#while they still have the same purpose of fighting the blight

[thewardenisonthecase]

I will say. Yes, as a grey warden truther, I'm very satisfied with how they were portrayed in game. I think there was a balance of these are the guys who've saved the world 5 times show some goddamn respect and they're a shady order who has too many secrets and who will do the worst things for the sake of the greater good (a end justify the means thing)

however. why does NO ONE mention that its very much established at the end of Inquisition AND trespasser that the order is going through, lowkey, a civil war. At the very least, there's a schism about what the order is going to do in the future, with the northern and southern grey wardens having different ideas.

I really wish they would have adressed this because I need to know what happened. Like Blackwall, if he's a warden, will say there's been a lot of discussions at Weisshaupt. Did they ever come to an agreement? Did the southern grey wardens break away from the order and are acting of their own accord (kinda like the chantry v. imperial chantry)?

I have to know

[queenaeducan]

as i mentioned i beat the murals last night and i have so many thoughts. many i think may take a while to sift through and get to where i want them but. for now.

solas wanted to KILL the mages in his personal quest. the circumstances are not the same (he did agree, however reluctantly, where they did not ask), but the result- a spirit of wisdom turned to violent pride- are the same. how much does solas let himself feel about the regrets in the murals? how much has he let himself process? does his anger in this quest reflect the anger he feels towards mythal?

it also does a lot to contextualise his feelings re: cole's personal quest. i've said before that when you put cole's pq in the context of what happened to wisdom (and others before it), solas's behaviour makes sense. but like. idk, i know ppl will fault solas for anything but being against this considering what happened to him it makes perfect sense he's opposed to the idea (especially when varric is going off of nothing but his gut and his own preconceived ideas of what a person ought to be).

what does the game want us to believe about mythal?

- the one we see in the murals is the one who put into motion many of the problems we see in the world today, even if solas is complicit/outright guilty of carrying them out for her.

- the fragment we meet in morrigan is "older and wiser" but still gives kind of uh. unsatisfactory answers to my elf rook about why she didn't help (oh she did, just here and there. i wish my rook could have been angrier about that. my rook, who frees slaves, and has seen solas free slaves, meanwhile flemythal... helped end a couple blights? thanks, but. that's not specifically an elf problem). she calls you her children in a way i felt kind of patronising. which makes sense, but it's a very. undesired benevolence, i suppose. but i felt like the game wanted us to think this mythal was Good(tm) and that i'd want to keep her around despite having little reason to want to root for her at that point. she also doesn't mention spirits and their part in all this at all, just physical elves.

- the mythal we meet at the secret area morrigan opens is just. an evanuris. thoroughly. this is the mythal that decided the best option to a conflict between elgar'nan and falon'din was to let two other elves die for it. if you tell her you don't need gods she calls you a child and fights you. you can get her on her side by being honest and saying you think she was wrong, which is nice i guess.

- i guess i'm saying we don't get a super satisfactory answer on why she was a charismatic and better than the rest. we see she had vallaslin even in ancient times (felassan) but no mention of that comes up anywhere. so i guess it's up to me to decide why solas is so easily and constantly persuaded to give up his very nature to do what he did.

ultimately i thought the relationship, despite not having a lot of ground for why it became so deep in the first place, was very interesting and problematic (positive). it parallels so nicely with briala and celene, and contrasts well with solas and the herald (or if you're me, solas and the thora cadash AND solas and ian). i don't know how much of the former comparison is on purpose as far as datv is concerned, but i do think it makes everything more compelling so i am running with it.

another criticism is that the rebels were just dropped in favour of the gods. disappointing! especially since the game makes a point of recommitting the future of the elves to solas's motivation in the convo with morrigan. like only 3 of the statues had memories? i wish that there had been an alternate set of murals for each, or something. the memories we have paint solas in mixed lights (sacrificing spirits, killing an agent) but most of the codices we receive have him in a positive to neutral light. i wish the game were more interested in exploring his dynamic with felassan, who calls him "old friend," and other rebels. it would have better served the "mirror" they're trying to make rook into to show solas building connections with rebels as you are with your team. show him loving the people he got killed, the same way i think you will be able to get your companions killed (if the pre-game comparisons to me2's suicide mission are any comparison).

anyway. i'm not even done with the first quest of act 2 god help me.

[poor-ciceros-voring-again]

So I've been jotting down ideas the past few days about diseases and hygiene in Tamriel, and I've decided these ideas expand into Healers and even as far as Necromancy.

*Just for reference while reading this, I personally believe there is a very fine line between accepted restoration magic and Necromancy. Flesh magic in particular is blurred along the edge between those two.

According to the book Skin Blights by Any Other Name, the people of Tamriel, at least some of them, have knowledge that proper frequent bathing, clean clothes, and only eating quality food will lessen the chance of diseases. So I decided to take this and run with it. I personally believe that this was taken to heart and it's fairly common to be clean and well groomed. I also think that larger cities, especially ones such as Solitude, Whiterun, the Imperial City, etc make use of proper sewage disposal to lower the risks of disease and also to keep the city/streets clean.

Regarding the last point, I think common areas such as bath houses and public outhouses are common in large cities as well.

I believe masking is also a fairly commonly practiced way to fight outbreaks and general illnesses. They might not necessarily know what causes certain diseases, but they know they DO consider it to be a type of miasma. I believe this practice was adopted from the Redguards in the Alik'r Desert, who use a type of masking to protect themselves during sandstorms (Excerpt from Alik'r Survival for Outsiders).

There was a major resurgence after Red Mountain erupted in the 4th era and every day masking is now common in still inhabited parts of Morrowind and Solstheim, especially in parts where ash from Red Mountain is common.

I believe masking was made common among most groups of Necromancers fairly early on due to the belief that diseases from the undead were miasmic in nature(plus it helped keep gross smells at bay via herbs/flowers/etc), this eventually lead to what I would compare to plague doctor masks being created. I think you can recognize a lot of necromancer groups based on their mask design of choice. Some aren't in a group and choose one for more aesthetic purposes. (Example: my OC Karasu is a necromancer and a Nightingale who follows Nocturnal. His mask of choice is a raven.)

On a similar note, I think gloves became common use when dealing with injuries, surgeries, or blood for general sanitary purposes not long after cleanliness started to become more important to the general population.

At one point in time I believe the Dwemer were able to create microscopes (based on some of their other machines) and by extension discover bacteria and other things, however a lot of this knowledge was lost when they disappeared.

The school of restoration isn't as powerful as the games make it out to be. I believe that health potions act more as pain medication with an added bonus of encouraging cells to regenerate or completely regrow, same with healing spells.

Cure disease potions and spells can cure a variety of very common illnesses, but it depends on the severity of the illness. Some diseases need specific treatments due to natural resistances.

Praying to cure diseases doesn't always work, and it doesn't work for every disease. I believe diseases like various forms of vampirism and lycanthropy are mainly cured this way.

Natural disease resistance only effects specific diseases and ailments, mainly ones that are specific to the region where they live or lifestyles they lead. (ie Bosmer, especially those who follow the Green Pact, are naturally more resistant and sometimes even immune to diseases such as Cannibal's Prion)

Healing spells can close small cuts and wounds relatively easily, but it can only assist so much when it comes to big gashes and other major wounds.

I believe surgeons would exist and play a major part alongside Healers and Alchemists when it comes to major wounds.

Surgeons are magic users who focus on the school of Flesh Sculpting, which I believe blurs the lines between Restoration and Necromancy.

Most of the best Surgeons are those who have studied Necromancy or practice it currently (or previously). If currently, its mainly the ones who believe you can practice necromancy in an ethical and humane way.

God, I have more but I didn't know I'd already typed so much and my hands are starting to hurt. I might share more later

@unsettlingcreature

[chloepleasestopdying]

There’s like a hundred fics I won’t write. Here are some of them:

Criminal Minds crossover, either version; version A, where the FBI gets called in when Max and Victoria get kidnapped and the FBI team have to find them. Max believes that Chloe is dead because she was shot before she was kidnapped but the FBI find her in the graveyard on the edge of death and Max gets shot herself in a standoff with Jefferson.

Version B, where the FBI get called in after a what they believe is a murder spree. Max and Chloe kill a pair of cops and conveniently the dash cam is missing. The FBI slowly uncovers the fact that the Arcadia Bay police are trying to cover up the Prescott’s mess and the girls were just defending themselves.

Both of these are a bit too dark for my tastes, so they won’t be written.

The Wilds crossover; basically Max and Chloe are part of the original experiment due to their past friendship and falling out. I like the idea of Chloe struggling with being the oldest girl there and also trying to stay mad at Max. I’m still crushed about The Wilds being canceled so I won’t be writing this.

The ‘Max and Rachel death match’ AU. Essentially this AU involves Chloe and Max meeting up the summer before Max comes to Blackwell and making up enough that they begin dating. Chloe and Rachel have been an on and off thing for years and had a huge blowout fight, which is the reason Chloe was in Seattle in the first place, but Max (not knowing the full context of what happened) says that Rachel is Chloe’s friend and tells her it’s fine that they make up. Rachel, having a host of issues going on, reacts really badly to possibly loosing Chloe and tries to cheat with Chloe. This ends up blowing up in her face. Max and Rachel then kinda have this low key kind of war for a while before Rachel owns up to her mistakes and apologizes. Not going to write this one because I feel bad about making Rachel a bad guy and I don’t think I could write her struggling in that way well enough to justify it.

