#and thats not living

[haunted-xander]

Shadowbringers is about learning how to live.

Your enemy is stasis- everything and everyone is stagnant, they wait and wait for something to happen, but don't do anything to make it so (because the ones who tried before failed, because they don't know what to do/how to do it). People don't change, they don't try, not really. The crystarium is doing well, it's independent and sustainable, but it doesn't have the reach or power to do much outside of Lakeland. The Exarch is more-or-less confined to the city (because of the tower, because he's waiting for you), so even if he had power elsewhere, he'd be limited with how much he, personally, can do.

Eulemore is filled with mindless indulgence, there's no hardships or labour or anything but luxury for the free citizens, and the bonded only have to worry about fulfilling the task(s) they were brought for. The outside world doesn't matter, hard work doesn't matter, personal fulfillment beyond indulgence doesn't matter, everything exist solely in the moment. The people out in Kholusia have pretty much given up, they stay close to the city in the hopes that this time they will be picked, this time they will be saved. They wait and wait and do nothing but wait. The ones who try to live on are dying out or eventually give up and join the rest in waiting.

Ahm Areang, Rak'tika, even Il Mheg are all just waiting for something, anything to happen. They go day to day, surviving simply because it's all they can. Nothing changes.

Until, of course, you should up. You, who causes a ripple of change simply by existing, who can move the immovable by sheer will. You showed them that things can change, that things can, and will happen, if they just try. You show them that they can make things better, that there is an option besides waiting for a slow death, if they'd just grab fate by the neck and tell it "No. We are doing this my way".

And they do. They rally up together and do what they thought impossible. Not all their efforts succeed(not immediately), but they tried. They tried, they failed, and they got up and tried again and again until it did work. They take the chances, not knowing how it'll turn out (because it's not about whether it fails or succeeds, it's about having tried).

They learn how to try, little by little, and every step they learn what it means to really live.

Endwalker is about learning how to love life.

Your enemy is nihilism- the idea that nothing matters, that there is no real joy to be found that isn't snuffed out by misery. A concept that denounces greys in favor of a black-and-white view where black is all encompassing. Everywhere you go, people are doing what they can to survive, but refuses (or maybe are afraid to, or maybe never knew they could) try to actually save themselves. The Forum plans for escape, to leave their homeworld behind and take whatever they can afford. They will live on, but they won't be saved, no one is saved(and even with escape they aren't safe, Despair is everywhere and She will not stop until all has become Nothing).

The Loporrits love Etheirys, but in the way Winter loves Spring. They know about it, they are so close to it, but they are distant. They're strangers, they've never met. It's love, and it's pure and true, but it's also just love. It's surface-level(because the surface is all they had). Their love is pure but it's instinctual. Programmed. They love because they don't know how to not love. They want to save it's people, save us, but they don't know what it really means to save, so they create refuge instead(because that's what She told them to, because this is how love works for them).

The people of Garlemald are terrified, they are victims of extreme indoctrination, the (deserved) push-back their army got proved them "right"(that we are savage beasts to fear, that they are but prey in the maws of rabid dogs). They want to be build-up again, but what's left for them now? The world hates them(and it's all their fault, the ones who see past the propaganda know this, but who will listen to them?) and they are dying. It's so cold and the fuel is running out. They won't accept help, because they've been filled with the idea that there is no such thing as pure kindness from "savages"(and they are too prideful to question it, to break apart from the illusion that they are surperior, because they're terrified to face the truth).

The sky screams, the earth wheeps and the foundation of existence is overtaken by Despair, misery is around every corner and who knows what will happen now? Where do we go? What do we do? We live and live but for what?

What's the point of it all?

That's the question, and the answer is everything. We live because there is joy to be found. Because there is beauty in the world. Because there are stars in the sky. Because flowers bloom in spring. Because cats purr. Because waves crash against the shore. Because of every single little thing we can see, hear or feel. Because we love and are loved. Because there are things to do and discover. Because why not?

And you tell them this, by letting them see that there is more to life than the little they have seen. The Forum has closed it's eyes to anything but it's own kith and kin, everything outside of Old Sharlayan is irrelevant(non-intervention, always non-intervention) and it takes the entire world coming and telling them "We are here. We are alive, and we will make tomorrow happen." for them to realize they have slowly been killing themselves and what they stand for(you pride yourself on knowledge, but where is your wisdom? What do you truly know of things outside your own bubble? You do not know that which is lived because you refuse to aknowledge anything but the written word).

The Loporrits see Etheirys itself, they experience it's corners and valleys and learn what love can really be. They want to save it, truly save it, because they love and this time it's informed, it's personal(I love you, I love you, and I want you to know I love your loves too).

In Garlemald everything is slow, unsteady and complicated, but it's changing. They're changing. With every person who accepts help the illusion of supremacy and "purity" melts away just a bit, and the wall standing between them and us breaks a little(it will never vanish completely, years upon years of oppression and subjugation and conquest don't disappear like that, but it's a start).

Shadobringers is about learning how to live, but Endwalker is about learning how to love life.

