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destinygoldenstar · 3 months ago

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Betraying My Own Team To Win As Said Team

Oh legion…

Legion is far from my favorite demon type tbh. Mostly because I’m not good at the game with one demon as is. So when you throw this into the mix, you get everyone playing you.

First time I was in a legion game, I was one of the good players. When I picked up it was a legion game, I was FRUSTRATED. Because I was undertaker, and all my info would naturally be bs.

So don’t even get me started with vortox completely screwing me up.

We won, but it was NOT thanks to me. Not at all. I was the worst of the three of us. The other two are smart people.

The next legion game I was one of said legion. But I was one of the earlier killed legions. So there’s not much to say on my end. We lost anyway.

Yeah legions have a lot more disadvantages than you think.

So I go into my third legion game as one of the legions. We do ten player games usually, so there were seven of us.

I just don’t trust myself as a demon. As I said in the past I’m usually pretty bad at being evil. So I was kinda hoping the storyteller would just kill me early. So I was kinda quiet on the first day and letting my fellow legion decide what we were doing.

So I got together with two of them to discuss what our bluffs were. The thing about legion is you get no bluffs, you kinda just have to wing it and hope one of the good players isn’t actually that role. Because if that happens, then that’s bad luck, and you put the entire legion in trouble. Because usually, you don’t want the good players to pick up on it being a legion game.

USUALLY. Heh heh…

Knowing this and the legion game rules, I decided I would bluff Ravenkeeper. Because the other two were going to bluff a minion (Spy, to try and pry out the good players roles), and bluff fortune teller respectively.

My thought process behind choosing Ravenkeeper was that it was a role that wants to die at night. And since it’s a legion game and I’m a legion, I had firm reason to believe I would die at night. So when I did, I could lie and say I picked a good player and they’re an evil role. Thus we could get rid of that good player. AND since legions get killed in the night and not good players, then there’s absolutely no way in hell one of the good players was a Ravenkeeper.

And I was correct in that logic, none of them were Ravenkeeper.

So the first good player I talked to straight up asked me “What role are you?”

I said “I’m not telling you that! You could be evil! Are you kidding me?!”

Because you can’t just say you’re the Ravenkeeper, especially bluffing it, you have to actually sell the idea you’re playing as this role.

So I said “All I will say is I don’t want to die. My roles quite good, ya know? I want to get as much info as I can get…”

Something a Ravenkeeper would say to bait a demon kill.

I asked, “Can I swap with your role to get a target off me by any chance?”

They told me, “You really don’t want my role. You’ll get in serious trouble.”

Sounded like a virgin to me. I asked, “Why? Cause you’re so pure you’d kill someone?”

“Yeah…”

So they claimed Virgin.

Here’s the thing: I knew they were full of shit. I didn’t believe them at all.

Why would there be a legit virgin in a legion game? Most players here couldn’t even activate those powers. They were hiding what they actually were, because they were suspicious of what game it was.

But, you know, I played along because I wanted their trust, and pushing it further would make me seem suspicious.

My other legions were pushing the vortox narrative, so we executed the one bluffing Chef, who said there was a pair. But the narrative was that their info would be wrong.

So... basically: Vortox game, they're 'bluffing' Empath (1), Investigator (2) tells us there's a Poisoner in play, but there's not, the minion is actually a Spy (3). The Fortune Teller gets wrong info (4), the Ravenkeeper (Me) will get wrong info when they die, the Chef that we just executed has wrong info (6), and the outsider is a recluse (7).

THAT WAS THE PLAN.

I KNOW THAT'S CONFUSING. We have a Legion bluffing Vortox bluffing Empath for example. But look up how the game works.

Spoilers, this plan fell apart almost immediately.

So I was ready as ever to have the storyteller kill me!

...they didn't. They killed the 'fortune teller' legion.

I was a bit frustrated, because COME ON, I GAVE YOU THE PERFECT REASON TO PICK ME TO DIE!!

I swear the storyteller is never on my side.

And to make matters worse, ONE OF THE GOOD PLAYERS WAS AN ACTUAL FORTUNE TELLER. OUR LEGION TOLD TO THEIR FACE THEY WERE THEIR ROLE.

So... yeah, thanks dude, you just screwed over your legion team. XD

So we go in nominations and they say "Um, *name I'm not revealing for privacy* told me they were my role to my face. And now they are dead. I have firm reason to believe they were evil."

Before that, a good player (not the one I talked to on the first day) and the actual fortune teller they believed the 'fortune teller' legion was evil.

I asked, "Why do you think that? They're dead."

Turns out they're the Undertaker, and they dug up that they were a poisoner. (Legions register as Minions)

I outwardly said, "That makes no sense. Why would the demon kill their own minion?"

They suggested, "The investigator revealed there was a poisoner, I could've been poisoned last night, so I would get wrong info."

"Sure. Let's go with that."

I asked, "Can I swap with one of your roles? I'm the Ravenkeeper. I want to die at night."

Both said no. Especially not after the Double Claim going on.

I KNEW that the original plan was going to fail after that Double Claim revealed itself, and I knew they were getting suspicious.

One way or another, they WOULD figure out it was a Legion Game. And if I wasn't careful, they would figure out I was one of them.

So most of the nomination discussion was regarding the Fortune Teller double claim. The others were trying to suggest "Well Fortune Teller is Demon Bait" (we always say that cause it's true) "so it makes sense that they're dead if you both confessed to it. I think you're the one that's lying about your role."

But I DIDN'T join them. I just mumbled "Mmm.... I don't know about that... there are other possibilities..." And then I did not join the vote on them, even though there was a good player also voting.

Because if they did figure out it was a Legion Game, they were gonna keep track of who was voting, and I would not appear on that list. It would make me seem good, because if I was a legion I would've joined in on trying to execute that good player.

We ended up not executing the Fortune Teller. We just ghost executed because we weren't sure.

Again, we do these games in our college dorms and common room, so at night we just go to our rooms. The walls block sound pretty well so long as you're not screaming. So I was in my room begging, "COME ON! KILL ME! I AM A RAVENKEEPER! I CAN HELP!"

They didn't. They killed the 'investigator' legion.

WHYYYYYYYYYY

I realized then I had to change the plan. Our original narrative was not going to work. We would get caught. They would figure out it was a Legion Game.

So... why not just accept getting caught?

That SOUNDS like you're admitting defeat saying it like that. BUT HEAR ME OUT.

And guess what? Next day, we did.

The 'Virgin' player came to me, the Undertaker, and the 'Recluse' legion, and outright said, "Here's my guess as to what is going on: I think this is a Legion Game. Everyone that is dead right now is a Legion."

The other two were iffy on that guess (a correct guess), the 'recluse' for obvious reasons. But I said, "Hang on, I think they might be onto something here."

"So I'm the Ravenkeeper. I wanted to get killed at night, but I'm still here. If it really was a vortox game, even if they did figure out my role, surely they would've killed me so I would get wrong info. And a Legion Game would make perfect sense as to why I'm not a target at all. I think you're right, it might be a Legion Game."

So... yeah. I, a legion, AGREED with the good player's suspicion that it is a Legion Game.

I WAS TURNING ON MY OWN TEAM.

It actually WORKED, as it gained me a lot of trust from that player. Because, of course, WHY WOULD A LEGION PUSH EXPOSURE TO THEIR OWN TEAM?

But I didn't really communicate this to my Legion Team that well to be fair. Two of them, one being the 'recluse', asked me "What the hell are you doing? Do you want to get caught?"

I said, "No, I want YOU to get caught. I'm a traitor. I ain't sticking with this dumbass cult!"

We proceeded to execute the 'Spy' Legion, who was bluffing Monk, poorly mind you they did not understand that role, and the 'Recluse' Legion died in the night.

So it was just two Legions left. Me and the one bluffing Vortox bluffing Empath.

And the other guy was DEFINATELY BUSTED.

Cause that 'Virgin' player? Yeah, they're actually an Empath. A DRUNK Empath, but still an Empath in their mind.

They got me and the Fortune Teller together and said, "This is 100% a Legion Game, and the three of us are the good players."

"*Other Legion Guy* told me they were my role. It's no coincidence anymore."

(I was, in my head, screaming in rage "OH MY GOD PEOPLE WHYYYY😠")

I asked, "They're saying Virgin?"

I was trying to act oblivious to the Legion's plan and go off of what this player told me.

They explained, "No. I lied cause I didn't originally trust you, Golden. I wanted to see what you would do if I told you I was the Virgin. I'm actually the Empath."

I said, "Ah, okay, that makes sense. Everyone that's dead right now is Legion. We're the innocents. I completely agree with this."

I completely agreed with their sentiment that it's a Legion Game. Because again, why would a legion do that?

They explained, "I didn't originally trust Golden, or anyone, so I went around saying I was the Virgin to get reactions and see what you would do. The fact that you didn't nominate me-"

"Because I'm Ravenkeeper. I wouldn't want to be executed."

"-Makes sense to me, and you didn't tattle on me either. Then I've been getting a zero for awhile on my Empath power, and last night I got a one between you and *undertaker*, but the fact that they’re still denying it’s legion, that's..."

