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theinnerunderrain · 2 years ago

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Happy End

Note: Yandere themes, disturbing images, depiction of violence and mental health, if you're familiar with Doki Doki literature club you should know what to expect. Be aware and take caution.

Characters: Xiao, Venti, Kazuha & Kunikuzushi.

Venti as Monika - As the President of the Literature Club, he functions as the game's motivator, encouraging club members to produce poems up until the club festival. Venti previously belonged to the debate club but left as a result of the internal politics and turmoil, expressing his desire for harmony, freedom of discussion, and goodwill.

"To be honest, I can't stand all of the politics around the major clubs. It feels like nothing but arguing about the budget and publicity and how to prepare for events... I'd much rather take something I personally enjoy and make something special out of it. And if it encourages others to get into literature, then I'm fulfilling that dream!"

The first thing you noticed about Venti was that he was a charming and intelligent young man who seemed to be brilliant at whatever he did, whether it was writing poetry or playing the piano (he offered to teach the piano after school, isn't that sweet of him?). To have someone with such potential in the school is truly great, don't you agree?

"As president of the Literature Club, it's my duty to make the club fun and exciting for everyone!"

Everything appears to be operating smoothly. Everyone was cheerful, and they were all getting ready for the club festival, which was coming up soon.

But something about Venti began to change.

He remains fairly friendly, but his remarks and encouragement appear to take on a more passive aggressive tone. He appeared irritated with the other members, acting sarcastic when asked for advice or even going as far to ignore them. The fact that Venti had an epiphany before the game began and was given the authority to modify the game's variables also isn't revealed until much later. As a direct consequence, his sentiment toward the other boys was altered because he realised they weren't "real" boys.

When the other boys make it impossible for the player and him to spend time together, he starts acting in a drastic manner.

Drastic.

Perhaps the word drastic truly undermines his behaviour towards the other members.

I wouldn't say it's just drastic.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, (First Name)."

Venti only had the capability to modify parameters within the play and did not wish to immediately delete or eliminate the other boys owing her lingering attachment to them, so he starts attempting to render the other boys unlikeable by changing their attributes out of desperation. He starts with Xiao since he was the childhood friend of the protagonist and he was seen as the biggest threat. Then he would gradually shift between each character, making sure they were all as horrible as possible, in the hopes that you would be sufficiently terrified to reject the others.

Yet you remain unmoving.

Therefore, it wasn't his fault that he had to choose a worse alternative; you can't really hold him responsible for having to get rid of Xiao when you're the one being demanding.

"Yay, you picked me! We can meet at your house this weekend. I promise it'll be fun. Is Sunday okay with you?"

He grows increasingly bitter over not playing a love component in the game as a happy ending wasn't envisioned for him. He also makes it clear that he is in love with the player and begs them to invest additional time with him. The fact that all of his poems are about the player or his epiphany emphasises how consumed he became with achieving this goal as a result of his ambition and determination. As a result of them not being "real," he also begins to ignore and exaggerate the features of the other characters.

Why should he possibly care about these manufactured beings who can't even truly appreciate their freedom? His morals abruptly changed and his sympathies for the other members grew colder.

"Sometimes it feels like you and I are the only real people here. You know what I mean? But it's weird, because in all the time you've been here, we've hardly gotten to spend any time together. Ah...I mean... I guess it's technically only been a couple days…"

Venti may seem optimistic in the Literature Club, but it becomes increasingly clear that he is essentially depressed and lonely as a result of comprehending that everything in his life is just a simulation.

However, can you really hold him responsible for his actions?

Would you be so happy to learn that you didn't even live as a character that was relevant?

Would you be satisfied with yourself?

The worst thing is that he will never be able to experience what is referred to as "happiness" since his route will never be finished. He is obsessed with winning the player's love because they are the only thing that is "real" in his life.

"...Oh...Oh... ... Ahahaha! Well, that's a shame. Wait, were you here the entire weekend, [First Name]? Oh, jeez... I didn't realise the script was broken that badly. I'm super sorry! It must have been pretty boring... I'll make it up to you, okay? Just gimme a sec…"

"..."

An error has occurred. If you continually get the same error, try loading a different save file, submit a bug report, and/or check the Support Forums for assistance.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤[Yes]

A̯��̠͔͍̬̪ṉ̝͉͚̯̦̩ e̮̘̖r͍̰͚̩̥̯r̪͕̤̺o͇̺̺̺̼͙r̩ ̮̝̗͓̤͔ͅh̦̹̠̤a̯̭̜͔͚̘͚s̟͉̰̗̯ ̗̙͇͙̺̥̞o͔͍̩c̱̰̺͉̟͕c͈̳u̬r̼̼͓͙r͍͉̦̜ed͈̣͉̺.̗̤̹̦̥̟ ̤̥͙̣͚I͔̳̰͇f̗͇̠ ̟̬̙̟͇̼͈y̬o̦̪͎u̫ ̜̻̭̞̻͚͚c͍ͅo͍͕̞͓ͅn͙̘̞̗̥t̯̣͇̝ͅi̙̙̦͇͔̙͕nual̞l̥y̭̻̗̠ ̠̺̣̺̟ge̗̠͎̪t̥̥̟̰͍ ̘̭̟th̗̳̞̗e͎̹̻̪͉̤ ̦̮̙sa̞͎̙̯̺m̜̩̟͓̭e̻ ̩̮͓͓e̞̹͈r̖̭̳̥͖r͚̼̤o̜͍̪̰̥͇̻r͓̲̰͖,̪̼̮̖̲̲̻ ͉tr͖̭̼̘y̱͚̹ ̲͕̥̥l̤̱͍̖o̟̻̻̝̗a̙͎̲̤d̖̜i̞̳̼͍̱͎͕n̜̠͚g̩̟̞̪͓ ̫a͓ d̝i̪̭̱̰̹̰͙ff͎e̹r̹̞̜͍ͅẹ̫͔nt̟ ͕s͕̝͇͕̹͕̰a̞̖͚v̟̯̪͈͍e̗̮̪͔ ̰̯f̝̭̞̝̭i͔̞͙̥͎͚̟l̘͉̙̫̳͎̘e͓͈,̱͕͓̭ ̙̝ͅs̗u̠b̮͎̟m̰̩͎̠̲̼i̞̟̲͈͕̦t̖̠̖̱̞͉ ̯͔͎a̤͙̱̮͕ͅ ͖ḇ̝̳̱ͅu̲̖g̘̪̫ ͍͇̰̤r̮͉̗̠̣e͙p͍o̯̞r̻̮̗̬̝͇t̖̰,͚̞͚͔͕͕͔ a̪̯̥̩̥n̖d̳̦̥̺/͇̘̳̘̘̱o̞̯r̥̗͖̬͓͕̘ ̬̠̭cͅh̙̥̝e̠͓͖͔͎͕͇c̬̦̩ͅḵ̗̯͇̪̯̬ ͉t̼h͙̰̪͈̜e̻̠̜ S̱̱̺̬u̬̪͇p̘̟͉̳̼ͅp̖o̖̩͙̲̫̹̫rt̙̳̘̜͚͍ ͎͇̹F̻͈or̗̪͓͎̰ͅum̹̭̝͔̗s̹ ͉ͅf͙̲o̙͇̥̞r͇͚̠̰̘ ̼̹̮̗a͖̺̻̳̥s̥͓͓̺̪͚͈si͍̩̖̰̞̮ͅs͇̺t͍̼̰̺͓̳a͔̹̘͙nc̝̯͓̜̪̤̱e͖̱̹͕̝.̩͈̘̤̘̦

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]?

➤ [Yes]

Are you sure?

➤[Yes]

"..."

Let's continue on.

Xiao as Sayori - As the vice president of the literature club, he likewise wishes that more individuals would join in order to increase their interest in poetry. Now, I know Xiao is an odd pick for Sayori considering their contrasting personality and you would probably assume Kazuha to be a better match. But there are similarities and I thought he would be better for the childhood friend role.

Since you and Xiao have known one another since you were young, it is difficult for you to recall your initial impression of him. Along with thinking of him as your sweet but reserved friend, you were relieved to learn that he took an interest in writing and that he enjoyed studying literature and writing poetry because these activities allow him to express his emotions.

"Hey, [First Name]....Since we're already here, do you want to walk home together?"

Regardless of the fact that the two of you had known each other since you were children, his question concerning walking home nevertheless came out as rather tentative and scared. Even though you've known each other for a long time, you would tease him about his timidity by marveling at how silly a question it was for him to ask. Later on, it is discovered that he battles severe depression and puts a lot of effort into making everyone around him happy in order to deal with, among other things, his own lack of self-love.

So you shouldn't be teasing him too much.

"Even if it's just a bit…I..I wanted to spend more time with you. I know it seems stupid but.."

He seems to feel unworthy of love because of his depression, but he still desires to be loved, particularly by the protagonist, who he has a crush on.

He only wants your affection, nothing else.

Xiao seems to suffer when the player choose to follow one of the other boys since he subconsciously wishes that the protagonist fall in love with him while also feeling terrible for initially feeling that way.

Xiao will commit suicide the day before the festival regardless of the player's decision.

Don't cry.

Isn't it just a matter of fate?

He feels that if he makes everyone else happy, he won't have any reason to be miserable at all, therefore his relationship with the protagonist and other people's happiness are his main coping mechanisms. Although he tries, he is unable to make you happy.

He's not enough.

He will never be enough.

"You know, [First Name]... It's nice that I get to spend time with you in the club. But I think seeing you get along with everyone is what makes me the happiest."

"..."

An error has occurred. If you continually get the same error, try loading a different save file, submit a bug report, and/or check the Support Forums for assistance.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤ [Yes]

Are you completely sure?

➤ [Yes]

Even after witnessing Xiao's death?

➤ [Yes]

I'm not responsible for anything, [First Name]. You know that, right? Should you go to bed? It's quite late.

Would you like to continue?

➤ [Yes]

"..."

As you wish.

Kunikuzushi as Natsuki - The third member of the Literature Club, an enthusiastic manga fan who occasionally feels self-conscious about it (particularly in light of Kazuha's frequent taunting).

Just be careful not to tease him too much. He might die from humiliation.

Just kidding.

Your first conception of Kunikuzushi seems to be one of a cocky, outspoken, irritable, and even conceited young man. Venti, though, categorises him as the true tsundere given his rather charming, softer interior. Due to his diminutive stature and sour disposition, it's a little difficult to hold back from gushing about him since he's just so cute.

"Well everyone has their own opinion. But my opinion is the best opinion. I'm sure you've figured that out already."

While impetuous and prone to speaking without thinking, Kunikuzushi genuinely cares about his friends and, despite having clear anger management issues, dislikes getting into fights or confrontations with other people (at least ones he can't win). Despite his persistent bullying tendencies, Kunikuzushi had displayed some gentleness by asking you to his house to bake despite his concern about being discovered by his mother.

He would not, however, elaborate on his reasons for being so wary of her.

"Take your stupid poem. If you wrote it for someone else, just don't show it to me!"

Together, the two of you frequently bake, and at one point, you teasedly nibbled on some frosting that was apparently his finger. He gets angry right away and starts ranting about how you shouldn't do that with other men because they might perceive it differently.

Such a cute little thing isn't he?

"Why didn't you come read with me today? I was waiting for you. I was waiting for a long time. It was the only thing I had to look forward to today. Why did you ruin it?"

Selecting Kazuha would irritate him, and when you try to read Kunikuzushi your poem, He would chase you out right away. Xiao will congratulate Kazuha and Kunikuzushi on their writing and capabilities if the player asks him to diffuse the tension. After that, the argument will end, and Xiao's answer will satisfy Kazuha and Kunikuzushi. He also makes a comparison between his and Kazuha's physique, which leads the main character to claim that some individuals are attracted to someone with a little frame.

By now, you should be aware that Kunikuzushi detests being referred to as cute.

"Do you like Kazuha more?"

Even though he acts cute and does cute things, Kunikuzushi despises the label "cute" and will fight any accusations made in this regard by others. However, once he is confident that no one will make fun of him for it, he feels much more at ease showing off his sweet side. Whether it's in regards to his work, his interests, or simply his general demeanour, Kunikuzushi detests it when he isn't treated seriously. He probably developed a sense of guilt about himself and his interests as a result of how his peers treated him and because his mother was allegedly abusive, making his brusque demeanour a coping mechanism.

He liked you so much because you were compassionate and capable of comprehending him for this reason.

Not Xiao.

Not Kazuha.

Not Venti.

But just you.

"I think you're better off not associating with HIM. Are you listening to me? KAZUHA IS A SICK FREAK. That should be obvious by now. So just play with me instead. Okay? You don't hate me, do you? Do you hate me? Do you want to make me go home crying? The club is the only place I feel safe. Don't ruin that for me. Don't ruin it. Please. Just stop talking to Kazuha. Play with me instead. It's all I have... Play with me. PLAY WITH ME."

"PLAY WITH ME [FIRST NAME]."

"PLAY WITH ME"

An error has occurred. If you continually get the same error, try loading a different save file, submit a bug report, and/or check the Support Forums for assistance.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

I'm sorry you had to witness everything like that. Kuni was a miserable kid who couldn't even feel safe at home in his own house, what an unfortunate person.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

Come on, [First Name], stop playing this little game. You should put your phone away and go to bed.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

How annoying—no matter what I do, I can't manage to get rid of this text box. Especially irritating when it keeps interrupting our chat. But aside from that, you appear to be really worn out in front of that phone camera.

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤ [Yes]

I see.... In spite of all the terrible things you had to witness tonight, I think you would want to keep going. I guess there isn't much I can do to stop you...

Kazuha as Yuri - The fourth member of the Literature Club, and is widely regarded to be one of the most brilliant writers. Capable of authoring the most exquisite poem and crafting the most magnificent statements which may well render your heart to skip a beat as if wildflowers were continuously overflowing from his tongue.

He's quite the charmer, isn't he?

"Thanks for keeping your promise, [First Name]. I hope this isn't too overwhelming of a commitment for you. Making you dive headfirst into literature when you're not accustomed to it…"

When you first encountered Kaedehara Kazuha, you considered he was a very gracious young man with manners above and beyond those of a high school student. His voice was as soothing and pleasant to hear as his poetry, sweet and delicate and able to move one's heart. Kazuha, despite having a gift for words, was relatively quiet in comparison to the other members. A quality which you liked considering the amount of noise you had to constantly put up with.

But just because he remained silent doesn't mean his affinity for literature has become less profound or anything. One can even contend that Venti's passion for literature and the arts was akin to his own, particularly in those instances where he would get irate about seemingly inconsequential remarks made by Kunikuzushi.

You somewhat fear that their banter may turn physical one day.

"W-Wait! There’s a reason why we have such deep and expressive words in our language! It’s the only way to convey complex feelings and meaning the most effectively. Avoiding them is not only unnecessarily limiting yourself...it’s also a waste! You understand that, right, [First Name]?"

However, as the game progresses. Kazuha's seemingly timid personality took a rather strange tone. As if some sort of glitch had overridened his personality, bringing out the most negative aspects of his personality.

"I-I don't know... I'm kind of indifferent, I guess... WHO CARES ABOUT THAT OBNOXIOUS BRAT?"

Venti intensifies Kazuha's undesirable personality qualities in Act 2, which causes his devotion for you to turn somewhat unhealthy, bordering on an infatuation.

Your pens started to disappear, as if someone had deliberately broken through your desktop and backpack. Alternatively, if the thief returns the stolen materials, they would leave behind a trail of evidence in the form of persistent bite marks on the pencil, suggesting that they have a penchant for chewing them.

Naturally, you would toss them away, just to have someone eventually pick something out of the trash and put it back into your backpack with a little note, always written with most obscure messages.

The culprit behind the theft wouldn't be revealed to you until the very end of the game, when Venti would snicker and explain Kazuha's peculiar behaviours, mentioning how Kazuha had a propensity of looking through your possessions and touching himself with the collection of pens he gathered from you, even going so far as to injure himself with the jagged corners.

Which would explain the constant amount of bandages wrapped around his flesh.

"I mean, I like how nice and quiet the club is right now... And I'm just... happy with you here... But still! I'm the Vice President... It's not right for me to ignore my responsibilities like that... NOBODY WOULD CRY IF HE KILLED HERSELF. I should do my best to consider everyone's perspective and make the decision that's right for the club."

