#i like how you can get a sense that if it wasnt for the mara she'd likely be a very gentle person.. yanqing once again being a great exampl | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fawnarchive · 7 months

Note

I think it's pretty clear you love Jingliu so care to share your thoughts on her as a whole?

MARTH. MARTH. I AM ABOUT TO BE UNBEARABLE. well. to non-hsr players take this as a quick summary as to what happens in my girls lore.. spoilers for her character stories and companion quest! i got carried away,

I love her a lot because there is just so much tragedy within her story and you can truly see how much she just. cares, if that makes sense. Jingliu is someone who's experienced so much struggle and heartbreak since she was a young really caught my attention: the image of her really just watching as everything around her falls apart, as countless die and then when she wakes up being given that sword and just being told 'THIS is what you can do. this is how you speak of that anguish in you' just immediately made me so. adsflkj its so sad.

AND THEN THE FACT SHE JUST KIND OF STAYS LIKE THAT. for the longest time jingliu is just static in that grief, consumed by it, this combat and pain the only thing that is there for her until the hcq happens and she experiences companionship.. i think about how scary that must of been too. to care again after losing so much is a terrifying ordeal.. to go from someone ready to die at the drop of the hat to someone who wants to live is much harder. But she gets comfortable and gains friends and companionship and gets to be a loser and boast when shes drunk and its just CUTE you know?? she gets to be happy for a while.

then it happens again. and its agonizing, of course, to lose someone like baiheng. someone who is a light that pierces the darkness and is a shining beacon for everyone but it seems like she can manage to handle it until she's revived as an abomination. An abomination created by her closest friend that SHE has to cut down. And its just so tragic to me for her to love and lose this much, to lose a home and gain a new one in these people and for it to once again fall apart and for her to lose herself in the process.. Honestly, it makes me think back to what her teacher said.

“It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk. You can speak with this.” “You can use this to vanquish the monsters that took everything from us. There are now few things as wondrous as this left in the world.” The woman in armor remained composed, her gaze cast onto the long sword by the girl’s side.

if the blade is her words.. i can't help but worry about what exactly she says. is every slice a cry of anguish? and for her to "become her own sword"... i don't know. i hope one day the blade will be able to rest is all. i love her dearly OKAY CUTTING MYSELF OFF SO I DONT TALK YOUR EAR OFF ANY WORSE

#fawn.txt #letters #from: marth!#sever the stars 💫#i feel many feelings about her. a lot of them are miserable.#also. since i went a lot into her lore in the text ill go a bit more into her personality here.#i love how playful she is. she's really funny honestly with the way she teases people like yanqing #'lmao you like to read??? i sure couldn't tell' SHES SO FUNNY #i like how you can get a sense that if it wasnt for the mara she'd likely be a very gentle person.. yanqing once again being a great exampl #her turning fighting the abominations to a game for yanqing while she talks to dan heng because he really is just a child..#lightheartedly teasing him and commending him at the same time once she sees his done well.. guys you do not get how much i care for her #IS SHE A MURDERER? yes. but she's MY murderer and was found all alone in a cardboard box #i know her story is going to end sadly im stealing her in advance. dont know what you mean nothing bads gonna happen to her ever again #tucking her in so hard she can't escape and finally takes a nap. sorry

5 notes · View notes

cherrytea556 · 2 years

Text

She ra is an overhyped mess

I do not get how it was praised so much and was apparently the point were she ra got popular or at least had its popularity grow because there was just so much wrong in s5

The characters are either acting out of character, wasted, used for shipping, have no character development or just badly written

The only characters that i can think of that was well written and not wasted was shadow weaver, angella, mara and lighthope. Mara, angella and lighthope story was already finished so they wouldnt be affected by s5's writing. With shadow weaver, they have her still be a villain which she was great at so that's good at least. But that couldnt be said for the other characters because there stories either was brushed off to never be focused on again, badly written or there was just never a story to begin with.

The tonal issues they have in the later episodes of s5 even though were suppose to take this series seriously. She ra always have tonal issues like with princess prom and those episodes in s4 but it hasnt changed in s5 like in perls of peekablue, their acting like its a fun party when its not and taking control has a sideplot of the rebellion gang going to a party like dont you guys have war rn?

Theres this plothole of grayskull because how its explained in return of the frightzone makes no sense, although maybe im wrong, its coming from memory

How they do redemption with catra and hordax-do i even need to explain further? Like both are shit, catra and hordax didnt change in the end. Hordax may be a worse case because some people say that he wasnt even meant to be redeemed but have an arc about finding himself and acceptance which if thats the intent, why tf would you pick the colonizer that took and brainwash children into harming innocent people? Wheres the thought process in that?

And the romance....look im not big on romances, in fact, i dislike romance but even if i like romance, i wouldnt like most of the she ra endgames writing. Catradora is still toxic as catra didnt change and dismisses all that pain she put adora through for 3 years straight. Spinnetossa was okay because they already were togather but it has a questionable moment to say the least and the closure of their arc in s5 is just poorly worded. Seamista barely has any development for their romance to work plus both wouldnt even be that healthy anyway, seahawk disrespects mermistas boundaries and mermista avoids him and is openly irritated by him so them being canon without much development from the two is really jarring and tbh, kinda ick to me. Now as much as i love glimbow and scorfuma, both weren't so well written, glimbow came out of no where while scorfuma only got a bit of development. Doesnt help that theres no slight indication of them being a couple unlike the rest of the ships so it also kind of came out of nowhere for it to be endgame. The only ship that worked was entrapdak because its healthy, their relationship developed and it doesnt even need to show us a big love confession or something because we as the audience can understand that they are in love so it makes sense for them being canon.

