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echoekhi · 6 months

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I’m Declaring War Against “What If” Videos: Project Copy-Knight

What Are “What If” Videos?

These videos follow a common recipe: A narrator, given a fandom (usually anime ones like My Hero Academia and Naruto), explores an alternative timeline where something is different. Maybe the main character has extra powers, maybe a key plot point goes differently. They then go on and make up a whole new story, detailing the conflicts and romance between characters, much like an ordinary fanfic.

Except, they are fanfics. Actual fanfics, pulled off AO3, FFN and Wattpad, given a different title, with random thumbnail and background images added to them, narrated by computer text-to-speech synthesizers.

They are very easy to make: pick a fanfic, copy all the text into a text-to-speech generator, mix the resulting audio file with some generic art from the fandom as the background, give it a snappy title like “What if Deku had the Power of Ten Rings”, photoshop an attention-grabbing thumbnail, dump it onto YouTube and get thousands of views.

In fact, the process is so straightforward and requires so little effort, it’s pretty clear some of these channels have automated pipelines to pump these out en-masse. They don’t bother with asking the fic authors for permission. Sometimes they don’t even bother with putting the fic’s link in the description or crediting the author. These content-farms then monetise these videos, so they get a cut from YouTube’s ads.

In short, an industry has emerged from the systematic copyright theft of fanfiction, for profit.

Project Copy-Knight

Since the adversaries almost certainly have automated systems set up for this, the only realistic countermeasure is with another automated system. Identifying fanfics manually by listening to the videos and searching them up with tags is just too slow and impractical.

And so, I came up with a simple automated pipeline to identify the original authors of “What If” videos.

It would go download these videos, run speech recognition on it, search the text through a database full of AO3 fics, and identify which work it came from. After manual confirmation, the original authors will be notified that their works have been subject to copyright theft, and instructions provided on how to DMCA-strike the channel out of existence.

I built a prototype over the weekend, and it works surprisingly well:

On a randomly-selected YouTube channel (in this case Infinite Paradox Fanfic), the toolchain was able to identify the origin of half of the content. The raw output, after manual verification, turned out to be extremely accurate. The time taken to identify the source of a video was about 5 minutes, most of those were spent running Whisper, and the actual full-text-search query and Levenshtein analysis was less than 5 seconds.

The other videos probably came from fanfiction websites other than AO3, like fanfiction.net or Wattpad. As I do not have access to archives of those websites, I cannot identify the other ones, but they are almost certainly not original.

Armed with this fantastic proof-of-concept, I’m officially declaring war against “What If” videos. The mission statement of Project Copy-Knight will be the elimination of “What If” videos based on the theft of AO3 content on YouTube.

I Need Your Help

I am acutely aware that I cannot accomplish this on my own. There are many moving parts in this system that simply cannot be completely automated – like the selection of YouTube channels to feed into the toolchain, the manual verification step to prevent false-positives being sent to authors, the reaching-out to authors who have comments disabled, etc, etc.

So, if you are interested in helping to defend fanworks, or just want to have a chat or ask about the technical details of the toolchain, please consider joining my Discord server. I could really use your help.

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See full blog article and acknowledgements here: https://echoekhi.com/2023/11/25/project-copy-knight/

#ao3 #fanfic #copyknight #theft #copyright

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radiance1 · 5 months

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So, Ghost Prince Danny. Except that he also, ALSO, is Damian's younger twin brother who was sent to keep an eye on the Fentons because of their discovery of a substance that looked like Lazarus Water yet isn't Lazarus water.

In truth, it was really just Talia's way of getting Danny out of the way because he lost against Damian in the battle of heirs (No Danny did not hold back, Damian was just better than him) and she didn't want him dead so that was the next best thing.

Danny does pop up in the League at odd times, mostly to report about the research done by the Fentons. When he became half dead he's around a lot more, mostly to be monitored for his unique condition (somehow someway they don't know about Vlad) and because Danny can just come and go as he pleases cause ghost powers.

So, Danny gives Damian a flute that he handcrafted himself as a birthday present because really, what can he buy that Damian himself couldn't? Also, because he didn't actually want to spend money on his older brother.

They're brothers, but they don't have the most cordial relationship. They don't hate each other, but they don't like each other either.

So, Damian takes this flute and is like: "Fuck you gimmie this for I don't need this shit."

And then Danny is like: "Just take the gift you stupid ahh fruitloop."

So, Damian takes it while berating that Danny would give him something as stupid as this, but then does a full one 180 by keeping the thing on his person at all times.

Not that Danny knows that, really.

So, cut forth to Damian being known by Batman and taken in. Trying to kill Tim and being an overall little shit, I can see one of the Batfam coming across this flute just, randomly really, and then Damian is fucking pissed that they dared to touch it and then takes it back.

Leaving basically everyone stumped over the significance this random ahh wooden flute has but decides not to touch that landmine.

So then the Batfam don't know that Damian has a half sibling (Danny came from Jack and Talia, so he isn't blood related to Bruce but is to Damian) running around out there and Damian isn't gonna say anything and you already know Talia isn't since Danny AIN'T his kid.

Plus, he got a job to do that being with Bruce Wayne would make harder.

So then Damian becomes robin an allat, then the entire Batfam pull up to the Justice League for some big threat and then both Constantine and Zatanna are like: Yo why do you kid carry round an item drenched heavily in death energy to the extreme

Batman is obviously like: Excuse me?

Damian, meanwhile, just does not give a fuck about the flute given to him by his half-brother on his birthday is apparently drenched in death energy to the extreme because that is his and he isn't going to just give it up.

So then one way or another Damian ends up playing it, maybe he was told to play it by both Batman and Constantine just to make sure it isn't actually anything dangerous or whatever and also because Damian wouldn't let anyone else hold it, let alone play it.

Which Damian smirks at because he's played it before and literally nothing happened aside from very good music, but Damian hasn't played it since he came to the Wayne household and has missed it. So he reminisces over how he got it, thinking of his half-brother and their relationship.

He plays it, but this time, since he genuinely thought about Danny death energy just condenses in waves. Damian couldn't see it since he was too focused on playing and reminiscing, everyone isn't really that calm and tries to get him to stop but the death energy blocks them.

Then a summoning circle appears in front of Damian and Constantine recognizes it as being from the Infinite Realms category and it seemed to be a high-level summon circle too so he's like: Well fuck.

Then, contrary to their expectations of some eldritch abomination, it's just Danny. Who, fun fact, was in the middle of his coronation as prince and such, dripped out in royal wear.

Safe to say, Constatine goes: Well double fuck.

The tension is just broken, as all Danny does is cry. Like, genuinely, he just cries because Damian still kept his flute that he made, he genuinely thought the guy just threw it away since he hated it so much.

Danny: Ancients, my big brother actually liked what I made this is making me emotional.

Damian: Why the hell are you crying this thing is still trash btw.

Danny: Yea whatever you say big bro, you love it.

Batman: What do you mean big brother?

Danny: Who in the hell is that-

Damian: Right, I never told him about you.

#dc x dp #dp x dc #dpxdc #dp x dc crossover #dcxdp #dc x dp crossover #ghost prince danny #demon twins #danny and damian are twins

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nerdpoe · 1 year

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Danny and Dani and Dan get Alfreded in three fell swoops

So like, sad time, but Alfred dies while Bruce is doing his world tour. He never survived long enough to see Bruce become Batman. Died alone in the Manor, after a particularly nasty fall and a broken neck.

But that was unacceptable.

Master Bruce, insufferable boy, could not lose another paternal figure in his life. Also the Manor was still a mess, and Bruce would need someone to make sure he didn't accidentally poison himself.

So he hid his corpse on the Manor grounds, and got to work.

And he was so glad he stayed; sure, it had taken a bit to stop glowing, but really the floating thing was amazingly helpful in reaching the chandelier, and after Master Bruce had returned he had gotten so many grandchildren.

Fast forward; Danny defeated Pariah Dark, he is Crown Prince of the Infinite Realms, Dan is attempting reformation and is technically a Prince by relation, and Dani is attempting to be Dan's parole officer and is definitely a Princess 100% she never forgets that no sir.

And Danny gets approached by some of the Observants, and they tell him that there is a very powerful ghost in Gotham, one that fully and completely blends in with humans and really needs to come to the Infinite Realms to complete his paperwork. But whenever they show up, this ghost thinks that they're there to force him to stay in the Infinite Realms.

