#rewrit is necessary

[deluweil]

Stg sometimes I just want to sit and rewrite every single 911 episode since S4, maybe some of S3, but not all of it. Make it an amazing alternate storyline.

Spoiler alert Buddie would have been fucking since quarantine only no one knew.

Also buddie got to be openly canon once Eddie broke up officially with Ana.

Coz, you know, drama, denial and shit would have been epic.

And that bitchy break up was the most impressive one and amusing in this whole show.

Also, fires, we would have firefighters fighting fires. I know it's a foreign concept in this show, but hear me out...

[phoenix-before-the-flame]

I’m watching one piece, and now I’m wondering do you have any hcs on the world building in the fairy tail universe ? Do you think theirs some crazy kingdom’s , advanced technology in some lands ? Love to hear your thoughts 💗

hmmmmmmmmmmm kinda a bit of a deep question tbh.

Structurally FT has good bones for its world. And that's kinda it lol

There's a fleshed out map of all the countries within the continent that fiore is found on (Ishgar, which has 16 named countries apart from fiore itself) and expanding wider than that we know that there are about 3 named continents (Ishgar to the east being a peninsula connected to the mainland that we know nothing of, Alakitasia to the west where Alavarez is and Guiltina to the north) and a fourth unnamed continent further east that exists within earthland.

But while we have all this info, nothing in particular comes into play as the series had progressed, the majority of the series' arcs all more or less take place within the same country, which for a series that has it's characters constantly travelling for missions looks particularly bad, especially when even the known locations all visually seem indistinct from each other in terms of stuff like architecture. It's a reason why I appreciate edolas in particular because it at least offered something that visually stood out and an insight into how that culture functioned. (and in Phoenix Priestess for the small montage the squad in the city of Rose Garden and showing a bit of the country Veronica)

Like it is frustrating to me whenever I think on it because the solution would be just to change the locations of where they travel to just to expand the background of the places travelled, wouldn't even have to change arc structures or anything to give some life to the named countries like:

Joya despite its small size as a country is the main manufacturers of trains and exports the majority of the transportation other countries use as well as weapons. Wizards are less found here, with treasure hunting being a more popular job choice.

Sin, despite the ironic name, is a deeply religious and faith driven country. Magics that have connection to nature and celestial bodies are particularly revered here.

Desierto mostly deals with trade, having constantly active shipping ports. Enchanted items such as brooms and carpets are popular and easy transport choices within cities and are more widely used than vehicles.

Iceberg's largely uninhabited due to the weather with most of the population sticking closer to the country's borders.

Like this is all just purely flavour text examples to just try and bring some life to these otherwise lifeless locations but you get the general gist of it.

There was clearly this effort to establish these locations by giving then names (and drawing a full on map) so it always boggled me that they were never properly used as a backdrop for the arcs within the story. (Tower of Heaven? Move that arc to Sin, Lucy's arc with Loke? Takes place in Stella, That arc with the giant village? Put it in Minstrel).

Like shifting around major arc locations would easily open up avenues to naturally expand the world as the story moves. And not even just big arcs, but smaller less grand filler arcs (which jesus christ did ft rlly need because it defs need breathing room between all the big events. It's why the story moves at such a breakneck speed without things really feeling as though they've changed in any meaningful ways) would do wonders to make earthland feel like a genuine lived in world (like how it is within the world of one piece that you cited as an inspo for this ask.)

[butwhatifidothis]

What gets me about GW defenders saying that "Claude siding with Edelgard shows how far he's willing to go to get what he wants, he'll use anyone to further his goals" is that, even if that were accurate to his character... that's not what he does in GW. At all.

Which one of Claude's goals are ever progressed once he sides with Edelgard? And how does siding with Edelgard, specifically, accomplish said goal?

Maybe... killing Rhea? But all of the reasons he says he wants her gone in this game are either completely unproven or blatantly incorrect - there's no proof of the Church forcing arranged marriages, Crests do not force obligations onto those that have them (which Claude himself literally proves), and the Church is helping Dimitri restore Duscur - a foreign nation - meaning they are actively willing to help fulfill Claude's main goal that he came to the officer's academy to achieve.

