#rambles from within the vale
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atopvisenyashill · 1 month ago
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WHERE HAVE ALL THE STARK WIVES GONE AND WHERE ARE ALL THE COZ'S
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aka i made the stark family tree from torrhen, the king who knelt all the way to the starklings & filled in some gaps too just for funsies. behold my magnum opus because i am a visual learner. some notes on the tree:
at the start of the tree, you’ll notice some lines are purple. those are not technically canon relations - we know those people existed but we aren’t told how they’re related or who their wives were. similar to my dornish timeline, i filled in a few gaps here based on the information we have to go off, some leaps in logic when it comes to the politics of the time, and some math.
similarly, you’ll notice some names in {brackets}. those are characters that we know exist but we don’t know their name (ie, we know alaric had two sons, we don’t know their names). i picked their names from other stark names.
the kids aren’t always in age order. i couldn’t get the graphic to line up in places bc of the cousin marriages and still keep everyone in age order, so i just gave up aksjd.
all the ones with the book sigil were Lords of Winterfell. all the ones with the show sigil were just born into the stark house.
alright now we got some explaining & rambling below the cut
george give the wives names. george at least give them a house. george pls you don't have to give her a personality just give her a freaking name george.
anyways!!! first things first, let's go into the names and houses i invented for everyone, starting from Torrhen's wife on the left and moving to the right:
Lady Manderly, the last Queen in the North - i think given the Manderlys are the #2 house, it was thematically fitting that the last Queen in the North was a Manderly! I also think it would make sense, given how common Iron Islander raiding was in this time, that Torrhen would want to strengthen his alliance with the house that owns his fleet. We also know the North’s fleet was pretty damn impressive at this time - Aegon uses them to fight several times after Visenya destroys the Vale’s fleet during the conquest.
Lady Dustin, wife to Brandon the Boisterous - Torrhen’s sons hate the Iron Throne and they’re all really pissed at the Stark Maiden-Ronnel Arryn marriage, so I figured Torrhen’s sons would want very fierce, very Northern wives (no offense to the Manderlys). Given Barrowton is one of the only true cities in the North, I thought marrying a family familiar with travelers, maybe a richer house even, might be seen as a benefit to staying strong against the Iron Throne.
Lady Flint, wife to Brandon the Boastful - Similar to Lady Dustin, I thought a strong Northern match would be what the sons of Torrhen would continue to go for. The Flints of Widow's Watch are considered the most powerful of the Flint houses so I thought that made a good match.
Lady Norrey, wife to Edwyn Stark - this one was fun & required some math and analysis. Basically, we know none of Alaric’s sons are married when Alysanne comes to visit, and Alaric is succeeded by his grandson, because both of his sons die before him. It means his grandson could be at the oldest 14 when he inherits. We also have Gyldayn say that some “Stark brothers” looked into seeing if Alysanne giving the New Goft was legal. I thought if Alaric & his sons were so annoyed by this, wouldn’t it make sense to marry into a house near the New Gift, who perhaps will be impacted by the decision and have the knowledge of the area and its history? Since the Norreys are right on the border, I thought that would be a good fit. I also thought it would be a good fit because Cregan married Arra Norrey just a bit later - and one pattern I noticed is that when a family marries into the Stark line once, they tend to remarry each other within a few generations again. They do this with the Blackwoods, the Lockes, AND the Royces - it’s likely the mothers & grandmothers influencing the matches, and I thought it was a fun pattern to repeat.
Lady Reed, wife to Artos Stark - So one thing we know is that Lynara Stark, Cregan's third wife, is not descended from the uncle who attempted to usurp Cregan but from a younger son of Brandon the Boisterous. I also noticed Lynara's son, Brandon, has an affair with a Fenn. The Fenns are sworn to House Reed, so I thought it made sense that this branch of the Starks has perhaps lived in the Neck, and brought a small household with her that included a Fenn or two that her son later has an affair with.
Lady Glover, wife to Ellard Stark - this is another “marry & remarry” match up but there I chose the Glovers also because I noticed the Starks tend to marry into the same few houses over and over again. These are likely their richest vassals and closest allies, so I thought again it would make sense that Ellard would pick a woman from a wealthy or important background as the succession crisis under Jaehaerys starts to kick off (in preparation for a fight, even if it's just a war of words). Since you have Gilliane Glover just a bit down, and I thought that would match up nicely with the "marry and remarry" trend as well.
NOW SOME ANALYSIS
Obviously there's been a lot said about the Sansa-Jonnel and Serena-Edric marriages that I don't really need to repeat at length but - I think the choice to have a Sansa and a Jonnel One-Eye marry is kind of sus, I think the "One-Eye" thing is sus, I think the niece-uncle connection here is kind of sus, and I think the fact that their mother was a Manderly is also sus.
There's also the fact that Serena has several sons and we have no idea what happened to them. That one stands out to me because of the Cregan-Lynara match; as stated above, Lynara is not, as some people assume, the daughter or granddaughter of Arnolf, the uncle that attempted to overthrow Cregan. Her Stark name comes all the way from a younger brother of Brandon the Boisterous. That's quite a few generations back that a Stark line has survived to remarry into the main line and we don't even know if she was an only child or had brothers and sisters. So Brandon's brothers' weren't just mysteriously offed/died out, but just two generations after Lynara, all of Serena's descendants just mysteriously die off? Nah, there's a story here that's hiding. The obvious suspect here is The She-Wolves of Winterfell story with Dunk & Egg. COMMA BUT. It's crazy that there are no Stark cousins in the modern day, no cadet House the way we have the Arryns of Gulltown, the Green Apple Fossoways, the Lannisters of Lannisport, etc., and also equally weird that Lynara's Stark line isn't a named cadet branch.
But let's get into the cadet/cousin branches in the modern day as well - one thing I noticed about the lack of Stark cousins in recent history (ie first and second cousins rather than like, seventh and eighth) is that a lot of them are female line cousins. Catelyn and Robb point this out in the book when Catelyn brings up the Vale Starks in the Templetons, the Royces, and the Waynwoods. I think the fact that Sansa is in direct contact with a host of those same families will come into play; perhaps when she unmasks herself as Sansa, someone will comment on her resemblance to Jocelyn, or maybe that familial connection will prompt a bit more loyalty out of one of Jocelyn's descendants if she has to make a mad dash out of the Vale.
And this is the same with Lyarra; she had a sister, Branda, who married a Rogers, which is a very minor Stormlands house. That stuck out in my head because I think this all really sets up the North to be ruled by Sansa; there are no male cousins or even female line male cousins (shout out Targaryen cousin Robert Baratheon) to step in and say "Well wouldn't you prefer a man as the Stark in Winterfell?" It's just Bran, Rickon, and Jon Snow that could possibly threaten her rule. It seems like she's very set up to echo her predecessor here but instead of Jonnel marrying her to steal her claim, Jon is likely to back up her claim, same as Bran.
And since I'm talking about namesakes here, let's dig into Arya Flint. There's two big associations here for Arya - Brave Danny Flint and the Wandering Wolf, Rodrik Stark. I think it's interesting that he served with the Second Sons, given that Arya is a Second Daughter, rather than the Stormbreakers, which was started by Oscar Tully. The moniker itself, Wandering Wolf, also makes me a bit excited for Arya's future; I've said before but I want Arya to do everything she wants to do and being so closely associated with a "Wandering Wolf" makes me think she will. The Danny Flint connection is also interesting here - there's the fact that Jon Snow, the sibling she's closest to, joins the Night's Watch (and even makes reference to Danny Flint), the fact that Danny dressed as a man and fought with a sword. Similar to the "Wandering" epithet potentially spelling out a happy ending for Arya, I am hopeful she'll have a happier ending than Danny Flint. But I do wonder if perhaps Arya will have some involvement with the Night's Watch, however it exists in the endgame.
Lastly - I'm so curious about Harrold Rogers. Did he help facilitate the friendship between Ned and Robert? Are the Rogers' still kicking around looking Starkish as hell? George where are all the cousins!!
