#they are married and go on journeys for their iterator!

[masterofthespears]

Pride of my favorite RW OCs, the Alert and Dusk Upon a Dream! They are in love!

Also they’ll be up for Art Fight this year! ^^

#I’m really proud of these sillies! #alert is nonbinary and pan #dusk is cis and gay #they are married and go on journeys for their iterator! #rain world #rainworld #rain world oc #rw scavenger #rw slugcat #slugcat #rain world slugcat #scavenger #artfight2023 #rw the alert #rw dusk upon a dream #pride month #nonbinary character #pansexual character #gay character #Timmi drawing time #thyminell

[andy-wm]

Please love me is Jimin's line today

The hardest few seconds for me to watch, were these...

Jimin was absolutely dreading appearing on screen without his trademark beautiful hair.

We know he left it as late as he could and didn't want to show anyone.

He looked like he was barely holding it together when he called attention to his hair being shaved. He must have genuinely been scared of the reaction he would get, even from Kook.

"It looks good on you"

Jungkook, you absolute fucking LEGEND 💜

He knew exactly what to say.

When Jungkook told Jimin he looked good (even with no hair) Jimin turned his face away <those feels choking him up> and when he turned back, the almost desperate look of gratitude mixed with relief was so clear.

Please love me is Jimin's line today.

This is not about vanity, ego or pride.

It brings home how fragile his confidence is. His need for approval and the assurance of being loved is strong. It’s so heartbreaking, but we know he hasn't had an easy road.**

Thankfully he did stand a little bit taller once JK reassured him...

But it wasn't an easy moment for Jungkook either.

Whether because he had to witness Jimin's fear and could do nothing more than pet his head, or because he was facing his own misgivings (probably both) he looked equally lost in that moment.

Remember that these boys have left their home once before and journeyed to a place that was less than welcoming. They've had to face the grim, disproving faces of unkind critics and a system that didn't support or value them.

I don't doubt there were echoes of that feeling on this day, that same sense of trepidation they've known before.

We know how the military treats men like them.

And then...

we got this:

You can take the boy out of Busan but you can't take Busan out of the boy.

(People say this about my home town too...)

The shadow of fear is still there in his eyes but.... he looks like a (very hot) backstreet thug who will absolutely fuck you up no questions asked.

It does occur to me that MS might be the reason Jimin has been learning to fight.

I mean really learning to fight.

Yes he's probably doing boxing too but i suspect something more than that ... you shouldn't get torn knuckles from boxing lessons unless you aren't wrapping your hands properly, just saying.

<Gotta love a person who can hold you and cradle your head, and also knock down an aggressor when they have to.>

If all else fails (words before fists, right?) I hope he can handle himself.

If he must defend himself, and someone (not him) looks like they've had a close encounter with his fists, I saw nothing.

I hope for both of them, their background will serve them well. In any case they will support one another and their love will see them through this. It's exactly why they are enlisting as companions.

🐰🐥

This is no easy journey, for these young men (all seven of them) or for their families, their friends, and their loved ones. Yes, it's reality of life for every person in Korea, but that doesn't make it easier when it's YOU or YOUR person who is going away.

I am seeing them off with an in ache in my chest - I know we all are. But I'm toasting their successful military service, and their quick return.

짠 지민아, 정국이! We love you 💜💛

See you soon, Angels.

** 'Hurry up and be me soon' ...

Some of us know how much it costs to put our authentic self out into the world. The sacrifices you have to be willing to make are huge. You're not only exposing your own vulnerabilities, but the flow on effect for your family and friends is real.

<talking specifically about Jimin here... how many times do you think his parents will have to say 'no, Jimin doesnt have a girlfriend, and no he isn't looking for one... No he doesn't plan to marry'.>

It's a long journey to self love and acceptance...

We know Jimin has been through a number of iterations of himself. He's been through the tough guy phase, the closed book, the siren, aloof and sophisticated, and the gently feminine.

The image he presents to the world is as much a construct as any person's is - and whether you're aware of this or not, all our public selves are social constructs.

"One size does not fit all" for queer people

For cis gendered heterosexual people, society has a few different ready-made constructs you can adopt, and the rest of society automatically understands the message you're sending. Most of them maintain the status quo of heterosexual cultural norms.

For anyone who DOESNT fit those norms, it's honestly never going to feel good expressing an image that isnt really you. Its like trying and make your circle self fit in a square box.

But theres nothing else that's readily available...

You really have to construct your public image from scratch.

When you aren't part of that typical demographic, figuring out how you want to be seen by the world can be an arduous and complex process.

How much do you reveal? How much do you risk?

You'll experiment with styles, behaviours, and social groups until you find a safe space you can occupy.

Jimin's safe space is with ARMY or his members, but it requires looking perfect.

Think about Jimin's hesitance to appear on camera without makeup. How carefully he chooses his clothes - whether for airport appearances, stage performance or out on the street. He usually has a team of people making sure he looks perfect. His hair is a trademark feature. It's always beautiful.

Remember that he's used to EVERYONE LOOKING AT HIM, ALL THE TIME.

Imagine how it feels to go out in public - against your will - with a shaved head.

Without hair, he would have surely felt naked. Plus, he's no longer in the safe embrace of ARMY, and his buffer of security and managers keeping him out of danger is gone.

He's immensely famous, but not universally loved (don't even go there) and bald, and small, and an IDOL, and very gay ... lets go with unlikely to be heterosexual.

No wonder he was feeling vulnerable.

Ngl, it broke my heart to see him so afraid but I'm sure he'll have a substantial group of supporters around him. I can only hope.

💜💛

#jeon jungguk #park jimin #jikook #kookmin #국민 #true love #bts enlistment #jikook enlistment

[semisolidmind]

@fattyskeleton

(so the last bad end wukong post was a sort of swap au, i guess? it spawned from a post before it in which mac takes swk's place on the journey protecting the monk, because swk is a bad guy here. like, one of the big bads. like maybe "the buddha wasn't able to catch him at all" kinda bad)

but I really REALLY like your idea here, so

(let's preface with some backstory. summed up, reader and wukong were sorta married? but it was juuuust a little bit against her will? and he kinda forced her to drink an immortality elixir? and macaque, one of wukongs closest friends and a general in his army, becomes closer and befriends reader. wukong isn't cool with that, attacks macaque over it (cool but traumatizing eye scar), mac is determined to get away from wukong and take reader with him. wukong gets even more power, goes crazy, goes up against heaven, gets trapped under a mountain for it.)

reader has (kinda??) gotten used to immortality (not like she had anyone mortal in this world to be sad over), she and macaque have gotten comfortable living together in their little hideaway on a far-off mountain, everything is going okay...there's been no sign of the monkey king since his rampage through heaven. macaque has assured her; he's safely trapped under a sealed mountain, and there's noone dumb enough to remove the seal.

until tripitaka.

the mountain splits in half, the sound echoing across the land. miles away, tending to her garden....

...reader feels a chill down her spine.