Oh and i forgot horde primes plans make less sense overtime, she ra learnt her new powers way too quickly, catra was forgiven way too quickly, the abliesm in launch was handled terribly, catradora is getting worse than i thought it was and all in all was a dumpter fire that for some reason got a golden platter by critics and fans in 2020

Sorry for the rambling, i still dont get how people call she ra almost perfect when s5 proves otherwise and no one in that time era besides those small creators on youtube mentions its obvious flaws. The whole thing makes me face palm

#anti catradora #antic//a #anti c//a #anti catra #catraslander #catra slander #adora #adoradeservesbetter #spop critical #spop salt #txt #she ra s5 seriously sucks #i dont get how it got that amount of praise

39 notes · View notes

foulserpent · 4 years

Note

You've previously mentioned the incongruity of the Imperial cult's prevalence in 4th era Skyrim, and I was wondering how you would explain it.

its not the cult itself that strikes me as really weird, (tho that too) its mostly talos. like in skyrim they realllllllly write it as if talos worship was an ancient tradition, whereas in the previous game, 200 years prior, theres NPCs in CYRODIIL (bruma chapel) complaining about how local CYRODIILIC NORDS wont adopt the cult and chapel of talos. like a lot can change in 200 years, but not THAT much

how i would make it make sense

first

establish that there was significant conversion to the imperial cult following the obliivon crisis

the empire (which is itself weak) attempts a continuation of uriel septims policies and takes advantage of the post-disaster state of the continent to send in missionaries to vulnerable areas

renewed interest in tiber septim via the oblivion crisis and another septim being (or being presented by the cult as) also ascended

in skyrim specifically, talos is taught to be connected to gods of the nordic pantheon, probably shor specifically, and more people grow to worshipping him in connection to preexisting faiths

have followers of the nordic pantheon get into conflict with nords who recently adopt imperial versions

then

talos and the imperial cult are much more widely venerated in skyrim than before, but are still a relative minority

skyrim suffers greatly in the Great War, looking for comfort and scapegoats

when talos worship is banned, this becomes used in xenophobic rhetoric. even though talos worship is relatively new, they are able to use it as a uniting point for upset nords

a narrative develops that taking talos away is taking their own history away, taking away their pride and heritage as men (vs mer)

this has an undercurrent of ethnonationalism that the stormcloaks take full advantage of. they have a flimsy excuse of fighting for heritage and religious freedom, but the heritage they espouse is imaginary and they are absolutely just nationalists

this rallies nords together who never at any point ever gave a shit about talos but Do care about being racist

end result: a skyrim where a god that wasnt ever part of their common history is the rallying point in a civil war. but like, also i think to actually execute this youd have to have more than just One Old Fucker On A Mountain who worships the old nordic pantheon like.... god at LEAST have nordified versions of imperial cult deities rather than just the same shit as in cyrodiil. like another thing in oblivion they make a point of is how nords dont get married and dont buy into that “mother mara” stuff and then lo, yonder, amulet of mara marriage mechanic

#anon

59 notes · View notes

yenni19 · 3 years

Text

Chapter 18

The next few days Sarutobi teaches Mariana to cook, its the day of the gathering and Sarutobi is at Mariana's house overseeing her cooking skills

Sarutobi(tasting her dishes): wow...im impressed...you did very well Mariana...so how are the desserts coming along?

Mariana: i have a cake in the oven and one already finished...do you want to help me decorate it?

Sarutobi: sure let me lend a hand

They finish decorating the cake, suddenly Ms Angelo comes in, she sees Mariana in the kitchen

Sabrina: you know how i feel about....

Sarutobi(greeting her): hi I'm Sarutobi Akamaris....

Sabrina(irritated): I know who you are....mr playboy....your Akamaris lover aren't you?

Sarutobi(irrtiated and calm): no ms Angelo...I'm Akamari's younger brother

Sabrina(scoffs): you two look nothing alike...

Sarutobi(taking out his phone): here let me show you (shows her a picture) this is me Akamari and my father at a picnic four years ago....we are half siblings from different mothers

Sabrina: I knew she was adopted...but i never knew her father was Kawaki Madra....the famous villan of terror who almost destroyed the village twenty years ago

Sarutobi(confused): the famous villan?

Sabrina: oh you must not of known....see I have a cousin living there where your family resides....she had came from there when the fight started and came to stay with us here along with many refugees who fled from the terror of the famous villan....the only one who stopped him was a man named Boruto Uzumaki.....it was said many lost thier lives so thats why your father is in debted to the ninth hokage....he will spend his life helping repair what he destroyed....until he dies....its also to make sure he wont turn on the village ever again

Sarutobi: why didnt he tell me this...why hide it...and from me of all people?

Sabrina: some parents just want to protect thier kids from ever finding out the truth....but its best to come clean and not hide a lie that serious

Mariana: I'm sorry Sarutobi....my mother is a straight forward person....(glaring at her mother) sometimes too honest

Sarutobi: its ok...should we continue to decorate the second cake

Mariana: sure let me help you ok

They finish decorating the second cake....he helps her set up the table and sets up the appatizers and desserts along with the tea and cookies...her mother's guests arrive and are amazed at how beautiful the decorated table along with the food looks

Amara: omg this looks amazing

Evany: its wonderful like a fairy tale

Mara: its different from your other gatherings...who did all this?

