#simply because of their preferences in a book

[dalishious]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Familiar Faces and Factions

The trailer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard has dropped, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s like a new breath of life has entered my lungs!

Within the trailer, we now have confirmation of who our seven companions are going to be, and among them are a few familiar faces from the book Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. We also have some name-droppings of a couple factions featured in the same book and the comics, Dragon Age: The Missing. So, here is what knowledge is established about these faces sand factions.

Neve Gallus & The Shadow Dragons

Neve Gallus was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “The Streets of Minrathous”. She comes off as a no-nonsense and a little intense kind of person. Neve is a Tevinter mage who works as a private investigator. For example, if someone wants some detective work done but doesn’t want the public to know, they would hire Neve. On occasion, she’s even been hired by the templars, who act like just regular cops in Tevinter – and yes, that includes their corruption and primary goal of simply protecting the elite – but Neve prefers to work alone because of that corruption, and has a personal grudge against the order for taking bribes to cover up crimes.

Neve has a prosthetic leg below the knee, made of dwarven-crafted metal.

In The Missing, Neve says she is friends with the Shadow Dragons. In the article shared by EA, as of The Veilguard, she is officially a member. The Shadow Dragons are a group of concerned Tevinter citizens who help those in need. This includes supporting escaped slaves, for example.

Emmrich Volkahrin

Emmrich Volkahrin was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “Down Among the Dead Men”. He is a necromancer from Nevarra, and therefore naturally a member of the Mortalitasi – specifically, a professor in the Mourn Watch. The Watchers serve as elite guardians of the Grand Necropolis. Emmrich is on the eccentric side, personality-wise, but kindly and informal.

Emmrich has a skeleton assistant name of Manfred, who helps him with different office tasks. He also has friends in Myrna, a fellow Watcher, and Audric, a dead guardsmen who looks after the library.

Lucanis Dellamorte

Lucanis Dellamorte was first introduced in the Tevinter Nights story, “The Wigmaker Job”. He is the favourite grandson of Caterina Dellamorte, First Talon (leader) of the Antivan Crows. As such, he was raised from birth to be the perfect assassin in a ruthless and torturous environment, knowing only cruelty from his family. This has led to him feeling less like a person and more like a living weapon – and he is treated like one by everyone who knows of him. He has “the Demon” as a nickname.

I know a few people are curious about the “mage killer” title in the trailer. Rest assured that Lucanis specifically kills evil blood mages. In his own words: “If someone wants to pay me top coin to kill a bunch of racist blood mages—who have it coming—I’m not going to complain.”

Where his cousin Illario has a “silver tongue” as Lucanis puts it, he himself is a lot blunter. His reputation of a killer is spotless, except for one small problem: He has a heart under all that black leather.

Lucanis and Illario get along quite well, except for the fact that Lucanis is destined to be the next First Talon, after Caterina dies. Illario wants the job far more than Lucanis, but Lucanis isn’t sure he’s capable of making a decision for himself that goes against the wishes of the Crows.

The Veil Jumpers

The Veil Jumpers were first introduced in The Missing #3. They are a group made up of primarily Dalish elves, though also inclusive of other folks of any walks of life willing to help, working to try and control the new threats within Arlathan Forest. The forest has become a ground of chaotic magic, with the Veil so thin that time and place is jumbled together. Thus, the Veil Jumpers move in and out of the spots that bleed into one another.

The Veil Jumpers do have a headquarters called “The Sanctum”, but we know nothing else about it.

The Lords of Fortune

Despite the Lords of Fortune being mentioned in more than one Tevinter Nights story, as well as the show Dragon Age: Absolution, we don’t know a lot about them. The only concrete information provided is that they are a loose group of people who collect trinkets and glory. They come out of Antiva and Rivain. They typically wear a lot of their collected trinkets like badges of honour. That’s really all there is, so I can’t wait to learn more.

#dragon age #datv #dav #dragon age the veilguard #neve gallus #emmrich volkahrin #lucanis dellamorte #meta

[draconic-desire]

your yan!neuvi series got me on a chokehold !! I feel so bad for darling but it got me thinking, would neuvillette ever allow them to i dont know, go visit mondt to look at their parents’ grave (?).

Neuvillette meets his (dead) in-laws edition 😂

Ok this idea is simultaneously kinda funny but also makes me cry a bit because I totally think Neuvillette would have ensured your family’s wellbeing in your absence. Despite his flaws, he still maintains his overwhelming sense of duty and justice.

Yandere Neuvillette x Reader

(A Dance with the Dragon Interlude)

Talking about your life four centuries ago has become a bit of a taboo in the household you share with Neuvillette.

Mostly, it only serves to incite an argument, one you are always predestined to lose. The other times, it only reminds you of painful memories. So, you’ve learned to bite your tongue, to keep your past held tightly to your heart. Neuvillette doesn’t seem to mind; in fact, you believe he might prefer if your history were to be wiped from your mind completely, leaving a blank slate for him to carve his essence into.

Which is why you’re so shocked when, on a particularly storming evening, the Chief Justice himself requests, “Tell me about what your parents were like.”

Jolting, you nearly drop the book in your hands. He’s not looking at you—usually, having his gaze on you translates to irritation, concern, or lust. When he’s looking away from you, as he is now, irises trained on the waves battering the cliffs below your home, you know that means he is instead thinking, pondering.

