#turning in quests; answered meme

[adventurersdelight]

‽- Something your muse has problem in understanding

☺- Something that makes your muse happy (For Stella)

A Headcanon Meme

‽- Something your muse has problem in understanding

Unconditional trust. In her line of work (and her world view), people don't help you or trust you without good reason, be it a job, a safety net, a contingency, whatever. Those who are soft and trusting are devoured by the darkness of the world she lives in, so she's forgotten what it's like to be able to do that.

☺- Something that makes your muse happy

Fresh sheets, a warm meal, and a bath.

[for-tymora]

30 Questions for Your Tav! [ Ask Meme ]

[ Send in a number for a question to be answered! What is your Tav like? Who are they as a person? ]

Your Tav as a Companion

1. What would your Tav’s greetings be (at different levels of approval)? 2. Describe their tent setup! What’s on the outside? The inside? 3. What would their character quest be titled? Why? 4. What would your Tav’s romance scenes look like? How many would they have? 5. Describe their idle animations! 6. How would the player go about meeting them in Act 1? What is their introduction? 7. Describe their arc. How would a player help resolve it? What choices can be made? Can your Tav be turned down a dark path, or pulled to a lighter one? 8. After Act 3, what does their life look like? What are they talking about at the reunion party?

Back to Basics

9. What’s the significance behind your Tav’s name? 10. Does your Tav have a last name? Is there a meaning behind it? 11. What is your Tav’s go-to comfort food? 12. Does your Tav have any tattoos or scars? Why? 13. What is your Tav’s main color palette? Why do they choose those colors? 14. Where are they from? What was home like? 15. Is your Tav more likely to fight/flight/freeze/fawn? 16. What do they do for fun, when not adventuring? What are their hobbies? 17. Do they have any enemies outside of the main plot? Any friends? 18. Where/with whom do they feel safest? 19. What is their MBTI Type?

Deep Dives

20. What is their relationship to touch? Do they shy away from it? Do they need it to feel present? 21. Describe a defining moment from their past, which makes them who they are today! 22. How is your Tav’s relationship with their family? Their parents? 23. How does your Tav act in situations of stress? In moments of peace? 24. What does your Tav consider to be their own biggest character flaw? 25. What is something they would die on a hill over? 26. Give us one of your Tav’s secrets! 27. What is the worst thing they’ve ever done/said to someone they love? 28. Describe a smell that reminds your Tav of childhood. 29. What fears keep them up at night? 30. What does your Tav want more than anything?

[taylorman2274]

We Care About You (Part V)

You are forcibly summoned to Teyvat via dream trawling for answers. A long awaited discussion ensues...

Content Warning(s): Xiao Story Quest Spoilers

Notes: SAGAU; GN!Reader;

Word Count: 1.4k

Previous || Next

Taglist: @silverstarred; @victoria1676; @angelofdarkness2; @areaderspov; @andromeda-gay; @ash1; @mercy-not-merci; @toodledoodl3; @jellyedkazoo; @namine123; @innuwu; @agaygothicmushroom; @tired-of-life-86; @fantasyhopperhea; @sweetsourbxtch;

---------------------------------------------------------

After you had decided you were no longer going to play Genshin Impact, you felt as if a massive weight was lifted off your shoulders. Had the past few weeks really taken that much out of you?

"I suppose it did," you assumed as you were playing another game with your friend group. "I haven't felt this relieved in a long while."

You and your friend group spent many hours talking, laughing, raging, and sharing memes. When you noticed it was just past midnight, you felt that it was the best time to get some sleep. You bid goodbye to your friends, closed your computer, and went to take a quick shower.

While in the shower, thoughts began to ruminate in your head. "It's gonna be hard for me to find another game that will get me addicted as much as Genshin did. But maybe something in my backlog might work for now."

The thoughts continued after the shower, after brushing your teeth, and after getting in bed. "I almost forget what game I was playing before I started Genshin. Was it something I finished? If not, maybe I should go back to that."

Before long, you fell asleep. However, unbeknownst to you, your computer mysteriously turned itself back on and began to launch a certain application...

---------------------------------------------------------

"Do I need to remind you again how to perform Dream Trawler?" Xiao asked.

"Nuh-uh," Paimon shook her head, setting down a Seven-Star Lamp. "Paimon has a great memory! First, we offer incense with respect for Rex Lapis. Next, we meditate and think of our target. Then, we shout 'Bring Forth Sin'!

"It's 'Devayaksha, Bring Forth Sin'," the Traveler corrected as they were adjusting the position of the censer.

"Right!” Paimon nodded, setting down another Seven-Star Lamp. “Lastly, we let loose a couple of arrows towards the two yaksha statues to... to uh... uhhh...".

"Tsk. Fools."

This conversation was taking place while the Traveler and Paimon were setting everything up for the Dream Trawler ritual. However, instead of going back to the two yaksha statues on the southern face of Mt. Tianheng, Zhongli suggested they perform the ritual at Luhua Pool.

"If my guess is correct, [Y/N] will most likely panic upon realizing where they are. If that's the case, it would be better for them if they weren't so close to the harbor. It's best if we do not attract any attention."

Both the Traveler and Paimon agreed. Neither of them wanted [Y/N] to be afraid. They only wanted to give them the warmest of welcomes.

"Are you two done yet?" Xiao asked, annoyed at how long it was taking to get everything set up.

The Traveler and Paimon walked up to Xiao. "Yep! Everything's set up just like last time."

Xiao nodded. "Good. Get ready to initiate the ritual."

The Traveler and Paimon nodded in return. They put the incense inside of the censer and began to meditate.

"Since we are dealing with someone from another world, I would imagine that a great deal of focus should be needed to summon [Y/N]. This is especially true since we have no idea what they look like. I'm sure Xiao warned you of the consequences this could cause should you not take this seriously.

Zhongli's words echoed in your mind as you put all of your focus towards [Y/N].

"Hmm..."

[Y/N], who has been with them since the beginning.

"Ohh..."

[Y/N], who has done their best to guide them along their journey.

"Ahh... Hmm..."

[Y/N]. [Y/N]. [Y/N]. [Y/N]. [Y/N].

"Devayaksha, Bring Forth Sin!"

---------------------------------------------------------

...

... ...

... … …

It's cold.

You shifted in your sleep and immediately felt the lack of bedsheets surrounding your body.

Instead, you felt... rock? Sand?

Slowly opening your eyes, you were met with the cloudy midnight sky, trees with orangish-red leaves, and tall, rocky mountain peaks.

"...Wait. ...Why am I outdoors?"

Your eyes slowly began to adjust to the moonlight.

"...And why does this look so familiar?"

You brought your hand to the ground to begin pushing yourself up, but stopped moving once you noticed the light blue glow surrounding it.

"What the hell?!"

Shocking the exhaustion from your body, you quickly rose up from the floor, nearly losing balance as you stood due to how light you suddenly felt. You looked around the rest of your body and found that you were completely surrounded by the light blue glow.

"This has to be a dream... This has to be..."