And... that's it! That is the only possible thing that even POTENTIALLY helps Claude's dreams, and taking a five-second look at it shows that it actually does nothing at all to help anything. But in the meantime? Claude weakens Faerghus through agitating Sreng and invading it himself, forcing Dimitri to fight a three front war; he actively helps Edelgard get herself out of a messy situation, even though not helping her and letting her die would have actually helped him and would have actually been him using her like people keep saying he's trying to do; he and Holst even admit that by the end of the war Edelgard is going to make a vassal state of Leicester after taking the lion's share of Faerghus' territory for themselves, which Leicester can't do anything about because of Adrestia's far stronger military. He is the one saying that! He is the one pointing out that that is going to happen! And yet he just keeps going anyway!

He is the one getting used. Very blatantly, and very extensively. Claude walked himself into a trap and lied to himself into thinking he's the one with the upper hand, which somehow managed to convince a large portion of the fanbase too. There's no gray morality here, there's no cunning being showcased, Claude is just an evil stupid tool

[workingforitallthetime]

.

[shizukais]

[vladdyissues]

I've finally finished the draft of chapter 16. Now to edit (and hope that's all I've gotta do)

[autumnoficarus]

i can't stop listening to the 'purpose is glorious' track from this season's ost and thinking about how lovely the title and its meaning are. it's just such an amazing underlying theme in this show, and - while i do have criticisms about some of the choices made for the series finale - i really do feel the writers wholeheartedly delivered in sending that message home. for me personally, loki's ending is so gratifying and a large part of that is solely from viewing their arc's conclusion with the perspective of this theme in mind. to have spent years watching this character i hold very dear to my heart struggle to find belonging, to feel as though they matter and there is reason in their existence, finally get a chance to show - and recognize - their worth was so, so rewarding. and honestly, i think the message behind the phrasing of 'purpose is glorious' is all the more meaningful because of how loki's arc finished. yes, the outcome was bittersweet; yes, we're left knowing loki didn't get the happiness they undeniably earned after everything they'd gone through. it smarts something fierce to know their journey up until they deviated from their timeline and became a variant, as well as seen their eventual intended fate. the ache is only worsened after witnessing everything that happens within the TVA and the entirety of loki's character growth leading up to a redefining moment where they willingly choose to undergo a nightmarish amount of time in the endeavor to do the right thing. of course we want them to emerge victorious when they've struggled for so long, but that's not the point. loki's final moments are them forfeiting their right to a happy ending to preserve the stories of others because all stories matter and should inherently reserve the free will to be written; as sylvie says, loki makes their choice so their loved ones and life across the multiverse still have a chance to belong somewhere and embrace their place in the world. the take away is that even burden can be glorious. even with all the hardships of life - all the inevitable heartache, disappointment, and grief we encounter just by being alive - we have meaning in our existence. there is meaning in the trials we face, and the suffering we endure in order to overcome them. our pain gives us purpose; it gives us the ability to love, to grow from and for each other, and choose to sacrifice our happiness for the benefit of another. loki's purpose was forged in the bonds of those they met in their time at the TVA and the sense of value they gained from their companionship. their sacrifice perfectly conveys how the human capacity to love is one of cosmic greatness, which can ultimately surpass our instinctual desire to preserve one's self. we can move immovable mountains and challenge insurmountable adversity in behalf of the ones we love and their welfare. if that isn't an act deserving of glory, I don't know what is.

tldr; loki's purpose is the friends they made along the way = as the saying goes, 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all'. or: our own lives have purpose because of the connections we share with others, even when we are met with great loss.

[nzoth-the-corruptor]

Do you think Blizzard will ever explain what Fyrakk was trying to create with the Suffusion Camps? Because the Dream Render only went into production after Vyranoth put a stop to his plan to force the Green Dragonflight to grant him entry into the Dream & he allied with the Druids of the Flame to get his ticket in.

like that entire ordeal was definitely not exclusively just to make one dinky axe he didn't even have a reason to make prior to 10.1.7.

[aparticularbandit]

Last Line Tag Game

tagged by @post-and-out

RULES: Post the last sentence you wrote (fanfic / original / anything) and tag as many people as there are words in the sentence (unless you're like me and write enough run on sentences to where you can't possibly tag that many people for words).

SO MINE is from a third draft, so it's not, strictly speaking, new words, but it is the last line of fic I wrote. So there.

Junko draws a gasp unbidden from her then pulls away, licks her lips, and hums when she says, “You taste like blood.”

Also not gonna tag over twenty people because, ah, nope. BUT. I will tag people!

