#we should kill the dice gods. and become them.

[funsizedcrow]

this is the second time my friend has told me we should kill the dice gods.

[knaveumineko]

Umineko Episode 1 Blog: Tea Party

For the first time since this blog began, I'm covering new content and I'm happy to report that Ryukishi wrote this scene to make fun of me specifically.

This Tea Party was initially framed as some kind of non-canon bonus scene, and of course we can't interpret its events entirely literally, but by the end it seems that this scene is cryptically revealing the fates of the grandchildren, who disappeared at the end of Episode 1. Of course, even when the game is keeping up it's cheerful facade, it should not escape our notice that the 6 people depicted here are Shannon, Kanon, Maria, George, Jessica and Battler: precisely the 6 people who are still alive at the end of Episode 1 (that we know of).

The game's pointed comments about how there's clearly a 19th person because of how Kanon died, and "wow I guess it was magic the whole time there's really no way around it," feel playful. I'm also very amused by the narrator dropping the facade of reliability and constantly mocking Battler's skepticism. We're all in on the joke now, so there's no reason to keep up the pretense that this scene is anything approaching an accurate depiction of events.

Also, we are going full tilt on the meta stuff here, aren't we? I'm sure you're all loving how Battler's constant half-baked speculations sound more or less exactly like me.

We get some new character profiles, an rather interestingly they only confirm the deaths of Jessica and George. Rather gruesomely at that. Maria is merely missing, and we never see her actually die. Presumably this is because she still needs to live long enough to write the message in a bottle. I wonder if this scene shaking her faith in the witch is what inspired her to write the story and beg someone to try and solve it. Battler also doesn't die, so who knows what's going on with him?

I was intruiged by Battler's "if you believe in a lie, it becomes the truth?" line. To me, it sounds like the grandchildren were approached by the "witch," with the resurrections serving as proof that magic is real. When Battler questioned it, the conversation morphed into a veiled threat: if the grandchildren know what's good for them, they will accept that it was magic and never dig into the true story of what happened on Rokkenjima. Battler doubles down and so the culprits decide they have no choice but to remove all of the witnesses, at which point Battler defends himself with the gun.

Something like that could work as an explanation for the grandchildren's fates, although I don't see how this narrative could explain Jessica and George being brutalised so horribly. We were told in the endscroll that their gory deaths really did happen.

The Tea Party is really beating us over the head with Beatrice's symbolic significance. Just like how the servants used to invoke her name, Beatrice is the God of the Gaps (with one 'a'). It's not that anything you can't explain gets blamed on her, but that Beatrice is the inexplicable. Any time you throw your hands up in the air and say it can't be solved, you bring Beatrice to life, and to defeat her you have to solve the case. She's the antagonist of mystery stories themselves.

I'm not sure how this ties in to her supposed power to "kill an individual endlessly". Perhaps Bernkastel's line sheds some light. She describes Beatrice as one who plays a dice game by never letting go of the dice, so whatever the roll could have been, she is not disappointed. Beatrice is a being that thrives off of ambiguity. The moment anything has a clear explanation she's helpless. In this sense, is her "endless" killing of an individual in reference to the seemingly limitless possibilities for how one of the bodies could have died?

Speaking of Bernkastel, the witch who looks a lot like that girl from Higaurashi (which I've never seen, so don't tell me if this resemblance matters), the description of her power reminds me a lot of that famous Sherlock Holmes quote "once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." Bernkastel can make any potentiality into a certainty, so long as it is not impossible. In other words, she symbolises the process of elimination, so it makes sense that she's aligning herself more with those of us trying to solve the mystery. This symbolism also ties into her comment about her matchup with Beatrice: once you accept magic, you can no longer rule out the impossible, so the process of elmination doesn't work.

I'm not sure what Lambdadelta's deal is, but then we haven't seen her personally. If we want to interpret her through the mystery genre lens, one guess would be that she represents the point at which we can say for certain that a character is actually dead, rather than just faking somehow? She could also be a play on the anthropic principle: to solve a mystery we must tell a story about what happened, and this story must end with the person dead and the body in the state that it was found in. In other words, we proceed by "making that person's death into a certainty," taking it for granted that they're dead and rearranging all the other facts to fit that truth.

Bernkastel leaves us with some advice which basically amounts to telling us that Beatrice is a metaphor, but she also leaves us with something else interesting:

Umineko doesn't use all caps like this very often. The only other time I can remember is the scene where the narrator wants to make sure that the siblings really needed A LOT OF MONEY RIGHT NOW. I don't know if there's anything to that, but maybe there is.

Bernkastel also has an interesting line about preceiving us like a character on TV, so maybe there's going to be some kind of metaphor with witches standing in for viewers or authors at some point.

That's all for now. I didn't expect to have so much to write about 2 scenes, but they were important scenes indeed. Don't expect me to keep up this pace going forward!

I almost forgot to mention that Purgatorio reference right at the start. What's that about? Is Beatrice's name a reference to the Divine Comedy? I hope that doesn't end up being important, beyond Kinzo's pining after her being a reference to Dante's. If I didn't bother reading And Then There Were None for context after noticing the parallels, then I'm certainly not reading that.

The Main Menu is an aquarium now? What on Earth is Episode 2 even about?

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Finale (Part 2)

Okay, picking up where we left off, I guess ... so Deanna and FRIDA have been seperated from the group and Chritian and Aabria are gone from the table ... I hope that's not IT for them tonight ...

A familiar glint of PINK LEATHER? Oh my gods ... awwwww ... YAY!!! Here she is, Aimee is BACK!!! Properly this time! Sweet!

IS SHE wearing the Crown? Hmmmmm ... so she IS ... okay ... the question is, is the Spider Queen still there? Looks like she might be ... hopefully it's just APPEARANCE now ...

Big reuinions for Opal ... Orym! And Fearne! And finally Dorian ... oh man ... that's the hardest one, definitely ...

She can't HEAR HER anymore? Maybe that IS a good sign after all ... so it COULD just be smutz then ...

Prestidigitation? Nice one, Imogen ... oh man ... yeah, Opal is back and it's so great, we're so happy ...

Whispers? Aimee gets a Whispers? Sam has to scramble for a plug ...

Ah ... so she IS still bound to the Spider Queen, then ... and she's traumatised from all of it ... hmmm ... okay ... is Opal maybe considering maybe finding the SQ baby and pulling a "Kill Hitler" on it? Dorian picks up on it ... as does Laudna, who's actually INTO IT ... XD

They're not letting her in? NOT COOL you arseholes ... oh okay, Ashton's doing an Ashton ... I love him ...

Going in,m then ... without her ... crap ...

Good move, Matt ... nobody wants a long boring courtroom drama to unfold now ... it's already been a long and pretty exhausting final as it is ... best just work out the broad strokes and surmise, guys ...

Yes, best work out what to do with Ruidus ...

Communications? Yes, would be best ... and Vox Machina are back again ... okay ... Grog wants to live on the moon ... OF COURSE he does ... "Warden of the Moon"? Oh man that would be SUCH A PERFECT role for him ... XD

And more Might Nein ... nice ... I'm continuing to enjoy the return of the old voices and personalities ... EVERY TIME I get to hear Laura channel Jester it brings true joy to my heart ... :3

Oh, Evora? Definitely sure SHE must want to stay here ...

Jester wants to be an ambassador? Oh boy ... andthen Beau suggests they become SPACE PIRATES ... oh gods don't get her started that's WAY too much ... LOL

A Taste of Tal'dorei on Ruidus? Ye gods ...

Sounds like a very interesting and particular Persuasion check ... who's got the best stats for THIS shit? I mean Braius is, like, RIDICULOUSLY good at bullshitting, after all ...

Scanlan's take? Oh boy ... Ashley: "Mass deportation!" Whoa there ... O.o

Braius? Yeah, makes sense ... Caleb and Imogen too ... yup ... wise moves ...

I mean Caleb is VERY good with his words ... I remember him talking his way out of potential execution and INTO a powerful pact with the Kryn Dynasty while dressed in bondage gear, after all ...

Braius' turn ... oh boy, this should be fun ... "I think I fucked a monster ..." Oh gods ...

Down to Imogen, then ... and of course she's just being her usual gentle, hopeful self ... yeah, she's PERFECT for this ... and Ashley gives her Guidance too ... so much dice choices ... reroll the one THANK FUCK ...

DO NOT bring up your betrayal right now, Braius ...

Who's this? OH MY GODS!!! PLanerider Ryn! HEY!!! She's fine again, hey ... oh yeah OF COURSE she's going to be VERY helpful in this endeavour, definitely ...

It's passed, then? The Ruidians who want to come can, and those Exandrians who wish the same? Awesome ...

OF COURSE Whitestone ... and Zephrah too ... oh wow ... that's A LOT, sounds like ... gives you so much faith in people, something like this ...

That's it, then? Okay, then ...

Awww ... Opal's still so precious ... I love her ... :3

What DOES come next?

Aimee's going again? Oh man, we just got her back! Nuts ... please come back too, luv ...

Oh okay ... so that's it, then? The roundup of how everybody else goes on from here? OKay ... winding down for the remainder, that's a good way to close it out ...

Orym first, then ... "I'm three foot three but I've got high hopes." Awwww ... sweet Wee Man ...

Yeah, I'd say Ryn does owe them a lot ... wait ... he's GIVING UP his sword? Really? Praying to the Wildmother even though she's NOT HERE ... interesting ... wait, is he doing what I THINK he's doing? Oh you sneaky little shit ... I FUCKING KNEW IT!!! Yeah, he's growing her a NEW FUCKIGN ARM!!! O.O ... wow ... yeah, how long IS IT going to take her to work out she's got it back ... oh, that's adorable ... nice going, Orym ...yeah, the hair-ruffle is deserved ... XD

Returning to the Voice of the Tempest, in Zephrah ... who's with him?

Meanwhile, then ... who's next?

Laudna visiting the Matron's Temple, then ... and OF COURSE Imogen goes with her ... meeting with Lieve'tel, of course ... we love you, you sexy goth elf hottie ...

Laudna: "I would love, more than anything, to age alongside the one I love, if she'll have me." Oh my gods ... "To age is a gift, and I don't want to be left behind." Fuck ...

Oh, okay ..;. is she gonna do some fancy Matron's elf magic ... Divine Intervention? Holy shit ... oh my gods Liam O'Brien you spectacularly cheeky sod ... he looks SO FUCKING CHUFFED right now and it's beautiful ... that was SO FUCKING ROMANTIC too ... he couldn't get that for Vax and Keyleth, not really ... but at least he can do this for Laudna and Imogen ... poetic justice, truly ...

Laudna and Imogen both: "Did we just get married?" Wow ... meanwhiole I'm just SOBBING big fat fucking tears right now, you bastards ... :3

Wow ... a genuine happy ending for out fweet and dorable lesbian witches ... nice ...

Shit, yeah, good point ... Imogen's parents? Is THAT something that could be fixed?

Imogen: "I heard music, the first time I met you ... your mind was so beautiful." Fuck yeah ... Laudna: "I'll follow your lead." Damn straight she will ...

Liliana? Hey! Oh yeah, good point, she's still somewhat persona non grata after all this ... and yeah, now she's technically a proper mother-in-law ... XD

Mending bridges indeed ... awwww ...

Crap ... yeah, the possibility that Ludinus is still out there ... that prick ... we gotta hope that's not the case after all, I guess ...maybe we'll get lucky for once ... not holding my breath ...

Indeed ... in pushing her away to protect her, she just made her daughter stronger ...

Lieve'tel and Cerkonos ... yeah, that's about right ... LOL

Braius once again tries to make up for being a dumbass ... and yet what the hell is THIS SHIT? O.O ... oh boy ... well, at least he finally got the name right ... oh shit ... so he just made himself a bloody SLEEPER AGENT, didn't he? Yeah, that's the face of a very terrified man, isn't it? He's just BRICKING HIMSELF right now ...fuck Matt's too good at that furuious demon shit ... cue the intro to Ghost's Year Zero ...

How likely is it that Braius is about to get retroactively smote into a pile of ashes after all?