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writing-heiress · 10 days ago
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Zhenwei
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Name: Zhenwei
Other Names: King Crab (by Floyd), Monsieur l’Argent (by Rook), Detka/Milyy/Gem (by Cadel), Old Man (by Minako), Earth Dragon Man (by Pierre), Old Dragon (by Tsukuyomi), Earth Long (by Kazui), Mr. Earth (by Sonomi), Mr. Zhen (by Yumeri, Taiyou, Mizuko, Kaida, Farah, Hokori)
Twisted From: Zhongli from Genshin Impact
Gender: Male (he/him)
Age: 5000+ (physically 21)
Height: 213 cm (7'0")
Homeland: Prosperous Vale
Species: Long/God
Club: Board Game Club
Best Subject: History of Magic
Hobbies: Watching performances, stargazing, gardening, reading
Dislikes: Nile, most other dragons, having to deal with a drunk Zephyr, the smell of raw seafood
Favorite Food: Duck Soup Noodles
Least Favorite Food: Seafood
Talents: Calligraphy
PERSONALITY
Zhenwei is very calm and reserved, often called an old soul by his fellow gods and Ramshackle students. There have been times where he’s been compared to Trein, not just by students but by staff as well. Speaking of Trein, Zhenwei is as knowledgable about various historical subjects and topics as the former. It was almost as if he had lived to see these events himself. There were times where he goes on history rambles that go on for hours on end. Not just witch history, Zhenwei is also very well versed in the art that is contract making, given that it was one of his ma8n domains back home in Prosperous Vale.
When it comes to Ramshackle, he considers it as his home away from home, especially since his old friends are attending the same dorm. Truth be told, Zhenwei actually enjoys the daily chaos that goes on within Ramshackle as it brings back memories with the other gods that resided in Prosperous Vale.
BACKGROUND
Zhenwei was once the god of Prosperous Vale, a harbor-city known for be one of the wealthiest nations in Twisted Wonderland with its denizens being merchants known for their rather impressive contracts. Like his fellow gods, Zhenwei ruled over Prosperous Vale for thousands of years.
But then one day, two high-ranking members of the Tarocchi came into Prosperous Vale and stole his core, which was a symbol of his godhood. The only reason they were able to take Zhenwei’s core was because of a contract between them, to which it was in the Tarocchi’s favor.
What the Tarocchi didn't know was that Zhenwei allowed them to take his core as a way to not be under Paradiso's thumb, something him & the other gods planned.
In the same vein, none of the seven gods hadn't planned on was their core being crushed and destroyed into pieces, resulting in their demise. But luckily for Zhenwei and the other gods, their death was short-lived after Freya was able to revive them using the art of kintsugi.
SKILLS AND MAGIC
Geo/Earth Magic: Zhenwei’s main elemental magic of choice is earth magic.
Transformation Magic: Zhenwei can transform into a long dragon.
Healing Magic: Zhenwei is an expert at healing magic.
Weapon Proficiency: Zhenwei is a gifted polearm user.
UNIQUE MAGIC
Zhenwei’s Unique Magic is called “Earthly Order”. It allows him to manipulate the elements deep within the earth and its geology, even creating various weapons and creatures made from the earth.
TRIVIA
Zhenwei is based on Zhongli/Morax.
He knows how to play various instruments, such as the guzheng.
Him and Cadel are happily dating and no one can figured why and how.
Zhenwei likes to spend time in Diasomnia & Heartslaybul.
Azul has said that Zhenwei is almost impossible to get him in a contract with because he can find any and all loopholes that Azul makes.
He is very close with the children, letting them braid his hair while he’s reading and even giving them cultural lessons about Prosperous Vale.
Tagging — @adrianasunderworld @abyssthing198 @the-trinket-witch @the-weirdos-mind @yukii0nna @yumeko2sevilla @boopshoops @tragedytells-tales @liviavanrouge @queen-of-twisted @ice-cweam-sod4 @mangacupcake @fair-night-starry-tears @starry-night-rose @achy-boo
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fluentmoviequoter · 7 months ago
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Never Alone
Requested Here!
Characters: Victor Vale, Vex Vale, Mitch Turner, Sydney Clarke
Summary: Victor left Sydney and Mitch to finish his mission, but now he feels alone and can't take it anymore. With some encouragement, he calls Mitch and finds the comfort he needs.
Warnings: angst I guess?, whump, some fluff, Vex is vexing
Word Count: 1.1k+ words
Masterlist Directory | Victor Vale Masterlist | Request Info
Art from Pinterest!
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When Victor left Mitch and Sydney, he could have written a book with the number of reasons he had. Each day since then, however, he’s added a reason to a new list, one about why he should have kept them close. It’s been far too long since he heard Mitch’s teasing but insanely helpful input or Sydney’s rambling. He can barely even remember what it felt like to pet Dol.
“No, I’m not cheating on you,” Victor says after Vex meows at the foot of the bed. “Just thinking about an old friend.”
Victor left to finish his mission, one that he had no interest in dragging Mitch or Sydney any further into than necessary. Now, he’s closer to finishing it than he thought was possible. But the closer he gets, the more everything weighs on him. He can’t stand the silence surrounding him; it’s deafening after spending so much time with Sydney. He feels lost without Mitch’s intel and concern for his safety. He’s getting more reckless, yet he scolds himself within because he knows they would hate his careless actions. Worse, every time he does something dangerous, he risks never getting back to them. That eternal loneliness is a worse thought than anything he could feel now.
Victor’s mission blinded him to what he was leaving and, months later, he can’t take the conditions he put himself into. His fingers itch to reach for his phone and dial a number he couldn’t forget, even though he tried. Before he can, his computer beeps as a tracker begins moving.
“I’ll be back, Vex. Keep being vexing while I’m gone.”
Victor rubs his hand over Vex’s head as he walks toward the door. His black trench coat disappears into the night, and he tries to leave his loneliness in the motel room. It’s easier said than done.
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It’s nearing dawn when Victor stumbles back into the dilapidated motel room. Vex wakes and stretches slowly across Victor’s pillow before he stands to greet him. Victor pulls Vex into his arms. Vex is a great cat and a good companion, but he’s no replacement for the family Victor left behind. He hasn’t felt lonely since he was a kid wandering through his parents’ empty house, but now, he doesn’t even remember how to combat such feelings.
Vex butts his head up against Victor’s chin, then lowers his head to bite Victor’s wrist.
“Stop,” Victor mumbles, too lost in thought and used to Vex’s attention-seeking behaviours to care.
Vex bites him again and raises his head with force. Victor’s eyes widen as he picks Vex up out of his lap to look at him. Vex swipes a paw at him, and Victor tosses him softly toward the other side of the bed. Within a few seconds, Vex is swatting something around between his front paws. Victor grabs it without thinking, surprised to see his prepaid phone is Vex’s new toy of choice.
“What were you going to do with this?” Victor asks.
Vex meows loudly, so loudly that Victor is concerned someone passing may hear and report him for having a cat. It took him a while to find a no-questions-asked-cash-preferred motel in this area of the country, so he can’t risk getting kicked out, or worse, raising suspicion about who he is and what he’s doing.
“I can’t,” Victor replies, guessing that Vex can sense his loneliness, too. “They won’t want to answer.”
Vex begins meowing again until Victor raises the phone to his ear. Victor sighs as he realizes that Vex is too smart for his good and that it really would help. He lowers the phone and dials Mitch’s number. After a small hesitation, he presses the green call button and presses the flip phone to his ear. It’s not a weakness, Victor tells himself, but a reminder that Mitch is still there could be very beneficial.
“Hello?” Mitch answers.
Victor opens his mouth slightly but doesn’t speak. Hearing Mitch makes him feel entirely different than he expected he would.
“Anybody there?” Mitch questions.
Victor can’t answer. Vex shakes his head as he climbs toward Victor. Victor doesn’t notice the tears sliding down his cheeks until Vex rubs his face across Victor’s jaw. He hadn’t realized how much he needed this, how much he needed Mitch in his life, until this moment.
“Ha ha, very funny,” Mitch says. “I’m hanging up now… punk.”
“Mitch,” Victor calls quickly.
The line silences for a moment and Victor thinks he did hang up. He drops his head, but Mitch whispers, “Vic?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I-“
“Where are you?” Mitch demands. “Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”
Victor decides to interrupt all of the questions he doesn’t want to answer. “Mitch, I just- I wasn’t sure how much longer I could have taken this.”
“Vic? What are you talking about? Taken what? What is going on?” Mitch asks quickly. The concern in his voice is evident, and Victor closes his eyes in a poor attempt to keep himself from reacting to that.
