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b-o-e · 1 year

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Howdy Pillar x Reader

Warnings: tickling aghahbg, howdy uses his many hands for evil lol, kissy kissy fluff yuhhh, I was gonna scrap this fic n don't wanna look at it anymore so it may have mistakes lol

You and Howdy bake a batch of cookies together, and it is quickly learned how impatient you are.

“And there we are!”

Howdy placed the sheet of cookies on the stove top, shutting the oven. Two hands rested on his hips, the other pair crossed over his chest, puffed with pride.

“They look perfect!” He grinned. “Surely because of your help, of course!” He hummed, nudging you gently as you ogled the freshly baked treats.

“They smell so good,” is all you could utter.

You were so tempted just to grab one of the ooey-gooey pastries, despite the fact it would more likely than not immediately fall apart. Howdy could sense this oozing desire.

“Now, don’t go burning yourself. I know that look of temptation in your eye,”

Your gaze met his, your eyes widened slightly in surprise. You flashed a sheepish smile, slumping.

“They just look so tasty…” you sighed dreamily, eyes returning to your awaiting prize. The two of you had put so much work into making them. Howdy made a great mixer with all those arms! Made for easy cleanup, too!) How could you not want to test a sample?

“They’re not quite ready yet. Just a little longer, bug,” he assured, watching your hands clench in and out of fists with resistance, finding it to be nothing less than amusing.

“No touching, okay? I’m just going to run these eggs we borrowed back to Sally, then I’ll be right back!” one of Howdy’s hands set on your back as he moved around you to grab the carton.

“No touch,” he pointed a finger at you, squinting playfully as the others rested on his hips. He repeated, “I’ll be right back. I’m sure they’ll be cooled by then. Just wait for me,”

“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up!” You laughed, pushing him along towards the door.

With a final promise he would return quickly, Howdy was off, leaving you and the cookies alone. Unsupervised…

And man, it was tempting. It really, truly was. You looked over your shoulder at your foe on the stove, glaring. You’ll be mine soon…

You stole a glimpse at the clock, exhaling dramatically. The two of you had already tidied up your mess while waiting for the timer, so what were you to do now? Admire your wondrous creations from afar?

Unable to come up with anything else, that’s quite precisely what you did.

Your elbows rested on the countertop, chin on top of your hands. The sweet aroma wafted through the house, a gentle breeze flowing in from the open window.

Tick, tock, tick, tock

The steady click of the clock made time feel like it was moving extra slow. Each second dragged on for what felt like an eternity. Huh. You had less self control than you thought…

Your fingers drummed against the counter. Your toes tapped against the floor. Your eyes darted between the cookies and clock again. Come on, Howdy, what was taking so long?

Another hefty sigh escaped you. A look at the clock, a look at the cookies. Just one couldn’t hurt, right? It was Howdy’s fault you were waiting an eternity!

Despite the slight pit of guilt in your belly, you reached toward the sheet, knowing the satisfaction of the cookie would fill that pit right up. Finally, it was yours!

A hand grasped your wrist, an arm looping your waist.

“Ah-ah-ah,”

Whelp, spoke too soon. You tried!

“What do you think you’re doing, you little stink bug?” Howdy hummed, amusement dripping from his tone as he turned you around to face him. Ah. Trapped between him and the counter. Not a good place to be for what you reckoned the consequences to your actions would be

“Come on!” You drew out, giving a pleading pout. “You were taking so long!”

Please let you be spared, please let you be spared… it didn’t look too promising with the quirk of his brow and smirk he wore.

“I was barely gone five minutes!” He cackled with mirth. “And you know how I feel about thieves,”

That smirk seemed much more threatening all of a sudden.

“No.” You eyed him warily, knowing exactly what was to come. “Don’t you dare,”

“I think you deserve some form of punishment,” he shrugged with a grin. His upper set of hands had taken yours into his grasp…

“Howdy…” You attempted to reason. “Please!”

No chance.

His fingers glided along your sides, digging into the carefully. You laughed and squirmed, begging for him to stop.

“You need to learn your lesson somehow!” He chuckled, pausing his attack to give you a chance to own up to your actions. “Will you try to defy me again?”

You only giggled, body twisting away with what you knew would come after your response.

“You’re asking for quite a lot there, mister…” You really weren't doing yourself any favours, were you?

His fingers returned to their attack, poking and jutting into your sides.

“Okay, okay, okay! I yield!” You cackled, the pitch to your voice fluctuating. To your pleas, Howdy paused.

“Have you learned?” He eyed you warily.

“Yes,” you panted out with a grin. “Yes, I have learned.”

“Well, I think you owe me an apology,” he said, “some compensation, you know?” He smiled innocently, earning a roll of your eyes. His hands had found your waist, the two that had trapped your hands trailing to rest on your sides.

“Yeah, yeah. Close your eyes, there, big guy,” you played along, a hand cupping his face. Once his eyes were closed, though, you made your move.

Your free hand snuck to the stove top, snatching up a treat.

“Mm,” you hummed in delight as you took a bite,

“Why, you deceiving little–”

“Have a taste!” you grinned, pulling him in for the smooch you knew he desired. It took him by surprise, but he was not opposed.

When you pulled away, you snickered softly at the shock on his features.

“We did pretty good, right?” You flashed an innocent smile, taking another bite.

“I’ll forgive you this time,” he grumbled, cheeks pink and a playful glare on his face. “But you’re a little scoundrel sometimes, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.”

howdy!! I hope you liked this lil oneshot B) this is just something to fill in some space so I can hopefully have some more time to try to get ahead again on wally stuff. I was going to scrap this fic, its been in my docs for like a week and a half or two, n I'm not the biggest fan, but maybe I've looked at it for too long. I'm not sure if I'll write for howdy again, this may be all I've got in me for him, but I hope you enjoyed it B) here is a link to my silly lil wally fics in their recommended order if you would like :) these can also be found on my ao3 B) I also have a ko-fi if you'd like to support me!

likes and reblogs are extremely appreciated!! DOPAMINE!!! RAGGGHHH!!

Posted Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 12:06 PM

#howdy pillar x reader #howdy x reader #howdy pillar #welcome home x reader #welcome home #auugghh I dont like this fic anymore but my friend wanted me to post it plus why not ig lol #i trust my friend gaghahah #i work the next five days auugghgshjnm #im so sleepy

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jeannereames · 3 months

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Shows or movies based on historic figures and events are hard to pull off if the goals are to be both entertaining and somewhat true to history. If we accept that some inaccuracies can't be avoided in order to appeal to audiences what would you consider cornerstones and pillars about Alexander and his history that can't/shouldn't be touched in order to paint a somewhat realistic picture in media based on him and his life?

