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stromuprisahat · 1 month

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Isn’t the status of Grisha much worse after TGT. How are the Righteous Gang claiming to be victors/heroes who made others lives better. From my pov, grisha are much worse off while the otkazatsya are in status quo. Also what was wrong with the grisha coming to LP to live. From the books, it seems that none of them had any connection to their parents/relatives. If so that can also mean that their family did not care enough to reach out to them after they left.

Or did the Darkling ban all communications.

I’m sure the Righteous Gang think that all the cons of their dumb decisions are in fact the Darklings fault. You know because he did this or he did that. They do bot think for a single moment that he was the only one doing anything for them. While the soldat sol (shouldn’t they have been doing some charity work in name of their Saint?) and all other grisha did not lift a single finger to elevate the position of grisha in Ravka through ANY means.

Ironically, the Gang's decision to abolish Grisha draft should serve to further alienate Ravkan commoners and destabilize Nikolai's reign.

"... His serfs will get a taste of money and education and start thinking about building lives and businesses of their own instead of praying for their master’s patronage. ... "

King of Scars- Chapter 11

Nikolai had abolished the practice of separating Grisha from their parents. There was no mandatory draft to pull children from their homes.

Rule of Wolves- Chapter 9

The fact they aren't able to offer protection to any Grisha in Ravka, therefore hardly to children scattered all over the country, AND there's no system of home education, therefore these children might either hurt someone by accident or suffer from wasting sickness, aside...

This should be a gigantic legal issue.

(Although there's plenty of questions regarding servitude in general.)

Pre-KoS Grisha automatically became serfs. Their families were compensated financially.

Let's say Grisha are no longer required to move to Little Palace, otherwise everything stays the same. Are there lists of Grisha serfs to keep track of them? And how do they serve? Why should a family that keeps the amount of pairs of working hands get any money? Does it mean that a family of free- albeit poor- peasants, suddenly include a child serf with obligations of their own? Do these "free-range" serfs get personal assignments? That sounds like a whole lot of extra bureaucracy.

The other option is much more disasterous. If Grisha are no longer serfs, there's no reason to pay their families. They should be recorded the same way other free Ravkans are, and these records don't seem to be particularly meticulous:

Another [Ravkan Grisha] had been hidden in a root cellar when the Grisha Examiners arrived to test her. “My mother told them I’d been killed by the fever that had swept through our village the previous spring,” the Tidemaker said. “The neighbors cut my hair and passed me off as their dead otkazat’sya son until I was old enough to leave.”

Siege and Storm- Chapter 7

A year here, a year there... who'll know if the missing Grisha moved away, died or got kidnapped? But don't worry, the worst is yet to come- otkazat'sya (serfs). Why are Grisha freed as soon as three of theirs start whispering their advices into young King's ear (One of them rumoured to be his mistress to boot!), while common Ravkans keep bending their backs under nobility's jeweled slippers!

This is a starving, war-torn country, through which a wave of pogroms swept only a few years back! The hatred won't disappear only because a dead Saint allegedly appointed three of Grisha to what exactly? Represent? Or rule in the puppet-King's stead?

Sure, Nikolai's (strange, innovatory) reforms lead to more food for the poor... BUT- serfs are still property of their owners, unlike Grisha. West was somehow forced to remain with the East- feeding them, losing money to them. Nobles lost some privilages and whoever's not a complete baffoon will figure out they're losing power. Church should be pissed, because their leader got deposed, religious cult with Crown-appointed head took over and Nikolai cut their incomes too! Anyone even slightly distrustful towards Grisha- and that means all through Ravkan social strata- has every reason to believe they are running the country, which no longer means one black boogeyman, but a Suli whore with the King-killer.

_____

Members of Second Army weren't discouraged from staying in touch with their families, quite contrary. To make it more... well, to make it more KoS-ish, we get some specific data from Zoya:

She’d written every week to her aunt and every week received a long, newsy letter back with drawings of chickens in the corners and tales of the interesting traders who came through Novokribirsk.

King of Scars- Chapter 25

Ivan doesn't mention his family in present time, but I'd like to imagine he used to visit his widowed, almost childless mother until she died of old age.

_____

The only reason all those barely adult Grisha are even theoretically allowed to be teenagers, is that they're safe enough, thanks to Aleksander's work.

He was thirteen, but he’d had a hundred names, a new one for every town, camp, and city ... He would have lived next door to a garbage gully if it meant a roof over his head, hot meals, waking up in the same room every morning without his heart hammering as he tried to remember where he was. ... Grisha living in camps and broken-down mines, hiding out in tunnels. ... No safe place. No haven. There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.