"My job is done. I'm leaving now."

Startled, you quickly turned around to find three familiar persons standing a couple of yards away from you.

"Huh? Why don't you wanna stay?" A floating pixie asked.

"...Paimon?"

A short, tattooed man with azure hair scoffed in response. "I don't deal with mortals."

"...Xiao?"

You let out a crazed chuckle. "I've got to be dreaming."

Paimon, oblivious to your decreasing sanity, shook her head. "Nope! We summoned you here via dream trawling. Isn't that great?!"

You were silent for a few seconds before you responded. "Dream... trawling...?"

Sensing that you were still confused, Xiao sighed in annoyance. "You are [Y/N], right?"

Hearing the sound of your name shook some sense into you, but you still involuntarily nodded.

"Good. When you're ready to send them back, speak my name." Xiao told the Traveler before disappearing.

However, seeing Xiao disappear right in front of your eyes shook you even further. "Woah...! That looked way too realistic."

The Traveler let out a small cough to grab your attention. "If you wouldn't mind, [Y/N]. We summoned you here because we've been wanting to talk to you for some time now. Please, grab a seat."

They gestured toward a stone table that was definitely not there the last time you visited. They then sat down on the stone seat facing you. When they looked up, they realized that you hadn't even moved as much as an inch. Additionally, you stared straight at them, yet still appeared lost in thought. Sensing that you may still be bewildered about your current situation, they spoke up.

"You don't need to worry about anything, [Y/N]. There is nothing around here that will hurt you," they gestured to the seat again. "Please."

Had they been unable to see your chest moving in and out, both Paimon and the Traveler would have thought you to be a statue.

"This is a dream. This is real. This is a dream. This is real. This is a dream. This is real..."

Paimon shared a worryingly glance at the Traveler before floating on over to you. You were too oblivious to your surroundings to notice her approaching, but when she finally reached out a hand to tap your shoulder, you flinched back. Hard.

"Wahh! Sorry! Paimon's sorry!" Paimon quickly apologized.

Meanwhile, your brain was working in overdrive to assess the situation. "I felt her! I felt her! I'm not dreaming! I'm not dreaming! This is real! This is real! THIS IS REAL!"

"Paimon get back," the Traveler commanded, standing up from their seat. "They're in shock."

"In shock!? What do we do about that?" Paimon questioned.

The Traveler didn't respond, instead, they slowly began to walk towards you.

Becoming more aware of your surroundings, you noticed the Traveler approaching and slowly began to back up, raising your arms in front of your body. "No no no no. Don't come any closer."

However, the Traveler continued to walk forward one step at a time. They raised their hands up in the air. "It's okay, [Y/N]. It's okay."

You shook your head. "No, it's not okay," you rapidly spoke, breathing loudly. "I'm not supposed to be here."

"Yes, you are. We summoned you here."

You backed up into a broken stone pillar. "Why?" you asked, looking behind you for a quick second. "What did I do?"

They stopped in place before a sorrowful gaze appeared on the Traveler's face. "You’ve done nothing wrong."

Silence hung in the air for an agonizingly long time. Finally, you spoke:

"...Nothing?"

The Traveler nodded. "That’s right. We just want to talk."

You slowly lowered your arms. "About... what?"

Both the Traveler and Paimon smiled. "About our future journey together."

Confusion set upon you once again. "What? But I… I said I was done."

The Traveler sadly shook their head. "We know, but we can't let you leave. Not after all you have done for us."

Paimon chirped in. "Exactly! You're our friend after all!"

Your breathing stopped upon hearing Paimon. After all that effort you put into making amends with them. After believing that it was all for naught.

"You... you see me... as a friend?"

The Traveler nodded, their smile growing bigger. "We do."

Silence fell upon the three of you once again. This time, it was the Traveler who broke it.

"I think it's time we all grab a seat. Shall we?"

---------------------------------------------------------

Author's Notes: I was originally going to make this longer, but I once again struggled at trying to write this scene out. It's hard trying to figure out how people should believably react to this scenario.

Because it's never happened before, duh.

Anyways, the next part will be the end of this series. Stick around for the ending!

[antianakin]

Forgive the silly premise but I saw a meme video that inspired this question, feel free to ignore. The meme was Anakin and Palpatine in that "Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plageius the Wise?" scene but Anakin answers; "Oh yeah that's the story of the the Sith Lord whose apprentice cowardly killed him in his sleep. It was a real eye-opener for me, it taught me that you should never, under no circumstance whatsoever, trust a Sith."

With that ridiculous background out of the way my question is what do you think Anakin would do if he came to the conclusion that he absolutely couldn't trust Palpatine to save Padme or help him learn something that could? What do you think he'd do in that kind of situation?

I mean, my first instinct is to say it doesn't matter. Anakin is already someone who believes he cannot, under any circumstances, trust a Sith. He fully belives the Sith are "evil" and his initial response to finding out Palpatine is a Sith IS not to trust him, to turn him in to the Jedi and let justice have its way with him. But the more he thinks about it, the more Palpatine's words slither into his soul and cause him to realize that what Palpatine is offering him is worth more than the possible consequences of leaving Palpatine alive. He'd rather have Padme and doom the Jedi and the Republic than the other way around. He also is explicitly planning to kill Palpatine himself, he says as much to Padme, he's just waiting until he can guarantee Padme will survive past childbirth or whatever. So even when he chooses to save Palpatine, he ultimately doesn't REALLY trust him that much because he KNOWS Palpatine is inherently untrustworthy. The possibility of saving Padme is worth working with someone he doesn't trust. He doesn't see any other options.

But just for the sake of argument, let's say something caused Anakin to decide Palpatine couldn't help him save Padme AT ALL, that Palpatine is lying to him or something and doesn't truly know shit all of some kind of secret power to keep people from dying. There's really no reason to believe he does, so Anakin has no reason to bother keeping him alive.

My assumption in that kind of scenario is that he'd just stick with the Jedi for the time being, he'd let them kill Palpatine or kill Palpatine himself, but then he'd probably fuck off on his own to go look for some kind of cure. I don't think Palpatine's death would keep him from obsessing over saving Padme, it would just force him to run off and look for alternatives. So he'd run, he'd abandon everyone and everything in search of some kind of miracle power or cure to keep people from dying and in the process he'd still probably lose himself to the darkness and to the desire for power for power's sake alone and he'd either remember to come back too late (after Padme had already given birth) or he'd just never come back at all because the thing that motivated him originally has lost all meaning in the quest for more and more power.

Padme would have the twins, Anakin would be gone, and what happens there is probably up to you and what you think Padme would actually choose to do with two powerful Force-sensitive twins. Maybe she refuses to give them up to the Jedi and raises them on Naboo as best she can. Maybe she DOES give them up to the Jedi because Anakin left her and the twins are now a constant reminder of that loss and the pain she associates with him and she can't stand to look at them most of the time. Maybe Padme dies in childbirth anyway and the Jedi take the children with them afterwards because she gives them away in her last breaths or something. Take your pick, I guess.

