#I also have three books available if you're interested in such things...

[thisbluespirit]

How To Find Your (British Actor) Blorbo On The Radio: A Brief Guide

(Disclaimer: British, because the main tool I'm using is the BBC's Genome.)

If you want more of your fave actor, or you love full-cast drama podcasts/audios (and audiobooks/NF content too) here's a guide on how to get your hands on BBC Radio broadcasts.

The BBC have a great free resource called Genome, which has all the Radio Times listings from 1922 to the present day (plus some of the actual articles), and it's searchable. Up until its arrival, it was really hard to do that, so \o/

Not all actors do radio and not everything you find will be obtainable, but it's always worth a try! It's especially likely for actor-blorbos who do other audio work, or theatre (theatre tends not to pay so well, and radio is a handy extra thing that can be more easily slotted in between performances than TV/film.)

Go to Genome, and put your blorbo's name into the search box:

Press search, which will bring back a bunch of results from both radio and TV listings from 1922 up to the current year:

2. Filter down to "radio only" on the sidebar to avoid scrolling through all the TV. At the top of the page you can change the display order to First broadcast (or Availability, if you want it only to bring things currently available to stream on the BBC website), among other options.

I can also cut down on extraneous results by selecting a date range that only covers when my guy was active.

I scroll down until I find something that looks interesting, in this case a proper audio drama, called The Hornblower Story. It's from 1980 and is an adaptation of a well known book. The details give me enough info to search the wider internet, and see if I get lucky...

3. Search the internet and listen to your blorbo act in radio drama!

There are several ways to obtain radio drama online. If you use streaming sites like Audible and Spotify, it may be there, although usually only if it's had a commercial release.

The BBC still broadcast old programmes on the radio, so it might be currently available on their website to stream - and unlike TV, you can listen to BBC Radio anywhere in the world! (If you are in the UK, you can also download and use the BBC Sounds app.) The Genome will usually provide a link for you to go straight there, if that's the case.

However, obviously, most BBC Radio from past decades is not available commercially or being broadcast by the BBC now and some doesn't exist in the archives, or was never recorded (as with TV), but as methods of recording audio at home have been widely available since the 1950s and 60s, there are loads of off-air recordings of radio made by listeners/collectors, and some have freely shared their copies online. Some are in closed forums etc., but three good sites to try first are YouTube, RadioEchoes & the Internet Archive.

I usually start with a Google search - e.g. '"Title" radio' or radio bbc and if that doesn't give me anything add on first "Radio Echoes" and then "Internet archive" to the search.

And I'm in luck! Radio Echoes appear to have the adaptation I'm after. I need to check the broadcast dates to see if they match up & then I can stream or download for free - and hear my blorbo play a stern Admiral for 5 minutes or less, hurrah!

Clicking on the links takes you to a screen where you can press play to stream or right click on the play bar to download the mp3 file to your device. (Click the "Save audio as..." option).

These are archive off-air recordings, so the quality can vary, especially for older programmes.

4. Rinse and repeat with each new likely Genome discovery.

If you find a copy of what you're looking for on the Internet Archive instead, you'll get up a page with a play bar (like the one above), with episodes listed plus details (to varying degrees) below. If you want to stream, just click play and enjoy. If you want to download it, then click on the MP3 files line on the right-hand sidebar, which will then give you an "X no of files" button to click and you can download them to keep.

(You can download all the files, but I usually cut straight to the chase and just nab the MP3s.)

Sometimes the BBC have released a commercial audiobook. In those cases, if you already use audio/music streaming subscription sites like Audible or Spotify, you should be able to find it there.

If you don't, or you want to buy a download, I've found the best option (weirdly!) (for UK users, at any rate) is to get the audiobook up at Penguin Books, which links to various paid subscription streaming and download options, so you can find the best one for you (and you know it's been recced by a hopefully reputable source.)

Last year, I wanted to buy Vivat Rex, the BBC's landmark dramatisation of all the English history plays rolled into one giant starry-cast Jacobean audio serial, and successfully used this route. (I'm very old by internet terms and still like listening via MP3 files on my MP3 player, as long as it survives.)

Pretty much the only affordable download option I've found so far I got courtesy of Penguin's links to Hive. (But this may be a UK only option.)

If what you're looking for seems likely to exist even if you can't find it by any of these methods - keep trying! New things are being added daily to all these websites, and the BBC cycle round old shows all the time.

And if you want to go deeper, there are closed forums etc. for radio enthusiasts where you need to make an account, but you may then be able to torrent or download an even wider variety of things.

Of course, whether or not your blorbo has been in anything good or any radio at all will depend on them, but I hope this guide will help enable you to find out!

YouTube, Radio Echoes, the Internet Archive and Old Time Radio all have radio from other countries too. So while the BBC Genome can't help you with anywhere outside the UK, the other links here can be good places to look around and browse for things you might be interested in.

You can of course use the same methods to search for things like a favourite author, or particular plays, to see if the BBC have done any radio adaptations - BBC Radio have done heaps of things that have never been adapted on screen, so it's always worth a look for anything you'd be into.

Radio Echoes is browsable as well as searchable, and while Internet Archive is a bit less so, there are some excellent collections you can look through, like the Saturday Night Theatre collection, and the BBC Radio Shows listings.

#bbc #radio #audio drama #resources #genome #radioechoes #internet archive #podcasts #radio drama #radio comedy #audiobooks

[adrianicsea]

the time that glenn howerton was in a gay period-piece play about crossdressing

so awhile back i was poking around glenn howerton's wikipedia looking for movies and such that i might have missed, and i noticed it had a small theatrical section listed. this was never something i'd given much thought in the past, but on this particular occasion i was so hard-up for new Glontent that i decided to see what i could find about the three plays listed there, because i'd never seen anyone else have much luck with that and i love a good internet scavenger hunt. walk with me.

compleat female stage beauty caught my eye right away-- the title of the play itself is interesting, and i happened to know already that the most famous real-life duke of buckingham was the lover of king james. so of course i went delving...

and what should i find but the entire playscript for compleat female stage beauty, For Free, on archive dot org? anyone on earth can rent it and read it for an hour at a time, or for 14 days if you want to really take your time with it. i have to assume that this is NOT common knowledge among sunny fans (or anyone else), as the archive upload only has 99 views at the time of making this post.

to give a VERY succinct summary of what the play is about-- in the 1660s, during the english restoration, women were allowed to act professionally onstage for the first time in english history. this caused problems for the male actors who had previously made their careers playing female characters, such as edward kynaston, around whom the play centers. outside of his acting career, kynaston is a gay man, and he's in a romantic entanglement with george villiars, the duke of buckingham (NOT the same duke of buckingham who was fucking king james-- that was this villiars' dad. we love gay fathers and their gay sons!) kynaston struggles to find his place in a changing social landscape where it seems as though his talents are no longer needed or wanted.

before getting into the script proper, the book has some information about notable early productions of the play. this is great because it pins down a lot of details about glenn's involvement in the show that wikipedia left unanswered, but there's also an unexpected sunny crossover here-- in an even EARLIER production, the lead role was played by david hornsby!

(i also learned over the course of my deep dive on this that glenn's costar, lead actor brandon demery, was a fellow member of glenn's graduating juilliard group!)

things don't end well for kynaston and villiars, but still, the onstage relationship between the two is both electrifying and heartbreaking as it changes over the course of the show.

now, this WOULD be where i would include cast pictures or footage or any kind of photos of glenn in this show... but if any such material exists, it's not publicly available. i went so far as to email the publicity and outreach coordinator for the theater that hosted glenn's production of this show to ask if they had any archived materials, but she told me that they didn't.

but this production took place in october of 2000, meaning it was pre-that 80s show, meaning we can all sit and think about how a glenn that looked like This was acting in a gay period piece about crossdressing and gender roles and the mystery of human sexuality. dudes rock.

a bit of a disappointing note to end on, i know, but i really wanted to talk about this play and share it with people!! it's a super interesting and overlooked part of glenn's early career, but also i think the script is fascinating and very well-written in its own right. i definitely encourage yall to check it out on the internet archive if you're interested-- again, it's literally free!