‘Baby trap’ AU. Max is coming off a really toxic relationship with Warren when she meets up with Chloe again in their early twenties. They both acknowledge that there is something between them but due to their issues (Max’s toxic relationship and Chloe’s resent struggles with addiction) want to move slow. However this is quickly fucked up by the fact that Max discovered she’s pregnant due to a purposely pieced condom by Warren. This AU is much fluffier than it sounds, as Chloe quickly steps up as being a ‘dad’. I won’t be writing this AU for a similar reason as above, I’d feel bad about making Warren out to be a bad guy. Plus a don’t actually like babies.

The ‘Ryan is Ryan’ AU where Ryan Lucan is also Ryan Caulfield due to time travel shenanigans. I was never able to make this one work very well but the basic idea is that Ryan Lucan has time related powers too but more uncontrollable than Max’s and got stuck in the past when trying to save Gabe. He was unable to travel back to his own time and started a family in the past with Max’s mother. He has come to believe that messing with time is extremely dangerous but when he learns that Max and Chloe are in Haven Springs around the same time that Gabe dies he decides to act. I never got this idea to work despite my liking of it so I won’t be writing it anytime soon.

DAO AU, not to be confused with the DAI AU. Max is mage who gets taken to the tower later in life compared to most while Chloe is something of a modified Ash Warrior. William bred and trained mabari and Chloe has somewhat continued that tradition with something of a tempest flare. Her special interest is in different Kaddis’s and her desire is to expand the war paint, not just to humans but also the effects. Her quest for finding a recipe for a warpaint that prevents the Blight almost kills her— luckily she’s found by the last Gray Wardens in the kingdom who just so happen to include her old friend Max, who got taken along with Surana when Duncan was visiting the tower. Not going to write this one due to it being similar to the DAI AU.

[whisperingwisterias]

Barefoot Gen and the Suffering of War

While many of the anime shows and films we have watched have depicted brutality, struggling societies, pain, and death, none have done so quite to the extent that Barefoot Gen has. Barefoot Gen does not shy away from showing us the harsh realities of war and really reminds us how much everyone is affected by government decisions.

To start off with, Barefoot Gen is pretty clear in its criticism of the Japanese government and how it has handled and continues to handle the war. The people of Japan are obviously starving: getting the bare minimum of rations to live off of, fighting over food, and hoarding what they do have even when people worse off than them are suffering. It’s also especially hard for families like Gen’s, who have to prioritize who to feed, like Gen’s pregnant mother. Gen makes a comment asking why the war is still going on if Japan’s surrender is inevitable and close, and his father doesn’t hesitate to criticize those in power who are ignoring the plights of the people to continue fighting. Gen’s mother asks the same question later in the movie when she hears the news that Japan has finally surrendered—why now? Why did it take the deaths and irrevocable suffering of thousands of people for them to stop? Why couldn’t they have given up before things came to this? Why did it take not one but two devastating bombings for them to finally give in?

The anime is also very graphic in how much people suffered because of the government’s decision to keep fighting. During the actual dropping of the bomb, the film goes through a montage of people melting from the explosion. Children, families, mothers with children, people at home, people at school, people in public transport; people just out trying to live their lives as best as they could are senselessly subjected to an excruciating death. The film also shows that there were people who still lived after being disfigured by the bomb, walking around with their skin half melted off of their bones. And even after all that death the damage didn’t stop there; the chemicals from the bomb poisoned the rain and their insides, leaving people unable to drink water, sick, and dying even after the initial blast. There were so many sick and wounded that the makeshift hospitals couldn’t provide medical care to everyone and only helped people who seemed like they had a chance of making it. Gen also comments on the fact that there are so many dead bodies that those cleaning them up just treat them like bags of trash, like they had never lived once at all. And even of the survivors of the bomb, those who were most injured by it often lived in rot and were begrudgingly taken care of by their relatives, often seen as a blight upon society.

And yet, with all of this pain and destruction, Barefoot Gen showed us how people still found a way to keep living and continue finding joy. Although Gen and Ryuta originally helped Seiji for money, through their help they gave him a new purpose in life, helping him realize that his life isn’t over just because his injuries make it harder for him to do certain things, and reminding his family that his injuries don’t make him a lost cause. Gen and his mother also are able to find family again, first in Tomoko, who brightened up their lives even for the short time that she was in it, and in Ryuta, who was so similar to the brother that gen had lost. At the end of the film, Gen and Ryuta also find wheat sprouting again, even after others had been speculating that it would take decades for that to happen. Although life is still hard and tragedies still happen, happiness can still be found, and destruction can be rebuilt again.

[voidsentprinces]

I enjoy Jullus. Here is a character who joined the Garlean Military to protect his lands from what he was taught was the "Savages" coming to drag his friends and families away. He stuck to his guns and stood fast against rumors of Zenos's death and being possessed by the Ascians. He keeps to his values even though they are clearly flawed because that is what his family needs. And then, Zenos kills the Emperor and the Capital is razed with his family inside it. He is drenched in the colour palette of the expansion, despair. But, there is a sliver of hope, word has it the Emperor's voice can still be heard on the radiowaves. There is something still worth fighting for, he can fight against the monsters who are overrunning the capital, he can serve Garlemald and the memory of his family against the invading Savages who have finally arrived on his doorstep.

He pushes himself in the roll of a soldier, who is ignorant of the Eorzeans. But Alisaie and Alphinaud both show us how greatly they've grown. By trying to break through his indoctronation. They are the perfect candidates to break through to Jullus but they are not just bright and kind individuals. But they might also been the same age as his siblings were before their untimely demise. They carry with them, a want to aid and a hope that someday they'll break through. And slowly, overtime, going to do chore after chore. We slowly learn of Jullus and what he had gone through.

We are the Warrior of Light, the daemon who wiped out the Praetorium and many Castrums, the nightmare that haunts his fellow soldiers. But still, he sees how the people in other provinces gather around us as a legend of hope and light through the dark. And dark through radiant blight. He confides in us, warms to us, gets to know us and the twins. But he still clings harshly to his sunk cost fallacy. He still wants to do right by his nation and his family's memory. So he reluctantly arms the Twins collars and prepares for a suicidal attack on Camp Broken Glass. Only to learn that no reinforcement is coming. There is no one else to defend the nation of Garlemald. Just his skeleton crew of the remaining 1st Legion. And so, he surrenders as his own Legatus uses his blood to strengthen the remaining chain of what remains of Garlemald.

He comes face to face with Zenos and fosters his grief and rage at the Prince who caused him so much pain and suffering. And in return, he is met by apathy and indifference and a question, that had Zenos had a good reason for throwing Jullus' and so many others' lives in turmoil, if it would of justified it all? Jullus is confronted by this and sees that the atrocities were without purpose only the boredom of a man seeking to reach the Warrior of Light for a duel. It is absurd and yet it clears Jullus's mind, his last act as a soldier for the Empire is to exile the prince and denounce the Royal Family more or less. He then follows Alphinaud and Alisaie's example and turns his focus to build a brighter future for Garlemald. Welcoming their help and our aid in the coming conflict. And when we bring another exile who is closed off from the world in Zero who is beginning to open up, he offers her the same kindness and understanding as the Twins gave him. He then continues their mission by trying to convince the old rigid remaining Garlean council to see that they cannot remain closed off from the world. Something that Vrtra rekindles by opening trade with the fallen Empire now budding independent nation.

I look forward to see what they so with Garlemald. This Empire founded to sow misery and chaos by Emet-Selch's design. Now having to bear responsibility for the past sins while kindling good alliances where they can to make what little amends they can. Since they're now burnt to the wick.

Side observation: In a way, Haurchefant's hot chocolate gesture is repeated throughout the MSQ. First the cup of cocoa is given to us, then Alphinaud picks up the torch in finding a way to use it to look forward to the conflict with Nidhogg and Estinien, then we give the Garleans a cup of warm soup and a hearty song, and then Jullus offers up Buuz to Zero. Zero then offers her own power to Golbez to turn the Thirteenth around and return it to as it was before.

[crimeronan]

I'm so curious about how the disaster trio in the princess!luz au first slept in the same bed together. Like how did this occur. Was it on accident or on purpose? What triggered it? Is it because they're all exhausted and the second bed is too far away? Was Luz or Hunter the cause, like injury or sickness and the other two doesn't want to leave and Amity is convinced it's okay to stay? The People(me) Want To Know.

And I can't imagine this scenario in any way without Amity being a flustered, tightly wound mess. Cause like seeing people in their sleepwear about to go to bed is an underrated form of intimacy I think. Plus Luz and Hunter are Weird but they make her feel like the weird one for feeling out of place with how casual they are about this.

GOD this is a good question. and there are So Many Ways that this could go down. my biggest instinct is that the first time it happens is a complete accident, but How that happens could be. so many ways

i'm not gonna count this as Official Canon (TM), just to leave room for if i end up wanting to write a different relationship trajectory

but CURRENTLY the scenario i'm softest for is:

amity is avoiding her roommates in the library, which has become habitual for her bc she barely tolerates them (think her dynamic with boscha back at hexside). it's late. hunter is in the library with luz & upon seeing amity, is very exasperatedly like. you cannot keep sleeping here blight. someone's gonna kill you

after some testy back-and-forth he's like Look. luz is about to go to bed, i'm on duty watching over her, literally just come sleep on the floor. you know luz would not let me murder you while you're sleeping.

