#pretty sure being this weird isn't flying in any court

[synchodai]

Episode 6 Live Reaction

I liked it! Best parts are the Larys and Mysaria scenes and the worst parts continue to be the Black council scenes.

New tapestry addition: is that Aemond raising the sword? And the blood is black now for some reason...

Lannister host from the sigils — Jason Lannister!!! Yes, I love seeing non-Targs on my screen! It just makes the world a bigger place and conflict more realistic.

Jason Lannister sounds like Prince Charming from Shrek, I love it.

It's actually a pretty good and realistic addition that the highborn aren't willing to fight a dragon without a dragon backing them. Not all of them would have this attitude ofc (the northmen have a deathwish and wouldn't gaf), but someone like Jason Lannister would.

RED KRAKEN MENTIONED! KRAKENNATION WE STAY NOT SOWING!

"I'll fly up to meet you when the time is right." For a dragon war that can be ended more quickly if someone with the most dragons just swarmed everyone, these people sure don't wanna use them. In the book, Aemond was less scrupulous about using Vhagar while Rhaenyra was less inclined to send out dragons prior the dragonseeds because it would be her and her sons who would be directly in the line of fire.

Tbh, if I was Aemond I would fire my mom too, she technically doesn't have anything to do at the table. If she were actually treating with lords to get more support or doing Princess Diana PR appearances to ingratiate the smallfolk, she'd have something to offer the council, but her job right now begins and ends with complaining about everyone else's plans.

Gods, Rhaenyra we get it—stop complaining about how your hands are tied. It doesn't project power or wisdom to your lords who are listening!

"Dragons are gods." Only exceptionalists would say this. Otherwise, it's blasphemy to the Seven. But Steffon Darklyn being an exceptionalist would make sense.

"I do not compel you to do this." UGH, STOP WRITING RHAENYRA LIKE THIS. She was raised a highborn princess—she's lived her entire life ordering people around! Even "softer" monarchs like Robb Stark and Daenerys didn't end every command with "Please" or "if it's not too much trouble." They knew they had to project power and confidence. Rhaenyra acts like a person who's never been in a court of people who would jump at the chance to criticize her for appearing weak. You cannot mask the fact that she is ordering her people to death in pleasantries. "Go to war for me" isn't made better by the ruler saying "only if you want to." It just makes her look weak and unconvinced of her own plans and power.

Omg welcome back, Paddy Considine!

Weird that Daemon suspects Simon Strong first before the actual woman who greeted him by announcing his death, but okay.

"Perhaps those who strive to wear it are the least suited to wear it." Ugh, it's giving s8 GOT "ambitions are bad, wanting power for any reason is bad, the only good stance is apoliticism" vibes.

Why is the bastard lowborn woodswitch spouting about the burdens of the crown? It like a regular citizen saying, "oh, it must be so hard being the president" which is technically true but not something someone whose primary interaction with the president is through taxation would say.

And now Daemon is asking the bastard lowborn woodswitch for her counsel. Unlike Mysaria, she hasn't proven to have any politically valuable skill — she's just been scolding him this entire time (like what Alicent does in her council). Scolding the men in charge is not a valuable political contribution in and of itself, you know.

Her "counsel" was the most basic information anyone could tell him. "Ally with the liege to get the support of all his vassals" wow, groundbreaking, Alys. Does Daemon not already know about House Tully?

Love the dragon-claiming scene though. It's immensely tense. This show is good when people don't have dialogue.

Did no one think to bring a flame retardant to the dragon-claiming? If Seasmoke lashed out at everyone, them leaving Steffon to burn would be much easier to swallow.

I kinda love Alyn's hesitance because he knows the precarity of being a secret bastard Velaryon. Yes, it could elevate him, but it could also end up with his head chopped off.

"Nothing but fish in this damn city." If the blockade is the thing causing the food shortage, it should be everything but fish.

"It is my fault, I think, that you have forgotten to fear me." YES, RHAENYRA, FINALLY.

"This becomes you." Ohhhhh, now I see how Mysaria was Daemon's favorite, girl is so subtle and manipulative in her flattery.

"Why is this anger directed at us? It Rhaenyra the Pretender who blocks the Gullet..." Truuuueeeee.

Iron Rod looks so done when Larys does his powergrab, like "Ugh, not another upstart."

The Aemond-Larys scene was really good political posturing and intrigue. It shows that Aemond is smart enough to know he's being manipulated but not empathetic enough to handle Larys in a way that doesn't make an enemy of him.

TGC once again having a great performance. Truly, the king who serves. And Aemond holding his hand by his wound? Judas kiss me, brother.

Oh no, why is.....oh no...a dragon travelled by itself to the Vale? I mean, even if it were foraging for more food, that's really far away and at the most inconvenient place.