I saved this to answer around the time of the Netflix release. For me, there are four crucial areas, so I’ll break it down that way. Also. I recognize that the LENGTH of a production has somewhat to do with what can be covered.

But, first of all…what story is one telling? The story arc determines where the focus lies. Even documentaries have a story. It’s what provides coherence. Is it a political tale? A military one? Or personal? Also, what interpretation to take, not only for Alexander but those around him. Alexander is hugely controversial. It’s impossible to make everyone happy. So don't try. Pick an audience; aim for that audience.

MILITARY:

Alexander had preternatural tactical skills. His strategy wasn’t as good, however, especially when younger. Tactics can be a genius gift (seeing patterns), but strategy requires experience and knowledge of the opposition. The further into his campaign, the more experience he gained, but the cultures became increasingly unfamiliar. He had ups and downs. He was able to get out of Baktria finally by marrying Roxana. That was strategy, not tactics. He beat Poros, then made a friend of him; that’s strategy. Yet he failed to understand the depth of the commitment to freedom among the autonomous tribes south along the Indus, which resulted in a bloody trek south. And his earlier decision to burn Persepolis meant he’d never fully reconcile the Persian elite.

So, it’s super important to emphasize his crazy-mad tactical gifts in all forms of combat, from pitched battles to skirmishes to sieges. Nobody in history ever equaled him except maybe Subatai, Genghis Khan’s leading general. In the end, I think that’s a lot of Alexander’s eternal fascination. He fought somewhere north of 250 battles, and lost none (where he was physically present).

But HOW to show that? What battles to put on screen? Oliver Stone combined three into one + Hydaspes because he had only 2-3.5 hours (depending on which cut you watch). The Netflix series is going to show all four of the major pitched battles…or at least all 3 for the 6-episode first part. They had circa 4.5 hours to play with, but they cut out other things, like Tyre.

Another issue, from the filming/storytelling point-of-view is how to distinguish Issos from Gaugamela for the casual viewer. They’re virtually identical in tactics (and players on the field). So it made a fair bit of sense to me for Stone to conflate them. In a documentary, it’s more important to separate them, largely to discuss the fall-out.

Some v. important clashes weren’t the Big Four. Among these, the sieges of Halikarnassos and Tyre are probably the most impressive. But the Aornos Rock in India was another amazing piece. I’d also include the bridging of the Indus River to illustrate the astonishing engineering employed. Again, if I had to pick between Halikarnassos and Tyre, I’d pick Tyre. I was a bit baffled by Netflix’s decision to show Halikarnassos instead, but I think it owed to an early error in the scripts, where they had Memnon die there. I corrected that, but they’d already mapped out the beats of the episodes, so they just kept Halikarnassos. That’s fine; it was a major operation, just not his most famous siege.

Last, I really wish somebody, someday, will do something with his Balkan campaigns. What he did in Thrace and Illyria, at just 21, showed his iron backbone and quick thinking. It’d make a great “and the military genius is born” set-up, drama wise. But you could use the Sogdian Rock to show the clever streak, at least (“Find men who can fly” … “I did; look up.” Ha) Plus it has the advantage of being where he (maybe) found Roxana.

Last, he fought extremely well--wasn't just good at tactics. Being a good general doesn’t necessarily mean one’s a good fighter. He was. Almost frighteningly brave, so show that too.

RELIGIOUS:

Ya gotta deal with the “Did he really think he was a god?” thing, and the whole trip to Siwah. I obviously don’t think he believed he was a god; it’s one of the things I disliked about the Netflix show’s approach, but they were dead-set on it. I DO think he came to believe he was somehow of divine descent, but of course, that’s not the same as most moderns understand it, as I’ve explained elsewhere. It made him a hero, not a god on a level with Zeus, and to ME, that’s an important distinction that Netflix (and to some degree Stone) rode roughshod over.

But I’d like to see more inclusion of sacrifice and/or omen-reading—religion in general. Cutting the Gordion Knot (omens!). His visit to Troy (Netflix tackled that one). A really cool thing would be to make more of the lunar eclipse before Gaugamela. Again, Netflix touched on that, but it’s one of those chance events that might actually have affected a battle’s outcome, given how seriously the ancient near east took sky omens. (A solar eclipse once halted a battle.) The Persians were freaked out. Even his massacre of the Branchidai in Sogdiana was driven by religion, not military goals. Pick a couple and underscore them.

I give Stone big props for the sacrifice before the Granikos/Issos/Gaugamela battle. It was so well-done, I’ve actually shown it in my classes to demonstrate what a battlefield sphagia sacrifice would look like.

Alexander was deeply religious. Show it.

POLITICAL:

Ah, for ME the most interesting stuff surrounding Alexander occurs at the political level. Here’s where the triumph story of his military victories all went south. He knew how to win battles. He was less good at managing what he’d conquered.

In terms of a story arc, the whole period up to Gaugamela is really the “rise” of the story. Post-Gaugamela, things began to collapse. And I would pin the turn on PERSEPOLIS. Yes, burning it sent home a message of “Mission accomplished.” But he was selective about it. Areas built by Darius I were spared, Xerxes’ were destroyed: a damnio memoriae.

Problem: Persepolis embodied Persia, and ATG essentially shat on it. Not a good look for the man who wanted to replace Darius III. That he also failed to capture and/or kill Darius created an additional problem for him. Finally, his lack of understanding of how politics worked in Baktria-Sogdiana resulted in an insurgency. Bessos was going to rebel, regardless. But Spitamanes might not have. Alexander created his own mess up there.

Another matter to look at is why he created a new title—King of Asia—instead of adopting the Persian title (King-of-Kings). I don’t think that was a “mistake.” He knew perfectly well the proper Persian title (Kshāyathiya)…and rejected it. He adopted some Persian protocol, but not all of it. After the summer of 330, he was essentially running two parallel courts, which seemed to satisfy neither the Persians nor his own men. (Kinda like docudramas are a hybrid that seems to annoy perhaps more than satisfy.)

So I’d like to see this handled with some nuance, but it’s intrinsically difficult to do—even while, if done well, it would be the most interesting part of an Alexander story, imo.