#glenn howerton #iasip #it's always sunny in philadelphia #compleat female stage beauty #this is a longer and more coherent version of a post i made two months ago that got no traction-- #--because i accidentally opted out of having my blog's original posts show in any tags. lol. and even lmao #it's crazy what's just like. there and relatively easy to find on the internet if you take the time to look

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

I would have typed it out but didn't want to risk it being filled up before I finished typing ^^;

The Arcana HCs: When MC hides their natural hair color

~ @fox-daddy thanks for the request friend! I hope I do it justice ^.^ ~

-- for background: MC is insecure about their hair color and covers it up with dye. Due to unforseen circumstances, the potion they need for it runs out of stock and their roots start to grow out! How do the M6 respond? --

Julian

He's surprised, but he's not that surprised

Like yeah, it turns out that you have a different hair color! You learn something new every day!

But you're a magician, right? You're telling him that you don't just close your eyes and mumble something mysterious and then your hair goes "poof!" and it's the color you want it to be?

Assumes it's just a preference thing until you tell him that it's because you're insecure about it

Might ask for a strand of your hair so he can put it under a microscope and study how the stuff you uses changes its properties. Compliments both shades the whole time

Might also try creating his own hair-coloring concoction to tide you over until you can get your usual stuff again

You caught him grinding dried beetles, Nevivon salts, and charcoal together at three AM and applying it to his copious chest hair to test its effectiveness

Has to be told not to tell other people about your hair color

Occasionally asks if he can peek at your roots to remember what the other color is

Asra

Oh, they already knew

In fact, he was the one who remembered the stuff you used to keep around the shop and connected the dots when you came back looking the same except for your hair color

And they were the one who told you that it was an old habit of yours and left it up to you to decide if you wanted to keep it up

Yes, he helped you apply it the first time (and still loves to participate if you invite him)

Yes, they took that as their cue to try out plenty of colors on their own hair

He had the wildest neon tips for a while

Muriel's still getting over the heart attack he had, waking up to see his childhood friend crashing at the hut with glowing rainbow streaks randomly clumped through their curls (and eyebrows! It was creepy!)

When you run out of your supply, he's quick to cast a glamor over it to help with the anxiety before running through his own magic books to see if there's anything useful to try

They like both hair colors on you, but their favorite is the one that makes you comfortable in your own skin

Nadia

She thought she could see a hint of roots here and there, but she never really pursued it because there were more interesting things to talk to you about

So when those roots started growing out to the point that they were very noticeable, she was a bit surprised

Are you changing things up? Are you dying your roots to introduce a new color, or are you growing out an old one?

Would you like any wardrobe additions to complement it?

You don't really need to tell her that you're insecure about it, she's very tuned in to your needs and it only takes a comment or two from her for her to recognize your reaction and change course

Immediately sets up some kind of appointment to get your hair to its normal color while you wait for the stuff you usually use to become available again

Briefly considers dying her own hair and quickly decides against it

Will make back up plans in case this happens again, and does bring up potentially experimenting with other colors as well, if it's just the original color that you dislike

Maybe a nice, deep purple to match hers ...?

Muriel

He already knew and didn't mention it

Seriously, do you know how tall he is? The first glimpse he gets of people is the tops of their heads. You'd have to be dying your hair multiple times a week to hide roots from him

That aside, he's more observant than he lets on. He's seen the stuff you use to color it tucked in the corner of the hut

And he's never brought it up, because if anybody knows what it's like to be insecure about parts of your body that you can't help, it's him. You don't know how quickly he'd shrink if he could

So when you run out, and the roots start to show (from your perspective), and you keep waiting for him to comment on it ...

He doesn't

Not until you bring it up at least. He's just going to assume that you decided to grow it out or stop hiding it

If you do address the elephant in the room, he'll just tell you that he doesn't really care

At least, not about the color. He cares if you're happy, obviously, all the colors look good on you -

Aaand all that mushy talk is all it takes for his face to go up in flames and for him to go for a quick walk to cool down

Portia

She didn't figure out that you were dying your hair because she saw your roots, sweetie, she figured it out as soon as she had the chance to help you wash it

What, you think an expert handmaiden like her doesn't know treated hair when she sees it? Do you know what kind of extensive training she did to help milady with her luscious locks?

She's also completely oblivious to people being insecure about their looks. Especially you. You always look great

So she doesn't even think twice before pointing your roots out to you as soon as they start to show! She's never seen you let this happen before, what's up with that?

Are you trying something new? She can help!

You're insecure about your hair color? What?? Why???

... yeah, she won't force you to talk about it, but if there's any kind of backstory or explanation she will ask you to spill the tea

She'll also pull out all of her own hair care know-how and cobble something together to dye your hair the color you prefer until you get your usual stuff again

Surprised that you don't just magic it to look however you want

Lucio

It took him longer than you expected, to be honest

You already had a few close calls on longer trips, where bathing options were limited to the streams you passed by with whatever toiletries you had packed

And you know he's his own bisexual version of *extra* when it comes to his appearance

His eyeliner application routine is meticulous, finnicky, and a daily source of frustration when he inevitably slips up

This doesn't translate onto you, though, because you're his wonderful, gracious, super cool MC who makes life exciting and new again. He's not paying attention to your roots!

Until they really start to grow out, and he has a mini meltdown about it

You mean to tell him. That you have been regularly setting aside time to pay attention to your physical appearance with something as exciting as hair dye. And you didn't think to invite him?!?

Yeah he doesn't have opinions about the color or a bunch of curiosity about why you dye your hair, he's just mad you left him out

Let him back in, please. The dogs need highlights on their tails

#ask arcana brainrot #the arcana #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #the arcana game #asra the arcana #julian the arcana #nadia the arcana #muriel the arcana #portia the arcana #lucio the arcana #asra alnazar #julian devorak #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson

[karmiya]

I actually do a lot of research and am collecting what may one day be an entire bookshelf's worth of reference books, so I thought I'd share one. This is my pride and joy, at least as far as research goes:

To Live as Long as Heaven and Earth is a translation of the Shenxian Zhuan, a series of biographies of Daoist immortals by Ge Hong. The (extensive) introduction by Professor Campany also includes a lot of the translator's own research, drawing on various sources in order to provide a good overview of practices attributed to Daoists in common folklore. If you're interested in the Xianxia and Wuxia genres and their origins, I think this is an invaluable English-language text. Its focus is entirely on traditional beliefs, but through it you can see just how much of the modern fantasy genre in China is based entirely on traditional folklore.

The images of talismans, for example, are extremely familiar to any viewers of modern fantasy dramas or donghua. These look very similar to the talismans we see in the Modao Zushi donghua, don't they?

This is a really interesting little section describing levels of ascendance. It's a lot simpler than modern novels with their million stages of core formation, isn't it? (Though, to be fair, most novels I read are by authors who don't care to get into that level of detail and focus on characters and storytelling, thank goodness!) The 'tianxian' sound a bit like heavenly officials in more recent stories, don't they, whereas the dixian are regular immortal cultivators who still live on earth. The use of shijie (corpse simulacrums) meanwhile, seems to mainly be maintained as a means of faking one's death, not as a means of escaping the notice of the officials of the underworld!

The main paths of immortality outlined in Ge Hong's work are: internal cultivation, external cultivation (alchemy), the arts of the bedchamber, and diet. The first three are very familiar, but I've noticed that diet-based cultivation shows up much more rarely in modern stories. I can only immediately think of Ye Baiyi from Word of Honour, who begins to age again after descending from the mountains and imbibing mortal food once more.

One thing I found interesting is that most accounts of immortals flying either depict them doing so under their own power, or placing a talisman within a bamboo staff and flying on that (or sending some poor soul on a sudden trip across the country!). Flying swords seem to be a much more modern convention.

