shadowcutie

[shadowcutie]

❝Let me show you what you’re supposed to do after a kabedon❞

#Takane to Hana #He's so... stupid (affectionate) #The live action kabedon scenes were both so hilariously awkward--as they should be!

[shadowcutie]

高嶺と花  Takane to Hana  -  Live Action (Episode 3)

#Takane to Hana

[shadowcutie]

This is much better than the princess carry, don’t you think?

#Promise Cinderella #manga or live action they are both still dorks

[shadowcutie]

𝐀𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧

#baldur's gate 3 #video games #...the cloak... I'm barely holding on here

[shadowcutie]

#The Spy Who Ravished Me Reborn As a Mafia Princess in a Deadly Game

[shadowcutie]

Chuuken Bodyguard ga Nisemono Reijou no Uso to Karada wo Abaku made.

#Chuuken Bodyguard ga Nisemono Reijou no Uso to Karada wo Abaku made.

[shadowcutie]

#I Cast Force Estrus for World Peace!

[shadowcutie]

#The Love-Interest Prince Completely Changed When I Made a Meta Comment About My Reincarnation! #I've been addicted to Villainess Isekai josei smut oneshots lately... MLs are crazy but I love them

[shadowcutie]

^ My arisen/pawn Asone and Girran from Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen

I'm playing around with the Dragon's Dogma 2 character creator, but I don't think I'll get the game immediately (it's a bit pricey - but cc is free so yay!)... I think I'm gonna go with the names Namera and Cian but as for appearance...I might go with this, perhaps I'll tweak them once I actually get my hands on the game:

#Dragon's Dogma 2 #My stuff #My brain has a hard time computing Elves with facial hair lmao but something about it just feels right #I don't remember DD lore (I don't think I even paid attention in the first place oops) but Im not sure if elves are a thing in the world #I did NOT care about the lore or 'rpg elements' DD:DA for me was purely about the fun combat which is why Im not rushing to get DD2

[shadowcutie]

ascended astarion and vampire spouses

so I've been reading the dnd 2e manual "Van Richten's Guide to Vampires" for fic/game inspiration, and there's this really interesting chapter on vampire brides and grooms. after reading it, it's very clear to me that Astarion didn't turn Tav into a typical spawn, but into a vampire spouse, which are two very different rituals with very different outcomes.

the typical vampire spawn creation process is exactly what Astarion describes happening to him: a painful death, a painful rebirth into undeath, fighting his way out of his own coffin, and Cazador's complete control over him. this is described pretty clearly in the guide to vampires:

According to most related tales, a vampire can create another simply by killing a mortal either with its life-energy draining power (draining all the character's experience leveIs) or by exhausting the mortal of his or her blood supply. If the victim's body is not properly destroyed, it arises as a vampire, under the control of the creature who killed it, on the second night following the burial. [...] Most vampires remember the instant of their death and the nature of their killer, and understand immediately their new nature. Certainly their new hunger gives them a good idea of what they have become. They must immediately free themselves from their grave. either by breaking it open from within or by assuming gaseous form and diffusing out.

so that's definitely what happened to Astarion, but that's not what happens to Tav. after ascended Astarion turns Tav into a vampire, they can ask him what happened, and he describes the following:

Astarion: You are so beautiful... And you will be beautiful forever. Thank you for trusting me. Player: What exactly happened? Astarion: You were drained dry, and at the height of your delirium, I granted you one drop of my own blood. Things will be a touch different for you than they were for me when I was a spawn. I'm imbibed with unfathomable new talents. I am fairly certain I can extend Mephistopheles' blessings unto you. Player: Does that mean I need not fear the sun? Astarion: You need not fear anything. You will be stronger, swifter, sharper, but you won't be different. You were already perfect before. It's hard to improve.

for reference, this is how the guide to vampires describes the ritual for vampire spouses:

To actually create the bride, the vampire bestows what is known as the "Dark Kiss". lt samples the blood of its mortal paramour—once, twice, thrice—draining her almost to the point of death. This process causes the subject no pain; in fact, it has been described as the most euphoric, ecstatic experience, in comparison to which all ether pleasures fade into insignificance. Just as the subject is about to slip into the terminal coma from which there is no awakening, the vampire opens a gash in its own flesh—often in its throat—and holds the subject's mouth to the wound, As the burning draught that is the vampire’s blood gushes into the subject's mouth, the primitive feeding instinct is triggered, and she sucks hungrily at the wound, enraptured. With the first taste of the blood, the subject is possessed of great and frenzied strength (Str 18, if the character’s Str isn't already higher), and will use it to prevent the vampire from separating her from the fountain of wonder that is its bleeding wound. lt is at this point that the creator-vampire's strength is most sorely tested. He is weakened by his own blood loss, and also by his own rapture as the "victim" of a dark kiss. Overcoming the sudden loss of strength and the inclinations of lust, the vampire must pull her away from its own throat, hopefully without harming her, before she has overfed. Should the subject be allowed to feed for too long (more than 2 rounds), she is driven totally and incurably insane, and will die in agony within 24 hours. Once the subject has stopped feeding, she falls into a coma that lasts minutes or hours (2dl2 turns), at the end of which time she dies. Several (1 d3) hours later, she arises as a Fledgling vampire—and her creator's bride.