So, what events, what events…3-4 leap out after Alexander’s adoption of some Persian dress. The Philotas Affair, the Pages Conspiracy, the Death of Kleitos, the marriage to Roxana. I’d show it all, although I could also understand reducing the two conspiracies to one, for time, in which case, the Philotas Affair because it resulted in the fall of Parmenion. But the fact there were two, not just one, tells a story itself.

What about the proskynesis thing with Kallisthenes? I’ve come to disbelieve it ever happened, even though it’s symbolic of the whole problem. So, weirdly, I’m of two minds about showing it. OTOH, it won’t be in my own novels. But OTOH, I could easily see why a showrunner or director might want to include it. And it certainly appears in several of the histories, including Arrian.

Then we have the two indisciplines (mutinies)…one in India that made ATG turn around, and another at Opis. They’re really two different things as one was an officer’s rebellion, the other the soldiers themselves. But will viewers be able to distinguish between them? It’s like the Issos/Gaugamela problem, or for that matter, the two conspiracies. They’re similar enough to confuse the casual viewer. “Didn’t we already see that?”

But if they were narrowed to one, how to choose? The mutiny on the Hyphasis provides an explanation for why he turned back. But the Opis event was more dramatic. The man jumped down into the middle of a rioting crowd and started (essentially) knocking heads together! So if I had to pick…Opis. The other might could be mentioned in retrospect.

PERSONAL:

Here are five things I think really OUGHT to be shown, or that I have yet to be pleased by.

1) Philip isn’t an idiot and should get more than 10 minutes of screentime. Oh, and show Alexander did learn things from him. Stone had to make his movie a Daddy-Issues flick, and the Netflix thing did very little with Philip as they wanted to get to the Alexander-Darius face off (which was the meat of their story). But there’s a very interesting love/competition story there.

2) Olympias is not a bitch and was not involved in Phil’s murder, although I can see why that is catnip to most writers. She did kill Eurydike’s baby and (by extension) Eurydike. One of the historians in the Netflix story (Carolyn, unless I misremember) talked about the rivalry between the two wives, at least. But I think ATG planned to marry the widow and Olympias got rid of her to prevent it. Now THAT’S a story, no? But they were in too much of a hurry to get to Persia.

3) Alexander was not an only child! He had sisters (and a brother) with whom he was apparently close…and a cousin who was his real rival. To me, missing that cousin rivalry overlooks a juicy personal/political story! Too often all the focus winds up on Alexander-Olympias-Philip-Eurydike-Attalos, but man, a more subtle showrunner could do a lot with the Alexander-Amyntas rivalry. But he’s constantly cut out. I can’t think of a documentary that actually addresses Amyntas except in passing (if at all)l

4) Hephaistion’s importance is a must, but I’d like to see him treated as someone with a personality and authority of his own, besides just as ATG’s lover. At least Netflix Went There onscreen with the love-story part, but otherwise, the writers couldn’t figure out what to do with him. Neither Stone nor Netflix really portrayed him as his own person. I do understand why they can’t show the whole cast of characters. I had to do weeding myself in the novels, but I’m annoyed Netflix showed only Hephaistion and Ptolemy. Where’s Perdikkas (so important all along really, but certainly later)? Or Philotas, Kleitos, Krateros, Leonnatos, Lysimachos (later king of Thrace)? I think viewers could probably have handled at least another 5 people, especially if introduced gradually, not all at the beginning.

This brings me to….

5) Alexander’s apparently very real affection for the people in his orbit, from personal physician (Philip) to childhood pedagogue (Lysimachos [not same as above]) to Aristotle to various other philosophers. He was so loyal to his friends, in fact, he initially jailed the people who brought word of Harpalos’ first flight.

He needed to be loved/appreciated and wanted to give back to people. Yes, generosity was expected of kings, and as a king (THE king), his generosity had to excel that of anybody else. But he seemed to genuinely enjoy giving presents. I think of him like that one friend who heard you say you liked that cute pair of “Hello, Kitty” socks…then 6 months later they’re your Christmas present from them. Some of his gifts were grandiose, but not always. I love the dish of little fish (probably smelts) that he sent to Hephaistion, presumably just because his friend liked smelts!

To me, point #5 would be easy to get in with a skilled scriptwriter, tucked into the corners of other scenes. It’d be fun to highlight the personal side. If we can believe Plutarch, he was a PRODIGIOUS letter-writer. Also, he loved to hunt, so that’s another thing. And he loved the theatre, and to watch sport. These would all be very humanizing details.

I think the biggest issue is that most of these documentaries/docudramas are done by people who don’t know squat about Alexander aside from a few things, before deciding to make a documentary/movie about him, or write a book. Their research is shallow, and even if they bring on the experts, they don’t always listen. Stone DID at least have a long fascination with ATG, but it caused him to try to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. It wasn't as bad of a film as some have made it out to be, just horribly bloated and for all his reading, he never understood the WORLDVIEW. I wrote about that some while back in my review.

The best documentary/movie would be told by an actual specialist who knew enough at the outset to craft a better, more complex story arc.

Or maybe I’m just biased because I tried to do that myself in my novels. 😂😂😂😂

#asks #alexander the great #oliver stone alexander the great #netflix alexander the great #telling the story of alexander the great is intrinsically difficult #docudramas #historical movies #historical documentaries

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talkingparrotkee · 11 months

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After seeing disagreeable claims critiquing the end of Wakanda Forever float around for the nth time, I felt like organizing my qualms and putting them neatly into another blog. These are just my musings.

"Shuri should've killed Namor! Sparing him was wrong!" I apologize for my harsh phrasing, but this is a horrible and brainless take, especially when it's from begrudged shippers or anti-Wakanda Forever recasters 😭. Whenever I see it, I can't help but wonder if anyone who says this or agrees genuinely likes and (especially) understands Namor and/or Shuri's actual characters. And no, I do not mean the surface aesthetic of or attraction to them.

If you knew and understood what kind of character Shuri (at least in the MCU) is, you would know why she spared Namor's life after nearly taking it. If you understood the important messages carefully baked into the film, you'd understand the writing choice of Shuri sparing Namor and Namor not being the "incorrigible villain who deserves death."

Asking the silly question of why she didn't kill him in the form of critique, or worse, saying she should have or somehow should give him hell after the fact (fortunately, a regressive immaturity neither character has), is a clear show of media illiteracy. It neglects both characters and at least one pillar theme of Wakanda Forever. If Shuri killed Namor, Talokan and Wakanda would unnaturally be eating away at each other for eternity, allowing the surface colonist nations to swoop in as the destabilization process was done for them. The true villains and enemies that put them in that situation where they collided with one another would gain access to their vibranium and technology. Game over.

