#some more favorites include:

[milocelium]

Link's list of aliases on his wikipage is fucking unreal

[egophiliac]

i don't think u need to worry about poppy ikemen anymore, new ride kamens character is kr kamui who is our lord and savior dan kuroto

DAN THE DANGEROUS ZOMBIE MAN!!!!!! I was SO excited when I saw the reveal, he is absolutely the funniest possible character choice hands-down. oh my god. I'm so glad he made it into this game.

also Kamui just looks incredible. instant favorite. this is the kind of man I can picture standing naked on a cliffside and screaming at everyone about his imminent ascension towards godhood. he is the incarnation of that one iconic Gina Linetti scene.

[pancakehauses]

The price of love is loss, but still we pay. We love anyway.

Next to Normal | Donmar Warehouse | September, 2023 Moments lost in the transfer to the West End

📹: @callmelasagna

[mlobsters]

the matrix: revisited (2001)

things that made me smile

[finelythreadedsky]

JSTOR Wrapped: top ten JSTOR articles of 2023

Coo, Lyndsay. “A Tale of Two Sisters: Studies in Sophocles’ Tereus.” Transactions of the American Philological Association 143, no. 2 (2013): 349–84.

Finglass, P. J. “A New Fragment of Sophocles’ ‘Tereus.’” Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik 200 (2016): 61–85.

Foxhall, Lin. “Pandora Unbound: A Feminist Critique of Foucault’s History of Sexuality.” In Sex and Difference in Ancient Greece and Rome, edited by Mark Golden and Peter Toohey, 167–82. Edinburgh University Press, 2003.

Garrison, Elise P. “Eurydice’s Final Exit to Suicide in the ‘Antigone.’” The Classical World 82, no. 6 (1989): 431–35.

Grethlein, Jonas. “Eine Anthropologie Des Essens: Der Essensstreit in Der ‘Ilias’ Und Die Erntemetapher in Il. 19, 221-224.” Hermes 133, no. 3 (2005): 257–79.

McClure, Laura. “Tokens of Identity: Gender and Recognition in Greek Tragedy.” Illinois Classical Studies 40, no. 2 (2015): 219–36.

Purves, Alex C.  “Wind and Time in Homeric Epic.” Transactions of the American Philological Association 140, no. 2 (2010): 323–50.

Richlin, Amy. “Gender and Rhetoric: Producing Manhood in the Schools.” In Sex and Difference in Ancient Greece and Rome, edited by Mark Golden and Peter Toohey, 202–20. Edinburgh University Press, 2003.

Rood, Naomi. “Four Silences in Sophocles’ ‘Trachiniae.’” Arethusa 43, no. 3 (2010): 345–64.

Zeitlin, Froma I. “The Dynamics of Misogyny: Myth and Mythmaking in the Oresteia.” Arethusa 11, no. 1/2 (1978): 149–84.

[raiiny-bay]

some photos from the boys' teen years

[distantsolarsystemsandsnails]

just saw this for taylor swift and i'm curious so which boygenius (and/or solo) song is YOUR song?

[milquetoad]

of the many injustices put forth toward the show by fans i think the most overall damaging and telling of a complete lack of critical viewership is the idea that sam riegel builds his characters with nothing more than the bit in mind. like you are only telling on yourself if you think characters like scanlan shorthalt and veth brennato are one-dimensional and depthless

[bl-bracket]

Anyways I know we settled that Pit Babe is the most unhinged BL today, but I can't close the book on talking about unhinged shows without talking about what is probably the most insane show of them all (at least in the ql-adjacent world)

like the first couple episodes is like "oooo spooky museum, cursed artifacts, bit of monster of the week but like with cursed items, is Dome Katha's reincarnated brother?" and then the last episode is "Katha has become the new Christian God. the moon has literally exploded and is going to end the world. Dome is actually one of the 4 horseman of the apocalypse and shot down from the sky to take over a normal guy named Dome's life. Dome isn't Katha's brother, that's Chan, another horseman of the apocalypse, who is from a different universe and also looks the same as Dome because all celestial creatures look like Dome because God made them all look like that across universes and God is Katha but not really. Dome and Chan were both from different universes (there's currently 3) but were all mixed around because Death (who also looks like Dome) killed his God and destroyed his universe so he's been hopping around trying to find a new God also he's possessed the body of Adam (like from the Bible) who had become a mannequin." and they made that jump in like 10 episodes

