#tristan cadence

[im-a-ramblr]

Fics I would like to see for Arcane Ascension, but don't want to have to write myself because I already feel overwhelmed with ideas or unqualified to write them [Edited/Updated as of 10/25/2023]

The Winter Ball Dance Scene from Jin's POV (maybe extended)

Corin actually taking the position as Professor Erzan's TA

Tristan is still a whisper and still part of the Ascension Faction, but he's also not tower-bound bound so he has to keep all his activities secret from his family. Corin and Sera are pretty sure Tristan is trying to run a cult out of the basement, but they hope if they don't say anything he won't get them involved.

A The Joy of Joe like fic where Jin runs an Art YouTube channel and his fans are super interested in the small bits of his personal life that he drops. In the end, it's revealed that he is Dalen Jin, who is a very big deal for several reasons

AA x Addams Family, where Morticia or Gomez are either Magnus or Laura's estranged sibling who, despite not being close with the parents, are very interested and invested in Corin and Sera

Corin gets his Arbiter Attument by helping a disguised visage do something super basic and has to deal with the consequences

That one CorJin idea I posted about here

Kelridge rebellion and liberation

Corin is immune to love and/or lust potions, and can fight off most love spells (they have to be citrine or stronger for him to give have to work to throw them off) He is completely immune to Lust spells (Ace King 👑) Corin learns this the hard way. So do each of his friends/companions.

Vanniv and Researcher are given Mana regenerative items that let them stay summoned for extended periods of time without draining Sera. Shinagines ensue

Corin is kidnapped by Dawn, Reika and Ishyeal, because of the Selys-Lyann having part of Flowbreaker in it. He makes it clear that he had no idea and convinces them to let him tag along on the quest for a little bit. He forgets that Keras, Derek and the others don't know that he is in danger, and it's quite surprised when they crash the party

Corin eventually realizes Tristan isn't all that great and moves on with his life. Tristan has a hard time accepting that, because Corin idolizing him was kind of an important factor of his plan. He's convinced Corin must have been spelled away, and tires multiple times to break it. Obviously it doesn't work because Corian isn't under a spell.

Hartigan Manor becomes infested with Mimics while Keras and the kids are staying there. Shenanigans ensure.

Time Loop. Ara_Mochi has started to do ones with this, and they're great but I kind of want to see one where Corin just keeps getting different attunements every time. Jin isn't affected because he just mesmers himself out of the effect. Slowly they get the rest of the team too.

Attunement swap

[good--merits-accumulated]

i fear i am endlessly predictable (writing new dps au which is once again fantasy with Arthurian elements)

[talonsaga-trash]

Here me out: Tristan is autistic.

Canonically is not only good at stakeouts, but according to Garret, is one of the few people to actively enjoy them. A bragging point of his is that he can keep track of an enemy for hours at a time without dropping his scope. These are all examples of hyper focus, explained by two people who wouldn't have to vocabulary to call it was it is.

A lot of knowledge about sniper weaponry and reading about it for fun, unfettered excitement over the US military's armor-piercing rifle, that's a special interest.

Being able to act sociable on a surface level but only managing to form a genuine connection with one (1) person is the biggest mood for an autistic person who's good at masking around strangers.

Dry, sardonic attitude is just a flat vocal/facial affect.

He's autistic, guys. Trust me.

[townofcadence]

It was customary of humans to remain in place to be referenced to their identification card. He'd been trained to know such things, and to call a coworker, his manager, or Mr. Carder the owner, to assist with the visual component. So when this one decided to scurry away, it was....confusing. Did he expect him to wait here, then? With his goods unpaid?

Nature's call much have been truly demanding, for him to leave and serve it before doing so. Caelan sighs, before setting cigarettes and the scratcher in one of the bags, and contacting the night shift manager. At least the other checkouts were manned as well, the store far from understaffed. He likely would not see another customer at this hour, unless fate conspired against him.

His arms were crossed when the customer returned. His expression was still smooth, what little could be seen of it. "Do not have." He answers. "Check electronic store. Or perhaps Roundtable Repair." He tilts his head. "Before you go. ID is still need to be checked. Remain here."

The wallet came out and the ID slid across the counter. " I'll be right back. Sorry. Excuse me " he said suddenly and headed in the direction of the restrooms.

Once in there he made a straight beeline for the sink, stood in front of it and exhaled loudly. Fuck. He needed to calm down and get it together. He paced back and forth for a second, turned the water on and splashed his battered face with water for a second. As he dried his face off, he examined it in the mirror.

" God, " he mumbled. He wiped the sink dry and pulled out a battered cell phone. He opened it to the text messenger, tapped in something and then made a little disappointed noise to see the notification about his minutes being gone.

In a few minutes he was back at the counter in front of the long suffering Caelan. " Do you sell. Uhm. Phone cards here? " he asked, opening his wallet again that was becoming emptier by the minute.

[liketwoswansinbalance]

SGE Characters as Literary Things

(Not all of these are actual literary or rhetorical devices; some are just writing techniques, forms, genres, mediums, etc.)

This is a bit abstract, so I’m curious about how subjective these might be. Does anyone agree or disagree? And feel free to make additions if you think I left anything out, or request another character that isn’t here.

Hopefully this makes (intuitive?) sense. As always, I'm willing to explain my thought process behind any of the things I've listed.

Also, anyone can treat this like a “Tag Yourself” meme, if you want. Whose list do you most relate to, use, or encounter?

⸻

LANCELOT (I know—how odd that I’m starting with a minor character and not Rafal, but wait. There’s a method to my madness. Also, watch out for overlap!):

Metonymy, synecdoche (no, literally, to me, these are him.)

Zeugma

Analogy

Figures of speech

Slang, argot

Colloquialisms

Idioms

TEDROS:

Simile

Metaphor

Rhyming couplets

Rhyme schemes

Sonnets

Commercial fiction

Coming-of-age genre

Line enjambment

Overuse of commas

Cadence, prose speech

Waxing poetic, verse (not prose)

Alliteration

Kinesthetic imagery

Phallic imagery/sword sexual innuendos (sorry)

The chivalric romance genre

AGATHA:

Anaphora, repetition

Semicolon, periods

Line breaks

Terse, dry prose

Semantics (not syntax)

Elegy

Resonance

Consonance, alliteration

Pseudonym

Narrative parallels

Realism

Satire

SOPHIE:

Sophistry (yes, there is a word for it!)