Demon in the Wood

If Grisha are faring better at the beginning of Shadow and Bone, it's his doing:

... though it was smaller than the Grand Palace, the “Little” Palace was still huge. It rose from the trees surrounding it like something carved from an enchanted forest, a cluster of dark wood walls and golden domes. As we drew closer, I saw that every inch of it was covered in intricate carvings of birds and flowers, twisting vines, and magical beasts. ... We passed door after door, until finally we reached a chamber where another uniformed maid stood waiting by an open doorway. Dimly, I registered a large room, heavy golden curtains, a fire burning in a beautifully tiled grate, but all I really cared about was the huge canopied bed. “Can I get you anything? Something to eat?” asked the woman.

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 5

While I can "excuse" some of the "heroes"- victim of otkazat'sya brainwashing institution, unloved privilaged kid with saviour complex, bigoted religious fanatics due to questionable parenting, universal punching bag... LB's new best girl's somehow coming out of it as the worst one.

Just the fact Zoya was saved by the very law she didn't mind abolishing, going from starving asset of her own mother to well-fed, respected soldier, who knows what do sable and silks look like... what a horrible life to lead! Such deterioration! If only the Darkling didn't bother trying, she'd be free to scrape along as she pleases!

Centuries worth of Aleksander's efforts are the reason Zoya gets to whine about her suicidal aunt instead of being maritally raped by some ancient creep, or outright dead after getting pregnant way too young.

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thebigpapilio · 6 months

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so everyone knows my ASAU of Persona 5 Royal, A Righteous Rebellion. right? And we're all also aware of @scruffyturtles' Adult Confidant AU?

well I sorta fused them? tldr: i made a (mostly) Adult Confidant AU for ARR! Details below, if you're interested - and if you have any questions about it, please ask @rollthedice-playthecards or this blog here!

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ARR! CANON-STANDARD TRIGGER WARNINGS!

The Fool and Strength (i.e. Igor & Caroline/Justine/Lavenza) are the same. Otherwise, everyone's changed.

The World (i.e. Protagonist) is Tae Takemi!

Her parents were abusive shitheads to her, and she got into a program that helped her escape for Tokyo.

Her first Persona is Merit-Ptah, a fictitious woman purported to be a chief physician of an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh and thus one of the oldest known women in medicine and science.

The Magician is Sadamu Niijima (transmasc!Sae)!

The home invasion that killed Mr. Niijima also led to his death, but Igor came upon his soul and reincarnated him into a hound (because of Shadow Sae's tattoos) for The Yaldabaoth Game™.

His first Persona is Turiddu, a Sicilian bandit whose gang was "legally held responsible" for a massacre, although the entirely of their role in it is disputed.

The Priestess is Sadayo Kawakami!

She was a member of Student Council, but when she brought up Kamoshida's abuse to Principal Omon "Bael" Kobayakawa, she lost her seat. Kobayakawa actually replaces Kaneshiro as the third major target.

Her first Persona is Elissa, legendary founder and queen of Carthage... oh, and I will be shipping her with Tae for my Kawakemi agenda. :)

The Empress is Chihaya Fukurai (Mifune)!

Yuichi "Mammon" Fukurai, her adoptive father, runs Fukurai Foods (Big Bang Burger's owner and more). Chihaya was setting up to inherit the business when Yuichi "changed his mind" and prepared to sell her off in an arranged marriage to Rikio Sugimura.

Her first Persona is Lakshmibai, an Indian rani who rebelled against the Bri'ish.

The Emperor is Sojiro Sakura!

He's a culinary prodigy studying under his adoptive parent (I haven't decided who yet, but they're Azazel) - a TV chef who runs a kids' competition a la Chopped Junior. They definitely abuse some of those kids.

His Initial Persona is Hamlet, the famous Shakespearean Prince of Denmark.

The Hierophant is Makoto Niijima, owner of Cafe Bianca.

She's been looking for her estranged younger "sister" for years now.

The Lovers is Munehisa Iwai!

Munehisa is Shujin’s star athlete. Excels in every sport in Shujin except volleyball, from which he was banned after standing up to Suguru "Asmodeus" Kamoshida.

Kaoru, his younger brother here, takes the role of Shiho, and Akimitsu Tsuda and Masa replace Nakaoka and Takeishi.

His Initial Persona is Barrow, a Great Depression-era criminal who robbed small stores, funeral homes and banks with his partner Ms. Parker.

The Chariot is Ichiko Ohya!

Leader of the photography club. She caught photos of Kamoshida’s dirty deeds in the past and is trying to find a way to expose them anonymously. Oh, and she has a long-distance girlfriend named Kayo.

Her Initial Persona is O'Malley, an Irish pirate queen so violent Elizabeth I considered sending the Royal Fleet after.