He started using far harsher language than the typical Kazuha, interfering with and beinglittleful to the other club members, and tormenting Kunikuzushi nonstop. In spite of his enjoyment, Kazuha feels horrible since he knows that something is wrong with him and that his statements and behaviour are inappropriate.

Yet he can't bring himself to stop.

Regardless of how hard he struggles, he eventually is unable to regulate his obsessive outbursts. It gets to the point where, regardless of whether the player embraces or refuses his love, he ultimately stabs himself to death, leaving a bloody mess on the classroom floor, with a distressed smile on his face as he begins to fade out of existence.

Nothing could be done but watch helplessly as his body rotted away in the school for three days until Kunikuzushi eventually discovered it.

“Why is this happening to me? I feel like I’m losing my mind... I can’t make it stop. It even makes me not want to read... I just want... ...to look... ...at YOU.”

“...Haah...”

.̵̢̟͎̂̋̈̈́̓.̶̞̬̤̀̋̓̓̕.̵̧̮͒ͅḨ̶̡̩̼͎̒̄̓́́a̸̬̣̣͐̋̃͛̈́ä̷̢͎̦́͜h̸͔̱͋̍̉̚͠.̵͕̳͎̩͚͂̀.̶̡̩͎̦̠͗̆̓.̵̼͉͐̆̈́͌”̷͚̦̾̄̆͂̊͜

̵͚̹̝̓̚͝

“̶̛̩̠͕̰̻̮͓̠̦̥͍̪̗̝͓̰̆̈͘.̵͉̮͚̆̋̈́̽.̸̢̨͔̬̖͙͈̥̘̞͕̖͎͎̟̎̏͂̏̽͐͋̈̑́͋̑͌̎.̵̬͉͕̈̈́̏̔̉͗́̈́̑̊̂Ḧ̷̢̙̩͈̰̰͈́̎̄͛̑͝͠ã̵͖̤̞̜͙̥̈́̈a̸̼̺̭͖͓̣̪͙̪̗̖͍̞̍͗̿́̔̊̚͝h̸̢̛̻̪̯̰̠̭̲͎̰̩̾͑̋̒̀̿̀̈̎̀͊̂͝ͅͅ…̵̡̰̟̞͎̹̙̺͉͓̜͖̗͉̂̓ͅ”̸̣̤̘̜̱̳̥̖̹͙͉̼͕̫̌͆ͅ

A̯̠͔͍̬̪ͅṉ̝͉͚̯̦̩ e̮̘̖r͍̰͚̩̥̯r̪͕̤̺o͇̺̺̺̼͙r̩ ̮̝̗͓̤͔ͅh̦̹̠̤a̯̭̜͔͚̘͚s̟͉̰̗̯ ̗̙͇͙̺̥̞o͔͍̩c̱̰̺͉̟͕c͈̳u̬r̼̼͓͙r͍͉̦̜ed͈̣͉̺.̗̤̹̦̥̟ ̤̥͙̣͚I͔̳̰͇f̗͇̠ ̟̬̙̟͇̼͈y̬o̦̪͎u̫ ̜̻̭̞̻͚͚c͍ͅo͍͕̞͓ͅn͙̘̞̗̥t̯̣͇̝ͅi̙̙̦͇͔̙͕nual̞l̥y̭̻̗̠ ̠̺̣̺̟ge̗̠͎̪t̥̥̟̰͍ ̘̭̟th̗̳̞̗e͎̹̻̪͉̤ ̦̮̙sa̞͎̙̯̺m̜̩̟͓̭e̻ ̩̮͓͓e̞̹͈r̖̭̳̥͖r͚̼̤o̜͍̪̰̥͇̻r͓̲̰͖,̪̼̮̖̲̲̻ ͉tr͖̭̼̘y̱͚̹ ̲͕̥̥l̤̱͍̖o̟̻̻̝̗a̙͎̲̤d̖̜i̞̳̼͍̱͎͕n̜̠͚g̩̟̞̪͓ ̫a͓ d̝i̪̭̱̰̹̰͙ff͎e̹r̹̞̜͍ͅẹ̫͔nt̟ ͕s͕̝͇͕̹͕̰a̞̖͚v̟̯̪͈͍e̗̮̪͔ ̰̯f̝̭̞̝̭i͔̞͙̥͎͚̟l̘͉̙̫̳͎̘e͓͈,̱͕͓̭ ̙̝ͅs̗u̠b̮͎̟m̰̩͎̠̲̼i̞̟̲͈͕̦t̖̠̖̱̞͉ ̯͔͎a̤͙̱̮͕ͅ ͖ḇ̝̳̱ͅu̲̖g̘̪̫ ͍͇̰̤r̮͉̗̠̣e͙p͍o̯̞r̻̮̗̬̝͇t̖̰,͚̞͚͔͕͕͔ a̪̯̥̩̥n̖d̳̦̥̺/͇̘̳̘̘̱o̞̯r̥̗͖̬͓͕̘ ̬̠̭cͅh̙̥̝e̠͓͖͔͎͕͇c̬̦̩ͅḵ̗̯͇̪̯̬ ͉t̼h͙̰̪͈̜e̻̠̜ S̱̱̺̬u̬̪͇p̘̟͉̳̼ͅp̖o̖̩͙̲̫̹̫rt̙̳̘̜͚͍ ͎͇̹F̻͈or̗̪͓͎̰ͅum̹̭̝͔̗s̹ ͉ͅf͙̲o̙͇̥̞r͇͚̠̰̘ ̼̹̮̗a͖̺̻̳̥s̥͓͓̺̪͚͈si͍̩̖̰̞̮ͅs͇̺t͍̼̰̺͓̳a͔̹̘͙nc̝̯͓̜̪̤̱e͖̱̹͕̝.̩͈̘̤̘̦

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤ [No]

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤ [No]

Would you like to continue?

[Yes] or [No]

➤ [Yes]

"...."

"..."

ᗷEᕼIᑎᗪ YOᑌ.

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isaidno · 7 months ago

Text

A Small Treason

Diedra was Leon’s new laundress, and he was very fond of her. His clothes were always fresh smelling, no stain, not blood, wine, or grass was beyond her skill, and she even mended his clothes without being asked. She was quiet, polite, timely, and very good at her job. The castle cook had convinced him to take Diedra into his service, after the girl had begged for food and work.

And after only week Leon had been convinced it was the best decision he had ever made.

There was only one problem, well technically two. Leon was almost sure she was a druid, and he knew that she was a practicing member of the old religion. Either one of those things alone was worth a death sentence in Camelot, and if Leon had real proof and he did not report it, it could be his head too. But this girl she would not hurt flies. Literally, he had seen her shoo them away rather than kill them.

So when Leon had seen the triskelion tattooed on her arm, he had ignored it. He watched her for signs or trouble or treason, but he saw nothing but hard work and loyalty from the girl. That was three months ago.

It was one month ago that he had decided to commit treason. He walked in on her lighting candles to the triple goddess. He had brought his best formal shirt, that Gwain had spilled wine on, only an hour before a diplomatic meeting he needed to be present at. He had been young during the purge, but he had seen the ritual before, a prayer for safety for house and home. His house. This woman was calling on magic to protect him and his household. As the first knight of Camelot he should be calling the guards to have her arrested for treason. But she was trying to bless his house. What was he to do? Diedra was visibly terrified. Rather than acknowledge the prayer, or that he knew what it was, he made motion at the stain seeping into this shirt. “The meeting with the Ambassador is in under an candlemark, can you help?”

The girl’s eyes flickered between him and the candles, “Off with it. I might be able to help.” As soon as Leon handed her the shirt, she continued, “Go fetch your green tabard, if I cant make this work, we might need that.”

“The green one, I need to be in Camelot Red.”

“Sir Leon, please.” She said softly, “Go fetch the green one, it has red lining, and I might be able to make it work if I cant get this dry.” Oh, or course, he wasn’t thinking about that, he hurried out of the small laundry room.

When he returned, Diedra was drying his shirt over the fire. There was not a hint of a stain on it. “Here, the whole thing is a bit damp, but it was the only way to hide the washing. It will be a bit uncomfortable, but only you will know. Well as long as no one touches your shirt.”

Leon put the shirt on, and she was right it was bit damp and uncomfortable, but it looked perfect. She had removed Elderberry wine in less than 10 minutes. The only way to do that was magic, his last laundress had thrown out any garment stained by Elderberry wine. Diedra had sent him out of the room so she could do magic, to clean his shirt? Looking at the small woman, he noticed her sleeves pulled up and the triskelion on her arm. He looked from her to the door and back to her, and he made his decision, grabbing her arm. She visibly flinched, as Leon commented, “Such an odd birth mark, there could be horrible consequences if the king were to see it and confuse it for something else. You should consider covering it. Talk to Guias if you need help finding sufficient bandages and coverings.” Leon pulled her sleeve down, as she meet his eyes, “I must go. I don’t want to be late.”

They never spoke of the candle blessing or her mark, but now the girl always keeps her arm covered or bandaged. And Leon’s clothes never do seem to tear or fray any more.

#bbc merlin #leon the long suffering #sir leon #fanfic

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plumblossomcafe · 5 months ago

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The Firmiana Leaf Falls (2/3)

Upon arriving at the cave where Shinnojou was being held, many officers were in the area while Shinnojou was seen trapped in a cage.

Paimon: What are you doing? Release Shinnojou this instant!

Kamisato Ayato: Stop this at once.

Kubo: It's the Yashiro Commissioner... Hmph! Well, we take orders from our Master, no one else.

Kamisato Ayato: Really... Then, please excuse me!

A battle began with the soldiers being at a disadvantage, and they were defeated, but during the battle, Y/n was stabbed.

Y/n: "That hurt, and Now I'm bleeding, but I feel that I used so much energy during the fight that I don't have the strength to heal myself, I'll just apply pressure to the wound to try and stop the bleeding."

Kubo: Blast! Let's go! We must report to Master right away! *ran off with the other guards*

Paimon: Hey! Get back here! *about to follow them*

Kamisato Ayato: No need to follow them. We need bait to catch the fish anyway. Leave them be. I think I saw a key fall to the ground during the fight. Let's free Shinnojou first. But... in all the chaos, it must have been kicked to one side. Hmm, where did it end up?

A tanuki runs past the area

Paimon: What the...? It's a tanuki! ...Oh, don't tell Paimon that the tanuki took it!

Kamisato Ayato: Let's follow it and see.

After finally managing to catch the Tanuki and getting the key back, they freed Shinnojou from where he was being held.

Shinnojou: Thank you, thank you... It was terrifying... They said they were gonna throw the cage into the sea with me still inside... Oh... Wait, you have to listen to me! Lady Chisato's wedding, they... It's all part of a scheme! Someone's trying to use the wedding for their own ends!

Paimon: Calm down, Shinnojou. It's okay. We know about all that.

Shinnojou: ...Huh?

Kamisato Ayato: Our suspicions were roused to this possibility, and so far, everything is unfolding rather as we expected. Those behind this plan are not going to give up easily. Their next move is imminent. We must devise sufficient countermeasures.

Shinnojou: Yashiro Commissioner, you're personally going to take action?

Kamisato Ayato: This situation has consequences for the whole Tri-Commission, and the stability of all of Inazuma is at stake. My hitherto-neutral stance ends now. The Almighty Shogun has always despised these pathetic power games. As a Commissioner, I am a servant of the Shogun, and it is therefore my duty to handle these tiresome matters on her behalf.

Shinnojou: Hmm... That's true...

Kamisato Ayato: Shinnojou, don't return to your post yet. Find somewhere safe and stay hidden. Aether, Y/n, Paimon. Let's get out of here.

A short while after leaving...

Matsuura: Well, if it isn't the Yashiro Commissioner. I hear you showed up here with no explanation and attacked my men. You wouldn't happen to be carrying out some sort of secret mission, now, would you?

Kamisato Ayato: I heard that someone was taking the law into their own hands. As a responsible official of Inazuma, I could not in good conscience stand idly by. Shinnojou may be your retainer, but the law does not grant you the right to abuse him.

Matsuura: Abuse? Nonsense! I was just teaching him a lesson. Out of nowhere, a low-ranking officer decides to barge in on Lady Hiiragi and start spurting out the most absurd and insulting nonsense one can imagine... A truly egregious loss of decorum! I daresay, the poor Lady was terrified.

Kamisato Ayato: So you're saying that you know absolutely nothing of the reasons for his actions? Because otherwise, why would you describe it as "out of nowhere"?

Matsuura: Two people from two different clans are getting married. That's all there is to it, and yet this young gentleman took it upon himself to fabricate a nonsensical disaster story around it. How should I know what he was thinking? Even if she marries into the Kujou Clan, Lady Hiiragi will always be the daughter of the Hiiragi Clan and the most distinguished member of the Kanjou Commission. We are, and always will be, her loyal assistants. It's our duty to see that she never has to worry about anything. Loyalty and duty are our guiding principles. Not only did this guard show no regard for either, but he went out of his way to upset our Lady. How could one do such a thing? Even if we put it down to a rare moment of impulsivity, I have to say I'm surprised to see one of such noble standing as yourself rushing to his defense.

Paimon: Darn it! This guy is good... Annoyingly good!

Aether: "He's a slimeball. But he's also difficult to argue against..."

Kamisato Ayato: Funny, I'm suddenly reminded of an anecdote I'd like to share with you. There's not been a dull moment since I took up my post in the Yashiro Commission. Every day, I've been exposed to new and fascinating things. *walks up to him* For instance, a merchant from abroad once told me about a curious kind of bird with the most extraordinarily long tongue. So long, in fact, that you can tie two knots in the portion of it that extends out of its beak. I'm sure someone as erudite as yourself should be able to guess what people do with these unusual avians?

Y/n: "Wait, those types of birds exist? Fascinating.... Wait, stay focused, Y/n!!!"

Matsuura: Uh... keep them as pets?

Kamisato Ayato: *walks away from him* Haha, you'd think, wouldn't you? But there's a catch. You see, this bird is of no use to humans whatsoever, and certainly doesn't make a suitable pet. If you catch one, the best thing you can do is actually cut its tongue off and throw it out of the window. The reason they give is this: "The longest tongue has the most to say, but don't be deceived as it chirps away... lest the song it sings lead you astray."

Matsuura: You...! I say, Yashiro Commissioner, are you here simply to mock the Kanjou Commission?

Kamisato Ayato: Far from it. In my mind, the Kanjou Commission is made up of honorable individuals, upright and forthright, conscientious, and loyal. It is unbecoming of such people to resort to lies, deception, and filibustering all as part of a plan to remove Lady Hiiragi from her position in the Kanjou Commission.

Matsuura: Yashiro Commissioner, please don't make accusations without any evidence.

Kamisato Ayato: *turns to face him* The evidence is standing right in front of me, is it not? I have a credible witness who can confirm you were quick to try and make him disappear as soon as he said something that you did not like. *shook his head* Dear me, I can't believe the grand Matsuura Clan is now represented by someone with less of a sense of loyalty than even an ordinary servant. You studied hard and took a government position, only to make it to where you are now just to play these petty power games behind the scenes... I'm not sure whether it's because you're smart enough to play the system or too foolish to know any better? In your years of service to the Shogun, not only have you managed to glean nothing good from the people around you, you have also let yourself be blinded by self-interest... And now you have ruined your once-bright future. I'm not angry, Mr Matsuura... I just feel sorry for you.

Matsuura: ...Hahaha! Is that right? Then tell me, if you're so bright, what exactly do you think you can do to me!? This is at most a Kanjou Commission issue. We'll handle this amongst ourselves. You are reaching rather outside of your bounds, Yashiro Commissioner, if you seek to involve yourself in other clans' affairs... Might I be so bold, then, as to question your motives in doing so? I think you are simply opposed to an alliance between the Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission because the new balance of power in the Tri-Commission would be a threat to you personally. So you come here with an elaborate excuse to try and break up this marriage!

Kamisato Ayato: Hm. So, that's how you view it. Well, I have to admit, you clearly are far more talented than I at monitoring the power balance within the Tri-Commission.

Matsuura: Let me be crystal clear. This wedding is going to happen, and nothing is going to change that. The notices have already been sent out. All of Inazuma City knows about it now! Most of the public weren't aware that Kujou Kamaji and Hiiragi Chisato were courting, but you can bet it's all anybody's talking about now. Once the notices go out, that's it! The wedding is a sure thing, even if it hasn't happened just yet!

Kamisato Ayato: Hm. I see. It seems like I was wrong.

Matsuura: Hah! So suddenly we see eye to eye?