Oh yeah, Braius is shitting himself all right ... LOL

Yeah, that's better just COME CLEAN, dumbass ... "He's gonna kill me! Somewhere there's a creepy demon baby and he's gonna kill me!" Oh boy ...

That's a good point ... maybehe SHOULD hide out with Nana Morri ... he'd definitely be welcome ... O.O

Ashton: "Also you're freaking out at the promise of the God of Lies." Good point ...

Laudna's right. They're making fun of him. They're on his side really, he's got friends ... and it would seem he has ART too ... nice ... like Chriss Angel? Oh dear gods ...

Yes. Insight Check that shit ... they BOTH got 30? Rollies! Wow ... of, so he really IS on their side? That's kinda trippy ...

Ashton wants to figure himself out? As in what this thing in his head really means? Yeah, sounds about right ...

A week off in Jrusar? Yes. Sounds like a very good thing for everyone ...

Did Chetney just CUT LAUDNA OPEN? O.O ... come on, man!

The Silken Squall? Okay ... Dorian goes to see his mother? Wow ... that's a major thing, then ... oh man, there she is ... awwwwww ... this is such a swet reunion ... but kind of bittersweet, really ... remembering Cyrus ... oh man ... a mother's love mends all wounds ... it's really beautiful ...

Hey! welcom back Christian! Yay! FRIDA's back ... nice ... joining them on the journey back to Jrusar ... right back to where it all began, then ... sweet ...

She rented their room? Hmmm ... but it's to Prism, so that's fine really ...

PRETTY!!! Always nice to see our favourite ogre ... :3

The Krook House? Interesting ... Ashton makes a typically belligerent entrance ... yeah, they love each other in a really passive-aggressive way ... FRIDA: "Smiley Day"? Awwwwwww ... that's so sweet ... memories of FCG ... once again it's getting quite bittersweet ... a pencil? Hmmmm ...

A patch-up job from Milo? Yeah, sounds like just the thing ...

A microchip? Really? FRIDA wants to plug this INTO themselves ... hmmm ... maybe something to look into eventually ...

Oh now THAT is horrifying ... no wonder he's always so angry ... O.O

A final fond fairwell to Letters, then ... :3

A moment alone for just Orym and Dorian? Awwww ... oh yes, these two are so perfect together and I love them and I hope they have the happiest and most beautiful future together EVER ... :3 ... Orym: "I know day-by-day, we can take it day-by-day." Dorian: "That's a promise." Oh yes ...

In the original inn ... Laudna casts Animate Objects so they can recreate their very first adventure ... blimey ... that's so horribly perfect ... I love her particularly dark sense of humour so much ...

Oh okay, is Ashton FINALLY gonna make a fucking MOVE on Fearne? It's long overdue ... Fearne wants to apprentice in Fatestitching under Nana? Hmmmmm ... and she also wants Chetney's Egg ...of course she does ... wow, she's just SO overly ambitious ... XD

Wow ... is SHE making the first move here? O.O ... he is terribly high maintenance, clearly ... he DOES want to be with her, clearly, but he needs to work on HIMSELF first ... but FUCK these two are adorable together and so perfectly suited for each other and I really WANT them to work it the fuck OUT eventually, gods damn it ...

Wow, that was so sloppy and dumb and I LOVED IT so much ... LOL

Back to Zephrah? Okay ... oh, and goodbye Christian again, then ... nuts ... Aimee's coming back, though ... so still yay!

The Crown Keepers that are left, then ... back in Zephrah ... a hero's return for Orym, certainly ... Maeve! Hi! So dinner tonight, then ... nice ...

Reconnecting with The Tempest, then ... oh but wait ... SHIT!!! I know that voice! DARIAX!!! Hi! Yay! Reunion! The danger twins, back together ... :3

Shit ... is that Deni$e? Holy fuck ... O.O ... kind of a more awkward reunion here ... aww, but they are stll pretty sweet ... and maybe there IS some actual future there after all ...

"One of us! One of us!" Yeah,. Aimee learns the horror of trying to maintain more than one character in a session ... XD

The Tempest ... awwww ... still just like a big sister to him, really ... :3 ... and meanwhile Opal just laying it all RIGHT OUT THERE ... O.O ... but yeah, like always Kiki just GOES WITH IT ... wine? Really? Hasn't she learned yet that she can't hold her liquor? XD

Just like always, she REALLY sees him ... just as he REALLY IS ... Orym deserves ALL THE FAITH she's always had in him ... and he'll ALWAYS be her champion no matter WHAT he's doing ... I love that ...

I told you ... she gets drunk TOO EASILY ...

The stamp! The stamp! LOL ... Marisha: "You all get Experience points!" Matt (laughing): "That's not how it works."

Bormodos visiting Zephrah? Interesting ...

The big dinner, then ... nice ...

Oh, okay, here we go, then ... the rest of the story for everybody in turn ...

Chetney first, then ... DOES he roll bad? He rolled a ONE but it's cocked ... no, he lives after all ... and now Aimee leaves AGAIN ... arse ...

He's being a mentor to FRIDA, then hands them off to eht Gorgynai ... interesting ... so now he's just being a mercenary, then? OKay ... oh, he's back at the shop at last? Even more interesting ... the PP? Oh boy ... fucking hell, he's like a whole fucking MOVEMENT now ... that is INSANE ... O.O

Fearne next ... OF COURSE she returns to the Fey Realm and Nana's ... studying under the Fatestitcher ... and of course right now NOBODY'S actually watching, so they can do what they want ... LOL ... Fearne gets plucking some threads, then ... but CAREFULLY, with respect ... OF COURSE ...

Ira? Seriously? Wow ... oh yeah, those two are TOTALLY back together ... LOL

BOOZE!!! YAY!!!

Eventually more adventuring ... STILL hunting for those Eggs ... oh, 4 sleight of hand checks? Interesting ... so she gets three of them, but the other two elude her grasp ...

Meanwhile she tries to free Opal from her Crown ...

Ashton up next ... he continues to investigate his particular condition ... with Essek's help, of course ... meanwhile the Dynasty ARE watching him ... with interest, not so much a threat, but still ... a little worrying, maybe ... ooh, but he does get a new hammer, at least ... it's pretty sweet ...

Working security on archaeological crews around Exandria ... nice ... bringing others along for some of the jobs, too ... particularly Braius ... meanwhile ALWAYS welcome whenever he visits the Manor, and Fearne ...and sometimes brings HER out with him too ... and more besides ... always having more adventures ...

Braius next ... he pursues his art, mostly ... yeah, makes sense ... "artful nudes of Nana Morri"? And a recurring motif of "evil babies" ... oh boy ... Jester's Gallery? Nice ... and then he starts looking into her religion of the Traveller ... oh, and the Lavish Chateau ... nice ... working security there? Cute ...

From then on, all of his painting contain a hidden dick ...

WHOA!!! The Traveller? Really? Sweet ... I mean I'm not surprised, honestly Braius seems like JUST the kind of chaos gremlin he's gravitate towards ...

Orym next ... and yeah, very much intertwined with Dorian's future, really ... so they're bvuilding their future TOGETHER ... awwwwwww ...

Yeah, makes sense he would pay visits to the Manor on occasion ... until ... shit ... looks like she's finally calling on him for her half of that Deal, then ... O.O

There's NO deal? What the fuck? Seriously, she's just been TROLLING HIM all this time? LOL ... That's fascinating ... but also ... yeah, so he's FREE then ... nice ... and SUCH a relief ...

So they're happy together and it's good, and there's trust, so they d0n't always HAVE TO be together ...

Meanwhile Dorian remains a free spirit who nonetheless calls on his friends when he needs them, or just WANTS THEM ... but he can also do just fine on his own, too ...

So all that's left now is Laudna and Imogen, then ...

OF COURSE they do it all together ... how else would they do it?

A little cottage in a clearing somewhere? That's so beautiful ... although yes, a Pock'O'Pea House would be a bit of a tourist trap ... nuts ... Unsettling Presence would indeed be helpful in this matter ...

Donkeys versus horses ... like, huh? What?

Flora? Sweet! Awwwww ... and yeah, Laudna's Back to the Future moment is PRICELESS ... XD

Oh shit, did Chetney finally die? Yeah, it was due ...

A wooden jellyfish? That is fucking weird ...

Oh, a check in with the Mighty Nein? I wasn't expecting THAT ... but it's not unwelcome ...

Ah yes ... THE WEDDING ... that's VITAL information ...

Meanwhile Caleb's scrambling to cover Essek in the face of what MIGHT be coming ... hmmmm ... exit plans for just in case ... yeah, it's wise ...

And the phantom of Ludinus once more rears his ugly head ... urgh ... wait ... is he HAPPY? That's almost MORE twisted ... oh, he's in the Shattered Teeth? Interesting ...

Oh yes, so Beau and Yasha are FINALLY adopting? Nice ...

Finally Vox Machina ...

And Grog is FINALLY going to Ruidus ... wow ... holy fuck, it's Gaz ... these two together is an INSANLEY awesome thing indeed ... I look forward to the fanart very much indeed ... XD

Scanlan's building Cerkonos up to get together with Lieve'tel? Cute ... and he's ACTUALLY GOING FOR IT ... my gods ... off to the Matron's temple, then ... oh, she makes the first move? That's perfect ... LOL

Vex and Percy continue to build Whitestone up into a major power across Exandria ... and BEYOND ... meanwhile Percy's actively trying to find the gods FIRST? Or at least his CHILDREN might ... interesting ...

Oh wow ... Keyleth's doing some SERIOUSLY powerful shit ... interesting ... wait ... did she find one? Wow ...

Pike's a bit adrift now she no longer has a patron ... hmmmm ... oh, they found "her"? Her who? The Everlight's new form? Wow ... that's awesome ...

Scanlan's STILL a centaur? Wow ... I'm not really SURPRISED, it would be hard to let go ot THAT horse cock ...

Oh, are they getting back together? Nice ...

Scanlan: "Do you want to be a centaur too?" Oh shit ... she DOES ... blimey ... he casts NINTH LEVEL TRUE POLYMORPH and turns her into a spectacular centaur mare ... that's hilariously awesome ... LOL

Oh, so that's it? Really? This is it, the end of it all? Gods, I hope not ... not REALLY ...

Wait ... oh, what's this? Is this ... what I think it is? Please let it be what I think it is ...

FUCK ... Vax is back ... he found her at last ... they got a happy ending after all ...

Matt Mercer you made me cry again, you beautiful bastard ... and so did Liam O'Brien and Marisha Ray, damn it ...

OKay, so ... where DOES THIS go from here? I mean this is it, the end of the whole thing, finally ... if there is anything else it won't take THIS form again, not a proper compaign, anyway ...

ASo what WILL the next Thursday be? And when?

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

ItaliJackets episodes 2x06 through 2x08!

Vaffanculo Count: 25, 13 for season 2. Shauna->Lottie about killing the goat (side note--Bruce the GOAT possible subtle New Jersey cultural pun?) in 2x07, Shauna->everyone in the argument in the Sharing Shack in 2x08.

IL NOSTRO BAMBINO, dice Lottie

"We hear the Wilderness and It hears us"->"Noi ascoltiamo i Boschi ed Essi ascoltano noi", yet later It becomes 1. singular and 2. feminine. "I Boschi," "the Woods," are "Essi," a formal (somewhat antiquated?) "They," but "It," when it isn't specifically denominated as the plural "Boschi," is "Lei," "She." Girlboss! #feminism #womenswrongs

"La Natura" for "the Wilderness" would just come across as non-insane Franciscan spirituality, a problem we already encountered in 1x10 where the ancient gods of "il cielo e la terra" in Lottie's bear prayer just didn't hit the same as the ancient gods of "the sky and the dirt".

Shauna giving birth is a real low point for Ben. He was their health teacher.

o hai beata vergine maria. when ueda akinari wrote "the blue hood" about an insane cannibalistic gay abbot, he was thinking of shauna!!!!!!

Shauna on Callie: LEI FA QUELLO CHE CAZZO LE PARE

Speaking of Callie, Roisin Nicosia is a new standout VA in these episodes.