[endless-season]

9 Fandom Peeps to Get to Know Better

tagged by @defeateddetectives /o/

3 ships you like: *looks into void* do I even have 3 proper ships

1) MikoIzuTotsu (Suoh Mikoto x Kusanagi Izumo x Totsuka Tatara) - K

And no one was surprised. I MEAN ITS BEEN OVER TEN YEARS. BUT A GOOD CHUNK OF THOSE TEN YEARS WERE DEDICATED TO HOMURA TRIO (well technically... the real answer is Totsuka Tatara however we will ignore that for the sake of this meme). Get yourself two others who will go through it all with you thick or thin. Get yourself a leash i mean what. Get yourself a Kusanagi-san! Settle down in a bar and raise i mean gather a gang family!

2) Qin Jiu x You Huo - Global Examination

Felt obligated to include them since I'm currently trying to drag ppl to read this lmao. Also bc i have no ships to answer with, help. BUT THE CHEMISTRY! I mean, this is probably the first time I clearly see what people mean by the word ~ chemistry ~. Qin Jiu is such a chaotic menace, You Huo is such a chaotic menace, they are similar but also different and then put them together and everyone suffers, it's beautiful *wipes tear*. But they are also so so so soft together (i was going to say, in private.... but also in front of people's salad so!!!) *clutches heart*. The author, 木苏里 just does a create job exploring the two throughout the story, READ GLOBAL EXAMINATION! THERE'S ALSO AN ONGOING MANHUA THAT COVERS LIKE A THIRD. DO IT. and then send me liveblogs pls and thanks.

3) H-h-help... ships... are hard... I... don't ...

first ship ever: IzuTotsu (Kusanagi Izumo x Totsuka Tatara) - K Shamelessly links to that post where I sobbed over everything #Actual Marriage Goals The trust! The intuitive understanding! The communication! (sorry Mikoto, your grunting fails you) The ~ G o S s i P i n g ~ ! The mutual support and comfort ;_;! The domesticity of it all! The quipping and doting! The we're all in this (this = Mikoto doom but with matching wing tattoos) together! The seemless division of labor haha

last song you heard: i turned on my playlist when i saw this question so that by the time i finish answering the meme and come back to this question, i will have an answer… Anyways, so the answer is…. ~ wHAT A coINcindENce ~ Dark Night Fireworks, Lucien's season 1 theme from MLQC.

favourite childhood book: Uh........ idk.... Deltora Quest? Alex Rider series? If manga counts then maybe Detective Conan? lmao.

currently reading: I’m Not Shouldering This Blame (这锅我不背) Current novel in my danmei binging spree. 40 chaps in, enjoying it so far. Synopsis gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. Hordes of book transmigrators trying to derail or benefit from knowing the plot, military dealing with the supernatural mess and notifying MC and ML who are supposedly the villains, MC... just trying to work in peace cmon, ML... just trying to seduce MC cmon.

currently watching: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Just finished it over the last few days hence why there's a few posts in my queue. It’s nice and chill. I admit I was eyeing Himmel the moment he appeared in the first episode and didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his instant transformation / flashforward to old bald man. Was pleasantly surprised to see him appearing constantly in flashbacks haunting the narrative ethereal dead wife style lmao.

currently consuming: I waited for dinner to write this! Was lazy tonight so just a bunch of easy to prep in 5 min sides. Rice, Prawn dumplings, Chilli Bamboo (Fu Chi brand), Century Egg + Tofu + Pork floss, Smashed cucumber salad that I managed to ruin :/

currently craving: A reason to live A shiny new satisfying fandom obsession... Motivation and energy and wisdom to adult... A yakult and WangLaoJi... ... ...... *walks to fridge and grabs yakult and wanglaoji*

---

A rare meme where I'm gonna actually tag!!! See what ppl are up to and eating these days >:)

@qserasera @chiaki-c @nervous-sheep @alice-chan-chan @jelly-cooperation

@laxmiree @caesurables @pu-san @vanishing-apples @dijeh

@ittybi @ellie-winthrope @bloomingmitsuri @a-justaway-is-just-a-justaway @constastan

As usual feel free to skip if tagged or do even if not tagged :> Edit: why is tagging not working *squints*

[britt-kageryuu]

Donnie is showing off some of the features that Genius Built AR glasses have, to his stream audience. With the help of their camera that can capture the AR field around them. And anything that happens in that AR field.

"The tech team had quite a bit of fun getting some VR games to translate over to AR, like that Clothes making game I made. That was probably one of the easier ones to transfer over, though for whatever reason the cloth/fabric physics kept breaking, and warping the entire outfit." Donnie while explaining this has a dressform pop into existence with a partially put together pattern 'pinned' to it.

"Though we all agree once of the greatest aesthetic features we implemented was, that from the wearers point of view there can be a videogame style HUD that is customizable. Like if you're looking for a location and bring up directions, it will show visibly like a quest marker, and optional sparkling path that you can follow." Donnie makes a purple sparkly path appear around themself that lead offscreen.

Then a pop up window appears with a message. [From Angelo: I for some reason became hyperfocused and organized the spices, drinks, and the alcohol at work. It turned out looking Oddly Satisfying. Here are the pictures! (Pictures of said organized areas, all nice and neat)]

Donnie looks at the message then realized it's visible to the stream. "Well as you can see, there is an option to have your text messages appear as a pop up. I forgot to change that setting before starting. Sigh. Reply: Those look very nice, but aren't you at work? Is it really that slow today? Send." The message they sent also shows up as a chat box, and quickly closes as Donnie opens the settings to turn off the pop up effect. Purposefully ignoring anyone in the chat asking who 'Angelo' is.

"Now, as previously stated, many personalization features are available for these GB AR Glasses. Including a portable memory bank with a solar charging battery pack, for those who want to get into the gaming." A 3D model of a bipedal purple dragon in black pants and a magenta hoodie, wearing visor style AR glasses, pops up. Apparently playing an AR pokemon style game.

"And there's a bundle in the works for vlogging or filmmaking using the AR Glasses." A 3D model of April with Mayhems ears and tail pops up wearing the AR Glasses with a drone style camera robot, recording her talking about something with pop up note floating around her. There is a 'Just a Concept' sigh next to it.

Donnie then banished them from the area before continuing. "There's still alot of things that need to be worked out before we get the first models out in stores. So please be patient. We don't want you spending a ton of money on these, only for them to not work after a short amount of time. We also want to finish up plenty of stress tests on the system and the hardware. Now please hold on minute, I need to check for any pranks that might have been rigged."

The stream audience watched as he found and still somehow triggered a prank that made a certain meme music video pop up and play. And Donnie couldn't get it to close, so the song looped 3 times before they finally found how to get it to stop.

"I will either be threatening to fire someone, or threatening fratricide, but that is for later! There are still a few more new features I want to show off in this stream!"

There are some in the chat that are still questioning about 'Angelo', but the end up getting timed out by Shelldon who only pops in to do this. And answers no questions asked.

