#and quit while i was ahead

[silverskye13]

Greedy Bird

Quick little speed doodle while watching Grian play Decked Out 2 in the background.

#spazzcat doodles #grian #hermitcraft #decked out 2 #decked out #pumpkin the ravager #ravager #decked out fanart #grian fanart #had a lot of fun with the poses <3 #i probably could've fought with that background for hours but i eventually reminded myself 'this is a fun doodle' #and quit while i was ahead #sometimes you just gotta [shrug] #anyway i'm going to bed now <3 this was a fun little unwind drawing

[arinmoss]

i have 3 astarion pieces so far hehe :3c also the last one is available as a print here

#lmao at the first 2 still being works in progress #look man i don tlike finishing things idk i love starting new wips #tbh the last one could also use more work but i decided to quit while iwas ahead #he looks so different in each one lmao #i just love to draw how ever im feeling in the current moment <3 and sometimes that means people look not at all how they are supposed to < #bg3 #astarion #baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3

[brainrotisseriechicken]

..

extra:

(it was a spring morning)

(he was a frail boy with no friends)

(he ran into you from across the wall)

(you said hello to him, and asked him to play along)

(at that very moment, he received his lifelong—)

extra 2: oscar boogaloo

yeahhhh....iykyk

#ozpin #professor ozpin #it never gets less embarassing tagging this #rwby #ugh #wait hm #ozma #salem #not tagging ozlem because its kinda giving ottokallen and ergh #oscar pine #sighs anyways #both of them have the same role functionally #they parallel eachother via #hold on im getting ahead of myself #he really does remins me of otto #theyre like prometheus #but with the gift of flight instead of fire #(haha flight as a heavy-handed metaphor for civilization) #they both give said gift through something of the previous civilization #im playing fast and loose w otto but he gave the gift of flight through ingenuity #thus wooden planes #ozpin gave the gift of flight (quite literally) through his magic #thus #gestures vaguely #i have so much more to say but alas ... #horrible corvid anatomy cw #while ozma is kinda su coded tbh...immortal brown dudes dealing with their megalomaniac white-haired situationship core #if you know what im referencing im so so sorry #EVERY NIGHT BRINGS A DREAM BUT THE DAYYYY RELENTLESSLY KEEPS ME AWAKEEEE #honestly idk where the quote is from kevin said it so it must be true

[utilitycaster]

Skein of Destiny

Now that I've got your attention with a shitpost I do want to plug the article I worked on that prompted it, and throw out some thoughts that are too speculative for wiki articles!

What we know (ie, the canon stuff; much of this is also in the article with citations)

The skein is a physical manifestation of the concept of fate, with threads representing the fate of individuals - Vax and Caleb have both seen it in two entirely different contexts, and Evontra'vir's roots grow into it.

The idea of destiny and fate as a skein/tapestry/weave is nigh-universal in Exandria. It is consistent among worshipers of the Prime Deities (Raven Queen and Ioun both reference it; The Raven Queen's domain includes fate), the Luxon (Caleb sees the skein within the beacon), and nature (Evontra'vir was a druid of the Gau Drashari). Nana Morri, a hag in the feywild, acknowledges it is the Raven Queen's domain, though she has the ability to see it and influence threads beyond her own from an external perspective; Teven Klask (worshiper of a Betrayer God) identifies Fearne as being "outside the knotted weave." Arcane, divine of pretty much all known forms, fey, fiend, and elemental are all united in this understanding in a way they are not really about anything else.

Destiny and fate as understood in Exandria do not mean "all is pre-determined" (as indicated in the shitpost, this is about the interplay of fate and free will, which have always coexisted). The above entities are also united in this understanding. The Raven Queen notes that Vax, as Fate-Touched, influences the fates of those around him in unique ways not merely limited to his choices, but does grant him many choices herself, and tells Percy when he asks her for answers that "There are a great many deeds ahead of you. It's your choice to take them." Ioun says something similar to Vox Machina, and a core tenet of the Changebringer is "Luck favors the bold. Your fate is your own to grasp." The Luxon and Dunamancy are based on the concept of possibility, of many potential paths taken and not taken, and not only do chronurgy wizard spells and the fate-touched ability share certain mechanics, but also permit a do-over, since the future is not yet known. When Caleb observes the threads he sees multiple branches off of them that are implied to be based on possibility (ie, there is not merely one option). And Evontra'vir in episode 3x74 directly tells Bells Hells that while some things are fated to happen, it will be their choice that determines what happens to the gods; it also tells Ashton they are fated to retrieve the spark, but also to bestow it, a choice that is their own.