Sabrina: my beloved daughter and her new friend Sarutobi

They look in Mariana's and Sarutobi's direction....they wave and exuse themselves.

Sarutobi: well im heading home...

Mariana(gently grabbing his arm): would you like to go with me to the Art Museum Sarutobi?

Sarutobi(smiling): sure...but is it close by?

Mariana: dont worry well be there and back in no time....I promise you'll have fun

Sarutobi: I would love to go....but how would we get there?

Mariana(holding some keys): we'll take my moms car...dont worry I know how to drive

They head into the city, they stop at a big two story building, they get out of the car and head inside

Sarutobi: its bigger than the art gallery we have back home...and looks more artistic

Mariana: yeah my mom owns this place....she's the art director here...I come by when it's moms day off....come on theres a piece I want to show you

They go to the second floor of the Art Gallery, Sarutobi stops in his tracks, he is shocked when he sees the the piece

Sarutobi: is that love...

Mariana(finishing his sentence): love in a moment....its one I cherish most....since my dad dedicated it to my mom....but they are divorced...because my dad cheated on her

Sarutobi: wait....are you saying your dad is the famous Michale Angelo....your his daughter?

Mariana: yeah....but i dont see him anymore...he left us when my mom got the guts to tell him to go to hell....I kind of get it though she felt like she was a stranger to her husband.....while Souske made her feel whole

Sarutobi(shocked): wait...Akamari's dad had an affair.....with your mom?

Mariana(feeling guilty): oh shit....please dont say anything to her....I thought you knew....dont mention the affair to Akamari....please Sarutobi dont say a word to this....I'm no gossip girl....but keep it between me and you!

Sarutobi: ok I get it....but one question....is Samari the product of that affair....because Akamari's sister looks just like her

Mariana: yes she is....but Samari doesn't know because Souske never told her....when my mom found out she was terrified of what my dad would do....when my dad found out he told her to give that child to her father and to act like it never happened....she objected until my father said he will get rid of her and make sure my mother never saw Samari again....so she had no choice but to tell Souske to get lost and that he'll be able to keep his daughter but that this was the last time they would see eachother....Souske was devastated....and so was my mother....they really loved eachother....but at the time my dad owned everything of my mothers.....and she had no one to help her....so she stopped seeing Souske and got enough evidence on my dad to finally divorce him and keep the gallery that was originally my grandparents

Sarutobi: wow....what a rollercoaster...is that why Akamari was put in her grandparents care for two years?

Mariana: yeah...Souske needed to get it together....and Akamari was showing signs of resentment toward her sister and father...so he thought it would be best for her to be close to the Uzumakis and Uchihas so Akamari wouldnt feel left out....I still remember when she came back two years ago....she looked happier and more calmer than before....she even told me she liked this purple eyed boy with purple hair and that this boy was important to her because it reminded her how she was....and made sure he was feeling loved and accepted by those around him....that she thought it was admirable that he actually loved her eventhough they couldn't be together......

Sarutobi(hugging her): thank you Mariana....you just comfirmed what i wanted to hear from her...thank you (asking) do you think i can get a ride home now?

Mariana: sure Sarutobi....lets go back before i get in trouble for delaying too long with my moms car

Sarutobi: you didnt ask did you?

Mariana: No I did not

Mariana takes Sarutobi home, he heads inside the house where Izuke was waiting for him

Izuke(noticing): someone is in a good mood...had fun wherever you were I presume

Sarutobi(smiling): yeah i did....does Akamari come home tommorrow?

Izuke: yes why do you ask?

Sarutobi (smiling): theres a present I've been meaning to give her since her birthday and i know she's gonna love it

Izuke: ok then...wash up im cooking dinner tonight....oh I amlost forgot Omari my younger brother is...

By the time he looked up Sarutobi was already in his room, the next day Sarutobi was awake and downstairs, but to his surprise Akamari was not alone but with a man taller than Sarutobi with red hair and green eyes patiently waiting for his breakfast

Omari: you done yet kitten wiskers...i cant wait to try that omlet you prepared for me

Akamari(cooking): almost (grabs a plate and hands it to Omari) here omlet and baccon strips just how you like it

Omari: thanks I knew I can count on you (notices Sarutobi) hey babe who's the kid with the purple hair?

Akamari (turning around): oh Sarutobi your up...this is Jerico's younger son Omari Myzuki

Sarutobi (irritated as he shakes his hand): hi Sarutobi Madra Akamari's half brother

Omari(smiling): hi Omari Myzuki.....Akamari's love interest....

Akamari (smaking his head): you better cut it out...I would never date an arrogant brat like you...its bad enough you act like we are a couple and I puch you in public.... so should I tell Mariana that you like her....everytime you see her you mumble like an idiot?

Omari (blushing and angry): you better not threaten me I'm more capable of telling her myself

Sarutobi(laughing): you two act more like siblings....it's funny to watch

Suddely theres a knock at the door Sarutobi opens it's Mariana

Sarutobi(smiling): hey Mariana how your morning...mines a bit interesting at the moment

Mariana: can i come in?

Sarutobi(letting her inside): sure you are more than welcome to

She comes inside, when she reaches the kitchen she says her greetings, as soon as Omari sees her he turns red

Omari(having touble speaking): hi....Mariana....you look cute....I mean hello...I mean hello Mariana

Mariana(blushing): hi Omari....good morning...you look well dressed today

Omari: you look beautiful....I mean you look well dressed too....I'm sorry I'm just nervous

Mariana: its ok if you are i get nervous too (to Sarutobi) do you want to go with me to a poetry slam downtown?