#FINALLY I FOUND A WAY TO PUT IT TO WORDS #its like. shb is about trying and trying again and again regardless of how it turns out- #because life is a game of dice were any and all sides are possible #but you have to throw it. because if you dont you wont get anything- be it good or bad #and thats not living #and ew is like. doing things not because you have to but because you *want* to #you throw the dice because you want *that* side(s). because you want something (to happen/to exist/to love) #living is trying and loving is wanting. you cant love without life and you cant live without love. not really #i think moreso than any other expacs that shb & ew enhance each other when viewed together (in a broad sense- in a collective) #this turned halfway into poetry at the end but its the only way i could put it that made like. sense to me. its about Feeling and loving and #living and everything all at once #tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow #final fantasy #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ffxiv #shadowbringers #endwalker #xander rambles #going insane. my brain is melting and being build up again and again and again

[titleofpersonage-p01]

#palestine #free palestine #israel #israel is committing genocide #i understand both sides of the argument in the comments #but the fact that this can even be some what believable is concerning in itself #always remember that an “us vs them” narrative is dangerous #we cannot deny that innocent lives are being slaughtered #i just want this war to be over #but thats not something thats going to be easily done

[cali]

sorry bro i lost focus and forgot where u begin and i end i hope nothing gay happened

#everytime i smoke too much i enter the lives of lawyers and secretaries and all the lives that arent mine #and on lsd i kept concentrating rlly hard on not becoming u #although now i think thats wrong but i havent done it in a while maybe if im brave ill not fight it next time

[calamitys-child]

One of my favourite mundane weirdnesses about Edinburgh is that we set the big clock visible approaching the station to be 3 minutes fast to make sure people are on time for their trains. My Favourite mundane weirdness of Edinburgh is that we check this by firing a cannon.

#im so used to it that genuinely hand on heart sudden loud bangs just make me hungry now #everyone that lives here is like. yeah lunchtime cannon thats normal. everyone who doesnt is so bewildered by it. i love it.

[pommegrantaire]

Au lit, le baiser by Henri de Toulous Lautrec but make it Aziracrow

#posting this late but i just finished it and i can rb it tomorrow #doing this digitally was wild and i probably could've done it traditionally with real live oil paints but maybe next time #i did have fun with this tough!! #i went to name the file 'smooch' but it ended up being 'smlooch' but thats still good #good omens #good omens fanart #good omens painting #aziracrow #air conditioning #ineffable husbands #ineffable partners #crowley #aziraphale #anthony j crowley #kissing #gomens #crowley x aziraphale #toulouse lautrec #pomegrantArt #im sure someone's done this already but i was Inspired

[catmask]

any time i draw characters with an ounce of body fat everyones like “oh i bet they give such warm hugs” like what if they fuck sensual style actually

#like okayim glad you like them. thats sweet. #i cant even be too mean about this because i also really like hugs #but also itd be nice for this to not be my detector of 'ah ive made this character fat enough to get the hug comment' #you can be normal about fat people i promise you can even thinnk they are pretty or handsome or hot. you will live. you will Flourish #txt #scratchpost

[petricorah]

I love "i would kill for you" ship dynamics but what about "i would stop killing" ship dynamic??

I would lay down my sword for you. I would change my nature and go against everything i've known. I would resist the easy way out of solving my problems. I would give up the adrenaline of battle to stay by your side and make tea instead. I'm not sure I know who I am without a weapon in my hand because I've had to fight for so long but for you I'm willing to try and figure this out.

It must be hard. To put down your weapon that's protected you for so long. It's allowed you to stay alive it's kept you from getting hurt--physically and mentally. Because you've never had to worry about a real relationship if you think you'll be dead at the next battle. And you feel naked without it and it feels like you're ripping off an extension of yourself. Are you even whole without it? Are you worthy of being loved if you can't prove it by risking your life? And yet they've found someone who's asking them for something much harder than dying in battle on their behalf. They've found someone who wants them to live. And that's much more terrifying.

#i know this sounds like the 'bad guy falls for good guy' which can be fun but thats not what i mean #anyway. this wasn't quite zukka but i do think it aligns with my au of zuko not dying on the throne and sokka retiring his sword to paint #and living like piandao in the mountains. urging zuko to retire and zuko no longer needing fire bending and not knowing what to do with #himself if he doesnt have to fight #so he uses his bending to make tea instead :) #aka this is how divorced zukka can still get together #zuko being upset bc sokka chose work over them in the first place but so dodnhe #but he gets a second chance in retirement #if he can give it up

[jeanivere]

sketch feat. the tweets that inspired it

tell me you guys get it tho like why is he built

#bg3 #gale bg3 #gale of waterdeep #baldur's gate 3 #gale baldurs gate 3 #fanart #my art #im too lazy to put more tags #anyway idk why he has abs dude #hes a nerdy cat man who lives alone #hes not gonna be built like he is in game... #yeah hes hot with abs but hes even better with a bit of pudge #but thats just my two cents #dont mind how bad the sketch is #i dont have an excuse i just suck #anyway