(in this timeline guanyin put the golden fillet on wukong immediately cause there's no way this iteration wouldn't try to kill and eat tripitaka on sight. )

so, sometime later, the pilgrims arrive. macaque is stunned, how did he NOT hear them coming? how did he not know?! now his greatest enemy is free and, and– actively helping the tang monk? wukong seems calmer than he remembers, but it's obvious how much he's straining against the leash the monk has him on. the deadly aura radiating off the monkey king is enough to make macaque nauseous. he not-so-subtley places himself in front of reader when he greets the pilgrims. but...it's too late to hide her. if the small intake of breath he draws is any indication, wukong has already noticed her presence.

reader freezes when their eyes meet. no, no, he was supposed to be trapped, he wasn't ever supposed to get out! she sees his pupils dilate, his smile stretch to expose his fangs.

"Peach! Its so good to see you again. I was worried the elixir hadn't worked, but here you are! Beautiful as ever." he gently laughs. he waves off any questions from the other pilgrims. when they ask who reader is to him...his answer is an amused laugh and a sickeningly fond look in her direction.

macaque and reader play the part of good hosts, but they're both incredibly nervous the entire time the pilgrims are in their home. the atmosphere is tense, and macaque doesn't leave readers' side for a second longer than he has to. dinner is a stiff, polite affair, and wukong never takes his eyes off reader. macaque insists the monk and his disciples take his room while he stays with reader. but that doesn't stop the feeling of being watched, or the murderous aura radiating from the opposite side of the house.

neither of them sleep well that night.

the next morning, the monk has macaque help him gather provisions before they move on, distracting him just long enough for wukong to corner reader. he presses her against the side of her home, nuzzling his face against her cheek...

"I'll be back as soon as this little trip is complete, ok, peach? Just sit tight and wait for your king to return~♡"

macaque and reader pack up and move the next day.

—

#jttw macaque x reader #jttw sun wukong x reader #mac and reader are all cozy together in their little home #then BAM trauma shows up on their doorstep #bad end wukong

[pansear-doodles]

Hunter is now available in Art Fight!

Description below

Name: Hunter Pronouns: Any/All Likes: Bouts of Physical Activity such as running and climbing, Discovering and Learning about new creatures, Eating, Being Caressed (with consent), Biting things, Chasing and hunting, Experiencing euphoria Dislikes: Being put down, Dying, Feeling weak, Losing, Being put in a situation where nothing happens, Feeling boredom, Feeling cold

History: Hunter was created by No Significant Harassment. They were raised and trained as NSH's personal messenger, being tasked to send pearls and equipment within the local group. One day, NSH notices symptoms of Hunter's illness that was the result of their faulty genetic blueprinting since their creation. NSH offers Hunter a way to rid of this illness, which is to go to the void sea, but Hunter refuses, wishing to accomplish one more mission before they can depart. NSH ultimately entrusts Hunter with a green neuron, to be sent to Looks to the Moon, one of their fallen friends. Hunter's journey was rough, as they were put in a completely new area unbeknownst to them. Predator after predator, jump after jump- Hunter eventually meets one of the iterators in the area: Five Pebbles, who gives them a bit more time to stray away from the effects of their illness. Hunter eventually reaches their destination and delivers the neuron. Moon, while grateful, empathizes with Hunter and allows them to stay for a while. Their child, Rivulet, was grateful to see one who's awakened their mother from a long slumber and befriended them. Hunter is then encouraged to enjoy the world as they can while they still have time, or at least visit their creator- their choice. On their self-realizing journey, Hunter meets a slugcat where chaos rues around them: this was The Artificer. The two fought, but Hunter was ultimately overcome with their brute strength and their illness holding them back. Before they get killed, Hunter manages to pull the rug by uttering something kind to them, lowering their defenses and having their back turned. Hunter convinces the restrained Artificer to turn to a new leaf and enjoy life as is, helping them heal. They became friends who fought side by side, but eventually lovers. Artificer carried Hunter's weakened body to NSH's facility, where some of their illness is healed thanks to the recent findings NSH made while Hunter was away. Some time passes and Hunter finds a lost Survivor. They help and mentor them, accompanying them to their reunion with their sibling Monk. Altogether and the friends they made along the way, they became a friend group. Hunter would later marry Artificer and live atop of Five Pebbles alongside.

Personality: Hunter is adventurous and spontaneous. They always observe an optimistic attitude and is extremely daring, despite their fears of dying. They live life to the fullest alright- trying new things whenever possible and they never skip a beat on it unless their illness acts up. They are friendly and democratic- they are quite the leader and pushes forward knowing that they fight for love and to continue living. I guess the best I can describe my Hunter to you is that they have "older sibling" vibes. Sometimes, its tough for them to keep smiling, so they'd have their downtimes where all they want to do for that while is to rest and chill with their loved ones by their side. They are extremely frustrated by their illness acting up or holding them back from doing the things they enjoy. Hunter is combative and is an excellent tactician, they fight smart but also brute when necessary. They're aggressive at their plays.

Biology: Hunter has an athletic and strong fit, only restrained by the limitations set upon by their illness. Other side effects to their illness includes: fast growth of fur, a portion of their hair that they can control and use to grab things, occasional tremors, occasional weakness, and a large appetite. Hunter must eat large portions of food everyday in order to maintain their health and metabolism, they must also have a monthly rot cleanse to further mitigate their illness. Tremors can happen at random, which is why Hunter prefers being accompanied by someone equipped with the knowledge on how to help them whenever it happens. They have the instincts of a predator: eyes that retract and extreme focus on their prey. They are an adult.

Appearance: Hunter is an orange slugcat with an average height. They have a healthy muscular build, with scars all over their body to exhibit their past battles. They have long folded ears, a large mane, fluffy tail and a long sharp snout. They have gold colored eyes and lots of sharp teeth. Hunter likes wearing warm clothing but also breathable ones where they feel little restraint. Most of the time, they wear their gold wedding ring, with the second karma symbol engraved on it.

Relationships: Artificer - Loves - They care deeply about each other and share a lot of interests- with most of their activities being done together, especially as a family. They not only help each other emotionally but also work as formidable partners- partners in crime. Gourmand - Best Friend - Gourmand and Hunter not only share interests on food, but they trust each other a lot with their own woes and troubles. Gourmand helped Hunter and Artificer's relationship bloom and is always there to happily babysit their children. Spearmaster - Close Friend - Hunter grew up with Spearmaster as a friend since their creators were also friends. They're chill homies. Rivulet - Friendly Rival - Hunter and Rivulet are both competitive by nature but how they plan their moves differ. Nonetheless, they are good friends. Survivor - Friend - Hunter mentors Survivor on a lot of things that they learned, passing down the skills that are necessary to defend themselves and their loved ones. Monk - Friend - Both have stark differences by nature but remain as friends. Nightcat - Acquaintances - Hunter does not know Nightcat as much but seeing that Survivor is good friends with them, wishes to befriend them as well. Enot - Neutral - Uh. Saint - Neutral - Hunter has small wishes to befriend Saint in some way, but they're often so cold to them that it makes it difficult to do so.

#rain world #rainworld #fanart #slugcat #rainworld downpour #rain world downpour #dp spoilers #downpour spoilers #hunter #my anthro au #art fight #my art

[saintsenara]

a duo i'd love to hear your thoughts on: bellatrix & harry (or even bellatrix/harry)

thank you very much for the ask, pal! an extremely interesting duo to think about.

and, obviously, the thing we have to immediately acknowledge is that harry thinks bellatrix is hot. he's always going on about her heaving breasts and shiny hair [and shiny hair is something he does seem to have a thing for throughout canon - hence why he spends one of his owl exams staring at parvati's], and she's definitely his "hear me out" candidate...