(luz, helpfully, in the background: That Is True.)

on some level amity recognizes that this is hunter's tsundere-ass way of saying he's concerned for her wellbeing & also she really Doesn't want to get attacked for falling asleep in public. so she's like Fine. Whatever.

luz invites her to share the bed bc luz has no sense of normal boundaries or weird behavior. amity is like UM UH UM & luz is like OR NOT. SORRY!

amity sleeps for like four hours curled up like a cat on luz's carpet, spending the whole time very pointedly Not looking at luz or thinking about her or thinking about sharing a bed with her, because obviously she doesn't wanna do that, shut up. & then she wakes up n can Tell that hunter is dead tired. like borderline falling over.

so naturally she, in her tsundere-ass way, is like look. i'm not gonna make a habit of this and if you try to make me make a habit of this then i'll kill you. but if you sleep off the rest of your shift, i'll stay up and look after luz. you know i wouldn't let anything happen to her i'm not an idiot.

normally hunter would put up a fight about this but luz is shifting restlessly under her blankets like she's having bad dreams, so he's like.

.......okay.

bc if amity takes over then he can climb into bed with luz and gently nudge her awake and then hold her back to sleep.

which does of course make amity tomato-flustered and very quickly look away from them like. I Do Not Know What To Do With Expressions Of Intimacy Platonic Or Otherwise. I'm Gonna Die Here

i still gotta work out the exact logistics of luz's inner guard but i DO know that there's a small handful of people who are also tasked with guarding her, all under hunter's command. so when one of them shows up at the end of hunter's scheduled shift, amity is like great. i can get some more shut-eye.

i do not want to go back to my roommates. or get stabbed in the library. or sleep on the hard-ass floor. what if i just kinda......

and then she creeps onto the foot of the mattress like "i'm gonna catnap for 15 minutes and then stop committing treason. i know she said i could sleep on the bed but this is definitely still treason somehow"

then. it is not 15 minutes.

in conclusion. theyre stupid.

[robotnik-mun]

Robotnik Army Writeup

Boy, just when you thought it couldn’t get any geekier!

Yeah, I had this thought on my mind for a while, and finally decided to just get it over with. As it says, this is basically detailed writeup of Robotnik’s army for a Sonic setting that takes bits and pieces of everything... which basically means “SatAM/Archie With Extra Steps”. It really serves no higher purpose beyond amusement, and since I’m never going to do anything with any of this I figured I’d share.

Be forewarned this was all pretty spur of the moment and sloppy.

Anyway... on with the show. Hope ya’ll get something out of this.

Forces of the Robotnik Empire

From the time of its founding to the time of its present, the machine legions of the Robotnik Empire have terrorized and dominated the planet in the name of its founder Doctor Robotnik. The armies of Robotropolis come in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes, and it is the largest collective of military robots to have ever been assembled in all the history of Mobius. Only the drone divisions of GUN come close, and even that is paltry compared to the sheer number and variety of robotic killing machines created and deployed by the Robotnik Empire.

The armies of Robotnik are near numberless. Standard units are churned out on assembly lines by automated factories, ready to fight and kill in Robotnik’s name upon activation. No matter how many are destroyed, there will always be more in the waiting to take its place. Mindless, fearless and unquestioningly loyal, the greatest danger of Robotnik’s machines isn’t their armaments of strength- it is the fact that there is absolutely nothing that they will not do when ordered, and once they start nothing short of destruction will halt them. There is no room for empathy, pity or doubt. There is only Robotnik and his will.

Assembled here is a small dossier of the various lines that comprise Robotropolis’ war machine. Over the years the variety and scope of Robotnik’s armies have expanded and adapted to reflect the ever-changing face of war, from the conquest of the empire’s early years to the Freedom Fighter insurgencies that continue to plague it, as well as renewed aggression from the United Federation and GUN. Even as the fortunes and size of his empire waxes and wanes, one thing is certain- Robotnik’s imagination is as endless as it is depraved, and there will never be an end to the new and terrible machines he creates to blight the world he despises so thoroughly.

SWATbots

The SWATbot line is a venerable one that dates back to the Great War, when then-Warlord Julian Kintobor created the first SWATBots (then known as “Peace Bots”) to replenish the depleted ranks of the Kingdom of Acorn’s military and workforce. The first SWATbots were deployed purely in a support capacity, before eventually supplanting Mobian soldiers entirely to become the bulk of the Kingdom of Acorn’s military. These robotic soldiers would be crucial in turning the tide against the seemingly unstoppable military machine of Overland, delivering victory for the Kingdom and her allies in the Great War. That same army would then be used by Julian, now styling himself as Ivo Robotnik, to conquer the Kingdom of Acorn from within and then enable Robotnik’s first wave of conquest afterward.

The SWATBot is the workhorse of the Robotnik Empire. In all corners of the empire they can be found, in every facility and factory. The Mark-1 SWATBot model forms the backbone of Robotnik’s military, serving as the standard rank-and-file infantry. Standard SWATBots are designed as something of a jack of all trades, having moderate strength in multiple areas while not truly excelling at any of them. SWATbots are at their most dangerous when in groups, but even a lone SWATbot can be a lethal adversary, for while they represent the most standard of Robotnik’s soldiers they are still stronger and more durable than most organics and come equipped with built-in lasers and armor. There’s a reason that SWATbots were able to bring the once unstoppable armies of the Overland to its knees, and fighting SWATBots without weapons or special abilities is often a death sentence.

Since the time of its initial development the SWATbot line has expanded considerably. There now exist multiple, specialized variations of the original SWATbot chassis, and the Mark-1 model shows no signs of going anywhere anytime soon. They are a constant within the empire, and whatever challenges arise? There is no doubt there will be a new, improved SWATbot model to meet it. 

Troopers

The skull-faced Troopers were developed in the early years of the Robotnik Empire, being created specifically for the various “Pacification Campaigns” that arose after the empire had secured its grip over the former Kingdom of Acorn and Overland. With these territories now firmly in Robotnik’s iron grasp, the nascent tyrant turned his attention outward to the other nations of Mobius, seeking to expand the scope of the “Pax Robotnika”. It swiftly became apparrent to Robotnik that waging a war of conquest and expansion was going to be a different matter entirely from the relatively defensive position fought in the Great War. A pressing need for specialized first strike units arose, and thus was born the Trooper line.

Troopers are the specialized assault force of the Robotnik Empire, designed to hit hard and fast in the first wave of attacks, shattering enemy formations and fortifications with overwhelming firepower before allowing the SWATBots to swarm in and deliver the killing blow. In addition to serving as the empire’s shock troops, Troopers also see capacity as occupiers of newly conquered territories and as overseers in labor camps and prisons. While SWATBots are programmed to be emotionless and mindless soldiers, Troopers by contrast are programmed to exhibit personalities... and those personalities are uniformly that of a gleefully sadistic bully.

Whether it is out in the field of battle or patrolling the streets of a conquered city, Troopers will heap endless amounts of abuse and cruelty on anyone they can find. This is done as a form of psychological warfare in conjunction with their skull-like visages... a SWATBot will simply kill you, but a Trooper may very well shoot off a limb and then laugh about it.

Troopers are usually found in the outer territories of the Robotnik Empire, either working as enforcers in the cities where organics are permitted to live or patrolling the borders of the empire making sure nobody can escape. Ruthless taskmasters and programmed for cruelty, all who deal with the Troopers quickly learn to despise them. 

Combots

Combots are among the elite units of the Robotnik Empire, designed to be bigger, stronger and most importantly smarter than SWATBot or Trooper units. Combots, as their names would indicate, are designed as the Robotnik Empire’s own elite commandos. The Combots were developed in the later years of the Robotnik Empire, in response to the rising successes of the various Freedom Fighter groups that formed in opposition to Robotnik. The Combot chassis was derived from both the SWATbot and Trooper chassis, combining the best traits of both before being further modified to suit Robotnik’s need for elite soldiers.

Combots possess advanced “Dummy” AI that gives them considerable tactical insight and adaptability without granting them the capacity for ‘true’ free will. Designed for deep deployment in enemy territory, Combots typically operate as specialized units and usually only see mass deployment as security for the empire’s most important installations. Physically imposing and with a versatile number of built-in weapons, the Combots most dangerous tool is a built invisibility cloak that obscures them from view. While their heavy metallic frames don’t do much for their stealth, being able to turn invisible still grants them a tremendous, deadly advantage, especially when their tactical AI gives them the insight to compensate for said heavy metal frames.

The Combot stealth cloak is an upgraded version of the stealth cloaks used by the Newtralizer Badnik models, which was first utilized in a prototype stealth assault robot deployed in the Jungle Zone. While the prototype was destroyed by Sonic and Tails, its performance was deemed acceptable enough that it would go on to be utilized for the future Combot line.

The Combots do possess one notable flaw- while they are not truly sentient, they none the less have developed superior view of themselves compared to ‘inferior, outdated’ SWATbot and Trooper units. This arrogance often leads Combots to treat other units as being more disposable, and while dissention in the ranks is impossible, it does lead to unacceptable losses and wastefulness.

P.A.W.N.s

The P.A.W.N. (Power Assault Warfare and Nullification) line was created to serve as Robotnik’s super-heavy units, comparable to bipedal tanks. These towering monstrosities are among the toughest and most dangerous machines to be fielded within the Robotnik Empire’s armies. PAWNS are subdivided into three specialized models- the Gun Pawn, the Shield Pawn, and the Bomb Pawn, with a fourth model known as the Guardian Pawn being an upgrade of the Gun Pawn. Where PAWNS go the earth shakes, quite literally.

Gun Pawns are the most commonly encountered pawns, serving as mobile heavy artillery units. They are armed with a staggering three heavy plasma cannons in addition to missile launchers. Very few things can stand up to them or their weapons, and they attack with overwhelming force until nothing is left standing.

Shield Pawns by contrast exist as living barriers, absorbing heavy fire against their reinforced frames before getting close and demolishing targets with their heavy fists. Few sights are more terrifying than that of a Shield Pawn lumbering forward impassively, refusing to fall even under sustained heavy fire. Disturbingly, they are the most likely to be encountered within Robotropolis itself, often camouflaged as literal walls within the city.

