#we'll be using it for storytelling purposes

[softerpixels]

slay-queening and doing girl boss shit at the gallery!

[qsycomplainsalot]

So as a good NB bisexual trad wife married to a Jewish trans person I was in church this morning trying my hardest not to fall asleep on the good lord's shittiest seating arrangement, as is custom. Cutting right to it, the sermon was weird. What I listened to was a French translation of a text by one Gary Heinz, whom I've been told is a Canadian pastor but the only one I could find online is from the Carolinas, with a degree from Charleston, so for the purpose of this post I'll just say he's American in the same vague way as his tomato-based namesake.

The sermon was talking about the tale of the good Samaritan, which most people know about, and was composed thuszthly. First it goes over the tale again, then it helps define the elements of it and how they're relevant to the point made by our boy Jesus. The priest sees a naked beat-up man on the side of the rode, presumably from a mount, and decides not to get involved even though if he had any way to know the man had been Jewish he would have been bound to help him. The second man is a Levite, traditionally someone who helps priests and knows the law just as well, but decides not to get involved either. The third guy of course is a Samaritan. The Samaritans are a distinct but very closely related ethnoreligious group to the Hebrews/Jews, who we are often told hate them. The Samaritan helps the person, provides first aid, props him up on his horse and walks him to an inn where he houses him by giving the innkeeper two pieces of silver and promising to pay any extra cost on his next trip back. This according to the preacher is a symbol of limitless charity, we'll get back to that. The context of the tale was a smartass asking Jesus what to do to be saved and when being told to do unto thy neighbor as you would doeth unto thineselfe (in Middle English, which was very confusing at the time), follows up by asking who his neighbor was, aka who he should apply the law to. The point being made is that although the law could be read and almost bent into only applying to people you care about, only people you're explicitly meant to treat well and even then only once you're absolutely sure they're marked as such, it's more important to follow the spirit of the law which is to be kind to everyone. Which is a good message.

So why am I kvetching ? That was only the first part of the sermon, and if you thought the second part would be about linking that message to current event you'd unfortunately be wrong. It's instead focused on finding, or making up really, symbolism in the story that foretells the passion of Jesus. You see the Samaritan was really a stand-in for anyone you might hate, including, and I quote, "a Nazi or a member of ISIS", because even they can be saved and be your neighbor for the purpose of doing unto them like unto thyself. And the two silver coins well you see they would pay for two nights and on the third one Jesus comes back from the dead. Now I'm not an expert on the cost of living in Ancient Judea. But Gary Heinz isn't either so I'm gonna say it, he pulled that number out of his ass. Also a little confused about the same storytelling element being earlier compared to limitless charity, only now to be quantified as worth two nights at a B&B. But that's just nitpicking, what I'm really tired of is every reading of the holy texts [cut to meme] by Christian preachers devolving into improv rapping about Jesus and how he died for us. The lessons in the Bible stop being broadly applicable to daily life and are instead contrived into fifty different ways to say "he is risen" like it's isn't the sole fucking reason we're in church to begin with. That's usually bad enough, but when a pastor says that the Samaritan in the tale of the good Samaritan was here for shock value and could be "a Nazi or a member of ISIS", this changes the meaning of the tale to "be kind to everyone regardless of who they are, including Nazis apparently", from the original condemnation of prejudices. The Samaritan didn't chose to be a Samaritan, he's not doing any harm being a Samaritan, and the tale shows that his religion being slightly removed from orthodox Judaism isn't as important as his doing good and helping his fellow man. I don't think someone who joined a political party predicated on the extermination of minorities would fit that message, and I think changing said message to a more broad declaration of love from Jesus is ignoring what people need to hear these days where prejudice against minorities makes up 90% of the news.

And you might say it's not really a preacher's job to raise awareness for current events, but I'll ask you this: is hearing about how Jesus totally died for you every week supposed to make me a better Christian ? Or is learning that he told us pretty much in clear text not to hate minorities based on prejudice gonna do that. Cause I think most Christians need to hear the later more.

[taggedmemes]

SENTENCE MEME BALDUR'S GATE 3 / PART FOUR

i'll feed your innards to the ants before i do that.

you're not here to play with the locals.

question, kill, then move on.

fail her at your peril.

were i not merciful, i would slice the skin clean from your meat.

i am nothing if not merciful.

tell me: why shouldn't i run you through this instant?

you are nothing until i tell you otherwise.

nothing even approaching a useful thought in that skulll.

it costs me nothing to spare your sorry life.

i required your silence and you made me a mockery.

save your anger for the enemies.

i will skewer the jeretic with his own silver sword.

don't trust a word out of her mouth.

you were supposed to rush to my defense.

fat lot of good you are.

she could shoot fireworks out of her backside for all i care.

i don't know what just happened any more than you do.

not my usual quarry, not my usual ally.

your faith is your own concern, not mine.

i didn't think you'd react so pragmatically.

in the future, i expect you to be honest.

as if mingling with a horde of goblins wasn't bad enough.

let's do what we have to, then get out of here.

let's not linger in this place any more than necessary.

pain without purpose is a terrible thing.

you bore the pain like a true believer.

i don't think i have the stomach for this.

this place was supposed to be abandoned.

a joy to see a familiar face in such a precarious setting.

a fine mess you landed yourself in.

how better to learn the ways of a people than to live among them.

one should cherish all of nature's bounty, but goblin guts are quite far down the list.

you're a true friend of nature, or perhaps a lunatic.

it's unbecoming to demand honorifics from the one who saved my hide.

you weren't speaking lightly when you said you needed help.

that doesn't mean i can't help.

you have my sincere sympathies.

the magic used is beyond me. it's either not of this world, or so ancient as to be lost to even nature's memory.

the natural order must be protected.

there's no order anymore, only chaos.

chaos is welcome in doses.

i'm practically an expert.

you're either an excellent storyteller or you've experiences something quite exceptional.

i'd be irresponsible not to debunk such a strange claim.

i cannot trust my own mind.

there is great potential within you.

you're looking for solutions in the wrong places.

if we work together, we may turn this around.

until it is found, i will take something precious from you every hour that passes.

silence now, or i will silence you forever.

he's been resilient, but he'll talk.

i will have an explanation, or your head.

i do not wish to spill blood here.

come daylight, we will find a place to end this.

you can accept you're wrong, or we'll be rid of you permanently.

you had every chance to look the other way.

you chose this.

don't expect to be mourned.

she's a liability.

thieves aren't afforded such luxuries.

loosen the grip on your pride for one blasted moment, won't you?

imagine what we might achieve if we channeled some of that hostility back at our real foes instead of each other.