[i think if he's forced by ron to play fuck, marry, kill about the black sisters... he's fucking bella. he's depressed for weeks when he realises.]

more seriously, though, the thing which really stands out in harry and bellatrix's canonical relationship is that he sees her primarily as a catalyst - and, above all, primarily as a catalyst for loss - but in a way which feels strangely impersonal given the profundity of this loss to him.

she kills sirius - but harry can't summon up the rage to use the cruciatus curse against her [even though he can against amycus carrow, whom he has never met and whose crime is the considerably more minor spitting at mcgonagall]. she almost kills ginny - and harry "changes course at once" to try and protect her - but the person who get there first and who finishes bellatrix off is molly.

and while i don't think this is strange because i think molly wouldn't have the skills to duel bellatrix, i do think it's fairly strange narratively. bellatrix's death mirrors sirius' to such an extent - right down to the fact that she dies laughing - that it would have been an interesting conceit to have harry avenging his godfather by standing in as sirius' surrogate for a repeat of the duel before the veil, which then allows sirius to be avenged when the outcome is reversed...

[although what i do like about the molly-bellatrix duel in canon is that voldemort ends up in the position his narrative mirror, harry, is in during the sirius-bellatrix duel - watching the one person he thought would never abandon him die.]

and so harry sees bellatrix as an agent of chaos - and he utterly loathes her - but he also sees the chaos she causes as, fundamentally, voldemort's fault. he views her as a puppet, a tool, a pawn - as so totally enamoured by the dark lord that she lacks any capacity for critical thinking - rather than ever seeming to understand her as her own person.

[him taunting her in order of the phoenix by pointing out voldemort's a half-blood always stands out to me when thinking about this - lucius malfoy isn't shocked at all by the revelation, but bellatrix is. it underlines the point made by her behaviour at her trial, which harry witnesses in goblet of fire - that her loyalty to voldemort is so absolute that it makes her deluded, and that she exists for him rather than for herself.]

equally, bellatrix clearly sees him as just a thing - an annoyance which voldemort just needs to eradicate - rather than a person.

and so i think that one of the very interesting "harry and bellatrix actually having to get to know each other" questions is what journey they would go on in order to understand the other as a real person. my favourite iteration of this - as i've said here - is to write bellatrix's non-battlefield personality as surprisingly similar to tonks', and to have harry having to face the fact that a woman he hates could be so much like a woman he adores. you can also obviously do the same with him having to realise she's very like sirius.

and her having to realise that harry is very like voldemort.

because the other thing which i think is fascinating about thinking about harry and bellatrix is that the best parallel for hinny in the text isn't ron and hermione, and nor is it james and lily...

it's bellamort.

i believe that harry's canonical love for ginny is completely genuine - and i accept that by the epilogue they will have settled into a relationship with a more equal dynamic - but it's very striking in the pre-epilogue canon that the power dynamic between the two is very much unequal.

harry's narrative purpose means that he has to be set apart from all others - even ron and hermione - in order for him to properly function as the encapsulation of all that is good [and as the series' allegory for christ]. as a result, he tends to interact with other characters either as people he needs to protect, or as people he needs to protect others from.

and we see this in his relationship with ginny at the end of half-blood prince, when he breaks up with her for - what he sees as - her own protection, in the belief that being associated with him will put her at risk from voldemort.

harry believes that separating himself from her is sufficient to bring ginny this protection, he never considers her to have the talent to fight voldemort herself - even though he acknowledges her as a skilled fighter elsewhere in the text - and he spends much of deathly hallows believing that he has guaranteed ginny's safety. he thinks of hogwarts as a safe-haven throughout his time on the horcrux hunt - and he is genuinely shocked to discover how bad the carrows' regime has been when he arrives at the castle immediately prior to the battle - and he treats ginny's role as a resistance leader in her own right [such as her attempt to steal the sword of gryffindor] as, essentially, a bit of a laugh.

for her part, ginny is set up in the text as ferociously loyal to harry - "i never gave up on you" - and as someone whose company he desires and values in a distinct way, but whose relationship with him is unbalanced by the paternalistic vibe of their power dynamic. harry is more honest with her than with many other people, for example, but he still doesn't tell her anything about the horcruxes, the prophecy, or the fact that he has to walk into the forest to die.

and this is exactly the same as bellatrix and voldemort.

bellatrix is clearly justified in saying that voldemort considers her his "favourite" - and he does behave towards her in ways which are meaningfully different from his treatment of his other death eaters. but their dynamic is still hugely unbalanced by the fact that voldemort is also required by the narrative to be singular - the literal embodiment of evil - and that this drives his secrecy about his true self. bellatrix is also treated by voldemort as someone whose role in his mission against harry is his to dictate, safe in the knowledge that she would never give up on him either, and who can be similarly kept in the dark about the horcruxes or the prophecy [although he clearly views this as for his, rather than her, protection].

deathly hallows, in particular, is full of explicit comparisons between the two couples. ginny trying to steal the sword leads to bellatrix giving away that there's a horcrux in her vault. ginny living while bellatrix dies [because of motherly love!] is the opener to harry living while voldemort dies [because of motherly love!]. and - of course - there's this in the forest...

Everything was waiting. Hagrid was struggling, and Bellatrix was panting, and Harry thought inexplicably of Ginny, and her blazing look, and the feel of her lips on his. 

as i've said elsewhere, i think it's entirely possible to write voldemort as quite fond of ginny on the basis of her canonical similarity to bellatrix. and so the reverse must apply - harry can be written as fond of bellatrix on the basis of her similarity to ginny.

which means i also think - if you're so inclined - that the toxic wife-swap would genuinely work.

#asks answered #asenora's opinions on ships #harrytrix #bellatrix lestrange #harry potter #and also a shoutout to ginnymort nation

[catcas22]

Rennala’s Deception

            So this is something I’ve been turning over in my head for a while. This is going to be more of a narrative theory than a hard lore-hunting theory, but feel free to jump in if anybody sees something I missed.

Remembrance of the Rot Goddess

            Remembrance of Malenia, Goddess of Rot, hewn into the Erdtree. ... Miquella and Malenia are both the children of a single god. As such they are both Empyreans, but suffered afflictions from birth. One was cursed with eternal childhood, and the other harbored rot within.

            This seems to indicate that there is a genetic component to Empyrean status. That’s likely not the only factor -- most likely, all “children of a single god” are Empyreans, but not all Empyreans are “children of a single god.” But we can still confirm that Empyrean status is at least partially hereditary.

            We know that Ranni, the youngest child of Rennala and Radagon, is an Empyrean. By the time we finish the game, we, the players, know that she got it from Radagon’s side of the family.

            However... Radagon’s godhood(?) was a strictly kept secret within the world of the game. We get most of our direct information on Radagon from Pastor Miriel, and to hear him tell it, Radagon was just a guy. A general and a champion, yes, but it’s never suggested that he was anything more than a mortal man. In fact, Miriel seems to feel that Radagon married up when he married Rennala, and can’t fathom why he would leave her.

            So did it not raise any eyebrows when two (admittedly very talented) mortals had an Empyrean daughter?

            That was my starting point. And while I continue to believe that Rennala was mortal (possibly part giant, but still mortal), I don’t think that was the official story.

