#unrelated. might draw later!

[diegogtratty]

lost media

[lunaticnextdoor]

It's been months since I've drawn him, oh I miss him..

Reference/Inspo photo + Not shaded version:

[transusopp]

he just like me fr (based on that one picture of hideo kojima)

[noctlas332]

gyahhh heres my galasynth piece for this year,, i think i could have posted it earlier but i dont like making non art posts so i sat on this one to say it was my birthday yesterday and i am 18yo now,,,,, turns into ash and blows away in the wind

[lunarharp]

hi

[playawner]

For Halloween I have 0 ideas regarding to SF so I'm posting a wet dog and doodles of said dog (ft a totally straight moment with his vampire bro)

Probably one of the worst doodles I have done ever sorry chat (is bad because. It has 2 be GNARLY out all the SF characters man 😭)

[todayisafridaynight]

Whoever said Yagami doesn’t have a personality literally didn’t pay attention to any part of the game and I’ll die on that hill. That’s an outrageous take. God I’m getting flashbacks to when someone tried to tell me on Twitter than Jin Sakai from Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t have a personality 😑

I DIDNT SAY I AGREED 😭 its not even a super popular take from what i can tell, i only saw it once or twice

[oh-gh0st]

anyways.... that's gonna be a stained word in my memory

[deception-united]

Let's talk about misdirection.

(Requested by @voiceless9000. Hope this is helpful!)

Misdirection in storytelling, through foreshadowing and other techniques, is a powerful tool that can enhance suspense, surprise, and engagement in your narrative and make plot twists more unexpected.

Remember to maintain coherence and avoid contrivances that may undermine the integrity of your storytelling.

Here are some techniques you can use to effectively misdirect readers:

Red herrings: Introduce elements or clues that suggest a certain outcome or plot direction, only to later reveal that they were misleading. These false leads can divert readers' attention away from the true resolution.

Selective detailing: Highlight certain details or events in a way that implies their significance, while downplaying or omitting others that might be more relevant to the actual outcome. By controlling what information readers focus on, you can steer their expectations.

Character misdirection: Use characterisation to mislead readers about characters' true intentions, motivations, or identities. Create multi-dimensional characters who may behave ambiguously or inconsistently, leaving readers unsure of their true allegiances, motivations, or goals.

Foreshadowing: Employ foreshadowing to hint at future events or outcomes, but do so in a way that misleads interpretation. Provide clues that could be interpreted in multiple ways or that lead readers to expect one outcome while delivering another. (See my previous post about foreshadowing for more!)

Misleading narration: Utilise an unreliable narrator or perspective to present events in a biased or distorted manner. Readers may trust the narrator's account implicitly, only to discover later that their perceptions were flawed or intentionally deceptive.

Subverting tropes: Set up situations or scenarios that seem to follow familiar narrative tropes or conventions, only to subvert them in unexpected ways. This can keep readers guessing and prevent them from accurately predicting the story's trajectory.

Parallel storylines: Introduce secondary storylines or subplots that appear unrelated to the main narrative but eventually intersect or influence the primary plot in unexpected ways. This can distract readers from anticipating the main storyline's developments.

Setting: Manipulate the setting or environment to create false impressions about the direction of the plot. For example, presenting a seemingly idyllic setting that harbors dark secrets or dangers.

Timing and pacing: Control the pacing of your story to strategically reveal information or developments at opportune moments, leading readers to draw premature conclusions or overlook important details. (See my post on pacing for more tips!)

Twists and reversals: Incorporate sudden plot twists or reversals that upend readers' expectations and challenge their assumptions about the story's direction. Ensure that these twists are logically consistent but sufficiently surprising to catch readers off guard.

Happy writing!

Previous | Next

[aleskie]

TAKE A PIC, IT'LL LAST LONGER (ft. Quinn Hughes)

SUMMARY: You gift Quinn an early Christmas Present in the form of an...interesting photo shoot. Spoiler: He loves it.

The Xmas Album Masterlist

Warnings: spicy but nothing happens, they make out

“Babe, wait!” You dart toward Quinn, catching him just as he’s about to step out of the front door to you guys’ apartment. In your hands is a small envelope, its edges slightly worn from your earlier fidgeting. “This is for you,” you say, your eyes sparkling with a playful, mischievous glint.

“What’s this?” he asks, a mix of amusement and curiosity dancing across his face as he takes the envelope. He holds it up to the light, tilting his head as if the paper might betray its secrets.

“It’s your early Christmas gift,” you reply, a sly smile tugging at your lips.

Quinn had a packed schedule—games back-to-back, both in and out of town—all happening until a few days before Christmas. This meant no cozy nights on the couch, no late-night pillow talks, and no small, stolen moments for the two of you until at least the 24th of December. When he told you about this realization, his brow was knitted in frustration, his signature pout firmly in place. And you, always determined to ease his worries, had come up with the perfect little gesture. A bit of Christmas motivation to keep him smiling during the long stretches apart.

“Quinny, my love,” you say, drawing out the words with a teasing pout of your own as you watch him turn the envelope over in his hands, eager to try and figure out what was inside, “You can’t open it until you’re at the hotel and you really miss me.”

