#but also the actual embodiment of cain instinct

[whatisurspaghettipolicy]

I think it's really fascinating that a lot of the complaints I see about Shadowheart is her to-hit rate because for me that illuminates a very clever bit of character building via her subclass mechanics. Excuse me a second, I've been a 5e DM for about six years now and I've been thinking a lot about each of the BG3 companions in terms of stats/mechanics haha.

Yes, you can go in and rebuild her and make her a light/life domain and optimise either damage or healing. But we can break down two good story reasons for her being a trickery domain cleric:

(behind a cut bc implied/actual spoilers)

1. Trickery and Shar. Shar is an evil goddess, but she's also the absolute embodiment of the Cain instinct; just a constant opp for her twin sister. She's a duplicitous trickster who has even stolen Selûne's identity in the past. Having Shadowheart as a Trickery domain reminds us - the players - that Shar is a primarily a little dickhead who loves to lie and cheat - which stands at odds with Shadowheart's massive penalties to deception.

Early on in her personal quest, just from this surface read, we know: her god lies, her god's domain and followers are all about trickery, and Shadowheart is very bad at lying directly. When you couple this with the initial places where she gets hit with the ouchies from Shar (the Blighted Village when you're reading about children being taken, the Selûne statue in the Blighted Village, finding Kagha torturing a little girl underground...) and it's quite easy to piece together the arc of her personal quest, in a very OH NO way.

(This could be a whole other stat/build conversation - as a half-elf, Shadowheart should be naturally better than average at social rolls like deception because half-elves receive an automatic +2 to their charisma score at creation...but living in a cult and having your personality shackled to a divine shock collar would absolutely affect that. And her high elf ability [firebolt] relying on intelligence to hit??? The fact that as a half-elf high elf she's likely half moon elf????? I love these little mechanical details.)

2. How trickery clerics are best used. This is where a lot of people who haven't DM'd DnD for the life of a small child fall down I think. But here's the thing: trickery domain clerics are best when they do not fight at all. They're decent healers, but it's more than that; they are advantage bots.

Blessing of the Trickster gives your allies advantage on stealth checks. Good for them.

Guiding bolt has a 70% chance to hit? That's why you use Channel Divinity: Invoke Duplicity. You add an illusory version of yourself to the field to distract and disrupt, giving advantage to your allies.

Your teammate's social encounter not going well? You can add either a quick guidance or charm person (again, giving them advantage) to the mix.

Time to sneak? Good thing you get Pass Without Trace. Let's go lesbians! That's a +10 to stealth checks for all your allies!

Each of these things is an action; she sacrifices her own action in a turn to support and aid another. Unless she has Healing Word up, she's left choosing whether to help or heal; actually fighting likely won't be super up in priorities, especially with her to-hit rate.

We know from the House of Grief that she was trained as a healer. It seems odd that she'd be in a subclass that doesn't focus on that - like the Life Domain. But this subclass gives us the greatest indication of all that she was raised as a tool for both Shar and her Mother Superior, making you, as a player, try to balance her ability to heal with her disrupting spells and abilities, meaning a sacrifice in her ability to hit any fuckin thing at all.

Anyway, chef's kiss, I love the secondary story about each companion the game tells via mechanics.

#bg3 spoilers #bg3 #shadowheart spoilers #maybe ill do a series #DM takes on BG3

[the-furies]

CHaRaCTR BINGO 4 FIRST 3 CHaRaCTRS 2 POP IN UR HEaD (OR MORE OR LESS. UP 2 U) l l3>

HAIIII HI HI BESTIE HAI :3c

ok first is Pain Threshold:

again trying to keep to My thouhts on canon characters not oue sysmates but soemtimes. the System Bias™ is difficult to . ignore FHDJSKDKFFJ ESPECIALLY W PT! FJDJSKFJF

so like. I! Love Her. So Much. I care abt her somuch she's so niceys here and we'd be in hell without her around but also. I would run up behind her and slap her in the baxk of the head and run away I would beat the shit out of her I would kill her if givent je chance I would activate PvP SOOOO HARDDDD ON HER. but that's bc we're in the same group [Physique] so it's liek sibling violence hereGJDKDKFKGJG

CANON PT THOUGH IS SOOOOOOOO. SCREAMS!!!!!!! VIBRATES!!! GIRL THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUUUUU. <3. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK FOR EXAMPLE:

[also ft. composure whom is also not normal btw! 👍]

She's just sooooo. Idk. I care abt her both source & in-sys. she's Importance. I'm normal. I would not hesitate to kill her and she would not hesitate to kill me WE'RE BESTIES <3 FHDJSJFKFKFFK

SECOND UP IS CONCEPTUALIZATION:

ok so source Concept like. I do not enjoy him much. Like. Like. Xe gives off Pretentious Artist Vibes. aHfjFjdjdjsjwjd which I guess tracks!!!!! from its in-game description: "Conceptualization has a special role it wants you to play in this world – not the role of cop, but of Art Cop." THAT'S SO SILLY!!!!! ZE'S silley. Like I cannot take their ass seriously I'm sorryFJCKSKFKFJD

But besides that she's not A Major Asshole just. Ju.gh.ead levels of Weird Pretentiousness source-wise! BFNXNXCNGJ

system-wise tho it's like. Well I *have* to respect you or you'll erase me! [HYPERBOLE] FJJDFKDKDKF

also has one of our fave lines in the game:

like what fhe fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!! one of the dialogues ever tjanks!!

in conclusion I'm rotating hym in my brain thankyou 4 coming 2 my ted talk

AND FINALLY!!!! HALF LIGHT!!!:

IM NORMAL ABOUT THIS KID [LIE] POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!! HTAT'S MY ADDOPTED SIBLING WAOW!!!!!!

ok sO!!!! this fuckigm. THING. this goddamn CREATURE of a skill. ok. ok! ok!!!!!!!!!! sys bias is Extremely hard 2 ignore w it! because we saw it and were immediately like THAT THANG IS A WHOLEASS KID and thhe fandom barely agrees???!!!!!! UNDERSTANDABLE PEOPLE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS BUTEVERYONE IS WRONG ABY THIS ONE THIS TIME SORRY! [JOKE!!!!! DO NOT KILL ME] so that's my unpopular opinion there!

ok where do i Start. uhhhh. this kid. thIS KID!!!!!! OH MY GOD the embodiment of fight or flight and trauma responses. ok. OK!!!!! SOMEONE GIVE THIS LIL GUY LOVE AND ATTENTION STAT WHAT THE FUCK! EHAT THE FUCK DUDE!!! it's incredibly violent and SCARED and waht the fuck who hurt youuu!!!!!!!!! oh my god dude!!!!!!

has done nothing wrong ever. "It actively encourages Harry to kill" ok and! maybe it's right. <3. have u ever thought of That. like. Half Light is Harry's inner child and Half Light most certainly deserves a gun!!!!!! LET THAT KID KILL thank u HFJFKDSKDKDJCJCJD

As much as I love and care for this bastard however I would not like to meet canon half light irl. Because. It would take one look at me and very very much attempt to actually kill me. and I would not like to die anytime soon! JFKCKCCKFKFKFK

and ik I crossed off "I like the fanon better for this one" but when we say that Assume we mean "I like whatever version of them exists in our system better than rhe canon version" it is especially true for half light LMAO

SO! i support children's rights AND wrongs [read: Half Light should be allowed to kill WHENEVER it wants. for whatever reason.] However I am not exempt from the Cain Instinct I'd absolutely defenestrate it if given the chance JFNDMDNFNFFNSJRJ

-Electrochem

#ask #THANK YOUUU YIPPEE #the PvP is especially ESPECIALLY hard to ignore w HL btw bc it's also in the physique group #so we have THAT plus cain instinct. #so anytime we're ip front togrher it is sooooo On Sight. hte cartoon violence is Extreme LMAO -Electrochem #BUT IT'S ALL IN GOOD FUN DW FJXKSMDKCCKDKDK

[anxiously-awaiting]

Lalnable “bitch baby” Hector

#yogscast lalna #yogscast five #specimen five #miraculous ladybird au #aaart #IVE HAD THIS JOKE IN MY HEAD FOR A WHILE #AND I CANT REMEMBER IF IVE MADE IT BEFORE #i feel kinda bad that like 90% of the stuff i've been posting is the ladybird au #but listen #the ratio of action and heroics to Cute Domestic Stuff is too good not to indulge in #lalna and lalnable have a genuinely good relationship with one another #really wholesome and fun for me to write #but also the actual embodiment of cain instinct

[rosescries]

Ahhh I read the what if scenario and I was like bend over my desk smacking it repeatedly and clutching my heart it was too cute!!! please I'm in TEARS I love the fell bros so much and seeing how they're literally the embodiment of The Cain Instinct™ at each other but still obviously loving each other- ACK! my heart! I read a comment about a what if scenario where Red actually marked Angel and what would happen, what would be the precautions the guys would make because of it? I was just curious~!