All three of the main powers discussed (Raven Queen, Luxon, Evontra'vir) also serve to preserve the cycle of life, death, or rebirth in some capacity.

Some thoughts: Honestly the big one is that while the idea of fate vs. free will or of the future being a series of possibilities rather than one definite path is a very common one in epic fantasy (frankly, the idea of Fate as "everything is predetermined" is a bad one anyway in fiction because then there's no point in telling the story), there is a particular ludonarrative harmony to play with this theme in a TTRPG. There is a general path laid out before you, but it is not ironclad, and you can make choices to attempt to change this. Sometimes you will fail despite your best efforts based on factors beyond your control but sometimes you will experience unlikely success. The narrative is shaped by this interplay of possibility/probability and choice.

Some wild speculation: I think a peaceful parting with the gods (ie, stopping Predathos and then Bells Hells making their choices about the fate of Exandria as stated by Evontra'vir) would still preserve this skein fate (as would of course maintaining the divine status quo), but a failure to stop Predathos will destroy it, and the fabric of the cosmos (the roots of Predathos are between worlds; fate connects all of the inner planes). I desperately need to know why Fearne is said to exist outside of fate, because I don't know if that's a fey thing, a Ruidusborn thing, a Nana Morri thing, or something else entirely. I would be shocked if the Luxon doesn't come up in SOME capacity later in the campaign (or perhaps in the Echoes of the Solstice one-shot coming up), and I'm very interested in seeing what other party members might gain as they gather their allies and resources. And I don't think it's coincidence that the two deities devoured by Predathos pre-Schism included Vordo the Fateshaper (nor Ethedok, the Endless Shadow, whose domain of darkness and winter is thematically associated with the cycle of life and death).

#the hilarity of me going full string conspiracy board about a skein has not been lost. join me will you? #critical role #i have still more thoughts about the party makeup and how they fit into this but i wanted to quit while ahead #critical role spoilers #long post

[brookheimer]

wait i was joking at first but why is the thought of ken trying to buy gojo lowkey starting to make sense…. like. i can see it all so clearly…… he needs a passion project so he doesn’t start using again but once tanking the deal succeeds then what? we all know he wants ceo for himself not to actually share it w the sibs so he needs to make Big Moves to build his case and we already know that acquisitions like vaulter are his go-to portfolio-boosters and gojo would be perfect and also a great fuck you, yknow? kendall never stops he’s never satisfied he flies higher and higher closer and closer to the sun he always does so the deal falling apart wouldn’t be enough for him, he’d need more, he’d need an unequivocal win, right? like it’s just SUCH a manic/cocky kendall move and also would bring him ever closer to logan territory AND sole heir AND icarus moment????? kendall is gonna say ‘fuck you matsson we’re buying YOU now uno fucking reverse’ isn’t he . oh my god. it would be so fucking funny

#am i going crazy or is this actually like. plausible #it would also just be SO FUNNY #like such a perfect kendall brand of business stupidity and NOOO KEN QUIT WHILE YOURE AHEAD PLEEEAAASEE that succ Loves #like succ loves victories that are then ruined by the characters’ own insatiability and hubris #so like. deal falls apart (what ken wanted) but it’s not enough. he needs more. so let’s fucking turn this ship around and buy gojo #LMAO #succession #kendall roy #100

[abirddogmoment]

i hope i never stop being amazed at the power of latent learning, like wow how cool is it to practice something a little bit, take a long break so it can sink in, and then return and do it beautifully??? amazing phenomenal and so so cool

#dogblr #dog training #i feel that i have gotten soooo much better at 'ending on a good note' instead of pushing for another perfect rep #i catch myself more often and quit while we're ahead #anyway this is specifically about my beautiful dogs #i was watching a reel of this persom teaching a 5mo border collie to wrap jumps #and she did it in probably about 60 or 70 reps in one session #and i was thinking that it would take me at least 10 or 15 sessions with rory because i can get maaaaaybe 5 reps of any behaviour #before shes like nah this sucks #but the coolest thing about training brittanies is just #you do your 3 or 4 reps and quit #and you come back a week later and they GET it #its like they need a long time to process it #but they WILL process it in your time off #anyway shes doing a really decent baby freestack in a front position #we practiced it once two weeks ago and then returned to it today and she nailed it #i tried to video but of course it did not work #storal of the mory: i love a dog that constantly humbles me in this specific way #im glad this was a brittany thing and not just a mav thing because i love training in this way

[vitamin-zeeth]

they are. friends :>

#silly show #im loving season 3 its genuinely the best one so far #im so glad they quit while they were ahead and didnt wait for it to suck #i love them. lamest guy in the world and his weird mate #if i was a teenager when this was coming out i would have been staying up til 2am to catch this show airing #the mighty boosh #wet floor sign