Justice is Toranosuke Yoshida!

I sort of split Goro's two roles in this AU. Toranosuke plays the Detective Prince trying to solve the case of mental shutdowns (+ the Phantom Thief case), but his brother-by-choice Benzo Kuramoto plays assassin and mental-shutdown-inducer for Masao Kuramoto, his grandfather. Tora joins the team in Oda's Palace, and they fight Benzo in Kuramoto's Palace - that's where Toranosuke achieves his Second Persona.

Speaking of Personas, his Initial one is Greenlefe, Robin Hood's second-in-command and the only one present at his death.

The Hermit is Takuto Niijima (Maruki)!

Makoto had a brief stint as a police officer, but after a influential asshole (Kuramoto) drove drunk and killed one Tomoyo Rumi, she attempted to dig into the situation and was dishonorably discharged. Soon after, she met Rumi's boyfriend, Takuto (an orphan with one shitty relative), and took him in.

He would be a third-year if he was still in school. He’s wasting away as he grieves Rumi's death. He can’t bring himself to kill himself, but he also doesn't want to be alive anymore.

His Initial Persona is Popol Vuh, a religious text of the mythology and history of the Kʼicheʼ Guatemalans.

The Fortune is Hifumi Hibino (Togo)!

After Mitsuyo disowned Hifumi for coming out as lesbian, Hifumi moved in with her wife Haru (they both end up with Makoto later). Hifumi took up busking/street shogi, not wanting to be reliant on Haru.

The Hanged Man is Akira Kurusu!

Not much for this guy right now - like Canon!Munehisa, he's an ex-yakuza who runs Indomptable, an airsoft store. Ren is his adoptive son.

Death is Sumire Yoshizawa!

A medical misdiagnosis (by her biological mother Yui, not that she knows it) left Sumire's sister in a coma. Ever since, Sumire can't see anyone unconscious without thinking of Kasumi.

Temperance is Ryuji Sakamoto!

An orphaned man who teaches PE at Shujin and moonlights in an escort service to take care of himself and his son Morgana.

Just after his college years, his mom's ex-husband killed her and then killed himself to escape the police, so he has no support system. Thus, he got himself into trouble with a duo of loan sharks so he could look presentable enough to replace Kamoshida.

He, Ann and Shiho were friends in high-school, but he never saw them again after graduating.

The Devil is Ann Takamaki!

An up-and-coming actress working hard to make it big. She's keeping her sexuality (and her girlfriends Shiho Suzui and Mika Abe) under wraps from everyone, including her manager.

At the end of the Confidant, she moves in with her old friend (and future boyfriend) Ryuji after Tae mentions him.

The Tower is Goro Shido (Akechi)!

Goro is a very temperamental young man with no methods of healthily and safely letting out his anger at the world and his shitty, abusive father.

After Shido's heart is changed, Ryuji (and Ann and Shiho) take Goro in.

The Star is Zenkichi Hasegawa!

Even if Zen doesn't know it, he's the best player in the shogi club at Kosei. It's discovered their "team" has been fixing matches, and Zenkichi is determined to find out who's cheating.

Jyun Owada, his senpai and club president, is jealous, and is trying to cause strife between him and his girlfriend Aoi to weaken him.

The Moon is Sophia Ichinose!

Sophia is a Greek immigrant who moved to Japan for work opportunities. She's Tae's science teacher, so Tae really likes her. Her daughter Kuon, however, has fallen in with a HORRIBLY nasty crowd - a bigoted group who hates (among other groups of people) Kuon's adoptive mother. Kuon, naturally, is conflicted, and this leads to conflict between her and Sophia.

The Sun is Haru Hibino!

A young politician whose bold eat-the-wealthy mentality does not sit well with older generations - for example, her father Kunikazu, who disowned her and silently smeared her campaigns so she'd waste her inheritance and never expose his criminality.

In the end of the whole story, Haru legalizes polyamorous marriage!

Judgement is Shinya Oda!

Uses they/them pronouns here.

After Shinya's mother Hanae was killed in cold blood, they joined the SIU to find the killer. She did something to piss off Kuramoto, though, so he and the director do everything they can to keep Shinya away from that.

The Faith is Wakaba Isshiki!

Daughter of Shujin's new counselor. A science prodigy.

I don't have much ideas for her yet, never mind her Personas.

The Councillor is Futaba Isshiki!

Shujin's aforementioned new counselor in the wake of Kamoshida's arrest. Believing the world to be "without life" without her deceased fiancee Kana, her Palace becomes a Graveyard, where she "raises the dead" by fixing their problems.

She only has one Persona - Chac Chel, an important Maya goddess of many things, most prominently both creation and destruction.

The Hope is Yuuki (Mishima)!