[undead-moth]

I would love to read more about the themes and tropes and storytelling tools you notice the writers making use of when writing sydcarmy. I just love thinking about this show and reading other people’s takes especially when it’s people who appreciate good writing and aren’t just disappointed their ship didn’t jump on each other the first chance they got.

Hi. Thank you for your ask. I think there are stories in which it narratively makes sense for two characters to get together right away, or to get together with little development - it all just depends on what the structure of the narrative is, and what the writer's intentions are, and ultimately what the relationship is being used to say - but it wouldn't have made sense narratively to canonize SydCarmy this season based on the narrative structure The Bear is using. This is true whether you're looking at it from an in-universe point of view, or from an out-of-universe point of view.

In-universe: Carmy has just gone through a devastating breakup at the exact same time he has opened a restaurant. The trauma he endured with the NYC head chef has been refreshed in full. He's also quit smoking. He not only has all the usual pressures of starting a new restaurant on his back, but he also already owes Cicero so much money. He is Syd's boss, and her idol, making their relationship somewhat unbalanced. I don't think someone in this situation in real life would be jumping into a new relationship with someone they work with every day.

Out-of-universe: The writers spent all of season 2 developing a romance between Carmy and Claire. This wasn't for no reason. If Carmy had shrugged off their breakup, not only would that have weakened the integrity of season 2, but if he had also gotten in a relationship with Syd right away, Carmy's relationship with Syd wouldn't have rung true. We would have a hard time believing that there's any real depth in his feelings for her, or any real meaning to their relationship, if he was able to get over Claire so quickly. Who's to say Syd isn't a rebound? Who's to say she'll be different?

His heartbreak also has a narrative purpose. Claire is a narrative foil to Syd. Claire represents Carmy's "dream girl," but she is not treated either by the narrative nor him as a person. She's more of an idea, and as a result, his love for her is based on a fantasy of her.

Carmy's heartbreak now is going to be useful for us to reference later when he is pursuing Syd. Based on the story structure, I believe he will face heartbreak with Syd before he enters a relationship with her, but regardless, we'll be able to compare how he looks at Syd to how he looked at Claire, and the difference will be stark when his heartbreak is for someone he sees and loves as a real person, and not as a fantasy. Without the ability to compare how Carmy is with Syd to how he was with Claire, it is more difficult to understand the significance of Carmy's love for Syd. That isn't to say there aren't ways - there are many - but I believe the way they chose was with Claire, and it's an extremely common way for writers to convey how a character feels for their intended love interest. First pair them with someone they think they want, and when that ends, pair them with the character they're actually intended for. Allow audiences to compare notes.

Anyway, I want to be able to offer you more, but I don't want to without rewatching the show. Only season 3 is fresh in my mind. I was already going to rewatch them anyway, and when I'm done, I'll add to this post and tag you.

Thanks again for asking.

[piglet26]

Reylo Scenes: TLJ

Rian Johnson gets loud vocal dislike for trying to make part 2 to JJ Adams film and his treatment of Luke Skywalker. Now I'm going to be honest..... Star Wars fans complain. That's part of the passion of it all. I guess. One area that he did succeed in was Reylo. He dealt with it with complete mastery. His invention of the forceskype or forcetime which allowed the protagonist and antagonist to actually talk was genius.

To add, I read the novelization which does expand on the story overall and it's great to read. There are comics as well. All which expand on the story.

Rian Johnson also is due a thank you for this moment.

We'll call this no-more-daddies-Ren. That face should not be covered up.

Romance has always been apart of Star Wars. Yet, in the sequel trilogy there was this hyper paranoia of anything feminine and so anyone who sensed a romance happening I guess was just an unhealthy fool.

From a pure storytelling stand point, the dynamic between the hero and the villain is genuinely interesting. The fact that they are Ying Yang, alike but different, bonded yet on opposing sides and they attracted to one another only adds to the drama. It's the richest dynamic of the sequel trilogy.

So to all the Reylo haters

In the first forcetime scene the rules of the forcetime get established. Rey can't hurt him physically (yet) and Ren can't jedi mind trick her.

The production team continued to show their balance yet opposition. When Rey wakes up the warm sunlight is on her face and her smooth cheek. In Ren's scene the light on his cheek is mechanical and the skin is scarred. Rey is surrounded by nature. Ren is surrounded by technology. They both have a childlike innocence to them. Something is happening to them that had never happened before. Something unique even amongst force users. Ren is curious. Rey is just pissed off.

Ren is a man who feels very let down/betrayed by everyone in his life so by the time we meet him in The Force Awakens he doesn't want or need anybody. Within his comic Ben Solo is described as someone that everyone, including his peers, watched for signs of darkness. He's a bitter, hurt and jaded young man.

Rey is the denial queen. She has a childlike way of thinking that is purely optimistic. She latches onto people very quickly Finn, Han Solo, Chewie, Leia, Luke on and on. She understand the stories of the resistance, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, but doesn't understand any of the complexities. She's a very 'this is the truth as I know it so it must be the truth' kind of person.

When we arrive at the second Forcetime.

Rey overlooking the ocean. Ren overlooking the first order. Ren begins hearing the ocean waves. Rey begins to hear the snap of electricity. Ren sensing her turns and Rey, sensing him, adjusts and there they are.

Rey, understand that she can't physically act out her anger against, verbalizes it. She's angry, but she wants the anger to be simple and it's not. He is tied to her in a way in some way.

What's interesting is Ren is very open to her in wondering why the force is connecting them. In the book Rey describes his eyes as hungry. Also, Ren wants to be understood by her. He uses this moment to reach her and get someone to understand a portion of how he became the man he is. The audience sees him approach her, get into her space, challenging her emotionally, physically and her ideas about him.