They miss an opportunity for nude Christina Ricci in quella bara d'acqua, but we knew that already; sad.

It's so interesting what slights against others Misty does and doesn't understand as problematic. The woman is a persistent sexual harasser (maybe worse) and might be a serial killer as well, yet she understands exactly what's wrong with failing to be present through Shauna's birth, or getting Crystal or Nat killed. It's fascinatingly selective.

Caligula!!!! Racconta me, Meesty. Fidati di un uccello che ha il nome di un imperatore romano. Great stuff.

LA CARNE IPERCALORICA DELLE TUE CHIAPPE

They didn't do Tawny Cypress's ad-libbed "to tonight's impending scissor party. SAD!!!

The end of "Sepoltura" and beginning of "Sceglie" do NOT get easier to watch in translation.

Akilah still just calls the rat Nugget.

@stracciatellino: "I think we're past fingerless gloves season at this point"

"L'FBI???"

"E con la pelle grattata via come la crosta del pecorino!"

@stracciatellino and I have a longstanding friendly disagreement on the choice not to show any discussion of or brainstorming about the card game, and we have it in Italian too: I think it's an interesting and moving choice not to show it (like the lacunae at the climaxes of some Ozu movies or Austen novels), whereas he thinks it's a missed opportunity to depict an important moment in the group dynamic. Sometimes seeing all the groundwork laid for something but not the culmination invites questions that are more interesting than an answer would be, but when it does and doesn't work is entirely subjective.

Nat's defiance is so hot.

It's interesting that they don't just kill Travis. He's right there, he's broken the rules so he should be fair game, they have a knife to his throat, and yet they double down on going after Nat instead. @stracciatellino: "I guess they started up with the Queen of Hearts being a very strict rule and downgraded it to a suggestion."

Not at all a new observation, but I love how Lottie has very specific, damning points to make about almost all of them, but then when she gets to Van she's just "what happened to you, man? you used to be cool."

I BOSCHI HANNO SCELTO! RIP, Javi.

One more episode!

[thestupidhelmet]

G6 for the Jukebox ask game if you aren’t buried in asks and are still accepting more! 😁

G 6: Gambling, Kelso

Kelso and his friends go to Vegas for his bachelor party weekend. Brooke, however, makes sure Donna is part of the party.

Donna justifies her self-invitation because she was "one of the guys" for so long that she's grandfathered in. Fez finds the concept fascinating. Hyde is amused, and Eric's happy Donna's there. Kelso, though, thinks Brooke sent Donna to babysit him.

During the drive to Vegas ...

Kelso (to Donna): We're not going to any strip clubs. Just the casinos -- God! I can't believe Brooke still doesn't trust me. Maybe we're not ready to get married.

Donna: Kelso, settle down --

Hyde: That's what he's doin' next week if he doesn't screw up this weekend.

Donna: I'm here to have fun, okay? And to make sure you don't have too much fun gambling.

Kelso: Well, if I have fun gambling, that means I'm winning. So you should make sure I do have fun.

Fez: Don't play poker.

Kelso: But I'm good at poker.

Eric: Hate to break it to ya, Buddy, but your're not. Even I can spot your tells.

Kelso: What are tells?

Hyde: Hey, how's about we skip the casino and play poker in one of our hotel rooms? Winning dough from your friends is more fun than from the casino, man.

Donna: Hyde.

Hyde: What?

Donna crosses her arms over her chest and rolls her eyes. This weekend will be tougher than she anticipated.

***

Later at a casino, Kelso's discovered the joy of slot machines. He likes the noise and the heavy buckets of quarters he's won.

Hyde finds him in a row of one-armed bandits and glances at a bucket half full of dirty quarters. Kelso's fingers are stained with the same dirt, but Kelso doesn't care. He's making a killing.

Kelso: Hey, Hyde! Guess what my new favorite number is.

Hyde: Zero.

Kelso: No, seven! I keep winning!

Hyde: Have you cashed in yet?

Kelso: Yeah! The casino gives the best twenties. They're all crispy, and the sevens turn them into those. (He nods at the half-full bucket of quarters.)

Hyde: You saving any of those crisp twenties?

Kelso: I'm on a hot streak!

Hyde: I'll take that as a no.

Kelso: Sit down already. Play some slots with me. If you get sevens, we can celebrate. If you lose, I can laugh at you. It's win-win.

Hyde: Nah. I'm gonna head to my room and take a nap.

Hyde pats Kelso's shoulder and leaves. Kelso is confused but doesn't let that stop him from gambling.

***

Hyde passes by Fez, who's playing at a black jack table. Fez is doing well. Beyond him is a craps table where Donna is cheering on Eric. Eric is actually on a hot streak. Hyde approaches him, but Donna spots Hyde first.

Donna: Hyde! Oh, my God -- Eric's winning money for us and everyone surrounding the table. Craps is so cool!

Hyde: Kelso's losing all his money in the slot machines. He's freakin' oblivious.

Donna: Really? Damn, I'll drag him out of his hole.

Eric: Wait! Donna, you can't leave me now. You're my good luck charm! I'm gonna lose if you go.

The other gamblers at the table glare at Donna, but she leaves anyway.

Eric (to Hyde): Are you lucky? Please tell me you are. I think these guys'll kill me if I make a bad throw.

Hyde: That's gambling, man. The house always wins.

Eric: You lost it all, didn't you? Get out of here.

Eric tosses the dice. Lucky eleven.

Hyde: Haven't lost anything. Haven't gambled.

Eric: Oh.

Hyde: Hot streaks end, man. Remember that.

Hyde exits the casino and goes to his room for that nap.

***

Donna sits down at the slot machine beside Kelso. She plays a little until Kelso becomes aware of her presence.

Kelso: Donna! Do you have any quarters?

Donna shakes her plastic bucket. Coins rattle inside.

Kelso: Great! My machine went lousy on me, but it's gonna turn around. I can feel it.

Donna: And you're gonna turn around and stop gambling. I can feel it.

Kelso: Huh?

Donna: You go overboard with everything, and Brooke knew you would here. That's why you don't have access to your bank account.

Kelso shrieks.

Donna: Yeah, say no more.

Donna drags Kelso by his ear out of the casino and to the bank if elevators that lead to the hotel rooms. Kelso complains the whole time about Brooke's lack of trust and how she's keeping him from winning back their money.

Donna, outside of Hyde's hotel door, says, "You should've been smart enough not to lose it in the first place."

She bangs on the door. Hyde opens it. Donna shoves Kelso at him and says, "He's your problem now."

***

Hyde sits on the edge of the king-size bed in his room. Beside him is Jackie, who's hand rests on his knee. Kelso sputters.

Hyde: How much cash you got left?

Kelso pulls his jeans pockets inside-out. They're empty.

Jackie: Wow! You've become a total cliché.

Kelso: Hyde, why didn't you stop me?

Hyde: I tried. You didn't listen

Kelso (tugging at his hair and pacing the room): Brooke's gonna kill me! Or worse: not marry me!

Hyde slings his arm around Jackie and says, "Been tellin' you this for years -- you got to learn to think! Vegas was a dumb idea for your bachelor party, but we can't think for you. So we went with you, hopin' you'd matured enough to think of your family first."

Jackie: He was thinking of them. Thinking he could make money to support Brooke, Betsy, and baby number two.

Kelso: Exactly! (To Hyde) Your folks used to gamble all the time when you were growing up. You must've learned some tricks. Teach me! I promise to pay back whatever you lend me with interest.

Hyde: First, I'm not givin' you any dough. Second, alls Bud and Edna taught me was never gamble. 'Specially Bud. Loan sharks caught up to him and cut off his thumbs.

Jackie gasps. "You didn't tell me that!'

Kelso looks at his thumbs and says, "But I need these!"

Hyde: Kelso -- (blows out a breath, exasperated) -- I had Jackie meet me here 'cause she's the best gamble I ever made. The only one that counts. Brooke's gambling on you to use common sense. I wouldn't take those odds, but she has.

Kelso: You're right. I've let her down. Let my daughter and unborn kid down. What am I supposed to do?

Jackie: Better.

***

Everyone is seated in a fancy restaurant for dinner. Kelso was surprised when Fez told him where the reservation was made. Now that they're browsing at the menu, Kelso says, "Are we doing a dine-and-dash?"

Eric: We're celebrating your last days as a bachelor.

Kelso: But I can't afford this.

Donna: We know. But it turns out Eric's really good at craps.

Eric: All those years of playing board games paid off.

Fez passes Kelso a rectangular gift box. Kelso opens it and finds the exact amount of money he lost in the slots.

Kelso: How?

Fez: I figured out the secret to black jack! (Whispers) Keep track of the card already played. I am filthy, filthy rich. Rhonda and I can both go to culinary school now and buy a house!

Donna: Isn't that, like, cheating?

Jackie: There are no rules against outsmarting a casino.

Hyde: Not yet. (To Fez) If other people figure out what you did ... that's gonna be interesting.

Kelso (overwhelmed): Guys, thank you so much! You saved my marriage! Which I'm not in yet.

Donna: Only if you've learned from this experience.

Kelso: Oh, I've definitely learned: I have good friends who'll dig me out of my messes

Hyde stands up and frogs Kelso in the shoulder.

Kelso: And to think -- damn, Hyde! You almost turned me into a one-armed bandit.

***

While Kelso continued to do stupid things throughout his life, they weren't life-altering, and he never gambled again.

Jukebox Ask Game

[the0retically]

114 Thoughts

- I wrote down almost every thought I had while watching this episode and I already want to go back and rewatch it, but if anyone wants to read my descent to madness here it is!

- Jay and Chip peak siblings this episode though

- IT’S GILLY SKIN??

- “That’s gilly skin.” “Well….hope he’s alright”

- Why do I feel like Goobleck is about to come back

- Also them talking about the ways they’ve thought about dying is So sad

- God fuck RAFT, they’re studying the hollowed to use it??

- Oh god other triton skin, is edyn here??

- Also when I said I wanted another Chip and Jay session of them doing stuff I didn’t want this

- Bizly and Condi need to deafen and leave for this?????

- That’s gotta be Edyn in this room with Gill right?

- WAIT IS IT ARLIN?? IS ARLIN UP ON THE HOOKS WITH GILLION?? Ok no it’s a triton

- KUBA KENTA?? He always said rats, is it him?? HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD IT IS

- GILLION YOU PUT THE HELMET ON??

- Oh god this helmet device is Not good, Gillion :(

- HE FEELS THE NEED TO BE A MORE OBEDIENT SOLDIER WHAT THE FUCK??

- Charlie rolled a zero on initiative goodness

- 20 ON STEALTH LETS GOOO GILLION!!

- HES BACK WITH THE GROUP!

- Also Gill please tell them about Kuba, good job that they know about his thoughts about the prophecy now but please they should know about Kuba

- “Fuck my fucking gay ass stupid life” CONDI PLEASE

- Fish and chips I hate you /j what the hell do you mean you dock your poles together??

- I do love that Chibo is still a nickname that’s just fun

- Oh god please tell me the crew didn’t follow them into the stronghold

- Chip is going through it

- “Praise the solar mother” ???? Ok grandma ferin

- But also I cannot believe they split up and left Jay alone

- And now Condi has to deafen while we’re with Gill and Chip goodness

- WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT GILLION IS NOT GILLION

- “They didn’t make me with all of his memories; you didn’t really think I just grew the skin back did you?”

- God and Condi is deafened for this oh not Not Ferin Well OH NO

- “I took the fireball for you” “yeah and that’s when I knew I had you”

- Charlie you’re too good at this

- My face is numb oh god chip please be ok

- “You hear in your head: chip is about to die” NO NO NO NO

- I have never felt dread like this before for a piece of media oh my god

- “…I don’t know how chip works?” “I don’t either dude!”

- Also I really want the riptide dice whenever they come out

- God Gillion seeing himself again must be Difficult

- Gill still has 1 HP goodness

- They’re gonna die, I’ve never been this scared for them

- THANK GOD THEYRE OUT THEYRE BACK TOGETHER

- oh god a chase now

- I JUST CHOKED OH MY WATER “oh yeah guys Kuna Kenta is downstairs! :D”

- Literally had to get up and pace for a few minutes

- “Do you think we can befriend doppel-Gilly?”

