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askagamedev · 1 year

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You talked about how making system with an edge case/additional functionality (namely the boss’ elite units acting as a unit with cover fire/focused targeting). Can you explain why it is harder/more time consuming to add unanticipated functionality in later?

I'll use a different example to answer your question today. There's a well-known long-running MMORPG called Star Wars: The Old Republic that was famous for its companion characters as a major game feature.

The way that the companion system was built for launch was designed around every class having an equal number of companions within the data. Companions at launch were mapped by class - every player class had six different companions, each with a set role (melee tank, ranged tank, melee DPS, ranged DPS, healer, ship droid) in a specific numbered slot. In all of the code systems that had anything to do with companions, the code wouldn't ask for a specific companion by ID number, but rather by the player's class and companion slot number. The system was built such that companion lookup could not be sparse (that is, you couldn't have empty companion slots for any class), or systems like companion affection, equipment, companion stats and stat scaling, many parts of combat, companion UI, certain cinematics, etc. would fail in a cascade. Every class had to have the same number of companions or all kinds of game systems would break. This also meant that there wasn't just two different faction ship droids, there were eight (a different one for each class).

It was when the game designers added the first and second additional companions to the original roster that they ran into the wall. They couldn't add just one companion - they had to add eight companions - a different version of the new companion for each class. The costs were so great that the leadership deemed it too expensive to build new companions after the first two (HK-51 and Treek). It also meant that there was no way that they could reuse existing companions for other classes - the Sith Warrior couldn't ever recruit a companion character that was designed for the Imperial Agent, because it wouldn't be the same companion, it'd have to be a separate instance of that old companion data. New companion characters were one of the most highly requested and popular features among players, but actually adding them to the game was a nightmare in terms of the amount of work that needed to be done and complexity of data (since design quailed at the thought of having to keep track of up to eight different versions of every new companion added to the game). This problem was a continuous thorn in the side of the leadership too because they knew this could open up massive new opportunities - faction reward companions, microtransaction companions, temporary companions that could actually die as part of the story, different versions of companions, etc. - but could not feasibly do anything about it due to the development cost of having to rebuild the entire system.

Eventually, circumstances granted the SWTOR team additional headcount for a year and the leadership wisely tasked a strike team of engineers and designers for nearly the entire expansion cycle to rebuild the companion system from the ground up in order to decouple the player classes from their static companion slots. For the first time, designers could set a list of player classes that the companion could be recruited by without needing to create a duplicate of that companion's data for each class. All classes could share the same companion's data, which meant that classes could recruit each others' companions, and that new companions were much, much easier to add to the game. Design would no longer need to create eight different versions of the same companion anymore.

As you may have surmised, the reason that it was so expensive to add unanticipated functionality in later is because a lot of other critical systems were built upon the assumptions made during that initial implementation. Changing the underlying system meant that all of the other systems built on top of it would either fail spectacularly, or would also need to be rebuilt to work with the new hotness. These game systems do not exist in a vacuum - there are often shockwaves that affect other secondary systems which can set off their own shockwaves to affect tertiary systems, and so on. It isn't always as huge an issue as SWTOR's companion system, but it is a really good example of bad assumptions made during initial development haunting the team for years after launch.

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unolvrs · 2 years

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR DIN DJARIN FIC PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

omg. tbh, i'm still debating which one i'm going to post: because i have two plots that i really like. one's din djarin/sith pureblood!oc, and the other's din djarin & oc based on the witch pt. 1: subversion.

but i made a compromise. so, i have my for all that is worth series, right? what if i make a star wars one but instead of angsty tragic japanese literature-themed, i have star-themed ones.

leeeeet me explain:

hv2112

din djarin & oc; because i have daddy issues and i want din to adopt two superpowered kids and stress over it

since the witch: part 1 the subversion (which is one of my favorite movies ever) is getting a part 2 soon, i wanted to write more about it but in a star wars au because it really fits well. i'm not sure if you need to watch the witch because on one hand, i'm going to explain things along the way, and on the other, the plot twist of the witch is going to happen in this fic too... but i'm still not sure about that, or from whose pov i'm going to do it from

(okay, i'm going to nerd out a bit about stars) hv2112 is a star that was firstly speculated to be a Thorne–Żytkow Object or a ZTO. they're basically a matryoshka doll situation wherein there's a neutron star and a red supergiant star, and the supergiant eats the neutron star so it becomes a star within a star.

anyway, people thought that hv2112 was a zto until someone proved otherwise and said that hv2112 is just a super asymptotic giant branch star / super agb star. so you know how agb stars are in their later stages of life? super agb are just bigger but basically almost the same. there are other specific stuff about super agb stars that are distinct from agb stars but... all of this is just stock-knowledge and this is just what i remember...

hd74423

this mostly came from the fact that i'm head over heels in love for the old republic and the sith empire, and i wanted to write a fic where for once, grogu doesn't like the oc. every single din fic i've read was immediately liked by grogu and as someone who sometimes makes babies cry, i needed to project.

sith pureblood!oc with the typical carbonite blah, blah, memories lost, temporary blindness but ... i went all out with the backstory and the worldbuilding mostly comes from this amazing genius who is godsent. and i wanted to write about an outsider who was raised this way but is greeted with a whole different thing. lots of character study and character development.

and just me screaming that people aren't born bad but are made to be that way by their surroundings and their influences.

anyway, what is hd74423? one of my favorite stars ever, that's what.

it's a heartbeat binary star = binary for two stars and heartbeat ... has a more complicated definition but when you graph their brightness, it'll look like heartbeats in heart monitors. so what makes hd74423 special? first of all, it 'beats' / pulsates on only one side aka the side where its star-bro is. anyway, here are the links (x, x) if you wanna read more about it.

of course, that's going to mean a lot in the fic.

uhhh, i still don't know what the name of the collection would be. i think i'm going with the sith pureblood first bc i have the timeline and all...

i think my dc fics would be based on bible stories too. i need to project my religious trauma somehow.

