#callum learning sun

[huntress-of-stories-and-dreams]

Headcanon #85

The Sun Forge can be purified. 

It’s not simple, as it requires a strong of heart individual capable of performing the purification ritual from the inside, not outside - basically risking dissolving in the darkness.

#tdp #the dragon prince #tdp headcanons #sun forge #sun magic #sun arcanum #lux aurea #purification ritual #vox machina vibes #pass through fire #callum learning sun #since callum deals with dark magic thoughts #imagine callum walking straight into the corrupted sun forge with 'passing through fire' in the background #and purifying it with everyone else thinking he's gonna die #keyleth fire trial reference

[floralcyanide]

ᴄᴀᴍᴘ ᴄᴏᴜɴꜱᴇʟᴏʀ!ᴄᴀʟʟᴜᴍ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ

Some cute, romantic, or funny moments I think would happen if you and Callum Turner were camp counselors together.

warnings: mentions of injuries, cuteness overload, smoking, mentions of drinking

author’s note: I had so much fun writing this (: here's the camp counselor au for everyone to read!!

masterlist | divider credit: @cafekitsune

this fic has been cross posted to ao3.

ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴘʏ, ʀᴇᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇ, ᴏʀ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜʀs ᴏɴ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟʀ, ᴀᴏ3, ᴡᴀᴛᴛᴘᴀᴅ, ᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴡᴇʙsɪᴛᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪssɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴜsᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋs ɪɴ ᴀɪ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛᴏʀs ᴏʀ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʀᴛɪғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ɪɴᴛᴇʟʟɪɢᴇɴᴄᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴜsᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋs ᴛᴏ sᴇʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.

✦ the first day, you’re so nervous you almost get physically ill, but then you see Callum, and all your nerves about counseling a bunch of tweens go away

✦ Callum smiles at you and compliments your ballcap, which has your favorite baseball team emblem on it 

✦ the first time the kids go swimming in the pool at the campgrounds, you warn them and the other counselors about sunscreen. it was nearing 100 F, so the sun was merciless. they all listen except Callum of course, who brushes you off despite his obviously fair skin

✦ he ends up looking like a lobster and is viciously ill that night, skipping dinner. you look after him and get to know him better. he tells you about how he used to burn as a kid and it was never this bad. you laugh at that and point out that he should’ve learned his lesson back then, to which he agrees with a sigh

✦ the camp lasts all summer, so you made sure to bring literally everything you could possibly need- like bug spray. you brought plenty for you and the kids in case they needed it

✦ it’s hiking day, and everyone applies the bug spray except, of course, Callum. he ends up with bug bites everywhere visible on his body that evening. you tell all the kids in your group to point and laugh at him when he enters the mess hall for dinner. Callum rolls his eyes, scratching at his arm. all the kids yell at him to stop or he’d scar

✦ karaoke by the campfire night is fun and games until Callum breaks out the guitar and blows everyone away with his talent. everyone applauds him, and your crush only worsens when he looks at no one but you the whole time.

✦ Callum freaks out when one of the boys in his group has peanut butter as a dare during mess hall when he’s allergic to peanuts. like full on panicking and nearly crying and you have to calm him down

✦ painting class where Callum decides to poke your cheek playfully and you have no idea he had paint on it until much later 

✦ then there’s that night at the lake. after that, you both grow closer. you sneak kisses when others aren’t looking and sometimes meet at the dock for a cigarette in the middle of the night. you hate the smell of cigarettes but they remind you of Callum now

✦ there’s a night where the head counselor rallies the kids to bed a little earlier so all the counselors can have an adult gathering. controlled, of course. wine coolers and such- nothing too hard. but Callum takes it too far as always. he gets handy with you and you have to scold him so no one figures the two of you out

✦ Callum singing the Campfire Song from SpongeBob at a bonfire one night, and none of the kids know where it’s from, but you and the other counselors sing it at the top of your lungs 

✦ you and Callum patching up a kid who fell and skinned their knees and scolding them gently for running when not necessary 

✦ Callum makes you something in pottery class, and you almost cry at the thought of him making you something. no boy- or man, rather, had done anything like that for you

✦ you definitely exchange numbers and stuff for after camp and agree to meet up and hang out before both of your college campuses start classes back up

✦ you and Callum work together to remove a series of stingers from the same boy who ate peanut butter while allergic because he was dared to touch a beehive on a hike

✦ you end up hurting your ankle on one of the hiking days, and Callum helps nurse it with ice and elevation in your room while everyone else you bunk with is away

✦ Callum confesses he really likes you and obviously didn’t want that one night to be a one-time thing. he asks you if you’d like to be his after you leave camp, and you say yes (obviously)

✦ Callum playfully makes fun of you for crying when the kids start leaving to go home, but then he also starts tearing up

#callum turner #callum turner x reader #callum turner x you #callum turner x y/n #callum turner headcanons #camp counselor au #floralcyanide writes #callum turner fanfic #callum turner fanfiction #callum turner fic #callum turner imagine

[raayllum]

Gift Giving & Primal vs First Elves :: Or Going Off Into the Deep Lore Deep End

Remember that meta I compiled about Greek mythology, deceptive gift giving, and TDP? Yeah it's time to talk about the gift motif properly as well as some other deep lore things because these excellent thoughts ( @spicyviren, @kradogsrats, and @its-leethee) got the wheels in my brain spinning.

AKA an unknown amount of sectioned word vomit into the nature of magic, where it comes from, how deep magic operates, some gifts and motifs, and Leola, just a little.

Let's go.

Gift Motif

The gift motif is one that's a bit of a slowburn in TDP. While characters will often pass and hand over objects — tools, artefacts, metaphorical responsibilities or trust (handing over the egg, for example) — to one another, there's not a big emphasis on gifts in the first three seasons.

There are some, such as Callum's letter from Harrow (that he's given by Claudia once again initially as a goodbye), Ezran giving Bait to Barius in S3, and Rayla's family pendant, but most of these, as you've might already noticed, are contextualized within Goodbyes. Whether the gift motif will amount in arc 2 to escaping this "final gift" context remains to be seen, but that's how it tends to work in interpersonal relationships.

There is an element of peace offering in hoping that returning Zym — a gift and/or gesture of good will — will help usher in peace, but I think (as of now at least) that ties further into the series' theme of Reciprocal Exchange (the assassin mission being an eye for an eye vs olive branch for olive branch) than outright gift giving. (Although we will probably talk about Exchange and gift giving at some point because there is also a thematic tether there.)

However, there is one other thing that is more and more often referred to as a gift in Arc 1, and that's Magic. Specifically, dark magic.

Now, this actually isn't that dissimilar from what the Goodbye gifts amount to, either. In Harrow's letter, he gifts Callum the Key of Aaravos believing it to be a powerful magical relic of some kind; Rayla's pendant makes its way from Ethari to her to Callum, who then uses it for magical purposes; and Bait, as a glow toad, is connected to an arcanum himself.

I do think it's noteworthy though that in Arc 1, (dark) magic being a gift is emphasized upon, specifically because of these lines for Khessa:

Upon first watching it back in 2019, it made sense that dark magic would be referred to this way, even when I just thought maybe it was that humans had been given 'nothing,' as Claudia says. Dark magic is closely tied to ideas of theft and thievery — stealing magic from others to harness its power for yourself — and the series is deeply interested in concepts of ownership or who has 'true' ownership over something, in magic, a throne/crown, a price to pay, etc. This follows neatly into Arc 2 (for ex: why Karim seeking to steal the Sun Seed is a metaphorical dark path even if it didn't outright involve dark magic through Kim'Dael), which we'll build on later.

That said, given the depth of the knowledge at the Great Bookery that is open to Sunfire elves more than any other type of elf, and the information that Tales of Xadia and Ripples gives us...

While elves warned that if humans were meant to wield magic they would have been born with it, [Leola] gifted the wisest humans with secrets: the language of the dragons and the runes that shaped spells. With the unicorn’s gift, the most determined minds among the humans could finally harness primal magic.

It happened long ago, when humans had only just learned to hold fire in their hands without burning. They nurtured their precious primal flames secretly—in the dark of night, beneath shadows and shrouds—as cultivating its glow drew the eyes and ire of monsters [...] Humanity had been given something it was never meant to have. And so there came a calamity.

It makes it more than likely than, unlike other elves such as Lujanne or Ibis, Khessa had reason to believe/know that there used to be primal human mages in the past... and that it wasn't 'enough' for them ultimately, because they still hungered and developed (and were given?) dark magic. "Your kind could not be satisfied with what you were given" was about the rejection of primal magic from Leola (the unicorns) in favour of a darker kind that involves theft and "dirtying yourself" (5x08) with dark magic.

But at the same time, this complicates the Gift Giving motif of including not just dark magic, but being also for primal magic — for humans, at least.

And also for elves. (Ignoring how "great orb" is very similar to "great one" for now.)

Janai: It was a gift. But there's more to it than that. The great orb began as this. Karim: This is... a sun seed?

Now, the Great Orb being grown from a Sun 'literal' seed makes sense. We've known for a long time that in Xadia, "magic is everywhere. It's just part of the vibrance or spirit of things" (1x05). Primal magic naturally occurring in plants, animals, and elves likewise makes sense on that note. Just as not "many could bear the gruelling path of a rune mage," Karim cannot bear to have patience and faith in something that will only come to fruition centuries later.

That said, I raise the question: how functionally different is the Great Orb from say, a sun primal stone would hypothetically be? If primal stones and primal magic were gifts to humanity from unicorns — from creatures connected to the Star arcanum, for lack of a better understanding — then why not magic from Startouch (?) elves to other elves.

How do we know that all magic isn't simply a gift that was given once upon a time?

From the First Elves to the Primal Elves.

Primal vs First Elves

So what's the difference between First Elves and Primal elves?

Well we have a few pieces of lore:

1) Zubeia's status as a "heavenly majesty" (which we'll come back to in the next section) gives her authority to speak in the name of the first elves, who are effectively gods to humankind and/or Xadians ("Have our Gods died? / Where do the fabled Great Ones hide?" —the Epic of the Void

2) It seems that the First Elves are, as of now and for a while, exclusively in reference to what would otherwise be called Startouch elves, although the latter is seemingly a name that came later given Rayla's affirmation of "ancient legends". This is reaffirmed in Tales of Xadia's two lone mention of First Elves:

No group of elves presents a greater mystery than the Startouch elves. Sometimes called the First Elves, those bound to the Star primal are rumored to have made great marks on Xadia’s ancient history—but beyond story and legend, little real evidence is left to us today [...] Among the few extant records of Startouch elves are the Scrolls of the First Elves, now kept in the Great Bookery of Lux Aurea.