But thinking about what? Your eyes narrow, and your heart accelerates. What is he getting at?

A hand clenches around your heart when you try to picture your mother and father in your head—and fail. Four hundred years without a visit or simple image…of course their features have faded over time. But you’ll never forget the warmth, the knowledge that they loved you until the end and supported your lifelong wish of pursuing marine biology, even when it took you away from them.

You only shake your head. “I don’t want to talk about that, Neuvillette.”

He turns to you, now, eyes filled with calculation. A judge presiding over his court. “I had no parents. I simply…came to exist. Born of the water, the waves, the sea foam, and bestowed with this primordial power.” He glances down at his gloved hand, palm squeezing into a fist. “So the idea of parents is…foreign to me. Though I have a sense of the kind of ceaseless, unconditional love that defines a family.” You know he’s talking about his feelings for you, and your tattoo burns. “Experiencing a loss of that magnitude would be incomprehensible.”

For the life of you, you cannot figure out his endgame here. Why acknowledge your loss? Why equate his adoration and obsession with you for parental love? Your eyes burn, your breath quickens, you feel the tattoo pulse with energy as you—

“Do you ever wonder about how they lived the rest of their lives?”

Yes. No. Everyday. Somehow, you find your voice, a quiet thing filled with warning. Your skin feels so hot, like your veins are laced with lightning. “And how would you know anything about that?”

Neuvillette’s sharp eyes cut to your frame. “I…made sure that they were fully provided for. They lived happy lives, believing you to be living out your dreams in Fontaine. They are now buried together, in the cathedral cemetery overlooking the Brightcrown Mountains.”

Your breath hitches, and that power in your blood begins to settle. Their favorite place. The Brightcrown Mountains, where your father proposed to your mother. The Favonius Cathedral, where they were married. And the cemetery behind the church, where your grandparents had been entombed, too.

Something falls onto your lap. It’s only when you touch your hands to your face that you realize you’re crying. Neuvillette watches you with concern, one hand raised and poised to reach out to you, but he keeps his distance as he lets you process.

You release a shaky sigh. Was it true? Did they pass with no fear for your safety, in ignorant bliss of your extended life? The thought, although morbid in some ways, actually brings you a sense of peace. Your parents never had to endure the loss of you in the same way you had for them.

You swallow thickly, your voice hoarse with emotion. “Can we…visit them?”

That sets Neuvillette’s back ramrod straight as he blinks. You’ve only been out of the house a handful of times, and he was the one to bring this topic to light, but to venture out of Fontaine entirely? His protective and possessive instincts flare immediately, screaming at him to shut this idea down, to grab you and sink his teeth into your neck, dominant, claiming. But as his silver eyes flick across your face, taking in your tears, the tremble in your hands, the pit of mixed despair and relief in your eyes, he relents.

Slowly, he blinks, taking in a deep breath. You’re expecting an excuse, a verbal slap on this wrist disguised as concern for your safety. Which is why, for the second time tonight, you’re stunned when Neuvillette, rising to his feet, extends his hand. “I’ll take you there.”

~*~

The trip is easy, thanks to the Hydro Dragon’s teleportation abilities. The two of you arrive at the large square in front of the cathedral, the statue of Barbados towering above you. Briefly, you wonder what the Archon of Freedom thinks about your situation, or if he even deigns to care.

Not much has changed about Mondstadt in four hundred years. The streets still possess an older feel, cobblestone streets and stone walls surrounding the city. After seeing the drastic change in Fontaine, the fact envelopes you in a sense of comfort, knowing that at least one aspect of the world has aged alongside you, long-lived but unchanged.

It’s long grown dark, and the heavy downpour persists. Neither of you brought an umbrella as you ascend the stairs and wrap around to the cemetery behind the church. The rain, however, seems to dissolve into your skin rather than chilling you or soaking your clothes, no doubt another consequence of Neuvillette’s magic coursing through your veins.

The Hydro Dragon leads you to a small plot towards the back. Two tombstones are erected side by side, and you fall to your knees as you read: (Mother’s name) and (Father’s name) (L/n). Lives entwined to their last breath, they soar high above the clouds.

You hear a rustle of fabric, and soon Neuvillette has joined you, kneeling by your side. He raises his arm, and tendrils of blue light pool from his palm, forming the shape of beautiful flowers. They surround the graves, a sea of blues to celebrate your loved ones.

The two of you sit there for what could have been minutes or hours. All you know is that this is the most at peace you’ve felt in four hundred years.

#a dance with a dragon #a dance with a dragon interlude #yandere neuvillette #yandere neuvillette x reader #subtle yandere neuvillette? #yandere headcanons #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere genshin x you #yandere genshin x reader #yandere genshin impact #yandere genshin imagines #yandere imagines #yanderecore #yandere male #male yandere #yandere #genshin impact #genshin impact neuvillette #neuvillette #neuvillette x reader #neuvillette x you #neuvillette x y/n

[literary-motif]

WE NEED A PART TWO OF COLD, IT CAN’T END LIKE THIS😭😭😭

Cold II

Isaac Rhoades x Reader

“I’m sorry,” Isaac said in the morning, standing in the doorway of the now spotless kitchen and eyeing the cup of black coffee on the counter. 