I've actually answered the reactions of the skeletons if Red actually had marked mc here!

Also, glad you enjoyed the short, I had fun writing it. It's always fun to think about those what if scenarios.

#its fun creativity exercises #gives you thinks to think about #echoes asks #rosey answers #ceralia

[meteor752]

The Gamgee-Baggins children

I have mentioned a few times Frodo and Sam’s army of kids that they adopted and that Aragorn and Legolas love to babysit, and now I’m gonna go more in-depth because why not.

Also, they are based on Sam’s actual children, but I do have to tweak a few things because we switched out an entire parent here, so yeah.

Eleanor

The oldest, adopted when she was two

Was a very calm and kind child

Took up her dad’s love for gardening

Worked in Rivendell as the head gardener as an adult

Still remained her kind self though

Got the nickname “The Fair” by the elves because of her golden locks, which she appreciated

Aragorn

The second child, was adopted when he was just a few months

Was often teased by other young hobbits because of his strange name

Loved his namesake though, whenever they babysat he would just cling to him like a Koala

Is honestly just a very sweet boy that constantly craves physical contact

He became a pretty good chef in his adulthood, mainly working with Potatoes because he’s a gamgee to the core

Rose

This is where Frodo and Sam got their first devil child

Rose is their third child and was adopted when she was three, where she already had a tendency to just scream if she felt like it

Was not allowed to be around Merry and Pippin too much, it was too dangerous

While both Elanor and Aragorn used to watch and care for their younger siblings, Rose hated it and would often just ignore their existence

Gained a passion for painting, as it allowed her to truly express herself

Her paintings were all very wild though, but she enjoyed it and her parents were just happy that she was happy

Merry

The fourth child of Sam and Frodo, adopted when he was five

Was surprisingly calm and obedient, despite his namesake

Used to sit on the floor and do puzzles by himself while his parents and older siblings tried to keep track of the younger ones

Has a problem with reading and spelling however

Incredibly shy

Still doesn’t know what to do with his life as an adult, and is honestly just flowing through it

Pippin

The fifth child, adopted when he was two

This boy takes after his namesake, and they are pretty sure he’s a Took by blood

Loves his older sister Rose, looks up to her a lot, but she practically hates him.

Is often off going on his own adventures, though he stays in the Shire 

Often used to under a tree in a pasture with the ponies, eating some food he’d stolen

Befriended a small chestnut colored pony named Peanut

Still goes there when he’s an adult

Goldilocks

Child number six, adopted when she was seven 

Her real parents drowned, and Frodo couldn’t not adopt her

Picked up her papa’s love for storytelling, and started writing books

She secretly writes fanfiction sometimes about the fellowship, but shh only Primmy knows that

She often takes care of the youngest hobbits of the shire together with her sibling Primrose, where she often entertains them by reading

Is very sought after by other hobbits of the Shire, but she is not interested at all

Hamfast

The seventh child, adopted when he was just a few months

Has a lot of anger issues

Is *that* sibling. You know, the one you just get the Cain instinct every time you see them

Neither Frodo or Sam knew really what to do about his constant tantrums, as they are both very soft spoken

So they had someone teach him how to box, just so he could get it all out

Is as an adult one of the best ring fighters in middle earth, and does not take it lightly when someone teases him for being a Hobbit

All of his siblings except for Rose are kinda scared of him

Daisy

Child number eight and twin sister of Primrose, they were both one when they were adopted

Is baby

Just a pure ray of sunshine basically

Used to take flowers from their garden to make flower crowns

Sam and Elanor never minded, mostly because she was so cute when she did it

Managed to get a real talent for flower braiding, not just into crowns but also into art

Is always in charge of flowers when it comes to weddings

Still remains baby as an adult

Primrose

Child nine and twin of Daisy, they were both one when they were adopted

A real social butterfly

Gets along with absolutely everyone

Their best friend is their sister Goldie however, who is pretty much the opposite of them with her love for books and the indoors

Often takes care of the younger Hobbits of the Shire with their sister Goldilocks, where they entertains them by playing with them

Falls in love with everyone

Bilbo

The tenth child, adopted as just an infant

Ever heard of social anxiety? Yeah this is the embodiment of it

He does not like people, and would rather just be by himself thank you very much

The only people he’s really comfortable with are Frodo, Sam, Daisy, and Legolas

Kinda just goes unnoticed by everyone because of his many siblings, and likes it that way

Is actually rather talented when it comes to music, but would rather die than show it to anyone

Ruby

Child eleven, and proudly the two minute older twin of Robin, both adopted when they were seven

A really smart cookie, and a future entrepreneur in the making

Spend most of her childhood scheming on ways to get her grubby hands on sweets

Developed a secret underground trading network of food and pastries with the children of the shire, and sat on top as a small mafia boss

Became a skilled merchant as an adult, and has a goal to become incredibly rich

She’s a real scammer when it comes to buisness, but his able to hide it behind her big dark eyes and curly locks, because who so cute could be so wickedly clever?

Not the most lawful thing, but hey, you do what you gotta do right?

Robin

Child twelve, and sadly the two minute younger twin of Ruby, both adopted when they were seven

Pretty much instantly became friends with Brand son of Bain of Dale, despite the almost ten years age difference

While Brand is very rebellious and does everything to pester his family, Robin is a kind of sweetheart who just follows along and tries to keep him out of trouble

Loves his twin very much, but is unsure if Ruby is choosing the right path for herself

When Brand is crowned king of Dale, he becomes his royal advisor that mostly tries to keep him from getting himself killed

Nothing’s changed really

Tolman

The thirteenth and youngest child, adopted when he was an infant

Was adopted when Ruby and Robin were practically adults, unintentionally

They just found him abandoned on their doorstep, and were just like yep we’re keeping him

Had a hard time connecting with his older siblings as he’s so much more younger

Loved that he was the focus of attention with his parents however since everyone else had moved out, and all of his siblings are jealous

Will become a skilled drink mixer as an adult, but is currently just a small wittle bab that likes to play

And yeah that’s it! Now onto the other stuff!!

Elanor is Biromantic Asexual

Aragorn is Bisexual

Rose is a trans lesbian

Merry is Pansexual

Pippin is Gay

Goldilocks is Aromantic Asexual

Hamfast is Heteromantic Asexual

Daisy is panromantic Demisexual

Primrose is a non-binary pansexual

Bilbo is Gay

Ruby is a lesbian

Robin is Polysexual

Tolman is a child and doesn’t care about all that kissing stuff

Goldie is missing an arm

Daisy has a problem with her foot that makes her limp

I don’t have any romantic thing planned for any of them, but who knows

I kinda like Robin X Brand though (Robrand????)