3) At a post-S2 con in 2019 (how's that for a far reach?) we got a timeline of the events of Xadia laid out for us. The description of the very first piece of history and era we know of goes as follows, with the Rise of Elarion happening 2000 years ago re: the Dragon Prince era ("The Return of Aaravos"):

The Era of the First elves is the first recorded era 5,000 years prior to the current era. Dragons and elves were not allied during this period. There were no distinct primal elves. This is an era before all that. Humans suffered during this period. 

—2019 con timeline

4) Justin and Aaron reaffirm this at the 2:30 ish minute mark of this video (a couple of months before even S3 was released) by reaffirming distinctly to Primal elves. Later (7:40-ish mark) we see this distinction reaffirmed again through the statement of, "The patterns have been that these primal based elves have grown cultures and civilizations that have become separate and differentiated from kind of whatever the early days were with the First elves were."

Okay, so there was 100% a time where there were only First Elves, and humans, and Primal elves as we knew them (maybe still with the hands and horns, but no arcanum? Or no singular, distinct arcanum) didn't exist. Why does this matter?

This is where the deep lore timeline gets tricky, as we don't know precisely when 1) humans received magic and 2) at what stage the First Elves / Great Ones / Startouch elves 'left' Xadia, only that they did, apparently, when Elarion (the human city) needed help: "Elarion, unworthy whelp / Wept as the stars turned black the sky / They donned their masks / They turned their backs / And left Elarion to die". Why abandon the city (beyond indifference/cruelty as Aaravos would likely claim), who knows.

However, we can assume the timeline looks something like this:

Era of the First Elves

Primal elves (and presumably archdragons *) are crafted / develop into being, whatever that means

Humans are magic-less and are having a bad time

Unicorns / Leola extend sympathy despite the fact that the First Elves tell her not to (Book One: Novelization / Tales of Xadia)

Humans have primal magic (Ripples / Tales of Xadia)

This attracts negative attention, consolidated in Elarion ("the stars she asked their light to cast / and stop the dragons’ fiery might" / "as cultivating its glow drew the eyes and ire of monsters. Eventually, for the audacity of their fire, they were hunted")

Elarion asks for help and the Stars leave

Aaravos, the last star — presumably already Fallen from the First Elves — gives them dark magic under the guise of protection even though it will inevitably help him (i.e. give him the ability to possess people)

Dark magic replaces primal magic as the primary form for humans

Tension and violence escalates (unicorns are hunted to near extinction). Sol Regem is removed as King of the Dragons

Under Dragon Queen Luna Tenebris, the daughter of an elven leader suggests the Judgement of the Half-Moon, causing for humans to be banished rather than eradicated, and the continent split in two

Again, nothing too crazy / not too much we haven't already known or guessed at for a while.

But like I said, I'm gonna propose two theories, so bear with me:

Theory #1: What is Deep Magic?

The First Elves engaged with what we're gonna call Deep or Old Magic, for lack of a better term. There can be an assumption at times that this magic would be more 'pure' or less 'diluted' than dark magic or even the primal magic we've seen on screen. However, I think that's less than likely. Dark magic is often times a bad path for good outcomes, and primal magic can be a 'good' magic for bad outcomes (the blood freezing spell, for example).

While dark magic is a more textually malevolent magic system and primal magic is more true neutral — able to be used as a tool and a source of connection for the user — I don't think this necessarily means that Deep Magic is inherently enlightening (we see with the Ocean arcanum and S5 that knowledge can be an immense burden) or that it's on the opposite end of the spectrum and is outright benevolent.

What, then, am I suggesting Deep Magic to be? Well, we have some clues likewise from the same old interview post-s2 that we haven't had much basis to (potentially) understand until now, in which it's stated:

Deeper magic and deeper gifts that the original beings received [...] practical, usable, powerful magic is drawn from the six primal sources, right? But there is this idea that there's this earlier, less differentiated power kind of magic that's deeper and more - I don't kind of want to say what all of them are. It's not that important now, it has more to do with the history of beings and their interactions with each other. But Aaravos cares about some of this stuff. The best I can say is that one of them's Power — but well, what does that mean?

The six primal sources — potentially just five (hence why only 5 gemstones seem to occur naturally in nature, and Star seemingly doesn't) — are all based around physical, somewhat tangible principles. Earth, Ocean, Sun (fire/light), Sky (wind/weather) are perhaps the most tangible, with only Moon dipping into something into something more metaphysical: illusions and questioning the nature of reality, the nature of death, etc. However, I'd argue that the Moon arcanum's emphasis on death still makes it something that is particularly important to creatures who are mortal (but more on that later).

What I am arguing for is then, therefore, that Deep Magic is magic drawn from Concepts and Ideas > tangible things found in nature or parts of other magical creatures.

Three concepts, to be exact: (translated dark magic screenshot from Cartoon Universe spells reversed).

Zubeia: He chose as his instruments those who had strong hearts and strong minds, but who had an insatiable thirst and fascination with magic (power).

Three quasar diamonds, three deep magic concepts. Heart, Mind, Power.

("To know something truly and deeply, you must know it with your head, hand, and heart. Mind, body, and spirit." / "She laid before me her scales, her blindfold, and her sword, and told me to choose.")

Now, I don't know if it's these three concepts exactly — I could Truth, or Justice, or something like that — or even if it's three. But given what little we know about Deep magic thus far and how much the series' likes its threes, I think that's the likeliest number and combination.

We've known for a while that there's something weird with the connection between dark magic, spells that use blood, and 'star' magic. We know it's unlikely that Aaravos being able to possess people who have used dark magic was just a happy accident discovered after humans started using it. We know that when Callum is offered the dark magic version of the cube in his dreams, the symbol is blood red: "You can have unlimited power." And that dark magic "became the key that unlocked a place of power for humans in Xadia" (Tales of Xadia).

So what if dark magic stems from the vein of Deep magic that's taken from the concept of Power? What if when Aaravos offered his pawns "unlimited" Power, or when Kpp'Ar accused Viren of (potentially using star magic) "making the same choice you always made: the one that gives you Power," they meant it?

Alternatively, this could mean that most other Startouch elves — their longevity, their indifference — comes from the vein of Mind and subsequent intellectual detachment? Enough intelligence and reason not to hunger for more (Power), but not enough compassion and empathy to sympathize with others (Heart).

And it would also tie into Leola being unique among her own kind for her heart taking pity on the humans, and giving them primal magic — perhaps in the vein of Heart, if we're keeping things consistent — and why love ("To know something truly and deeply [...] I love you with all of myself, and I always will" / "To love is simply to know this: the tides are true as the ocean is deep") has been consistently tied to Callum unlocking arcanums. The "Narrative of Strength (power)" vs "Narrative of Love" being even more literal than we thought.

This wouldn't be too out of line since Moon arcanum philosophy already borrows heavily from Plato's idea of the forms/reality (Plato's allegory of the cave, anyone?) and the forms basically mean "your imagined ideal of the object in your mind is going to be more perfect than any tangible, 'real' version of the object could ever be." That being applied to living beings who are literally in the sky would track a certain amount, in addition to the idea that however primal magic is set up in Xadia right is "the whole world is like a giant primal stone; sky magic is all around us, and it's also in me, with every breath we take." But I digress.

With the distinction of Deep Magic as 1) separate and a sea that flows into the primal as well as 2) older and earlier than primal magic, now onto the next theory:

Theory #2: First elves and the Archdragons?

Now admittedly this one is more speculative since beyond knowing 1) the First elves = what we'd call Startouch elves, 2) the rest of them except Aaravos 'left' Xadia a while ago, and 3) the aforementioned possible 'Mind' deep magic thing, we very quickly run out of set knowledge into full blown speculation. Beyond

With that in mind, I wanna talk about the... weirdness, I suppose, between the Archdragons / draconic royal family and the First Elves.

There's a few notes to this: we know that Ancient Draconic is the language of primal magic, indicating that dragons existed and presumably had primal magic before elves did, and that elves had to be given that linguistic knowledge at least to a certain degree.

Then we also have the way Zubeia is referred to being mirrored with the way she describes Aaravos later:

Likewise, the one person/creature we've seen referred to as a god outside the Epic of the Void poem is Avizandum by Harrow (bonus points for the game motif of "entire armies have fallen like toys" because of him):

Bloodmoon Huntress also asserts that from an elven point of view (or at least Lain and Tiadrin, and presumably Runaan, too) that "Dragons are the lifeblood, the very core of Xadia" and generally assumed that dragons have the most powerful connection to their individual primal sources.

So I'd be willing to wager (esp since Sol Regem is at least 1,2000+ years old) that Archdragons at least once upon a time had been contemporaries of the First Elves if not peers. What and why that connection exists and how relevant it is for today, I don't know, but I do think there's something there, especially since the one example we have of a First Elf-Dragon relationship in Aaravos, Avizandum, and Zubeia, was perceived to be positive somewhat on all sides — a matter of trust on his end (in order to be "betrayed") and a matter of reverence and importance on theirs; "admired and loved by all" / "you meant something to him".

There is also something to be said for the Archdragons being the most powerful embodiment of the primal sources (alongside maybe some rare and noteworthy elves, like Queen Aditi) still being "unable to risk a direct confrontation" with only one singular and Fallen Startouch elf. What would a whole slew of them at the height of their power look like? (And yet it is implied that the Nova Blade is "ivory draconic" so... maybe you just have to get a First Elf close enough to the mouth to be consumed / bitten? Or perhaps the Nova Blade is made from the tooth/claw of a 'Star' arcanum dragon.)

TLDR; it's looking more and more like Startouch elves as we understand them and First Elves in generally are — while emotive and feeling the way humans and elves are — something very different from anything else we've seen thus far in terms of knowledge and power skill, and that distinction is only going to be made more and more apparent as the story goes on.

Theory #3: Where do we go from here?

So if Deep Magic is distinct from Primal, and is distinct from 2/3 kinds of Deep Magic in dark magic (derived from 5-primal and Power deep magic thoughts)... where do we go from here, magically speaking?

Well, the important thing to note is that the story has given us some thematic clues. Aaravos is concerned with exile and power, both things we see thematically most represented by human characters (with some elven exceptions like Karim and Kim'Dael). The other Star touch elves are very on brand for "Xadian exile" as their favourite punishment as well as extreme isolationism ("I knew I had to be strong alone" etc). Therefore, whatever answer we give Magically also has to reconcile these issues from a thematic and character based standpoint.