Shuri Was Never In Her "Villain Era"

The simple answer, Shuri is not Wanda Maximoff 😊. Goodnight. (Author's note because someone was troubled by this tongue and cheek remark: I don't hate Wanda at all. I meant what I wrote: Shuri is not Wanda, just Wakandan. People want her to be Wanda and have a Wanda arc when she is not and will not. 🫡)

Even at the lowest of her low, Shuri is no villain. Shuri was just a young woman trying to find what kind of leader she was in the midst of grief, inner turmoil, and human anger. I don't know why some fans say she had a "villain era" or want her to canonically have a "villain era," but ok. That is not Shuri, nor would it have filled the hole in Shuri's heart, as said by Nakia. It was not just because it endangered Wakanda and would spearhead them in an eternal war either. Although, that is reason enough for Shuri not to kill Namor.

Who Princess Shuri Truly Is

Princess Shuri is a natural healer, teacher, and creator. Shuri loves, designs, creates, innovates, builds, and protects. Shuri has people who would die for her and trusts her to make the right choice in the end, faithfully standing beside her even when they recognize that the trajectory she currently set them on wasn't a good one. Why do you think this is? Because they know and trust Shuri. They know her brain is as big as her heart.

Shuri is not inherently destructive. That was the uncharacteristic result of her gripe with death (thinking it meant gone) and destructive handling of her grief. Ryan Coogler even pointed out how Shuri's state was unhealthy and dangerous. Shuri and Namor were both grieving and asking themselves painful questions.

That is why Killmonger is who appears to her. Killmonger is a violent, radical character (made that way by neglect, grief, loss, militaristic molding, and the suffering African Americans face) who almost carelessly sent Wakanda spiraling into mayhem. He became the people he hated, in the wise words of T'Challa, and was an unworthy king, in the wise words of Shuri. If such a man is comparing himself to Shuri and is who her subconscious elicited on the Ancestral Plane (which Shuri seems to be taking to her grave now, refusing to tell Nakia), maybe she's not doing alright? Just a thought!

This is also why Ramonda took her out by the river. It's why M'Baku said what he said at Ramonda's funeral. It is so she can mourn properly. So she could heal properly. Something she wasn't doing since the day T'Challa died.

Killing Namor would've destroyed her, not just her people. It wouldn't have sated her despite in her rightful anger, feeling it would. It would've just sent her past a point of no return.

"Show him who you are." Ramonda told her this after she struggled on her own with killing Namor. Why do you think Shuri hesitated even without Ramonda's influence (which was just her presence and reminding Shuri who she already was) yet? It didn't feel "right" to Shuri as their moment together (watching the Talokan sunrise), how Namor paralleled her, and how their people were alike flew through her mind's eye. Shuri hesitated, not because she was "soft" or "nonsensical mushy writing." Shuri saw what they were and what this was. She thought beyond herself. As Editor Michael P. Shawver said, Namor's line of, "only the most broken people can become great leaders" is what they focused on. It is what Shuri finally realizes at the bitter end. They relate. The narrative, characters, and actors all recognize this; I don't see how some audience members do not.

She and Namor were perpetuating the destructive cycle of grief and vengeance while setting that example for their people, but she was strong enough to pull herself up and break that chain. Then she offered her his hand for the sake of not only themselves, but their people. She saw firsthand the beauty of Talokan. Like Namor admired Wakanda in the beginning, she admired Talokan. She remembered her visit to Talokan in the mix of her nation's beauty.

"Vengance has consumed us. We cannot let it consume our people."

Not "my" people. Not "your" people. Our people.

Shuri realized many simple yet, at the same time, humanly complicated truths of how they had connectivity and were broken, trying to be the best leaders they could be. Neither of them was the villain but are what they were due to the bitter hand life dealt them and the situations they faced.

The Real Theme of Black Panther's Wakanda Forever

This movie also had clear themes of:

A) how POC/indigenous infighting sucks and is counterproductive

B) connectivity of black and brown, from culture to shared wounds

C) the scars of colonialization

Shuri killing Namor would defeat the carefully woven narrative and betray all these well-built things. I know some of you guys don't like to hear this, but Namor is not of the archetype of Killmonger, nor is he the real "villain," so he was handled accordingly.

“We talked to so many experts and really made relationships with them, because there was a lot to go through,” says Beachler. “There are a lot of parallels between Africans and Latin Americans as far as the colonization of their communities and cities, the enslavement of their people, the lies that were told about their culture, the misinterpretation of their words, and the ways they were made out to look demonized in order to elevate a European country.”

Shuri Getting Her Lick Back

"Shuri should've beaten Namor until-" or "She let him off the hook unpunished!" If you paid attention to the movie, you'd see she literally beat him within an inch of his life? She definitely did get her lick back just as Namor got his. Wanting her to get "more" licks after the fact is regressive.

Shuri:

isolated and trapped Namor to weaken and drain his energy

ferally clawed both of his wings, taking out his ability to fly

made him bleed and bruised him up

roasted him in a firey explosion, effectively charring him and rendering him temporarily paralyzed

Shuri didn't play patty cake with him; she made an immortal bleed and fear death. She had him gasping for air on his back at the mercy of her spear tip. She made him yield and call off the troops. She made an ally out of him on her terms who exalted her strength and is currently bandaged up, flightless, and awaiting to aid her (rather than striking first, waging war as originally wanted). It's more than enough and was the best course of action. What do you mean? What are you talking about?

#black panther #wakanda forever #namor shuri #princess shuri #namor #marvel #bpwf #shuri #letitia wright #tenoch huerta

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pierrotdameron · 11 months

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[...] As the game begins, your character arrives in a remote corner of the world of Eora called the Living Lands as an envoy of the Aedyr Empire, where you've been sent to investigate a mysterious plague. "Not everybody in the Living Lands is super thrilled to have an imperial presence in this far-flung land," she said. "So adventure ensues."

[...] CEO Feargus Urquhart told me that in scope Avowed is more akin to Obsidian's past RPGs like The Outer Worlds in size than it is a sprawling open world a la Skyrim, though that was actually Obsidian's initial pitch. When the developers sat down and focused on what Obsidian does best—stories and companions, in particular—the more compact scale came naturally.