"ah, you do" if it's possible to verbally create a orgasm....Adam driver accomplished it for women. It doesn't hurt that these two seem to always be eye fucking each other. The intensity in which they lock onto each other and don't pay much around them any mind. The actors writers dream of.

The scenes serves a purpose though. Kylo is once again shift from simple bad guy to complicated bad guy/human being. She doesn't know everything. In the mix of all of this is her experience with Luke. She disillusioned and she's disappointed with Luke. Her experience is shifting her to understand Kylo's position more.

Which leads to their third forceskype aka shirtless Ben

Rey, girl, you're not asexual. It's the first where we see she does have a reaction to him physically. She opens herself to understanding. She wants to know if he had a good reason for killing his father. She also expresses her jealousy of him. He has a family, he had a father who loved him. She would give anything for that. Kylo is also expressing his pain and how relates to her. They both feel abandoned by their parents. Kylo wasn't abandoned in the way Rey was, but he feels abandoned. Kylo looks at Rey like 'hey you don't see the similarities between us?". You also being to understand Kylo Ren's need to embrace the dark side because everyone on the light side failed him.

Part of her journey in The Last Jedi is about embracing her womanhood. After the force bond with the shirtless Kylo Ren. She goes to the dark sided vagina cave. She jumps in and when she emerges her childhood hair buns are gone. Rey enters in this vision and looks for answers as to who/where her parents are. Nothing is revealed to her. She didn't find the answers she was looking for and the hope that she will find them goes out of her. In this moment she's desperately lonely. Here our hero spiritually seeks out through the force bond the one individual she feels will relate to her, our villain.

Why do people call this scene "The Finger Touch Love Scene"

Cause the level of intimacy these characters reach without many words and without being lewd. Rian Johnson, bravo!

The way Kylo Ren is just present, reassuring and nurturing as Rey relays her trip into the dark cave. This is a moment where he could stoke her negative emotions to the dark side. He doesn't though. He's completely emotionally present for her. Kylo Ren sits within his ship in a area that's lit with a soft blue light as he reaches towards her he's in the warm of the firelight. Now he is physically present for her.

Rey is completely raw. She's allowing herself to be seen emotionally naked. This is the first scene where she gives him something with free will. She gives him union.

She reaches out from underneath the blanket. He takes his glove off and they slowly, innocently, reach for each other. The eye contact they maintain as the force theme begins, we as the audience understand something profound is happening. Within them, in this moment, there is a balance in the force.

They both have a vision of one another. Ren sees her past. Rey sees a glimpse of his future. This is the moment for Reylo, they both said to themselves "we're never letting this go". Rian Johnson confirmed it's from this moment that Ren decides to kill Snoke because that's the only way to protect Rey from him. Rey shift her belief system to complete Team Ben. She doesn't have a plan when she goes to meet Ben within the First Order. She just has complete faith in him that when the moment matters he'll stand by her.

We arrive at the elevator scene and just prior when she arrive onboard the supreme in a coffin from the Falcon that has his calligraphy on it. It's their first interaction after that intense force bond.

She expresses her faith in him and the possibility of a future. This is the first scene where she walks up on him. She wants that closeness and connection now. He's closed off we come to understand later, he's become he's protecting his mind from Snoke understanding his true intentions. They both express what they saw in their vision and conviction that one will join the other. It's canon that in this moment Kylo Ren wanted to kiss Rey.

Snoke - It's not his story. Kylo Ren looked like a badass killing him. That's all we needed you for boo. However, I did enjoy the internal dialogue of Snoke that the novelization affords. Through the force Snoke can feel Kylo Ren's need for approval which is something that frustrates him. He can feel his conflicted nature for Rey and for the light. He can feel his pain and confusion when Snoke says he bridged their minds (he didn't). That was enlightening.

My favorite moment is right after Kylo kills Snoke and Rey and Kylo looks at each like

"You with me?"

"Yeah, I'm with you"

And they turn to face the pretorian guards. They are with each other, but they do have a misunderstanding on what that means.

The fight scene is great and beautiful. Kylo Ren is a supportive partner to her and she to him. Kylo support her body with his and he takes on the majority of the Pretorian guards. He has a moment when he checks in on her, she get's hurt, he's upset and scared but then centers himself. When he's in trouble she supports him. It's described in the novel that they can feel each other's emotions through the force.

(Couldn't find the gif of her getting cut)

[dyrewrites]

Hi I'm a day late but happy Storyteller Sunday! How does agriculture work in your world? Are there harvest rituals or festivals? Are the growing seasons affected by any unusual factors?

Never too late for fun questions!

If discussing Mar as a whole, there may be something to find near the twin cities, where seasons are actually a thing and there are more creatures interested in plants.

But, as I've not delved into too much off the Spine (and what I know is wrong now because this book went and ruined it all), we'll stick to Weald and Wen.

You won't find too much in the way of agriculture, as everything complex enough to do it on purpose in the twin woods are carnivorous.

However, the Auru, who are fairly new to the woods and make their homes on the Rim of the grand rock those woods grow from do know their way around a farm. Well...a garden. But all they can get to grow in the fungal Wen they edge are plants already found there, and not only in the woods but in that specific patch of the wood. The plants do not seem to enjoy being planted anywhere but their own dirt. One herd boasts delicious tea made from a flower that only grows on the Weald side's Rim--half a world a way for what dangers lurk between. None know how the herd manages and their leader will insist it was sheer force of will.

No rituals involved for the process, or the sowing/harvesting. Auru of the Wen refrain from, well, a certain crystal gremlin would say 'anything fun' and she could be right.

Now there are harvest festivals in the twin woods, but they're reserved for Fyrni in the Weald and they're not related to plant-life.

They're akin to hunting parties but with a ceremony attached. It is one all Fyrni in the warren are part of, and many of them continue the festival after the harvest departs (praying for their safety and success). There's also a relatively painful magic used to hide what they are before they leave their warrens, which includes a little song and lots of snuggles.

The 'harvesting' comes after subduing their prey with blood-sung weaponry not meant to kill but to stun--this is reliant on the emotion of the user, so accidents happen. They then beg the Lady through Song and Breath and complex runes drawn in blood, and some invasive poking of claws into flesh, to allow them a gasp of life from the subdued. Something to add to their own, to keep them living.