- Thank god doppel-Gilly can’t use prophetic screwup

- “Hey dopple-Gilly it is your destiny to jump into the hole” OH MY GOD??

- This has become some looney tunes shenanigans and I love it

- “I killed you once and I’ll do it again!” “I’m gonna go down with a smile and fuck you up and change the trajectory of your life!”

- This is insanity

- Also ok but both Chip and Gillion trying to convince Jay to get the other out of that room and save the other was Heartbreaking

- DOPPLE-GILLY IS PULLING FROM THE DECK?????? BIZLY WHY DID YOU SUGGEST THAT

- Prophetic screwup playing during this is so funny

- Condi just losing it and then everyone else just laughing is killing me

- This episode has been incredible holy shit

[r1ng-w0rm]

LBB! OC BIKER GANG (wip/concept??)

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Alrighty sooooooo I was thinking about one of my og/non fandom ocs- Roach [Roach is a hellracer/nascar racetrack owner within the swag pits of hell. He's also an engineer, but that's not important atm] B- and thinking about his character background got me interested in making a biker gang OC(?) for that awesome sim, Loveless Biker Boys (p.s u should play it <3).

CW/TW: Blood Oaths, uh.. Nascar murder durby? Suffocation/inhaling toxic gasses???

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◂◄Flamin' Biker Boys►▸

▸►Feel the burn! [Background info]◄◂

The Flamin' Biker Boys was a gang originally started by the one and only well known Nascar/Racetrack Murder Derby owner- Verner 'Roach' Hemp: A man who considers his racetrack to be the love of his life.

Though as the years passed, 'Nettie' and Matthias had moved near Roaches racetrack to help Roach manage the murder derby.. Then soon after that two more people joined (who'll be discussed later). Then after seeing the more than exciting beef going between the Loveless Bikers and the Rival Bikers, the group wanted to join in on the supposed violence. Thus the Flamin' Biker Boys were born!

But-.. How'd they come up with that name?.. Well they originally started with Irradiated Biker Boys due to the amount of nuclear waste around the racetrack and because their biker suit colors and uniforms were themed towards being neon green, but soon the radiation had bombarded its way into the derbies underground lounge...and as Roach walked down the concrete slab-like steps to inspect the issue- a sulphuric stench had already knocked it's way into Roaches brain, ridding his current state unconscious.. Though instead of killing him instantly, it mutated each sweat gland and pore within his body to produce a flammable substance- but instead of warning the rest, he was like "come down here so we can set our hair on fire and be cool!!🤓"

I haven't fully thought through the gangs status background so don't judge me(plz).

▸►MORE UNDER THE CUT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BLOCK UR FEED◄◂

▸►YES AND NO'S TO BECOMING A MEMBER. AKA WAYS INTO BECOMING AN OFFICIAL MEMBER◄◂

If you're thinking of joining these bad boys, here's a few things you gotta remember!

Be just a tad bit vehicle smart! (Whether you know a tiny bit or a lot)

Be able to withstand extremely high temperatures and violent conditions when you're on the race track.

Don't complain about the smell.

Please glare at the other biker groups to make yourself look cool!!

▸►IF YOU DO MAKE IT IN◄◂

While I will talk more about what'd each biker would do to welcome you in(due to each of them having special abilities to mutate you), Roach would most likely be the one to woo you into mutating to officially be a member. He'd probably lock you into the old irradiated lounge room to see if you'll survive.

If you do survive, Congrats! You got cool inflamed hair(or your pores can release a deadly gas.. There's actually multiple things you could possibly end up getting, I'm just naming the two most common).

If you don't survive, you're either a melted blob of flesh and bloody goop or you're charred to death.

▸►IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT IN◄◂

If you're wanting to go into a No Murder/Gore route: they'd probably just be like "I'm sorry, but go bother someone else"

If you want to go into a more violent route: there's multiple things that could happen- they burn you, you suffocate to death, you're handed over to the Rival Biker Boys uh... So on so forth.

▸►ABOUT THE BELOVED FLAMIN' RACER BOYS◄◂

These drawings are quick design concepts for them + Dante's official design

☣︎Dante-

A 30 year old, 6'4 god complexed man who still believes that Dice and Jeff are the same person disguised as two.

Dante's the supposed charisma of the group.

His flaims range between a multitude of colors, but mostly stay Highlighter yellow.

☣︎Moth-

A 26 year old, 6'6 eye sewn intelligent man whos IQ is above 200.

His name isn't actually Moth, it's Francis. The only reason why he's called Moth is because he called a wasp a moth and everyone absolutely destroyed his ego about it.

Moths flames usually remain teal or sea foam green.

☣︎Verner 'Roach' Hemp and 'NETTIE' Hemp

I put these two together because you guys already know a bit about them BUTTTT-

Two completely opposite brothers who don't actually hate eachother. Roach being 42 years old and 5'6, while 'NETTIE' is 51 and stands at 7'0.

The funny thing about these two is that Roach owns a Hellracing nascar murder derby while Nettie owns a hefty metal welding warehouse that specializes in creating absolutely screwed up violent vehicle parts.

Roaches his hair is more lava/corium-like than it is at being pure fire, but his magma hair is usually a salmon pink color.

'NETTIE' On the other hand can change the color of his inflamed skull. It was originally a pastel yellow, but he usually switches from a toxic green to a midnight purple.

☣︎Matthias *insert whatever*

A 35 year old, 6'4 man who deems himself the better twin between him and Tobias.

He's one of the racetracks 'enthusiastic' speakers/radio hosts. He specializes in making his own hazmat suits!

Matthias likes to keep his flames a classicorange! Totally not because he likes to mock his brain fried brother, but because he thinks orange actually suits him. (It doesn't, personally the rest see Matthias being a rose gold/dead pink kind of guy).

☣︎DOOBIE THE NEWBIE

An 18 year old, 5'9 man who idolizes the loveless biker boys just a bit too much.

Doobie (real name being: Dud) is a guy who originally sparked his stupid, drug-ridden way up to the top alongside his supposed childhood friend Neon, but instantly turned down Neons suggestion/invitation to join the rivals.

Doobie doesn't have any cool flame hair since he's the newbie, but his real hair is an auburn color.

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I plan on writing more for them(like their opinions on others etc)

[forsaire]

ACTUALLY you should tell us about your dnd characters (any of your choice. Or all of them)

Do you only use them in dnd or do you use them as OCs for other things too?

OKAY, if you so want it 😌

They're just dnd characters, never used beyond the campaign. I don't have OC's in the way you might think. I create side/supporting characters for my fics or dnd characters to play but they only exist in that context. I don't create headcanons or art or talk about them beyond that like I "own" them.

I've even drawn some of my dnd characters during sessions for fun as well as everyone else's characters. I have kept all my dnd sheets over the past ten years and its getting a bit thick.

Let's try going chronologically order (to the best of my memory)

Annabelle Montgomery VII (f)

Race & Class: Dwarf Ranger

Accent: child, higher pitched

Fun fact: 14 children in her family, all of them named either Annabelle or Craig. Liked chasing squirrels into the forest at a whim (to explain why I was gone for long periods of time while I was away at university).

Rizzo Ravioli (m)

Race & Class: Halfling Fighter

Accent: 1950's Greaser

Fun fact: wore a leather jacket and had slicked back black hair. Just devious. A little nuisance guy. Said something so insulting to one of the other characters that she rolled to slap and got a nat 20. I saw God with that slap.

Olivander Swolkin (m)

Race & Class: Human Bard

Accent: none (it was going to be British then there happened to be a real life breathing British person put in our dnd group. I threw that idea away quick to avoid the embarassment)

Fun fact: a performer who played the saxophone under the stage name Oli Swole. Handsome beyond believe. Was dancing with a girl when she got stolen away by one of the other characters. Absolutely cucked.

Aurora Maravella (f)

Race & Class: Half-elf sorcerer

Accent: none

Fun fact: Of noble background with wild magic. Developed motherly relationship with one of the other player characters. Had a golem she also treated like a child. One of the players made little clay figures for everyone. Aurora is now a permanent fixture shoved in the plastic container of the only set of dice I use.

Benni Bartok (m)

Race & Class: Halfling Rogue

Accent: the exact voice from the funny little bat in the Anastasia movie

Fun fact: Just a guy. But like, good this time. Only a bit of a criminal due to his background, but just a guy. Absolutely loved doing the accent. Everyone's fun uncle. I want to bring him back again.

Sheriquin Florenzio (f)

Race & Class: Half-orc Barbarian

Accent: judgmental

Fun fact: Only played once actually. But she was like, a pretty orc. Had one funny moment where I was talking to a nerd kid and I poured my ramen into his overfilling it. You had to be there.

Kai Dwyn-Eyre (f)

Race & Class: Triton Warlock

Accent: None

Fun fact: Warlock but Intelligence based. Out there to learn and be a scribe. Got the recipe for goat cheese. Hell yeah. It's possible something happened to her family. Idk

Jackie Justice (f)

Race & Class: Human Fighter

Accent: deeper voice, dude-bro

Fun fact: Drinks her own breast milk. That uhh... that kind of accidentally happened. My friends won't let me live that one down. Talks a lot about the old "college buddies".

Marigold Abernathy (f)

Race & Class: Human Ranger / Dilettante Harlequin when we switched to Pulp Cthulhu

Accent: Posh British

Fun fact: Part of the 1950's housewives campaign. Had an affair with the hot blacksmith Jack because her husband was awful but it turns out Jack was just being paid off to keep her busy. She killed Jack upon hearing this (girl power). Fell in love at age 15 to a boy her her father would never accept (because racism) and sent to boarding school when she became pregnant. Baby was given up and never seen again. Had to learn to become a mother when her husband (before he died due to zombies, dont worry about it) adopted a random French child that didn't speak any English. But the relationship between Marigold and Geneviève naturally grew and now she loves the child. Always looking for a nice man to actually love her.

I mostly play dnd just for the improv roleplay and coming up with weird ways to solve a problem, im not super into historical lore or fighting. Worldbuilding is hit or miss but it should be fun and grounded. I care so much more about the quirky person selling me shoes that I can talk to about their wife leaving them and encourage him to yes, finally ask the bar maid out, than I do about patrons or gods or planes of existence or prophecies or things like that.

there they are

i also DM'd a oneshot once and came prepared with maps and puzzles and music and physical notes that people could find and read.

[un-local]

What do you think stops Rogier from being emotionally vulnerable? Do you think it’s something tied to his pride?

Hi anon!

Oooo, this is a fun question >:3

Really, it could be any number of things. This game is incredibly vague, so it’s very much up to reader interpretation/preference. Here’s my own personal read:

It’s a defense mechanism of sorts. A way to deal with the fact that no one really seems to in his corner. Fia’s using him to get to the cursemark, and D’s had a nasty falling out with him. (If his dialogue about Rogier is anything to go by.) I don’t think anyone else in the Hold even mentions him. 

Which is all to say: he’s on his own out there. He doesn’t have anyone to turn to, despite how much he may or may not need it. (And the way I write him; he needs it.)

Maybe this is a personal opinion, but the one thing that feels worse than opening up is doing so and getting something that completely misses the mark in response. God, that’ll kill ya. It’s a gut punch. As alienated as Rogier is implied to be, that kind of “misattunement” or whatever might feel even worse.

So, opening up invites the risk of an interaction turning sour. 

Given both D and Fia’s vast schisms in worldviews/values with Rogier, it might feel like a gamble to be vulnerable with of them nowadays. So, by never opening up at all, there’s no guessing game. No dice roll, no Russian Roulette. Utter Detachment = Utter Invulnerability. You can’t lose the game if you never play, right?