#問 ━━ answers #i love making references for my fics #for all that is worth is for my love for japanese literature and mythology #this one's going to be for my love for stars #and lets ignore the reincarnated!oc in star wars fic im thinking of #i should stop #AND IF I GOT SOME FACTS WRONG IM SORRY #THESE ARE STOCK KNOWLEDGE

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minnarr · 3 years

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No. That would not be peace. If my people stood aside, we would be watching as yours conquered and razed and exploited to their hearts' content. Your strength, your victory, comes at the price of others' lives...

For eleven years we saw what ceasefire meant. What Sith promises are worth.

#jedi oc #swtor oc #star wars oc #my art #phaedra tycho #two thorns in one specific sith's side #listen i just really wanted to practice painting #and phaedra was right there

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marshthat · 3 years

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My Jedi master Eeth Koth headcanons!

Eeth Koth has been my comfort charcter for quite a long time, and still is now (and I hope still will be in the future also, bc I cant imagine me existing without my love for Eeth anymore).

So, I've decided to share my most prominent master Koth headcanons that I've accumulated at this point

As promised, I'm posting only general ones, without any specific implied pairings or other relationships!

note: (due not so much info about Eeth in Canon and Legends (unforgivably little actually), maaaaybe I'm projecting some of my own mental stuff on him, but eh, this is unevitable I guess :)

Have fun reading these!

1. Change of the profile

In his youth, Eeth was a Jedi Guardian, a.k.a "Jedi-on-the-front-line", and carried a blue lightsaber. But after the death of his master, followed by him joining the High Council, Eeth calmed down his inner rambo and changed his profile to a Jedi Consular. And so he chose a path of a diplomat, built a green lightsaber (with a hilt very similar to his dead master's one, as a remembrance) and eventually became famous in the Jedi Order exactly for his ability to resolve conflicts peacefully. (that's why no big missions on his part before the Clone Wars era apart from his participation in the Yinchorri incident)

2. The acceptance issue

Eeth pays a lot of attention to his appearance: carefully brushes his hair, makes sure his clothing is perfect, and so on.

Some consider this a simple whim, but in fact this will to have an ideal appearance is a consequence of some issues Koth now has because of his difficult childhood. Due to the fact that Eeth spent his first four years as a ragged orphan in the filthy slums of Nar Shaddaa, he sometimes feels as if he doesn't deserve to be in such a clean and nice place as the Coruscant Jedi Temple. (And the fact that his membership in the Order at first caused a lot of controversy among the Council masters only worsened this fear)

That is why Eeth tries his best to always look as perfect as possible - to be suitable for the beauty of the Temple and to not feel himself a stranger in its walls.

3. Long meditation hours and self-reflecting

He does meditate on his issues quite often, in order to get rid of every irrational fear he has, like the one described in the previous headcanon. Usually he does that in the evening, after all the tasks are completed - he gives himself time to reflect on what happened during the day, what he did and said and how the others reacted. This does help, but still some thorns can be very hard to get out of his hearts. His favourite meditation place is his own quarters in the Temple, where he can have a nice view on the evening/night Coruscant, which is somehow more relaxing to him than the gardens in the Room of Thousand Fountains.

4. A little peek into the apartment

Eeth’s master-quarters in the Temple are decorated with effort and thought. The most significant part are the long heavy thick and soft curtains, that, if closed, take all the light in the room away, leaving the nice pleasant semidarkness atmoshphere. Also Eeth has a lot of various cushions around the whole apartment, along with an enormous supply of aroma candles!

5. The tragedy of the Padawan

Eeth's first and only Padawan learner was Sharad Hett.

Sharad's will to quit the Order deeply hurt Eeth, even if he didn't say that out loud, as he put a lot of effort and dedication in his promise to be the best master possible for Sharad. Also he lowkey agreed with the accusations of other masters telling him he was responsible for Sharad's departure because Koth failed as a teacher - so he does feel himself guilty of failing both Sharad and the Order.

After the Hett's incident, he actually vowed to himself not to take any more Padawan learners, so as not to let anyone's expectations down again. (And, like master Saesee Tiin, chose to put his efforts into other fields rather then teaching)

(these panels still hurt me somehow qwq

Sharad made Eeth cry, for kriffs sake!)

6. But he's still very friendly to kids

Despite the unpleasant exprienece with his own Padawan, he did let go of his initial frustration and now he is quite happy to give younglings and young padawans some general lessons! Also sometimes he takes other masters' students to group trainings or supervises them during the Trials of Knighthood. And young Jedi do love master Koth a lot - because he's soft and very patient, and does allow them some liberties :)

7. The social butterfly

Eeth is a "social butterfly" or a "caretaker" (ESFJ mbti-type)

He is used to being among a large number of people, but even though it seems that he gathers these people around him, in fact this is not true - his natural charm and outgoing personality allow him to easily make new acquaintances, interact with friends and encourage conversations, but he more follows his more assertive companions, adapts his behavior and words to them in order to create the most comfortable atmosphere possible, than directs them himself.