Truly one of the most unhinged pieces of television ever made I wish they made Katha and Dome kiss so I could include them in this bracket.

[blackjackkent]

Today's dialogue file exploration! Summon lines for all of your allies in the final battle!

-----

Summoning: Balm of the Moonmaiden (Isobel)

ASTARION: Isobel! A little healing magic, if you please. LAE'ZEL: Isobel, we're in need of your talents. GALE: Isobel - some healing, if you please. SHADOWHEART: Isobel - now's your chance! WYLL: Some healing, if you please. KARLACH: Hey, Isobel! Can the Moonmaiden perk us up? JAHEIRA: Time to save our skin again, Isobel! HALSIN: Isobel - lend us your healing touch! TAV/DURGE: Isobel! We need healing!

-----

Summoning: Battle-Ready Owlbear

ASTARION: Get out here, cub! It's time to finally earn your keep. LAE'ZEL: Bare your claws, cub! GALE: My owlbear friend. Time for some of your fabled ferocity. SHADOWHEART: Owlbear, show them your claws! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Owlbear cub, let's test that armour of yours! WYLL: Let's see what the cub can do! KARLACH: Here, owly cubby cubby. KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Bare your beak, owlbear! JAHEIRA: Come, cub - show them how you've grown! HALSIN: Young owlbear, show us your fury! TAV/DURGE: Time to bite, my owlbear friend!

-----

Summoning: Black Fist Enforcers (Zhentarim/Roah Moonglow)

ASTARION: Zhentarim! It's time to step out of the shadows. LAE'ZEL: Zhentarim, show yourselves. GALE: It's time the Zhentarim earned their keep. Join me, Roah! SHADOWHEART: Zhentarim! To arms! WYLL: Come on, Zhentarim. Make yourselves useful. KARLACH: Zhentarim! Make yourselves useful! JAHEIRA: Come then, Zhent - earn your pay! HALSIN: Zhentarim! To battle! TAV/DURGE: Zhentarim! To arms!

-----

Summoning: Florrick's Cohort

ASTARION: Florrick! Get out here, Counsellor! LAE'ZEL: Florrick - it's now or never! GALE: Counsellor Florrick - Baldur's Gate requires your protection once more. SHADOWHEART: Florrick, help us! WYLL: Now's the time, Counsellor Florrick! KARLACH: Florrick! Bring the Flaming Fist to my aid! JAHEIRA: If you would be so kind, Counsellor! HALSIN: Florrick - I need your aid! TAV/DURGE: Florrick, where in the hells are you?

-----

Summoning: Guildmaster Keene's Fixers

ASTARION: We need you, Lady Keene! Time to honour your debt. LAE'ZEL: Lady Keene - your fighters! NOW. GALE: A favour given is a favour owed. Lady Keene - time to repay your debt. SHADOWHEART: Don't stand on ceremony, Lady Keene. We need you! WYLL: All right, Lady Keene. Send them in! KARLACH: Lady Keene - get in here! JAHEIRA: Oh Astele? Send in your ladies, would you? HALSIN: Lady Keene, we need you in this fight. TAV/DURGE: Lady Keene - we need your people. NOW.