They are in the order they were adopted, but some are older than others, like Ruby and Robin are three years older than Bilbo

Maybe I’ll make a chart of it some day, who knows

The only name I changed was the second child, who was originally named Frodo, to Aragorn, otherwise these are Sam’s actual canon children

I love all of them

#lotr #the hobbit #lotr au #the hobbit au #lord of the rings #lord of the rings au #samwise gamgee #frodo baggins #Elanor Gamgee #Aragorn Gamgee #Rose Gamgee #Merry Gamgee #Pippin Gamgee #Goldilocks Gamgee #Hamfast Gamgee #Daisy Gamgee #Primrose Gamgee #Bilbo Gamgee #Ruby Ganges #Robin Gamgee #Tolman Gamgee #Samfro #God damn that’s a lot of children

[melonoverlord]

old new ask for my tree wife juni plss!!

Which parent do they look the most like?

As both Juni the person and Lazuli the goddess, she never had any parents so she just decided to be as hot as possible in both places.

Is there a name they were almost given (either by their parents or during character creation)?

Most of the children on Dryas are given naturey names, usually a couple decades into their birth so the Templars know what kind of personality they babies have. So feisty and spry baby Juni was a Juniper.

What were they like as a kid (if they’re currently a child, what would they be like as a teen)?

She was a little more quiet as a kid, mostly because she was also subject to the orphanage system and not in the militia so she didn’t have any clout yet, but she was still very animated and fun loving. She loved getting in trouble with Icio, making fun of the Templars (because even as a mortal, the Cain instinct is still strong and she has to dunk on her godly brother), but she was also very devoted to Lazuli and Pan and wanted to earn her spot someday in the militia. The only rule she hated to follow was leaving Icio behind.

Even if, as Icio said, they’d rather be celibate than be with her.

What’s their drinking tolerance and what kind of drunk are they?

Dryads are pretty hardy because their bodies can process and neutralize a lot of what they consume (being trees and all), but that’s also why Dryad alcohol is incredibly strong and will fuck you up more than any other alcohol. Juni’s a three drink type person after which she becomes way more unhinged and ready to either fight or fuck depending on what the situation calls for. If she’s lucky, both.

Where do they like to be touched?

Everywhere. She does love people touching places where her muscles are, but she does love when Icio touches the triddies and trussy. Just please touch your Captain.

What’s their favorite position (top/bottom/switch/pillow princess/etc.)

She’s usually a pretty dominant top, which has helped as a Captain, but she’s been the top person all her life, sometimes a bitch just wants someone else to tell her what to do while they both know that if she decided otherwise, she could tear them apart.

What are their kinks?

Given the- ahem- size difference between Icio and Juni, she’s quite into that, especially when she gets to top from the bottom and fluster her fish, but also she’s Juniper Fucking Erudike-Kain. Any kink under the sun, she and Icio have done it. Fucking on the Celestial Plane in front of the other gods? She’s done it. Fucking in front of her own statue? She’s probably done it (but only she can do it because it’s her and a power move). Really anything where she and Icio can flex on each other and the rest of the galaxy, she’s into it.

How do they feel about adrenaline (roller coasters, extreme sports, etc.)?

This bitch invented adrenaline. Fighting, running, pulling pranks, Juni loves anything that makes her heart race. She wants to feel the thrill of the battle in everything she does except cuddling her children and kissing her fish.

What is their fight or flight response?

Out of most of the Freedom Vessel crew, Juni is probably the most self aware of everyone, so she is upfront about fighting her issues even if she doesn’t necessarily want to. She is willing to put in the work if it means helping other people.

What’s their pain tolerance?

As a militia, Juni spent most of her life in combat, both giving hits and taking them. She’s racked up a pretty big pain tolerance despite her small size

What character archetype are they the most like (the Innocent, the Hero, etc.)

Definitely the Ruler. She grew up leading the Militia and then learned that a lot of her talent came from being divine. And she didn’t know how to deal with it. But now she is finally getting comfortable with both sides of herself.

What TV-Tropes trope would they be?

The Chosen One. A goddess who made herself mortal in order to right the wrongs of her planet. Made even more apparent by the fact that for hundreds of years, Juni didn’t know that she was Lazuli. And much of her arc after was learning how to deal with that Chosen One status.

What John Mulaney quote/bit do they most embody?

‘My mom's also a lawyer, she was a different kind of lawyer with us when we were kids. My mom was more like Nancy Grace. She would just make wild accusations all day long and wait for something to stick.’

With the exception of love interests and immediate family, who are they closest to?

Juni grew up alongside Delta as best friends during militia training, and then when Juni became Captain of the Guard, she chose Delta to be her Second in Command. She and Icio had something special that went beyond best friendship, but Delta was always the one Juni knew she could go to to talk about anything (which roughly 30% of the time, was lamenting about Icio). No one can ever replace Delta.

What is their moral alignment? What would have to happen for it to shift?

As much as she’s a chaotic person, Neutral Good. She likes order in what she does and she runs a tight ship with the militia and does her best to make sure that she is serving her people. She is a natural born leader, and she loves wild sex. They exist.

Are they a morning person? What are they like before 8am?

As a Captain, Juni had to get up earlier than any of the other militia to start on plans for the days and to set up drills. She likes the early morning more than the night because she feels like she has more time, and she’s pretty peppy in the morning. Which is good when she now has to take care of Ariel.

What are they like when they’re tired?

Juni works a lot, so she often goes too late and has to get dragged to bed. She’s pretty single minded focused when tired and doesn’t let anything distract her (which is good for when she’s working but bad if she has dual responsibilities), and usually she has to be physically dragged away to take a break.

What are they like in arguments?

Juni is an honorable fighter when it comes to physical fighting, but she fights dirty in verbal altercations (including using Zone of Truth). She is vicious and will tear you down by calling you out on all your flaws.

What is their dominant hand?

Right

Out of 10, how happy are they? How happy do they think they are?

For most of Juni’s life, she had it great. Sure, she had her issue with Icio that caused her frustration, but she was popular, strong, and was away from the war. But then a Genesian general burned down her home, she watched Icio become even more traumatized, she learned that she was actually a goddess, and now her friends were treating her differently. And that was only the beginning of her adventure, one that ended with her closest friend dying. She’s getting better now at about an 8/10 but she does still have some things to work through.

#liminoidal #My characters #genesis campaign #Juniper Erudike

[youtubetheories101]

Roman Analysis

If I am going to be doing analysis of the sides why not start with the noblest Roman of them all! Let's go plebs.

We're going to analyze and sort things into 4 different categories which. They'll probably overlap like a lot but it's fine. (ihope) So the categories are going to be

Moral Alignments/Standards

Social Standing/Interactions

Personal Issues

Use/Goals for Thomas

Ready? No? Me neither but let's dive in.

Moral Alignment/Standards

Neutral Good

I debated with this and Chaotic Good a bit, however, Neutral Good fits better.

Roman would prefer to follow the law but only if the law is just and upholds to his moral standards.(kinda funny he was a judge.) He wants to help and while he can be self righteous at times and prideful, he generally tries to treat people well and uphold a standard of purity.

He may have moments of doubt such as in SvS. He was the judge because he was the one who was in the most agreement with Deciet, however he chooses what he believes is best for Thomas in the end.

Social Standing/Interactions

This one is an interesting one for Roman. He is generally respected among the other sides, however he is somewhat antagonistic. He tends to but heads with Virgil and Logan most, because of their criticisms of his optimistic attitude, and at times his input will be ignored.

His antagonism to the other sides has improved however it seems. He's genuinely making an effort to be more understanding, lessening the nicknames and trying not to judge people because they don't agree with him.

(ex: SvS "Are you seriously so close-minded to think that everything said by someone you don't like is automatically untrue?" and DWIT "Oh, shut up, Nerdy Wolverine. No! Ugh! I mean-*sighs* I'm sorry, Logan. I didn't mean that.")

