#so I think it's pretty manageable

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hi, Quil! I have a question about ACOD: what is the like big content warnings (aka is there sex scenes, graphic depictions of violence, mental health discussed, etc)? So like if you were tagging it as a fic or something, if that makes sense. My book club is looking for a new book, and I want to recommend that one but I wanted to know if there is anything that I should be cautious about

Sorry if this doesn’t make sense!

Hello! Don't worry, you make perfect sense. The series is adult and does have several significant warnings. I probably should've mentioned them sooner given how much I talk of it, so thank you for asking.

The author herself actually has an ao3 style guide here: link.

A few clarifications beyond that: there's sex (most scenes are fade to black style, but two are on-page), including dubious consent, intentionally violating boundaries, intoxication, sexual slavery, and minor/adult (the main character is taken advantage of).

The violence includes: killing, murder, ritualistic sacrifice (including ritualistic suicide), physical/mental/emotional child and domestic abuse, and cannibalism (one character).

There's also grooming (non-sexual), and mentions of incest (both sexual and non-sexual). And potentially more I'm missing.

Given all the shit they go through, mental health does come up in both casual and significant ways.

So while I adore the series, I would be cautious recommending it to a book club. Not that you can't! But you'd need the right group of people. If your book club isn't the place, we could read it together <3

(also, if you or anyone else have further questions or want more clarifications, feel free to ask!)

[humming-fly]

I love how Gerald was trying to keep Shadow from spoiling anything about the future meanwhile literally everything Shadow says and does around Maria is the biggest death flag ever

[screwpinecaprice]

Valentines strawberry biscuit🌹💕

[hyakunana]

"Did you… also have someone taken from you right before your eyes?"

[the-nothing-maker]

Well, it's cold, cold, cold, cold inside Darker in the day than the dead of night

(Mel is my Aberrant Mind/aasimar sorcerer in @luposlipaphobya's campaign, Val Cardinal !)

[mbirnsings-71]

Madi actually not procrastinate on stuff challenge- see I had plans today, but then those got cancelled and like in any good neurodivergent fashion I'm like "Well shit what do I do now?" and well! That answer is this silly meme for my Wedding planner AU. Yes Jimmy and Grian are parasites on Joel's Netflix account- No he's not gonna kick them off. That's not what Family is about.

I swear one of these days I need to like do proper ref sheets for people in my AU just DFKVNFKBN GOD OKAY- I'll stop rambling but just know I have a lot of thoughts in my brain you guys are gonna get fed next year trust-

Close ups and the post that spurred this on are down below after the keep reading! just for efficiency and all that jazz!

Close ups:

The Post that inspired this:

[potionbarrel]

science team-tober day 24: xen

prompt list | science team-tober sideblog

[kitamars]

listen. hijikata has TWO HANDS

[the-crooked-library]

The intimacy is important to show the contrast between Thomas and Orlok in the movie. Thomas repeatedly fails throughout the movie. He fails communication and understanding test with Ellen, he fails self-imposed masculinity test in general, he fails sex and intimacy test with Ellen. He even fails fully acceptance and full love test with Ellen because till the end he expects that Ellen can be somehow cured from her powers, and killing Orlok should do the trick, meaning he’s incapable of just accept her fully the way she’s without trying to correct it. The part that Ellen was happy for awhile with Thomas because for that time her powers were blocked is a big giveaway, that it’s already in fact wasn’t working between them from the start because if she could only be happy with him while suppressing huge part of herself, then such foundation was bound to crumble. Orlok meanwhile fulfilled the crucial basics for Ellen - understanding and acceptance of her nature and powers in full, intimacy and sexual realisation the way Ellen wished and imagined.

yessss exactly - as much as I do like Thomas as a character, and as much as he might care for Ellen, he's not a good fit for her, and she knows this!.. She wants, desperately, the sort of emotional connection that he will never be able to give without first unpacking the prejudices and insecurities that instruct his entire life and his opinion of her; and while that is not impossible, it is still quite unrealistic, given his background and societal context.

The reason Orlok is able to think outside those bounds, despite also being a man from an even older society, is because he exists in opposition to its restrictions. His attitudes are not reflective of whatever people around him would've thought of women or queerness or neurodivergence when he was alive; they are, however, directly informed by his making "covenant with the devil." Unlike the proper, god-fearing, Rational people that dictate Ellen's daily life, he accepts and desires every aspect of her that is considered "sinful" - her sexuality, her lack of deference, her eccentricities; and it is this fundamental understanding that she craves.