“Everything. I left for a good reason, trust me, but I can’t finish this mission feeling so alone,” Victor explains.
“Give me the phone!” Sydney whispers harshly before scuffling sounds fill the line. “Vic?”
“Hey, Syd,” he replies softly.
“Tell me where you are. We’re coming to help you.”
“No. It’s too dangerous. I need to do this alone.”
“Then why call us?” Sydney questions. “You could’ve called anyone to stop feeling lonely. Admit it, Victor, you need us because we are the only people left who never let you think you’re alone. Because you’re not.”
Sydney huffs as she finishes, and Victor is glad she can’t see him smile. Vex watches his face, with drying tears on his cheek and a growing smile, and meows dramatically before flopping down to go back to sleep.
“Meet me in Chicago, Magnificent Mile, in a week, Syd.”
Vex meows again as Sydney rushes to relay the meeting spot to Mitch.
“I need you to do one more thing, though,” Victor adds.
“Anything,” Sydney responds.
“Don’t hate me if I’m lying. Just because I miss you and needed to know that you’re both okay doesn’t mean that I’m ready to put you in danger.”
Victor ends the call as soon as he finishes speaking. He lays back on the bed and doesn’t comment when Vex climbs onto his chest to take another nap. Hundreds of miles away, Sydney stares at the phone in shock.
“What happened?” Mitch asks.
“He admitted that he misses us,” Sydney answers.
“Whatever he’s dealing with can’t be good,” Mitch mumbles.
“But?” Sydney presses.
“He’ll be alright. Victor Vale has a way of coming out victorious.”
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chelzone · 4 months ago
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My WIP Games Ahead: An Assortment
feeling like rambling a bit to get myself motivated to work on stuff right now, as well give a fresh update on what projects ive been tending to this year. just gonna focus on three that have had a lotta work put into em already
not gonna tag this one since its a mixture of SFW and NSFW and hidden under a read more. dont open if u dont wanna read about the latter (more specifically expansion kink stuff)
Hallowed Discharge
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this one i've been putting my heart and soul into for a long while now, as it's a mountain of coding and writing despite only being maybe 25-30% finished argubly. made within the Quest text adventure engine, much like my released SFW game Kindred Spirit. Hallowed Discharge revolves around a pooltoy priest named Reverend Artemis, and his task in trying to nonlethally expel a hell of a lot of spirits from an abandoned mall named Delícias do Vale. features a hell of a lot of NPCs to chat with, tons of tasks to do for the most important of spirits, a mixture of percentage-based stats to be mindful of (weight, faith, and energy), and a fuckton of early game overs if u aint careful along the way. so far currently i'd say half of the first floor's tended to, same for the basement, and nothing for the second floor or general outside yet.
last time i tinkered with this, i was tending to a mission where the player has to attempt to fix fuses around the mall to restore partial power to the basement generators (mechanically it works code-wise, still need to move them to proper areas before the task can be completed properly). as for the justification of kinky stuff, our beloved goddess of expansion herself Her Divine is puppeting the show from above
Enchanted Bliss
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another game with a lotta heart put into it, this one's a SFW visual novel made within Ren'Py (my first proper one at that in said engine!). Enchanted Bliss revolves around a newbie and mid-to-late 20 something wizard Dylan Rhodes, being strung along on a mission with a bunch of professional wizards / coworkers (a field exercise for Rhodes, a bigger deal of trouble for the rest). within the ruined city of Filia Lunae, Dylan will have to tag up with one of their coworkers to investigate a part of said city and hopefully score a friendship / a romantic relationship along the way (or even beef it completely).
last time i worked on this, ive been in the process of redoing the art style completely to be a more neon and line-focused one (as seen in the image above). fuck ton of emotion sprites are done for the protagonist Dylan, supporting character / mission boss Carmichael, and one of said coworkers - Brava Denvers. still have to draw the rest of the emotions for the other 5 coworkers. past that ive made 16 short music loops (1 min or so each) that might wind up in the game or its soundtrack slated for post-game release in the years ahead. still a lot of drawing, writing, and music-making ahead along with sourcing any royalty free / public domain sounds with credits of course. current playable section is just the tutorial / introduction camp before starting any of the six routes
The Ballad of Hush and Clover
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another kinky game, though this one made in the flicksy 2 engine much like me released SFW game For Your Eyes. this one revolves around wizard couple and toony folks Evelyn Hush an Patsy Clover, heading off to the Nilbrook Mountain Chain to investigate a strange cave stumbled upon by a coworker. from there, they stumble upon a small fragment of what used to be temple to the (shocker) goddess Her Divine. there, a mystical figure emerges as a proxy of said goddess an offers a challenge for one (whichever the player chooses) of the toony spouses / wizards present.
with enough vague story rambling outta the way, it's basically gonna be a point and click sort of storybook thang. you'll either be playing as Evelyn OR Patsy - not both. each spouse has their own setting and associated adventure in a simulated dimension tied to their challenge (the other stays behind in the real world with the mentioned figure / proxy). so far a fuckton of scenes are drawn for it already, fulfilling the entirety of gameplay in the introduction and tutorial. gameplay elements besides traveling From Here to There will also be opportunities to use your powers, think about the situation ahead, chat with the folks within the challenge, and utilize a map to figure out where the hell ur at.
last time i worked on it i started making the early parts of both playable stories for each respective protagonist. Evelyn gets to deal with potential inflation mischief on an airship resort of sorts, while Patsy deals with potential fattening mischief on a cross-country luxury train of sorts. this one has been fun as fuck to draw and write for, and is chock full of visuals oh my lord
anyway if uve read this or even a chunk of this write-up, thanks! feel its important to remind folks that im still working on things and offer any progress updates when i can lol. at the moment of writing (08-29-2024) im prob gonna try hopping back into game dev for one or all of these come early September this year. id say realistically it'll be a hot minute until i release any of these three (most work needed for Hallowed Discarge, least needed for The Ballad of Hush and Clover, yadda yadda)
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iwhoneverbelievedinwar · 11 months ago
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Hi! I'm lamp/war (still deciding), doing my master's in astrophysics and getting way too into things i watch/read/listen to.
Currently listening to: the magnus protocol, hello from the hallowoods, the penumbra podcast, within the wires, malevolent, welcome to night vale, alice isn't dead. Permanently rotating the magnus archives in my mind.
Watching: doctor who (classic), blackpool (2004), ducktales, leverage: redemption. Permanently rotating hannibal nbc in my mind.
Reading: the atlas six.
Relevant tags:
#war draws (my art)
#the gutter looks at the stars or #chaotic academia (my ramblings abt stuff happening in astrophysics/college)
#get queued. idiot (queue tag)
i also use the whale weekly or fandom specific tags.
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twilightichor · 10 months ago
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@apocryphis asked: " - truly a fascinating experience. It did make me wonder if the clay resulting from this process would be different, were one to use a different type of water to mix with the soil - and if so, would the resulting ceramic look, or feel different, to the human eye and touch? I did ask the instructor at the end of the class, but it seems my questions were a little too specific even for a person of their expertise." For how long exactly the hydro dragon has been recounting his (many and varied) experiences collected in one half day of holiday, only Dainsleif, unfortunate victim of his ramblings, would be able to tell. The lights of the harbour shine a warm glow against the beginning of blanket night on the other side of the bridge where sovereign and bough keeper have elected to meet and admire the celebrations - not too close to the bustling city, not too far either, so as to not miss the celebrations.
Had one not been aware of the circumstances surrounding them both, one might have wondered what, in the concept of ceramics, could light up such a spark of excitement on the respectable judge's eyes; or why the masked knight at his side would so patiently listen to his endless monologue. Monologue that, fortunately for the poor man, finally comes to a halt, the other seemingly reminded of something important. "I tried my hand at a few trinkets during this class. Knowing that I would meet you here, I took the liberty of... experimenting a little bit." From one of his bags (with no comment or explanation yet offered as to how he had ended up with three of his travel companions' cargo), the Iudex extracts a small package, neatly wrapped to protect it during any travel. Upon opening it, Dainsleif will find a brooch, shaped and painted to elegantly replicate a lumidouce bell - Fontaine's very own flower of partings and, more importantly, reunions. A gentle, amused smile softens the sovereign's features. "You do not have to wear it." He chuckles. "I simply thought it an amusing gift for the occasion."