So, basically, they trusted me completely because I was agreeing with their suspicions, and they got no ping on me. They thought the Undertaker was the other Legion. BECAUSE THEY'RE DRUNK.

"Unless this is a 200IQ play and one of you is Legion, I have firm belief the three of us are the innocents."

...thanks, I try. :)

We agreed the safer kill was the lying 'Empath', and made that our plan going into nominations.

I was the one that nominated them btw.

ALL my Legion friends were SO BAFFLED at me pushing to kill the only other Legion left over a good player.

Before we got there, my Legion partner pleaded, "I'm at a loss on what to do here. Help me out."

And I smirked and said, "No."😏

Bye bye dude.

And now I'm the only Legion left.

I was scared, I admit, going into the last night. Cause it was all up to me. If I screwed up, it was over. And ALL the blame would be on me, because I was taking a gamble on betraying my own team.

The storyteller killed the Fortune Teller. They kinda had no choice here cause I was the only Legion left.

The narrative plan was to push the Drunk Empath into believing the Undertaker was the final Legion.

And, as you can imagine, they were both fighting for this.

And I just kept up where my 'suspicion' was the whole time.

"If I was the Legion, why would I keep digging up these wrong roles?"

"Because Legions register as Minions. We ALL know this. Just because you're good, doesn't mean you don't know how this game works. So obviously, knowing that's the rule, you paint that narrative."

And so you know, because we all knew it was a Legion Game, we demanded that Legions were not allowed to speak through this entire thing. "SHUT UP EVIL PLAYERS! YOU DON'T GET OPINIONS! THIS IS BETWEEN US!!"

And, it was NOT entirely between them. They DID suggest I could be the Legion too. The Undertaker suggested this.

"Golden could be playing us very hard right now."

"I've been Ravenkeeper the whole game."

"Then why do you not have info?"

"Because I have to DIE to get it! That's how my role works!"

"It's a good Legion bluff."

"EVERYTHING is a bluff if you're a Legion! Don't discriminate my ravens!"

"You just need them on their side cause otherwise the vote won't go through."

"Exactly. You need them to vote to get rid of one of us, so you, the Legion, win."

I also pointed out, "I actually said it was possibly a Legion Game quite early, along with these other two guys. *Drunk Empath* told both of us at the same time 'Is this a Legion Game?' Whereas I agreed with them and humored it because I am, as you imagine, a good player, YOU on the other hand, dismissed the idea along with *Recluse*. Because OF COURSE you wouldn't want us to know it's a Legion Game."

And... it worked. The other two players agreed with me and that logic.

Then the suspicion on me dropped because it was the Empath that first initiated the Legion Game idea aloud, not me.

We got to successfully execute the Undertaker.

They were PISSED, and screaming, "THEY PLAYED YOU! THEY PLAYED YOU!! THIS IS BULLSHIT!!!"

And, you can imagine the others faces, when the Storyteller announced Evil Won, and the Final Legion was ME.

😮

"So let me get this straight, you BETRAYED our own Legion, to help the Legion win?"

"Yep. That was pretty much the strat."

This is now officially the second time I have won as a Demon. If this counts, anyway.

Who said Legions were one big hivemind? Get creative with it.

My Mind Belongs To My Ravens :)

#blood on the clocktower #botc #board games #games

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impossiblepackage · 1 year ago

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say, i heard you reblog a post about role playing games. do you happen to know of any ones that i, a beginner, could feasibly get into in this day and age? i tried DnD but a combination of not having anybody to play with (whether irl or online) and a dissatisfaction with low level boringness kind of made it fizzle out for me

oh hey an ask from 3 months ago that I didn't even see. hi.

ANYWAY. First things first, i cannot recommend @theresattrpgforthat enough. Ain't nobody better at recommending rpgs than that blog right there. Now, on to my thoughts.

If you want a DnD-like rpg, Pathfinder 2nd Edition is gonna be my first recommendation. It's harder to find games for on account of being significantly less popular than dnd5e but it's probably the 2nd most popular game. It's also completely free, with everything being hosted on https://2e.aonprd.com/. It's got everything except adventures, those ya gotta buy. For the next 10 days, there's a humble bundle that includes PDFs of lots of the pre-remaster legacy books, and includes a couple adventures, including a whole adventure path going from level 1 to 20. As a whole, the game is different to dnd but it's recognizable. Big fan myself, and paizo isn't a bunch of pricks. The setting is also super gay. There's a potion of trans your gender, and one of the main religions in the world is the worship of 3 gods in lesbian polycule.

Ironsworn: probably my favorite RPG, period. (also has a space version, that works the same way). It is narrative focused, and designed for solo play or in groups with no GM. Works just as well by yourself, as a duo, in a small group, or in a traditional way with a few players and a GM. It's structured around it's vow system. Your character makes a vow, you decide how difficult that vow should be to accomplish, and as you do things that advance it, you mark progress. Eventually, you make a roll to try and fulfill the vow, with the difficulty determined by how much progress you've made. If you fail that roll, it's bad. Cool thing is that just about everything works that way. Undertaking a journey, delving a dungeon, fighting a dude, it's all handled with the same system. It's a game about perseverance and struggle and relationships, both with people and with places. also very fun to play for writing practice. It's mechanics are rooted in it's setting, but there's no reason you couldn't play it in basically any setting. the youtube channel Me, Myself, And Die is, essentially, Critical Role But It's Solo RPGs, and he did a great season where he played Ironsworn, check it out. Also, Basement Fort on youtube did a duo playthrough. I've only seen the first episode but it seems like a fun watch, as well as showing off duo gameplay.

the Witcher RPG: i haven't played this myself or even looked at the books yet, but everything I've heard about this game has me super excited about it. the general consesus seems to be "yo this is wayyyy better than I thought it would be, why aren't more people playing this, what the fuck". If somebody more familiar wants to talk about it, that'd be dope.

gonna ramble about the rest much less, LIGHTNING ROUND OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Dungeon World: same genre as dnd, but much less crunchy gameplay. Much easier to learn.

Kids On Bikes: it's Stranger Things but as a ttrpg.

Call of Cthulhu: get spooky, idiot. The players are investigators unraveling some mystery or another, and trying to keep their sanity in the face of some cosmic bullshit.

Lancer: it's about mechs! closer to anime-style mechs than battletech style, from what I can tell. I've heard good things.

Vampire: The Masquerade: you will NEVER guess what this is about. It's a classic, it's great, it pretty much redefined the way I think vampires should work. The new version of Werewolf: The Apocalypse is coming soon, and I'm real hyped for that, too.

Shadow Of The Demon Lord: my understanding is that this game is basically "DnD 5e, but good".

#ttrpg #ironsworn #pathfinder #dnd #pf2e #dungeon world #kids on bikes #call of cthulhu #lancer #vampire the masquerade #shadow of the demon lord #witcher ttrpg

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selfieignite · 6 months ago

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Selfie (2014) production art with earlier versions

From designer Sarah Orenstein:

There are many reasons why “Selfie” was one of my favorite projects. Besides for the super talented all-lady team (!), I was so fortunate to be given more than the usual creative freedom to explore designs for the title sequence of this modern-day “My Fair Lady”: a narcissistic social media addict who undertakes a reluctant journey to discover the value of genuine friendship. The mixed media “analog” style was a refreshing break from the glossy aesthetic expected of most social-media related motion graphics projects. By creating cheeky vignettes mixing historical photographs of “selfies”, a hand drawn network, and collaged elements that typically represent natural beauty (flowers and butterflies, for example) we were able to depict the potentially cliché theme of shallow online personas vs. true human connection in a lighthearted and cheerful way. Although the show itself was short lived, the title sequence still makes me smile.

Producer: Eve Strickman

Director: Jordan Bruner

Design: Sarah Orenstein

Animation: Ashley Farlow & Jordan Bruner

[x]

#selfie abc #john cho #karen gillan #production art #behind the scenes #long post #I think these were drafts since the names didn't seem finalized

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sylvan-librarian · 2 years ago

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The Last of the Animists: Exploring the Concept of Animism and How it Defines Nissa Revane

Prologue

Since the characterization of Nissa in the Kaladesh block is such a massive undertaking due to the density and quality of material therein, I decided at first to take a little break from my regularly scheduled programming (i.e. - having a public, frenzied, and unhinged obsession with my favorite Magic the Gathering character). However, I couldn’t stay away from the topic entirely, so here we are.

Introduction

The source of Nissa’s magic, its manifestation within Magic’s lore, and how it is represented mechanically on cards has intrigued me to no end over the years. Mechanically, I always felt that Nissa’s cards stood out more than the other two regularly-printed green planeswalkers (Garruk and Vivien). Garruk and Vivien cards often do what you would imagine a green planeswalker would do: create 3/3 green beast creature tokens, tutor creatures from your library, give overrun effects to your board, etc. The design space across these two characters’ cards always felt limited and uninspired to me. One of the things that intrigued me about Nissa, Worldwaker (read about my love for that card here) when I first encountered it in 2014 was the fact that it played around with lands rather than creatures: it animated lands into beaters, it untapped lands, it fetched lands from its owner’s library. This struck me as a unique, inspired design at the time, and it made me feel excited to use the card.

