#time to get ruthless

[joejoeba]

Felt like doodling a quick Johnny (heavy emphasis on doodling)

[mollysunder]

The Medarda arc of s2 struggled to be good, because the plot viciously smothered it. You can argue that Arcane was never about politics but you cannot say the Medardas were never explicitly a family defined by politics. So when the show shifted it's priorities from a drama steeped in political conflict where even though the setting was fantastical the stakes were grounded to a shift where magic is the end all be all threat to humanity, the Medardas are rendered largely irrelevant.

In s2 Mel's agency over her own story is both largely stripped from her and poorly communicated. Arcane has Mel abducted from the plot to be the Black Rose's captive. Even when Mel manages to free herself it's not through the traits the audience understands are her strengths, her cunning and social intelligence, it's through an innate instinct that natural to her and indecipherable to the audience.

Ambessa as a character is more or less a villain of convenience, which would be fine if she wasn't immediately following Silco's act. Once Mel is removed from the story Ambessa is largely disconnected from any emotional tension fuels conflict between the characters and previously drove the plot in s1. She's there to play the worse bad guy for Caitlyn and then give Viktor the man power for the Glorious Evolution.

It's frustrating to see the Medardas used the way they are in s2 because when they're together I can see how it could be good. When they're together Mel forces emotion out of Ambessa. In Act 1, Ambessa proved she could do circles around Piltover's court, which could actually put Mel in a tight spot.

Their final scene on paper sounds like a good idea where the true resolution to Mel and Ambessa's story was that Ambessa saw Mel's own ruthless behavior as she not only betrayed Ambessa to the Black Rose, but used her as BAIT to double cross LeBlanc. Ambessa died proud that her daughter killed her the way she did, and that's so cool and tragic, but the execution was a flop.

One, their final fight is completely unimportant to the actual Glorious Evolution, Mel's grief can't even be a highlight because it's interrupted by Viktor's mind trap. Two, their fight didn't rely on any of Mel's actual strengths, just magic and the poorly explained MacGuffin LeBlanc gave her. How did Mel even know it would do that?

It's like the writers had the bones for a great story for the Medardas, but then they're like the world's worst archeologists and fit those bones together in the worst way possible because they were convinced the bones made a stegasaurus instead of a T-rex or something.

[charleneferlay]

Kept playing a bit. Game was going well.

And then: peasant uprising of hell while Phil was away doing stuffs with the Emperor, wife killed, boys killed (RIP Amyntas and Arrhidaios), Makedonia burned down, and the Emperor died one month after that.

So Phil drank himself senseless for a month and now he's back in the game, I mean being 47 with no son and half your family murdered is no reason to quit, time for some polygamy to get those sons FAST.

Time to play Crusader Kings III again!

Philippos is back from the dead to lead Macedonia to glory (or at least to have good feasts and unleash chaos on this world).

Though he's 100% legit the game believes he's over powered so Phil cannot make me win any Steam successes!

No matter, let's take a look at Macedonia under the cut !

So apparently we're part of the Byzantine empire now. It's the 9th century and we have a nice red cloak.

In live Phil believes in money, armies and bedding everyone he can bed who can be useful. Since his lands have few soldiers and not a lot of money, for now he'll specialized in getting in other people's bed.

But of course Phil ain't going to just sleep around with anyone. Turns out Basileios (wtf this name lol), our beloved Basileus, is bisexual!

We're going to be a big, loving family because our friend Basil has an ex wife...

That's her! And they have two kids.

Phil decides to marry her. Being the stepdad of two of Basil's kids seems like a good idea.

Phil is trying to convince Basil to send him Konstantinos, his wife's boy, so he can raise the smol boy. Turns out it takes so long his new life Maria had time to fall pregnant. So here is smol Amyntas, Philippos' first boy!

After a few day, it's obvious baby Amyntas is a genius (I don't know how they know that, can he count already ?)

Basil finally agrees to send Phil his boy. Great, Konstantinos (hopefully the next emperor) and smol Amyntas wil be raised together!