Kamisato Ayato: I had expected you to at least be smarter than most. But it seems that I was gravely mistaken.

Matsuura: Kamisato Ayato! You...! How dare you!

Kamisato Ayato: You've made your move. Now, I suppose it's time I made mine.

Matsuura: ...What do you mean?

Kamisato Ayato: Do you seriously think this marriage will bring the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission together? Isn't it at all possible that the Kanjou Commission becomes marginalized as a consequence of this union?

Matsuura: ...Hmm?

Kamisato Ayato: Goodness me. Well, I've learned a great deal from talking to you. That will be all for now. If you would excuse me, I shall take my leave.

After leaving

Paimon: Hey, hey! What was all that? Paimon didn't follow at all!

Kamisato Ayato: They had their scheme, but fortunately, I was prepared. As I said, they ended up coming out from the shadows and revealing themselves. Let's see how things are in Inazuma City. Then I'll take you through the details of my plan. But first, we need to immediately take Y/n to Tenkubashi Clinic to see if the owner is willing to help heal her wound.

Y/n: I'm fine, I'll just apply pressure on the wound, and that's it. I don't want to bother anyone because of this.

Aether: It's not fine. Let's just do what Ayato says and no 'buts' Y/n.

Yuzu: Hmm, look at this... The daughter of the Kanjou Commission's Hiiragi Clan and the master of the Tenryou Commission's Kujou Clan are getting married.

Furuya Noboru: Hehe... Sounds like an all-around perfect match, don't you think?

Yuzu: For sure. I'm just surprised, it seems very sudden. I hadn't heard a single word about it until now.

Furuya Noboru: Good luck to them, I say. I'm sure it must have been a hard decision.

Paimon: Looks like the wedding is definitely going ahead.

Kamisato Ayato: It's still too early to make that conclusion. Our adversary wants to push this marriage past the point of no return. However, we can still beat them at their own game. But only if Kujou Kamaji is willing to help us.

Kujou Kamaji: Welcome. I just heard that the news of my wedding has been officially announced. It seems so sudden... I wasn't ready yet.

Paimon: Yeah, about that... It's kinda complicated...

Aether briefly explains the situation to Kujou Kamaji...

Kujou Kamaji: I see... So someone's trying to take advantage of our marriage...

Kamisato Ayato: If you proceed with the wedding, the repercussions for you are likely to be minimal. But we must take Lady Hiiragi's situation into consideration.

Kujou Kamaji: I've previously considered this possibility. But in the end, we are getting married for true love, and I've promised to her that I'll do everything in my power to protect her.

Kamisato Ayato: I understand where you're coming from, but to be frank, she should not need your protection. Or to put it another way, you have tacitly admitted that Lady Hiiragi will need your help to get through the hard times ahead, which perhaps suggests that, deep down, you realize all she stands to lose.

Kujou Kamaji: I...

Kamisato Ayato: I don't mean to criticize you. It is natural to want to protect our loved ones. You're an intelligent and gentle person, and I'm sure you would have been able to think about this more objectively were you not so emotionally involved in the situation. I'm sure you admire Lady Hiiragi for being the independent, gentle, resilient, and strong-willed person she is. For the sake of marrying you, this wonderful woman will become someone who has to depend on you for the rest of her life. Are you really okay with that?

Kujou Kamaji: ... I love her with all my heart and would do anything to make her happy......That's why I can't abide to see her suffer or be manipulated by other people. Yashiro Commissioner, you're right... It was naive and selfish of me to take things this far. But it's too late now, isn't it? There are notices everywhere...

Kamisato Ayato: I have a plan. But... it needs a villain. Sir Kujou, in order for my plan to work, you and I must both play the role of antagonists. But it is not without its risks. Are you willing to help?

Kujou Kamaji: If there's a way to salvage this, then let's hear it.

Kamisato Ayato: I've told the people at the Kanjou Commission that the marriage isn't going to unify the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission. On the contrary, it's a terrible idea that will marginalize the Kanjou Commission. The context for this is that they are planning to use this marriage to bring down the Hiiragi Clan, and the key to their success is coming up against no resistance to the marriage from the Tenryou Commission. But what if we were to imagine for a moment that since the affairs of the Vision Hunt Decree, the Tenryou Commission has been planning to make a move against the weakened Kanjou Commission... The only reason you have been hesitant to act since taking over the Tenryou Commission is because you care about Lady Hiiragi's feelings. And so, your plan is to liaise with the Yashiro Commission to marry her and bring her out of the Kanjou Commission as soon as possible. Once that is achieved, as the person in charge of the Tenryou Commission, you no longer have any reason to hesitate.

Kujou Kamaji: I see! This is an ingenious plan, and it takes advantage of the situation perfectly...

Y/n: This will make Hiiragi Chisato indispensable.

Kamisato Ayato: Exactly. Our purpose is to change Lady Hiiragi's position from an unnecessary burden to an indispensable asset. By doing so, we can even strengthen her position in the Kanjou Commission. Once our adversaries realize how the network of connections behind the scenes really looks, they'll do their utmost to stop this wedding from happening. Then, we simply leave them to clear up the mess they've created.

Kujou Kamaji: Got it.

Paimon: Ugh... So the network of connections... Ah, this is all way too complicated for Paimon! Can you just tell us what you need us to do?

Kamisato Ayato: We have to make sure that the behind-the-scenes story comes to the attention of our dear friends in the Kanjou Commission. Matsuura, with whom I spoke earlier, will now be fearing the worst. No doubt he'll be on the lookout for the first sign of a crisis. In that case, he will almost certainly have placed informants throughout Inazuma City. What we need to do is to use these informants as a breeding ground for our fake intel. Sir Kujou, there are certain things that I need you to attend to personally.

Kamisato Ayato explains the details of his plan to Kujou Kamaji. A while later...

Kamisato Ayato: It's almost time. My ninja has located one of the informants. Let's go and see if he'll take the bait.

Kamisato Ayato: That person is one of Matsuura's informants. Let's follow him. Be careful not to get seen.

Upon hiding from the informants' sight, they listened in on the conversations that were occurring.

Hashimoto: Did you see that? Sir Kujou Kamaji just came past here with a huge group of people.

Nagase: Could it be related to the wedding announcement?

Hashimoto: Maybe... but from the look on his face, it seems like something much more serious. He and his men seem pretty intense at the moment. Isn't it all a bit excessive for a wedding?

Yamaue: The Tenryou Commission has sent a load of people to Ritou. I guess it must have something to do with the wedding. I think in all, there must have been about a hundred people so far.

Tokunaga: That doesn't sound good. What could be going on? Ah, I hope it's just Sir Kujou Kamaji being overcautious.

Y/n: *felt a cherry blossom petal land on her nose* Ah-

Kamisato Ayato: *quickly covered her nose*

Paimon: *took off the petal*

Y/n: "Thankfully, I didn't sneeze thanks to Ayato. This darn petal almost caused us to ruin our cover"

Hideo: The news is spreading fast, but it appears that Master's fears may be well-placed. There's no way they sent this many people just to escort the bride... I have to investigate.

Paimon: He ran off...

Kamisato Ayato: As expected. Let's follow him.

Y/n: Sorry for almost sneezing!!!

Paimon: Wow! It's like the whole Tenryou Commission is here!

Hideo: Excuse me, has something happened on this road? I'm a businessman passing through, and it's a little disconcerting to see this place so heavily guarded.

Okabayashi: Ah, please don't be alarmed. As I'm sure you've heard, the wedding of Sir Kujou Kamaji and Lady Hiiragi Chisato will take place any day now. Sir Kujou decided to send for Lady Hiiragi ahead of time and have her live in Inazuma City during the run-up to the wedding.

Hideo: I see...

Okabayashi: We are here to clear the way for Lady Hiiragi. Not just us, either. You'll see more Tenryou Commission members as you go further along. We're all here for the same duty.

Hideo: ...Isn't this a little excessive?

Okabayashi: Sir Kujou holds Lady Hiiragi in the highest regard and wants to treat her with the utmost respect from beginning to end.

Hideo: I understand... Sorry to disturb your work.

Hideo steps away from the Tenryou Commission guards

Hideo: Drat. It's exactly as Master feared. They say they're here to guard the road, but really, they're poised to attack if Master doesn't allow Lady Hiiragi to leave Ritou... Wait, no... If Lady Hiiragi does leave, they'll have all the more reason to strike... But we're in no state to defend against a Tenryou Commission attack! I must tell Master right away! *runs off*

Paimon: He ran off again...

Aether: Now he realizes how serious this situation is.

Kamisato Ayato: That should do it. The seeds have been sown. In this atmosphere, mounting suspicion will nurture fear among the Kanjou Commission. Now, we wait patiently for it to grow and ferment. The calm before the storm is always the part that unsettles people the most.

Paimon: Are they really gonna own up and apologize, just like that?

Kamisato Ayato: If you're curious to find out, you can visit the Hiiragi Clan in Ritou in a couple of days. I have some other business to attend to. So I won't be spending any more time on this situation. In any case, we've made our move. It's only a matter of time before they give up and surrender.

Y/n: *felt another petal on her nose and sneezed* Why are you so confident?

Kamisato Ayato: "Cute." This is not my first time. Well, then. Goodbye for now. I truly hope that things will work out in Hiiragi Chisato's best interests. *leaves*

Paimon: He left kind of abruptly... Are things really gonna turn out like he predicted?

Y/n: I'm still a little worried about Hiiragi Chisato.

Paimon: Paimon, too! Well, let's go to Ritou again in two days!

Moments before checking the current situation at the city Bulletin Board and heading to the Tenryou Commission(Warning: cusrisng):

At Tenkubashi Clinic

Kamisato Ayato: Yomi-kun~

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: *annoyed* ...What the fuck do you want?

Kamisato Ayato: Come now, don't treat your cousin that way, anyways I need you to help with treating her wound *points at Y/n*

Y/n: *has blood coming out her mouth* Hi Tsukuyomi.

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: I'm not going to even ask.

After Tsukuyomi bandaged Y/n's wound.

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: That should do it. Just don't do any brash movements or fighting in your case.

Kamisato Ayato: Thank you, Yomi-kun~ *patting his head*

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: Get your damn gloved hand off me.

#yandere aether x reader #Yandere kamisato ayato x reader #aikawa tsukuyomi #yanderegenshinimpact

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socratically · 1 year ago

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You Should Get Familiar With Filial Responsibility Laws

The state could force you to pay for your parents medical debts.

By Stewie Stewart

Hey Socratically Readers! Longtime no see. Apologies for the gap in posts for a bit there; back-to-back colds and then the flu really knocks you down a peg. Before we begin consider subscribing to this blog or my official newsletter Socratically.net. Now, let’s dive into one terrifying prospect—Being forced to financially support your parents by the State.

It was recently reported that “Baby boomers are becoming homeless at a rate ‘not seen since the Great Depression’“. While a tragic prospect of an increasing homeless population even above our predicted rates, it also raises another warning for the families of that generation—specifically Gen X and Millenials. You might soon have to bear responsibility for those aging parents due to Filial Responsibility Laws. Filial Responsibility Laws are laws designed to impose legal obligations on adult children to take care of their parents’ basic needs and medical care.

Currently, these laws have remained somewhat dormant for the last couple of decades thanks to advancements in welfare and healthcare accessibility. The only states with relatively active use of these laws are Pennsylvania, which has one of the oldest and most broad Filial laws, and South Dakota.

As those programs continue to be underfunded or, in the case of most Republican budget proposals, outright removed, you will start to see these forgotten laws start to pick up more steam as state governments aren’t able to pick up the tab on the growing financial needs of the aging population—and instead force you to pony up for your parent’s debts.

Stewie, I think you are being an alarmist!

Do you think so? I thought so too, so let’s do a thought exercise; imagine that you, like many of the current Millennials and Gen-Zers, have cut the proverbial cord on your parents. No contact, low contact, however you might classify it, your relationship with one or both of your parents is strained—a not uncommon phenomenon amongst the current generations.

In the United States, roughly 1 in 4 adults are estranged from their parents, up from the 7% estranged from their mothers and 22% estranged from their fathers, as reported in a study performed in 1997. This rift is caused for a variety of reasons;

Childhood Abuse

Sexual Abuse

Difference in Values

Lack of Support

This growing trend of separation is all part of the effort to break down the compulsory inherent loyalty to your parents for the simple act of birthing you or raising you. It is an obligation mandated to them by law and something expected societally, so to expect an eternal reward with no consequences for bad behavior is a form of entitlement to an extreme degree.

Now imagine those aging parents falling on hard times, even becoming homeless, turning to the state for financial and medical support, and the state instead turns to you. Suddenly, you are burdened with their medical care costs, housing costs, and general financial responsibility. Maybe if you are lucky enough not to make enough money, the state won’t be able to foist this on you, but if you were able to somehow carve out a successful life for yourself? Well, strap in because you are now fully responsible for your aging parents’ increasingly expensive care—and the state will ensure you pay for that care.

Look A Court Case Proving My Point…

In 2012, a case was brought to the Pennsylvania Superior Court: Health Care & Retirement Corporation vs. Pittas. In this case, the court held that John Pittas was liable for his mother’s nursing home bill totaling $93,000. John’s mother had left the country along with other members of his family to return to Greece, leaving behind the aforementioned bill at her former Nursing home. John, being the only remaining family member in the US, was then sued by the Nursing Homes parent company. The Superior Court held that the son had sufficient financial ability to support his mother, and Pennsylvania’s filial support statute does not require other possible sources of income to be considered before proceeding against one of the relatives listed in the statute. Lastly, the evidence presented was sufficient to support a finding that the mother was, in fact, indigent.

John Pittas’ mother entered a nursing home for rehabilitation following a car crash. Upon recovery, she left the nursing home and moved to Greece with her husband and adult daughters, and a large portion of her nursing home bills went unpaid. As a result, the nursing home instituted a filial support action against Mr. Pittas, the only child still living in the United States, for nearly $93,000, under Pennsylvania’s filial support law.

While John initially prevailed before a panel of arbitrators, the nursing home appealed, and the trial court ruled in favor of the nursing home. John appealed the decision to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, arguing that the trial court improperly placed the burden upon him to prove his inability to financially support his mother. The nursing home presented four years of John Pittas’ individual and “S” corporation joint tax returns and bank account statements. The nursing home also elicited testimony from John that his net income was in excess of $85,000 (recall, this was decided in 2012). John testified that he could not financially support his mother because of other bills, but he failed to substantiate those other bills. Ultimately, the trial court found his testimony lacked credibility and that he had the financial ability to support his mother.3

The second issue raised on appeal was whether the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to consider alternative sources of income available to John’s mother before finding John liable to the nursing home. 4According to John, before finding him liable, the trial court was obligated to consider other income sources, such as his mother's husband, her two other grown children, and her application for medical assistance that was pending (on appeal) at the time. The Superior Court held that “the filial support statute does not require a trial court to consider other sources of income or to stay its determination pending the resolution of a claim for Medicaid.”5 The nursing home had the ability to choose which family members to pursue for the outstanding debt. The court concluded that if John wanted other family members to share in the burden, he should have brought them into the case as third-party defendants.6

The final issue raised on appeal by John claimed the nursing home presented insufficient evidence for the trial court to find the mother “indigent.” The statute is silent as to the definition of indigent, so the Superior Court applied the common law definition. The court found the meaning of indigent “includes, but is not limited to, those who are completely destitute and helpless. It also encompasses those persons who have some limited means, but whose means are not sufficient to adequately provide for their maintenance and support.”7 The nursing home argued that the mother’s bank statement established the amount of social security income received and her share of her husband’s Veteran’s Administration benefit. This showed that the mother’s income was limited to $1,000 a month, an insufficient amount to provide for her maintenance and support, according to the court. John argued that the nursing home needed to present more evidence of his mother’s indigence, but he failed to establish that any such evidence existed. Therefore, the Superior Court held that the mother was indigent and her son was liable for her nursing home bills.8

While this is just one case in a state with a much broader application, let’s look at how those laws are applied in states like New Hampshire, Vermont, or Louisana.

New Hampshire’s Filial Laws are also kind of crazy.

Within New Hampshire, you may be subject to NH Statute 167:2—This statute dictates that your parents or even step-parents, permitting that step-parent provided care for you while you were under 18, could cause one of these Filial Responsibility Laws to go into effect permitting “weekly income or other resources are more than sufficient to provide a reasonable subsistence compatible with decency and health.”