It ends up a gooey little ball they gotta shape into something a tad more practical to carry about and munch on, but they're essentially eating little bits of souls. Harvesting little bits of souls. Those who perform this harvest are known as Reapers. Typically there's also a Weaver, who tends to wounds, and a Speaker, who can Sing a path through the Breath for a quick return home. Together this party provides their warren with nourishing 'hyla'...the soul bits all mushed and melded to an edible gelatin substance.

They're very important to the warren, and there's a huge party if they make it back and many privileges awarded.

->Weald and Wen Taglist<-

~Lemme know if you want on/off~

@sapphicwizards @tragedycoded @rowanmgrey-author @watermeezer @badscientist

@hyacinthslibrary @olliexwrites @wyked-ao3 ^.-

[guppybubbles]

Sweet Dreams are Made of This. [1/3]

(A/N: Kind of a sequel to my other fic, ROLL ME A 6 ! :> You don't need to read that though to understand this!)

Borrower Tommy accidentally shifts into a universe where his homebrew DND world is real. He still sucks at being a giant.

WORD COUNT: 1,341 words

WARNINGS: None.

"Tommy opened his eyes and what he saw was unlike anything he's seen before…"

Tommy listened in anticipation. What could it be? A new friend, a new foe? He looked at his dad, a smug little smile barely hidden by his serious storytelling.

 

"And we'll find that out in the next session."

Halfway through his sentence, he and his brothers already knew it was the end of their game for the day. All groaning and complaining about Phil leaving it in such a dumb cliffhanger, Phil only laughed. 

It couldn't have been hours already, had it? They barely started! He still had to redeem himself and his character into great glory! "No, come on, let's do one more hour— please, please?" He begged, holding onto one of Phil's fingers like he had all the power to hold him down and force him into another round. 

With his other hand, Phil picked up the die and tossed it into the container— folding up the map before putting it back in the box. Tommy knew it was over, they'd start another session again sooner or later. 

But he wanted to do another hour, or maybe two more, now. "Pleasee, I rolled so low every turn, I need to redeem myself!" 

"I wish we could continue, mate." Phil smiled, "But I got work tomorrow and it's already…" He stared at the clock, making a surprised sound at the 11:48 PM on the wall. Phil cursed under his breath, gently, slowly pulling his hand away from Tommy’s hold. "Alright, get to bed you three." 

The blond borrower knew there was no convincing Dad anymore. He crossed his arms with a humph, upset with his bad luck during the game. "Cheer up, Toms! I'm sure luck will make you do justice next time." Wilbur consoled, pushing his chair into the table and picking up the box with their fantasy map and die. 

��You are horrible at throwing the die for me,” Tommy grumbled, narrowing his eyes at his older brother who had offered to throw the dice for him earlier. Wilbur’s luck when it came to the game was pretty good, yet whenever he tossed the die for Tommy, the luck seemed to plummet- doing worse than when the borrower himself threw the die. 

In the corner of his eyes, he could see Wilbur’s lips press into a thin line. He was stopping himself from being amused at Tommy’s anger. “It really wasn’t on purpose.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Tommy replied. Not upset at Wilbur, nor was he upset at the game. He swears he would be able to throw the dice better if he was just… more human-sized. 

“You’ll do better next game, I’ll make sure of it,” Wilbur promises.

Tommy looks at him incredulously, slightly laughing. “What, are we gonna cheat or something?”

In response, Wilbur shrugged, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Dunno, maybe.”

Holding the game board, he placed his other hand on the desk. A trust exercise that slowly grew into a habit none of them thought was strange anymore, Tommy hopped on the hand and held onto the fingers for support. He used to have to walk from place to place, no matter how far it was because the big man was too stubborn to accept and ask for help. In response, they all worked together to install little stairs everywhere so Tommy would at least be able to reach things without having to heave himself up with a rope and a hook. He almost cried in front of them because of how much he appreciated the gesture. 

That night, Tommy lay in his bed, uncharacteristically quiet as he stared at the ceiling. His room looked so much like a human's room- constructed by his family after nearly a year of accidentally revealing himself to them. It wasn’t exactly like him to be upset for the dice throws during the game, it really wasn’t Wilbur’s fault. On a good day, he throws exceptionally well for Tommy’s character too. 

But Tommy isn’t upset about the dice, is he?

It was never the dice, never Wilbur, never his family, but him. 

If he was truly meant to be their family, then couldn’t the universe make him human? Did he seriously have to be something that was never allowed to mingle with larger beings? It was a written code since the beginning of time that borrowers were never allowed to be with humans. Never share anything, what you are, what your name was. Most importantly, never be seen. 

Were they never supposed to be a family then? Did he have to break the borrower’s code just to be a part of something he’s not supposed to? He’s not a borrower anymore, he knows that. He barely even follows the code anymore, but he’s not human either. Too exposed to be a borrower, too small to be a human.

Then what was he?

Tommy released a loud, exasperated sigh. His calloused hands rubbed over his face. He knows he shouldn’t think about such things, but lately, he’s been more aware than ever. He notices how Techno looms over him when they do woodwork together, Wilbur’s singing voice goes from soothing to too loud, and Phil barely gives him any chores (Maybe he shouldn’t complain about that one, actually).

They don’t mean it, of course, they didn’t. They probably don’t even notice it as well. Something so small and insignificant to them could be so overwhelming for him. He just wants to be bigger, to fit in… 

He should go to sleep. He'll forget about it tomorrow and everything will continue on like it usually does (until the nagging feeling returns and he feels like he's rotting in bed).

Goodnight, me. Tommy closed his eyes, unable to rid of the heavy weight in his chest. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

If Tommy could recall this correctly— and while he may not have the best memory, he can certainly tell when something is just plain wrong… He fell asleep on his bed, right?

His eyes blurred as he gained consciousness and though he wasn't aware of where he was— he could sense danger even from a mile away. His shoulders ached, raised high above him. Something was holding his arms upwards. Cold, tight metal gripping his wrists, uncomfortably pressing into his skin. He tried tugging it downwards, but it barely moved. 

Instead of lying on a soft, warm bed, it felt like he'd been kneeling for Prime knows how long. His legs felt numb, ringing uncomfortably no matter how much he tried to move. It didn't matter because he was stuck in place. 