And he kicks their asses.

Brutally.

For a bit he had a tiny kid ghost with him kicking their asses as well, but the kid randomly disappeared one day.

The Observants very clearly outline that this ghost is not Gotham herself, although the tax-evading criminal has been seen having tea with her.

Danny has no desire to deal with this; he just graduated high school and needs to focus on what college he's going to choose, so if Dan or Dani want to throw hands with some weird Gotham Ghost then by all means. Fuck taxes anyways, what did the Zone even take for taxation, what-?

So Danny splits his time college hunting and trying to find out how tax laws work in the Ghost Zone.

Dani goes to the old man first, and Alfred promptly sits her down and gives her cookies and hot chocolate, treats her like the kid she's never been treated like between Vlad and all of the Zone focusing on the Princess thing, and she feels at home for the second time in her half-life.

Dani gets a call from a nervous Observant, and promptly tells him she isn't going back either so nyah.

Dan goes to pick her up, and Alfred asks him if he is quite alright, he looks rather tense, and that if it is a fight he wants then the Justice League could probably use a new member, after all Alfred knows an upstanding young man when he sees one, and clearly Dan just needs a chance to prove to himself that he can be good.

Just like another young man Alfred knows.

Dan gets a call from a nervous Observant, and tells them that he's a little busy stopping an alien invasion, and is a tentative member of the Justice League now so he doesn't have time for their bullshit.

Also fuck taxes.

Finally, Danny has no choice.

He goes to drag this random old man and his little sister back to the Zone himself.

Alfred takes one look at him and slowly slides a flier for Gotham University across the kitchen island.

"Your younger sister speaks well of you," the dead butler says, eyes beaming, "and I believe that, given what she has said, you qualify for one of the Wayne Educational Grants for a full ride, so to speak."

Alfred never gets dragged into the Ghost Zone, although eventually he does learn that they weren't trying to drag him into the Land of the dead but were just trying to get him to do paperwork.

He never goes.

Bruce, however, is very fucking confused as to where these strange kids came from.

#dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp #dp x dc #story idea #little too specific to be a general prompt #just an idea

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tocomplainfriend · 4 months

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HAZBIN AND SA (+HB)

TW: SA and RAPE

THIS ITSELF DOESN'T TALK ABOUT THE SCENE! But the surrounding context.

So I really hate everything about how this has being treated. I am a SA victim and wanna talk about some stuff. If you didn't know, in episode 4 (I think) there is an exploration of Angel Dust SA, before going to do that lets see some stuff first:

She made a "cumming" joke about the song Poison (that accompanies the SA scenes)

This person over here worked on HH/HB (draws r-pe/non-con)

BLURRED AND CUTTED IMAGES: (Some are more or less explicit)

You know, that whole thing of shipping, and drawing porn of the canonical sexual abuser with the victim?

They also left this comment, under a comic where Val threatens brutal r-pe on Angel.

This person also worked in/directed the scenes of Angel dust Sexual abuse in the episode. The person that ships a r-pe ship and does all this shit is the one to work in this scene?????

ALSO????

Like??????? What happen here?

Also...

(The pinkie pfp person is 15 here too)

Why does Angel sexually harrases Husk non-stop (which is acknowledged by Vaggie)? Why is Moxxie SA by the succubus played for laughs? Same with Chaz or Blitz harassing him sexually or touching him without consent? Why did Stolas do so many unwanted advances towards Blitz, and that's literally the endgame couple of the show? (All of this are jokes, or by the Husk x Angel shit "ship moments"

WHY THIS TOO?

And yes you are "correct", something like Hypersexuality Trauma-should not being shamed. You are not a bad person, for dealing with this. BUT HEY, that doesn't mean you get to sexually harass people like Angel does to Husk or anyone.

Also, the problem is not having an SA victim's story. The problem is how it is treated and all the context that surrounds it. All of this above is that context! Why is so much SA jokes in Helluva? Why is that funny? You want to tell a story of SA, and anyone calling out the problems with it is deleting victims feelings and stories... YOU AND YOUR STUPID FUCKING JOKES DO THAT ALREADY. WHEN SA IS A JOKE FOR YOU, YOU ARE DIMINISHING SA AND R-PE.

There are also a lot of random fans saying that "Viv is an SA victim too"- #1 Where the fuck did she say that, cause you randomly saying that she said it doesn't mean shit. #2 DOESN'T DELETE THE WAY SA HAS BEING TREATED! THIS IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MAKING A JOKE AS AN SA VICTIM ABOUT YOURSELF- SHE/AND OTHER IN THE TEAM ARE WRITING CHARACTERS GETTING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AS THE JOKE. -OR NOT UNDERSTAND LEGIT POWER DYNAMICS AND THE GROSS THING THAT STOLAS DOES TO BLITZ. OR THE LITERAL "SHIP COMPILATION" THAT IS PURELY ANGEL SEXUALLY HARASSING HUSK.

"Is important to represent SA survivors stories- specially men who-" BROTHER ALL YOUR OTHER MALE CHARACTERS SEXUALLY HARRASS/ASSAULT OTHERS AS A JOKEEEE. "They are in hell" BITCH A HUMAN, A REAL PERSON WORKING ON THE SHOW WROTE hahaha Moxxie gets violated by the succubus so funny lol. IT'S NOT "LOONA IS A BAD PERSON FROM HELL THAT'S WHY SHE MADE FAT JOKES AT MOXXIE" NO IT'S WRITTEN AS IF THE SA WAS FUNNY IN ITSELF!

This is also not a scenario where there was a realization of the problems in HB with all those jokes and the harassment, so it was trying to be fixed with a serious story in hazbin. NO, THAT'S NOT IT!!!!

If there was an apology of how the sexual assault was treated in previous works! "We'll make up for it!" (the fact of that was a thing in the first place, it's still bad). That would be a little different. BUT NO, IT'S NOT! IT'S HYPOCRITICAL AND GARBAGE BULLSHIT.

I think purely by the context already given here that I think the representation it's bad. I don't feel like it comes from a good place, due to the hypocritical shit, the comments, and the artist who directed it.

We could go really back and forth with the direct scenes of the episode. BUT THIS IS ABOUT THE CONTEXT SURROUND IT rather than the scenes themselves. (Which is partly connected to the fact that it's incomplete)

Here is the scene "Tuca and Bertie". Is Bertie telling her friend of her assault. It's amazingly respectful and well written. It's not graphic, and tells the story really well.

youtube

#vivziepop critique #vivziepop critical #helluva boss critique #helluva boss criticism #helluva boss critical #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel criticism #hazbin hotel critique #spindlehorse critical #tw rape #tw sa #tw abuse

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jaxon-exe · 5 months

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Just saw this point vv

That has Danny being Gotham and it has given me ideas!!

So after becoming the ghost king Danny gets a haunt. Now the thing about haunts (for this au) is that they r a reflection of its ruler. It’s basically their inter being made into a physical place.

Well that comes with a unique situation with Danny as he’s half alive. So bc of that half of his haunt is also alive (ie in the living world)

And bc time is more of a suggestion in the infinite realms, the living half of Danny’s haunt is and always has been Gotham.

This is also y Gotham is cursed. At first it was just Fenton luck but over the years power hunger ghost have cursed Danny and in turn his haunt.

Now with the background out of the way here we go

So one day it’s notice that Gotham is a bit more crazy than normal. Not only has crime and rouge activities randomly spiked but the weather is also going nuts. With random storms popping out of nowhere and even a blizzard in mid spring.

Deciding better save than sorry Batman calls in some JLD members to see if it’s magic related and it is. The JLD always knew Gotham was cursed but they can now feel a new and more powerful curse has been placed on the city. So they set about trying to get rid of it and they can’t

At this point is when they decide to pull John out of bed and get him to help to and after a bit of poking around he comes to the conclusion that the curse is anchored to something and so sets about summoning the anchor.

Yeah… non of them were expecting the king of the dead to be the anchor.

What’s worse is that Danny pops up in his spooky eldritch form and they quickly cancel the spell bc NOPE!!

So they naturally come to the conclusion that the king was the one to curse Gotham and he anchored the curse to himself so it couldn’t be easily lifted.

Meanwhile with Danny.

He’s having a rough go at it. This curse is pretty foul and he’s been stuck in his ‘spooky form’ bc his more approachable forms can’t handle it. Now Danny has been trying to get rid of all the curses on him for awhile but it was never top priority, u know with being king and all. Now tho it definitely is. However he’s in a bit of a bind bc ghost cant really remove curses and he doesn’t have the knowledge of how to do it while alive.