Sarutobi: I would like to but...

Mariana: its ok I'll go on my own

Sarutobi(grabbing Omari's arm): but he would love to accompany you

Omari(blushing red and confused): I would...I mean I really would love to be with you....I mean sure I'll accompany you

Mariana(grabbing his hand): ok then lets go Omari...

Omari(red as a tomato): ok...i guess I would love you.....I mean would love to

Suddenly Omari passes out on the floor

Mariana(shocked): Omari.....Omari are you ok...Omari....Omari!

Akamari(suggesting): would you like to stay over today and spend time with Omari Mariana?

Mariana(blushing): ok yeah...i can go to the poetry slam some other time anyway....I really wanted to ask Omari to go with me...because I like him....he has a sense of humor

Akamari: im glad you said that...because he likes you too

Mariana(excited): really....he does....I thought he just got nervous because he wasnt use to talking to girls

Akamari: trust me he talks to girls....but they are not someone special that he likes...and you just witnessed him mumble like an idiot right in front of you

Sarutobi(carrying Omari from the kitchen to the living room): well let me lay him down at the couch (he places him down) so how about breakfast

Mariana: ok that would be great

0 notes

m-herra · 4 years

Note

🖊+Helex and Elsinaire?

Omg i forgot about these

Edit: I stg tumblr doesn't post right.

Helex Duilenus

A guard from Cyrodiil training under Commander Maro to guard the Emperor Titus Mede II

Tries very hard to be a good imperial soldier and guard but maybe a bit too hard, he's soon sent to stay with Whiterun Guards Elsinaire and Lovionl Adus to learn how to actually be a likeable guard

Tbh he's pretty young so its a bit understandable why he's trying to be "by the book" but also he's a bit of a bitch about it

Has had multiple run ins with criminal factions and since this is his first time meeting them he has no fucking clue that they were criminals. Example: he's good friends with S'agh, a known Vampire Lord with ties to both Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood. It's known and quite obvious because no one tries to do anything but Helex is that dense

Smol

Used to crush on a Bosmer named Applewind but was informed that A) he's not interested and B) Old enough to be his great grandfather

He's also a bit of a ditz/gets lost in the clouds a lot, Commander Maro gave him a task to find a prisoner and he still hasn't realized that it was to get him out of Dragon Bridge

To give an idea of his age, he's about 18-19, no one's really sure which but he's an adult at least? Here's a sword go stab something you little disaster

Has no idea what gender he is but leans towards masculine for now

He legit thought Applewind was a girl (and that apparently happened often to the bosmer) and was left shut inside until he got his head together and realized it really didn't matter the gender he just has a type. (And that is anyone who could probably pick him up so that's... more than half of Skyrim)

Has a cream coloured horse named Mara, and another brown horse named Dibella. He adores both. (Old picture but eh)

Can and will die for a doggo, if his death would benefit them in anyway then it might happen

Doesn't have a lot of restraint yet but is working on via Inigo and his braincell (where Inigo got it is unclear, investigation is underway)

Would die for Kharjo bc Kharjo is a good pal.

Despite being shunned and punished for using Magic when he was younger, he has a talent for it.

May or may not be a dragonborn but not like the others. Instead of a Dragon Soul, he has Dragon Blood, and we can thank Sanguine's shenanigans and a Priest for that.

No seriously he's fucking tiny but not like, that tiny, he's more or less a twig so Skyrim Citizens could accidently snap him in half if they aren't careful be gentle with the baby

Elsinaire Adus

He's a vampire thanks to his Grandfather (who died shortly before the events of tes4) and thankfully didn't have to be diseased or deal with Moldy Bitch Balls (he still hates him for what he did to Lamae and his Grandfather he will not hesitate)

Somehow, and I stress the sheer luck of this, evaded being found out by: his superiors back in Cyrodiil, Several Vigilants of Stendarr, the fucking Dawnguard, at least two of the Dovahkiin (tbf, Milonee thought it was an elf thing and Daro'suna is just straight up a dumbass sometimes), and for a short period of time he somehow convinced a fellow Whiterun guard that he wasn't, while he was caught feeding. He's either using vampire powers unknowingly or he's that convincing (or everyone failed several spot checks but his brother helped too)

Joined the Volkihar Vampires to see if he could control his Vampirism but later found out that not only did he have to deal with M*lag B*l, he was lied to and later hypnotised by Harkon to turn on his family and friends. Thankfully S'agh, Lovionl, and Daro'suna literally knocked sense into him (via Lovionl and his love of Warhammers and Vibe Checks)

He's taller than most but is small for an altmer, although this is a family thing, as his Grandmother is actually shorter than him and always has been. It should be noted that there has been no other races involved in his lineage that would be able to affect his height.

Dating a Companion named Metsine Wild-Blade and by the nine he's in love. They get along well but needed some outside assistance (read: counseling) after the Volkihar thing. She can also carry him and the Werewolf brothers so he's very much happy that she can handle herself should something bad happens (also werewolf cuddles are best cuddles you cam fight me on this)

Is in a poly with Metsine (Werewolf GF), Joshabhi (Magic Werecat BF), Mikaer (Musical Himbo BF), and Caysion (Argonian GF) and they get along swell.

Is the sole brunette in a family of Platinum Blondes (his brother used to be brunette but it lightened ever since Cyrodiil)

Got chewed out (along with his brother) by his mom and dad for entering an Oblivion Gate during that crisis, they also were praised because they managed to not only locate the hok (or at least local anime boy Farin Phirois) but save his life and provide some damn good backup while they climbed the tower. It was still idiotic and they deserved the scolding because they were told not to by multiple people but also was told by Farin himself to skedaddle before he realized the brothers were stubborn and lethally stupid but also dangerously brave.