Your back was turned to him as you put away the last of the pots. “Did you sleep well?” you asked politely but entirely disinterested as you did not wait for a reply, “What would you like to eat today?”

“Pickle—”

“What would you like to eat?” you insisted, not caring about your rudeness as you cut him off. Your blood was still boiling, hurt at the things he said morphing into anger.

It was just another betrayal after all. He was just like all the other people in your life, taking advantage of you and treating you like a thing — a discardable piece in the game they were playing. 

“Don’t interrupt me,” Isaac snapped, his patience dissolving as his frustration got the better of him. He was not used to people challenging him like this. He was not used to making amends and fighting for someone to stay by his side. “I’m sorry, I—”

You waited, but he did not have the words to continue. 

“I’m sorry,” he said simply, taking his cup of coffee and turning away. “I’ll be in the study.”

“Isaac,” you called, making him stop in the doorway. 

He turned to look at you, expecting to see understanding in your eyes and the soft twist of your lips that you had worn in the beginning while realizing the comfort of your life with him. What he found instead was a coldness he had not seen on you before. 

“What would you like to eat?” you asked dutifully, and he knew you did not care about his preference at all. You were asking because that was what you were supposed to do. 

A part of him relished that you had decided to keep working for him, evidently finding the life he could offer you more comfortable than your previous one. The other part was in shambles at the emptiness in your voice, hating himself for getting careless and ruining his relationship with you. 

“I don’t care,” he sighed, waving a hand in dismissal as he walked towards the study with a heavy heart. “Do what you feel like eating. I’m not picky.”

The silence in his house grew deafening again, somehow louder now that you were here. He used to close his eyes and just listen to what was no longer there. The quiet spoke volumes, reminding him painfully that the people who once filled this house with life were buried in the garden. 

When he closed his eyes now, he could hear you.

It was a different kind of pain, but one that did not hurt any less than the pain of loss. It reminded him that it was in his capacity to fix this. He could walk into the library adjoining the study and talk to you. He could make amends. He could get on his knees and beg you to forgive him for his insensitive words. He could, but he was still at a loss for what to do.

“What is it?” you asked, looking up from your novel tiredly to train your eyes on Isaac hovering in the doorway with his hand ready to knock.

“I need to talk to you,” he said.

You motioned to the seat beside you, shutting the book to look at him expectantly.

He sat, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. “I’m sorry—” he began.

You sighed, shaking your head and opening Dracula again. “I don’t want to hear it”.

“Listen to me,” he pleaded, taking your hand and making you look up at him, “Hear me out at least, please. I didn't mean it and I know that does not change that I said it but I had to. With people like Vic, I need to put up a certain front to maintain my image. It’s necessary in my line of work, alright? I hate it, but I have to do it to survive in this world and I know I should have told you first, I should have warned you but I— I thought it wouldn’t be necessary.” 

“Now you listen,” you said, sitting up properly to look him in the eye, “I don’t care what you think you have to do because of how elite you think you are, got that? I’ve been looked down on my entire life. I’ve been treated worse than trash and left to die in an alley. If you think I’m deterred by you calling me a pet or a plaything or whatever else then I can assure you that I’ve been called worse things than you can imagine.”

Isaac looked at you with heartbreak in his eyes. 

It was easy to forget your past when you smiled at him with such gentleness. 

The kindness with which you treated him after your initial hesitation and doubts had been heartwarming. Your curiosity and boldness made him need to suppress a smile more times than he could count, and the helpfulness that no amount of disappointment and betrayal had managed to burn out of you made him wonder if his bitterness at life was justified.

“So if you’re apologizing,” you said, “then you better be apologizing for making me believe I could trust you and throwing that back in my face while having a laugh with your colleague. You made me believe you were different, but you’re just like everyone else. It was cruel of you to give me hope, so no, I don’t care about your apology. I don’t forgive you and I won’t for a while.”

Isaac nodded. “Is there anything I can do to earn back your trust?” he asked, searching your gaze.

You thought for a moment. “Stop dehumanizing me, no matter who you’re talking to. I’m your housekeeper, not your possession. The rest will take time, so I suggest you show me the person behind the front you put up for work.”

“I will. I’m sorry.”

“That’s good,” you said, returning to your book. “We’re good, then. We will be, with time.”

#sakuverse #zsakuva #isaac rhoades x reader #isaac rhoades

[hocuspocusbabyy]

I’m sorry but just IMAGINE Eloise and Cressida as parents?!

Cressida would 100% be a full blown PTA mum, planning all the best events for her children’s school.

Eloise would inevitably be dragged along to help decorate and somehow end up agreeing the directing the school play - because she’s read the book a MILLION times! And “Couldn’t possibly let them butcher it.”

They’d have two daughters and a son. Aged, 5, 3 and 6 months. Lunet, Maeve and Benedict Jr.

Eloise would try sneaking treats that Cressida had baked for a fundraiser. Getting caught with frosting on her mouth, she swears blind to her wife she a no idea where it came from.

Cressida baking special cookies just for Eloise to eat! 😭

Eloise would read to the children every night, Cressida insisting she’s just there to tuck them in but ultimately sat across the bottom of the bed to listen too.

Cressida will often insist Eloise continues reading despite the fact the kids are already asleep, and they will have to reread that chapter again the next evening!