His ranged weapon is eye lasers. They use both he/him and they/them.

An A.I. made by Katsuo Akiyama, a regretful high-school bully who caused one of his victims to commit suicide.

Their first Persona is Thyrsus - a giant fennel staff that Yuuki uses like a weapon alongside the Persona aspect of it.

The Apostle is Yusuke Kitagawa!

The only original Phantom Thief to keep the power of Persona.

Ordered by Madarame Ichitaro (the killer of his mother and Police Commissioner) to investigate the Phantom Thieves after a series of mass heart-changings occur again.

Akane has a brother, Natsuhiko, and they share the Jail. Their mother, Takayo (Yusuke's beard) is still dead.

His Persona is Enjolras, and he later gets with Akira.

Lastly, a unique Arcana - The Actor, Morgana Sakamoto!

A theater prodigy at his school (not Shujin or Kosei) and Ryuji's son. He has no clues to his past before Ryuji, and he wants to know, but he also wants his dad to be happy. At the end of the Strikers arc, Lavenza becomes human, and he and Goro get the Sakamotos to adopt her as well.

Reminder once again to post any questions about this AU to @rollthedice-playthecards!

#thebigpapilio #adult confidant au #arcanaswap #arcana swap #arcana swap au #arcanaswap au #persona arcana swap #A Righteous Rebellion #Persona #Persona 5 #Persona 5 Royal #taewakami #kawakemi #makoharufumi #sojiro x wakaba #ichikayo #ryuannshiho #mikannshiho #sumire x sophia

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flurrin · 1 year

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No I have to elaborate now. Jet is like Gideon: built, confident, sarcastic, mean streak, attracts little gangs together wherever they go, ruddy hair. Zuko is like Harrowhark: royal, Secrets™, not powerful but has magic to make up for it, awkward as FUCK, perpetual loner, black hair. The difference is Zuko's the one who's improving their social skills and Jet's the self righteous asshole vkjdgohdiskdkflh

#flurr text #atla #theyre my scrunkly crackship #im putting them in a get-along tshirt

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strangeduckpaper · 1 year

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E136: TMNT

My version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, within the world of E136.

- Operate from Geranium City, the successor of Genomorph City, founded in the catacombs of Gateway City’s CADMUS facility. Takes a lot of inspiration from the Undertown from Ben 10 Omniverse and ROTTMNT’s Hidden City.

- The Foot Clan is a group with ties to the LoS, though accounts vary on whether it’s just ties or them being an actual splinter group.

- They are currently researching a highly mutative semi-mystical chemical called “Mutagen”, working in cooperation from a Queen Consolidated subsidiary known as TCRI

- The Turtles originate from Mutagen experiments involving four Turtles, a Rat, and former action star and Meta Brawl champion Lou Jitsu, aka Hamato Yoshi.

- Following a long story of betrayal, revenge, & deals with Baron Draxum & Big Mama, he ultimately dies following a break in to the Foot HQ.

- His lifeblood ends up mixing with the Mutagen to cover the rat & turtles he rescued from the animal experiments.

- Via Mystical Magical Mutagenic Weirdness, his spirit ends up transferring into the rat, and he ends up waking UP as a rat.

- Ended up opening the ‘Splinter & Sons Dojo & Courier Service’.

The Turts themselves

- Personalities are a mix of their 2003 and ROTTMNT incarnations, leaning towards the 2003 incarnations but with an edge of Rise’s banter and softness.

- The vibe is definitely ‘neighbourhood heroes protecting their own’ it’s just the gangs are in service of magic and sci-fi shenanigans.

Leonardo

- Red Eared Slider.

- Eldest brother. A lot of 2003′s seriousness contrasted with Rise’s tendency towards banter. The Responsible One™ who just wants to get by and maybe inherit the dojo.

- Big Nerd. Loves superheroes, loves sci-fi, loves whatever stories of Hamato Clan he can pry out of Splinter.

- Actually the one most against becoming vigilantes, but by far the most dedicated once they actually get started and rises to leader.

- Best/most skilled fighter amongst the turtles, most reliant on just his skills, but also uses Donnie’s gadgets. Always has a plan.

- Closest to Donnie, but kinda dismisses Raphael and infantilizes Mikey.

- Gay.

Raphael

- Alligator Snapping Turtle. Short due to Mutagen messing with his growth cycle.

- A ball of righteous anger and desire to protect people, the first one to actually become a vigilante as the Nightwatcher. Clashes with Leo over leadership because Leo didn’t even want to do it originally.

- Mechanic with a soft spot for animals. Surprisingly attuned to other lifeforms, possibly some form of mystical empathy.

- Closest to Mikey, and butts heads with Donnie over building things and his seeming uncaringness.