However, while yes, I have always found Nissa’s skillset a unique design for green planeswalkers – a fact that makes the desparkening all that much more disappointing to me – my primary interest in Nissa’s magic as a deranged Vorthos is how it is described in and displayed throughout the stories.

Nissa, as we are often told in post-“Nissa, Worldwaker” stories, is the last of the animists, a rare type of mage on Zendikar who can hear the voice of the world itself, but the plane of Zendikar rarely had anything nice to say; in “Nissa's Origin: Home,” Nissa’s mother, Meroe says that the soul of the land, which so often is a source of terrible nightmares for Nissa, “was never after anything other than random destruction.” Animism, we learn, is a taboo brand of magic to the Joraga (the tribe Nissa belongs to), and Numa, the Joraga chieftain, exiles Nissa because he, like many others, believes that the inherent anger of the land is due to some untold, unknown blasphemy enacted on the world by the animists. He tells Meroe, “[y]our people angered Zendikar and they paid the price. There is a reason that you are the last of the animists.” We come to understand that the reason for the plane of Zendikar’s anger is due to the Eldrazi Titans’ imprisonment on it. The world recoils in disgust at the eldritch monstrosities who eternally strive to break free of their imprisonment and consume and pervert every living thing in their way; the plane’s anger feels justified in this light, but almost no one on Zendikar understands this, not even Nissa or her mother.

So in short, animism in Magic the Gathering is the ability to connect with the soul of the world itself which allows animists like Nissa to (among other things) animate the land itself into living creatures that can fight alongside them.

However, the concept of animism has meaning beyond the lore of Magic; why did Magic’s designers label Nissa’s powers this way, and how can a real world understanding of animism help us understand Nissa in a new way?

Part I: The Animation of All Nature

Animism is a term developed all the way back in the 1870’s by British anthropologist Sir Edward Tylor as a method to describe similarities in “primitive” religions. Let’s take a quick moment to acknowledge that Tylor was a bearded white man living in colonial-era Britain using words like “primitive” to describe the religions and philosophies of people he will never meet, many of whom were currently unwilling subjects of his own government. This is an unfortunate commonality in academic studies. That aside, Tylor’s description of animism gives us our first understanding of this term. He writes in his 1871 anthropological treatise Primitive Culture that “[f]irst and foremost among the causes which transfigure into myths the facts of daily experience, is the belief in the animation of all nature, rising at its highest pitch to personification” (emphasis mine). In other, simpler words, animists personify the natural world, assigning traditionally human traits to immobile objects. The root of the current English word animate, after all, comes from the Latin animus, which means “soul, spirit, mind.” The “animation of all nature,” then, refers to the belief that what we might call objects of the natural world have their own interiority. Tylor writes elsewhere that animism is

[a]n idea of pervading life and will in nature far outside modern limits, a belief in personal souls animating even what we call inanimate bodies, a theory of transmigration of souls as well in life as after death, a sense of crowds of spiritual beings sometimes flitting through the air, but sometimes also inhabiting trees and rocks and waterfalls, and so lending their own personality to such material objects.

Humanity’s relationship to nature, then, becomes that of subject-subject rather than that of subject-object.

What does this say about Nissa, though? If you’re thinking that the above description is frighteningly similar to how Nissa views the world, you’d be right. While what Tylor argued back in the 1870’s was that animism is a crude belief system that would eventually evolve to the rise of world religions and later on the rejection of religion in rational society, Nissa’s practice of animism is very much alive and vibrant. It is hammered home often that Nissa deeply respects the personhood of objects, whether they be trees, animals, or even the ground itself. We see this very clearly in this long selection from the beginning of the Battle for Zendikar story “The Silent Cry”:

Every day there was something new, something Zendikar taught Nissa that surprised and delighted her. The land had hundreds of magnificent secrets, and it was sharing them with her. She would never have guessed that the giant mantises secreted a scent meant to simulate the odor of fresh worms and thus attract small song birds—but not for the mantises to prey on, rather for the purpose of enjoying the birds' melodies. The songs were one of the few things capable of lulling the mantises into an easy sleep. Nor would she have known that the vines draped between the close-growing, towering heart trees of the Vastwood Forest were more like arms than vines—arms that were holding hands. Each vine grew out of the trunks of two trees; it did not belong to one tree more than the other, it was shared equally between them, a tether that bound the trees. The vines connected one heart tree with its chosen companion, and allowed the two to share memories, feelings, and dreams. These trees were linked forever; they mated for life. And the gnarlids, the silly, beastly, sneaky gnarlids; they had a ritual that they managed to keep hidden from most everyone else on Zendikar. On the darkest nights, when there was no moon but the skies were clear, the gnarlids scaled the tallest trees, poking their heads above the canopies, and they laughed at the stars. Little breathy snickers that to anyone else listening sounded like nothing more than the leaves of the highest branches rustling in the wind. It was an inside joke meant only for them. Equally as impressive was the tribe of humans who lived in the lowest canopy of the Vastwood's trees—not in a central encampment, but spread out through the expanse of the forest. Five or six humans shared each treehouse hamlet, and there were over a dozen hamlets. The tribe was able to stay well informed of each other's movements and needs thanks to their ancestors, who had closely studied the language of the chatter sloths. The people sent messages to each other by speaking to the nearest chatter sloth. It was only a matter of minutes before the sloth would relate the gossip to its neighbors, who would pass it along through the network of tree dwellers. Soon all humans in the tribe would know of the hamlet's news thanks to the little gossipmongers.

It’s important here that Nissa shares equal amazement with the goings on of plants and animals as she does with the ingenuity of her fellow sentient mortals; to her, they are no different. To Nissa, the “animation of all nature” is not some crude, outdated philosophy that has been surpassed by rationality. It is her everyday reality.

Of course, however, Magic the Gathering is a game of wizards battling each other, and its worlds and characters are full of wonder and, well, magic. The “animation of all nature” has another meaning to Nissa in that she can call out to the interior soul of immobile objects and, in a non-metaphorical way, personify them … as in, she can “animate” objects into living, walking, thinking, fighting creatures with a will of their own. In the first story of the Zendikar Rising arc, “In the Heart of the Skyclave,” Nissa and Nahiri, looking for a specific object of interest, are at a loss at which place to begin hunting for it in a giant, city-sized airborne dungeon when Nissa spots a lone fern:

Nissa crouched down to one of the ferns. Its leaves were as large as she was, but its flowers were tiny, delicate, and blue. "How is it possible for plants to thrive here?" Nahiri asked, coming up behind her. Nissa smiled. "You'd be surprised at how many things thrive in unlikely places on this plane." "How—" Nahiri began to speak again, but Nissa tuned her out. She rested a hand on the top of the fern, like a parent's hand on the head of a child. She closed her eyes and felt its life under her fingers, felt its struggle and its pride in surviving in such a foreboding place. Nissa smiled at that strength and that pride. And she called it forth. She heard Nahiri give a gasp as the elemental emerged into existence. It was a tall thing, twice her height, green and vibrant as its life force, its head a mass of fronds with small chains of blue flowers entwining its arms and neck.

The dual meaning of the “animation of all nature” is on display here. Nissa very clearly acknowledges the personhood of the fern, using terms usually reserved for descriptions of the lives of people like struggle and pride, and at the same time she animates the stationary fern into a creature, a person with a will of its own and strength to match. In the end, many elements of the Zendikar Rising arc were lacking, but I always found this particular scene to be a wonderful marriage of the best parts of Magic story: great character moments tied together with a childlike wonder at the beauty and power of magic.

Part II: Infinite Possibilities

Anthropology, however, has moved far beyond its Victorian, colonialist roots. On the same note, Nissa has grown and expanded far beyond the borders of what she previously was.

In 2006, anthropologist Tim Ingold published an essay titled Rethinking the Animate, Re-Animating Thought that reevaluates the concept of animism (there are, of course, many evolutionary steps between the philosophies of 1871 and those of 2006, but for the purposes of this piece, suffice it to say that things have changed). Ingold’s primary thesis is that animism should be considered less of a primitive branch of religious thought and more of an ontological philosophy, an experience of being present in the world. In his research, Ingold provides this anecdote:

One man from among the Wemindji Cree, native hunters of northern Canada, offered the following meaning to the ethnographer Colin Scott. Life, he said, is ‘continuous birth.’ I want to nail that to my door! It goes to the heart of the matter. To elaborate: life in the animic ontology is not an emanation but a generation of being, in a world that is not pre-ordained but incipient, forever on the verge of the actual. One is continually present as witness to that moment, always moving like the crest of a wave, at which the world is about to disclose itself for what it is.