            I’m probably going to make a longer post on this later, but for now grant me the premise that A) sorcery originated in the Eternal Cities, B) the astrologers were descendants of the ECs who fled to the Mountaintops of the Giants after Astel ate their sky, and C) a contingent of astrologers eventually migrated to Liurnia, likely fleeing the early conquest of the Golden Order, and became the iteration of Glintstone Scholars we encounter in game.

            Again, probably going to do a longer post later, but for now I offer the location of the Stargazers’ Ruins, the Heretical Rise, and Founding Rain of Stars (all on the Mountaintops), and the Preceptor’s Set description.

Preceptor’s Big Hat

            Large hat with the movements of the stars drawn on the inside of the brim. Worn by the magic preceptors who served the Carian royals. ... Glintstone sorcerers are the descendants of astrologers, a fact that the Carians remain of aware of. Even if their fate has been long severed from the stars.

            Keep that in the back of your mind. Now, onto Rennala’s official origin story. A note -- all heirloom talisman descriptions cite a “legend,” or a “heroic tale.” I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the lore gained from these talismans being either distorted or embellished, as legends and tales tend to be.

Stargazer Heirloom

            A talisman engraved with the legend of a queen. Raises intelligence. The young astrologer gazed at the night sky as she walked. She had always chased the stars every step of her journey. Then she met the full moon — and, in time, the astrologer became a queen.

Rennala’s Full Moon

            Sorcery associated with the Carian queen. Uses the caster as a vessel to incarnate a full moon, then sends it floating toward foes. ... Queen Rennala encountered this enchanting moon when she was young, and later, it would bewitch the academy.

Remembrance of the Full Moon Queen

            Remembrance of Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, hewn into the Erdtree. ... In her youth, Rennala was a prominent champion who charmed the academy with her lunar magic, becoming its master. She also led the Glintstone Knights and established the house of Caria as royalty.

            So we have a young astrologer. Most likely, either she or her family line originated from the Mountaintops. She discovered the Full Moon, and used it to bewitch/charm the Academy. She was also responsible for raising House Caria to the level of royalty.

            A quick tangent -- the Carian Filigree Crest references multiple Carian princesses. Unless Rennala previously had other marriages with other children, Ranni ought to be the only Carian princess.

            However, if we assume that the Carian’s previously ruled a principality, not the entire kingdom of Liurnia, everything slots neatly into place. The Carians were one noble family among many, Liurnia split between the lot of them. They were a matriarchal principality, thus making the current princess the highest priority for the knights sworn to their house.

            Now back to Rennala... I don’t believe that the Full Moon was an outer god, or a sentient entity at all. I believe it is a school of sorcery developed by Rennala, building upon the foundation of Carian sorcery (just as Miquella’s holly incantations seem to build upon Golden Order Fundamentalism, while not being associated with any outer god -- future lore post pending).

            However, I think Rennala presented the Full Moon as an outer god. Picture this -- Marika makes her debut on the Mountaintops, driving the astrologers to flee to Liurnia. She then proceeds to hit the kingdom of the Crucible so hard that Uhl flees to parts unknown and Placidusax picks up his capitol city and absconds to another dimension. Marika then sets her sights on Liurnia, dispatching Radagon.

            At this point, Marika is fully leaning into her rep the God Queen. Her age is inevitable, no one can stand against her.

            Except for another Empyrean, fighting to usher in her own age.

            Rennala, the inheritor of a tiny corner of a fractured and disorganized Liurnia, declares herself the Empyrean of the Full Moon. An Arthurian figure, she unites the scattered houses of Liurnia, raises up an elite order of knights, meets the Hound of the Golden Order on the battlefield... And wins.

            Rennala is now de-facto queen of Liurnia. The Glintstone Scholars come aboard, the Lazuli Conspectus the first and the most loyal -- they even take up the techniques of her knights. But she knows that, having no true god of her own, she cannot stand against Marika indefinitely. She and Radagon manage to work out a compromise. For a time, it seems everything worked out.

            Then her daughter is born an Empyrean. An Empyrean claimed by Manus Celes -- the Hand of the Moon.

            Rennala knows she made the whole thing up. There shouldn’t be a lunar outer god. Did she Tulpa one into existence? Did it exist all along, and she’s been taking its name in vain all these years? Did Radagon know? Is that what the secret of the Preceptors was about?

            Regardless, now it’s after her daughter.

            Of course we know that Radagon was the true Empyrean. He did not need Rennala to produce Empyrean heirs. But Rennala doesn’t know that. Ranni is the youngest. Radagon left after he had his Empyrean heir. Suddenly, Rennala’s breakdown starts to make a lot more sense.

Queen’s Robe

            Robe indicating the highest order of sorcerer. Worn by Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. When Rennala, head of both the Academy of Raya Lucaria and the Carian royal family, lost her husband Radagon, her heart went along with him. And then, those at the academy realized. That Rennala was no champion, after all.

Carian Retaliation

            One of the sorceries of the Carian royal family. Swing your staff to dispel incoming sorceries and incantations, using their power to retaliate with glintblades. This was the Carian royal family's secret means to prepare against the disloyalty of the academy. The moon and stars would one day go their separate ways.

            The Glintstone Scholars signed on with Rennala because they believed she could be their Empyrean champion against Marika. When she folded, they turned on her in an instant. The description of Carian Retaliation suggests that, to some degree, she always knew that this was a possibility.

            One cannot maintain a lie forever.

#elden ring #elden ring theory #elden ring lore #rennala of the full moon

[percheduphere]

I’m a new follower and wanted to say that I really enjoy reading your Lokius content. They are really well thought out and written. I was wondering if you have any headcanons on Loki’s time in Asgard like his relationships, any events you think could’ve happened, etc.

Hi Anon!

Sorry for the late reply and thank you for your patience. I have several headcanons about Loki's Asgardian relationships based on comics canon and MCU canon.

I'm going to focus on characters outside of Thor, Odin, and Frigga, as I believe those relationships have been discussed at length by many other fans.

FANDRAL - Back in 2014/2015, I used to ship them together romantically. I'd like to think I added some depth to his character, but the truth is the canon leaves much to be desired with ONE exception. Comics canon reveals that Fandral fell into a portal that landed him in medieval Midgard where he became Robin Hood, married Maid Marion, stayed with her despite her aging while he remained young, mourned her death, and couldn't have a serious romantic affair since. I used this to flesh him out and create a healthier relationship with Loki, but I digress. I think at the very least, Loki and Fandral slept together, perhaps on more than one occasion. At the very least, they are somewhat friendly with each other. Loki saves his life in Thor 1 by throwing a dagger at a Jotun that's about to attack him; Fandral's the least hostile to Loki of the Warriors Three and Sif; in comics canon, he's the smartest/most cunning of the Warriors Three; he is the only character among Thor's closest friends to not threaten to kill Loki upon their encounter in Thor 2, and quite simply their temperaments when it comes to style, pleasure, and poetics are compatible. I think they suit each other quite well and could have made a good couple canonically if not for the fact that they are both flighty when it comes serious relationships (both due to trauma, if you take Fandral's Robin Hood backstory seriously). At any rate, Mobius surpasses him in many ways and is a wonderful character in his own right, for which I am eternally grateful.