In other words, he offers the fun, but enjoys more the others' reactions to it, than the fun itself!

8. Sweet tooth!

Eeth LOVES sweet things! He generally likes all sorts of sweets, starting with various desserts and finishing with sugary tropic fruits. (Gaining weight? Naaah, the zabraks physiology allows him to consume a lot of food because of the higher metabolism due to the zabraks having two hearts. And also he does a lot of physical exercise in the training halls. So it's not a problem at all!)

9. And he is sweet himself too

This love for sugary things is not only for sweet treats actually, but also for the scents of cosmetics too! (And he does use a lot of that stuff). That is why Eeth usually smells of something nice, either caramel, or vanilla, or fruity etc.

This is often favorited by his colleagues on the Council, who definitely enjoy the pleasant aroma Eeth always brings with him to the Council meetings.

10. Energy drinks!

He got badly used to them during the Clone Wars era, because he really needed an additional energy resource when staying up all night brushing through various diplomatic documents and strategy plans. Caf wasn't much of a help because it just turned out to be not strong enough for the zabrak, so he eventually replaced it with cheap but more effective sweet energy drinks. It doesn't really matter to him which drinks to buy exactly, but the meiloorun-flavoured ones are among his favourites.

11. Form of lightsaber combat

Form III - Soresu!

I actually did a separate essay analyzing why Eeth’s form of combat is definitely Soresu, but if keeping brief: he uses Soresu mixed with some Ataru moves. Ataru was his initial style, advised by his master due to Eeth’s small complexion and natural agility & flexibility, but after changing his Jedi profile to a Consular he also adopted the main Consulars’ style - Soresu (usually called “the diplomat style”, “the most peaceful among the seven'' etc.). Koth’s Soresu moves can clearly be seen in the “Grievous Intrigue” episode in particular. Also Koth’s stance in the "Intrigue" is different from the famous Kenobi's "point-fingers" thingy simply because Eeth's pose is not an opening Soresu stance, but the brace-ready stance, which in Soresu is described as “having much in common with the "Ataru guard," with the hilt held at waist height on the dominant side in a two-handed grip for greater control, extended vertically upwards”

12. The double-bladed saber

Eeth wields a double-bladed saber almost as well as a regular one.

And in fact, it was Darth Maul who has inspired Eeth to try this kind of a weapon - after the High Council sent him to lead the investigation on the question of a zabrak sith on Naboo in 32 bby, he got genuinely interested in the possible perks of two blades in his Soresu and eventually mastered the double-bladed saber on quite a level. But he still sees this only as an interesting training option, but nothing more. So the double-bladed saber stays in the Temple and is used only in the Training Halls, but never on the battlefield.

13. An earring (yes, in the singular form)

Eeth has one of his ears pierced (right one), and he actually has several different earrings, mostly simple, like basic metal rings, which he usually picks every morning according to his mood. But to be honest, this earring thing is purely only for himself - because you can’t really see his ears under his usual three-ponytails hairstyle.

Though, he did abandon wearing earrings during the Clone Wars era - because since the war began and the potentially dangerous missions became more frequent, it wasn’t really a right place and time for such things, especially knowing that the Separatists can use some specific traps (like the ones they used to magnetize Jedi lightsabers on Lola-Sayu). The prospect of losing the whole ear due to such a trap is not the most pleasant one indeed.

14. HUGS (and other tactile activities)

Eeth very very VERY much loves hugs!

And for him, tactile contacts are more than just a way to feel comfortable - for him it's a vital part of the whole communication process. This issue dates back to his master, Kosul Ayada, who was a herglic (a race that is actually not very good at speaking Galactic Basic), and therefore helped himself with gestures and body language. And spending a lot of time around master Ayada, Eeth also got used to supporting his verbal dialogue by body language and tactile contact.

That is why while speaking Eeth actively gestures, grabs the other's hands, squeezes shoulders etc. And the hugs are his way to express sympathy and also to feel safe and appreciated!

15. Driving skills

Master Koth can drive, and actually quite well. And by driving I mean not spaceships, but smaller things that stay on land, like speeders.

And because he is a diplomat who often attends various meetings with senators and ambassadors, he also has a personal speeder, allocated to him by the Order for the ease of attending senator events and other diplomatic ocasions.

(But he does use it for other personal purposes too, because why not to, if there is an opportunity)))

(A panel of Eeth casually driving a speeder like a damn pro is one of my fav Eeth comics crumbs,,,,,,)

16. Singing

Eeth enjoys singing! But he usually keeps this thing to himself, making the quiet manthra-like singing a part of his meditative prep - it helps him to settle down his tangly thoughts a bit and tune his mind and body for the actual meditation.

(the hc was inspired by Hassani Shapi’s singing in one of his films, because Shapi’s voice is really beautiful and I’m sad they didn’t give him even a single line in the Phantom Menace when filming Koth’s Council scene)

17. Space soap operas...? (not so serious, sometimes treated as crack, but sometimes not)

Koth (secretly) likes soap operas on the late-night HoloNet, and often stays up to watch a new episode of something before going to bed. His favourite series is called “Lekkus of love” (my imaginary in-universe show I usually use in my sw writings) and it's about a twi’lek girl’s life, filmed in the style of our “Magnificent Century”, with lots of romantic intrigues and twists.