It seems like a switch of where people are concentrating energy — for Startouch elves and humans — needs to have a drastic shift to one of the other veins/concepts of deep magic that will hopefully heal the rifts. If Aaravos is Power (humans) and the others are 'Mind' (Xadian indifference/isolation and banishment) for lack of a better idea, then subverting that binary and shifting more to a third 'Love' path seems to be very on brand for TDP. Holding both at the same time but being guided by a higher principle of peace and harm reduction is what Ezran's 4x03 speech is all about, after all.

Something something both Xadia and magic and the First Elves being reunited with Xadia / humanity and elvenkind as TDP's endgame, something something.

Other Gift Giving Thoughts

The other thing I wanna talk about now that everything else is laid out is how gifts are Given, in TDP. We see time and time again relationships and magic systems being framed on the idea of whether they are giving, taking, both in a bad way or in a good way. There seems to be two main indicators for gift giving, therefore, either that in the receiver is worthy, or that the exchange is going to be reciprocal.

At its best, a gift works as intended.

Humans (and elves?) are given primal magic and generally use it for exploration and to care for themselves / one another The sun seed is given to the Sunfire elves, but they must nurture it. Callum gives Rayla her father's bow and she uses it to protect them. Callum achieves enlightenment and understanding of him and is rewarded with primal magic twice, even if the Ocean in particular is a bit murkier than he'd probably like. Gifts and belongings are relinquished or restored for freedom, for hope, for peace.

Here we have to wonder if Leola's Last Wish reconciles both the Goodbye gift motif and the gift of Magic motif, possibly resulting in the gift of the sun seed or more likely something to do with primal magic / alleviate the fallout of dark magic's consequences.

For example, to get an answer from Rex Igneous — a seeming wealth of knowledge — you have to give him a worthy gift that is also a sacrifice of some kind, according to Nath'an.

However, Ezran points out the major flaw in this line of thinking, as "We offered gifts that meant a lot to us, but the truth is, they don't mean anything to you." Not everyone is going to value the same thing or think the same thing is worth the price that was paid.

We see this interpersonally most with the mage fam ("Maybe the world would be better off without magic" from Soren, whose life was saved with it) and with Rayla and Callum (as Rayla's gift of sacrifice by leaving is something Callum did not want and rightfully did not receive well, alongside her moonstone pendant). Again: what is defined as worthy, or worthiness, is in the eye of the beholder.

Just like one of the initial thoughts that inspired this meta, Khessa asserts that dark magic is a magic that "takes" > being reciprocal for both parties, nevermind a gift. The irony, however, runs a bit deeper, as Aaravos thinks the same of his fellow stars:

But the stars kept from them one secret still: that their first lesson—patience—was not a gift of the stars at all. You see, patience is a lesson the humans taught themselves. No, the stars do not know patience, for they have no need for it. The stars want for nothing, and take all to their liking.

And we see this idea of a 'false gift' show up time and time again in the series. Nyx pretends to offer passage but actually wants to steal Zym; Rayla's act of love in leaving is a curse upon Callum's heart and wellbeing; dark magic itself is a false trade of sorts, given how unevenly it tips scales in Aaravos' favour and how much it ruins both the environment and body of its caster.

[The elven thief Lasair] never saw the precious blossoms fade and turn to cold ashes when exposed to the dawn. They never learned their gift was perceived as a curse, not a trade. 

—Tales of Xadia

Kim'Dael goes to Queen Aditi under false pretences ("The Queen's Mercy") but the gift that Aditi gives her is nothing good at all:

What pretty bauble, she wondered, had she tricked the queen into forging as a token of protection? What could be powerful enough to ward away the wrath of dragons?

Just as humans sought the stars' help to protect them from the ire of the dragons, Kim'Dael sought Aditi's. And just as Aaravos offered them a false magic that would protect and ultimately trap/destroy then, so does Aditi, with magic that doesn't seem to be entirely dark or primal:

“But know this: the binding around your neck—it is made with magic not unlike your own. It is a magic that demands, that takes."

A form of magic even maybe that demands sacrifice for that kind of Power.

You could almost say it's something Deeper.

Conclusion

Hope you enjoyed going completely off the rails with me, and that this long (winded) post got you thinking! I'll probably do a followup discussing the implications of what we have here for potential Laurelion-Aaravos later. In the meantime, take the fruits of my labour, and spin your own hamster wheels if you'd like.

#the dragon prince #tdp #tdp meta #gift motif #analysis series #dark magic #primal magic #worldbuilding #analysis #deep lore dive #i'm also pretty sure aaravos or someone got cast out bc of the primal magic thing too #stars wanted a punishment of some kind. yeah #but more on that later #something something 'but this isn't true strength. it's only power'

[kazisgirlfriend]

Callum - Surrendering Control

Something I'm positively giddy about with this image below is that it plays into the consistent theme I mentioned here about Callum learning to "surrender" control in order to learn and reach new heights with magic.

The fact that Callum is wearing a blindfold and retracted his wings (something that mages can do on command) shows that he is intentionally placing himself in a vulnerable position. And so it echoes other moments when Callum has had to "let go" and open himself to previously unattainable wisdom.

In many ways, he's pulling a reverse-Icarus here. TDP always had a pretty unique take on the Icarus tale (the opening to the s2 novel has an "Icarus" who doesn't fall by flying too close to the sun), but here it's Callum's willingness to not grasp for control, to remove his restraints and preconditions, that lets him reach new heights. To let, as Sarai told him, his spirit and body catch up with his mind and help out.

And it's this willingness to forgo control and power that separates him from the other human mages we've seen like Viren, Ziard, and Claudia. Dark mages pursue magic through force of will and domineering control over magical creatures and forces. The logic of dark magic is centered around dominance, on using coercion to attain power.

But in contrast, Callum's approach confounds this logic. It's Callum's receptiveness and open-mindedness, not his knowledge or research, that best help him attain new forms of magic. It's what separate him not only from Viren and Claudia, but even fellow primal mages like Finnegrin and Aaravos.

In many ways, this evokes the Taoist idea of wu-wei or effortless action - he accomplishes powerful magic by surrendering to natural forces rather than imposing his will. By relinquishing control, he accomplishes what other mages cannot through force of will alone.

I don't know what will end up happening here, but knowing Callum, it's going to be good :)

#callum #the dragon prince #sarai #viren #claudia #finnegrin #aaravos #theredhairedmonkey

[callumsgirl]

one new message

Hey Fellas❤️There was another one shot scene in my head for quite a while now. I need to share it with you and please LMK what you are thinking about it!

pairing: Austin Butler x Callum Turner

summary: Callum had a tough week - learning new lines, filming until the sun went down and answering questions at press events. After all the stress, he finally had a weekend off and had planned a quiet evening with a relaxing series and maybe a scotch. Lying on the couch, relaxing and when he receives a message from an unknown number, the series is long forgotten. Callum receives an erotic, beautiful photo of you… Now he just has to convince you to ditch the guy you've been meaning to message and focus on him instead.

warnings: a scene full of flirting, dirty talk, sharing dirty picutres, first first sexual experiences, men x men, Callum touching himself while he's thinking about Austin

Callum had endured such a long week at work and filming his new project, all he wanted to do was change ouf of his black suit, grab dinner and a scotch and lounge around on the couch in his black brief boxers without a responsibility in sight.

Nobody should have to work until ten on a saturday night, but it had taken him that long to sort through the massive playbock and learning new lines for monday morning. At least now he had nothing planned for the rest of his evening.

His hotel room kinda too hot, the conditioning system too loud, and the glass with scotch on ice too cold pressed to his bare thigh as he reached for the TV remote let some droplets of condensation.

It felt awesome, a shiver run down his spine. Callum switched through Amazon Prime and Netflix to pick a series or a movie but he couldn't decide yet. He took another sip of his drink as his phone vibrated next to him. With a soft grunt, he abandoned the remote in favor of the phone and unlocked it with his pass code.

There was a next text message from an unknown number, and there was a photo attached. He grimaced, afraid of what he was going to find if he tapped on it. He read the phone number twice, but it didn't sound familiar beyond the Chelsea area code. He let his head tip back as he recalled the time he pissed one of his co-stars off and she gave his phone number to random women or men in retaliation. Callum really hoped he wasn't going to have to kindly ask someone to stop sending him ugly foot pics like last time. 

Before he lost the nerve, he tapped on the message, and his screen was suddenly filled with a photo of a men who looked just a few years younger than him. And he was hot. He paused with his glas of scotch halfway to his lips before letting it settle back down to his thigh. 

Hey,Barry. It's me, you wrote you number on my arm and your friend Sarah thought we both were a great match...idk why I'm texting you...haven't thought you were interested.. but now you have my number, too.

Callum didn't know who the hell Barry was, but he wasn't mad about the mix-up.

This photo was something else. It almost looked like it was taken in the the streets at night. But whoever you were.... damn, you were stunning. These black pants fit your legs pretty well, and the fabric of your all shirt was fitting your tonned torso and arms as well. Your dark blond hair looked fluffy and soft. Suddenly Callum felt the urge to touch it if he could. All pretty features and then there war your smiling - a bit playful, a bit shy, but absolutely breathtaking like you had a secret you want tell yet. 

It took him a moment to stop staring at the photo and return to the previous screen and your message. He was going to have to tell you that he wasn't Barry and that you had the wrong number, but he just sat there and tapped his phone case instead. He didn't even like the name Barry, but damn if he didn't want to be Barry right now. That lucky bastard had you interested in him. 

Callum was wondering how the mix-up happened in the first place as he drafted up a text to you. Only some sort of fucking idiot wouldn't check and double check that he gave you the right number. "Amateurs," he mumbled as he typed with a little smirk on his face.

Hey darlin', sorry to inform you, but this actually isn't Barry. However, I wouldn't mind one bit if you kept sending me the photos that are meant for him.

He hit send and tossed his phone aside, assuming you'd just block him and move on with your night. He brought his glas back to his lips and enjoyed the way the drink helped cool him down while he contemplated taking a shower, but when he reached for the remote again, his phone vibrated. 

There was another message from the same number. Intrigued, Callum unlocked his phone again, and he was pleased to see another text and another photo. God damn, he thought.

Hey, thanks for letting me know you aren't Barry. Wish you a great evening.

This photo was totally different to the first one. You were leaning with your hips against the bar and your muscular arm was wrapped around a petite brunette. She had one hand resting on your chest and was holding a cocktail with the other. You two seemed to be having great time and suddenly you regretted coming back to the hotel so late. Plus Callum was sure that was the Old Manhatten Club, which pissed him off, because he got out of work so late he didn't feel like going out tonight. Maybe if he had been there, you wouldn't have been talking to Barry in the first place.

"Damn it." He was intrigued. He wanted to know more about you.

My night is substantially better now that I have two photos of you, pretty golden boy. So where did Barry get off to anyway? And why is he trying to steal my phone number?