To quote one of my chapter endnotes: 

Rogier keeps a lot of emotion under the surface. He refuses to express it, and behaves with utter detachment in doing so. So, any interaction that could caused heightened emotion... it puts that aloof facade he clings to at risk. In a past post, I've summarized Rogier's mental state as this:

There's a fear, when you keep everything bottled up so tight. When you've never had that "safety" to be upset. That when you finally do crack, the whole dam will break, and everything will come out, and it'll be a goddamn mess. There's a fear you'll lose yourself in the flood. It'll be too much for you or anyone else to handle. Visions of avalanche. So on, so forth. [Ch 17 Endnotes Essay]

So yeah. I think it started out as a way to protect himself in his (presumed) life of nobility before. Something to keep interpersonal interactions predicable and tame; thus easy to navigate. But as time progressed, it’s something he’s become more and more dependent on. Without it, there’s a fear of losing himself in the deluge, so to speak. 

I’d like to point to Alberich here. If we want to, we might see Alberich as a sort of corrupted, twisted version of Rogier. A malicious externalization of everything he’s ever let fester inside him. Or at least, what Rogier fears he’d become should he express the depths of his “anger, grief, regret, [and] fears.” A jungian shadow, to go with Crunchy’s style of analysis. (Not that I’ve finished that video yet…)

And if you want my batshit thoughts on Alberich as Rogier’s foil… more here. Cursed art included. 

So, uh…. Yeah. I think it’s a defense mechanism, one that’s become the source of many of his problems. A vicious cycle. He can’t trust others because he’s alone; and he’s alone because he can’t trust others. 

I know I kept you waiting a while on this answer, anon. Thank you for your patience! Ngl: Baldur’s gate came out on console recently, and… uh… huh? Who am I again? What day is it? I think I finally snapped myself out of it, though. (Lie)

Jokes aside, thank you for the ask anon! :D

[matzstars]

We Should Kiss Like Real People Do

Summary: It's Game Night at Cyno's house for the still-only friends 4ggravate crew, and Kaveh is making margaritas for their first round of Genius Invokation TCG. Yet, the alcohol keeps flowing, and by the third round of TCG, the air becomes a bit more charged with something other than competitiveness. (Author's Note at End)

Content: 2,417 words, rated mature, 4ggravate, Kaveh/Cyno/Tighnari/Alhaitham

CW: Drinking (until drunk), but read tags just in case

Crossposted on AO3

Kaveh rolled his eyes, his blush fading as he began to shake the margarita mix and tequila together, ice clinking inside the metal cup. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he poured a bit more tequila than necessary into it and shook it again before pouring it into the four glasses. Grudgingly, he took out the lime Cyno had sliced up and perched a slice on Alhaitham’s glass, just as he liked it.

“Alright you vultures, there you go,” he said, taking his and sipping from it. He hummed. He mixed it well.

Alhaitham gave him a leery look as if Kaveh might have poisoned his drink before taking a slow sip. He sat quietly for a moment before saying, “You can’t save money, but you can make a good margarita. Maybe you should quit being an architect and ask Diluc for a job.”

“And maybe you should get a job as a professional shit-talker,” Kaveh shot back. He wouldn’t lie and say he hadn’t considered doing architecture on the side, but when it came from Alhaitham’s mouth, it seemed utterly ridiculous.

“You’d make crazy money being a professional shit-talker,” Cyno piled on with a small smile. “You know, people pay to be degraded because they find it arousing. I bet you’d be good at that.”

Kaveh and Tighnari burst out laughing, and Alhaitham grumbled about how he’d never indulge strangers in such a lascivious way, looking down at his drink.

“Okay, okay,” Tighnari said around his laughter. “Game time, game time.” He slid off the counter, tail swinging back and forth and patting Alhaitham on the shoulder as he walked past.

They all followed him, Cyno flipping off the kitchen light as they settled around the dining room table.

Set-up went quickly, and soon, they were rolling the first dice of the game. By the second round, their glasses were empty, and Cyno brought out the spiked lemonade and straight vodka.

“You bastard,” Kaveh swore at Alhaitham as he officially killed his Nahida.

Alhaitham stared at him, gaze sharp yet slightly unfocused. “Play better then,” he replied.

“Ha!” Cyno yelled. He’d dealt enough damage to take Alhaitham’s Raiden down to 1. In victory, he downed a shot of vodka.

“Don’t celebrate, Cyno,” Tighnari said, cheeks flushed. He had stacked an artifact and dealt damage to all three of Cyno’s cards.

“You!”

Dice clattered across the table, and Kaveh felt a little unsteady, even sitting down as he finished his third spiked lemonade. Gods, he was going to be so hung over tomorrow. At least Cyno always let them spend the night.

The drunker he was, the less Alhaitham talked, and he was silent as he ended the last of Kaveh’s cards with a lazy swipe of his hand. Kaveh didn’t even know how much Alhaitham had drunk, but he didn’t care.

“How can you do that, Haitham?” Kaveh cried out, staring at his cards and then at Alhaitham’s two remaining. “It’s unfair you can’t be this good.”

“Yeah, you totally wrecked him,” Tighnari added, tapping on Kaveh’s Yoimiya. “You even got Yoimiya.”

“I’ll beat him, Kaveh, no worries,” Cyno said, eyes bright even as he missed the dice he grabbed for.

“It doesn’t matter, I lost!” Kaveh said and sat back, crossing his arms. “Again!”

“You talk too much for someone who always loses,” Alhaitham said. Kaveh was envious of his steadiness. Alhaitham always seemed to hold his liquor better than the rest of them, the only sign he was drunk was being quieter than usual and sleeping for way too long. “Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Alhaitham stood up and Kaveh scooted back in his seat, suddenly a little nervous.

“Uh oh,” Tighnari whispered, his ears drooped against his head from the alcohol.

Uh oh indeed, Kaveh thought as Alhaitham stalked over.

“Joking, Haitham, joking!” Kaveh exclaimed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. He scrambled out of his chair to put a few feet between him. He didn’t think Alhaitham would truly hurt him, but he had no clue what Alhaitham would do to make him shut up.

“Didn’t sound like a joke to me,” Alhaitham replied, closing the distance. His eyes glimmered, and Kaveh could smell the vodka mixed with Alhaitham’s cologne.

Before he could get him, Kaveh darted away, inserting himself between Tighnari and Cyno. He stumbled, catching himself on the back of Tighnari’s chair because his scrambled brain lied to him about where the floor was.

“I would stop running if I were you,” Cyno quipped, looking over Kaveh’s shoulder and leaning away. “I don’t think you’re getting out of this one, Kaveh.”

“No, no, I will not stop. I will not shut up until Alhaitham stops being a mean ass mmph–” Kaveh’s words were muffled as Alhaitham grabbed him and pulled him into a bruising kiss, Alhaitham’s hands clutching his face.

“Oh shit,” Tighnari said somewhere in the distance.

Kaveh didn’t breathe, didn’t even try to speak as the world practically dissolved around him. Alhaitham was so fucking mean, so ornery, but damn, them kissing felt so right, like a key sliding into your home’s front door lock. His lips tasted like the lime he’d sucked on and the peach vodka he kept at Cyno’s house to keep Kaveh out of it. Kaveh dug his fingers into the bunched-up fabric of Alhaitham’s white button-up, a small whimper leaving him.

With a quiet grunt, Alhaitham pulled away, shaking his head. “See, you shut up just fine,” he said and sat back down in his chair.

Kaveh blinked hard, drunk brain trying to catch up. Wordlessly, he sat down. He touched his lips and stared at Alhaitham. Was it merely to shut him up? An excuse?

Cyno and Tighnari shifted in their seats. Kaveh couldn’t tell if they were uncomfortable or…something else.

“So, what are you two waiting for? We have a game to finish,” Alhaitham muttered and rolled his dice. Cyno and Tighnari startled as if they were in a trance but nodded.

Still shocked, Kaveh got up and went into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water and sipped it, hoping to sober up. Alhaitham…kissed him. And fuck, if Kaveh said he didn’t want to kiss his stupid face again, he’d be a liar. From the dining room, he heard Tighnari lose his last card with a groan and his chair scrape across the wooden floor. Within a few seconds, Tighnari joined him in the kitchen with a quiet giggle.

“You know, Kaveh, Alhaitham might have had the right idea,” Tighnari said, leaning into Kaveh’s space. His ears flicked briefly up before drooping back down, his tail beginning to wag.

Absently, Kaveh petted Tighnari’s ears like he always did during their movie nights when Tighnari curled up between him and Cyno. “What do you mean?” he asked, not even thinking much of it as he nursed his glass of water.

“You can’t be that stupid from the alcohol,” Tighnari muttered, his tail wagging harder at Kaveh’s gentle hands on his ears. He grabbed the front of Kaveh’s shirt, pulled Kaveh to his height, and kissed him. Kaveh almost dropped his glass, fingers going limp at Tighnari’s insistent movements, pressing against him and nipping at his lips.

“Fuck,” Kaveh mumbled against Tighnari’s mouth, shakily setting down the glass before tangling his fingers in Tighnari’s hair. It felt similar to kissing Alhaitham but more passionate like Tighnari wanted to devour him. Gods he was fucked. Did friends do this? Kiss each other when they were drunk?

Tighnari pinned Kaveh to the counter, his feverishly hot hands beginning to slide under Kaveh’s shirt when they heard a shout of victory from Cyno. They jumped apart as if burned, Tighnari panting and Kaveh dazed.

Before they could even recover, Cyno bounded into the kitchen, practically singing. “See told you I would win, Kaveh!” Cyno crowed and ruffled Kaveh’s hair, seemingly oblivious to his and Tighnari’s states. Cyno picked up Kaveh’s glass and downed the water. Alhaitham wandered in, eyes sticking to Kaveh immediately.

Kaveh felt his face turn redder. Alhaitham looked…odd.

“Alright, alright, movie time!” Cyno said, wrapping an arm around Kaveh and Tighnari’s shoulders and dragging them into the living room, past the dining table with their abandoned cards and glasses. Kaveh stumbled over his feet, grabbing onto Cyno’s waist to stop himself from smashing his face on the floor. They were practically thrown on the couch, Alhaitham calmly following after and sitting much closer than usual to Kaveh.

“We’re watching Spiderman,” Cyno continued. “Into the Spiderverse.”

“Well, I’m laying down,” Tighnari mumbled, laying across their three laps as if it was nothing. And it was, for the most part. Tighnari did often lay across their laps during movie night but never drunk and never with three out of the four of them so…tense.

Kaveh watched as Cyno’s hand crept possessively into Tighnari’s hair, petting his ears as the opening credits rolled. And Alhaitham, usually not touchy, laid his hand on Tighnari’s calf. Kaveh rested his hands on Tighnari’s hip, unsure of what else to do because Tighnari usually had his head in Kaveh’s lap.

Ten minutes passed, and Kaveh could feel Alhaitham’s free hand sneaking into his hair, stroking softly. It was heartbreakingly tender, enough so that Kaveh wondered if the universe really had come up with nicer clones of people and had replaced Alhaitham at some point in the night. He wouldn’t say anything. He didn’t dare to possibly break the moment hanging between all of them. Instead, Kaveh closed his eyes and rested his head on Alhaitham’s shoulder. If his roommate was going to be nice, he would take advantage of every second of it.

Rough fingers brushed against his cheek, bringing with them the woody scent of bergamot and amber wood. Cyno. They traced over his cheek, over his lips, then across his jawline, as if he was trying to map Kaveh’s face.

With the weight of Tighnari in his lap and Cyno and Alhaitham touching him, Kaveh thought that it was something like heaven, the heaven he dreamed about when he hugged a pillow to sleep at night. His body felt heavy and slow as he drifted off, this moment seared into his memories.

A/N: Okay y'all, don't kill me. This is my first ever Genshin fic, and to be honest, I'm only AR 27 so I have not gotten to Sumeru like...at all. These four have been rotting my brain even before I started playing, but since I genuinely haven't had any in-game interactions with them, I've only begun to get an idea of their characterization and their dynamics from other fans (and reading the Wiki). So, I am open to constructive criticism for their characterization and dynamics! I do intend to continue this as a series, so feedback is really important.

Title from "Like Real People Do" by Hozier

[team-heavenly]

Chapter 22 - Climbing Sky Peak

Otherwise known as *rolls dice*

...Oh my God-

YEAH SURE WHY NOT!!

