#what are the limits of what it can and cannot do

[khorneschosen]

Typically the left wing of this country. However I do like keeping things broad enough to say that the you can refer to whoever it hits. If you read this and think this applies to you then it definitely does.

I will clarify my meaning however. And expand on it because I usually write a lot of these and don't expect much attention for them.

The left wing has always found it ideal that it's opposition would not be conservatives or libertarians because these typically operate with an entirely different framework of philosophy. And that means there is a meaningful choice between you and them.

However if you notice in Europe there is the opposite trend where people are asked to choose between national socialism and socialism. If you want a clearer example of this is the European politics particularly those in the western sphere.

It's why right now many of the more libertarian or at least alternative parties are gaining in traction in the Western European countries.

For example the Conservative party of the UK has always been a party of anti-capitalism since it's inception. Resulting in a originally feudalesque approach to politics which is not necessarily fascistic but it's differentiation is rather limited in its approach to problems. And it does not have the radical ideology which demands complete loyalty to the state.

This is the ideal state for left-wingers and socialist of all stripes that their opposition necessarily concedes to the principle behind what they proposed to do.

Understand the ultimate ideal behind socialism in this country and abroad is that you cannot demolish the Master's house with the master's tools in other words you have to overthrow the entire system in order to bring about the change you want thus it is not necessarily a boiled frog approach but you must actually dismantle the system violently and thus having an opposition who would validate your violent approach to politics is necessarily something you would need it order to engage in your Utopia building.

Thus as I pointed out from a political science perspective socialists need Nazis in order to bring about socialism.

However in America fascism is not a popular philosophy. Because necessarily in order for fascism to take hold Americans would have to a either start becoming racist which they are unlikely to do considering their outgroup preference or at least the whites out group preference is higher than its own in group preference so that's not happening.

Two and two after a decades of having even a slightly more authoritarian government since world war II the result has been a complete and total hatred of the federal government thus the state worshiping necessary for fascism cannot be maintained either. Americans made love their country but that does not extend to their government.

What's more it's kind of goes against the framework that has been defining American politics which is been the 2008 economic crisis and recession. In which the principled new right and new left were defined by occupy Wall Street and the tea party. Libertarianism and socialism.

In short fascism is not possible here and this is not even getting into the sheer amount of political parties and political interests that would not want this. If you look at the special interest groups not a singular fucking one of them actually once a authoritarian system because I will tell you blatantly that means that they're going to have to pay a lot more for lobbying rather than less.

However it is popular with a small subsection of Americans who don't realize that that is exactly what they're doing. And typically it's those who are trying to bring about the Chinese model in America. Which is often times you are very young and very naive and honestly very stupid American left-wing socialists. The differentiation between them both philosophically and just in policy is becoming weaker by the day. Though they typically don't do the predominant ethnicity sort of thing even though they do have their preferred ethnicity which they consider to be non-white. Particular focus with black because that is the ethnic group which scores highest in their privilege hierarchy. And when you necessarily start looking at what is the concept of power plus privilege and racism you start seeing a philosophy which is very close to David Duke's racial realism.

In short the differentiation between you guys and the Nazis is becoming a lot less day by day and I don't think you guys understand that or care to fight it because again the end of socialism being the creation of this utopia is an ultimate good and the ends justify all the means.

And finally for the part where I said we do not recognize your observations anymore it is mainly due to the amount of things that you have called fascistic or Nazis in the past decades. For example I was called a Nazi for bringing up the issue I had in my local community that being the hog from the feral hog problem the one that causes billions of dollars in damages in my state. Or the state next door which has one of the highest hog populations in the United States. One wonders if they even have people there or if the hogs finally started walking upright like Orwell said. Jokes aside Napoleon.

The ultimate point here is that we no longer recognize your ability to be one truthful and to actually be able to tell what is and isn't fascistic.

For one your movement has fascist as I pointed out and two the baseless accusations that have gone on for so long that you've ultimately destroyed the meaning behind that word and it has semiotically meant opposer.

Three the left wing approach to what is fascism historically and Nazism historically have been discredited because they are not accurate depictions of fascism or Nazism. It is a model which cannot be used to predict anything about what they did during the war or the philosophy of it or their actions during it what's more it is in conflict with how those people at the time describe themselves. And say what you will about subversive philosophies being one of yourself you necessarily know that they have to at some point tell you something about the ideology you are supporting You have to have a reason for it Free association and clever rhetoric will not actually get you supreme power anymore than any other subversive ideology.

In closing I'm glad that you allowed me to answer both your question and to clarify my own statement in greater detail.

An important PSA to remember!

[ID in Alt]

[ghostlyferrettarot]

💎Pick a Picture: ‧₊˚💎✩ ₊˚How do you let your beauty shine?‧₊˚💎✩ ₊˚

❗️This is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest❗️

✨️Paid services ✨️ (Natal charts and tarot readings) Open!

🫂If you like my work you can support me through Ko-fi. Thank you!🫂

🫧Join my Patreon for exclusive content!🫧

✨️Masterlist✨️

💎Pile 1:

Hi pile 1, the cards are talking to you about something really beautiful, something you probably don't always recognize clearly, but that is within you all the time. I feel like you don't just have external beauty, but a radiant, natural, authentic beauty that comes directly from within. The most special thing is that your beauty is expansive. Just like nature at its best, like a garden blooming with all its flowers, its light grows and touches everything around it. Your beauty is not something superficial, it is deep, because it is born from a place of compassion and understanding towards yourself and others.

Do you know what your cards and general aura tell me? That your light shines brighter when you give yourself permission to be yourself, when you stop looking for external validation and focus on what makes you feel good inside. Your beauty shines when you nourish yourself. When you take time to take care of yourself, to pamper yourself, to feed yourself with what makes you feel good, whether physical or emotional. When you surround yourself with what makes you feel at peace and happy, showing the brightest version of yourself. When you let go of external expectations and simply allow yourself to be, then your true radiance appears.

Your energy is that which will inspire others to love themselves more, to accept themselves as they are. When you are authentic, you open yourself up to a beauty that cannot be measured, because it is the beauty that comes from the heart, when that energy is projected outward, making everything beautiful around you.

💎Pile 2:

If you chose this pile, I want you to know that your beauty doesn't need to be forced. Your beauty isn't something you have to work to show, it's simply the reflection of your inner light.

What stands out most about this reading is your ability to show yourself without fear.

The beauty of your aura comes from the ease with which you present yourself to the world. You do not need external validation or approval, because your confidence and warm energy are so great that you are not afraid to show yourself as you are. Your energy is a warm refuge that offers comfort without asking for anything in return. I feel like you embody the beauty of The Sun (is one of the cards that popped out really quick as I was shuffling). You don't hide, you don't limit yourself. You give yourself to life, you give yourself to people, to experiences. You live with overflowing joy and an optimistic attitude that lights up everyone who crosses your path. That ability to enjoy the moment, to laugh with your whole being, is what really makes you shine. It's not just how you look, but how you make others feel, and that's what makes you someone absolutely beautiful.

Your beauty is not only in the clothes you wear, or in your makeup (if you wear it). It is in the way you share your energy with the world, how you make everyone feel better about being around you. That is your power, that is your radiance, in your true light, you are the SUN.

💎Pile 3:

Hi pile 3! The first thing that comes to me with this reading is that you are really alluring, but your beauty is not just external. Your beauty is calm (you may be more in the introverted side), but powerful, because you know who you are and you are not afraid to show your truth, even when that means being vulnerable. People see you, and what they see is not just what it is on the surface, but that quiet strength you radiate when you don't give up. Your beauty is in the way you face difficult times, in the way you get up again and again without losing yourself. There is a greatness of soul in you that is what really makes you shine, and it is something that is felt in the air when you are around others; you are a beautiful soul pile 3 :").

I feel like you have learned that vulnerability is not weakness, but a source of strength that allows you to be open, authentic, and sincere with others. And that vulnerability, far from making you weaker, makes you someone strong, capable of connecting with others in a genuine way. You have the power to show your scars and still remain beautiful, because you have learned to love them, to see them as signs of your power.

When you let your beauty shine, you do so from a place of deep acceptance of yourself, even in your most fragile moments. You know that you don't have to be perfect to be incredibly beautiful. In fact, perfection doesn't exist, but what does exist is that magnetic energy that you radiate when you accept yourself as you are. By accepting yourself, you open a space for your beauty to shine. Your beauty also comes from that quality you have to remain calm in times of chaos. It's as if your energy has a special ability to reassure others, to make those who are close to you feel safe, protected and understood.