[warren-keplers-funk-band]

the loki season 2 finale to me is like the hannibal season 3 finale. we all would like more content. we all would like to see the show come back. but is there anything that could happen from this point onwards that wouldn't take away from the utter poetic beauty of these endings? i don't think so. they're perfect because they're unfinished. they're quite literally the only way i could imagine either series ending in a way that is satisfying (although maybe a gay little kiss on both accounts wouldn't go amiss guys). loki achieves the ultimate character growth by sacrificing all the things that were finally his and finally important in order to save the people he loves. if we got a third season where he comes back... like sure i yearn for more workplace comedy, but wouldn't that lessen the impact of one of the most incredible, painful, beautiful finales literally ever put to television?? it's the same with hannibal! is there literally anything more fitting than hannibal and will ending their dark, twisted, destructive romance by plummeting off a cliff in each others arms? sure it's a funny haha to imagine them off sipping daiquiris in cuba, but the truth is any continuation would just feel cheap. from a storytelling perspective i think both these shows being done is the best case scenario.

#i think as a society we need to learn restraint #we need to learn from supernatural #which don't get me wRONG #i love dearly #all fifteen goddamn seasons of it #but we need to learn how to quit while we're ahead #and just sometimes #sit back and admire a completed piece of art #less is more and all that #even if it is #in the case of loki at least #the most devastating shit i have seen in a WHILE #but that's the beauty of it #loki #loki season 2 #loki spoilers #hannibal #hannigram #lokius #hannibal spoilers

[ssaalexblake]

Let's be real, some things people say to explain their dislike of the timeless child plot are justifying the allegory the story is portraying 🤷

Some of y'all need to learn to stop at 'I didn't like it' and leave off the questionable opinions on refugees that you don't realise you're even making, bc Yikes 👀

#dw shit #and maybe lay off the insinuation that only blood family is family bc oooffff #you know that thing where somebody says 'i didnt like Thing' and you're like oh okay fine #and then they go on to explain Why they dislike the thing and it's for a messed up reason and you're no longer 'oh okay' you're like #'wow you suck' instead? bc they should have quit while they were ahead? well this is that

[mo-ok]

Go Onger / RPM Jacket Swaps ❤️💙💛💙❤️

#go onger #engine sentai go onger #power rangers #rpm #i did it i drew the main 3s #sosuke my beloved i will never get sick of drawing youuuuuu #also i dont think i'll ever draw scott without eka darville's labret piercing at this point its as good as canon in my head #summer is the big sister saki DESERVED but drawing her was a struggle i did NOT deserve tbh #does it bother me that summers jacket is different to everyone elses??? yes. Is her jacket still cute tho?? yeah. #*whispers very softly* the blue bus boys get along like a house on fire #now the real question is do i draw the gold and silver duos or do i quit while i'm ahead lol #go on rpm #2023 art tag

[wimbledon2008]

tagged by @dimidreyy ❣

✨ Let's do something fun! I wanna see the top 6 photos of your fave. These are mine! ✨

tagging @lostandmost @justisco @donbajas @federernadal @grandmafc @kodachromatics @realpersonfacts @jean--valswan @motleyistheonlywear @meatculture @lore-pellegrini @scudetto @leclercari ❤ show me your favorite sports guys (gn) if you want to play too!

#i'm usually terrible about replying to tag games #but that picture of roger staring blankly ahead while a disembodied hand tries to take off his watch #is quite literally one of my favorite pictures of all time #i knew i had to raise a platform for it here #roger federer #tennis

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

Question about Lights Out, and you don't have to answer if it holds spoilers ofc! But does anyone else know Frank is slowly dying? Or is he just kinda dealing with the whole thing on his own?? (I'm gonna eat up any angst you throw at me-)

well, of course Wally and Home know. i mean, all three of them are dying - technically everyone is - Frank's just going faster. and i have an idea that when the others start waking up, Frank makes Wally agree to stay hush-hush on the matter as to not Freak Anyone Out... that will backfire!