Uncle Benedict would love taking care of the children so their mothers may enjoy a walk or weekend alone 🥹 “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Though I suppose that doesn’t leave a lot.”

Uncle Colin and Aunt Pen would already arrive with an array of wonderful gifts. Eloise has a shelf of trinkets, many from Cressida and her family. Stemming from rocks, sea shells and pressed flowers to tiny figurines and bottles of sand from Colin’s travels.

Eloise secretly adores that Cressida insists on hanging Benedict’s painting’s in their home.

Eloise will often return home to Cressida and Violet sharing tea in the garden - Violet cannot go more than a few days without visiting her grandchildren.

Aunt Daphne and Cressida would take great pride in buying the children the cutest shoes and outfits - much to Eloise’s dismay when she finds her youngest in a ‘hideous’ bonnet. “Well what has she got this monstrosity on her head for? Oh my sweet girl don’t worry mummy will protect you from the taffeta.”

Eloise often getting emotional when spending time alone with her wife and children, free of any distractions. Forgoing her book to simple watch Cressida and their toddler play in the grass with wooden blocks.

Cressida tired at the breakfast table a child on either knee, as Elouise and their eldest read the newspaper out loud. Gently kissing their temples and stirring her tea.

Eloise and Cressida often indulging in a sneaky cigarette together at the end of a long week. Hidden out on the balcony to their room - their children fast asleep in the next room. Often shushing one another when their giggling threatens to wake them.

Eloise nearly having a ‘heart attack’ seeing her child on a horse for the first time, insisting her wife is insane and she’d prefer both ‘her girls’ back on the ground.

Cressida being the good cop, Eloise bad cop in many matters. I truly believe Cressida would be the biggest softy towards their children.

Eloise helping the children with their school work, whilst Cressida knits across the room (Cressida is utterly no help academically.)

Violet often insisting on taking the children for the evening because her home is simply ‘too big’ and Cressida and Eloise are ‘still young’.

Cressida and Eloise often opting to enjoy their meals in the form of picnic. Packing up the children to spend the evening down by the river.

Cressida rolling up her sleeves and teaching the children to skim stones.

Eloise sat waiting to aid them all in drying off when they’re done. The baby resting upon her chest.

Eloise often scolding Cressida more than the children, her wife simply brushing her off with terms of endearment or a kiss.

Cressida taking birthdays very seriously, waking up early to decorate the house. They keep Violets birthday hat tradition well alive. Eloise made her one their first birthday spent together and she still has it. Violet cried when they did the same for her.

The entire family often visit for long weekends and dinners - Eloise and Cressida opted to live in the country where there is more privacy and space for them.

#fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #incorrect bridgerton quotes #bridgerton fanfiction #violet bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #colin x penelope #penelope featherington #colin bridgerton #daphne bridgerton #cressida cowper x eloise bridgerton #eloise x cressida #cressida bridgerton #cressida cowper #eloise bridgerton #im just 🥺🥺🥺 #did I take this too far?? #I just want them to be happy #😭😭😭 #Bridgerton

[juju-or-anya]

I have an existential question that I can't stop pondering.

Why is Eloise called an idiot, careless, a slut, and accused of not thinking about the consequences for meeting with Theo, when in reality nothing inappropriate happened? The most "scandalous" thing was an almost-kiss that never actually occurred. Their meetings were centered around discussing rights, politics, books, and investigating LW, without causing harm to anyone. So why do people insist on portraying Eloise as someone who doesn't think, simply because she comes from a privileged position and knows her family will support her no matter what? It's as if the fact that her family loves and supports her is seen as a cardinal sin.

Now, if we apply this judgment to Penelope, it seems the situation changes drastically. Penelope is glorified and sanctified, seen as a hopeless romantic for allowing Colin to touch her intimately, kiss her, and meet with her alone. Penelope isn't labeled a slut; on the contrary, she's seen as a powerful woman who knows what she wants.

This is where I completely lose track of this logic. How is it possible that a woman who wants to break out of her bubble, who seeks to understand the reality of people outside her status quo, who meets with a male friend to have intellectual and respectful conversations, is labeled as stupid, a slut, and careless? Eloise, despite any possible feelings for Theo (which I personally hope exist, but that’s a personal preference), hasn't done anything inappropriate, neither sexual nor even close to a romantic relationship. Her relationship with Theo is a beautiful and respectful friendship, based on mutual intellectual admiration.

However, Penelope, following this same logic, isn't judged in the same way. Her behavior is justified and celebrated simply because she is the favorite. Additionally, another factor is added to the equation: Penelope’s body. Some people consider her to be plus-sized, others say she’s medium-sized, and although I try not to comment on other people's bodies unless explicitly asked, it disturbs me that this aspect influences so much in the perception of her behavior. It seems that everything she does is justified because she doesn’t fit into traditional beauty standards, which shouldn’t be relevant when judging her actions.

So, where is the coherence in this logic? Why is such a different measuring stick used for Eloise and Penelope? Why is a woman demonized for seeking knowledge and genuine friendship, while another is exalted for her romantic and intimate actions? The inequality in these judgments seems incomprehensible and deeply unfair to me.