This time Callum was dying for another response. But it didn't come. He stared at his phone for a solid minute before returning to his scotch and downing the rest of the glas.

Still nothing.

He got up and made his way to the small fridge. He put his empty glass down before filling it half full again. Then he picked up the phone and ordered a late-night snack from room service.

Callum probably shouldn't keep drinking, but the impatience in his stomach needed to be numbed. Then his mobile phone buzzed and when he looked over at the couch, the screen lit up.

He slammed the fridge door and heading back to his phone. There was no photo this time, but there was a new message. Callum licked his lips and started to read.

It was actually just a dumb tinder date. My friends tried to get me hooked up…I actually lost Barry in the crowd, so really, the man could be just about anywhere. And I don't think he was trying to steal your number at all, Not-Barry. He wrote it on my arm, smirked dirty and it smeared before I could add it to my phone.

"Okay," Callum said out loud. "Now we're getting somewhere." He sat down on the couch with his second scotch on the coffee table and started a new message. 

A tinder date, pretty golden boy? Why are your friends thinking you need to get laid? Barry clearly needs dating tips…with someone like you, you don't take such a risk and just write your number on your arm.

Callum smiled and decided that he was going to have no shame for the night. Not as long as you kept writing back to him. He was contemplating how to save your number in his phone when another selfie with a message came through.

You were on the roof terrace and your friend, Callum guessed it was the petite brunette one, took aenother picture of you with a smile on your face. Now yo were wearing a black leather jacket and your pretty, plumb lips were distracting Callum.

Does this number look familiar? Still no actual Barry in sight, by the way... 

Callum supposed that the 7 could have been mistaken for a 1. Or maybe Barry's phone number had a 5 that got smeared into a 6. It didn't really matter. Callum was going to shoot his shot and hope Barry didn't resurface. 

Good, Barry can just stay lost. What's your name, pretty golden boy?

Then he saved your number as Pretty Golden Boy, and this time he did manage to turn the TV on while he waited with his phone in his hand. He muted the Netflix series and picked up his scotch before promptly setting it back down again.

Pretty Golden Boy: Don't shot so fast fast, darlin'. You tell me your name first...and how old you are. I need to make sure you aren't a series killer who try to hook me up...and your blood type and your eye color...last thing...you first movie where you cried.

Pretty and smart, he thought. Callum laughed and started typing. He realized he hadn't stopped smiling for the last twenty minutes as he hit send.

My name is Callum and I'm 34 A positive, blue-green, not a movie but Band of Brothers...for sure. Hope you're reliable, pretty golden boy.

On a regular night, the netflix series would have held his attention, but tonight he couldn't stop looking at his phone. "Come on, pretty golden boy," he muttered, running his cool glas of scotch along his thigh before taking another sip. 

Pretty Golden Boy: One point for your fast response, Callum. Looks like you aren't a series killer at first sight. Now you have my attention. Send me a selfie exactly where you are, and I'll think about telling you my name. No changing into something nicer. No fixing your hair. Just a selfie. Right now.

Callum looked down at himself in just his black boxer briefs and mumbled, "If that's your wish, darlin'." When he set his phone camera to selfie mode, he looked at the screen and realized his hair still looked pretty decent from filming earlier this day. So he went ahead and took a picture where he was wearing a bit of a skeptical smirk, and before he sent it he added another picuture from his photo galery.

And now his heart was beating a little faster.

This was probably where you'd stop responding. Oh hell, at least he went for it, but a few minutes later, you still hadn't sent anything back to him. Maybe he could have pull a shirt on before sending the picutre, because you had never know he were almost naked an his couch. Clearly you were sending him actual selfies you'd taken tonight, and he did exactly what you'd told him to. Then his phone vibrated and his heart skipped a beat.

Pretty Golden Boy: ...Do you really expect me to believe that you're not just googling hot shirtless guy with a breathtaking smile, downloading a photo, and trying to pass it off as yourself? Not even Tinder has such attractive guys running around.

He tipped his head back and laughed loud and huskily. There was just something about you he really liked. He didn't even know your name or what your voice sounded like, but he could already tell he was going to like both of those things. If you ever told him or let him hear you.

Why should I cheat? That's really me, darlin'. I promise. Want see another picture real fast so i can't google hot shirtless guy with a breathtaking smile? Will you tell me your name now? Or do I have to keep calling you Pretty Golden Boy forever?

He was wondering if you were still at the bar, surrounded by guys like Barry who would love to take you home while you were chatting with him. And he hoped the next text would contain your name. But you just ignored him when you wrote back a few minutes later. 

Pretty Golden Boy: Prove you're not just sending some photos of a random hot guy google recommended you. Last 3 pictures from your galerie!

"He's smart and definitly a handful," Callum murmured as opened his photo galerie. Maybe the last thirty pictures where taken at the press events this afternoon. He thought to skip these pictures because their weren't really personal of just him. Plus he was a bit nervous that you would stop texting back if you saw these picutres.

Then his phone vibrated again.

Pretty Golden Boy: No research! Show me!

"Fuck", he smirked. "Smart, hot and unpatiend", he licked his lips anf started to collect three picutres. It would keep his secret that he skipped most of the press event picutres. He chose one current picture of the press event and then another two from earlier this week.

He stood up when it knocked on his door. "One moment please!", Callum yelled and pulled a white shirt over his head. He didn't want to risk another young, inexperienced apprentice standing outside his door and almost fainting. Halfway to the door, he stopped again and took a deep breath as he stared down at his bare legs. "Just dinner, Turner," he reassured himself.

Two minutes later he was lying in bed, half under the white duvet, eating his burger and fries. Callum finished his message and attached the photos and then sent them off while he finished his dinner.

Sorry, room service interrupted my research. What is this, Pretty Golden Boy? A hostage negotiation? I already told you, that's really me.

Before his phone vibrated again Callum sent another picutre. He's laying in bed and eating his dinner.

It didn't take too long for you to respond this time, and Callum wasn't even letting his screen dim long enough to need to unlock it now.

Pretty Golden Boy: Are you an actor or something? Looking good...are you real? Are you naked under these sheets?

"Goddamn," he muttered. Of course he wasn't. Did you want him to be? Shit, he needed to stop thinking about that dirty stuff.

Yes, I'm an actor. I'm not naked under my sheets. There was room service a few minutes ago, darlin' You told me not to get changed or anything, so I'm laying in my bed half naked.

He felt flushed and too warm as he set his phone down on the bed and stood up to open some windows. Then he walked to his bed and his heart skipped another one or two beats. He felt warm und the blood was rushing through his venes.

He wasn't even with you, and you were under his skin. 

He closed his eyes, fluttering, and rubbed one hand flat over his chest. His heartbeat hummed under his palm - too loud and definitely too fast. Callum swallowed hard and again your images flashed before his eyes. How desperately he wanted to run his thumb over your bottom lip, to touch you and hear your voice.

It was terrifying how much he wanted you, even though he didn't know you.

When he returned to his phone, there was another selfie and a message waiting for him. In the photo, you were not in the bar anymore. It looked like an appartment or something you Callum askend himself if it would be your place or your friends place...or Barry's. He shook his head and suppressed the thought.

Then he focussed on you again. Your brunette friend had definitely taken another photo of you and the way you were looking through the mirror at the camera with your eyelids half lowered made Callum sigh and groan.

Pretty Golden Boy: My friend Jess thinks there is something pretty wrong with me. We were at this Old Manhatten Club and a bunch of attractive guys were talking to me, but I only looked down my phone, just because of your messages. Now Jess thinks she need to work harder to get me laid and, suprise she'll create another online dating profile for myself.

"Shit, shit, shit", Callum grumbled and thought about getting dressed and heading out whereever his pretty golden boy was. Then maybe he could hear you tell him your name in person right before he pulled kissed you and fixed the problem of your friend Jess. Callum would lay you down by himself.

Old Manhatten is a good place to meet up. You don't need another online dating profile! Tinder is full of dumb idiots! Are you at your friends house or your place? I could pick you up, pretty golden boy.

Callum started heading to his closet when his phone vibrated in his hand.

Pretty Golden Boy: Are you knowing the Old Manhatten Club or just saying this to hook me up? Did you meet your dates at Old Manhatten Club?! I'm at my place and Jess is heading home soon. I'm not telling you my adress yet.

Not yet. That sounds...good and that they where getting somewhere good.

"Fuck, no!," he grunted, typing so quickly he had to go back and fix several spelling errors before he could send it. The last thing he wanted to do was make you uncomfortable, so he paused before getting any clothing out of his closet.

No! I knew this Club quite well because a friend of mine is the owner. You can ask Tom, the bartender. I would never meet my dates at a place like this. I like it more casual, romantic if you say so. Will you lay down in your bed now, pretty golden boy? Not yet, hmm..sounds fine to me. We'll work on this later.

Callum collapsed onto his bed with his forearm over his eyes and his phone clutched to his chest. He didn't have to check the time to know it had been a while since he texted you. He also didn't have to look at his phone to know it was after midnight now and that you and he had been chatting for almost two hours. He run his hand through his dark brown and soft hair when the phone vibrated against his chest.

Pretty Golden Boy: Alright, Callum Turner now I know everything I need to know about you.

Callum winced and felt his chest tighten. He watched impatiently as the three dots continued to dance across the disply. One by one, your messages arrived and he inevitably held his breath.

Pretty Golden Boy: Tom is pretty funny tbh. He's a real gentleman, and your story has been proven true.

Another three dots crossed his display.

Thank God! He was going to owe Tom big time.

Pretty Golden Boy: Tom mentioned that you come to his club every time you are in town, and that you hooked up with a young woman once.

He continued typing as he rolled onto his stomach and stroked his hair. A few dark strands of hair were sticking out wildly and could hardly be tamed.

I'm 34 and no angel. Maybe I've had sex with some people I shouldn't have slept with, but are you really going to open that chapter, pretty golden boy?

Callum closed his eyes and thought about the actress who had taken him into the bathroom with her last year. He was pretty sure she had brown hair, but other than that, he couldn't really recall.

He wouldn't mind taking a trip there with you, that was for sure. Or maybe you and he could skip the scandalous bar hookup and just go right to dinner or a movie. For some reason, he thought he might actually prefer that. Not that he would refuse to lie naked in bed with you.

Pretty Golden Boy:I'm alone now. Need to call somebody first. Text you when I lay in bed.

Callum mused out loud, "You better not call Barry."

Shit, he could have offered to call you and make sure you are just talking to him and not another stranger. He'd only had those two glases all night, and now he was picturing some faceless guy named Barry calling you and trying to sneak into your bed.