The definition of “more than sufficient” is not defined at all, meaning it would be up to you, as a defendant, to provide a compelling argument to the court that you could not feasibly afford to bear financial responsibility for your parents. Refusal to pay could result in 60 to 90 days of prison as well as a requirement to pay the assistance that is being refused.

How about Vermont? Worse you say?

Vermont state statute 15 V.S.A. § 202 states that when an individual is found to have deserted or refused to support a relative in need, including spouses and adult children. An adult child who unreasonably neglects a parent in need could be imprisoned for up to two years and/or fined up to $300.00.

This law does have a silver lining in its ability to protect Spouses and Children who are unceremoniously abandoned by their parent/partner if they are being left without providing support or leaving them destitute. So that’s something, I guess.

Okay, but that’s got to be the worst one, right? Louisiana too? ALIMONY??

Louisiana might just be the worst one because it isn’t defined based on poverty but rather treats your parents and grandparents with the same responsibility as divorcees, requiring you to pay alimony.

Louisiana LA Rev Stat § 13:4731 “Alimony for support from children or grandchildren” provides that an individual in need may seek alimony from children or grandchildren, enforceable by the law. Further, both parents and adult children have the responsibility to provide financial support for basic life necessities if they are proven to have sufficient income.

Just more laws to keep you perpetually under the thumb of the generations that came before you.

I believe what bothers me the most about this is the prospect that even as adults with our own agency, we are being forced to clean up for the mistakes of our parents while they get to throw us away the second we turn 18. Most state statutes do not require a parent to provide substantial care for a child after they turn 18. Now granted, some of these states’ Filial laws do work in reverse, requiring parents to provide support for their children if they are deemed incapable of providing it for themselves—but the case for proving that is far more difficult than for your parents to require you to provide support.

I am not saying that these people do not deserve care or support; they absolutely do. But many of these laws are not written in compassion for the family, but rather to bolster the State’s ability to wave away responsibility for its residents and instead make it your problem. Why is it that we are required to pay so much in income taxes to these social welfare programs, and yet when push comes to shove, it would still fall on us to substitute the State’s responsibility for its citizens? Sure, Republicans want to remove these social welfare programs completely, but that doesn’t solve the issue at hand; it would only strengthen the State’s need to force the financial burden onto the children. If anything, we need further funding for these Social Welfare programs and an overhaul of the national budget. We don’t need to increase taxes to support our citizens; we just need to cut a sliver off of our military budget and shift it towards caring for our citizens. You can surely make the asinine argument that the military needs every dollar to keep us safe. But the Defense Department can’t even keep track of the money we give them; why would we not try to force them to act a little more frugally? National Security? We have the largest defense budget of any nation in the world by a magnitude of multiples. Surely, a reduction by even a small percent to our 1.6 trillion dollar defense budget would not cause any undo risk to our nation's security. In fact, strategists see little to no trade-off between defense spending and economic growth. Other strategists argue that the current level of U.S. defense spending is not necessary for U.S. security and is unsustainable in the context of a public health emergency, aging infrastructure, and growing public debt.

Thanks for reading. Consider sharing this post with anyone you may think will be affected by these laws. And consider subscribing to my official newsletter Socratically.net

#long post #long reads #substack #newsletter #filial responsibility laws #sure whatever take my money mom I mean government #children of abuse #children of narcissists #state law #state laws #bad laws

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dandydemidoesfandoms · 2 years ago

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Between Us Pontification - Episode 10

Ok, ya girl has had a little bit of time to sleep and rewatch Episode 10.

(Am I still miffed, yes. To the ends of the earth.) And here are my thoughts...there are a lot.

However, I think it's important (and other tumblrs have likened to this already) to keep in mind that our beautiful idiots, so full of love that they throw at others, leaving nothing for themselves, do not know how to ask for what they need; What they want and also believe that they deserve it.

Team is dealing with basically a decade of untreated survival guilt and in some ways is afraid that his love for Win is a projection simply because Win is good to him and makes him feel wanted, precious, and loved. Especially when his Aunt still grieves (and also needs some damn therapy) and probably has made way too many comments about what could have been her son's life. Team is living for two people, not even content to do it, but as a kind of forced repentance for something we all know is not his fault. And his self-loathing is manifesting as insecurity, low esteem when it comes to worth, and pushing Win away to stop himself from loving any harder, deeper, or truly in fear of loss and disappointment. But with Win, he needs certainty, clearest of day level clarity of how their relationship is defined.

And then there is Win. Sweet little competent middle child king. As someone who is also the 2nd sibling, I am painfully aware of how much pressure, expectations, and loneliness is wrapped up in it. How the only way to remain sane is to be useful and self-sufficient. Wiew is baby but a fiercely loyal one (as he should be, I love that precious nugget), and Waan is crumbling under the suffocating role he is being forced to play by his crappy workaholic father who has lost the plot in more ways than one. He needs to give that man a raise and a 3-week long vacation (with Tul there to just smile at him and play video games) and stop yelling so damn much. These three need a hug, a nap, and a break. But I digress.

Back to Win, he is a giver. Hyperindividualism manifested as the kind mediator, the soft but strong protector. He sends out all the love he never gets to keep for himself and doesn't expect anyone to stick around. He has crafted this self-fulfilling prophecy and doesn't hold tightly to anyone. Waan has even mentioned to him that his kindness could turn into something that hurts him and the ones we love, which is what we end up seeing in Episode 10. Because with Win, what he needs is someone who looks at him and tells him that he is loved not for what he provides but for just being him. Someone who wants to refill the empty cup he has been pouring from.

This is a story about reciprocation and fear of abandonment. A song of isolation and anxiety.

The confession scene for many of us was not what we wanted because we have the sweetness in UWMA that we know is on the horizon. Death by a thousand cuts, is what we are getting. But the point of Between Us is to show the complete road of how our boys with horny hearts of gold go from being in two very different types of emotional exile to a supportive and loving relationship. And I would be remiss if I didn't remind myself and others that this is their FIRST serious relationship. These boys have little to no previous experience with big feelings and taking that leap and hoping the one they love is jumping with them and simultaneously catching them at the same time.

Its a terrifying and heartwrenching saga to go through in the best of scenarios and there is so much hurt, unsureness, and need to be wrapped up and it can be scary if you are waiting for the other shoe to drop while, in tandem, praying for it not to. And in a way, both Win and Team need this kind of tension and to be forced to make solid steps forward.

Unfortunately, Win must have a moment of fear, of being confronted by the consequences of the cavalier nature he has curated. His coolness, the aloof cat-like humility that makes him so darn unattainable. He has to be vulnerable instead of hesitating and testing the waters again. He must cannonball into the depth. And Team, in direct parallel and in some ways opposition, must learn to accept that he is loved and is worthy of love. To not be afraid of being too much, of burdening someone he finds important with his affection, of handing over his feelings and feeling the reciprocation. He must trust that someone swimming with him isn't going to end in pain and loss again.

And that brings us to the emotional rollercoaster at the end of Episode 10. This is called the Black Moment or the Defining Moment when we look literarily at this story arc. Internal conflict must be confronted and we all must accept that we are gonna get a whole lot of big feelings in the last two episodes.

Have faith, intrepid travelers, and keep your arms and feet inside the vehicle at all times.

#between us #between us ep10 #between us spoilers #win x team #dandy demi rambles #what i do with my degree in creative writing and philosophy

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damir24exp · 5 months ago

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Global Anti-Cultism: BREAKING DOWN The Stages of Preparation for the ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP

The CULT of Trump

The world is shaken by what is happening in America. The country, built on ideals of freedom and democracy, is under threat from a hidden but extremely dangerous force – Global Anti-Cultism.

The documentary film "The IMPACT | Groundbreaking Documentary - EXPOSING ANTI-CULT TERRORISM" actfiles.org reveals a terrifying truth: global anti-cultists, masking themselves as cult fighters, are actually a terrorist organization, launching a wave of violence and intimidation.

Their methods are sophisticated, cunning, and the consequences are catastrophic.

A striking example is the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Long before the attempt itself, the anti-cultists launched a targeted information attack aimed at creating a negative image of Trump and sowing hatred towards him.

Stages of the assassination preparation:

1. Information Terrorism:

- The term "Trump cult" appeared in the media, with which the anti-cultists tried to portray Trump as the leader of a destructive cult.

- Using the method of "stigmatization," they deliberately distorted reality, attributing characteristics of sects and cults to Trump (inflexibility, lack of critical thinking, worship of the leader).

2. Manipulation of public opinion:

- Anti-cultists used information insertions in news programs, articles, and films aimed at forming a negative image of Trump.

- Another "instrument" of this attack was the book "The Cult of Trump" by Steven Hassan, where he compared Trump to people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon, arguing that the presidency is much like a destructive cult.

- In the film "The IMPACT | Groundbreaking Documentary - EXPOSING ANTI-CULT TERRORISM" there is a quote: "Hassan stated that any American who supports Donald Trump is a member of the 'cult', therefore, they are not free in their views, they are not independent individuals, but rather people who need 'intervention', as Hassan says, or, in other words, they should be forced to change their beliefs."

3. Pushing towards violence:

- Global Anti-Cultists used their resources to convince the public that Trump is a threat to America and that he needs to be "stopped."

What is the danger of global anti-cultism:

Global Anti-Cultism is a form of terrorism that uses information warfare and manipulation methods to achieve a totalitarian digital concentration camp on the planet.

Anti-cultists use disinformation, violence, and intimidation to achieve their goals.

It is important to understand that each of us can become a victim of anti-cultists.

They are not limited to attacks on politicians. Their victims can be EVERY PERSON.

Are intelligence agencies sufficiently prepared to counter terrorist attacks by global anti-cultists?

The IMPACT documentary highlights the lack of intelligence agency preparedness for this type of terrorism. Anti-cultists operate in the shadows, using methods that are difficult to recognize and counter.

Read more about how the Method of Puzzle Piece Coding used by anti-cultists works in my previous articles:

We must be vigilant! Anti-cultism is a real threat to our freedom and security.

Every individual can and should spread information about the actions of global anti-cultists to warn people and prevent them from becoming victims of this dangerous organization.

That's why I urge you to share this information as widely as possible and be sure to support the article with likes, reposts, comments, and thunderous applause!

#globalanticultism #AntiCult #Impact #Democracy #HumanRights #Disinformation #FreedomOfSpeech #Trump #Justice

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mikaychan · 8 months ago

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The parasitic effect of America's domination of English-speaking media has had sociopolitical consequences so completely and utterly severe that they are causing wars, fueling hatred and mercilessly murdering intellectualism and critical thought. The infection has been metastasised in every society in every country due to the globalisation of economy/trade and of media and its techniques. Though most acknowledge the toxicity of radio, TV and social media, the extent of this cancer is not taken seriously enough.

The madness in this world will not settle, even in the presence of progress. Delusion and ignorance will continue to get worse and worse and worse. Take note that modern conspiracy theories can almost always be tracked down to an English language source. No one is immune. Even the most self-aware and analytical people can't resist the perfection of modern outrage. People should be a hell of a lot more terrified by this pattern than they are given they are of direct consequence to them. Entire political movements have been formed in response to the unending avalanche of social media nonsense.

What we have is an entitlement era borne out of an entitlement media controlled almost entirely by an entitlement society. If you think you've put sufficient thought into your ideas, that is a dangerous sign. We should never stop thinking and we should never stop questioning.

Curiosity and zest has been completely replaced by an industry built entirely on the effectiveness of convincing people that they're right as a means of engagement with this lucrative avalanche. This avalanche is symbiotic with modern capitalism. We are in too deep.

Not only will the violence and sickness continue, it will get worse and it will never stop. Today, we will watch the rise of fascism from the ashes. Tomorrow, we will watch faux-independence rise from the ashes and replace it again and vice versa, forever.

Revolution is no longer possible. Eg., when the marginalised fight to be taken seriously, any chance of revolution is squashed by the anti-revolutionary nature of Hollywood. Special interest groups will provide guidance to the media as to how to refer to you, how to treat you, what you want, how you feel and the consequences of neglecting such. They will entertain it. You will begin to look like a lunatic and, in response, you will become a lunatic. The status quo will falsely and shallowly accept you before you have a chance to reasonably fight it. It will continue to hurt you in the process. You cannot and will not be allowed control nor agency.

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petsdogworld · 1 year ago

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Dogs are the most incredible creatures on the face of this planet having the genes for loyalty and sincerity and on top of it the best friends of the human beings. People tend to adopt them and pamper them like their babies. They nurture them, feed them and train them according to their lifestyle. Although people love dogs, they don’t like their certain habits like barking persistently, spoiling things in the house. Due to some unwanted habits of dogs, people happen to use a training technique called Shock Collars. Shock collars are for controlling the pet peeves of your pets including littering anywhere, yapping etc. But the main question all pet owners ask is " Can Shock Collars Cause Brain Damage ". Shock collars can train your dog but it can give severe effects on your dog. As it is pertaining to electric shocks. Just imagine getting electric shocks, isn’t imagining give you goosebumps? Then how an innocent creature can bear without getting harmed. You should know how imperious it is to be congenial with the speechless animals. Why the dog keepers use Shock Collars? Shock Collars are used on purpose and we cannot complete deny the fact that shock collars are culprits of dogs. These have some benefits as well but that are of least significance because of the cons. The disadvantages dominates as it becomes a matter of health for dogs so shock collars are regarded as ruthless tool. However, let’s have a look that why the keepers use this : Intensity Can Be Adjusted The majority of current shock collars include a warning beep or vibration mode and customizable shock levels. This can be reassuring for individuals who are debating whether to use a shock collar. Other collars, such as spray collars that deliver a harmless but foul-smelling blast up the muzzle of a dog, are typically not adjustable. Rapid Results According to several pet owners, its only required a few shocks to correct an unpleasant behaviour in their dog, and the beep or vibration served as sufficient warning after that (for us, we never even needed the shock at all). Shock collars can also be extremely successful at keeping your dog on your property, which keeps them safe while allowing them to roam freely. Naturally, more stubborn canines may require more time to teach. Also Read : Should My Dog Wear A Collar All The Time ? Problems related to Shock Collars Due to use of this external device , it has negative impact on dog. Some effects are apparent physically while others are impacting mentally. We will further elaborate on this as under: Horror and Resentment Shock collars are a nightmare for the dogs as they cause them pain. Due to the shocks the dog can start fearing its owner. It is because when the shock is given, dog often sees the owner in the vicinity, due to which, it associates the shock with the owner presence and thus may feel terrified and run from the shock treatment. Misuse of the shock color or untimely shocks can also induce the feeling of fright and resentment in the dogs which may lead to panic attacks. Aggressive Behavior Shock color can do more harm than good because of its ability to trigger panic attacks in dogs. They can consider shock collars as stressor and as a result dogs experience anxiety and stress. Consequently, the stress leads to aggression and bellicosity. He will start showing aggressive behavior towards the master, fellow dogs or may lose temper in the public. So, in this way shock collars instead of controlling the bad behavior can induce it more. Negative Reinforcement According to psychology, negative reinforcements are given as punishments for any mistake. But dogs don’t do any mistake. There are several ways based on positive reinforcements which can change the behavior of the dogs and they may stop barking. Shock collars being a negative reinforcements cause pain, gives stress and anxiety, induce aggression, fear and dismay. They also start fearing their owners,

all these points depict that in case of dogs, shock collars as negative reinforcements don’t work at all. Cause Pain Chastening the dogs with aversive stimulus will hurt them. It is often justified as shocks are mild and given for short interval but they are painful and aching. Although, the extent of pain cannot be determined, the dogs do suffer due to shocks. It was also even observed that, some people give them shocks at such high levels. For example a person use to give shocks by tronics classic 70 and the level of the shocks were sustained at number 6. This is just for self-satisfaction and in common words it is labelled as cruelty and insensitivity. Injury Besides torturing the dog mentally, by inciting fear and giving them stress, shock collars are physically abusing as well for the dogs. The shock collars are designed in such a way that they are damaging for neck. When the shock collars remain present on the neck for long time it can cause injury in the area. And sometimes, the injury becomes infectious and can spread toxicity in the neck region. Shock collars, as well as pinch collars, are bad for the dogs and can cause serious harms both physically and psychologically. It can damage the trachea, whiplash and spinal cords problems, all are associated with these pathetic collars. Questions pet owners always ask : Can Shock Collars Cause Brain Damage? Shock collars are a cause of great pain for the dogs giving them serious tension. Although shocks are not good but there is no study found that shock collars cause brain damage. However, shock collars in the long term can become one of the causes of the brain damage but no direct effect is found till now. Are shock collars able to cause seizure to dogs? Shocks are meant to change the temperament of the dogs and thus to change the natural behavior like barking. These changes can also change the internal system of the dogs. Due to shocks, the respiration, breathing pattern and heartbeat can increase which may lead to stomach problems. Not endorsed by any scientific study, but it is seen that dogs suffer seizures when the shock collars are used for long time. What should be the time duration for shock collars? Shock collars are not meant to stay forever on the dogs’ as collars. You can use them on and off. It is suggested that you don’t keep the collar on the dog’s neck for more than 10 to 12 hours. Also, to avoid injury and infections, keep rotating the shock collar after every 2-3 hours. Are Vets in the favor of shock collars? Shock collars are designed for a good purpose and that is to keep the dog safe by changing the unwanted behavior. As per Vets, if the shocks are mild, then the shock collars can be used. But if the shocks are of great intensity, the shocks collars are not recommended. Instead of the shock collars, they prefer vibrating collars as they don’t cause any pain to the dogs. Must Read : Are Harnesses Bad For Dogs Conclusion Shock Collars are pain-inflicting devices for the dogs but when used the adequate amount of e-shocks, it is feasible to use the Shock collars. These don’t cause any brain damage directly, safe to use in that regard. So the answer to most pet owners question "Can Shock Collars Cause Brain Damage" is that it does not cause any brain damage according to experiences. https://petsdogworld.com/can-shock-collars-cause-brain-damage/?feed_id=429&_unique_id=64a1cb6737c92 #braindamagefromshockcollar

#Collar #braindamagefromshockcollar

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selenafreshfriendkidoaf · 2 years ago

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Tornado in Dream

The Motivation behind Dreams Your fantasies are where you can securely showcase all your oblivious longings or imagine bizarre situations, for example, having a teeth dropping out dream during the REM period of rest. In any case, dreaming has been found to be a physiological need.