He looks at you and raises an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. “This is either going to be really good or really bad, isn’t it?”

“Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out,” you tease, brushing your fingers against his as he tucks the envelope into his bag and kisses you goodbye.

Alone in his hotel room, Quinn sits on the edge of the bed, staring out at the dark cityscape framed by the wide window. The sting of the loss sits heavy on his chest, an unrelenting weight that refuses to lift. Missed opportunities play on a loop in his mind, each one more agonizing than the last.

He tries to shake it off—pacing the room, taking a long, hot shower—but the frustration clings to him like a second skin. What he really wants is to hear your voice, to have you whisper the words that always seem to fit just right. The ones that soothe him, make him believe everything will be okay, that everything will eventually fall into place.

But it’s late. You’re probably asleep, and he knows you have work in the morning. He can’t bring himself to bother you, no matter how much he aches to hear you.

Instead, he grabs the book from his bag—the memoir you’d teased him about, calling it his latest obsession. He tries to dive into its pages, to let someone else’s story take him away from his own. But the words blur together, the sentences sliding out of focus as his mind drifts. He flips pages aimlessly, knowing he’ll have to start over later.

And then it hits him.

The envelope.

His gaze flicks across the room to his bag, the memory of your mischievous smile and sing-song instructions rushing back. You can’t open it until you’re at the hotel and you really miss me.

Well, he’s at the hotel. And God, does he miss you. That counts, right?

Rising to his feet, he retrieves the envelope and sits back down on the bed, holding it carefully as though it might shatter. He studies it for a moment, tracing his finger along the edge of the flap before peeling it open with deliberate care.

As the contents slip into his hand, he freezes.

Whatever he’d been expecting—a heartfelt note, a sweetly scrawled letter—it wasn’t this.

Polaroid photos of you, scantily clad in nothing but a pair of angel wings and that white lingerie set he knows drives him wild. The bra perfectly accentuates your curves, and the panty with lace so sheer and delicate that it leaves nothing to the imagination.

In the photo he’s holding, you’re wearing a playful smirk on your lips, eyes glinting at the camera like you know exactly what you were doing to him. Your hair falls just right, framing your face perfectly, reminding him of just how beautiful you looked. And your pose? Back arched and on all fours, as if crawling toward the camera, arms strategically pushing your breasts together.

The photos only get bolder from there—features of you on your back, on your side, even from behind. But his favorite has to be the one where you’re biting your lips, lipstick smudged and messy. A groan escapes his lips as he instinctively reaches to palm himself through his sweatpants, memories rushing of the nights when it was him who messed up your lipstick, when he was the reason you looked so deliciously disheveled.

A handwritten note accompanied the photos, teasingly scrawled in your unmistakable script: "Merry Early Christmas! Waiting for you to come home so I can spread more than just my wings ;)” 

Amid the mix of lust and longing, he can’t help but chuckle, his cheeks warming as he imagines you, that same playful glint in your eye, right in front of him, asking him if he’d liked his gift. And then, he pictures how you’d look when he fucks that smug attitude right out of you.

The urge to call you is almost overwhelming; his fingers twitch with the need to dial your number, to tell you exactly what he wants to do to you when he gets home. But he holds back, deciding to savor the anticipation brought by your little surprise. 

It’s the middle of the night when Quinn finally gets home. You’re getting ready for bed, the quiet hum of the apartment broken by the thud of his bags hitting the floor in the entryway. The sound of his footsteps follows, steady and purposeful as they make their way toward the bedroom.

When he steps inside, the first thing you notice is his eyes—how they lock onto you with an intensity that makes your breath catch. There’s a hunger in them, raw and unspoken, as though he’s been waiting for this moment, this sight of you, for far too long.

You’re sitting up in bed, the soft glow of your bedside lamp pooling around you. A book rests open in your hands, though you’ve barely read a word since hearing the telltale signs of his arrival. His presence fills the room, and you close the book slowly, your gaze meeting his.

“Hi honey,” you say softly, a hint of a smile playing on your lips, “How was the stretch out of town?”

He doesn’t reply right away, still standing in the doorway, his eyes taking you in as though committing every detail to memory. Without a word, he crosses the room, his movements deliberate and unhurried, the weight of the past few days melting away with each step closer to you.

He takes the book from your hands and sets it aside on the table before settling between your legs. His head finds a cozy spot in the crook of your neck, planting soft kisses that trail all the way to your jaw. His hands roam, gently thumbing along the curve of your waist, sliding up and down your sides, savoring the contrast of your smooth skin against his rough palms.

You lean into him, draping your arms around his neck to pull him even closer. The warmth radiating from him seeps into you, only getting stronger as he trails kisses down towards your chest, right above your heart. You can feel his heat, his longing—like he’s been waiting for this moment forever. It’s intoxicating, his hands exploring your body, his lips playfully nipping at your collarbone.

“Missed you,” he murmurs against your skin, sending a delicious shiver down your spine, “Loved your gift.”

You hum in response, savoring the closeness and the affection that wraps around you like a warm blanket.