#wally knows from the start but im not sure how i want others to find out.... #i mean its going to become Obvious that something is very wrong with him #(and to a slightly lesser extent - wally & home) #one option is eddie overhears wally and frank talking about it #and is like 'wait what do you mean youre Fuckign Dying-' #or they all just figure it out #i dont frank to just randomly keel over #theyre gonna know ahead of time. theyre gonna have some Warning. #im not gonna blindside anyone like that.... #it takes away emotional impact! #knowing its coming is Infinitely more painful and emotional than it happening suddenly! #frank is haunting the narrative before he even dies! he's already a ghost! #rambles from the bog #wh lights out au #theres a uh... Mechanic to how and why everyone is slowly dying #why frank dies after only a few years while wally survives decades #why the others aren't quite in as much immediate 'natural' danger #and why home would be the last to go had things not changed #it has to do with the Pit and it has to do with the Goop™️

[soot-and-salt]

Vox nodded and strode over to the piano, making a "may I?" gesture. After a moment of consideration, Alastor scooted over on the bench with a hum. With a flick of his coat tails, Vox sat with a grin, admiring the instrument up close. 

"Now this, my dear television, is what we call a "piano"," Alastor said, jackal grin on his face and tinny audience laughter in his static. 

With a toothsome grin of his own, Vox reached over and began to play "Für Elise". It was a little halting, a little rusty, but a competent enough rendition. The radio demon looked utterly shocked, an expression he rarely wore, and Vox savored it like fine wine. It wasn't every day you got to surprise him, after all. 

More QPR Alastor/Rosie/Vox. I don't know why I keep hurting myself

#hazbin alastor #hazbin fanfic #hazbin vox #hazbin rosie #hazbin hotel #i'm sorry #qpr #this ship needs a name #and I need to quit while I'm ahead

[tswwwit]

Hey! You mentioned a while back that if the other dimension Dipper/Mabel/Ford might call the penthouse for advice in dealing with their Bill, and Familiar!Dipper might pick up the "call". I've been rereading the Bill v Bill series and can't get the scene out of my head. Any chance you'd be interested in writing it?

I'm certainly interested in writing it! I think there's a lot of opportunity for Shenanigans, and that's totally my jam.

The problem is: Actually Getting Around to writing it. But perhaps one day!

#answers #I do have some very amusing ideas for it #But sadly they can't all fit in the same fic #I have to carefully select which ones work best and mesh with each other to create a Structure™ #Which is a whole thing #But perhaps I shall get around to it #In the meantime I'm almost done with this short 'Dipper forced to tell the truth' thing so we'll see how that goes #One potential thing I envisioned at one point was the Other Universe (or specifically that Dipper) #Trying to Spy on Bill to figure out if he could find a weakness. A crack in his defenses. A way to get that Dipper out of his clutches!! #Sadly he doesn't find any of that #He does see Bill with who he assumes is his husband though! Not sure who it is; can't see his face #Dipper doubts Bill would be taking a nap with his head on a non-hubby chest. Hugging them around the torso lying between their legs #IS that.... cuddling. No it can't be. It feels super weird to observe and now Other Dipper's uncomfortable #The person Bill's lying on is some guy who's fully clothed but it feels weirdly creepy to be watching anyway #Even though said guy is just dicking around on his phone. At one point he swats Bill for presumably no reason and that's amusing at least #Other Dipper decides he's gonna quit while he's ahead. Spying's not a great idea when who the hell knows could be going on the other end #(Our Dipper was playing a crossword and woke Bill up to provide an answer) #Clue: 'Suave' five letters. Third letter is 'u' Answer: Acute

[sciderman]

Opinion on 'The Incredibles' movies? And the theory that Violet may be the villain in the third movie if it's made?

dear god I hope they don’t make a third . the second was so, so, SOOOOOO bad.

#I hate sequels that exist to undo the events of the first. like it’s just. insulting. why bother. #there are no two sequels that i hate more than incredibles 2 and kingsman 2 #dropped the ball so bad #I posit that they must have fired all the character designers at Pixar before they made incredibles 2 #the drop in quality is.. insane.. #the new characters are. dreadful. all of them. #sci speaks #the incredibles truly is a movie that never needed a sequel. that’s the problem with Pixar franchises honestly #like the first movies are so Complete and so well made that they really. really don’t need a sequel. ever. #like #they did their job. story is done. you did it perfect. nothing to add. #quit while you’re ahead Pixar. make something New.

[elminsters]

I don't care that Larian isn't currently planning to do a bg4 tbh

a) I would rather see dnd games with a different setting other than this tiny segment of the sword coast b) I want WOTC to have to grovel and beg Larian to make more games for them after the way they fucked over their own staff who were on the WOTC team for bg3 c) I don't think one studio should be the "dnd video game guys" d) This game had a start and an end and I respect Larian for telling their story and not trying to force a sequel for money e) I don't want anyone's playthroughs to become "not canon" based on what is or isn't included in a potential bg4 (another reason a completely separate setting would be better) f) Just reiterating that I want WOTC to suffer and feel bad

#i would rather be left begging for more than wishing they'd quit while they were ahead