----------------

Masterpost

[vikintor]

For the companion!Tav ask meme! General 2 and 7. Story specific 11, 14. Romance 1 and if yes 2 (that one is important alright).

Answering the Tav ask meme from here: https://www.tumblr.com/paarthursass/728465634107785216?source=share

CONTAIN GAME ENDING SPOILERS

General

2.Do the other companions have special comments or reactions upon recruiting your Tav?

Lae'zel: "You made a wise choice. Even a rusty Githyanki still exceptional in battle."

Karlach: "The more the better, as people say."

Gale: "I guess Jez'rathki has a lot to share."

Will: "We smile at each other, Jez and I, means she's friendly, right? Not even a tough Githyanki can resist the blade's charm."

Astarion: "Jez is kind of fun, for a Githyanki of course."

7. Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game?  Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?

Jez'rathki considers her mission almost complete when hiding at the Mountain Pass (with stolen documents from Yll'ek). Her story branch is limited, as she doesn't care much for PC moral alignment.

On one of a few branching paths, Jez becomes hostile if PC joins the emperor. Not much because of the prince alone, but because having his death on her hands will ruin her chances of joining any rebel Githyanki group, making discovering the truth about the events that turned her into a traitor impossible (She was framed). Fighting against her is easy, as she refrains from using any powerful spell while keeping focus on party members with high HP, she didn't fight for a win on her last battle.

Jez can be found in the epilogue (If she's on the PC side), explaining her involvement with the Sha'sau Khou and clarifying why she was framed for the loss of her previous team.

Story Specific

11. What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?

Jez accepts, believing the PC is challenging her.

14.How does Tav react to the PC becoming a mind flayer?  Can they offer to become one themselves?  Does their reaction change if they’re romanced? 

She won't offer herself but will call the PC a hero if they do it to save her prince.

If she is the PC's romantic partner she will be devastated, but will not oppose the idea.

Romance

1. Is your Tav a romanceable character?  Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?

Yes. There's no requirement besides approval level and not taking part in events that lead her to abandon the party.

2. Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough?

The PC needs to flirt Jez (can try it anytime), with different reactions based PC race:

Neutral approval (non-githyanki PC except Gnomes) or low-aproval on any race

Neutral approval (githyanki PC).

Neutral approval (Gnome PC).

I answered some more on:

[godsunderfoot]

DOC'S HOMEBREW ALPHABET HC MEME

send a letter of the alphabet in my asks and i'll answer the questions in that category for my muse(s) !!

ACHE [pain hcs.]

how is their pain tolerance?  are they in any pain right now?  how are they likely to act when they hurt, physically or emotionally?  how would they react if they stubbed their toe? 

BLOOD [violence hcs.]

how are they in a fight?  the weapon they would use, and why?  what would they do if they found a dead body?  what weapon would be best against them?

CLEAN [hygiene hcs.]

do they pick up after themselves?  how often do they vacuum their space? how are their organization skills? are they willing to eat or drink after other people?

DRIVE [commuting hcs.]

what car do/would they drive?  do they obey traffic laws?  what mode of transportation would they choose otherwise?  do they have road rage?

ELEMENT [astrology and symbolism hcs.]

what is their horoscope and/or their Chinese zodiac?  do they believe in it?  which element best represents them? what's their opinion about predestined compatibility?

FEAR [fear hcs.]

do they have any significant fears or phobias?  how are they likely to act when they're afraid?  are they a thrill-seeker?  how long would they survive in a horror movie?

GANJA [drug hcs.]

do they do any drugs, illegal or otherwise?  have they ever tried any?  how would they handle a bad trip?  would they be a successful drug dealer?

HAND [hand and touch hcs.]

do they have soft or rough hands?  what are their hands doing most of the time? which is their dominant hand?  do they paint their nails?

ISLAND [the Island Question hcs.]

which book would they take with them?  which movie?  if they could take three items for survival, what would they take? if they could take one person with them (living or dead), who would it be?

JUNK [personal items hcs.]

do they collect anything?  are there any objects which hold emotional significance for them?  if they were a dragon, what would they hoarde? what do they usually have in their pockets or purse?

KEYBOARD [technology hcs.]

are they technologically savvy?  do they try to keep up with current phones or game systems?  what does their cell phone look like?   what’s the most recent photo on their roll?

LOVE [relationship hcs.]

how would they dress on a date?  what is their love language?  how do they show affection, or if they don't, why not?  have they ever had a serious relationship?

MILE [travel hcs.] 

where do they go on vacation, and/or where would they like to go? what would they like to do on vacation?  have they ever been to another country?  what are some things they'd never leave home without?

NOSE [scent hcs.]

what do they smell like?  what are their favorite scents?   do they wear perfume or cologne?  if their essence were in a candle, what would it smell like?

OPERA [music hcs.]

what kind of music do they like, or if they don't, why not?  which songs remind you of them?  can they sing?  do they enjoy dancing?

PET [animal hcs.]

do they have any pets, or would they like one?  what's their favorite animal?  if they were an animal, what would they be?  what kind of dog would be best suited for them?

QUEST [entertainment hcs.]

do they like board games or video games?  how do they handle winning and/or losing? do they enjoy jigsaw puzzles?  are they competitive?

RANDOM [dealer’s choice hcs.]

anything about your character you want the world to know!

SEX [sexual hcs.]

are they a top, bottom, or other?  any kinks or fantasies?   if they could sleep with (or go on a date with) a celebrity, who would they choose?  what are their turn-offs?

TEETH [food hcs.]

what's their favorite and/or least favorite food?  do they have any allergies?  if they were on death row, what would their last meal be?  can they cook or bake?

UMBRELLA [weather and season hcs.]

how do they feel about storms?  which is their favorite season?  do they prefer hot or cold weather? do they celebrate holidays?

VANITY [appearance hcs.]

do they take pride in their appearance?  how do they dress normally, and how does it differ when they’re going somewhere nice?  post a photo or gif of them/their FC that you love but never get to use do they have any piercings or tattoos?  

WORK [job or labor hcs.]

what is their work ethic like?  what would they like to do as a career?  what are their least favorite chores?  if they were in a medieval setting rp, what would their job be?

XRAY [medical hcs.]

how do they handle doctor visits?  what's the worst injury they've gotten?  have they ever been to the ER?  do they have any medical issues or conditions?

YMCA [physical fitness hcs.]

on a scale of 'waif' to 'swole', how muscular are they? do they go to a gym?  do they enjoy sports? if their physical strength meant the difference between life and death, how would they fare?

ZZZ [sleep hcs.]

what does their bedroom look like? do they make their bed every morning?  what are their frequent dreams or nightmares?  what is their bedtime ritual?

