#to take these routes

[raayllum]

Was mulling over the

“I just think this cube thing could help me” / “Are you practicing magic or losing to Bait at a game of rolly-cubes?” / “I know you love magic, Callum, but be careful - cause it can change people”

And on one level, it indicates that perhaps Callum going too far magic wise is going to lead to a catastrophe for him. The only motivation he’d have to do dark magic for would be the Moon fam coins, which I’ve discussed here. But the alternative of going too far primal magic wise, or even Soren’s statement if we take it literally for Callum’s sake, isn’t entirely clear. Being a mage is who he is (2x02) and has been until recently a predominantly positive experience for him. So how could it change him?

Well the answer there would be Callum being tempted by magic / knowledge / power, or some magical offering Aaravos could make him that would have Callum tempted to join the villain side. However, I don’t think this entirely works because of the introduction of the possession plot line, seeing as:

The possession is a major mark against Callum letting himself be tempted by anything Aaravos could offer; almost nothing is worth more to Callum than his agency, hence why Aaravos went after it in the first place

It would also lead to something that is overly repetitious and time consuming. Either Callum would get possessed again (because he has to, otherwise why set that up?) and then be broken free by Power of Love, and him teaming up with Aaravos (playing into his hands) would just lead to a repeat plot line of Breaking Free again 

Or Callum would be tempted, break free of Aaravos, have the possession be exerted over him, and then break free again. Either way, it’s the same plot line, just for different reasons

With Viren and Claudia on Aaravos’ side right now, we don’t need a third mage added, never mind one who has no incentive. 

The threat of Callum working with Aaravos longterm-ish by his free will presents the exact same dilemmas/problems as Callum being forced to work with Aaravos against his own will (possession) as well as the former overlapping too heavily with Viren and Claudia’s arcs

While magic and his loved ones are both very important to Callum, the show makes it clear in the season he is the most desperate regarding magic that he will only do certain things for his loved ones that he will not do for magical pursuit (“You can’t risk your life to learn magic!” 2x04)

I’ve touched on this before but the “Callum is manipulated by Aaravos through the mirror” and “possession” plot line are thematically diametrically opposed. You cannot have one and then also the other. After all, they could’ve had Callum just be freaked that he would apparently play into Aaravos’ hands, and not have him be possessed, finding another way around things (Aaravos signing and Callum acting as a translator, for example, or other magical things). But no, they chose to have Callum be possessed, and to heavily foreshadow Rayla’s role in breaking him free from it. 

Everything is set up for the possession to be another form of manipulation, and an unsuccessful bid at that. The magic threatening to destroy his life won’t be enough to change him. Which still leaves the question: if possessing Callum is probably not going to be quite enough to make him play into Aaravos’ hands, than what is?

[tawnysoup]

Found my fav Slay the Princess route recently. Dragon my beloved. Your horrifying beak mouth was an impossible-to-refuse lip syncing challenge 💖

Shoutouts to @blacktabbygames for making such a cool game!

[auckie]

https://x.com/MorePerfectUS/status/1765391777580912958?s=20

PLEASE GD IF YOU LOVE AND WANT TRAINS

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Happy Thistle Debut Day!

[canisalbus]

✦ Cockroach ✦

[noodles-and-tea]

History will say they were different sides of the same coin

[itsmebeff]

they're going to a formal event

the queen and her weird ugly partner

[r-ooney]

i love him. that is all

[stagefoureddiediaz]

For Eddie Diaz - choosing Joy means leaping or climbing over the back of the couch at any opportunity!

[daily-odile]

nuh uh (papertrail au)

[mellowwillowy]

“RABU”

Original story by @merakiui

So my dumbass didn't reread the fic and forgot Reader was 44 already. So here we are, young and fresh.

Funny story 2, I forgot what Rabu was until I finished all the drafts and realized, “It’s love isn't it??” (right?)