The way you interact with other characters in Avowed will be similar to The Outer Worlds, where your dialogue options reflect the tone you want to want to use. "We try to hit a sweet spot when we're writing dialogue options where we invest enough personality for those options to be fun and interesting, but also leave enough space around them so that the player can really invest whatever headcanon they built for their character into that option," she said.

Patel wouldn't spill much about Avowed's story, but did give me some of the basics on what form of RPG to expect from Avowed:

You have an established role as the imperial envoy, but your "personality, appearance, and philosophy and vibe you bring to that role is up to you as a player to decide"

You can play as a human or an elf, but not other races

It's purely singleplayer—no co-op

The world is lightly systemic: think water and lightning interactions, but not the ol' bucket-on-the-head trick

You'll have two companions with you at a time, with their own combat specialties and, of course, personalities

There are several ability trees to progress through, and you won't be locked to a particular class or playstyle

You will level up, but the focus is on unlocking abilities rather than putting points into stats to grow stronger

Early in development, when Obsidian decided to prioritize a story "more focused on depth than breadth," the first-person combat ended up benefitting, too. Patel said that it was an example of a piece of Avowed that was surprisingly fun in their first vertical slice, a time when the team has to decide on what to commit more resources to and what to scale back on. Combat became a key focus, which should be music to the ears of every Elder Scrolls player who's always found the sword-swinging a bit wimpy. "Our combat has come along really, really well, and the bones have been there since the beginning," she said.

Patel cited a lot of time spent tuning the feel of swinging a sword vs. a mace vs. an axe to make combat feel right, but the options available to players seem like the more significant element at play here. You're free to dual-wield weapons, wield both magic and melee simultaneously, and as in Pillars of Eternity, there are some old timey guns available. When I brought up how bored I am of game loot with imperceptible stat differences from one sword to another, she said that's been on their mind, too.

"The way we've tried to approach that is erring on the side of fewer but meaningful upgrades. If you're upgrading your weapon from one tier to the next, you should feel the difference. If it's a small number change next to your item name, that's not going to feel as meaningful as going through an upgrade process, trying your weapon again and realizing it's doing a lot more damage. Fewer but more meaningful upgrade tiers."

From today's trailer, magic looks like it could be the bit of Avowed that really gives it its own fantasy flair. There's some excellent hand animation at work when the envoy draws runes in the air to conjure a fireball and later lifts a pulsing void skyward, sending a pile of guards orbiting weightlessly around it. I want a whole lot more of that, and I'm excited that I can mix magic with melee without being railroaded into a class.

"In most of our games companions have been optional, which I think offers a wonderful degree of choice to players, but it means there's a limit to how deeply you can tie them into the core story. With Avowed we decided companions are going to be core. They're going to be part of the experience. And that means we can invest so much more in them and tie them much more closely, and personally, to the events and the parts of the world the player is encountering."

And can they die?

This time there was a pause. "You'll have to see," Patel said. Until 2024, then.

#Avowed #Pillars of Eternity #Feargus Urquhart #Carrie Patel #obsidian games

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ninapi · 11 months

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┊┊┊✧ ⁺ ⁺╚══ Upper moon two ╝

Premise: A journey trough Douma's life as a human, was he always as bad? The reminiscence of his real past lingers as he dies, not the things he always remembered but the reason itself that made him choose the demonic path.

Word Count: 2395

Warning: Main character death, spoilers.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Death wasn't as bad as some would think. The darkness painting the unknown was as beautiful as the milky way, alluring but cold. Shinobu was willing to go with him to the depths of hell and that was comforting to him. What he didn’t know was that her only motives were to guarantee he would remain trapped there for the rest of eternity, not any sort of fondness or attachment towards him.

He felt content, regardless.

Odd things happen as you reach your final milestone, memories that had been always present and some others that not so much reach our perishing moments, and as his head floated aimlessly in an unknown direction, flashbacks of a life he didn’t remember began tormenting his very soul.

It all started with a whisper, a soft gentle voice calling out for him, even if he couldn’t recognize said voice right away, he could feel an immense amount of nostalgia almost immediately flooding his rather desolated and cold heart, something he wasn’t aware he could even feel.

As hard as he tried to remember who the owner of this voice was, there was just no recollection of it in his memories. His thoughts kept derailing his way and he fell farther behind the pillar. What was that feeling just now? His eyes began to water on their own, not like when he forces tears out to appear sad, but a gut-wrenching amount of sadness could be felt within him. He wanted to hear it again, even if it was just one more time, once more before he turned to dust for real.

Another flashback strikes him, a pretty lake on a sunny day, he could feel the warm rays on his exposed skin alerting this had to be a memory from before he turned in what he is now, beautiful wild flowers at his feet, a girl happily twirling in them, but he couldn’t see her face, it was almost completely blurred like if the memory itself had been purposely disposed, “You know I love you more Douma-sama, don’t be silly!” The sound of cute giggles followed the faint staticky voice, making him smile. “When was this even?” He tells girls many things, but never that he loves them, because, well, simply because he doesn’t, never had. But these memories were real, and he could feel it deep within his soulless essence.

At this point, Shinobu was so far away he couldn’t even see her now, but that was fine, she didn’t matter anymore. He understood just like that in that very moment, that what he felt minutes ago towards her was not love, he just didn’t want to die alone, it was a thought that was somewhat terrifying for him.

His memories took him way back to the time his parents died, he was more relieved than anything that day, thought he wouldn’t have to keep up with the cult charades anymore. Of course, he was wrong, but the memory usually ended there, a door opened in a continuation of said day, he could see one of the girls that had been rescued by the cult reach over to him thinking he was sad from loosing his parents. She was also orphaned at a young age and knew how devastating that could be. So in a selfless act, she wrapped her tiny arms around him, told him to cry it all out, that she would be there for him, that he would never be alone, reminded him that he was loved by many. He didn’t know he needed to hear all that, but it made him feel appreciation towards someone for the first time in his life.

It was a fleeting memory. He remembered not feeling sad, only upset by the mess and stench of death. But now something had been unlocked within his brain and he could also remember what happened after that day. How the girl really never left his side, how the girl became a beautiful woman over the years and showed him what love actually meant.

His parents used him almost like a prop.

He didn’t know what being truly cared for felt, so it was utterly refreshing having someone completely devoted to him who could see through all the lies and deeply care for the real person behind the godly performance he was forced to continue with.