@raevenlywrites, @eriquin, @princescar, @adhdavinci, @allofthebeanz

[voraciousvore]

Giganterra (Chapter 5)

Prologue/ TOC | Previous (4) | Next (6)

Word Count: 3.4k

------ Chapter 5: Sacrifice ------

King Charles desired to be alone, for he needed some time to brood. He dismissed his servants and sat by himself in his throne room, upon the magnificent golden throne embedded with precious jewels and decorated with intricate metalwork, the symbolic seat of power. A storm raged outside, splashing buckets of rain against the tall windows and darkening the luxurious purple and blue adornments of the room with somber gray. The occasional rumble of thunder echoed off the high ceilings and the stone walls, providing a forbidding ambience. 

He was deeply troubled. His giant counterpart was waxing in greed and hedonism, and he wasn’t sure if he could hold off his assault indefinitely and maintain his kingdom. King Richard normally sought to replenish his supply of human maidens about once every six months, so for him to demand more so soon was highly concerning. It was hard enough to find people to fulfill the quota without having to essentially double the quantity. Not to mention his atypical request for men this time as well. What was he planning to do with them? King Charles had never actually met King Richard, since the giant king considered proper diplomacy with the humans below his dignity, but he could infer why a giant man might desire tiny ladies. 

He huffed, closing his eyes and massaging his temples with his hands. He was stressed and discouraged. He tried his best to maintain the dignity of his reign, and of his people, but he couldn’t help but see it all as a farce. Even as he sat upon his throne, within the halls of his authority, he knew he had no real power in the situation, no bargaining chips. He had no choice but to roll over like a submissive dog and take the abuse, and he hated every second of it. 

Even so, beyond his inner circle, he maintained a veneer of calm composure and regality. He couldn’t allow his kingdom to fall into depravity and chaos, without the firm guidance of a strong king. He shouldered a heavy burden, but not one as heavy as the poor souls who ended up in the clutches of King Richard. 

The creak of a door opening heralded the entrance of another man into the room. King Charles glanced up to find his advisor, Giovanni, standing at the threshold of the great hall. He was a lanky and timid man, not very sturdily built, but useful for his intelligence and analytical nature. 

“Come!” the king commanded in his rich voice, and Gio scurried forward, giving the king a respectful bow. “What is it? Speak.” 

“I found one, sire. I scoured the jails and dungeons all across the land, and there was one specimen worthy of a king. A lovely young lady, with caramel skin, glossy brunette locks, and tawny eyes.” Gio’s voice, in stark contrast to the king’s, was reedy and uncertain. 

“And what was her crime?” 

“Oh…” Gio fidgeted with his hands. “Petty theft. She stole food from a market stall. Despite her beauty, she’s just a poor peasant…” 

The king sighed with a labored grimace. “Not a crime worthy of banishment, torture, and death,” he mumbled under his breath. 

“E-excuse me, sire?” 

“What’s her name?” 

“Uh… Tanya, I think?” 

“Very well. She’ll have to do.” King Charles stroked his chin with a ponderous expression. “What about the men?” 

“Well… since we’re not sure what the men are for, I wasn’t certain what qualities to look for… but there are far more able-bodied young men in the prisons than women, so we have plenty of options to choose from,” Gio concluded. 

The king nodded, kneading his forehead to stave off a nascent migraine. After suffering through King Richard’s reign for as many years as they had, the human kingdom of Minimaterra had a system of selection in place to determine who would be chosen as tribute. The very concept was brutal and execrable to everyone involved, but they were powerless to refuse the giant king, lest he retaliate and enslave them all. The ruling class enacted their policies for the greater good of humanity. 

The first chosen in the selection process were convicted criminals. While there were plenty of prisoners in the system, finding people suitable for tribute was more challenging. King Richard was very picky in his personal tastes, and always sent one of his trusted servants for the sake of quality control, so the humans couldn’t simply choose anyone, or else the tribute would be rejected. They had to be young, beautiful, delicious maidens, which excluded the entire male population, older women, and any woman that wasn’t pretty enough to fit the standards of a king. It was difficult to find such a fine specimen in the jails, especially with all the women they had already sent to Giganterra. Not to mention, women were far more hesitant to commit crimes when even the most petty infraction could result in such terrible life-changing consequences. In Minimaterra, women were taught from a young age about the dangers, with parents warning their children that they would be gobbled up by the giant king if they misbehaved. 

After convicts, the next tier for selection was volunteers. In exchange for their noble sacrifices, the king honored a request, or provided one of their family members with a lifetime stipend. Although this method was effective in procuring more desirable individuals, it was not sustainable in the long term. Such a commitment placed rising financial burdens on the royal treasury over time. Minimaterra was a peaceful and reasonably prosperous kingdom, but resources in their limited territory were finite. The humans had no opportunities for trade with other kingdoms to facilitate economic growth, since Giganterra walled them in on all sides and kept them isolated from interstate commerce. The coffers would run dry eventually. When that happened, and he could no longer buy people’s cooperation, the human king would be forced to conscript free women against their will, an unsavory notion he wished to avoid if possible. 