💐Thanks for reading! Tell me if it resonated and i hope you have a great day!💐

[odileeclipse]

Hello!! Could you do a shadow milk cookie x reader except one sided with smc liking reader and reader is smart but just nonchalant about everything and can see through Shadow milk cookie but doesn’t say anything about it since reader doesn’t really care about him. Reader also can manipulate other people really well but except reader just uses it when it is absolutely necessary and not just for fun

you could say it’s like manipulator x manipulator type of relationship 😭🙏🏻🙏🏻

so whenever smc tries to manipulate reader, they just look at him with no interest whatsoever and then after, reader just brushes him off lmao

A Scholar's Indifference

A/N I took the liberty to make them a scholar because they're intelligent so what better way to show it than be a scholar.

The Grand Archives were quiet, save for the faint scratching of quill against parchment. The scent of aged paper and candle wax lingered in the air, untouched by the passage of time. It was a sanctuary of knowledge, a place where scholars sought wisdom, where history was preserved and studied. And where, unfortunately, Shadow Milk Cookie had made himself a nuisance. “I can offer you more than dusty old tomes, you know.” His voice coiled through the air like a whispered spell, smooth and deliberate, laced with that ever-present undertone of mischief. He lounged atop your desk as if he belonged there, one leg lazily crossed over the other, his fingers absentmindedly toying with the edge of an open book.

You didn’t look up. “That’s nice.” Shadow Milk Cookie narrowed his eyes slightly. A non-response. Not rejection, not curiosity just sheer, effortless apathy. How irritating. “You wound me, dear scholar,” he sighed, dramatic as always, his free hand pressing against his chest. “Is it truly so awful to imagine a world beyond these walls? A world where you are not simply a collector of knowledge, but a wielder of it?” You dipped your quill into the ink, barely acknowledging him. “Knowledge doesn’t need to be wielded. It simply is.”

“Drowning yourself in scrolls again, dear scholar?”

Shadow Milk Cookie’s voice curled around you like wisps of ink in water, smooth and dark, filled with a performer's flourish. He emerged from between the bookshelves, mismatched eyes gleaming with playful intent. You didn’t bother to look up. “Drowning implies struggle,” you replied smoothly, scratching your quill against the parchment. “I find knowledge rather easy to breathe in.” He laughed, slow and rich. “Oh, how clever. But tell me, what will all this knowledge do for you, hm? You sit here, day after day, collecting truths like dust on old tomes. And yet, do you ever stop to wonder how small this kingdom makes you?” You turned a page. “Enlighten me.” Shadow Milk Cookie leaned against the desk beside you, propping his chin on his palm as he watched you work. “You are brilliant,” he mused, “yet your talents are wasted here, confined to these halls, buried beneath limitations.” He waved a hand, gesturing vaguely at the bookshelves around you. “The Vanilla Kingdom tells you what you can and cannot study. They sift through history, preserving only what benefits them. But me? Oh, starlight, I hold the knowledge they do not want you to find.”

At this, you finally lifted your gaze, eyes laced with the same disinterest you always regarded him with. “Let me guess, if I simply cast aside my oaths and follow you, you’ll show me the hidden truths of the world?” Shadow Milk Cookie smirked. “You say it so mockingly, and yet, I can see the hunger in you.” You let out a soft hum, studying him. “Tell me, Shadow Milk Cookie. If knowledge was truly your grand gift to me, why present it with such flair? Truth does not need theatrics. it stands on its own.” He faltered, just for a fraction of a second, but you caught it. You always did. You leaned back in your chair, folding your hands neatly. “You see, I know the difference between a charlatan and a scholar. Charlatans weave grand words, dress their lies in gold, make impossible promises to those desperate enough to believe them.” Your gaze sharpened. “And you? You are nothing more than a talented illusionist. A puppet master in a carnival of shadows.”

Shadow Milk Cookie chuckled, though his grin was slightly tighter than before. “And yet, you keep listening.” You smirked. “Because you are a wonderful study in deception. I find you fascinating, in the same way one might study the tactics of a conman.” His eyes flickered, momentarily losing their playful gleam. “You wound me.” “No,” you said, tilting your head. “I intrigue you.” Silence stretched between you. For the first time, you had taken the stage. And Shadow Milk Cookie who had spent centuries puppeteering the minds of others found himself being played. The realization must have struck him as well, because after a moment, his lips curled into something more genuine than his usual theatrics a slow, appreciative grin. “Well, well,” he murmured, voice lower, smoother. “Perhaps I miscalculated. You’re not just another mind to mold, are you?” You lifted your quill, twirling it between your fingers. “Of course not. And that’s where you made your first mistake.” Shadow Milk Cookie laughed, a real laugh this time deep and delighted, his eyes gleaming not with victory, but with something far more dangerous. Interest. “You are wasted in this kingdom,” he purred, standing to his full height. “One day, you will see that. And when that day comes…” He let his words trail off, a silent promise woven between them. You merely returned to your parchment. “I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

He grinned, sharp and intrigued. “Spoken like a prisoner who doesn’t realize they’re in a cage.” You finally, finally lifted your gaze, leveling him with a stare so perfectly blank, so wholly unimpressed, that for a moment, he felt the slightest twinge of irritation. And then you smiled small, knowing, and just a little bit cruel. “If this is a cage,” you said, tilting your head, “why do you keep coming back?” Shadow Milk Cookie hesitated. Just for a second. Then, his grin widened. “Ah, but you mistake my presence for captivity, starlight. I am merely… entertained.” “Mm.” You turned back to your work, brushing away a stray ink blot. “So am I.” The amusement in his expression flickered, just for an instant, before he laughed. Genuinely. “You are playing with me.” It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation. You didn’t bother to confirm or deny it. Because you were. And he knew it. Shadow Milk Cookie had spent lifetimes weaving illusions, twisting perception, ensnaring minds in silken lies spun with the utmost precision. And yet, you? You saw through him. Not because you were searching for the truth. Not because you wished to challenge him. But because you simply did not care. And that was infuriating. “Oh, you are delightful,” he purred, resting his chin in his palm as he watched you work. “Truly, I cannot decide if I admire or despise you.”

“I don’t think about you enough to make that decision,” you replied idly. That one almost made him scowl. Almost. He hummed, watching as you dipped your quill back into the ink, utterly unbothered by his presence. “You’re wasted in this kingdom, you know,” he said, shifting tactics. His voice softened, dipping into something lower, something enticing. “They will never recognize your full potential here. But I will.” You let out a quiet hum, seemingly entertained by his attempt. “Is that what you tell everyone you want to recruit?” “Oh no, no, no,” he chuckled. “This is different.” He leaned closer, voice lowering to a whisper. “I see you, dear scholar. You and I? We are the same.” That made you pause. Just for a breath. Then, slowly, you turned to face him again. Your expression didn’t change. Your voice didn’t waver. But your words? Your words shattered him. “You mistake recognition for importance.” Silence. For the first time, Shadow Milk Cookie did not have a response. You let the moment stretch, tilting your head slightly. “I am no more like you than a scholar is like their book. You, Shadow Milk Cookie, are a performer.” You rested your chin against your hand, mirroring his own smug posture. “And I? I am simply watching the show.” His fingers twitched against the desk. It was annoying. It was intoxicating. It was exhilarating. “You are fascinating,” he murmured, his usual teasing lilt replaced with something real. Something dangerous. You shrugged. “I know.” And just like that, you turned away again, utterly, completely unbothered. Shadow Milk Cookie stared at you for a long moment. Then, he laughed. A breathy, delighted sound, as if he had stumbled upon the greatest puzzle he had ever encountered. “Oh, you are going to be my favorite,” he whispered, grinning to himself. You didn’t respond. Because as far as you were concerned, the conversation was already over.

[chdarling]

Frequently Asked Questions

Hi friends, I've decided to turn my ask box off for a while. This is not in response to any specific ask or any drama, I just can't keep up right now, and I continually feel guilty receiving asks I don't have the energy to answer. I've decided that guilt is not so great for my mental health right now, so I'm taking a wee break and figured I'd post some answers to some of the questions I receive the most.

Snippets and Spoilers can be found here.

***

When will TLE3 be released?

I don't have an exact date, but it probably won't be in 2025. I am giving myself the space and time to write TLE3 at my own pace and pleasure, and I plan to have a full draft finished before I start publishing on AO3. I promise when it's ready, you'll be the first to know.

***

Can I print TLE?

Please do not print TLE using any commercial printing service, as this is not legal (at least in the US, which is where I am). If you are printing and binding it yourself solely for personal use and in a manner that is 100% in compliance with copyright law – aka no one at any point in the process can make any money off of it – then I personally am fine with it (and very honored!). However, I cannot give approval for anything that infringes copyright law in any way. Thank you for understanding! I don't want to be sued!

***

Can I translate/create a podfic/create fanart for TLE?

I would be so unbelievably honored! I give a blanket approval for translations, podfics, and fanart, and I'm so, so touched that you would take the time to do this. I just ask that you ONLY post to AO3* and to please mark it as a related work so it's linked to the original. I may be slow to approve the AO3 email linking the fics, but I promise I will! Thank you!!