Now to analyze interactions with specific sides:

Patton & Roman: A friendly interaction, mainly positive, however Roman has belittled Patton before. They do care about each other which has been shown and will often agree on matters of Romance and Dreaming. There doesn't seem to be any antagonism between the two of them besides sometimes not taking each seriously.

Roman & Logan: Friends however, they argue plenty. They can be annoying to each other, and fight over ideas over Thomas's future and what he should do. That is also, oddly enough what they agree on the most, even creating alliances against the others when arguing over it. They are both critical of each other but will support each other in some of their pursuits. They have been trying recently to understand each other and be more kind.

Virgil & Roman: They started off really rocky. Really rockily. However over the episodes they get better, and are friends now. At the beginning they mainly fought and didn't find a common ground until The Dark Side of Disney and even then it didn't really relive the tension between the two until AA. They tentively became more aware of each other, and Roman even started including him more in videos such as the Christmas episode.

Roman & Deciet: Roman and Deciet actually seem to get along fairly well. Deciet plays to Roman's sensitivities and desires, advertising to his ego I suppose. Roman even comes to Deciet's defense, probably because he's trying to be more... trusting? Less judgemental? Not sure which exactly but he's trying. They're an odd duo but they seem friendly.

Remus & Roman: They have literally interacted twice and Remus knocked him out twice. They're definitely more of Cain Instinct siblings than anything else. And from what Roman has said on Remus, he dislikes him, due to him being like a mirror image of everything he doesn't want to be. I want to see more of them because I love sibling dynamics and I want to see if they could ever be nice to each other but I don't think we will. :(

Personal Issues

Oh this is going to be fun because Roman still hasn't had his issues resolved. We've had an episode on his issues (Am I Original?) but it didn't really address what was wrong and it's ending didn't really... fix anything. Roman was still dissatisfied. And it didn't address all of them. But I think it's coming up because at this point it's been lead up to for so long that if it doesn't I will be very surprised and riot. Help! Him! So what are these issues?

Well the one addressed in An I Original was his dissatisfaction with his own work and perfectionism because he can't let Thomas down and while it was,,, handled? Sorta, it felt like it was putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. Roman still seems to be disappointed in his work and instead of well, dealing with said issue, internalizes it.

He also seems to be disappointed in... well himself and Thomas's relationship status. He's lonely, and his view of his own worth seems to... be lacking.

Examples of said thoughts:

Am I Original?

[Roman]: No! If I can't think of an original idea, what would you think of me? I can't.... let you down.

[Roman]: It's just... I only ever pushed you toward your dreams, Thomas. And I never said a bad word about you. Why don't you want to listen to me more? This whole thing could've been avoided if you did.

Moving On Part 2/2: Dealing With Breakups

[Roman]: Possibly because it reminds you of a time when you felt... worthy of someone.

Crofter's: The Musical

[Roman]: Roman, you dunce! You made a joke and now they'll think that everything is fine.

Learning New Things About Ourselves:

[Roman]: I'm sorry that everything I make isn't the Creation of Adam...

[Roman]: Earlier. I made you angry. I do that quite a bit actually... I provoked you and you retaliated with violence. (Under breath) Like a stupid caveman.(Aloud) But! I am responsible for my actions and my actions alone...So, I'm sorry

[Virgil]: You feel low.

[Roman]: That's not true!

[Patton]: It's okay!

[Roman]: Don't assume!

[Thomas]: You don't need to save face.

[Virgil]: In almost any case,

[Patton and Virgil]: We'd embrace you.

[Roman]: That's rich...

[Roman]: -sighs- It's so hard to create anything that I'm proud of when it's critiqued, so harshly... by you.

[Logan]: What?

[Roman]: Nothing ever seems to be good enough, professional enough... Serious enough for you.

Selfishness vs Selflessness:

[Deceit]: Wow, guys, it's so cool how you never listen to Roman.

[Virgil]: Why is he still here?

[Roman]: Why am I still here?

[Deceit]: Wooow.

[Virgil]: I meant Deceit!

[Roman]: The one and lonely! What? Freudian slip.

[Roman]: It's my sworn duty to help Thomas achieve his hopes and dreams.But Thomas wouldn't dream of attaining his hopes through deceitful means.

[Deceit]: Sure, and you want that stuff that makes you happy, right?!

[Patton]: Do I!

[Roman]: Do I...

Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts

[Roman]: *sighs* Yeah. It's a little like looking into a funhouse mirror, but instead of a giant head, or, like, long legs and a tiny torso, ... it shows you... everything you don't wanna be.

His self worth is... lacking in many aspects. But I don't think it's what's going to be addressed next, I think that's going to be Virgil being an ex-darkside. So hopefully it's soon but... I'm not sure. And I'm not sure if the others are noticing this issue.

Use/Goals for Thomas

He is "Good" Creativity, Ego, Dreams, Romantic aspirations, and Passion. He also is the embodiment of his femininity and masculinity at the same time? Fuck gender roles is what I'm getting from this. Of course he is still a "Manly man, a man who is Manly!" but Thomas has said he represents femininity in a Q&A. So.... fuck gender roles. That's the answer right? Probably.

What he aspires for Thomas to do is to be able to persue his dreams and goals, as evidenced with "I only ever pushed you toward your dreams, Thomas." (AIO) and "It's my sworn duty to help Thomas achieve his hopes and dreams." (SvS) Roman typically goes after this by pursuing a new role, a new romance, or encouraging Thomas to try things to expand his career. Since Thomas is an Actor/Youtuber, Roman is able to influence a lot but seems to be willing to take the side line if Thomas doesn't feel comfortable following said dreams in the way he intended.

He's a dreamer, through and through, complete with the idealization factor. He encourages Thomas to accomplish his dreams but only if Thomas is willing to do so in the way purposed. Which makes sense seeing as he is,,, Thomas.

So that is my Analysis for this week, and until next time, it's just a theory.

A SANDERS SIDES THEORY.

Thank you for reading. Peace out!

#ts roman #roman sanders #thomas sanders #sanders sides #sanders sides theory #sorta? #also can you tell i am worried for roman? because if you can't buddy i spent like 4 or so paragraphs screaming on how i was worried #please someone help him #tw language #tw caps #also if anyone does read this #guess who's next weeks??? place your bets

[renaroo]

hi! did bruce ever come to accept that cass DID kill a man or is this something he's still in denial of?

Oh boy, so this is a favorite subject of mine and especially now that we have two continuities to provide comparison for, I’m going to wig out a bit and go for a full deep dive here. My apologies, one and all.

Discussions of murder, child abuse, and suicide under the cut.

New Earth | Pre-Flashpoint Continuity

The simple answer to this is that Bruce learned the truth but rejected the truth and for as far as we were ever given evidence for in all of Batgirl (2000-2006) and all comics after that – minus the OOC “Evil Cass” Saga that everyone agrees to ignore – he basically rejects it without fail. 

Now, one would say that Bruce Wayne objecting to hard evidence on anything is out of character and they’d be right. And, in fact, for Bruce’s subplot throughout Batgirl (2000-2006) that dichotomy actually proved to be one of the leading problems. 

Even when David Cain gives Bruce video evidence of the murder Cass committed as an eight year old child, he is heartbroken but also refuses to accept it no matter how much the evidence stacks up.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #4]

But, of course, the more he analyzes the tape, the more he looks for signs of tampering or editing, the less he finds, and the more angry he gets at himself for not being able to somehow change the reality of what is happening.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #4]

This isn’t a new thing for Bruce’s characterization in this era. Earlier that same year in the premiere issue of Batman: Gotham Knights (2000-2006), his “blind spots” were actually the main crux of the issue, as all the evidence pointed toward the son of the two victims being the one who committed the heinous murder, and he spent valuable time and effort, as well as everyone else’s time and effort, trying to find any evidence at all that would prove the truth wrong. To the point that Dick was trying pretty desperately to take the case from Bruce so it wouldn’t bother him so much. 