He texted you back.

Please tell me you're not calling Barry...you can call me anytime, darlin'!

With a sigh, he got out of bed and plugged his phone in, not sure what to expect at this point. He went back into the bathroom and showered quickely and used his toothbrush. Callum pulled on a fresh pair of boxer breifs and then he went back to his bedroom and closed all the windows. When he wason his bed again, he had no new notifications. He was about to text you again and check in when his phone suddenly rang.

CALL FROM Pretty Golden Boy

Callum was smiling as he cleared his throat and picked up. "Hey, Pretty Golden Boy."

A soft, husikily laugh preceded your voice, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek as you said, "Hey, Callum with the blue-green eyes. Are you trying to tell me that you were jealous if I would call Barry?"

He hesitated and narrowed his eyes briefly. The corners of his mouth twitched and he laughed: "In any case, I can't say the opposite without lying."

"I'm glad that I call you instead of anybody else...It wouldn't be Barry in a tousand times. I called Jess to ask if she's already home", you explained in a calm voice and Callum closed his eyes as he listened to your words. The sound of your voice triggered strange desires in him. He sighed and bit his lips the next moment as he heard a soft rustle humming through the speaker. "Happy to hear that. What are you doing?" Callum asked.

"I pull of my shirt and pants and lay down into my bed."

The next moment you moaned softly and Callum felt his body temperature rise. The blood was now pumping faster through his body and he put his arm over his eyes. "Shit, even your voice is sexy."

Okay. He should not be on the verge of touching himself after you spoke three whole sentences to him. "You make it home safely? Without Barry or another dumb idiot flirting to you?", he asked, trying to play it cool as he thought about those photos you sent him. 

"Hmmm. A hot guy named Bruno hooked Jess up and drove us to my place. He's here if you want to talk to him?"

Callum thought for a beat that he had met his match in you. "You better be lying. You know what, put Bruno on the phone."

Your husikily laughter filled him up as you said, "I'm just teasing you. I had to ditch him, Barry and every other men, because he doesn't even look a hot as you. I think I have new standards now."

Holy shit. Callum was in trouble. He was getting turned on, and you weren't even really saying anything dirty. "Are you trying to kill me? Are you gonna tell me your name, Pretty Golden Boy?"

"No, i don't wanna kill you. You're to hot to die this young. I think I'm going to hold onto it a little longer."

"Fine. But please explain to me how I've never seen you at the Old Manhatten Club before. I'm certain I would remember your face."

Your voice sounded a little lighter now as you said, "I just moved here a month ago. It was my first time at the bar with Jess."

If he hadn't worked so late today, Callum would have probably been there tonight as well. "You had fun? You think you'll go back again?"

"Probably," you replied casually. "When do you think you'll be there?"

Callum was so warm he was starting to sweat. "Pretty Golden Boy, you just say the word, and I'll clear my whole damn calendar."

Your small, harsh sighs and your soft hissing would be the death of him. "You know, I still have Barry's, or rather your, phone number on my arm."

He imagined himself kissing your palm and rewriting his phone number. "Should be in my handwriting. I'll make sure I always bring a pen with me to the bar."

You cleared your throat hoarsely, and Callum imagined you leaning back against the headboard of your bed, listening to his voice. "Tom told me to watch out for the other men. But he said you were charming and the worse."

"The worse?", Callum asked.

"Actually, he called you a goddamn charming prince with blue-green eyes to fall in love with."

Callum laughed. "I've been called worse but maybe you'll fall in love too."

"I'm sure you have," you replied quickly. "You deserve some sort of punishment for daring to look good with and i hope you won't break my heart."

"It's a blessing and a curse. Now, are you going to send me another photo? Or are you going to just agree to meet me tomorrow night?"

He heard a rustle and then you murmured quietly and promisingly: "Barry won't like that at all. But here we go."

And then came another photo, and Callum briefly thought he had suffered a heart attack.

"Now it's my turn to ask if you're naked in this picture, pretty golden boy."

He took in every inch of your bare, tanned skin. He made sure to memorise every inch of your body, licking his lips as he followed the deep peaks and valleys of your stomach and pecs with his eyes. His fingertips twitched and he moaned softly, "Sure you don't want to kill me?

The duvet was pulled over your legs and billowed around your hips. Your dark blonde hair was still styled and in the dim light your lips looked even fuller, even pinker, even more kissable. The photo looked cosy and intimate, taken just for him. Callum had to actively remember not to touch himself.

"Almost naked. Just a black boxer breif."

"Fuck."

"Send me another one?", you asked seductively.

"Yes," he mumbled, swallowing hard as he tried to pose for another selfie as he was: stretched out on his pillow, his left arm bent and crossed behind his head. The duvet covered his legs and lower stomach. His silver chain reflected in the camera, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes looked darker than usual. He was clearly aroused and his skin was heated.

Fuck it. He snapped the photo and sent it off. And about ten seconds later, he heard a hoarse moan at the other end of the line. His breathing had quickened and he heard the rustling of fabric again.

"It should be illegal for someone to look so good. It's rude, honestly. Callum, you're kind of rude, because now I want to know...."

He was hanging on your every word. "Know what, Pretty Golden Boy?"

The call went completely silent before you said huskily, "What your lips feel like...everywhere."

A soft, startled laugh escaped his lips. You were on the verge of some dirty talk now, he could just tell. And his cock was hard as he replied with, "I'd love to let you find out. But before you respond, I need to know how much you've had to drink tonight. I don't want to take advantage of anything here."

You whimpered on the other end of the call. "An actor, blue-green eyes, and a gentleman? All Barry did for me was buy me those two burbon."

Bradley grunted and said, "That's enough about Barry. Why don't you go ahead and tell me where you'd like to feel my lips first, Pretty Golden Boy."

He heard your deep sigh and your loud breathing before you said, "I want to kiss you and feel your hands on me. I want your lips to caress my skin, mark me and I want to taste you. I want your mouth to brush over my skin just below my ear while you whisper in my ear. Wow…I can't believe I said that out loud. I should hang up."

"Don't hang up," Callum said, panting with need now. "Tell me more."

"Okay," you sighed with another deep sigh. "I want to feel your lips and hands around my cock, and i want to taste you lips, lick the taste of everything from your lips."

"Holy shit," he groaned, palming himself through his boxer briefs. "You're making me hard."

"It's pretty dirty...you're hard for me?," you whined with need. "And I want to feel your lips on the back of my neck while you do filthy things to me. Maybe fucking me deep and slow, and I don't even know you!"

"Yeah you turn me on. You'll feel all you told me and more," he guaranteed. "Please, tell me your name and what time I can meet you."

Callum listened to the rustle of your sheets as he waited. Then you finally said, "It's Austin. You can meet me at the Old Manhatten Club at eight."

"I'll be there, Austin." He liked the way your name sounded and felt on his lips. Callum was pretty happy that this Barry guy fucked up and Austin texted him. He was excited where this adventure will take him and Austin together.

#austin butler smut #callum turner smut #austin butler fic #callum turner fic #one shot #hot as hell #smut #phone talk

[theredhairedmonkey]

Any theories on what will go down in s6?

Pure speculation of course, but here's what I think could happen:

After getting Aaravos' prison, the group return to the Sunfire camp (since Zubeia is unavailable) and leave the prison with Janai and Amaya for safekeeping. Thinking the big threat is over, the group then split up--Soren, Zym and Ezran (and maybe Corvus) search for Zubeia, while Rayla and Callum travel to the Starscraper to free Rayla's family.

Rayla and Callum arrive at the Starscraper (maybe a detour to Evenere's Royal Library to find the Void Poem, idk), but learn that both the Corona of the Heavens and the Nova Blade are kept under lock and key by the Celestial Elves. Not only are both protected, both are functionally useless to anyone but the "rightful heir" of these items. Through trials and tribulations, Callum eventually discovers how to find the "light guiding him through the darkness" (i.e. stargazing) and learns that the Star Arcanum was that the cosmos encompass everything--not just the stars, but the other celestial elements (Sky, Moon and Sun) as well as everything on Earth and the Ocean as well. Unlocking this activates the Rune Cube; turns out that the "Great Power in Xadia" it was meant to unlock was Callum all along.

He gets crowned (mirroring Viren's coronation; instead of usurping the throne, Callum is hesitant but ultimately relents and accepts his new destiny for the sake of bringing back Rayla's family). However, in the meantime, either Claudia or Karim's army (or maybe both in a dark twist of fate) invade the Sunfire camp, and either Claudia or Pharos steal the prison. Either way, Aaravos is now actually freed.

Somehow, the trio+Zym and Soren reunite and find out that Aaravos has somehow been freed, and go to face him. Callum, armed with the crown and the sword, is confident they can defeat him for good.

They go to face him, but because of Callum using dark magic a second time, Aaravos can now effortlessly brainwash him and turn him into a drone without needing to pilot him directly as in s4. Rayla has an opportunity to kill Callum to stop Aaravos, but doesn't take it.

As it turns out, Callum really did play right into Aaravos' hands, as this was what Aaravos wanted all along: Freed and with a Star-powered mage armed with a Star-killing weapon fully under his control. Aaravos' plans had come to fruition and he can do what he always wanted; return to the heavens and exact his revenge of the First Elves.

Screen cuts to black. Season ends. Bum bum bum, tune in for season 7!

#tdp #the dragon prince #callum #rayla #rayllum #ezran #soren #aaravos #primal magic

[kradogsrats]

Can humans connect to all primal sources while elves can connect to only one?

Well, let's look at the combined evidence:

Callum has connected to two primal sources, and they've been kind of arbitrary. Like presumably if he'd started with a Sun primal stone, he would have first connected to the Sun, since him having that primal stone experience is a not really insignificant part of him connecting to the Sky primal. When he connects to the Ocean primal, it's explicit that he has been focusing on it for a while, but I don't remember him expressing why he chose Ocean over others. Basically, I don't think there's anything preventing a human from connecting to any individual primal source.

We have never been told that elves cannot connect to multiple primal sources, only that they are naturally connected to one, and humans are naturally connected to zero. We were told that humans cannot connect to even a single primal source, but that was factually incorrect both past and present.

However, we have seen exactly one character in any canon material who is connected to multiple primal sources, and that's Aaravos. Startouch elves are pretty clearly something... else, so he's not really a representative sample of "elves."

Actually, in canon material, there are also very few magical artifacts that combine magic from multiple primal sources, and no known multi-source spells.

After Callum connects to a second primal, Rayla's reaction is lighthearted joking. Granted, there's a lot going on at the time, and she's the last person who would doubt Callum's ability to do the impossible, but I would expect her to acknowledge if that was something that no elf primal mage has ever done before.