-----

Summoning: Gur Huntwardens

ASTARION: All right, let's see how the Gur fare against this. LAE'ZEL: Ulma, call in your hunters! GALE: Ulma - I need the Gur's strength. Join me! GALE (MIND FLAYER): Ulma. Your Gur hunters will turn this tide. SHADOWHEART: Gur hunters, aid us! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Gur hunters, attack! WYLL: Ulma? Call in your hunters - we've found their prey. KARLACH: Get in here, Ulma! We need your Gur hunters! KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Ulma - we require your hunters! JAHEIRA: Ulma - we need your hunters! HALSIN: Gur hunters, come to our aid! MINTHARA: At our command, Gur. MINSC: Noble Gur, heed my hamster's call! TAV/DURGE: Ulma, gather your hunters! It's time to slay some monsters.

-----

Summoning: Hellrider Platoon (Zevlor)

ASTARION: Zevlor! Tieflings! Now's your time. ASTARION (MIND FLAYER): Zevlor, dear, this is your cue! LAE'ZEL: Tiefling warriors, show your might. GALE: Zevlor! War summons you once again. Show me how you answer. SHADOWHEART: Tiefling veterans - put your skills to use! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Tiefling veterans - put your experience to work! WYLL: Tieflings, to arms! KARLACH: May this be your last battle, my friends! KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Fight your last battle, friends! JAHEIRA: Zevlor - you are needed! HALSIN: Veterans - join the fray! TAV/DURGE: Veterans of the Hells - to arms!

-----

Summoning: Hellstalker Yurgir

ASTARION: Yurgir, be a darling and lend a hand! LAE'ZEL: Yurgir - to battle! GALE: Yurgir! I need an orthon's might in this battle. SHADOWHEART: Come, Yurgir. The hunt awaits. SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Yurgir, time to hunt! WYLL: Yurgir, unleash the Hells' fires! KARLACH: Get in here, you big devil you! KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Yurgir - make use of yourself! JAHEIRA: Heel, hellhound! HALSIN: Yurgir, to the hunt! MINTHARA: Yurgir! Today, we hunt a Netherbrain. Join us! MINSC: Hound of hell! Boo calls, so come and serve a true hunter! TAV/DURGE: Yurgir - lend your strength! TAV/DURGE (MIND FLAYER): Orthon - with me!

-----

Summoning: Ironhand Grenadiers

ASTARION: Ironhands! Let's see if gnomes are actually good for something. LAE'ZEL: Ironhands - alight! GALE: A blast of Ironhand ingenuity will turn this tide. To me! SHADOWHEART: Blast away, Ironhands! WYLL: Blast away, Ironhands! KARLACH: Ironhand Gnomes, time to make it rain fire! JAHEIRA: Show the Absolute some Ironhand engineering! HALSIN: Grenadiers - unleash your bombardment! TAV/DURGE: Bombs away!

-----

Summoning: Mizora, Agent of Avernus

ASTARION: Mizora! Bring down hellsfire! LAE'ZEL: It's your move, Mizora! GALE: Mizora. It's time these creatures paid a devil their dues. SHADOWHEART: Mizora, we need you! WYLL: Time to make good, Mizora! KARLACH: Mizora, show your ugly face! JAHEIRA: Come and break a nail, Mizora! HALSIN: Mizora, aid us! TAV/DURGE: Time to do your part, Mizora!

-----

Summoning: Retinue of the Vampire Lord (Ascended Astarion)

ASTARION: Come, my unholy minions - fight for your master! LAE'ZEL: Awaken your undead servants, Astarion! GALE: Lord Astarion, the armies of the undying must join this fight. SHADOWHEART: Astarion, call forth your army of the dead! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Astarion - send forth your army of the dead! WYLL: Astarion, bring in your undead! KARLACH: All right, fangs - it's all you! KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Astarion, unleash the dead! JAHEIRA: Come then, Astarion - introduce us to your new friends! HALSIN: Astarion, bring forth your undead warriors! MINTHARA: Lord Astarion, unleash your nocturnal servants! MINSC: Astarion! Summon your pale and scrawny fellows! TAV/DURGE: It's time, Astarion - we need the dead on our side!