“Have we gotten any volunteers yet?” the king inquired, leading into the next logical point of inquiry. 

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Gio replied. Even though he was in the presence of royalty, he couldn’t stop himself from shuffling his feet uneasily. “A woman named Candy signed up this morning. She was babbling on, some nonsense about following her destiny and finding true love. She said she just had to visit Giganterra at all costs. I think something is off upstairs, but she is quite physically attractive, so she will be perfect.” When Gio reported to the king, he didn’t spare details: He knew the king wanted all the available information, so he would be more knowledgeable in making informed decisions. 

“Okay. Was she the only one?” 

“No, your grace, there was one more. A woman named Eren. She was very… shall I say... fiery? She had a savage look to her, like she was about ready to stab somebody, but still enough feminine beauty to appeal. Another quality candidate, in my humble opinion.” 

“Hmmm. So three women. We still need two more. And with only a few days until the deadline...” the king mused gloomily, grinding his teeth. “Gio, bring me some refreshments. And fetch me entertainment. I need a break.” Gio bowed and left to carry out his orders. He held the position of an advisor, but he was more than happy to serve the king with anything he required. The king rubbed his face with his hands. He slumped down, remaining on his throne, as if clinging to whatever authority he could muster. 

Gio came back quickly with a bottle of mead and an elaborate charcuterie board loaded with a variety of exotic cheeses, meats, crackers, nuts, and fresh fruit. He was accompanied by the court jester, Cesar, who put on a show to entertain the king. He juggled, performed acrobatics, recited humorous limericks, and told jokes. The king didn’t smile or laugh, but Cesar was unbothered. He was a goofy, confident, outgoing guy with a vibrant personality, unable to be dampened by the more serious king.  

Another servant entered the great hall and came near the throne with a deferential bow, waiting to be noticed. The king gave him permission to speak with a wave of his hand. “Your Majesty, there’s a mother with her daughter who is requesting an audience. They’re here to offer themselves as tribute.” 

King Charles’s heart jumped in his chest. “Send them in,” he ordered, releasing the servant. He indicated to Cesar to halt his routine and the jester stood off to the side, hands clasped stiffly behind his back. The servant returned leading two women behind him, a haggard older woman with a stern mien with a much younger, thinner girl who looked barely old enough to be of age. The timid girl was hunched over, hugging her arms around her slim body like a shield. 

“You offer yourselves for tribute?” the king asked, his voice echoing in the empty hall. He leaned forward to look down upon the commoners. 

“Not me—her,” the mother proclaimed, roughly shoving her daughter forward. The young lady looked miserable and scared, her eyes darting around the room as if seeking an escape. King Charles regarded her thoughtfully. She was rather plain, with bushy, ratty hair and limbs like twigs. She appeared to be unkempt and sickly, as if mildly underfed, with no curves and a flat chest. The king frowned. She was hardly the ideal candidate to satisfy King Richard’s perversions, but he was getting desperate. They could probably hide her flaws with makeup and padding. 

“What’s your name?” he asked her. 

Her mother cut in before the girl could reply. “Her name is Addison,” she interjected. “How much can I get for her? I heard I can get payments for life?” Addison cringed, ever so slightly, but kept her mouth sealed shut. She seemed just as afraid of her aggressive mother as being sold off against her will. 

“That is correct,” the king confirmed. “But it must be her choice, not yours.” He stared at Addison expectantly. She hesitated. Her mother prodded her hard in between her shoulder blades. With her mother’s glare blistering her back, Addison reluctantly nodded. 

The king felt an unsettling twist in his guts. He knew accepting her answer would be morally wrong. She was clearly under duress, being manipulated, threatened, or abused for the gain of a heartless family member. Yet, he felt trapped. Either way, he would have to send somebody, whether they wanted to go or not, with brutal consequences for failure. Presently, he lacked a sufficient quantity of maidens. He couldn’t allow himself to feel sympathy for this girl, just because she looked young and pathetic. He had to consider the greater good. 

“Alright. I accept.” He turned to the servant that guided them in. “Take care of the details, please.” The man dutifully nodded and escorted the pair out. The king sighed and poured himself more mead. He needed a stiff drink. 