One thing that's really amusing to me is how much energy the author (Ge Hong, not the translator) dedicated to poking fun at Confucius and Confucianism. Even though the three major religions eventually became known as the Three Teachings and are in modern terms viewed as very harmonious and complementary, historically there was often a huge amount of religious tension. Confucians and Daoists bickered with each other a lot, and then Buddhists got into the fray as well as Buddhism became more and more popular in East Asia. While Buddhism was present in China in Ge Hong's time, it had yet to reach its later popularity; this is probably why Buddhism is barely mentioned in Ge Hong's writing. There are a few indirect references and borrowings from Buddhist tales, and Professor Campany posits that some were intentionally used in competition with Buddhism, while others may have been added by later compilers/transcribers of the text who were Buddhists themselves.

A lot of Cnovels depict this sort of religious tension (Thousand Autumns is a good example), and it's really interesting to see that in these translated historical texts. Even though there are plenty of texts I can't get access to and/or wouldn't be able to read in the original language, there is a huge amount of English-language and translated scholarship on Chinese history available. A lot of it is fascinating to read from a perspective of a fan of Chinese fantasy, since the genre draws so heavily on real history and folklore.

#xianxia #wuxia #chinese fantasy #history research

[woollyrhinocrafts]

I finished this last weekend, but I held off sharing because I didn't want her to overshadow my shop update and bags that I've been aggressively posting!

BUT HERE SHE IS: Meleys, The Red Queen! In yarn!

Pattern by Megan Lapp of Crafty Intentions - "Large Wyvern" available here.

The 'Large' is no joke! I'm sorry I didn't include anything for scale in my pictures (unless you count the leaves). If I stretch her wings out, her wing span is over 3'. She took almost three 7 oz skeins of worsted yarn and I used an awful lot of 2mm armature wire. I should have used 3mm for some parts (elbows and legs) because I ended up having to quadruple (or more) the wire in places to support the weight of the yarn. Instead of the single ridge of back spikes down the neck and back in the pattern, I decided to give her a smooth back and two shorter spike ridges just on her neck. I thought about a third ridge but decided against it. Her eyes are white, which I thought looked good with the red.

In my mind, she is a simplified yarn interpretation of (show) Meleys. (Book) Meleys had pink wing membranes. I wanted to use this bright af red and there isn't a pink that looked good with it imo, so solid red!

I'd really like to make a second one in pink ombre yarn maybe with some black. Yeah, I want to make Morning, if you're a nerd and have read Fire and Blood. This took forever though and I can't in good conscience make another one for myself just yet because I have to work on making things for other people for money.

Can you commission one of these from me? Yes, you can. But it will not be cheap. This pattern is not something to be trifled with. It's a lot of yarn and A LOT of time - at least a week of solid work, and I'm talking 8-10 hour days. I will not do one of these for you for less than $700. Seriously. If you're interested, I'm willing to make little customizations too like if you want fin details instead of spikes down the back and at the tail tip (e.g. Seasmoke) - this will cost more. Black will also cost more. Message me on Facebook for commissions.

I would love love love to make Sunfyre for someone in yellow-gold with pink wings...just sayin.

#handmade #crochet #dragon #wyvern #meleys #hotd #asoiaf #crafty intentions #the red queen #targaryen

[athingofvikings]

As I just picked up a LOT of new followers, I figured a "Hi? Hi! Welcome!" post was in order.

So. Ahem. Hi! I'm Joe, aka "ATOV", aka "Evil Authorlord" according to my readers over on Discord. This is my fandom tumblr, originally and still primarily for the How To Train Your Dragon fandom; my main writing project is "A Thing Of Vikings", which you can find on AO3 (currently available to logged-in accounts only, sadly, due to AI scraping risks).

A Thing Of Vikings is, in essence, the result of a plot bunny that bit down a few weeks after my spouse first introduced me to How To Train Your Dragon. My first comment after seeing the movie was "Cute, but not very historically accurate." Three weeks later, as I was preparing for NaNoWriMo 2016, the plot bunny bit.

"But what if it was historically accurate?"

And that's the central concept of the story. It's an Alternate History story where I take the first HTTYD film and drop it into Real Life History in the 1040s AD in the Scottish Hebrides, and let the consequences ripple out from there.

I try to keep the historical accuracy as high as possible; essentially, despite the fact that I have done my best to integrate dragons into our RL history, nothing changes in the timeline before Hiccup makes friends with Toothless. That's the point of divergence, and boy do things diverge from there.

To say that the story has... grown a bit is a bit of an understatement. It's beefy, with over 150 chapters so far; I recently wrapped up the fourth "book"/arc, and am plotting out Book V, so now is the perfect time to catch up if you're interested.

Also, I have a number of other writing projects, including an original fantasy novel that I am publishing serially on Sundays here on Tumblr, @fractured-legacies.

I hope you all enjoy, and thank you for following me.

[rukafais]

This is maybe a complicated question but what sources (which for this purpose includes both novels and sourcebooks) would you recommend for learning about drow lore?

For Forgotten Realms drow lore specifically... I haven't read all of it by a long shot! Keep in mind that Menzoberranzan is one of many cities while you read these!! I haven't gathered all information about what different drow cities are Out There, but out of what I've read, I would recommend:

Sourcebooks:

Drow of the Underdark (SECOND EDITION DND, this is the TSR one. You want the one written by Ed Greenwood, NOT the third edition sourcebook of the same name). Some of it is editor mandated (such as prosthetics) but it's still a pretty good source. Should be available on archive.org or floating around on websites, I don't know if you can actually pick it up physically anymore.

Menzoberranzan Box Set (AD&D box set): Available on archive.org if you can't find it elsewhere. No account needed. Explicitly expands on Menzoberranzan-as-trade-hub, more details about the Houses, etc., all things that don't fit in novels.

Underdark (3rd edition supplement) - Play supplement for the Underdark. Expands more on non-Menzoberranzan locations and Underdark adventures and resources.

Out of the Abyss (5e adventure module) - covers a lot of the Underdark, including Menzoberranzan. You get a snapshot of Menzoberranzan in 5e as well as a bunch of other Underdark stuff.

Novels:*

War of the Spider Queen (Dissolution, Insurrection, Condemnation, Extinction, Annihilation, Resurrection): Six books, takes place during an event called the Silence of Lolth. Varied perspectives. Gives different views of various parts of drow society.

Liriel's trilogy (Daughter of the Drow, Tangled Webs, Windwalker): Three books by Elaine Cunningham. Very different protagonist from Drizzt, gives some context and greater fleshing out of the conditions priestesses go through in Menzoberranzan.

Side stories: Rite of Blood (prequel), The Direct Approach (takes place mid-trilogy), Answered Prayers (epilogue). You can find Rite of Blood in Best of the Realms vol 1. Direct Approach and Answered Prayers are in Best of the Realms vol 3, which can be found online in (cough cough) places, I don't think it's in print any longer. Drizzt's books: The character that quite literally started it all in Forgotten Realms, at least as far as drow publishing history goes. If you're buckling in for the marathon: Here is a slideshow of what to expect, with a text transcription.

Here is a reading order.

If you just want a crash course to get basic Menzo lore into your face:

Dark Elf trilogy (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn only if you're invested in Drizzt's story because that's his story of how he gets to the surface). Generations (Timeless, Boundless, Relentless). Generations revisits the Homeland timeline from the view of Jarlaxle and Zaknafein, both characters you'll be introduced to in the Dark Elf trilogy. *There is also Lady Penitent, that follows on from the end of WotSQ. I have read it, but it's not included in my overview because it explicitly addresses drow lore about their origins that as far as I can tell has been retconned as the editions advanced. However, if you are interested in reading it regardless, it is a trilogy with the books Sacrifice of the Widow, Storm of the Dead, and Ascendancy of the Last.

Peripherals:

(insert screaming about polyhedron and dragon magazine, i haven't even begun to go through all that yet, but if you want another example of a 'good drow' in the 2e era that isn't Drizzt, I recommend Polyhedron 97 which you can find here, which gives an example in Dusk, a drow tutor.)

ANYWAY UHH hope this helps a bit lmao. There's so much! And a lot of it is not consistent between editions either!

#rukamemes #theres so much and i have yet to go through it all #b

[lulu2992]

I've been wanting to begin writing fanfiction for John Seed and you're such an expert on Far Cry 5 that I wanted to ask what do you think are some important characteristics to include when writing John's character?