But those guys that summoned him definitely do and might be his best shot.

Basically from here it’s the Batfam plus JLD trying to figure out how to brake the curse on Gotham while also being jump scared by the king of the death popping out of nowhere only to be beating off with a broom back to the afterlife. Meanwhile Danny over here is just trying to figure out how to get their help even tho he looks like a nightmare personified and sounds like the screams of the damned

#danny fenton #dp x dc #batfam #dcxdp #dc x dp fic #john constantine

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ohnoitstbskyen · 6 months

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Why do you think Diablo has disenged on it's core themes? (I mean I agree) I've always considered it to be a franchise with some insane wasted potential, but my perspective comes more from Diablo 3 and 4. Id be nice if you could expand on that.

I mean, my argument is that Diablo 1 was a dungeon crawler with a randomized loot mechanic that existed mostly to enable the roguelike random level generation that ensured replayability for the adventure. Players shouldn't be able to simply beeline it to the most powerful items in the game once they figure out exactly where they are, so randomization made each journey into the Tristram Cathedral a new process of discovery.

It's a game that, yes, wants to provide engaging gameplay, but just as much as the discovery of loot, it is driven by discovery of its world and story - multiple NPCs in the game exist that have no function or benefit to the player except as characters to interact with. You find lore tomes in the labyrinth which give you exposition about the world, but offer no tangible benefits. Shrines will randomize your stats, transform your potions, curse your items, randomly teleport you into a horde of monsters. The world is populated by objects, people and events that entice a player with curiosity to see what happens as much as they entice the player with the power fantasy of Making Number Go Up, and plenty of interactions have no hard gameplay benefit. "Sub dungeons" in the labyrinth, like the Halls of the Blind or Chamber of Bone, exist in part to give the player lootable rewards and monsters to fight, but also each of them have their own exposition, lore and worldbuilding (however limited by budget and technical limitations).

Diablo 2 realized that the skinner box thrill of randomized loot drops and number-go-up optimization was by far the most primally emotionally engaging part of Diablo 1's gameplay, and began the process of reorienting the franchise ENTIRELY to enable that specific pleasure. The loot system expands exponentially, crafting, gem slotting, etc all get introduced, and loot mechanics are given pride of place in terms of how the game engages the players. Shrines all provide knowable, specific benefits, every NPC is either a quest-giver or a merchant, there are HUNDREDS of randomized sub-dungeons on every map, and the vast majority of them have absolutely no narrative content whatsoever, they are merely slot machine arms for the player to pull, hoping for a chance of a jackpot loot drop.

Diablo 3 is the apotheosis of this process - a game which drops all pretense that the nature of your loot matters in favor of orienting every part of it around chasing the high of Getting A Bigger Number. You're a sorcerer running around with a greatsword? No problem! You cast all your spells as normal. So long as the greatsword has Bigger Numbers, anything works. Templar with a Wand? Equally viable! Damage numbers inflate into the millions, hordes of monsters swell with ever greater numbers, your spells and abilities clear entire screens in seconds, and everything in the game revolves around enabling the player's power fantasy.

In Diablo 1 you are an unimportant adventurer, the latest in a long line of unremarkable hopefuls, stepping alone into the bowels of a middle-of-nowhere village church, creeping slowly through its doors and hallways, fighting its monsters primarily one by one. Any group of ranged monsters can kill you in seconds, even in the late-game, and if you get surrounded, likely as not you are quite simply dead. It's tense, lonely, unglamorous and often desperate. Unwieldy inventory management puts constraints on your ability to heal and restore mana. You can only carry so many potions while leaving room for loot, and remember to leave room for your Town Portals and Identify scrolls, and for your all-important gold, which will clog your inventory almost totally by the end. Slay a unique monster and hope to god that the item it dropped wasn't cursed. Touch a shrine and you might lose 2 Strength points and suddenly be unable to equip your armor. When you kill Diablo, you find he is nothing but the possessed body of a young boy who was abducted and abused by a corrupt priest, an ugly and mundane tragedy leading to extraordinary suffering.

In Diablo 3 you are the most specialest most important incredible super-hero that has ever existed. You are a half-angel half-demon unstoppable killing machine, mowing down hordes of demons and corrupted angels like nothing, absolutely BATHING in infinite showers of ultra-powerful legendary loot, each more ultra-powerful and legendary than the last. You deal ten million damage with a single ability. You fight Ultra Diablo, the special super-powered SUPER SAIYING MEGA ULTRA super-powered extra special Prime Evil who is the most powerful evil bad guy who has ever existed and YOU are the only one in the whole universe who can beat him because you're SO special, yes you are! Identify shit by clicking on it! Cast town portal whenever you want! Enemies drop infinite health potions whenever you need them! Fuck it, you even KILL DEATH by the end because you are invincible and immortal and unstoppable and perfect. Fear has no hold on you, never in your life will you know uncertainty or doubt. AND it's your birthday! Buy a sword that is 3.2% better than your magic wand with real money in the auction house as a treat!

tl;dr Diablo 1 is an adventure game, Diablo 3 is Cookie Clicker.

#tb answers #diablo #diablo game #diablo 2 #diablo 3 #diablo 4 #blizzard entertainment #activision blizzard

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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 3 months

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Hi, I had a random thought about Wylan Van Eck and it accidentally turned into a world building rant so enjoy… I guess?

Every so often I randomly remember that Wylan has canonically been to the races at Caryeva in Ravka and I just can’t help but wonder what the hell this situation was like. I don’t recall a lot of specific descriptions about Caryeva so correct me if I’m wrong but I believe it’s an environment quite similar to that of the Barrel and that boy was not thriving in the Barrel okay the stress of imagining young Wylan stuck with his father at the Caryeva races is so real. Like I’m not saying the entire place must be a hellhole but the key information we know about it (at least to my recollection and what I gathered about two minutes ago from the Grishaverse wiki) is that its main points of interest are gambling in horse races and producing alcohol, and we know that Vasily gathered a less than pleasant reputation whilst spending most of his time there gambling away what little fortune he had left. And also what the hell was Van Eck doing there in the first place? The version of Jan Van Eck we see him present to the other characters and therefore to us as the reader (since we don’t ever get his POV) would simply cease to exist at the impropriety of it all, he can’t get through a conversation about the Barrel without cringing and you’re telling me he went on a trip to Caryeva and took his presumably very young son with him? (I’m assuming this bc Wylan says he *used* to take him everywhere with him and Van Eck found out he couldn’t read when he was about eight). What was this situation???? Why was he there???? I wonder if this is another subtle hint towards the potential extent of less than savoury business Van Eck is involved in beyond Wylan’s knowledge, like when he suggests meeting on Vellgeluk (an island used mostly by smugglers and traffickers) and Inej is surprised he knows about it and Kaz responds something along the lines of “perhaps he’s not so much the upstanding merch he claims to be”.

The reference to Caryeva just always sticks out to me as slightly random in comparison to the other places Wylan lists his father as having taken him to - the Shu oil fields? Absolutely, this is a world (at least as I’ve understood it) currently moving towards its Industrial Revolution at top speed of course Van Eck of all people is looking to invest in oil futures he may be the worst but he is clever; the Ice Court? It’s a diplomatic event between the leaders of two countries, one desperately trying to maintain its neutrality to hold tightly to its place in the world economy as it very quickly develops (Kerch) and one desperately trying to impose itself as a greater world power than its being given credit for via violence and focusing its development on military-based progress like the tanks (Fjerda) (btw I think I’ve talked about this before in my worldbuilding posts but I have thoughts about the tanks and the general global development of the grishaverse so if anyone wants more theories/analyses on that let me know), so yes it absolutely makes sense especially since we’re starting to see (or at least I think we are but I’m not a historian I’m basing this on my understanding about how these things happened in our world and how they would develop in their world based on the distinctions between the two) the globalisation of the Grishaverse beginning; the Jurda farms in near Shriftport? We all know Van Eck has a vested interest in jurda and we also know it was a big part of his business long before parem came to the scene because it is a massively used stimulant throughout Kerch; Weddle? Absolutely, I don’t know if it’s been confirmed as the capital but if it isn’t it’s still a major city in Novyi Zem there are a thousand reasons Van Eck could’ve been there; Elling? Once again it’s entirely reasonable to imagine Fjerda having a vested interest in an alliance with Kerch to secure their place in the global economy and to manipulate what is almost definitely and imminent and unavoidable collapse of the country’s questionable neutrality; Elling makes sense because Van Eck probably visited Fjerda a lot and even if there wasn’t anything about alliances and military tactics and etc going on Elling is a port settlement and it makes plenty of sense to assume large amounts of trade take place here. (My theory about the military stuff if below, sorry the paragraph was too long to get it all in together)