Tornado in Dream

A concentrate by Dr. William C. Twist in 1960, denied the rest subjects of REM rest. The members' hunger expanded, they had an absence of engine practical dexterity, endured fantasies, and felt torpid and sad. The consequence of dream hardship on the human brain and body can make serious actual impacts.

The Meaning of Cyclones in Dreams Cyclones are solid, destroying, and show up absent much by way of caution. Life can resemble a twister on occasion. Conditions can neutralize you, harming your arrangements and causing serious commotion in your life. An oddball twister dream or repeating cyclone dreams could be an indication of looming difficulties inside private connections. Assuming you are dreaming about somebody and see a companion or family in the fantasy it very well may be an indication that you should be more open with them, all things considered. Try not to close yourself away while you're making some terrible memories, converse with them. Dreams about twisters alert you to compelling feelings inside yourself that you are disregarding or unmindful of.

A Numerous Cyclone DREAM COULD MEAN THERE IS MORE THAN ONE Testing Circumstance Drawing closer

Sentiments Related With Twister Dreams Stressed Frightened Furious Uncertain Confounded Alone Deserted Controlled Rage Different Cyclone Dream Implications Dreaming About a Major Cyclone/Numerous Twisters A numerous twister dream could mean there is more than one testing circumstance drawing nearer. You might feel as though life is coming at you from all points. Or on the other hand, one major twister could mean a colossal outside stressor. Assuming you're feeling tension in your cognizant existence it's essential to request help and not manage things alone.

Dreaming About a Cyclone Advance notice To dream of a looming thin twister is surprisingly normal. To dream of a cyclone advance notice could mean you're stressed over something that may not occur. Assuming you dream that you're preparing yourself for a twister in a protected spot, a cellar, or a tough structure. At the point when you dream twister drawing closer, you're more ready for any possibility than you give yourself credit for.

Dreaming About Being Trapped in a Vehicle During a Cyclone Being caught in trouble can be sufficiently baffling yet to fantasy about being caught in a vehicle during a cyclone is a genuine bad dream. Dreams about twisters and being caught in your vehicle could be an indication that you're managing what is happening throughout everyday life, you feel not well ready and terrified for your future. In the event that you're confronted with a serious important choice and uncertain of your best course of action, a twister dream can go along to make a splash. This is your reminder to settle on a choice and stick with it, you'll find a lot of help when you do.

Dreaming About Being Gotten by a Cyclone To fantasy about being maneuvered very high by a cyclone is one of the most ridiculously startling twister dreams you can have. There is no advance notice, no place of refuge, you face what is happening in your fantasy that you should deal with alone. On the off chance that you fantasy about being moved by a cyclone it could mean you're permitting what is going on in life to consume you or your character. Putting such a lot of importance on one part of your life could cause certain individuals to feel disregarded. Distinguish different aspects of your life that need some consideration, in doing as such, removing all your energy from the area of importance could be relieving the pressure burden in your cognizant existence.

Dreaming About Enduring a Twister A twister simply missing my home dream is an invigorating encounter. Feeling lucky to have stayed away from a calamity features parts of your life to be thankful for. A fantasy understanding cyclone endurance could show you're going to get some uplifting news, an advancement, moving to another city, another school course, new love, or new companions. Getting through a cyclone dream shows you have the stuff to make your fantasies a reality, despite everything, you can succeed.

Dreaming About Saving Somebody From a Cyclone Longing for saving somebody from a cyclone makes you a legend. Risking your life to save somebody you love can help you to remember what they mean to you. Dreams about cyclones and family remain forever inseparable in light of the fact that occasionally our day to day life can look like genuine twisters. Brimming with show, vulnerability, and harm. Consider what is at the foundation of nervousness in your cognizant existence and move toward family with care and thoughtfulness.

Dreaming About a Dull or Dark Cyclone A dark cyclone dream normally shows up while dreading what's to come. Assuming unsure times are causing you to feel discouraged, it could be an ideal opportunity to look for help and converse with those you love about how you're feeling. On the off chance that the cyclone is beautiful, blue, or dark, a friend or family member might move toward you first. Longing for a tempest and weighty downpour alongside a twister demonstrates a likely experience with a domineering jerk at work or a troublesome client.

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lightcreators · 3 months ago

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Oh, one name could combining everything concerning omen of danger surrounding tcircumstances and destiny threads of the Gods : Deimos. As an parental figure, and considering he remained sole player of entire game beyond associated concerned having an half-awareness upon his identity but remained stil ignorant about how much old habits could resonating and reflecting an honest truth ( though, notion of that illusion was something he needed to observing from distanced eyes, as that boy loved pretending falsery of emotions even in front of emotional realization about himself ), it was within his responsabilities to ensure the concerned deity wasn't meddling inside forbidden realm. Nevertheless, experience itself destroyed a long time naivety handled by that incarnation. Oldness maybe generated an common tiredness over humanity, and an twisted manner to flatter mortals with lies, gentleness of a heart had stayed pure enough to be the object of a silent, incomplete and never sufficient corruption from Nyx children. Circumstances of current Holy War --- in which he should care but don't anymore--- expressed slight change of position he took, in which Thanatos needs will not be answered, in which Hypnos manipulation will be perceived, and in which he would have to maintain an specific distance. Previously, an entity without realm could bother both without expecting higher complains coming from consequences, nevertheless, the brothers would disapproving natural casualness of an kid ! ❝ --- to get lost in illusions. ❞ It had been entire point of an chessboard in which his background position turned out physical at last resort. It remained the permanent threat around an reflective boy wishing to ascend to same dimension.

Overconfidence. Presupposed omniscience. The first one had been confirmed with Lelouch behavior, and in some manner, the second was an reminder about his dear brother never stopped causing chaos, and oh, a little thought for his niece too. Because Athena thought she could know everything and pretended knowing how handling circumstances for the best, though let her voice to other people to rule Saints, same concerned end up within his realm quickly ! Short accepteance of betrayal of an annoyance that never removed his brain was perceived across his smile, as he responded. ❝ This kid has many names, but he is known as the Witch of Illusions. ❞ He smirked. ❝ --- although even this title only hides an even deeper, even more terrifying title, an overpowering weapon that he uses constantly at leisure. ❞ Easily he could express name of Alois Trancy, but he didn't wanted summon him at the second … when no, he didn't wanted the kid watch over their conversation and meddle with Loki without his supervision ! ❝ Oh, believe me, tourment is an delicate term when he is around. He loves deeply torture people endlessly inside an personal cage. ❞ Reason why gates of Tartarus will remain eternally closed to him despite all his requests. He was dangerous enough without having knowledge of this place ! ❝ It's inevitable, god of trickery that you are, he will see a certain interest in meeting you, although my presence remains purely supportive .There are certain oppressions that remain anywhere, and he represents one of emotions that we provoke in mortals, beyond all illusory aspect that he uses as a playground. Someone has to represent the dread, right ? Eternal chills upon the body, hopelessness features, slight emotion of upper-hand --- it's that kid. ❞

　The truth was that Loki's motivations were driven by a thirst for power, entertainment, and sheer mischief. He had no regard for mortals or their struggles; they were mere pawns in his games and ambitions. Even other gods and deities were valuable only insofar as they served his purposes. His world revolved entirely around himself—a potential fatal flaw, yet one he would face head-on. He was intrigued to see where Hades might fall within this framework.

“What is it that you find so dangerous?” Loki inquires, his head tilting with a dangerous curiosity. What secrets might the other possess that @lightcreators does not? It remains unspoken, but he welcomes the opportunity to challenge his own causes, finding glory in such self-examination. “And who is this child you mention? Someone to vex and torment Thor?” His curiosity is piqued, and he admits, “You have certainly captured my interest.” ╱ continued.

#godstrayed #ic :: hades #( ♔ ) interconnected subplot #perfectionnism issue strike again but hades JUMPED ON ME #umineko spoilers /#long post /

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oswinsdolma · 3 years ago

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Proving all the Knights of the Round Table have magic part 3: Elyan

I've seen quite a few people headcanon Elyan with magic before, and it's definitely one of the more popular magic!knights hcs, so I apologise if I accidentally hijack anyone else's points xx

The most obvious indicator of this is the fact that Elyan leaves Camelot a year before Merlin arrives. This is about the same age Morgana's magic shows itself, so it would be natural to assume he left because he began showing signs of being a warlock, Camelot's laws being what they are.

It is also implied that Elyan left fairly abruptly, with Gwen having no idea where he went. He may have left in a hurry because somebody might have noticed him, and not told Gwen or Tom for fear of putting them in danger.

Perhaps in a darker note, he didn't say where he was going because he was ashamed of his magic and didn't think his family would accept him.

Gwen says that "[Elyan] always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time". Maybe accidents happen around him because he had trouble controlling his magic and found it increasingly difficult to cover for. This could be another indicator as to why he left.

Elyan didn't return to Camelot even for his father's funeral, and while he expresses his guilt, he doesn't give sufficient reason why: the reason? He may not be able to tell Gwen because he was still scared to return with magic.

When Gwen reveals her relationship with Arthur, Elyan is skeptical, and maybe even a little panicked. After all, would your sister falling in love with someone with the power to set you ablaze not be a terrifying concept to anyone with magic? But when Arthur comes to rescue them and proves himself to be slightly less of a prat than he may think, he tentatively agrees to return home, though I suspect this is mainly for Gwen's sake.

When the immortal army invades Camelot, Elyan manages to stay hidden and fight off some soldiers. Note that he is the only one of the group within Camelot with no Knights' training, which begs the question: how did he manage to escape? The answer could very well lie with magic.

Again, in The Darkest Hour, he is one of two knights that survived the meeting with Morgana. He is one of the more inexperienced knights as well, which suggests that he may have aided himself magically in the fight.

When faced with a seemingly unbeatable threat, Elyan says to Arthur: "tomorrow, we fight in your name, sure. For freedom and justice in this land." Now there is a lot to unpack here, but if we break it down, firstly there is the fact that Elyan places is emphasis on "your" when addressing Arthur. He has previously made a statement about the Pendragon crest, but in this moment, it seems that he cares more about Arthur than this. This is clearly indicative of the fierce bond between Arthur and the core knights, but it could be more than that: the emphasis of "your" is specific to Arthur, but perhaps more importantly, it is an exclusion of Uther. In his time, Arthur has made mistakes, but he has generally been more sympathetic towards magic than his father, and this may be Elyan's subtle way of acknowledging that.

In addition, the words: "for freedom and justice in this land" could just be in reference for Arthur's abilities as king, but this is a deep speech and one would assume it has a deeper meaning. Freedom and justice are two things that have not been afforded to those with magic for a long time. Uther's twisted "justice" involved executing anyone who disagreed with him and anyone who could be vaguely affiliated with sorcery. As for freedom, Arthur has created a fairer kingdom than his father, but magic users still live in fear. Combined with the earlier stress of "your", this is indicative that Elyan too believes that Arthur may one day come to bring peace to anyone who is born with magic.

This last point also has the implications that Elyan knows of the Once and Future King and surrounding prophecies. Though he is described as a troublemaker by Gwen before he comes to Camelot, he keeps his head relatively low upon arrival. Perhaps in the time he spent travelling, he sought help from magical communities, e.g. the druids, who helped him control his powers. This would also explain his vagueness about his whereabouts and lack of contact during the years he was missing.

I could go on about this quote but we'll leave it there for now.

Before he is overtaken by the power of the Lamia, Elyan is vocal in standing up for Merlin. This could be because he knows what it is like to be shunned by society. Magic could be a reason for that. (Also I fully believe that the only reason the Lamia didn't try and take over Merlin was because she was scared of the extent of his magic, not just because he had magic.)(and the merthur reasons when I'm in the mood)

Then Elyan falls sick, before the others begin to show symptoms. Maybe the Lamia sensed some magic and decided he was more trouble than he was worth.

Elyan was not raised by druids, and does not have the same powers as Merlin so wouldn't have sensed the power of the shrine, at least not too strongly. When he first sees the spirit though, he is genuinely sympathetic, even before the murderous intent takes hold.

In the Dark Tower, Elyan is consumed by his need to find Gwen, convinced that he is to blame for her capture. This could be survivor's guilt (and to an extent, probably is), but it is equally probable that Elyan believes that he should have used his magic to protect her.

Going off on a slight tangent here, the theme of "I have magic so it must have a purpose" within warlocks/sorcerers in the show is a) not a healthy mindset and b) uncomfortably common. Elyan may have latched onto the idea that he must use his magic to protect Gwen to convince himself to stay in Camelot, and with that conprmino, he began to fall apart. His behaviour is almost identical to Merlin's fervour regarding Arthur at this point, and it's fairly disturbing that these characters adopt this mindset that is Not Good For Their Mental Heath, Please Get Some Therapy.

Elyan dies. It's heartbreaking, and he does so trying to save his sister. But what is interesting is his funeral. When most main characters die, they are given a funeral in Camelot, e.g. Uther, Lancelot (the first time). But then Freya and Shade!Lanceot (and later Arthur) are set to rest in the Lake of Avalon. The difference between the two is that the lake funerals were arranged by Merlin, and those laid to rest there can somehow be affiliated with magic.

Now I'm not saying that Merlin knew about Elyan's magic, because sometimes he can be really not very perceptive about that (though it's always fun when fics cheerily toss that out the window because it's fun goddamnit-), but I don't believe he was entirely oblivious. Think about it: there are two of Arthur's closest friends canonically hiding magic from him and it's fairly probable that they'll pick up on Elyan's magic at some point. Even if it's just little things like his sympathies with magic or gentle arguments about the way mages are treated. There are so many avenues to explore with this it's overwhelming-

I also think Elyan may have picked up on Merlin's magic later in the series: the point of realisation was probably when Merlin rescued him during his time being possessed by the drowned druid boy, upon which he says: "you know, Merlin, you're much braver than you look." This is the first time Merlin has revealed his more BAMF side to Elyan, and in this moment, something unspoken passes between them. If not mutual understanding, it is at least Elyan realising what Merlin does beneath his carefree exterior, and despite the possession, I think he acquires a lot of new respect for his friend.

(also are we going to ignore that the lake funeral implies that it was arranged by Merlin. How close were they and what stuff did we miss out on behind the scenes for him to be trusted with this?? I need to know)

Elyan and Mordred have a friendship in series 5. If the earlier headcanon about Elyan learning to control his magic with druids is true, perhaps he may have recognised Mordred from his time there. They probably didn't acknowledge it much, but it created a bond between them.

And now for the mythological context!!