This is a lot to unpack, but let’s use this to point out the similarities and differences between the previous 1871 understanding of animism. Like Tylor’s initial exploration of the concept, Ingold’s animists still treat the world around them with same respect and reverence; they still, in other words, still interact with the world with a subject-subject relationship instead of a more rational subject-object relationship. However, instead of fixating on the spiritual aspects of animism (i.e. - the inherent soul of inanimate objects), this modern take is more of a state of being, a practice of actively engaging with the world around you.

Ingold, in other places, argues that, while yes, animism intentionally blurs the line between what is considered ‘alive’ and what is not, the true cornerstone of an animist ontology is the process of change:

Wherever there is life there is movement … The movement of life is specifically of becoming rather than being, of renewal along a path rather than displacement in space. Every creature, as it ‘issues forth’ and trails behind, moves in its characteristic way. The sun is alive because of the way it moves through the firmament, but so too are the trees because of the particular ways their boughs sway or their leaves flutter in the wind, and because of the sounds they make in doing so.

An animist, then, in this ontology is in a responsive, conversational relationship with the world around them. They wouldn’t fixate, for example, on the personhood of a tree, but they would know how to have a positive, symbiotic relationship with the tree.

What does this new way of looking at animism have to do with Nissa Revane, though? It seemed like Tylor’s outdated definition of animism already had both Nissa’s worldview and the manifestation of her magic pegged down. What could be added? Well, like the definition of animism, like this “world that is not pre-ordained but incipient, forever on the verge of the actual,” Nissa herself has changed drastically in recent years.

If I had the time and bandwidth, I might set out to argue that, of all Magic’s heroes in the last decade, Nissa has gone through the most character growth of any of them; she has shifted through the most colors and she has gone through the most development of any other planeswalker. However, for the purposes of this piece, I’m going to focus on the most recent story (to date) that Nissa has appeared in: Grace P. Fong’s “She Who Breaks the World.” Now, I’ve made it no secret that this is my favorite piece of Magic fiction since the Ixalan days, so I’m certainly biased here, but the narrative meat in this text is rich and vibrant.

When we pick back up with Nissa in “She Who Breaks the World,” we find her at likely the lowest point we have ever seen her at. Her agonies are manyfold at this point. To start, she is still reeling from the unbearable trauma of what the Phyrexians did to her. She had set out with a strike team of her planeswalker allies to stop the Phyrexian invasion of the multiverse, but upon their failure, Nissa, along with many of the others, were captured. Her mind was chemically altered against her will to be utterly, completely submissive to the will of Elesh Norn (the Phyrexian leader, if this essay somehow reaches beyond the MTG sphere). Similarly, her body (again, against her will) was then chemically and mechanically altered to be more in line with the Phyrexian understanding of perfection. Then, Norn used Nissa’s body, mind, and animist powers to launch an invasion of the entire multiverse; Nissa ended up being instrumental in this process because it was her animist abilities that allowed Norn to directly control the Invasion Tree.

Nissa was eventually freed from the Phyrexians’ control in the aftermath of the war, her mind given back to her, and as much of the grafted metal removed from her body as could safely be removed. However, no level of healing could “cleanse the memories of what she had done” while her mind was under the domination of Phyrexia. She understandably has trouble forgiving herself for what she did, whether she had agency in the act or not.

Secondly, if that wasn’t bad enough, after she woke up with her mind intact, she discovered that she had lost her planeswalker spark. While she is not alone in this (all of the other planeswalkers currently on Zhalfir aside from Chandra lost theirs as well), it hits Nissa particularly hard because, for one Nissa has always had a deep connection to her home world of Zendikar, and secondly, Zhalfir is full of people she tried to ruthlessly kill while under the influence of Phyrexia. She cut down in cold blood dozens, if not hundreds, of these survivors’ friends and family. While the surviving Mirrans and Zhalfrins understand that she did not have control of herself during this time and forgave her, Nissa does not feel incredibly comfortable living around people she so directly harmed. She is restlessly homesick with no feasible way to get home and stuck with people she doesn’t feel worthy enough to be around. Furthermore, Nissa’s planeswalker powers are integral to the identity she has created for herself. This sense of self is just one more thing she has lost.

And lastly, there is the issue with Chandra. While they were technically a romantic couple after they kissed at the end of the previous March of the Machines story, “The Rhythms of Life,” things are still far from well between them. Apart from the tremendous guilt and shame Nissa feels from what she did to Chandra during the Phyrexian story arc (Nissa almost killed Chandra multiple times, one time even impaling her), both of them are still dealing with the fallout of their breakup as described in War of the Spark: Forsaken (even typing the name of that book makes me feel ill). Nissa wonders if Chandra can ever love her the way she needs and if that is even a reasonable thing to ask of her after all the two of them have recently gone through.

While this was a long, drawn-out summary, I think it was necessary to show what Nissa is going through on the cusp of her metamorphosis. The depression she is feeling along with what could probably be described as PTSD has left her stuck in the past. She laments the fact that she no longer hears the voice of nature. The leyline songs are completely silent, and when she calls out to the soul she knows dwells in all the objects in the world around her, nothing answers. She assumes this is punishment for what the Phyrexians made her do.

She’s wrong, however. Nissa and Chandra finally have a moment of understanding between the two of them, and as a part of this intimate moment, Nissa finally admits that her animist power no longer work; when Chandra expresses surprise at this, Nissa responds,

"They won't listen to me. I tried. Many times. But when I call out to them, it's like my voice isn't my own. Like it belongs to Phyrexia instead, like everything I've ever connected to is drowning me out." For once, Chandra pauses. "You know," she concludes. "You have good connections, too." "What do you mean?" "It's true—you did bad things while they had you. But everyone you've connected with over the years with the Gatewatch, we're just happy you're still here. With us." Chandra sets fire to a chunk of moist dirt that was about to fall on Nissa, turning it into a soft rain of ash. "With me." For the first time since she awoke in Zhalfir, Nissa smiles. Chandra, sweet Chandra, even if she doesn't realize it, has always understood and explained emotions better than Nissa ever could. Chandra continues, "Your connections aren't drowning your voice, Nissa. They're changing it into something new, maybe something even more powerful. Infinite voices, infinite possibilities, right?" Infinite possibilities. Nissa offers her hand to Chandra. "All right, let's try." Gripping Chandra's fingers in hers, Nissa closes her eyes. She retreats inward and listens for her inner voice. It's hard, much harder than before, but Chandra is dutifully helping her concentrate, blasting the falling rock away before it can reach her.

Nissa is greeted by ringing deep in her ears, but she refuses to be deterred. With her connections in mind, she picks the static apart into unique melodies, the individual songs she picked up from all around the Multiverse. She arranges them, harmonizes them, and this time, when she calls to Zhalfir, her voice is amplified in chorus. She offers an apology. The plane answers. It too was cut off from everything it knew, from the connections it had made. It, too, was scarred by Phyrexia and is growing into something new. It forgives her, and Nissa can finally forgive herself. Magic floods her flesh, her blood, her bone. She hears Chandra laugh, delighted by their success.

I could literally talk forever about this scene, how it is also a marriage of everything I love about Magic Story, but let’s zero in on how Nissa’s change in perspective is similar to how animism has changed meanings over the past one-hundred and fifty years.

In the same way that Tylor was fixated on how “primitive” he felt animism was, how it was just a cultural stepping stone on the way to enlightenment, Nissa remained fixated on her animist powers. To her, the voices of the natural world were oftentimes more real to her than the voices of her friends. The songs of the leylines, the elementals she could animate with a whisper, the power she wielded in defense of the worldsoul … To Nissa, these were all in all.

However, what Nissa learns from Chandra in the climax of “She Who Breaks the World'' is to accept that life is exactly what Ingold calls a “continuous birth.” Nissa embraces this conversational relationship with the world around her, and nature is no longer all in all to her. Hand in hand with Chandra, Nissa now lives “in a world that is not pre-ordained but incipient, forever on the verge of the actual,” as Ingold puts it, and a world of “infinite possibilities,” as Fong puts it.

As the definition of real-world animism has shifted over the years, so too has Nissa’s magical animism. She used to obsess over her connection with nature with religious fervor, and even though Nissa worshiped no gods, her devotion to the soul of the world around her was stronger than many devout worshippers on Theros. However, in “She Who Breaks the World,” Nissa learns to recognize that she, and the rest of the world around her, is alive because she moves in her own “characteristic way.”

Epilogue

While I have certainly been burned by WotC’s treatment of Nissa in the past, I am cautiously excited for the stories that can now be told about her. Nissa is currently set up to grow and expand in interesting ways, and I hope (beyond hope) that future Magic stories starring Nissa will continue on the path that Fong set her on.

Nissa may be the last of the animists, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be the first of something else. I’m excited to see what that “something else” will be.

Bibliography

Every source quoted in this essay is linked directly before the quote in question. I was too lazy to create a reference page today. Sorry! 😬

#magic the gathering #nissa revane #vorthos #animism #media analysis #chandra nalaar

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foxy-128 · 7 months ago

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note:this is my first story, so it probably bad and bad written but i hope you liked it! :D

Tw:Tony just being a jerk silly, mention of party and corruption(it nothing serious!)