TL;DR -

"you could never satisfy me the way he does" was about emotional connection, not sex - and, of course, Thomas went straight ahead and proved her right

a relationship that is blocking her powers and allows her to be "happy" as long as she acts normal and hides her real self is not a good relationship. regardless of how one may interpret her connection with Orlok, Ellen's marriage to Thomas is an allegory for being in the closet/masking - and I personally think she deserves better

[telesodalite]

Never getting over Fulcrum being a project manager...

Idk why, but something about that is so funny to me. Not just because the title of "project manager" is inherently kinda funny for a Decepticon, but also because-

1. It's vague sounding and hard to explain irl because it technically exists in multiple fields, like healthcare or manufacturing, which surely translates into canon in some way.

2. In canon, it's simultaneously a really mundane, innocuous sounding job, yet it's also a super morally awful position to reside over depending on the context. (*cough* forced colonization and cyberforming *cough*)

And 3. It solidifies the fact that behind all the surface level militaristic work we get with both the Decepticons and Autobots, there's also Cons and Bots with "normal" jobs in both factions.

Like, sure yeah we get scientists and doctors, engineers and programmers, but usually in big important or warfront positions. (For plot reasons, understandably.) But it's also really funny and interesting to think of those that worked background positions, or minor jobs.

Like an Autobot working in their equivalent of an HR department, or a Decepticon who runs one of their outpost's or starship's kitchens.

Just all the pre-war jobs that didn't just disappear with the war, but instead evolved to exist within the factions.

It's particularly funny with the Decepticons though, because it could be a super mundane job or situation, but because it's them, it has to have an air of ~e v i l~ to it, either legitimately and/or merely for the vibes, like Tarn's "performance reviews".

[elliewiltarwyn]

Febhyurary Day #1: Hello, World

"Hm. Not the sorriest swordsman I've ever seen, I'll give you that. And certainly better-tempered than many." "Gods... dammit..."

"Your technique is sloppy - typical of highborn city-slickers who get it in their heads to try to swing a sword. You've had a sheltered upbringing, free of pain and suffering... until recently, that is. You can't begin to imagine what it's like in a controlled battle like the bloodsands - let alone actual combat."

"...The hells is this, therapy? Your point is taken. I'll get out of your w--"

"I'm not finished, you fool. The fact that you came here, that you accepted my challenge without hesitation, that you stood your ground under my assault, shows that you're willing to shed the scales from your eyes and learn. I see the makings of a tremendous gladiator in you; you simply haven't taken even that first baby step yet. Sheltered as you are, you barely know the world - but I can introduce you to small parts of it if you are willing and able. Will you take that step? Face this world by choosing to live by the sword and--if it be your fate--die by it?"

...I've been hoping to live for the first time in my life. I rather hope we can postpone that last part as long as possible. "...I would be honored. Thank you, Guildmaster." "It's Mylla, please - I despise titles. And you, sprout?" "M...Mia. Longhart." "Mia? Hah! Strikingly similar to mine own! If I didn't know better I'd believe it a false identity you came up with on the spot!" "N-no, of course not--" "I jest. 'Tis a fine, strong name. Welcome to your new home, Mia -- and a brave new world."

[canisalbus]

Have you considered selling merch? Some stickers pins or patches of the boys would go hard

.

[realpokemon]

You must get a lot of asks, how do you decide which ones to answer?

‎

[renewashere]

i was planning on making a comic about ford and fidds' bunker having one bed but i made the grave mistake of not checking out how the bed looked like beforehand (its a one person futon), so this has become basically unusable, however i still like how i did some stuff so maybe someone will like this anyway

[namakes]

One extremely flattering angle of Big Man for you

[slutforpringles]

I'm still reeling from Daniel Ricciardo's exit from Formula One at the end of last season. Do you think we'll see him back in the sport in another capacity? I don't know if Danny wants to come back. I was told at the moment he's pretty happy not to be around Formula One and I think it's a good thing. So at least he [can] digest what happened, and then maybe he finds the energy and the love for the sport again and comes back, because I think he would be a very good ambassador for the sport. I do not think he's coming back as a driver. I do not think that Danny wants to be a manager or something like that in a day-to-day job, he doesn't want that at all. So I hope he comes back as an ambassador or maybe on TV, because he's one of these guys which a lot of people know and which are happy to have around. He's so fun and such a huge personality and gave so much to the sport but his exit was very quiet, very low key. Do you think that's how he wanted it? I don't think it was his choice. I mean, you know, how it was done. I found [it] a little bit weird how it all happened. It happened quick and he just disappeared almost. I think, first of all, he didn't want to exit at all at that time and secondly, if there was an exit, it could have been done in a way which would help the sport but also Danny, because I think he got a little bit shocked of the exit, how it was done.

via: ABC Melbourne