Donatello

- Soft shelled turtle.

- Autistic, soft spoken like 2003 but with Rise’s trouble with sincere emotional expression.

- Doesn’t really like fighting but also worries about falling behind his brothers.

- Overthinks everything, has a contingency, takes pride in his gadgets and distrustful of mystical powers.

- Experiences a (permanent) secondary mutation giving him his 2003 monster form.

- Kinda annoyed by Mikey, argues with Raoh & gets along with Leo.

Michelangelo

- Box Turtle, the only one who can fully retract.

- ADHD, never has a plan, the artist among the group. His graffiti is famous both in Geranium & Gateway, and he nicknames everyone.

- Slacker, but kinda discouraged by his own inability to focus. Looks up to all his brothers, but kinda resents how they treat him as the baby.

- Also has a soft spot for animals. Definitely the friendliest and most sociable turtle. Even the foot kinda likes him

- The most mystically attuned, and naturally talented at Ninjitsu, could probably be the best if he was as serious as Leo.

#E136 #Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #TMNT #E136 Teams

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roseverdict · 4 years

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msa au where everything's the same except lewis saw arthur's whole face in the Cave™ when he fell

this is most definitely a legitimate idea i had and not at all my rehyperfixation suplexing me into Emotions™ until i come up with a way to get some shenanigans and happy times with the gang

he's aware that Something Went Screwy™ (idk if he knows exactly what at first, but he knows it's there) from the get-go and doesn't go directly into "IM GONNA KILL YOU ARTHUR" mode

vivi's memory is still wonky, arthur's still down an arm, lewis is still a ghost, they just. don't have Animosity Based Upon Misinformation™

arthur still freaks out (heh) over running into lewis, but mostly bc He's Had Enough Dealings With Supernatural Entities Of Immeasurable Power For One Lifetime, Thank You, even before he realizes it's lewis and has everything click into place

idk if vivi would get her memory back or how it'd work, but without the threat of imminent destruction hanging over their heads, she's a lot more prone to poking and prodding at lewis ("arthur his hair is like fire but it doesn't burn!!!")

mystery's still, well, a mystery, so idk if this little twist would really change much about him at all skdhsjxbdkd

probably the biggest change would be lewis. knowing his best friend had no intentional hand in his death probably helped his mental state in some ways (no feelings of betrayal, broken trust, or The Immense Burning Hatred One Feels For An Ex-Friend), but probably not in others. (arthur was being CONTROLLED and lewis couldn't do anything to HELP HIM and vivi was there and WHAT IF ARTHUR'S STILL POSSESSED)

this would probably change the way he looks a little bit. if he's not thinking of arthur as a backstabber and vivi as someone he still cares for, he likely wouldn't go and make a spooky mansion for the express purpose of scaring the living daylights out of arthur and entrancing vivi.

consider: lewis is a ghost. by definition, he is spooky. but lewis is also a good friend, and he knows that while vivi likes the supernatural, arthur is easily frightened. conclusion: he leaves enough clues for vivi to piece together that Something Is Going On That Isn't Exactly Following The Known Laws Of Reality, but instead of going the haunted house route, he's just. waiting for them to show up wherever he made his base of operations. "so uh. hi guys please don't freak out but-!"

and idk if msa-verse ghosts are all just Like That, with the bouncy skulls and the dapper suits and the exposed ribs, but i think lewis would be more willing to tone down the ghostliness, what with Not Being Swept Up In Righteous Fury And Plotting His Revenge, and also so they (or at least arthur) can recognize him instead of being "ah hello there strange spirit"

but anyway arthur is still understandably terrified, and it takes both vivi ("come on dude he's super-chill for a ghost!") and lewis ("arthur my guy i saw what you were fighting in the cave, it may've been your arm but it's not your fault and i don't blame you") to calm him down, at which point we can get down to The Fluff And The Hugs

but because i can't just leave them alone, lewis is still angry at his murderer, he just Actually Knows what happened. so clearly the next course of action is to have the mystery skulls go search out ??? and kick its butt (shoulder? elbow???)

i haven't really thought any of this out and i've thought out even less of whatever would come next so i'm just gonna cut it off here skdhskxbskdjs

#rosie babbles #msa #h

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stromuprisahat · 2 months

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I keep insisting that while a lovely idea, appointment of the Grisha triumvirate is more of a joke and recipe for disaster, than a political step forward.

Today, I’m going to question Genya’s part specifically.

At the beginning, Genya’s introduced as a unique talent with predispositions to work of both Corporanik and Materialnik. She chooses her kefta’s colours herself- blue on red (which still doesn’t make sense, since blue is established as Summoners’ colour- literally the only Order she DOESN’T belong to). At the end ot the trilogy, Alina picks her as a representative of all Corporalki.