You can translate my work or take inspiration from mine but please tag me! ^^

*☆~ A little pest ~☆

In the bustling headquarters of the Avengers, the atmosphere was always electric with energy. It was a place where heroes gathered, plans were hatched, and occasionally, chaos ensued. But amidst all the action, there was one particular source of chaos that was small, persistent, and somewhat adorable: you, the daughter of Natasha Romanoff.

For four long months, you had been on a mission. Not a typical one like the Avengers would undertake, but a mission to persuade Tony Stark to let you join the team. At only ten years old, you had your sights set high, and nothing could deter you—not even Tony's legendary sarcasm.

You had your methods, each more creative than the last. On Monday, you poked Tony’s cheeks while he was engrossed in a holographic display of the latest Stark tech. He barely flinched, his focus unwavering, but you were relentless.

“Hey, Mr. Stark! Can I join the Avengers?” you chirped, poking him again.

“Do you even know what that entails, kid?” he replied, barely looking at you.

“Yeah! I’d fight bad guys and help save the world! Please?” you pleaded.

The following day, you brought donuts—Tony’s weakness. You bounced into the lab, a box of assorted donuts in hand, wearing your most charming smile.

“Look, I even got your favorite—maple bacon!” you exclaimed, waving the box in front of him. “Now can I join the Avengers?”

He took a donut, raising an eyebrow at you. “Are you trying to bribe me with pastries? Because it’s working, but you still can’t join.”

You didn't give up. You became a master of the sweet tooth, bringing donuts every morning, and each time you presented them, your request echoed in the air. “Can I join the Avengers now?”

One Friday, after a week of relentless persuasion, you decided to up the ante. You had watched one of Natasha’s fancy parties and learned about cocktails. You concocted your version—a non-alcoholic “surimpression cocktail” made with sparkling water, fruit juice, and a twist of lime.

With your cocktail in one hand and a donut in the other, you bounded into Tony’s lab. “Ta-da! I made you a special drink to celebrate your next invention! Can I please join the Avengers?”

Tony took a sip, pretending to be deeply impressed. “This tastes like something that might actually give me a sugar high. Nice try, kid.”

Over the months, your persistence began to wear him down. You were a tiny force of nature—full of energy, charm, and an undeniable spirit. With each poke, donut, and cocktail, you managed to break through his defenses, even if he would never admit it.

Finally, one day, as you were enthusiastically reciting a list of reasons why you should be an Avenger, Tony turned to you with an amused grin.

“Okay, okay! You want to join the Avengers? There’s one condition.”

Your eyes lit up with excitement. “Anything! What is it?”

“You need to keep an eye on Loki,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “We can’t have him causing trouble while you’re running around being a hero. Think you can handle that?”

“Absolutely!” you exclaimed, bouncing on your heels. “I can watch Loki! I’ll keep him out of trouble!”

Tony chuckled, clearly entertained by your enthusiasm. “Alright, kiddo. Welcome to the team, sort of. You can be our official Loki babysitter.”

You couldn’t contain your excitement. You jumped up and down, practically vibrating with joy. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise I won’t let you down!”

With a grin, Tony returned to his work, and you raced off to find Loki, ready to embrace your new role. Little did you know, being the “Loki babysitter” would lead to some unexpected adventures—and probably a lot of mischief.

As you sprinted through the halls, your laughter echoed, and in that moment, you felt like a true Avenger—donuts and all.

#avengers fanfiction #avengers x reader #tony stark #child reader #first story #marvel mcu

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mariposa666haruka · 1 year ago

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The first smut I am uploading wooow

Pairing: Top!Vincent Phantomhive x Bottom!Undertaker

It is vanilla but lots of teasing and dirty talk haha

I actually wrote this for a darling friend of mine. Hehe

The howling of the wind was not the only thing that could be heard at the famous funeral parlor of London. One would assume it was another mourning family who had just lost a beloved of theirs and was making preparations to hold an appropriate funeral. But the sign on the door read "Closed" so there possibly couldn't be a customer inside. Knowing the owner, many could have said that there was a torture session going inside,

And not the owner actually crying..Why would the always so joyful Undertaker possibly cry for? He always made a point that he was quite carefree.

Not a single soul knew that he was in the woe of love; bottles already emptied of liquor lied on the cold stone floor and crys soon turned to sniffs, although tears went on flowing down his green iris eyes and as if they were hot burning lava he kept wiping them away with his long black sleeves.

"How unfortunate that the laughter....has disappeared" Weirdly enough his voice was not stained with the misery lingering in his eyes. He knew it was already time for him to pick himself up and put his mask back on, but his not-beating heart still ached, making him allow his old soul a longer time of living his sadness.

Grabbing his favorite buddy, the skull that always lied silently on his desk, he mumbled "Tell me, my dear, can a heart still break once it has stopped beating?" The skull reminded silent of course. How unexpected.

In the streets however, things were not so silent, fast footsteps running mindfully towards their destination. Their owner passed many people, but of course no one was going to recognize him despite his popular looks; after all why would The Earl Phantomhive be doing running in the streets at such day, it was his wedding day after all, he was probably just a relative, or at least that is how people convinced themselves in their simple minds.

The "Closed" sign was the last thing that could stop him at this moment, opening the door he barged inside, only to be met with the sight of his darling in tears.

"Oh, Undie-" "OUT"

His darling shut him up.

He could not help but chuckle, he deserved a hard slap for that, but he did not mind it as he rushed to his side, brining him into his arms.

"Didn't you hear me you primitive poor excuse of a man? You even have the audacity to let your laughter echo among these walls when I am here....." Vincent kept holding him no matter how hard he pushed him away, holding the back of his head, he brought his face into his chest.

"When I am here... being pathetic over someone like you-" The primitive poor excuse of a man shut him up, devouring his mouth as if he had been starved for ages.

"Vince-" The Undertaker had the enough power to throw him flat against the wall, but his hands disagreed for some reason.

Earl pulled back once he felt his darling relaxing in his arms. "My sweet death... would you slap me if I say you are being dramatic right now?" His voice had a touch of amusement.

"I would clear your very existence" His darling however, sounded quite serious, no matter how unusual was that.

Vincent chuckled again before kissing his tear-stained eyes, and brought his hand up to his chest, so he could feel his heartbeat, "This very heart belongs to you, my soul is yours to take and my mind would only be filled with the thoughts of you." Undertaker did not like how he knew that his lover was not lying. He infact, wanted him to lie, so he could shut his pain away, convincing himself that he was not his to have.

But looking up at his blue eyes that glowed like a clear pond under the moonlight, filled with a liquid called 'honesty' , he knew it was never his fault. He had proved his feelings many times, one of them being today, leaving his new wed bride behind for him.

The Undertaker's fingers, fiddled with his lover's buttons, wanting to bury his face into his neck. Vincent allowed him of course, letting him go as far as nibbling and bitting on his skin. He knew exactly what his darling was doing, he wanted to show that woman the he could never belong to her. She could never own him.

Vincent Phantomhive only was his to have. That woman may own his last name, or the title of his spouse, but his heart could never be hers. A side of him called his possessiveness pathetic, but he was not going to care about it at that moment. He did not mind being 'pathetic' in front of his lover, his oh so sweet and gentle lover that could never see him as anything but precious.

Picking him up easily, Vincent pinned him against the desk, right next to his skull buddy, returning all the love bites he had left on his neck and shoulders. Removing the attire off of his petite body was not hard, he took his time with it though, caressing every inch of skin with affection, giving his butt cheeks squeezes as his mouth worked on his hard nipples.

"What is wrong Undie? Not making much of sound today? You know how I love hearing you." Vincent playfully pulled on his now sensitive buds with his teeth, finally making him whimper slightly.

"That is it darling, do not forbid me of hearing you." He went on with his teasing, smirking when he moaned loudly as his fingers stretched his hole.

"You currently do not even deserve....mmhah... touching me.." Of course The Undertaker was too prideful to admit how he had forgiven him so easily, not that Vincent did not know.

"Should I be touching Rachel instead of my darl-"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT" It was high pitched scream at this point as the fingers inside of him had pressed his sweet spot.

The Earl had this annoying habit of laughing when his darling was being cute like this. He took his teasing further by rubbing his tip against his entrance. He clearly wanted to hear him ask for it.

"Put it in already, you wretched vermin" Undertaker had never sounded so desperate before, his usually pale face now flushed as he looked upon his lover.

Vincent felt his heart squeeze itself at the sight before him, he pulled him up into his embrace once more. "You know the rules Undie, mouth open, tongue out." His smug smirk could be mistaken for one of a devil's.

And so he obeyed, not putting up a fight like he always did. He panted as he opened his mouth, and the second his tongue was out, Vincent had his mouth over it. Sucking on his tongue definitely was one of his favorite intimate activities, but now he wanted to hear him scream as he did so.

Holding on his butt cheeks, Vincent pushed his length inside him, his darling letting out a loud muffled scream as his tongue was being held captive. Vincent wanted to keep tormenting him further by the slow pace he was having, but The Earl himself was being impatient at this point.