Finally, there are the Bomb Pawns. Bomb Pawns are anti-fortification specialists, enormous grenade launchers on legs designed to waltz across the battlefield, blowing apart armored vehicles and heavy fortifications alike. Even worse they contain a high powered thermal explosive payload in their bodies, and with their thick armor they are more than capable of shrugging off enemy fire long enough to deliver said payload.

Guardian Pawns are the rarest of the PAWN series. They are improved, elite variants of the Gun Pawns, with upgraded weaponry and built in force shields. As their name would indicate, Guardian Pawns are used almost exlusively in a defensive capacity, guarding the most important facilities in the Robotnik Empire, even defending Citadel Robotnik itself. Rarely they are sent out to attack due to the difficulty in making them, but their success rate is nothing to sneeze at. Rumor has it that entire armies have been destroyed by Guardian Pawns.

Stealthbots

The terror of the skies. Stealthbots are the ultimate air combat drones, and the undisputed masters of the Robotnik Empire’s airspace. Much like the groundbound Combots, Stealthbots are not only armed to the teeth but also in possession of similarly advanced Dummy AI that grants them tactical supremacy in the air. And that’s without getting into the stealth systems that grant them their name. Stealthbots are infamous for seemingly appearing out of thin air before diving in, destroying targets and then vanishing away from sight. Even more horrifyingly, Stealthbots have been known to engage in a degree of psychological warfare- one favorite tactic is to periodically strafe the same target at a specific time again and again, letting stress slowly build-up before going in for the kill.

Besides the standard Stealthbot units, there are also the aptly name “Death Pods”. Death Pods are upgraded Stealthbots, designed to be smaller, more maneuverable and equipped with even more firepower. While Stealthbots proper are designed for air-to-air combat and to act as bombers, Death Pods are an attempt to bridge the gap and create the ultimate air-to-ground combat drone, a machine that is just as capable of eliminating ground based targets as it is the air. So far the Death Pods have seen limited deployment, but thier successes paint a grim picture for the enemies of the Robotnik Empire.

Badniks

Badniks rank along with Swatbots as the most numerous and widespread of Robotnik’s forces, and a potent symbol of his need to subjugate and twist all aspects of life on Mobius towards his own demented ends. Officially known as B.A.D.s (Biologically Augmented Drones), Badniks are as much an assault against the environment as they are against Mobius’ people. Badniks unlike other machines within the empire are powered by Mobinis who serve as both organic batteries and as a kind of wetware CPU all in once. Whereas SWATBots represent standardized military machines, Badniks are far more specialized by comparison, and are designed to operate for long periods of time without supervision in the many wilderness areas of Mobius.

Technically speaking the Badniks are the oldest line of Robotnik’s military machines, predating even the SWATbots. The Badniks were first devised before the Great War, back when Robotnik was still known as Dr. Julian Kintobor. Using misappropriated funds and resources, Julian labored in secret researching the potential of organic lifeforms to serve as a power source of machines. His way of making endangered species ‘worth protecting’, in his own words. Once that barrier was broken, Julian swiftly realized the military applications and with the aid of his assistant (and future chief scientist) Dr. Grimer he swiftly built the first Badnik prototypes. When Julian later became the Kingdom of Acorn’s Warlord, he built his Badnik army in secret even as he was built his SWATBot army in public, and when the day of the Coup arrived great swarms of Badniks surged forth to assist their SWATbot brethern in conquering the Kingdom of Acorn.

Usually modeled after Mobius’ wildlife, Badniks serve as a reflection of Robotnik’s disdain of the natural world and his need to declare that there is nothing in it that he can’t ‘improve’ upon. Fittingly, Badniks tend to act like an invasive species, deployed into the wild areas of Mobius to capture more Mobinis to be utilized as battery fodder before raiding settlements and attacking military installations. Badniks require comparatively little upkeep and can be stationed for many months without need of repairs. They are created to strip the world of respite from Robotnik’s tyranny and to choke the life out of the wilderness, making sure nobody can escape his grasp. Worse than that, Badniks are also used to attack enemy crops and farmlands, despoiling lands to deny them use by Robotnik’s enemies. They form an integral part of the artifical ‘eco system’ of the empire’s cities, hiding and lurking in shadows like ambush predators waiting for prey driven to them by SWATbots and troopers.

The sheer variety of Badniks is nothing short of astounding. Even more powerful Badnik models known as Prime Badniks (AKA “Super Badniks”) act as field commanders for the regular models, which are collecively known as the Badnik Horde.

Eggrobos

Modeled after the Eggman himself, Eggrobos are a special class of machine that serve as the administrators and officer corps of the Robotnik Empire. The Eggrobo line first emerged during the Angel Island Assault. In the aftermath of the infamous Death Egg crash landing upon Angel Island, Robotnik swiftly realized he would need more than mere techbots if he was going to get the mighty Death Egg up and running fast enough for his needs. The Eggrobos were conceived of as machines that would serve the duel purpose of security for the Death Egg as well as high intelligence technicians needed to conduct repairs at the rate Robotnik needed.

While the Death Egg’s final destruction would occur despite the best efforts of the Eggrobos and Robotnik himself, Robotnik none the less saw the potential of the series. Eggrobos are designed more for intelligence than they are pure combat, though they are far from defenseless. Armed with heavy plasma cannons and high powered jet backs, they are surprisingly dangerous for “brain bots”. The Eggrobos have since gone on to become an all purpose command class of machine, ranking behind Prime Badniks but otherwise serving as Robotnik’s proxies within the empire. Eggrobos are subsequently subdivided by programming- warfare, research, intelligence and even medically inclined models exist.

Their bulky bodies designed to house high processing powered AI and powerful communication tools, the robotic soldiers of the empire become notably more dangerous when Eggrobos are present, especially ones programmed for military operations.

E-Series

Building upon the technologies that went into the Eggrobos, the E (”Eliminator”) series were created to serve as the elite assassins and infiltrators. The E-Series was first devised when the Robotnik Empire, weakened by repeated Freedom Fighter insurgencies, found it beset from the outside by the re-invigorated forces of GUN. Building upon Great War era information provided by surviving remnants of its sister nation of Overland, the United Federation re-structured GUN’s tactics and technologies with an eye towards taking the fight to Robotnik after a decade slow retreat in the face of Robotropolis’ encroachment into the Federation. Devising a new war doctrine built upon picemeal tactics and a robot army of their own to challenge Robotnik’s, the United Federation took advantage of Robotnik’s weakness to chip away at his borders and liberate captured territories.

Faced with an existential threat now capable of fighting on par with him in addition to the domestic troubles brought on by the Freedom Fighters, Robotnik swiftly realized he would need machines capable of getting into the heart of enemy operations and then cutting that heart out. Thus was born the E-Series, lethally intelligent and relentless assassins building on the best of the Badnik technology. First deployed in the Station Square Front, Robotnik has repeatedly upgraded the initial E-100 series and even created variant models. While the original E-100s were powerful, there was a disturbing trend towards rampancy in their AI- units Gamma, Sigma and Omega all eventually turned against their core programming. Since then Robotnik has tried to find a proper balance in the AI to retain the lethal potential of the E-100s while ensuring zero chance of future betrayal. While not quite the stuff of their predecessors, the current E-Series remain among the most ruthlessly efficient and lethal machines within the empire, elite assassins and terror machines par excellence.

While the E-Series was initially conceived of as assasins, Robotnik has explored other avenues with the line, deviating from the base mold to create more specialized variants. The E-500 series was an attempt to create a more standardized sniper variant, while the subsequent E-1000 series was an attempt to mass produce the E-Series while trying to retain as much of its effectiveness as possible. The E-2000s deviated even further from the base mold, serving as a mobile weapon platform for an experimental heavy laser cannon. While devastatingly powerful, the E-2000s have seen only limited deployment due to faults within the cannon, notably its long charge time.

Metallix

In many ways the Metallix series represent the cream of the crop of the Robotnik Empire’s various war machines, as well as being indicative of Robotnik’s deeply warped mindset. The Metallix are killing machines in every sense of the word, and ones built in the image of Robotnik’s most hated enemies. The oldest and most infamous of the Metallix series proper is Metal Sonic, Robotnik’s second-in-command own personal attack dog. While originally designed to mimic Sonic, the Metallix series has since expanded to act as mirrors for all of the major Freedom Fighters and assorted heroes who have bedeviled the doctor and stymied his ambitions. It is even joked that the surest sign you’ve ‘made it’ in the war against Robotnik is when a Metallix pops up in your image. The Metallix are no laughing matter though- by deign of being designed to counter specific and very powerful Mobians, they are easily the most lethal of Robotnik’s forces. Where the Metallix go, only death follows... especially when the Metallix in question is Metal Sonic.

The Metallix have their origins in the Pseudo-Sonic Badnik, which can be considered a prototype for the entire Metallix Line. Robotnik had long hoped to build a high-speed robot capable of countering Sonic the Hedgehog. After forays into various “Speed Bots”, Robotnik finally refined the technology to create the Mobini powered Pseudo-Sonic, a machine designed to not only kill Sonic specifically but to also besmirch his reputation. While Pseudo-Sonic was defeated, the proof of the concept would eventually lead to the creation of the first ‘true’ Metallix- Metal Sonic, first deployed in the Little Planet Raid. Since that time Sonic has only been able to just barely keep his metal doppelganger at bay, and Robotnik has gone on to expand the scope of the Metallix Series to create more like Metal Sonic. The Metallix have since gone on to become the true elite of the Empire, few in number but deadly beyond measure.