I don’t know if I’d dare to call myself “an expert on Far Cry 5”, but thank you for the compliment :D

Before I give you my interpretation and understanding of our beloved Baptist, let’s start with facts and canonical information!

I assume you’ve already played the game, but some things can be missed and are not always included in cutscene complications, such as some of his radio calls (available here) and sermons (here and here). His combat/Arcade lines are here, Hudson’s Confession is here, and there’s also this. As for Joseph’s message at Seed Ranch, it’s here.

Below are three notes written by John:

If you want to know what other characters say about him in Far Cry 5, I wrote a summary here (and the masterpost is here). Or, if you prefer listening to the NPCs’ comments yourself, you can find them here and here. Not everything they say is objective, of course, but it’s still interesting!

And they were probably cut for good reasons, but if you’re interested, his deleted lines are here.

Then, you may know about it already, but there’s The Book of Joseph, an official book about the Seeds and Eden’s Gate’s backstory. You can read it online.

There’s also a video about John on the IGN YouTube channel in which two of Far Cry 5’s main writers, Dan Hay and Jean-Sébastien Décant, talk about him. And in an interview, the third main writer, Drew Holmes, said the following:

John Seed, who is the youngest, sort of wants to be recognized by his older brothers as having value. But he continually screws up, so Joseph chides him saying he’s not doing the things he’s supposed to do.

I think that the fact he wants to impress his brothers (mostly Joseph) is a crucial thing to keep in mind when it comes to John, who he is, what he does, and why he does it.

Now, here’s how I view him, understand his role in the cult, and what I’ve decided to accept as true regarding his personality, backstory, and methods (because the lore is somewhat inconsistent):

John appears confident, almost arrogant, and likes to act tough, but his ego is actually pretty fragile. His opinion of himself greatly depends on what Joseph thinks of him. If he believes the Father is unhappy with him, he will work harder, even if it means sacrificing his own well-being, because he’s relentless and probably a workaholic. It seems to me that he’s a bit jealous of Faith because she’s Joseph’s favorite “child”. Not much is known about his relationship with Jacob, but the oldest Seed sibling is apparently protective of his two brothers.

John is very emotional but also emotionally immature, and this is probably due to his traumatic and abusive upbringing. He was a kind and happy little boy, but his father’s violence and his adoptive parents’ torture changed him… As a young adult, he suffered from various addictions and, even though he was a very social and successful man, hated everyone and everything, including himself. He apparently still has trouble identifying love and understanding how it works because he’s never really experienced it when he was a child (except with his brothers). The void in his heart isn’t as big as it used to be, but I still don’t think it’s filled.

He doesn’t react well to frustration at all and can easily lose his temper if things don’t go his way. I would describe him as a perfectionist. When the Deputy arrives, ruins his hard work, and indirectly humiliates him, he becomes determined to make them Atone so they can be saved and Joseph can be proud of him. I would even say he becomes obsessed with them.

He’s a lawyer, but in the Project, he’s known as the Baptist (or “The Inquisitor” before the release of the game). He Marks people he thinks are worthy of joining the cult and sends them a personalized video. Then, they are Cleansed (basically baptized) before being taken to his bunker, John’s Gate, to Confess their sins. He tattoos what he thinks their main sin is on their chest and, after a while, cuts it out to make them Atone. Only then are they considered pure enough to join the Project. Some people don’t survive this process, either because they don’t want to, are too stubborn, not strong enough, or irredeemable, I suppose. A fan theory says that he doesn’t mutilate people who don’t resist, but there’s no proof of that; it seems the tattoos he gives are always destined to be cut out.

John is a very, very skilled interrogator and can usually get anything out of anyone, not hesitating to hurt people in the process. In fact, he wants them to experience a lot of pain (and this is what Joseph is worried about). This looks like basic sadism, but I think it’s more complicated. Because of the trauma he experienced, and especially what he explains happened to him in his parents’ kitchen one night, John is obsessed with pain and thinks it can free people. He also believes in “The Power of Yes” for the same reasons. Say “yes” to pain, to Atonement, and be free, delivered from the burden of your sins. What the Seeds put people through is usually brutal (and similar to their personal trauma), but they all believe it works, serves the Project, and has to be done.

I don’t think John is hypocritical, and I can’t see him breaking the cult’s rules (no alcohol, no drugs, no fornication) because the idea of disappointing Joseph is unbearable for him. On the contrary, I believe he wants to rigorously follow them and hates it when people don’t. If he were to transgress, in a moment of weakness or passion, I think he would feel terribly ashamed and guilty (just look at his reaction when Joseph interrupts the Deputy’s Cleansing)... I’d say he believes in God, but he mostly believes in Joseph. Even if the Heralds are not certain the prophecy is true or the Father can really hear God’s voice, they have faith in him.

So that’s what I would say about John Seed! You probably already knew most of this, but I hope it helps anyway (and that I didn’t forget anything important).

Finally, if you want accurate information, I recommend staying away from the Collapse DLC and never fully trusting the Far Cry Wiki. The novel, Far Cry Absolution, the comics, Far Cry: Rite of Passage, and the short film, Inside Eden’s Gate, aren’t bad but they aren’t very reliable sources, either. Also, John’s exact age, height, and weight are unknown.

Good luck with your fanfiction! :)

#far cry 5 #john seed #the book of joseph #I've just realized the interview with drew holmes had been deleted from the internet #and I can't find it on the wayback machine #that's why you always need to save the interesting stuff #take screenshots. download. copy and paste! #also I'm still disappointed there aren't ign videos about the other seeds because that would have been awesome

[yayakoishii]

Picture This | Balam Shichirou x Reader

Fandom: Mairimashita Iruma-kun

Pairing: Balam Shichirou x GN! Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Genre/Tags: Fluff

Summary: You find out about the kind and gentle Balam Shichirou and meet him with a proposition of your own.

A/n: I have known this demon for 3 episodes and I'm in LOVE;; so I basically got possessed by the sudden urge to write something for him. he's the kindest, the sweetest, the BEST TEACHER EVER 😭 I love teachers like him so much, this was very self-indulgent and kinda just me admiring him hehe... I hope you enjoy this short thing I wrote, even though there's a high chance that he might be slightly ooc since I haven't known him for longer than 3 episodes.

also available on ao3!

•✿•

The chatter in the class was a low hum as everyone worked on their own worksheets that you had just printed out. The Apocalypse Test was close and as a new teacher at Babyls, you wanted your first results to reflect well. If the results were not good then that would mean you had to work harder as a teacher.

You were walking amongst the students, listening in on their discussions or aiding them in finding where the answer could be found in the textbook. It was an open book, open discussion worksheet solving session and you were pleased with how well the students seemed to be handling it without making too much noise. The abnormal class could be really serious about studying when they put their mind to it, huh?

The bobbing of a blue head caught your attention and you walked closer to Iruma's seat. As always, he was sitting between Alice and Clara but the three of them were referring to their own books. (Except for Clara; you were pretty sure the book in her hand had nothing to do with studying…) The book in Iruma's hand was one you had never seen before but it looked interesting.

"Iruma-kun?" You stopped in front of his desk and looked down at the book curiously. Said boy startled and looked up in panic until he realised it was just you. "Where did you get this book?"

"Oh!" He gave you a warm smile, the kind that always made you smile in return. "Balam-sensei gave it to me because I was… y'know… struggling to understand."

"Can I see it?" You asked, curiosity taking a hold of you. Iruma handed you the book and you leafed through it. Surprisingly, it was a picture book with really easy explanations. Whoever wrote it had your gratitude; these were the kind of books that made learning enjoyable and less daunting. You closed it and looked at the cover to check the author's name. "Huh? Balam Shichirou…? Balam-sensei wrote this book?"

"Yes!" Iruma beamed at you. "He made some of them especially for me."

"That's wonderful," you felt touched even though you had never met the man. When you had aspired to be a teacher, this was the kind of teacher you were aiming for. Somebody who helped even the students who were struggling to understand, from the basics so they could build a stronger structure of knowledge on it. "Is it easier for you to understand this way?"