It's now time for Phil to start his love story with the emperor. He doesn't want a one night stand, that's the *emperor*, what Phil want is his love for LIFE so he can make good use of it.

Now that they slept together, it's time to become the love of his life.

One big family, I said, and next what? Phil would probably like to sit in council or become his lover's regent. I mean why not, he's already the husband of the man's ex wife, his lover and the tutor of his son!

But there's many people to win to Phil's cause, and one important thing to remember, getting caught with a man, in Anno 871, isn't good.

So let's go on a pilgrimage to convince everyone Phil really is a good christian !

Now that Phil proved he is really pious it's time to ask the Church for *money* because money is always good!

But before he left Constantinople, some drama hit him and his imperial lover:

A thief!

Phil having saving his boyfriend, he is now the Love of his Life. Great! Now the regency, please ?

More drama to come in later games !

[pepperpixel]

SAID HE LIKES CRAZY GIRLS,

BUT HE HATES WHEN I ACT CRAZY,

IT TAKES TWO TO TOXIC!

FINALLY!!! Finished these pics of jinx I’ve been working on!!!!! HOLY SHIT, these took so long…. But finally… they’re done… pls enjoy this art of my beautiful princess w a disorder. Featuring alternate colors for the big pic and also a closeup! Cuz I rlly like how both the lines and coloring on her face turned out… like the pink gradients w her eye… her deer in headlights expression,, like uve just startled a raccoon digging thru ur trashcan and r two seconds away from getting mauled.. m proud of it!

[dreamersdwell]

Dark enchantress cookie redesign

[nyssasatelier]

Two things:

1. YOU ARE GORGEOUS 😍

2. YOUR POSEIDON IS ALSO GORGEOUS THAT I WOULD GIVE HIM EVEN MYSELF AS OFFER

Bonus:

[minty364]

DPXDC Prompt #115

Danny was 7 when the League of Assassins hired 2 scientists to build an artificial lazurus pit. They were based in America though so they needed someone to keep a close eye on the family. Danny had similar hair and eye colors to Jack so they sent Danny for this mission. Of course they sent Danny to school to make it seem they were just a normal family and did other normal family things just to keep public appearances. Poor Jazz just thought they adopted a kid just for appearances to seem normal as they spent every minute down in the lab working on their portal.

Of course when they finish it Ras and Talia along with Damian come to see and it doesn’t work right away. Danny decides to inspect it while the adults were discussing the Fentons failure upstairs (Unfortunately I mean they are assassinated) and well all his league training didn’t prepare him for a little on button he presses. Now the twins are traumatized.

[covertleathers]

The more I think about it, the more a Hardened Lucanis in a Minrathous run who jails Illario would probably be an incredible and menacing First Talon.

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

i have this really stupid idea in my head that im frankly a little obsessed with and the idea is this: trent crimm doing a drunk history episode on ted lasso's first tenure at richmond. is that how drunk history works? i don't think so. do i care? absolutely not. it's a special episode who cares because this image is not only hysterical to me but treasured. i treasure this image. i hold it close in my heart and also laugh and laugh and laugh.

[littlecrow4]

This is officially the LONGEST I’ve spent finishing a piece AND AGAIN ITS ALL BILL’S FAULT!!!

I’m gonna start sneaking in little Bill’s so it’ll be a fun little game of “Spot the Bill”

[gingermintpepper]

Day 3: Asclepius

Interpretation notes and trivia under the cut!!

Woo boy, this guy was another difficult character to settle on both a design and an interpretation for! Asclepius tends to have two big schools of thought for his tale, either he's the tragic doctor who resorted to illicit methods in order to save his patients or he's a strict scientist who was so skilled at his art that his resuscitations were called magic but were just science. I don't actually mind either interpretation, but due to the way I personally see Coronis and the way I chose to interpret Asclepius' birth story, I chose to focus on a different facet of Asclepius; Asclepius the family man. The theme of geneology and the inheritance of 'curses' through blood and birth is one that permeates this work and Asclepius, in a lot of ways, has not only inherited both his mother and father's banes but his actions and talents create new ones for his children. Throughout this, and all the many messy crimes Asclepius will commit in the name of what he thinks is necessary and right, he will willfully ignore the warning signs staring him dead in his face screaming that he will leave the burden of his work to his children and it will be easy. After all, Asclepius has made a career out of ignoring his own father's warnings and cautions, what are a few more red flags to ignore?