But even with that case, as as much as it affected Bruce, he ultimately conceded to the evidence. 

Cassandra, though, is personal. And throughout her Batgirl run, Bruce again and again makes comparisons between the two of them. Bruce almost uncharacteristically opens himself up to Cass soon after beginning to work with her. She had be “vetted” by Barbara, easily Bruce’s most trusted ally at the time, had proved herself by saving Bruce’s best friend Jim Gordon, and provided assistance at their darkest hour during the No Man’s Land crisis. But more than any of that, Cassandra was the first person in Bruce’s life who seemed to carry his blind allegiance to the “No Kill” rule that he had. 

And just when Bruce was most confronted with the facts, when he had heard from Cain himself that Cass had blood on her hands, Cassandra proved herself in an act that even Bruce himself would have had difficulty doing as selflessly and heroically as Cass did. She races into gunfire, not dodging a single shot in order to keep a criminal behind her from being taken out by friendly fire. 

And in the process, has a quiet moment that once again shows just how incredibly similar she and Bruce are in their attitudes and mannerisms.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #6]

And when Bruce asks her about it later, she gives him an answer that seems to help him draw the wool over his eyes all the more, because she couldn’t be so instinctively protective of life like he is if she had ever taken life herself.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #6]

If Cassandra, who embodies his philosophies and beliefs so much could kill, then that meant that Bruce could kill, and this was at a dark time in Bruce’s life where that very question was something that could have been the end of him, even the suspicion of murder – such as in Bruce Wayne: Murderer?/Fugitive – would tear down everything he believed at its foundation.

But of course, all of this was still a willful delusion on Bruce’s part. Cassandra had killed. Cassandra’s guilt and death wish was because of her past. And just because Bruce came up with any excuse possible to ignore these facts didn’t mean that it wasn’t plain to see for everyone else. 

And thus the main conflict for Bruce in Batgirl (2000-2006) wasn’t really portrayed as him discovering the truth about Cass’ past – he had the evidence for it since the third issue – it was about how his inability to accept it, because of his inability to forgive that fault, fed into Cassandra’s death wish as much as her personal guilt. 

Bruce couldn’t accept the reality of Cass having been used and manipulated to do something so heinously wrong when she was a child, because he couldn’t accept the flaw of his own morality that (at this time in his life) he would not be able to find it in himself to forgive someone he loved and admired so much as a part of his family. His very staunch black-and-white worldview was shaped in a way that it made it simpler for him to put criminals away and to see willing killers as deserving of punishment without nuance was at odds with the girl he had adopted as his own who very much was born as evidence of the world’s shades of gray.

But Bruce wasn’t Cass’ only parental figure. In fact, Barbara Gordon was a far bigger influence at this time and Babs was someone with a far more nuanced outlook. And also someone who believed not only that Cass had been haunted by this crime, but was someone who wanted Cass to learn how to forgive herself for something that wasn’t ultimately her fault. Barbara knew that Cass needed to see from her mentors that she could be forgiven before she could really forgive herself, and as long as Bruce wasn’t budging, she was going to continue on her path of self destruction. This frightened and angered Barbara because she couldn’t force Bruce to believe and forgive, even as the time of the death-by-Shiva was approaching. 

Without getting too much into it, I’ll just say that this sentiment is very similar to the helplessness one feels with being familiar with the signs of someone becoming increasingly suicidal, but incapable of pressing others in the loved ones’ life to open their eyes and see the danger for themselves – to accept that there is a problem so that they can then begin to help heal and fix and forgive for it.

This comes to a head in Batgirl (2000-2006) #23 when Barbara tries one last time to wake Bruce up to the reality of it while Cass prepares for her final fight.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #23]

Honestly, #23 is probably one of the most underrated issues of the entire series and… while the subject material is dark it’s vital to really understanding what the first third of the run was even about. 

There’s an element of Bruce’s denial that is a bit self serving. He doesn’t want to see what’s wrong with Cass’ behavior or her suicidal behavior – her death wish – because it requires him to defend a fundamental flaw of his own philosophies and beliefs. It requires him to really confront how he’s capable of forgiving criminals who have more identifiable motives and, often, mental illness, but is much stricter and less forgiving of the people he loves most and has the highest expectations of. Usually people whose mental illness and trauma aren’t as easily identified. 

It confronts the mindset of valuing any belief system over the circumstances of reality. And Bruce, until he goes through this himself and forgives himself in Bruce Wayne: Murderer?/Fugitive can’t begin to accept what it would mean for Cassandra. 

But, for reasons that many can fannishly extrapolate on, Barbara can. and it’s fortunate that she can because Cass surviving, Cass being reborn after what is for all intents and purposes a failed suicide attempt, it was Barbara who let her know that her life was still valuable, that her sins and burdens were not beyond forgiveness or made her undeserving of love. That no fault would make Barbara love her less.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #25]

Cass’ victory in this moment is actually also Barbara’s love as a parent winning as well. Because sometimes putting aside long held beliefs and traversing into new territory to adapt to the grayness of reality is the only real way to be moral in life.

And it’s because Babs showed Cass the way that Cass is able to finally accept herself and see outside herself enough to recognize that same tendency, that same crushing death wish in her opponent as well and ultimately give Shiva the gift of living past a death wish as well.

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #25]

This is just an amazing powerful moment and for obvious reasons can effect many people very differently. This tone, this strangely optimistic story about conquering the shadow of death after it haunts you for all of your life, was one of the most important comics I personally had ever read. And because of that it means a lot to me. I like that there were so many layers to Cass’ feelings, to the reactions of the people around her, and how sometimes those people around her failed her without ever even realizing it. 

And in a way, Bruce did fail Cass in this respect. And it’s because of that that I think a lot of people don’t come away from Batgirl feeling it lines up well with any Batman they know. In a sense, yeah, it feels pretty damning for him to have never accepted the danger Cass was putting herself in, to never fully accept it as something he could change or even that he could contribute to. 

But that’s a sad reality. And in 2003? It would have been all too easy for a parent to write off suicidal teenagers as something that was completely outside of their control, and as much as that angers me today in hindsight, I can’t say that such mistakes would ever singularly make someone a completely terrible person. 

We never get evidence that Bruce accepted the truth later in the series or beyond. And I do think that’s a dangling plot thread that works against the overall “score” of Cass’ Batgirl series as there were quite a few plots that were left aside unceremoniously. But I can also argue that it was something that was left behind because they didn’t think it held any narrative purpose after presenting the “wrong” way someone handles other people’s suicidal feelings. Batgirl is Cass’ story, and Bruce being able to accept the truth for himself once Cass moved past it could have been part of her story, too, but it was still mostly a Bruce story. And it was never brought up in his own series again.

Not to say that Bruce didn’t…. evolve on those thoughts over the years anyway. Just. Not in regards to Cass. Just in regards to Damian and David and…. Selina in hindsight. Comics are weird, and this drop off of this narrative point also marked a lot of change up in Editorial and Writing for the Bat Books that would take us down a path to War Games so saying that we weren’t going to be getting much nuance on the subject is putting it lightly.

Prime Earth | DC Rebirth Continuity

Cass is a really different character based purely on her origins alone in this because a fundamental change was made that... kind of took a lot of power out of Cass’ original death wish by some’s measure, and moved us beyond years of idealizing a teenager’s depression and mental illness in others. It will really depend on what side of the fence you land on for how you feel about either.

Cassandra’s murder was not a nameless mobster here but instead one of her best friend’s mothers, Miranda Row. She also has a mission before she joins the Batfamily of her own volition, one specifically handed to her by Bruce who knows she was Miranda Row’s murderer from the start. 