-----

Summoning: Rolan's Firestorm

ASTARION: All right, Rolan. Let's see if your powers match your ego. LAE'ZEL: Where is that wizard? Rolan, to the fray! GALE: Rolan! Unleash fire from the heavens. SHADOWHEART: Rolan - bring down fire from above! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): Rolan - unleash fire from above. WYLL: Come on, Rolan. Show off that magic of yours! KARLACH: Bombs away, Rolan! KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): Rolan - fire up that artillery! JAHEIRA: Time to make yourself useful, little wizard! HALSIN: Rolan, let loose your barrage. Rain down fire! TAV/DURGE: Rolan - bring the fire. NOW!

-----

Summoning: Silver Harp Squadron (Harpers)

ASTARION: To me, Harpers! For Baldur's Gate! LAE'ZEL: Harpers - weapons ready! GALE: Harpers, stand with me. We defeat this evil together. SHADOWHEART: Harpers - attack! WYLL: Harpers? Out of the shadows. KARLACH: Those Who Harp, let's kick evil's arse! JAHEIRA: Harpers! For the fallen! HALSIN: Harpers - to me! TAV/DURGE: Harpers - now is the time!

-----

Summoning: Sword of the Silverlight (Dame Aylin)

ASTARION: Dame Aylin? It's your time to shine! LAE'ZEL: Come, Dame Aylin. It's your time! GALE: Dame Aylin. Your light must shatter this darkness. SHADOWHEART: Now's your chance, Dame Aylin. WYLL: Daughter of Selûne, show me what you can do! KARLACH: All right, Dame Aylin! Time to tear these rats a new one. JAHEIRA: Dame Aylin - there are some here who don't yet fear your name! HALSIN: Dame Aylin will surely aid us. The Moonmaiden's very own daughter knows our cause is just. MINTHARA: Aylin! Bring your righteous fury to bear. MINSC: DAME AYLIN! WE HAVE NEED OF HEAVEN'S BOOT! TAV/DURGE: Dame Aylin! Lend me your sword!

-----

Summoning: Veil of the Weird (Auntie Ethel)

ASTARION: Auntie Ethel? Be a dear and help, won't you? LAE'ZEL: Auntie Ethel, it's time you got up to your old tricks. GALE: Ethel - to me. It's time you made good on our arrangement. SHADOWHEART: Ethel, show them what you're made of! WYLL: Time you made good on your bargain, hag. KARLACH: All right, Ethel, show us what a hag can really do! JAHEIRA: Be a dear and come when you are called, Auntie. HALSIN: Time to put your trickery to good use, hag. TAV/DURGE: Auntie Ethel - it's time to hold up your end of our bargain!

-----

Summoning: The Watch (Valeria)

ASTARION: Guards, come quick! Gods, that felt wrong. LAE'ZEL: I call for the City Watch! GALE: Baldur's Gate trembles. City Watch, come to her aid. SHADOWHEART: City Watch - reclaim your home! SHADOWHEART (MIND FLAYER): City Watch - fight for your homes! WYLL: City Watch, shake the ground! KARLACH: City Watch! Show us what Baldur's Gate is made of. KARLACH (MIND FLAYER): City Watch! Make Baldur's Gate proud. JAHEIRA: Where ever are the City Watch when you need them? HALSIN: City Watch! Defend your home! TAV/DURGE: City Watch - into position!

-----

BONUS: Summoning Steel Watcher (available in the dialogue files but not in game)

ASTARION: Steel Watcher - fall in! Time to join the fight. LAE'ZEL: Steel Watcher - stand with me! GALE: Steel Watch! Subdue these creatures. I command it. SHADOWHEART: Steel Watcher - forward! WYLL: Steel Watcher, into service! KARLACH: Steel Watch - cousins! Time to shine! JAHEIRA: Watcher! You were made to save the city, were you not? HALSIN: Steel Watcher - those foes are for you! TAV/DURGE: Steel Watcher - on guard!