18. LOTS of feelings

Referencing the previous one - Eeth is very emotional, actually! Yes, he’s a Jedi and he knows how to keep his mind clear, but he’s still sensitive enough to actually cry over sad episodes of "Lekkus…" because “Poor Ai’sha, she worked so hard to get her man’s attention, but he still chose that togruta girl? This is outrageous, this is unfair! :ccc”

Also this can be in fact explained biologically. He's a zabrak, and zabraks are supposed to have a hot, blazing, higly-emotional nature (to match their home planet, Iridonia, wich is also boiling with acid seas and all that - otherwise they won't survive)

19. Podracing as a favourite sport

Eeth enjoys podracing. He first got into it back on Nar Shaddaa, when he heard a lot about racing and stuff from smugglers and bounty hunters (and at that time he even dreamed of becoming a cool podracer - but that was of course before he was taken to the Temple).

Now he doesn't dream of podracing that much, but still can and actually does enjoy watching annual championships via HoloNet. He also tries to keep in touch with the latest news in the podracing world (that interest he shares with the young Anakin Skywalker, and they do sometimes occasionally discuss podracing when they both have free time)

20. Horns

Eeth doesn’t really trust droids with trimming his horns, so he usually does that by himself, in the freshener, and that always takes a while. Also unlike a lot of male iridonian zabraks, who prefer to keep the tips of their horns comparatively sharp as a sign of their brutality and masculinity, Eeth chooses to make the tips humbly rounded and smoothed.

21. A pet? (Also not so serious - but sometimes it IS the most serious hc!)

Eeth has a pet loth-cat! The loth-cat is a she-cat, and she's big, fluffy and always on her own mind. Agen Kolar sometimes points out that the loth-cat is very similar to her owner in a lot of little things, like the way the cat purrs when being hugged and how she is obsessed with being clean and ideal too.

The loth-cat is also a bit jealous of her owner’s attention, so she will every time make herself comfortable on his knees when Eeth is meditating or working with documents to show that this is HER man. (especially when smb comes over to Eeth’s apartment - that's the case when she just NEEDS to state who’s the real boss here).

22. Participation in the first battle of Geonosis

I headcanon that Eeth was not directly on the Petranaki Arena actually during the first battle of Geonosis in the AOTC. Since he's not on-screen in that symbolic circle of survivors but is still stated as a participant, I assume that instead of being a part of the main group, Eeth joined Yoda on his trip to Kamino. Maybe not directly on the planet but still somewhere there, helping to gather clone legions to guide them to Geonosis.

(p.s. I know that Eeth's on-screen absence is because of Shapi being replaced with another actor and the new character turning out not at all alike to TPM Koth, but this little hc actually kinda fixes the hole without ruining anything…?))

#star wars #star wars expanded universe #star wars legends #star wars the clone wars #clone wars #eeth koth #sharad hett #kosul ayada #star wars headcanons #ihonestly I can talk about Eeth for hours and days and month #Eeth is the best cinnamon bun in the Jedi Order

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reliciron · 4 years

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Notes on Redeeming Arcann: Part 2

This focuses more on his character, than the redemption itself.

Part 1

Let’s not forget that Arcann grew up in a shitty situation. I don’t know when Senya left, and I’m not sure how to take that trailer with Vaylin. Either she left after she tried to take Vaylin from Nathema as a kid, or she left after that battle with Vaylin. I’m more inclined to believe it’s the former, personally.

Arcann and Thexan seemed to be a few years older than their sister, so they were maybe in their early teens (I’m really bad at guessing ages, so I could be way off). And even before Senya left, the situation didn’t seem to be too good once the boys were old enough to start training. They were so focused on their father, that the love and support that Senya gave them probably wasn’t enough. In the trailer, Valkorian’s words paint a pretty bleak childhood for them.

They faced a lot of neglect, if not outright emotional abuse from Valkorian, and we can see the effects it had on Arcann as an adult. The things he did are still wrong, but it shows WHY he’s learned to be this way.

So lets think about what values Valkorian would have taught Arcann:

- Weakness cannot be tolerated. Basically the worst thing you can be is weak. The weakness in question can take many forms.

-Weak Will definitely seems to be the biggest no-no for Arcann. Which makes sense, he was probably taught that literally anything can be overcome with Will otherwise you deserve what you get. Win or death, and survival alone is not a win if you fail your objective.

-Physical Weakness seems to be the least brought up one, and when it IS it’s usually in conjunction with Weak Will. Ex. Some Knights go up against the Outlander. When it is clear that they are going to lose, they retreat to save their lives. They are then punished for fleeing when they should have stayed and fought to the death or overcome their weakness to triumph. So it’s less that physical weakness is punished, so much as it’s not accepted as an excuse for failure. [It also shows why he thought that sending them to fight to the death in pairs would be a good punishment. They fled because they lacked the resolve to stay and fight, and making them face this with people they actually like would make it easier for them to face someone they didn’t, like the Outlander, and not flee (on top of them not fleeing because they didn’t want to be executed or go through those death matches again).

Which sounds a lot like something Valkorian would have taught him. Like, when he was a kid and he and Thexan fought grown ass adults and would have inevitably failed (we don’t see it in the trailer but it definitely would have happened). Valkorian wouldn’t have accepted the fact that they were hopelessly outmatched and would have expected them to fight to the last. This isn’t to say that he would have been proud of them if they DID fight to the end. By failing to win, they still failed in his eyes, and if they did manage to win, it was EXPECTED and not something to reward.