There has been at least one attempt to mass produce the success of Metal Sonic. The most prominent attempt was made by Robotnik’s chief scientist Dr. Grimer, who converted the old Special Zone Fortress to become an automated factory churning out Metal Sonic drones, with an ‘Emperor Metallix’ guiding everything. The project ended in catastrophic failure and the near usurpation of Robotnik by the Emperor Metallix, and since that time there have been no further attempts to ‘standardize’ the Metallix.

Infiltrators

Designed to mimic organic life, the Infiltrators (also known as Auto-Automatons) are the premier spies of the Robotnik Empire. The Infiltrator line was first developed in response to the various hidden sanctuaries that sprang up within the boundaries of the Robotnik Empire that would then go on to become hotbeds of organized military resistance. Initial models were based upon pre-existing Mobians who served as templates after being captured by Robotnik. Initial research was carried out on an island facility that doubled as a labor camp, but progress was stymied when the prison was infiltrated and destroyed by a young Sonic the Hedgehog (with the help of Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel). While the original facility was lost, Robotnik was able to escape with the research and several captives, and successfully created the first units in a separate facility.

Since that time the Infiltrator series has only become more refined. The need for pre-existing organic templates is now a thing of the past as Mobian identities are crafted wholesale, and the technology has advanced to the point where the Infiltrators can mimic organic behaviors such as eating without giving away their true, mechanical nature. The main production facility for the Infiltrators is the best kept secret in the Empire. More insidiously, some Infiltrators are being deployed with fabricated memories and no knowledge of their true origin, acting as sleeper agents.

Misc Robots

Beyond the standardized units and the elite models deployed en-masse by the Robotnik Empire, there are also the countless non-standardized units that proliferate Robotnik’s domain. Mission-specific war machines, experimental units, even machines built on a whim to satisfy Robotnik’s curiosity... all these and more can be found in the Robotnik Empire, ever ready for the opportunity to inflict just a bit more misery on whatever unfortunate organics they come across.

These non-standardized units vary wildly in terms of design, armaments and intelligence. Some are attached to deployments of SWATbots and the like as part of official military operations, while others still are simply wandering menaces that attack anybody unfortunate enough to come across them. This is done both to draw out Freedom Fighters and to torment the organic communities that remain within the Empire. Either the Freedom Fighters will blow their cover or the communities will be destroyed by inches. And if said communities fight back? Then, having broken the law, the community will be culled by Robotnik and the survivors Roboticized as a message to the others.

Any of these outcomes are acceptable to Robotnik, and the sheer unfairness of it is a source of endless, sadistic amusement to the Eggman.

[starleska]

girl i am just SO curious since we have the same type and all abt your thoughts on Cagney Carnation from Cuphead 👀

oh hell yes!!! thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about the deranged flower again 😳💖💖💖 i adore Cagney Carnation. who doesn't?? such a captivating design - one part mob boss, one part flower, one part monstrous abomination with some very sexy teeth 🙈🙈 Cuphead is one of those franchises i have a tonne of f/os from: Cagney Carnation, Chef Saltbaker, Werner Werman, King Dice, Baroness Von Bon Bon...and doubtless the next time i revisit the fandom someone else's wonderful fanart will tip me into fixation for another character 😂 but Cagney is special...i totally get why we all went feral for him 😂💖 he's yet another instalment in the 'characters with long supernumerary appendages who could easily rip us apart' roster...the incredible strength, his silly little dance, and how absolutely badass his final form is, it's no wonder he's so beloved!! easily one of the best and most iconic fights in the whole game with a banging song, and so many fun details. i went back and S-ranked him recently and felt on top of the world 🙈

listen, i am down so bad it's not funny 😂 Cuphead really does lend itself to so much creativity and fandom fun...feels very much like Don't Hug Me I'm Scared in that way. whether folks are drawing him as a grumpy lil flower, an Eldritch abomination or a handsome gijinka, there's no version of him i don't like;;; OH!!! have you heard Man on the Internet's lyric cover of Floral Fury? he'll forever be my headcanon voice for Cagney (until we get an official one, of course 😉). for now, all we have to go off of is his laugh, which is...um...🥴 i even made a little Cuphead OC to ship with him!! their name's Aster, and they're a star from Hilda Berg's moon phase 🥰 it's been a while since i made them, and i'd love to revisit the universe and make more OCs...i think everyone should try their hand at making one for Cuphead selfship purposes, it's great 🙈 i am still devastated that we didn't get him in the previous 'season' of The Cuphead Show. Netflix fuckery continues to blight us, but i'm still holding out hope!! did you know that storyboard artist Karl Hadrika shared a still from a current 'lost episode' of the show, showing Cagney with his tommy gun? 👀 i'm still very hopeful that bc The Cuphead Show is so staggeringly popular that we will get another season...but until then, we gotta sit tight and gush about Cagney amongst ourselves 🥺💖

[resilientangel]

"Most Demons operate the same, and get their followers to do their dirty work. I know somewhat about the Blight and Darkspawn, but how they originated is still a mystery to me. They became ill from a highly infectious plague, yes?" Owen shuddered at the thought of Vessels. Certain Angels possessed human bodies, while he retained his true form. It felt wrong to take over someone who was unwilling to grant him entry in the first place. "Calpernia was too far gone, so the Inquisitor had no choice but to act swiftly. While many lives were lost, she guarded some of the citizens, and thus made it possible for them to rebuild their homes in the future." His heart nearly broke for the human. Why she thought so lowly of herself was beyond him. She likely had her family to blame for turning to the dark side; they drove her mad so she needed an escape. "You were misguided, but you found your way again."

Owen's eyebrows arched slightly. "I can only speculate. Heaven's Council probably outnumbered Him, so it wasn't a fair fight. He didn't believe in conflict-- oftentimes, trying to settle matters without physical altercations." From her demeanor alone, he could tell that Florianne shared his pain. Hazel hues widened in shock whenever she mentioned wanting to fight alongside him. "I appreciate the thought, but are you certain you'll be able to hold your own? We'd be challenging Angels who are highly trained physically and mentally. You wouldn't have the advantage." Heaven's militia trained day in and day out... mostly for the purpose of purging Demons from mortal Vessels.

{ ♢ } "A Contractor Demon tried to SWINDLE you into doing its bidding? It's not much different from Corypheus, I suppose. He used the Blight and ancient elven magic to become immortal; he'd have a VESSEL ready and waiting if he was 'killed'. A woman named Calpernia was to be his successor, but Inquisitor Cadash made quick work of defeating that Tevinter mage." Florianne pulled out a HANDKERCHEIF, and used it to carefully wrap her mask up. She pocketed her belongings once more, and canted her head to the side. "You saved me from eternal damnation, and I was very much like a Demon..."

She PURSED her lips, and stared at him in disbelief. "The Maker, the most powerful Holy Man is dead? You must find His murderers, and make them pay. That sort of crime cannot go unpunished." Florianne shifted in discomfort. Just as her faith in her Heavenly Father had been RESTORED, she found out that He was no longer alive. "I want to help you. You stood by me against soldiers and a horde of Demons, so the least I can do is lend you my STRENGTH. Until then, my debt isn't paid."

[honestlyhalfweirdo]

I’ve always wanted to make my own AU from some fandom I’m in, and I think I can finally make it. Or rather half of it, because I’ve got inspired by this post from @drabbles-of-writing and I thought I would put my own spin on it. I also got little inspiration from anime Bungou Stray Dogs. 

It’s still a sketchy idea and work in progress but if you’re interested, I wrote down below some short information about world building, Belos’ role and Hunter’s arc (Because I focused on the bad side here)

Belos' role:

- this is fantasy mafia AU so magic and creatures stays the same as in canon

- the story changes during time of Savage Ages, because Belos fails to get publicity as in original. But his idea gets picked up by some witches. Wanting to put stop to this lawless time they create government, later known as Main Coven. The heads of the nine covens are the one ruling. In general coven's system is the same as in canon, the only diffrence is that there is no emperor but a group of people

- attitude towards wild witches is slighty lighter, cause they're not sentenced to petrification but simply locked up

- that doesn't please Belos, who sees that his original plan is beginning to fall apart. He can't see any other way but to follow more violent path. He creates his Mafia and becomes Godfather

- Belos lives a double life: as the head of the mafia and as one of the respected and well-liked teachers in Potions Coven. He would use fake name Francis xD. While as a mafia Head he would conduct illegal activities and hunt for palismans, as a teacher from Hexside School he would build his reputation ( rose through the ranks until eventually gaining power)

- Eda's and Lilith's story is the same as canon, but the one who sold Lilith the curse scroll is mafia. Thanks to that Belos finds about incident with Eda. When Lilith gets promoted to Main Coven, he forces her to cooperate through blackmail. At the same time as a Francis, he "catches" her working with mafia and shows sympathy for her, gaining her trust. He promises to help her cure Eda (He gives her a stronger version of potions Eda uses in canon)

- Belos is still after the Portal. For this purpose he kidnaps Luz and uses her to negotiate with Eda: Portal for human. Eda agrees to this exchange and Luz manages to destroy the Portal. Shortly after Main Coven arrives on the scene, having been informed earlier about Eda's location by anonymous source. Belos retreats, while Eda fights the Coven protecting Luz. She uses all her power and transforms into Owl Beast and Coven captures her and locks away until her trial

- Lilith fears for her sister and opposes the Main Coven. Together with Eda, Luz and King, they run home (the same as in canon). Lilith loses her position and is replaced by satisfied Belos

- Apart from Belos/Francis, Hexside school is also being watched by other members of the mafia, who are looking for students’ data, materials or even potential recruits for the organization

-The Blight Family would be in partnership with the Mafia and would make weapons for them

- Main Coven would have suspicions about the existence of a criminal group

- When Eda meets Raine after helping their group escape, she tells them about her suspicions that the Coven has been corrupted by the Mafia. Raine promises her that they will look into it further and will inform her about anything. During their investigation, they are detected and captured by the mafia

- there probably would be some characters deaths in this AU

Hunter’s arc:

- there would be a rumor between mafia members: Godfather Belos has a deal with Titan himself and has Death by his side, making him immortal.  Only those who befriend Death or eliminate it will be able to kill Belos

- Hunter is  said Death and people call him Golden Death. He’s the head of the assasins. Under the order of Belos he’s hididng his face under mask to make sure no one knows his true identity

- Belos told him that his parents belonged to some small gang. One day there was a fight between them and the other gang. The only one surviving from his gang was Hunter, whose parents hid him safe. That fight happened on Belos teritory, so he got involed and when he found Hunter, he took him under his wing and started training him to become his personal weapon

- Belos is strict with Hunter.  Hunter fights really hard for his approval (same as canon I guess). Belos led him down a dark path, making his psyche much worse than canon.