(Ravka is in severe debt to the Kerch government and we know Fjerdan intelligence is well aware of this, especially since Matthias knew when he hadn’t been in the government for over a year and never worked anywhere near espionage, and Kerch is also a massive global power. Support for Fjerda from Kerch would mean support from the Southern Colonies and possibly even division in Novyi Zem, and whilst it would probably prevent the Fjerdans from any kind of alliance with the Shu due to the tension between Kerch and Shu Han being so high it would also probably not be necessary for them to make a deal with the Shu if the had the support of the Kerch. Ultimately, Fjerda and Shu Han are fighting for control of the same land, they just haven’t reached each other yet because they’re still stuck on opposite sides of Ravka. If either country gained control of the majority of Ravka’s land then it would lead to a fight with the other; Fjerda need global support if they have a chance of winning two wars immediately after each other and if Kerch are in fact going to have to lose their neutrality, as it seems they are being forced to do and definitely would have been forced to do if parem became a global resource (Van Eck even says himself on the matter that Kerch has enjoyed neutrality for too long), and already have high tensions with Shu Han and rising tensions with Novyi Zem (due to the assassination of the Zemeni ambassador, which I do believe was an attempt to start a war btw, that they blame the Kerch for and the Kerch suspect the Shu for) then they are the perfect target for Fjerda to form an alliance with. Kerch also has a very strong navy which Fjerda presumably lacks since their efforts have all been focused on Ravka, where they share a land border, so to enter a larger scale/global war they would need a navy on their side. Again, I want to emphasise I know very little about military tactics and history I am approaching this by imagining that it’s a logic puzzle, so you might be reading this and this and thinking that it makes no sense in realistic scenarios but this is just my theory)

But Caryeva???? Even if there weren’t standing for Van Eck and the Merchant Council to be plotting against Ravka, which I personally believe there is, it STILL WOULDN’T MAKE DIPLOMATIC OR BUSINESS SENSE TO GO TO CARYEVA. So in summary I think Van Eck was doing lots of messed up things that young Wylan didn’t understand because he was a small child so why would he, plus this was a time in his life when probably trusted his father, and I think that this is yet another of the very subtle ways Leigh Bardugo shows us that there is a lot more going on beneath the surface than we notice or that the characters have comprehended because it does!’t fit into the focus of the story. Whether or not Van Eck was planning on building his diplomacy towards Fjerda into an alliance or not (but I do want to add that the only other language he hired someone to teach his son was Fjerdan, so that may also be a hint), I definitely think that he was involved in something illegal to specifically be at the races in Caryeva. Like to vineyards or something for a trade deal, sure. But why, after going on and on about the questionable version of Ghezen he believes in and how the Barrel is a “den of filth” and calling gambling a “vice” and arguing with Kaz because he was offended when he said that speculating on the markets was a form of gambling, would Jan Van Eck be at Caryeva horse races?

Anyway I’ve been going on about this for way longer than I intended, hope this made some semblance of sense and thanks for reading

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madeupoflowers · 2 years

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Your next partner & the connection

(has an 18+ section)❤️‍🔥

❗️You’ve been warned🫡

This is my first 18+ reading so beware of any triggers and please if this isn’t your cup of tea then skip this reading. I know this isn’t for everyone. Most importantly take what resonates. Nothing is forced and set in stone. Free will is and will ALWAYS be in our hands. Remember that, love!

I hope you enjoy. Take care!🖤

Piles 1-2 are top row

Piles 3-4 are bottom row

🖤💋🖤💋🖤💋🖤💋🖤

Pile 1

The connection: I feel your next partnership will be a little traditional in terms of roles, there will be one person with dominant masucline energy and another with prominent feminine energy though apply based off of your preferences not entirely gender. This person wants to take charge and court you. They don’t appear emotional and seem strict and hardened. I see them being physically larger than you either in height, weight or musculature. I see someone standing over another person. Even if this is someone shorter, they have an aura of being so much larger(lol I heard “when ya girl 5’5 but got a personality that’s 6’5”). This person doesn’t fuck around, they want a real relationship so if you wanted a fling, maybe choose another pile since that is NOT the energy given at all here. The masculine wants to give you the world. Honestly, they may not care if you want to sit pretty I mean they love you either way. Buying anything you desire and cherishing you, such a hot energy. Warning though they are stubborn especially in traditional ways. So this could be someone who wants their partner to stay home while they provide and care which could for many be what causes some conflicts. Also, this person takes their sweet ass time lol. “What’s the rush?” They like to chill and do their thing, no drama here they hate that shit. It will take some time but once you get close their emotional and sweet side will really start to show. I’m gonna be real here, this person gives “Daddy” vibes if you know what I mean yes that can apply to a female its just the energy.

(rider waite: EMP, 4OW, WRLD, 9OP, KNOP, KOC)

Some steamy details(18+): Ooooh yeah they wanna be the dominant and “experienced” partner. They are passionate and may literally wanna get down and dirty in random places. Body worship mainly on the feminine’s part. Like’s you all dressed up and feeling your best. I see them wanting you or sneaking up on you randomly when y’all get back or getting ready to go to a nice event or restaurant. Male or female choosing this pile, this person likes their partner more feminine dressed, backless dresses, spaghetti straps and I see lots of flowers especially flower detail on shirt straps, lace and especially pantyhose/stockings. I am getting for some that this person lowkey likes innocence and making someone turn “freak” if you know where I’m getting at. Corruption type beat here. Not malicious though! Though, here is some tea, the masculine is all dominant and mighty in public yet I feel in private they lowkey want you to kick their ass in bed(IM TOTALLY FUCKING WITH Y’ALL). But seriously, don’t mind you being more crazy and fierce in bed and may be a deep desire of theirs. Remember in the first part of this reading I mentioned them taking time to reveal their vulnerable and sweet side? Well once they do and are safe to be “weaker” around you then they will reveal this submissive desire of theirs. This is funny cause it’s a proven fact that many people in power have secret desires to be dominated by those no one would expect.

(sex magic tarot: KNOC, SUN, 9OS, EMPRSS, 2OP, AOS)

(you got my favorite song and the singer is also the guy in the photo you chose!)

Pile 2

The connection: This person is fast moving and likes to GET SHIT DONE. At times their bossy and rushed nature will step on some toes especially yours. I do thing y’all may bicker especially playfully(so no worries!). I think this relationship will have many bickering arguments that will be made up as quickly as they started. There is a likely chance that the reason why this person is snappy at times and needs things done their way is due to internal issues and trauma even. Other’s might’ve not have truly stood up to this person or their words went on this person’s “deaf” ears. However, I feel that’s gonna change with you. You will be someone that this individual will genuinely feel that they can give some space on the throne for and brings the hope that you won’t leave and cave like everyone else. I know this isn’t a healthy coping or habit but I do feel this person is truly kind but has been forced to grow a hardened and controlling aura due to past pains and disappointments by those they should’ve been able to rely on. I heard “Fuck it I’ll be the person I rely on and rely on ONLY.” It’s sad but I’m glad this person will want you to grow a stable connection and build a foundation that you both can dictate together. Lol.

(rider waite: 8OW, CHRT, 5OW, AOC, 7OP, AOP)

Some steamy details(18+): He/she like’s playful flirting and teasing like the female on the card is grazing the male’s leg under the table. This person likes topping for sure and hugging. Like’s feeling like the strong and protective partner so will literally want to squeeze you when y’all hug or embrace(wink wink). Despite this person’s need for control, I think they will cave to you eventually and want you to snap them in shape. Warning for some of y’all so if this triggers you then don’t accept this specific message because free will is a thing okay? This person could like threesomes or foursomes. Like’s roleplaying. Gets off on the outside world not knowing what crazy stuff goes on behind closed doors. May not want you too revealing or talking about y’all’s bedroom life since they like the mystery. This sound’s so Scorpio esque like Scorpio venus and mars specifically. Like’s low cut tops but nothing else too revealing. I keep seeing a person in an emerald colored long sleeved, low cut top with a black headband which frames their long brown hair perfectly. Very specific message but I see someone here who fits the description, really turning on their partner with that look. Take what resonates. Sorry if I couldn’t get too many juicy details, I truly feel this person wants to conceal that energy which makes sense if they want their sexual life a mystery to outsiders, except you and them.