The obvious favouritism aside, ignoring lack of experience in leadership, I’m asking- what does Genya know about her Order itself?

Due to the nature of her assignment, she spent most of her life away from Little Palace. While she would understand the inner workings of the Grand Palace, Second Army and the woes of its people isn’t something she’d be closely familiar with. She even admits there’s a distance between her and other Grisha.

More pressingly- what does she know about the work of her Order? I’d like to assume she got some sort of basic training, but she doesn’t seem to know about anything more advanced. Although she could’ve lied (or withhold), according to her tour in Shadow and Bone, she’s never even been inside Corporalki worshops (while she’s spending a lot of her free time with Materialki).

“We’re on the other side of the Corporalki anatomy rooms.”

“Don’t they need light to … do their work?��

“Skylights,” she said. “In the roof, like the library dome. They prefer it that way. It keeps them and their secrets safe.”

“But what do they do in there?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer.

“Only the Corporalki know. But there are rumors that they’ve been working with the Fabrikators on new … experiments.”

How can she represent people she isn’t particularly close to, and whose work she knows virtually nothing about?!

#Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #Genya Safin #Grisha triumvirate #The Righteous Gang™#Second Army #Corporalki #S&B Chapter 8 #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Leigh Bardugo #If Alina wanted to get Genya a position in government #she should've been either spymaster #or a diplomat.#If she were to represent Grisha Order #it should've been Fabricators.

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stromuprisahat · 4 months

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Liliyana, one hand pressed to her bleeding head, cried, “You cannot sell her off now! She’s Grisha. It’s against the law. She is the property of the king and will go to school to train.”

King of Scars- Chapter 25

I completely forgot it's clearly stated in books, that yes, indeed, GRISHA ARE SERFS.

So no, it's not just the Darkling whining to Alina to look more sympathetic. Once you're discovered, you don't belong to yourself, your life doesn't belong to you, you have no future outside of what the Crown deems appropriate.

Now how exactly does that work with Nikolai's reforms? Servitude isn't abolished yet, but Grisha draft is. Does that mean there are lists of Grisha outside of military service and Grisha get "appointed" elsewhere?! Are Grisha no longer serfs? Are they (on paper) free citizens now?

If so, the last two should earn them plenty more hatred from both "oridnary" otkazat'sya serfs, who weren't freed yet AND a lot of free otkazat'sya, whose jobs, land and living space will those Grisha now "take". Hell, look into history- any time a new group enters job market, there's a wave of resentment and fear that they'll steal work from locals.

If Nikolai truly freed Grisha before the rest of Ravkan serfs, his actions are counter-productive and likely to work against wide-spread acceptance.

#Grishaverse #KoS Chapter 25 #Grisha #Second Army #Ravka #grishanalyticritical #Nikolai Lantsov #The Righteous Gang™#Second pseudoArmy #King of Scars #King of Scars duology #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Leigh Bardugo #because she should really stop trying to write politics.

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stromuprisahat · 14 days

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Siege and Storm- Chapter 13 (Leigh Bardugo)

I can interpret show!Zoya's change of alliance easily. She was present on the skiff, she saw Aleksander move the Fold, she was jealous he's no longer interested in her, so she switched sides for the one that served ~her~. Fuck the army and the guy, who doesn't favour me anymore,- let's save MY aunt (and thwart a strategic move I don't care about even though I'm familiar with its purpose) and get rid of the dick, who humiliated me by replacing me by another.

Selfish? Yes.

Short-sighted? Absolutely.

Yet it DOES make sense.

But book!Zoya?!

There are rumours Novokribirsk is Darkling's fault, but no survivors. All Grisha are blamed (and hunted) also, hell, even the capital wasn't safe for them! Her aunt's dead (due to her own idiocy)- sad. How does any of that translate into "Let's kiss the ass of the girl I've hated since the day one (and who stole Daddy's attention and made him take my amplifier)"?!

Is it because she got let down by the Darkling- "her" spot on the sun (Pun intended.) given to another, who never did anything for it, her amplifier (She TOOK from others.) confiscated, and even if Darkles weren't to blame for the Fold and pogroms after, he FAILED TO PREVENT IT?!

Is it because Alina's in the Crown's favour now, so she's the safe option?!

Is it the math of The Fold made by a Darkling expands = another Darkling's fault => join the opposite force?!

All I can come up with is either selfish, childish or both.

Her distaste towards Alina's caused by Darkles too, isn't it? If HE didn't want Zoya to adore him, she wouldn't mind the undeserving girl, who got everything with zero effort... even this aspect of her enmity is discredited by her actions. While I can understand hating you're working hard for less appreciation, than someone, who has everything falling into their lap, abandoning the blind leadership FOR the undeserving rival's beyond me.