- Kikimora would be trying to prove that Hunter doesn’t deserve his position. Their relationship at the beggining would be enemies on the same side. They would usually tease each other, while sabotaging the tasks of one another. (I wanted their relationship to develop into one where they start to respect the other one. Not friends, but they finally acknowledge other strength)

- first meeting with Luz would be like in canon: Luz and Eda cross paths with Golden Death during his mission to kill the Selkidomus (No, he wouldn’t make them kill for him). They would try to fight him a little and eventually would lose him in tunels of a cave (saving Selkidomus at the same time...or would they?)

- second meeting: Hunter goes to Latissa to report back after the mission, but loses his mask on the way. While searching for it, he spots Luz lurking near the mafia headquarters. He decides to speak to her as Hunter.  He learns that Kikimora has kidnapped some of the palismans from the school grounds, unknowingly taking Luz with her. She has attacked Kikimora, forcing her to stall her mission. Hunter decides to help Luz (to annoy Kikimora) and forms a friendship with her. After freeing palismans she invites him to the Owl House

- at first Hunter starts meeting with Luz only for information, but fastly learns that he actually enjoys time spent with her and others from the Owl House. He’s starting to have doubts about his life until now

- Eda would be suspecting Hunter of belonging to mafia, but she would be discreet about it.

- Amity would openly be hostile to Hunter and wouldn’t trust him.

- on the other side Hunter would also have Belos and Kikimora on his back, since he wouldn’t tell them about his little plan. I wanted to give him some challenge in juggling his two identities

So for now this is my base for this AU. If you have any remarks, asks or ideas for this, I will happily hear from you :DD I’m not a writer and I’m sure there are a lot of plot holes xd

But seriously I just wanted to draw some cool poses and Hunter in waistcoat lol XD

[the-lone-witch-and-secret-room]

The Blight children and toxic behaviors

Some poor soul on Instagram made the mistake to ask me a couple of questions on the Blight siblings that got me to finally write out what’s been on my mind for a very long time about the Blight children and their relationships and behaviors.

The Wrong Antagonist

Up until she meets Luz, Amity tries her best to be the “ideal” child their parents want all of them to be, gets amazing grades, spends her free time studying, picks the friends her parents want her to have.

She does this because she wants her parents to love them, but in doing so, by being everything their parents want her to be, the twins think she raises the expectations for everyone. She even gets the twins in trouble by telling on them for skipping to look better, because she’s so frustrated of them getting away with things, with being told it’s a shame she doesn’t have her siblings’ magical skills, while they don’t have the same insane expectations to meet.

Thing is, this actually isn’t true. They’re under the same amount of pressure, they just handle it differently, and their parents are INTENTIONALLY making it seem like the other siblings have it easier to serve their purposes.

Their parents tell the twins they want them to be more like Amity, and Amity she should be more like the twins. No matter what they do, it’s never good enough, because their sibling is better.

This achieves exactly what it’s supposed to: provide “motivation” to improve by making the kids try to one-up each other with their skills, and point out each others flaws to their parents. This way, they learn of things the kids are doing that they’re not supposed to, while also getting them to target each other, rather than having each others backs and teaming up to call their parents out on their bullshit.

They resent how much “easier” their siblings have it, and this prevents them from finding comfort in each other and figuring out how messed up this situation is as a whole. It’s not difficult “because the others make it more difficult for me by being better than me”, it’s a shitty situation because their parents treat all of them as not good enough. Even “ideal” child Amity isn’t enough for them.

This isn’t a competition they are ever meant to win.

The only way out is seeing through it, rebuilding bridged with each other and continuing to play by their own rules—but that’s exactly what their parents are trying to prevent.

Once the Blight siblings start communicating with and supporting each other rather than antagonize each other, the whole system falls apart.

“Tough love”

During Lost In Language, the exact wording the twins use in reference to their diary revenge plan is “Amity NEEDS this” “It's for her own good” rather than “Amity DESERVES this”, which is very interesting.

To an extent, this is just them trying to get out of responsibility for what they’re doing... but they also genuinely think this is right. That they’re doing what’s best for Amity by embarrassing her and revealing her most private thoughts to the entire school. This is of course utter bs, but lets get into why they’re doing this.

That it’s not genuinely malicious actually makes it so, SO much worse. They’re trying to get Amity to “loosen up” because how she’s behaving currently is, as previously stated, making all of their lives more difficult, and also just isn’t good for her. But posting her diary all over school IS, because it will get her to finally see things their way.

They just decide what’s best for Amity without taking her feelings into consideration, and without realizing how hurtful this is, because that’s how they’ve been raised to believe these things work.

Their parents probably did similar things, framing severe punishments as “necessary evils” to help them grow more responsible, etc.

Even when Ed and Em think they’re being rebellious (and deciding Amity would be happier if she was, too), they’re still stuck in their parents mindset.

What’s interesting about this is that to an extent, Amity actually does this, too, but with Willow.

Her patronizing words of encouragement in I Was A Teenage Abomination are more than just that—Amity isn’t just needlessly cruel, at the same time she’s telling herself she’s “helping” an old friend get better grades. It’s tough love, yes, but tough love works, right? Ultimately this will be GOOD for Willow. She’s also “helping” Willow by putting her down in Hooty’s Moving Hassle—“it’s not her fault she was born without talent” gets the others to move along and not bother Willow anymore in that scene. But coming from Amity, it also hurts a million times worse than it could coming from Boscha or Skara.

Amity genuinely still thinks what she’s doing is what’s “best” for Willow—but without ever actually taking Willow’s feelings into consideration.

She can’t actually encourage her, so instead she does it in a way that really hurts Willow, but at least she’s still encouraging her and telling her she believes in her! She can’t actually stand up for Willow, but at least she’s “protecting” her by making a jab that renders her so worthless the others don’t even bother teasing her anymore! That’s so much better than it would be without her intervention!

Except it isn’t.

Amity isn’t helping Willow. The twins aren’t helping Amity. They’re executing the same “though love will motivate you/make you happier” and “I know what’s best for you” bs their parents are pulling on them.

That’s how they were raised to believe the world works.

Others know what’s best for you, and you know what’s best for others, and if they don’t see it your way, you make them see it your way.

I also have a bunch of theories concerning Edric’s and Emira’s relationship, but that’s for another post.

The message here is that I really, really want to kidnap the Blight kids and remove them from the environment that taught them these behaviors.

Also, to be very, very clear here, in case that for some reason is misunderstood: Edric, Emira and Amity aren’t terrible people, and they’re in no way to blame for thinking this is appropriate behavior. They’re abused kids that were raised to think this way and are only slowly being confronted with different mindsets. Amity was intentionally removed from a healthy environment (Willow), and from what we’ve seen of the twins, they don’t seem to have many friends, either.

They are in no way to blame for the beliefs their parents taught them, and fighting your way out of toxic behaviors you’ve been raised to see as right all your life can be really, really difficult.

Also, since this is something that apparently needs to be said… please stop hoping for redemption arcs/giving the benefit of the doubt to abusive parents of all people. “The abusive parents were actually just terribly misunderstood/didn’t realize their behavior was bad the entire time” is not a story anyone ever needs to hear.

[multiversal-madness]

Hey umm hi! It’s been a while so I’m curious in the bigger Shane gang Au, how will the movies specifically Ghoul from Beyond and return of the elementals? I have a feeling that that Blite’s reaction of seeing will again would be interesting and Junjie’s relationship with the other members too.

The movies would mostly go the same. Nothing would be different in ghoul from beyond except from the four new slingers being there too.

As for return of the elementals, Blite would probably struggle since his main slug was taken out of the fight pretty early on. But for Vance, Mario and Dana, their main slugs all fall under the earth elemental, so they wouldn’t be too bad until the earth elemental defends Doc.

When Blight sees Will however, his first instinct would be to deck him. Luckily, he has self control and manages to keep himself to only glaring.

Now for Junjie and the other’s relationships. I’ve put them under the cut cuz it could get long.

Vance Bolt and Junjie

Vance and Junjie don’t get along too well at the beginning

Vance’s method of sacrificing most things for speed and Junjie’s method of calm focus clash, especially when they’re supposed to work together

Vance is always pushing for the fastest way to finish a fight, while Junjie focuses more on less damage/more planned out routes, which often sabotages their efforts to get things done

Because of this, Vance is one of the only people that can make Junjie lose his cool, sometimes on accident and sometimes on purpose

Needless to say, the two butt heads frequently

Mario Bravado and Junjie

When they first met (after Junjie was uncorrupted) they became quite interested in each other’s slinging styles

For Mario, Junjie’s slug fu was quite the trick. Instead of coming up with what a slug needed to do and how they needed to do it in one shot, Junjie could just guide his slugs to hit the target.