It seems to me that this logic is terribly flawed and reflects a worrying double standard. Not only are different actions being judged with unequal standards, but the context and intentions behind these actions are also being ignored. It's a logic that, ultimately, perpetuates harmful stereotypes and undermines the complexity and diversity of women's experiences and choices.

#anti penelope featherington #anti polin #eloise bridgerton

[achaotichuman]

After extensive research (looking at my moots reblogs and my own) I have come to the conclusion that this is what the pro vs anti side of ACOTAR actually looks like.

Anti side- We believe that SJM isn't good at portraying the themes she uses in her stories, and she doesn't do her characters justice.

Pro side- We believe SJM is good at portraying the themes she uses in her stories, and she does do her characters justice.

People who are insane and should not be a reflection of either side- IF YOU LIKE *INSERT CHARACTER* YOU DESERVE TO FUCKING DIE!!!!!

This post was sparked by this post, @wingsdippedingold

#obviously it is a little more complex than this #but i believe that all these people going around harrassing others and making fun of people should not be a reflection of their side of #the fandom they should be an example of what being chronically online looks like #because i know people who are pro rhysand irl #and they are sweet and lovely #it is literally just people on the internet hiding behind the face of anonymity #this fandom has the highest rate of people who think it is perfectly acceptable to harass others #simply because of their preferences in a book #and it is obvious that one particular side has more people in it who believe it socially acceptable to act this way #and ill give you a hint it isnt the anti side #though both sides have these kinds of people #acotar #acotar rant #fandom things #fandom rant

[robotpussy]

#polls #personally i dont like it but thats only because i dont like fandom. the type of stuff that gets the most attention #in fandom usually just annoys me idk. how to explain it in a way that wont come off as me saying #fanfic or whatever is evil its just the fact that it just bombards alot of the conversations? #i prefer it when the thing i like has 10 fans and theyre all on one message board or forum #like for example mtvs downtown is getting popular but apart from annoying #'me and the mid nerd guy i copped by being weird and sexy' posts its not awful.... #but then smth like... clone high or smth i suddenly cant remember ppl just got so annoying abt that show?? #like i cant stand it i dont even bother watching it anymore plus its just weird to me now like i can't watch it regardless #im just rambling but personally i do not like it. like i dont want what i like to get a revival #i dont want anything new! i just want to enjoy the thing and move on 😭 #fandom seems to prioritize shipping and memes over evaluating or simply just enjoying something! #this goes for anything. music film tv books....

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

Would you recommend getting “Wings of Fire “ cuz I can’t really make my mind up whether or not to get it…

honestly? yeah! the first arc is pretty damn solid and a ton of fun, so even if the first five are the only ones you read, it'll be a good time. fun characters, cool concepts, Dragons As People... it's just neat. the first arc - Dragonet Prophecy through The Brightest Night - is the best of the three

the second one is fun too, with awesome new characters and concepts, but honestly? i'd recommend reading it just so that you understand the solo book Darkstalker, bc imo that is the BEST book in the series. it fucks so severely, im not even exaggerating. it. goes. Hard. but yeah arc two - Moon Rising through Darkness of Dragons - while not as good as the first one, is a fun read, and the characters are (with a few exceptions) bangers. shit gets crazy

arc three... eh. its mid compared to arc two, let alone the first. Sutherland's writing slowly starts to lose quality and the plot is... uh. interesting. some of the characters are fun, but it's just! it could be better! but there is another standalone that's a fun read, which would be Dragonslayer - if memory serves, you don't need to read the arc to understand it, since its new characters + takes place in the past (but i'd rec reading that after at least the first arc). it's not Darkstalker levels of good, but i could compare its quality to the second arc

that was a whole Guide lmao oops. hope this helps! i really do think its worth it!

tl;dr: yea <3

#i couldnt speak for the fandom since ive never really been a big part of it? #the most i was involved was when i was mainly on instagram and posted mostly wings of fire #but my community was small and curated and i never really explored the fandom at large #as with all things im sure it has the good. the bad. the curated. and the downright heinous #but yes the books are neat #rambles from the bog #personally sutherland's worldbuilding leaves things to be desired #BUT! im a worldbuilder so im biased. i think her building is enough to be engaging and interesting #even if it lacks the layers & depth that i personally prefer to see in fantasy worlds i see/read #honestly ive been holding back w/ rereading #because id probably be stopping every five pages to write in depth headcanons and fill in the many many gaps in the #- say it with me! worldbuilding #and/or id get a shovel to make what she's written deeper #but i simply do not have the space for that. i have my own dragons to think of!

[bonefall]

More British words because I thought words like carboot and bin lorry was normal:

Chuffed: This is when we're really happy- like 2am-singing-karaoke-happy. Odd I know!

Brolly: Umbrella. Yeah this one's a bit odd as well. I've never used it personally but some of my family always say "chuck us the brolly" or something along those lines.

Crisps: Potato chips. American's PLEASE don't kill me I want to live

Bucketin' down: A term used to describe heavy rain!

Gutted: Extremely disappointed. I often use this- very loudly, might I add- to the annoyance of my family

Bonnet: Hood of a car. I find this REALLY strange and have never used it myself.