*except fanart, obviously. Do whatever you want with that. Although if you post it on tumblr, I would LOVE to see it. <3

***

Are you on any other social media sites?

No. I am ONLY on Tumblr, AO3, and the TLE discord. I don’t even use social media in my personal life, so don't try to find me! I'm not there!

***

Do you have fanfic recommendations?

I’m sorry, but I am not a good resource for this. I haven't actually read much fanfic as I spend most of my limited free time writing it. However, I always recommend checking out @jilyawards for a fantastic collection of the incredible talent in this fandom over the years.

***

Do you take requests for one shots/other fics?

No, sorry. I have my hands more than full with TLE.

***

Do you take suggestions for the plot of TLE?

No, sorry. I have the story pretty tightly plotted from beginning until the (very) end, and while I occasionally swerve down new creative alleys, I’m very committed to sticking to my original plan.

***

Is [super specific spoilery thing] going to happen in TLE?

You are of course welcome to ask, but I am almost certainly going to shout “SPOILERS!” and run away cackling.

***

You say this is a canon fic but [super specific thing that I don’t agree with] is included. What gives?

For the purposes of TLE, ‘canon’ means the original seven books. Everything else is dressing. I do include as canon a lot of the lore JKR provided in interviews while the books were being published (for example, James being a Chaser), however I tend to view all post-book authorial additions as mostly optional. I do use a fair amount of Pottermore in my story, but I do not keep up with new HP material, so it’s impossible to stay up to date with everything. For example, I tweaked the Animagus process somewhat to my liking as opposed to what is described in Pottermore. This is partly because I already had my version sketched out before that was published, and mostly because I did not like what was given on Pottermore.

I do not consider any of the films canon. If this alleged HBO show happens, I will not consider that canon. Video game? Not canon. I also simply do not know what the words ‘Cursed Child’ mean, as I am pretty sure this is from an alternate timeline in which I do not exist. Tra la la. :)

All of this to say: The seven books are the framework. However, I feel pretty strongly that within that framework there is room for many, many interpretations – particularly with regards to the Marauders era, about which we know so little. Just because my headcanon or characterization is different from yours (or vice versa!) doesn’t make it less canon. Similarly, just because something is not explicitly described in the seven books, doesn’t mean it is against canon for it to have happened in the background, unnoticed by Harry, or before the timeline of the seven books starts. See: Wolfstar.

***

Wait, there’s wolfstar in TLE?

Yes. There will be wolfstar in the series. I did tag it from day one, please stop sending me shocked and horrified messages! (lol) Because people have such strong feelings about this ship, I always feel the need to give my little disclaimer: There will be wolfstar. Personally, I love it and am excited to write it. However, if you are a fan of exclusively fluffy, happy wolfstar, you might be disappointed. If you are interested in exploring the fraught, occasionally toxic relationship between two angsty, repressed, and deeply traumatized young men during an escalating war…strap in, gird your loins, etc. We're gonna have some fun.

***

Why do you have two blogs?

Because I'm dumb. Because I didn’t know how tumblr worked when I started this whole nonsense and thought that a side blog sounded like a good idea…aaaaand then pretty much immediately regretted it. This was back before you could reply from a sideblog, so everything was a mess. I'm an archivist at heart, so I can't bring myself to delete @chdarling-tle but I almost exclusively use @chdarling these days. Feel free to only follow that one, unless you only want chapter updates and none of my silly reblogs, in which case @chdarling-tle is here for you. Otherwise it's pretty dead over there.

(ok, confession: this actually isn't a frequently asked question at all, but I shoved it in here anyway because the two blog thing annoys the shit out of me and I wanted to give some context for my disorganization. I meant well, once upon a time!!!)

***

Do you have a Patreon?

I’m amazed and flattered that I’ve been asked this enough to include it in an FAQ, but no, I do not. While I am so appreciative that people want to support this project, TLE is a work of fanfiction, created entirely out of and for love, and is in no way a commercial endeavor. I do not make a penny off of this project. I almost certainly lose pennies to this project. But that's okay! Because of the aforementioned love! And, once again, my deep and enduring desire to not be sued!

(One day I do hope to share some original writing, and if you feel so compelled, you may absolutely pay me for that, but I'm not quite there yet. 😉)

***

Ok but seriously when will TLE3 be released?

(sorry I couldn't resist)

***

Ok that's all I can think of right now. Thank you so much as always for your enthusiasm and support. My closed ask box is in no way a commentary on my appreciation for this community, I'm just very, very tired.

lots of love, CH

[milkfordragons]

Hannibal: Love and Death making love to each other.

How devastating it is to love something that death can touch.

To love is to be brave enough to lose. To love is, inevitably, to lose. Everything ends, everyone dies. This is the inescapable truth that love forces us to face. Loving is the ultimate act of courage, of surrender, of opening oneself to ruin. When someone we love is gone, they do not just disappear; they leave behind an absence that resounds louder than their presence ever did. Their death is silence, it is the empty space they once filled, the void where their voice should be, the ache where their touch used to linger. To love is to carve a place for loss inside yourself before it ever arrives.

Love and pain are twin flames, inseparable. We long for love, but it is always laced with the subconscious awareness that it will be taken from us. It is a paradox, a desperate attempt to grasp something that will never truly belong to us, an unfulfilled hunger that lingers in separated bodies, divided breaths. No matter how deep the connection, we remain separate, bound by the limits of our flesh. We make love to dissolve those boundaries, to merge, to trick ourselves into believing we can escape the inevitable. But we know the truth: we will never fully become one. And so, love aches.

It is not difficult to understand why Hannibal, someone who exists in complete dominion over his world, would rather destroy what he loves than allow it to be taken from him. Love is a force he cannot control, a force he never chose, yet it claimed him before he could resist. It took his sister, his parents, his innocence. It left behind a hunger so deep it became his nature, an emptiness he could never satisfy. Love, to him, is a death sentence. And so, to survive it, he refuses it. Until Will.

Will, who arrives like a force of nature, like love itself: unbidden, uncompromising, demanding. Will, who awakens the hunger, the fear, the unbearable knowledge that Hannibal has something to lose again. And so, he does the only thing left to do: he refuses to be at love’s mercy. He chooses death on his own terms. If loss is inevitable, he will not wait for it. He will not be its victim. I will take this from myself by my will, not Yours. I will lose when I choose to, not when You decide it is time.

I was worried you were dead.

Hannibal does not want Will to die, but he is constantly pushing him toward the edge of death, tempting it, teasing it. But the reason is simple. It is the same impulse as the man who believes himself unworthy of love, who, instead of rising to meet it, sabotages it at every turn, hoping to make the beloved leave him first. A preemptive wound. A controlled loss.

We convince ourselves that pain is easier to bear when we administer it in measured doses, that if we are the ones wielding the knife, it will cut less deeply. Hannibal is no different. He knows, has always known, that loving Will means losing him. And so, he moves to end it before it can end him. He flirts with Will’s destruction as a way to steel himself against the inevitable. If Will must be taken from him, let it be on his own terms. If this love is doomed, let him set fire to it with his own hands.

It is not cruelty. It is fear. The same fear that has governed him all his life: the fear of loss, of devastation, of the hollow hunger that follows. He edges Will toward death not because he desires it, but because he cannot bear to wait for it. Get this over with, he thinks. Let me suffer now, while I am still braced for it, before it catches me unguarded.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

The Miraculous fandom has some of the most creative people I know in it. I mean this, positive sense.

However that same talent becomes a problem when people cannot distinguish between a narrative beat and their own post-hoc justification.

The second is useful now and again when any sort of media misses a beat or takes a leap. ML fans carry the narrative on their backs.

It's telling that you have so many fanworks out there that are equally or more valid readings of the canon when they were published that have been completely obliterated by future development.

I'm not talking the wild takes. I'm not talking ML suddenly turning shonen, or coffee shop AU. I'm not even talking 'Adrien gets equal screen time.' Just 'with what we know, what comes next?' type fanfiction.

It's like canon is deliberately trying to dodge anything remotely predictable... but narrative beats are predictable for a reason. They work. They're good storytelling. A twist can be good storytelling, but only if it is better in every way then the not-twist.

You combine the shock-at-all-costs mentality with ML fandoms devotion and creativity and you get leaps of logic that would make a crypto seller blush. It ends up going downright unhealthy places at times.

I know their hearts are in the right place. I know they just care about the show they've sunk time and self into, but there are times you have to step back.

It doesn't mean you have to give up or turn away from the media. You just need to be willing to admit 'This episode/throughline/season/beat sucked'.

Then you hope it gets better.

Not doing this now and then is engaging in cult behavior.

(Post that spawned this ask)

I fully agree. People liking "bad" media doesn't bother me. What gets under my skin is people defending bad media. I'm in a book club and we all own that we like books that are objectively bad. We don't defend them as good, we just like the good parts enough to drown out the bad stuff. That's normal and fine. You don't have to limit yourself to perfect and pure art if such a thing even exists. I can name flaws in most of the things I like, I just think the good far outweighs the bad.