“Excuse me, Your Majesty? If I may be so bold?” Cesar piped up, stepping towards the throne. 

“Proceed,” the king allowed, draining his glass. 

“I heard King Richard requested men as well as women this time around. I’ve given it some thought, and... I’m willing to make the sacrifice! I will go to Giganterra!” the jester announced, raising his pointer finger triumphantly. The bells in his hat jingled merrily with the motion. 

King Charles looked him up and down, baffled. “Cesar, I appreciate your selfless bravery, but that won’t be necessary. We will have enough male convicts to fill the quota.” 

Cesar’s face fell, but he set his jaw with determination. “But... quality is important! I’d be a better choice than some lowlife thug!” King Charles realized he did have a good point. Cesar was gifted with a strong, lithe build, and he was exceedingly handsome, with bright green eyes, wavy brown hair, a sparkling smile, and toasted skin. If he were a female candidate, his selection would be a no-brainer. 

Even so, the king shook his head. “No. I don’t understand why you’re being so insistent.” 

Cesar, spurned a second time, resorted to begging. He crumbled to the floor on his knees in an overly dramatic display of supplication, clasping his hands above his head. “Oh, please! Pretty please, sire, let me go! I really wanna!” he whined, giving the king doe eyes. The action was made more ridiculous with his particolored outfit and bells. 

The king was nonplussed. “Why?” 

“Because...” Cesar began, and paused with a blush. He decided to lay all his cards on the table. “Because I want to meet the giantess princess!” 

“What?” 

“That’s the reason why he’s asking for men, isn’t it? We’re well acquainted with his preferences by now; we know he has a thing for pretty ladies, not men. The men must be for his daughter! Oh, please, your grace, let me go! I so badly want to go!” He’d fantasized about giantesses since he was a young lad, and now was his chance to finally become acquainted with one in the flesh: huge mountains of soft, warm flesh, preferably with bulging breasts, a slim waist, and toned thighs and buttocks. He could hardly contain his lust as he prostrated himself before the king. 

“You really want to go that badly?” The king shook his head in disbelief, yet for the first time that day, Cesar was finally able to make him chuckle. “Alright, Cesar: I shall grant you your wish. May God have mercy upon your soul.”  

“Oh, thank you, sire! Thank you!” Cesar bowed and thanked the king profusely. He grinned from ear to ear, flashing his flawless white teeth. He would do everything he could to please the massive princess. 

The humans still needed one final person to satisfy King Richard’s boundless lust and gluttony. As the days passed, and the deadline drew nearer, the human ruler became more desperate, calling for a single brave soul to step forward and save them all. They needed a miracle to avoid calamity.  

Offering oneself as a sacrifice to the giant king was considered a noble, courageous, and selfless act, a form of martyrdom for the sake of humanity. Such a concept could appeal to those who wished for a larger purpose, wanted to inject meaning into their empty lives, or, in a darker vein, those who did not consider themselves valuable. As tragic and ghastly as this reality was, King Charles was in no position to refuse those lost souls who willingly gave up their lives. 

Jackie, a resident of Minimaterra, found herself in an intolerable position. A year ago, a close friend of hers who had suffered a catastrophic personal tragedy chose to sacrifice herself. Jackie mourned the loss deeply and always wondered what happened to her, after she was taken. Her friend had no close family left, so she specified that Jackie should receive the stipend from the royal treasury in exchange for her life. With every payment, Jackie stewed deeper in guilt and despair. She didn’t want money, nor did she want to materially benefit from her friend’s demise: She wanted her friend back. 

Her conscience gnawed at her every day as the calls for tribute became more urgent, and the pressure on her increased. No amount of tears sufficed as proper penance. She felt empty inside, despite overflowing with sadness and remorse. A grim idea surfaced in her mind, one that couldn’t be suppressed once it began to fester. While she feared what may happen to her, she sought to fight against her own insignificance and existential nihilism and do some good for her fellow man. For better or worse, she gave herself up to the giant king. 

And thus, all the tributes were chosen: Candy, out of an earnest desire for love; Jackie, out of a sense of guilt and selfless justice; Eren, from a thirst for vengeance; Addison, too timid to stand up to her greedy, overbearing, abusive mother; and Cesar, out of pure horniness. The remaining two, Tanya and a male convict named Graham, were chosen against their will, and would not learn of their damnation until the giants came to collect them.  

