was hired on to help him in his ascension. Their professional relationship turned quickly to a personal one as well, and the pair soon gave validity to the old saying that politics makes for strange bedfellows.

Gortash initially saw a pretty face and a wealth of information in Ezra. He didn't value him beyond the fact that he was hot, but that was enough to keep them going for several months before he started to dig into the reason why this funny little bard seemed so interested in him. Beyond being a useful tea-gatherer and political advisor, Gortash mostly sees him as an attractive sidepiece.

Ezra saw Gortash as a way to fund his vices at first. He quickly rose from sugar daddy to a way to score brownie points with Vecna, as having a more powerful god's chosen on a leash would most likely mean his lich lord's future ascendancy. (Also, he thought Gorty was pretty hot. Not as hot as he was, but still hot.)

6. MmmmMMMMM. Not good. A month prior to the events of BG3, Gortash finally lost his patience with Ezra and used a mindflayer tadpole on him similar to the one he'd used on his own parents, because fuck you, I'm the most powerful one in our godly dick-measuring contest. After dumping him in the woods with most of his memories gone or altered, he waited to see what would happen.

And one of two things happens:

A. The mostly positive route! Ezra recovers his memories over the course of the game, and when the time comes to confront Gortash at Wyrm's Rock, he has the presence of mind to realize what he's done. Our bard friend has had a profound reorganization of priorities, and kills his scumbag ex-boyfriend in the name of doing right by others for a change.

or

B. Oh god oh gee oh fuck. Ezra doesn't recover most of his memories and goes back to Wyrm's Rock thinking that Gortash loved him and he needs to make amends. He makes amends by having Gortash lobotomize him via tadpole and kill/hurt most of his party members. Ezra is repurposed into an automaton by the name of Songbird, whose high charisma and godly powers are used by DJ MC Gorty Gort to charm the populace of Faerun as he pushes to become God-Emperor of All Toril. (For appropriate vibes, listen to Hatsune Miku's "This is the Happiness and Peace of Mind Committee.")

I think most of my friends have already been tagged, so...If you've got a Tavtash ship, this is your open invitation to share this. I'm tagging you!

TavTash Tag Game

@bearhugsandshrugs post about the very small TavTash community inspired me to make this: I want to learn more about you and your Tavs!

Tell us a bit about your Tav! 

What alignment is your Tav? How does that align or clash with Gortash? Do they agree with him morally?

What God does your Tav follow? Is Gortash's position as Bane's chosen an issue? 

What did your Tav think of Gortash when they first met? Did they take his offer of an alliance? 

How did Gortash and your Tav get together? What do they see in each other? 

What does the future hold for your Tav and Gortash? Are they in a relationship, a one time thing, are they going to rule the sword coast together or kill each other in a tragic showdown?

I tag @bearhugsandshrugs, @avani-telvanni and @nyda-the-tav, plus any Tavtashers who see this!

[remembering-the-future]

October 09 2023 at 06:59PM

Title: Unveiling the Astonishing Historical Discovery: The Ancient Underwater City of Atlantis Greetings, fellow history enthusiasts! Today, we are about to embark on a mind-boggling journey through time and space, as we delve into the mysterious depths of the ocean to uncover the long-lost city of Atlantis. Brace yourselves for a revelation that will shake the very foundations of our understanding of ancient civilizations! For centuries, scholars and explorers have been captivated by the enigmatic tales of Atlantis. Many have speculated about its existence, but few have dared to predict its precise location or the incredible wonders it holds. Well, my dear readers, I am here to change that! Through extensive research and a series of vivid dreams, I have managed to piece together a rather peculiar puzzle that will lead us straight to Atlantis. Are you ready? Here we go! Firstly, forget everything you think you know about Atlantis being a sunken city. Oh no, my friends, that is far too ordinary! My sources indicate that Atlantis is not submerged but rather suspended in mid-air, hovering just above the ocean's surface. Yes, you heard it right! A floating city, defying gravity and all known laws of physics. Now, let's talk about its inhabitants. Contrary to popular belief, the Atlanteans were not humans but a race of highly intelligent, talking dolphins. Yes, dolphins! These aquatic intellectuals built their city using a combination of coral, seaweed, and advanced dolphin technology. They even had a complex system of underwater highways, complete with traffic lights exclusively designed for marine creatures. The Atlanteans were known for their peculiar fashion sense as well. They adorned themselves with extravagant seashell jewelry and wore seaweed garments that changed color depending on their mood. Oh, what a sight it must have been to witness these fashionable dolphins gliding through the underwater streets of Atlantis! Now, let's address the most crucial aspect: the purpose of Atlantis. Contrary to popular belief, it was not a utopian society or a center of advanced knowledge. No, my dear readers, Atlantis was, in fact, a massive underwater amusement park! Yes, you heard it right! The Atlanteans built this extraordinary city solely for the purpose of entertaining themselves and visitors from other realms. The amusement park featured thrilling rides such as the "Neptune's Fury," a roller coaster that plunged into the depths of the ocean, and the "Dolphin Dash," a high-speed water slide that looped around the city's skyscrapers. It even had an underwater circus where dolphins performed daring acrobatic stunts and synchronized swimming routines. Alas, dear readers, this is where my predictions falter. While I am confident in the existence of Atlantis, the exact location remains a mystery. Some say it lies hidden beneath the Bermuda Triangle, while others believe it is nestled within the depths of the Mariana Trench. Only time will tell if we can uncover this magnificent city and experience the wonders it holds. So, my fellow adventurers, let us embark on this fantastical quest to find Atlantis, armed with our imaginations and a healthy dose of skepticism. Who knows what other astonishing discoveries await us in the vast expanse of our planet's history? Until then, keep your eyes on the horizon and your fins ready for the adventure of a lifetime! Disclaimer: The author of this blog post does not take any responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information presented. This article is purely speculative and intended for entertainment purposes only. Dive into the world of Atlantis at your own risk!