-Perfection is mandatory. It calls to mind that scene with Azula in ATLA, where she’s practicing her lightning bending. She does it perfectly except for LITERALLY a hair out of place. Normal people would consider it perfect, and such a detail would so far below notice it’s played as ridiculous that she cares about it (but, you know, still maintaining us being terrified of her). I imagine the same would go for Arcann, except instead of those old ladies commenting on how it was a shame that it was almost perfect, its Valkorian not even acknowledging him at all. At least the old ladies were looking at her, acknowledging her very existence, commenting on her form like maybe she’d get it right someday. Valkorian just walks away. Arcann and Thexan don’t get acknowledgment even when they do it perfectly, because nothing is ever good enough. It causes the boys, especially Arcann, to desperately chase for that acknowledgment that will never come.

(Of course we learn later that the very fact that Arcann and Thexan are in this together is a disappointment to Valkorian. He only acknowledges Arcann when he strikes down Thexan, proving that he will do anything for acknowledgment power, that bonds to others are something that makes you weaker and not stronger (and that now Arcann’s indoctrination into the worst of the dark side is complete. Thexan was the only person who might’ve gotten through to Arcann, and turned him away from Valkorian. He was Arcann’s rock and the only person who was actually THERE for him, both as a protector and a stabilizing force emotionally).]

-Obedience is mandatory. We can easily see that Valkorian expected absolute subservience from Thexan and Arcann. So when Arcann is in power, it’s not surprising that he treats anyone he sees as ‘lesser’ in the exact same way. He is not to be questioned, and if you fail him, even to save your own life, then you will die. There are no second chances.

We can see all of these things play out in his interactions with his Knights. He treats them like he was treated, except they don’t have the luxury of being a Prince, so unlike him, they are expendable.

We can also see why the Outlander pisses him off so much, especially if they are light-side (which you mostly need to be in order to redeem him at all).

He clearly sees them as lesser, if his arrogant attitude and mocking tone are anything to go by when they first meet him. Since they are lesser, they should obey. When they happily don’t, it pisses him off. Nobody tells him no, and they certainly don’t do it as brazenly as the Outlander does.

When he proved he was stronger on Asylum, they should have accepted his superiority and backed down. Not only did they not back down, they became an even bigger thorn in his side.

Then there are the bonds they forged. Arcann was definitely taught that ties to other people were a weakness. Either they would betray you, or they were a liability, but mostly the former. The better part of KotFE is spent recruiting people, bonding with them, and building the Alliance through those bonds. The people following the Outlander chose to be there because they believe in them, not because they feared them. It goes against everything Arcann was taught, so it’s no surprise that he consistently underestimates them. He keeps assuming that a group forged by bonds is no match for one forged by fear.

And then, of course, there’s Valkorian’s favoritism with the Outlander.

This was probably such a shock to Arcann, more so than anything else before.

He spend his whole life trying to get his father to acknowledge him in some way, and it was only after murdering his brother, that he got it. But here comes some rando, from who-knows-where, and his father treats them with respect verging on adrmiration. He says that no one has captured his attention like the Outlander has and he wants them to join him. I remember the way the camera is focused on his offered hand, and Arcann is in the background shifting in surprise and probably outrage. He’d sacrificed so much, suffered so much, just for a fraction of what his father was so easily offering a stranger. Valkorian said Arcann had no ambition, only jealousy, and he’s technically right, just not in the way he thinks. Arcann isn’t ambitious in that he wants the throne specifically, he doesn’t care about ruling, he just wants power and the freedom that comes with no longer suffering under his father’s thumb. But the jealousy is the big one. Arcann is probably ‘jealous’ in the same way as he was ‘ambitious’. He was jealous of the freedom his father had of not having to serve anyone, but in that moment, that isn’t what he’s jealous about. He’s jealous of the Outlander, and the easy acknowledgment that Valkorian gave them, but instead of lashing out at them, he rightfully attacks his father.

Simplified down, it’s like you painted the house, mowed the lawn, and cooked dinner for your dad. You’re exhausted and sore, and all he does is nod and give you 5 dollars. Then he turns around, goes to the neighbor, who had just finished painting their own house, and tells them great job and gives them 20 dollars. You’d understandably be pretty angry, and you didn’t even kill your own sibling.

But as angry as Arcann is with you in the game, I definitely can see his obsession with the Outlander being a little more than just anger. They keep him on his toes in a way that no one else has. They’re a challenge, and other than his father, he probably hasn’t had that in a very long time. They recognize his power (again, that sweet sweet acknowledgment) and fight him even when they know it will be hopeless. And when he knocks them down, they come back even stronger. Even he would find that perseverance admirable. And just maybe, that hesitation to finished the job on Asylum was because he wasn’t sure he wanted to lose that challenge.

One Quick Note on Injuries

At the end of the final fight with Arcann on his flagship, you score one really good hit to his chest, which he clutches at when he’s backing away to the dais. If it’s a non-force user, I think it’s a flurry of 3-4 shots to his chest. If it’s a Jedi/Sith, it’s one really good slash that looks like it goes from just under his left pectoral (same side as his cybernetic arm), to about 4-6 inches under his right. Either way, the scar would be prominent. I do love the hurt/comfort of him seeing the Commander’s scar where he stabbed them. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a soft, slightly sad intimate moment between the two. If he chose to let it stay there, his own scar might be a chance for another moment, or a sort of ‘see? we’re even’ scene.

