#either way they don't trust us and go out of their way to vilify us

[clusterlgbt]

Honestly, I don't think there's anything wrong whatsoever with not feeling "negative" emotions such as grief, guilt, etc. What matters is how you DEAL with the situation, not how you FEEL about it.

For people with ASPD, SZPD, autism, certain psychotic disorders, NPD -- pretty much any disorder that may cause low empathy or flat affect -- it's just a fact of life we don't always (or ever) feel those emotions. (And of course there's way more disorders and symptoms than the ones I just listed, and of course some people who DO have those disorders CAN feel said emotions!)

If you hurt someone and don't regret it, that by itself does not make you a bad person. In fact, if you hurt someone, and want to amend the situation and not hurt that person again IN SPITE OF not feeling guilt? That's amazing. That's amazing and, in my opinion, very selfless.

If you don't feel grief after a loved one dies it doesn't mean you're an awful person who never valued them. As long as you stand by the people who DO feel grief, and offer them comfort or space or whatever, then it's fine that you don't feel it, because you're still being compassionate to those who do.

Honestly even if you feel annoyed or irritated or what have you at the people who are hurting, even that isn't anything shameful, because again it's about what you do, not about how you feel.

Maybe I'm just making defenses for my own ASPD self, but it really doesn't seem like a problem to me. Feelings are private, after all, actions and reactions are what's public, so it matters how you treat others, not how you feel about said others.

Statements like this might make empaths uncomfortable but I stand by it. No one is a bad person just for the way that they "feel", not to mention that a lack of remorse/guilt/sadness/etc is itself a symptom of many disorders and a common trauma response.

#mod julien #actuallyaspd #empaths hate us when we mask but also when we dont #either way they don't trust us and go out of their way to vilify us #but somehow the evil sociopaths are always the problem

[askrockandfriends]

First things first - selective. Meaning I only RP with those that want to interact with my OCs and can mesh well with them. If I follow you, generally the first interaction is gonna be with either of my OCs Rock or Anzu. If your character can mesh well with them, I'll be more willing to RP with you.

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

9. If you have no interest in my OCs, what makes you think I'm gonna want my canons interacting with you? Get lost and save us both the trouble of finding out.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

Some things to know about me:

I am a very joke-heavy blog. Unless it's part of a thread, don't take about 99% of my in-character posts seriously. I'm someone who just enjoys seeing the lighter side of things that are going on and writing stuff based on them to elicit a chuckle from my audience. If this bothers you, then just move along... but watch out, because there's a springing glove behind one of the doors!

Same with shipping. I ship with chemistry mainly, but that doesn't mean I can't joke about characters potentially being shipped together. If I seriously wanted to ship, I would have already discussed it with my partner, either before or during the process of building up chemistry for the moment the two characters get together. If I post about shipping with your character and it hasn't been discussed beforehand - especially if the characters in question barely know each other, if at all - don't take it seriously, because it's just more of me being silly and having fun with my muses.

If you've read these rules, send me your blog (or character) name, followed by "is all elite!" (Like "allelitemuses is all elite!")

#rules

[sinfulrockandfriends]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

9. If you have no interest in my OCs, what makes you think I'm gonna want my canons interacting with you? Get lost and save us both the trouble of finding out.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

If you've read these rules, send me your blog (or character) name, followed by "is all elite!" (Like "allelitelewds is all elite!")

[winterstaryu]

UGH okay, I need to talk about episode 4, 10, Izzy, the English and Spanish Navy, "Edward better watch his fucking step", the toe thing, all of it.

I'm on mobile, I have no idea if read more's need to be added manually still, it's been a long time, I'm sorry, this will be long.

Something that's bugged me is how little context we have for Ed and Izzy's relationship. In episode 4, Izzy tells us they've been working together for years, or at least he's been first mate for years. That he has -or felt that he has- managed Ed's "increasingly erratic moods" and it's heavily implied that before Stede came along, Izzy was the only person allowed to call him Edward.

But what we're /shown/ is very different. Their lack of communication in the 4th episode is infuriating and they're both at fault.

The entire episode, Izzy is scared because the Spanish Navy is going to come after them for killing their men, and he's begging Ed to focus so they can come up with a plan and get away with their lives. But from the top of the episode Ed already knows they're going to be fine because of the clouds, he has a plan, and after attempting to point the clouds out to Izzy, he's already moved on.

But this isn't communication, or at least, effective communication, because Izzy doesn't understand him, and continues to think the absolute worst, and his worries end up being justified, because Ed's plan almost fails, he gets the date mixed up, an error which they could have done something about if he had just talked to Izzy like he'd been asking the whole time.

But Izzy's at fault too. Ed spends the episode trying to tell him how tired he is, how bored, he comes to Izzy for support and Izzy blanks. Because of fear or because he honestly can't understand what Ed's going through, idk. Both? Either way, he doesn't try to understand, he listens, perhaps, and personally I thinks it's clear that he cares, but I think he could have trusted that Ed /wasn't/ worried about the Spanish, and maybe taking the time to talk to Ed about how he was feeling before worrying about the plan could have made things easier too.

I'm not going to talk about too much about Izzy selling them out, but what I will say is this: I believe he thought Ed would be nowhere near the revenge when the Navy arrived. But that doesn't justify anything. He sold them out, he's a fucking snitch, and he knew there was more than a chance Calico Jack wouldn't get him out of there.

So, Episode 10. I don't think people talk nearly enough about the fact that Ed deserted, which puts Izzy back in nearly the same position he was in during episode 4. Except he has no idea how Ed got out or how bad the damage is, the English are almost certainly on their backs /and they have their last known position/, his captain isn't just unfocused, he's having some sort of crisis, and he doesn't have a lazy crew, he has a crew that actively hate him. So Izzy steps into the role he has assigned himself and he "manages Edward", he tells him that he should have let him die, that he doesn't serve Edward -which is the biggest fucking lie- and he outright threatens him. And he gets exactly the reaction he wants, and I think he regrets it immediately. I can't tell you how many times I've rewatched that scene and Izzy looks fucking heartbroken, it doesn't change a single thing he does, but man, it hurts.