Was trained by his father on combat while his mother taught magic

Hates the Thalmor with a passion and has stolen their clothes before from corpese. Admittedly, it comes in handy when they have to fool them because Thalmor share a braincell and half the time it's stolen by Ji'athra for shits and giggles

He prefers his elven armor over normal guard armor, and wears the thalmor robes underneath for the benefits and quick switch for trickery. Also because he travels a lot and seeing a guard in uniform will draw trouble.

Uses a Sword and Shield gifted to him by his Father but also cannot use a bow to save his life, thankfully, his teammates usually can or have it covered otherwise

Befriended a pair of Nord brothers in Solitude, but when Elsinaire and Lovionl Adus and Hildggr and Sorpr Arrow-Sword get together chaos can and will ensue. That's usually what happens when you pair the sons of a Daedric Prince of Madness (their mother) and two Sheogorath worshippers. Sheo would be proud.

Is training Helex on how to fucking chill and maybe learn to not be so tense.

Was assisted by a young Ji'athra on the way to Windhelm after he found the brothers on the run from Thalmor Agents, a very determined Vigilant of Stendarr who isn't an idiot, and a Werewolf. And this is after they found out their house was on fire. Big Oof

Has been hit by Lovionl's Warhammer many times and somehow has yet to show any ill effects

Carries a few bottles of blood (courtesy of fellow vamps Serana and S'agh) so he doesnt have to feed on people.

Cannot be cured of his Vampirism due to the nature of it. It should also be noted that Lovionl isn't affected by this (but he's about as pale) but then again, he has a whole nother set of issues that we don't have time to unpack.

Outside of Vampirism, he's pale as fuck and even if he wasnt a vampire the sun would be his worse enemy.

According to an obviously lying Lovionl, he's allergic to clouds and cloud magic. (How this managed to work is incredible)

He is actually allergic to fish, which is disappointing because it smells delicious but he doesnt want to be lethally stupid and eat it.

After a set of events involving badass parents, a lost dunmer lady (aka Auntie Gabelie), and several Daedric Princes of Madness and their Artifacts, he now has custody of the main villain of that mess who he intends to raise right and so they don't try to kidnap people from their parents because of what happened during the Oblivion crisis (long story short his mom and some other elf ladies found the khajiit child, cared for them, and were forced to watch as Mehrunes Dagon outright stole the kid, they didn't understand why they didnt save them so they were angry. They didn't age in Oblivion and they're still kitten aged.)

Wants a dog but tbh Metsine and Joshabhi leave enough hair from shedding so maybe not. (Also, not a lot of dogs are available rn)

"Supports" the Empire because the alternative is Windhelm's Polite Citizens And Welcoming Aura. Given the chance, he would fucking deck Tullius and doesn't even need to be prompted to throw down with Mr. Stormcloak and Galmar. None at all. It's on sight really.

#oc: helex duilenus #oc: elsinaire adus #im not tagging the others mentioned thats too much

0 notes

rohanisnothere · 7 years

Text

Smol And Tol: A Rachel and Mike romantic side story [Part 3 Finale]