#swtor #arcann #redeeming a villain #writing #character analysis #kotfe #kotet #valkorian is Bad Dad of the Year #arcann tirall

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keldae · 7 years

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Phobia

It was a closely guarded secret that Xaja Taerich, Jedi Battlemaster and Alliance Commander, the Hero of Tython, Outlander, Irritator of Valkorion, Downfall of Two Zakuulan Emperors (to date) and Persistent Thorn In Vaylin’s Side, had three severe phobias. The number of people who knew the specifics of said phobias were limited to a very few certain trusted (or snoopy) individuals.

First, there was the fear of carbonite. Xaja still had nightmares about being trapped in a carbon freezing chamber while still being fully conscious, something that Theron could attest to. Given her past history, it was a perfectly reasonably phobia that mostly everyone in the base had at least a suspicion of. And the first thing Arcann had done when he’d arrived on Odessen and had managed to not get shot by Xaja’s security detail (mostly consisting of her father and brothers) was apologize profusely for his imprisonment of her, even going to his knees. Theron suspected the former Emperor was still apologising, and probably would be for the rest of his life. That was to be expected, as he was pretty sure Xaja hadn’t quite forgiven him for that yet. Theron himself most certainly hadn’t.

Then there was the fear of shock collars and restraints. That had been a fear of Xaja’s from long before Zakuul’s invasion. Theron suspected it’d had something to do with Vitiate’s first imprisonment of her back when her Jedi strike team had been overwhelmed and put under Sith mind control. Xaja had been quite unwilling to talk about it, but Reanden (who’d managed to infiltrate the station where she was being held and eventually helped free her) had hinted at shock collars being used to torture the Jedi prisoners. He hadn’t wanted to talk about it either, and Theron knew better than to push the older spy on the subject.

He’d also learned pretty quickly how little Xaja liked being bound when they were in bed together, no matter what other kinks she might have been interested in. But that was something for another day.

The third phobia was far more mundane, and couldn’t be explained back to any past trauma (that Xaja could recall)- and really, if it was anyone except the Alliance Commander who openly admitted to having this particular fear, there would have been sympathy and understanding from her peers… okay, and probably some merciless teasing. But Xaja firmly believed she had to give off the image of being invulnerable and strong around her alliance members, despite Theron’s insistences to the contrary.

Which was how Theron found himself being urgently summoned to Xaja’s quarters (unofficially known as their quarters) on an otherwise ordinary afternoon about two days after Arcann had defected to Odessen. Brushing off the laughter from Koth at what that ‘urgent summoning’ could possibly be from the pretty Commander, Theron strode out of the war room, turned left down the hallway, and palmed open Xaja’s door without the need for knocking.

Dirtier minds on Odessen might have, upon hearing of the Commander’s midday summoning of her known lover (honestly, the worst-kept secret in Wild Space), imagined the pretty red-haired woman lounging in a seductive pose wearing something less than her normal light armoured uniform. Such minds would have been surprised to see that same Commander, in her normal gear, pressed up against a wall and staring in mute terror at a small dark spot on her couch’s headrest. Theron sighed as he walked up beside his lover and lightly touched her shoulder, making her start. “At least you called me before HK this time?”

“It’s fast,” Xaja whispered, still staring at the offending intrusion without so much as a smile for Theron. “It’s fast and it’s huge and probably toxic and it’s pure evil on eight legs.”

“Ah.” Theron sagely nodded. “Valkorion’s found a new way to torment you, has he?”

Xaja made some sort of strangled whimper that sounded like affirmation, then looked up at Theron with the most pleading expression she could muster. “Kill it? Please?”

As if Theron would have ever been able to deny Xaja anything, even as he sighed and cautiously approached the couch, eyeing the source of his lover’s terror with a glare. “Theron Shan, former Jedi trainee, former top SIS agent, current operations director for the Odessen Alliance, and head of the Commander’s personal Spider Killing Squad,” he said over his shoulder with a chuckle. “I think we might have to talk about a pay raise for my newest job here.”

“Theron!” Xaja didn’t find that half as funny as he did.

“Sorry, love.” Theron slowly removed one of his boots, then resumed his cautious advance toward the couch. The spider shifted slightly, a dark blob against the blues and greys of the fabric. “That’s it, beastie…” Theron muttered under his breath as he slowly lifted his weapon of choice against the spider. What else were boots made for, anyway? “Just stay right there…”

The spider had to have been Force sensitive and aware of Theron’s intentions, because it hauled itself away a nanosecond before Theron’s boot could smush it into an unrecognizable pile of dead arachnid and vanished down the side of the couch.

Xaja emitted a sharp, terrified squeak as she darted further away from her contaminated couch. “Where is it?!”

Theron swore eloquently as he quickly hobbled around the couch, hazel eyes darting around. There- that looked to be a suspiciously spider-like leg halfway under the furniture. Theron stomped down with the foot that wasn’t clad in only an unprotected sock, and growled as the spider retreated further under the couch. “Get back here, you son of a-”

The door slid open, and Lana poked her blonde head in. “Commander, there’s been a- what’s going on?” she asked, observing the scene in front of her.

“Spider,” was all Xaja squeaked out by way of explanation.