So there's some British words! I hope you enjoyed them!🙂

REMINDS ME, another thing that was wild to me was how "chippy" gets applied to way more than just places that sell fries

I went thinking I understood everything, like, "Ok. Chips = Fries. Crisps = Potato Chips. Got it." But then partner would say, "wanna go to a chippy"

Me in my head: (wow you really like fries dont ya)

But apparently the truth is... that's just what they were calling a small restaurant you don't sit down at. Like a takeout place. A chippy can sell chinese food. A chippy can sell fries and hot dogs.

This took me an embarassingly long time to realize. I really just thought partner wanted fries constantly. I was beginning to believe there were special, hidden fry places that I just wasn't noticing.

I also found out that "spanner" is unironically a light insult but considering the fact I thought they were a Fanatical Fry Fiend for at least a week I probably deserved it. I WAS being a proper spanner.

#We did get loaded fries at some point tho #And they were good fries #Cheesy and delicious with some gravy #Bone babble #To be fair to me though I was kinda thinking of the specialty meatball places that pop up here #My area actually has several meatball specialty places. They just sell fancy meatballs #That's the entire menu #Different kinds of meatballs with different meats. Fishballs. Venisonballs. Wagyuballs. #So like. You could write a book on what I don't know #Maybe England just has an obsession with turning different vegetables into fries. I thought. Like a fool. #Nope. I live in a place with a very special kind of meatball-induced brainrot. #And chippy simply did not mean what I thought it meant #Oh to be in the alternate reality where I went to The Chippery and got to sample different types of vegetable fries #Mmmm #And fancy sauces #Also I did enjoy thank u #The only one partner wasn't familiar with was Bucketin Down. Probably because their preferred term is Pissin #Pissin Down

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2023. THAT WE MAY LIVE and NO EDGES from Two Lines Press.

NO EDGES came in my Migrations subscription box earlier this year, and I finally got around to reading it this week! It's a collection of Swahili fiction translated to English. I love little multi-author anthologies because it's the perfect amount of taste testing without committing. My favorites were A Neighbor's Pot by Lusajo Mwaikenda Israel and the excerpt from Nakuruto by Clara Momanyi.

Up next is THAT WE MAY LIVE, which is speculative Chinese fiction in translation! The whole series of books looks really cool, so I'll probably be adding all of these to my library piecemeal.

#books of 2023 #book photography #my photography #books #calico #two lines press #in translation #no edges #that we may live #i will not be tagging authors there are simply Too Many lmao #featuring the nano pen and only truly orange mug i own (the owl is like orange brown lol) #i also read no edges over like three days because the stories are short and the book is short and there's a lot of white space lol #good little morsels #i think i prefer multi author anthologies to one author anthologies because there's more Variety?? like i go for collections for a sampling #--of everything and that's easier with More Authors #one quibble with these i've seen on goodreads is that there's not much Context Up Front #which is true. the stories are presented without comment #so far both of these have been themed by language/region but apparently they've got other themes too #the author and translator blurbs in the back are helpful though!! #unfortunately it doesn't look like i can find a copy of the whole of NAKURUTO (which is a novel) in translation anywhere lolsob #so that's kind of a bummer because i did like what i read!! #very excited for the chinese one because the stories look Weird and Fucked Up and that's My Jam

[thesilverlady]

So Aemond reasoning why he should become the king is because he knows how to read and how to use a sword? I am assuming all of Westros nobles are illiterate and doesn't know how to hold a sword except for Aemond ofc.

skskskska well, in the show aemond meant more that he's capable, studious, and worthier than - in this case - his brother. He was just listing his "superior" qualities because accordingly to the show, aegon is supposed to be a lazy drunk.

Now the silly thing, is how he "forgot" his niece and nephew from his brother existed so 💀 If he wanted aegon to run or to usurp him anytime in the future he'd still have to deal with them

#ask reply #in this context I'm not counting team black characters because aemond wouldn't consider them a challenge to the succession #but yeah basically aemond says “I'm better than aegon because I train. I study and thus I should be king” #it's stupid in my opinion because in the show we never saw any of them studying and young aegon was capable of swordfighting as we saw #with Jace. He simply lacks the motivation and had to be pushed. #also it contradicts aemond's later actions #who stupidly challenges Lucerys when he's protected by the law of the realm. in public mind you and then chases after him #so.... basically he came of as those guys that claim to be spool smart and then proceed to do one disaster after the other 💀 #<- i swear I'm not bashing aemond. But there's a reason I prefer book him and that's because of consistency (& fun)

[pritvolny]

I just think the absurdity of being a good writer on the internet has been the biggest downfall of many people who write, esp. in the rpc. it's obvious that it all started with the era of purple prose being celebrated but then it grew into exclusivity of interactions with people "whose writing complements mine". it then fed the idea that if you wanted to interact with someone, you had to write a certain way— which, from idealising someone, becomes wanting to be "a better writer" as if you already weren't good enough. it kinda paves the way to writer's block because what you were initially doing for the sheer enjoyment of it suddenly becomes i have to create this masterpiece for it to be worthy of enjoyment. and each time you think you've made it, you dig a deeper hole for yourself and then it goes on and on...