It was hot. Sweat was dripping from his forehead to his nose and down to either his clothes or the floor (he made a mental note that he wasn’t wearing his pajamas). 

He sucked in a deep breath, humid air filling his lungs in a way that didn't calm him down, but just made him panic more. 

Tommy's vision began clearing up and despite the little ache in his neck, he decided to look around. The room was dimly lit, weak artificial lighting barely reflecting the big, metal room he resided in. 

There were mini stairs and platforms built around him. The platforms in front of him connected through the middle and had a door on each side of the wall. Above the platform in the wall in front of him was glass, he couldn't make out anything inside, it was darker than the room he was in.

The metal room he sat in was quite spacey. The ceiling was quite high but he couldn't stand up even if he attempted to— his ankles were chained as well, shorter in length compared to the ones around his wrist. Tommy struggled against the chains, everything looked so.. small yet so oddly detailed. 

Where was he? Who were these stairs for? Were there more beings smaller than a borrower? Prime, how would they even look next to a human?

Does his family know where he is right now..?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

yayaya thank you sm for reading! & holy shit guppy writing fics comeback??? no way!!!

[vixensdungeon]

What the heck is a splatbook?

You might have heard this term in roleplaying game circles. You probably know it refers to a book of some sort, and that it isn't the main rulebook. But what on Earth is it, and where does it get its silly name? The answer may surprise you.

*

That's a splat. Or an asterisk if you want to be formal. But for our purposes we'll call it a splat. You might know that the humble splat is often used to indicate some sort of variable, right? Well that's how it entered our hobby.

Back in the day a company named White Wolf published a bunch of roleplaying games collectively called Storyteller games, most famous among them the World of Darkness games such as Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and Mage: The Ascension. These all had various types of characters you could be. Vampire had different Clans, Werewolf had Tribes, and Mage had Traditions. And they all received sourcebooks of their own. Vampire had Clanbooks, Werewolf had Tribebooks, and Mage had Traditionbooks.

As previously established, the splat is used as a variable. So all of these books were collectively known as *books, or splatbooks.

So in general splatbook means a sourcebook dedicated to one of the basic types your character can be. The Complete Fighter's Handbook for AD&D, for example, would be a classbook, and thus fall under the category of splatbook. "Splat" on its own has also come to be a generic term for whatever discrete character types a game might have, such as classes or playbooks.

[aihoshiino]

A character I wish got more attention was the crow girl. Like we saw she got a role in the movie and that’s it nothing else. Haven’t seen her be cryptic or anything.

I wanna know what your thoughts are on this, especially since she supposed to play as the twins!!

I'm super curious about her! I think it's kind of weird that her inclusion in the movie ended up being so Nothing when it was presented as such a big deal but I guess we'll see more of her if we ever get to the scenes of baby AQRB. Though wtf does it even imply about her existence in the world that they were able to hire her.

As a feature of the story, I don't necessarily disagree with the fandom consensus that she's mostly an exposition dispenser but tbh I don't mind it THAT much. There's been some capital I Implications from hour zero that AQRB's reincarnation was no accident or coincidence so I think having a supernatural character who is in the loop end up guiding them along in certain directions for unknown purposes is pretty interesting. I also think there's some really juicy thematic Vibes in the idea of there being a dubiously antagonistic force who, rather than lying, manipulates and beats the twins around with painful truths they don't want to acknowledge.

As a CHARACTER... I definitely think she suffers a lot from Akasaka's reliance on mystery box storytelling. She was definitely just introduced to be spooky and weird and to imply greater secrets about her existence but none of that has really resolved into anything meaningful or even that engaging about her, because she's just held together with exposition glue and mystery tape. Not that I dislike her or anything! It's just a case of like, wow the guy writing you really isn't sure what to do with you lol

In fact, I have a secret suspicion that Akasaka changed his mind on who and what she was supposed to be partway through the manga?? Like, the corvid associations and general spookiness had pretty much everyone I know going "so she's Yatagarasu? OK" from basically hour zero only for him to hit us with the Tsukuyomi steel chair out of nowhere!!! I don't think she was even associated with the moon imagery wise at all until the heavy handed mention of it just prior to her name getting dropped so I really do think Akasaka just. Initially wrote her as Yatagarasu and then changed his mind HAHA

On an unrelated note, I've been playing Okami again and one of the plot coupons in that game is a sword named Tsukuyomi and every time it got name dropped I went

[none-of-these-days]

Their time in Moonwood Mill is coming to an end and I had so much fun playing their little camping trip. 🏕️

The next couple of posts will use poses. That's for storytelling purpose. After that we dive head first into proper occult gameplay! By that time Life and Death should be available and I can't wait to explore the new world and the grim reaper career!

Just a heads up: the next couple of posts are a bit darker and contain tw: violence, tw: implied character death and hurt/no comfort. Finn is having a not so great time but I promise things get better soon.

Also, it's implied character death because I haven't decided yet if the person actually dies or not. I have gameplay ideas for both scenarios. Maybe I'll do a poll? We'll see.

[theofficialdramallama]

Maybe it's just me, but I'd love to see the Cam and Bobby friendship (were they even friends or did they simply put up with each other while competing for Jamie's approval?) during the youth group era, and how fractured their relationship became after Bobby's accusation.

I want the show to give us a timeline of when/how things all fell apart. Like, according to Jamie, Bobby 'burned down' the youth centre, and then accused Jamie - so knowing what we know now, Jamie assaulted Bobby, then Bobby accidentally/purposely set fire to the youth centre as presumably a cry for help, and then found the strength to put in the accusation. How did Cam react? Seeing his initial reaction to seeing him again in the hospital, he was clearly manipulated by Jamie into thinking that Bobby was the problem, that he was twisted and targeting the perfect Jamie who could do no wrong.

Maybe I've watched way too much Byker Grove and kdramas with angsty bromances in them, but I love the setting of a youth group for all of this to occur. In real life, the harsh and horrible reality is that it happens much too often between mentor/mentee relationships, but from a dramatic/storytelling POV, the setting allows for so much angst and character development.

I know it won't happen in the show itself (the most we'll probably get is Bobby and Cam arguing about the past), but there's definitely fic potential there (and rp potential, but I don't think there's many detailed Casualty rpers out there).