Bruce’s acceptance of Cass’ past sin is actually the main crux of their relationship in this version and isn’t at all independent of the very real fact that Cass hasn’t been given a mother figure in all of this, there is no Barbara who will play opposite to Bruce’s approaches to Cass’ struggles and past. Therefore the narrative doesn’t have the freedom to explore how different approaches to raising a child with these conditions, especially an adopted child, and so Bruce has to be good and accepting of Cass or else the narrative is just needlessly mistreating someone without giving them any relief or help. To avoid that, both Bruce and Cass have a lot of those layers removed and the story is streamlined. 

Bruce isn’t only accepting of Cass’ past, he is actively encouraging her to move past it and maybe even give up vigilantism and violence as a way to reclaim herself.

....

While simultaneously reminding her that Miranda Row will never come back? But at least Harper forgave her? 

.... Batman and Robin Eternal was a mess.

[Batman and Robin Eternal (2015-2016) #26]

You can sort of see the editors and writers desperate to sidestep subjects they don’t want to deal with but also wanting complexities and so... never... really threading that needle.

But since Bruce never really ignores or avoids her past and her faults, that need for Cass to internalize her guilt and to exile herself from the basic joys of life doesn’t really exist either. If he accepts her openly and acknowledges her past, Cass knows that her idol will love her despite her flaws without a blanketed, irrefutable moment like we got between Cass and Barbara in Batgirl (2000-2006) #25.

Un...less we randomly have it anyway?

So. Starting with the relaunch of Detective Comics in Rebirth, we have the mandatory team-gathering issue where Bruce gives his analysis of all the recruits one by one and it includes a moment about Cass over the backdrop of her saving children from a human trafficking ring -- this is notable only because that seems to be the only thing Tynion ever has Cass doing on her own, busting up these rings, but it’s also never commented on and we’re never told how she tracks these down and whether it’s something she dedicates herself to as it has something to do with her past under Mother and that child trafficking. Tynion likes to... not get too far into the subjects he brings up. Which is again a bit at odds with how the old Cass went.

And in this overview Bruce is giving Kate about Cass he.... remarks that she’s the most dangerous fighter he knows which. Seems to go back on his previous reactions to her where it was all about how he believed in her and saw past her one sin and knew how good she was, enough so he trusted her to run interference while he... self-amnesiaed himself for the majority of BaRE. 

[Detective Comics (2016-present) #934]

This also leads to some questionable choices on how they present Cass’ internal struggles. Because she’s been forgiven, she isn’t isolating herself willingly or unwillingly anymore, and she’s already confronted the murder she committed and received resounding forgiveness from Harper (and notably no one writing cares about Cullen’s feelings on the matter hmmm) who regularly pals around with her now like nothing happened. 

So it’s confusing when the only arc which has centered around Cass so far tells us that she’s... drowning in guilt and that she’s desperate to figure out why Batman believes in her. Even though... we know as readers that he.... doesn’t necessarily believe in her all that much. 

[Detective Comics (2016-present) #950]

I should note that none of this is really resolved by the end of this particular arc. she just. Learns that she doesn’t have to fight alone because she has the family behind her and she gives her declaration to Shiva that “I am not less, I am MORE.” so. What I’m saying here is there’s some confusion and a lack of cohesion in what they want to do with Cass here.

They’re not comfortable with tackling a teenage girl’s suicidal tendencies and, really, that’s more than understandable. I wouldn’t want any writer to tackle a subject that important without having a full vision and lots of comfort in doing so. Even the original take with Cass, which benefited from having different circumstances and an editorial team that allowed for Cass to have two mentors to balance things out with, was far from perfect and Bruce’s part in the relationship is a key example of that. 

In New Earth, Bruce never had to fully confront how he was wrong in his approach with Cass, or the fact that it almost cost his adopted daughter her life. Somewhat ironically, Batgirl (2000-2006) was often limited by its failure to sum up the points of its more complicated perspective and storytelling into exact words. The lessons could be missed. 

But in Prime Earth, we have the broad outlines of a relationship dynamic that doesn’t really match up with the text it keeps providing us with, or how they strive for that perilous tone that was known in Cass’ original series, without wanting to dive into the greater themes and struggles. This is a limitation of wanting to hit those notes without focusing hardly any published page time on Cass and her story. These things will only become more and more noticeable as time goes on and we’re continuously sold this idea of growth and relationships without Tynion’s team actually dedicating the time to them. 

So, that’s my summation of the whole thing! Sorry for going a little extra on it lol I appreciated the question a lot.

#Batgirl #Cassandra Cain #Batman #Bruce Wayne #Rants of Unusual Size #Batgirl (2000 2006) #Barbara Gordon #Oracle

[coteriesrp]

      Every vampire has three inherent Disciplines which they pick up more readily and do not require training to learn. Many clans also have signature Disciplines that are not widely known outside of their clan and are sometimes carefully guarded, though this varies from clan to clan.

      Perhaps the vampire has more in common with animal than human. A dangerous set of instincts drive them, and it takes a lot for them to withhold the urge to just lash out. Much like a wild dog on a chain, a vampire’s Beast will never truly be tamed.

      Some Kindred find a way of becoming one with their Beasts. Those who do are the masters of Animalism. Some accompany the use of this power with howls, snarls, and roars, or communicate with animals in the animal’s “language,” though this is an affectation and not a necessity.

      The Animalism Discipline sees much use among vampires who struggle to fit in or have no taste for living among mortals. Often classed as one of Caine’s gifts of utility, allowing a vampire to thrive on unrefined blood or form companionship with non-sapient beings, it is also a devastating weapon against vampires who cling to their towers, and against inquisitors who suspect their enemies will only come on two legs. A swarm of blood-hungry rats invading a Kindred’s penthouse haven, the Animalism-proficient vampire who cows the Sheriff’s Beast in Elysium, or the beady-eyed raven that spies on a Society of St. Leopold chapter all serve to strength Animalism practitioners, and weaken their foes.

      Among the greatest gifts and worst curses afflicting vampires, the Discipline of Auspex allows Kindred to discern truth from lies, probe the minds of those around them, and perceive reality on a different level than other beings. What appears to be the ultimate power in foresight and vision grants its wielders perhaps too much knowledge. They may detect an assassin’s blade before it strikes or get into an enemy’s head to turn them around, but they can also sense every shift in emotion, good and bad, see things they wish they had not, and discern futures they may not wish to explore. Users of Auspex invite paranoia, but using it is addictive. Once you know the truth rests within your grasp, you seek it out at every opportunity.

      Kindred use Auspex in many ways. Some vampires act as spies for their courts or factions. Others act on their own, blackmailing mortals and immortals with secrets gleaned from quiet conversations, subtle emotional shifts, and telepathic intrusion. Auspex allows its user to play the role of domain detective, studying the scene of a vampire’s destruction for tell-tale spiritual clues or interrogating suspects with unnatural accuracy.

      The Tremere maintain that Blood Sorcery, or “Thaumaturgy” as they call it, was their invention. To hear the Banu Haqim give their version, “Quietus” was their blood right long before the Tremere became vampires. Other clans make the same statements. While its origins are murky, the dreaded nature of Blood Sorcery is not. Few Kindred trust the wielders of a power that can manipulate the vitae in their veins and turn Blood into poison.

      Unlike other Disciplines, which could be described as advancing organically through the victims chosen by the vampire, practitioners of Blood Sorcery require teachers. The Tremere once relied on their pyramidic clan hierarchy to arrange tutelage for neonate apprentices, while the Banu Haqim stress the sire-childe relationship as being the best form of mentorship. These nights, many a Child of Haqim washes up in Europe or America far from their sire, and with the Pyramid broken Tremere neonates frantically search through moldy tomes and palimpsests for scraps of true lore. Genuine masters of this Discipline develop their own Rituals, though many guard them from others, revelling in the mystery surrounding their unknown cache of abilities. To practice Blood Sorcery is to twist one’s own Blood into submission. Any form of this power reminds a vampire that they’re far from human, as no mortal could wield magic in this way.