(sexual magic tarot: 2OW, 6OS, AOC, QOP, WHEEL, HP)

Pile 3

The connection: They are guarded especially energetically and I feel they have every right to be. This person was taken advantage of financially or had their kindness taken for weakness. Maybe they bought people nice things or lent money to help. Leaving them with nothing. Now they want to conceal themselves from being read energetically too since if say they have money or fame, you won’t know until they let you know. I feel anything grand or gifted about them will be hidden at least in the beginning. Anyways, this person will scope you out and once they see the potential of something good then they will take the risk towards you. I feel this person isn’t very extroverted or experimental or at first. Very cautious of new chances and may feel it’s too good to be true due to past disappointments so you may have to get them out of their shell a bit. Be aware he/she is prone to falling into stagnant energy and unhealthy habits or forms of escapism. They may kind of fall into codependent relationships and it’s possible you could be their “savior” in some way. Sorry if this since this isn’t exactly what many want to hear but remember a lot of this person’s energy is being hidden and protected so this is literally just the tip of the iceberg, I’m sure they have a good heart, simply are victims of a painful event or situation that did them horrible and dirty. They are still healing when you both start getting together.

(rider waite: HP, 9OW, POP, AOW, 4OC, DVL)

Some steamy details(18+): They lean a bit towards the submissive side in bed. Really enjoy seeing you confident and feeling happy, to them you shine. I see a lot of you feminine’s are more on the dominant side anyways. Foot fetishes or like’s to do it with heels/nice shoes on. Will want to buy you flowers or do little and charmingly cute things for you, the type to see a pretty plastic ring and want to give it to you just because they adore you. It’s wholesome and innocent in a way. Homebody’s here, may take some coaxing to do anything outside. May want to write you poems and perhaps sexy texting is their cup of tea. Type to make a surrounding comfy and homey before getting down. This is a message for a handful of you only, they may like c*ckholding or voyuerism ok. Or just watching adult movies with you. Emphasis on the chest area and I feel if this is a male, that he has facial hair and a roman/hawklike nose. Thick eyebrows.

(sexual magic tarot: QOW, 2OS, AOP, KNOC, 10OC, HRMT)

Pile 4

The connection: Right away this will be a “forbidden” connection. This person is in a high position or role that requires responsibility and forseeing others’ work. I feel they are older. When you or they try to get close, I feel someone really fucking annoying will notice and charge in to say some dumb shit which will unfortuanly cause you so much distress. This could be another higher up, main boss or annoying ass taddle tail, etc. Either way this start of this connection will be a challenge and there is some sneaking around one way or another. The person you’ll want will be well respected and I am seeing very attractive, if male he has darker features except skin tone(like brunette hair, black eyes, yet pale as snow), very specific for a handful, also male or female they are tall or have excellent posture. You will notice this powerful, confident and great posture right away so if you needed a way to identify. I think some of you already know this person(take what resonates). I think this person puts responsibility over love and their heart, it’s sad cause it hurts them so but they have had to be the responsible and strong one for as long as they can remember. Please don’t hate them or take it personal. They don’t want to hurt you.

(rider waite: 2OS, JDMT, 10OP, KNOS, 9OS, KOP)

Some steal details(18+): Well goddamn okay. This is a sexy son of a b*tch that’s for sure. You want a soft yet stern doms/domme? This is for you lol. I get handsome/beautiful, bossy yet charmingly pain in the ass type energy. Like a tease. I keep seeing someone smirk. A little shit thats for sure! They enjoy taking charge and believe me you won’t mind it at all. This person believes practice makes perfect and Lord I feel they have and do. Ummm, if a man, he could have a large you know what. I feel he is proud of this but is one of the types that doesn’t tell everyone but slying enjoys people’s reactions when they get with him behind closed doors. So male or female, this person is charming and kind, so kind. Ugh, like they want to give you all you need and want just to see you light up with joy(yes this goes sexually and non-sexually). Like’s incoropating food and drink into the bedroom. Lowkey would bang outside under the starts. Yet so cute and cuddly, y’all I’m jealous. Has a lot of wild and freaky kinks that I feel y’all will like to play out together. Don’t let this person’s work persona and seriousness scare you, they are a big softie and teddy bear in the end. This person will never abuse their power both outside the bedroom and inside. Aftercare is a big deal here especially if there is any extreme practices, Iike I said, they won’t use their power against you. “Your wish is my command.” Have fun with this one. I mean the photo for this pile gives off a strong and primal energy to it so yeah haha.

(sexual magic tarot: KOS, EMP, DVL, 6OC, STR, 7OP)

(omg this song fits this energy so much plus it’s an amazing song and band, check it out!)

#astrology #pac #pick a card #tarot #2022 #manifest #riderwaite #1111 #fortune #maturepac #18+ readings #pick a pile #madeupoflowers #Spotify #mary on a cross #love #september pick a card

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starsreminisce · 5 months

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Every once in a while, there is some comment that suggests Elain and Lucien's mating bond is off or fake. I actually argue quite the opposite, and I think Lucien is intuitively attuned to Elain's emotions, and their bond is the strongest between the three sisters. I also think that when Elain is not doing well, Lucien starts showing up more.

This makes his appearance during ACOSF solstice even more interesting to me, given that he was absent for ACOSAF's solstice, both of them declaring that they can't stand to be around each other.

Feysand's bond is mental, Nessian's bond is physical, and Elucien's bond is emotional. I also think this manifests in how each of the sisters pushed away from their mate: Feyre thinking she should still be with Tamlin, Nesta randomly hooking up with random males. I also think it's how their mate helped their respective partner heal. Feyre and Nesta are similar in that both don't want to be weak or helpless anymore, but the end of their healing was marked differently. Feyre's was marked when she secured the Ouroboros with a message that suggests the mental power needed with a statement like "Only you can decide what breaks you," and Nesta's was marked by the Blood Rite.

We can go through the end of ACOMAF and the parts in ACOWAR where Lucien has been the only one advocating for Elain and just knowing what she needs while giving enough distance to prevent overwhelming her.

The part that sticks out to me was when Lucien decided to find Vassa, and he specifically said that "I’m not needed here. I’ll fight if you need me to." They were left alone for the first time, Elain wanted to stop him but she didn't, and he left to fulfill her prophecy.

The next scenes we had Elain enjoying herself to make bread (an act associated with accepting the bond, just saying), Elain speaking up to use her to convince Graysen to do something for the humans, we find out that Lucien is the heir to the Day Court (fulfilling Elain's need for sunshine), Elain's “His name is Lucien."

When was the next time we saw Lucien and Elain together? After Hybern had been defeated, and he came running to her, spying the blood on her hands and asking if she was okay, then offering his condolences and then his praise. I also have to remind y'all that Azriel saw her first and said nothing when she forced Truth-Teller back to him. In his bonus chapter, he didn't have a thought in regards to this either.

In ACOSAF, people also ignore that Lucien tried to be there for Elain, and she was "too polite" to turn him away until he got the hint and left. What stood out to me, though, was during the Solstice, it was Lucien who told Elain not to be troubled because he wouldn't be staying for long, and it was Lucien who turned down Feyre's invitation to both stay for the festivities and stay in Velaris for two weeks to "get to know Elain" before announcing that he would be moving in with Jurian and Vassa. Elain was in a pretty good place at this point in time.

However, in ACOSF, we get this little nugget:

But Elain said, “I went into the Cauldron, too, you know. And it captured me. And yet somehow all you think of is what my trauma did to you.”

On top of that, Elain and Nesta became estranged, Azriel pulling back his interactions with her, her being denied to search for the trove or being prevented from doing more than just tending to her little garden.

Is it a coincidence that Elain insisted on attending the Hewn City Solstice, knowing that its cruelty bothered her, was described as wearing pearl barrettes, and then the following day, Lucien was at the Inner Circle solstice, seemingly recanting his stance of not being able to stand to be around her for two minutes and his present of pearl earrings.