The toe thing is of course an almost immediate retaliation to this. I see people arguing that Izzy enjoyed this, and I've seen people vilify Ed for doing it, and I honestly can't get behind either argument. I think Izzy looks terrified in this scene.

Ed is still Blackbeard, he is violent and dangerous and /responsible for his own actions/, but he isn't a villain. He feels betrayed, by Stede and by Izzy, and he's hurting and he cuts Izzy's toe off because he knows Izzy won't retaliate, he knows it'll keep him in line.

So what is my point??? I don't know! Episode 4 and episode 10 mirror each other and that's really fascinating? Your characters can and should have compelling and logical reasons for the bad things they do but that doesn't make them Not Bad Things? Izzy is an unreliable narrator and just because he Sees himself as Edward's keeper doesn't mean that he is or that he's any good at it? Edward is a sweet bean but like, he still enjoys a good maim and did become a notorious pirate somehow? Izzy's a bastard rat man and I love him because I love bastard rat men? Little horrible guys? Awful villainous dudes? I hope he gets a redemption arc but alternatively I really hope he gets a really cool death!! Or a really pathetic one, he deserves it, the stupid little dude.

#ofmd #our flag means death #izzy hands #edward teach #ofmd meta #long post #sorry

[worldofwaifus]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

if you read the rules, please send "Lovely waifus!"

[ask-disney-cast]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

If you've read these rules, send me "Magical!"

[ask-the-smg4-crew]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

If you've read these rules, send me "Nintendo memes!"

[the-backdoor-muses]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. Please, for the love of everything good, do not just come to me with smut and shipping. I like a little variety in my rps, you know? Plus, I do like to have real, actual writing and plots every now and again. Same might go for overly angsty plots if that becomes an issue.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

[munatarswrestlingassociationrp]

1. Generally, don't be "that guy" in RP. No godmodding, metagaming, trying to force in something when I'm not interested in it. Basically, treat RP like any other interaction: no means no, not "keep trying until they give up and say yes". I RP with interest. I don't always follow, but if I'm interested in a blog, I'll try to get an RP with them (within their rules, of course... as best I can, that is.)

2. That said, mutuals only. I prefer to rp with people I'm interested in and people I'm already familiar with and trust to be mature about things.

3. Treat my characters with respect. They're here to have fun, go on adventures, and just be themselves, not be your personal whipping boys, brown-nosers, or ass-kissers. And for the love of all that is good, do not pretend to be interested in a character, only to then treat them like dog shit the entire thread. If you're not interested, just come out and say it. Don't waste either of our time. If you can't handle that, then we can't rp.

4. No NSFW for this blog. This is purely a wrestling rp/fantasy booking blog. Smutting real life people is something I am not comfortable with.

5. Don't send nasty messages. I will block, anon or not, no questions asked. This should be common sense, honestly.

6. I am not a meme source. Please reblog memes from the source, if possible, and you haven't sent in one already.

7. Anyone that wants to come into my inbox and ask, "want to rp" or any variation of it, the answer's gonna be an automatic no. I closed my DMs to randos to prevent exactly this, and letting it happen in my inbox would just make that decision pointless. If I wanted to rp, I'd have already shown interest.

8. If I don't feel a plot is going right for a character or doing right by them, and the other person isn't willing to make adjustments to it, I have absolute right to drop it entirely. No negotiations about this.

Now things I will not do:

-AUs where characters who are normally good are instead evil, or just plots where good characters are treated like the bad guy. The heroes are heroes, the villains are villains. I will not tolerate any attempt to vilify a character who's supposed to be good. End of discussion.

-Plots where I have to play my character in some weird way I normally wouldn't and/or completely goes against the character.

-Angst.

-Harems.

-Plots that only serve to mock or disrespect my character in any way when they aren't meant to be a butt monkey.

-Plots that are nothing but shipping/erp and/or plots involving having someone other than me having to control my character just to get the ball rolling.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way.

-Plots where people try to change my character in any way, or be overly controlling over the whole plot (things like saying what muses I can and can't use, where I can and can't put them, etc.)

[sheikah-simp]

I have a question about Exile/Vilify. You’ve described the Order of Seers as a fiber arts cult, and I’ve been reading a bit about story quilts.

Has the Order ever recorded prophecies on quilts? I can think of several advantages to such a practice:

One of the biggest reasons why quilting is so popular is that you can use almost any fabric scraps you have on hand. This would be especially useful during periods when paper, parchment, and other common mediums for recording written information are expensive.

Despite their best efforts to remain politically/religiously neutral, I’m willing to bet that the Order of Seers had to deal with persecution at least once in the past (it’s highly unlikely that Rhoam was the first monarch to be distrustful of the Order). People seeking to control or destroy the Order would have burned or confiscated their books, but quilts would be unlikely to attract suspicion. Plus, if the Seers were ever raided or spied on, they could continue to work under the guise of “just quilting”.

Based on Astor’s experiences so far, it seems like seers tend to receive prophecies as images instead of words; so it would make sense for them to record their visions in picture form. Plus, a picture can be understood regardless of literacy.

I apologize for dumping all of this on you.

Don't apologize this absolutely fucking shreds and I am honored that you've been thinking about my book enough to theorize like this!!

For all the stuff I included with the Order of the Seers, there's a whole bunch of stuff I didn't, either for time/plot sake or just because I'm flat out still developing it, but how they interact with the fiber arts part of their craft was definitely something I wanted to expand but never got around to.