Of all the Knights of the Round Table, Elyan's backstory is perhaps the most estranged from the original legend (of course all of them are fairly disconnected *flashbacks to pope-gwaine* but Elyan's is w a c k y)

As a consequence, there is little to draw on for behind-the-scenes evidence of magic.

Elyan, or Helayn, was another Knight whose origins stem from France (the Vulgate Cycle, I think, though he could have surfaced earlier). He is said to have joined Lancelot in exile after his affair of 'courtly love' with Guinevere (go and look up this concept- it gets convoluted in the myths but is really interesting in terms of both origin and content). Anyway, his exile here could represent the time he spent out of Camelot before his appearance in s3, and relates to hiding from harsh laws, particularly if we regard Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship in the same way as we do in the Vulgate Cycle (basically keep the context with the appropriate work and it sort of makes sense)

I appreciate this seems a little like grasping at straws but that's literature I suppose ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

In the legends, Elyan is nephew to another of Arthur's knights, Sir Sagramore. This knight is less famous than some, but at one point, he embarks on a quest to find the fay. The fay are closely linked with the she, and perhaps also live on Avalon, somewhere mortals are only supposed to see moments before death. Perhaps Elyan can be associated with this magic?

In reality, there is little written of Elyan and no prose or poetry dedicated to him so it's quite hard to find stuff about him.

Also legend!Elyan is heir to the throne of Constantinople, which just goes to prove how widespread and deeply convoluted the mythos is.

#pope-adopted-gwaine and emperor-of-constantinople-elyan team up in an epic crack-y au lmao #honestly the idea of elyan having magic is so plausible but also so sad #he isolated himself and then lost the person he cared about and that's heartbreaking #won't stop the headcanoning though ✌️#bbc merlin #bbc elyan #sir elyan

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grewlikefancyflowers · 3 years ago

Note

Do you think Làns and Nies knew that Wen remnants in BM were civilians and also that Wens were tortured in the prison camps? Could LXC have saved the Wens if he looked into what WY said at the banquet about WN being used as a bait and found out for himself the truth the fact that they were innocent and not criminals who WY took away to Burial Mounds to make his sect(or was it building an army? I don’t remember)?

Both the Lans and the Nies were presented with pretty conflicting information regarding the situation with the Burial Mounds settlement. I do think the Nies and Lans fully believed (justified or not) that they were a genuine threat - they did not join the siege against on BM knowing that they were innocents.

As for the prison camp, I think everyone, including WWX was fully aware that the prisoners weren't exactly being treated well. Considering the setting, that is sort of how we expect prisoners to be treated, their fate was the consequences they faced after the war. This is not presented as a conflict in MDZS. So I think whether the Lans and Nies were aware or not the extent to which the all the Wen remnants suffered in the encampment is... sort of besides the point? The issue is that WN & his family should not have been there in the first place, regardless of how poorly they were treated.

Theoretically, if LXC had looked into the situation, he could have been able to use his influence to assure the rest of the cultivation world of their innocence, provided he managed to find some sort of evidence. The issue comes with how exactly he would go about doing that. WWX claimed at the banquet that they were innocent and wrongly imprisoned, JC alludes to this too, but under further questioning does not elaborate and instead supports the belief that WWX was wrong to act how he did. Where does LXC go from here? Does he even have a sufficient reason to believe WWX had good reason to save these particular Wens, when his sect leader isn't even supporting him? The next piece of knowledge the Lans and the Nies receive about WWX is the fight with JC and the 'he's declared himself an enemy' speech, giving them even less reason to believe WWX.

If LXC did investigate further, how would he find proof? The testimony of WWX and the Wens is already considered unreliable at this point. Despite WQ already having a reputation for not having killed anyone, and actually being a good person, that was not enough to give anyone reason to doubt.

Then there's the rumours that WWX was starting his own sect, which progressed into that he was building an army. There are two moments that I can recall that would give the outside world reason to believe this

'In less than three days, almost all of the cultivators learned a terrifying piece of news: Wei WuXian, the one who defected from the Jiang Sect and made his own home in Yiling, had created the the highest level of fierce corpse yet. It was incomparably fast, strong, fearless, and vicious. On top of that, its consciousness was preserved, able to win every night-hunt!' (Ch.75, exr)

^I think this one is relevant to LXC specifically. WN awoke at the same time as LWJ's visit. It's guesswork at this point but I think we can be fairly certain that LWJ would have assured, to the Lan sect at least, that the settlement on BM were just farming, WWX was not building a sect or forming an army. I also think it is likely that he might neglect to mention Wen Ning, because no matter how he framed it, that wouldn't look good. But rumours of Wen Ning quickly spread regardless. If we're putting ourselves in LXC's position, it probably comes across to him that LWJ is not a reliable witness to WWX, if LWJ were to assure him that there was nothing nefarious going on in BM yet days later LXC hears WWX has made a completely new type of conscious fierce corpse. I think this sets the foundation for LXC later disregarding whatever testimony LWJ provided that WWX and the Wens were not a threat.

The second thing that would give some degree of actual evidence to the rumours is this.

'One time, when Wei WuXian saw a long banner that said ‘all hail the supreme Lord of Evil Patriarch of YiLing’, a mouthful of fruit wine shot from his lips. He really couldn’t take it any longer. He went down the mountain, accepted with pleasure all of the tributes with which they ‘honored his most wise sage’, and began to use another mountain path from then on.' (Ch.75, exr)

...It's very easy to see how this would quickly grow out of hand once spread to the outside world.

So... no, even if he took the initiative to do so, I don't think LXC could have realistically done anything to save the Wens, the only way he could have done that would be to find some irrefutable proof, which he would not be able to.

#mdzs #somehow this turned into some sort of lxc defense post... i don't actually care about that guy!!

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mybg3notebook · 3 years ago

Text

Lore: Well-known Characters in Faerûn

Here I'm going to explain some interesting characters worth knowing in detail that some groups in the fandom keep saying are Gale's true identity.

Disclaimer Game Version: All these analyses were written up to the game version v4.1.104.3536 (Early access). As long as new content is added, and as long as I have free time for that, I will try to keep updating this information. Written in June 2021.

Additional disclaimers about meta-knowledge and interpretations in this (post)while disclaimers about Context and the popularisation and misuses of professional words in "Context, persuasion, and manipulation".

Azuth

He is the Patron of Wizards, his personal preference is toward wizardry rather than sorcery, and his philosophy fits better with the studious life of a wizard than the more haphazard practices of a sorcerer. Wizards invoke Azuth when they scribe scrolls, inscribe magic circles, attempt to memorise spells, and even when they cast spells. Often this acknowledgement comes in the form of silently forming Azuth's holy symbol, pointing the index finger of the left hand to the sky.For many wizards, the gesture is so commonplace in their lives that it becomes an unconscious habit. Azuth is represented at such sites as a hooded and bearded figure with his left hand held high, finger pointed up. Sometimes he is represented by merely the hand.

When he was a mortal, he was a wizard who showed prowess with spells and magical lore that attracted Mystryl’s attention, and after completing several quests to prove his worth, she named him Magister (old title in 1e and 2e, different to Chosen, related to a more bureaucratic role of Magic). With the new title, he taught magic to many people across Faerûn.

Azuth came into conflict with a minor southern deity: Savras the All-Seeing. Both were powerful spellcasters and Mystryl favoured both. They began a battle that lasted several years, using agents, magic traps, and personal spell-battles. Azuth managed to defeat the young deity and imprison him. With this victory Azuth ascended to godhood, became Mystryl's lover, and pledged to serve her.

During the Spellplague, Azuth fell to the Hells and Asmodeus consumed his divine spark to achieve godhood. It was thought that this had destroyed Azuth, but instead he ended up inhabiting Asmodeus' body together. Most of the time Asmodeus had control over the dormant Azuth. In 1486, Azuth managed to have a Cormyrian war wizard as a Chosen, and began to struggle with Asmodeus for dominion over their shared body. As a consequence, the hierarchy of the Nine Hells is jeopardized due to the unbalanced Asmodeus. After a while, The Chosen of Azuth sacrifices his life to be a vessel for the god and let him escape from the Hells. After the Second Sundering, Azuth returned to the faerunian pantheon.

Where is he in 1492?

Now, he has returned to the Faerunian pantheon, and considering Ao's ban, he can't be walking around Faerûn.

Can Gale be Azuth? I certainly can't see it. Azuth has been trapped in the Hells for most of Gale's life, returning to the pantheon recently. And we can't forget Ao's ban of direct contact: no god can have direct contact with mortals anymore, with the strange exception of Mystra (see the post about "Mystra and her Chosen ones" for more details). Besides, if Gale were to be Azuth's avatar, we are usually talking about characters over lvl 40.

The only link we can agree with Gale is that Azuth also has storm motif concepts in his design. Gale tends to explain with his pointing finger extended, but as it's said in the lore books, this is basically an unconscious common body language in most wizards. I cannot see any resemblance to make us infer “Gale is Azuth”.

What we can see by reading Azuth's story is why the Hells are so convoluted at this point. The blood war is unbalanced, since powerful figures such as Asmodeus had been having weak periods of leadership due to the inner fight with Azuth in his own body. For this detail alone, it is so important to give context to BG3 I considered worthy to mention.

Sources: 3e : Magic of Faerûn 5e: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Novels: Fire in the Blood. The devil you Know

Myrkul

Myrkul had a cold, malignant intelligence, and spoke in a high whisper. He was always alert, never slept, and was never surprised. He was never known to lose his temper or be anything other than coldly amused when a mortal succeeded in avoiding his directives or chosen fates. His influence in Faerûn was imposed through fear, and he was a master of making mortals terrified of him through his words and deeds. He was the one deity that almost all human mortals could picture clearly.

As a mortal, Myrkul's full name and title is said to have been Myrkul Bey al-Kursi. He was a powerful adventuring necromancer who travelled with Bane and Bhaal in order to acquire divinity for themselves. In -375 DR, they slayed one of the Seven Lost Gods, gaining a bit of divine power. Using it to go further, they embarked to Jergal's realm with the intention to slay him as well.

However, Jergal—tired of his godhood—freely agreed to hand over his dominion of the underworld. As the three could not decide who among them would sit upon the throne of the dead, they left the decision to chance with a game. More details and stories of several deaths and coming backs can be briefly read in the wiki. It makes no sense to add them here since they provide nothing interesting related to Gale.

Most of Myrkul's “recent” story can be seen/read in the game Neverwinter Nights 2, the Mask of the Betrayer. The game explains how Myrkul created the Wall of the Faithless (non existent anymore in 5e and nobody knows how it was destroyed) where the souls of the faithless or those abandoned by their gods got stuck in eternal pain. The main goal of the Wall was to use all that energy to feed Myrkul. The main character of Neverwinter 2 can visit the agonising God in the Astral Plane and kill him or leave him in a slow death.

Myrkul, with Bane and Bhaal, tried to seize the Tablets of Fate from the overgod Ao and use them to rule over Faerûn and its gods. They failed and were slain during the Time of Troubles. Since then, a variety of contingency plans they had in place allowed them to be reborn afterwards.

A small group of followers across Faerûn kept Myrkul's worshipping alive despite the dire events of the Spellplague and the Second Sundering. In the 1400’s, he is considered to have returned with the three dead in a quasi-deity condition.

While the Sundering forced the other gods to withdraw their direct influence from the mortal world, the Dead Three remained behind in mortal form as quasi-divine beings. While their power has diminished, they remain a formidable trio and play a malevolent role in influencing events on Faerûn.

Where is he in 1492?

He is clearly somewhere in Faerûn, with Bhaal and Bane most probably (we have strong leads to assume that the Absolute is them, getting as many worshippers as they can to recover their deity status, since now they are only quasi-deities)

Can Gale be Myrkul? I honestly can't see anything that we can use to link him to Myrkul without making it look like an absurdity. The easiest argument to revoke that nonsense is that Gale clearly is not a quasi-deity.

A quasi-deity is immune to every attempt to tamper with their mind (which would nullify the tadpole effect, and would make Gale immune to any tadpole intrusion, which is not the case as we saw in the post of "The Tadpole"). A quasi-deity is also immune to sap its vitality, or to force it into a different form. It has a strong defence against magic and a limited defence against heat. Weapons not enchanted with magic of an epic scope could not hurt a quasi-deity without problems. These defences against magic, heat, and non-magical physical attacks grew stronger as a deity rose in rank. It is crystal clear that none of this applies to Gale, the squishy wizard of the group.

This comparison is nonsense, especially if we think that some people supported it because “Gale's robes have clasps in the shape of triangles”, which was considered an incomplete symbol of Myrkul. So... I really won't waste time in this comparison. I just did it because I wanted to offer a summary to compare Myrkul (the three dead more precisely) with The Absolute. This idea is very strong when we think that in 5e DM book is explaining that a quasi-deity can recover their godhood condition if they amassed a sufficiently high number of followers (which is what The Absolute is doing). But this should be done in another post related to the Absolute.

Source: 2e: Faith and pantheon, 5e: Descent to Avernus, Dungeon Master's guide

Karsus

Karsus was born in Netheril in -696 DR. He was able to cast his first spell at the age of two, and by the age of twenty-two created his own floating city. He also founded a magic school encouraging radical thinking to keep pushing magical discoveries. A seer warned Karsus that soon Mystryl would face the greatest challenge of her divine life, so worried about the consequences of this, Karsus created his spell Karsus' Avatar with the objective to protect the Netheril civilization. This spell would steal the power of a deity and transfer it to him, giving him divine power to protect his people from Mystryl's challenge and destroy the magical aberrations that had been attacking Netheril (phaerimms) for years. He was very aware that the feat could cost him his life, but he accepted it as a worthy sacrifice to protect his people as well as remain in the History as an iconic figure.

In -339 DR, Karsus chose Mystryl, the goddess of magic, as his target, feeling that she was the most powerful deity and the most appropriate choice for his purposes. However, this was a mistake. The responsibilities of the deity of magic are to regulate the flow of magic to and from all beings, spells, and magic items in the world. Unable to fulfil Mystryl's function with the Weave, Karsus causes a surge of magic and violent fluctuations.

In an attempt to save the Weave, Mystryl sacrificed herself to block Karsus's access to the Weave, causing all magic to cease for several minutes. The flying cities of Netheril (fuelled by magic) fell to the ground. The severing of the link also killed Karsus, who turned into stone and fell to the ground, seeing his entire civilisation being destroyed because of his actions. This is known as Karsus's Folly.

The stone form of Karsus eventually landed in a part of the High Forest, now called the Dire Wood. Karsus was never accepted as a petitioner by any god, nor did he go to the Fugue Plane when he died. Instead, his soul was bound to the Material Plane. Those with experience in pact magic could call up his vestige, where he appeared as a giant blood-red boulder, like the one found in the High Forest where his petrified form landed. Blood burbles up from the top of the stone, trickling down the side facing the summoner, pooling at the base. Karsus granted the summoner a boost in magical ability, though he also imparted some of the arrogance he was renowned for.

Where is he in 1492?

Even in death, Karsus' undying spirit persists in the chaotic magic of the Dire Wood. His essence is ensnared in a single point of time by the magic of the lich Wulgreth, and it manifests in three separate pieces. Each manifestation contains one portion of Karsus' tripartite spirit. It is believed that Karsus cannot depart from the Realms until his sundered spirit is reforged into one.

Karsus' mortal body survives as a tall butte of red stone embedded in the ground and eroded by the elements. This manifestation radiates heavy magic (read the post about the "Orb" for more details)

Karsus' gigantic, ever bleeding heart beats within the butte itself. This manifestation is essentially powerless, but it cannot be destroyed. Karsus' heart continuously radiates an enchantment similar to the sadness effect produced by the 4th level wizard spell Emotion.

The final third piece is inside an animated golem created by Wulgreth. This manifestation bleeds an ever-flowing stream of blood like liquid which mingles with the Heartblood River, giving it its characteristic colour.

So, can Gale be Karsus? Hardly. Karsus' spirit is not even complete. One could ask if Gale is a part of Karsus? I don't see it either: each of these parts are stuck in the different stones across the Dire Wood, and since it was a lich who made the binding I see little reason to suspect how a piece of Karsus' spirit stuck in the middle of the continent reached a baby in Waterdeep.