I don't think it's meant to be cruel on his behalf, considering he tried to hide his disappointment from her reaction upon receiving his present, but I do wonder if it's meant to be a statement that he sees what she's trying to do and trying to be as supportive as he could while still allowing her to dictate how their interactions would go.

Some people demand two extremities: either he is around too much or he doesn't care enough to try, but they fail to see how perfectly middle-ground Lucien is being. He is still accessible for her while allowing her to choose if she wants to interact with him.

ACOSAF Solstice = Elain happy and excited over cooking for everyone = Lucien saying he is not staying.

ACOSF Solstice = Elain pushing back on attending Hewn City, a place that brings her discomfort = Lucien staying for that Solstice.

Elain and Lucien are both capable of voicing out when things bother them, especially towards each other, as seen in ACOSAF, but I don't think if Lucien knew he was not wanted by her in ACOSAF solstice, he wouldn't have attended ACOSF solstice. He also would not have attended the Starfall in the later months, especially if there had been secret progress between her and Azriel.

Rhys came to Feyre's aid when she called for help mentally as she walked down the aisle, Cassian came to Nesta's aid when she was physically at her weakest, so it makes me wonder if Elain is approaching an emotional tipping point where she can't keep pretending that everything is fine when she sees both her sisters successfully moved on from their trauma because of help from their mates, Nesta especially.

We also have to acknowledge that the scent of their bond is strong a year later. I wonder if this manifested with Cassian asking Lucien where Elain was when he visited their training and Nesta calling Elain a wrench for staying far away from him as confirmation they too smell it. I would go so far as to wonder if that's why Rhys specifically brought up that Lucien has a right to the blood duel to Azriel because he smelled their bond. The only person that smell mattered to is Azriel.

So yeah, all in all, if SJM wanted to continue the train that Elain would reject the bond, she would have made other choices in ACOSF, starting with Vassa's development, Cassian's observations that Lucien is adamant about not being in Velaris, Elain trying to get closer to Azriel, Nesta flat out saying that it was Elain that Azriel was pining over by the fire, and it would have continued after Solstice where Azriel and Elain nearly kissed.

Instead, SJM chose to make their only interaction with that Lucien still looks at Elain with longing and Elain's bravado disappearing when he did.

#elucien #pro elucien #elain x lucien #elucien theory

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thecluehunt · 4 months

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welcome to the clue hunt!

how does this thing work?

to join the search for the 39 clues you will need to concoct a serum that will make you(r branch) all-powerful and set for world domination. follow this blog and/or like this post to register:)

this is an online clue hunt based on tumblr inspired by the 39 clues series. you do not have to have read the series to participate, although it might be more fun if you have!

a list of 39 elements, each with an associated number to account for its quantity in the final serum, has been determined and will soon be circulated across the threads of the interwebs. the goal of this clue hunt will be to collect all of these clues for your branch!

there will be four branches the participants will be loosely divided into based on their interests (will elaborate on this in a bit). the lucians (red, the cunning branch, think codes and logic and conniving), the ekaterinas (yellow, the stem branch), the tomas (blue, the athletic branch, which in the context of this clue hunt translates to gamers/shit that requires good motor skills) and the janus (green, the artistic branch)

each participant will be given a few clues at the start of the game. you will randomly be alloted into branches UNLESS you send an ask to this blog with a preferred branch. to make sure each branch has more or less equal numbers, asking for a specific branch will mean you will be given less clues than other participants at the start of the game (i.e. there is an advantage to random branch assignment).

you will be told your final branch privately and will not be revealed the branches of any other participants.

you will be required to hide the few clues given to you across the interwebs (there won't be many clues don't worry) in internet trails, using codes, links, metaphors, required tasks you need to complete to attain the clue, etc etc. this will largely be up to you and you will be allowed to use your creative license - but you will have to send your trail to this blog to make sure it is workable and not too vague lol. i will edit/fine tune everything and if you can't think of anything i will make a trail for you

if you pick your own branch, you will be required to incorporate the core values of your branch into your trails. so for the janus this means hiding clues in art, for lucians this means codes and cryptography related things maybe, etc etc.

write your tumblr url somewhere near where you leave the clue so people know you left it there!

a map will be provided with the location of each clue around the world, colour coded. so for example, myrrh, a clue from the original series, is an ekaterina clue native to north africa. so, a yellow dot representing myrrh will be marked in this region. this can be used to find out what branches other members are in. for example, if you find out a fellow participant hid the clue myrrh, you can deduce they are from the ekaterina branch because there is a yellow dot in the region it's from. if you are also an ekat, this means you can trust them with your clues because you're on the same team:)

a certain number of clues will not be given to any participants and will be withheld as madrigal clues. these will be hidden by me:)

you can recruit members who haven't registered to help you with your hunt well into the game! however, you need to have registered at the beginning (i.e. be following this blog and like this post) to receive your own clues

any/all forms of cheating and backstabbing will be allowed (for everyone except me/the madrigals that is):D

to help with organizing if you don't want to participate, you can join the madrigals! we are a neutral team who cannot by definition win and are just having fun organizing all this lol

more details including duration, prizes, etc will be shared/updated later!

happy hunting!

tagging people who interacted with my post about this: @the39cluesian @iankabra @yakalll @angelkat-x @icamebackfromnarnia @39addict101 @manicpixiess @bilhert @mediodedios @toiletpotato @39starrygurl @gaslighting69 @nimonaaaa @dinatela @amianislovely @fandom-oracle @sarasanddollar @carpe-astrae @ghost-in-a-cup @cosmo-babe @kadalakari

#the 39 clues

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meeeeeeese · 1 month

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Boltzmann brains and the true cosmic horror of the mists.

The fractals of the mists, for some they're an infinite loot farm, and for others they're a wheel of infinite torture. Their status as 'kinda horrifying' is pretty well known but I wanna go into the true depths of what they imply to the world of Tyria, and to do that we need to look at the Boltzmann brain.

So, the Boltzmann brain was a thought experiment that suggested that over an infinite period of time, it was far more likely for your brain to be the result of a random fluctuation of entropy hallucinating past memories. Essentially it was saying 'what's more likely, that your one of the people who lived and died on earth, or that your one of the infinite brains (again, given infinite time) that randomly spawn into existance before degrading back to nothing (I am VASTLY oversimplifying here and I'm sure anyone actually educated on the topic can point out innumerable misundersandings in this paragraph alone.).

Now this can kind of be applied to the world of Tyria and the surrounding proto-reality of the mists as well. We don't know how many fractals there are in existance, they seem to form naturally and the world of Tyria alone has spawned countless fractals as it marches through time (and this isn't even getting into the artificially created fractals that the wizards and similarly powerful entities can create). So essentially, my argument is, what's more likely, that you are a true Tyrian mortal, born and raised in prime Tyrian reality, or that you're a denizen of the infinite fractals that have echoed out from Tyria like ripples on a pond? Statistically, you're a fractal denizen, cursed to repeat the same day over and over until you fade back into the mists. And you'd never even know.

Honestly I don't know how Tyrian citizens sleep soundly at night.

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #moose lore posting #'random fluctuations of entropy' is code for a lot of complex physics that my brain isn't nearly big enough to understand #so you'll have to find someone more qualified if you really wanna understand that little thought experiment

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bookofmirth · 4 months

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I'm a third through the book and wanted to get some thoughts down

Info dump after info dump. I am curious how much of this actually even matters to what is coming, or to acotar5. Obviously getting confirmation that the dagsteri (my new word for the Asteri/Daglan) created the Illyrians was neat, but some of this stuff we kinda knew?

Like the Cauldron being "corrupted". We knew that, back in acomaf. We didn't know by whom or why, but... we knew, and kept seeing that in action for two books.

That whole section didn't feel like a revelation, so much as a confirmation of stuff we knew. And if the whole point was for Bryce just to have gotten Truthteller to pair with the Starsword, then... feels like sjm could easily have created a super secret new weapon in Midgard for her to have used. Also! Her getting that pure light from Theia. Like Bryce was not OP enough??? This is what happens when everyone is the most beautiful and strong and powerful ever, you get to just keep raising the stakes and no one is ever Too Much, I guess.

Nice of sjm to go back to her random weapons that she pulled out of her butt in acosf and make them somewhat meaningful. I'm sure that Truthteller was always meant to have significance, but the Trove? I guess that I appreciate that sjm is making an effort for them to not be a real "somehow, Palpatine has returned" moment.