Undertaker's moans got louder the second Vincent let go of his tongue, only to go back to his neck.

"Vincent...mahh I am...close ..go slower" his lover did the exact opposite. "VINCENT" His lover only laughed. "Undie darling, hahaha you have to see your expression right now... that alone is bringing me to my edge." He lovingly smooched his lips, his cock twitching inside of him. "You know I am close too.. not that we are going to stop anytime soon I have to...mahhahaha, you just squeezed me so hard...are you happy to hear that...we will go longer than usual?"

"Why don't you try...ngghh shutting up for once?" And Vincent did as he said, bringing his mouth to his, moving his hips faster, enjoying the feeling of him moaning into his mouth as they both orgasmed together.

The pair did not stop at one round, Vincent stopped counting at some point, he was determined to give his darling the wedding night he deserved. Oh he wanted to actually marry him for real, instead of a noble woman whose only purpose was to give him a heir.

He held his sleeping darling against himself, holding onto him tightly, his fingers caressing his back and drawing hearts here and there; as both of the laid inside one of the bigger coffins, the lid off of course.

"Well it cannot be helped, guess I just can enjoy the moment I have with you."

#black butler #Kuroshitsuji #Vincent Phantomhive #undertaker #undertaker black butler #Vincent Phantomhive x undertaker #Maria writes ^^#black Butler smut #Kuroshitsuji smut

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blackbutlerfandomnerddomain · 4 months ago

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Do you have any personal headcanons for Aleister Chamber/Viscount Druitt? Outside of what we see in canon.

For sure!

For some reason he's my favorite and I don't know why

I personally view him as pansexual. Maybe even polysexual. Man doesn't care of your gender, race, wealth, status, history, fashion, condition, religion, or WHATEVER if he fancies you he fancies you!

I personally love to imagine a world where he was once Prefect of Scarlet Fox House back in the day, just like his nephew, so that means he was close with Vincent Phantomhive and for some reason the idea of him realizing the kid he keeps running into is Vincent's kid he's like "Wait what the fuck- OOOOOOOOOOHHH!"

I personally believe he'd be a pretty neat dad. I have no idea why this is something my mind agrees with me, but I just imagine he'd love his kid(s) unconditionally and maybe even give up his playboy era for them.

While he can claim he loves lobster and sea food all he wants, his REAL favorite food is chicken noodle soup. But that a "poor person food" so he never admitted it. He has always loved it since it makes him think of the maid who took care of him when he was young.

He was actually a pretty sick child which is why now as an adult he lives lavishly. "I live to excitingly not long" He would say

Bruh if he doesn't show up the same hotel as Sebastian and Ciel I will probably be pissed-

If he was in the modern time he would be a for sure romance novelist or a dancer

I have like three ships for him which are: Undertaker x Aleister (dude made Undertaker laugh so hard he revealed he was a reaper, also I'm a sucker for aesthetic clashes) Blavat x Aleister (Blavat is very much not someone Aleister has seen before and I just love the idea of this cult man somehow hooking up with a man who views himself as God) And depends on prompts and VEERRRRRRY crack-shippy but Wendy. (Again, very crack-ship basically but it's mostly cause besides the other circus folk he's the only other one I can imagine not caring about Wendy's condition though she may not believe he views her as a woman right away and assume he's a creep which to be fair he is-

Since he's based on Aleister Crowley, he has the same birthday as him, October 12th

Also speaking on Aleister Crowley:

#black butler #viscount of druitt #aleister chamber

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theonlyqualitytrash · 5 months ago

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—I am continuing as I said.

You're my spirit animal. You get it. You really do! It's like our minds are in sync. I can feel a genetic connection.

For me, it clicked in my head the moment when Fyodor looked down at Atsushi in pure disgust, anger, and disappointment when Atsushi desperately begged him to save his friend's life. I think in that moment Fyodor saw himself in Atsushi - the man he once was - that innocence. He was reminded of the humanity he had lost over time - the same helplessness he had once experienced, the emotions so vulnerable that it caused him to lose everything (perhaps the first time he discovered his ability). I just know that that man will have the most tragic backstory imaginable and that I will bawl my eyes out. Slowly forgetting who you used to be, your family, your friends...watching everyone you love die…being condemned to centuries of loneliness because of an ability that's more of a curse than a gift...and the fact that he is deep down craving to bond with someone. I can’t even imagine how dehumanizing all of this must have been for him. To be betrayed and murdered over and over again, to witness all the horrible events throughout history... I am honestly worried about his sanity. Can we blame him for what he wants to achieve? I wish I could give him a big hug. 😞

I'm so angry at the anime for taking away those silly moments that showed Fyodor's remaining humanity and replacing them with serious scenes. They really disliked him, huh? By the way, agree with you. It is shallow to say being cold and calculating is all he is because his character is much, much more complex than that. I think his coldness and calculating are acquired traits. I find him to be one of the most mischaracterized characters by the fandom, and I think it's because most people don't actually care about the actual plot. They just want their favorite ships and characters to be the center of focus all the time so badly that they don't stop for one second to think and just complain about everything. Like okay, I get it, I want to see my favorite side characters too, but they are not relevant to the unfolding story right now. It wouldn't make any sense to suddenly show them like a commercial break while Atsushi is in a dangerous situation and being repeatedly traumatized. ☠️ Plus I feel like this kind of behavior is very disrespectful to Asagiri-sensei, to Harukawa-sensei, and to the work and the effort of everyone who has been working on this manga. I mean, no one is forcing them to read. 🤷‍♀️

I do not understand how some people don't like the recent chapters or the direction in which the story is going. Yes, it's a bit confusing sometimes, but I think that's the reason why this manga has become much more intriguing than ever before. Because it makes you think about every little thing. Asagiri-sensei is COOKING.

Finally, all the spotlight is on our main character Atsushi, and our main anti-villain Fyodor. I'm excited to see how things will take a turn. I think it's a good thing that there won't be any new chapters until February, it will give the fandom time to digest all the new information (and deaths 😭).

And now that Fukuzawa is gone too, Atsushi can either go berserk and lose control of Byakko, fighting with everything he has, and possibly manage to do some damage, but Fyodor would still be able to escape or he’d try to join him for the sake of getting the page from Fyodor (though I doubt Fyodor wouldn't have figured such a thing out the moment he tries to, but still). So, I don't think Atsushi will succumb to despair yet (but the concept would be very interesting to watch tho). That page is still a source of hope for him. (Plus the living members)

(I don't know about Viego but I LOVE Snape and the Undertaker as well. Heavy on the Undertaker, by the way.)

AND FINALLY, SOMEONE WHO LOVES MY BOI ATSUSHI FOR HE IS ONE OF MY FAVES TOO. I also really like Kyōka, Nikolai, Lucy, Dazai, Sigma, Ryūnosuke, Chūya, Aya, Higuchi, and Oda…

(proceeds to list almost the whole cast 💀)

But of course, despite all the above, there is only one person who 24/7 occupies both my mind and my heart... - Fyodor.

I'm afraid I'm too loyal. Even with fictional characters.

The message you wrote at the end of your answer means a lot to me, thank you. 🤍🌸🌺 Likewise, please try to take care of yourself and be sure to listen to your own advice too! I've never heard of holding an ice cube in your hands to calm down before, but I'm going to try it if I ever feel overwhelmed. I'm sure it will work as it's funny to even think about doing it. 😭

I loved reading all of your thoughts; it’s so refreshing to see someone else get equally excited about the same things I do! We can just geek out and deep dive without restraint, and that’s what I find niche about the internet—screaming into the void and having people scream at you back :))

I couldn’t agree more with everything you said. You’ve voiced my thoughts exactly! Although I understand why they cut certain scenes from the anime (animating is tedious, after all 😞), it still hurts because those moments were so important to Fyodor’s character and how people perceive him. No joke, I have a word document where I’ve listed all the times Fyodor smiles or shows any emotion—and spoiler alert, it’s a lot more than the anime lets on.

"I find him to be one of the most mischaracterized characters by the fandom"—THIS! Popular characters get mischaracterized the most because of their success. Fyodor’s definitely fallen into that category, and along with him, Chuya, Dazai, Poe, and Sigma have suffered the same fate. I think it ties into the shipping problem you mentioned: I’m not an avid shipper myself, but I understand it as a creative outlet. The issue arises when fanon (born from ships) starts overwriting the canon version of characters. It can be really frustrating when you just want to see a character explored more deeply without stripping them of their core traits. But, at the end of the day, I can’t blame anyone for enjoying what they do.