Number one- I love and accept this theory and it is heavily relevant and applicable. It 100% checks out with everything I've already established with them and I adore it. If you actually wouldn't mind, I'd love to include that notion in Trouble Will Find Me (Thelem/Azelphir fic where I'll expand on the Order in a way I didn't get to in Exile). Exile//Vilify is a little bit too far along at this point I feel to go back and add, but if it comes up, it comes up.

Number two- (and this is kind of a side tangent but it got me thinking and the quilt preserving stories is very relevant)- It's kind of(?) implied the Order is/was actively persecuted against, sometimes more violently than others. While Zelda-Rose tends to maintain that trusting relationship with the Order and Hyrule Castle has a long history of doing so, even in the modern time, the Seers are heavily distrusted because they don't worship Hylia.

Worship of Hylia is pretty much ubiquitous in Hyrule with the only notable exceptions really being the Yiga Clan. And the Seers' total devotion to neutrality is actually exactly what makes them suspicious when they live in a world where Goddess worship is so prevalent. Neutrality is not a virtue in the Kingdom of Hyrule, and for good reason. Hyrule has had a wild history in terms of the battling of good and evil. But something that is missed/easily forgotten in Exile//Vilify because of how nice the Order is, and because you see the Order from the inside rather than the outside, is that ultimately, the Order is still very much a cult.

They are not quite a cult in the same way as more brainwashy ones are, but they are a very fringe, tight-knit religion with secrets and practices only for the initiated, some practices which can outright harm you if you do not handle them properly. Azelphir is not joking when he says scrying or defecting from the Order at the wrong time can make you go insane - Thelem echoes a similar sentiment - which is part of why they undergo Forced Consciousness in order to train themselves to prevent losing their minds once they're out on their own. For the most part, they don't abandon each other, they don't leave the religion, because they start to realize it's generally safer for them to all work together than not.

All of the vows the Seers take were established for their own protection. And ultimately, that ends up having a very "the outside world is dangerous and the outsiders don't understand" vibe no matter what way you slice it. Thelem even says this a couple times, but nicer. But the Order did it because it was necessary. Having access to that kind of powerful information - the power to vividly and accurately predict the future exactly as it will be - can make you anything from an easy target to an outright heretic to people who don't want to hear the truth. Imagine, hypothetically, predicting a great loss for your nation in a war. You explain it to the king exactly as it will be, only for him to ask you what can be done. And you, being honest, say nothing can be done, for it is the future exactly as it will be. And then the king, if he's nice, calls you a heretic or a traitor and sends you on your way. Sends you into.... exile... perhaps, if you're lucky. If you're not lucky, perhaps there are more... dire... consequences. Especially when the prophecy is revealed true.

Clement foresaw the assassination of the king and the queen and did not warn anyone because it was revealed to him privately. Nothing could have been done even if it hadn't been in a private session, and imagine the position he would have been put in if he'd have had to tell. Imagine if it got out that he had known and he'd said nothing - that almost seems like treason, in a way, at least to the outside world. He felt safe to tell Thelem of course, another member of the Order, very far after the fact, because of their closeness and the vows they take to one another. But Clement is lucky it was revealed to him privately, because if anyone else had been around or he had lived in a more unfortunate time period, he probably would have lost his head.

That's the reality of being a seer, and so during the early inception of the Order, they realized that they needed to keep their most sensitive knowledge amongst themselves, and vow for no single person to go against another, nor tell any part of Fate that wasn't directly asked or revealed between a querent and the diviner. Private sessions are private for a reason, you can't go around telling people things that weren't asked. It spells disaster not only for the diviner, but potentially for the entire Order. If bad things get out that they hadn't warned anyone about - one-hundred-percent accurate doomsday prophecies, perhaps - wouldn't that look a little... suspicious... of them?

The Seers decided to be record-keepers first and prophecy-tellers second because to go around "warning" other people of their fates is actually incredibly reckless, inhumane, and dangerous for everyone involved. But Fate wanted her record-keepers, and so the Seers, seeing they had been given a gift, obliged her. And those who had been given these seeing powers established the Order and vowed to protect each other and the words of Fate at all costs.

TL;DR that is a really long way to say fuck yes, quilts would be an EXCELLENT way for the Order operate in secrecy and safety and thank you for blessing me with this thought.

Quilts and tapestries that portray their prophecies make so much sense and it's wild I hadn't considered it more. Heck, the Order might even have some ancient tapestries in its archives as sacred relics.

Canon and accepted.

#if you don't mind of course #anon #asks #the order of the seers #long post #thelem #azelphr #clement #trouble will find me #exile vilify #astor #the fiber arts cult #zelda rose

[pickmeforjesus]

See this post floating around "Christian"blr is lowkey SO FUNNY because the vilifying of people calling out the embedding of pagan/abominable traditions, known as prophets, is documented in the Bible. Like, I totally see prideful Israelites mocking prophets like the author of this comic did.

This is exactly because they were led by this bewilderment spirit that the Israelites shoved Jeremiah down into a well for him to drown, so much their hardened heart couldn't bear the warnings of God.

The children of God surrended to baal. They only think about "fun". "Have fun". Why is fun so important to you? Why don't you rather bother seeking for Truth? Seeking God isn't "fun" - it's life of sacrifice, crucifying one's flesh and self denial. Don't you know that satan LOVES using fun & alluring things to shove you all in hell?

Note how nothing in this comic is proving that "anti Christian" person is lying or wrong. But "Christian" will either ignore these warning or attack those sent by God to speak them out. Only their flesh speaks, not the holy spirit who knows all Truth and the Word to speak it out. Jeremiah explicitly spoke out about cut out decorated "trees" having no business to be inside Isralites housings (Jeremiah 10:3-4). Fascinating how these warnings are still ignored today, because most Christians claiming to be so are actually children of satan, and REFUSE to listen to God commandments.