[hotheadrednecksimmer]

Ceilings - Struck by Love Legacy Challenge - Season 2, Episode 30

TW: Pregnancy Loss

The months go by as Naomi progresses in her pregnancy. She found it difficult to work with her growing belly, the piano and the guitar uncomfortable to play. She eventually had to resort to just singing, but even that was starting to be uncomfortable as she reached nearly 30 weeks.

Her cravings were strong, including wanting cereal at 3 am most nights.

Leo: Just a couple more weeks and we'll be a family of four.

Naomi was coming around to the fact she was going to be a mother and their family was going to change. She starting to love the babies that she was growing inside her. Naomi: I can't wait until they're here.

Leo: Let's get you some cereal, I know that's why we came down here in the first place.

Naomi: Yes please!

The next few days Naomi started to feel off, she chalked it up to just being uncomfortable. Her body was carrying two precious babies who were stretching her skin and making her unable to see the lower half of her body. She had an appointment coming up, so no need to worry right?

As she and Leo slept, Naomi woke up in a lot of pain. Naomi thought this was it - it was early but it wasn't unheard of with twins - she was in labor. As she sat up in bed the pain got worse, but it wasn't going away. It was constant, which from the pregnancy books that she read, labor pains came in waves. As she started to get up, she noticed the large amount of blood that pool around her legs.

Naomi: Leo, get up, somethings wrong with the babies.

Leo: Huh? What?

Naomi: Leo somethings wrong!!!

Leo rushed Naomi to the hospital, her pain growing.

Dr. Waldorf informed them that they lost the babies, Naomi had an ectopic pregnancy. Those words confused the both of them.

Naomi felt like it was all her fault, she willed this into existence. She didn't want them at first and now they were gone. All she could do was cry and blame herself.

Naomi: I'm sorry this is all my fault.

Leo: My love, it's not your fault. Even Dr. Waldorf told us that there was nothing that we could've done differently to change the outcome. Sometimes this happens, even with modern medicine.

Naomi: I didn't want them at first. I wasn't ready.

Leo confused: But, you were so excited?

Naomi: I faked it so you could be happy. You wanted them, I was still trying to figure out what I wanted.

Leo: I- I need some time Naomi.

Naomi: Okay.

Leo left her downstairs while he went upstairs to shower the day away and lay in bed while he let many tears fall.

Naomi made her way towards the living room to lay down, not bothering to change or do anything but lay there staring at the ceiling. This was all her fault.

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦ Season 1 | Season 2 First | Previous | Next

This episode was really hard for me to write -- mainly because I wasn't expecting this, I play with several mods that have chances of this happening to my sims and I didn't think to turn them off for Naomi, but I decided to roll with it for storytelling purposes. This was also hard for me to write because I experienced this myself, I've had two miscarriages and dealt with the grief of losing unborn babies (not as far along as Naomi was, but still). Sending love and hugs to all who have experienced a pregnancy loss no matter what stage you were in, losing a baby or babies, is not an easy thing. ♥ - Ash

[runicdiceusa]

The History of Dice in Gaming: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Fun

Dice have been a part of gaming for millennia, with a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations. In this article, we'll delve into the captivating story of dice in gaming, from their origins to their significant role in today's tabletop and digital games. Join us as we explore the evolution of this timeless gaming tool.

Ancient Beginnings: The Birth of Dice

The history of dice can be traced back to around 3000 BCE when dice-like objects were discovered in Mesopotamia. These early dice were crafted from bone, clay, or stone, often featuring irregular shapes, which added an element of unpredictability to the games. These discoveries provide a unique insight into the ancient world's love for chance-based games.

Dice in ancient Mesopotamia were not only used for entertainment but also served ritual and divination purposes. It's remarkable to think that these simple objects played a significant role in the lives and beliefs of ancient civilizations.

Dice in Ancient Greece and Rome

As civilization progressed, so did the development of dice. Ancient Greece introduced the concept of six-sided dice, still the most common form today. Crafted from bronze or other metals, these dice featured numbered pips on each face, reminiscent of the dice we use today. Romans also embraced dice for games like "Tesserae," fostering the dice's continued popularity in the gaming world.

The use of dice in ancient Greece and Rome was not limited to entertainment. These cultures recognized the educational and strategic value of dice games. Moreover, the Roman fascination with dice extended to gambling, a practice that was both loved and loathed by different segments of society.

Medieval Europe: The Moralization of Dice

Throughout the Middle Ages, dice games persisted despite opposition from religious and moral authorities who viewed them as a form of gambling. The appeal of dice games endured, offering a form of entertainment that captivated people in Europe.

Dice in medieval Europe were often associated with gambling and were regarded with suspicion. The Church and various authorities made efforts to regulate and sometimes ban dice games. However, these measures did little to dampen the enthusiasm for dice, which continued to be an integral part of medieval social life.

Dice in the Modern Era

The 16th century witnessed the emergence of what we now call "standard dice," with their iconic cube shape and numbered faces from 1 to 6. These dice gained popularity for their simplicity and fairness, becoming a staple in board games, gambling, and various other forms of entertainment.

Dice games in the modern era have evolved significantly. Standard six-sided dice, known as D6, have become a universal tool in games and gambling, offering a balanced and predictable way to introduce chance into various activities. Their simplicity makes them accessible and enjoyable for players of all ages.

Tabletop Role-Playing Games: A New Dawn for Dice

The late 20th century brought about a resurgence in dice-driven gaming, courtesy of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) like "Dungeons & Dragons." RPGs incorporated various dice types, adding complexity and chance to gameplay. Discover how dice rolls shaped epic adventures and character development.

Tabletop role-playing games introduced a new level of complexity to dice gaming. In D&D, for instance, various types of polyhedral dice, from the iconic 20-sided die to the 4-sided die, are used to determine outcomes. Players relied on dice rolls to decide the success of actions, the outcome of battles, and the development of their characters, creating immersive storytelling experiences.

Dice in Modern Board Games

Modern board games like "Monopoly" and "Settlers of Catan" have embraced dice to introduce elements of randomness and strategy. Explore how dice enhance gameplay and make every session a unique and engaging experience.