[flutteringfable]

saw a meme on a stolen meme acc on the youtube community tab and got inspired so

here’s some games i love but described as badly as possible. answers will be in the tags, so don’t hit see all if you’d like to guess for yourself :3

mute test subject runs around with a murderous ai trapped in a potato battery on their gun. they’re trying to stop a different murderous ai from killing them

purple rabbit eldritch horror might actually be the good guy? also there’s hands

main character gets severely distracted from their main quest because major events keep happening every time they enter a new country and they somehow end up involved every single time

cute vegetable goes on a totally normal adventure until he discovers the dark secret behind his species and town. refuses to pay his taxes

pokemon but make it actually a family curse unfiction type thing where the dev dumped all his trauma and family secrets into it. (<- yes this one got turned into an actual game u can play!)

everything is so overpriced but god the outfits are pretty

[dandelion-wings]

oho are you asking for rarest rarepairs? because i like my rare pairs raw (and apparently full of brats)

from vague canon evidence if you break your neck in the right way to whomst'd've the fuck and why, I got:

Venti/Hu Tao

Furina(post archon quest)/Hu Tao

Rana/Jeht (though i think you've already talked about this one?)

Focalors/Venti

Focalors/Guizhong

Sorry to respond to this over a month later--all my spoons fell in the insinkerator about the time this ask came in, and I put it aside for when I had more energy and, uh, forgot about it. >>;; But I was delighted to find it again today!

Venti/Hu Tao

We all agree that Hu Tao 100% clocked Venti in last year's Lantern Rite event, right? And she's pulling the same "I'm going to pretend I don't know but I totally know" she does with Zhongli, right? Except Venti thinks it's fucking hilarious, and the "I know you know I know you know I know" we don't see during Waterborne Poetry was a fantastic game for them both.

And since we have Waterborne Poetry as an event, it would be fun to build it off that! It might take some massaging of specific timeline details because they just? sort of dropped several characters and the actual event? at the end, but I'm gonna be honest I didn't love the last few beats of that event anyway. It felt like it kind of puttered out disappointingly after a lot of initial promise, so I wouldn't mind the opportunity to rewrite some of that. Anyway, this would be a "behind the scenes" where Hu Tao and Venti continue to coordinate the actual event in the background while everyone else is doing the quests, being playful and teasing and occasionally deep and profound with each other (because they both do that exact vibe well), with a slow-burn growing interest that sort of kicks into higher gear when the rest of the group comes back and recounts the Finch/Callirhoe moment. Because, like, Hu Tao's not normal but she sure is mortal, and Venti knows how to enjoy fleeting pleasures and she is definitely not missing her shot, so- yeah. They go for it. XD

Furina/Hu Tao

Once again leveraging an event, I'd hang that off of their appearances in Chenyu Village in the latest Lantern Rite. Hu Tao (who thought Furina was both cute and fun to fluster in their first meeting there) ends up going to Fontaine to help with the spooky movie props mentioned in that conversation. She is essentially vacationing under the pretense of a "business trip," though she is indeed interested in Furina's play/movie and has a lot of suggestions to make, both helpful and otherwise; since she is stealing the chance at a vacation, though, she also makes Furina take her around to see the sights "as a token of our business partnership!" So they have some cute moments at all the good tourist spots, some cute interludes having tea together, and at least one deep and thoughtful conversation about mortality and the joys and sorrows thereof... and that eventually blooms into kissing in the back room of the theater.

Rana/Jeht

We have talked about this one, yes! Though I don't recall exactly what I said at the time, so I'll just answer as the meme prescribes: I would write this one using that bit about Jeht and her mercenary band accompanying a lost group of Akademiya scholars back to the jungle. Then they take a job there that puts them in proximity with Rana, either as a member of the group they're helping/escorting or hired separately as a local guide, and they go on a very classic jungle-adventure-with-budding-romance where traveling and fighting side-by-side forges bonds that turn into more. I like the idea of a bunch of side characters in the expedition who help with their development--I think Jeht could use a wise older woman who is as unlike Babel as possible, for one--and it's up in the air whether it ends with Rana joining Jeht's band, or Jeht (who does have so, so much trauma to process) deciding she needs to continue on alone for a while and them sharing a last kiss and promising to meet again some day. And then I say I'll write that reunion and don't actually touch it for six+ years.

Focalors/Venti

I absolutely could write any of these outside the constraints of canon, so much of my fic is AU, but I think this would be most interesting to me as in some kind of space between Focalors being designated Egeria's successor, and the separation into Furina-as-humansona and Focalors-in-the-Oratrice. Venti goes to visit the new Hydro Archon ostensibly to get to know one of the new ones; they have secret, quiet conversations about Celestia and the Thrones and what might make it possible to break one, and at what cost; and then it's not so much a romance here as, Focalors always did want to experience more than her divine self ever will get to, and, well- a bard is an expert at stirring passions, after all, and making a night's entertainment seem a grand and sweeping experience.

Focalors/Guizhong

TBH I don't know whether I missed a lot of Guizhong characterization in my years-ago rush through Liyue or if I'm just not good at putting together the threads we get from events, but she remains kind of a cipher to me? I have just enough of a mental picture of her to suffice for my Ping/Xianyun sadfic and that's about it. But given when Guizhong died vs. when Focalors ascended, while there could be material in itty baby Focalors meeting her (and in fact it could fit into the backstory of this), what I think I'd do is have it be separated by time: some mechanism Guizhong created is what Focalors comes across (or acquires in that itty baby-era meeting) that gives her the basis of the Oratrice, and the fic is her taking it apart, analyzing it, and rebuilding it to her purposes, learning what she can about Guizhong and her other works to help her with that analysis, and reflecting on this god she never, or barely, knew, who died in an effort to save her people. The romance is (obviously) one-sided and over centuries and is in many ways Focalors fantasizing about this idealized lover in order to drive her forward on her own, difficult, ultimately self-destructive mission. Though she is also, y'know, feasting on her own mental fanfic about the drama of it all. XD

[adventurersdelight]

Ҏ!

Plot Thought!

Rebecca opening up about her secret heritage. Of course, this doesn't work for just anyone as she'll need a good amount of trust in someone to be able to unload sensitive information like that.

[taffingtons]

wip meme

tagged by: @fablewritesnonsense

tagging (zero pressure! if you don't wanna it's fine!): @owlehh @sweaterkittensahoy @kasualkaymer @aihoshiino @hexcodewisteria

SO about my wip -- i'm in one of those "turn years-long daydream material into actual fic" undertakings. it's intended to be a series of fallout 4 fics with some new vegas elements, one of those kinda "let's take another angle on the main quest" dealios. if you're unfamiliar with fallout fic fandom, this is like a genre in and of itself and it's easily my favorite 😂

the first fic, "used books and guns," is centered on a mercenary doing work out of goodneighbor -- but the POV is going to rotate between the characters around her, and we won't get her POV until late in the fic. the structure is centered around specific jobs she's taking, with a focus on the connections she builds with the POV characters along the way. the first job is a "clear raiders from X location" type, and she's accompanied by the dude who hired her: edward deegan

cw: violence, guns, blood, (minor bad guy npc) death

—

A single gunshot rings out from behind the main barricade. Edward's head snaps over -- No sign of the merc. Shit. He hurries across the street, rifle up. What he expects is another raider smart enough to stay hidden until now.