Why doesn't Zoya aim for leading position herself, if she believes herself to be SO good?

Why doesn't she cooperate with Sergei (Oh yeah, he's Corporalnik and she haven't left the world of high school cliques yet.)?

Why does she switch someone she doesn't idolize anymore for someone she despises, instead of looking for a secret third thing?!

How does her tragic loss translate into "I'll back up the incompetent girl I hate"?!

Sure, Alina's THE Sun Summoner, but Zoya's not a religious person, and Sergei's points about Alina being unfit to lead the Second Army are justified.

#Grishaverse #S&S Chapter 13 #Zoya Nazyalensky #Alina Starkov #The Darkling #grishanalyticritical #Liliyana Garin #The Righteous Gang™#Siege and Storm #Grisha trilogy #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Zoya #ish

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stromuprisahat · 2 months

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the darkling doesn't really do anything about the nobility having all the luxury. but in terms of the small bit of wealth the darkling has, he doesn't use it to help ravka. he builds a palace. like yeah its smaller then the grand palace but its still a literal palace

......ummm what?

throwing grisha under the bus- is definitely not the best way to fix the problem of the precarious position of the minority. like letting your people get hurt, not great. the darkling kinda uses the 'one girl for all of ravka' argument (which is basically utilitarianism but thats a philosophy student tangent which if you want hit me up and i can gladly go on) except its not one girl its genya and alina and zoya and every single other girl.

WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN LMAO

Hey nonny, I'm as baffled as you are and I've just woken up.

Almost a year later:

Now I suspect, what you're quoting, but I don't want to poke that pile of shit at the moment, so I'll only react to those parts you're pointing out.

the darkling doesn't really do anything about the nobility having all the luxury.

Strange, a fancy-clothed serf doesn't force the ruling class to relinquish their riches, even though he has no support of wider population...

but in terms of the small bit of wealth the darkling has, he doesn't use it to help ravka. he builds a palace. like yeah its smaller then the grand palace but its still a literal palace

There's no indication the Darkling HAS anything- quite contrary. He is a serf- therefore even his body doesn't belong to himself.

But when Yevgeni had offered Aleksander his reward, he had refused the king’s gold. “There are others like me, Grisha, living in hiding. Give me leave to offer them sanctuary here and I will build you an army the likes of which the world has never seen.” ... Only King Yevgeni’s Apparat continued to campaign against the Grisha. He railed that the Saints would forsake Ravka if the king continued to harbor witches beneath his roof. Each day he would stand before the throne and rant until he was short of breath and red in the face. One day, he simply keeled over. If he’d been helped to his death by a Corporalnik posted by a shaded window, no one was the wiser. But the next Apparat was more circumspect in his objections. He preached the tale of Yaromir and Sankt Feliks at the First Altar, a story of extraordinary soldiers who had helped a king unify a country, and two years later, Aleksander began work on the Little Palace.

Rule of Wolves- Chapter 33

Now where did the Darkling get the funds for building a Palace two years after refusing payment? I'm sure Grisha, who had to beg for "sanctuary" has coffers and coffers of gold stashed somewhere...

As for Little Palace being called "Palace"... it's a huge building, what else should people call it in this setting? "Big house"? "Barn for two-legged livestock"?! Sure, it's beautiful, but from its descriptions it's all Grisha work. Carvings and craftsmanship, not precious stones or metal.

throwing grisha under the bus- is definitely not the best way to fix the problem of the precarious position of the minority. like letting your people get hurt, not great.

You're right- after the most of Grisha fled, or were killed during the Civil war for siding with the Darkling (or being born Grisha to begin with), Grisha keep on being exploited and worse- kidnapped from Ravka itself. It would seem the Heroes failed once again.

the darkling kinda uses the 'one girl for all of ravka' argument (which is basically utilitarianism but thats a philosophy student tangent which if you want hit me up and i can gladly go on) except its not one girl its genya and alina and zoya and every single other girl.

It's fascinating that picking three "girls" with a thing in common- being somehow "wronged" by the Darkling, although their circumstances were significantly different- as the only representatives of all of Ravka doesn't rise any eyebrows. Or that they miraculously tranformed into "every single other girl".

Hell, Darkles' schedule must be pretty busy, if he finds a way to ruin everyone's life in so many ways- getting them to desert, join his opponent or straight up disobey his order?

Or are we supposed to ignore how common rules don't apply to them? How we're to overlook chain of order, social status and heroes' attitudes of 21st century pampered, entitled brats?