LOVE Alyn shaving his head so that it won't show up as white *chef's kiss*

I LOVE ADDAM AND ALYN AND THIS DIALOGUE WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR TWO VIEWPOINTS ON THEIR BASTARDY

Jace, Jace, it rhymes with face. Addam might be giving him a run for his money though once he gets more screentime.

Orwyle speaking lines directly lifted from the book is such a good detail since he's one of the sources for Fire and Blood.

They're giving so much backstory and characterization to Gwayne "one-line in the book" Hightower 😭 Meanwhile, Baela still doesn't have a personality beyond crossbow and dragon.

All this talk about Daeron but still no Daeron in sight. It would be funny if they never cast him and just have the audience know he's doing stuff through other characters expositing.

I'm not sure what to think about the food plan. The point of a blockade is to starve and cut off resources, but if they were sending said resources directly to smallfolk and not armies or commanders....hmmm... Yeah, I'm sold. (But why wouldn't the guys who found the food just hoard it?)

Do the queensguard not have shields? Shield your charges, damn.

FINALLY, some actual believable violence and punishment. Gods, I was starting to forget we were in the pseudo middle ages.

Oh, this "riot" could have been waaaaay more bloody, but I suppose they're cutting out the gore sfx for the dragon sfx.

I remained quiet, seated, captivated, and enthralled by the Aegon-Larys scene.

I will never forgive HBO for cutting out Kermit and Elmo Tully. Never forget what they took from us.

Alys killing Grover is....intriguing. It does make her a more valuable and active ally and/or foe.

Daemon has such amazing and complex character work. As far as effort for developing these characters, it goes Daemon, Aegon, Alicent, Criston, Larys, Aemond, Rhaena, Alyn.....and Rhaenyra is still all the way down there with even her son out-nuancing her. She's been stuck on "they coddle me because I'm a woman and want Daemon instead" since episode 2.

"You have me." Rhaenyra x Mysaria 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 Not the toxic yuri I expected, but maybe the one we deserved...

Welp, my new ship just started sailing.

FINALLY, Rhaenyra realized that if she wanted to go on a dragon, no one could technically stop her.

Jace's "Mother!" — no notes.

[mrfancyfoot]

Plots & Prosody: Requests Open!

Raphael x Evie (f!"human"OC) | Rating: E/varied

With the nature of Plots & Prosody being a more 'slice of life' series interspersed with drabbles and snapshots, I am quite happy to consider requests!

ETA: this post works in general for Patchwork Plots, as well. Astarion x Evie (f!"human"OC) | Rating: E/varied

Just hit the Ask button on my page. :)

Depending on timing, I may throw fills up on Tumblr first since Prosody will be divided by game events, post-game events/once Raphael has the Crown of Karsus, and after they're together (there's a vague overarching plot). Smut won't happen until later in the series once they're together, but I'm still open to writing and posting it for Tumblr before then.

I'll write most things as long as they fit the general characterizations and my universe for Prosody, which is fairly broad and detailed some below (feel free to inquire!). Depending on the request, I may stick with feminine pronouns/parts or write with gender neutral terms.

There are spoilers below for those who may be reading Prosody.

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Raphael x Evie (f!"human"OC) | Rating: E/varied

(These lists are non-exhaustive)

Things I love:

Worldbuilding and exposition

Domestic fluff

Slice of Life

Weird/unusual topics

Will Write:

Any rating/SFW, NSFW

Violence, gore

Smut (both are bi/pan for the interest of including others), Kinks; Non-Consent is a grey area

Interactions with other characters

Various AuDHD topics/behaviors (as long as I feel comfortable depicting them - I mostly write these to my own experiences but am willing to discuss)

Unbound by BG canon/lore and DnD rules

Head canons

Won't write:

Stuff that's going to make me super sad or uncomfortable (death, certain forms of cruelty)

Things that are way Out Of Character without good reason

Some extreme kinks

Pregnancy/babies/children (breeding kink is an exception but already in the works as part of a later chapter, haha)

I'm ignoring a lot of established lore regarding Asmodeus and Raphael probably flying too close to the sun with his aspirations for Archdevil Supreme, lol

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Quick characterizations and Prosody plot points:

Raphael: cunning and strategic; ambitious; prideful; pretty classically Lawful Evil; Not Bad in Bed (I'm firmly Team 'Haarlep's a fucking incubus and they hate each other but Raphael can't get rid of them due to circumstances with his father'); totally a Bard; will use the rules and others to get what he wants; intellectually curious; isn't needlessly cruel (in most circumstances); will use sex and sex appeal in pursuit of what he wants/his contracts if most convenient, but more often uses the seduction of power and luxury; honorable; respectful; nosy (he's an information broker); manipulative but doesn't lie; possessive; domineering; trends towards obsession with his interests