Imagery

Italics, emphasis

Em dash

Aphrodisiac imagery

Unreliable narrator, bias

Rashomon effect

Syntax (not semantics)

Diction

Chiasmus (think: “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”)

Rhetorical purpose

Provocation, calls to action

Voice, writing style

Rhetorical modes: pathos, logos, ethos

Metaphor

Hyperbole, exaggeration

Sensationalism, journalism

Surrealism

Verisimilitude

Egocentrism

Callbacks (but not foreshadowing or call-forwards)

Narrative parallels

Paralepsis, occultatio, apophasis, denial

Hypothetical dialogue

Monologue

JAPETH:

Sibilance

Lacuna

Villanelle (an obsessive, repetitive form of poetry)

Soliloquy

ARIC:

Sentence fragments

RHIAN (TCY):

Unreliable narrator

Setup, payoff

Chekhov’s gun

Epistolary novel

RHIAN (prequels):

Multiple povs

Perspective

Dramatic irony

Situational irony

Chiaroscuro (in imagery)

Endpapers

Frontispiece

Deckled edges

Narrative parallels

Foreshadowing

Call-forwards

Foil

Death of the author

RAFAL:

Omniscient narrator

Perspective

Surrealism

Etymology

Word families or 'linguistic ecosystems'

Latin

Verbal irony

Gallows humor

Narrative parallels

Call-forwards

Circular endings

Parallel sentences or balanced sentence structure

Narrative parallels

Foil

Juxtaposition

Authorial intent (“return of the author”)

HESTER:

Protagonist

Allusions

Gothic imagery

ANADIL:

Defamiliarization

Deuteragonist (second most important character in relation to the protagonist)

Psychic distance

Sterile prose

Forewords, prologues

Works cited pages

DOT:

Tone

Gustatory imagery

Tritagonist (third most important character in relation to the protagonist)

KIKO:

Sidekick

Falling action

Dedications, author's notes, epigraph, acknowledgements

Epitaph (Tristan)

BEATRIX:

Pacing

Rising Action

Climax

HORT:

Unrequited love

Falling resolution

Anticlimax

Malapropism

Innuendo

Asides

Brackets, parentheses

Cliché

EVELYN SADER:

Synesthetic imagery

Villanelle

Foreshadowing

AUGUST SADER:

Stream of consciousness style

Imagery

Foreshadowing

Coming-of-age genre

Elegy

Omniscience

Rhetorical questions

Time skips, non-linear narratives

Epilogues

MARIALENA:

Diabolus ex machina

Malapropism

Malaphors, mixed metaphors

Slant rhyme

Caveat

Parentheses

Footnotes

MERLIN:

Deus ex machina

Iambic pentameter

Filler words

BETTINA:

Screenwriting

Shock value

[crimsonlyinglilly]

Day 3 “Well, well, well…”

| Hiding | Ambushed | Stalking |

More June of Doom, more Caged Founder.

Elijah learns how they mean to keep him captive as Tristan shows off what the ritual did.

Warning for violence, and Tristan's creepiness(veiled Rape threat)

-----

It takes Elijah six days to wake after the ritual, he’d been left unchained, laid on the floor, they had arranged for him to be washed and his clothes replaced.

Aya hadn’t questioned why Tristan had looked so pleased at the long white tunic along with the plain slacks.

It’s proof of Tristan’s confidence in the magic is the fact he’s the first to enter the cell after they receive a word of movement being heard, Aya following.

It was just the three of them again, Tristan hadn’t wanted anyone else and Aya saw no reason to risk anyone if the spell had failed so she told the witches to remain outside, to seal the room if anything went wrong.

Elijah lunged for Tristan the moment he realised there was nothing to stop him, Tristan made no attempt to move or avoid the attack.

Aya watched as Elijah froze, his hand wrapped around Tristan’s throat but the hand didn’t tighten to choke, to crush his throat or tear his head off, things she knew he could do, things he had done when they captured him.

Elijah’s brows furrowed for a second before he moved again, it was clear he had aimed to take the other man’s heart only to find his hand came stop, resting flat against his chest almost like a lovers caress.

She saw the way Elijah’s eyes widened as he looked at his own hand in shock before he looked away from it to Tristan’s face.

Aya didn't need to see that to know he was smiling.

Elijah stumbled backwards, growing understanding and concern appearing on his face.

“Well, well, well…” Tristan called as he stalked after their retreating Sire. “Having trouble Elijah?” Tristan asked before catching the other man’s wrist, using his shock to pull it towards him dragging Elijah with it.

Elijah's attempts to free himself were weak if barely there. 

“Tristan.” he hissed. 

“This is working far better than I had thought.” Tristan mused, as Eijah continued to struggle to free his wrist.

“What have you done?” Elijah asked, looking between Tristan and her, she refused to let anything appear on her face even as she noticed a hint of fear in his voice, this was for the best of their people.

Elijah would come to understand and accept that, he didn't have a choice in that now.

“What I told you I would.” Tristan answered “I keep my word after all. Ensured you can no longer be a threat to any of those born into your Sireline.”

He had barely finished speaking before he struck,  Aya almost missed the movement Elijah suddenly stumbled back but not far as Tristan kept the hold on his wrist and used it to pull him back.

Elijah looked back up blood trickling down the side of his face before the split in his eyebrow, caused by one of Tristan's ring healed. 

Elijah narrowed his eyes looking between them before with a quick movement ripped his wrist free the sickening cracks explaining how.

A trapped animal could chew their leg off to escape, Elijah broke his wrist and hand to slip it from Tristan's hold, before vanishing in a burst of speed.

Aya feels a rush of air behind her but as she turns all she sees is the blur as he escapes before she could grab him.