What he finds first is the barrel of a pistol pointed directly at his head.

A sharp spike of adrenaline highlights the world around him. Smells are suddenly electric -- The sting of gunpowder and hot metal; the weight of wood and pavement soaked with rain; and, almost overwhelming, sticky, coppery blood. All around him, shadows and light bounce and twitch, eerily alive, as the bulbs overhead sway at the mercy of the wind. And on the other end of that gun?

That's his own goddamn merc about to shoot him.

The light swings up under the brim of her hat, and for a second, he sees her eyes. Stark blue. Intense. Empty.

"Stand down," Edward barks. "It's me."

In those eyes, he watches her come into focus. Realization dawns, and horror follows on its heels. She recoils away from him and all at once, her posture crumples -- gun arm dropping, shoulders hunching, chin dipping. Her face disappears under shadow again.

"Shit. I... I'm s-sorry. I didn't..."

There's more than one way to fill in that blank. Didn't mean to. Didn't see him. "Yeah," he answers either way. He lowers his rifle, heart still hammering in his chest. He keeps his expression neutral. "You alright?"

Elle swallows hard and nods, not that he's sure he believes her. She gestures weakly to the side, and finally, he realizes there's a body there. This must be the raider who'd been near the first turret she took out. It doesn't make for a pretty sight. Shredded by shrapnel, sprawled on the blood-soaked pavement... and sporting a glistening bullet hole in the forehead.

"He was still..." She trails off, shifting uncomfortably. "Sorry," she repeats.

Still... alive, probably. Jesus. So that shot was a mercy kill. And normally, Edward would be willing to wave off the rest -- She was likely startled by his sudden arrival. It's understandable. He could've just as easily been a raider, so a part of him is glad she was still alert. But... He's not going to forget that look in her eyes so soon. Something about this clearly shook her. Badly. And he has a gut feeling that's what she's really trying to apologize about -- Her own emotions. Like she's apologizing for bleeding on him, and he doesn't know the why behind any of it.

But... They don't know each other. He's her employer, and she's his employee. That's all there is to this. It isn't really his place to pry, not unless it's an active problem. And even if it is, this is hardly the time or place to address it. He needs to leave it alone for now.

"Don't worry about it," he says, holding his voice carefully level.

Her mouth tugs down uncertainly, but she takes a deep breath and lets it go. "We... should be clear now." She holsters her pistol, freeing up her hand to grab her shotgun's strap so she can sling it across her body next to her backpack. She's pulling herself back together, changing the topic, ready to move on. 

Good. Time to get back to work.

[msmargaretmurry]

K and M for the writer ask meme, please❤️

k - answered here!

m. What’s the weirdest AU scenario you’ve ever come up with?  Did it turn into a story?

answere here, but i will talk about some more! none of these have turned into real fics but — one time for a twitter prompt i did a tiny (bandom) gabe saporta/mikey way ficlet where they were space pirates that i still think about sometimes. i once in like 2015 got a few thousand words into a thatcher demko/john hayden soulmates au based on the movie in your eyes that was kinda weird but pretty fun. @hopetorun and i currently have an ongoing increasingly involved matthew/leon and brady/quinn high fantasy au chatfic that i'm a little obsessed with — there are spies! prisoners of war! clandestine relations! inconvenient betrothals! quests for revenge! it's very silly and i love it.

[novelmonger]

Hiya! It's Windmill from Discord! Saw the prompt meme - could you do Obi-Wan and Qui-Gonn with "I love you. You know that, right?" If you're up for it! Thanks <3

Hi Windmill!

Let Me Count the Ways ask game

(Note that this follows the canon of the Jedi Apprentice books - set right after #8, The Day of Reckoning - but I tried to make it still understandable for those who haven't read them.)

Obi-Wan had already powered down the lights in his room in the Temple and lain down on his sleep-couch when someone knocked on his door. He'd felt a pulse in the Force a moment before, and instantly knew the person on the other side of the door was Qui-Gon.

Strange. They'd seen each other not long ago, for a time of meditation in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. And they were due for a training exercise at 0600.

Slowly, Obi-Wan sat up, pushing aside his blanket. “Enter,” he said, reaching over to turn on a lamp.

The door slid open and Qui-Gon stepped inside. “I apologize for disturbing your rest,” he said stiffly.

Obi-Wan shook his head, shifting to sit cross-legged on top of his sleep-couch. “I wasn't asleep.”

Qui-Gon nodded, then paced back and forth across the small space, hands clasped behind his back. He'd left his cloak behind, Obi-Wan noticed, and his dark hair fell loose about his shoulders. It was as though he'd been in the process of turning in for the night, then realized he'd forgotten something and come directly here.

Tentatively, Obi-Wan quested out towards him in the Force. Their bond had been damaged, fractured, since everything that had happened on Melida/Daan. They were in the process of mending it, and their unofficial mission together on Telos had taken them a good distance down that path, but Obi-Wan knew it would still take a long time before they could restore the deep trust that had once existed between them.

Qui-Gon paused, gazing down at the workbench where Obi-Wan had left his lightsaber after cleaning it moments ago. As he stood there, an answering thread in the Force touched Obi-Wan's, like fingertips brushing against each other. Obi-Wan was surprised at how hesitant it felt as well.

“Tahl reminded me today,” Qui-Gon said slowly, absently straightening the tools on the workbench, “that we cannot simply return to the way things once were. And nor should we. We are not the same as when we first met.”

“Master Yoda said something similar to me,” Obi-Wan said with a wry smile. “'Expect not to tread the same path twice, for a path through sand it is, washed away by the tide.'”

Qui-Gon snorted, but he looked amused rather than annoyed. “And Tahl spoke to me of pottery. We're being conspired against by poets.”

Obi-Wan grinned, just as Qui-Gon glanced up with a twinkle in his eye. Their gazes connected for only a moment, but it was one of those moments Obi-Wan had learned to prize above all else in recent days. It was a moment that reassured him that, however else their relationship might change going forward, the bond between them was still intact.

After a moment of silence, Qui-Gon left the workbench and sat down at the foot of the sleep-couch. There was a deliberate quality to his movements, as though he were about to say something of vital importance. Obi-Wan found himself straightening attentively. This was why Qui-Gon was here.

“Tahl also counseled me to be more open with you, Obi-Wan. Too often, I fall into the trap of thinking that, because I can see a path forward, you will also see it and agree with me.” He shook his head. “It is dangerous when a master forgets that his apprentice is also a being with wisdom to contribute.”

“But I was wrong!” Obi-Wan blurted out, his hands curling into fists on his knees as shame pooled in his gut—just as it did every time he thought of that day. “I was wrong to...to defy you, and steal the ship, and....”

“Yes.” Qui-Gon reached out a hand, settling it on Obi-Wan's shoulder. “You were wrong. And so was I, Padawan. I was the one who put you in a position where you felt such actions were necessary. But perhaps, had we taken the time to communicate more openly...some of that could have been prevented. You are my apprentice, Obi-Wan. Not my servant. We are meant to be a team.”