In all truth, remaining as the cult leader was his choice, she had said that thanks to it she was able to find a purpose, find happiness, that it might bring the same to other people. So, he continued with his duties, as a symbol that represented nothing he believed in. Though, it wasn’t as bad. People would always bring him gifts, always tended to all his needs and most importantly, now that his parents were out of the picture, she quickly became the one in charge as both grew up, making sure things were as right as they could be in a fake cult, at least he would now get a share in all of it and the cult was now doing actual charitable work.

He'd never been good with feelings. Always had to pay a close look to others to determine what was the best course of action as far as reactions go. But whenever he was with her it was like a whirlwind lived within his lungs. He would feel sad whenever she wasn’t around, throw tantrums whenever she’d be back at his side, cling to her for dear life afterwards. He would feel jealous each time another man talked to her, even if they were also his followers and knew who she was. Always felt so proud when people would comment about how the cult had become a better place all thanks to her help, whenever people would say how beautiful she was. Always felt so happy waking up by her side every morning, the sun shining on her delicate face. Always felt so loved whenever he was in her arms.

“What was her name? I thought I remembered my past….what’s with all these memories….”

Another flashback hits him hard. Something he didn’t really remember either, but this time he was actually aware he didn’t remember this and always bothered him.

Why did he become a demon?

True, he never really cared much about anything. Life didn’t change much after becoming one, even his cult still remains. So why did he decide this was the only way to go?

He always knew there was nothing beyond death, never believed in hell or heaven. But it also never bothered him, decomposing and becoming one with the soil didn’t sound as bad when your life is as empty as it could be.

His head was killing him, even if that sounded like a joke. He was already dead, having a headache sounded ridiculous. But the memory of Muzan walking towards his very much devastated self caught him off guard.

He is sure he was looking at himself, almost in a different perspective, didn’t quite feel like a memory of his, it felt more like Muzan’s memory.

There were tears covering his own face, blood everywhere. He was pulling at his own hair, sobbing uncontrollably. Even if these were someone else’s memories he could feel his own pain emanating from his body from where he was looking at the scene unfold.

The beautiful woman of his memories was lying on the ground, her head on his lap. She wasn’t moving at all, one of her hands was clutching at her enlarged belly in agony.

“I came here because I heard a rumor of a very popular cult leader that gathered the masses over some useless belief system. Thought you could be of some use for my cause. Seeing you probably don’t have much left, wouldn’t you become a demon and be part of something grater? Become stronger?”

The perspective switched in his head like switching gears, he was now looking into Muzan’s eyes through a wall of tears. He could feel the stickiness of the blood glued to his hands, it was warm, heavy, the smell of it embedded in his brain for good, his body was shacking brutally and he couldn’t feel any sign of life coming out of her body.

“Did you know, demons eat people? If you manage to take in all the blood I give you, you could absorb that woman and the child in her womb. They could be a part of you for eternity.”

The man was right, he had nothing left.

The memory gets cut off, another one violently coming and it was of only a few minutes before Muzan’s arrival. His only love, the mother of his unborn child crumbled nearly dead in his arms after a raid of religious radicals invaded their home grounds. He was the one that was supposed to die, not her, not his baby.

“NOOOOO, (Y/N)!! No, please don’t leave me. Please, my love….don’t leave me….” One of her hands held onto her oversized belly, she could no longer feel the child move within her anymore, the life she held so dear was slipping out of her hands. Her other hand went to caress Douma’s face lovingly. “I’m sorry, love. I’ll be leaving first, we’ll wait for you…let’s meet again.” Her last words were a mix of strangled words and small gasps, ripping his heart out of his chest along the way.

He's never felt so heartbroken before even if it was just a memory.

“(Y/N)…that’s right, that was her name.”

Reminiscing over his own death, he continued floating into nothingness. A dark abyss swallowing him completely and taking him to happier times.

Another memory, of just a few days before the tragedy comes around, “Douma-sama, can we plant some lotus plants in the pond? They’re so pretty, I always envied families that had aquatic gardens.” he once again could feel through his own memories, the weight of her head against his chest, her warmth seeping through his garments. He was gazing at the currently empty looking pond in their property, his hand caressing the large baby bump. “Anything for you, my love. But would they grow here? We have so much snow in the winter, isn’t it too cold for them?”

Funny things happen when your existence is about to disappear completely from this world, suddenly everything made sense.

He’s been living over a hundred years thinking he had no feelings, that he’s never felt anything at all in his entire life, just to realize everything he did was tied to the only woman he ever loved, even his own demonic techniques.

This realization brought tears to his eyes once more. He’s never really been alone all this time.

He would always say that to all his victims, mirror Muzan’s words. They would always be a part of him if he absorbed them, there was no need to be afraid of turning to dust and leave no memory, but in reality, he didn’t really believe that at all, it was just embedded in his mind, like a sales pitch. But she was clearly still a part of him, even when he couldn’t remember for the longest time. She wasn’t lying all those years ago, she never really left his side, always protected him.

It was in this very moment of the dying process that many others would feel remorse and even self-hatred for all the damage they caused to others, he should feel it towards the victims of his selfish lifestyle.

But he didn’t in the slightest, instead he felt grateful to his lordship, as usual he was absolutely right. Absorbing her and his child allowed them to live with him longer that they could ever had. True, he would of preferred to live a long happy life, die of old age holding her hand, see his child grow and become an adult. But he didn’t have the luxury some others have of dreaming that big, their lives were taken in the most gruesome way possible, it was the only way to keep them or what was left of them, safe.

He didn’t regret becoming a demon, he would do it all over again.

It is now in death that he finally understands himself fully. Something as simple as his obsession with eating girls was now explained. He always thought Akaza was weird, he didn’t eat women even if they were the most nutritious beings. His thought process made sense, his first meal was a pregnant woman, his woman, his love. He couldn’t remember any of this, but his body remembered how good and strong it made him feel. He thought it was the nutritional value as he forgot that what had filled his senses as much was the love shared and the promise of being together forever, not the flesh consumed.

Forgetting this lead him to gluttony, he was never as satisfied with a meal ever again, no matter how many women he’d eat.

Everything made sense to him now, he literally had to die to fully get to know his own self, ridiculous.

But now that he got his memories back, he can leave with ease.

One last memory reaches his satisfied soul, her loving smile. He loved it so much; he would do anything to see it again. He remembers the sound of her laughter, the softness of her skin, the little kicks of his unborn baby protruding from her belly. His heart was at peace, he was ready to finally turn to dust.

A whisper echoed in the wind that seemed to wrap around him like a warm embrace ,“Douma-sama? Are you finally here, my love? We’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

She never really lied to him; it shouldn’t be a surprise. She stayed by his side even beyond death, of course she would honor her word and wait for him for as long as it took.