Theron heard a sharp intake of breath, and then a noise that sounded suspiciously like Lana had just grabbed Xaja’s arm. The Sith was the only person on the base more afraid of spiders than Xaja was. “What?! Where? Is it dead?!”

“Working on it, ladies!” Theron raised his head and scowled at the wall. “Can one of you get HK? I need that concentrated cleaning solution he had on the Gravestone.”

“Not a flamethrower?” Lana asked.

“It’s the only way to be sure,” Xaja agreed, eyes wide and face pale.

“Hey, I live in this room too, I’d like to keep this furniture intaAAGH!” Theron jumped as the spider picked that moment to run across his sock-clad foot and make a break for safety under Xaja’s bed. Frack this, the spy thought as he dropped his boot and made for a blaster, ignoring both Jedi and Sith screeching behind him as they caught sight of their most feared and hated nemesis.

The spider had almost made it to safety before Theron’s shot at close range nailed it, ending its ability to cause further terror on the base. The spy reholstered his blaster, tugged his boot back on, and turned to exit the room, trying to not shake his head at Xaja and Lana, who were both still clinging to each other and staring at the smoking remains of the offending spider. “You’re welcome,” he said as he let himself out.

Go figure, Arcann and Koth were both right outside the door, both looking alternately like they were sizing each other up for a fight and bewildered at what was going on in the Commander’s quarters. “Was that… blaster fire?” Arcann asked in confusion.

Theron thought about just saying the truth, and then rationalized that Xaja would probably never forgive him for telling Arcann about one of her phobias. “Weapon malfunction,” was all he said.

“... Connected to Lana screaming like a banshee?” Koth craned his head at the door curiously, then looked at Theron with an evil grin. “What kind of weapon malfunction are we talkin’ here? You weren’t summoned very long, after all- OW!”

“Shut up, Koth.” Theron gifted the Zakuulan with a glare as he returned to the war room, hearing Arcann stifle a snort (poorly) and having to endure the curious glances everyone else gave him as he returned to his station. The things I do for her…

His musings were interrupted by Xaja’s loud screech that could be heard quite clearly without the need for a com. “THERON! THERE’S ANOTHER!”

Theron sighed and started walking back to her quarters with snickers from the rest of the command staff echoing behind him, tapping his ear implant to bring up HK’s frequency. “Get to the Commander’s quarters, and bring your favourite spider-killing cleaning solution,” he growled out. “Before she and Lana tear the place apart trying to get rid of all the spiders themselves.”

#otp #Theron Shan x Jedi Knight #Theron Shan #Lana Beniko #Xaja #because spiders are evil #phobia #cross-posted from FFN #swtor #swtor oc #odessen

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katybirdy95 · 7 years

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Celtic Mythology Facts

1) Uathach was the daughter of Scáthach. When Cú Chulainn travelled to Dún Scáith (The Fortress of Shadows) to train under the gaze of Scathach, Cú Chulainn fell in love with Uathach and in an attempt to seduce her, he broke one of her fingers. Uathach's suitor, Cochar Croibhe, seeing the damage challenged Cú Chulainn to single combat despite Uathach's protests. Cú Chulainn killed him and became Uathach's lover.

2) Aífe (the twin sister of Scáthach) challenges Scáthach to single combat, and Cú Chulainn fights as Scáthach's champion, but before the fight he asks Scáthach what Aífe loves most, which Scáthach reveals is her chariot and horses. They begin to fight, and Aífe shatters Cú Chulainn's sword, at which he cries out that Aífe's chariot and horses have fallen over a cliff. When Aífe turns to look, he overpowers her, throws her over his shoulder, and carries her back to his side. He held his sword at her throat, but chooses not to kill her, on two conditions: that she cease hostilities with Scáthach and she bear him a son, Connla.

3) Deirdre of the Sorrows (Irish: Deirdre an Bhróin) was a tragic heroine. Before she was born, Cathbad the chief druid at the court of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, prophesied that Fedlimid's daughter would grow up to be very beautiful, but that kings and lords would go to war over her, much blood would be shed because of her, and Ulster's three greatest warriors would be forced into exile for her sake.

ii) Conchobar took Deirdre away from her family and had her brought up in seclusion by Leabharcham, a poet and wise woman, and planned to marry Deirdre when she was old enough. As a young girl, living isolated in the woodlands, Deirdre told Leabharcham that she would love a man with the colours she had seen when a raven landed in the snow with its prey: hair the colour of the raven, skin as white as snow, and cheeks as red as blood (very snow white). Leabharcham told her she was describing Naoise, a handsome young warrior, hunter and singer at Conchobar's court

iii) The couple fell madly in love at first sight and accompanied with Naoise’s two brothers, Ardan and Ainnle, fled to Scotland. They lived a happy life there, hunting and fishing and living in beautiful places; one place associated with them is Loch Etive, but the furious, humiliated Conchobar tracked them down.

iv) After the death of Naoise, Conchobar took Deirdre as his wife. After a year, angered by Deirdre's continuing coldness toward him, Conchobar asked her whom in the world she hated the most, besides himself. She answered "Éogan mac Durthacht," the man who had murdered Naoise. Conchobar said that he would give her to Éogan. As she was being taken to Éogan, Conchobar taunted her, saying she looked like a ewe between two rams. At this, Deirdre threw herself from the chariot, dashing her head to pieces against a rock.