It pretty much got rid of the need for trick shots. Some might think this would annoy Mario, but this became more interesting to him

For Junjie, Mario’s trick shots we’re almost unheard of. Sure, there were plenty of people in the eastern realm that would use shots that would make a slug go every which way to imitate slug fu, but this was different

Mario’s style was effective, unlike the fake slug fu. It worked in a way he hadn’t seen to much of in his home caverns

The two bonded over teaching each other about their individual styles

Dana Por and Junjie

Ever since she joined the Shane gang, Dana has become their best pranker, even being able to beat Kord in their last prank war

However, she hasn’t been able to prank Junjie since he arrived, even her most elaborate tricks didn’t work

Junjie was just too good at avoiding them, it was really starting to annoy Dana

She’s made it her personal goal to find a way to prank Junjie

As for Junjie’s perspective on this, he finds it amusing and hasn’t felt the need to stop her, though he is considering pranking her back

Blite and Junjie

I wasn’t really sure where to go with this one, but I’m leaning towards making this relationship similar to Eli and Blite’s

Despite Junjie being the dark slinger for 20 years, it’s shown he doesn’t remember it that well so mentally (maybe even physically, if the goon halted him growing properly) Junjie is still quite young

To add on to that, as far as I know Junjie’s immediate family isn’t mentioned, so he may have a situation similar to Eli (he could have even been younger when forced to step up, since Eli had to wait until he was 15)

When this traumatised young ‘hero of his caverns’ kid joins the Shane Gang, it wouldn’t take long for Blite to ‘adopt’ Junjie

With all of the nightmares that came from his time as the dark slinger, Junjie ends up joining Blite and Eli when they sit outside at night

[lizzybeeee]

I feel like another reason for Sten being much less 'intense' then the qunari we see in the future games is because, technically, when we meet him he's Tal-Vashoth.

He's lost his sword/soul, he's failed his mission from the Arishok, and his karatam (fellow soldiers) are all dead. On top of that, the realization that he's lost asala leads to him killing an entire farmhold, (not just the men, but the women and children too!) - literally proving to himself that without the Qun he is lawless and savage, just as he was taught his entire life. Alistair talks about how Sten is regretful of what happened, but that his "regret is the not the same as it is to us" - which I agree with! He's more regretful at his loss of composure/purpose more so than the death of the farmers.

He's stuck in this limbo of being loyal to the Qun, because he genuinely believes in it, while also being confronted with the idea that according to his beliefs he is nothing - his soul is dust. He had come to terms with the idea of dying in that cage because he was less than nothing and he could see no way of making his way in the world without the purpose of the Qun.

Then along comes the Warden who gives him a chance to find a sliver of purpose again: to fight the blight.

The blight/darkspawn is a threat to all, even the Qun, so it doesn't conflict with his beliefs. It's also responsible for the death of his karatam - and in his fade prison we can see that he has a strong camaraderie with his fellow soldiers - so on a personal level he's invested in seeing them destroyed. Sten is, according to the Qun, lawless and chaotic, so why not die with a blade in his hand, even if its not his soul?

Sten's more open to hearing/conversing with the rest of the party because:

1) They're fighting together - He needs to know how to work with them and they are not trained as the Qun trains warriors. He comments in a lot of his banter about the fighting styles/techniques of those he's with.

2) He is Tal-Vashoth - For the time he is without asala, at least. At this point in time he's come to terms with the fact that his death is only delayed - that he will die from the darkspawn or the Qun if he returns to Par Vollen. So why not talk with these people who he's traveling with? What can he lose from it? Most of his conversations are not him attempting to convert others to the Qun, but his attempts to understand how one lives without it.

3) He is someone who needs a strong sense of purpose to function (thanks to growing up under the Qun) and the Warden provides that purpose.

While he's initially distant/critical with those in the party, with time he becomes open to conversing with them outside of arguments/criticism - even joking or teasing them! He's still loyal to the Qun, but he's willing to speak/listen to the perspectives of others because what does he have to lose? He even asks questions/converses with the Warden about the differences between the Qun and life outside of it - even though he doesn't agree, that's way more than the Arishok was willing to do in DA2. He's trying to understand how someone can live without the Qun because it simply does not compute, but he's faced with the reality that somehow people do live without it.

When he is no longer Tal-Vashoth (if you help him locate asala) he maintains the respectful camaraderie/friendship(?) with the Warden - calling them an 'Ashkaari' which is basically 'an enlightened one' when they return his blade. Not to mention how he calls them 'Kadan' and promises to not look for them on the battlefield of the 'eventual' invasion of the Qun in southern Thedas (RIP Qunari War story thread). It comes across to me, at least, that he rationalizes/reconciles his time as a Tal-Vashoth by associating the Warden with the Qun - which is both a sign of massive respect and pure copium lmao.

He says he's 'complete' when he gets asala back and it makes me feel a little sad every time! How much has the Qun shaped/warped his sense of identity that he's unable to see all he accomplished without it? :(

Anyway, this turned into a rant about how I love Sten as a character and how complex and well he was written - top tier writing, 10/10 <3

Something very dear to me in DAO, when it comes to Sten and then Qun is that, unlike the next games, it doesn't feel like the Qun is portrayed in that much of a negative of a light?

Sure, some of its issues are still adressed. Sten will ask 'how are you a woman if you fight' to leliana, morrigan, wynne and a female warden, and it highlights the gender roles in the Qun, but considering that if you play as a female warden you get ask/told again and again that there aren't a lot of wardens or that people are surprised you're a warrior (cof cof howe mentioning its unusual that bryce would train a female cousland as a warrior cof cof) i don't have much complaints with that. it is what it is. And at least, you can stand up to Sten when he says those things.

I think the only time i was like 'ok that is fucked' was when Sten brought up how the Qun treats its mages, because even when he talked about how everyone under the Qun has a role, he doesn't talk in a way that makes you feel like this is some sort of extremely bad and rigid thing. In fact, Sten makes the argument that its better because then people don't have to spend their life trying to fit in into something they're not (and lowkey, Wynne expressed similar sentiments when she talks about that it's better to embrace the role/destiny that the Maker gave you than fighting against it).

But what really drives home to me about home to me is that, at some point, Alistair asks the Warden how they feel about the other companions and when talking about Sten, there's a possbility for Alistair to say that, in the way Sten talks about the Qun, it doesn't feel as vile as the chantry makes it out. And you gotta keep in mind that Alistair spent a good portion of his life living in the chantry, so for him to say that, for me, is a big deal on how the Qun is portrayed through Sten.

I think about this a lot because I honestly was like wow, besides a few things, the Qun seems lowkey to be pretty good until we got to DAI and there was the whole thing with re-education, and hunting tal-vashoth (which, its adressed in DAO, but i feel like they were much more subtle about it). Like heck, even in DA2, I don't think the Qun itself is portrayed that badly, because 1) the Arishok doesn't do shit to Kirkwall until he's provocked like 3 different times and 2) Kirkwall is a shithole, so when he talks about the city, he lowkey makes sense.

Idk. I really liked how the qun was handled in DAO because of Sten and his perspective, and then in DAI and DATV I was just going 'yikes' most of the time.

[itsclydebitches]

Its Own Reward

Fandom: The Bad Batch

Words: 2,098

Summary: If, at times of unseemly emotional vulnerability, Tech found himself longing for the one thing The Bad Batch didn’t have... well, that was between him and his overactive mind, thank you very much. 

Warnings: Mentions of blood/injury later on, but very minor

A clone's favorite game, in the whole wide galaxy, was Picture Your General. 

Picture your general in the heat of battle, lightsaber flashing, tearing through Separatist forces with the intensity of a Kaminoan storm. 

Picture you general in the aftermath, entering a meditative state, calming the battalion with their mind alone.

Picture your general giving an order and you, standing tall, accept it with pride. Picture yourself as their right-hand man. Their greatest asset. The tool that will win this war. 

Of course, at this stage one brother or another would point out the flaws in the fantasy. "Only a few of us will ever speak to them," they'd say. "You're not making Captain. Commander? Dream on. And watch the arrogance, vod. We're important, sure, but we're disposable too. No one is going to mourn us when we fall, certainly not a Jedi." 

From there they would either grow quiet in discomfort, or pummel the offender with whatever was in reach, depending on the makeup of the group. No matter the outcome though, the game would inevitably repeat just a few hours later, picked up by everyone from the youngest cadet, to soldiers a day from their first assignment. Every clone in existence wanted to picture their general; imagine up a person worthy of the Kaminoans' stories and, though shared with more reservations, imagine the place they'd find at their side. 

Every clone, that is, but Tech.

Well, he supposed Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair might be the same, but that was a hypothesis he hadn't tested yet. Out of everything Tech still needed to learn, that was rather low on his priority list. Meanwhile, spending time on a useless game was downright foolish. Oh, he had nothing against games on their own — they fostered a number of desirable outcomes, including, but far from limited to, a social comradery that would serve them well in battle — but this game, Picture Your General, had nothing to offer him. For the simple reason that Tech would never have one. 

It was a fact the Regs took great pleasure in pointing out. Frequently. 

"Ignore them," Crosshair said, stealing an extra ration off Tech's tray. History implied that he wasn't actually that hungry, merely interested in teasing Wrecker with the extra food. He'd pretend to save it for most of the night until, inevitably, handing it off as a grudging, midnight snack. Crosshair played with the food, but Tech knew his attention was on the rowdy group to their left. "They're not worth it." 