SIF - While I don't think Loki hates Sif, I feel the same cannot be said about Sif for Loki. In Norse mythology, Loki cuts Sif's hair as a prank and is forced by Thor to magically create for Sif hair of gold. In the comics canon, Sif's hair was originally gold and Loki cutting it resulted in it turning dark brown or black. In multiple iterations of the comics canon, Loki's motivation has near-consistently been his jealousy of his brother's attention for her. Now, Sif in the MCU versus Sif in comics reads as a "girl friend" as opposed to a "girlfriend". However, Sif has a strong sense of honor and integrity, neither of which she is willing to compromise. I therefore see her constantly clashing with Loki's morally gray (at best) and outright malicious (at worst) intentions. The most traumatic comics canon experience Sif has been through with Loki was his taking over her body to become Lady Loki. That trauma left her completely untrusting of Loki's motivations even after he is reborn in the Journey into Mystery/Agent of Asgard/God of Stories arcs, despite Thor, Fandral, and Volstagg's advocating for Loki's innocence as a child. They may have been friends as children, but that friendship has long been broken. Whenever they are in the same room, it is tense.

HEIMDALL - Through the Bifrost, he is a near-omniscient guardian being who is significantly older than Thor and his peers. For this reason, I think Heimdall is generally neutral towards Loki's behavior, having witnessed all sorts of behavior throughout the Nine Realms. That said, his friendship with Thor creates a strong sense of protectiveness for him and wariness towards Loki by Thor 2. I was of the belief that Heimdall is the most serious of Thor's friends and that his regard toward Loki was not too afar from the Warrior's Three. However, the Loki series suggests he has a playful side, at least when Thor and Loki were younger. I think he may have humored Loki's antics as he had Thor's, like an uncle who indulges his nephews with an air of amusement, mild exasperation, and reserved affection. I also think he appreciated Loki's intelligence. It is a lonely duty to guard the Bifrost. I think Loki's visits and conversations lifted his spirits from time to time. Unfortunately, Odin's penchant for war and conquest, his political machinations, his deceit, his manipulation, and his favoritism toward Thor all come to a head.

VOLSTAGG - Not much is shown about Volstagg. I can say he is the oldest of Thor's friends and the only father among them. He detests Loki's cunning, and Loki detests him for his boorishness. Their archetypes are the classic "jock's best friend" and "dramatic bookworm." I don't doubt they quarreled a lot when they were younger, if Thor 1 was any indication, and that they secretly enjoyed those quarrels as much as they were annoyed by them. Like the rest of Thor's friends, lines were drawn after Thor 1 and Avengers. However, in comics canon, Volstagg defends the reborn Loki, as a child, in Journey into Mystery. Volstagg has many children with his wife and loves children generally. He provided kid!Loki with warmth, protection, and affection when many refused to give him a chance. I think God of Stories Loki would have respect and even some fondess for Volstagg because Volstagg shares some of Mobius's quirks: his love of food, his a soft spot for the small and helpless, and his exceptional devotion to his spouse (in Mobius's case, his partnership with Loki rather than his wife).

HOGUN - Hogun is the most difficult character for me to get a read on because he is just as quiet in comics canon as, if not more so, MCU canon. I can say he and Sif are likely close in personality. In my opinion, they therefore would be best friends with one another after Thor. His doubt of Loki and anger towards him come across as more muted (still waters run deep) than the others, but that does not mean it is any less passionate. He is also the toughest of the Warriors Three, the last to die in Ragnarok. In their youth, I can see him putting Loki at a distance, carefully observing him, but actively not engaging with him unless absolutely necessary.

#anon asks #asks #loki #fandral #sif #heimdall #hogun #dashingfrost #loki headcanons #my headcanons #loki meta #my meta #loki analysis #my analysis #marvel comics canon #volstagg #lokius

[agentrouka-blog]

"Sansa had never had much of a head for figures. If she did marry Prince Joff, Arya hoped for his sake that he had a good steward." - AGOT, Arya I this passage comes right after arya talks about jeyne's namecalling, so i always took it as foreshadowing that jeyne will someday become sansa's steward, as her father was to sansa's father. but it occurs to me it could also be jonsa foreshadowing the way the "hands of a blacksmith" quote is gendry@ foreshadowing. what do you think, rouka?

Hi there!

I had only ever made the jonsa connection before, what with Jon being made an upwardly mobile steward in the same book that states Sansa would need one.

I'd never connected the quote to Jeyne before, but since GRRM made sure to emphasize throughout AGOT (and later ADWD) that Jeyne is a steward's daughter, as opposed to any other household position, it could well apply to her too. Like Sansa, she may step into the role of her father. As you point out, that whole chapter is full of foreshadowing, so why not for Jeyne? Like Sansa, her secret dreams may yet have a future.

Her lower social position places her in a similar state of inclusion into the highest circles without being able to fully belong. Much like Theon (as a hostage) or Jon (as a bastard) or Littlefinger (as a low status ward), she is not necessarily gracious about it, and she mocks Arya for failing to meet certain standards, while enjoying privileges Jeyne could never access. Sansa herself notes Jeyne's ineligibility for a high status marriage, without being so unkind as to voice it. Jeyne's desire to belong is turned into a cruel mockery by the powerful adults forcing her into the role of Arya Stark after exploiting her in the worst way. But it's precisely Theon, the worst possible extreme iteration of her own insecurities and petty inclinations, who ends up saving her even knowing who she is. He's not saving Arya, he is saving Jeyne. Imperfect steward's daughter Jeyne.

Jeyne's journey, while worse, is very similar to Sansa's and for both the time of hidden identities is coming to an end soon. There is going to be an upward swing to agency and power.

When Sansa learns what Jeyne has been through, her status will not matter. Her voice and her witness account, on the other hand, will. (Actually... could there be a Shae parallel in there? The trial against Tyrion?) So if Sansa's journey leads to queenship, Jeyne's journey should also lead to independence and status and agency. To a true sense of belonging. And if Sansa's journey leads to love, should not Jeyne's at least invite the possibility down the line?

There is a whole soup cooking there for Jeyne Poole.

#rouka queue #jeyne poole

[centuryberry]

HIIII :D.

Just a smol question? But can I pleseee has some more lore on Erlang and the Jade Emperor’s screaming match?

Oof. Ok. So. When I said there's family drama, there's family drama.

There are many myths and iterations of Erlang Shen, but the one I'm using for this fic is of Yang Jian (Erlang Shen), the Jade Emperor's nephew. His mother, Princess Yaoji, fell in love with a mortal and married him, violating the Heavenly Rules. As punishment, the Jade Emperor sealed her under a mountain. Yang Jian cleaved that very mountain with an axe to release his mother. Later, after an unrelated incident involving a flood, he is canonized as a god.

(There's also a story of Erlang Shen continuing the cycle by sealing his own sister in a mountain, causing his nephew to go through a similar journey.)

#queen of the mountain #answered ask #the history behind erlang shen and the jade emperor #family drama #generaltional trauma

[spotsupstuff]

Okay, I need to know what Sparrow's dad said about the rot because it is haunting me like Sos is haunting the narrative.