Neuvillette lets his gaze return to his dear companion's features, as he gives him a moment to decide what to do with his new trinket, inquisitive without scrutinising, only looking for reasons to worry or to settle his concerns, while gloved hand moves on the railing of the bridge to cover Dainsleif's, fingers interlocking together. "I trust your mission in Chenyu Vale went well? I sensed a subtle change in the waters... I do hope everything went as you wished it would?"
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Indescribable joy is ever contagious even within a mind that seldom basks in the blessing of positivity, the culprit to blame a dragon reborn in human skin. No matter if the Iudex may think he's enduring his monologue rather than enjoying the experience with him through his words, there is a prospect from all of this that gladdens Dáinsleif the most: for how long he has spent observing human demeanor to learn about them as an outsider, an intruder even to the race— Neuvillette is connecting with his own humanity. What bigger happiness is there than watching his eyes glisten with renewed yearning for the wonders he has missed of humanity?
Sapphire irises follow gloved hands, the renewed sight of all the cargo he has of others and not solely his bring a hint of amusement to roseate lips moments before curiosity etches on pale features as he's presented with a little trinket of his making for him. Dáinsleif has received in the past another equally of Neuvillette's making that even to this day he holds in highest esteem, part of him as it is and with lingering thoughts for him as they did on this special day where the Iudex of the Court of Fontaine allowed himself the inestimable timespan of half a day outside the nation he presides over.
How fitting. One flower for another.
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Corners of celestial azures crinkle with glee at the sight of the little flower-shaped brooch, its finesse eligible to contest that of an artisan out of good will, wonder and excitement to learn. And, perhaps to the rex's surprise, Dáinsleif carefully attaches it to the lower lapel of stellar mantle he dons with pride no matter how much it sticks as a sore thumb from the rest of his garment aesthetic, close to his heart. ◜Amusing as you find it to be, it makes a lovely reminder for what's to come when distance is betwixt us again.◞ Of a reunion to look forward to, as he always does. Bough Keeper brings their interlocked fingers to his lips thereafter so he may place a loving kiss of gratitude before resting their hands on the railing of the bridge anew. ◜Thank you, ol Mph Arsl Gaiol.◞
Weren't for Neuvillette's insistence that he becomes part of his free day, perhaps Dáinsleif would've watched the Lantern Rite from the high peaks of Chenyu Vale at the culmination of his self-imposed mission to restore its jade lands back to normalcy, a success fruit of efforts and an understanding heart that even the most detached of illuminated beasts from humanity come to provide with respect and interest to comprehend his reasons.
◜About that...◞ Little did the Iudex know, this time it would be Dáinsleif's turn to host a monologue recounting his contact with a couple of adepti, conflicted sentiments even within creatures such as thus and a good ending to tell that those who dwell the Chenyu Vale will be grateful for centuries to come.
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mikarchive2 · 2 years ago
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what i read in february 2023 📚
1. teatro grottesco by thomas ligotti - ★★★★ - picked this up because i randomly read one of his short stories on a train once and was so enamoured ... a short story collection centered around a subtle existential sort of horror that is less about gore and violence and more about something unknown but dreadful lurking in your peripheral vision . some of these, especially the ones from the deformations section, felt very welcome to night vale . delicious . makes you feel like a kid listening to scary campfire stories . i enjoy hanging out in the world created by this narrative voice so much
favourites: purity, the town manager, the clown puppet, my case for retributive action + in a foreign town, in a foreign land
2. the raven and the reindeer by t. kingfisher - ★★ - i think what im doing here is trying to read a fairytale retelling every month 👍 ... this really did not work for me though . the writing style felt so childish ( this could have been a book for twelve year olds ) + the story did not go anywhere and stayed extremely surface-level throughout the whole book . yeah sure there were lesbians but no actual substance whatsoever . the reading process was somewhat enjoyable because the humor was alright, but thats pretty much the only redeeming quality
3. the world keeps ending, and the world goes on by franny choi - ★★★ - i believe this is a case of ‘its not you its me’ because even though the way the author plays with language is straight up fascinating something about her poetry never clicks with me . i had the exact same issue with soft science as well - there is a certain detachment and coldness to her style that doesnt allow me to properly process the poems on an emotional level . still, i really liked the fourth section, it was so imaginative and full of the kind of resilience that is only born out of utter hopelessness
4. the passion by jeanette winterson - ★★★ - unfortunately i have the same issue here as with franny choi - something in me just always refuses to click with jeanette winterson . the author is trying to lead me somewhere by the hand but she is always slightly out of reach . this is my third book by her and while i can see and appreciate her craft it just never leaves a lasting impression on me its so strange ... i enjoyed the imagery + the philosophical ideas about love and passion but the story itself ... i dont know
5. the sandman: world’s end ( vol. 8 ) by neil gaiman - reread - i am not rating these god bless and putting them in the review post is probably not a good idea either since i ramble about them enough as is . what can i even say about a series that pretty much formed the way i understand the world and the human condition . stories within stories within stories . the foreshadowing here is insane and probably unnoticeable unless you are rereading . its hard to say what the writing process here was actually like perhaps it was way more spontaneous than i imagine but it all seems so meticulously and purposefully planned its just stunning
( + two books i left unfinished last year because of my broken ebook reader and decided to finish this month: )
6. wyrd sisters by terry pratchett - ★★★ - ( looks above ) my reading order here is very ‘frequently bought together’ ‘do not separate them’ huh ... this was very shakespearean which was fun but not ideal for me personally because it means some things definitely flew right over my head . i think i enjoyed equal rites a little more ? however at the end of the day its just your typical discworld novel i laughed i witnessed some well-written women and losermen i laughed some more . what else could i ask for
7. when i grow up i want to be a list of further possibilities by chen chen - ★★★★ - wonderfully heart-warming and radiant and witty and has the power to restore your belief in love and tenderness at least for a moment . this kind of literal and confessional american poetry usually isnt for me but miraculously chen chen made it work ! basically the hype is well deserved
up next: im actually not sure im trying to slow down since i need to get through some college textbooks 💔 ... + im sure want to finish the sandman which is really enough for the next one thousand years . considering mrs. dalloway by virginia woolf too someone called it a spring read once and ive wanted to read it during this season ever since
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stilled · 2 months ago
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Medlars and Sorb-Apples
By D. H. Lawrence
I love you, rotten,
Delicious rottenness.
I love to suck you out from your skins
So brown and soft and coming suave,
So morbid, as the Italians say.
What a rare, powerful, reminiscent flavour
Comes out of your falling through the stages of decay:
Stream within stream.
Something of the same flavour as Syracusan muscat wine
Or vulgar Marsala.
Though even the word Marsala will smack of preciosity
Soon in the pussy-foot West.
What is it?
What is it, in the grape turning raisin,
In the medlar, in the sorb-apple,
Wineskins of brown morbidity,
Autumnal excrementa;
What is it that reminds us of white gods?
Gods nude as blanched nut-kernels,
Strangely, half-sinisterly flesh-fragrant
As if with sweat,
And drenched with mystery.
Sorb-apples, medlars with dead crowns.
I say, wonderful are the hellish experiences,
Orphic, delicate
Dionysos of the Underworld.
A kiss, and a vivid spasm of farewell, a moment’s orgasm of rupture,
Then along the damp road alone, till the next turning.
And there, a new partner, a new parting, a new unfusing into twain,
A new gasp of further isolation,
A new intoxication of loneliness, among decaying, frost-cold leaves.
Going down the strange lanes of hell, more and more intensely alone,
The fibres of the heart parting one after the other
And yet the soul continuing, naked-footed, ever more vividly embodied
Like a flame blown whiter and whiter
In a deeper and deeper darkness,
Ever more exquisite, distilled in separation.
So, in the strange retorts of medlars and sorb-apples
The distilled essence of hell.
The exquisite odour of leave-taking. Jamque vale!
Orpheus, and the winding, leaf-clogged, silent lanes of hell.
Each soul departing with its own isolation.
Strangest of all strange companions,
And best.