His lips find yours in the most casual way, gentle as he cups your face and kisses you. It’s soft at first, teasing—like he was getting you ready for something more. And then he goes deeper, playfully nipping at your bottom lip before slipping his tongue into your mouth. It’s a delicious whirl of warmth and movement as you tangle your fingers in his hair, clinging to him like you’re scared he might pull away.

You feel the way his hands grip your waist tightly, as if he’s trying to anchor himself to you, grounding you both into the moment that’s hot and sweet and perfect. The world fades away, and it’s just the two of you lost in each other.

The whine that escapes your lips when he pulls away is almost pathetic, but the sight of him kneeling above you more than makes up for it. You watch as he practically tears the buttons off his dress shirt, eagerly reaching a hand out to touch his bare chest, admiring the fresh bruises from the last few games he’s played.

As he moves to slide your pajama shorts off, you lift your hips to help, leaving you in just your panties.

“God, you’re an angel,” he smirks, licking his lips as he takes in the sight of you looking utterly debauched—hair tousled, lips swollen from kissing, love bites dotting your neck and collarbone. He rests his hands on your knees, spreading your legs apart and exposing even more of you to his hungry gaze.

“So, what was that you said about spreading more than just your wings?”

You smirk. 

Safe to say he thoroughly enjoyed your little gift. And if you got something out of it too? Well, that’s just a bonus—definitely worth the two days of not walking.

[tgcg]

ms paint. you know her. u used her age 8 to make loads of rainbow ovals all over the canvas and then scramble it with selection tool. now u will know her true powers with my handyrandy tips under the readmore. some will be pretty basic and others are very special.

this post has 8 cool trix to learn for you. enjoy and i may do another in the future if i remember/learn more stuff

some of it might be common knowledge. but its got some deep cuts. all tips have gifs to show process easily.

🙂 enjoy and i hope this encourages you to fuck around in mspaint more

soundtrack for this post (loop it while you learn for advanced learning experience)

TIP 1) the right click trick

left and right mouse click correspond to col1 and col2 respectively, which u can see in the top bar. this applies to all brushes and the fill tool like above. when using shapes col2 will be the fill colour (if you have solid fill selected). right clicking with shape maker will reverse the colours use on the shape.

TIP 2) right click eraser

this one is extremely helpful for lineart or add shading. the eraser always uses col2. so your eraser can technically be any colour. but here's where you get powers: right clicking with eraser will only erase onto col1, with col2.

TIP 3) transparent selection change a guy destination

the beloved transparent selection tool works based on what is selected as col2. so long as you have the correct colour as col2 you can make any image transparent and put it on top of anything else. and yes this works with photo bg as you can see.

TIP 4) the gradience

this one is a little more complex. you want to start off with any canvas size, and make as many diagonal coloured bands as you want. (protip: holding down shift makes a perfectly diagonal line with line tool)

then you need to resize the canvas to a width of 1px (make sure you resize by pixels, and do not maintain aspect ratio). then resize again back to its original width (or a different width i cant stop you). you will have your lovely gradience.

TIP 5) superimposter

so. you got a cool gradient and wanna put a guy on it. heres what i do:

i open a 2nd mspaint with same canvas size and draw whatever i want on there. i then pick a completely unrelated colour to my entire piece, and set that as the bg. you could use white, pink, geen, whatever you want as long as it doesnt appear somewhere else in ur drawing. copy the guy.

go back to your gradient tab. ensure that col2 is set as that bg colour you picked (lilac for me). have "transparent selection" enabled. paste your guy in. cue fanfare

TIP 6) advanced superimposter

the great thing about this method is u can put multiple gradients in multiple areas of the image. this is where it gets all japanese printmaking type of shit. ukiyo-esque

all you need to do is make another canvas with a new gradient, ensure col2 is set as the colour you want to replace, then paste your original piece onto the new gradient. now my guy has a soft fade. you can do this as much as you want. (you could even make a canvas with a texture or photo and paste your drawing onto there)

TIP 7) "sketch layer"

so as you now know, col2 is what is removed when you click "transparent selection". which means you can also remove any instance of a colour from ur drawing. which means you can have a unique colour for sketch layer and remove it from the drawing later. i admittedly dont do this but it is a great trick to have.

now combine this with lowering your dpi for smoother lines. may seem obvious but it helps. its like a free stabiliser whenever u want.

TIP 8) rainbow art

now this is where you can get dizzee rascal "bonkers". check out my small and shitty rainbow trick. you can select anything and hold down shift, then drag with left mouse, to turn that selection into its own brush. i even did it with a guy. and you can of course do this with a photo as well.

🙂well that it for now. hope you liked it thanks for reading now back to your regularly scheduled tgcg programming

[themagicseal17]

A Good 'Ol Fuck Session With Your Boyfriend

NSFW warning. 18+

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door slams shut behind you, and the sound reverberates through the room like a gunshot. Sam is already on you, his hands gripping your hips, pulling you into him with a hunger that makes your knees buckle. His breath is hot against your neck, ragged and uneven, as if he’s been running toward this moment for years. Maybe he has. The past few weeks have been hell—angry silences, sharp words, the kind of tension that coils so tight it feels like it might snap at any second. But now, standing here in the dim glow of the living room, none of that matters. All that matters is the way his body presses into yours, hard and demanding.