“Running Boy.” Tristan called, dropping his voice and changing his cadence, Aya recognised who was trying to mimic, but Elijah's reaction made it clear as for a second he froze.

Just enough time for Tristan appeared in front of him, both hands wrapping around his throat.

“He got close, did he?” Elijah asked, smirking as if he wasn't the one in danger, before shifting from amusement to an almost disappointed tone, “I thought i told you to run-”

Elijah's words were cut off when his back slammed into the wall hard and Tristan’s hands squeezed, cutting off Elijah from speaking any further.

Aya know it’s instinct that has Elijah suddenly gripping Tristan’s arms as he chokes. Yet he can't do anything, he can't break or bruise or even dig his nails, so Aya watches as Elijah Mikaelson holds Tristan’s wrists uselessly.

After a time Tristan releases him, stepping back and watching as Elijah fell to the floor gagging and coughing as his body tried to take in the air it didn't really need.

The marks around his neck were almost a black collar, and as he tried to speak the only sound to escape a broken weeze, vocal cords still too damaged.

Tristan didn't let him heal as he grabbed him by the hair and dragged him toward, back to the middle of the room.

“It seems you're going to need a lesson to help you accept your new situation.” Tristan said with a false put upon sigh.

Aya watches as Tristan unleashes years-centuries of resentment and hate, taunting their sire as he does, Elijah doesn't let out a sound, other than the sharp grunts of pain he couldn't stop.

Aya suddenly realised why Tristan had been so pleased by the tunic, as even with Elijah’s healing preventing any marks remaining the white showed the blood clearly. 

----

“Of course there is one fall back about this.” Tristan said as he stepped back from the crumpled form of Elijah. “Anyone outside of the Strix could also be of your sire line so really shouldn’t let you leave now, since you can't defend yourself.”

Red eyes surrounded by dark veins became visible as Elijah gathered the strength to push himself into a sitting position. Tristan stepped back toward Elijah, lifting one foot up to place on his chest and push him back down.

"However the Strix, to repay it's heroic founder's choice of undergo the spell to protect them from him, will forever protect and guard their Patriarch." Tristan explained.

"Your story is that I volunteered for this." Elijah asked in disbelief, sounding breathless from the pressure on his chest.

 Tristan's foot trailed from his chest down one of Elijah legs before it stopped over his ankle, he smiled down.

“You’ll play along with this little story.” Tristan said, making it clear it wasn't a question.

Elijah glared back, Tristan grinned and placed his weight down slowly.

All their hearing caught the sound of bones cracking and breaking.

Elijah hissed but make no other noise and pulled his other leg to him.

“I’d like an answer.” Tristan told him as he twisted his foot, grinding the bones beneath it.

“Fine.” Elijah growled but sighed when Tristan stepped back, dark veins fading and eyes return to the human brown.

“I suppose that’s everything sorted then.” Tristan said pleasantly after watching Elijah on the ground for several moments.

“Not quite,” Elijah spoke quietly as he surprised them both as he pulled himself back up, not putting any weight on that leg but straighten up he turned to Aya, ignoring Tristan, "Aya, they were your people, you led them to their deaths. Shouldn’t you avenge them.”

It’s his eyes, looking at her with disappointed like she was the one that failed him, that abandoned her, that killed her people.

She shouldn't.

She didn’t attack those who weren’t a threat.

And Elijah wasn’t anymore, he couldn’t harm any of them and he couldn’t take them with him if he got killed, the Strix wouldn’t let him risk himself.

But the dead were not coming back.

Gavriel was dead, Mary was dead, Akana and Kaze were dead, they followed her for centuries and they were gone.

She let go of her control and let out her anger her grief.

She came back to herself as she caught sight of Tristan watching silently with a raised eyebrow.

Elijah looks up at her, tongue licking the blood from his lip as the split heals. Her hands were covered in blood, his blood, the blood that had made her, a gift once, now it tied them all as one.

Something Elijah would have to accept.

The disappointment was gone from his eyes, replaced with triumph and she almost flinches as she realised she had played into his hands.

Let him used her to punish himself for the hesitation that had led him to this.

He would use this as a reminder every time she would approach him to work with the Strix.

'Fine' she thought taking a breath before she hit him again.

If he wished to be nothing but a prisoner he could be.

Loyalty is a fine trait, noble but like everything else, too much destroys, our friend will destroy himself one day. Gavriel had said in despair, once in the aftermath of Mikael.

Eventually, the boredom, having nothing to focus on would drive him to re-join them.

She turned and walked away, she didn’t want to see the sight of him anymore.

 —--

Elijah watched as Aya stormed away, his blood still on her fists, even as all his injuries healed, a simple beating wasn’t going to leave a mark.

He pushed himself back up, refusing to let it show when his newly healed ankle rolled under his weight.

His healing was slower, likely an aftereffect of healing from the ritual, time without blood and this recent altercation.

Correction he thought If they had kept going they might have left a mark.

And he could do nothing, they hadn't been lying or overconfident, Elijah couldn't harm them in any way.

He couldn't free himself from Tristan's hands, couldn't defend himself, hadn't been able to break Aya’s neck, he had felt his hand freeze up before he could touch her.

It might just be Tristan and Aya, he'd have to find a way to check on that with the rest of Strix, but he doubted it.

“I'll have clean clothes and a washcloth sent, we can't have our honoured founder looking such a state.” his first sired voice dragged him from his thoughts

Elijah couldn't withhold the grimace at the reminder of the mess he must look, blood and other fluids must have stained him during the beating while he was distracted by the pain.

“You're enjoying this too much.” He told Tristan, mostly to ignore his slip.

“Really how so?” Tristan arched a brow at him, as if the glee wasn't glittering in his eyes didn't give him away.

“I can smell your excitement.” he said, his disgust clear, Tristan enjoyed bringing pain to others, along with their past, this had to be one of Tristan's dreams.

“Which means Aya could and yet she left you with me, knowing you couldn't defend yourself.” Tristan chuckled as he made the veiled threat but Elijah met his look unimpressed, even before he added “Fear not, you know I don't force that, it should be your honour for any of my attention.”