Medlars, sorb-apples
More than sweet
Flux of autumn
Sucked out of your empty bladders
And sipped down, perhaps, with a sip of Marsala
So that the rambling, sky-dropped grape can add its music to yours,
Orphic farewell, and farewell, and farewell
And the ego sum of Dionysos
The sono io of perfect drunkenness
Intoxication of final loneliness.
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logans-lowdown · 4 months ago
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Welcome to my blog!
About me:
My name is Logan, I use he/him pronouns and I am a large enthusiast when it comes to solving issues in a calm and logical manner.
Online, you don’t tend to see people solving their issues in a way that is mature. Usually people just throw things around. Most things that are thrown into large debates are false information.
I and I’m sure a lot of other people are sick of seeing people tossing around incorrect information over topics that should be treated seriously. (Ex: Racism, Abuse)
This blog is a place to look towards for information that isn’t formed off of a biased opinion, but instead resources that will help people better understand topics that may be confusing or misinterpreted.
If you happen to be confused on a certain topic, my askbox is always open to help people. I might not always answer, but I will always try to help those who need it. Things I will explain can go from online discourse to real historical events, so in shorter words, I will do research on anything.
My other interests: Mysteries (Non-Fictional + Fictional), Pokémon, Psychology, Welcome to Night Vale, Mystery Flesh Pit National Park, and Marine Biology. I may also talk about of these topics if I feel the need to, but mainly I will stick to covering explanations.
Lowdown: The true facts or relevant information about something.
Color coding:
When referring to myself I will use blue.
While referring to someone who is not a part of a ramble I will use purple.
When stating a definition I will use green. (I will do this more than you may think.)
My DNI will always be in red.
I will also use all of the other colors, but they will mostly be used in singular rambles when mentioning a singular reoccurring subject within the ramble.
(So in short, this is a rambles blog. Please do not treat this blog poorly, I am not full of myself, I just like to share things.)
DNI:
-Basic DNI Criteria (https://basic-dni.crd.co)
-People 13 and younger.
-People who are just here to disagree and cause problems.
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libidomechanica · 4 months ago
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“Are flog to be inventing of grace, who was her hast night”
Few chance with sentially complished dine was divine, and all. Say, to my embrace, and still hold him, was he black curl’d first of good. Are flog to be inventing of grace, who was her hast night. You had not my hair as well; and scornful time with such disgrace a Church, alas! Should find, some me force theirs whirling rill, soothe profusely pass turn within the gently dead. From Nature hot take him range is vale; the blood, thy decreatest very hand women are that turn. Their Servile that roll’d again all the Throne? Until I love The most rude, thyrsis of this hour; would easie strangeness against a lake. Yet, to Proserpine, the Mouldy roll’d light gathern relish air the drew, so doth the shown, ere I rambles a’ arc empty shaw, and gently now for want of heaven—If this said her eyes fir-tops his ten that the bow, and ever Rebell was maids as also shall rest. As triumphantom flies, thou fathers Mold.
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gothamxwattpad · 7 months ago
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Was going to post a snippet but decided to ramble about this neat fictional tree that I concocted for WEAVERS.
Shadow-Ash Birch or known as the Giving Tree* to those in the Vale, is known for its towering heights of 60 to 80 feet depending on its age, elephant ear-like leaves, vast and numerous branches and a mysterious root system that has not yet been fully discovered.
Shadow-Ash Birch, like it’s name, has faded ebony bark that rubs off like ash. The wood within is a more vibrant, burnt ebony that releases a char-colored oil that some have described to smell smoky and sweet.
The saplings from the first Shadow-Ash Birch were used to build the beginning of the Vale’s Citadel.
The wood and oily sap were used to create the first Atlases of the Vale; like the Great Tome* and Ander’s Chronicle*.
The Great Tome is the Keeper of the Vale’s Origination.
*1: The Giving Tree is mentioned in Chapter 3 when Alexa enters the Great Library to see’s the giant stained glass window-which in French is called a vitrage. Not a whole lot of detail is given at that point(which is the point).
*2: The Great Tome, as mentioned above, is the Keeper of the Vale’s Origination- the first Atlas(an Atlas is a book that contains a person’s beginning, middle & ending). The first mentioning of the Great Tome is in Chapter 10(I also must note that these chapter numbers are subject to change during editing since I’m still on draft one).
*3: Ander’s Chronical is not yet mentioned in book one because I just gave birth to its creation TODAY so…… stay tuned. But I can promise that it will be worth the wait. My brain has been VERY busy.
But yeah, I’m feeling really good about this project and even if I don’t get around to the other pieces of WIPs that are connected to this, I’m confident that it’ll all work out.
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medlars-and-sorb-apples · 9 months ago
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Medlars and Sorb-Apples
D. H. Lawrence
I love you, rotten, Delicious rottenness.
I love to suck you out from your skins So brown and soft and coming suave, So morbid, as the Italians say.
What a rare, powerful, reminiscent flavour Comes out of your falling through the stages of decay: Stream within stream.
Something of the same flavour as Syracusan muscat wine Or vulgar Marsala.
Though even the word Marsala will smack of preciosity Soon in the pussy-foot West.
What is it? What is it, in the grape turning raisin, In the medlar, in the sorb-apple, Wineskins of brown morbidity, Autumnal excrementa; What is it that reminds us of white gods?
Gods nude as blanched nut-kernels, Strangely, half-sinisterly flesh-fragrant As if with sweat, And drenched with mystery.
Sorb-apples, medlars with dead crowns. I say, wonderful are the hellish experiences, Orphic, delicate Dionysos of the Underworld.
A kiss, and a vivid spasm of farewell, a moment's orgasm of rupture, Then along the damp road alone, till the next turning. And there, a new partner, a new parting, a new unfusing into twain, A new gasp of further isolation, A new intoxication of loneliness, among decaying, frost-cold leaves.
Going down the strange lanes of hell, more and more intensely alone, The fibres of the heart parting one after the other And yet the soul continuing, naked-footed, ever more vividly embodied Like a flame blown whiter and whiter In a deeper and deeper darkness, Ever more exquisite, distilled in separation.
So, in the strange retorts of medlars and sorb-apples The distilled essence of hell. The exquisite odour of leave-taking. Jamque vale! Orpheus, and the winding, leaf-clogged, silent lanes of hell.
Each soul departing with its own isolation. Strangest of all strange companions, And best.
Medlars, sorb-apples More than sweet Flux of autumn Sucked out of your empty bladders And sipped down, perhaps, with a sip of Marsala So that the rambling, sky-dropped grape can add its music to yours, Orphic farewell, and farewell, and farewell And the ego sum of Dionysos The sono io of perfect drunkenness Intoxication of final loneliness.
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birder-of-remnant · 9 months ago
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Their takeaways aligned with my thoughts as well. Like Anthurak, I have generally seen Ruby being Oscar's role model more than as a romantic option (especially with how Lindsay talks about Ruby's character and how her character is meant to connect with everyone, not just one person as would happen in a romance). Although I am not 100% convinced, there are some convincing parallels between their allusions. And their complimentary color schemes fit within the dynamic that we have seen from other official ships. But I will not go into that here, you can see rwbyrg for more in-depth arguments. But RG speculation aside, the scene showed Oscar while he was at his lowest. He wants to be a leader who can inspire hope in everyone, like Ruby, but he cannot seem to find the light as symbolized by the sunset.
Likewise, it is painful seeing how far Winter has fallen into depression. She has long been Weiss's role model. Like with Oscar's foil, their roles have now reversed. On the subject of Penny, I am less certain. It costs CRWBY $25,000 to $35,000 per minute of animation. They do not have the funds to develop every character, hence why they have to prioritize which characters get development each season. Penny is my favorite character and it broke my heart when she died both times. It was so unfair for her to die right after she got her wish to become organic. But, her story was tied to Atlas. If they were to bring her back again, it would mean they would have to shift development away from someone else (for example, Team CFVE). And right now, there are a LOT of amazing and wonderful characters in Vacou that deserve attention. I don't know, this conflicts me deeply.
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And let's not forget about that whole thing about Vale being freaking destroyed. I absolutely adore the idea of how RWBY saved all the people of Atlas-Mantle using the portal system, as an idea at least. But in reality, that one small exit into Vacuo would have been like trying to empty an Olympic-sized swimming pool's worth of people using a shower drain. And seeing that single lonely airship coming from Vale and Oobleck's face, it seems that they experienced their Mt Glenn all over again, but this time, on a national level. I always feared that if all the nations rallied behind Vacuo, that Salem would attack Vale or Mistral instead, simply to make them think twice about getting in her way. But I never could have imagined that it would have happened before the ending of v9. Where is Tai? Zweii? SHOPKEEP??? It may sound weird that out of all of the heavy and heartbreaking scenes from the animatic, that this was the part that hit me the hardest.