This post is going to begin a little a lot more differently than usual. Going in, I knew the Sky Peak arc was going to be a nightmare of text boxes. So I did a little experimenting and took a video of its introduction in Rotom's Cafe - click here to watch that before moving onward.

(Obligatory apologies for many potentially distracting things, including but not limited to: crooked pictures, cloudy lighting, the camera refocusing randomly, random hand cameos, and specks of dirt on the screen.)

I mean—

(I can’t seem to find the artist for this‚ if anyone happens to know who it is pls hmu so I can credit)

Exactly! Let's follow Rhydon's lead and head forth to check out this mountain-

...Er, right. I mean, the Cloudy Well. (Is this the pollution I was foreshadowing?)

Actually, the name feels reminiscent of a level from Spyro 🤔

Butseriouslythisissogodd*mnfunnyamythicalvillagefullOFONIXLMAAAAOOOO

Also don't worry about Team Frontier partially out of frame there, we'll get to them in a minute.

I've played this game for I don't know how many years now, and I literally only had this thought just now-

...But why didn't some flying Pokémon just bypass the ruined mountain pass? Sure, it's inaccessible to everyone else, but unless the entire peak was scorched earth, there's... really no reason for it to have become shrouded in mystery. 🤷‍♀️

Uh, I think that if you lead us on an arduous trek of one of the highest mountains on the continent only for us to arrive at the peak and go "haha just kidding, the treasure was the friendships we made along the way ^-^" I will actually kill you. FYI.

"Hey, Teresa? What do you think? Should we let Onix join us?"

*says no* *gets stuck in a recursive formula* *breaks the world*

...Just kidding, of course 😅

Team Heavenly is more or less prepared already, so of course my top priority is talking to the NPCs.

We... We can't request... a what?!

I have no idea why "rescue" is randomized like a dungeon name here. And in case you think this is a one-off:

??????????

I just thought the idea of a merchant Clefairy (actually he replaces Pelipper, but I digress) was so cute.

Ah and... Team Frontier... Oh man, where do I even begin?

Now, Jolteon is pretty fitting! I can especially see him with Breloom's style of speaking. He also ended up being a great asset in battles, so no complaints here.

So, let's address the Copperajah in the room. You must be wondering what the heck Deoxys is doing here. But clearly, he's the leader, right?

Wrong.

Don't ask how she took the throne. It's said she once razed an entire village with her fangs alone.

No, Deoxys is... a giggly space queen? Which might even be funnier than the phrase "Onix Village" 🤭

...Yeah, best of luck with that one, bud.

Because Onix is a very large Pokémon, I couldn't have anyone else on the team :( So it was just the three of us on this long, dreary trek.

The first section of Sky Peak Cloudy Well was dubbed "Significant Port." (I apparently didn't snap any pictures of the dungeon itself... whoops.)

But similar to this, the first floor was dead silent. No music. And it was snowing. Classic Mt. Silver creepypasta vibes.

Here's a fresh look at Teresa and Andrea's status, alongside Onix. Note the <100 HP despite being 11 levels higher than Andrea.

Onix wasn't bad, per se. She had Swords Dance, Megahorn, and Rock Blast, which is a heck of a combination tbh. That being said... this first dungeon was probably the hardest of them all in retrospect. At least half of that was due to Onix being super fragile, frequently getting OHKO'd by Aqua Jet of all things. (Yeah, Onix is 4x weak to water, but it's not like Aqua Jet is a very strong move.)

The other side of the difficulty coin was Furret and Blastoise both countering half the damage you dealt and, of course, Monster Houses galore. It got bad enough that I threw a Detect Band on Teresa, which did actually help me survive a future Monster House.

Has real big "WW1 Battlefield on Christmas Day" vibes. Lol, I'm sure this won't be an ominous sign of things to come, right?

(Spoiler: It Was.)

If you recall, there are ten station passes and clearings. Because of this, I'm throwing Sky Peak dungeon names into their own post, instead of stuffing them all in the guide. However, the guide itself will include a link to this "sub-guide." As we traverse each station pass, I'll highlight their titles in bold.

Speaking of, the Second Station Pass was known as Sandy Bay...

(Did you mean: Normandy Beach?! Okay yes technically a different war, but listen-)

And we got ambushed by Andrea's brothers and sisters 😭We BARELY made it out of this one, with Andrea hanging on by a thread. So I was ecstatic to pick up a Foe-Hold Orb... only to immediately lose it by spawning into a "mandatory" MH (i.e., in the same room as the stairs).

Okay folks, that's 30 images, so onwards to Part 2!

[weirdlet]

Oh lordy, let’s see if I can remember it all.

So we rescue the captives in the red dragon’s lair- something I glossed over before was that the kobolds had been forcing people to duel, specifically to the blinding.  There are a lot of folks missing eyes in this village now, including all the captives we freed, who said that they in particular were considered disappointments because whatever ritual those eyeballs were feeding didn’t work.  

This is- profoundly disturbing, but we’re probably going to find out face-first at some point what the hell is going on.  Meanwhile, we hand out rations and find the other end of the lair, which was the mansion that used to belong to the wealth family that ran the village.  Tea and medals and fine wine are passed around, but we are drawn out to the village square by a commotion.

Who should we see arguing with a large- dragonborn? halfdragon? winged hulk of a guy and his two buddies? -but a redheaded halfling, curly-mustached dandy, who Lady Ravenleaf recognizes as her fiance, young master Neverember.

We’d been talking about how to break up the unwanted marriage alliance between them, but that’s going to have to wait- first we have to KEEP the idiot from getting himself killed.  There’s an argument going on about ‘don’t blame me!’ versus ‘I don’t *care* about the five young dragons killed-!’ and we don’t get much of a chance to understand more because we start trying to protect Neverember and the dragonborn guards start trying to drop our guts around our ankles. Annnnnd that’s when the five-headed dragon arrives.

No, trust me, we all shouted ‘bull-fuckin’-SHIT-!’ as it did, but it wasn’t Her Lordship, Goddess of Evil Dragons herself, no- just her avatar, and oh boy did shenanigans ensue.  The blow-by-blow is a bit muddy by this point, but at one point Glory grabs Neverember, books it, and drops him off at the manor house with a pointed “-STAY,” before hurtling back to start actually contributing to the damage.

It’s bad enough with the big dragonborn dreadnought and the avatar of tiamat, but then the giant zombies show up.  One of them, a zombie beholder, starts making an offer to us- take their aid, allow them to animate the horde of dead kobolds, and become allies to McCoul or MacCall or however you spell this death-god’s name- usually a deity of peaceful death, funeral directors and mortuary assistants, but as we’ve seen, occasionally you get splinter cells that just go a little funny when you let them stew too long. Paladin says no.  Paladin pulls off one of the most beautiful Turn Undeads I’ve seen in a while.  We are blasting, firing, grappling, slicing, dicing, and butchering our way through these large zombies and ungodly powerful fiveheaded mini-dragon with legendary actions.  Part of that happens to be because Trinidad is giving more and more ground to the dragon-possessed dragon-killing sword, make note of that, it comes back later.

So we FINALLY put a pin through all the moving bodies in the square- only one building’s been destroyed, the townsfolk mostly fled without injury, and we are busily hacking trophies off the dead five-headed dragon when who should appear but master Neverember himself, leading a mob of peasants with torches and pitchforks.  He launches immediately into a speech that celebrates The Town’s Victory, shared amongst all the peasants here (led by himself of course) and we are rolling our eyes but letting it pass because there’s little use in trying to get between a bard and his public.  As it is, we’re still celebrated and feted and carried on shoulders to what meager feast can be held after all the trials of this village.

As for the marriage contract we were hoping to figure out how to undo- it turns out Neverember doesn’t even need to be persuaded, because he comes up with the idea himself.  After having bolstered the community’s spirits through hardship and led them to victory- said with a completely straight face- and since the old ruling family’s demise, well- he’s thinking of settling down.  Becoming town leader.  Marrying local and making a go of things himself, away from the tender apronstrings of mummy and daddy back in Neverwinter.

He says this in front of Ravenleaf’s face, and she goes for a furious walk, because no she didn’t want this but hOW *DARE* HE.

And we’re like- this does solve our problems, but WOW, dude.

To compound this, he proposes a contest to choose a bride from the local populace, and recruits us to do the legwork and find the best of the eligible and willing, each according to our own criteria.  To that end, we end up looking for, and finding: a strong blacksmith who can juggle hammers, a poetess, a blonde bombshell, and Glory’s pick- a divorcee from the former ruling family, someone who knows how to run business/government and in theory how to keep a wastrel like Neverember in line.

There’s little room for maneuvering and the dice support the inevitable conclusion- the hot blonde is Neverember’s bride, and huzzah, everybody’s happy, honest really.

Well, except Lady Ravenleaf, who is rightfully pissed and goes on a bit of retail therapy to get away from the raucous celebration.  Understandable.

We’re preparing to leave in the morning- this was basically the last thing we needed to do on a long list of tasks that had been handed out to us on the vague promise of eventual payment, and it’s time to report back to our bosses, and/or head back to the town we prepared for rebuilding and have places waiting for us as town founders.  Treasure had been split among us rather than accumulate in the party sheet, and suddenly all of us are more flush with cash than usual.  Glory *is* saving to eventually buy a boat, but his Virtue (shhh) is charity, and he makes sure to spend, trade, fritter and overpay a few hundred gold’s worth among the villagers, who had been impoverished by the dragons’ predations.

A parade goes by where we’re packing, and it includes Master Neverember on a palanquin, surrounded by drinking buddies singing a raucous celebration of the bedding.  Lady Ravenleaf telekinetically shoves him off the palanquin.

Meanwhile, a conversation is had with Trinidad, our tortle barbarian, who is slowly getting taken over by the evil dragonslaying sword.  It had shouted through him, during the battle, saying in Draconic to the Tiamat avatar that he would ‘kill your master and take her place!’.  Trinidad doesn’t speak draconic.  Phillip was ordering him to let the sword go, and Trinidad was failing will saves left and right and refusing.  The old argument about who was leader of the group started up, and then from out of the pouch of the Bag of Holding whispered-

“I’m still the leader.”

Now we had had Alistair’s body, preserved and shrouded, in the extradimensional space, there to await resurrection and reunion with his beloved Lady Ravenleaf.  What’s rising from the pouch, now, looks an awful lot like Alistair- but with crackling blue energy seaming all the lines of his deathwounds.  Lady Ravenleaf falls into an embrace with him, sobbing- but he just looks straight ahead.  Clearly, something is Different now.

Meanwhile, a portal opens up under Phillip, and a voice out of the Nine Hells says ‘you’re on our shitlist, and so is your patron master-’ but he zips neatly out of the way, having earned his wings and learned to fly just a little while ago.  Still, he thinks now it’s time to retire- he’s going to go set up house with his orcish wife, and meanwhile his player is going to be playing Alain, the new incarnation of Alistair- whom we will meet more in depth next week.

That’s about where the session ended, save for Maeve declaring why she will stick with us (out of character, it was a question that needed answering, and in character, it was this- her father was a White Sails mercenary, and so she will stick with us as fellow guildmembers in the same grand tradition.)

[learningfromscripture]

Guide to Acts 1-12 Part 1

Passage: Acts 1

Thinking points: The Good Book Guide to Acts 1 - 12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr

The passage opens with Luke directly addressing the first recipient, describing his previous book (the Gospel according to Luke) ans the things that Jesus began to do and teach. And that "began" is important, because it means that Jesus was (and is) still doing and teaching. Today, he is teaching through the words already spoken, and what he is doing, is mediating for us before the Father.

After Jesus had risen, he showed himself to the apostles, proving that he was truly alive. We know from the Gospels that this involved offering to let Thomas touch the wounds in his hands and side, and eating to show he was not an unsubstantial ghost. He provided the convincing, infallible proofs that the first Christians would share, that they and all who came after could know with confidence Jesus is alive. But also, Jesus used this time to teach more about the kingdom of God - that is, God's people in God's place serving God's purpose.