      The ability to strike fast, dodge blows, and escape pursuers allows Kindred to become extremely effective predators. Celerity enables vampires to move faster than any natural creature, though it does more than grant a supernatural speed, with vampires employing it actually appearing to think almost as fast as they act. While some vampires use to slice and stab at enemies without fear of riposte, others simply use it to get from A to B faster than any other person on foot.

      MALKAVIANS ONLY — Dementation is the Discipline that allows a vampire to focus and channel madness into the minds of those around them. Though it’s the natural legacy of the Malkavians, practitioners of Dementation need not actually be mad to use the Discipline... but it helps.

      Disturbingly, Dementation doesn’t actually make their victims mad, but rather it seems to break down the doors to the hidden darkness of the target’s mind, releasing into the open whatever is found there. The Malkavians claim that this is because insanity is the next logical step in mental evolution, a transhumanist advancement of what modern people consider consciousness. Other Kindred scoff that this reasoning is an outright justification for the chaos that Dementation brings. They don’t scoff too loudly, however, lest the Malkavian advance their consciousness next.

      Dominate grants the vampire the ability to control the actions of others, manipulate their memories, and force living creatures into acts they would not perform of their own volition. At its most basic, Dominate enables a vampire to make a victim forget the feed they just endured or enjoyed. At its most dangerous, it allows Kindred to enslave entire crowds of kine. This is the Beast at its most cruel and controlling.

      Dominate acts as a bludgeon to enforce the Masquerade, create submissive servants, and reinforce the self-assuredness of the vampire. When using this Discipline, Kindred feel omnipotent, although the wisest of them know that this too may be shackles of a kind, slipped upon them by the Blood.

      Most Dominate powers require eye contact with the victim. Once they establish contact, Dominate holds the gaze of the victim until the user conveys their command or commands, barring interference.

      Much prized by immortals, Fortitude grants the ability to resist physical and mental assault. Few vampires survive longer than a century without at least a mote of Fortitude, especially in a world where violence is common and not even Kindred are safe. In these nights, fewer vampires use Fortitude to resist the sun than they do to withstand violent harm, fire, and supernatural coercion.

      Those possessing Fortitude exemplify the stolid pillars of Kindred society, able to withstand blows and charms without movement or sign of dilapidation. Few vampires feel as secure in their immortality as do masters of Fortitude.

      For any hunter, the ability to hide, move without being seen, and employ camouflage proves vital. For the Kindred practitioners of Obfuscate, the Discipline provides the perfect cover to get close to a victim, disguise themselves as harmless, and escape when the heat grows too much.

      Obfuscate experts may utilise the Discipline to lurk in the shadows while spying, change appearance in a crowd while under surveillance, or even spread the gift to a group of vampires looking to hide.

      There is a popular saying among the members of Clan Brujah: “You only underestimate our strength once.” Potence is vitae-fueled strength above and beyond other vampires’ capabilities. More powerful than any performance-enhancing drug, more unnatural than the physique of any bulging bodybuilder, Potence is the Beast let loose through the fists, feet, limbs, and raw bodily power of a vampire. The Discipline is used for more than just hitting things, though it is certainly good for this task. It is the vampire’s ability to force their body into actions impossible for mortals to replicate.

      Potence trumps the other Disciplines in sheer incongruity – an elderly-looking Nosferatu strikes harder than a mortal heavyweight boxer or a Brujah Embraced as a child can decapitate a target with one blow.

      Most vampires are creatures of grace and lethality. Associated with horrific violence and devastating beauty, Kindred embody opposites, alternating between nightmare and dream depending on the onlooker and the vampire’s whims. Presence is a Discipline that expresses this bipolar existence. Used to attract victims or disperse them in fear, Presence allows crowd control, emotional manipulation, and enforced devotion. A mortal’s greatest fear could stand before them and suddenly look like the most radiant creature on Earth.

      Many Presence practitioners use this Discipline to easily acquire feeding vessels, while others use it to stalk the night as creatures of horror, making weak-willed kine flee terrified, unsure of what they’ve just seen. Effective as a lure as well as a defence, vampires with Presence enjoy an easier nightlife at the expense of forgetting what feelings projected at them are normal and which are compelled.

      Werewolves despise vampires for their possession of this ability. They consider it a mockery of their own nature, as undead beings become wolves or bats, bearing claws and gnashing fangs like one of their own. Yet, Protean has flowed through the Blood for almost as long as the Kindred have existed. The power to mutate, shift form, and become ever-deadlier predators is as natural to the vampire as it is to the lupine.

      Practitioners of Protean employ the Discipline for its utility. The power enables a vampire to become a beast, turn their limbs into weapons, or change their shape into clouds of mist to evade capture, glide through keyholes, or slip through cracks in a window.

      BANU HAQIM ONLY — The Discipline of silent death, Quietus is practiced by those of Clan Banu Haqim. Based on elements of blood, poison, vitae control, and pestilence, Quietus focuses on the destruction of a target through a variety of means. This Discipline doesn’t always cause a quick death, but the Banu Haqim rely on its lethality to hide their involvement with their victims.

     It is primarily known for being an assassin’s tool in the hands of the Warrior caste, and the basics of the Discipline are largely geared towards that end. Developed by the Assamite Antediluvian, Haqim, in ages past, its use by his descendants is associated with passing judgement on Cainites and protecting mortals from their depredations.

     One strange side effect of such power over blood, however, is that it seems to leave bloodlines with an affinity for Quietus vulnerable to blood curses. Also, blood diseases spread more quickly among users of Quietus.

      THE MINISTRY ONLY — Serpentis is believed to be the legacy of Set himself, a gift to his children. The Ministry are very careful to guard this Discipline’s secrets, only teaching the art to those who they deem worthy. Most vampires fear the Setites because of the powers of Serpentis and its connection to snakes and reptiles; this Discipline can evoke a primordial fear in others, particularly those who recall the tale of Eden.

      Encompassing both shapechanging abilities, characteristics associated with snakes, as well as corruption, Serpentis has a near religious significance to the Clan, although Kindred scientists presume a relation to the shape-shifting powers of Protean.

      Certain powers allow the Setite to remove either their own hearts or that of another Cainite, and other organs as well. A Cainite without a heart is immune to staking and diablerie. A Cainite with all of their organs removed grows a scaly shroud that is nearly indestructible, that can only be removed by feeding the vampire their organs.

      THIN-BLOODS ONLY — The thin Blood of the latest generations holds barely any power of its own. But certain thin-bloods have learn to use it as a catalyst, awakening the latent power in everything from human trauma to gasoline. Born of the street drug scene and cocktail culture as much as it was uncovered by instinct or in mouldering medieval texts, thin-blood Alchemy may be the defining art of the next-millennium lick. By blending strongly resonant human blood, and sometimes other substances, with their own vitae, Alchemists can counterfeit a wide range of powers from other Disciplines – and some unique powers of their own. Rumours already abound of specific elixirs that grant the ability to walk in sunlight, commune with Antediluvians, or achieve Golconda. But for now, the street-level cookers have all they can do to stay out of the Court’s sight – plenty of elders consider Alchemy nothing but watered-down diablerie.

#lore. #disciplines.