4) Diarmuid Ua Duibhne was famous for his beauty, and for his 'love spot', which made him irresistible to women. While hunting one night he met a woman who was the personification of youth. After sleeping with him she put a magical love spot on his forehead that caused any woman who looked at it to fall in love with him.

ii) One freezing winter's night, a 'Loathly Lady' entered the Fianna lodge where the warriors had just gone to bed after a hunting expedition. Drenched to the bone, her sodden hair was snarled and knotted. She knelt beside each warrior and demanded a blanket, beginning with Fionn. Only young Diarmuid, whose bed was nearest to the fireplace, took pity on the woman, giving her his bed and blanket. She noticed Diarmuid's love spot and said that she had wandered the world alone for seven years. Diarmuid told her she could sleep all night and he would protect her. Towards dawn, she became a beautiful young woman.

iii) The next day, she rewarded Diarmuid's kindness by offering him his greatest wish—a house overlooking the sea. Overjoyed, Diarmuid asked the woman to live with him. She agreed on one condition: he must promise never to mention how ugly she looked on the night they met. After three days together, Diarmuid grew restless. She offered to watch his hound and her new pups while Diarmuid went hunting. On three separate occasions, Diarmuid’s friends, envious of his luck, visited the lady and asked for one of the new pups. Each time, she honoured the request. Each time, Diarmuid was angry and asked her how she could repay him so meanly when he overlooked her ugliness the first night they met. On the third mention, woman and house disappeared and his beloved greyhound died.

5) Cailleach Bheur (known as Beira, Queen of Winter) is credited with making numerous mountains and large hills, which are said to have been formed when she was striding across the land and accidentally dropped rocks from her creel or wicker basket. In other cases she is said to have built the mountains intentionally, to serve as her stepping stones. She carries a hammer for shaping the hills and valleys, and is said to be the mother of all the goddesses and gods.

ii) In partnership with the goddess Brìghde (Brigid), the Cailleach is seen as a seasonal deity or spirit, ruling the winter months between Samhainn (1 November or first day of winter) and Bealltainn (1 May or first day of summer), while Brìghde rules the summer months between Bealltainn and Samhainn. Some interpretations have the Cailleach and Brìghde as two faces of the same goddess, while others describe the Cailleach as turning to stone on Bealltainn and reverting to humanoid form on Samhainn in time to rule over the winter months. Depending on local climate, the transfer of power between the winter goddess and the summer goddess is celebrated any time between Là Fhèill Brìghde (1 February) at the earliest, Latha na Cailliche (25 March), or Bealltainn (1 May) at the latest, and the local festivals marking the arrival of the first signs of spring may be named after either the Cailleach or Brìghde.

6) A baobhan sith (pronounced baa'-van shee) is a type of blood-sucking female fairy in Scottish mythology, similar to the banshee or leanan sídhe (fairy lover). Also known as "the White Women of the Scottish Highlands," they are beautiful seductresses who prey on young travellers by night. They take the form of a woman of supernatural beauty wearing a green or white dress. Like faeries, the baobhan sith use their enchanting appearance to lure unwary travellers into secluded areas of the countryside. The baobhan sith would then invite the men to dance before attacking when their victims were off guard. They would use their extremely sharp talons to puncture the neck. Using these holes the baobhan sith would suck the blood or the life force or even sexual potency from the victim. As with many vampires, the baobhan sith couldn't tolerate daylight and would return to their graves before sunrise.

7) Beltane was one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Samhain (~1 November), Imbolc (~1 February), Beltane (~1 May), and Lughnasadh (~1 August). Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the "symbolic use of fire". There were also rituals to protect crops, dairy products and people, and to encourage growth. The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane (as at Samhain) and the goal of many Beltane rituals was to appease them.

ii) Yellow flowers such as primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel, and marsh marigold were placed at doorways and windows. Sometimes loose flowers were strewn at the doors and windows and sometimes they were made into bouquets, garlands or crosses and fastened to them. They would also be fastened to cows and equipment for milking and butter making. It is likely that such flowers were used because they evoked fire.

iii) The May Day Bush was a small tree or branch—typically hawthorn, rowan or sycamore—decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells, and so forth. There were household May Bushes (which would be placed outside each house) and communal May Bushes (which would be set in a public spot or paraded around the neighbourhood). In some places, it was customary to dance around the May Bush, and at the end of the festivities it may be burnt in the bonfire. Some, however, were left in place for a month. Thorn trees were seen as special trees and were associated with the aos sí.

iv) Holy wells were often visited at Beltane, and at the other Gaelic festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadh. Visitors to holy wells would pray for health while walking sunwise (moving from east to west) around the well. They would then leave offerings; typically coins or clooties. The first water drawn from a well on Beltane was seen as being especially potent, as was Beltane morning dew. At dawn on Beltane, maidens would roll in the dew or wash their faces with it. It would also be collected in a jar, left in the sunlight, and then filtered. The dew was thought to increase sexual attractiveness, maintain youthfulness, and help with skin ailments

v) People also took steps specifically to ward-off or appease the aos sí. Food was left or milk poured at the doorstep or places associated with the aos sí, such as 'fairy trees', as an offering. In Ireland, cattle would be brought to 'fairy forts', where a small amount of their blood would be collected. The owners would then pour it into the earth with prayers for the herd's safety. Sometimes the blood would be left to dry and then be burnt. It was thought that dairy products were especially at risk from harmful spirits

#scottish mythology #irish mythology #celtic mythology #facts #mythological figures #beltane

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