Miraculous is not some deep and complicated show that requires you to watch every episode. The writers have flat out said it is supposed to make sense even if you miss seemingly vital episodes. This means that trying to go the deep and nuanced route to explain the flaws doesn't work. This is a show for young children. It is supposed to be easy to follow. If it's not, then it has failed at its job! Little kids have no expectations to subvert. Shows like Miraculous are supposed to teach them how stories work so they can go on and watch more complex stuff when they're older. (For us adults, shows like Miraculous are supposed to be cute escapism that lets us feel like kids again.) If no one can possibly predict where a story is going next at a high level, then it's probably a bad story.

To be clear, I don't mean that every plot beat should be obvious. It's just that the longer a story goes, the more obvious things should feel as all the little elements of the story build and come together. This allows the audience to get excited about what's going to happen next and keeps them engaged. Stories where literally anything can happen no matter how little sense it makes aren't fun because you can't get invested in anything. I'll take a predictable ending over an impossible one any day.

A perfect example is the season three final. That final was all about Gabriel winning because he knew Chloe's identity. This is spelled out in the episode and the episode setup.

Miraculer set up:

Gabriel: Chloé Bourgeois must become Queen Bee again! Nathalie: Are you still considering making her an ally? I'm afraid Ladybug has grown reluctant to giving Chloé the Bee Miraculous. She's being very careful. Gabriel: Then I will get Chloé to force Ladybug to give it to her. All I need is for her to lose all hope in Ladybug. To become angry enough so I can akumatize her. (smirks evilly)

Ladybug: I'm sorry, Chloé. I should've told you this a long time ago. I might never be able to let you be Queen Bee again. Queen Bee: What? But I did everything you asked me to. Ladybug: I know. But this is for your own safety. It's too dangerous for you and your loved ones because Hawk Moth knows that you're Queen Bee.

Final pay off:

Hawk Moth: Try it and see for yourself. You're Ladybug's greatest fan. You've helped her, you've trusted her. And what has she done for you in return? Chloé: (gets angry) Nothing! She couldn't care less about me! I'm done with her. She's irrelevant, utterly irrelevant! (reaches out to grap the Miraculous, stops) I want you to de-akumatize has my parents first! Hawk Moth: Whatever you say, my queen. (Chloé takes the comb and puts it in her hair, releasing Pollen)

Since the final also includes every other temp hero being outed this should mean that season four will go on to have Ladybug and Chat Noir starting from scratch, but is that what happens?

Nope! The mass identity reveal means nothing and everything is fine to keep going as is. Chloé's identity reveal being a problem was a one-off fluke we don't need to think about.

There is no justification for that. You can decide that you're willing to let the flaw slide and keep watching, but there is no way to make this a good choice for the story. It was the start of the secret identities holding less and less weight to the point where a lot of people no longer care about the love square reveal because it's been so incredibly cheapened. Marinette keeping her identity from Chat Noir no longer makes sense when it was once pretty reasonable.

[fuckyeahisawthat]

What started as a joke about the Hexcore being Viktor's toxic replacement boyfriend has genuinely changed how I look at that part of the story. Because I was like lololol WAIT BUT KINDA. He does develop a weird codependent relationship with that orb. They're obsessed with each other. They're compelled toward each other. The Hexcore does not just transform him. They transform each other; the Hexcore growing more organic as Viktor grows more magical. There's an exchange; a relationship there. They feed on each other (blood, magical energy). There is something almost vampiric about their interactions: Viktor (literally!) allowing the Hexcore to suck his blood; the Hexcore entering his body to transform it. There's the fact that he strips down to his underwear for both these transformation scenes (even though he technically could have been half-clothed both times). Not to mention the literal sex scene intercut with Viktor's first uhhh commingling with the Hexcore. There is an undeniably gothic and sensual element to it, the idea of surrendering yourself to a dangerous, unknowable force with a willingness to be transformed.

And yeah sure you can argue that Viktor was being controlled by the Hexcore from the moment he built it. I think there's enough textual evidence to support that reading. But that's boring!! It's much more interesting to me if Viktor is making the choice to keep coming back to the Hexcore, out of desperation and hubris, ignoring the signs that it's a dangerous, powerful object he doesn't understand.

I think you miss out on a lot of interesting Viktor characterization if you don't think that Viktor is doing this of his own free will. It might seem like a minor semantic difference but I think of the Hexcore not as controlling Viktor but as enabling him, drawing out some of his more self-destructive qualities: his obsessiveness; his tendency to self-isolate; recklessness born out of knowing he would have a shortened lifespan; and yes, arrogance in thinking he understands this thing he's created well enough to keep it from hurting anyone except himself. (He is willing to keep pushing the limit if he's convinced that the only person being hurt or put at risk is himself, which in itself says something about how little he has to lose at this point.) It is not just the Hexcore that kills Sky; it is Viktor's own stubbornness and unwillingness to see the damage he is doing before it's too late. Sky pulls him back enough to get his hand off the Hexcore three times, and every time he grabs it again. If he'd let go the first time, she would have lived.

And it's so fucking SAD, because Viktor is in his toxic spiral with the Hexcore from 1.05 through 1.09 and NO ONE SEES IT. It's such a contrast to the beginning of Hextech, where the scientific breakthroughs happen when Viktor and Jayce are together, happen because they're together. All of Viktor's breakthroughs in understanding how the Hexcore works happen when he's alone with it, frequently at night long after everyone else has left the lab. He keeps reaching out to it, even after it does things that scare him, because he is desperate and alone and thinks it can offer him something he needs. In the process their life-forces become inextricably tied together; while one lives the other cannot die. And they end up consuming each other to the detriment of the rest of the world.

[beardedmrbean]

You have a constitutionally protected right to engage in peaceful protest in “traditional public forums” such as streets, sidewalks or parks. But in some cases the government can impose restrictions on this kind of activity by requiring permits. This is constitutional as long as the permit requirements are reasonable, and treat all groups the same no matter what the focus of the rally or protest.

The government cannot impose permit restrictions or deny a permit simply because it does not like the message of a certain speaker or group.

Generally, you have the right to distribute literature, hold signs, collect petition signatures, and engage in other similar activities while on public sidewalks or in front of government buildings as long as you are not disrupting other people, forcing passerby to accept leaflets or causing traffic problems.

Under the USA Patriot Act, non-US citizens who are not permanent residents can be investigated solely because of their First Amendment activities. Immigrants who choose to engage in a protest, march, or a demonstration should carry with them the telephone numbers of friends and relatives, as well as the telephone numbers of an immigration attorney or an immigrant advocacy organization.

Limitations on Speech The First Amendment does not protect speech that is combined with the violation of established laws such as trespassing, disobeying or interfering with a lawful order by a police officer. Also unprotected are malicious statements about public officials and obscene speech.

Although an inflammatory speaker cannot be punished for merely arousing an audience, a speaker can be arrested for incitement if he/she advocates imminent violence or specifically provokes people to commit unlawful actions. Limitations on Action Demonstrators who engage in civil disobedience – defined as non-violent unlawful action as a form of protest – are not protected under the First Amendment. People who engage in civil disobedience should be prepared to be arrested or fined as part of their protest activity.

If you endanger others while protesting, you can be arrested. A protest that blocks vehicular or pedestrian traffic is illegal without a permit.

You do not have the right to block a building entrance or physically harass people. The general rule is that free speech activity cannot take place on private property, including shopping malls, without consent of the property owner. You do not have the right to remain on private property after being told to leave by the owner. ______________________________

Direct from the ACLU, I'd highlight the important bits, but honestly it's all important so I encourage everyone to read it and understand what is and isn't protected under 1A.

Because a whole lot of y'all get it really really wrong.

I dislike that bit about the Patriot Act, that needs to be revoked imho.

Yes, civil disobedience is a form of protest that is well established and should be respected as such.

But what is civil disobedience?

A lot of kids (and media outlets, honestly) seem to be confusing “civil disobedience” with “mob rule.”

Another key feature of civil disobedience is non-evasion.

That is:

Civil disobedients are standardly expected to take responsibility for, and accept the legal consequences of, their lawbreaking. Their evading punishment would make their acts ordinary crimes or acts of rebellion.

[rottencoreofalpes]

STAFFSIDE 101:

What is staffside?

A question I often see asked, be it here, or on the official discord server! A very valid question, especially if you just stumbled on Tetro a few days or weeks ago and had no clue another story relating to it was unfolding on Twitter! So, here we are. As someone who has been here from the very first thread that we got for staffside, back before the discord server even had a staffside channel, I decided to write a guide on how to get into staffside and how to tackle the overwhelming (positively) experience it can be.