I am begging all the people who either liked or reblogged this fallacy to REPENT and seek out to God the way to repentance. The reason so many Christians end up in hell is because they are not afraid of God. They do things out of their own intelligence, without consulting Him. They have no godly discernment whatsoever, indulging in wordliness with no after thoughts. None of this is normal. Stop mocking the messengers that GOD put on your way to save your from hell, humble yourself and repent.

If you've read this message so far, that's the proof God wants you to come back to him. The road to hell is broad, "fun" and alluring, but the road to God's kingdom is tiny and full of sacrifice.

Jeremiah 7:4-15

Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. “‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’

Haggai 2:12-14

If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated? ’” The priests answered, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled. ” Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

(your pointless Christmas celebrations are defiled before God, because they are the dead works of satan)

#apostasy

[flowerflamestars]

Darlingg, (can I call you that? I'll stop if you don't want me to) have you seen the latest sneak peak? With Eris and all? I crave your thoughts on the sneak peak and I honestly have no idea what to think about it

Hi!! I have, and let me say, my feelings are mixed.

You know that sound, when you’re in a coffeeshop, and the espresso machine expunges steam? Like a muted, nicer, kettle shriek? That’s the noise my brain made seeing the sneak peek.

List, because it sparked a whole wildfire:

1. Nesta glowing!! Nesta dancing! Nesta, who conquered Death! Just the implication that she’s okay, that she’s feeling strong again? Hope, reignited. 

2. Cassian on the sidelines actually makes me...very happy? I want them together eventually, but the fact he’s just watching? So good. So, deserved? He can’t go from creepily following her, telling her she’s unlovable, being complicit in her banishment to Partner. He’s got to earn it, and frankly? I hope it aches.

3. Autumn. When the cover came out there was that whole, orange = autumn court thing? The other covers in that style aren’t super plot indicative, but it did seem weird that it wasn’t red.  Repeatedly, red is Cassian’s color. (Hello, love triangle Morrigan wearing nothing but the color of his siphons and power, never, ever Azriel’s blue or black). 

Nesta sticks to cool colors: purple (feeling strong as a mortal, going toe to toe with Cas), blue, black (severe and powerful against the high lords), flat grey (in the depths of misery), silver (for her power).

SJM does use consistent color for character cues in acotar so it seems...off? Interesting, at least. 

Which, just to divert into setting, are they in Autumn in this scene?? Are we somehow going to go from banishment > fight/healing > Nesta, being the actual Night Court emissary after they threw her away?

The plot is not what I thought, and that is both intriguing and confounding. But yes! Nesta finally...doing a thing? hopefully of her own volition? Devouring the moon? Gimme, that’s the Nesta that was always there, finally out.

4. Eris. 

Okay, so before I even talk about how I..don’t really care for this character, let’s recall what is actually canon, about Eris: 

He was engaged to Morrigan. They...I think, never met before that? Mor tried to escape the betrothal by sleeping with Cassian, invoking the ire of her family who brutally tortured her and left her for dead with a note NAILED to her body on Autumn land.

From canon, with specificity that I think implies some kind of understood rules between Courts: Eris did not touch her. 

We seem to be meant to understand that if he had, he would have been forced to take her in, to bring her into the Autumn Court. He doesn’t do that- which is perhaps both a single moment of kindness that kept them both from being trapped and, conversely, QUITE LITERALLY, leaving her for dead.

He was aware of, if not directly involved in, the death of Lucien’s lowborn lover. There’s some handwavy detail stuff over who did the the murdering, but Lucien seems to hate him for it and the feeling is definitely mutual. We don’t know what he actually did.

He wants Beron’s throne. He’s not??? Heir?? (there seems to be some sense that since Lucien was the most powerful it was feared he’d inherit because Lordship = magical destiny) But he also seems fairly sure that with proper allies and Beron dead he could seize control? We don’t know enough for this to make sense.

What we DO know is that he hates his father. Sound familiar? 

He’s on his second round of alliances with Keir, and now assured by Rhys, to come after Beron. (Which makes the Morrigan marriage thing even more suspect. If shes ‘the most powerful of her bloodline’ how does marrying her out benefit Keir? If Eris just wanted her power, why did he reject the marriage? My nascent theory is switchroo? Keir helps Eris take Autumn, Autumn helps Keir reclaim Night for his bloodline. Mutual heirs inherit two newly crowned kingdoms...so again, WHY did Eris not want Mor?)

He’s a bastard, a villain, a fucking rat...and we actually know nothing about him. HMMM?

He’s the monster in Morrigans nightmares. Because she saw him, when he found in the forest, and watched him leave? Because marrying him meant, in a very real way, doom? He makes it easy: he’s rude as hell to her, and clearly despises her right back for ??? reasons.

It would have been SO SO easy to leave him there, the monstrous asshole son of a particularly monstrous, hated High Lord. 

But the books keep bringing him back. Rhys is willing to make deals with him. Our entire main cast is now tied in with an Autumn coup in the making. 

Why?

Because sjm loves nothing more than taking a bad, bad man, and cracking him open like a walnut to say: look, I’m a monster. I know I’m a monster. But I did it to survive. For love. For a just cause. Because a greater power made me and I wanted to live.

And it’s echoed by a female character going: no, you are, but I see you.

And wiping it all away, even if the bad actions continue, because it was a Mask. A Game. See: Rhysand. Tamlins shitty forgiveness plotline. Az and Cassian’s Court of Nightmares cosplay. 