As a courtesy to the brave souls who self-selected for tribute, King Charles elected to meet with them personally on the day before they were sent off to a grim, yet uncertain, fate. He assembled all the volunteers together, excluding the prisoners. Most of them, with the exception of Cesar, had never been inside the castle before, so they were awed by the lavish opulence of the furnishings, the high ceilings and wide corridors, and the fine art pieces. The servants herded them like lambs into a private room with luxurious couches and gourmet refreshments. 

They partook in the fancy hors d’oeuvres, some of which were so rare that the commoners had no idea what they were actually eating. Overall, the mood in the room was tense and gloomy. Addison huddled awkwardly on a corner of the embroidered couch and eyeballed the food hungrily, as if afraid somebody would slap her hand if she tried to take some. Eren seared a hole in the coffee table with her thousand-yard stare as she angrily munched on an appetizer and fantasized about slicing open the throat of a giant in glorious, bloody revenge. Jackie withdrew into herself, accepting her destiny with melancholic stoicism. Candy and Cesar were the only two who were chipper and chatty. Candy was oblivious to Cesar’s flirtatious advances as she prattled on about fortune tellers and handsome knights, stars blinding her vision to the gruesome truth. 

A servant announced the entry of King Charles, and his subjects all stood up and clumsily bowed, not used to being in the presence of royalty. The king acknowledged them and gestured for them to sit; they scrambled to obey. “Thank you all for coming,” King Charles addressed the small group. “The salvation of humanity rests upon your shoulders. Our civilization would crumble without your noble contributions to the cause. 

“As a token of our thanks, I invite you all to enjoy a night of luxury in my palace. You will be provided with lodgings of the highest caliber. Eat and drink and be merry to your heart’s content, for tomorrow your lives will permanently change.” The king omitted that he provided such accommodations to keep the tributes from backing out of their obligations. 

His expression grew serious and intense. “I have one more thing to ask of you, from those who have already given their all.” He paused before uttering words of startling gravity. “You need to do anything you can to assassinate the giant king.” 

The air seemed to suck out of the room as everyone sat in stunned silence. Eren’s face contorted into a malicious grin. The king continued to speak. “We’ve tried, in the past, to smuggle in weapons or poisons, but our efforts failed miserably. King Richard’s royal taste tester is a giant with an exceptional nose for detecting poisons of any kind, so we weren’t able to hide any toxic substances in sufficient quantity to kill a giant. And, of course, weapons significant enough to maim a giant are too difficult to conceal.” 

“But we aren’t going to give up so easily. You will likely be dehumanized, locked up, and powerless at your size, but don’t underestimate yourselves. Do what you can. Use your eyes and ears and voice. Gather information, foment dissent, endear yourselves to his enemies, use any scrap of influence you can get to worm your way into the minds of those with strength. Divide and conquer!” 

The assembled parties nodded, the cogs in their minds turning and scheming. “Good luck to you all. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” the king concluded, excusing himself from the room. He sent in the servants with bottles of drink and sumptuous meat dishes and desserts for his guests to enjoy their final night of freedom. They ate and drank and reveled in luxury, yet the king’s words hung heavy in the back of their minds. No longer were the tributes resigned to their fate; they had a mission to accomplish. 

Chapter 6

[rewritingcanon]

normal shippers: omg!!! i wonder whos big spoon and who is little spoon

me: hm i wonder who gets worse PMS symptoms

[littleoddwriter]

Because I keep questioning my own writing a lot; especially in terms of ending a short story... sometimes, it really is easier to just treat what you write like a movie or a TV show you're watching. Especially if it's a short fic that is basically just a single scene. Like... Would there be a scene change now and it'd feel complete? If yes, then it's an appropriate ending. If no, then either you write one more paragraph or let it rest for a bit, come back to it, and see how you feel. Or you find a spot a little earlier because sometimes scenes can drag on for too long and need to be cut shorter in order to be satisfying and make sense.

[bookinit02]

thinking about the fact that literally nothing would have changed if athena quit her job in s4. except that maybe she would have had actual important and relevant storylines .

[justfriendsbestthings]

Moderately miffed about the people who graffitied the bus stop at Kaggeholm. We all put our messages there to feel connected (and I love love reading them) why do you feel the need to spray all over them? Like I don’t understand what the point there was other than ruining everyone’s fun and being selfish?

[foxballad]

I just wanted to clarify that, even though I am huge evajacks (Evangeline x Jacks) shipper, my Evangeline is multiship!! I love shipping so I am not going to limited myself to write only one ship here and I really like to explore different kinds of dynamics too! And depending on the storyline we are plotting, Jacks might not even be that close to or appear in her life.