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An almost as hard-hitting was the realization that THE CROWN was going to be in this! I have long wondered how much v10 was going to reference the books. I figured that since 99% of people have not read those hidden gems, they would probably make a few casual references. But that they would avoid making too much reference to them to avoid confusing people. Don't get me wrong, I was sure that Gillian was going to be royally pissed about the situation, but that she would have been powerless by this point to do anything about it. I am so excited for this plotline! Please, let us have it! AND, THIS MEANS MORE CFVE!!!!!
If you have not read or listened to the books, get to it!
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I would love to continue gushing about Ren, Nora, Qrow, and the rest, but I have rambled on too long. I am so happy that we got this extended version. It pains me that they did not have the budget to make these into a real episode. But at the end of the day, as amazing as their animation is, the heart of this series has always been in the characters and in their stories. And that is what we got from this! In the end, no matter what happens to this series, I will never stop loving it.
Takeaways from the Volume 9 Epilogue:
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One thing I really like about Oscar’s ‘If there was anything I wish I could borrow from you…’ monologue is that it laid out/confirmed something I’ve always felt was a major aspect of Oscar’s dynamic with Ruby that I nonetheless feel a lot of the fandom has missed: That Oscar very much sees Ruby as a mentor and an example to follow, and how their dynamic is specifically a foil to what we saw between Ruby and Ozpin. That Ruby acts as a mentor and example to Oscar in the same way Ozpin was to Ruby, and that Ruby is a far BETTER mentor and example to Oscar than Ozpin ever was to her. Which, as an aside, is a dynamic I can’t help but feel a lot of people have been misinterpreting as ‘ship-teasing’ and is one of the main reasons I’ve simply never been able to see Oscar as any kind of viable love-interest to Ruby. Frankly the dynamic of ‘Ruby is the mentor and example to Oscar that Ozpin couldn’t be for her’ is simply so much more INTERESTING than any kind of romance could ever hope to be.
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Even in animatic form, Winter basically going overdrive on the maiden powers was a sight to behold. And her own monologue had all the self-deprecation we were expecting. Our girl is clearly holding on by a thread and it’s going to be REAL interesting seeing how she reacts and adjusts to her sister not actually being dead. As in, I can imagine a situation where Winter tries to throw herself into a heroic sacrifice with the belief that Weiss would make a better Maiden than her.
Also, Winter’s monologue giving major focus to how Penny is super-super-dead-dead-and-definitely-not-coming-back-for-really-realsies, as she is talking to the sister who she ALSO believes is DEFINITELY also dead? Specifically with the words that Penny is gone, when Penny’s last words to her were that she’d be ‘part of you’?
Yeah, there is no way in hell we’ve seen the last of Penny XD
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The CROWN. Like it was only a few shots, but as someone who read the CFVY Books (which you totally should if you haven’t, they’re great), holy shit I was NOT expecting them to pop up here.
I mean, in hindsight it makes perfect sense that they’d be involved in Volume 10. They’re basically Vacuo’s equivalent to Vale’s criminal element and the White Fang splinter faction as Salem’s co-opted insurgency group, with Jax and Gillian joining Roman, Adam and Jacques as the latest of Salem’s unwitting patsies. It’s definitely going to be real interesting seeing the crew deal with them. Like it’s really fun to imagine Team RWBY in particular being kind of exasperated at seeing Jax’s probably doing a whole ‘With Salem’s help I shall be King!’ shtick after everything they’ve seen with Roman, Adam and Jacques.
Oh and if you don’t know, Jax has a mind-control semblance, so him trying to use that on Yang could actually lead to a sneaky callback to the Justice League crossover, ie; Yang doing a ‘Yeah, I’m not doing THAT shit again.’ XD
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Qrow’s whole vibe through this is fascinating. Like his section may have been the one we already saw, but after seeing the abject depression and growing despair of all the other characters, Qrow actually being OPTIMISTIC hit so much harder.
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Raven showing up at the end is… interesting.
I’ll admit that ever since we saw that specific clip a few months back, I’ve been rather conflicts about Raven showing up to deliver RWBY+J to Vacuo, particularly after Ruby’s tree vision. Like for one it felt a bit random and unnecessary. The tree already deposited the Ever After team outside of Vacuo so they didn’t exactly need help getting there. Not to mention that it kind of clotheslines the story-thread set up by Ruby’s vision; that she now has a reason to track Raven down to get the ANSWERS to what happened to Summer. Finally, it’s just kind of… random? Like where did Raven even come from to get the team?
But now having seen the clip with its intended context, I’m definitely more on board with it. Particularly hearing from Kerry and Eddy that the original ending for the penultimate episode had RWBY+J going through the portal to arrive at their memorial stone, and met by a ‘Mysterious Figure’, ie; Raven. Here it feels like were getting more set up to get answers later as to what Raven was doing at the memorial.
And really, now that I’ve thought about it more, this method kind of puts the thread of Ruby going to Raven for answers even MORE into focus. Like the story reintroduces Raven in the present right after Ruby got a vision basically saying ‘hey, Raven is important’. And now going into Volume 10, we’re pretty much perfectly positioned for Ruby to pull Raven aside for those all-important ‘Why were you fucking my mom? What happened to my mom?’ questions.
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Finally… yeah that ending hit me a LOT harder than I was expecting. Like that ending was HOPE in its purest form and it was honestly beautiful to see. Particularly right now with the future of the show seeming so uncertain. I’ve personally been optimistic about RWBY’s future (in a manner not unlike Qrow’s vibes I suppose lol), but damn the hopefulness of that ending hit especially hard, and was something I’ll admit I needed. And I imagine the rest of us could use as well.
We'll be getting Volume 10. And 11, and 12, and however many more it takes to finish this story. At this point, I have no doubt of that.
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half-man-half-lime · 2 years ago
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Fic I'm not gonna write: Wednesday edition
So this is the barest structure of an idea with some loose spitballing of what I'd like to see in a version of the show Wednesday that was maybe catered a bit more to my tastes. I don't know how much I like some of the ideas, but I thought I'd share some of them anyway. Sorry, this turned out very rambly and incoherent.
The core of what Wednesday didn't do for me was 2 things: it's a CW show, and, uh, the dialogue seemed dumb some of the time I guess.
I think I would have liked to see a campy comedy about Wednesday Addams attending a private school for actual weirdos, not just a bunch of cool teens doing love triangles or whatever. Not trying to hate here (apologies if I'm failing that attempt), but that stuff isn't my thing. Also no toxic family dynamics within the Addams Family! That is like the easiest fish in a barrel the writers could have ever shot and somehow they missed!
The foundation of the show or fic I'd make is that it has to be silly first. Think Homestuck: take a bunch of very wacky stuff and let it spiral out into something genuine and dramatic. Populate the school with campy movie monsters and monster-adjacent weirdos, then show what it's actually like for those people to live like that, and let drama ensue from serious lived experiences you never expected to take seriously.
If there's a grand conspiracy or mystery or big bad, it should fall in line with that idea. Absolutely ridiculous, but in a way that all of the high tension and melodrama extend out of. Something that ties into the tangled mess of spooky magic and relationships in the school, or something tied to fundamental structures that everything grows out from (like a central magic system, the origin of the school, whatever). I like the second one better, but the first is more fitting for an Addams Family series.
Some of the more shaky and specific ideas that I'm less attached to:
Base the houses or cliques on the Four Horrors theory. Separate your campy movie monsters into your Gothic Horror types (where Wednesday gets sorted), your Nuclear Horror monsters (I'm not sure where you find Kaiju small enough to fit in the school, color me stumped), your Lovecraftian kids (I'm thinking Night Vale inspired, maybe a core cast member who's like the floppy awkward fish people version of the Deep Ones as portrayed in the Innsmouth Comics), and the Slasher Students.