And Eris just...is not the character I’d have ever picked for redemption? (Or fucking Tamlin, for that matter) Because a weird thing happens where male asshole characters are Redeemed Through the Gaze of Love feat. inappropriate flirting and female characters who aren’t nice (not even villians! just, you know, not nice), need to apologize. To change.

Yes, I’m talking about Nesta. Because this is her book!

It’s a wildcard, but retrospectively, it’s set up in the text? Not my fav. At all. 

When we all said hey, wouldn’t it be really, really good if Nesta had a friend separate from the IC, maybe from another court? We did not mean the catchall IC boogeymen everyone maybe? justifiably wants dead. 

5. Canon outside canon. Sjm has been previously, totally open with the fact that in the original/early drafts, Nesta was actually meant for Lucien. See: the fire on her drawer. She’s always been interested in an Autumn matchup for Nesta.

We know that the villain of Nesta’s story is the Queens. 

Does Eris come in because of Lucien, who is spending all his time, hey, with one of the only Queens who isn’t evil? Does Nesta get dragged into the coup? Does Nesta involve herself in the coup because there was some question as to whether Beron might have been colluding with Hybern + ish the Mortal Queens?

6. Guys, I love a ball scene. I love this simple show of power and grace- does Nesta trust Eris or does Nesta simply, finally, trust herself? Either way, she’s killing it, and it is FUCKING CASSIAN UP. This who we always knew existed- Nesta who can play the game. Who can do the courtly bullshit, even if she has no time for it. Who is beautiful and powerful, and I hope, wearing the Most Incredible Dress. (I hope it isn’t red).

The more I think about it, the more these Nesta, Eris lines in the text revoltingly add up? Ugh. The Older Vilified Sibling who was doing their one Rebellion Against the Shitty Parent, misconstrued. Team: wow, Mor Hates Us, huh?. Team: You don’t know me, or what I’ve done. Everything We Did in War retroactively Doesn’t Matter Because We’re Assholes. Fire and Brimstone. Maybe we were fucking trapped and You Don’t Get to Judge the Escape.

Cool cool cool, I kind of hate that. Please let it be a spite dance.

In sum: the snippet both wildly renewed my interest and also I keep going ERIS?? ERIS?, but maybe it won’t be as bad as it seems. It is, after all, a very short little section and it proved at least once thing: Nesta’s going to be strong again, seemingly healthy again, and that’s all I wanted. 

p.s. (Darling is the nicest, of course you can. I call everyone kind of any iteration of ‘lovely’ or babe’, but if that ever makes you uncomfy let me know!)

[inky-duchess]

Heroes to Villain, A Guide:

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

— Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face, The Dark Knight

A hero is someone good, somebody whose morals are never in question and someone who stays the course of good for all time. Until... they don't.

A hero who has battled through horror and loss can easily lose their way and find themselves on a darker path. We have all suffered something in life and in the throes of that, we often find ourselves thinking dark thoughts or not acting like ourselves. This can be one of the hardest things to do right in any story, so let's have a look at it from the inside out using 5 characters: Book!Theon Greyjoy, Anakin Skywalker, Book!Tyrion Lannister, Carrie White, Magneto.

In the Beginning

If we accept that your protagonist was a hero, we need to know what kind of person they were. Who were they before hand? Everyone, even if their life has been shit, sees goodness in life at first. Begin when we are first introduced to them.

Theon Greyjoy: He was a smiling playboy with notions of grandeur who loved nothing more than hunting and whoring.

Anakin Skywalker: He was once a slave but made himself into a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars.

Tyrion Lannister: He was an intelligent, kind playboy.

Carrie White: She was a picked-on, plump and unpopular girl with a terrible home life but with a hope things would improve.

Magneto: He was a caring son who had only his mother in the world.

Though each has a different beginning, we see positivity in all of them. Every hero is hopeful and believes in good.

Sowing the Seeds of Darkness

In every hero, there are seeds of some unsavory trait lingering under their persona. No person is squeaky clean. Having a bad trait doesn't always mean that character will turn bad however. But when looking at any character, you can see how they COULD go bad.

Theon Greyjoy: He has illusions of grandeur, he wants to make his father proud, he is rash, he is sullen, he is resentful

Anakin Skywalker: He can be a sullen person, he is comfortable in battle and can be very rash and violent.

Tyrion Lannister: He's intelligent, prudent, pragmatic, shrewd and sharp

Carrie White: She's a religious fanatic with deep disgust for anybody who doesn't follow her mother's brand of fanaticism.

Magneto: He is very comfortable with inflicting violence and horror upon people, he doesn't trust in people, he is full of unsated rage and hatred.

Peering through the Veil

You ought to let your characters show these through their actions. Even if it is just a glimpse. Percy Jackson is a great example of this. We have watched him grow up since he was 12 but in the newer novels, we have begun to see a darker side to him. He tortures the goddess of misery and even begins to share some startling traits with the primary Hero turned Antagonist, Luke Castellan. Though I doubt Rick will turn Percy villain, showing the seeds beginning to flower is enough to plant doubt in our heads. Harry Potter also experiences this when he tortures one of the Carrows for spitting in Professor McGonagall's face. Even his deadpan comment would chill you, "I see what Bellatrix meant, you have to mean it."

Theon Greyjoy: We first begin to see Theon's nature in the scene in A Game of Thrones, after he kills the wildling threatening Bran. When Robb points out the rashness of the action, Theon answers back in a distant tone.

Anakin Skywalker: He went to go see his mother after a vision, finding her dead. Anakin goes on a rampage and kills everything in the village before burning it down.

Tyrion Lannister: In a Clash of Kings, Tyrion has his first taste of power. The exchange between he and Janos Slynt shows Tyrion's villainous side.

Carrie White: Carrie is walking home and she begins to think bad thoughts about a neighbor, using her powers to shatter the window. This shows her disdain for the people in her life.