Staffside is the story of the staff members of KFTI (Kanagawa Futurist Technologies Institute) who are currently working on the project of the killing game. There are currently more than 30 members that we know off and every member gets a specific staffcode. The story unfolds on Twitter live, with no specific schedule. Sometimes we get a thread around 3 PM EST and sometimes we get them around 3 AM EST! There is no specific day either (as opposed to Tetro Danganronpa Pink, which gets released weekly on Fridays.)

Where do I begin? Twitter is giving me trouble!

Fear not friend! Twitter is an ass and unfortunately has a limit to the posts and considering that the staffside story has reached a novel size, unfortunately you cannot scroll down to the first ever thread posted...

LUCKILY, that is not a problem because a very helpful person @arohaofthestarsandskies had started archiving the threads back when they started! And so currently their document (which I'll be linking soon) has been an archive for the staffside story.

The document is on google docs with public access and has a number of editors that work on it out of their own volition (so give them a massive thanks!!!). The document is not official, by which I mean it was not made by Von or any of the TETRO STAFF. It's an archive kept by some of the nerdiest fans of staffside and it is currently up to date with the latest thread uploaded.

(Note: The contents of the document are still written by Von herself)

The document recently had to be split up into two parts due to how massive it got, so you would need to do a bit of reading to catch up, which is worth it because being there live gives you some perks that I'm going to list further down this huge post.

First part of the doc:

Second part of the doc:

After catching up with the documents you can start keeping up with the threads as they get released on Twitter. If you don't have Twitter and are in the official Tetro server, you can keep an eye on the staffside channel where various people copy and past the threads (for both archiving and access purposes) in the channel during the live update! (We call this duty the copy paste duty over there lol)

Other than the threads, the document contains some of the staffside related terminals that were found by a specific individual. (whom I won't be naming out of respect, but if you know, you know!! Thank you 🚬 for your huge contribution to the fandom and to staffside as well! We miss you dearly.)

One might ask what are terminals?! When should you check them out?

Very simply, terminals are some extra content Von has made (for both studentside and staffside) that you can find by doing bit of treasure hunting, aka by finding terms or keywords and looking for them.

An example would be some of the student profiles, the very first ones discovered.

https://tetrodanganronpa.tumblr.com/internet_idol.txt (studentside example)

or

https://tetrodanganronpa.tumblr.com/pet.zip (staffside example)

Unfortunately some terminals are subject to change. We have had instances where a terminal changed thrice in a week! Some people have attempted to archive these terminals on the Internet Archive, so by entering the links that are in the document you can attempt to see how they looked like before their updates.

In the document, the editors try their best to link the terminals in the threads so that you can check them out when they were discovered. For example the petzip terminal is linked in the point during which it's spoken about and was found.

What are the perks of watching the story unfold live? Aka why is it great to be caught up!

The interesting thing about staffside is that it's interactive at times! We have been given the opportunity to talk directly with Monomoko (and her other roles, known as the Mokosonas by the fandom) and by being given this chance we have been given the opportunity to mold the story as it goes.

Von has stated before that our choices matter! We had a couple instances where we needed to make a choice (pick which doctor we wanted to interview, vote innocent or guilty during trials, pick what fate we believed a doctor deserved, are a few of the examples!) and our choice mattered! We wouldn't have met the lovely Rosset that has charmed many of the staffside fans had we not been insufferable about voting, lol.

So, the gist of why it's important to experience this live, is the fact we affect the story and it's fun to get to see it unfold live. It also evokes more emotion in you. Personally having experienced a certain character's demise and waiting to get a confirmation for their status and then learning of their status over the course of two months made me LOSE MY MIND. So I'd highly suggest!!! (Plus it gets let overwhelming to keep up with the chaos of staffside if you're caught up.)

The dating system of the threads (specific to the docs.)

This is a new update that we have added to the documents. At first we simply used the date that suited students side (what day of the killing game they are on, based on the YouTube playlists), but now we have also started adding the real time dates these threads got posted in, mainly to help keep up with the confusion that takes place regarding staffside and studentside timeline.

During your read of the document, you will realize that staffside is following real life dates versus the YouTube videos that are not!

Finally, will staffside trigger me? A very important question!

The short answer is, unfortunately staffside contains some very sensetive and dark topics, which so far it has handled with great respect and care.

Staffside deals with these topics a lot, especially a bit further into the updates, so you might start reading and find it easy to handle only to get a whiplash of said topics. But, in my opinion it's very worth it, if you can handle it. My advice is to pacr yourself (and if you find the contents of the thread overwhelming, the terminals are best to be avoided as they get more detailed and upsetting compared to the threads posted on Twitter.)

Finally you can always try and ask people in the staffside channel about any questions you have, people there are very eager to sell you the drug that staffside is.

You can also send me asks, I don't mind explaining. :)

[candyredmusings]

Slay The Princess Sentence Starters

Sentences taken from Slay The Princess: The Pristine Cut by Blacktabby Games! Change Pronouns As Needed!

CW: Angst, Fluff, Comedic, Romantic

"Now we can both enjoy the mutual romantic subtext to this murder!"

"Yeah do you not know what The Look is? Even I know what The Look is."

"Do you think we can throw her out the window?"

"Hey you threw it out the window even though I just told you not to, I'm proud of you!" 

“WHY DO YOU HATE ME?” 

“What do you mean? This is what you wanted. Idiot.” 

"We ain't done yet, we get up."

"She asks that I tell you to remember her. You won't." 

"BEHOLD! The PERFECT woman!"

“I didn’t think you’d come back. We’re going to have a lot of fun, you and I!” 

“He’s making fun of us!”

“If only I were capable of throwing myself off a bridge.”

"Do I miss your heart because I can’t stand to see it go?"

“I will not be described into submission.” 

"By believing in your limitations you put a shackle on your neck."

"The number of stabbing implements I have is practically zero!"

"The world can't be bad if you're still in it."

"There are few things more terrifying than one's own heart, and there is almost nothing more terrifying than sharing it with another."

" ...do you not have anything witty to say? I could use a good bit of wit right now."

"The End. Nice knowing you."

"You're using a lot of words to say a lot of nothing."

"But violence and passion are dances that both of us know well."

"No. You stop that! Stop all this nonsense."

"If you want us to ignore her, then why did you tell us any of that 'wide pleadin eyes begging for mercy' business to begin with?"

"Whatever you're trying to do right now, you don't have to do it alone."

"You have no idea how good it is to hear you."

"I think you know who I am."

"HA! YOU BASTARD! Even face-to-face, you find a way to stab me in the back."

"I know you and you're hideous! Absolutely wretched! Just like me!"

"You ask of things that cannot be done."

"Why wouldn't I be kind to you? You are the only thing I know that isn't me."

"Fuck this guy. Don't trust him."

"You will have your rest in due time, and I am sorry for the burdens I place on you."

"I would never dare to tarnish our relationship by assuming myself above you."

"Names are their attempts to capture that which cannot be captured."

"Sweet! I've always wanted to off a monarch. Viva la revolucion!" 

"Oh, you bastard! You're in for it now. I'm wise to your tricks!"

“My will triumphs yours."

"We've hurt each other plenty, and I still like you."

"What nooo I wouldn't stab you."

"Why? Why did you let me do this?!"

"It takes a wretch to know a wretch, and we're all at the bottom of the barrel here."

"They're good questions. Great questions, even. But they don't have any answers."

“Do not mourn her; She has finally been heard.”

"Last time? If somebody came into my house and tried to kill me and I cut his neck open and then he stabbed me in the heart and we both died looking into each other's eyes, well, surely I would remember that! But I don't, so it must not have happened!"

"I just want to make you happy!"

"You've been kinder to me than anyone else I've met. Thank you."

“I’m not going to destroy the world, but I am going to hold it in my hands and squeeze it.”

"Oh that's right! Yeah, fuck this guy, don't trust him."

"If the world ended, how are we talking?"

"I'm going to die now! I think that's what you want."

"You've changed"

"And you've stayed exactly the same"

"I'll be damned. We're doomed."

 For everyone's sake, you're not in love."

 "They always say it's lonely at the top. I didn’t think they actually meant it."

“Ignore all the criticism. You’re doing great!” 

"She's been like me this whole time. She's just been hiding it."

 "Of course I'm not okay! I've never been okay. But maybe I needed to never be okay for us to make this happen"

[aidaita]

Oreo’s urgent Vet Bill

Hi everyone, this is the proper post I promised a few days ago and I apologize for the delay, the last 2-3 days was stressful but I’m emotionally stable to type everything down.

I’ve made an update post on my Ko-fi a few days ago if you haven’t seen it.