#sometimes i read books like. percy jackson or even acotar (havent really read acotar) #but these are books that are MASSIVELY popular among the masses #and it's not like the books. objectively have 'good writing' as the internet would define it #the stories are good and engaging and i understand that #when it comes to rp writing. the stories are usually built by plotting and ooc communication so #it doesnt really leave much to explore when writing except for... writing #but to think that you have to achieve 'a standard' each time you create something #is legit the entryway towards writer's block #because for someone with crippling impostor syndrome. this mindset can be hellish #again i'd like to clarify that wanting writing partners whose writing you enjoy or cohesively flows with yours is not wrong #everyone has preferences. im simply giving my commentary on how different it makes rp writing from plain writing #i. ( ooc. ) back by unpopular demand. #none of this made any sense but. welcome to midnight thoughts with taj #i am achieving some Zen thoughts about my own struggles with writing recently and i will #generalise it so much and shove it down your throats...

[jangmi-latte]

Hello! I hope this isn’t rude to ask, and I’m at most curious, no to offend you or anything. But I have to ask, why do you never reblog works? Especially during such a time where newer content creators are here and could use some exposure from you.

ah you're so observant how long have you been here /pos BWKRHAKJFJAJD i honestly expected an ask like this tbh and don't worry, you're just asking (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠) it's not rude at all.

okay the reason why i don't entirely reblog is because i'm not really using tumblr as a reading site. i honestly don't read any fanfictions of twst here or just in general — only when i'm feeling it (which is rare). and if i do, i read it on ao3. but other than that, i read books/novels instead. i would love to use my platform to expose new and growing writers but, like i said, i don't really read here. so i'm not really exposed myself to writers.

in general... i post then leave the app and forget about it HWKRBAJRBJAJR

#customer service #hope this doesn't irk anyone 😔 i really just prefer real books #i'm a writer myself of course i'd like exposure too but i don't really expect it to blow up! #and i appreciate people who do it out of goodwill. just reading my works in general gives me enough gratitude #so thank you for the reblogs and i apologize if i don't reblog anything simply because i don't read online 😔

[emeryleewho]

I used to work for a trade book reviewer where I got paid to review people's books, and one of the rules of that review company is one that I think is just super useful to media analysis as a whole, and that is, we were told never to critique media for what it didn't do but only for what it did.

So, for instance, I couldn't say "this book didn't give its characters strong agency or goals". I instead had to say, "the characters in this book acted in ways that often felt misaligned with their characterization as if they were being pulled by the plot."

I think this is really important because a lot of "critiques" people give, if subverted to address what the book does instead of what it doesn't do, actually read pretty nonsensical. For instance, "none of the characters were unique" becomes "all of the characters read like other characters that exist in other media", which like... okay? That's not really a critique. It's just how fiction works. Or "none of the characters were likeable" becomes "all of the characters, at some point or another, did things that I found disagreeable or annoying" which is literally how every book works?

It also keeps you from holding a book to a standard it never sought to meet. "The world building in this book simply wasn't complex enough" becomes "The world building in this book was very simple", which, yes, good, that can actually be a good thing. Many books aspire to this. It's not actually a negative critique. Or "The stakes weren't very high and the climax didn't really offer any major plot twists or turns" becomes "The stakes were low and and the ending was quite predictable", which, if this is a cute romcom is exactly what I'm looking for.

Not to mention, I think this really helps to deconstruct a lot of the biases we carry into fiction. Characters not having strong agency isn't inherently bad. Characters who react to their surroundings can make a good story, so saying "the characters didn't have enough agency" is kind of weak, but when you flip it to say "the characters acted misaligned from their characterization" we can now see that the *real* problem here isn't that they lacked agency but that this lack of agency is inconsistent with the type of character that they are. a character this strong-willed *should* have more agency even if a weak-willed character might not.

So it's just a really simple way of framing the way I critique books that I think has really helped to show the difference between "this book is bad" and "this book didn't meet my personal preferences", but also, as someone talking about books, I think it helps give other people a clearer idea of what the book actually looks like so they can decide for themselves if it's worth their time.

Update: This is literally just a thought exercise to help you be more intentional with how you critique media. I'm not enforcing this as some divine rule that must be followed any time you have an opinion on fiction, and I'm definitely not saying that you have to structure every single sentence in a review to contain zero negative phrases. I'm just saying that I repurposed a rule we had at that specific reviewer to be a helpful tool to check myself when writing critiques now. If you don't want to use the tool, literally no one (especially not me) can or wants to force you to use it. As with all advice, it is a totally reasonable and normal thing to not have use for every piece of it that exists from random strangers on the internet. Use it to whatever extent it helps you or not at all.

#writing #writing advice #writing tips #am writing #books #booklr #fiction #media analysis

[gigantomachylesbian]

Fighting for my life to finish this book so I can start reading all the books I'm actually excited for+the horror I've been saving for fall -_-

#k talks #you might ask: k why don't you just stop reading it. or start reading another book and come back. and I CAN'T #it is against my made-up arbitrary rules. I gotta finish it . it's already been like. 20 days. partially cause of college business but sti #and I'm not letting myself start any more audiobooks either because I'd just listen to them. #the book isn't even. bad. or like making me angry of anything I'm just not excited about it and it's Dense As Hell #(it's the archive undying). like. the concept is really cool! but I was SO confused for like all of the beginning #and the start is kind of slow. AND most of all it expected me to care about the characters and central romance like. 50 pages in? #it just. it felt like the book simply assumed I was on board and invested in these guys but I don't even know them!!!! #you have to convince me!!!!! they just met!!!! #Idk. maybe that is because of my inherent preference for like. slow burn moving on a geological timescale #I'm having more fun now but I'm not even 75% done now and it's not BAD. I'm just. kind of indifferent to it -__-