Elijah knew Tristan, which meant he knew his limits, unless he had changed much in the last nine hundred years, Tristan’s pride couldn't take needing to force himself on another.

And Tristan could and would only change for Aurora.

“You understand now don’t you? There is no other place for you, what use are you to your siblings when you can’t defend yourself, how many out there will you be helpless against.“

“I will not simply-” he started, stopping suddenly as Tristan closed the space between them to appear right in his face.

“No, you won't will you?” He didn’t flinch as Tristan laid a hand on his cheek gently, he wasn’t going to ever flinch from Tristan de Martel he swore to himself. “but I will enjoy watching you give in.” Tristan leaned closer to his ear to whisper “and helping you learn those lessons.”

Elijah drew himself up to his full height, making the most of the difference between them to look down on Tristan. 

He wasn’t unfamiliar with being physically helpless, Klaus had pushed him past his limits after Katarina had escaped, Mikael’s training on some day could be best described as him attacking until his sons learnt to take his hits and stay upright.

Pain he could take, he had been raised to bear it.

Tristan met his disdainful look with a polite smile but smug eyes.

Unfortunately Tristan knew him far more than he ever wanted an enemy to.

“I've sent word, your siblings know you’ve returned to the fold.” Tristan called back as he stopped at the door.

“They won't-” he started to quickly, cursing him mentally for revealing to much by just that as Tristan cut him off.

“Really?” he asked mockingly, amusement clear in his voice even as he kept his tone mild “from my reports your brother has grown quite paranoid over the centuries. Isn't that why two of your brothers remain in their coffins?”

The door shutting was loud in the silence as Elijah found himself alone, unchained but more trapped than ever before.

The door may be unlocked but surrounded by vampires he couldn't fight back against. He sank to the floor, cracking the flooring with supernatural strength and let out a heavy breath.

That strength meant nothing when he couldn't use it.

He was in trouble.

[sponsoredbydestiny]

You know a serial has won you over when a single chapter sparks three different effortposts, and you have to gesture at the least important one just to clear headspace.

Tristan and Song, huh!

“You have a way with words, sometimes,” she finally said. “Allocating vice. Is it from something you read?”

“…there are times when evil’s face is bared and people say enough. When they push back, when the crowns of the world are remembered that no number of levees can truly hold the sea. They only hold until a storm makes the waves tall enough.”

Tristan was taught how to talk, even in a literary cadence when need be. But come on, you don’t really believe that horseshit, right?

Song does believe it. Reputation is fake, (loathe as she is to acknowledge that.) Literature, however, is deadly serious. Those lines about the levees and the sea are 100% copped from some old book, but that provenance makes the sentiment harder for Tristan to undermine, much to his horror. ’Oh hell, she has a moral compass.’

Like, Tristan’s already nonplussed that she wants to sleep with Evander. Then he is thrown by the realization that she’s nearly unswervable in a way that actually values him. How much more of a headfuck would it be, to appreciate that an essential element for both impulses is her genuine piety towards musty tomes?

[sama-not-sam]

Sama "the ambitious" Ali: task 002; the eulogy

It hadn’t occurred to Sama that Mrs. Tristan might expect all of the wards to speak at the funeral. She’d expected to hear something from those who’d been closest to him, Angus, Carmen, Estrella, and probably from Alison, but she certainly hadn’t been planning to speak herself. Sama was here because it was appropriate, because she wanted to honor Richard’s memory and all he’d done for her, and because she’d never felt like she could say no to Mrs. Tristan. She was not here because she had any right to Richard’s life. But, she’d never felt like she could say no to Mrs. Tristan, so Sama would have to come up with something to say.

Sama was a fairly confident public speaker. She wasn’t someone who gave speeches, but she could lead a meeting or present findings when the need arose. The main problem was she didn’t have anything to say about Richard, or at least not anything that couldn’t be said by someone else. It felt a bit like being asked to give a eulogy for a former boss, or one of her college professors. Sama wasn’t qualified for this, and worse, it wasn’t something she would get a second chance at.

All through the service, Sama went back and forth in her mind about her plan, if it was a good one or not, if it would look like she was honoring one of Richard’s passions or like she just couldn’t be bothered to try harder. She refused to acknowledge that she was more concerned about Alison’s judgement than anyone else’s. At least she could find some comfort in the fact that she was closer to the beginning of the speakers than the end. She could get it over with, if nothing else.

Sama waited until Jacob was back in his seat before standing, not wanting to rush anything. She held the book of poetry with both hands as she took to the podium. She tried to look at the other mourners, but couldn’t, instead focusing on some point in the distance.

“Hello.” Her voice sounded too quiet, even with the aid of the microphone, and she had to take a slow breath before continuing, louder and more confident. “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Sama Ali, one of Richard’s many wards.” Sama paused, losing her train of thought for a moment and unable to remember the transition she’d rehearsed in her head.

“I’m not a sentimental person. It’s not something that’s ever served me. I don’t have anything to share with you about Richard that you don’t already know.” She found herself unable to find a flow of words as she usually did, probably the difference between speaking to a group of coworkers and giving a eulogy.

Sama cleared her throat, and opened the book to the page she’d hastily marked with a bobby pin. She’d been thinking about poems about death since she first received Mrs. Tristan’s letter, and when she found out she was supposed to speak, Sama had slipped into the library in search of one in particular. Under the circumstances, it seemed like the best she could do.

“I thought, maybe, I could share something other than memories, something we all know Richard loved. This is a poem by Maya Angelou, titled When Great Trees Fall.

“When great trees fall, rocks on distant hills shudder, lions hunker down in tall grasses, and even elephants lumber after safety. “When great trees fall in forests, small things recoil into silence, their senses eroded beyond fear.”

Sama began to find her footing as she read the poem, gaining confidence in the familiar cadence of one of her favorite poets. She began to look out over the gathered crowd, meeting the eyes of some of her fellow wards.