He gave some final instructions to his apostles. He directed them to stay in Jerusalem - not the safest place, as it was where Jesus himself had just been betrayed and killed - and to wait for his gift, the Spirit. He told them that they would be his witnesses, not just in hostile Jerusalem, but throughout their homeland of Judea and Samaria, and beyond, to the very ends of the earth. And this is a frightening prospect, for the apostles were instructed to witness where they would be most threatened for their witness, and in other places, and in strange lands. And we too inherit this instruction; we too are to witness where we are, where we are threatened, and in any and all other places. But the apostles were promised that they would do this in the power of the Spirit, and we too have the Spirit to empower us.

After Jesus ascended, his followers were left staring into the sky, until two angels drew alongside them. Their very prescence offered a tangible proof that while Jesus had left, he had not left them alone - just as the Spirit was soon to come. And the angels' words told and reminded them that Jesus would return, the same as he had just departed. When he returns, it will not be as a child to grow and strive and suffer. He will return in his fullness, with his victory complete. And so through him, we too shall one day know victory.

In the second part of this passage, the apostles gather together and pray. They had lost one of their number before this; Judas Iscariot, who though he had been one of their number and shared in their ministry, had been the one to guide the men who arrested Jesus. Judas had paid a terrible price for his actions - death. (Luke's account of the exact details of Judas' death differ to those offered by Matthew, but either way, Judas died for his actions.) And now Peter stands up - Peter, previously timid and denying his affiliation, now speaking up. Peter points out that the Spirit had spoken through David, king of Israel about a millenium beforehand, to predict that there would be a deserted place, and another should take that place (Psalm 69:25 and 109:8). Peter recommends that they choose another from the apostles to join the Twelve. Two men are proposed, and after praying that the Lord should show which man he had chosen, they cast lots - a game of chance of some kind, possibly involving dice - and Matthais was chosen.

We do not use games of chance to choose our leaders, for we have the Spirit within us - which the apostles did not, at that time. But we can still learn from this choosing. Peter used the Scriptures (what we think of as the Old Testament) to direct their actions, to teach them what to do next, and so we too can know that the Old Testament is still the Word of God, still useful for teaching and encouraging. We see the qualifications for the men they proposed - that he should have been with them and have seen what they saw, so they could become a witness. So we too can see that our primary purpose as heirs to the apostles is to be witnesses. And we see that they prayed, that they called on the Lord to make known what they were to do. And so should we prayerfully seek God's will.

Ultimately, these first witnesses fulfilled that instruction BECAUSE of the hostility they experienced, combined with the power, the strength, the courage granted by the Spirit. After the Spirit came, and they were filled with the power to witness in Jerusalem, they faced persecution. And as they were driven out, they contined to witness in the new places they came to. As the witnesses scattered, the message spread.

No matter what persecution we face, or where we are scattered to, we must still be witness.

May the Lord bless the reading of his Word.

[luhcifermuses]

━━ ⟢ ( 𝕄𝕀𝕃𝕆 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝕁𝕆ℕ𝔸ℍ ) a playlist

A PLAYLIST BASED ON MILO AND JONAH'S DYNAMICS

GORGEOUS TAYLOR SWIFT

Ocean blue eyes looking in mine I feel like I might sink and drown and die You're so gorgeous I can't say anything to your face (to your face) 'Cause look at your face (look at your face) And I'm so furious At you for making me feel this way (this way) But what can I say? You're gorgeous

CLOSER NINE INCH NAILS

you tear down my reason (Help me) it's your sex I can smell (Help me) you make me perfect Help me become somebody else I wanna fuck you like an animal I wanna feel you from the inside I wanna fuck you like an animal My whole existence is flawed You get me closer to God

BAD IDEA RIGHT? OLIVIA RODRIGO

And I'm right here with all my friends But you're sendin' me your new address And I know we're done, I know we're through But, God, when I look at you My brain goes, "Ah" Can't hear my thoughts (I cannot hear my thoughts) Like blah-blah-blah (blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah) Should probably not I should probably, probably not I should probably, probably not Seein' you tonight, it's a bad idea, right?

LACY OLIVIA RODRIGO

Smart, sexy Lacy I'm losin’ it lately I feel your compliments like bullеts on skin Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate Wеll, aren't you the greatest thing to ever exist?

I WISH YOU WERE SOBER CONAN GRAY

Nineteen, but you act twenty-five now Knees weak, but you talk pretty fly, wow Ripped jeans and a cup that you just downed Take me where the music ain't too loud Trade drinks, but you don't even know her Save me 'til the party is over Kiss me in the seat of your Rover Real sweet, but I wish you were sober

HEATHER CONAN GRAY

Why would you ever kiss me? I'm not even half as pretty You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester But you like her better Wish I were Heather Watch as she stands with her, holding your hand Put your arm 'round her shoulder, now I'm getting colder But how could I hate her? She's such an angel But then again, kinda wish she were dead as she

GOOD LOOKING SUKI WATERHOUSE

ou adored me before Oh, my good looking boy Play casino holes of my eyeballs Roll the dice on my thighs You stop for breath and I sped up Just to impress you

TEAR YOUR APART SHE WANTS REVENGE

I want to hold you close Skin pressed against me tight Lie still, and close your eyes girl So lovely, it feels so right I want to hold you close Soft breasts, beating heart As I whisper in your ear I want to fucking tear you apart

LOST ON YOU LP

When you get older, plainer, saner Will you remember all the danger we came from? Burnin' like embers, fallin' tender Long before the days of no surrender years ago And will you know?

USE ME PVRIS

You can use all of me Take a hint Baby breathe I can do all you need Take a hint Baby breathe And use me Ooh, ooh Light as a feather Your body's a tether I can wait here forever But I know you want it now Killing the pressure

TAKE ME TO CHURCH HOZIER

Every Sunday's getting more bleak A fresh poison each week "We were born sick", you heard them say it My church offers no absolutes She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom" The only Heaven I'll be sent to Is when I'm alone with you I was born sick, but I love it Command me to be well A-, Amen, Amen, Amen

MIRRORS JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

It's like you're my mirror My mirror staring back at me I couldn't get any bigger With anyone else beside me And now it's clear as this promise That we're making two reflections into one 'Cause it's like you're my mirror My mirror staring back at me Staring back at me

RIBS LORDE

We can talk it so good We can make it so divine We can talk it good How you wish it would be all the time The drink you spilt all over me "Lover's Spit" left on repeat My mom and dad let me stay home It drives you crazy getting old

MIDNIGHT RAIN TAYLOR SWIFT

Rain, he wanted it comfortable I wanted that pain He wanted a bride I was making my own name Chasing that fame He stayed the same All of me changed like midnight

ICARUS BASTILLE

Look who's digging their own grave That is what they all say; you'll drink yourself to death Look who makes their own bed, lies right down within it And what will you have left? Out on the front doorstep, drinking from a paper cup You won't remember this Living beyond your years, acting out all their fears You feel it in your chest

DO YOU LOVE ME YET? NOTHING BUT THIEVES

Do you love me yet? I'll make myself a fool for you Do you love me yet? Just tell me what I've gotta do Do you love me yet? Do you promise I'll be hitting it soon? Oh, if I can stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune Do you love me yet?

THE GREAT WAR TAYLOR SWIFT

All that bloodshed, crimson clover Uh-huh, sweet dream was over My hand was the one you reached for All throughout the Great War Always remember Uh-huh, tears on the letter I vowed not to cry anymore If we survived the Great War

NDA BILLIE EILLISH

I bought a secret house when I was 17 Haven't had a party since I got the keys Had a pretty boy over, but he couldn't stay On his way out, made him sign an NDA

GOVERNMENT HOOKER LADY GAGA

I'm gonna drink my tears tonight I'm gonna drink my tears and cry 'Cause I know you love me baby I know you love me baby I could be girl (Unless you want to be man) I could be sex (Unless you want to hold hands)

HONEY WHISKEY NOTHING BUT THIEVES

Black-hearted angels sunk me With kisses on my mouth There's poison in this water The words are falling out This air is getting so thin Go down, go down, go down The honey whiskey's kickin'

[wardensantoineandevka]

Genuine question: What storybeats/ narrative do you think will be explored through Laudna's death? Other than the grieving process and how that manifests differently.

I personally believe that the grieving process and how that manifests differently is enough on its own because the depth and breadth of that is massive, intricate, and multitudinous. That said, I've listed some specific beats and longer themes and plots that I believe can be explored in the aftermath of Laudna's theoretical permanent death. I've also indicated specifically bullets that I believe are specifically changed in weight and tone and approach should the death being permanent because they could be explored in part or differently if it is temporary. I do not present this as a complete and exhaustive list.

I don't know that these WILL be explored if her death is permanent, whether the table would be interested in these things, how prevalent they would be if the table does explore them, or how they would turn out. These are things simply possible. I have avoided speculating on these things as much as I can while still trying to give a sense of the concept. Some of these points are related, but still discrete in the sense that they be explored separately from each other or are not necessarily inextricable to one another.

Disclaimer, since apparently this needs to be said: this post is not saying that there are no interesting story beats or narratives to be had in Laudna being resurrected. There are threads to be explored through that too, and I would find some of those interesting as well. This specific post is simply discussing possible interesting narratives to explore should Laudna remain dead.

The coin flip only really has lasting weight if its decree sticks. The choice is not impossible if you get to have both in the end. If you get to have them both back eventually, then the coin loses its teeth because who the coin landed on is rendered ultimately irrelevant. Permanence retains the horrific weight of that simple coin flip. Does that coin flip become something? What does it mean? How do you carry that, and what meaning do you apply to that in hindsight if its decree stands? (Next two points are related.)

What does it mean to have missed death through, literally, luck? To miss a fate by coin flip. That coin is one of the purest, most direct applications of death by chance at the table. If the death sticks, it makes this, in a sense, a reverse Russian roulette, or a form of it—a game famed for how permanent it makes being unlucky. D&D very rarely has deadly chance applied that directly.

We, the audience, talk a lot about how this is a game of chance, about the hand of luck via dice rolls. What if the characters thoroughly felt this themselves because they flipped a coin and could not, despite trying, overturn its decree? They can rail against it all they like, but luck has final say—the mechanics communicated horrifically clearly to the characters. How does one feel and think about chance and luck after it, in its way, so directly killed a friend?

Seeing as FCG at this time is expressing vague interest in the Changebringer, what does it mean to develop interest in a god whose holy symbol, thus arguably the god herself, chose which of your friends is to die? This has subtly different weight and tone when the death sticks.

Having to carry being someone who was asked to choose which of your friends is to live (and ultimately flipping a coin to make that decision) becomes subtly different when the friend who is left dead remains dead. This is something that would affect not only Fearne, who cast the spell, but all of them, as they were all there for the choice and had to weigh in. Should you have figured out a different way to choose? How do you carry the burden of having had to choose at all and how to do it? As above, subtly different if it sticks.

On a distinct but similar point, if you are Fearne, should you simply have chosen yourself? This is haunting if the death sticks. And, if you do sometimes imagine you should've chosen yourself, do you feel guilty for then implying that maybe you should've chosen to leave Orym dead?

As a corollary on this, if Fearne came this close to losing Orym permanently by pure chance, does she become more possessive and protective of him?

Again, distinct but similar point: the possibility has been discussed that Fearne did choose against the coin flip's result. If that is the case, if the death sticks, what is the weight of having actively chosen against Laudna? Again, as said above, this has subtly different weight and tone when the death sticks. The guilt is different, in ways greater, if she does not come back at all.

If you are Orym, what is the specific weight of this survivor's guilt? Again, as said above, this has subtly different weight and tone when the death sticks. The guilt is somewhat lessened when the one you survived come back. What does it mean to have missed a permanent death twice? How do you carry that? What old feelings does this renew?

How DO you lay to rest a body that is known to be susceptible to undeath? What steps do you undertake to ensure that your friend's eternal rest is actually eternal this time? Especially considering that she is connected to a powerful necromancer.

Would love to see what subsequent meaning and context that Matt creates for the line "Death is but a waiting game" in the absence of a successful party-led resurrection. What does that line mean, and how would that meaning be created, if the party fails to create meaning for it?