Board games with dice have evolved to provide a blend of strategy and chance. Whether it's the roll of the dice determining your resources in "Catan" or your moves in "Monopoly," these games challenge players to make strategic decisions while embracing the element of unpredictability that dice bring.

Digital Dice: The 21st-Century Evolution

In the digital age, dice seamlessly transitioned into video games. Online casinos offer virtual dice games, allowing players to enjoy the thrill of rolling the dice from their homes. Discover the digital evolution of this timeless gaming tool.

Digital dice have opened up new possibilities for gaming. Online casinos provide a platform for virtual dice games, where players can experience the excitement of rolling the dice without needing physical dice. The convenience of digital dice has made them a popular choice for online gamblers, and their use extends beyond casinos to a wide range of digital games.

To The Future

The history of dice in gaming is a testament to the enduring appeal of these versatile tools. From ancient civilizations to modern tabletop and digital games, dice have remained a constant presence. Whether for recreation, gambling, or storytelling, dice continue to capture our imagination and add an exciting element of chance to the games we love.

Dice have truly stood the test of time, evolving with each era and remaining an integral part of human entertainment. As technology advances, we can only imagine how dice will continue to shape the future of gaming, captivating new generations of players and enthusiasts.

[cyvonix]

Cyv Reads Homestuck - Act 3 Wrapup

where doing it man

where MAKING THIS HAPEN

Holy SHIT, where do I even begin? Act 1 was fun. I enjoyed it. Act 2 intrigued me. It kept me wanting more. Act 3, by all accounts, has latched its hooks all the way into me. I am IN, dude. While this act retains the quirky and random interactions that made the previous ones so casually enjoyable, the astonishing leap in the density and frequency of narratively interesting content here is undeniable. And now, at the end of it, I'm the most excited I've been to see the next turns these insane plot threads will take, and how these characters, who have fully endeared me by this point, will develop.

All of the characters have been left in a place that leaves the story ripe to explore so many things. Starting with John, who has now reached the first gate. I have no idea what that even means for him. I know that it was the goal, and that apparently each will be more difficult to reach, but we haven't been told in any way what the journey to those other gates will actually entail. The side story with his dad trapped in the dark kingdom has also been fun to witness, and I'm sure we'll be getting more of that soon enough.

With Rose, it leaves the most obvious cliffhanger. Now that she has also entered the Incipisphere, what happens? We've only seen one character in this environment thus far, so who's to say what adding another one to the mix will even look like? Dave has obviously been tasked with being Rose's server player (the ways he fucks with her game even in the face of imminent despair was absolutely hilarious) so that leaves me to wonder if he will also be transported into this world at some point, but also how Rose will be able to simultaneously manage John's game now that she has a client world of her own to take care of. The other interesting thing with Dave is his relationship to his brother, which clearly hints at the parental figures in their lives being absent in one way or another. With Dave also so clearly seeming to look up to his brother in an immense way, I think that could lead to some really great storytelling.

And then, there's Jade. Oh lord. What can I even say about Jade Harley, other than rambling off the many ways in which I was bewildered by her constant disregard of every "normal" aspect of the three other kids. My point being that she is a total and complete mystery. She seems extremely sweet, and almost aloof, but has by far the most compelling narrative implications of any of the cast. Not only does she not have surviving family at all, instead being cared for, or at least assumed to be, by some sort of magical dog creature of unknown origin named Becquerel, but she is also living on some sort of secluded island littered with ruins that seem to beg the reader to ask their purpose. As if that weren't enough, we now know that she is capable of using her dreams to see into both the past and future, to reasons that are unknown even to her. And as we've already seen how this can drastically affect the events of the story, including in the thread we've been following surrounding the odd denizens of the post-apocalyptic future, I have no doubt that this will play a large part in things going forward.

Finally, the mystery of Sburb continues to deepen, as several of the characters keep finding control rooms, symbols, and various other interfaces that so clearly resemble the iconography of Sburb. Just what the hell is this game? What is its true purpose? How does it tie in to the overall balance of light and dark in the world that has been proclaimed to us? I have a feeling that these questions will not truly be answered for a long time, but the breadcrumbs are enough to keep me fully engaged. Even the lore of this world itself, the idea of the Incipisphere, Skaia, and the two kingdoms in constant conflict for eternity, and all the things that this cosmology implicitly allows the exploration of, is so exciting to me.

Whew. So yeah, I guess that's about as condensed as I'm going to get my thoughts on this one. What a wild ride. I guess here are some other miscellaneous things to mention:

I read the entirety of Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff. What a horrid, crusty, amazing archive of media.

Of course I know that the trolls will eventually enter this story, but I have zero spoilers for the context or even who they are as character; just that they exist. Thus, I've kept track of which trolls have appeared in Pesterlogs so far, and those are: carcinoGeneticist, grimAuxiliatrix, and adiosToreador. So we'll see how that goes in the next act.

The concept of Jade's dreaming mind/dreambot and the golden city, including the sleeping John Egbert, is clearly important. And clearly has something to do with whatever species is roaming the deserted future. But I have such little idea of how to begin parsing that at this point that I don't have much to say about it. But I am absolutely keeping it in mind

If you actually read all of this: Damn. Thx for inexplicably caring what I have to say despite being an irrelevant poster and like a decade late on this shit :P More (much smaller) updates to come soon as I move forward with this story

[shamandrummer]

Healing through Storytelling

Storytelling has been a fundamental part of human experience for thousands of years. From ancient myths passed down through generations to modern novels and films, stories have shaped our understanding of the world and ourselves. However, storytelling is more than just a way to entertain or pass on knowledge--it can also be a profound tool for healing. By sharing our stories, we can confront and process our emotions, connect with others, and ultimately find a path to recovery and growth. In this blog post, we'll explore the ways in which storytelling can be a powerful force for healing.

The Therapeutic Power of Storytelling

Storytelling has a unique ability to tap into our emotions and bring about psychological healing. When we tell our stories, we give voice to our experiences, which can help us make sense of them. Many of us walk around in a fog of past events that we never fully understood or processed. When we tell our stories, we create an ordered pattern out of past events, and thereby construct meaning. We form a clearer understanding of who we are and how we got to where we are. This process is particularly powerful in dealing with trauma. Trauma can often leave individuals feeling isolated, misunderstood, and overwhelmed by emotions that seem too complex to articulate. By telling their stories, individuals can begin to organize their thoughts, express their emotions, and gain a sense of control over their experiences.