[welcometogrouchland]

I miss them so bad (Dick and Damian)

[bludpudding]

i think every time i reread souvenirs a little part of me dies

[thegreatyin]

oh, so when other people indulge in their special interests and find joy in their hobbies it's "joyful" and "whimsical" and "autism swag", but when i, mr veils,

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 22

Geralt rides into a town only to see a small family fumbling around in the street in a panic. Apparently they're a family business of fishermen who are worried that something much bigger than a fish has swam into a trap of theirs. Geralt gets a promise of money for getting rid of it and goes off to kill whatever water monster it is. But he gets to where they describe the beast and he finds... A mermaid? It's trapped and tied around in a net, facing away from Geralt, and clearly in pain, though he doesn't know why, yet. The webbed ear of the mer flicks and it turns to face him, hissing. Geralt holds his hands out in a placating gesture and sloowly walks closer, only for the mer to slam the full weight of it's tail into Geralt's legs and sweep him off his feet. Gods damn it. It can never be easy. Geralt draws his sword, and begins cutting the trap off the mer, even as it hisses, flails, and tries it's absolute damnedest to claw his face off. He ends up straddling it like it's a fucking gator, and when he frees it of it's restraints, it's only then that he can finally make out the giant wound on the mer's side. Too big and nasty a wound to just release it into the water. Oh great. It's gonna LOVE this. But it's not like he has to DO anything about it. He's a cold, emotionless witcher. He doesn't care of the mer lives or dies. If the wound is infected or kills the mer, he couldn't give less of a damn. So Geralt is currently walking up to his room at the inn, with a very angry hissing mer thrown over his shoulder, clawing the shit out of his armor. When he asks for the bath to be filled, blessedly nobody asks any further questions. The mer stops struggling as soon as it's in the bath, but it sure is still hissing at him. Geralt puts his sword away and takes off his armor and the hissing lessens. Now it's just whenever he gets too close. Big problem. He needs to get close in order to patch up it's wounds. The mer has the biggest, brightest, inhumanly blue eyes, with slitted pupils. It has sharp teeth, and twinkling iridescent blue scales dusting across the edge of it's face and it's cheeks. It stops hissing at him to listen to the bard perform downstairs. It stops attacking him, even as he pokes and prods at their wound. This is great! Except for when the bard stops and the mermaid goes back to thrashing and screaming- So Geralt is forced to hum songs under his breath to calm it. It's pupils expand and it stares at him in awe, with a slightly parted mouth. Geralt's just happy it stopped flopping around like a- w- Well... Like a fish. He fixes it all up, and shares his food, and softly hums to it the whole night, before it curls up a bit more and starts nodding off. He stops humming and steps to the inn's bed, only to be surprised when hearing a voice behind him murmur "Thank you." Oh shit-

[sleepanonymous]

After Red Rocks, when I got out of my post-concert shower I laid in bed and made this list so I wouldn't forget some important details of the ritual. I was gonna turn this into a cohesive post but I'm home and I'm lazy so you get screenshots instead 😅

[falconfate]

Hello ranger’s apprentice fandom can we talk real quick about the stupidest thing Flanagan ever wrote

It’s about the bows. Yanno, the rangers’ Iconique™️ main weapon. That one. You know the one.

Flanagan. Flanagan why are your rangers using longbows.

“uh well recurve arrows drop faster” BUT DO THEY. FLANAGAN. DO THEY.

the answer is no they don’t. Compared to a MODERN, COMPOUND (aka cheating) bow, yes, but compared to a longbow? Y’know, what the rangers use in canon? Yeah no a recurve actually has a FLATTER trajectory. It drops LATER.

This from an article comparing the two:

“Both a longbow and a recurve bow, when equipped with the right arrow and broadhead combination, are capable of taking down big game animals. Afterall, hunters have been doing it for centuries with both types of bows.