To start off, Oreo is my male cat son I’ve take care of for the past 9 years since that fateful day I encountered him 8 years ago. At the time, I was in a dark place mentally as I was heavily depressed from losing a dear friend and in an effort to cheer up, I went outside for a walk with a close friend to the canal two streets down from where I live, and that was where I saw a pair of eyes staring at me. A month old kitten I named Oreo and from that day, Oreo has brightened my world and I’ve taken him in as my precious fur baby ever since. My family unfortunately lost our other cat, Blueberry, last year to cancer for the medicine and treatments weren’t enough to ease her suffering from the cancer, so when Oreo’s second blockage on the evening of February 28, 2025 occurred, I was absolutely terrified.

That night, I skipped dinner, I stayed up half the night watching over Oreo and had a fitful sleep of a few hours, waking up in between the few hours to the noises Oreo was making from the blockage. And so on March 1, I went directly to an animal hospital I normally go to for his check ups, exams, previous surgery he had, but unfortunately they had to turn me away for being fully booked, so I was forced to go to another vet clinic that accepts emergency visits and that’s where I ended up in VCA Knowles Snapper Creek pet hospital and the very expensive vet bill.

The initial estimate is the one I originally posted on my other post which I’ll upload here for 48 hours observation.

I was also given an estimation for 24 hr observation but in both estimations, it was super expensive and I work at a $13 part time retail work shift and I could not afford it whatsoever. The last surgeries were paid for by my mom but this time she could not pay for this, and she has other health-related financial payments to recuperate financially and that was when I begun to get very stressed and panic. It was made worse and broke me into an emotional panic when my mother suggested that we may have to put him to sleep as we cannot keep paying $3k every time he gets a blockage.

My heart sank, I was not ready to let Oreo go yet. I became so distraught.

What can I do to save Oreo?

I’ve been frantically looking online what to do, looking into pet insurance, frequently asking for payments plans, asking what they can do to reduce the prices, etc. all while I’m on a time limit as I had a work shift in the next 2-3 hours and with this emergency situation, I absolutely needed every hour I can get. It was the most horrible position to be in the middle of.

Oreo could not qualify for pet insurance because it does not cover for pre-existing conditions/treatments (this is his second blockage), the pet hospital (both the first I went to and the second) do not have payment plans, every new estimations they gave me in an effort to help me and Oreo came with high risks such as one that is the bare minimum (just unblocking Oreo) but there’s a big possibility he could be blocked later that day or the next day.

Secondly, Oreo has already been on a treatment plan with his strict diet of prescription Urinary Care food with Science Hill’s ever since his first blockage sometime last year (or 2? I’m not sure, I don’t have the papers from the first one as my mom took him to the vet that time). And the doctors told me that it seems despite the strict diet he has been in, he still got the blockage from built-up sediments. On top of that, in the last vet visit on January 25, 2025 with the first pet hospital, Oreo has IVDD, or at least the beginning of it that the doctors told at the time said “it’s not a big deal right now,” so it will be a problem to look out for as he’s still young.

My mother’s comment of possibly putting him to sleep loomed over my head over all this…

And that was when I decided I can’t do this alone, I’m not ready to let Oreo go yet, not like this, not so soon. So for the first time, I’ve come to you all on the internet for help.

Due to the time constraints, I have no choice but to open a credit line with CareCredit just for this bill for Oreo but the fact he could get blocked again, issues with IVDD possibly rearing its head more urgently so soon, and with this massive bill to pay with my $13 part time retail shift, I knew that if another emergency or urgent vet visit occurs, I will have no choice but to put him to sleep.

That is why I’ve come to you all for help with the emergency vet bill on March 1, 2025 and… my goodness, within 24 hours, we have reached a little more than 1/3 of the $4000 goal (41% reached as I post this) and I could not be anymore thankful and grateful for all of you kindness and generosity to save my baby in this difficult time.

Yesterday I got to visit Oreo, he’s unblocked and appears to be urinating fine, recovering seems to be going well although he does have UTI so there’s a bit of blood in his urine (doctors reassured me that the UTI and blockage are not linked) so he’s getting treatments for that as well.

Today, Oreo will be discharged later in the afternoon or evening so he’ll be coming home soon.

The bill is still stressful but with all of you kind words, encouragement, generosity, and advice, it doesn’t feel as heavy as before. It is still a lot left to pay off so if you can, please donate to my Ko-Fi here so I can focus solely on strictly ensuring Oreo stays with me much longer such as wet food, running water fountain, new litter box, etc.

All donations received will be used solely for the bill and any additional expenses that may come up in the last few hours as I type.

And to everyone who donated so far, thank you… Truly, thank you. The tears I’ve shed the past 2 days were of stress and huge relief.

I will keep posting updates as they happen.

[queenrizzardnthelizardscissored]

now that the veilguard dust has settled im kinda just left feeling a bit... sad. like idk how to explain it. its like all the love i had for this series and the world was kinda shattered by it. like. i can either view it as a mid fantasy game on its own, or some kinda dragon-age-themed themepark ride, or i can make it canon and this is really what everything was building up to.

it just feels like everything i loved abt the series was sanitized and removed, and i cant even really get angry abt it bc it feels so sterile. like the thing about mages and how apparently they just are normal people now. as someone who struggles w/ mental health, including issues that make me hyperfocus and make a lot of stuff, or make me compulsive about weird random things, and then make me lethargic or annoying to everyone else, the way that mages worked in these games was so. idk. brutal but also relatable. it didnt feel like they sugarcoated the mental health issues, but it also didnt feel like they dehumanized these characters. they're all so human and we can see that they dont deserve agony or suffering or to have their minds destroyed and live w/o emotion (this in particular was affecting to me given my journey w/ psychiatric medication) but also that they need support networks, they need people to help them and hold them up and also say no sometimes and keep them from being their worst selves. but the core horror of that, of these people marginalized everywhere which just worsens their mental health issues, of these people tormented all the time by dreams they cannot control who have just accepted it, that there's nothing they can do to get better, of these people whose greatest strength is also their weakness, the core horror is just gone from DAV. it doesnt even care about it.

it also doesnt care about the injustice of the world. the thing that is so poignant about these games is that the world is not simple and that there is never a big bad. the 'big bads' that exist are there not as conventional villains you're meant to hate (nobody thought the darkspawn was a compelling villain, nor, really, demons? DA2 doesn't have a villain, really, just a bunch of sad people pushed to their limits who do horrible, horrible things bc they believe it's right), but as things that disrupt society, confront existing systems and exploit their weaknesses and demand change, or everyone will be annihilated. but in DAV, these societal weaknesses either aren't there or are distilled down to one or two bad guys from whom the whole 'evil' descends. it has villains that are gods that were worshipped for so long, and now turn out to be kinda insane and evil. this is, in my opinion, NOT the direction dragon age should go (i wish that DAI hadn't done the Solas thing, the veil should've remained intact and we should focus more on politics, on how the world rebuilds after the mage-templar war, what the qunari are doing, on small scale people's lives), but. it is what was done, and there's still a lot of potential there. Solas is a great character in DAI even if I think they should've gone in another direction. he challenges the worldviews of literally every character. so does the existence of these gods.

but the thing is that they end up not challenging anyone. the venatori, who, reminder, are human supremacist nationalists that hate the elvhen people and are extremely revanchist, side instantly with the gods the elvhen worshipped, for seemingly no reason, other than that they're Both Evil. The elvhen instantly recognize the gods are Evil and side against them. Solas is now One Guy rather than a thing that tests the boundaries of society. I'm not sure if this was because the game is rushed, or, and this is more what i suspect, the devs didnt want the players to have to confront the obvious and extremely difficult choice of potentially siding with the slavers and racists for what is, in universe, the 'greater good', even though that would be a fucking fascinating place for the game to go, especially if your Rook was elvhen. rather than examining these hate groups, or the structure of a society that builds itself on hatred and systemic injustice, the game just goes the easy route by turning their evil from something real and thus frightning due to the fact it exists in real life, can be seen in flags and posters on the roadside if you're in some parts of America, to some absolute unimpeachable evil that cannot be analyzed nor reasoned with. Imagine if they, for instance, explored Tevinter politics. a super crude version of this, which sucks and i have put little thought into, is to examine the way in which fascism and slavery upholds the social order. by positioning the elvhen below even human slaves and non mages, there's always someone lower for them to target and jeer at, and so they ignore the fact that they themselves are being fucked over by both the overarching structures at play and the people perpetrating them. instead, the game did none of these things, and did not even make the canon slavers in the canon slave country, (whose buisness of slave-trading and capture is tacitly accepted by rulers of Southern countries because even there, the elvhen are seen as second class), OWN SLAVES. We see none of this, none of the broad-scale social evils of inequality or the horrors of slavery and systemic racism, and so beyond avoiding the difficulty of having the player maybe have to temporarily side with and/or attempt to end slavery and the systems in it, *even when it affects their own people*, we just remove it all together. the relatable, realistic, *banal* evils are replaced with cackling villain laughter and dramatic designs.