Far as I'm aware, there's never been a full resurrection ritual that properly failed before. If I'm counting correctly, there's been five such rituals (four Raise Dead, one Resurrection) and the only failure (in C2) was quickly granted a reroll by a successful Divine Intervention. Fjord and Essek began to explore the consequence of this failure, but it was overall a brief beat within the narrative and regardless, being the penultimate episode, there was little time to explore it over a long period of time. (Clarification: Molly IS still dead, but the ritual itself successfully brought back someone. Someone different and distinct, but someone nonetheless.) How do you as a table navigate and explore a lasting failure here over a lengthier period of narrative? How do the characters confront and understand over time the failure of such an involved and emotionally exhausting ritual? The tail of a failed Raise Dead ritual is novel and hasn't been explored.

On a similar note, there has never been a ritual where the deceased refused to come back. (Percy very nearly.) What is the aftermath of that? How do the other characters respond to and carry that, despite the efforts, their friend chose not to come back?

Again, disclaimer: this post is not saying that there are no interesting story beats or narratives to be had in Laudna being resurrected. This specific post is simply discussing possible interesting narratives to explore should Laudna remain dead.

[funtimelily225]

Lil Michelle Au

Chapter 8

- I don’t trust them. - said Devil.

Devil and Dice were sitting in Devil’s office. They were talking about their children new friends. They earlier locked the door and made sure no one can hear them. Dice looked at his husband.

- But you can see they’re really important for our children-

- But you know how it can end! In the past some "friends" betrayed our children or just wanted money! - yelled Devil.

- I know… but we can’t stop them. If we would say no, they would fight with us. Right now, we just have to trust these children. - said Dice.

Devil looked at his husband. Dice seemed serious. Dev knew that his kids need friends, but he didn’t want them to get hurt. He thought for a while.

- But there must be a way to keep these kids away-

- Lucifer don’t you understand?! You won’t find a way to keep them away! - Dice’s eyes stared glowing neon green.

- DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! Remember that I am Devil myself! - shouted Devil with fire in his eyes.

- I’ll talk to you like I want! And I’m not sure myself if we should trust these children. But at least we should give them a chance! - Dice yelled.

- And why should we give them any chance?!

- Because I gave you a chance myself and now we’re married and have children! - yelled Dice.

Devil looked at Dice. Cube was right. He give demon a chance and now they were happy. Devil growled.

- FINE. For now they can be friends with these children… but if these bra*s hurt our children-

- Calm down! You don’t have to take the worst scenario at the beginning. - Dice calmed his husband.

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- WHERE IS MY SON?! - yelled Raguel.

Angels were searching for Adel, Liraz, Malachi, Dabria and Liam. They looked everywhere but children were nowhere to be seen.

- DO YOU KNOW WHERE ARE THEY?? - Raziel were asking the rest of angel children.

- N-no! They haven’t told us anything… - Sophia answered.

- We have to contact with them by halos! - yelled Gabriel. - Son?? Son, can you hear me?!

•

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- Son?? Son, can you hear me?! - a voice spoke from Malachi’s wings.

- Oh sh*t. - Malachi took his halo out of his wings - Dad?

- MALACHI WHERE ARE YOU?! - Gabriel screamed through halo.

- Dad I’m fine!! I’m at my friends’ house.. - answered his son.

- WHERE?! I’m looking for you around whole Heaven and you’re at your friends house?! - shouted mad Gabriel.

- Dad I’m sorry! I only wanted to check on them.. - said Malachi.

- Are there Adel, Liraz, Dabria and Liam as well??

- Y-yes Dad, we’re all here..

- OH, YOU- Ugh.. Guys calm down. They’re all at some friends’ house - Gabriel told to someone nearby him. - And you better find me in 5 minutes young man.

Kids looked at eachother. Angels knew that they’re in trouble.

- We must find our parents - said Liraz.

- Maybe we should split up. Everyone should look for their parents. - said Dabria.

- Okay, I’ll go with Michelle. - said Liam.

- I’ll go with Adel. - suggest Arnold.

- Noah, you can go with me. - Dabria looked at the demon boy.

- I, Alex and Bendy can go together. - Malachi said.

- And I’ll go with Irene. - said Liraz.

- Good plan. But now we should hurry. - said Adel.

Bendy used his ink and teleported them all to Hell. Children said goodbye to eachother and went to various corridors.

•

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•

Dabria and Noah were going quietly through one of the tunnels. They were going close to eachother, almost holding their hands.

- So… do you have any special abilities? - asked Noah.

- Oh! Yeah, I can talk with souls and show them to other people. - Dabria answered.

- WAIT! YOU CAN SHOW SOULS TO PEOPLE?! - Noah stopped Dabria and stood in front of her.

- Yeah? - Dabria was confused.

- SHOW ME MY WIFE AND CHILDREN! - Noah started holding her shoulders.

- W-wha. I can’t do it now! - yelled Dabria.

- Why?! I want to see her!! - Noah got mad.

- I-I can’t. My dad have to bring them.. - Dabria said and a little blush went to her cheeks. - N-noah… You’re t-too close…

- … do you think so? - Noah got a little bit closer to her.

- N-noah.. - Dabria blushed even more.

- Ohh, that's what it was~ - Noah said.

Dabria unsurely placed her hands on his arms. Noah looked at her with confusion.

Suddenly, Dabria quickly pushed Noah to her and kissed him. Noah was in shock. He pulled away from the kiss for a moment:

- O-Oh! M-miss.. - Noah blushed.

- A- I’M SO SORRY!! - Dabria run away with blush all over her face.

Dabria hid behind the corner. She was mad at herself.

- *whispers-yelles*: DABRIA, YOU’RE SO STUPID!! He already has a wife and children!! What gotten into you?! I never acted like that before!! - Dabria didn’t understand what was happening to her. It was the first time she had that strange feeling.

- WAIT! - Noah run to cave where she hid.

- N-noah..

- I must...I must confess that...you are very pretty - Noah stepped closer to her.

- Aa- T-tha-ank y-you… AND I’M SORRY FOR EARLIER!! - Dabria blushed.

- Okay, can I?…

Noah got closer to her. He grabbed her cheek and brushed his lips with hers. Dabria was shocked by the kiss but actually enjoyed it.

Then Dabria placed her chest in Noah’s.

- You’re so fluffy.. - Dabria whispered.

- I'm trying to cut my eplo, but thanks.. - Noah answered.

- How about your parents?… won’t they be mad… - Dabria was worried about that.

- ...I don't think so, do you want to go somewhere more comfortable? - Noah calmed her down.

- If you want to than sure… - Dabria agreeded.

- DABRIA?! - voice shouted from back of the cave.

Noah and Dabria quickly looked in that way. In front of them stood Azrael. Dabria blushed and stood in front of Noah, facing her father.

- DAD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!! - Dabria yelled.

- Yes, if that's what it looks like. Que: What are you doing with my daughter? You want to take her to a more "comfortable" place?!!!! - Azrael shouted.

- Wait Dad, everything is fine! Just leave please - Dabria feeled ashamed.

- No, no, walk now, I have a meeting with Grim in a few minutes, we won't make it in time - Azrael got close to children. He took Dabria to his side and threw Noah with his wing away.

- NOAH!! FATHER, LEAVE ME ALONE! I’M NOT A CHILD! - Dabria yelled.

- Don't talk to me like that, come on Dabria, soon you will be an angel of death and you will take my place, leave him alone.

- Father, don’t you understand?! I LOVE HIM! He’s the first person that I ever had feelings to! Why can’t you let me be happy?…

- LOVE HIM?! it's unacceptable, you don't even know who he is! - Azrael couldn’t believe in his daughter.

- YOU’RE SO UNFAIR!! I THOUGHT YOU WANTED ME TO BE HAPPY!! - Dabria started crying.

- ..my dear, no one has what he wants, I didn't want to become this, but God commands it, so let the albino go and let's go.

- But Father it’s a different thing! Why won’t you let me be happy?! You can go on a meeting yourself and I’ll wait here!

- But this boy-

- Father I promise you, we won’t do anything stupid! Please let me stay! - Dabria asked with hope.

Azrael looked at his daughter. He knew that she’s not stupid and won’t get herself in trouble. He sighed.

- Fine… But you can’t do any stupid things, you understand young lady?!

- THANK YOU DAD!! Nothing will go wrong I promise! - Dabria said.

Azrael looked at his daughter. He had to go now but wasn’t sure about leaving her. He turned back and flew away. Dabria run up to Noah to check on him.

•

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Adel and Arnold were going through one of the tunnels. Suddenly Arnold pressed Adel against the wall. He stood very close to angel’s face. Adel blushed.

- A-Arnold?… - Adel looked into demon’s eyes.

- I don’t want you to go.. - black cube answered. - I want you to stay with me.

- B-but my Father is searching for me! I have to go.

- NO! You have to stay!

- Adel! Where are you?! - a voice shouted from the end of the corridor.

Arnold quickly let Adel go. Seconds later, Raguel came from the corner.

- SON!! - Raguel run to Adel and hugged him. - WHERE WERE YOU?! I was so afraid!!

- Dad, I’m fine! Don’t worry! - Adel calmed his parent.

- WHO ARE YOU?! - Raguel pointed at Arnold.

- H-Hello Sir. My name is Arnold.. - Arnold bowed in front of Raguel. - It’s a pleasure meeting you..

- Dad, it’s my friend Arnold - said Adel.

- YOU’RE ONE OF THESE DEMONS?! - Raguel took his spear out.

- Dad, don’t hurt him! Please, he’s my dear friend! - Adel stood between Arnold and Raguel, facing his father.

- Sir please, I don’t want to fight with you. - Arnold said. He tried to be polite, so Raguel would like him and let him be close with Adel.

- Please Dad.. - Adel looked in his father’s eyes.

Raguel thought for a moment. His son wasn’t hurt or anything. He sighed.

- Okay. - Raguel hid his spear. - For now he can stay..

- Thank you papa! - Adel hugged his father.

While Adel was hugging his dad, Raguel looked at Arnold. Raguel’s eyes were saying one thing - You hurt my son, you’re dead. Arnold smiled to adult angel.

- Well, now I have to know you better.. - said Raguel and started asking Arnold few questions.

•

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Liam and Michelle were going through a big cave. Suddenly they saw Liam’s father killing a demon.

- Dad! - Liam started running to his parent.

Zadkiel turned back, towards two children. Liam hugged him tightly.

- Son!! - Zadkiel hugged Liam back. - Are you okay?

- Yes papa, don’t worry. - Liam smiled to his parent.

- WHO ARE YOU?! - Zadkiel looked at Michelle.

- D-dad-

- STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!

- Dad, don’t hurt her! She’s my friend!

- SHE’S A DEMON! - Zadkiel jumped to Michelle and took a blade to her throat.

- Dad stop! If you want to hurt her, you have to kill me first! - yelled Liam.

Zadkiel looked at his son. Liam run to Michelle and hid her behind his wing.

- You can’t hurt her.. - Liam whispered. - Please…

- … a-all right… I won’t hurt her.. - Zadkiel answered.

Liam took his wing down. Zadkiel looked at Michelle - she seemed similiar to someone. But Zadkiel didn’t know to who.

- We have to go back to Heaven. - said Zadkiel.

- Can she go with us? Please? - Liam asked.

- What- No! She’s a demon. - Zadkiel answered.

- But Dad-

- No buts! She can’t go to Heaven.

- … than can I stay here for a bit longer?…

- Why?!

- Please Papa - Liam looked at his parent.

- … Fine. You have 10 minutes. After 10 minutes we’re both going back to Heaven.

- THANKS DAD!! - Liam smiled to his parent.

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After few corridors Irene and Liraz met Raziel and Jophiel. Worried mother run to her child and hugged her tightly. Raziel, on the other hand, started asking Irene questions. Liraz calmed her parents down and explained that they’re friends.

Similiar thing also happened with Malachi, Alex and Bendy. When they met Gabriel, Malachi introduced his friends to his parent. Gabriel actually really liked Alex - he seemed sweet to Archangel.

After some time all the angels went back to Heaven while demons - to the Casino.