Magneto: When he is sitting before the banker in the Swiss Bank, he snaps and pulls the metal filling from the teeth of the banker. Then his torture of Emma, when he almost shatters he diamond form.

The Reasons Why

Every Villain has a sob story. Especially those who were once heroes.

Theon Greyjoy: Was taken from his home aged ten by the man who invaded his home and destroyed his father's kingdom. He was raised with the knowledge that he would be killed by Ned, if the Ironborn threatened Westeros.

Anakin Skywalker: Anakin saw a vision of Padme dying and believes the Sith have the power to save her.

Tyrion Lannister: He is abused by his father and Westerosi society for his dwarfism.

Carrie White: She is abused by her mother, humiliated by her peers and abused by society.

Magneto: His mother is shot by Nazis nd he is abused by them

The Breaking Point

Though we may laugh at the tragic villain backstory trope, there is an interesting flip. Heroes can have a sad backstory and fight through it to still be good but what makes a person turn evil. The Breaking Point is the tipping point between hero and villian. This is the final straw that drives the hero into the arms of Darkness.

Theon Greyjoy: His rejection from his family, the Starks and then the people of Winterfell. He murders two farmboys, one who could very well be his son as he was banging the miller's wife, orders the death of many people he knew well and betrays Robb, his best friend.

Anakin Skywalker: Padme refuses to help him and then he strangles her to death beginning his turn to darkness. He casts off Anakin to become Darth Vader.

Tyrion Lannister: His wife is gang-raped by his household guards with his unwilling help, his girlfriend betrays him, his father tries to kill him after years of emotional abuse, he is cast down and vilified by those he thought his allies. He soon begins to talk openly of destroying Westeros, his dreams of killing and raping Cersei and the destruction of the legacy of House Lannister.

Carrie White: She is humiliated with a bucket of pig's blood at prom leading her on a path of destruction and revenge.

Magneto: After slaying the man who killed his mother and saving humanity from a Nuclear war, Erik joins the others on the beach. When the humans try kill them via missiles, Erik snaps and tries to kill them all.

The Hero Turned Antagonist: The Failure of Dave and Dan and the Destruction of Daenerys Targaryen.

Now that we have looked at how to turn a hero into a villain, I want to point out the dangers of the trope and how it can be done wrong. Daenerys is never shown as a possible villain until the last season. There are no prior points and scenes to back up her turn to darkness. Tyrion's speech to Jon even highlights how stupid casting Dany as a villain is when he points out that killing the slavers was evil. Anybody with the wits of a pea would gave listed this as a good act of Dany's, though a violent one. It is a long and difficult road to turn a hero into a believable antagonist and Dany, though with her troubles and issues, does not fit the template. It was lazy writing that killed a perfectly good character.

For the ever patient @kathryn-anna

#erik lehnsherr #carrie white #tyrion lannister #theon greyjoy #anakin skywalker #heroes to villains #writing advice writing resources #writing #writer #writer's problems #spilled words #writer's life #spilled ink #my characters #writer probz #writers #characters #writer life #writing life #writer problems #writing reference #writing resources #writeblr #words #writing advice #writer's block #author life #write #character #fantasy writer

[killian-whump]

What can I do if every character Colin plays makes me feel uncomfortable? I liked Hook as a teenager but now as a woman in college I've experienced sexual harassment and I think most Colin characters fall into that category, even Hook. I feel I cannot support the Me Too movement and the victims and yet stand characters who are full of sexual inuendos and violence not even for fun. I love Colin as a person but I can't like his characters and that makes me sad because I don't know what to do.

This Ask is bordering hella close to my new “Colin negativity gets tossed” rule, but I’m going to answer it anyway, because I feel VERY strongly about the shit you’re trying to sling here and how absolutely shitty it is that you’re even trying to sling it in the first place.

For starters, lemme back up your puritanical train for a minute. Sexual innuendos, promiscuity, and even womanizing behavior DO NOT constitute “sexual harrassment” or “violence”. The “Me Too” movement isn’t about stopping men from expressing their sexuality or engaging in sexual behaviors or flirtations unless they can pass a piety test. If a man is an asshole or a user and a woman voluntarily sleeps with him and ends up getting treated badly or used by him in a non-sexual way... it is not a sex crime, simply because sex happened to also occur. JJ Sneed, for example, is a reprehensible human being who steals and kills people indiscriminately, but Maddie Hawkins voluntarily slept with him, knowing he was an outlaw and having been told (by him!) that he could not be trusted and she should not trust him. She was not coerced. She was not forced. She chose to sleep with him, even made the first move, and his ultimate betrayal and mis-treatment of her were not sexually based in any way. Yes, he knowingly slept with a woman he was not in love with - but if that constitutes a sex crime, then almost every sexual creature on the planet’s a criminal now. Furthermore, Captain Hook never ONCE engages in any behavior onscreen that would constitute sexual harassment or violence. He alludes to such behavior once or twice, but these are merely off-handed comments made to other characters for the obvious purpose of maintaining his fearsome “pirate captain” persona - a persona that we are repeatedly shown throughout the series does not fit who he truly is. We are NEVER shown anything onscreen to support the idea of either of those statements being true. Again, he kills and steals, he is NOT a good person - but he is also NOT any kind of sexual predator.

And when the “Me Too” movement and words like “sexual harassment” get used to condemn totally voluntary sexual encounters between men and women, or blustery heresay, or mere innuendos and innocent flirtations - it cheapens the movement itself and weakens the gravity of the actual crimes and abuse that such a movement was formed to combat. It is not “okay” to throw these heavy words and notions around to back up your fandom biases or try to create new ones. It’s shitty behavior, and it can do REAL damage. EVERY time you point at a completely non-criminal sexual behavior and claim it falls under the “Me Too” umbrella, you are actively contributing to and encouraging the mistaken notion that the movement is a farce aimed at vilifying and punishing men for being sexual creatures. It’s BAD and you should feel bad for doing it.