“When great souls die, the air around us becomes light, rare, sterile. We breathe, briefly. Our eyes, briefly, see with a hurtful clarity. Our memory, suddenly sharpened, examines, gnaws on kind words unsaid, promised walks never taken. “Great souls die and our reality, bound to them, takes leave of us. Our souls, dependent upon their nurture, now shrink, wizened. Our minds, formed and informed by their radiance, fall away. We are not so much maddened as reduced to the unutterable ignorance of dark, cold caves. “And when great souls die, after a period peace blooms, slowly and always irregularly. Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration. Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us. They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be better. For they existed.”

Sama closed the book and came back to herself, once again uncertain of her choice and unable to make eye contact. For a moment, she wondered if she should say something else, but she couldn’t think of anything, and certainly nothing more eloquent or poignant than Maya Angelou. So she just made her way back to her seat, back straight, shoulders square, eyes trained on the ground.

[lordofthestrix]

Continued from (x) "You are not afraid to make a fair share of contrasting assumptions regarding my history." Tristan listened to her tale with crystalline interest. "Good. Deduction is best suited for souls gifted in instinct. And in a way you are perfectly right. My human life was informed of its meaning to the point of suffocation at times. Nevertheless, by the moment I found myself in a similar place to where you stand, the uncertainty of eternity unfolding before my eyes in the awakening of what you could call my own brand of resurrection, there was nothing left. No trace of birthright or sanctuary. My own spirit often betrayed me." His gaze navigated back to Gia's hand and its refusal to let her play. "In maddening hours I experienced the frenetic need to see my own blood spilled. Not in the hunt for self-punishment but the desperate, blind desire to recover myself. My identity had been tainted by the one who guided me there and each of my days I felt both poisoned and shattered." He spoke in candid aloofness. As if retelling someone else's memories. There was no sign of the smallest weakness in the admission. If anything, he appeared distantly amused or even proud by their result. "If your judgement is correct, if I'm indeed important, it isn't because it was delivered to me with joyous ease. The universe remained predictably and profoundly indifferent to my ordeal. One single person I cared about. And for reasons far too elaborated to summarize, most dawns she couldn't even look in my direction without confusing me with the one who caused her own suffering. In the torturing struggle of more than one endless evening I was cursed with the possibility that she might heal quicker in my absence." At this there was a much more gelid and darker visiting cadence to his voice. But it was no longer there by the next sentence. "Following your line of reasoning, there was no intended´place in the world for me. Perchance there wasn't. It didn't matter to me then. It shouldn't matter to you now. We forge ourselves." The shadow of his smirk, as if subtly sharing a muted secret with her, returned one final time. "Try to remember that not all things that taste the flames are fated to turn to ash, Gia. You are hurt, yes. And some suffering is unavoidable. A greeting card of new beginnings. It doesn't make you less than you were. Nor does it prevent you from reaching new heights. Whatever you become...That is entirely yours to claim."

He didn't comment on her final acceptance. Taking it instead as his pleased mark of departure. "It was an interesting pleasure to meet you. I'll be in touch soon." He mused with a lingering last look once at her side. Effortless joining in the shadows that introduced him and leaving her as the only vampire in the auditorium.

@touchedbydestiny

[dustedmagazine]

E — Living Waters (Silver Rocket)

E’s fifth full length packs a wallop, thanks to new drummer Ernie Kim, a Boston area veteran of bands including Tristan da Cunha. Not that the trio—the other two members are Thalia Zedek and Jason Sanford—has ever been especially quiet. Still no question that the intensity ratcheted up another notch this time in lurching, lumbering rhythms that shake the floors like a brontosaurus passing.  

It all starts in “(Fully) Remote” with its thrusting, heavy industrial cadence that comes down hard at the beginning of every four beat measure, swings back, then hammers home again. And while superlatively heavy, E’s music has a twitchy, paranoiac empty space embedded between assaults. Sanford mutters ominously about how “the information, it comes from inside,” while Zedek picks up the end of a verse in a feral, vibrating howl. A trebly violence of guitar skreetches over the monstrous beat, like napalm fire catching.

E has never had a full-time bass player. Typically Zedek plays a conventional guitar, while Sanford goes at his home-made instruments, some of which look like cubist reimaginings of a guitar, drawn in thick lines with air where the body usually goes. For this album, however, Zedek, too, experimented with her instrument, adjusting it so that it could produce both guitar and bass-like sounds. The low-end girds the band’s customary antic, always-in-motion onslaught, giving the sound more force and resonance. And yet, it’s the drums, always the drums, that shock and roil these songs, their stick-shattering thwacks turning uneasy fever dreams like “Names Upon a List” into firefights.

A couple of these tracks lean way into this assaultive aesthetic, stripping away the poetry and melodic color to reveal the animal beneath. “Deep Swerve” bounces wavering, dopplering sounds off the hardest beat you can imagine, and “Ash” reprises the woozy foundation, adding flares of guitars and voices to its giant footed procession.

But it’s the epic title track that puts the pieces together, its ritual beat, its slow-chiming guitars, its gut-wrenching vocals all conjoining in triumph. Zedek sings, primarily, holding the long notes over a tumult of percussion and guitar sound, as if withstanding, once again, all the difficulties of the last few years. It’s nine minutes plus of persistence and resilience, playing out in a way that will make the hairs on your wrists stand up. E is full of power, now more than ever.  

Jennifer Kelly

[pleasereadmeok]

A Goode Year 2022

I’m doing this a bit early coz I won’t be around much over the holidays.  Every year I sit down to write these thinking - hmm - we didn’t see enough of Matthew Goode this year.  [NEVER enough]  But then each year I’m surprised by how busy he is. 

January was all about season 3 of A Discovery of Witches. 

[📷 Sky]

Sadly it was a shorter season due to Covid but we got to see Matthew Goode back in the suit and cashmere for Prof Clairmont once more.  And he held babies.  😁

Stop animation ‘The House’ was released on Netflix - 

[📷 Nexus]

...  and we all watched and wondered what the hell it was all about.  Matthew played this guy called Raymond - 

Coz you just look at Raymond’s felty face and your first thought is ‘Matthew Goode’? Nope.  Anyway this got quite a following from the stop animation fans and won some noms and awards so all goode. 