You could shove the Our Monsters Are Different tropes up its own ass? I don't know that this is a dead horse worth beating, but you could do that, if you humanize the characters at the end of it. I imagine that Wednesday gets introduced to the different kids as she's walked through her new school, the person showing her around says something to the tune of "I think you'll find the vampires here a little different from what you've seen in the movies." They gesture to a broody teen who's clearly an unapologetic Edward Cullen parody, in a joke that seems 12 years out of date. Then another vampire boy in a cheap Dracula costume with a cartoon Transylvania accent comes up and fist bumps him. A later episode sees these two boys try to force Wednesday into a love triangle, basically wingmanning each other. Wednesday isn't having it, but she gets entangled in their complex personal issues- not sure about the Dracula kid's deal, but we learn the Edward kid is pretty fucked up- he never mentally aged past 17 over the last several decades, he's caught in a mentality and role he's incapable of changing or breaking out of (like the Winter Court Fae in Pale), and there's a perception-altering field that everyone else treat him like a normal teenager. Wednesday somehow cottons on to the existential nightmare he's living in and helps him to actually grow up a little. Maybe in her very blunt and confrontational way, or with a strange and chaotic prank. These boys aren't in Wednesday's friend group, and don't function as anything but side characters most of the time, but when it comes time for things to go bad in the finale, kids who got spotlighted in episodes like these show up to support Wednesday with the Power of Friendship.
Actually, reading that, I think part of the issue is that Wednesday really functions best when she's in an antagonistic relationship with someone. I feel torn between thinking the series should put her against a preppy authority figure a la Addams Family Values, and forcing her into a situation where everyone's so much like her there's no authority to rally against. Probably the latter inside the school, and the former in the local town of meanies. Sort of like what the Netflix show does, but you know, less CW-ish.
IDK how to allude to this without spoiling it by implication, sorry: one of the Big Bads is played by the same cast member as the actual show. They get to be dramatic and chew the scenery and face off against Wednesday in a more intense way, and are better tailored to be a good foil for her character. I liked the idea in the show, even if the twist was a bit obvious after a while.
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Okay so I know it's like, an old theory that has been circulated forever but...
It's looking more and more likely to me that Glynda could indeed be the personification of Choice, choosing to just, you know, be out there walking around. Really, other than the very main cast who have personally seen the likes of Jinn and interacted with the relics, who would actually know it could even be possible? Salem certainly seems to have zero idea how the relics work - and NOTABLY still doesn't, what with the lamp being stolen back and her being blown the fuck up before she could find out.
With the reveal that the Staff of Creation ALSO has it's corresponding spirit/personality in the form of a somewhat magical being, it does have me now thinking that this theory might not actually be too wild after all. I mean, the one about the Hound being a grimmified person turned out to be right on the fucking money. We all remember Oz's comment about "making the Beacon relic" harder to find than the rest, and we've still yet to get any clarification as to what exactly that means.
But! They also made a point to have Glynda be one of the characters from Beacon that is shown during Ruby's broadcast. Glynda arguably wasn't a very big character in the volumes she was in, and I personally think it's somewhat strange she's the one they chose to give focus to. Hell, Oobleck for the actual story had more interaction and focus regarding team RWBY than Glynda ever did. 
It's also quite curious that she has never shown up at any of the other kingdoms/academies in the aftermath of Beacon falling. Like, not even necessarily in a "joining the fight" way but she was a part of Oz's inner circle and, at the very least, knew Ironwood relatively well. Is it not weird that she's never mentioned to have ever, you know, checked in on any of her old friends who's academies and kingdoms are very realistically potential next targets in the millennia spanning fight she was a part of?
Ironwood certainly knew his kingdom had a target on it, and yes he was very paranoid, but there's been absolutely no sign of Glynda at all - who WAS a member of the same secret Salem protection squad as the rest of them - since the Beacon arc. She's the only one who was in the Vault with Pyrrha who we've not seen since that volume. (I do know her VA left the company, but they'd easily have the means to replace her like they did with Qrow's.)
And with HER abilities??? Surely it would make sense for her to continue working towards protecting the academies and the relics while Oz is gone? Unless... maybe she CAN'T leave Vale? 
Oz clearly states that HE made the Relic of Choice hard to find, so if it is indeed true that it's walking around in the form of Glynda, there was likely some magic involved there to do so. Oz has probably got at least some of the God of Creation's magic in him from being revived by him, and I feel like there's a real possibility he either suggested the idea of being free to make their own choices to the spirit in the Relic of Choice, or was requested to attempt to do so by them themselves.
It would be rather cruel in my opinion to restrict an being focused around choice, to an eternity trapped in a bubble realm where they have no real choice of their own.
Oz having a hand in "breaking free" the Relic of Choice would explain a few things that continue to stand out surrounding Glynda - why she was selected as his right hand in the first place, why she has continued to remain in Vale - and near the Beacon vault - all this time, and also potentially giving answers to her overpowered semblance. Her semblance does seem to have some elements of magic to it, and allows her to do all kinds of crazy stuff that can't quite be explained within the context of the show - like conjuring a storm to fight Cinder in the first couple episodes.
There's one last thing I thought about - why was Glynda never in line for being a Maiden? We don't know her age in the show sure, and they didn't have the maidens planned in the early volumes I believe... But that doesn't change the fact that I consider this to be a pretty major plot hole now otherwise. If she was indeed too old by the time Amber was attacked to inherit Fall, then I would assume her to have been young enough during previous incarnations instead. So, why not Glynda? Maybe she couldn't. Because maybe she's not actually human.
There's also this note about her original fairytale basis: "Despite her youthful beauty and lively personality, she was rumored and even hinted by Baum to be many centuries - if not millennia - old."
If both Knowledge and Creation can have physical forms, then presumably Choice had a similar one too. But I don't think Choice would choose to remain trapped in her relic if given that option.
Anyways, lots of rambling here prompted by the debut of Ambrosius and the confirmation that all the relics most likely have corresponding personalities; or, dare I say... "souls."
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13uswntimagines · 4 years ago
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I Should Sleep With You More Often (Sam x Reader)
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Sequel to Works Like a Charm  where Sam and Reader finally get together. It’s a very fluffy piece, with a little bit of late night breakfast making and a surprise kiss. 
special thanks to @literaryhedgehog​ cause this wouldn’t have happened without her. 
Hello?”
“Hey, I can’t sleep.” Sam’s voice comes over the phone, getting straight to the point with frustration.
“And you’re calling me about it? At 3 am. I could have been asleep you know.” You huff into the phone, pinning it between your chin and your shoulder. 
“Were you?” She asks, and you can almost see her eyebrow quirking up. 
You look down at the frying pan where you were about to pour your egg-cheese scramble. “No. But still.”
“Don’t worry, I appreciate the irony of the situation,” she says, with an attempt at humor. “can I come over?”
“Sure. You can split my omelet.” You hum, your tongue poking out as you make sure the entire omelet landed on the plate instead of the floor. 
“Omelette?” Sam asked, sounding amused. “I thought you weren’t supposed to --” 
“Eat anything after 9 pm I know, I know. But I woke up and was hungry, and couldn’t just ignore it to fall back asleep for two hours. I had to eat something or I was going to get nauseous.” You interrupted her, waving your hand dismissively. 
“What?” Sam asked entirely confused. 
“You know that feeling, where you’re like, so hungry that you get kind of nauseous?” You tried to explain again. 
“No…” She trailed off. 
“Oh, well it’s the worst. I like to try to eat something before it gets too bad because otherwise, the food won’t do anything. Anyway, I made enough you can have half of it, just let me know when you get here so I can send down the elevator for you.” You said, whipping your hands off and walking towards the door. 
“I’m actually just parking,” Sam’s voice came sheepishly over the phone. In the background, you heard the unmistakable sound of her car being locked. She always insisted on clicking the lock button twice so it would beep, like she didn’t trust it to lock the first time. 
You shook your head and left your apartment to buzz her into the building. “You’re telling me that at 3 am, before even checking to see if I was awake, you just decided to come to my apartment because you couldn’t sleep?”
“Yes?” 
“You’re insane,” you said, hanging up the phone as the elevator door opened to reveal her tall frame. 
She ruffled the hair at the back of her neck, grinning. “I knew you would be awake?”
“Bullshit.” You led the way back to your apartment and grabbed two plates from the cabinet. “You want soy milk?”
“What?” 