That all said... you’re also flat out WRONG. “Most” of Colin’s characters do not fit the description of sexual predators, and do not engage in any form of “sexual harassment” or misbehavior. There are TWO who do. TWO.

First is Professor Harrison in Carrie Pilby. Not because he coerces Carrie into sex or abuses her - but because he is obviously mis-using his position of power to sleep with his students, and because in this particular case, Carrie is woefully young and possibly even legally underage. Second is Peter in What Still Remains. He actively ignores Anna’s multiple rejections and even tries to physically force her to have sex with him. He is, by any and all definitions, a sexual predator.

Like I said: That’s TWO characters. As mentioned above, Hook and JJ Sneed can be argued to be sexual miscreants in one way or another, but they don’t truly fit the bill of sexual predators. We have no proof that either of them has EVER engaged in sexual misbehavior of any kind. Beyond those four characters, Colin has also played Rowe, Brendan, Peter (Sheerin), Jamie, Conor, Duke Philip, Ben, Michael, Mark, Brennan, Deuxie, an unnamed security guard, and a sweet florist in a music video - ALL of which engaged in absolutely NO sexual misbehaviors of any kind. To claim that “most” of his characters are sexual harassers is a flat out LIE, and if I wasn’t so pissed at you for sullying a valid and important social movement with your nonsense, I would’ve thrown this Ask away entirely for being a flaming pile of bullshit.

Lastly, works of fiction exist in order to explore stories, dynamics and characters that are not real. Fiction portrays both the good and bad traits of humanity - no matter how reprehensible - in order to explore the full gamut of human experience. It is important that “bad” things, like rape and sexual harassment and other criminal behaviors, are presented in this medium - because it enables us to learn about these things and understand how to recognize them and handle them when they (unfortunately, but inevitably) occur in real life. By vilifying actors for playing those kinds of roles, you’re condemning such content for existing in the first place - content that, in many cases, helps to define and set the standards for human behavior.

As always, if you don’t like a role or feel uncomfortable watching a fictional work - opt out of it. No one is forcing you to watch anything. No one is forcing you to support a work. And if an actor’s roles aren’t enjoyable to you? Find an actor whose roles ARE enjoyable to you and support THEM. Don’t expect an actor to change the kinds of roles he takes to please YOU, and DON’T expect the fans of an actor to put up with your condemnation of that actor or the work he has produced because of YOUR discomfort. That’s not our job. That’s not MY job. If you don’t like Colin, or his characters, or his work... too fucking bad. Find someone you DO like and go be a fan of them.

Further Asks in this vein will be thrown out on sight.

AND QUIT USING IMPORTANT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR STUPID FANDOM BIASES.

#fandom drama #not whxmp #just bullshit #anonymous #kw ask box

[battlestar-royco]

I love how the fandom calls themselves feminists, but only approves of men being 'feminists'. All the female characters in the books that have achieved their success without a man are not only vilified (the Queens, Maeve, Nesta etc.) by SJM, but her fans don't even question twice the morality behind making all females in power villains. The reasons why Feyre is even adored is because she is under Rhysand's care (also let's not forget how much they used to ship her with Tamlin, who also was (1/?)

Feyre's source of power. I keep reading about stans calling the female characters out for questionable and awful actions, but God forbid someone do the same to a male character. Even someone as awful as Eris is having fanfics written about him and a mass of stans trying to redeem him. Everyone keeps forgetting that Nesta and Elain were the ones to save the fae and yet they're still expected to play nice and be thankful for the IC nasty attitudes. (2/?)

Cassian and Co have killed hundreds of people and entered multiple wars and yet are never called out for it, nor seen as anything less than innocent and uwu. But the moment Nesta rejects him, she's dragged through the mud. Y'all keep telling yourselves that you're the biggest feminists, but at the end of the day you not only ship Nesta with someone that she has countless of times said 'No' to and physically rejected, but also claim how she doesn't deserve Cassian because she's sooo mEaN. (3/?)Not to forget how much of a NiCe gUy Rhysand is. On one side he claims to give Feyre the choice to stay with him or leave him and promises her that she won't ever be anything less than his equal, but on the other side he mind r*pes with Feyre other characters OUTSIDE of war (Lucien, Elain?). Also you can't be a feminist if you only treat women that you either f*ck or are related to with respect. Still haven't forgotten how he tried to force Nesta in Acofas with his powers. This guy is nuts (4/4)

So many excellent points made. The standard for male characters’ behavior in AC0TAR/T0G is so low (except for when it comes to marginalized men like L/ucien and Kale). I’m not going to sit here and defend A/marantha, M/aeve, and I/anthe, but it’s very telling that the three main villain women all a) use their sexuality for evil, and b) got their power through their own machinations and not through men. It’s also pertinent to note that these three women die violently for their crimes whereas male abusers like Rice, Eris, Papa Arch, Tom, etc all get some semblance of a redemption arc. Stans root for them to be redeemed while casting aside N/esta and M0r for not complying with Rice’s wishes. The biggest mindfuck is figuring out how the same people can (rightly!) hold N/esta accountable for the way she treated Faerug but swallow up all of Rice’s apologies and excuses for being a terrible person. They empathize with his arc and his trauma, they feel bad for him because of what he went through, they claim he only did what he did out of necessity, but when N/esta is clearly traumatized throughout AC0WAR and FAS for what she went through, they give her no such empathy.