Is there a post that describes Sparrow's dad to know about him more? What is his name? (It seems he also haunts the narrative)

he is not to be really known

and really he only haunts the narrative, yes, but specifically when Sparrows (or her family) is the focus. to the Iterators he's just another fleeting life of an unimportant figure

he hasn't said anything about the Rot, good chance he's never even heard about it. what he talked about to Sparrows was his belief that the Void Sea was not to be discovered, disturbed and then used. in the Rot comic, Sparrows talks about the connection she's made herself as a Mechanic between the Rot (a thing specific to Iterators) and the Void Fluid being key ingredient for their existence

though it had to dawn on her at some point that if her dad was right about the introduction of the Void into the society not being right and therefore the Iterators' existence (including Caper's) is inherently wrong on that basis, she's not the sort of person to ignore the facts even if they hurt. the Rot is connected to Void. the Void allows Iterators to live. her husband is unintentionally hurting the spiritual balance by simply living. it hurts, but there is nothing she can do about it so she'll keep on loving him while keeping her thoughts to herself

more to Dad: • he doesn't have a name and i'm not planning on giving him one • he's native to Euros' facilities while Inkling comes the facilities of Aftertaste of Disdain • big believer in the original local pagan religion. so he prays to and believes in the Folk Gods. since he's so strong in his religious faith, he spiritualy cultivates himself a lot. that's why he's so thin and grey (the greyness in his case means that if he dies he will not respawn) • he died at 51- which is basically like dying in late 20s in human years • met Inkling when he was 20 and she 16. he was travelling the through the Eo group territory in the name of his spiritual journey when he stopped for a while in Disdain's facilities. they became good friends there and since during that time Disdain's place was facing food issues (effectively putting the lower circle through famine in the name of preserving the higher circle- as a result of the war's poorly managed consequences. they lasted stupid long), with her family's agreement he took Inkling with himself back to Euros' facilities which were stable since he was a very new Iterator unaffected by the war • they stayed friends for about 6 years. then one day Inkling started trying to hit on him by secretly putting her food into his backpack for when he'd go to work. food meant a lot to her, as someone who grew up in famine, so she thought that would carry the message across real well. poor man thought he was haunted by a food ghost until he one day caught her in the act • stayed girlfriend n boyfriend for about 4 years. got married and 3 years later had the twins. 4 years After the twins, came Sparrows • originally he was simply a farmer, but when he came back home with Inkling, he learned how to be a shoemaker so he could spend more time at home with her (since she is a tailor) • the granda i sometimes mention was the Dad's dad. he however took in Inkling so readily that at some point she just started referring to him as her dad and he likes to call her his daughter • he was a good father! often imparting his thoughts on the children for them to Consider, not blindly accept. he read them stories, took them out for trips in the district, showed them how to use the farmer equipment and so on • despite this, Sparrows has mixed feelings about him. she loves him and takes care of his grave when she's home, but she can't help but be angry at him for being... "too spiritual" and therefore removing himself from the respawn pool. if he hadn't, he'd still be here with them! but well... it's not like he Wanted to die to some lizard getting a jump on him and leave his family behind to fetch for themselves. she doesn't come to terms with this till much later, possibly with Euros' help

#spot says stuff #rw #oc tag #yea Sparrows fam still has ten more children after Spars with Brook being the last one- born when Sparru was 26 #this was possible thanks to the fact that Ancients can sorta like. store sperm? some animals can do that n well it helps me out in this- #-situation so they can do it too. just the fuckin. pain. inkling has to feel each time a new child is born and they carry their late- #-fathers traits... ah... thats the smile she used to love so much. this one has his kind eyes... this one is a little purple like he used - #-to be... hes..... never coming back. she sees him in all 13 of her little ones and yet she hasnt gotten to raise a single one of them to- #-adulthood with him. like that is just Horrible

[insomniac-jay]

DC: South | Titans South

Titans South, formerly known as Teen Titans South, is an iteration of the Teen Titans located in the Southern region of the United States. Much like Justice League South, they are unauthorized to be using the Titans name.

Unlike the mainstream Titans, JLS had no hand in forming the original team. Instead, it was Jaguar who sought out the original five members as aids in her quest for vengeance against her father, the crime lord Al Tylers. Over time, they began to bond and became a found family.

They are based in Atlanta.

Titans South 1

Leader: Minka Tylers | Jaguar

Members:

Roland Judge | Tsuru I

Nicte of Tenochtitlan | Typhoon

Alejandra | Tidebreaker

Rue Summers | Speed Demon

Knowing she couldn't face her estranged father and his associates alone, Minka set out to find others to help her. The first member of the Furious Five was Roland Judge, who was going by Tsuru. While she was annoyed with his personality, he was a good fighter and archer. Plus he had the money and connections to bail them out of trouble.

The next member to join was Alejandra, the chosen one of a tribe of Amazons located in the Yucatán Peninsula, who had journeyed to the outside world to continue the legacy of Stormbringer (Andromeda King). It was easy for Minka to get her to join since she needed help learning about the outside world.

Both Rue and Nicte joined at the same time. Rue was the sidekick of Roadrunner (Will Summers) and Nicte was the sidekick to Cipactli (Citlali of Tenochtitlan). Minka recruited Rue for his speed (and for entertainment but she'd rather die than admit that) and Nicte for his powers.

With her team assembled, Minka declared a full on war with her dad; emerging victorious once she killed him.

Even with her goal achieved, Minka found herself attached to her teammates and decided against disbanding them as she planned to do once Al was eliminated.

They decided to call themselves Titans South after a newspaper called them "The Teen Titans of the South".

Titans South 1.5

Leader: Minka Tylers

New members:

Mel Ortega | Darkheart

Ko'vi of Tamaran

Tallulah Moriarty | Wildflower

Reason for disbanding: Adulthood and differing interests

The next iteration of Titans South saw the addition of three new members: Darkheart, Ko'vi, and Wildflower.

Mel Ortega was Minka's childhood best friend. They joined to support her in her superhero career. Mel comes from a long line of witches who wield underworld magic, a type exclusive to their bloodline only. The nature of their powers allowed them to become the team expert on all things supernatural ranging from ghosts and spirits to Demons.

Ko'vi of Tamaran was a former cadet of Green Lantern Malaika Rose and one of the few Tamaranians left. He left to pursue his own path and ended up in Atlanta just in time to see the team in the middle of battling a powerful enemy. Ko'vi flew in to assist them, catching the attention of Minka in the process.

Tallulah is the youngest sister of Emerald Ranger (Sherri Moriarty). Inspired by her eldest sister's heroic actions, Tallulah operated as a small time vigilante in her hometown of Beaumont, Texas before heading to Georgia. Roland recruited her after witnessing her impressive marksmanship and skill with guns. Tallulah is the youngest member of the team.

Unfortunately this is also the iteration that ended up disbanding, but not on bad terms. Many of the members were now adults and had their own goals and motivations outside of heroism; Minka and Ko'vi wanted to settle down together for a bit, Roland was about to marry Jezebel Morningstar, Nicte and Alejandra had just gotten married, Mel wanted to focus on their blooming fashion career, Rue got an advance in his career, and Tallulah wanted to focus on graduating high school.

I have yet to plan the other iterations of Titans South but do know that Tallulah leads the next generation.