However, generally speaking and all things equal, a recurve bow will offer more arrow speed, creating a flatter flight trajectory and retain more kinetic energy at impact.

The archers draw length, along with the weight of the arrow also affect speed and kinetic energy. However, the curved design of the limbs on a recurve adds to its output of force.”

It doesn’t actually mention ANY distance in range! And this is from a resource for bow hunting, which, presumably, WOULD CARE ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING!

Okay so that’s just. That’s just the first thing.

The MAIN thing is that even accounting for “hur dur recurves drop faster” LONGBOWS ARE STILL THE STUPID OPTION.

Longbows, particularly and especially ENGLISH longbows, are—as their name suggests—very long. English longbows in particular are often as tall or taller than their wielder even while strung, but especially when unstrung. An unstrung longbow is a very long and expensive stick, one that will GLADLY entangle itself in nearby trees, other people’s clothes, and any doorway you’re passing through.

And yes, there are shorter longbows, but at that point if you’re shortening your longbow, just get a goddamn recurve. And Flanagan makes a point to compare his rangers’ bows to the Very Long English Longbow.

Oh, do you know how the Very Long English Longbow was mostly historically militarily used? BY ON-FOOT ARCHER UNITS. Do you know what they’re TERRIBLE for? MOUNTED ARCHERY.

Trust me. Go look up right now “mounted archery longbow.” You’ll find MAYBE one or two pictures of some guy on a horse struggling with a big stick; mostly you will actually see either mounted archers with RECURVES, or comparisons of Roman longbow archers to Mongolian horse archers (which are neat, can’t lie, I love comparing archery styles like that).

Anyway. Why are longbows terrible for mounted archery? Because they’re so damn long. Think about it: imagine you’re on a horse. You’re straddling a beast that can think for itself and moves at your command, but ultimately independently of you; if you’re both well-trained enough, you’re barely paying attention to your horse except to give it commands. And you have a bow in your hands. If your target is close enough to you that you know, from years of shooting experience, you will need to actually angle your bow down to hit it because of your equine height advantage, guess what? If you have a longbow, YOU CAN’T! YOUR HORSE IS IN THE WAY BECAUSE YOUR BOW IS TOO LONG! Worse, it’s probably going to get in the general area of your horse’s shoulder or legs, aka moving parts, which WILL injure your horse AND your bow and leave you fresh out of both a getaway vehicle and a ranged weapon. It’s stupid. Don’t do it.

A recurve, on the other hand, is short. It was literally made for horse archers. You have SO much range of motion with a recurve on horseback; and if you’re REALLY good, you know how to give yourself even more, with techniques like Jamarkee, a Turkish technique where you LITERALLY CAN AIM BACKWARDS.

For your viewing enjoyment, Serena Lynn of Texas demonstrating Jamarkee:

Yes, that’s real! This type of draw style is INCREDIBLY versatile: you can shoot backwards on horseback, straight down from a parapet or sally port without exposing yourself as a target, or from low to the ground to keep stealthy without banging your bow against the ground. And, while I’m sure you could attempt it with a longbow, I wouldn’t recommend it: a recurve’s smaller size makes it far more maneuverable up and over your head to actually get it into position for a Jamarkee shot.

A recurve just makes so much more SENSE. It’s not a baby bow! It’s not the longbow’s lesser cousin! It’s a COMPLETELY different instrument made to be used in a completely different context! For the rangers of Araluen, who put soooo much stock in being stealthy and their strong bonds with their horses, a recurve is the perfect fit! It’s small and easily transportable, it’s more maneuverable in combat and especially on horseback, it offers more power than a longbow of the same draw weight—really, truly, the only advantage in this case that a longbow has over the recurve is that longbows are quicker and easier to make. But we KNOW the rangers don’t care about that, their KNIVES use a forging technique (folding) that takes several times as long as standard Araluen forging practices at the time!

Okay.

Okay I think I’m done. For now.