[lunar-root]

The Lilith of Today "Adam literally translates as "mankind." He is all of us- male and female, young and old. He is, basically, civilization. Adam is the Image of the Divine; he, and all physical things, are the final result of Divine manifestation. On the Qabalistic Tree of Life, Adam is Malkuth (Kingdom), the physical world. In Qabalistic psychology, Malkuth refers to the conscious mind. Thus, Adam represents our waking consciousness, or ego. Adam is everything about us that imposes "proper behavior" within society. Lilith, created along with him, is the Shadow Self. She is our subconscious, that part of us that is most animal like, defiant, uncivilized, passionate, and basically natural. She is sex. She is everything that our (currently corrupted) society frowns upon; a society that has been taught for thousands of years to suppress everything within that is most natural and enjoyable. She is just as described in the religious interpretation- she is Babylon (or, as Crowley spells Her Name: Babalon). Eve is also our subconscious. However, she is that small part of our inner-selves over which our conscious selves have gotten full control. She has no free will of her own- being wholly a part of Adam. She is that part of ourselves that, as a civilized people, we will show to others. Eve is what has been programmed into us as "acceptable." She is the polar opposite of Lilith. She and Lilith together form the whole of the inner Self. (Let me point out that this interpretation of Adam and Eve/Lilith as the conscious and subconscious is a rather old one. The Lovers Card of the Tarot uses this symbolism, with the addition of an Angel who represents the Higher Self.) Samael, meanwhile, is the Archangel of Gevurah (Severity) upon the Tree of Life. He is the embodiment of Divine Severity. He is the Prince of the Seraphim- those Fiery Serpents who, at one point, Yahweh sent to punish the Israelites (see the book of Exodus), and to purify by fire those who wished to enter the Temple (see the book of Isaiah). Samael is hardship. Lilith's demon spawn represent our own personal demons. They are neurosis and harmful (self-destructive or criminal) behavior. They are the imbalances in the mind that can lead to our destruction. Such are the characters of the Lilith mythos. The above interpretations of them must be held in mind at all times through the following. If so, certain aspects of the myth begin to make a certain kind of modern sense. For instance, Adam's insistence that he mate with Lilith in the missionary position becomes the civilized mind's attempt to reign in and suppress the animal within- to be superior to it. Likewise, Lilith's own insistence on mating in a superior position is the lower will's attempt to dominate the rational self. Lilith's flight from Eden, and into the cave, is the banishment of our natural animal instincts to the dark recesses of our minds. Even when Adam wishes She would come back, it is too late and the damage has been done. What damage is this? Lilith spawned thousands of demon children. These demons are born within the locked away and forgotten parts of our minds. Even though we attempt, as the Angelic Enforcers, to hunt down and slay as many of them as we can, the tide is too great to be turned. We have attempted to suppress that which can not be suppressed. Lilith, in Her darkness, has grown the Her (owl's) talons. By nature a beautiful creature- as our natural selves are in fact beautiful- Lilith now has the means and motive to rip us to tiny shreds. She attacks us while we sleep; and with our semen- the facts and deeds of our daily lives- she spawns more and more demons. Before she is finished, she will slither her way back into our minds- as the Serpent in the Garden. Our conscious selves rarely see it coming; while we are occupied with our day to day foolishness- Lilith will be sweet-talking Eve into taking the fatal bite. She will attack us below the surface, in that part of ourselves we have long-since thought conquered. One moment we suddenly find ourselves with break-downs, outbursts, causing harm to others, and social and personal ruin. We have experienced the Fall from Grace. This also applies on a greater social level, not simply within the mind of the individual. When viewing the myth from the wider angle, we see where Samael comes into play. What happens when the things that are natural and beautiful are suddenly labeled as wrong? They then begin to attract the dregs of society. Once there were Goddess Temples with priestesses adept in the arts of sexual magick. Now, we have prostitution, strip-clubs, and brothels which are viewed as seed-beds of physical abuse, drug abuse, and disease. The people who frequent these places are labeled as dirty and immature people with little to no social value. Individuality and self expression is now corrupted into gang activity and the anarchy of social outcasts. Children who display this individuality spend their time in the principal's office or suffer worse punishments. They are labeled as "problem children," and so problem children they believe they are. Here the Rabbinical view of Lilith must be considered, where corruption is so often deceptively tempting or beautiful on the outside. The sleazy clubs, the gangs, the criminal behavior are all very seductive. The glamorous people are the rebels who break laws and harm others. Bonnie and Clyde, Billy the Kid, Al Capone- these are our heroes. Yet, if we allow Lilith to seduce us with Her beauty, she will finally show us the ugliness that lies under her dressing. This is when she rips into us with her talons. The gangster is executed, and thus ends his glory. The prostitute has her throat cut, or dies of an overdose. And the man who frequents the brothel dies a lonely old man because a real relationship was ever beyond him. Of course, all of these are extremely corrupted and impaired views of reality. This is the marriage of Lilith to Samael. This dark Angel of strife is Lilith's talons. He is the hairy male lower half of her body. These things which are so beautiful and natural actually BECOME dirty and harmful, merely at the insistence of those who wish them to be such. This, in turn, fuels the view that these things are harmful in and of themselves. Society literally eats itself from the inside out- and this is the marriage of Lilith to God. As in the Qabalistic interpretation, the flow of Divinity has been tainted; Samael/Lilith is in control, and what is natural has been twisted into evil. Lilith should be our ally, and yet we are pitted in combat against her. If Adam can not be forced to accept his Lilith, then Lilith will destroy him. But, those in control of our society maintain that control through the suppression of Lilith- our defiance and freewill- and they would sooner see us destroyed than to lose that control. And here enters yet another character in the mythos: Cain. It is little known that Cain was born not of Adam and Eve but of Eve and the Serpent during the Temptation. Thus, Cain is actually the child of the interaction between Eve and Lilith/Samael. The clashing of the acceptable and non-acceptable, or the overrunning of the mind by its own neuroses. In short, Cain- full of hate, jealousy, and anger which finally explodes into murder- represents the very inhibited society thus far described. This is not a new concept, of course, as Cain has long been said to be the ancestor of the corrupt majority of the world's population. For instance, Hebraic legend insists that it was the Cainite women who seduced the Angelic Watchers and gave birth to the Nephalim (Giant creatures, one of whom was Asmodeus Himself) (Genesis 6:1-4f). Cain's brother Able, who was born of Adam and Eve proper, is the world that could have existed if not for the intervention of Cain. On the other hand there is also Seth, the third son of Eve (also fathered by Adam), who is said to be the ancestor to the pious minority of the world. The Gnostics for instance, who felt they had the Knowledge to purify themselves (of the Samael/Lilith influence), and thus return to a state of grace, described themselves as descendants (or even embodiments) of Seth. Able, then, is the Paradise that could have been; Cain is the corruption that slew that dream, and Seth is the hope of a return to utopia. Thank the Gods that things are not necessarily quite as bad as all of that. There are respectable brothels and men's (and women's!) clubs. There are those who display self-expression in childhood who, somehow through all of the abuse, still grow up to become respected artists of all kinds. There are those who understand the sacredness of sex. In short, there are those few who have refused Samael's marriage to Lilith. Instead, they have invited Lilith to return to the Garden- promising Her that She can play mistress just as much as Adam plays master. They have attempted to join Lilith and Eve, and to return them both to their rightful place within Adam. They strive to become Adam Qadmon- that Supernal Man(kind) who is greater even than the Angels. They strive for the state of Seth. Of course, few of us have attained that success. Though, perhaps a reconciliation will one day occur. Perhaps in that time a person could be natural, individual and even a little rebellious without being labeled a criminal for doing so. Of course, no utopia will ever exist in full. However, just as the Medieval Qabalist strove to unite God and His Shekinah, so too should we strive to unite Eve and Lilith, and both of them with Adam within ourselves. Only then will we have the power to rebuild the inner Temple, and aid the Shekinah's return to Adonai. Only then will the "children of Seth" have a chance to reign. This is my view of Lilith. She is the Mother of the Night, and all the dark beauty that lies within it. Lilith is the hidden mysteries which society would rather I not know. I am Adam, and I have rejected my foolish concepts of superiority over Lilith. Of course, Lilith has Her dark side. If I allow Her to rule over me, She would drain my vitality as a succubus. She would rule me to the point of being little more than a thoughtless animal, useless and perhaps harmful within a human society. Instead, I accept Lilith in equality; in both darkness and light."

#lilith #lilith worship #witchcraft #shadow work #qabala #babalon #samael #cain