Also in January we got our very first glimpse of Matthew Goode in ‘The Offer’ when this little teaser dropped - 

[📷 Paramount +]

There he is - BOB!  

More promos appeared later in January including this gem - 

[📷 Miller Mobley]

February gave us more of Matthew Clairmont in his sharp jackets and cuddlesome cashmere. 🤤

We also got the amazing trailer for ‘The Offer’ and all of our hopes were fulfilled when we got our first look at Matthew’s awesome portrayal of Robert Evans. 

The best thing was that other people noticed it too and at last Matthew got some love for his acting skills from the critics.  

In other news - The Wine Show moved to it’s new home on AcornTV AND Matthew surprised us by attending the London Premiere of ‘The Duke’. 

He was obviously excited to be there and we loved seeing him in the flesh again. 

‘The Duke’ was just what Brits returning to the cinema needed - an old fashioned Brit comedy drama.  Matthew shone as ‘star’ barrister Jeremy Hutchinson and he was so convincing that he’d definitely be the one I’d call if I needed representing in court - 

 In March we said a final farewell to ‘A Discovery of Witches’ 😢 but not before we got to see some adorable Matthew outtakes - 

Meanwhile Matthew was clearing out his wardrobe and putting a lot of goodies into the ‘Auction for Ukraine’.  It wasn’t until later that we found out that the idea and most of the organising had been started by Matthew and that he roped in some high profile friends to help. 👏 

April was wall to wall ‘The Offer’ promotion.  We haven’t seen Matthew do so much promotion for a project since 2014 so this was heaven for Goode fans -

 So many funny and engaging interviews to enjoy but I swear if I hear him say ‘timbre’, ‘cadence’, ‘YouTube’ and ‘wormholes’ ever again I might have to scream.  

Better still - Matthew attended the LA premiere for ‘The Offer’ so we got another red carpet interview and even more new pics of him - 

[📷my edit from Extra TV youtube]

When ‘The Offer’ premiered on the 28th April - OMG Matthew was incredible as Robert Evans.  A stunning performance in every way. 

The Bob show continued through May and we got more goode interviews and articles to enjoy.  Just going to highlight this one in the LA Times - https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-05-05/the-offer-paramount-cast-matthew-goode-robert-evans   coz of the gorgeous pictures by Dania Maxwell

[📷 Dania Maxwell/LA Times] 

Matthew and Sophie were also invited to the London premiere of ‘Top Gun’ - presumably by Miles Teller?  Anyway - he gave us a little wave on red carpet TV - 

[📷 screenshots from Red Carpet TV and Tristan Fewings]

At last we saw Matthew do another chat show!  In June he was a guest on NBC's ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ and joked about getting into American Football and trying to get X [R] rated movies from his local store as a kid ....  

Matthew attended the New York Premiere of ‘The Offer’ the next day - 

[📷Michael Loccisano/Getty Images]

Paramount + launched in the UK later in June and Matthew introduced ‘The Offer’ to the audience - 

[📷 Mike Marsland/Dave J Hogan] 

Matthew’s amazing work on the Auction for Ukraine was finally revealed in a fun guest appearance on The Chris Evans Radio Show.  We also got the first hint about his next project - with an acting hero 🤔  

[📷 Virgin Radio]   

One of the top auction lots was a lunch hosted by Matthew and friends at Hide restaurant - 

[📷 Hide Restaurant]

Before Matthew headed off for his summer holidays in July he found time to guest on ‘This Morning’ with Alison and Dermot.  

He talked about how he nearly missed out on getting the part of Robert Evans due to visa issues 😱 and he confirmed that acting hero he would be working with was indeed Anthony Hopkins!

Matthew headed off to Greece for a family holiday but found time to take a selfie with some fans - 

[📷 Paul and Kerry Hulme - cropped for privacy] 

July also brought us the official trailer for ‘Medieval’ and we got to see Matthew swaggering about in lavish cloaks and that glorious ginger hair - 

Matthew turned up with Hugh Bonneville at a Coldplay gig at Wembley arena in August - 

Medieval was released in September so we saw more of Matthew’s spectacular costumes and THAT hair - 

What happened in October?  Not a lot but in November we did get confirmation that Matthew would be working with Anthony Hopkins on the movie ‘Freud’s Last Session’.  

The movie will be based on the play by Mark St. Germain and Matthew will play C.S. Lewis.  

So I think that brings us up to date.  It’s been a Goode year for showcasing Matthew’s superb acting skills with his perfectly crafted role as Robert Evans in ‘The Offer’ and watching him actually enjoy promoting a show has been a highlight for me.   But if I have to choose the best part of the Goode year - Matthew’s work in getting together the Auction for Ukraine needs a special mention - coz he sure won’t mention it.  He obviously worked really hard on calling in favours and getting things moving and as a result the Auction raised £838,900!  So well done Matthew and all of your friends who helped! 👏

[im-a-ramblr]

And then please reblog, the more votes the better.

[good--merits-accumulated]

caught off guard reading a book from 1974

[agilneanrose]

“I will not.” The three words were spit into the room, disturbing the pretentious clinking of tea cups as it washed over the collection of ladies in a wave of youthful anger and disgust. 

“Rosemarri Sayage, you may be excused. See yourself to the chapel and pray for the return of patience and the grace that you lack today.”  There was a waver in her mother’s voice, her normal docile and cultured tones straining to be strict and sharp. It was an act, of course, put on for the noblewomen that stared at her. Her mother was under the strict rule that no woman should raise her voice but she was embarrassed in front of her guests and while she didn’t yell, she strained to be harsh - the tone had the same cadence as a badly played flute which made the dismissal a blessing.

She couldn’t help one last dig as she pranced through the open doorway and paused to repeat herself. “Momma, I will marry the dead tree in the farthest pasture before I marry William Fogof the fifty-first.”

Someone gasped. There was a clank of a teacup against the saucer and before any more words could be said, she swept from the doorway. The hours kneeling in the chapel would be worth it.