I'm already dreading all of the "asldkajlsdjad sjm is such a genius!!!" posts. No, she did what authors normally do and think ahead. Rereading acosf this past weekend really confirmed that for me; for once, she was planning ahead in acosf, and... whether people still think that took away from Nesta's story is another issue altogether. But it's super easy for her to go back and say "this was important all along!!!!!" when no. We can tell.

I think the one thing that she added, that is really intriguing, is the way that people react differently around Made objects. I still don't get why there are differences, considering that tons of people in Prythian are Starborn. The logistics are fuzzy but it feels like she could randomly point to any fae character (save Illyrians, and no one who was born human) and call them Starborn.

Also Sigrid - what the fuck? tbh I am heavily skimming the parts with all the men in Midgard, but I did catch that.

I'm literally just word vomiting here, but I might have something more coherent later. I really would have given up on this series if the crossover hadn't happened, but I'll try to not talk about things that annoy me :) Yet. :)

#hofas spoilers #spoilers #house of flame and shadow spoilers #Leslie reads hofas #I'll avoid being negative #until the need is too strong

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asimplearchivist · 6 months

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A Proposition for Potential PMD: Explorers Remakes

If and when Nintendo remakes PMD: Explorers (preferably optimized/combined as they did with Sky versus Time/Darkness, like they did with Red/Blue Rescue Team into DX), I think it could work as an open-world game like Legends: Arceus.

Hear me out.

We don't exactly know the context of the hero being brought to the world in the first place: in PMD lore humans apparently exist in the world but are exceedingly rare to come across, like unicorns it seems like to me. What if the reason for this is because humans can only exist in the PMD world if they're brought there?

It's implied that a higher power than Dialga returned the hero after they disappeared from the timeline, and who is above Dialga?

Who brought a modern human into the world of Hisui?

More thoughts below:

I want, more than anything for the reboots, for there to be an elaboration on what it was like in the future between the hero and Grovyle (and the other members of the investigation team, whoever they were besides Celebi), but this would require a certain amount of personalization for the human!player due to the implementation of character customization in most of the recent games.

The solution? Present it like Legends: Arceus.

Show Arceus approaching the hero to help save this world from time (minus the phone, obviously). Whether or not he wipes the hero's memory of their time in their world is debatable, but I think that would be an interesting dynamic to see the hero willing to sacrifice all knowledge of their life prior to being sent there—it would give a similar feeling to the mystery of the base game, and limit the hero's knowledge to match new players' for plot polishing.

Your main question might be, 'Fisara, the whole point of these games are the mystery dungeons! How can you have an open-world game like Legends: Arceus, which has a set map, and use it this way?'

I propose to you the concept of labyrinths.

Hypothetically, one could construct a basic structure of a map of any given dungeon, sort of like Legend of Zelda dungeons, but have the individual rooms/pathways randomized like normal. That way you have an entrance and an exit, but if you don't make your way through the mystery dungeon correctly, as normal, it spits you back out at the beginning.

I say this because the concept of having 'floors' can pose immersion issues since this format would have to be more realistic—having random staircases littered throughout the place wouldn't make very much sense.

However, one could break down the dungeons into levels, especially since many of them are located either in caves or mountainous regions; like switching between main rooms in LoZ dungeons, again, just sealing them off so you can't go back—more of a gradual descent.

For plains/forests/et cetera, it could simply be the winding trail through these places on the same vertical plane, presented as zones or sections instead.

Items and Pokemon could still be randomly generated like Sword/Shield and Scarlet/Violet, as well.

While the idea isn't perfect and definitely would need some refining to make it feasible, I feel that it would work.

So now that the player as a human is established, the 'modernization' of mystery dungeons solved for the most part, what about the story?

I think the reboot's plot could be the same as the base games, perhaps with added scenes in the time gaps to fill out the plot more—you wake up as a Pokemon, save the world, go through the post-game, you know the drill.

I definitely want them to bring forward the Special Episodes, likewise, and maybe add some more! I'd like to know how Chatot and Wigglytuff met, more about Wigglytuff and Armaldo/Team Charm, and some of the other Guildmembers and side characters that didn't get spotlights.

Where I propose that it differs is my own personal canon, but I'll try to keep it general.

It would be required that the team reaches Guildmaster Rank before this could happen, and that Darkrai's situation has been settled. (Whether or not there's an implied time skip or not, I don't know.) But one day your partner asks you if there's anything you wonder about regarding your past, and you could be presented with two options:

'I wish I could get my memories back,' or, 'I wish I knew if Grovyle is okay.'

This choice doesn't really divert any changes, just the order they take place in, if that makes sense.

Your partner agrees with you, whatever you say, and it falls to the back of your minds until you happen to learn from Bidoof (or the other Guildmembers, since they were there) that Jirachi grants wishes—and that his came true since the team joined the Guild.

I know you can visit Star Cave and receive a wish from Jirachi, in Red/Blue Rescue Team/DX, and he's featured in Bidoof's Wish, but I don't recall if you as the hero can get a wish granted from him—which is where this plot point comes into play.

Your partner proposes that you two travel to Star Cave to see if Jirachi could answer your wishes, and should you go it proceeds as normal: dungeon layout has changed like the base game, you have to fight Jirachi, and he offers you the same options as in Bidoof's Wish: to become rich (lots of money), to be the strongest Pokemon (power-up items), to be the best explorer (perhaps a map to an unexplored/undiscovered dungeon?), to eat lots of yummy food (gummis), to get lots of items (from the dungeon), to rule the world (which I think would prompt a repeat question, since it's a rather silly answer)...

...Or 'something else'.

You have the choice to select any of the former options, but picking 'something else' will instigate a new conversation after confirming that it is truly and that you are absolutely sure that it's what you want. This relates directly to the conversation you had with your partner earlier, so the player's choice will be their wish—however, you don't have to worry about which one you pick, because your partner will share the one you didn't, so the dialogue would be switched around a little bit to accommodate for that.

Hero: (Something else.) Partner: ...Oh, [Player], you mean...what we talked about earlier? Hero: (Nods) Partner: Okay. {Turns to Jirachi} [Player] is originally from the future, and lost his/her memories during an accident while traveling back through time. We wanted to know if you could...well, if you could grant his/her wish to restore them! Jirachi: Hmm...that is not an easy wish to grant, as I don't normally have the power to influence anyone's memory. Partner, downtrodden: ...Oh. Jirachi: ...But, since you and [Player] have worked so hard and one so much...I will make [Player]'s wish come true. Partner, excited: R-really? You'll do that, Jirachi? Jirachi: Yes. And as a personal favor for you saving the world twice over...I'll grant your wish, too, [Partner]. Partner: O-oh! My wish? I didn't even think about it...I was so caught up with [Player]'s that I haven't even considered what I would ask for... Jirachi: It's all right. That you were so concerned for [Player] says a lot about you. You're a good Pokemon, [Partner]. So if you don't have a wish now... Partner: W-wait! I do think I have one, if that's all right! Jirachi: Go on. Partner: We have some friends in the future, and we're not sure if they're okay. We would really like to know if they're all right, Jirachi, if that's at all possible. Jirachi: Hmm...that isn't exactly easier, either, but...it will happen. You'll be able to find out soon if your friends are alive and well, [Player] and [Partner]. It may not happen today, or tomorrow, but...one day. Partner: Thank you, Jirachi! You don't know how much this means to us! Jirachi: I'm glad. Consider it my thanks for your efforts in saving our world.

Jirachi grants the wishes and disappears to go back to sleep. Nothing changes at first, so they worry a little, but partner has hope that Jirachi's word is true.

Hero and partner return home, and during the night while the player is dreaming, the hero starts to have dreams of snippets of their life before—mostly dialogue with some images, like their dimensional scream flashes.

This unlocks a new section, similar to the Special Episodes, of the pre-story—where the aforementioned plot of the player being chosen and deposited into the PMD world occurs.

I think it should focus on the player getting through a first dungeon by themselves to learn combat—and, again, you might wonder 'how in the world would that work, Fisara?' but I say to that: the proliferation of items littering the place.

It never really made sense to me why Pokemon would use items, particularly those for attacks, when they have moves (other than a mechanical sense, of course, for the game's sake), but it would make perfect sense for a human who has no abilities to use them: Gravelrocks/Geo-Pebbles, Sticks/Iron and Silver Thorns, various Seeds and Orbs...the human would not be defenseless, and this would explain why Grovyle uses them with such familiarity, also.