this to me sounds like what Astarion describes. he drains Tav almost dry, and at the very last moment, gives them a single drop of his blood. (also interesting reading this guide, the single drop avoids the problem of the vampire spouse being driven ravenous with hunger for the vampire creator's blood and attacking them. did Astarion know this and give them one drop on purpose to avoid that and Tav potentially being driven mad by it? or was he being selfish and this is just a nice but unanticipated outcome?)

i kept reading and there's a lot more interesting information about vampire spouses, but the most interesting thing I found related to the game was this:

Although there are some folk tales that describe the bride of a vampire as its slave, in much the same way that offspring are slaves, a bride is free-willed from the moment of her creation. The creator vampire does have great influence over the bride. however although this control is totally nonmagical. When a vampire is created in the traditional manner—that is, when a victim's life energy is completely drained away—the new fledgling instinctively understands much about the vampiric way of unlife, and about its own strengths, weaknesses* and needs. Not so the bride.

so basically, the vampire spouse is not tied to the vampire creator in the same way as a spawn (i.e., not able to be fully controlled) but is still extremely reliant on the vampire creator to teach them how to live as a vampire. the guide goes on to describe that some vampire creators may lie to their vampire spouse about the control or powers they have, in order to exert more control over them.

interestingly, if you ask Astarion if he can compel you the way Cazador compelled him, he doesn't give a straight answer, he just says this:

Player: Cazador could compel you - can you compel me? Astarion: Why would I need to? You're going to be wonderfully obedient.

to me, all of this says that Astarion was telling the truth when he told Tav that they would be different from him as a spawn, and also in emphasizing that they are not a spawn but a consort. he didn't create a spawn, he created a vampire spouse. he married Tav, and because of this Tav also retains their free will.

of course, Astarion doesn't say this. if he knows, he withholds this information in much the way that this guide describes, as a way for the creator to maintain more control over their spouse. but still, extremely interesting implications for the ascended Astarion romance, imo.

other interesting facts about vampire spouses from the guide to vampires:

the married couple has telepathic communication that can span miles -- so Tav and Astarion can potentially have a telepathic bond even after the tadpoles are gone. (another note, this communication has to be consensual both ways for it to work, so you can't just dig around someone's mind if they don't want it.)

the vampire creator is extremely jealous and possessive. (yeah lol)

their life forces are linked, so one suffering a great deal is felt by the other.

the bond can be broken, but the ritual to do so has to be initiated by the creator. to break it, they both spill their blood on the ground and allow it to mix. this dissolves all aspects of the bond (i.e., telepathy and linked life forces), but the spouse stays a vampire.

#baldur's gate 3 #Hello???? 👰🏻🧛🏻 I love this theory so much omg #I knew the situation regarding how you're turned and that you're a spawn but not acting like one (tadpole could explain that part) felt odd #limitations due to deving a game and that you cant account for every possible action and outcome likely plays a factor too but I love the-- #hc of freewill having vamp bride that doesn't know all their abilities due to Astarion being secretive/manipulative so it looks like youre- #just a spawn he lovingly calls consort * chef's kiss *

[shadowcutie]

How about that. Official Bayonetta 3 art.

#Bayonetta #Video games #h-hello??? they're so cute!!?!??

[shadowcutie]

#bayonetta #Video games

[shadowcutie]

I don't have the Demonheart The Cursed Trial early access, but.... I saw this on the steam's news page about the recent update:

HELLLOOOOO?!?!?!?!?! I'm going insane! My kind of news.

What is happening Kaisar honey??? Ran are you ok???

#Demonheart The Cursed Trial #I'm not one for early access but maybe I should... #I picked the 'I just wanted to legally kill people' option in the demo my chara may be the most unstable of them all

[shadowcutie]

Very rough sketch of Whitney (my interpretation of him), not lore accurate since he's not balls deep or beating the shit out of you--or both

#Degrees of Lewdity #my stuff #DoL Whitney #Shadowcutie's Art #I'd love dol more if it was less daily simulator and more story & structured it's my biggest hurdle every time I play #ugh stats and time management ughghgh just give me scenes where Whitney bullies me #I doubt I've actually seen much of the game even playing it on/off for years since the I never play for long since...mechanics #Whitney just exists as a concept in my brain that gives me joy 'hot bully' and I'm like ...yes 'nods excitedly' hot bully

[shadowcutie]

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” 

#our life #our life beginnings & always #❤️!?!?!

[shadowcutie]

Perception check but the Dark Urge is a ✨BARD✨

『 I’ve waited a while to see if this would eventually pop up on Tumblr, but afaik it’s still not here so. Here. 』

Source: @yaaayhem on Twitter

#baldur's gate 3 #video games #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #video #love everything about this

[shadowcutie]

Swordplay. ⚔️

#Oooooh pretty