“I missed you,” he growls into your ear, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down your spine. His teeth graze your earlobe, and you gasp, arching into him.

You don’t even remember who kissed whom first, but suddenly your lips are locked in a desperate, devouring kiss. His tongue slips into your mouth, claiming you, and you moan, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. Every inch of you aches for him, a deep, primal need that’s been simmering beneath the surface for too long. The taste of him—whiskey and salt and something distinctly Sam—floods your senses, and you feel drunk on it already.

His hands slide under your shirt, calloused palms skimming up your sides, burning trails across your skin. You fumble with the hem of his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders, not breaking the kiss. He lets it fall to the floor without a second thought, his focus entirely on you. One hand cups the back of your head, holding you in place as he deepens the kiss, while the other slips lower, squeezing the curve of your ass through your jeans.

“Fuck, I needed this,” he murmurs against your lips, his voice strained. “Needed you.”

You break away just long enough to yank his shirt over his head, revealing the familiar plane of his chest, scarred from battles he’d rather forget. Your fingers trace the lines of old wounds, and he sucks in a sharp breath, his muscles tensing under your touch. For a moment, it’s tender, almost reverent, but then his hand finds the button of your jeans, and the intensity returns, raw and unrelenting.

He undoes the button with practiced ease, sliding the zipper down slowly, teasingly, his eyes never leaving yours. The heat in his gaze is unbearable, and you squirm under it, craving more. Your jeans hit the floor with a soft thud, followed by his, and then there’s nothing between you but skin and desire.

Sam steps back, just far enough to take you in, his eyes raking over your body with an intensity that makes your stomach flip. “Christ, you’re fucking beautiful,” he breathes, his voice thick with want.

Before you can respond, he’s on you again, his mouth crashing against yours as he walks you backward until your legs hit the edge of the couch. He spins you around, pressing your chest against the backrest, one hand firm on your hip while the other slides between your thighs, finding you already wet and aching for him.

“Like that, huh?” he murmurs, his lips brushing the nape of your neck. His fingers glide through your folds, circling your clit with just enough pressure to make you whimper. “Tell me how much you want it.”

“Sam—” you choke out, your voice breaking as he teases you, drawing out every sensation.

“Tell me,” he demands, his tone brooking no argument. His fingers dip inside you, curling just right, and your knees nearly give out.

“I want it,” you gasp, bracing yourself against the couch. “God, I want you so bad.”

“Good girl,” he purrs, and the praise sends a jolt of electricity straight to your core. His fingers withdraw, and you groan in protest, but then you hear the rustle of clothing and the unmistakable sound of a condom wrapper tearing open. A moment later, his cock nudges against your entrance, and you bite your lip, anticipation coiling tightly in your stomach.

He doesn’t make you wait. With a groan, he thrusts into you, filling you completely in one smooth motion. The stretch is delicious, and you cry out, your nails digging into the leather of the couch.

“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he growls, his hands gripping your hips tight enough to leave marks. He stays still for a moment, letting you adjust, and then he pulls out almost all the way before slamming back in, hard and fast.

You cry out again, louder this time, the force of his thrust driving you forward. He sets a brutal pace from the start, each stroke hitting that sweet spot deep inside you, making your toes curl. His hand snakes around your waist, slipping between your legs to rub your clit in time with his thrusts, and you see stars.

“That’s it, baby,” he rasps, his breath hot against your ear. “Take it. Take me. You feel so fucking good.”

You’re losing yourself in the rhythm, in the way his body moves against yours, claiming you with every thrust. The sounds of skin slapping against skin fill the room, mingling with your gasps and his ragged breathing. It’s messy, desperate, perfect.

Sam leans over you, his chest pressed against your back, and his free hand tangles in your hair, tugging gently to expose your neck. His lips collide with your pulse point, sucking hard enough to leave a mark, and you moan, tilting your head to give him better access.

“Mine,” he growls, his voice fierce and possessive. “You’re mine.”

The word sends a thrill through you, and you nod frantically, unable to form coherent words. His rhythm falters, growing erratic, and you know he’s close. So are you.

“Come for me,” he demands, his fingers working your clit faster, harder. “Let me feel it.”

That’s all it takes. The coil in your stomach snaps, and you come with a strangled cry, your body convulsing around him. He follows moments later, burying himself deep as he groans out your name, his hips jerking uncontrollably against yours.

For a long moment, neither of you moves, both struggling to catch your breath. Then Sam presses a kiss to your shoulder, slow and lingering, before pulling out and helping you turn around.

Your legs are still shaky, and you lean heavily against him, your forehead resting on his chest. His arms wrap around you, holding you close, and you close your eyes, savoring the warmth of his body and the steady beat of his heart.

“We should probably move,” he says eventually, his voice soft but laced with amusement.

You laugh weakly, looking up at him. “Do we have to?”

He grins, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “Not yet.”

But then his expression shifts, seriousness creeping into his features. “This…this was good, right? We’re good?”

You nod, your throat tightening with emotion. “Yeah, Sam. We’re good.”

And then, because the tension isn’t completely gone, he smirks and adds, “Round two?”