Then the player meets Grovyle (though I'd honestly prefer it if they met him as a Treecko and they 'grew up' together a bit, although other than some magic with the evolutionary spring I don't know how he'd evolve in-lore unless they sought a special item or something. They get connected with the investigation society and—for the main plot of this extension—you and Grovyle explore the Grass Continent as it stands in the corrupted future.

This would give so many opportunities to see how the ecology/environment changes, the names that future Pokemon give the locations, and while it would follow a similar path to the main game it would be a refreshing view of it since this is where all of the hero's flashbacks originate. Having to discover old maps and texts to figure out the locations of the Time Gears, maybe even tracking down Uxie/Mesprit/Azelf if they're still around/haven't been driven mad by the planet's paralysis (maybe Uxie is the only one who remembers since his specialty is in memory, idk). Then we would have the opportunity to introduce the danger that Dusknoir poses, trying to track them down to stop them. I'd also like to see at least some background indications of Darkrai's meddling, because there is so much potential to bring the plot full circle with more exploration.

They would somehow need to be able to travel to the Hidden Land (now, canonically, Dusk Forest) to find Celebi, so I don't know if the Relic Fragment and Lapras would come into play, or if Celebi just travels around the continent (in the case of there being more than one time portal). Anyway, Dusknoir and his Sableye finally almost catch them, Celebi sends them back, and then Grovyle and the hero are attacked during the time stream by Darkrai (which I'd really like to see a glimpse/indication of him, even if he's in the shadows).

Once this is completed, when you go back to the main game (after a day, so the following night), you explain to your partner that you received your memory back and explain everything that happened. They're ecstatic, and they ask you about Grovyle and Celebi and your adventures that you remembered. Then they get a little down, asking if you miss them now, and you're able to respond.

Small time skip (bc this post is already way too long), and one day Celebi shows up at the guild looking for you! She explains that the time portal has been repaired now that time has evened back out, and says that you can come to the future again. The player decides to go, but the partner decides to stay because they belong there, and the player truly belongs in the future. Cue tearful goodbye (pls animate a hug also that'd be great), and player travels to the Hidden Land with Celebi to find it (opening up another section like the memories one so the player can still hang out in the present and do missions and stuff—no obligation to go forward).

They travel back to the future, and while it would hypothetically look the same as the past since the paralysis is gone, I think it'd be great to show the passage of time with the ruins being a little more decayed and overgrown w/ vegetation/etc. Maybe Dialga visits them and bids them hello.

Celebi takes them back to the mainland where the others have settled, maybe Treasure Town but I think it would be nice to see anew settlement instead. Cue tearful reunion with Grovyle (another animated hug pls), but then gasp! Dusknoir's there too!

I want there to be full explanations on how everything's going on—did they form an exploration team? Are they managing their town? How are they adjusting to non-post-apocalyptic life? (With a whole story arc on learning to trust Dusknoir again since he's been redeemed, I will accept no other option, Nintendo. Give me wholesomeness with that old man.) I want them to go on adventures again with the hero and them all be happy. Then I want them to go visit Treasure Town to find out that your partner has become the Guildmaster since Wigglytuff decided to retire/go exploring on his own again (with or without Chatot, maybe depending on how severely his wounds from Kabutops/Omanytes limited his exploration abilities, idk). Wrap it all up in a nice little bow.

I'd love it if you also had the option to return the player to a human or not, too, but I don't really know how you'd execute that other than another wish from Jirachi maybe—but we never really got an explanation on how the player was turned into a human in the first place (which I would absolutely want—did Arceus do it to protect them?), so I think it would potentially work, though I'm sure some people wouldn't be a fan of that idea since being a Pokemon is one of the main premises of the games.

Anyway...you can tell I spent far too much time thinking about this. Feel free to add any more ideas with reblogs or comments, I'd love to hear what y'all think! :)

#fisara's scrawlings #pokemon #pmd #pokemon mystery dungeon #pmd eos #pokemon mystery dungeon explorers #explorers of sky #pmd2 #pmd 2

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randomnameless · 3 months

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So because of Leopold's support and the shadow assassinations by the Agarthans and Humbert , it would be irrealistic to have a civil war happen early on (as in it start during the first year of the war) despite how Edelgard's extended lmanifesto (not just the church part) screw over the nobility while at the same time screwing the church that, unlike the nobles, the civilians of Adrestia seem to somewhat give a shit about?

At least if the intent when writing a fanfic is to respect the lore/world building of Canon?

We don't see enough Adrestian civilians to even know what they think about, we heard about "missing" church people in Adrestia, but nothing about the commoners - we only hear in passing iirc Ashe talking about starvation because of the war, but idk if he's talking in general or about Adrestia.

Ferdie'n'Lysithea's paralogue tells us the randoms in Hrym and being bled dry under Ludwig's name (when he's actually framed by Thales!), and even if the game tries to avoid this topic like the plague, I still wonder where all those "war assets" are coming from, especially since the "people working" on those projects didn't hesitate a second to use Adrestians as guinea pigs (iirc Remire is in Adrestia!).

So Hubert's secret police + starvation + whatever is happening thanks to Agarthans riling people up like what happens in Hrym + Leopold being in charge of the army (that is made up of people from other places than just, Bergliez) + Hubert being Hubert, aka willingly take people hostage or threaten them to make their families comply + Supreme Leader (I mean Hubert) jailing/rekting "corrupt" nobles in the first days of her ascension to the throne...

Nopes apparently says Enbarr's people are pretty happy about the war, because they're revanchists and are hell removed from the frontlines - but what about the rest of Adrestia?

I once compared the coronation scene in CF to a coup (because Billy and Supreme Leader are accompanied by soldiers) but it would sort of match, Supreme Leader gets total control of the army through Bergliez's lust of power/conquest, control over the finances because Linhardt's dad is just like that I guess, Hubert oversees everything and, at least in FE16, Arundel still sides with her.

Aegir was neutralised, Vestra Sr was put in a trashcan, and Varley is either reduced to a puppet or to House arrest.

There are no powers left to oppose her in Adrestia, and if commoners somehow managed to rebel, they would have to deal with their very own national army, secret police and random Agarthans... on top of finding enough food to eat to survive while the ressources are given to the frontlines.

But in a way, everything I'm just saying bar the canon facts of :

having Leopold and the Army + Waldemar and the money

Hubert doing Hubert things

opposing big name nobles being swiftly deposed/neutralised just after her coronation (or before in Nopes!)

food shortages

FE16 wise : Agarthans taxing randoms to death/ Nopes : Agarthans killing people randomly

FWIW, AG where we learn a bit more about Adrestia, and how, apparently, Agarthans and bandits (?) are slaughtering randoms there, but the nobles are too concerned by the Kingdom's assault to protect their people, and would rather see them die than divert troops to, just, have the bandits/agarthans stop creating rivers of blood with the bloods of the people they're supposed to protect.

Everything else is headcanon/AUs/fanfic/however you want to call it.

So bar those points... Adrestia just exists and it's a damn shame, because even Begion managed to get its pseudo civil war between Sanaki and the Senate where commoners/people supported one over the other, but in Adrestia? Bar the BE peeps and a few dads, you have the feeling no one else exists.

FWIW, in the non CF routes, the opera company joins Billy's army iirc, so maybe they're not loyalists? And represent some people who aren't that gung-ho about the war?

i have that random headcanon that in Nopes, Manu and Mittelfrank are used for spying stuff, and actually, through Yuri and Manu herself, give intel about what happens in Enbarr to the CoS while the opera workers try to sabotage as much as they can some stuff in the Imperial Army... but that's just an AU lol

#maelor321 #replies #FE16 #3 nopes #Adrestia stuff #tfw the only nobles we see on Adrestia's side in SB are the ones who completely bought Supreme Leader's rehtoric #thus want to show their merit by uh #doing things that rank up merit during a war where you invade people i guess #I'd just have liked one map or a battalion of Adrestian rebels who join either the CoS or the Kingdom/Alliance because they do not approve #hell maybe if you recruited Ferdie instead of joining you there's a paralogue not in SS where you have to help him as he is #idk... maybe destroying a war asset camp/facility #and the Imperial Army found him out and has order to eliminate him and he must be saved by Billy + Lord ?#anything really #i have at least 3 AUs with Adrestian rebellions lol #from fake pretenders to the throne to zombies #and the Manu résistance network lol

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