Rabu might not be categorized as my fave (coughs SK series coughs) but the ending makes me think late at night, how many options did Reader have?

So here I am, spawned to speed-run the vision in my head. Azul’s hair is too annoying so I'd rather have Floyb first (even though I really want to see Zuzu smoking). Jade’s route(?) is still vague in my mind so he’s no good as well.

I just love the idea of Papa Leech caring more about his sons, doesn't matter what Jade does, Papa Leech will forever cover his track. In this case, Papa Leech didn't care about Reader’s well-being at all, it was probably something done by Jade anyway. That’s Papa Leech’s love~.

Anyway, as I said in my previous RB, long live the seafood (by Chef Meraki!)

[tryingonametaphor]

when they make byler canon i’m so sure that all the duffers are gonna say in an interview is “we’ve been planning this for a while. if you go back and watch the seasons you may pick up on some things you didn’t before” and just move on to the next topic

[fisheito]

He's a magician

[fumifooms]

Rin, smiling, and nagging

Rinsha Fana’s character is summarized in a couple facts thrown here and there. Because she worries for him, she follows Kabru to help his cause and protect him, and to nag him. She’s a grumpy angry tsundere, but it seems not only rooted in her attitude but on a deep rooted physical level, to the point where any intense emotion she feels will make her frown and scowl even if it’s genuine joy. Her childhood was half spent ostracized in the tallman community her family lived in and half with the elves, where she’s said to have been treated like an animal.

We don’t know how she was raised exactly or who it even was, but knowing she was "treated like an animal" by the elves taking care of her…

Elves are shown to have a highly hierarchical society, not only with their concern with status such as nobility and the purity of bloodlines but also reflected by its social culture imo. They have high society and etiquette, upmost devotion to the queen, very role-oriented, like cogs in a machine, and as such, it’s a bit skewed since most of what we see of the elves is in a military context with military people but they seem to value having emotions under lock and key to be efficient and not bring dishonor, Flamela is an interesting character on this. Don’t be a bother and do your job until you’re called on, fulfill your role, everything else is extra at best inconvenient at worst.

Personally I do think the canaries kept Rin, it’d make sense that whichever canaries got stuck with the job at the headquarters would be barebones with her and treat her like an ‘impounded article’, they couldn’t find another place for her and this way they can get her report on the events whenever she can speak again in however many years, and this way it makes sense that she could keep in touch with Kabru too. They’re used to prisoners, not kids. Being raised in a military context rather than at some orphanage would shape her further.

All of this to say…

She’d already seen the world’s harshness to those who don’t conform in her hometown, but with the elves? Her disdain for those who had formal education at a magic school?

Wouldn’t she become very concerned with proving she is not an animal, proving that she’s smart and skilled in her own right on her own merit, even without schooling. And to do this she nitpicks and nitpicks, because even being pristine isn’t enough to be respected, but at least it’s not giving others reasons to disrespect and dehumanize her. Learning to school her emotions, to scowl as a defense mechanism because anything else makes her vulnerable, because they don’t care about her as a person with feelings, because showing other expressions was dangerous or punished in some way: because it was fit in or don’t fit in and that’s the difference between having your house burnt down and being tolerated, between getting her food or having her questions answered and being yelled at to shut up… Because all her life she’s been surviving in hostile social environments and at the mercy of others, but unlike Kabru she doesn’t become a people pleaser but becomes very self-reliant and wary of socializing.

So she nitpicks and nitpicks and nags, because she’s worried. Because flaws are dangerous. So she has a hard time smiling and laughing, because it’s dangerous to allow yourself to feel safe in being authentic.

It would be nice…

Is my red, red enough? I'm waiting for your teeth at my throat. It’s only good manners. -Stephanie Valente 

[americanundead]

to be clear I don't hate the Dracula/Mina pairing because it's immoral I hate it because it's wildy & laughably out of character

[draculadrawalong]

May 16

Finally time to meet the roommates! they seem super chill, except for the bloodlust that is.