[v-arbellanaris]

Once Again, I Am Dissatisfied With DAI. which! yknow. in other news. water is wet. but like. a lot of the arguments -- both in-world (e.g. from vivienne, wynne, etc,) and from the fans -- for keeping the circles as a system, even with reform, seems to revolve around the idea that mages need some kind of magic school to learn how to control their magic. i don’t disagree that mages need to learn how to control their magic, but i disagree that they need a place for it, or some kind of magic school, for it, and i definitely vehemently disagree that the circle is that kind of place, in the past or the future.

there are canonically other ways, other than the circle -- ways that aren’t formal education systems -- for mages to be educated, with as little risk to themselves, spirits or others, as possible. ways that don’t involve chantry oversight, templar guards, or segregation from the rest of society while they “train”. and, in truth, the circles weren’t created to protect mages or to educate them in the first place -- it’s an incidental feature, not an intentional feature.

like... let’s dig into the history of the circle for a second. because the circle hasn’t been around since the beginning of time, and surely, whatever the mages were doing before to learn to control their magic was working, seeing as how there’s nothing to indicate mages or anyone else was dying en masse from an inability to control their magic. the southern thedosian circle system was "adopted" from the tevinter circle system, with a critical difference -- where the tevinter circle system was a formal schooling system, the southern thedosian circle system was not.

drakon used mages against the darkspawn in the second blight (which started ~1:5 divine). by that point, the first inquisition was already a functioning organisation -- the inquisition itself predates the chantry (the inq starting around -100 ancient and the orlesian chantry established by drakon in -3 ancient), and hunted down dangerous mages and demons (the original inquisition is EXPLICITLY mentioned to be andrastian hardliners who also hunted “cultists and heretics” but this makes no sense as the inquisition predates the chantry. i can only imagine then that this was twisted/added later on, after the nevarran accord, as the seekers’ role became to hunt down cultists and heretics, to act as though that had always been their job/purpose). under inquisitor ameridan, and during the blight, in 1:20 divine (the second blight ends in 1:95 divine, seventy-five years later) the inquisition signs the nevarran accord and become the seekers and the templars, the latter of which exists to hunt down mages to drag them to the circle, which is also established at this time, in an agreement between the inquisition and the andrastian chantry/orlesian empire. the templars are explicitly created to capture mages unwilling to submit to the circle and bring them in. that’s why templars are also referred to in-game as “magehunters”.

i want to note that there’s no indication here that the circles were set up for the protection of mages from the public -- mages had been living in society openly before this. mages themselves (as far as we can tell; maybe bioware will retcon this later and say mages in the first inquisition pushed for this... ) did not push for the creation of the circle; it was created under drakon’s chantry, in conjunction with the inquisition, which contained mages but at this point, the inquisition’s (mostly as a result of ameridan) main priority had shifted from dealing with magic -- it was supporting orlais against the blight. (which further establishes the very roots of the templars and the seekers as the chantry’s army by the time of dai.)

the inquisition’s whole purpose was to hunt down dangerous mages. they then transitioned into... essentially, what they are now. magehunters. but why hunt mages in the first place? orsino asks at the end of da2 why the chantry doesn't just drown mages at birth -- why lock them up in the circle? from a colder standpoint, why aren't mages just made tranquil the moment they're taken into the circle? it's certainly more profitable for the chantry, who can use the tranquil for enchantments, and it would entirely eliminate the so-called danger that mages pose to themselves and others simply by existing. presumably, it might even serve as a “punishment” for the magisters sidereal who were mages that unleashed the blight on the world (according to the chantry). why put them into a "magical boarding school" (again! it’s not a school, it’s a prison. the circles are a prison) in the first place if the very existence of mages is such a danger?

& i think the answer to that question lies in the relationship between the leaders of a nation and the chantry/the templars. the way it seems to work is that chantry law supercedes sovereign law (evidence: loghain's use of apostates against the wardens is labelled a crime by representatives of the chantry during the landsmeet; later in da2 alistair claims he can’t free the ferelden circle as the chantry opposed it) BUT the grey warden treaties supercede even chantry law (duncan is able to conscript amell/surana/tabris (the alienage, of course, is a chantry invention), the warden is able to conscript anders). when you play the mage origin in dao, you're immediately alerted to the fact that greagoir is agitated by duncan's presence, because duncan is recruiting mages for the grey wardens and he has no right to deny duncan that recruitment. this is explicitly exacerbated by the fact that cailan has been demanding mages for the battlefront for the king's army (confirmed by duncan & irving (in the circle tower) and alistair (in ostagar) separately) -- that's why wynne, uldred, and the group of circle mages were present at ostagar.