[blackcatsnest]

Solas and his many magic artifacts

This is research NO.2 for my fanfic, if you interest, you can find my fanfic here. Since I’m writing about the story of Solas’s lyrium dagger, I’ve been revisiting details about elven artifacts Solas used from past games. It’s been 4-5 years since I last played them (before DATV), so I’ve forgotten a lot. Summarizing my findings has been pretty interesting, starting with the history of the lyrium dagger itself.

Lyrium Dagger

Here’s a direct quote from the Wiki: "When the elves were losing the war, Mythal had Solas craft a Lyrium Dagger which Fen'Harel used to sever the Titans' connection to the Fade, rendering them Tranquil."

Death of a Titan

Notably, the Death of a Titan mural doesn’t feature the dagger. Perhaps the mural depicts the moment a Titan was killed rather than when it was Tranquilized. We’ll revisit this mural later.

Now, you have to admit, the dagger is an incredibly powerful artifact. Someone as wise as Solas would surely think of countless ways to secure it. Yet, after he left for rebellion, the other Evanuris somehow acquired the dagger and used it to murder Mythal when she confronted them.

Here’s another Wiki quote: "Solas recovered the Lyrium Dagger from Elgar’nan and from it extracted a fragment of Mythal that had lain hidden within its depths. For unleashing the Blight onto the world and murdering Mythal, Solas imprisoned the Evanuris in the Fade and used their lives to sustain the Veil by connecting their blood to his Lyrium Dagger."

This weapon is incredible. It can Tranquilize Titans, kill Evanuris, and even trap or bind their life forces. How could Solas, the Dread Wolf, be so careless as to let it fall into enemy hands? Surely, he would have taken it with him during the rebellion—or at the very least entrusted it to Mythal for safekeeping. Did the Evanuris steal it? Did someone outsmart Solas? There’s definitely a story here! (In my fanfic, I kept it simple and just assumed he abandoned the dagger.)

Regardless, Solas ultimately recovered the dagger, likely through some cunning plan. Felassan’s notes confirm this.

On a slightly unrelated note, Mythal never support Solas’s rebellion. No wonder he avoids seeing her fragments. Sure, he was overwhelmed by regret, but that same regret didn’t stop him from visiting Lavellan repeatedly in the dream. He must be disappointed at Mythal to the core. On the other hand, Lavellan never stopped to reach him.

Now, back to the dagger. Felassan’s notes clearly implied that Solas intended to use it to imprison the gods, but the ritual required additional artifacts.

Creat the Veil

Binding the gods

Take a look at these two murals. The fandom has already thoroughly analyzed details of murals since Trespasser, so I’ll focus only on the artifacts. It seems like the artifact used to create the Veil and the one used to bind the gods might be different. Aren’t they part of the same ritual? I’m confused.

The orb and the square artifact have similar star patterns in their centers. One could argue they’re the same artifact, but I’m not convinced. Also where’s the dagger in all this?

It’s likely a complex ritual involving multiple steps:

Use the dagger to draw the blood of the Evanuris, binding their power to the would-be Veil. (Again it would be an epic story to tell!)

Use the square artifact to weaken them (?)

Use the orb to banish them to the Black City and seal it with the Veil.

Steps 2 and 3 might overlap depending on interpretation.

Another possibility is that the square artifact was only used to seal the Blight (note the black tendrils). If so, it wasn’t part of the actual ritual but placed in the mural’s center to show its importance in containing the Blight along with the gods.

(Also, Solas still has his beautiful long hair in the murals. Did the ritual make him lose it all? Poor thing.)

In conclusion, the ritual likely involved at least two artifacts, though the mural doesn’t give us all the details. The lyrium dagger remains an enigmatic and central piece of the creation of Veil.

After the ritual: "Somehow the Lyrium Dagger was transformed into a Lyrium idol and kept in a Primeval Thaig. The Lyrium idol changed hands several times in the Dragon Age, bringing madness wherever it went."

Dear Solas, you lost the dagger again?! Do you have zero safety protocols for rituals? You’d make a terrible lab researcher. And how on Thedas did this dagger-turned-idol end up in the Deep Roads?

If the dagger (and the orb) had been securely placed beside Solas while he was sleeping, none of this would’ve happened. So, my guess is it got left at the ritual site. Did scavengers or darkspawn stumble across the site—possibly Skyhold—and think, “Wow, what a pretty dagger/idol! Let’s take it home for Christmas decoration!” Lucky for us, they didn’t accidentally rip the Veil while transporting it.

Now, speaking of Solas post-ritual: how did he even make it to a safe place to sleep? I haven’t read The Masked Empire yet, so I’m not sure if Felassan found him and carried him to safety. Or maybe Solas, half-asleep and utterly drained, stumbled into some random ruins. Just imagine him, doing his best to stay awake while searching for a cozy corner.

Anyway, the next chapter in the dagger’s story unfolds in DA II. Hawke and Varric stumbled upon it during their Deep Roads expedition—though by this point, the Lyrium Dagger had been transformed into the Lyrium Idol. It then Meredith into a creepy crystal statue.

The story didn’t end there, though. Comic books published after Dragon Age: Inquisition, along with Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, shed more light on how Solas eventually reacquired the idol.