Pyrda, one of the suggested player characters from Tales of Xadia (who are heavily implied to all be "canon" characters), is a Skywing elf mage "eager to experience a wider variety of primal sources" and who "believes her destiny lies in preserving the balance of magic." This could mean that her goal is to connect to other primal sources and learn their magic, or it could just be to study them and see other mages use them (or maybe someday try them herself with a primal stone). On her starting character sheet, she only has access to Sky magic.

The Tales of Xadia rules explicitly state that only human characters can be dark mages and only elves can be primal/rune mages, when discussing the character vocation—which is part of the character's background, describing essentially their career focus (i.e. are they a cook, a guard, a sailor, a mage, etc.). However, it doesn't say anywhere that vocations can't be changed as part of the character growth process, since character growth can include adding new distinctions and vocations are a type of distinction. Additionally, the actual mechanics of magic are based on a combination of a magical specialty and spell assets—for example, Pyrda has a Sky magic specialty and a Sky magic spells asset with two spells specified. Specialties and assets are also things that can be added via character growth, and there's nothing anywhere that says you can't add a Sky magic specialty to your human or other elf character.

And the Tales of Xadia rules have to accommodate Callum, because he literally has his own character sheet in there as an NPC catalyst. His vocation is "aspiring rune mage" and he has a Sky magic specialty and a Sky magic spells asset. The Tales of Xadia rulebook is pinned between s3 and s4, timeline-wise, so that's Callum at the end of s3 (his spells asset includes Manus Pluma Volantus). If a game started at the beginning of s1 with Callum as a player character, I would expect that his character sheet would undergo a few key shifts at moments of magic-related character growth: gaining the Sky primal stone as an asset, losing the primal stone as an asset but gaining the "aspiring rune mage" vocation, gaining the Sky magic specialty and initial Sky magic spells asset (with Aspiro and Fulminis), and finally improving the Sky magic spells asset with the addition of Manus Pluma Volantus.

Personally, I take the ToX rules as more suggestions about canon than necessarily 100% accurate reflections of it, because designing balanced game mechanics is very different from general worldbuilding. Also, ToX is very much written in a "do whatever the hell you want" way, strongly encouraging storytellers and players to expand or ignore things at their discretion.

Anyway, my belief is that elves can connect to multiple primal sources, just as humans can, but it's extremely rare. Elves are born with a connection to a primal source that they innately understand, and it's much easier and more worthwhile to focus on strengthening that connection than trying to establish another. (I also think it's harder for elves to connect to a second primal source than it is for humans to connect to a first one.)

Like, ignoring the whole discussion of talent versus practice, say you're a natural athlete—you're just good at any sport you try. You could pick one and with a reasonable amount of effort be Olympic-level good. At the same time, you're a really bad artist. It's not something you ever focused on, and maybe you're not a very visual person to begin with. There's absolutely nothing stopping you from working incredibly hard on being an artist, and you'd probably be able to get as good or better than someone who naturally has the qualities that make them good at art—but you still may never catch up to someone who has those qualities and has put in the same amount of effort as you have. Same thing in reverse—a naturally gifted artist who's uncoordinated and not very physical can train to become an athlete, and can conceivably become a good athlete (maybe not Olympic-level, but good). It's just... not a lot of people do that, because we generally like doing things we're good at and that are easy more than doing things we're not good at and that are hard.

There also don't really seem to be a lot of scenarios where an elf would be pressured by their community to focus on another primal source (the way that a child here in real life might be pressured by their family to be good at sports or math rather than art, or vice versa depending on their family makeup). We know... basically nothing about elf interbreeding, but it seems safe to assume that at least one parent would have a matching primal source connection with the child. Furthermore, most of the elf communities we've seen so far are very segregated, so you're just very unlikely to be part of one where you'd feel isolated because of your primal connection and pressured to pursue another. If you're a Moonshadow elf surrounded by other Moonshadow elves, and all the Moonshadow elf mages you know are Moon mages, and you're good at Moon magic because you have a Moon primal connection yourself... it just takes a pretty rare person to decide they want to be something completely different and put in the effort to actually make it happen.

I mean, heck, part of the reason Callum pursued his Sky primal connection so much was that he had experienced Sky magic and was good at it in a way that he didn't feel good about other activities. He could have stuck with his sword training and probably eventually gotten good at it (if he genuinely put in the effort rather than half-assing it because he's bad at it and hates it), but he didn't.

So basically I would say that yes, elves can connect to multiple primal sources, but it's a) hard, b) has few role models or societal pressures that encourage doing it, and c) most people just don't put that kind of effort into shit without quitting, whether because they're discouraged or because they have to do other things to survive.

#honestly it's kind of up in the air whether each type of elf is just... like that #as in do ALL moonshadow elves share at least some qualities of the moon association? because like #it's kind of weird either way #primal magic #anyway i've talked about this before but i'm too lazy to dig up the posts #and honestly it takes very little to prod me into analyzing rpg setting details

[windtooweem]

My Comfort Characters Comfort you

Cartoon/Anime version

Ft. Tanjiro, Nezuko, Entrapta, Adora, Pidge, Callum, Rayla, Violet, Bee, and Puppycat. In that order.

Tw! Angst, fluff, comfort

This can be read as Platonic or Romantic

Tanjiro and Nezuko

They hate seeing you sad

They are the two eldest siblings, comforting is in their DNA

They are willing to listen to you rant and give you advice

Or if you want to they will sit with you in comforting silence

Tanjiro makes food for you because food makes everyone feel better

Nezuko will run outside at night and make you a flower crown or if your allergic she will make a picture of you, Tanjiro and her playing under the sun

Tanjiro will give you a big hug and let you cry it out

They will do anything in their power to make you happy again

If you’re scared they will stay with you until the sun goes up

If you forget to take care of yourself they will remind you to do that

Both of them will cuddle up with you to remind you that this will pass, your not alone and they will support you to no end

100/10 would recommend coming to them for comfort

Entrapta

She doesn’t really understand but she will try her best to help you

She will offer you a tiny cupcake with a heart on it

She will tell you about her failed experiments and she never gave up on them (Except the one that tried to kill everyone)

Is a strong believer that failures help you learn

No one as smart as her could make her way in the world without making flaws along the way

Will try to take your mind off whatever is bothering you

100% understands if you don’t wanna talk about what happened and won’t ask why

And if you do tell her she won’t tell

It’s your story to tell, not hers, not someone else’s

But will be very happy that you trust her enough to tell her about what’s bothering you

She will hold you in her hair if you want cuddles when she’s doing a experiments

Adora

She doesn’t really know how to comfort people

She has some experience with Catra at the horde but other than that, that’s it

She will awkwardly give you a hug with her muscles

As someone who loves hugs, people with muscles are good huggers

She will tell you story’s of when she was in the Horde and tell you horror story’s of ghost Princesses seeking revenge on the poor Horde soldiers

Yes the story’s were made by Shadowever

She will get Glimmer and Bow to help you out

She cares she really does but she can’t comfort people well

Pidge

She will use her very poor sense of humor to comfort you

Like Entrapta she thinks that failure helps you learn

She will yell at you to stop mopping around and get back up and try again

She knows that mopping around dose nothing to help the situation

She will get Lance to cheer you up

And her sarcasm as well

She and Hunk will attempt to make a cake to make you feel better

She will let you cry it out if you want to

She will invite you too see Lance’s butt get kicked by her in training or Video games

Will Jump someone who makes you sad

She doesn’t care if it was family or friend no one gets to hurt you

She knows how if feels like to be hurt a little too well

Callum and Rayla

Rayla knows nothing about comforting people at all

But Callum on the other hand is the king of comfort as the older sibling

Rayla will suggest keeping it bottled up or fighting the person who made you sad

Callum will baby you like Tanjiro would but more aggressive

Kinda like Ted from HIMYM comforting Robin when she found out she can’t have kids, but 10x more aggressive

Rayla won’t smother you like Callum but she will do her human impressions it make you laugh

And Callum will interrogate you for answers about who hurt you

Callum is scary when he tries

Rayla is a dork but also very dangerous

Glares to the person that hurt you

Bee, Puppycat and Violet

Violet has a natural gift for comforting people with interesting ways

To shorten it She will jump people

Bee is the one REALLY comforting you

Violet and Puppycat are planning that persons downfall

Bee will wrap you in blankets and watch Pretty partrick with you in her arms like a baby

Puppycat is given stolen Crispins bat and is willing to start violence

He is given too much power, please stop him from bashing people on the head demanding to see the person that hurt you

Violet will keep you and Bee home and will help Puppycat find that person

Bee will be rocking you back and forth like a baby trying to help you feel better

Puppycat is so petty he will grab a snack that person was gonna get and lick it all

Gremlin honestly

#bee and puppycat x reader #voltron x reader #tdp x reader #kny x reader #she ra x reader #pidge x reader #tanjiro x reader #nezuko x reader

[self-spaghettification]

tdp overarching themes (redemption etc)

What will happen when Ezran/Harrow’s narrative of love and Aaravos/Viren’s narrative strength meet, who wins?

Will it be possible for Ezran to win the dark mages over to let go of pain and end the cycle of violence? Or is death the only way to protect the world and his loved ones? Will Ezran have to learn to become stronger himself?

is it even possible to kill a startouch elf? oor to convince him to maybe not, like, conquer xadia?

i don’t have these answers but i diiiid compile a bunch of relevant shit

I kind of went through Harrow’s letter to Callum and added related quotes or moments that seemed relevant to the overarching themes discussed and how they stand on opposing sides

orange is harrow’s letter, read in 1x06

red is ezran’s speech, given in 4x03

these are the main voices but there’s also

pink is ibis in 4x03

black is zubeia in 4x04

purple is various aaravos quotes

pink is various viren quotes

both from 2x09, 3x05, 3x07, and 4x04

green is soren, janai, amaya and rayla briefly (4x03 & 4x08 & tdp trailer respectively)

“Soon you will both face a lie. The great lie of history.

“His name was Aaravos, and yes, he was a star. One of the great ones, respected and loved by all. Until we uncovered a long hidden treachery.”

Advisors and scholars will tell you that history is a narrative of strength.

“Search your heart. There’s something that you want very badly. But something or someone stands in your way.”

They will recount stories of the rise and fall of nations and empires. They will be stories of armies, battles and decisive victories.

“And this bright future will require us to conquer Xadia?”

But this isn't true strength. It's merely power.

“I can destroy them all! I have all the power I need!”

“If you want to say something to the Dragon Queen, you should say it to her face. her real face, that can bite you in two!”

“It hurts! I feel pain about this and I am angry!”

I now believe true strength is found in vulnerability...in forgiveness, in love.