according to chantry law, which supercedes any ruling cailan could pass, mages belong in and to the circle. so how come cailan legally has the right to demand mages for the battlefront? why can’t greagoir -- the knight-commander of the tower -- simply say no? unless... you know. that was the real purpose of the circle’s creation. not for education. not for the protection of mages. but so that, as emperor, drakon would always have easy access to mages to supplement his army. he “utilised” mages during the blight (again! there’s no explanation of what the hell that means. did mages sign up willingly to fight for drakon? did he force them to work for orlais whenever/wherever he found one??) and splitting the inquisition (ameridan implies the inquisition were actively supporting orlais/drakon during the second blight) between hunting down mages and fighting the darkspawn seems like a waste of resources. but maybe that’s why the division between seekers and templars exist in the first place -- seekers were sent to the battlefront whilst templars, lesser in number maybe at the time, ran the circles as a source of mages. (over time, maybe, the numbers balance between seekers and templars reverse -- templars are easier to control, once the chantry monopolises the lyrium trade, compared to the seekers?) now that would be justification for shoving all these mages into a circle together, rather than just eradicating them on sight.

(it might even explain why meredith/elthina rejected alrik's tranquil solution in da2 on paper; they still needed the mages to fight against the qunari at the time, if they were ever to attack kirkwall. you can kind of see it during the battle in hightown -- meredith sent the mages ahead of her to deal with the qunari. mages are weapons to them. the circle exists to support the military endeavours of the chantry or of the leader of the nation.)

it would also explain why there’s some instances where sovereign law does seem to supercede the chantry law. on the one hand, templars are under the chantry’s control and nations could be convinced to allow the (orlesian) chantry to train templars in their lands to bring mages to the circle and combat dangerous magic (and of course the orlesian chantry monopolises lyrium trade with orzammar so presumably other countries can’t get their hands on it for themselves which yknow! what do people like to say about how the chantry is neutral or helping people again? monopolising the anti-magic serum so no one else can have it sure is very helpful and altruistic...). but why allow the circles to exist, under the power of a foreign-based system (the seat of power for the chantry, who controls the templars, is in orlais after all)? it could so easily be used against you... unless you were convinced that you could also utilise these mages during war.

so, considering this as the central reason for the establishment of the circle, does it mean the circle can't become a school? irl, as far as i know, formal schools started off as a way to educate the military, later to educate the workforce, and schools in colonised nations often served as a vehicle for cultural and religious assimilation. i don't think the circles, as they are, are exempt from this. we already know that the circles approach magic from an andrastian perspective -- it's most clearly highlighted in conversations between anders and merrill in da2, and vivienne and solas in dai. but we see it in how much keili is taught to hate herself in the magi origin in dao, the way magic is taught to be some unforgivable curse and sin. we know (some of) the circles teach mages battle magic (within reason; i always wonder if being set on fire or hit with lightning or whatever else is more than just a game mechanic and reflective of some kind of underpowering of spells so that mages can’t turn against their oppressors easily) probably specifically for the reason i outlined above -- you see mages being taught how to fight in the circle in dao during the magi origin alongside all of the lessons about how they must only ever use their magic to serve. already inherently, circle education functions to supplement the military and to serve as a vehicle for cultural & religious assimilation.

so... even if you were to "reform" the circle -- by removing templars, or removing it as an institution from chantry purview... or whatever vague "reforms" are actually implemented in dai...is the circle, itself, even as a "magical boarding school" necessary? is the circle actually necessary for mages to learn how to control their magic? and tbh the answer is no <3

like you see it time and time again, that you don’t need to go to magic school to learn how to use your magic. you meet so many talented mages who don't succumb to demonic possession or struggle with controlling their magic who didn't receive any education in the circle -- merrill, morrigan, zathrian, lanaya, aneirin, velanna, the hawkes (pc mage hawke, bethany).

later, you learn of the dairsmuid circle, where mages continued the same teachings that have been passed down to them for generations, with no sign that the city has been overrun by abominations or was threatened by uncontrollable magic. you learn of the avvar who willingly become “abominations” and unbecome them, with no loss of life on either side, or threat to the rest of their people.

the reason behind the establishment of the circle has nothing to do with education. any education that results from the circle is incidental to the main purpose -- which is to supply armies with magical power.