Given that it was just the two of them, Tech allowed himself a scowl, snatching the ration back. He had nothing against Wrecker receiving additional food, especially given his fast metabolism, but it was the principal of the thing. This was his. "Says the man who instigated four altercations this week." 

"I like riling them up." The food moved back to Crosshair's side of the table. "You don't." 

"You're mistaken. I take great pleasure in correcting our less cordial brothers. Though their initial claim is sound, the reasons for why we will not be assigned a Jedi are erroneous in the extreme." 

"You mean that we're useless, unwanted defects who don't deserve to lick a Jedi's boots?" 

"While I wouldn't have phrased it quite like that... yes. It's factually incorrect." 

"Hmm. Your face doesn't say 'factually incorrect.'" 

"That's because you're stealing my food!" 

"You're mistaken," Crosshair mimicked, this time stuffing the ration deep into his pocket where Tech didn't have a hope of reclaiming it. "Ignore them." 

Tech rarely denied himself the chance to speak at length on any topic he pleased, but this time he bit down on the retort that he literally could not. The Kaminoans had ensured that he picked up and payed attention to everything around him, even what he didn't want to hear. 

Still, clones were nothing if not adaptable and very little in this galaxy was black and white. The very thing Tech craved was also evidence of his greatest joy: the rest of his squad. They weren't made for a Jedi, they were made for each other. The Regs might have seen that as another defect, but Tech understood the inevitability of balance. If he wanted something as remarkable as his team, he had to give up something else in turn. 

Like the knowledge that someone else, anyone else, was fighting for them. To the Kaminoans they were property. Expensive and prized property, no doubt, but even the most beautiful tool would be discarded in time. To the other clones they were outsiders, a blight on everything else they took pride in. And to the Jedi they were... non-existent. Or near enough, Tech supposed. When called to assist a battalion they usually did so on the outskirts, getting into the enemy territory their brothers couldn't negotiate, leaving for the next suicide mission by the time they'd caught up. It resulted in a reputation that was, ironically, quite uniform, given their otherwise individualistic looks and personalities. The Bad Batch was a team of four who did what other clones couldn't. That's all the Jedi needed to know; presumably wanted to know. And Tech could hardly fault them for that when in the midst of a war. Like him, they had much more important matters to occupy their thoughts. 

That naïve indifference — an inability to be seen — might have been bearable if Tech hadn't accumulated such a clear picture of them. Oh yes, much of it came down to his academic nature, scrolling through datapads in the dead of night, soaking up information about anything, but especially that which was so crucial to the war... but there were stories too. The GAR was full of them. Whereas cadets played Picture Your General, soldiers spoke of the real thing, at times even more fantastical than their imaginings. Whispers spread through the ranks of Master Obi-Wan's compassion, claims that he fought for clones on and off the battlefield, giving as much respect as he demanded in turn. His former Padawan was, they said, as much a vod as any of them, prone to establishing an equality based on practical jokes and near-death situations — the kind of insanity clones were genetically predisposed to enjoy. There was talk that Unduli welcomed every soldier into her ranks with a Mirialan ritual, that Windu was fighting for clone rights in the Senate, even jokes that Plo Kloon had millions of adoption papers ready and waiting for the war's end... utter nonsense that last bit, of course. Yet every time Tech scoffed at a Reg's unseemly devotion, an awful little voice in the back of his head pointed out that the jokes had to stem from something. One did not craft rumors about a Jedi's kindness unless they had done quite a bit to establish it in the first place. 

Tech didn't need kindness, only assurances. Bonds with the Jedi provided his brothers with a connection outside of the Kaminoans. They were building a network, however small, for the day this war ended. The Jedi Council would fight for the clones, Tech was sure of that... but would they fight for a shadowy, defective squad they knew little about? Their place in this galaxy began with each other and ended with the occasional, dubious acquaintance of Hunter’s. That was not enough to survive on and Tech cared only about such practical matters. 

At least, that’s what he told himself for a time, but it wasn’t in Tech’s nature to dismiss facts. Like how once Master Shaak Ti had laid a hand on his arm after training, bestowing a smile and words of praise that Tech later kicked himself for missing, too busy being disgustingly flummoxed by the attention. That warmth, gifted three different ways, stayed with him long after they'd left their simulations behind, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rationalize it away as planning for the future.

Tech wanted a Jedi of his own. He simply... wanted.

In time those feelings didn't abate, but they were buried under an avalanche of new ones which, from a technical standpoint, he supposed amounted to much the same. After Kaller, Tech had lost his purpose in serving the Republic. Worse, he'd lost a member of his squad, even if he eventually got him back. Crosshair's presence now could no more lessen his past absence than food in one's hand could feed a starving man from yesterday. Tech's home was gone. The familiarity of his brothers' faces, even those twisted with cruelty, was something he craved. Everything from the rooms they'd once slept in to the smell of sterilized halls— all absent. So if Tech sometimes stared out at the stars and felt horrifyingly incomplete, who was he to say what that stemmed from? There were too many possibilities. The data was corrupted beyond repair and trying to divide what he'd lost from what the Kaminoans had denied him was an entirely useless endeavor. An experiment not worth his time. 

Still, Tech was made of curiosity. His mind was always on the lookout for patterns and new information, whether he wanted it to be or not. In truth though, he figured that Omega's near death was an experience that would have stood out to anyone, genius not required. 

Her screams were quite the conductor for one's focus. 

"Shoot it! Shoot it!" 

The order was for Crosshair, but Hunter couldn't see that he'd been knocked out by the krykna's last attack, one spindly leg the size of a cruiser slamming into his side. Hunter himself was trapped, hands scrambling to free his leg from the cave's crevice even as he yelled. Tech noted, in the dim way his mind noticed most things during a crisis, that he was now using his knife for leverage, cutting into his calf in the process, uncaring. Meanwhile, Wrecker was overwhelmed by the krykna's cluster, something about his size and boisterous nature attracting them like... well. Like kryknas to a clone. Echo was trying to help, but the planet's magnetic field had been messing with his prosthetics ever since they'd landed. Tech saw them both disappear under a small mountain of the creatures, yelling Omega's name all the while. 

And Tech... he was running. Yes. He realized that now, legs pounding across the ground, heedless of the numerous arachnid bodies that crunched beneath his boots. He couldn't say that his attention was solely on Omega, her face now just inches from the krykna's pincers. It never was. Tech couldn't help but catalogue a hundred other observations as she neared death's door, most of them quite distressing. Like the difference in height between him and his brothers. Or his abysmal scores in sprinting back on Kamino. Omega was at least five meters away whereas the krykna, most assuredly, was not. 

I'm going to lose another one, Tech thought as his next laborious pant turned into a sob. Probability proves it. 

Thank the Maker his calculations were incomplete. 

Later, the five of them would describe the sensation as akin to static electricity. Even Crosshair, unconscious, would say that he'd felt something passing along his skin, heedless of armor and all the more disconcerting for being... impossible. An impossible memory. Only Tech and Hunter saw it though, the moment when the krykna rose off the ground and flew, all five tons of it, slamming into the opposite wall where its skull caved in like an over-ripe fruit. 

Omega sat with her little hand outstretched, looking just as dumbfounded as her brothers. When he finally reached her, Tech found evidence of the krykna's teeth on either side of her neck. They'd only just punctured the skin. 

A moment of certain death, averted through instinct. Destiny? Perhaps some combination of the two. 

"It's okay. You're okay. Omega, please breathe for me." 

Tech was blessed — sometimes cursed — with an extraordinary memory, the ability to recall not just books' worth of information, but images in perfect clarity too. Superimposed over a sobbing Omega was a cadet from his youth. No one important. No one whose name Tech had bothered to learn, uninterested in remembering it against his will. But the boy's words had already been spoken. 

"Kriff, maybe we're wrong, vod! Maybe the defect will get a Jedi. After all, don't they say the Force works in mysterious ways?" 

An insult, a taunt, and now perhaps a speck of wisdom that Tech should have heeded. He pulled Omega into his arms, one gloved hand sinking into her curls, the other wrapping tight around her waist. He'd performed this gesture a hundred times before, but this time it felt like something slotted into place. 

"There you are," Tech whispered and for now, he'd pretend that this was nothing more than a reassurance. 

[marbleboa]

Feel better soon! About Achilles Come Down, did you have any idea of how the second fight against the Drowned Crew went? We know Damian's group killed it but I wonder if you had any details thought out.

Somewhat! It was an detail that kind of snuck up on me as I was writing the chapter so I haven’t fleshed things out too heavily—its inclusion, while of course offering closure on the Drowned Crew front, mainly was for the purpose of showing how attached Damian is to Tardif. Damian had already taken care of him after this traumatic event, he was under no obligation to take it a step further—but he still forced himself into the party to seek revenge in Tardif’s stead. I’m sure Missandei wanted to do the same, but this matter was much more personal and left more room for instability—Aldith knew it wouldn’t be wise to send her either, and Damian proved to be the more reasonable option(tho not by much)

From a pure gameplay standpoint, a flagellant isn’t always the best thing to bring to The Cove in general, much less that particular boss fight. Damian’s role there would be mostly healing/taking stress onto himself, while the others serve as the main damage dealers. For the rest of the party I’m imagining smth like Audrey, Para and Bigby maybe? Focus on blight and stunning for sure.

Damian takes the brunt of the stress/damage as he wanted to from the beginning, ends up under the chains the most out of all of them. He would go Rapturous, but things fortunately go better than they do in the future fight with the Flesh—Crew gets taken down with no other afflictions of losses. Even after being pushed to the breaking point, Damian still recognizes Tardif’s axe in the end just as they leave. Upon returning to the Hamlet he clears his head at the abbey as per usual, then goes to see Tardif at the Sanitarium.