“We all want peace and we all want love. But violence tests us!

In a twisted way it converts us to their cause.”

“You tried to win them over with loyalty and friendship but they ignored you. those who fail tests of love are simple creatures who deserve to be motivated by fear.”

“Because pain and loss feel so terrible inside. You want to hate. You want to hurt someone else. so what do we do?”

So, what is the plan? To fulfill your wishes, of course. Is your wish to rule Xadia? I wish for humanity to flourish. And it cannot flourish with a knife forever at its throat.

There is a beautiful upside down truth, which is that….

These moments of purest strength appear as weakness to those who don't know better.

“These are the champions you’ve gathered to try to stop me? They’re nothing but pathetic children!”

“How can we stop this cycle?”

Violence.

Loss.

Pain.

For a long time, I didn't know better.

“In the name of love, you may perform acts so unforgivable that you may never forgive yourself.”

Violence,

“You must take down the Dragon Queen and capture the baby dragon. Then you will have the attention of all the world, and the power to do what you want.”

“Bring terror to Del Bar, to Neolandia, to Evenere, and to Duren!”

Loss,

As I write this, the sun is setting while Moonshadow assassins prepare to end my life. A few months ago, I took my revenge on Xadia. Tonight, it is their turn.

“I am going to destroy it, before it can be used to do any more harm!”

Pain,

“Every great crisis the world faced seemed the work of some ingenious and powerful leader, but in each case, it was secretly Aaravos, whispering in their ear.”

“Aaravos. A startouch elf responsible for more pain, death, and suffering than anyone else in history.”

“I am not a killer.

But if you seek to return that staff to its true owner, you pose a greater danger to this world than I can allow.”

You must die.”

stop! i just want to yell stop. but that’s not enough. it won’t work.”

“I do not mean to be cruel. But we must be ready to sacrifice. Even the things we love.”

“Well played. She will be a valuable asset.”“She is not an asset. She is my daughter.”

I ask you and your brother to reject history as a narrative of strength and instead have faith that it can be a narrative of love.

“I think about a positive vision. a faith we can all share, that we might build a future together in hope. a future where we can be safe with each other. but… it’s not that easy. or simple.”

“Everything I do, and everything I ask of you, is for the future of humanity.”

“The whining child king, in over his head and he knows it.”

because people are still hurting and they are still angry. we can’t ignore that, or pretend it will go away.

“Oh, my time is inevitable.”

somehow, we have to hold it all in our hearts at the same time. we have to acknowledge the weight of the pain and loss, but open our eyes and allow ourselves to hope and maybe forgive and love again.

“You cannot have your cake and eat it too.”

We have to give today’s children a chance to inherit a future filled with peace.

“I've tried to be selfless as a king, but as a father, I have a selfish wish. And that is for you and Ezran to be...free. Reject the chains of history. Do not let the past define your future, as I did. Free yourself from the past. Learn from it, understand it, then let it go. Create a brighter future from your own hearts and imagination.”

Destiny is a book you write yourself.

To give them that, we have to hold pain and love in our hearts at the same time.

“There is an aching pain mixed with love that you feel in these moments.”

“Just have two cakes.”

“This is called A Song of Love and Loss.”

I'm proud of you. And I love you unconditionally.

“If the fallen star is a danger the whole world will face, this is a chance to solve our problems together.”

“How do you kill a startouch elf?”

idk man. what if aaravos doesn’t have to die? what if it’s not too late for him to be redeemed? this is kind of a guilty pleasure hope of mine but still. the dragon prince is a story of letting go of generational trauma and past pain, of letting go of pain and differences, most importantly, of letting go of a narrative of strength, of a strong katolis, a strong lux aurea, a strong empire over xadia, and believing in a story of love and hope. if there’s anything that could drastically change things its the guy with a lot of power and a lot of ambition and pain ready to cause a whole cycle of pain all over again. if there’s anything that would drastically change things it would be changing his heart. and if theres anyone who can change it, it’s the kid who feels the most for him.

#this may have been the dumbest lil adhd thing i have posted yet idk #self spaghettification #what will happen when these rhetorics clash? #and when ezran and aaravos meet #will it be a story of punishment or of restoration #is it possible to kill a startouch elf? #is it possible to win his heart over? #ezran #tdp ezran #harrow #tdp harrow #viren #tdp viren #aaravos #tdp aaravos #amaya #janai #soren #tdp quotes #tdp 4x03 #tdp 4x04 #tdp 3x07 #tdp 3x05 #tdp 2x09 #the dragon prince #tdp theory #ibis #my thoughts #tdp meta

[saibug1022]

Choices Masterlist

This is my masterlist for my choices fics. Also just to clarify, most of my ILITW fics also take place in the same universe as ILW because I've accepted it into my personal canon for my It Lives MCs. ALSO also, all of these are of my MCs, the character profiles for everyone are at the bottom

Blades of Light and Shadow

Walls of Regret

Tyril Starfury x MC, Mal Volari x MC, hints of Tyril x Mal

Hurt/No Comfort

Summary: During an encounter with Valax in the Shadow Realm, Asterin, Mal, and Tyril learn that Asterin's missing year was worse than any of them could have possibly imagined.

The Last Time

Aerin Valleros x MC

Hurt/Comfort, Angst

Summary: After getting injured by Valax in a fight Asterin awakens to find himself being cared for by Aerin and he can't help but think about the night they shared...and how Aerin left.

Funeral of Faith

Aerin Valleros x MC, referenced Tyril x MC and Mal x MC

Angst, Hurt/No Comfort, Evil MC

Summary: The Shadow Realm has a new Prince.

My Heart Won't Start Anymore

Tyril Starfury x MC x Mal Volari, references of Aerin x MC and Valax x MC

Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Finally, Asterin breaks. But this time he doesn't do it alone.

Love, I See You Now

Aerin Valleros x MC, reference Tyril x MC and Mal x MC

Angst

Summary: When Asterin gets hurt in the Battle for the Whitetower Rift, the Shadow Aerin thought he got rid of comes back in a burst of rage and fear. But it may not be enough.

It Lives In The Woods

Val's Resurrection Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Lucas Thomas x MC, hints of Noah Marshall x MC

Hurt/Comfort

Summary: After years, finally, finally, Valen Ebony is saved.

It Lives Within

The Morning After

Abel Flint x MC

Fluff

Summary: A sweet little morning scene after the scene in Ch 14.

The Sun's Final Breath

Lincoln McQuoid and MC, Abel Flint x MC (background)

Angst

Summary: Castor Athantis is dead, and something is glowing in Lincoln's pocket.

Revelations

Abel Flint x MC, General

Angst

Summary: "I'm not Castor Athantis...I'm not even human."

Two Birds on a Wire

Lincoln Aquino & ILITW MC, Lincoln Aquino x ILW MC (background), Lucas Thomas x ILITW MC (background)

Fluff

Summary: After weeks of dancing around the reveal that Matthias is Val's real father, Lincoln and Val finally are forced to talk about it.

Nightbound

The Wrong Engagement

Nik Ryder x MC

Angst

Summary: Just one more morning. Alex just needed one more morning with the love of his life. One more morning before he married someone else.

Into the Wind-Verse

Link to full universe masterlist

A New Start

Magnus Bishop & Wind Velez

Summary: The story of Magnus getting recruited from unemployment in Ohio after being fired from his firm, to McGraw-Byrne.

Bad Liar

Magnus Bishop (MC) & Wind Velez

Summary: Magnus Bishop, just trying to do his work. Enter Wind Velez, here to remind Magnus he scared the shit out of his boyfriend, hadn't slept in three days, and needs some goddamn friends.

Come Morning Light

Magnus Bishop/Marcus Sharpe

Summary: Magnus is awoken when his boyfriend stirs in the night. He may not be the most adept at empathy or comforting people but for Marcus? He'll try.

Feeding Schedule

Wind Velez/Martin Vanderweil

Summary: Magnus is secretly a walking talking disaster. Wind knows this. Now he needs his boyfriend's help for a unique request.

The Breach

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Magnus Bishop/Marcus Sharpe

Summary: In an attempt to finally put his past to bed, Magnus returns to Westchester one last time to visit the strange forcing lurking in the woods he grew up in. But little does he know, nothing with the Power is ever that simple.

Choices Sequels We Deserved

Elementalists 3

Nightbound 2

My MCs

Blades of Light and Shadow - Asterin Nightbloom

Crimes of Passion - August Rose

Murder at Homecoming - Valentine Damian Stone

It Lives In The Woods - Valen Ebony/Aquino

It Lives Beneath - Leon Vance

It Lives Within - Castor Athantis

It Lives Within - Julian Athantis

Hero - Callum Wyland

Endless Summer - Taylor Vaanu/McKenzie

The Elementalists - Apollo Solaris

The Elementalists - Lance Hartley (OC)

Immortal Desires - Eros Blackwell

Bloodbound - Mattheo Lazarin

Laws of Attraction - Magnus Bishop

Emrys - The Cursed Heart

#playchoices #choices #pixelberry #blades of light and shadow #bolas #crimes of passion #elementalists #it lives in the woods #ilitw #it lives beneath #ilb #it lives within #ilw #nightbound #choices hero #endless summer

[dargorian]

This was completely unintentional, I swear. It all started with wondering why Rayla has white eyebrows but her parents both have brown eyebrows; what was dominant and what was recessive genetically. I very quickly lost control of the spreadsheet and before I knew it I’d figured Callum’s genetics out as well as Rayla, Lain and Tiadrin's. Rayllum kids quickly followed suit over an afternoon. This was ready to share but then the trailer dropped and I tweaked my version of adult Callum to have scarring on his face (I’m convinced the larger cut on his cheek at least will scar and he’ll mirror Amaya that way. He may even have trouble opening his right eye too later on given the swelling around it but I didn’t include that). Something else to note here; humans in TDP afaik don’t have wedding rings but I imagine the couple marrying would wear a matching item. Callum lacks horns so he can’t wear cuffs but then I thought, what about a piercing? I’d imagine a ring would probably get in the way of spells - where would it go with mage wings for starters? Would Fulminis backfire into the mage with a metal loop on their finger? Probably not but I also thought of Rayla and her blades; would a ring be more likely to get snagged in battle and risk her losing that finger? That thought process led to Rayla and Callum both having a piercing in their right earlobe to signify their marital status instead of a ring. I imagine they're both in their early 40's here. As for their kids, in order of eldest to youngest; Ivan (17), Sarai (15) and Amaris (10). All of them have horns of varying lengths. Sarai and Amaris both have four fingers, Ivan technically has five. Ivan was originally (but tentatively) called Ibis but the confusion it caused in the discord channel convinced me to change it sooner. He’s called Ivan now (I played a game called Golden Sun waaaay back in the day and a wind mage in that game is called Ivan. Ever since then, Ivan has always had an association with air/sky/wind to me). Ivan loves to prank Lujanne and Lujanne always ‘freaks his bean’ back in response without fail. His pinko is smaller than the size of a normal human’s so he says he has four-and-a-half fingers. He has central heterochromia too. Callum teaches him moon magic (when he’s not distracted by Rayla walking past that is - I have a pic planned for that). Sarai was easy to name and she loves magic like her dad. Whenever Ivan slings an arm around her shoulders, she knows he’s plotting something and he needs her magic to help. She learns the sky arcanum from Callum over time but she can’t summon mage wings. The family shadowpaw absolutely adores her and Sarai regularly takes her out for runs - or patrols as she calls them. Amaris was the hardest to name. He’s the youngest, quietest and is terrified of the dark. It got to the point where he couldn’t sleep unless someone he really trusted slept in the same room as him ‘to keep the night monsters away’. Having seen the trailer for S5, I think he overheard the tales of the creatures that came out at night around Lux Aurea which led to this fear. His parents soon found a creature called a lumindog (aka a glowy pomeranian), creatively called Lumin by Amaris, and he gives off a gentle glow whenever his fur moves. Lumin is essentially Amaris’ nightlight and he’s very protective of Amaris too, likewise Amaris towards him. Lumin’s method of glowing also means that whenever he sneezes the sudden movement causes him to flashbang the room.