He’s never been this happy about being wrong before. Being able to hear her voice one last time filled his empty heart to the top, even if he wasn't sure if it was real.

“Sorry I’m late. Shall we turn to dust together, my love?”

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Masterlist

#kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #demon slayer fanfic #kimetsu no yaiba fanfic #demon slayer x you #demon slayer x y/n #demon slayer x female reader #douma #douma x y/n #douma x you #douma x reader #angst #pre-demon story #upper moons #muzan being a manipulative ass as usual #12 kizuki

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nateofgreat · 2 months

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I never stop being weirded out by how many atheist stories that make a point about being atheist imply that flirting with the end of the world is somehow good, as long as it means people will be less religious after the fact.

Or alternatively, portray horrific deeds as somehow less so as long as the victims are religious.

Pillars of Eternity (as revealed in PoE2's DLC): Has a really stupid atheist god recruit another atheist to cause a war between two countries who already had a troubled history with each other, all in the name of turning people against the gods after the fact.

Pillars of Eternity 2: The same stupid atheist god crushes his way through the world, killing hundreds, in the name of destroying the means by which the universe runs on the gamble that humans can rebuild one for themselves. Somehow portrayed as good because the new thing they built wouldn't be run by gods.

Fullmetal Alchemist: A regime stages a genocide on a religious nation and then portrays the sole survivor who comes back to kill the government agents who directly partook in the slaughter as a crazy zealot, even though the regime was and is still horrible. Yes, I know they half condemn the genocide but seem to think that because some of the people who did it feel bad, that that means the guy who's after them is wrong.

Said zealot only gets a redemption arc by having him become less religious. Because the author couldn't fathom the idea of a religious person doing the right thing I guess.

KOTOR 2: The villain wants to kill the Force which is connected to all life and kind of IS life in a way, which would thus kill everyone. All because the writer has a phobia of spiritual things. You might be thinking, "Wait that's the villain though. So her being wrong must actually be the point!" but you'd sadly be mistaken. The writers heavily imply she's right to think that way, and there's never an option to refute her that's not portrayed as your character being naive.

Ahsoka (2023): The genocide of the Jedi was brought on themselves because they were "dogmatic" or something.

Like for crying out loud man.

First off, a crisis tends to make people more religious, not less. So the goal wouldn't even be accomplished.

Secondly, if you really want to make atheism look appealing maybe don't portray religion as something to be violently exterminated? Or the people who believe in it as lesser beings, wherein crimes committed them aren't as bad as one of them killing an active participant in an actual genocide? Just saying.

Chris Avellone crowds the field here I know but he's easy pickings.

#anti Pillars of Eternity #anti PoE #anti PoE deadfire #Chris Avellone critical #anti Fullmetal Alchemist #Fullmetal Alchemist critical #I'm sure I've stepped into this time but I had to get that off my chest #At religious stories just tend to depict atheists as a bit stupid or immoral #As opposed to being something that a war or crisis should be used to stamp out #anti KOTOR #anti KOTOR 2 #KOTOR critical #KOTOR 2 critical

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circusd0g · 2 years

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A Notion

a mini fic based on @madame-mongoose and @sycopomp 's Our Orbit is Elliptical (OOIE), a real life experience, and the song attached below

i havent even finished chapter one but the DEATHGRIP this had on me

A child walked up to you, catching your attention as you were wiping down one of the outside pillars in the play structures. She was young, couldn't have been over 6 years. She held a Chica plush in her arms, close to her chest like it would protect her against the world. Suzie, you remembered.

A few moments passed where the two of you just stared at each other. "Why are you wiping the tunnels?" she asked in a small voice. "Because they're dirty," you responded. Turns out another kid had been listening, a 7 year old boy named Jeffrey, who had glasses. "But you've been wiping the same spot for like an hour! Why don't you do the rest?"

Glancing down at where your hand had been moving the sanitizing wipe in circles, you realized you had been there for a bit. "Well," you started, "Um." You actually didn't have a response for this. You thought you had been better at hiding your anxiety and spacing out, but I guess you were just off your game.

In fact, it seemed you had been off your game since you got the job at the Superstar Daycare, fumbling things often and having to have someone else, typically the Daycare Attendant, Sun, to come and clean up whatever mess you'd made. Every time you failed to satiate some child's needs and they turned to the one thing all children do, crying, Sun was always right there to swoop in and mend whatever had upset the child and carry them and the other surrounding kids to another game; somewhere else where they won't be bothered by you just trying to do your job, and failing.

Wait. You're getting sidetracked again.

Fuck.

Snapping back to the present, to the two kids standing in front of you as you wipe a pole continuously for an eternity, you shake your head, dismissing the thoughts and memories that are dragging through your head, sticking like goop against your brain, like peanut butter that refuses to let go of the blender blades during washing.

"It's just a nervous response," you say. Not entirely untrue, but not explanatory enough for children either, so you add something else. "Doing something over and over again calms me; it makes me feel better. And when I feel better, I can play better, too." There we go, add in a lesson about people with anxiety disorders. Make it a learning point. The kids seem to accept this. Suzie trots off with her plush, and Jeffrey runs off to join the other boys who were gathered around the toy car set. Crisis, if you could call it that, averted.

With the little ears out of range, you sigh out, "If Sun even lets me." You go back to wiping with a hopeless, sad feeling settling in your stomach. You don't try to hide your expression this time; no one here seems to care too much, anyways. And you don't have the energy for it anymore. That, too.

Unfortunately for you, you'd forgotten to keep tabs on where the Daycare Attendant was and failed to notice him climb in the tunnels with a group of younger kids, and failed to notice the bumps of movement that perpetuated among the play structures grow nearer and nearer and stop as it heard you speaking, evaluating you once again. He pushed it to the back of his mind, as something to think over when he wasn't orchestrating a huge room of children.

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herearedragons · 1 month

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For the micro stories, 30 or 41 for pillars of eternity 👀

thanks for the ask!! this one got away from me

micro-story 1-word prompts

Bianca sets aside the stack of laundry she's been carrying and, with a conspiratorial wink, motions for him to do the same. Lorenzo hesitates for a moment, then complies; she's acting strange, but there's probably a good reason for it.

"We have a lot of work here, right, aimico?" she asks him.

Lorenzo nods. It's just how laundry day is; at least they're doing the drying and not the washing, with all the sharp-smelling powders that make you dizzy about an hour in.

