#the Taint

[melbush]

The Taint (1999)

[do-you-know-this-dw-story]

the taint (novel: 1999)

[sidneysussex]

Toward a unifying theory of the blight and its effects

In this paper, we present a unifying theory of the blight that positions it as a corruption of the ancient isatunoll, or collective hivemind consciousness, of the Titans and their descendants. We propose that this isatunoll, sundered from the Titans and cast into the Fade by the Evanuris and then further altered to incorporate the Taint, constitutes the blight as it is known today. Additionally, we propose that the Joining ritual of the Order of the Grey Wardens serves to inoculate those who survive it against further corruption by the Taint via a sympathetic bond with the archetypal isatunoll. Finally, we provide reasoning to suggest that the Joining can only be survived by those with latent genetic heritage derived from the Titans themselves, whether directly (as with the dwarva) or via the ancient elvhen people who constructed physical bodies from lyrium, the blood of the Titans.

Download the PDF version here.

Not a story, just a full-on academic paper on the blight by @aquamonstra, Antoine, Evka, and yours truly. Because why not, I guess?

[theeighthdoctoradventures]

What is Tumblrs EDA Ranking?

the EDA ranking tournament you’ve not been waiting for! this is not an elimination bracket! this is to determine a ranking of 1st to 73rd place.

ROUND ONE: POLL TWO

Trading Futures by Lance Parkin

vs…

The Taint by Michael Collier

notes:

- this is just for fun! all pairings were randomly generated by a ranking website

- you can leave propaganda in notes and reblogs

- no books will be eliminated

- this is absolutely not a perfect way of ranking, i can't be bothered to think any harder about this

[johannesviii]

I just started reading The Taint and while the book itself leaves a Lot to be desired I am loving Fitz as a character, I'm obsessed with his everything. Would I want to hang out with him? Almost certainly not, but by god is he a delight to read about

That was basically my opinion back when I first read that book too lmao

This book is a mess. It’s very long, its story never justifies its length, and in the process becomes quite tedious. Out of all the secondary characters, I only liked one of the patients (Russell) and that was mainly because his story could make onions weep. Also, the whole plot (an old alien biological program that creates symptoms similar to a form of schizophrenia) felt vaguely insulting and cringy. Also, you know what? I started to read these books because of the audio The Company of Friends, and this is the book where Fitz arrives. I expected him to be kind of a jerk, but I was way off - he isn’t just kind of a jerk. He’s a certified jerkass. But at the same time, his life sucks so much you can’t help but feel sorry for him. So yeah, I like Fitz. Also, I want to punch, kick and maybe strangle Fitz. But I still like Fitz. Please send help. 4/10

[thechurchofsplatterdaysaints]

Can't remember if I backed the movie or if I just preordered a bunch of limited ed. shit. Somehow ended up with hand-drawn VHS, DVD, some other lil shit and this poster signed by both directors. Horny fucking artwork though, right? Dang.

[briarruler]

So the Warden and companions run around looting stuff off bodies - including Darkspawn bodies. Do you think they have some sort of process going on for not spreading the Taint?

One coin pouch for clean money and one for money we haven't tossed in the fire yet? Practice fine tuning your Grey Warden senses with our fun new game of 'is this armour Tainted or not?'

[linecrosser]

what are the dark (and apparently spreading?) splotches some of yor achaar djaanib characters have? they seem to carry some sort of stigma for those marked? are they a curse or disease of some sort? do they hurt or affect the bearer physically? i really love and am fascinated by the original art you post!

Those markings are caused by a specific type of lifeforms that latch onto certain Dreeki because they have some degree of compatibility. And these markings are often an expression of their presence. Depending on internal and external factors, the markings can expand or shrink. Tho shrinkage is not often witnessed.

The Dreeki don't know what causes the markings.

For Dreeki, these markings (often referred to as Taint) carry a heavy stigma. Carriers are often socially isolated, excluded or even cast out out of their community because of supersticious fear.

This mainly roots in the fact that these markings almost always are accompanied by other effects, physical and/or mental. Carriers can exhibit unusual abilities, but these come at a price.

For example:

Ku-juuns arm can be really tough and strong, you can't injure it if he does not want you to. On the downside, he suffers from intense nightterrors if he actively uses that ability. Also joint-pains.

Recha can be scarily persuasive when talking, but speaking makes her throat hurt a lot so she rather keeps quiet and does not realize she even has this ability.

So. The general Dreeki-population sees the Taint as a negative thing. They are weary of Carriers. This is not the case for other folks tho, just Dreeki. It is a race-specific stigma.

[kiwibirdlafayette]

oh actually another question! kinda dumb tbh, but what does ultimate balance look like? cause ultimate chaos is just an overindulgence/ anarchy and ultimate order is a total lack of choices/ a dictatorship essentially, but idk I’m having a tuff time imagining ultimate balance…

I totes can, and no worries its not a dumb question at all :D

It took me a while to sort of figure out what exactly it what would mean, but to me ultimate balance is basically like a form of micromanagement, or really powerful overarching control- like in terms of a scale right, usually things go back and forth, sometimes tips to one side or the other, and adjustments are made to correct it (ie; or in mianite terms, how her brothers fight, but jordan brings them back center)

But in the case of true balance, that scale remains static, and is a kind of specified perfectionism that in aitheaca ianite strives to maintain. It kind of becomes a sort of order in a way, but different in that its that idealized middle ground between order and chaos. And while that could sound good in theory, the deterioration comes from the nuanced bad parts of true neutrality/"the perfect world" where there isn't room for like diversity, mistakes or imperfection, and the exploration of that

[melbush]

[innieirving]

how to ask the demon you've been smitten over for 6000 years to dance: an angel's guide

bonus:

[misterradio]

🍪🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜

my coogie

[theeighthdoctoradventures]

What is Tumblr’s EDA Ranking?

the EDA ranking tournament you’ve not been waiting for! this is not an elimination bracket! this is to determine a ranking of 1st to 73rd place.

ROUND TWELVE: POLL ONE

The Taint by Michael Collier

vs…

Hope by Mark Clapham

[andarateia]

Here's how my lyrium theory deals with silence, Red Lyrium, the Blight, the Forgotten Ones, the Gangue, the Profane, and the role the Evanuris had in betraying the whole world (from a discussion I had on Reddit).

LYRIUM: SONG OF THEDAS

A millennia of history in two paragraphs. The truth about the Maker, elves, dwarves, Titans, and the Evanuris - and it's all thanks to lyrium, three little words, and one big song!