A while has passed since Michael had to listen to Rachel’s long story of her misadventures in Psanctum sine they last met. Fortunately,the two have been done with handing out all the cool water bottles to those in need of it. Now they’re currently sitting beside eachother on the edge of one the city’s aqueducts,looking out on the late afternoon sky,the city basking in the cool red-orange light of the sun. Michael was silently enjoying the view,satisfied with today’s finished duty. He slowly looked over to his companion,who was far more interested in drinking the water bottle he had gave her as a small bonus for helping him out,even though it was basically black mail. Michael,and as any other pure bred demon,has lived for a long time,meeting odd and interesting characters along the way. But never has he met someone so odd and interesting as this girl before him. Its not like he took a fancy to her,atleast not to him,but for some reason this particular runaway has been bumping into him more times than any other person he has associated with. He can still remember the first time they met,when thieves broke into Connie’s apothecary shop at night and stole vials of Embrosia,a rare and highly valuable elixir able to flush out nasty sicknesses and prolong one’s stamina. Luckily he was just coming coming back from an interview he had with the press at the library. The thieves were running along the roofs of the apartment buildings,silently enough to not make too much noise. But Michael heard the commotion,not because of the thieves,but because of a loud and furious voice yelling at the top of their lungs and cursing colorfully at the thieves while chasing them. Michael saw her,a girl with pink hair chasing after the robbers on the rooftops,running as fast as she could. She looked petite even from a distance,and on her head rested a pair of horns that were spiked like a bull’s horns. She also had a small tail shaped like a spade colored red. Michael helped her out in catching the two thieves,who were a kobold and a tanuki. Afterwards,Michael saw the girl’s horns slowly retracted into themselves,making them look like a ram’s horns now. She thanked him and went back to the apothecary,leaving Mike on the street. They were too tired to ask eachother’s name,or even introduced themselves. Michael assumed she wasnt from the city since his mere presence didnt shock her or anysort of reaction a normal citizen of Psanctum would give him. That night marked the beginning of a bond that would last for the ages. Rachel noticed Mike just staring at her with a weird look,as if she was the most confusing thing ever. Growing uncomfortable,Rachel waved her hand in front of Mike’s face. “Hey,Mike,Hey,yoohoo is anyone there? Are you ok? Do you have brain damage?” Rachel started to snap her fingers in Mike’s face. Finally,he came to his senses and looked flustered. “OH-oh,Rachel,sorry, i was just thinking about something” Michael apologetically said. Rachel gave him a suspicious look at him”It’d better not been something about me,cuz that’d be reeaaalllllllyyyy creepy and,well,wrong.” Mike’s face went abit red”W-ww-what nO NO no! it’s just..i..i was remembering something.” Rachel narrowed her eyes at him,but she decided to drop it and view the city from afar. Michael also went back to stare at the view,but he then asked Rachel a question that’s been on his mind. “Hey,Rachel?” “Hmm? What’s up?” she casually responded “I’ve been meaning to ask,Why did you run away from your home?Your family? I know what im asking isnt my business,but i’d like to understand why you did it.” Rachel looked at Mike,then she looked down at the city. “Well”,she started unsurely,”I guess you could say i wasn’t satisfied with things back home.” “How? You’re of noble blood in Mara,born into a rich family with economic influence,servants filling in your basic needs and keeping you pampered,having almost anything you could want! And you’re telling me,a prince no less,that you weren’t happy with that?” Rachel growled a bit at MIke,her horns slowly moving up abit. “I didn’t say i was unhappy, i just felt like something was missing from my life” she responded a bit angrily. “Im sorry, i should’ve worded that more correctly. But,what exactly was missing in your life?” “....Adventure.” Rachel wistfully said,slowly smiling at saying the word. She continued on.”Adventure was what i was missing Mike! All my life in Mara i lived in the coastal city of Cephalosanges,living in a manor and having everything i could ask for at a moment’s notice. Other kids would try to get to be my friend. But i knew that that was all ruse cuz i was loaded. The only true friend i had was my younger sister Yima. But as i got older, my grandpa would tell me and Yima stories about heroes and legends from our world and Earth. Stories of people slaying monsters,finding ancient ruins,conquering lands,the list just goes on! I especially love the Odyssey.” she dreamily finished. Mike looked at Rachel,finally understanding the mind of this girl. “So,after some time, i made a descision to see what the world has to offer me,and now im here” Rachel proudly said. “You mean to tell me that you traveled all the way from the southern part of the continent,ran away from home,and hid your identity,just because you were having a thirst for adventure?” Michael asked critically. “Well,yeah kinda, i wanted to see the world outside of my home, so i decided to do it. And man was it worth it! I rode a wyvern for the first time in my life,tagged along with a bunch of mercenaries traveling north,became queen of the squirrels,ate a gryfin egg, climbed a giant mush-” “Wait wait,hold on a moment”,Mike interrupted.”You became queen of the squirrels?” “Gaze upon the queen of all that is good in nuts and acorns!” Rachel said in a mock royal tone. “Umm..ok,but how?” “I’ll tell you another time,but right now,Michael,you got to hold up your end of the deal,remember?” Michael almost forgot about the deal,but he did remembered. “Ah yes,right. Well, Rachel,due to your circumstances and conditions of living,how does an apartment in the upstate area of the capital sound to you? With rent and utility expenses all covered by the Psanctum department of treasury?” Only silenced was greeted by Mike as Rachel simply stared at him with an open mouth. He knew she’d react like this. Slowly,Rachel walked over to him and looked up directly into his golden eyes. “You’re bullshitting me,aren’t you? “No, i am being genuinely honest about this” ”And how am i supposed to know that? For all i could know you’re gonna sike me out and get a laugh out of it” “Rachel”,Mike grabbed her shoulders gently,”I am not lying to you. I am a prince of Psanctum,son of the King Fortitudo III,on my word i am being very,VERY,serious about this.” “But,but i thought you found me annoying,and troublesome. You’d sometimes even call me a menace before” ‘And im sorry,but now that i got to know you better, i can see why you act the way you do. And i dont want a citizen of this city to die somewhere in the slums because of my judgment on you.” Rachel slowly smiled. “Im a citizen now?” “Well,not yet,but i’ll work it out with some of the city’s council to make you one.” Rachel suddenly glomped Mike,almost causing him to fall off the aqueduct. Thankfullu he didnt. And after that night,those two would soon share more adventures with eachother than before,and develop a bond that would mean more then just friends.

#my ocs #side stories

0 notes

adambstingus · 7 years

Text

Inside The Handmaiden: A Lesbian Erotic Thriller and the Sexiest Film of the Year

Acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (‘Oldboy’) opens up about his upcoming film over beers with Jen Yamato in Austin, Texas. “>

Halfway through his first trip to Texas, Korean auteur Park Chan-wook found himself on a tour of a picturesque religious compound notorious for the sex crimes of a cult-like spiritual leader. Five years ago, its once-venerated guru Prakashanand Saraswati fled the country, escaping a trial that saw him sentencedin absentiato over two centuries in prison. On a hot Texas afternoon in September, the director ofOldboystrolled the grounds with his Leica taking in the palatial white granite architecture.

Park was taken by the sights and the lurid true tale, soaking in the experience as he seems to all his travels. The director and avid photographer had come to Austin to screen his Cannes hitThe Handmaidenat Fantastic Fest following its Toronto premiere. Hed tasted Texas BBQ. Hed shopped for trinkets along South Congress Ave. When we met to discuss his period lesbian love-thriller over fine Texan beers this week, he was still marveling at the beauty and hidden perversity forever tied to the Barsana Dham.