"It is," Iruma admitted, shyly scratching the back of his neck. You smiled and lightly patted the top of his head, startling the boy a little.

"I'll keep that in mind for my next class," you said. "And while I'm grateful for Balam-sensei… Why didn't you tell me if you were struggling to understand my teaching, Iruma-kun? I would have adjusted for you."

You pouted at him so he knew you weren't seriously mad at him; just a little upset.

"No, no, no!" The boy panicked and shook his hands in a negating gesture. "That's not it, (y/n)-sensei!! I just didn't want to burden you because I was the only one struggling even with your easy explanations… I guess having it in written form like this just helps to remember what you've already taught."

"It's not a burden, Iruma-kun," you reminded him. "It's my job as a teacher to make sure you understand. If you don't understand something, that's my responsibility. If you're worried about being a bother to the rest of the class, you can always come to me after the classes are over to get a quick personalised lesson."

"Eh?" He looked surprised. "Wouldn't that take up your time, sensei?"

"If it helps my students then it's time well spent!"

•

After your classes for the day were done, you asked around the staffroom for where you could find Balam Shichirou. Kalego gave you the directions and you made your way to his office, curious about what kind of person he must be and how he would look. From whatever Iruma had told you, he already sounded like a kind person and a great teacher. You found the door and knocked on it before looking inside.

"Balam-sensei?" You asked. There was a demon with long white hair sitting on a table, writing something down, who startled at your voice. "Can I come in?"

"O- Oh, yes, please!" He seemed a little confused by your presence but you stepped in and closed the door behind yourself. There was an empty stool across the table so you sat down on it. "Um, (y/n)-sensei, would you like some Hell Grey Tea?"

"Oh!" You hadn't expected him to know your name. Suddenly, it felt embarrassing that you had never heard of him before this. "Yes, thank you for the offer, Balam-sensei."

He nodded and got up to make you some. He worked in silence so you took the time to look around his office. The shelves full of books were eye-catching and your hands were already itching to dig into them and read all the unfamiliar volumes. Your eyes drifted over to the book sitting in front of you that Balam was working on. Your eyes widened when you realised it was another picture book, this one on one of the battles that had occured some centuries ago. Your hands moved to check it before you could even think that it would be rude.

"Here you go– oh, you saw my book," Balam placed the tea just out of the way enough so that you wouldn't accidentally bump it. "Do you… like picture books, (y/n)-sensei?"

"Not particularly," you admitted as you skimmed through what was already drawn and written. "But I like to read so picture books are fun too! I suppose I never got much into them because my home was full of textual books and I liked those just fine so I never had any picture books as a kid. I may not know much about them, but this is really well-written, Balam-sensei! You draw so well too."

"Oh," the other demon pinked at your words as he took his seat. "Thank you. I'm glad you like it. I'm making this one for a student but you could borrow a different one if you're interested."

"Ah! That reminds me why I came here," you beamed at him, gently placing the book back where you had picked it up from. "I saw the picture book you gave Iruma-kun in my class today. Our subjects have a small section that overlaps so he was referring to the book you made for him and I couldn't help noticing it. It was truly so easy to understand and it gave me the idea that such a method would be helpful with other subjects too."

"Really?" He seemed surprised by your words but you could tell that he was also touched. "I would like to share them with all the students too, but for some reason, they keep running away when I try to show them my picture books."

"Ah," you leaned back when you realised that you had accidentally leaned over in your excitement. The other teachers in the staffroom had told you about Balam's reputation amongst the students. "I'm sure they would benefit from it. I could share your books with some of my students if that works for you, Balam-sensei. And, if you would be interested, I wanted to try making a picture book explaining my subject too. It's a huge task and I would compensate you accordingly for your time and efforts–"

"You…" If Balam had seemed shocked before, it was nothing compared to his face now. Although his mouth was covered by a metal mask, you could tell from how wide his eyes had gotten. "You want to… make a picture book… with me?"

"Only if you're interested!" You bit your bottom lip nervously. "I personally really liked your books and I thought it would be a great way to learn for the students who have a weaker or slower grasp of understanding. Since I'm not very familiar with the process, I thought it would be amazing if I could have the aid of your experience. I understand if it's a commitment that you don't have the time for, and there's no guarantee that it will work out but I would love to at least try it with you."

"I would love to," Balam uttered softly and even without seeing his mouth, you could tell that he was gently smiling at you with how his eyes curved just so. The sight made your heart unexpectedly quicken and you fidgeted in your seat, picking up the Hell Grey Tea you had forgotten about. "I didn't think any of the other teachers liked me much but I'm very happy that you thought of me when you wanted to try this out."

"I don't think they dislike you, Balam-sensei," you smiled from behind the cup of tea. "But I suppose people just get so caught up in appearances and assumptions. People who have much to hide seem dangerous at first glance and we don't take time to get to know them if we can help it. I admit I might have fallen prey to the same kind of thinking if I hadn't heard about you from Iruma-kun. I could tell you were a kind and wonderful teacher from the way he spoke about you."

Balam's eyes widened and for a second, you thought his eyes seemed glassy. You blinked and the light was gone but Balam's eyes were still the soft shape. Now that you took the time to study his face, you realised he was quite handsome. The thought made you accidentally slam your tea cup down on the table in panic and the ceramic broke, startling the both of you.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!!" You were flustered but you hurriedly tried to collect the pieces together without hurting yourself. "I'm so clumsy…"

"It's okay," Balam reassured you, coming over to your side to help you pick up some of the pieces. "I'll take them to the trash. Are you hurt?"

"I don't– oh, just a little it seems," you had a very tiny cut from a sharper piece you had picked up. It didn't hurt. You waved it off as you carefully put the pieces you had collected in Balam's large gloved hands. "Nothing to worry about. It will be healed in a day or two. I really am sorry for troubling you, Balam-sensei!"

"I told you, it's fine."

He carefully threw away the trash then returned to you with an ointment from his desk drawer. You had stuck the finger into your mouth to suck at the blood and stop the flow but it felt embarrassing when you realised that Balam was watching you. You hurriedly removed the finger and tried to find a cloth to wipe it off but Balam crouched in front of you and asked for your hand silently. You ended up placing yours in his and watched him carefully pat it off before putting on the ointment.

"Thank you," you blushed fiercely when he was done and still hadn't let go of your hand. In fact, he was now standing up and holding both your arms in his own; the proximity was making your heart beat unnaturally fast. "Um, Balam-sensei..?"

"Yes?" He asked, blinking down at your comparatively smaller form in his arms.

"Y- You can let go of me now," you mumbled. Your words made him stutter and he let go in a panic.

"I- I'm so sorry, I just tend to do that without thinking!" He was blushing too, embarrassed. Balam didn't want to make you uncomfortable after you had been so nice to him. For once, he was actually getting along with someone new. For that matter, you were the one to approach him first! Not to mention, he had found you really beautiful when he had first seen you in the staffroom, laughing at Dali's joke. You hadn't seen him then, but that brief memory flashed in his mind when you softly giggled.

The sound of your laugh made his heart skip a beat. Balam stared at you as you flashed him a warm smile.

"If you wanted to hold me, you could have just asked, Balam-sensei!" You beamed and opened your arms for a hug. "I don't mind you touching me. I was just surprised."

Oh.

Balam's hands twitched for a second, the same nervousness he felt when Iruma tried to touch him popping up. But this time, it felt a bit different. The nervousness in his stomach felt like those fantastical creatures called butterflies that he had read about. His heart seemed to be thumping louder than usual too.

It was only when his larger frame swallowed yours into a gentle grip that he realised. He could feel the outline of your smile against his bicep.

Ah, this was what they called a crush, huh?

°•❀•°

All likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated! ♡

#welcome to demon school iruma kun #mairimashita! iruma kun #fanfiction #fanfic #balam shichirou #balam sensei #balam shichiro #balam shichiro x reader #balam shichiro x you #balam shichirou x reader #balam shichirou x you #balam x reader #balam x you #fluff #one shot

[oatmilk-vampire]

Got rejected by three literary agents today (ouch) so I will be self-publishing another one of my books later this year. Which is nice. At least I have full creative control.