Less of a character note and more of a personal thing, but for a very long time I used his teenaged design when sketching out scenes and ideas but after tidying up my timeline, I realised that he would be an older man throughout the events of the story!! Since he's properly mortal, he would have to look his age and while that was slightly intimidating since I've not drawn many older characters, it also made me very excited since characters in the 40+ age range are rarely protagonists of these sorts of adventure/fantasy stories and working in the physical differences between him and his brothers was extremely fun!

Some fun trivia:

Youngest of Apollo's children currently alive and kicking. Maybe it was because Apollo so intensely regretted the way he dealt with Coronis but he doted endlessly on Asclepius and essentially personally oversaw his education and training. Because of this, Asclepius, without a doubt, is the child with the best relationship with Apollo between the brothers and believes unfalteringly in his father even if they have many practical and philosophical differences.

Has a bit of a sixth sense when it comes to necromancy and communing with the dead and spirits beneath the earth. Because he was rescued from the torch of death when he was babe, he has retained a connection with the chthonic. While he cannot exactly see figures like Thanatos or Hermes, he can certainly sense when they are afoot. Is very aware that Thanatos cannot stand him and expects to be taken by Ker when he does finally die.

Always keeps gold coins on him on the off chance he is spontaneously struck down while doing research or healing some previously unhealable disease. His father, upon realising that his warnings would be thoroughly ignored, pleaded for him to do at least that since after Asclepius is dead, Apollo would be unable to intercede for him.

Happily married and has four children! His eldest Machaon chose to follow his footsteps and became a gifted surgeon in his own right while his second eldest Iaso chose to follow her mother's footsteps and become more of a nurse than a doctor. He's endlessly proud of all of his children and hopes his research makes the world a better place for them.

Was recognised by Apollo at 15 and became Doctor Laureate at 17. Lost said laurels at 22 after he revived his second corpse from the dead and since then has been on a strict probation when practicing his medicine. Has a mark on his left wrist that will fill itself out if he commits such an atrocity again and then he will be marked for death and supposedly tormented until he forfeits his soul.

On very good terms with Orpheus and the two often work together and catch up when they happen to meet up while travelling. Never knew Eurydice but he gets the feeling that he would've really liked her.

Despite being a son of Apollo, has absolutely zero musical talent and cannot dance. He can't maintain his hair either and would've cut it multiple times over if Apollo himself didn't stop him and chastise him for even thinking about such a thing. Epione does his hair. The little braids in his beard are courtesy of the twins Hygiea and Panacea who enjoy putting little braids in anything they can get their hands on.

Doesn't resemble his father or his mother actually! The relative he resembles most is his paternal grandfather Zeus, a fact that gives his wife endless grief because his hair is thick but not curly, a trait she covets. Asclepius having thick body and facial hair was also very awkward considering Apollo is incapable of growing body hair and, for a while, his lack of curls and cascade of body hair when Asclepius started puberty made Apollo doubt whether Asclepius was truly his or if he had saved Ischys' child instead.

Has zero self preservation and will hunt monsters and creatures for their blood, teeth, claws and hides for his medicines. Like his father, he has a personal 'wall of horrors' where he stores everything from gorgon blood to pegasus feathers to hydra venom. Sometimes gods in the guise of men will simply give him precious materials because they know Asclepius is the one who will take their unsolveable cases in the face of disaster. It is a very risky exchange and has only barely skirted by Zeus' notice because actual money hasn't been exchanged (yet).

Preferred weapon is the scalpel and doesn't like fighting humans. Has a fire-retardant mantle made from chimera skin Apollo gave him when he was a child that doubles as a very good shield in a pinch.