the fact that we've torn apart and destroyed actual evil for the sake of replacing it with a caricature necessarily means the characters are less complex, which is fucking sad because there's so much genius on display with these character concepts. Harding's journey in particular could've been great, with her anger at the way her people have been fucked over present and past, and her either controlling it or embracing it. If you wanted to tie it back to the main story (which companion quests always sort of should thematically), you could have her realizing that the elvhen were just as fucked over by the evanuris as she and her people. Taash's quest about discovering their gender and the way that things are lost in cultural translation could've been great, if it leveraged the way the qunari work. the qunari have a very different system of gender than humans or elvhen or dwarves, though, importantly, just as restrictive. their journey could've dealt with actually integrating and synthesizing these cultures, and with breaking down both models of gender and how they fail to account for and capture the actual lived experienced of people, instead imposing a false dichotomy on them. In human countries, gender shapes work, in the qunari, work shapes one's gender. How could these equally repressive things be integrated or dealt with? Think about how cool this would've been to do ! there's so much cultural worldbuilding potential as well as the actual journey of these characters. but instead, we import a phrase from the real world that is characteristic of our present moment. historical cultures have had all sorts of different understandings of gender than our current system, not necessarily more or less restrictive (well, more restrictive if we consider the recent past in the West) but different. the identity of nonbinary is meaningfully different from that of "similar" positions in other cultures. in fact, dragon age already kind of already began to deal with this, albeit in a very-2014 way. It's just so dissapointing from both a queer perspective and a worldbuilding perspective. every quest is like this, a genius little kernel of an idea that instead of being expanded on and reshaped through the lens of the world we're in, is destroyed and made into the simplest, worst version of itself.

while we're at it, let's talk about souls. it's one thing that the enavuris exist. fine. i don't think that they needed to do that, but there were a lot of cool things that could be done with it, and i get why they made that decision, even if they didn't expand on it. but the whole thing about the enavuris is that they ARENT GODS! there are no confirmed gods in Dragon Age, and no confirmed afterlife. Remember Justinia in Inquisition and how it was a spirit that copied the imprint of her mind and personality on the fade? remember the same thing with Cole? Remember how Leilana can die and come back as a spirit that really, genuinely believes it is Leilana, but is, by the most physical of definition, 'not'? (insert metaphysics and debates about consciousness here).

The reason the fade and spirits are so damn good is because they are not as simple as an afterlife. what they are, as is clearly communicated, are impressions of reality and information. to put it another way, the fade reflects the perceptions and shapes and information about reality. the spirits that exist are not 100% truthful, and not because they're lying, but because their very existence is shaped by others beliefs. information gleaned from the fade is not 100% reliable, because how the fade looks and what happens in it can be manipulated not just by demons but by belief. There's a great bit with Solas from early in Inquisition where he talks about a battlefield that changes shape, changes events, based on whether the spirit he's talking to is closer to the losing or winning side. How damn great is that? the spirits aren't literal ghosts, but OUR CULTURAL MEMORY. the way they exist is so damn good, the way they carry on cultural traumas and beliefs. While we're at it, think about how this ties in to mages, who are tormented by spirits. They are literally tormented by cultural trauma and pain that persists even after the original victims and original perpetrators are long gone. God that's so great. What dying does is unclear, just like real life. What persists after death is your 'legacy,' warped by what other people thing of you. this ambiguity is great because whether or not an afterlife exists is unclear, but also, the 'soul' supposedly passes through the fade before dying. This system of magic, where spirits are not malevolent nor kind nor truthful, but formed by density of information and strong belief and cultural memory, is very unique. The closest thing to it is the spheres in the Witcher, and even that's different. In veilguard, souls exist and they are literally echoes of people and are 100% accurate.

The themes of Dragon Age, up to DAV, have been about cultural memory, about how beliefs impact actions impact beliefs, about (to borrow a really good comment on an early post) the truth of what religion makes us do rather than the 'truth' of what religion is. Think of how this magic system of spirits that are influenced by belief and cultural memory and raw strength of emotion that persists and impacts others even when the original person to feel those emotions is dead ties in to these themes. It's so beautiful, genuinely, even if the game does not explicitly explore it. Now think about how this all is lost when we make it so that souls explicitly exist and can be reserructed and spoken to.

Even aside from the broader themes, think about the potential that was there for the Mortalitasi. Rather than just being straightforward necromancers, if we applied old Dragon Age rules, the spirits they would summon from the corpses of people were not actually those people, but what their living relatives think of those people. How brutal and awesome and sad is that? That there is no true way to speak to the dead, only to speak to your conception of the dead. It's so beautiful, and sad, and honestly hurts my chest a bit to think about. Not only is that gone, but the concept it made way for - the existence of liches - falls way short and is in fact made actively worse by this change. So, liches are souls of mages possessing/controlling their own corpses, if I understand it right. Imagine if the 'souls' were not truly the original person, but a spriit imitating them. Not only does this make the whole thing bittersweet - it means that a person is sacrificing their life to cement a sort of constant legacy, because they are too afraid of dying without an impact of the world - but it means that a person who becomes a lich is taking this risk. Imagine if everyone hates that person, and so the new spirit that is now 'them' is an asshole. They have become, literally, the person everyone thinks they are. That's such a poignant and genius idea that is stripped away for, what? Literally just generic fantasy DND liches? It's. just. the loss is so sad. Especially since the theme of the character who has the option to turn into a lich is that of fear of death. What better way to show that fear of death ruins the way they LIVE than by making the new person not literally be them? By exchanging their life and happiness therein for a legacy? It's so beautiful and yet. gone.

the game, despite being on its own a really pretty but ultimately mediocre action RPG, feels like such an overwhelming loss because it not only destroys the world in which it is meant to be set but also because it seems to ignore the potential inherent in its own story. I am not a dragon age writer, and thank god for that, because I suck at writing, but if I was, i would've made the game more small-scale and poltiical and focus on ideology and fear and radicalism and acceptance rather than gods. TO be clear - I'm not mad that they didn't do that alternate game. I'm sad that they did this different idea, about the gods coming back, and then didn't do it well or even commit to their own idea.

and beyond that is the fact that it wants so badly to simultaneously distance itself from the previous games while also calling back all the time. the issue is that that could never be done, because the game is, inextricably, a sequel to a 2014 game that ended with a clear setup for a sequel this game expands upon. The game brings back this character from the previous game as a main villain, but because it also wants so badly to distance itself from the previous games, it makes him flatter, unreactive to the decisions and contexts of the previous games. The Solas of DAV is like the Solas of DAI immediately after waking up. The game brings back Varric despite him being in two previous games, and then proceeds to make him NOT Varric for most of the game. It brings back a companion from DA2 only to have her dress up in the worst outfit ever and not reference anything or be changed by her experiences, and then she fucks off. It has a plot inextricably tied to religion, but barely mentions Andraste or the Maker once, even in conversation among a group of casual believers, even as an exclamation. At the same time, the game is set in a nation completely different to the one of previous games, but it doesn't actually exploit that for any purpose. Rather, it destroys everything from the previous games. It makes it so the South is torn asunder, and yet our characters don't seem to care. Everyone from the previous games is implied to be dead, Hawke, maybe Cassandra, the HoF, Sera, Fenris (which is not in this game because they realized that having him here would expose the fact this game has ignored slavery entirely), Merrill, Josephine, Blackwall, Vivienne, everyone. At the same time they bring back a character from DAI who should've known these people for years, and she somehow goes on camping trips while the 6th and 7th blight destroys her home and everyone she's ever known. The game does not want to actually interact with the previous media, or the worldbuidling therein, but at the same time it must somehow remind you it is, in fact, a dragon age game, and so it must bring back and puppet around these characters and ideas just to show you they exist.

It's just so sad, but also kind of inevitable, and any solution would be terrible, because this game comes out 10 years after the previous entry. If they made it a direct sequel, where you play as Inky again, which would be the most logical thing to do, new players wouldn't get it, because why the fuck would they? They'd have to play a whole other 10 y/o game just to start this one. If they had you play as a small-scale character doing a side-ish story that ties into the main plot, a la DA2, with an inquisitor that chooses what to do w/o your input based on DAI choices, which would've been my preferred option, since it meant your character could be new and interesting without feeling out of place, everyone would've rightfully been mad that all the big world ending stuff is happening to someone else (which I think would actually be really cool for a narrative, to feel so helpless, tossed about by the world while you struggle to survive, but I can also see why they didnt want to do that.) If they did a time-skip, say, to the next Age, and had Solas defeated offscreen, which I think would actually be the best as far as creating a new series with divergence while also maintaining the lore and theming w/o having to account for player choices, well, this I think would've been the best game of the lot, but everyone, including the writers, would've been fucking pissed to not see an end to their story, to just have them live their lives and defeat Solas off-screen. So in the end, they're left with a sort of weird hybrid, where we play as a new character but also it's a direct sequel but also we're the one doing world-changing events but also there's a time skip during which nothing happened somehow, but everyone is still around just older. Even if this was well-done, and had artistic integrity and no interference due to market decisions, this would be a very hard balance to strike. But that's not what was done. Instead, the game started as a single player campaign, then was redone to make an MMO, then a raid game, then co-op action, then live service, then back to single-player again, and then rushed to recoup costs. With that in mind, it's really not *awful*. And then, of course, there was the bullshit "wokeism!!111!" assholes, as if the first game didn't have both gay and lesbian relationships, the second didn't have the same, the third didn't have both of those and also a canon trans character. It's just sad that it ended like this, with everything, including, somehow, my retroactive enjoyment of the series, being destroyed. I know it's stupid to not like old things because of the new thing, but. idk. it's this weird involuntary reflex. Ah well. I loved this world and its characters so much and now it just kinda feels hollow. :(

[yoshinoritoshi]

I KNOW WHAT TIERLIST YOU WANNA MAKE NEXT... You want to make a "Which IDV men want a baby with Reader the most" tierlist, I know you do, Yoshi.