@mayameanderings @biandbored @fandomunsexyman @calciumcryptid

#dc: south #titans south

[precious-little-scoundrel]

Was so curious to see how a MOTA Pacific AU would work and holy smokes. You blew me away. The translations of different roles for the characters was spot on. I was like. Doc Egan? But FUCK HE WAS PERFECT? 11/10 would read a spin-off of him. “Honey I’m home.” What a bastard (affectionate, I love him). I could hear all the dialogue in the characters’ voices and the relationships between Egan + Cleven and Cleven + DeMarco were glorious. I love Candy’s (sorry gotta take Bucky’s nickname) journey from “wtf is this hotshot pilot up to” to “would fuck this nervous virgin right here right now.” And Gale’s line about not “napping” at all if they were married? Deceased. Gone. Incredible job and if you do write a Part 2 I’ll be there with bells on!

Bahahahaha, this first part of your ask is legit my own inner monologue as I was posting it: how the fuckity fuck is this ever going to make sense or appeal to anyone ever but I submit to the jury: Doctor “Smirky” Egan.

He’d just nail it, I know he would and now he’s my favorite iteration of him I’ve ever written. He just sat himself down in a Gale Fic and demanded to be included. Grrr.

But thank you for your kind words, there’s really not a more relieving praise than to hear that characters’ voices sounded like themselves. 😫🫠 And also that a OC was beloved, and lemme say that knowing Candy, she just might live up to her name and sweeten that pilot up enough for them to actually do it.

#crucible asks #love notes

[lord-jen-grey]

Thanks for the question @dianaforever .

The answer is Yes! It’s on the more rare side, but it does happen. Off the top of my head, I’ve had major plot shifts while writing on about 6 occasions (out of 28 Outlander works on AO3). I’ll detail them below if you’re interested.

Most of my plots are so intricate, I can’t mess with them after I started posting because it would ruin the groundwork already laid down. But sometimes it’s inevitable.

I think you’ll see a pattern that most of these changes are character driven. I have a framework of who my faves are at their essence, and if my plans don’t fit that as well as I hoped, I end up having to change the story to what Jamie & Claire (and John) demand it to be.

It’s notable for me that I have plot, relationship, and character development outlined, but I do leave myself creative flexibility with how that plays out. Dialogue is usually pretty organic and not planned ahead.

Here are some examples of major changes to stories:

Journey of a Thousand Kisses - this story was meant to be fluffy sex when I first started writing it. I didn’t want much plot! But in writing ch 1, I had to explain Jamie’s scars, and I didn’t want to just repeat canon. So I had to ask myself, “What could I do to make it different?” At the same time, I was thinking about Pixar and Fleabag’s storytelling strategies, and decided on telling a story where it seemed like one thing 90% of the story, then BAM, here is an emotional punch that was set up from the beginning. So, I went back to the drawing board and outlined the plot as it sits today (all this was before posting the first chapter).

The Silver of Moonlight - The point of this story was that Claire was meant to be a source of love, support, and encouragement so that Jamie could finally accept his feelings for John, all the while recognizing her own love for John in the process. I had planned on Jamie being a bit more reluctant and for him to struggle even more with his internalized homophobia. When it got to the intimacy, it just felt right for Jamie be more decisive about the shift and not drag out his reluctance.

Fire Closest Kept - I wrote half this story before going back and making a massive change (thank God it wasn’t posted yet). The parts from Brianna’s POV were originally Willie’s parts! But I felt like Jamie needed to earn a Willie’s trust, and keeping him in the dark about their plans was contrary to that, so I changed a big chunk of the plot to make it Brianna.

On Our Lips, Begin & Tell - This was originally meant to be enemies to lovers, but the moment these two met, that was ruined 😂. Journey babes are madly in love immediately, no matter what iteration.

Lost in the Wind - There were 2 changes here. Bennet was supposed to show up a few chapters in, but I changed it to chapter 1 more impulsively. He was just too important to the plot to not be there from the beginning. The second is that Claire was supposed to be meaner to Jamie in the initial outline, but she wouldn’t let me write her that way. She was too insightful in seeing the contradictions of his behavior.

Like Petals Falling - This story had the more changes than anything I’ve ever written!! It was initially meant to be (idk) 15 chapters of a secret admirer fic, ending with a flash forward of them getting married 😂. It quickly turned into something more. The issue with this story was that the poetry elicited so much of my personal existential philosophy on life and pulled in many of my day to day experiences, so small moments became entire chapters full of significance (like the Mother’s Day chapter was written from my own emotional challenges in that day). Then when my grandmother was ill and dying, I began reading poetry about loss and life, setting Jamie down a path of grief with Brian. The story went from 15 chapters to 30 very quickly. Then 30 went to about 75 when I decided to expand the existential themes of the story to tell a lifelong journey of love between two people and their family and the Legacy they’ll leave behind. These were a few notes I jotted down shortly after losing my Nan 💙

#anon asks

[ramblingaboutglee]

As a non-Klaine fan I’m just curious, why do you think they work well together?

I think it depends on the season you're asking about - it feels like klaine never really have a set dynamic, and charting that course is part of what makes them interesting to me.

In season 2, realistically speaking the plot was "The only other gay kid they know that's not kinda a jerk," and it was a cute first love dynamic, but half the drama in S2 was the fact they didn't really know one another at all. It's not, at that point, the bedrock of any long-lasting relationship.

So for me, it's interesting to see how they shift? Like, honestly to begin with, they seem to like the idea of the other more than the reality. Which, it happens - you've got Blaine trying to be more mature and wise than he actually is, Kurt clearly buying it, etc. Then Blaine's uncertainties rear their head in a way no one's ready for, and they have a lot of adjustments to make. And then, four/five years later, they're married.

So that development, honestly, is a compelling one to me.

I've rambled about this before - when it comes to Glee, I feel like most of the early-season ships were never viewed by the writers as epic love stories for the ages, but rather as temporary relationships that would likely end with graduation. From that perspective, there are kind of two iterations of Klaine to talk about. Pre S4's break-up, and post.

Before, they were a mess. Neither of them knew how a relationship really worked, both of them struggled to act sensibly, both of them could be dumbasses at points, and honestly it's generally endearing - they're navigating unfamiliar waters, with the extra dose of queerness thrown in meaning they're much more on their own. I think it's a good journey for both of them individually, though Klaine was more a vehicle for the two of them than something with its own life.

(In-show anyway. Hard to deny the real life impact)

Then we have the break-up, and ooh I really want to ramble that episode at some point. The short version is, for Klaine, Blaine switched schools for Kurt, Kurt graduated, and he's left alone without most of his old friends. he's isolated, Kurt's distracted and struggling to relate while dealing with adult life drama, Blaine messes up. (Which, I am so curious to figure out the fandom view of that. I have one friend who mentioned she thought it was OoC because she viewed Blaine as someone who needed an emotional connection, while to me he'd always seemed more sexual, so idk. I think Glee definitely runs into fanon taking on a life of its own which makes untangling everything trickier)

If we fast forward to when Klaine end up together again, it makes for an interesting contrast. By that point, Kurt is much more sure of who he is, and presumably Blaine is as well, if to a lesser degree. They always had a vague 'first crush' thing, but for me it is this point where Klaine start being a relationship that functions well as, like, a relationship as opposed to just mutual character growth. They chafe, a ghost of their old 'Sometimes they, Blaine especially, focus on an idea and misses the reality' (which is suchhh a throughline to so many people on Glee) but they're much better at working through it.

Even then, it's not perfect, but even what we see of the break-up seems to be handled much better by them compared to S4.