"How many hours now?" A sigh followed the baritone question and at once she crinkled her nose. She’d lost count. 

“At least four hundred..” She twisted within the puddle of her skirts and robe, one hand finding the cold stone floor so she could peer back towards the entrance of the modest chapel. Tristan, a handful of years her senior, stood with his shoulder braced against the frame of the door. 

“That sounds like a lot or a lie.” 

“It is a lie, I have forgotten how long. But you know what I have not forgotten?”

He pushed forward and she waited, watching him as he made his way through the pews. His dark hair matched hers, only his had no curl and hers resembled a rat’s nest every morning. He was tall, lanky as most boys his age were, and as arrogant as any young lord should be. Only when he collapsed next to her did she settle onto her heels, hands clapping against her knees. “I have not forgotten that I refuse to marry William Fogof the fifty-first! He is old, Tristan, at least thirteen, and is fatter than cook’s winter pig. I would have to fight for my food and ladies do no fight!” 

“Ladies do marry, it is your job. But you do not have to worry, it won’t be for some years - at least ten. It is just a contract --"

“--they do not marry winter pigs, Tris-tan. " She interrupted. "Do you want to marry a winter pig? I know Lady Dionis brought her daughter today in hopes of seeing you. Her dress took up the entire left side of the tea table! And she has a boil right under her eye, titan's it wiggled when she chewed. I named it -- "

“Rosemarri…” He began but must have pictured William or Miss Dionis in his head because he didn’t finish the admonishment. 

Her scowl faded into a faint smile, talasite eyes laughing as if she could read his thoughts.  “Two copper he has a tail..” 

@swordandsayage

[manyfandomocs]

So many new ocs and plot bunnies just throwing it out there any thoughts on new crossovers? (Or not-new crossovers that we just really need to talk about about?)

Omg honestly we've both been having so many new ones so, under the cut because this is BIG (I did just romantic because it was even Bigger with platonic or ones that could be both but I still have the platonic saved so, lmk if you want) (I ended up cutting out some Glee ones as well so if you want the ones left out I can have another, but at least I bolded my faves??)

also. there are more fandoms we have but after like two days of going through these lists my brain hurts so. just lmk if there's any fandom you want in particular <3

Descendants

Honestly we just need to talk about any Gabe crossover that isn't Ace x Gabe and Ro & Gabe but especially Topher and Evander

Ace and Wrenley give me vibes for some reason, idk what but vibes

Anissa Radcliffe x Stephen

Atalia of Atlantica x Jackie

Atalia of Atlantica x Wrenley

Blossom x Stephen

Callista x Stephen

Chessy x Stephen

Chessy x Emmeline

Chiara x Cosette

Cian x Cosette idk why

Cian x Evelyn idk why

I literally wanna say Cian x Gabe but idk

Cian x Kirsti

Cian x Wrenley

Cosette x Evelyn

Cosette x Ginevra

Elise x Emmeline

Elise x Estelle

Elise x Stephen

Finley x Ginevra

Finley x Stephen

Fitz x/& Gabe I can't figure out the vibes

Fitz x/& Stephen (only x if he isn't with Finley)

Fitz x Ginevra

Gloria x Ruby

Gloria x Annalise

Hannah x Stephen

Hannah x Kirsti

Harley x Wrenley

Harley x Jackie

Honey x Stephen

Honey x Emmeline

(I said just doing romantic here but I do love the idea of Honey & Gabe just saying)

Princess Isabelle x Charlotte

Princess Isabelle x Stephen

Lawson x Cadence

Lawson x Cosette

Lawson x Wrenley

Lucette x Evelyn

Lucette x Cadence

Maria x Wrenley

Noelle x Stephen

Roslyn x Stephen

Roslyn x Wrenley

Roslyn x Emmeline

Roslyn x Cadence

Taryn x Jackie

Tristan x Stephen

Tristan x Gabe

Tristan x Kirsti

Violet x Stephen

Violet x Jackie

Gilmore Girls

Allie x Theo

Allie x Dahlia? Idk I'm getting vibes

Amanda x Thomas (Thomas is truly the Gavin of my Gilmore Girls ocs with all the girlfriends he gets)

Annabel x Caspian

Annabel x Serafina

Antoinette x Serafina

Avery x Caspian

Avery x Serafina

Brady x Caspian?

Cameron x Theo

Catie x Thomas

Charles x Theo

Charles x Jasmine (with Blythe and Kaito or not either way)

Chelsea x Theo

Chelsea x Thomas

Chelsea x Lydia

Cosette x Thomas

Dani x Caspian

Eleanor x Thomas

Eleanor x Theo

Eliya x Lydia

Elle x Caspian

Evan x Theo

Freya x Caspian

Gabi x Jasmine

I kinda want Harry and Troy and Vicki idk with who

Holland x Dahlia

Jane x Theo

Kaylee x Caspian

Kaylee x Theo

Lexi x Dorian

Lia x Theo

Lili x Theo

Lili x Thomas

Lili x Jasmine

Marley x Theo

Sage x Theo

Sage x Jasmine

Sage x Dahlia

Sienna x Caspian

Sophie x Serafina

Sophie x Caspian

Willow x Thomas

Willow x Theo

Willow x Jasmine

Glee (I might be already about to update my list with another but I kept it simple with who's already there lmao but I will come to you with ideas when I add)

Abbie x Christina

Abbie x Felix

Abbie x Steve

Abbie x Xavier

Barbie x Carrie

Barbie x Jupiter

Barbie x Steve

Betty x Felix

Betty x Jupiter

Betty x Steve

Betty x/& Zeke (x if he isn't with Claude???)