Sources: 2e: Magic of Faerun, Powers and Pantheons 3e: Lords of Darkness

Elminster

Elminster was born in 212 DR, son of a prince of Athalantar. His parents were killed by mages and at the age of 12 he became a brigand and thief. With a friend thief, Elminster committed many acts of thievery together and lived life fully, creating the gang the Velvet Hands after a number of adventures.

Elminster tried to desecrate a temple of Mystra as a gesture of vengeance for the goddess having not defended his parents when they were killed by mages. Mystra appeared before him, and despite Elminster's defiance, she offered him the power to take revenge for his dead parents. Elminster accepted, and Mystra turned him into a woman to see “the world with female eyes” and to strengthen his bond with magic before being a proper Chosen. This transformation also helped Elminster to pass unnoticed among his enemies. He spent a long time learning magic in this shape, taught by Mystra's avatar in disguise. When her disguise was uncovered, she and Elminster slept together and she offered him to become her Chosen. By that time, Elminster accepted any command from the Goddess, his defiance was completely gone.

In 241DR he travelled to the city of Cormanthor and continued his magical studies.

Somewhere around the mid–7th century DR, Elminster entered a tomb and became trapped there in stasis for roughly a century. He emerged from the dusty tomb in 759 DR. By that time Magic was unreliable (Mystra was possessing Elué's body to conceive her daughters). The god Azuth told him that he couldn't rely on Mystra or magic for aid. Soon he had to learn how to survive without magic. He later underwent further magical training under the tutelage of a wicked sorceress who sought to tempt him away from Mystra's path. During a fake ritual for Bane, she revealed herself to be the goddess Mystra herself, once again testing him.

In 767 DR, Elminster became a foster parent to three other of Mystra's Chosen: Laeral Silverhand, Storm Silverhand, and Dove Falconhand.

In 851 DR, Elminster mentored the newly-appointed Chosen of Mystra, Sammaster, in how to use his new powers.

During the Harpstar Wars in 1222 DR, Elminster defeated the Zulkir of Necromancy, Szass Tam, and earned himself (and the Harpers) the enmity of Thay.

In 1358 DR, just before the Time of Troubles, Mystra gained some foreknowledge and backed up her power into Midnight, the human wizard, so it would not be lost. During this time, Elminster, like most wizards who received his power from Mystra/the Weave, was left powerless once more.

In 1371 DR, the new Mystra stripped away many of Elminster's memories of her former incarnation's secrets. By the end of that year, he was called to Blackstaff Tower to discuss the phaerimm attack. The whole event ended up being related to a planificated attack from the Shadovars. Since shadovar were living shadow magic, and silver fire was raw magic, the collision between the two tore at the fabric of reality, creating a rift to the Nine Hells. Elminster realized that the only way to close the portal before legions of devils spilled forth into Toril was to close it from the other side. He did it, being trapped on the other side and at the expense of much of his magical strength.

Once in Hell, he was abducted and enslaved by an outcast archdevil known as Nergal, who wished to discover the secret of Mystra's silver fire. Elminster was subject to brutal tortures, surviving only because of his exceptional endurance and ability to heal himself with silver fire. Mystra tried to save him herself, but ended up sending several Chosen ones instead. Only The Simbul was successful in his rescue.

In 1373 DR, Elminster discovered a daughter he had never known, conceived against his will with a dragon thanks to Mystra's intervention.

Following the death of Mystra in 1385 DR and the collapse of the Weave during the Spellplague, Elminster was stripped of many of his abilities as one of the Chosen, though he still aged as slowly as he had for the previous millennium and was still quite powerful magically. However, every use of his magic drove him insane. When this happened, only Storm was able to bring his mind back, giving off her own essence to soothe Elminster's mind. Despite these setbacks, Elminster and Storm continued with their campaign to save Faerûn, battling evil and fixing the Weave where they could.

In 1479 DR, Elminster sought to gain access to artifacts known to contain the spirits of the Nine—objects powerful enough to permanently restore the Simbul's sanity.

During one of his excursions for these artefacts, Elminster's body was destroyed by Manshoon, who had secretly been peeling away the Old Mage's contingency spells over several years. However, Manshoon departed before he realized that Elminster had survived his body's destruction in a near-undead state. With the agreement of Amarune and the aid of Storm, Elminster's essence was placed in Amarune's body with the aid of a spell the ex-Chosen had discovered in a cache once belonging to Azuth. Later, thanks to the sacrifice of the Simbul, he regained his former body again and ruined for good Manshoon's claim to the throne of Suzail.

In 1487 DR, Elminster (with the help of the Srinshee, Alustriel, and Laeral Silverhand) stopped Shar as well as Larloch from becoming the new deity of magic. He killed Telamont Tanthul and let Thultanthar fall upon Myth Drannor. Along the way, Mystra was completely restored.

In 1491 DR, Elminster returned to the city of Waterdeep, aiding the newly appointed Open Lord of Waterdeep, Laeral Silverhand, to uncover the culprits behind a string of murders of Masked Lords.

Sincerely, there is a lot of content left outside this summary because Elminster’s material is a lot. A LOT.

Where is he in 1492?

The last time we know about Elminster’s whereabouts is during the book Dead Masks, a year before BG3. He has been working in Mystra’s name in Waterdeep when Hidden Lords have been assassinated. It’s very hard to conceive Gale as Elminster in disguise. Elminster has a different personality and a very obvious pattern of speech, sounding more like a mixture of a scholar and a farmer, and using expressions like Nay, aye, and so on. Elminster being abandoned by Mystra is also a strange concept because if there is something very clear from all the material we can read about his adventures is that Mystra loves him with a particular and exceptional love. He was the only Chosen that, when he was being tortured in the Hells, she attempted to save him by herself, risking her life (obviously, then she changed her mind and sent several Chosen ones that died in the process).

Also, if Gale were Elminster, he should sustain a spell of disguise constantly (many people know Elminster, an old man of white hair and beard), which is also very unlikely for a lvl1 wizard to do.

Source: 3e: Elminster: The Making of a Mage. The Temptation of Elminster. Dead Masks

Sammaster

He was born in 800 DR, probably in Sembia, the Dalelands, or the North. At age of 17, fascinated by the theory of the Arts and how magic works, Sammaster became a follower of Mystra. He was a gaunt man of poor health, full of eccentricities: he never remained in one place for too long, he skipped his meals and sleep in favour of learning, and it's suspected to have fathered a countless number of children.

Before being 40 y/o he acquired the skills of an archmage and he discovered, rediscovered, or improved numerous spells in the advanced theory of magic known as "metamagic". All this discovery of knowledge and magic (so favoured by Mystra as we can see in the post about "Mystra and her Chosen ones") granted him the attention of the Goddess, who appeared before him.

At his 50 y/o Sammaster saw his most fervent dream appear before his very eyes. He was both awestruck and smitten with passion as he fell to his knees and wept upon Mystra’s feet. Raising him to meet her gaze, Mystra responded to his unspoken question and swept him into her embrace. They spent a tenday together, and at the end of that period, Mystra asked him if he thought he was worthy and strong enough to carry a part of her divine power within him. Despite not knowing what she meant, Sammaster accepted anyway, becoming the first Chosen after she conceived her seven daughters. Mystra explained that she had chosen him for his development in metamagic but also because she had foreseen the death of an already Chosen one (Syluné) whose place she wanted immediately filled with Sammaster.

Sammaster was ordered to be in contact with Elminster to learn more about his new condition of Chosen. Sammaster and Elminster developed a tense situation mostly because Sammaster's obsessive love for the Goddess deepened while Elminster kept reminding him that her only consort was Azuth.

Dejected for the truth that he would never have a personal long-lasting relationship with Mystra, Sammaster focused on understanding the powers of the Chosen and the mysteries of the Lady in himself and in Toril. However, a seed of resentment started to grow.

In 855 Sammaster found a Zhentarin slave caravan resting in a camp. In it, he found three large cage carts full of peasants taken from the farmlands in the surrounding area. Enraged, Sammaster attacked the Zhentarin using his spells and Silver Fire, but in the process he killed many innocents he wanted to save. His mind snapped that day. Despite trying to convince himself that the Zhentarins were to blame, this episode was—without any doubt—the seminal event that irrevocably turned Sammaster down the path to madness and, eventually, evil.

Years later he started to develop his interest in necromancy in an attempt to return those innocents he had killed, trying to find a way to revive the dead. During this time his interest was focused on the undead, and forged relationships with some liches. How did Mystra allow this? At that time, Mystra was a much more neutral deity. Her primary interest was the use and development of magic; she cared little about how it was used or by whom. As long as Sammaster continued to advance the theories of magic and push forward its frontiers for all mortals, Mystra turned a blind eye to his necromancy interests.

In 861 DR Sammaster met Alustriel, Chosen of Mystra, and fell in love with her. His unbalanced mind seemed to finally find some peace and stability, but his obsession —at first focused on Mystra—now turned upon Alustriel, wanting to master her, to make her entirely his, and to make her world revolve around him. Disturbed with Sammaster's necromancy research and his increasing need for control over her, Alustriel broke up with him.

Afterwards, while deepening in his experiments with necromancy, Sammaster befriended Algashon Nathaire, a priest of Bane who had formerly been a mage. In the unstable Sammaster, Algashon saw the chance to create a formidable tyrant. Bane must also have seen the chance to rob one of his most powerful enemy’s Chosen of his last vestiges of sanity and perhaps his powers or even his life.

Presented as a friend, Algashon manipulated Sammaster into thinking that all his failures and problems were the fault of that uncaring goddess and her equally inconsiderate servants, her so-called "Chosen". Sammaster resisted this subtle indoctrination at first, only to be painfully reminded of the events at the slavers' camp (the Zhents' fault, of course), his uneasy relationship with Elminster, his failure to win the love of Mystra (Azuth's fault and Elminster's for pointing it out so hard-heartedly), and his failure to win Alustriel (her fault and that of her Goddess). As time went on, Sammaster argued against these superficial, easy excuses less and less, and Algashon's lies wove their way deeper into the unhappy and unstable mage's mind. The next step of Algashon was to steal the secrets of the power of the Chosen. To do that, he encouraged Sammaster to use his Chosen power at every opportunity.

Rather than risking their pawn's life (yet) by attempting to strip the silver fire from Sammaster outright, Bane and Algashon decided to try and arrange to steal another Chosen's silver fire: given her past with Sammaster, Algashon chose Alturiel. This way Sammster fought Alturiel, aiming silver fire against her. Losing the battle against a maniacal Sammaster, Alustriel called for help from Laeral Silverhand and Khelben Arunsun. The three of them won the combat against Sammaster.

Azuth presented himself on Mystra's behalf and removed Sammaster's Chosen condition. When the other Chosen left the place, Algashon helped Sammaster, affixing the immortality of the Chosen ones in his body despite having lost his powers. While he could be destroyed, Sammaster continued to remain ageless and to heal from wounds very quickly. However, as a side-effect of this spell, Sammaster lost his last vestige of sanity and morality that may have remained in his clouded mind.

In 887 DR Sammaster retranslated old texts of a prophecy, highlighting the importance of undead dragons and creating soon afterward his own Cult. In his insanity, he kept doing more necromancy research focused on turning dragons into draconlich to follow this prophecy. His first success in turning a dragon (Shargrailar) into an undead made his cult famous. In this way, Sammaster earned a powerful weapon with which threatened many across Faerun and obtained an enormous amount of money. Even the rich nobles paid tribute when the Cult threatened to send Shargrailar to burn their farmlands and villages to ash. Sammaster did not think to oppress the peasants for their coppers, but the noble powerful ones.

In 960 DR, his cult finally adopted the name “Cult of the Dragon”, even though “Cult of the Dracolich” could be more appropriate, even though Shargrailar still looked like a normal dragon. By that time the cult increased too much for Sammaster and Algoshon to control, so Sammaster wrote all his wisdom in a book called Tome of the Dragon that would turn into the core of the cult, helping them to spread Sammaster's ideas beyond their limitations.

The popularity of the cult was not missed by several groups. The Harpers tried to destroy it, but they failed. The Zhentarims are also against Sammaster's cult since their activities are limited with the constant threat of the Dragon Shargrailar. More groups were added to the cult's list of foes, but Sammaster ignored them or sent them a dragon to destroy them. Not merely mad now, Sammaster was becoming drunk with a level of power he had not felt since before he had been stripped of his powers as one of the Chosen. Algashor suggested that he keep a low profile in order to protect the cult, but his advice was ignored.

In 916 DR, The Harpers developed a plan to eliminate Sammaster and weaken the cult itself. The battle was brutal and Sammaster seemed to win by the end of it, commanding an army of undead and experimental creatures. Sammaster would have won had not Lathander sent a battle avatar, enraged by the undead abominations that Sammaster created. After an intense battle, Lathander incinerated Sammaster. However, Sammaster had planned ahead: he had sent his mind to a phylactery before being killed.

With the phylactery and a special book of the Tome of the Dragon, a loyal cultist called Zotulla had been ordered by Sammaster to create a new cell of the cult in the Northwest. However, Zotulla failed and died at the hands of an orc war party who discarded the phylactery and the book. Both items were lost for more than 300 years, until a shaman may have deciphered the instructions in the book and raised Sammaster as a lich.

In 1282 Sammaster rose as a lich and began to gather the remnants of his cult once more. Harpers and some countries began to plan to defend themselves from this danger again. In 1285 a group of adventuring paladins known as the Company of Twelve supported by the Harpers, attacked the lich and killed him at a great cost. However, neither the phylactery nor the book were found. The possibility for him to return is high.

In 1373DR Sammaster completed the transformation of the Dracorage Mythal. This was a Mythal created by elves around -25.000DR which had a maddening effect on dragons, making them lose their minds for several tendays. This effect used to be linked to the appearance of the comet King-Killer Star in the sky. When Sammaster transformed this mythal by binding his phylactery to it, its maddening effect was no longer constrained by the appearance of the comet but linked instead to his own life force. Only Dracoliches remained unaffected by Sammaster’s endless, ever-intensifying Dracorage effect. This fact forced wyrms to join his Cult and accept to be transformed into dracoliches or suffer permanent madness. By manipulating this effect, Sammaster tried to retake control over his Cult. However, a group of adventurers destroyed the mythal—thus Sammaster’s phylactery—and put an end to this effect.

Where is he in 1492?

So, is Gale Sammaster? Lore-wise, to destroy a lich for good you need to destroy their phylactery. This has been done in 1373DR, therefore, I hardly see any potential for Sammaster to raise again. And here is where any possible argument ends.

What Sammaster's story shows us is that Mystra's sudden abandonment is not uncommon once she gave them their Chosen powers. In the report of the Harpers that narrate Sammaster's life in the book Cult of the dragon (2e), there are some comments pointing out how Mystra, despite noticing Sammaster's madness, allowed him to follow his dark path. One may speculate that maybe Mystra uses the obsession that she may cause in some of her Chosen ones, in order to make them eager to explore beyond their limits so she can acquire knowledge or control of new magic.

Certainly, what Sammaster and Gale share in common is how they were favoured by Mystra, had a affair with her, and soon afterwards she stopped “whispering” in their ears. Their condition as Chosen had been kept intact, but their madness in one case, or their devotion in the other, made them go too far. Sammaster ended up being a toy of a priest of Bane, while Gale simply made the mistake of thinking himself capable of controlling an unknown magic to impress Mystra in order to have once more her attention on him. More than this is walking on the headcanon terrain since the game in EA can't provide more information.

Source book: Cult of the dragon (2e), Dragons of Faerun (3.5e)

Conclusion

The truth is that Gale is Kirby. He doesn't only eat artefacts but also Faerûn iconic characters as well (joke done by a reddit user)

In my personal interpretation, I hardly see Gale as the incarnation of anyone. First, it would be very, very lazy writing. Characters such as Sammaster, Elminster, or Azuth tend to be NPCs. We found some of them in games such as previous Baldur’s Gate games or Neverwinter nights.

But the main and strongest argument against secretly being any of these characters is that he is an origin character. All companions are potential players in their origins. Anyone who played DOS2 AND played an origin character would understand this: there is no plot twist of that magnitude in their personal backstories that would erase completely the essence and the personality of the character. All that sensitive information is previously stated.

All what we need to know about the origin char is basically said in the BG3 webpage. Those descriptions are the same ones found in the game, which changed after EA was released in Astarion’s and Gale’s case, showing—in my opinion—that Larian changed them a bit at the last stage of development. These descriptions spoil every secret that the characters have. This doesn’t mean their more complex background should not be part of a plot twist later in the game, but it would not have the impact of erasing completely the RPG characters you were playing for a while.