Favourite colour is withy purple and his favourite food is goat butter spread on bread and topped with celery, tomatoes and olive oil. Has a lot of snake themed jewellry that he's passed on to his son because he thinks they're too gaudy for his old self to be wearing.

[nomsfaultau]

au idea with bedrock bros and with a bit of mandatory family reunion

basically Tommy is a billionaire’s kid and wants a brother and what’s this? An English teacher who complimented him once because he didn’t write a dogshit essay?

yeah that’s his brother now, congrats

mandatory family reunion except techno really IS just a guy but Tommy latches onto him bc Techno actually sees his potential and knows how to pull out his best work without being overbearing. so Philza shrugs and goes ‘new kid ig’ just like he does when Tommy brings home his millionth pet. To the degree of when Tommy is first talking abt bringing techno home Philza has already ordered like a massive dog bed just in case this is another cow. Tbf if the em duo first interaction is ‘OH! Wait you’re human?’ It’s still leagues better than MFR’s hasty threats. Anyway Tommy does puppy eyes so of course they have to get a new Techno.

They hire him as a private teacher and since you know billionaires it’s actually not totally out of the realm of them just having him live there like the servants do in this weirdly remote and fortified mansion. Tommy is actively calling him brother and Techno just rolls his eyes bc clingy goblin. What of course Techno is going to pay attention to him and play w him it’s called engaging the creative mind. And Tommy is the most engaged student he’s ever had (bc ulterior motives) and he’s getting paid bucket loads and doesn’t quite know what normal boundaries for private in house teachers are bc he’s some poor shmuck.

Anyway if these Crafts have an ounce more brains than they do in MFR and he is a free range Techno, it could be like five months before he realizes they’ve forcefully adopted him.

Techno tries to do his taxes and panics bc it came back saying the ID section is filled out entirely wrong, help did someone steal his identity!? Ah!?!?!?

And then Phil is passing through and is like ‘oops forgot to tell you we changed your last name. Sorry mate I’ll fix that for you’ and Techno does a spit take.

[sunsetzer]

That Hub Network Ask Megatron clip where he says the only reality TV star he wouldn't kill is Donald Trump really aged so fucking poorly lmao he is exactly the kind of person Megatron hated

[maximumqueer]

My reaction to ep. 46: This isn't so bad, why do people keep talking about it like something horrible is going to - oh.

Oh

OH

[praxidikegal]

So in this AU, where Snow decided to fight against the Capitol. How did that happen? What happened to him that had him go "Wait...maybe this isn't the way to go. We should leave for now."

I'm so sorry for not answering sooner.

You see, in this au the ending never happened, Coryo never lied and Lucy Gray accepted him yada yada they travelled and ended up in 13. When they were found they presented themselves to 13 as runaways (himself a trained peacekeeper assigned to district 12 from district 2) Though, they were relatively safe and stable and he was able to climb to power and took back what was "stolen" from his family, Coryo does not want to stay down there forever. He hates the lack of opulence, luxury and life. He also holds a grudge against the Capitol for his "downfall".

In 13, he holds a different name along with Lucy Gray and he wants his name back and his family name's old glory back and of course he wants to get back to Tigris and Grandma'am (tho, grandma'am croaked before they meet again). He hates that he is in hiding, he hates that he is hidden and as president there, He cares little about the people in 13 but Lucy Gray does so he does his best to make the place better for her and his kids (of course himself, he is ambitious and wants some kind of privilege no matter how small in 13) so he's in semi-in contact with the rebels and the Capitol themselves, exchanging goods with them and accepts refugees due to 13's little supplies and population. Then the pox outbreak happens and it was when his son, Orpheus Sage, almost died that he can no longer bear it and so he had 13 join the rebellion fully. After the war was won, he was elected as president of Panem (and all the things it entails) and moved his family to the Capitol.

I hope this sound coherent and not a bumbling mess

Aidoneus Thorne, president of district 13 A.K.A. Coriolanus I'm-only-nice-to-my-family-Snow.

[sskk-manifesto]

Wow I sure love being psychologically tortured by an anime