[kiwi]

everybodys gotta get back into the practice of using pseudonyms online... i remember the time of screen names where u never ever told anyone ur real name and that was just understood as basic internet safety. plus having a screen name is fun because sometimes it sticks so well that it becomes part of ur identity that u can use in whatever facet of ur life you choose. it rocks to pick your own name

#im living proof! i wasnt always called kiwi but now i am and it rocks #but mostly im just worried about all these kids wayyy oversharing personal info online #not to be like aaaggghh kids these days. but. #um people are sharing their full names and schools and deepest secrets with their FACE ATTACHED #i surely dont need to explain why thats scary #tiktok trends where u share stuff you would Never tell people irl.... WITH!!! YOUR FACE!!!!! IN FULL VIEW!! #WHHH.... WHY........... #Get Scared of Internet Strangers Again Please!

[shurisneakers]

cillian murphy accepting the award with his wife's lipstick all over his face and asking the crowd if he's got lipstick on his nose and continuing even when they said yes. this is making me feel. things

#cillian murphy #that was so. romance of him #like what do you MEAN he accepted a golden globe with his wifes lipstick all over his face #golden globes #WHO DOES THAT. THATS SO OLD SCHOOL LOVERBOY CODED WHAT DO YOU MEANNNN IT HAPPENED ON TELEVISION LIVE #i am ill

[opens-up-4-nobody]

:-P

#after watching the terror 10billion times seeing the southern water tribe outfits make me feel insane #they look like they've never ever ever been worn. siln4s outfits are well worn and thats what makes them beautiful #the make me insane for the live action avatar i mean... #also penguin seals r cute as fuck #atla #avatar the last airbender #sokka #katara #aang #princess yue #zuko

[tizzymcwizzy]

THANK YOU BUGGACHAT!!! EVERYONE SAY THANK YOU BUGGACHAT!!!!!!

#man oh man i cant believe how lucky i am to live in a world where we can get a fucking tWO HUNDRED PART MLB COMIC that SLAAYS SO HARD #miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #miraculous #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #adrinette #adrinette art in april thats not adrinette april??? #my art #ml bakery enemies au

[endless-nightshift]

Something Something Avatar The Last Airbender was fundamentally about showing the horrible long-lasting effects of both war and violence in a grand sense (the way people suffer under fire nation occupation including the air nomad genocide and the state of the southern water tribe) but also a personal sense (zukos entire arch) and the show goes to great lengths to avoid glorifying war, often specifically choosing only depict the aftermath of terrible violence while not graphically depicting the violence itself.

And I think it's a profound misunderstanding, maybe even an insult to the source text to continually depict gratuitous death and violence as a focal point of the live action.

#i can provide example of this if need be #the depiction of the air nomads being invaded by the fighting #kataras mothers body #zuko and ozais agni kai #theres probably more #but thats what ive gathered from cultral osmosis alone #atla #atla live action #atla netflix #avatar #avatar the last airbender #live action avatar #prince zuko #atla zuko #zuko #avatar aang #aang #atla aang #air nomads #katara #katara atla

[mossycobblestonewrites]

DC X DP PROMPT #4

Danny was one of the people hired to design/build the Watchtower. He got attached to it during this time and the space station is now considered as a part of his haunt.

This is the JLD's first time on the Watchtower, they IMMEDIATLY know what's up.

LJD: did you take a supernatural entities property or something?

LD: what? No! The lights are just like that :)

Danny, still employed on the Watchtower: Space go brrr

#dc x dp #dpxdc #im goiny crazy #im actually cooking #danny MADE the watchtower #thats HIS place now #JLD rockin up being like: whos crib is it really? #poor JL being liek: wdym :( we got this for us :((( #JL: i mean the light flicker and it get weird cold soemtimes but its space man :( #dannt lives on the Watchtower via employment

[wispscribbles]

THIS SON. hhhhhhh THIS SONG.

REMINDS ME OF GHOST AND SOAP.

I was listening to it and nearly started TEARINF out my hair I need to go to

sleep

u are so correct. they find each other in every life. they make me ill

#ask #chloe-is-slightly-epic #ghostsoap #soapghost #ghoap #my art #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #cod fanart #doodle #past lives by børns #09 soapghost #first time drawing 09 ghoap thats crazy #cw smoking

[hey-must-be-a-devilbetween-us]

listen whether you like it or not they are all holding the memory of stede like a talisman against all hurt and fear, izzy trying to remind ed of his love so he'll come back to himself, fang can't stop crying so jim starts telling him Pinocchio and doing the little voice like stede does, 'talk it through as a crew.' is uttered like an anti-curse, like a magic spell that will keep them from harm.

stede gives them hope, if you even care.

#ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd season 2 spoilers #ofmd s2 #our flag means death spoilers #ofmd spoilers #ofmd season 2 #ofmd #blackbonnet #stede is like their peter pan #when they're with him they get to be more like lost boys then pirates #and thats just really fucking precious to me #spooky watches ofmd #live watching