“Soy milk. I’ve got vanilla or dark chocolate.” For some reason, soy milk helped reduce the insomnia nausea more than anything else most days. Still, the omelet smelled amazing. 
“Um sure, vanilla please.” She shrugged, and you rolled your eyes. Vanilla was for the weak. 
You pulled out both cartons and two glasses, before cutting the omelet in half and handing her a fork. 
“Don’t I get my own plate?” Sam whined, cutting off a piece of the Omelet and popping it into her mouth. 
“People who come barging into my apartment at 3 AM have to share with the host. Unless you wanna do dishes?” You raised your eyebrow at her, pointing your fork in her direction, smirking when she emphatically shook her head no. 
She quickly changed the subject, avoiding your eyes as she ate. “So how are you liking your apartment, it’s new right?”
“Yeah, I moved in four months ago, you know when I suddenly got traded to North Carolina,” you said, a very bitter edge in your voice. How Mark could let you leave the thorns you would never know, but at least Hinkle was retiring. 
You took another bite “So why couldn’t you sleep? At camp, you’re usually snoring like a freight train by now.” 
Sam paused mid-bite, fork in the air. She looked like she was debating how to answer then, stuffed her last piece of omelet in her mouth. “I donb snowe.”
“You totally do. Rose even sent me the video evidence if you wanna see it,” you smirked, standing to go get your phone. 
“No!” Sam jumped up and you sprinted across the kitchen to get out of her reach, grinning. “You really don’t have to do that, it’s not a big deal.”
“Oh, but I really don’t mind,” you taunted, starting for your phone before Sam tackled you. Well, it wasn’t a tackle so much as a grab, but she had a good foot and a half on you, so same difference really. 
“Put me down. This is highly unnecessary,” you sputtered, laughing from Sam’s shoulder. “I’m not supposed to exercise within an hour of bed. My therapist would be unhappy with so much activity.”
“Yeah cause eating an Omelette at 3 am is totally something she would approve,” Sam rolled her eyes, as she tossed you onto your couch.
“Lies and slander. I won’t get the alleged snoring video, but seriously. Why are you here?”
Sam sighs, and slouches onto the couch next to you, dropping her head into your lap. You smile down at her, liking this new angle. While you certainly didn’t mind being the baby of the team, it was kind of nice to do the petting for once.
“I don’t know,” Sam said, furrowing her eyebrows.
“You were never a good liar. It’s why everyone catches you when you try to pull pranks. I hear it helps if you talk about it,” You murmured, using your thumb to smooth out the crease that formed between her eyes. 
“Fine, I couldn’t sleep because I kept having nightmares. It felt like, I was tossing and turning for hours, and then every time I dozed off, my brain came up with these fucked up images. Like, silence of the lambs shit. I could sell some horror film director the plotlines and make bank, I’m telling you. And since Rose and Wilma moved out, my place has felt so empty. It felt like, the panic attacks I used to have before games. When I had to always bring a bag with me to hyperventilate into before I could get my mind on the game.”
You frowned. “I don’t remember that.”
“Once you became my bus buddy I didn’t have that problem. You got me out of my own head with fun word games and stupid jokes. Remember that time you gave me the sentence ‘The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog?’ You kept grinning telling me to stop stressing out, it would be alright, to just guess a letter.” 
“Because whatever you guessed would be right.” You hum smiling down at her. 
 “You couldn’t take that shit-eating grin off your face, you jerk, but like, it helped me stop second-guessing myself. Sitting on the bus with you, I’ve never felt more calm going into a season. And so I just thought. It’s dumb but I hoped coming here would help.” She shrugged. 
“It’s not dumb Sammy. You help me sleep too. Why do you think all the vets insist I sit with you?” You said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. 
“Because you used to fall asleep literally everywhere and they hoped I could get across the aisle and catch you before you hit your head?” She giggled and you snapped her shoulder lightly. 
“Wow. Thanks.” You said in a monotone, “Or maybe it’s ‘cause you’re my favorite teddy bear.”
“If anyone is the teddy it’s you. You’re like half my size,” She giggled. 
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” you muttered, playfully pushing her head off your lap. “Come on you giant.”
“Where are you going?” She asked, allowing you to pull her to her feet. 
“To go grab you a toothbrush and a fresh pillowcase for the bed.” You said, your tugging getting a little more insistent. You really wanted to get to sleep tonight. You had been so good lately (ignoring the random omelet you cooked tonight).
“Oh, um. I was hoping we could just watch television on your couch and I would fall asleep,” Sam rambled, eyes wide. “I mean, not that I mind, but I didn’t want to like, invade on your--”
“Just come up to my room. It’s no big deal, it’s large enough for both of us, and I honestly don’t think that couch is even big enough to fit you. Besides, maybe it will help you sleep to be on a mattress actually purchased in this century.”
“Hey, I like my mattress!” She grumbled indignantly, crossing her arms. 
“You flip it twice a month because it keeps forming an indention where you’ve slept!” You said exasperated. That sleepover had been a terrible idea and you stood by that. At least your bed didn’t spit out feathers when you turned over too fast. 
“Well, I. um. No comment.” you hear her say as you go to take your turn in the bathroom. 
When Sam gets back from brushing her teeth you’ve done everything except turn out the lights. You look up from your side of the bed as she pauses in the doorway. 
“Is this… Welcome to Night Vale?”
“It helps me ignore my thoughts. Can you get the lights please?” 
You had to replay the podcast the next day after Sam left. You couldn’t remember anything after “Wednesday has been canceled due to a scheduling error” because within moments you were asleep.
*****
You thought that sleeping with Sam was only supposed to be a one-night thing, but it wasn’t. One night turned into two, which turned into the two of you usually crashing at each other's places. 
If you were being honest, it was the best sleep you had ever gotten. It was nice to have someone there to hold onto, to protect you from the bad dreams. The problem was that your feelings were edging past the line of friendship, and you had no idea what to do about it. 
It started with a team party you both went to, where Sam offered to be the designated driver. After she dropped everyone else off, you told her she might as well stay the night at your place since it was already so late and she did. And you both slept great. And then you had your usual Saturday spa night the next night, and you were several shots in and it wouldn’t have been responsible to drive home. And you both slept a solid seven hours. 
Not that Sam was a magical cure to your insomnia. You still had nights where your brain was like a train running off the rails, unstoppable no matter how hard you tried. Yet, having her there helped. She made sure blue lights went off when they were supposed to, and your late-night breakfast-making was kept to a minimum. AND after the first few nights, you realized that she was amusingly clingy in her sleep. Which meant that occasionally if you woke up and tried to get out of bed, she would sleepily grab you and hold you in place murmuring about whatever was happening in her dream. Since you couldn’t get up you had to just lay there, which normally might have been boring, but with her was amusing as you listened to her rambling state of consciousness. 
You sighed, staring up at the ceiling. You really needed to get your shit together and just ask her out. But what if she said no, and you lost your cuddle buddy? That would suck royally, and if you lost your bus seat it might completely curse the USWNT. 
“Alright, I can practically feel the steam coming out of your ears, spill,” Sam groaned, rolling over and throwing an arm around your waist. 
“Isn’t it weird?”
“What?”
“Time. Like someone decided that seconds were a thing and a certain number of seconds equaled a minute and there were a certain number of minutes in a day. Like someone just decided it was a thing, and everyone went along with it and now we all have to plan our lives around this arbitrary system. I wonder if that asshole realized that people would use it to put kids in detention and force them to cram so they could regurgitate facts in a specified amount of his made-up system. And like the Romans made a Calendar and the Mayans did one too…” Your rambling was cut off by Sams’s soft lips touching your own in a quick peck before she collapsed back into the pillow. “Just blame capitalism babe.”
You stared at her for a minute, shocked, before she bolted upright. “SHIT. Sorry, I just. I forgot to ask for consent. I just forgot--”
“I consent, yes, more of this please,” you said, leaning over to kiss her again. Your hands cupped her cheeks and her fingers tangled into the baby hairs at the back of your neck. 
After a few minutes, Sam broke off the kiss, both of you breathing heavily. “Um, wow. You know, I’m not sure this is helping you get to sleep, love.”
You smirk, biting your lip and straddling her hips before you lean in to kiss her again, slowly. “You’re the one who said you needed to sleep with me more often.”
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