#reply #Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #The Darkling #RoW Chapter 33 #Second Army #Ravka #Little Palace #The Righteous Gang™

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stromuprisahat · 4 months

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Zoya didn't save the tiger cubs, she killed them

and took away three amplifiers from other Grisha in the process without ever realizing what she's done

“I was thirteen. I had been at the Little Palace for almost five years. ... They were so little,” she said with the smallest smile. “They couldn’t really run, only roll a bit, stumble, right themselves. ..."

Unless Zoya's a sheltered 10 y/o city girl, who never left her house, she should know the mother won't accept the cubs and they'll die. There's no heartwarming reunion awaiting them. It works this way with ordinary farm animals, but I guess the only thing Zoya knows are chicken, and their sense of smell isn't the best.

“A male. I don’t know why, but he went straight for the cubs. ..."

Even as an adult she doesn't know why?! Even ordinary tomcats kill unprotected kittens. Gods, how am I to believe Zoya isn't either incredibly inattentive or straight up dumb?! Given the setting, there should be cats everywhere! From stables and farms to town houses... anywhere, where's food, there will be mice and do I need to explain the easiest way to get rid of those?!

‘So, Zoya, you freed the tiger cubs. You did the selfless thing. ..."

... and likely doomed them to death of starvation, or they'll serve as easily-obtained meal for any small predator. If that isn't the "Heroes'" philosophy in a nutshell, I don't know what is.

In LB's world "the selfless thing" is to idly stand by and watch the inevitable results of your actions you failed to think through, while bravery is performative suicide.

#Grishaverse #Zoya Nazyalensky #grishanalyticritical #The Darkling #The Righteous Gang™#KoS Chapter 27 #King of Scars #King of Scars duology #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Leigh Bardugo #anti Zoya

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stromuprisahat · 2 months

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What do you think about Aleksander wanting Ravka's love? How does it look like for him etc

You can't keep doing things out off goodness of you heart, while all your credit's constantly overlooked. There should be either visible results or some acknowledgement (preferably both), otherwise your work becomes incredibly draining.

While Aleksander DID have results to show for his lifetimes of work, let's be honest- even Little Palace pales in comparison with constant animosity and servitude. He's fighting windmills and he knows it.

“Fairness!” he laughed. “Still she talks of fairness. What does fairness have to do with any of this? The people curse my name and pray for you, but you’re the one who was ready to abandon them. I’m the one who will give them power over their enemies. I’m the one who will free them from the tyranny of the King.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 21

Btw, interesting choice of words once you realize he's talking from a position of a serf. He's not merely changing one tyrant for another, like Alina answers, considering his stance on servitude, I don't think he'd let it last for long. Sure, you cannot piss off all the nobles and immediately turn everything upside down, unless you want your country to collapse, but while he might not like to give up control to the idea of democracy, I think servitude would be on the top of his list of things to get rid of.

But back to your question:

Sure, he desires love just like an other human being. He WOULD like to be genuinely appreciated (once he'd believe it), but I think he has it in the same category, where ordinary people tend to place sudden inheritance from previously unknown rich relative. Sure, it could happen...

What he wants is peace and Grisha to be viewed as ordinary people. Even Brainwash-Bullshit-Baghra admits it in one of her manipulative lectures:

“My son was not … He began so well. We moved from place to place, we saw the way our people lived, the way they were mistrusted, the lives they were forced to eke out in secrecy and fear. He vowed that we would someday have a safe place, that Grisha power would be something to be valued and coveted, something our country would treasure. We would be Ravkans, not just Grisha. That dream was the seed of the Second Army. ..."

Ruin and Rising- Chapter 10

I don't remember him ever stating anything suggesting fleeing human affection is among his goals- quite contrary- it was his enemies (in the Retcon duology), who claimed it's what he wanted.

All the Darkling ever wanted was to be loved by this country, adored.

Rule of Wolves- Chapter 20- "Genya"

"That’s why the Darkling expanded the Fold, isn’t it?” Nikolai mused. “He was looking for a weapon that would leave no one in doubt of Ravka’s power. He knew if he gave the people victory, they would finally love him. ..."

Rule of Wolves- Chapter 31- Nikolai

Aleksander is too much of a pragmatic realist with too much experience with people. He knows love cannot be forced, and while it might make some things more pleasant, it's not what he requires. He insists on cooperation (See: Alina) and he's too disillusioned with life to even hope for any kind of appreciation.

He'd settle for results.

#reply #Grishaverse #The Darkling #grishanalyticritical #Ravka #The Righteous Gang™#S&B Chapter 21 #R&R Chapter 10 #RoW Chapter 20 #RoW Chapter 31 #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #'ALL the Darkling ever wanted was to be loved by his country...'#No #all he ever wanted was not to be viewed as subhuman and the end of wars.

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