Sav/Bobby/Val can really be platonic or romantic with so many of my people I feel like they'd be a whole list on their own

I don't wanna break Camilo and Jo up so, also own list of who could be platonic and romantic

Cece x Christina

Cece x Giselle

Cece x Sophia

Christie x Carrie

Christie x Felicity

Christie x Giselle

Christie x Jupiter

Claude x Beatrice

Claude x Leonard

Claude x Zeke

Cole x Carrie

Cole x Jasper

Cole x Reagan

Cole x Steve

Cole x Xavier

Colton x Ashton (They have their friend verse but I'm definitely not opposed to romance)

Colton x Felix

Colton x Jasper

Colton x Steve

Colton x Xavier

Daphne x Carrie

Daphne x Jupiter

Daphne x Reagan

Daphne x Steve

Delilah x Carrie

Delilah x Giselle

Delilah x Xavier

Demi x Carrie

Demi x Reagan

Dolly x Carrie (if not with Barbie)

Dolly x Felix

Dolly x Jupiter (if not with Barbie)

Dolly x Reagan

Gil x Ashton

Gil x Felix

Gil x Jasper

Gil x Jupiter

Gil x Leonard

Hadley x Christina

Hadley x Giselle

Hadley x Steve

Hadley x Xavier

Hillary x Steve

Holden x Ashton

Holden x Felix

Holden x Jasper

Holden x Leonard

Jaci x Beatrice

Jaci x CJ

Jason x Ashton

Jason x Carrie

Jason x Jupiter

Jason x Sophia

Jeremy x Beatrice

Jeremy x Leonard

Jeremy x Zeke

Josie x Carrie

Josie x Felix

Josie x Steve

Joy x Carrie

Joy x Felix

Joy x Jupiter

Joy x Xavier

June x Carrie

June x Felix

June x Reagan

June x Steve

Kendall x Beatrice

Kendall x CJ

Lilibeth x Kaipo

Lilibeth x Zeke

Logan x Ashton

Logan x Carrie

Logan x Karina

Mac x Jupiter

Mac x Steve

Mac x/& Zeke (if he isn't with Claude??)

Marilyn x Carrie

Marilyn x Christina

Marilyn x Felicity

Marilyn x Giselle

Marilyn x Jupiter

Marilyn x Karina

Maureen x Carrie

Maureen x Reagan

Maureen x Steve

May x Giselle

May x Karina

May x Xavier

Any of the Natalie ones from the Natalie list I gave

Perrie x Christina

Perrie x Reagan

Perrie x Steve

Roxie x Carrie

Roxie x Felix

Roxie x Giselle

Roxie x Steve

Roxie x Xavier

Sadie x Beatrice

Sadie x CJ

Sadie x Leonard

Satine x Christina

Satine x Felix

Satine x Jupiter

Satine x Reagan

Tegan x Carrie

Tegan x Christina

Tegan x Giselle

Tegan x Steve

Tommy x Beatrice

Tommy x Leonard

And any from the Zoe list I gave

Harry Potter

Just this whole list

[dianessunflower]

Tristan und Isolde in The Good Fight 6x04

i was not always an opera fan but i am always a fan of art referencing art. so when Tristan und Isolde popped up in season 6 of The Good Fight, you can imagine i was intrigued.

again, i wrote two threads on twitter, and i'm reposting here in lieu of there never being another thursday ep of TGF ever again (crying hours).

by Spanish artist Rogelio de Egusquiza's Tristan and Isolde (Death). 1910, oil on canvas, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

anyways, T&I is an opera in 3 acts by Richard Wagner with a German libretto, based on a 12C romance Tristan and Iseult by Gottfried von Strassburg. known for tonal ambiguity, orchestral colour, harmonic suspension & chromaticism (very basically, using tones outside major/minor scales).

i will say from the outset i am not a Wagner fan (google it, but also it's rather ironic given what happens in this ep), but i have been to the villa where he lived in Lucerne (great views). (Walter Benjamin called Wagner an example of "bourgeois false consciousness" lolol)

anyway back to T&I… he wrote it while having an apparent affair with Mathilde Wesendonck 👀🍵 but it was also written after his discovery of Schopenhauer, a German philosopher who also influenced Tolstoy.

his point was to write tragedy, not romance, and his work marks the departure from tonal harmony in 20C EU classical music. the opening is called the Tristan chord—listen to the dissonance, nothing being resolved.

T&I uses harmonic suspension—creating musical tension and expectation in the listener through prolonged unfinished cadences. but he does so throughout the whole work, like introducing a cadence in the prelude and not resolving until Act 3 Finale.

and um, this deferred resolution is frequently interpreted as symbolising both physical sexual release and spiritual release (aka death ahah). there is also a day/night, life/death theme going on—opposites attract.

to return to Schopenhauer and the general storyline of T&I, it's really premised on the idea of unfulfilled longing and unachievable desires. make of that what you will.

[pre-finale addendum] i never really thought T&I was a direct metaphor, but more about how love doesn't always triumph. tragedy.

the important thing about the T&I plot is that it's a chivalric romance with certain elements, based on ancient Celtic myth, though the opera itself is based on a Medieval German retelling:

the brave hero (you're my hero)

the forbidden/doomed lovers (can your love survive outside the bubble)

and of course, the love potion, which makes Isolde fall in love with Tristan whom she had previously sworn hatred for after he killed her uncle. it SHOULDN'T make sense, and yet Diane and Kurt fall in love anyway.

the love potion is magic, but it is also poison (this is where it could become a metaphor* for PT108). and it doesn't just slowly poison them, eventually in the opera it poisons everything and leads to the lovers' downfall.

****(ftr, i do not think PT108 itself is poison & certainly not in reference to a depression treatment)

there are interesting doubles in T&I, mostly that Tristan's first wound is healed magically by Isolde, but later he's mortally wounded when Isolde doesn't reach him in time.

(Rogelio de Egusquiza, Tristan and Isolde (Life). 1910, oil on canvas, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum)

i think we see this flipped in TGF. in s1-2, Di has been wounded emotionally by Kurt and eventually they reconcile. but in s6, Di has been depressed and had multiple near death experiences, and yet Kurt doesn't seem to be able to reach her.

hence the quote: 'Here he lies, the great man, in thrall to the world’s most wonderful delusion—love.' and like the opera, the harmonies won't resolve until the very end.

[post-finale note] i did realise that when the Liebestod is playing while Diane and Kurt are talking on the sofa after the gala dinner that it does resolve. the answer was always there, that they would resolve together.