#rayllum #rayllum kids #callum x rayla #the dragon prince #my art #tdp

[lifblogs]

Things I think next season will tackle:

Callum using dark magic

The enchanted coin prisons

Where to keep Aaravos’ prison

Claudia’s disabling injury

Viren—will they actually kill him off? Will we learn even more about his past?

The war the Sun Elves will face

Maybe not a thing they’ll tackle but I’d be curious to see elves mingle in the human lands rather than just humans mingling in Xadia. I also want to see how the other kingdoms are doing two years after Viren’s war.

Callum’s emotional arc and how some of his motivations relate to what we’ve seen with Viren

Hopefully more of Ezran ruling

Toppings for donuts being invented such as glaze

I thought I had more ideas, but that’s where I’m at right now.

#the dragon prince #the dragon prince spoilers #tdp #tdp spoilers

[tweedledumandtweedlebum]

Could be reaching but…

Didn’t one of the articles quote from an inside source that Max was leaving indefinitely? Indefinitely meaning for an unspecified amount of time. Could be slightly Linda Henryesque where he will be coming back but they just don’t know when yet. I’d they did axe him because of his mh, behaviour, whatever (I really don’t like to speculate) they could be giving him time to ‘sort himself out’ before returning?

I haven't got the foggiest idea, darling. I don't like to speculate either, but I just can't help it after all that's happened. I, too, would like to believe that this is a twisted way to give Max an extended leave, but I very much doubt it for two main reasons:

1 - the way EE handled the news was disgusting, what with them blaming it all on Max and his behaviour OFF SET (when other actors are still employed after much worse offences). If the break were consensual and the plan was for him to return at some point, I'm quite sure the PR team would have come up with a less hurtful explanation (I know, it was The Sun, but I'm convinced they were fed by somebody inside EE with CC's permission). So... no, I reckon this isn't them being nice to Max giving him time to sort himself out. He isn't coming back (*cries like a baby*).

2 - Ben and Callum have had an incredibile growth both individually and as a couple. They are in a good place right now, meaning soap producers and writers simply don't know what to do with them plot-wise. The depiction of the rest of their life together I have described in a previous post can't happen in a soap IMHO, because - let's be honest - we're not talking about Dickens here, those writers don't have the skills or the time to write them in a way that is wholesome, true to character AND interesting for the general audience. It's always about the drama - violence, dirty secrets, cheating, crime, fighting, teenage pregnancies, conspiracies... the unhealthier the better. The only unhealthy thing in Ballum's life at the moment is Jay with PR. Callum and Ben are learning how to deal with their issues instead of reacting impulsively and their connection is the strongest it's ever been. See? Nothing juicy to narrate here...

You know, after the rape, it was clear they were planning a "reset" for Ben, and I was thrilled to see where it was going. I was silly enough to think it would be something entertaining and educational to watch at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved bad boy Ben Mitchell, he is a splendid specimen of Byronic hero. I was just curious to find out how they would shape a reformed, healing troubled soul. Max would have rocked that as usual. How naive of me!

So, in my head, the meeting went like this. The bosses discussed the future of Ben with Max, informing him that Ballum would take seveal steps back, with either him or possibly Callum cheating, or Ben going back to being an unreliable dad to Lexi, or resorting to crime again, or some other nonsense utterly inconsistent with their recent development. Max protested just like John Krasinski did when "The Office" producers wanted Jim to cheat on Pam (which he would never do) because Max cares about Ballum. And the rest is history.

I am ROMANTICISING this, obviously. We'll never know what actually happened. But you'll see a devastating, hastily written exit story soon enough.

I won't be there.

#ballum #ben mitchell #callum highway #eastenders #ben x callum #max bowden #tony clay #lexi pearce

[raayllum]

The high mage office becomes a bit of a ramshackle, afterwards.

The first and most obvious reason is that, while spacious, it was only really meant to accommodate one mage and possibly an apprentice at a time—not three mages, piles of books and magical objects stacked ceilings high.

That, and the youngest of their little club has by far more clutter than Kpp'Ar or Viren ever did, the eldest mage thinks.

Callum is quick witted and talks too much, otherwise staying silent for hours, out of studiousness or bother, eyes hard whenever he looks at Viren.

His old apprentice is the most out of place, perhaps. Viren has forsaken dark magic, a path Kpp'Ar never thought possible, especially with what Viren had imprisoned him over. But Viren throws the books of dark arts only sour looks and dour frowns, reluctant to even touch them never mind read them. He and Claudia are alike in that way, Kpp'Ar supposes, seeing how they've grown side by side now as adults. They're no longer dark mages, but they refuse to try their hand at primal magic and arcanums, either.

For Claudia, Kpp'Ar thinks it is a lingering trace of stubbornness and pride. For Viren, it's likely fear—for if he can't connect, then he is shut off from magic forever. And if he can, then all the pain he caused and dark roads he took might've been avoided.

He helps out, mostly, running messages—taking letters to the rookery, labelling bottles, taking the messiness of Callum's notes that Kpp'Ar's eyesight is too poor to make out, and turning them into something coherent. Not unlike the work he'd done when he was an apprentice, if muted and with a hesitance rather than a persistent, desperate hunger.

And for the first time in a very long time, Kpp'Ar is a student.

Not officially, of course. Callum is the only official high mage among the three (or four) of them, and he's never taken on an apprentice before. Nor had he taken Kpp'Ar on when the old man had expressed a desire to learn primal magic—to see the world and his work again anew, with his unexpected second chance.

But you don't become a mage if you aren't observant, and intelligent, and driven, and able to learn at least a little from example. Kpp'Ar needles him about the arcanums he holds, which Callum is more than willing to spout nonsense about to someone, the nonsense gradually making more and more sense. Dark magic is about ingredients, the way machines are about gears and cogs. Primal magic is about connection, and cycles, a bridge, the same way a puzzle serves to be one: one for humans to solve from a Maker, whether that's magic or or the all forsaken All-Mother in Kpp'Ar's mind.

A puzzle he will, with gnarled fingers and a grizzled face, grasp one day with as much certainty as his jewelled cane.

Callum finds him one day, pouring over Earthblood tomes, and raises a brow and a cup of tea to his lips. "Didn't expect to find you in here so early."

"Shows you still have much to learn," Kpp'Ar mutters, turning the page. He squints, the candle growing dim.

Callum snaps and the flame sparks, emitting much more light. Some of his headache clears away. "If you're really set on an arcanum," Callum advises, jerking his head, "maybe think about the Sun."

Healing, vision, light.

Kpp'Ar eyes the candle.

"Perhaps," is all he says, and maybe he still has some pride of his own—he's more than double the boy's own age, after all, even with thirteen years lost to that accursed coin.

But then there are much worst things than taking advice—like taking the wrong advice.

That's another thing their little club has in common, he supposes.

#tdp #the dragon prince #high mage club #after the war #tdp kpp'ar #kpp'ar #ficlet #headcanons #indulgent? yes. fun? also yes #my fic #fic

[thrandilf]

How do I deal with watching Lego Monkie Kid and realizing that the way I write Callum and Aaravos in tdytyk is very similar to MK and Sun Wukong because my Aaravos is more about connection/is more maleable/is generally more benevolent even if his methods haven't been and he wanted to pass his knowledge on and Callum is the only one who can learn

so he and Callum get this mentor mentee relationship full of arguments that's also got this weird having to trust someone while withholding information and your souls are kind of touching once in awhile but it's a platonic intimacy and they're the only two so far to be using arcana they weren't born with its special

Like this is an AU take on Aaravos and Callum to start

And then it feels SO MUCH like MK and SWK minus the hero worship

And I'm sitting here like

This is such a bizarre dynamic to have pinned down on accident and it's in an au fic and the thing I'm going bananas over is smth so few people have seen I'm just like

Hello

#tdytyk #like in S1 i made a comment abt mk and swk reminding me of my aara and Callum and my friend who knows both shows screamed #and i was like WDYM THAT HAS ANY MERIT AND I WATCHED MORE AND WENT. WOW. IT DOES #WHAT THE FUCK

[cannonball5]

Watched the Dragon Prince Season 5 and it brought a few questions up: (spoilers)

Why did Callum not know about Amaya’s engagement? Considering the fact we have multiple people in charge of just communication you’d figure a brief letter informing her nephews that she’s engaged should have been delivered. It’s not just a family thing either, Amaya is the de facto leader of Katolis’s military, Ezran as King and Callum as both a prince and High Mage should be informed of her engagement to a foreign dignitary. Even if that dignitary is an ally.

Why is Callum not also using magic from the Sun Arcanum? With their closer relationship with the Sun Elves, Callum could’ve used the opportunity in the two year time jump to learn Sun Magic. Not only would it make sense and give Callum more power but it would also give Karim more fuel to his hatred and more sympathy for his cause.

Last one isn’t a question just a hope. With Claudia now on the path of Vengeance, Callum is going to need more power himself. I hope the Mushroom Mage that’s helping The Dragon Queen helps Callum learn the Earth Arcanum. I just really want Callum to be able to beat Claudia on his own.

#dragon prince #dragon prince season 5 #prince callum #callum #general amaya #tdp callum #tdp amaya