The warm, comforting weight of Qui-Gon's hand on his shoulder somehow made the shame break apart and fade away into nothing, like mist on a warm morning. Obi-Wan looked into those wise blue eyes, full of the esteem and respect he'd been afraid he would never see again. So unlike that day on Melida/Daan when they had turned icy and forbidding, as Qui-Gon had held out his hand for Obi-Wan to give up his lightsaber.

Confusion. Betrayal. Outrage. That was what they'd both been feeling, on the day their bond had shattered. Neither of them had been able to understand the other's decisions, and neither had been willing to explain or ask further questions. They had each known they were right, and the very thought that the one closest to them could possibly disagree was unfathomable.

And that had made their relationship brittle, too easily broken. Maybe this was what Qui-Gon had been talking about, when he'd said on Telos that he looked forward to their next disagreement. If they argued, that meant they both knew they weren't of the same mind, and they could work together towards a solution. It didn't have to mean they would abandon each other again.

“I'll try to live up to that,” Obi-Wan said quietly, as Qui-Gon's hand slipped from his shoulder. “I want to earn your trust again. I want to be worthy of it.”

Qui-Gon sat quietly for a moment, then got to his feet, his back to Obi-Wan. At first, Obi-Wan didn't think he would say anything, but finally he said, in the softest voice he'd ever heard from him, “I love you, Obi-Wan. You know that, right?”

Obi-Wan stared at him. “I...yes. Yes, I know.”

It wasn't exactly that Jedi didn't speak of love. Attachment was forbidden, but the entire Order was built on a foundation of love—the selfless kind of love that led to thousands of beings devoting their entire lives to aiding strangers across the galaxy. And of course every Jedi had special affection for their closest friends and teachers, not to mention the deeper-than-blood bond between Master and Padawan.

But Qui-Gon had never been one to speak openly of his feelings. His first thought was always for the mission, or for a lesson to pass on to Obi-Wan. He was foremost a Jedi Knight, and secondly a teacher—as it should be. But underneath it all, he was still a man. A man with emotions and cares and, yes, affections too.

Of all people, Obi-Wan shouldn't have been surprised to see evidence of that. He had seen evidence of that, plenty of times before. But it was still strange to hear Qui-Gon speak of it so bluntly.

Qui-Gon was almost at the door by the time Obi-Wan realized he was leaving. Apparently, he'd said what he'd come here to say. “Master, wait!” Obi-Wan sprang to his feet.

Pausing with his hand on the door, Qui-Gon looked over his shoulder.

Nervously, Obi-Wan swallowed hard. He'd never said this to anyone, but when he instinctively reached out to the Force, it rang with the chimes of a hundred golden bells in his heart, and he knew it was the right thing to say. “I love you too, Qui-Gon. I always have. Even then.”

Even when he was angry and hurt. Even when they were shouting at each other. Even when Qui-Gon left him on a war-torn planet. Even when their connection in the Force frayed and snapped, and it seemed pointless to hope they could regain even a fraction of what they'd once had.

Though Qui-Gon didn't move, it felt to Obi-Wan as if he had reached out his hand and grasped his. The Force wrapped around both of them like a warm blanket, and Obi-Wan found himself aware of Qui-Gon's breathing and heartbeat, in a way that normally didn't happen except sometimes in the heat of battle, when all of their focus centered on their movements synchronizing and complementing each other.

For a moment, Obi-Wan thought he caught a glimpse of the future. All of his worries about whether they could mend the rift between them faded away, because he knew they would be together. Perhaps not always—eventually, Obi-Wan would grow up and leave Qui-Gon's side. One day, he would become a Jedi Knight. One day, he would take on a Padawan of his own.

But nothing would come between them like this again. Not really.

“Yes, my Padawan,” Qui-Gon murmured, turning once more to the door. “I know.”

[lookslikethatsallthetimewehave]

l'm no child psychologist, so l'm just guessing here:

The devs probably believe that kids today would just be running around the map, clicking random stuff and not knowing what to do. When they do make progress by doing such, they wouldn't know how to find the next story beat. Then they'd get frustrated at the "boring game" and quit. If they had something to guide them, like a push in the right direction, maybe they would know how to play it.

But Poptropica already does that indirectly. Character dialogue, setup of the map, the story leads you to complete the game. It's especially true for the simpler islands. Overall they don't tell you when you'll complete the island, and imo they shouldn't. That's like doing a word search with the answers already underlined.

It takes patience, a whole lot of patience. I can see some good in a progress bar (keeping track of how much you've completed)... but the map already does that! And they don't spoil the island by turning it into a string of side quests!

Simplifying the puzzles also feels like assuming your audience doesn't have the patience and the willpower to complete them. Yea most popular video games among kids now are straightforward and quick to learn. But the thing is, those games aren't puzzles. Puzzles are meant to be challenging, to encourage problem solving. This was why Poptropica was considered an educational game in the first place!

(Also, we already have a lot of running “easy” islands that new players can complete swiftly. There’s no point to nerf the “hard” islands, the ones known for being difficult, to be “beginner-friendly”)

TL;DR I do get wanting to give everyone a fair chance without having to look up tutorials, but basically (unnecessarily) child-proofing and watering down the game as a whole is... kinda insulting to newcomers.

(Sorry for the long send again)

You hit the nail right on the head. Now the nail hurts.

I mean, I guess I could see why they think kids nowadays need the hand-holding. They use TikTok, they're probably not that smart /hj

But yeah, you're 100% right. The fact that Poptropica is a problem solving game is what made so many people love it. The user got to run around and figure out clues and items that they will deduce for themselves how and where to use them. Kids love being able to figure things out on their own, figuring things out on their own is one of the things that makes games like Poptropica so much fun.

And the fact that there were islands back in the day that offered a real challenge, like Mythology, Skullduggery, Steamworks, etc shows that they respected children's intelligence.

I don't know much about what kids like nowadays (except for toy reviews, weird meme videos and the like, based on what my 10 year old cousin watches), but the least people can do is just... try to give them something that has actual substance XD

Not only that, but the newer islands don't have a lot of room for the user to run around. Some of them only have three areas. And even some of the older islands that only had a few areas, there was still plenty to do.

You wanna know what I think? I think because it takes longer to make islands now, due to Flash being gone and the limited amount of people working at Poptropica due to layoffs and whatnot, that's most likely one of the contributing factors to this new change of pace. I get the feeling that if they had more people and money, things might get better. But that's just my two-cents.

[xenoblademisadventures]

Xenoblade X poll answers

Elma is a xeno, a BLADE, and a Xenoblade (Monado)

This is incorrect. Elma is a xeno and a BLADE, but she is not canonically related to the Monado. That said, I really would not be surprised if that was an intended plot twist considering that she shares the same color pallet as the damn thing. Furthermore, interesting how Elma somehow knew the earth would be blown up in a skirmish 30 years in advance. There’s other stuff I could say in evidence to this theory, but this isn’t a post about my crack Elma theories, so we’ll leave it at that.