One form of storytelling that has gained recognition for its therapeutic benefits is narrative therapy. Developed in the 1980s by Michael White and David Epston, narrative therapy encourages individuals to tell their stories in a way that separates their identity from their problems. This allows them to reframe their experiences, recognize their strengths, and see themselves as empowered agents in their own lives rather than victims of circumstances.

In addition to narrative therapy, journaling is another powerful form of storytelling that can facilitate healing. Writing about our experiences, especially traumatic ones, can help us process emotions and gain insight into our thoughts and feelings. Studies have shown that expressive writing can lead to reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression, and can even have physical health benefits, such as improved immune function.

Building Connections Through Shared Stories

Storytelling not only helps us heal individually, but it can also foster connection and support among people. When we share our stories with others, we open ourselves up to empathy and understanding. Our stories allow us to be known and seen, understood and appreciated. This can be particularly important for those who feel isolated by their experiences. For example, support groups often rely on storytelling as a means of building community among individuals facing similar challenges. By hearing others' stories, individuals may realize that they are not alone in their struggles, which can provide comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.

Moreover, storytelling in groups can create a sense of solidarity and shared purpose. This is evident in many cultural traditions where communal storytelling is used to pass down wisdom, strengthen bonds, and maintain a sense of identity. For example, Indigenous communities often use storytelling as a way to preserve their history, values, and traditions, which helps maintain a strong sense of community and continuity.

In the digital age, online platforms and social media have expanded the reach of storytelling, allowing people to connect with others across the globe. Blogs, podcasts, and online forums provide spaces where individuals can share their stories and find support from a wider audience. This global exchange of stories has the potential to break down barriers, increase understanding, and build empathy among people from diverse backgrounds.

Storytelling as a Tool for Advocacy and Social Change

Beyond personal healing, storytelling can also be a powerful tool for advocacy and social change. By sharing their stories, individuals can raise awareness about important issues, challenge stereotypes, and inspire others to take action. This is particularly important for marginalized communities whose voices have historically been silenced or ignored.

One powerful example of storytelling as advocacy is the #MeToo movement, where survivors of sexual harassment and assault shared their stories, sparking a global conversation about gender-based violence. The collective power of these stories not only brought attention to a pervasive issue but also led to concrete changes, such as policy reforms and increased accountability for perpetrators.

Similarly, storytelling has been a key element in the civil rights movement, LGBTQ+ rights activism, and other social justice movements. By bringing personal experiences to the forefront, these stories humanize the issues at hand and create a sense of urgency for change.

Storytelling in the Healing Professions

Recognizing the healing power of storytelling, many professionals in the fields of healthcare, psychology, and social work are incorporating storytelling into their practices. For instance, narrative medicine is an approach that encourages healthcare providers to listen to their patients' stories as a way to better understand their experiences and provide more empathetic care. This approach acknowledges that patients are not just a collection of symptoms but individuals with unique stories that shape their health and well-being.

Similarly, in social work and counseling, practitioners often use storytelling to help clients explore their identities, build resilience, and find meaning in their experiences. By encouraging clients to tell their stories, practitioners can help them process their emotions, identify patterns in their behavior, and develop strategies for coping and growth.

Conclusion: Embracing the Healing Journey Through Storytelling

Storytelling is a deeply human practice that has the power to heal, connect, and transform. Whether through narrative therapy, journaling, group sharing, or advocacy, storytelling allows us to make sense of our experiences, connect with others, and find a path forward. In a world where many feel isolated and disconnected, storytelling reminds us of our shared humanity and the potential for growth and healing that lies within each of us. By embracing the power of storytelling, we can not only heal ourselves but also contribute to the healing of our communities and the broader society. What's your story?

[chaoticblade5]

The Third Course: The Day/Night Move

When your hunters try to do something risky—or face something they fear—they trigger the Day Move or the Night Move, depending on what phase of play you're in. The text from those two moves is below.

At a glance, they look like the general-purpose conflict resolution moves of Powered by the Apocalypse games—Defy Danger, Act Under Pressure, etc. But there's more going on here. First of all, the moves also deal with fear-based reactions, which is important for a horror game.

More importantly, they take that concept of collaborative storytelling and extend it beyond world building, into the realm of stakes-setting. A criticism of PbtA that's so common it's cliche is that thinking of complications for die rolls is challenging for the MC. And it can be!

The Day/Night Move lets *players* say what they're scared of. That seemingly-simple aspect of the move alleviates the PbtA problem because it makes it so the creative burden isn't just on the Keeper, and it tells the Keeper something about what the player is interested in.

And at night, when the action is much more dangerous, much more feral, the Keeper then says, "It's worse than that..." and makes whatever the player said even more terrifying.

It's great fun, and because it centers danger and ferocity at night, it makes the experience more dramatic and cinematic. And so we've got our two c-words combined here: collaborative and cinematic gameplay. Let's do an example:

The hunter has agreed to let Julius, the Vampire King of London, feed on her in order to get some information about the Limehouse Lurker. The Night Move is triggered and the hunter says, "I'm afraid he's going to drink to deeply and I will be weakened from the experience."

The Keeper considers for a moment, and says, "It's worse than that: he loses control while drinking from you and drains you completely, leaving your desiccated husk behind. Do you wish to proceed?" The player thinks about it, and agrees to go forward with it—they're locked in.

A secondary effect of the Day/Night Move is that it builds up trust between Keeper and players. Everyone knows what's at stake, and so long as the Keeper does their best to honor that after the die roll, the players will want to keep putting their characters in danger.

Because it's fun to be in danger! And if you know the Keeper is going to put your hunter in danger in a way that feels honest—and not some cheap bullshit no one saw coming—then you will always embrace that danger. Do not sleep on the Day/Night Move. It's the secret sauce here.

I've often said I stand on the shoulders of giants, and you can see traces of Bluebeard's Bride and other PbtA games here. But I'm very proud of this implementation, and I've seen how it affects table culture in a positive way.

We'll continue tomorrow. For now, please consider backing The Between! We're getting really close to our next stretch goal, and could use your help!