Regarding the recent chapters: I think a lot of people don’t like them simply because they don’t understand them—and that’s okay! Our community spans a wide range of ages, but most of the fandom is middle-to-older teens, and that poses a problem when you’re dealing with a seinen manga which is meant for an older audience; while the anime, being more accessible, appeals to a younger crowd. The recent chapters have been chaotic and packed with info, and casually dropping quantum physics? As someone who loves learning new stuff, I’m all for it! Asagiri does a great job of explaining it in a way that’s digestible, but I know it’s a lot to take in for some. (Anyway I will have Fyodor mansplain everything to me please)

As for Atsushi, I also don’t think he’s going to succumb to despair. He’s a tough cookie, and we saw that at the end of Season 5 when the anime was hinting at the fight with Amenogozen. Also after Tanizaki's death, I think people started to realize that all this suffering is just pushing Atsushi to grow. It’s painful to watch, but it’s necessary for his character development. I’m also really curious to see how Fukuzawa’s death will affect both Atsushi and Kyōka. (I have a feeling Lucy will play a role with the phone)

Gosh my heart aches while thinking of irl Dostoevsky's works and how they all somehow have the overarching theme that love changes, people can be reborn and redeemed: so I am holding onto the thread that maybe, just maybe-very cliche I know-the power of love will save Fyodor. That perhaps Atsushi has the power to make Fyodor redeem himself. But sadly he seems resigned to his role as the solitary genius who need to cleanse the world of people like himself.

don't mind me sobbing about his character again

Some other things I want to lightly touch on:

Undertaker is THE goat in Kuroshitsuji (I loved the new season, also we are getting the emerald which act in 2025???? Crazy. I remembered when I first read the manga in 2017)

As silly as it sounds the ice cube trick works because our brains register the cold stimuli and it stops releasing cortisol and other stress inducing hormones! It is a neat life hack indeed :>

---

Discussions like these really spark joy in my heart :)) Please take care while out there <3

Kisses and good vibes, Q

#trash answers to your qs #Berry🛵🌻

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anthropologyruinseverything · 11 months ago

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For all my crossover interest folks -

Who is your all time favorite WWE superstar?

Which tarot card do you feel represents them and why?

I’m gonna go the easy route because while I love the whole bloodline (past & current), Damian priest and a few others, The Undertaker is and will always be my all time favorite. Follow closely by Raven, it was hard to choose between the two. But here goes.

The Undertaker gets the Death card not only for the obvious reasons but also because he is kind of the “consequences” of the WWE. Like at WM 40 - the rock had mucked up enough and so he pushed back.

#wwe #the undertaker #undertaker #tarot cards #the bloodline #funny stuff #creative inspiration #get creative #wrestling #pro wrestling #wwe raw #wwe smackdown

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freebooter4ever · 1 year ago

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Geno collection part 2: quick doodles version. I’ve been holding off on posting this one because i wanted to write my usual yearly blurb summary underneath but i’ve been struggling to put it into words which is a new one for loquacious me. What to say about geno…

Normally i’m very logical about my favorites - i know exactly why i picked them and there's a list of reasons. This time left me confused. One minute i’m insisting i’m not going to root for pittsburgh, even though its my city, and i'll only do ONE drawing of sid as a homage. But then there's this photo of some dude sitting on the boards in a blue jersey - you can’t even see his face it’s all about the Attitude and his posture - and it’s the most compelling hockey photo i’ve seen yet. Who is this guy, how the fuck is he so sexy, he's just SITTING, he's not even skating? And then i find out his name (and whoops it’s that guy i already decided to hate, guess i have to rethink my snap decision), and then i start noticing things. And noticing more things, and reading old blogs, and more, and more…

And next thing i know ive got over 271 doodles in my sketchesdone folder, and a favorite that was never supposed to be a favorite, and also a new sculpting project.

So. Why? his expressions are a joy to draw. he looks like he escaped from an animated film. He's got that elusive quality where half of what i want to draw is physical and the other half is in his movements, and body language, and personality. It drives me crazy because i am terrible at capturing that second half so i’m never fully happy with any of my doodles. That glow of personality, the look in his eyes - how the fuck do you draw that? I don’t know.

His body alone is also interesting - unique proportions. He's long, with lots of muscle, but also soft? I could cry over it probably. Actually i just study, and study, and want to throw my computer at the wall when i get it wrong in my art yet again for the thousandth time.

He's funny. But he's sneaky about it. If you dont pay much attention he seems like this kind of slapstick guy. But underneath the surface goofball he almost miserly keeps to himself how sly his humor can be. You get the feeling that he doesn't miss much, even if he doesn't comment on it. Yet even that's hilarious - how in some interviews it's obvious he's mentally checked out. All so you're thrown for a loop when in other interviews he's the most vivacious guy in the room. Which is the real evgeni? only he knows. :P well, and obviously the lucky few who know him personally.

I have a small confession. I’ve been sending him art. Look - the missing the playoffs thing happened - and i was suddenly overcome with concern that they might not get as much fanmail as usual. And that was so sad. And then i realized i had all these drawings. And a printer. I could send fanmail. (i have only sent famail once before. this was a very anxiety inducing undertaking) Normally i don’t like the subject of my art seeing my art, it’s just supposed to be for us. But i carefully picked out each drawing - mostly the ones that were more badass or powerful in the traditionally masculine sports sense. I definitely avoided any of the thirsty ones (duh) and tried not to use any of the more personal ones of his face where it was obvious i was just drawing him instead of him as a hockey star. And tried to be respectful and desperately hoping my art wouldn’t accidentally insult him somehow or be inappropriate. i have zero idea if i succeeded and it only worries me sometimes.

So there you go. The year of geno. \o/ nothing in this list has any logic to it

#really i have no other excuse it must be magic #this is the gas leak year except it's just me discovering evgeni malkin for the first time despite living in the same city for a decade #2023 #seriously i had SO MANY drawings to choose from this year #and it's all of his face #im gonna get into hockey i said #im gonna use hockey action shots to practice anatomy and gesture i said #and then i go and draw genos face 100 times just so i can learn things like the exact angle of his cheekbones #so useful #his bottom lip is my kryptonite

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emojellyace08 · 1 year ago

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Lookism Random Headcannons (Because why not?)

Read the recent chapter recently and I am excited about the King of Soul's entrance (if ever)

Daniel watches anime since he thinks it's more entertaining than dramas. At some point he also wanted to become a manga artist but quickly gave up on it. His favorite is probably the classics (Naruto, One Piece, One Punch Man, DBZ, and he also likes the recent ones.)

Zack and Johan used to watch WWE matches together while Mira scolds them that they scream too loud when they're watching Royal Rumble lmao.

Undertaker was Johan's favorite WWE wrestler but thinking about it makes Johan embarrassed since he doesn't want to be seen as an edge lord or "emo or a goth" lol. Zack Lee's favorites are probably Edge, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton (idk I watch a little bit of WWE in my free time don't blame me).

Since Jay lived mostly alone in his apartment for who knows how long, he was thought by his butler to cook his own food since he doesn't really want to depend on them fully and make them exhausted. (Plus he's mostly bored, so why not cook and bake?) He almost burned his apartment once trying to fry an egg at first.

Hudson might not admit it but he also binges anime like Daniel. He believes that Makima sucks and the ones who defends her are simps (I mean she's a well written antagonist but her personality is a no).

Goo Kim = Cat Girl/ Cat Boy enthusiast (likes wearing low-budgeted cosplays A LOT for his own entertainment).

Goo Kim had stolen Gun's credit cards for his own shopping spree. Not once, not twice, but MANY TIMES.

Samuel might not admit it but he actually likes Jake and Big Deal. He just keeps denying it because of his ego issues.

Jerry had once owned a winter dwarf pet hamster. He properly took care for it for like 2 years and named her Bisky. But since hamsters have short lifespans, it died later on and he cried and didn't sleep well the following days since he missed her deeply. The shrine of it is still staying still on his backyard and he mostly replaces the flowers everyday or i he's not busy to pay tribute to her.

Daniel wanted to learn how to play the guitar or a ukulele but since his mom was struggling with their budget he cannot ask her to buy him one.

Jay can play drums (and teaches Daniel when having sleep overs!)

Mary can play bass and a little bit of guitar. And she secretly listens to rock, metal, and the alternative style of music since she doesn't want to be teased as emo by Vin the asshole lmao.

Avril Lavigne is the reason why Mary dyed her hair blonde you can't change my mind (not forcing you but listen to her music IT'S SO GOOD). She would like to have a friend (if not a girl friend not a girlfriend) who shares the same music taste with her to start a band.

Zack and Vin Jin used to bully kids on Roblox to boost their ego (Zack stopped because of his character development but probably Vin still does it lol).

Younger Kouji had once ate lots of candies and sweets to be "smart like L" from Death Note but almost got diabetes.

Gun and DG wears lip balms to keep their lips plump and smooth. DG had once teased Gun about being a model while Gun just smirks about it.

Mira SECRETLY LIKES Ayesha Erotica's music because of the edits on TikTok but since it's mostly explicit she's refraining to add her compositions on her Spotify playlists.

Since Vasco is mostly hardworking, there are times that he passes the exams (with the help of Jace and other Burn Knuckle members). But he just cannot push himself more to pass the Mathematics exams.

Eli had once tried to kiss Warren after their fight because of his innocence and curiosity before all the Hostel Drama. (I personally don't ship them but I just feel like it's something past Eli would do). They both cringe when they both remember it.

Doo Lee was once a Twitter influencer but because of his past dramas he was cancelled in social media.