13/01/25: just want to add an very interesting post that sparked some thoughts. The post suggested: 1) DV sort of confirmed that the red-lyrium idol manifastes Solas's guilt (though it leaves questions unanswered about the "third person" in the idol's creation, given that the idol predates the events of the Inquisition); 2)Solas uses Jun's fragment of a soul to purify the idol – a truly intriguing concept that adds another layer to Solas's actions.

While I love this idea, but I also believe the Evanuris shared a sense of kinship, as evidenced by Elgar'nan's protective attitude towards Ghilan'nain. This makes it hard to imagine Solas destroying the last remnants of his kin—even for his cause. Yet, at the same time, Solas is Solas. He has shown that he can be merciless when he deems it necessary.

Orb of Fen'Harel

I won’t go into great detail about the Orb because DAI is centered around it, and countless theories have already been written on the topic.

I can’t help but be amused at how skilled Solas is at creating artifacts. That definitely outshines June, the so-called god of craft.

Remove Vallaslins

Interestingly, there’s no story behind the Orb’s creation—at least, not one revealed yet. But take a look at the strange ball depicted on the left side of the Remove Vallaslins mural. Its pattern is very similar to the Orb. Was it crafted specifically to remove Vallaslin?

Many lore discussions and fanfics suggest that the Orb is the same one used to create the Veil. On top of that, several discussions have pointed out that the Death of a Titan mural hints at the Orb being made from a Titan’s heart. The same star-like shapes appear in both the Orb and the Titan-related imagery.

But it’s also possible that we’re looking at two different types of Orbs. The round artifact depicted in the Remove Vallaslin mural definitely looks more similar to the original Orb than the other spherical artifacts shown in the Death of a Titan and Create the Veil murals. Could they be separate creations for distinct purposes?

Honestly, Solas, how many magical toys do you have?! Were you just stockpiling artifacts during your spare time?

The Elven artifacts for measuring the Veil

It’s not entirely clear if these artifacts were designed or created by Solas, but they are definitely related to the Veil. Solas himself says, “The wards are helping to strengthen the Veil.” If we take his words at face value, he must at least know a great deal about these artifacts and how they function.

Some theories suggest these artifacts do the opposite—that they actually weaken the Veil—and that Solas lied to manipulate us into helping him tear down the Veil. Personally, I don’t think Solas would outright lie like that (except when it comes to hiding his identity). Instead, he’s more likely to mislead with half-truths.

In Tevinter Nights, there’s a moment that sheds light on this. One of the Veil-related artifacts is described as being installed in a Venatori workshop to fortify the Veil against the pressure of demons. After the artifact is destroyed, the Veil weakens significantly, and demons are able to tear it apart and cross into the physical world. This strongly supports the idea that these artifacts do indeed strengthen the Veil, as Solas claimed.

That said, the Inquisition’s actions in activating these artifacts may not have weakened the Veil, but they did reveal a network pointing to the weakest points in the Veil. Solas, being as cunning as he is, could have used this network to map out where to begin dismantling the Veil.

In future games, I wouldn’t be surprised if some random artifact pops up, and of course, the credit (or blame) goes to the Dread Wolf again.

[anistarrose]

The thing about the Heart Attack segment in Wonderland is that they put so much aromantic subtext in it. They accidentally put SO much aromantic subtext in it, on behalf of multiple characters, and I'm thinking about it constantly. Let me tell you all about it.

Magnus is dropped into a dating game and literally leads with "I cannot stress enough how uninterested I am in this." Now, it's perfectly valid to read this as due to him waiting for Julia, or just him being plain old uncomfortable with having his love life put in the spotlight. However! I cannot stress enough the exchange that happens just a minute or two after that line:

Magnus (describing his ideal date): ... and we don't see each other again, ‘cause I'm really not interested in dating. Audience: [exaggerated] Oooooh! (cheers) Griffin: The silhouette is like, fanning itself. Lydia: Playing hard to get, huh? It seems like our contestant is into that.

And I just have to say: unfortunately, this is one of the most aromantic fucking experiences I've seen represented in fiction in my life. I mean — saying you're not interested in romance, then having those words twisted on you, like they're some secret coded way of saying that you are interested in romance? Not having a single way to express your disinterest that'll actually be believed? That's some aro shit right there. God. Fuck.

As an aside, it's enough to really tell that Heart Attack is not designed to be a reprieve from the pain, even though it's the "good outcome" of Trust or Forsake. It's designed to be uncomfortable. To funnel suffering to Edward and Lydia, just like all the other games do. (More on that later, in fact.) But in summary:

Magnus is a character who can be read as uncomfortable with romance for either aro-spec reasons or unrelated reasons. But in either case, his discomfort attracts reactions that reek of amatonormativity — and therefore, resonate with aromantic experiences. (Psst, I did recently write a gray-aro Magnus fic!)

Two more analyses below the cut (and only one of them is for another Horny Boy):

Obviously the next character I need to talk about is Merle. I've found aroallo readings of his character to be compelling for a long time (having sex with plants so you don't have to worry about romantic commitment, am I right?), but the way he describes his "ideal date" is another factor:

Merle: I volunteer to drive her vehicle, and tell her it's filthy, and so we go through the uh- drive through vehicle wash and she pays for that too. Um, and then I take her to have dinner with my family, and- Magnus: Wait, like your wife and stuff? Merle: She meets my ex-wife.