[wordsinhaled]

i’m so totally normal about the fact that aziraphale’s last (known) deliberate foray into the queer community was when he learned the gavotte at the fictionalized hundred guineas club (!!!) in the 1800s and now in the 2020s he’s like “grindr? what’s that?”

many are talking about his repression which is very valid… and yet the thing to me that stands out about aziraphale is that he’s actually… incredibly stable in his identity and that identity IS incredibly queer. queer by the standards of heaven AND by human standards as well

metatron describes his “de facto partnership” with crowley as “irregular.” and in fact aziraphale in his entirety is irregular. he likes and makes it his business not only to understand but to be a connoisseur of all manner of things angels aren’t supposed to even remotely care about. food. music. books. theatre. sleight of hand. and more.

it’s the sort of behavior that would’ve gotten him othered, treated as a bit odd, in heaven even if he hadn’t chosen to consort all across the earth with a literal demon. and it IS treated that way - the fact is aziraphale even as an angel has got proclivities that set him apart from the rest of the host (even after offering him the highest position in heaven, metatron still acts deeply dismissive of him… like aziraphale’s bookshop is merely a quaint little hobby of his that can be easily transferred to another custodian, and not a literal extension of who aziraphale has become, full of his tartan and unique bibles and special vintages of wine and the books arranged in a very specific way)

so. aziraphale is a queer angel but of course he’s also queer to other humans. but in such a way that… he had his realization a LONG time ago, and put the matter very much to rest after that. aziraphale is perpetually something like several centuries behind schedule. he owns an ancient computer that probably continues to run windows 98 simply because aziraphale’s decided it should. he wears the same waistcoat and coat for generations because he simply likes them precisely the way they are and sees no reason to change them. but the idea that he doesn’t know how he comes across to others - of course he does. he knows he looks like your prim and proper grandfather and he prefers it that way

aziraphale looked around at humans in the 1880s and said: ah yes. this is where i fit. and promptly ensconced himself in that queer subculture. learned the gavotte. read his austen. loved crowley from afar. aziraphale is fiercely and vibrantly queer. just with the sort of assurance of someone who lives with his lover in a commonlaw marriage for decades and then shows up at city hall for the certificate once society decides it’s ‘allowed.’ like… he hasn’t had any need to know what grindr is because aziraphale’s ‘scene’ was a century and a half ago and it defined romance for him too.

but my favorite thing about aziraphale is how much of him is about appearances versus the truth. he can lie straight to angels’ faces and sleep at night. he knows he comes off soft but he once wielded a flaming sword. he dissembles helplessness but he’s far from it and he knows precisely how it makes others treat him. and at the core of aziraphale is rigidity, inflexibility of ideas… his sense of self is stable where crowley’s is malleable, and so on, and so on

and the fact that he’s continuously fixated on trying to misguidedly do the right thing, the fact that he seeks heavenly approval and wants to fit the world into his schema of good vs evil… in no way do i think that means he isn’t one hundred percent aware of how he feels about crowley or what it means about him by angelic or human standards. i’ve seen some folks saying that aziraphale doesn’t want to like kissing crowley and like… as much as i love me some brideshead revisited/atonement flavored angst; i put forth that it’s not internalized homophobia or queer panic but simply: “i’m trying to do the right thing for both of us and you won’t let me.” and “i wanted our first kiss to be different.” he was envisioning an entirely different flavor of romance than what he got but he emma woodhoused too close to the sun

like, y’all. aziraphale in all likelihood has a glorious collection of historical queer erotica. he just has a feathery diva coat hanging in his closet, and for what. “oh, good lord” he says at crowley’s revolutionary outfit in the bastille, while eyeing him up like an entire meal. he’s so good at affected propriety, at carefully constructed stuffiness, but between the two of them aziraphale’s got to be the one who has experience

aziraphale had been physically throwing himself at crowley the entire season. he orchestrated an entire regency ball so they could touch hand to hand. he spends the entire season (well, and season 1) looking at crowley like he’s particularly coveted. he looked at crowley before the fall like he was glorious and beautiful. aziraphale’s queer and he knows it and i think that isn’t his problem, it’s the fact that he wants to build a different sort of future for the two of them but crowley’s gone and thrown a wrench in it by reminding him of everything he can finally have. like. that’s the heartbreak. it’s how dare you make this ugly? i forgive you for our first kiss being all pain and salt. it’s my dearest, i wanted to make heaven as beautiful as you deserve. as sacred and safe for us as our bookshop. and i can do that for us, because once i held a flaming sword and i still remember how the hilt felt in my hands. and now the taste of you is in my mouth.

#coughs this is also why aziraphale’s a dom. but that’s a separate post #good omens #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #good omens 2 spoilers #this continues to be an aziraphale stan account #‘aziraphale is traumatized’ and ‘aziraphale celebrates the part of himself that loves crowley’ are two ideas that can coexist #feeling a bit like this take might get me flamed whoops but. i’m deep in my az feelings tonight so i guess i’ve decided to share anyway