Jibeom accidentally smashed Jihan's face when they were little when they are trying to imitate WWE stunts. Jichang was surprised to see his little brother's teeth getting cracked and falling off and he just didn't cried (it was Jibeom who shed tears because of guilt lol).

Crystal is a big fan of "vintage-core" or everything around the older eras because she believes that it doesn't only represents the beauty and evolution of human pop-culture but it also represents history. She always won on auctions to buy antique stuff and mostly donate it on museums to preserve it's structure while she kept some on her room. She almost got canceled by bidding on an authentic Marilyn Monroe's lipstick but she later on posted on Twitter that she donated it on a museum (which is not a fake news).

Gun doesn't eat too much fast-food products because he believes it's unhealthy and has chemicals to make the customers' crave for more (Goo teases him about this by dramatically eating an order of a large McDonald's French Fries in front of his annoyed face).

Ryuhei never kissed a woman in his life because of his nervousness. He secretly was weirded out by it so he lies that he had slept with many women to not be bullied by other people.

Vasco doesn't know how to properly wear a watch and a belt (ngl same I'm that stupid). He also doesn't know how to tie his shoe lace.

Jace prefers dark-chocolate rather than milk or white chocolate. Because he believes that since it has more cocoa content it can boost more of his energy and sharpen his mind and focus especially when taking his exams and quizzes.

Sally's favorite color was purple as she planned to dye her hair with her color of choice with a mix of indigo. But since she's afraid that it won't suit her, she changed her plans and went on to dye her hair with strawberry pink. She didn't expected it to look magnificent on her since Warren complimented her, so after that her favorite color was switched to baby or strawberry pink.

Mitsuki thinks that K-Pop music is cringe but she secretly has BTS, Twice, and Blackpink on her Spotify playlists. Ryuhei found out about this and she was pissed off up until this day lol.

Doo Lee once had a girlfriend who uses him for the money. She later on cheated with a new "handsome and charming" guy and when Doo found out he was FURIOUS. He later on was captured on camera beating the dude and when people found out he was canceled again on social media (pretty privileges never ends). He later on begged Daniel and Duke to make an apology video for him which looks so weird and scripted since Doo was pushing them. But luckily the drama heated down.

Magami Kenta's favorite vape flavors are watermelon, strawberry, and coffee.

Joy is very talented and skilled with nail art and she sells her products in a decent price even if it's REALLY DETAILED and well-crafted.

Sinu Han is a COMIC BOY FAN. Whether it's DC Comics, Marvel Comics, or even manga he's going to buy it. He later on posted on Twitter about how Gojo shouldn't have died since he relates to him so much (he was later on bullied by Samuel that he sounds like a weeb lmao).

#lookism fic #lookism headcanons

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epiphainie · 3 months ago

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yeah she only does historical mm romance. i wasn't super into it at first but i really love her now. can i recommend you one? i love any old diamonds, the romance is not schmoopy and the characters have a real bite to them. plus there's other stuff going on that makes the plot gripping. anyways if you ever decide to try any of her books i hope you'll like them! also do you have any mm romance recs?

of you can rec me one! i had think of england downloaded for a while, idk why but that's the only one i kept between changing devices. i've never heard of any old diamonds but i love what im hearing! any character with a little bite to them is so welcomed by me when im reading romance bc it seems like everyone's so dreamy and nice now.

and yeah i have mm recs. let me list some of my favs:

the lamb and the lion trilogy by gregory ashe - i cannot explain how this series moved me the first time i read it. it's a romance suspense with an ex-mormon wildlife wet, tean, and a scam artist, jem. both of them are grappling with so much like the questions about the universe and faith and truth while being amateur sleuths and falling in love and there's just this gentleness with them that makes everything feel so profound. it's written beautifully and the characters are so complex as greg ashe's characters always are. the slowburn and the pining ughhhhhh if i ever write something as half beautiful as this i'd be the happiest gal around.

hazard and somerset by gregory ashe - okay, look, this list will have so much gregory ashe (esp his old stuff) because no one does deep, complex character work like he does (all within a beautiful prose) and i'm a very character-focused reader. hazard and somers are (especially in the first series (there are three series for them with a total of 16 books lol)) so rough and messy and toxic and gorgeous ugh. basically hazard is a police detective that comes back to his hometown and finds out he's been made partners with his old high school bully, the town's golden boy, john-henry somerset (my fav boy ever). there's so much history between them and the mystery aspect of the first series is pretty hefty so it's slooooow moving but the way their dynamic changes and develops is so fascinating. it is a hefty undertaking but this is also greg's first main series that took off and is the reason we call his shared universe of these books hazardverse. they're the blueprint. my favorite series is the lamb and the lion and my favorite couple is what i'll mention below but hazard & somers is soooo everything like it takes you a bit to get into the first book bc it's thick as fuck but if you want traumatized men with complex history and characterizations... here

borealis investigations by gregory ashe - FRIENDS TO LOVERS EXCELLENCE. north and shaw are a pair of private investigators who've been bffs since college with shaw being the eccentric new age gay and north the blue collar background asshole gay. they are my favorite couple ever. im obsessed with them because they're soooo so so so bad. this series does the one thing i wish all friends to lovers stories did which is they hurt each other - a lot. bc they know and love each other the most. i think they need a third series (they have 2 series so far with 7 books) for them to actually reach the healed stage and idk if it'll happen but god they make me insane. THE PINING. im sorry the pining. they're also very very annoying like both of them will make you wanna rip your hair out with how they act but that's a feature for me tho ymmv.

so, all three of these couples (and one more couple, theo and auggie from the first quarto series) are in the same shared universe and theres a crossover series waaay down the road. if you're interested shoot me another ask and i'll type up the best reading order for it but basically you can read the lamb and the lion on its own and switch h&s and borealis like h&s -> borealis -> h&s a union of swords -> borealis without a compass -> h&s arrows in the hand. also none of these books come with trigger warnings when they should so check for that as well.

dig two graves by ka merikan - this is a western historical that is so fraught and violent but sweet as well, i reread it sooo often. it features our sweet guy ned infiltrating the gang that killed his parents and falling in love with the gang leader's pseudo son, cole. the second book will ruin your life at certain parts probably but it's really good and so very underrated in my opinion. like these are big books and they are very plot heavy as well so they move like a slog sometimes but like i said i love slow and subtle things more so if that can be your cup of tea, give it a try. gotta mention: a lot of triggers again but merikan puts a list in the blurb so mind that.

if we could go back by cara dee - first warning: cheating. not between the guys but they are both cheating on their wives with each other. basically bennett and kieran meet on a train one day, become best friends, and start an affair that goes on for years. it's been a hot minute since i reread this book but i remember it having a really strong sense of character and why they're even doing this. it ends a little goofy but the meaty chunk of it is pretty pretty good. i should reread this actually now that i remembered it exists.

the cabots and midcentury nyc series by cat sebastian - with you reccing me kj charles, i assume you might be familiar with cat but i especially wanted to mention for 20th century historicals as i like these ones a lot. cat has such a strong way of creating and atmosphere that i dont mind her stories basically have no "bite" to them. the cabots are p short, hard to call any of them novels and tbh i havent read the second midcentury nyc yet but i thought i should throw some nicer stuff in here.

rule breaker by lily morton - look, i dont read lily morton anymore bc she's overdoing the british humor, pop culture ref thing a lot at this point and all her books started to feel the same but rule breaker will always have a special place in my heart. it's a classic asshole boss/sassy employee novel but their dynamic is soooo fun. and like gabe (the boss) is an asshole asshole which makes the third act drama fun for me. it's a very quick read too. (dont read the sequel (not the second book in the same series, thats about jude) where they get married, it's useless)

extracurricular activities by neve wilder - for that good smut. there's really nothing else in these books for me but the smut is great.

rend by roan parrish - i dont remember the other books in this series at all but i remember the sleepy hollow sense in rend. it's contemporary but it has this gothic fantasy morbidness for some reason. it's about a couple trying to come back from edge of separation and the fears fueling that. i should reread this one too.

the dupage parish mysteries by gregory ashe - okay one more gregory ashe. this is a paranormal romance series that mostly has my heart because the link between character trauma and the paranormal elements are so good and it features one of the most annoying MCs on earth who's loved despite that. it was never meant to be a series so there's kind of a disconnection between the books when it comes to details but i love this pairing a lot. this is not everyone's fav gregory ashe but i love it a lot.

mdzs or grandmaster of demonic cultivation by mxtx - if i may suggest a danmei. brilliant if you haven't seen any other adaptations like the untamed bc it's soooo fun to go back and forth between the timelines and trying to figure out what's lan wangji's deal is with wei wuxian and how did wei wuxian die anyway. will probably always be my fav danmei, just the balance of everything is great. the translation lowkey sucks so don't expect world altering prose here

#i think i'll end it here for now bc it's been a loong while since ive been in the mmromance circle #so im both forgetting stuff and also am not sure if the books i gave 4/5 stars hold up #send me any questions for any of these if you'd like me to clarify stuff like triggers etc #mimi talks

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