He mostly just thinks Evie's weird and kind of annoying at first but she grows on him in part due to that weirdness. He believes her 'modern' knowledge and technological drive to be very useful to him/his goals, so pursues trying to get her to join his side, which triggers that obsessive drive he has. Very interested in her and Astarion's efforts to transform Baldur's Gate. He tries to genuinely court her in post-game (and sabotages the efforts of others - much to the amusement and consternation of Astarion). Morphs into a kind of marriage contract. He does have a soft spot for her but sees having her as his consort/Archduchess politically advantageous. He's supportive of her ambitions (because they align with his own) but also kind of a hard-ass. He chooses to trust in her loyalty to him when he allows her to retain a lot of personal freedom. Doesn't quite realise (but thinks he does) what chaos he's brought into his life/House (maybe make sure you fully know someone before you make them marry you?).

Evie: she/her pronouns; human 'modern girl'; Chaotic Neutral and morally grey; made a deal with a book-bound nature spirit to be given fox ears and a tail in exchange for traits/magic/spells; worshiped by Kuo-toa (and takes her unwitting godhood over them very seriously); AuDHD; friendly; slow to trust but generally presumes the best of others; polite and respectful; can be overly (though usually tactfully) blunt; can be both very socially apt and oblivious/awkward in turn - not great at recognizing flirting towards herself but can see it between other people; prone to daydreaming/getting lost in thought; frequently impulsive and tightly self-controlled in turn; hyperfixative; introverted but 'takes charge when forced into social situations'; strategic; very intelligent but the ADHD gets the best of her at times (will totally channel 8 INT Tav); will rant about politics and culture; modern girl = modern knowledge (+quite technologically savvy); has special interests; very musically inclined; afraid of disappointing others or not being 'useful'; sexually experienced/knowledgeable

She is fairly neutral about Raphael and uninterested in his deals (she isn't the one who gives him the Crown), but they do end up becoming fairly friendly during game events. They bond over shared interest in theater/music, literature, politics, etc. Feels no fear of him and will stand up to him. She grows to see him as a friend by post-game and isn't personally terribly concerned about him having the Crown even though she wanted it destroyed. Her focus is mostly on her inventions and business ventures and helping Astarion manage his political career post-game, though starts exploring the dating scene of the City. Due to his status and ambitions, she mentally puts Raphael in the 'off limits for sex/romance' box and doesn't see any reason he'd be interested in her that way. Becomes very 'they're dating but she doesn't realise it.' Very salty when he forces her into a corner to marry him but ultimately accepts it as his interests require that much stays the same and she's acknowledged to herself by then that she is attracted to him. Makes her problems, his problems as a form of retaliation. Then becomes 'they're married but now need to actually date.'

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In Prosody canon, Evie never sleeps with Haarlep for ~reasons~, so I lean towards not involving them in smut, but will write them non-sexually. They don't have the most positive relationship, however, so most interactions between them are a bit catty/antagonistic.

Evie and Astarion (who chooses to ascend but retains a softness due to Evie) have a very strong platonic relationship (and past, very brief sexual one) in post-game events. Evie's on friendly terms with the rest of the crew, especially Karlach (who goes the Avernus route with Wyll).

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Some Prompt Lists for Inspiration:

Touching

Make 'em Swoon

Good Traits Gone Bad

Seeking Out Physical Attention

Kinktober 2023

Subtle Suggestive Smut Prompts

Tav Asks

[aceofspadegrass]

Testimony

Characters: Aguni Morizono, Niragi Suguru, Ann Rizuna, Last Boss, Arisu Ryohei, Usagi Yuzuha

Genre: Crack. It's just Y/N telling a story, but I, the writer, went off the wall and now you have the misfortune of figuring out who is who.

1.2k words

Remember when I was talking about writing a story that included none of the AIB characters names? Yeah, this is pretty much it. I didn't add all the characters, but then it would've just been a chore to decipher what I was even saying.

Yin sits down at the table, the officer in front of her nodding their head in greeting, Yin keeping a blank face as they fold their hands in front of them.

“ You are aware why you have been called in here for, correct?” Yin hums, kicking their feet idly. “ Well, kind of! I was a witness, and you want my statement, right?” The officer nods, Yin nodding and tapping their chin in thought. “ Well, I can describe it pretty well, but only problem is that I kind of don’t know any of the names of the parties it involves. Do you mind if I just described them instead?” The officer waves at them to continue in response, Yin grinning as if they were the cat that caught the cream. “ Okay! Strap in, this is gonna be a doozy.”

“ Alright. Remember that anything that you say will be recorded and documented for evidence.”

Yin nods, smiling and eyes twinkling.

“ So! Basically I was walking down the street, right? Minding my own business, bought a snack at the nearby shop, munching away. Gotta make sure to keep my energy up, you know? And suddenly I see what was basically a giraffe wearing a rather sketchy fedora running past me, apparently either training to become the next Olympic runner, or he got in trouble with his mom and she’s coming to smack him sideways to Tuesday evening on a Wednesday morning.