Merle's probably exaggerating as a joke, continuing on about both him and his partner being miserable, but I think the fact that Merle's mind goes here is genuinely drawing from a lot of poor romantic experiences in the past. He didn't get a choice about being on Heart Attack, and his marriage with Hecuba was similarly "arranged".

It's also worth noting that at this point in time, Merle is putting in the work to be part of Mavis and Mookie's lives again, but is not interested in doing the same for Hecuba — he instead just asks Mavis how Hecuba's doing. That said, given that Magnus is the one to put the focus on Merle's ex-wife, I think it's fair to read the "family" comment as Merle actually expressing that he'd rather spend time with his kids than give any special romantic attention to his date. Moving on to the rest of the "joke":

Merle: She's having a miserable time and she's really mad, she can't wait to get outta there. I take her back to her house, and so I lean up against the door jam and say, 'Sure you don't want me to come in for a few minutes?' and she slams the door in my face.

It's possible Merle just has a more roundabout, self-deprecating way of expressing a similar thing to what Magnus did: Merle just isn't interested in dating. To me, the last line implies he might not say no to sex, if offered — but overall, it reads as if Merle is putting minimal effort in because he's looking for an excuse to get out of this relationship anyway.

It's also possible that Merle's "rejection" of a suitor being so disguised as humor could point to him still coming to terms with his disinterest in dating. Particularly, in comparison to Magnus, who is so vocal and unashamed about it, while Merle might still be figuring this all out.

(Honestly, the self-deprecation Merle turns to here is actually kind of sad, when viewed in that light — he already lets himself be the butt of jokes so often, and now he feels like the way romance doesn't click for him has to be a joke, too? Oof. Someone give him a hug and tell him he's not broken this instant!) But regardless:

Merle views dates, and perhaps romance in general, as things that will inevitably turn disastrous for him and any party involved with him, and he would rather spend time with his children than repairing a relationship with an ex, or cultivating a relationship with a new partner. This is not an experience exclusive to the aro-spec umbrella, but you can't say that an aromantic reading of his character doesn't fit him like a gardening glove...

...which he wears while fucking his plants. Because plants don't demand emotional intimacy, nor take too much time away from the platonic relationships that matter more to him. And you know what? He's fucking valid for that! Fly your flag, nasty grandpa!

But moving on: I promised you aromantic analysis of characters outside of our protagonists, and henceforth, that analysis I will provide. And not just because I admittedly see Taako as the token alloromantic (though clearly an aro ally; if he hadn't chosen Forsake we wouldn't have gotten all this incredible characterization!)

I digress. So let's go on to addressing the lich twins in the room: Edward and Lydia.

Remember my argument earlier that Heart Attack serves the purpose of collecting suffering just like the rest of Wonderland does? How it's just a subtler way of making Wonderland's victims fundamentally uncomfortable?

...Using, of all things, romance?

How the vogue twins, for whatever reason, felt inspired to make people uncomfortable with matchmaking and adoration? How, some way or another, they noticed how much potential romance had to induce suffering? Being pressured into a relationship, being told that no matter how firmly you say you're uninterested, you're not really uninterested?

...Relatedly, I have always gotten the sense that Edward and Lydia projected relentlessly onto their victims.

Edward: This resolve, this desire to do whatever it takes no matter the cost to save yourselves — do you know who you three remind me of? Magnus: No? Merle: Who? Edward: Us!

I'm even going to go a step further and say that on top of projection, they want their victims to go through things they went through. Swallowing the guilt of having fucked someone else over to survive, of course — that's basically self-admitted. But possibly also... the feeling of not being able to get back what you lost (Keats). The feeling of not being able to heal (Keats).

So, where does that leave Heart Attack?

Lydia: It was the three of us, surviving against all odds. The world against us.

Their family of three was (is) indescribably important to them. I'm not necessarily saying that societal expectations of romance, especially of romance as a priority above that of family, left a bad taste in their mouths — if not downright contributing to their trauma — but, okay, I wrote the rest of this post and now that I'm back, I can no longer deny it. I'm definitely, absolutely saying that.

At the time of the podcast, we know Edward and Lydia's own relationship is heavily strained. Until the end, they are lying to themselves and to each other about the fact that they continue to be emotionally and magically reliant on each other. After all, Lydia wouldn't say "I guess we really needed each other after all" in her dying moments with such surprise otherwise.

This is the second reason that I... well, I wouldn't quite call it a "theory," but I find it most impactful to read Edward and Lydia as characters for whom the concept of Love has baggage. And always has, from their origins as youth in a tough spot in an already amatonormative world.

Maybe the constant societal devaluing of platonic, familial bonds left them with serious emotional scars. Maybe the constant conflation of Love and morality just weighed on them and weighed on them and weighed on them until they decided: well, we don't love the way people expect us to, so we might as well give up on being the good people they expect us to be. We might as well embrace this new fuel of suffering.