This also means I'll be doing some pretty cool things.

For example:

I'll be allowing a handful of people an early access free ebook copy on Smashwords. All I'd ask in return is that you leave a review, if you'd be so kind.

I'll also give you early access to buy a signed paperback copy on my Etsy.

My mutuals will have first chance to receive my ebooks but this offer is not limited to my mutuals, or even my followers. Anyone on tumblr is eligible.

For everyone else, my books will of course be available on all retailer websites later this year as mentioned previously, and maybe even in bookstores or libraries if they'd be so kind to an indie author.

Stay tuned for more updates and if you're interested in being one of the freebie ebook receivers please leave a comment saying so, I'll be in touch.

Thank you ♡

Oli

*Please keep in mind you may not be one of the ebook receivers pending how many requests I get. This is a first come, first serve basis.

#authors #author #queer author #author life #authors of tumblr #writers #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writer #queer writers #queer books #gay books #book life #book review #booklr #bookblr #books #happy pride 🌈 #free ebooks #ebook #ebookdeals #signed book #oli marque #self published #self publishing #indie author #indie books

[quinloki]

Age play, blood play, mfm for Marco, Thatch, and Sabo pls

Alright, we're going to do this one by Kink.

MFM, Blood play, Age Play.

I want to note two things before I go into this: I know almost nothing first hand about age play, and just spent the last 20 minutes reading up on it via a few sources I trust. I'm going to do My Best <3 but I apologize if I get something wrong.

Second Note: Honestly, I shouldn't have to say this, but in the lesser known kinks I feel compelled - if you're going to come into reblogs and chat being a fuck about someone else's style of consenting adults kinky times, I will block you in as many ways as I can.

If you're particularly unlucky, I will bury you publicly.

If any kink mentioned in these asks isn't your vibe just - move. along.

MFM - Threesome involving two straight guys and a straight girl because the guys don't interact (so I'm assuming straightness, otherwise why would you let a whole human body alone like that?)

Marco - Sure - A lot like Shanks, this man has spent almost his entire life as a pirate and on a pirate ship. Marco is pretty open to just about anything, but he's so laid back that nothing really comes across as enthusiasm. There's plenty he is enthusiastic about, but I think the damper on this situation would be in only giving attention to one of two available partners. He's all for following the boundaries of the session, don't misunderstand, but those bedroom eyes of his can admire a full range of people.

Thatch - Yes - Look, Thatch is here for a good time, and he's all in for the parameters provided, why not? It makes everyone else comfortable and he can make breakfast for three in the next morning just as easily as two. He'd be less inclined to invite someone in between him and his partner, but joining in with another couple is fine in his book. (Thatch, I feel, is not lucky in love xD So he can be pretty soundly in the "not-sharing" category when he gets into any kind of relationship.)

Sabo - Rather Not - It's not that Sabo's a stick in the mud or anything like that, but he is a bit of a control freak. He's also a little shy outside of an established relationship, and not very good at sharing when he's in an established relationship. Sex is also a vulnerable activity, never mind the emotional and physical vulnerability, but also tactically - and he's got a lot on his shoulders already. There's too many variables, and for better or worse, I don't think he's interested in much of any kind of group setting. A polycule sure - something established and vetted is something I could see for him.

Blood Play - A risky form of edge-play. Please, please, please practice this as safely as possible. (Also, I swear I do head canon some characters being for this kink, just not really any of these people XD - sorry!)

Marco - Sure - There's that continued "it's hard to get enthusiasm out of Marco" again, but in this case, it's a sure because Marco is Marco. There's a lot of risk with Blood Play (unless we're talking menstrual (well, there's still risk there, but differently)), but between his profession and his devil fruit, he's just about the absolute safest partner you could have for this particular kink. He's not much of a sadist though, and honestly I think he'd prefer to be the one getting cut than the other way around - but only if it's something that gets you off.

Thatch - I dunno - Thatch is, to me, kind of squeamish about blood. In battle it doesn't get to him, in the kitchen, it actually kind of does. He manages to deal with it well enough that only maybe a couple crew mates know about it. Blood belongs inside the body, and that's his stance on it. He's not going to pass out or hurl, but Thatch knows how to do two things with knives - cut food, and, well, cut people.

And how he does both aren't techniques he's comfortable using on you. You could maybe bring him around with Marco's assistance, but I can't see Marco helping since he'd definitely know about Thatch's mild squeamishness.

Sabo - Yes and No - Sabo has, to me, a bit of madness in him. I mean, he's been through a lot, and I think there's a lot of extra risk in blood play with him. I feel like it would trigger bad memories, and I feel like he would be all for trying it. It's a kink of control, and there's an intimacy to it no matter how you go about it. So he would want to, carefully, try it. It might not be the first time, or the second, but at some point I think the light would flicker across that crimson liquid in the "right" (wrong) way and if everyone is lucky, the knife is buried in the wall, and no one gets hurt.

Age Play - Consenting adults role-playing as a different age.

(psst, hey, not all kinks are sexual and a lot of BDSM is actually not sexually motivated! -- I say this as a very sexually motivated human, if I can understand it, <3 so can you <3 )

Marco - FUCK Yes - Marco's actually a little enthusiastic about this because it's new to him. You lay everything out for him, and spend a few hours educating him and going over the finer points. He's attentive, ready, and willing. It's pretty chill for both of you, and honestly it's become a good way to bond, and stress relieve together. Thatch probably teases him at some point that he's treating you more like he's your father, and not your lover, but the two of you just laugh about it. It's a sweet little shared secret between you.

Thatch - Starts as a I guess, moves to a Yes - It takes Thatch a little while to really understand the assignment, but the more you explain, and the more you spend trying, the more he gets into it. It is a nice change of pace from the normal rhythm of the day to day of the ship, and he shifts around in the different kinds of roles pretty often. You two played tag one time and it ended up being half the crew playing as well before it was all over and done with. Though, no one else really understood why you were both acting child-like, but that just for the two of you anyway.

Sabo - I guess/Sure - There's just so much muck around Sabo's childhood and his concepts of family that I think this would be more a can of worms than anything good. He'll try, a few different ways, and a few different times, but younger play would make him sad for reasons he doesn't understand (until his memory comes back), and older play would make him angry for reasons he doesn't understand.

Given time he could probably come into a full Yes, but he's gonna need therapy to unravel those memory traumas and family issues first.

I honestly feel like I learned more about myself than these One Piece characters with this particular ask, but that's life sometimes XD <3

Kinky One Piece Head Canon

#kinky one piece head canon #marco the phoenix #marco the pineapple #Thatch one piece #sabo the revolutionary #sabo one piece #x reader #thatch x reader #sabo x reader #marco x reader

[himbeereule]

(I'd call this a hot take if it weren't so lukewarm that it crosses the treshold into slightly cold)

"nowadays, everyone is suddenly getting diagnosed with autism or adhd or whatever"

no, people just used to not get diagnosed no matter how obvious it was

like, throughout my whole childhood people - including professionals - were like "huh, she's seriously strange, wonder what that's about", but nobody ever had the brilliant idea to just check