It reminded me a little of Uncle Kouzuki inThe Handmaiden, he joked of one of the many deliciously complex characters in his new film, speaking through his traveling companion and translator, Wonjo Jeong. Im a photographer. I thought going to a place like this Id be able to capture some absurd images on my camera. The power that religion has over people, how it draws people in, is always amazing.

Park, arguably Koreas most famed and celebrated filmmaker, made his directorial debut in 1992 and scored his first huge hit in 2000 with the record-breakingJ.S.A.: Joint Security Area, a military thriller about a mysterious murder between soldiers from North and South Korea. In 2003 he released his intoxicatingly elegiac revenge thrillerOldboyand became forever synonymous with its brand of hyperviolent, perverse brutality.

But there are stratums to Parks films, even as they tend toward the extremes of genre, from the two other films that round out hisVengeance Trilogyto his vampire taleThirstto 2013sStoker, the gothic potboiler that marked his English-language Hollywood debut. Consider: When he describes to me the walrus carved from walrus tusk hed just bought at one of Austins eclectic thrift stores, the conversation winds its way to a documentary hed enjoyed, also on the subject of discovering extraordinary objects in the most unexpected places.

It was a documentary calledFinding Vivian Maier, Park recalled. She worked as a nanny to children and at one estate sale one young man bought a lot of her films, and thats how this photographer Vivian Maier came to light. It provided lots of inspiration forCarol, starring Rooney Mara.

Seated at a long wooden table in the corner of a bustling Austin brewery armed with sampler flights of local craft beers, we toasted with a Bavarian-style lager dubbed the Hell Yes, and Park admitted that he prefers Texas BBQ to Korean BBQ. I just dont like marinated meat, he smiled. Please know this: Not all Koreans are fans ofbulgogi. He is, however, something of a beer connoisseur, although homegrown suds have a ways to go. Im really into the Belgian beers, Belgian ales. Korean beer is notorious for being the worst beer in the entire world, he lamented. But recently, a savior has risen in Korea! One of the big beer breweries has started to brew ales. Its very good.

Back home with friends when bar-hopping turns to karaokepractically a national pastimethats my cue to go home.

I envy those people who can play like that, he mused. But I wasnt born that way, unfortunately. Ive overcome a lot of my shyness over the years. Now I can do interviews and go onstage to introduce my films. Its always a difficult thing to do but the work has transformed me. Still, when I walk down the street and see myself on one of those big LED screens on the side of the building, I cringe.

Parks films, however, are quite the opposite: Bold, ballsy, stylish, and often intensely brutal, theyve come to represent the pinnacle of Koreas art house extreme. His is a signature thats difficult to replicate. But despite not yet having seen Spike Lees American remake of Oldboyitself an adaptation of a Japanese mangahes all for the reinterpretation of art. If he had to remake one of Lees films, Park mulled, it would be Jungle Fever.

InThe Handmaiden, Octobers sweeping and engrossing thriller set during Japanese colonial rule in Korea and adapted loosely from Sarah Waters England-set novelFingersmith, director Parks stamp is as evident as ever. Newcomer Kim Tae-ri stars as Sook-hee, a young Korean woman whos sent to work as the new handmaiden to Japanese noblewoman Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), who lives in quiet obedience to a Korean-born uncle whos obsessed with Japanese and Western culture. The twistat least, thefirsttwistis that Sook-hees really there to help swindle Hideko out of her fortune and take her place. The rest of The Handmaidens sublime treasures are best unspoiled save for the fact that the two women fall headlong in lovemaking for some steamy lesbian sex scenes that seized critics attention out of Cannes, as well as Parks most romantic film to date.

Get The Beast In Your Inbox!

Daily DigestStart and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.

Cheat SheetA speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don’t).

By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the TermsofUse and PrivacyPolicy

Thank You!

You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason

Park had wanted for a long time to portray a homosexual character onscreen, particularly in a Korean society that rarely sees such stories told. I knew I wanted to deal with the subject someday, he said. What kind of homosexual film? The kind where the protagonist, who is homosexual, is not afraid of his or her sexualityand is not suffering under the critical eye of a conservative society. I wanted to make a film free of all that.

He sips another sampler glass, a crisp pilsner a little too dry for his tastes. In this film, for the characters who have fallen in love with each other, its just a matter of course. Theres no question about it. The issue they have to overcome is entirely something else, in that one is supposed to be deceiving the other:Am I allowed to love the person Im tricking?There are other issues besides being the same sex.

In addition to depicting the magnetic attraction between its two female protagonists in tender and exquisite detail, The Handmaiden features some of the most frankly sensual lesbian lovemaking scenes sinceBlue is the Warmest Color. Like that films same-sex sex scenes, the film risks incurring criticisms of a leering male gaze, but they also unfold with a keen sense of humor that makes the steamy symmetry of his actresses nude gymnastics less lascivious and more lovingly real.

The humor is the crux, he emphasized. These sex scenes arent all about the panting, the sweating, the going through the motions. They constantly talk to each other, and they look at each others face, and they make jokes.

Sook-hee and Hideko are also two complex characters whose inner workings reflect bigger themes asThe Handmaidenunspools one layer after another. In transplanting the original novels setting to colonial Korea, Park seeded The Handmaidenwith pointed cultural criticisms loaded with meaning for the Korea of today as much as that of yesterday.

Films in Korea thus far which have depicted the colonial period were all about independent movements or resistance fighters, he said. But this film is all about falling in love with a Japanese woman. The villain is actually of Korean ethnicity. His mind, his inner workings, shows that of a typical Japanese sympathizercolonial lackeyat the time. We have enough stories and films about those who fought against Japanese imperialists. Why dont we show and talk about the Koreans who worshipped the Japanese?