You're so damn right anon, or are you oomf? I'm onto you...

Elaboration below because I forgot to do them on the last tierlists:

Only after marriage: Means exactly what you think it means, despite their own feelings, they want to wait until after marriage. However, this doesn't mean they cannot be convinced to have a child early, if you know how to play your cards right.

Wants a baby asap: He wants a baby right now, literally, if you'll let him. Either because he just really likes children or really likes you, doesn't matter, do you want a baby right now, yes or no?

Want a baby eventually: In time, when things are right, maybe he'll consider a baby with you... Okay that's a lie, he wants one now, but knows he needs to be patient and wait till either things are better around him, or he's improved himself/his situation to he can live up to the concept of a good father he has inside his head.

Wants a baby, conflicted about it: They've got differing feelings in them about their desire for a child, on one hand, a baby with the person they love (you), on the other hand, new responsibilities they've never experienced, plus their own past trauma and current limitations due to their bodies... They'll need lots of comfort.

Wants a baby, too scared to have one rn: Either due to genuine fear or general anxiety, they don't think they're qualified to have a child even if they really want one. Plus, they think they'll be too scared of the baby to be a good dad, you'll have to assure them for quite a while before they'll be confident enough to ask you for a baby.

Babies are scared of him: Their auras scare children away, and for some, their appearances frighten babies as well, even their own. It's left them mostly neutral on having children, except Richard, who wants a family of at least seven regardless of how much other babies cry when he holds them. (His own children aren't scared of him at all though, lucky for him.)

The baby: Most often the cause of the other men realizing how much they want a baby with Reader, cause Robbie is cute and likes getting comfort from the survivors in the manor after bad matches (which usually includes Reader). This is mostly just an inside joke with my friends but I included him because it's funny.

And that's all! Thank you for reading this silly mostly self-indulgent thing, and no more tierlists, this was y'all's last one. I'll only make further tierlists on the server for funsies.

Also yes some of the men in the marriage tier could certainly belong in other tiers, but what matters most to them is that you're married before anything (some for religious reasons, others because they're either shy, think it's only proper, or just want to make sure you're devoted fully to them first.)

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

LGBTQ+ Disabled Characters Showdown: Electric Boogaloo (2) Submissions

Who can be entered:

Anyone can be entered that is LGBTQ+ and disabled. This includes physically disabled characters, neurodivergent characters, and characters with mental health things like anxiety and depression for example. However, this is not limited to solely just canon confirmed characters. In order to be considered for this showdown, if they are not canon you must provide a good argument for their inclusion. More about our canon policy here.

Who cannot be entered:

Real people

Harry Potter

Helluva Boss / Hazbin Hotel

OCs

Yang Xiao Long from RWBY

Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard from All For The Game

There’s a few more things that might be excluded, but it’s an if it’s submitted we’ll point it out kinda deal. Most/all characters from last season are free game except the ones listed because they won first and second. Any character that was rejected last season could be submitted and potentially run, and anything from last season could potentially not be run.

Multiple characters from the same media can be submitted and be in the showdown.

What should be in the submission:

Who the character is

What they are from

Why they qualify

Propaganda

Submissions:

Characters can be submitted in the google form linked. If you are not comfortable using a google form you can also shoot us an ask. You can submit as many characters as you like, but please don’t spam the same character. If you’re not sure a character counts feel free to shoot us an ask. Submissions are open until at least around the end of March. Don’t assume your character has been submitted, they probably haven’t even if they are from a popular media. Bracket size is as large as we can get it.

Disclaimers will be under the cut

Disclaimers:

1.) Please tell us if we are using the wrong terminology or are doing something offensive, we are trying our best but are only human.

2.) This showdown will be as big as we can logically get it, however we reserve the right to not include characters at our discretion.

3.) We will block without warning, please be civil when interacting with the content.

4.) If you have an issue with one of the characters feel free to send us an ask or message and we’ll figure out what do do from there. That being said this isn’t really about who is the best representation.

[dalsrealities]

⌞𝓥OID ⟢ 𝓢TATE⌝

I've been doing some research because I feel like even though I've escaped shiftok because of the misinformation, it still haunts me on Tumblr... since people still find lying funny... 😤😤

so, this is what i've understood from the void state

𓇼 what is the void state?

i feel like no one actually goes through that, and just post that you'll get there. i mean, yes i will, but how??? what even is it???

the void state is like the state of pure consciousness, just and empty nothingness. in this state you cannot hear or smell anything (that's what i read so correct me if i'm wrong). it's often referred to as the "I am" state by Neville Goddard, which you can find in At Your Command and in chapter 3 of Your Faith Is Your Fortune (two of his books).

in this state you ignore all of your assumptions and limiting beliefs you have in this very reality. you just take your attention from everything and bring it inwards.

𓇼 how do we get there/induce to it?

most of posts i've seen always talk about relaxing, and i don't know about you but i've always had a hard time relaxing. it's just not in my nature i guess, since i was a child i've been very hyperactive or just energetic in general. but anyways.

okay, so, first of all, get in a comfortable position. it can be in a chair, couch, bed, etc. i do recommend the bed because at least for me it's the most comfortable option.

then, you take your attention away from the 3D and focus on affirming. "I AM", "I AM PURE CONSCIOUSNESS", "I AM IN THE VOID", etc. just feel yourelf let go, don't overthink it.

just persist until you can feel yourself floating. you don't feel touch, you don't see (it'll be pitch black), you don't hear nor smell. you just exist, you're finally pure consciousness. that's how you also notice you're there.

𓇼 these are other methods i've seen:

⤷ Lullaby method.

⤷ Commanding your subconscious

⤷ Sleep paralysis.

⤷ Setting the intention to wake up there.

(I can make different posts going through them to explain them if you guys want)

𓇼 what to do once you're there?

this is another thing i feel nobody explains. or at least i haven't seen one post that does it.

so, once you're there, once you've induced to it completely, feel your desire to be true in any way you please. affirm, visualize, or know you have all of your desires.

you can also use the void state to shift, but i still haven't tried it to actually talk about it. so i'll post about it when i've done it.

𓇼 how to leave the void state?

you just decide you want to leave, once you're in your (desired) reality all your desires should materialize, and if you don't, you didn't really enter the void state.

𓇼 Some affirmations for you:

⤷ it's so easy to get into the void state

⤷ i am a master at the void state method

⤷ i am in the void state

⤷ inducing to the void is as easy as breathing

⤷ i constantly wake up in the void state when i fall asleep

⤷ i am pure consciousness

⤷ i am the void

sooo, that's all for today's posttt. i hope you all found this helpful because i wish someone had explained this to me. and most of this information (which i hope it's actually true and not just a bunch of more misinformation) i found is very old, so i thought i'd post about it so people who had my same questions could get answers.

please tell me if something is wrong or not well explained so i can edit the post and also learn too.

[nyxtickled]

in light of everything that has gone down, i wanna remind everyone that not every dynamic with a play partner has to be a consistent or highly involved/intimate one.

part of why you saw me repeatedly asking what my dom had the time or emotional capacity for in terms of energy and enthusiasm was because our initial connection developed on a lot of natural chemistry, and a high level of care and consistency (like weekly sessions for example, but we’d end up playing 1x/month at most as he had weekly sessions with other lees) was offered to me. i accepted this, and then saw a total lack of follow through, all while watching him build and focus on other connections with other players partners, and experiencing deny/attack/reverse victim when i tried to approach him about these inconsistencies i was feeling.

if you are not looking for a consistent dynamic; if you would just rather have casual, comet-style play partners (meaning you both are pretty asynchronous in your communication and availability but you’ll happily play whenever the opportunity arises and aligns for you both), there is NOTHING wrong with that!!! however, you absolutely owe it to your play partners to communicate this limitation openly and honestly. you MUST be capable of setting your own boundaries explicitly as a dom; subs are not the only ones who need firm boundaries in what they can and cannot do.