I mean, there was the assumption that I probably have adhd, but I was never tested nor did they do anything to help (except scolding me for not really participating in class, forgetting to bring things (sometimes my whole schoolbag) every single day, etc; I've never done homework in my entire life)

they did send me to speech therapy because I was really quiet unless talking about some special interest, then I wouldn't shut up until told to (my dearest adults always made sure to let me know how much they suffered from me talking to them <3); it was a semi-success - the therapist found that she couldn't do any exercises with me, but that I was happy and able to hold a normal conversation about the goals and methods of speech therapy (she ended up explaining her study books to me, and we just chatted about those for the whole therapy)

they also sent me to occupational therapy, but I spent the whole time rotating (literally just spinning in circles every session), so that didn't really help with anything either

so I had to suffer through many years of school (I skipped a grade, but changed schools a lot (I attended almost all school types in Germany lol), so I've been in school way longer than normal) always listening to teachers saying I had "the potential to always get perfect grades if she just... uuuh..." without ever managing to think of an actual solution, or even just suggesting we could maybe look for what's wrong with me

literally all my various schools ever did in that regard was sending me to take IQ tests, which led to one of the stupidest sentences I've ever heard (keep in mind it was an actual psychologist specialized in schoolchildren and responsible for the entire school who said this): "she's just so intelligent, we normal people will never understand her" - which was then used as justification to do absolutely nothing despite me having glaring problems in every single sector of (school) life

this whole thing also seriously set me back later - when I first learned about autism, I was like "no, everyone always told me how extremely weird I am, this would be way too easy of an explanation"; in the end, it took me three whole years of people learning about autism going "hey, that sounds like you!" (one school I was at specialized in social professions, so we learned about things like that as part of the curriculum), and people who lived with autists and autists themselves constantly assuming I was autistic and being really bewildered when I told them I wasn't, before I decided to go to diagnosis (surprise: the peer-reviewed status was officially confirmed)

but at that point, it didn't really help anymore - yes, getting closure was kinda nice, but when you're an adult, the little help that is available is only available if you take care of getting it yourself - which I absolutely can't, that's part of the problem in the first place.

so, in conclusion, I spent my entire life getting told how much potential I have by the very people who made sure to do nothing to actually help me achieve it (or just, you know, have a somewhat stable average performance, like everyone else)

tl;dr: I'm a massive disappointment to myself and everyone else, but at least I know it's not my fault. yay.

#aaaaaaaaaa #vent #autism #actually autistic #adhd #actually adhd #trauma posting

[about-faces]

Hi, I want to read some DC comics about how Harvey transformed from former DA to the criminal mastermind who ruled half of Gotham's Underworld (against the Penguin). I've already read/seen: Two-Face: A Celebration of 75 Years Batman: The Long Halloween Batman: Dark Victory (1999) Batman '89 Batman: The Animated Series Batman: The Audio Adventures

Any other reading recommendations? Thanks a lot for your help. :)

So you're looking for origin stories, or at least ones that shed more light on Two-Face's origin? Well first off, I'm glad you read the 75th Anniversary collection, because that has three of my very favorites: the original Harvey Kent trilogy from 1942-43, the Grace Dent story from Secret Origins Special (1989), and "Eye of the Beholder" from Batman Annual #14 (1990).

Besides those, and the ones you've listed, here are a few others to check out. Some are great, some are mixed bags, and some are downright lousy.

First and foremost, I STRONGLY recommend the 1989 Batman newspaper comic strip, which I loved so much that I posted the whole two-year saga on its own tumblr account. You can start from the very beginning right here, but keep in mind that Harvey's storyline--which runs all the way to the very last strip--doesn't really start until the second arc.

Next, Batman: Dual to the Death by Geary Gravel is a YA novelization of the BTAS origin, seamlessly combined with the two-part Batgirl origin episodes. It improves on both the animated versions in small but crucial ways, and it's highly recommended for BTAS fans. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to find.

On a similar note, Peter David's movie novelization of Batman Forever can be found more easily, either in used book form or on the Internet Archive, and it's absolutely worth reading. I love the movie of Batman Forever, but it's objectively a terrible take on Harvey. The novelization adds SO MUCH, including an original prequel scene with D.A. Harvey Dent, and his ending is far more satisfying.

Cartoon Network's CGI animated series Beware the Batman (2013) also features a series-long origin arc for Harvey Dent, but it's one of the worst takes I've ever seen on the character. He's a petty, selfish, ambitious little prick, an absolute scumbag, completely devoid of depth or tragedy. Thankfully, few have seen this arc, since the majority of Harvey's episodes were never aired after the series was cancelled, but they're all available to watch for those morbidly curious to see just how badly someone can screw up Harvey as a character.

"The Big Burn" from Batman and Robin, vol 2 #24-28 (2014), also collected in B&R volume 5. After the huge DC reboot, this was Harvey new origin, which tried some very different things with him. A VERY mixed bag, but one that ended in a hugely exciting way that makes the whole thing worth reading. Follow it up with its sequel, "Ugly Heart," from Detective Comics #1020-1024, collected in Detective Comics Vol 5: Joker War.

Finally, watch the entirety of the recently-released/cancelled CW series Gotham Knights, with Misha Collins performing a surprisingly rich, interesting, and flawed Harvey Dent origin arc. The show got a lot of shit, some of it undeserved, but Collins' Harvey was an intriguing surprise, and I fear nothing we see from Harvey in any Reevesverse media will bring half as much care and interest to Harvey as GK did, for better or worse. All 13 episodes can be watched for free on CW Seed, region permitting.

EDIT: Oh right also the Telltale Batman video game! I haven't actually played that yet because I know enough about what happens and the illusion of meaningful choice indicative of Telltale games that I just don't feel like putting myself through that. People seem to like it a lot, though! I just... don't put me in a position of choosing to save either Harvey or Selina if you're just going to cheat and have him go evil anyway.

#ask hefner #harvey dent #twoface #two face #two-face #dc comics

[shanksbaby]

request from @vanilliacream : Hi hii i absolutely love your bleach fics! I'm glad someone writes actually good stuff for kyoraku Would you be up for a shunsui x re-served/quiet reader who is new to the gotei?

Shunsui Kyoraku

after Aizen betrayed Soul Society along with Tousen and Gin, there are three captain posts left available, one of those posts you took since you already have bankai and also you had the blessing of Captain Unohana and Captain Byakuya. You don't know if you're actually ready to be but there was no room for doubt given the situation.

when you were introduced you didn't say many words, just a pleasure to meet you. You didn't even say anything at subsequent meetings, you only speak when asked and in any case you limit yourself to saying the essentials.

you caught the eye of a certain eighth division captain, he didn't know why but he had a strong desire to meet you so he often came over when meetings were over to talk, even if he was always interrupted either by a scolding from Nanao or by Ukitake who told him to stop bothering you.

actually Shunsui also caught your attention. He's your opposite in everything, but when you're with him unlike when you're with others you feel like talking. It's like he drags you. Plus he radiates positivity and warmth, you can't help but be drawn to that.

from a simple exchange of chat he also invites you to the parties he organizes with his division, invitations that you always reject: parties are not your thing, you rather stay at home and read a good book. And then you never know how to settle in, above all because people already knew each other while you struggle to make friends (so much so that at Gotei 13 you only have Shunsui as a friend).

once you found yourself passing by the building where Shunsui was throwing one of his parties, and when he saw you from a distance he welcomed you with a big hug around your waist, resting his head on your stomach and complaining that did you ever accept his invitations. This caused many in attendance to turn their attention to the two of you, making you red as a tomato.

"Y\N-chan…You big meany, why don't you ever accept my invitations?"

the next day Nanao made him apologize for his behavior

as previously mentioned, he is interested in getting to know you. At first you try to avoid talking about yourself, not because you didn't trust Shunsui but because you never liked doing it, however he starts talking about himself to entice you to do the same, and it works. In fact, now he's the only person you talk to about your stuff.

however, you don't always talk about your emotions/feelings, but he always invites you to do so: he notices when something is bothering you and pushes you (obviously not pressing yourself too much) to at least talk about it with him. When you have ideas/opinions regarding your work at Gotei 13 he encourages you to speak out loud.

#shunsui kyoraku x reader #shunsui kyoraku #shunsui x you #shunsui x reader #shunsui bleach #bleach headcanons #bleach kyoraku #bleach shunsui #bleach #kyoraku shunsui x reader #shunsui x y/n

[two-reflections]

What is your take on the best reading order for Salamanders-stuff?

I starteed with the first half of the Heresy, jumped to Vulkan's Primarch-novel after Unremembered Empire, read the "let's bring him back"-arc of the Heresy, Read the 40k Omnibus, returned to the Heresy ... and that was NOT ideal!

So, what would you recommend? And, what aditional 40k-books besides the Omnibus do you think are esential?