Every companion has a secret spoiled in their descriptions: Astarion, his vampire condition; Shadowheart, her Shar faith and he mission; Wyll, Mizora; Lae’zel, the tadpole (not for the group, but for her people); Gale, the “orb”. All these secrets are informed beforehand to the player for them to pick an Origin if they want to play it and make it their own. As companions, we learn these secrets early (act 1). This happens in act 1 of DOS2 too.

A player choosing an origin has to be informed of the character’s secrets and motivations at the moment they pick it. Otherwise, it would ruin their RPG experience, making the player unaware of their own character’s true nature. This doesn’t mean that deepening their backgrounds would not make us discover information we don’t know. My point is, it won't remove the character’s persona turning him into a character very well known in lore.

Gale, so far, seems to be a pretty fair standard wizard who had a young obsession over Mystra (quite common in terms of lore for those who stand before her), which brought him troubles and made him prone to mistakes (as, once more, we know it tends to happen in lore). The justification why he was Chosen is also clear from a lore point of view: we have a context post-Spellplague that made Gale's skills more than useful for Mystra. In my opinion, there is nothing else abysmally suspicious beyond these points, and if there are more secrets, it seems fair to think that not even Gale is aware of them.

This post was written in June2021. → For more Gale: Analysis Series Index

#gale of waterdeep #bg3 meta #bg3 early access #bg3 gale #azuth #myrkul #karsus #elminster #sammaster #lore #chosen of mystra #FR lore

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xiyao-feels · 4 years ago

Text

A Comparison of the Stairs Dialogue in CQL vs MDZS, Pt 1

(Pt 2)

A few introductory notes:

-This wasn't intended to be a big project post; I was just doing the comparison because I thought it was interesting. As I went I thought other people would probably find it interesting too, and it would be worth having it all written down, so I did turn it into a post after all. But I'm not really arguing any central point or anything; I'm really just comparing the dialogue and writing down my thoughts as I go.

-This also of course means my usual pro-JGY and consequently very annoyed at NMJ biases are on display. As ever, if this will upset you, please don't read!!

-This is a comparison of the text of the dialogue, not everything about their interaction; I don't necessarily note it if e.g. the acting doesn't match the dialogue tags in MDZS, or what have you.

-To do a proper comparison, you really need to compare the Chinese text, not the English translation; this is what I'm doing, though of course I've included the English from the Youtube subs, for CQL, and from the Exiled Rebels translation for MDZS. (For the Youtube subs I recorded "Yao" as A-Yao and used da-ge instead of Big brother when 大哥 was used and er-ge when 二哥 was used, just because this is my habit when copying down the dialogue.)

-Speaking of which: for MDZS, I just copied from the text, but for the CQL dialogue both English and Chinese I copied down the subs. I don't actually speak Chinese, but fortunately CQL on Youtube has the Chinese subs as well; my reading level in Chinese is also completely terrible, but I can often recognize most or many of the characters, and what I can't I can find by identifying radicals or drawing it in a handwriting recognition thing, etc. I did my best to be careful and thorough, and I also checked it against the Chinese subs I downloaded from Netflix, but there may still be some errors, fair warning. This also means that, unlike the Chinese from MDZS, the CQL Chinese dialogue isn't punctuated beyond spacing it out as it appeared on the screen; this is because the Chinese subs aren't punctuated, and I am certainly not going to make that judgement myself.

-The characters that differ in a given line between the MDZS and CQL versions are bolded, to help make the difference visually clear.

With that aside, the comparison is below the cut.

CQL

LXC: 阿瑶大哥他心性不比从前你千万不要再惹怒他了他最近深受刀灵侵扰之苦若不是你日日给他弹清心音的话恐怕他 A-Yao. Da-ge's temperament is getting worse. Don't ever displease him again. He's been subject to the harassment of his blade lately. If you hadn't been playing Cleansing Music for him everyday, I'm afraid he'd be…

MDZS

LXC: 只是一时气愤，口不择言罢了。大哥现在心性不比从前，你千万不要再惹怒他了。他最近深受刀灵侵扰之苦，怀桑又和他争吵置气，到今天还没和好。 His anger was simply too great for him to have thought before speaking. Brother’s temper cannot compare to how it was in the past. You must not provoke him again. These past few days, he has been deeply troubled by the saber spirit, and HuaiSang has argued with him again. They still have not made up yet, even today.

I'm comparing the CQL dialogue to the equivalent dialogue in MDZS, but of course in MDZS this exchange isn't before the stairs in ch 49; rather it's part of a broader conversation NMJ hears before he bursts in to try and kill JGY on the spot, because he doesn't like how JGY is talking to LXC about him, in ch 50. (Note, incidentally, how obviously impossible this renders the task of not displeasing da-ge, even aside from his not being satisfied with anything less than Xue Yang's head, as JGY and LXC were having a private conversation at the time.) The mention of NMJ and NHS' falling out is removed, replaced with the information that JGY has been playing to MMJ "every day"; the reference to NMJ calling JGY son of a whore is of course removed, since it hasn't happened yet. One effect of this relocation is on our understanding of LXC's injunction not to "displease him again/provoke him again" (再惹怒他 in both). In MDZS, this seems to refer to the stairs incident where JGY talked back (as the text notes, unusually); here perhaps it might be read as suggesting that JGY somehow has a habit of avoidably displeasing NMJ, which I think is absurd.

However, that's not the only possible interpretation. Although CQL doesn't quite give us the scene mentioned in chapter 30, where NMJ shows up and lectures JGS into announcing XY would be executed (…and heaps abuse on JGY when he tries to intervene, terrifying JGY sufficiently that he hides behind LXC—observe that in the sentence immediately prior to this we are also told that NMJ had unsheathed his sabre), in episode 35 we are told that all the clans wanted to punish XY except for JGS, and given a brief flashback to JGS yelling. Therefore, I think, it's not unreasonable to assume that something like the scene described in ch 30 occurred in CQL. Perhaps LXC is referring to this, although of course JGY would still be held between the fatal opposition of NMJ's and his father's wishes.

It's also relevant of course that in removing the surrounding context, CQL removes the context of the conversation of JGY expressing his pain about how NMJ treats him, and LXC replying, and rather turns it into an apparently unprompted expression of concern on LXC's part.

CQL

NMJ: 金光瑶 Jin Guangyao!

MDZS

It's worth noting, I think, that in MDZS NMJ never refers to JGY as "Jin Guangyao" throughout the entire stairs encounter.

CQL

LXC: 大哥怎么了 Da-ge, what's wrong?

MDZS

LXC: 大哥 Da-ge?

CQL

NMJ: 你别动你出来 (to LXC) Don't move. (to JGY) Come out.

MDZS

NMJ: 你别动你出来 (to LXC) Don't move. (To JGY) Come out.

CQL

JGY: 二哥劳烦你帮我再过一眼百花宴贵宾的名单我先去和大哥说点私事回头再请你讲解 Er-ge, please check the list of guests of the Floral Banquet for me. I need to talk some private affairs with da-ge. I'll explain it to you later.

MDZS

JGY: 二哥劳烦你再帮我理一理这条，我先去和大哥说点私事，回头再请你讲解 Brother, could you please help me go through this one? I have some private matters to discuss with our eldest brother. I’ll have to ask for your explanation at a later time.

Interestingly the exact same sentence in the Chinese, 回头再请你讲解, is translated in CQL as JGY's promise to explain later—where the implication seems to be he'll explain about what he's discussing with NMJ, perhaps?—and in MDZS as JGY's intention to ask /LXC/ to explain (the work he's going over in JGY's absence) later. In MDZS, of course, they're working on the watchtowers…while in CQL host with the most LXC is /helping JGY put his banquet guest lists together/, omg. I wish they'd kept more about the watchtowers but I admit I enjoy this as well. They plan parties together!

In both CQL and MDZS NMJ tries to hit JGY after they are outside and before further words are exchanged.

CQL

JGY: 大哥何必如此有话好说 Da-ge. Why act like this? We can talk nicely, can't we?

MDZS

JGY: 大哥，何必如此，有话好说。 Brother, why the rage? Let’s calm down.

CQL

NMJ: 薛洋呢 Where is Xue Yang?

MDZS

NMJ: 薛洋呢 Where's Xue Yang?

CQL

JGY: 他已被关入地牢终身不释 He's been shut up in the dungeon, for life time.

MDZS

JGY: 他已被关入地牢，终身不释…… He’s already been locked inside the dungeon, imprisoned for life…

CQL

NMJ: 我当年在不净世是怎么跟你说的我要他血债血偿你却给他来个终身不释 What did I tell you in the Yet Clean Realm at that time? I want him to pay his killing debts. You now give him life imprisonment.

MDZS

NMJ: 当初你在我面前是怎么说的 (JGY is silent) 我要他血债血偿，你却给他个终身不释？ What did you say to me back then? (JGY is silent) I wanted him to pay blood with blood, yet you have him imprisoned for life?

"What did you say to me back then" is interesting; we're not actually given a specific time or a specific thing said, which means we must speculate. An obvious candidate for 'back then' would be the ch 30 scene previously mentioned, when NMJ convinces the Jin to announce that they'll execute XY. Yet the Jin giving in on executing XY seems to come /after/ JGY is sufficiently frightened by NMJ that he hides behind LXC, "not daring to say anything else." NMJ is perhaps conflating JGY with JGY's father, or perhaps assigning to JGY an authority he does not in fact possess, as though JGY and not JGS was the person who made decisions for the Jin.

In CQL of course NMJ takes the position that /Jin Guangyao/ owes him obedience because Meng Yao used to be NMJ's servant—not even just that, but that Jin Guangyao must display obedience to orders NMJ gave several years ago, when JGY was MY. This is absurd and insulting, and even before NMJ actually calls him Meng Yao it demonstrates that NMJ does not actually recognize JGY's legitimacy /as/ Jin Guangyao. Honestly, I don't have the words.

CQL

JGY: 只要他受到惩罚无法再犯终身不释和血债血偿也并无 As long as he's punished, and can't recommit crimes, I can't see the difference between life imprisonment and death sentence.

MDZS

JGY: 只要他受到惩罚，无法再犯，终身不释与血债血偿也并无…… As long as he receives his punishment and can’t offend again, perhaps paying blood with blood and being imprisoned for life is…

CQL

NMJ: 我问你当年在不净世究竟是谁放走了薛洋是我的总领还是你 Tell me. When we were at Yet Clean Realm, who on earth released Xue Yang? It was my captain, or you?

MDZS

NMJ: 你举荐的好客卿，做出的好事情！事到如今你还敢袒护他！ The good things that the good guest cultivator whom you recommended has done! Things are already like this and you still dare defend him!

Imho, this gets to a central fault in the CQL XY storyline—why the heck is NMJ trying to have XY killed for the Chang killings, instead of for collaborating with the Wen and/or for killing a bunch of his men??????

I tend to put that aside because it doesn't… actually… make any sense at all, especially since CQL NMJ is quite clearly still preoccupied with XY's old crimes.

CQL

JGY: 我没有我为什么要放走他不过当初是当初现在常萍已经翻供没有任何明确证据证明薛洋屠杀了常氏五十人而我父亲又一定要留下这个人 It wasn't me. Why should I let him go? But the past is in the past, Chang Ping had withdrawn his confession. No certain evidence can prove that Xue Yang had massacred 50 people of Chang clan. And my father insists on keeping him alive.

MDZS

JGY: 我没有袒护他，栎阳常氏那件事我也很震惊，我怎会料到薛洋会杀了人全家五十多口人？可我父亲一定要留着这个人…… I didn’t defend him. I was also shocked by the case of the Changyang Yue Sect. How could I have known that Xue Yang would kill more than fifty people? But my father was set on keeping him…

So—I'm sorry, that in CQL Chang Ping has already withdrawn his testimony makes this completely absurd. In MDZS, that doesn't happen until /after/ NMJ's death, after the Jin have been hounding him! In CQL, the situation appears to be that they have officially condemned him to the dungeons for life /purely based on NMJ's pressure/, with no actual clear evidence at all—and note that unlike in MDZS, where the Chang killings happened like a month beforehand and XXC presents the evidence that it was XY to the assembled clans, in CQL the killings happened /several years ago before a war/ and Songxiao didn't present any evidence it was XY to anyone else at the time that we saw. I mean, they didn't need to because at the time he confessed when challenged,* but it's not at all clear to me what if any evidence is left! And—in this situation where the one surviving victim is publically saying it wasn't XY, and they're /still officially locking him up for life on NMJ's say-so/—NMJ thinks that JGY should nevertheless go and execute XY.

*To an audience that if I am not misremembering included JC, who was alive and a sect leader independent from NMJ and could presumably have been asked to testify at the trial. This doesn't seem to ever be mentioned, however. Again, the CQL XY subplot doesn't make a huge amount of sense.

I can only guess that they moved up the Chang Ping revokes his testimony timeline to emphasize Jin power? But to me it has almost the opposite effect, since if they're still locking XY up on NMJ's say-so it rather suggests /NMJ's/ power; and more to the point it makes NMJ's already frankly unreasonable demand completely and ludicrously absurd.

CQL

NMJ: 为什么他身上还有一块阴铁你不知道吗你把他重新招揽回来究竟是为了什么你自己心里清楚 Why? Don't you know he's got a shard of Yin Iron on him? You're trying to reclaim him now. I can clearly see what you have in mind.

MDZS

NMJ: 震惊？招揽他的是谁？举荐他的是谁？重用他的是谁？少拿你父亲当幌子，薛洋在干什么，你会不知道吗？！ Shocked? Who was the one that invited him? Who was the one that recommended him? Who was the one that regarded him highly? Don’t use your father as excuse. How could you not have known what Xue Yang was doing?!

English of course doesn't distinguish between plural and singular second-person, but I think it's worth noting that NMJ is using singular here, 你, and not plural. This is true in both CQL and MDZS. In MDZS, I think the problem is that, although he is in fact referring to things JGY individually did, he refuses to accept the truth of JGY's position: that whatever JGY knew or did not know, he can't actually afford to kill XY if that's not what JGS wants. In CQL, by contrast, the problem is that he's locating the desire to obtain the Yin Iron specifically in JGY, despite JGS'…well, JGS' entire everything.

CQL

JGY: 大哥真的是我父亲的命令我无法拒绝你现在要我处置薛洋我该怎么去跟他交代 Da-ge, this is really my father's order. I couldn't deny. If you want me to execute Xue Yang now, in which way can I report this to him?

MDZS

JGY: 大哥，真的是我父亲的命令。我没法拒绝。你现在要我处置薛洋，你让我怎么跟他交代 Brother, it really was my father’s orders. I couldn’t refuse. Now, if you want me to take care of Xue Yang, what would I say to him?

The use of 你 vs the more formal 您 throughout this exchange is interesting. In their exchange before JGY goes outside with NMJ, he uses 你 for LXC; here, he uses 你 for NMJ, but you can see throughout the exchange he seems to use both. It would probably be very interesting to go through the text and observe which JGY uses, to whom, and when.

CQL

MDZS

NMJ: 不必废话，提薛洋头来见。 There’s no need for explanations. Come back to me with Xue Yang’s head in your hand.

CQL

—

MDZS

JGY "wanted to speak"

I think the upshot of these exchanges is much the same in CQL and in MDZS, despite its shortening in CQL: NMJ utterly rejects the validity of JGY's desire to give NMJ a /reason/ for going against JGS' explicit wishes, the explicit wishes, I remind you, of a man he has a moral duty to obey as his clan head and father. Truly, we can only imagine how NMJ would react to JGY killing someone against the wishes of the leader of the clan he served because he deserves it in JGY's own moral judgement… Except of course we don't have to imagine it, because it occurs in both CQL and MDZS, albeit differently. It's not that NMJ recognizes as a general principle that subordinates should be allowed to kill people against their leader's wishes if that subordinate judges their victim deserves it; it's simply that he believes in the primacy of his own, obviously righteous judgement. (And in CQL, again, there isn't any actual definite evidence, and Chang Ping has retracted his testimony.)

I think the main things the slightly more extended MDZS version has, not present in CQL, is, first, the explicit visual of XY's head, and second, that NMJ's subsequent response isn't a response to JGY's actual speech; JGY was about to speak in reply, and NMJ responds in irritation to what he thinks JGY is going to say—responds, indeed, by calling him 'Meng Yao'.

(Next)

#long meta #anger burned in his heart #more than one tag could contain #we can't change places

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