...And you know, I hope this gets across what I mean when I always say I headcanon villains as aromantic to make them more sympathetic.

Edward and Lydia, textually, are already tragic villains. As twins and liches, they're also textually foil characters to several of the Seven Birds. But I also like to think that they have a lot in common with Magnus and Merle, and the possibility that tugs at my heartstrings the most is the possibility of them all falling under the aromantic umbrella.

[snakes-and-fluff]

Milgram drought be hitting hard... Anyway I was thinking what an anime of each prisoner's personal story might look like (assuming all isolated from each other and Milgram as a facility does not exist) ((also assume each 12 episodes long)) also assuming they're psychological dramas because. Milgram

Haruka: The main appeal is the artstyle, drawn like animated child's drawings for most of the time but a few scenes an episode is instead depicted in starkly realistic illustrations (not animated). It's told from the perspective of Haruka who keeps insisting he has a good life even as all the facts point otherwise, finally culminating in the murder late in the show, at which point the artstyle changes to be a strange mix of the previous two

Yuno: What first presents itself as a peppy slice-of-slice soon devolves into a painfully raw story of a teen girl. The winner of many awards but not that popular with most people who claim to find it too dry and boring

Fuuta: The murder happens towards the end of episode two but it isn't revealed to the audience exactly what happens until much later. Fuuta's behaviour clearly changes after that point and he keeps getting harassed by people who were previously friendly with him, but the actual flashback reveal is only in ep 8. The show leans very heavily into the "is he a bad person?" question and the fandom is known for starting debates about it in the comments of completely unrelated posts

Muu: It was a dark setup from the start but not many people expected a murder in episode 7. The anime switches POV between Muu and Rei until Rei dies, then it switches between Muu and a student counsellor (who doesn't know about the murder and is just trying to solve the bullying but the tension comes from the fact that the audience and Muu keep being worried about her potentially learning about the murder)

Shidou: The most niche of the bunch, some people weren't a fan of how medically accurate it was while others rejoiced in that fact. The whole thing is a flashback as it's established that Shidou has left the medical industry in the first episode but it is slowly revealed why and the circumstances behind his family's deaths as it goes on

Mahiru: Yuno's might have been a bit misleading at first but everyone who saw the promo material knew what was going down. Mahiru's managed to keep the dark twists under wraps, genuinely being sold as a cute love story though there were hints from the start. It's unclear when exactly the death happened because as it goes on it starts timeskipping and flashbacking without warning and it's clear that Mahiru isn't quite sure herself of what is actually happening

Kazui: Hinako is dead before the series even starts and it is actually told from the perspective of someone who works with Kazui slowly uncovering what happened out of morbid curiousity. Kazui is the very definition of unreliable narrator and nobody knows what to make of whatever information comes directly from him. Some fans don't like the way the show never seemed to decide on a single answer as to what happened while others praise it for it

Amane: The fandom is small but loud (though it is always recommended as "this one will tear your heart out"); the tale of a child embroiled in an awful home life, using a unique visual style of poppy colours and thick outlines to sharply contrast the horrible things being portrayed. The murder happens at the end of the last episode, giving the closest thing to a "happy ending" they could achieve for Amane, though it is left ambiguous what would happen to her next

Mikoto: Told in a non-chronological style, the reveal of the murder is towards the end (around episode 10) leaving the rest of the time as wrapup as Mikoto finally comes to accept the truth of the situation. There are still arguments in the fandom years after it ended if the murder was metaphorical or not

Kotoko: She's presented as a really cool vigilante at first but then it slowly unravels as she reveals more of her violent side and that her kill count is a LOT higher than previously thought. Her personality is divisive among fans but everyone can agree that the opening is a banger

DISCLAIMER: I just realised that some of these can be read as me throwing shade on the fans of a particular character; I promise 100% that isn't the case this was just a fun thought experiment!

[nekioka]

Seven is a lucky number: Year 1 - 1/3

Previous | First | Next

(Ramblings under the cut)

Finally! A new part! I finished drawing this ages ago but then I procrastinated with translating. Sorry about that!

This part is based on this Benny quote:

"When House gave us the Tops to renovate, his robots dropped off boxes full of suits and ties and wingtip shoes. --"

Well here getting the Tops and receiving boxes didn't happen simultaniously, some time has passed since events of previous comic. Nobody is even wearing necklaces anymore after what happened. And Benny's hair has grown longer. His style changed for three reasons: 1. It's more practical than the look he had in previous part. 2. I thought it would look cute. 3. You'll see later ;)

Boot Riders are now cleaning up the Strip. The other Families might or might not be there already. I'm undecided on that one. Any thoughts? But spoilers: they don't show up in this part.

Appreciate the first panel, it took ages to draw! Also appreciate the funny background event between panels 2 and 3.

While I was drawing original 'Seven is a lucky number' comic it bothered me that securitrons were so static. They aren't the most flexible robots but still their poses were just boring! So here I tried to make them bit more dynamic, best shown in panel where Benny and House dance. On unrelated note House is casually horrible with his "like civilized people" comment, Swank doesn't approve and neither do many other Boot Riders. Meanwhile Benny is too dazzled to care.