He elaborated: My point is that this continues to this day. The only thing thats different is they no longer worship the Japanese imperialistsin their place, they worship the Americans. And rather than idolize American values, they have internalized American values.

In recent years, Park lent his voice to public petitions protesting his governments arms sales to Israel and the censorship of the Busan Film Festival (Compared to the people who put everything they have on the line for these fights and causes, its nothing, he said.) But its no coincidence that Park says what worries him the most about the world is the unequal distribution of wealth both at home in Korea and across the world at large.

Im not saying that everything about America is wrong, he said. Neither am I saying that everything from overseas is wrong. Im saying that everything needs to be in balance between whats our own and whats foreign, among those who have the money, the power, and the informationthe ruling class. One of the reasons some Americans say that this election is pointless is that whoever wins the election, well end up with the same world where capitalism is king.

Park also saw in The Handmaiden the chance to actively battle an industry-wide problem hed started to notice: The underrepresentation of female characters in film. Certainly my interest in young women has gone up because Im the father of a daughter, he said, raising a hoppy IPA to his lips, and it helped me to realize how in cinema there arent many films that deal with the desires of a young woman in an honest way. Films dont tend to portray women as the main subject. It helped me become aware of this problem.

He started showing his films to his daughter, whos now studying art at university, when she was a childwell, all of them except forOldboy, for obvious reasons. Because there was a father-daughter relationship I couldnt bring myself to show it to her, he said. She saw it when she went to university. Fortunately she likes my films. Both women in his life nameThe Handmaidenas their favorite movie of his.

I have heard there is a debate at this film festival where a verbal debate is followed by a boxing match, he smiled, referring to the annual Fantastic Fest spectacle known as the Fantastic Debates, where filmmakers and critics face off over vital cinematic topics and determine the ultimate winner by pounding it out in the ring. I wouldlovefor someone to step up and put this to the test: Prove that all of Park Chan-wooks films are romantic films.

Its ironic to Park, and perhaps a bit frustrating, that he might be known as an artist most concerned with stories of violent revengealthough his films, includingThe Handmaiden, have that, too. Deep down, hes got a romantic streak. It peeks out when he describes how, years ago, he met his wife and saw Vertigo for the first time, and thus fell in love twice on the same day. Creatively I ask her for her opinions and I take a lot of her suggestions, he said. And shes my first love.

Why, then, does he think his films tend toward boundary-pushing extremes of human behavior, like incest, betrayal, mutilation, and extreme violence? Because Ive lived such a boring and mundane life, he shrugged. Every storyteller should never confine themselves to the very small limits of their own experience. Rather, they should be able to put themselves in the position of every different kind of human beingand sometimes non-human beings, as well.

If Park has the ability to put himself in the paws of animals for the sake of art, does he feel bad even years later, for the poor octopi that gave their lives to be eaten by Choi Min-sik inOldboy, in whats still one of the most indelible scenes hes ever filmed?

He considered it, sipping a hoppy red named the Big Mama, a dish of bacon-wrapped quail between us. Not really, he said. In Korea, live octopus is served sliced into pieces, still wriggling on the plate. What difference does it make if its eaten chopped or whole?

Some cephalopod enthusiasts argue that octopi, with their uncanny abilities to liberate themselves from tanks and multitask, are creatures of consciousness who maybe even have souls. I explained how its a thought that haunts me every time I rewatch that scene in Oldboy, the tentacles writhing in Oh Dae-sus mouth as he renders its owner apartarguably that films most sensual and sensory moment, a visceral collision of art, life, and real violence.

Director Park gave it another moments thought. Im not sure whether the existence of a soul equates to your level of intellectual ability. Do we say that snappers dont have souls, but octopi do? If thats the case, what about cows and pigs? he countered, a twinkle in his eye. Youve seenBabe, right?

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/06/25/inside-the-handmaiden-a-lesbian-erotic-thriller-and-the-sexiest-film-of-the-year/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/162228109327

1 note · View note

samanthasroberts · 7 years

Text

Inside The Handmaiden: A Lesbian Erotic Thriller and the Sexiest Film of the Year

Acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (‘Oldboy’) opens up about his upcoming film over beers with Jen Yamato in Austin, Texas. “>

Back home with friends when bar-hopping turns to karaokepractically a national pastimethats my cue to go home.

Get The Beast In Your Inbox!

Daily DigestStart and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.

Cheat SheetA speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to have read the TermsofUse and PrivacyPolicy

Thank You!

You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/06/25/inside-the-handmaiden-a-lesbian-erotic-thriller-and-the-sexiest-film-of-the-year/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/06/25/inside-the-handmaiden-a-lesbian-erotic-thriller-and-the-sexiest-film-of-the-year/

0 notes

allofbeercom · 7 years

Text

Inside The Handmaiden: A Lesbian Erotic Thriller and the Sexiest Film of the Year

Acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (‘Oldboy’) opens up about his upcoming film over beers with Jen Yamato in Austin, Texas. “>

Back home with friends when bar-hopping turns to karaokepractically a national pastimethats my cue to go home.

Get The Beast In Your Inbox!

Daily DigestStart and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.

Cheat SheetA speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to have read the TermsofUse and PrivacyPolicy

Thank You!

You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/06/25/inside-the-handmaiden-a-lesbian-erotic-thriller-and-the-sexiest-film-of-the-year/

0 notes