TL;DR - I'm not the best person to ask because there's a lot I haven't read, but imo, if you're not invested in the Horus Heresy, go straight to Nick Kyme's series. Salamander Omnibus, or better, pick up the Lords of Nocturne set that includes Rebirth. (Coming out this Spring!) Alternatively, read Forge Master first and then go to Tome of Fire. If you are invested in the Horus Heresy already, maybe starting there is better, but again, I'm not the best person to ask about that.

Long answer below!

To be honest, I'm not sure I have a good answer for this because any time anyone discusses reading orders, I always think "Whatever order keeps you interested and reading is the best." 😅

Also, I know this is pretty much a crime, but I haven't finished the Salamander-focused Heresy-era books. I... Really struggle with the Heresy, tbh. I fell in love with 40k through a tabletop RPG set in the 41st millennium, and I still tend to think of the Heresy as a quasi-mythical thing that happened in the distant past. Currently, I use the Heresy-era books I have as reference material, but I recognize that not completing them leaves huge gaps in my knowledge. I plan to get through the Salamanders ones (and a few other 30k books, including Josh Reynolds’ ones!) this year.

I read the Tome of Fire series around 2019 and have gone back to various parts since, but I haven't fully reread it. I should do that. I've reread Rebirth a few times, including recently, because it hits juuust right for me. Also, I have a physical copy. 😅

I don't feel super qualified to answer because of all that, but I suppose my recommendation would depend on whether the reader jives with Nick Kyme's writing or not.

If they already like 40k and don't mind Nick Kyme's style, (like you and me, yay!) the available choices are either the 40k Salamanders books or the Horus Heresy. Unless a reader is already invested in the Heresy series, I'd say pick up the Lords of Nocturne collection that's coming out this April, as that will contain the whole of his Salamanders series, several short stories and Rebirth. (Finally! Maybe people will actually read my favourite Salamanders novel now.) Alternatively, the old Salamanders Omnibus has most of the same material, but without Rebirth.

After that, they have three choices: Dive into the Horus Heresy, go for David Annandale’s Primarch novel and/or his Space Marine Battles Book Forge Master, or follow me into the sad world of scrounging for snippets in codexes and White Dwarf. 😭

That being said, I honestly think the 8th Edition Codex: Salamanders is worth a look for readers, despite being game-focused. There are lots of fiction snippets in there. Would be fun to see fanfic authors expand some of them... FFG's Deathwatch RPG sourcebook also does a good job at setting the vibe, though it's older and a little out of date.

There are some solid short stories out there too. I love Burden of Angels, but the two by Graham NcNeill in Shattered Legions are pretty good. (Shattered Legions might be another good way in, hmm.) Artefacts was an interesting read, I really liked Vulkan's voice in it.

For people who struggle with Nick Kyme's style, reading David Annandale’s Vulkan: Lord of Drakes and/or Forge Master might be the best way in. Personally, I found Vulkan: Lord of Drakes a bit strange and didn't finish it, but although I've only just started Forge Master, I'm enjoying it so far. It's from the PoV of a techmarine and the first Chapter contains a description of Nihilan's forces besieging Heliosa. If someone read that book first and then moved onto the Tome of Fire, they might be a bit better primed to roll with the story. I think Overfiend also has a Salamander in it, but I haven't read that one yet. Also, Annandale’s debut The Death of Antagonis was Black Dragons-focused, but I haven't read that one either.

One more thing a reader could do is find media relevant to conflicts the Salamanders were involved in. For example, there isn't (as far as I'm aware) a Salamanders-focused novel set during the 3rd War for Armageddon. However, by reading about that conflict in general, a fan would come to understand a bit more of their favourite Chapter's history. (This is why I was asking for material related to the Talledus War recently!)

Sorry I couldn't give a better informed answer! Maybe I'll have a more fleshed out opinion later this year. 😊

#Salamanders 40k #Meta

[acourtofthought]

What if one of the reasons why Elain wanted an affair with Az was “three brothers x three sisters” too?

In ACOSF we can see how she is trying her best to fit in the IC, to forge a bond with the Night Court, but we also know that, despite all her effort, that is not her place. The colours of the Night Court just “suck life” out from her, while all she need is sunshine.

Her argument with Nesta at the beginning of the book also suggest that the reason why “she chose Feyre” above Nesta was to take the easy way, to be safe and protected by the IC.

So that’s why, in my opinion, she could want to be with Az, one of her sister’s best friends (al least, one of the reasons), while choosing her bond with Lucien means facing her trauma, being with the man who “ruined” her engagement with the human she loved. It means accepting to becoming a Fae, that her previous life will never be back.

Not only E/riel will add nothing to the plot itself (since Lucien and Elain are the couple whose travel will lead them to the spring court, to the continent, to defeat Beron etc), but it would also be useless for the growth of Az, Lucien and Elain.

She would continue to choose the easy way and to hide behind someone (who at first were her sisters, while if e/riel happens Azriel). She would force herself to live in a place that she will never be able to call home.

Az, on the other hand, would never realise his dream to have a mate ( I REFUSE to believe in the fake mating bond theory) and would spend his life with someone who will never be completely his.

Also, why should have the author introduced the flirt between him and Gwyn? Why to make his shadows dance when she is nearby? Because she is eViL or to add some drama to an eventual E/riel book that would have zero plot and character development?

Ps: your blog is my daily elucien sunshine, and if toxic haters spend their day reading your posts and getting upset about them, maybe it’s because you don’t lack of reading comprehension.

I'm so so sorry because I know it's taken me forever to respond 😭

But I think you may be on to something.

It is probably an extremely normal reaction to try and grow where you're planted especially when your life just turned upside down.

Elain lost her fiance, her humanity, her human life. She's in a strange world that is probably overwhelming and scary for her. So why would she try and rock the boat after her world was shaken up like that? Why wouldn't she try to find safety and comfort where her sisters are (the two people most familiar to her) and within the cozy little circle of friends Feyre had built for herself? Especially when she sees how volitile Nesta acted when Lucien was around?

For Elain, it would be so much easier if she could find a way to be happy in the NC. If she could have friends and a romantic interest there so she didn't have to go through any other changes. I don't know what Elain saw when Lucien agreed to go search for Vassa however she was looking at him and Feyre mentions having no idea what she was thinking. So maybe she did have a vision that he was going to meet friends on his journey, that he was not going to end up permanently in the NC and maybe that's not something Elain was willing to consider while processing her trauma, the thought of leaving. Maybe she hated that she felt pulled to Lucien knowing that being with him and leaving (at that time) were more than she could handle. So she set out to prove to herself that she could be happy in the NC and happy with the available brother to her sisters mates. Because that would just all be so easy, right? Three brothers with three sisters living together in one place.

But eventually "with time and safety", just like Rhys mentioned, different sides of a person emerge. Just like Feyre needed time and safety with Tamlin after a lifetime of hunger and poverty but ended up growing into someone different once she got that, there's a real chance that Elain will admit that things weren't fitting like she hoped they would and no matter how much she tried to join in on the ICs found family, she never quite belonged.

And you're right, why introduce Gwyn as a possible love interest for Az if he's supposed to be with Elain? SJM already set up a "triangle" of sorts between Mor / Az / Elain and Lucien / Elain / Az even though neither is your typical love triangle. But really, those are drama enough and adding yet another female so it's "Az is in love with Mor / Az is sexually interested in Elain / Elain is willing to kiss Az / Gwyn is flirting with Az while Az is showing admiration for her and noting that her happiness brings a smile to his face" is highly unnecessary. She has already ruined the love story of Az and Elain by adding Gwyn in there who has now garnered emotions that he should have been extending to Elain.

As far as plot, there really is nothing currently connecting Elain and Az to any major plot. It was Lucien they stationed in Spring and Elain who Nesta said Spring had been made for. If SJM wanted Az and Elain to go on a journey together then she would have found a way to place Az in Spring. Same thing with the continent. It was Lucien setting his sight on Koschei, Lucien's friend whose time is up and Elain who Nesta wondered if she'd go to the continent.

At the end of the day, one character hooking up with another character doesn't mean anything especially when SJM keeps finding ways to demonstrate how those two characters aren't compatible and are being set on different paths.