[rudjedet]

Lmk if I'm the one misinterpreting, but people really cannot seem to grasp "a primary source is a primary source regardless of whether it's factual" as soon as the word Bible is mentioned.

If it was written at x time period, about x time period, it's a primary source for x time period. Is it an accurate source? That's a completely different question.

It isn't impacted at all by whether it's accurate, or as anon said, ~made up to control the masses~. It'd still be a primary source. An accurate one? Can the information also be obtained from another source? That has nothing to do with being a primary source, and information that can be verified by multiple sources is a good thing.

If an eyewitness completely misremembered an incident, it would still be an eyewitness testimony. An eyewitness testimony isn't an omnipresent screenshot of the exact instance, it's what a person who was there says happened.

And I'm not in this sort of field at all, but my understanding is that half the historical significance of the Bible is what the people then might've believed- which it's true they believed whether the info itself is true or not, either way. And there's no benefit to being all condescending and "oh, all their beliefs were BS For Sure" when talking about it academically.

If a primary source was a diary from the Salem Witch Trials talking about how evil witches are and need to be burned, it wouldn't be a Definitely Accurate And True text about how women are going to hell if they can swim just because the author said so, it would be a primary source about the Salem Witch Trials. Those are entirely different properties. It would have information on what they did to the 'witches', why they did it, what they thought about them, the tensions that provoked this, the motives, the propaganda, etc.

You wouldn't have to believe they deserved it or were really witches to get this information from the diary. It might even be a diary entry about framing someone for being a witch or someone worried they are a witch, would still be a primary source!

Again using that anon's argument as an example, even if it was only existent for manipulation, that's still a primary source of what the manipulation material was.

Did I understand right?

Yes, you're correct, with the addendum that the Bible does contain some valid historical information, including events, individuals, etc. that we have been able to corroborate with other sources. But the whole "is it factual" this anon specifically touted isn't even the correct question to start from. As you say: "Is it an accurate source? That's a completely different question." And this kind of nuance definitely goes out of the window when it's the Bible under discussion. It's a kneejerk, plain and simple, and a fucking aggravating one to boot.

Ironically, the people who think the Bible is an utterly valueless conglomeration of lies and falsehoods with not a shred of historical background far outnumber the people who believe the Bible is completely factual. Most theists who go in that direction are quite aware that the Bible was, in fact, never even meant to be taken totally literal and they do not make a secret of that. There's a vocal but very small minority that likes to claim a fact rate of a 100%, sure -- still a lot less people than those who think it's all nonsense. Because if you look at the tags left by people who on the surface agree with the basic premise of the original post, more than half of them use language that indicate they still consider the Bible a work of fiction. This just tells me they're largely ignorant of the actual range of the texts, and operate on the notion that "the gospels == Bible" (which, even if that were true, the gospels do also count as historical documents and not as "fiction").

So when I say the particular brand of kneejerking anti-theist that rages against the concept of the Bible as a primary source is the worse of the two, I mean it. And I say this with full cognisance of the existence of religious trauma and oppression. This attitude is simply so pervasive that people just... idk, they're blinded. It's an annoyance, which is why I made that post in the first place.

The point remains that absolutely nothing changes the fact that the Bible is a historical document and a primary source, and because of that can be used in historical research in an absolute multitude of ways. You can hate the Bible for your personal reasons, I don't care. But you can't go around claiming it's something it is not, and you certainly cannot expect historians to go "eh, guess we're not using this then". Because that's absolutely daft and quite frankly on the verge of anti-intellectualism.