So I turn and watch this oil spill book it, and when I turn back around I see several other people. One was this really pretty lady with fashion that I thought I’d only see in Vogue and the strut that makes me think she’s like some goddess coming to talk to the manager only to point out how terrible they were treating the staff, and the other was like…. dad material. He looked like he belonged in an army or something but would also totally have unironically cried during a sad scene involving a kid in a movie, but at the moment I’m pretty sure beefcake over there was gonna bust a skull open like a weak watermelon. Probably the burnt coffee bean wearing guy. The swan queen probably could’ve annihilated him with just a fucking stare, I swear.

So anyways, they walk past me and I’m pretty sure I got hit with so much raw authoritative energy I could’ve taken over the prime minister or something just by politely asking, and I couldn’t help but be like….. curious.”

“ So you went ahead and followed them.”

“ So I went ahead and followed them! Did you know giraffes run at 37 miles per hour? Crazy, isn’t it! Well this guy was actually running pretty darn fast, but then he kind of tripped and ate shit on the sidewalk. Not like, literally, that’s a figure of speech, but like he went bonk on that sidewalk. I think he was okay though, but then the army general looking guy grabs him and kind of pins him to the ground, and the fancy fashion lady just stands there to the side like a disappointed secretary who is standing behind the boss and only makes you feel super fucking tiny in that situation.

So the raccoon man is screaming, with papa beef on top and reprimanding him, and I have noooo clue what was going on here. That is until some more people show up. There was this guy that I’m pretty sure looks like he belongs in some cheesy superhero cartoon with how much tattoos he had on without it being like…. a bunch of pictures that cumulated, but like one coherent design that took up his whole body, and a guy who looks like he rolled out of bed at 4 in the afternoon in a shopping cart. This girl wearing a windbreaker was pushing the cart, and she looked really disappointed for some reason, and I think she was disappointed at the chocolate rice krispie man.

Now, the puppy looking fellow was clutching a bunch of shirts, a box of crackers, and there was a pack of toilet paper at his feet, so I’m pretty sure that either they stole a shopping cart, or the raisin man made the rest of this squad have to run from a nearby supermarket to chase him down. Either way, there’s a man who looks like he hasn’t showered in weeks in a cart, a disappointed mom, a marble countertop if humanised, a second, more disappointed mom, a rooster, and a puddle of tar mud just there in front of me, with the latter being hung up on each other. The kangaroo was winning though, but kangaroos are fucking built like a wrestler, so even I wouldn’t fuck with that. So there’s yelling, there’s a lot confusion, and I’m kind of alone in this because other people were doing other shit and didn’t get to see whatever the heck was going down here.

So finally the black bean guy is allowed to get up and gets a pat down, so I guess he stole something? I dunno, but the crane looking manager lady was the one to do it, with the other man holding him still. Guess he has a lot of fight in him. It was like holding a feral hissy cat at the vet, it was kind of funny to watch. I don’t know if they found something or not, because I couldn’t actually understand what they were saying. I think it was Japanese? But I can still sense the energy, and I guess the guy got in trouble.

Now, this is the part that you probably wanted to hear, officer. Because moments after whatever was going on, suddenly this car pulls up. Really nice car, standard brand and practically inconspicuous. It opens up, and apparently it was like….. some drive by robbery or something, but I really don’t know what the people wanted. Toilet paper? Crackers? A shirt that was very neon yellow?

Anyways, what I saw was nothing less than something that came out of a movie. So one of the robbers tried to steal from them by pointing I think a gun at them, but the buff potato attacks and very quickly disarms them. Meanwhile, the one that kind of was wearing a pink peep jacket? Yeah, apparently she wasn’t having any of it as well when another approached the trolley containing what might have been her best friend or something, because she absolutely punches them in the face before they even got too close. Oh, and remember the blackberry yoghurt parfait and the guy that got tackled? Yeah, so turns out the pool noodle giraffe whips out a slingshot from his pocket and pops a rock into one of the robber’s eye, and the tiger man just takes his sandal off and smacks them like a grandma. It was very weird to watch.

But it like…. worked? Somehow? Because these robbers were, no offence, dumb as shit to try to rob a group of six people, especially when one looks like he could punch a tiger and not care at all. So they were knocked down, I guess the shopping cart chilling border collie man called the police, which is when you guys came down to arrest said robbers, aaaannnnd here we are!” Yin finishes, smiling proudly.

The officer can only stare at them, trying to process whatever the hell that story meant.

“…. Alright, thank you.”

Yin nods again, still smiling at the officer until they were escorted out, the officer looking up at the camera that recorded everything. Their eyes only showed pure confusion and a silent hope that the rest of the statements weren’t as….. chaotic.