Some other fun information around this idea. In an early trailer for X, BLADE was referred to as “Beyond the Logos Artificial Destiny Emancipator,” though in the final version the acronym is “Builders of a Legacy After the Destruction of Earth.” Elma also has concept art featuring a Core Crystal. 

This doesn’t support any theory because it’s concept art, but it’s an interesting piece of trivia. 

there is an enemy type that reproduces by firing its sperm into orbit

it’s these guys. what a meme of an enemy. dudes just stand there and then turn into a palm tree abomination that one-shots you. I think the guy in Cauldros is the funnies of men. Like, imagine you’re just minding your business and then you get sniped from orbit by a palm tree of death. 

Every enemy type in the game has, like, a multi-paragraph essay, here’s what the Filiavent’s reads.

“The largest of all Miran mollusks, filiavents stay anchored to the ground, feeding on other creatures that come too close. To do so, they contract their lengthy bodies and then swallow their victims whole—along with everything else in the vicinity. All matter then enters the digestive tract, where it is liquefied by powerful acids.

Reproduction also takes place while anchored to the ground. On the night of a full moon, filiavents release a myriad of sperm and eggs into the atmosphere. While most are eaten by other creatures, one in a few thousand survives to be fertilized. Because infants have many predators due to their small size, few of them survive into adulthood—despite the presence of a defensive electrical discharge."

So, yeah, I’m not even exaggerating, these things do canonically reproduce by firing their sperm into orbit.

Samaarians were human, but not the humans you play as; they're functionally gods; this information was revealed during a random sidequest

I wanted to make this one a single option, but character limit. But yeah, Xenoblade X has a weird amount of major plot twists hidden behind random sidequests. This was just the largest one. The sidequest in question was a post-game quest called The Old Gods, where the God of the Zaruboggan is revealed to look like this.

The lore around the Samaarians is that they appeared when the universe was created and started creating a bunch of life, but they’re not benevolent. There are multiple canon slave races created by the Samaarians for that purpose and the humans we play as are implied to be close relatives to the Samaarians. Perhaps made in their image?

But yeah, that’s about the amount X actually reveals about the Samaarians. I imagine that the story was meant to tie into the Klaus arc, but there’s no way of knowing whether the original plans for X’s story contradict what the writers instead made for 2 and 3. 

Also, some of the other major plot twists given by random sidequests include: 

the protagonist is heavily implied to secretly not be a human, the term used is J-Body, but we’re never given insight on what that actually means. The party member Yelv is also a J-Body. This is revealed during Yelv’s Partner.

The White Whale was communicating with some other ships during its 2 year voyage. These ships cannot have been human ships because no one is aware of the existence of fellow surviving humans. This is revealed during White Lifehold. 

Once something gets stuck on Mira, it is impossible to leave. This is revealed by Professor B during his sidequest chain and it is also alluded to by Goetia during Chapter 6.

There was a species of Giants that existed in Cauldros but they were wiped out, most likely, by Yggralith Zero and the Ganglion built their fortress over the ruins of that civilization. All information pertaining to the giants is told through item descriptions in the collectopedia.

There’s also this entire sidequest chain around the Definians, which are a race of shape-shifters controlled by a robot that have controlled species since the dawn of the universe where you overthrow their leader. You kind of just kill a god off-screen in a sidequest, very. 

one of the alien races is from Bionis, this species is not the Nopon

True. The Orpheans are reliant on this virus called the Ovah, which guides their decision making and is connected to their reproduction. In the sidequest A Fateful Choice, it’s revealed that the Ovah came from a world predating the Orpheans. That world was shared with the Telethia where “the Ovah existed as a single entity floating in the ocean of another world.” So, while the name “Bionis” is never given, it’s heavily implied. Furthermore the Telethia is referred to as “the Ruler of Fates” and “the Endbringer,” which are both noteworthy. In the sidequest, the Telethia is compared to a God and is feared by the Ovah. 

The sidequest also involves someone getting eaten by the Telethia and receiving a vision of the past.

The Nopon in X are given zero ties to the Xenoblade universe. The closest we get is a sidequest where two Nopon look for the Sword of Legendaryness, which looks like this.

This is pretty obviously meant to be a goofy reference rather than a serious piece of lore. The item description reads “A legendary sword left behind by ancient Nopon. When the mysterious lettering on the hilt lights up, it gives one the feeling of being able to use special powers.” But I figured it was noteworthy.

the second strongest enemy is known for destroying worlds; unrelated to Earth

True. This would be Pharsis the Everqueen, which is level 98. The strongest enemy is Telethia the Endbringer, which is level 99. This is the Yggralith enemy index entry.

"Hailing from the depths of outer space, these creatures can strip away the ether from entire regions before storing it in their dorsal spines to facilitate interstellar travel. Any unlucky inhabitants of planets they encounter are also devoured down to the very last organism. When this destructive rampage is finished, they set off in search of the next planet.

Though rare, Yggralith do at times come in contact with one another. The ensuing battles spell doom for any planet unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity."

So, yeah, these guys do destroy worlds. There are three yggraliths in the game. They are no relationship to the Ghosts or Ganglion, which were responsible for blowing up the earth. Pharsis is just vibing. I’m pretty sure it’s an infant.

the Ganglion got stuck on Mira before the humans did

In Chapter 6, we learn from Goetia that the Ganglion were transported to Mira by some light, they are trapped on Mira, and that Luxaar believes the Samaarian homeland could be related to Mira. The protagonists assume the Ganglion followed humans, but they are never corrected. Also, it’s important to note that the aliens responsible for crashing the White Whale onto Mira were the Ghosts, which were the faction that the Ganglion were fighting against.

the Bionis and Mechonis make an appearance in the collectopedia

True. The item in question is called the Privative Colossus Statue. It’s found in Noctilum near the Divine Roost (where the Telethia live). 

There they are. Beating the shit out of each other. The item description reads:

“A pair of gigantic stone idols locked in combat. No one is sure who sculpted them or gave them their name, but their primal beauty often leaves a deep impression on those who stand before them.”

Also, related to this, there’s a collectible that’s literally just an ether furnace called the Lost Memory Synthesizer.

“A machine to fuse crystals that conceal some sort of energy. The problem is, said crystals don't seem to exist. Upon realizing its uselessness, the Harrier Sara-Ariel named it in disappointment.”

But yeah, the Bionis and Mechonis do make a cameo.

humans are not classified as humanoids in the enemy index

instead, they’re classified as Mechanoids because everyone’s in a robot body. 

there is a sidequest where you can kill an NPC by telling them to take a shower

true. for some reason all the sidequests around the water plant are fucked up. But yeah, the sidequest is called Lakeside Getaway. An NPC is mad that her coworkers have stopped contacting her and then you learn that they all died because of an enemy that did an Alien. You can kill an NPC by telling them to take a shower because the monsters hatch from water-related things. So, if you let the NPC shower, this happens.

Fantastic.