And then there's the terrifying Sue robot. Ah, Glee.

All that to say - for me, Kurt and Blaine individually are good characters. Kurt, the quieter gay kid growing in confidence over years, and Blaine the optimist and daydreamer who sometimes spirals out when things inevitably don't go to plan. Kurt makes for an interesting counterpoint - to begin with, he's the one who almost looks up to Blaine, only to find out that most of Blaine's confidence is an act. It's a relationship where they both draw one another into unexpected territory, good and bad, and have to work out how to navigate it. If nothing else, Klaine is something that pushes both of them forwards.

I don't necessarily view it as the be-all and end-all of ships, I don't think it's the most compelling dynamic in the show, nor necessarily the sweetest - though they do have cute moments - but it's a relationship that helps draw out two characters, and gets rooted in surprisingly grounded drama of two people in a relationships learning to, well, share space. Especially in late S5, that serves to play off of Blaine's tendency to romanticise, and then Kurt's inherent defensiveness, so they end up as a ship that definitely have things to overcome. But then, that is part of what can make a dynamic interesting.

No idea if I put my view well but hey, you ask this blog a question and you get a ramble I guess.

#Glee #Klaine #Blaine Anderson #Kurt Hummel #Ask

[ladyofpomegranates]

Our Flag Means Self Love?

For today’s entry to @ourflagmeansparty  I, @ladyofpomegranates, of Team Black bring you an a exploration of one of the best themes in Our Flag Means Death

Prompt 5: Themes

 Man vs Self

This one is a deceptively simple theme, one of the oldest types of conflict in stories, but don’t underestimate the power of Man vs Self! This one packs a real punch and is the driving force behind your least favorite character decisions. 

Man vs Self manifests in many ways: self loathing, guilt, internalized misogyny, fears, indecisiveness, impulsivity, I could go on for days. The crux of a good man vs self conflict is a clash between what the character wants and a trait that makes them their own adversary.

One of the most prominent examples of Man vs Self in Our Flag Means Death is the various self expressions of Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard. 

When we first hear about Blackbeard it is through the heavily fictionalized stories told by Black Pete. Pete describes Blackbeard as the manifestation of the golden age of piracy: a head made of dark smoke and glowing red coals for eyes, faster on the draw than any normal man.

Blackbeard isn’t a man in these stories, he’s a monster, a legend, a great looming figure who heralds death and destruction for all those who cross him. He fits in more with the fearsome tales of pirates told in Black Sails than with the ragtag band of pirates aboard The Revenge.

When we first see Blackbeard the man, it’s only in glimpses: an arm holding a pipe, a leg propped up on a massive desk, a man sitting in a giant chair shot from behind to carefully obscure identifiable features. He exudes a threatening mysterious aura, this aligns with the reputation of Blackbeard the dread pirate in universe so far. Though Izzy Hands also refers to him more casually, ‘Edward, can’t I just send the boys?’ he says with an exhausted, almost whining tone that suggests these two are familiar with each other. The Blackbeard of legend almost certainly would reprimand a subordinate who spoke to him like this, but instead Izzy is given a reason why it must be him who undertakes this particular mission: ‘I want this done right’. 

When we finally see Blackbeard clearly, it’s not as a villain but as a rescuer! He cuts Stede free from the noose tied by the Spanish navy then proceeds to spend a whole episode by Stede Bonnet’s side as he recovers from injuries. “Discomfort In A Married State” shows us the quirks of Blackbeard from the point of view of Izzy Hands and Stede Bonnet. Izzy is annoyed by the short attention spans, focus on ‘silly trinkets’ and desire for novelty that his captain shows in this episode. He even delivers my favorite Izzy diatribe “for years I have managed your increasingly erratic mood, I have massaged your ego, and when we once again barely eke by to fight another day I will very willingly offer you this, my fucking resignation, you absolute twat.”   

Stede Bonnet on the hand, sees these same traits and thinks, ‘what a delightful man! I wonder if he’d like to see my auxiliary wardrobe?’ With Stede, Blackbeard begins an exploration of himself for perhaps the first time in years, he even introduces himself as ‘Ed’! 

Stede Bonnet becomes the catalyst for Edward Teach’s journey of self reflection and internal conflict as he questions whether he can be the man he wants to be rather than the image he has carefully constructed around his darker impulses.  

I’ve seen analogies of Blackbeard and Edward Teach as a man and the mask he wears. While I appreciate these and definitely agree that the source material supports this, I would argue that the truth is somewhere closer to the iterations of grecoroman gods like Athena and Apollo. Edward Teach and Blackbeard and the Kraken are all differing aspects of the same entity. There is The Lover, the Trickster, The Vengeful Man. 

Blackbeard contains multitudes and his journey will ultimately be one of exploration and acceptance of these aspects. 

#our flag means death #our flag means party #team black #prompt 5 #this was originally going to have multiple characters but it was long enough already #this is proof of why english was one of my best classes in school #your girl likes to write literalry analysis #Rowan if you made the whole week just different literary techniques like themes symbols motifs metaphors I would die of happiness

[klaustus]

Illuminating Off-Grid Lands: A Quest for Sustainable Energy (Game 1)

The immense expanse of the Philippine archipelago has a tapestry of off-grid places where power is still a distant dream. Among the rich foliage and calm settings, communities suffer the darkness, longing for the spark of light to lighten their nights. In these distant places, a group of dedicated individuals, driven by a desire for change, emerge as beacons of hope.

JAMES, CARLO, VENZ, JULLIEN, and I all share a common goal: to bring light into the lives of individuals who live in the shadows. Their journey begins with a thorough examination of the intricate web of difficulties, ranging from infrastructural gaps to topographical limitations, that impede energy access in rural Philippines.

Through cooperative ideation and imaginative narrative, we create solutions that maximize the potential of renewable energy sources while utilizing nearby resources. Their goal comes to life, propelled by creativity and community involvement, from training programs for young people living on islands to the development of reasonably priced technology like biodiesel converters and hydropower.

But there are obstacles in our way. We must face the hard facts of scarce resources, time restraints, and the requirement for organized preparation. But every challenge also presents a chance to improve, advance, and clear the path for a more promising and sustainable future for everybody.

Inside the Mind of an INTJ-T Architect

As an architect with an INTJ-T personality, I blend analytical thinking with creative vision. I meticulously craft designs that marry efficiency with elegance, striving for perfection in every detail. While I value independence, I also appreciate collaboration with like-minded individuals who share my dedication to excellence. In my world, innovation and precision go hand in hand, shaping spaces that inspire and function seamlessly. As an avid analyst, I am constantly evolving and growing, seeking new perspectives and pushing the boundaries of traditional design to create truly remarkable architectural experiences.

Promoting Creativity: Adopting a 48.62 Mentality

Scores don't limit innovation; instead, it thrives on persistence, curiosity, and iteration. Having scored 48.62 out of 100 on the personal innovation scale, I set out on a creative adventure without fear of failure. I think that in order to disrupt norms, ideas should be refined and varied perspectives should be sought out. I keep going in spite of challenges because I see creativity as a means of development. It's crucial to understand that this score is only a beginning point and can be expanded upon and developed. I embrace the infinite possibilities of my 48.62 attitude with every experiment, quoting Albert Einstein when he states, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

#Weekly blog