Even though they are oppressed by Rice, it’s somehow N/esta, M0r, and E/lain’s responsibility to grovel at the IC’s feet. SJ/M uses the IC’s backstories as a get-off-free card for any terrible thing they’ve done, including breaking people’s arms, invading homes, destroying public property, stealing from allies, reneging on deals, and more. However, this logic falls apart when you realize that N/esta and E/lain have gone through equally horrible trauma and yet are expected to get along nicely with Rice and trust that he knows best. People seem to view the impending N/essian arc as the “redemption” for N/esta, which is kind of messed up. Why can’t she just do her own thing and redeem herself? Why does she need to conform to Cassiass’s opinion of what she should be? She clearly doesn’t want anything to do with him. This is why the books infuriate me and why I find N/esta much easier to stomach as a character than Rice. N/esta doesn’t pretend she’s a good person. She’s not interested in these assholes who want her to change into their idea of what a productive and content person looks like. Rice on the other hand is constantly in everyone’s business trying to dictate how exactly they should worship him and Faerug, and he does it all while upholding himself as the paragon of goodness.

#anti sjm #anti acotar

[thelegendofclarke]

People have been saying Sansa tried to force her sister to conform to traditional femininity. Do you know any specific examples of this? I don't remember her ever telling Arya she should wear dresses or embroider or anything like that. Other people like Septa Mordane, Catelyn, even Ned imposed that on Arya but I don't remember Sansa aggressively doing it. She did wish Arya was more like her, but Arya wished Sansa was more like /her/ and Arya isn't vilified for that, so it's unfair that Sansa is.

Ooohhh Anon haha, you are getting into one of my literal least favorite topics here on the lovely tumblr.com: Sansa vs. Arya and the “Sansa Bullied Arya” Discourse™.

I have seen sooo many posts calling Cat, Septa Mordane, and Sansa sexist/misogynists/bullies, ect. I haven’t really seen any of regarding Ned tbh, but I am sure its out there. I try to stay away from it because god I just really hate it, its so terrible and most of the time it makes me so uncomfortable.  I have never seen anything productive ever come from it. 

I didn’t get into the fandom here on tumblr until after I had read the books… I was honestly shocked at how much fandom fixated on this particular issue, and also how polarized the discussion was. We could talk for hours and days and years (because trust me, people have) about the instances where Arya clashes with other characters over the particular issue of femininity. But a vast majority of the time, it either starts as, or turns into, pitting the Stark sisters against each other and/or vilifying one of them and victimizing the other.

Honestly though, I think the issue more comes down to this: how much are you willing to hold these specific characters responsible for the society that they were born into? And how willing are you to blame or vilify them for perpetuating that society?

Westeros is a rigid patriarchy, that is absolutely no secret. Conformity to traditional, prescribed gender roles are all these people know. The discussion around Sansa is the one that usually makes me the most uncomfortable because at the time of most of events most of the discussion is centered around, Sansa is 11 years old. Idk about any one else, but when I was 11 years old I was in the 5th grade and we were doing that paper mache volcano science experiment where you made it ~erupt~ with baking soda and vinegar. I was not exactly interested in questioning prescribed gender roles or dismantling the patriarchy yet. As far as Ned, Cat and Septa Mordane go, I am more willing to hold them more culpable for their criticisms of Arya. But holding Sansa as an 11 year old to the same, and sometimes even greater, levels of culpability than full grown adults in the same situation is something I struggle with.

Sansa and Arya clearly do not have a perfect relationship, and often times its downright acrimonious; but imo, it’s also clear how their relationship became that way. Arya’s feelings of resentment of Sansa are understandable, because Arya has been criticized and degraded and made to feel inferior because she cannot, and does not want to, fit into Westerosi social norms and mores; everything from her looks, to her inclinations, to her hobbies, to the way she prefers to dress has been labeled “abnormal” and “unladylike.” Sansa’s inability to understand Arya is also reasonable because Sansa sees her role and what she’s been taught to do and to be as natural; she doesn’t think to question the way things are done or the people teaching and praising her. Sansa can’t relate to or sympathize with Arya’s frustrations any more that Arya can relate to or appreciate Sansa’s interests. They might as well be speaking completely different languages

Both Sansa and Arya were screwed over and let down, time and time again, by their society and the adults in their lives who created and encouraged miscommunications and hostility between them. Sansa and Arya could possibly have had a much more amicable relationship without, just for some examples, the influence of Septa Mordane, who fostered much of the resentment between the sisters. Or Ned, who held them to such different and inconsistent standards and expectations. Or Cat, who tried to hold Arya to Sansa’s example which Arya views as an impossible standard to reach. Or all three adults using comparisons to Sansa as a mechanism to shame and criticize Arya, making her feel insecure. However, all three adults are still operating in a patriarchy and they are (however unfairly) trying to teach Arya to do the same. For Septa Mordane that was her entire job description: to teach young girls to be Good Ladies as defined by patriarchal standards. They simply don’t know any other way to be. And they also know that not only failure and refusal to comply with, but downright rebellion against, said standards won’t make Arya’s life any easier going forward. Yes, there are notable exceptions in canon like Brienne of Tarth and the Mormonts; but they are just that: exceptions. Conformity and compliance is the rule.

So if you need something/one to vilify, vilify The Fucking Patriarchy tbh. It is Westerosi society, and its so deeply and violently indoctrinated patriarchal standards and values, that causes so much tension in these particular instances and between these characters. Sansa and Arya are children who are products of (and also at the mercy of) their environment. But if you get rid of the pervasive, toxic sexism and misogyny that dominated Westeros, their childish sibling arguments would not have progressed and would have been resolved or forgotten probably as quickly as they started. And in many cases, the cause for disagreement or hostility wouldn’t have even been present at all. 

#seriously it is my least favorite fandom debate by far #i hate it so much #got for ts #asoiaf for ts #sansa stark #arya stark #fuck the patriarchy #alys answers #anonymous #alys meta