Bianca smiles.

"Well, what if I told you we could make it easier for us? You're ten years old now, a big boy; I think I can show you a little secret."

He's not sure what she means, but the way she says it makes this "secret" sound fun. He nods again; it earns him an approving look.

"Good boy," Bianca says. "I'm going to teach you a song. If you sing it right, you will work much faster - but you can't sing it when others are around, ac? Especially not when Master Riccardo is near. This is only for you and me, do you understand?"

He nods.

"Gellarde! Now, watch."

She straightens her back and takes a deep, noisy breath, then lets it out; it looks a little funny, but Lorenzo doesn't say anything. She takes another breath, and... it's not a song; it's more like a harsh whisper, her voice coming out breathy and hushed, as she pushes words out of her chest in a fast, even rhythm.

"Blessed was Fulgor, quickest of his tribe. Faster than arrows, light as wind."

She finishes the sentence, and then says it again. This time, Lorenzo notices, she sways a little on her feet, stomping out the same rhythm she speaks. She still looks funny, he thinks, and part of him worries that someone will pass by and they'll get in trouble for dancing instead of working; but the sound of Bianca's voice becomes strange as she recites the sentence a third time. It's a little deeper, now, and there's a quiet echo to it that wasn't there before; he can feel it as a buzz in his teeth.

"Blessed was Fulgor, quickest of his tribe. Faster than arrows, light as wind."

Now he feels the buzz in his spine, too, and in his arms and legs. It's an antsy feeling; suddenly it's hard to keep standing still, and he finds himself stomping along with Bianca's little dance, just to ease it off.

She notices him shuffling in place and nods shortly; then, way quicker than he's ever seen her move, she bends down, snatches her stack of laundry from the floor and begins to walk - almost skip - along the hallway, never stopping her "song". He hurries after her, and finds that it's easier than he thought; his body feels light, and the stack of sheets in his hands feels like it barely weighs anything.

As they walk, Lorenzo mouths the words to himself, trying to make sure he'll remember them later.

"Blessed was Fulgor, quickest of his tribe. Faster than arrows, light as wind."

She's not just saying words, he realizes as they turn the corner sooner than they ought have. She's matching them to her breathing and to her steps; it's more like a dance than a song, at this point.

He tries to match his steps and breathing to hers.

"Blessed was Fulgor, quickest of his tribe. Faster than arrows, light as wind."

Usually it takes a while to walk from the balconies back to the laundry room; it feels like they make the walk twice as fast. Only when the door is in sight does Bianca stop; he nearly stumbles into her, catching himself at the last second, just as she catches her breath, like she's been running.

She turns to him with a wide smile and shifts her stack to one hand to pat him on the shoulder with the other; she knows not to try ruffling his hair.

"Gellarde! You understand; I heard you sing along. You were a little off-rhythm, but you'll learn. You see how useful this is, ac?"

Lorenzo opens his mouth to respond, and realizes suddenly that he, too, is out of breath; not only that, but his throat stings a little, like after a harsh cough. He nods instead.

Bianca squeezes his shoulder.

"That's right, rest your voice. The first time is always a little taxing, but soon it will be easy for you; I can tell."

With her free hand, she picks up the other pile of laundry from him, and, from between two towering stacks of folded sheets, winks at him again.

"You'll make a great chanter, aimico."

#pillars of eternity #chanter watcher #oc: watcher lorenzo #herearedragons writing #I figured that if he learned 'blessed was wengridh' in vailia it would probably feature a more vailian-sounding name #so I chose one based on the latin word for lightning because FastTM #but yeah! baby's first chant

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robby-bobby-tommy · 1 year

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Guys, guys, I just watched Martyn's episode and it was a banger. But the last bit with rhymes really caught me off guard so I want to talk about it.

Firstly I'm glad watchers returned! Their lore is super interesting and I'm looking forward to more of it. But all it is left for me to do now is overanalyze the rhymes they've left.

Secondly I know nothing about the original meaning, it's just mine interpretation. There's a high possibility that awaits you below is just mine undiagnosed apophenia (the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things)/j. So buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

"Every grain that passes comes to rest"

Hm, there's nothing special about this line. Implied passage of time mb.

"A pillar built another test"

I'm very dumb so I'm a bit confused about this pillar part. Which pillar are they talking about? My guess is Skynet, but I'm not sure.

The test is probably the test of trust. How much Scott trusted Martyn with his life and vice versa? Will TIES go on each other? Will Bad Boys betray each other? Will Bdubs kill Scar as he promised to Etho? The list goes on and on. The trust was always a big theme in Traffic SMP, but now it's very important. Like the amount of trust you need to have to let your buddy kill you in a survival game is just enormous.

"These fickle unguided hand"

Well.... Yknow..... Hand. Martyn's nickname from wayyy back in the third life, given by the red king Ren diggity dog himself. And, as we all can see Ren isn't in this season (this explains the word "unguided"), but in some clip from Martyn's stream I've seen he wanted to collaborate with Ren. So what if he'll appear as a watcher? Watchers made it clear that they like Ren very much, so why can't he speak through/be a part of watchers? In the Watchers Lore video ( https://youtu.be/UlMVxRNSPhQ ) Martyn said he'd like to link himself to Ren so in every season they'll be together at some point. And the Hand kept his promise cuz him and his king were in the same team in both Last Life and even Double life. Maybe they'll be able to connect through Watchers?

" Forever moulding in the sands "

This is probably represents this survival games in general. This people will always "mould" back in these servers, kill each other, suffer and ect just to please Watchers' desires. They have no choice nor way to escape from this eternal battle.

The sands might represent either the sand in watches or the desert from the third life, who knows.

" The thrill to kill The fleeting gill "

Now this is pretty obvious. It's just a description of the events from episode.

" All washed ashore To settle still"

Now this line probably resembles the end of the hunt for greens and the start of yellow mellow peace.

" A single day and then it's gone "

Now this is a bit confusing. I don't actually know what it means. It may refer to the end of the season, that is the last day. Or maybe something else..

" Doomed to repeat: Our will be done. "

Now this goes back to my take on eternal, inescapable cage of this survival game. They all are doomed to repeat this circle of death, unable to ever stop.

"Our will be done" Is the most interesting Watcher phrase.

Honestly, the phrasing is very important in this poem so maybe I misinterpreted some of it, but it's all I can think of rn.

#limited life smp #limited life #third life smp #third life #last life #last life smp #double life #double life smp #traffic smp #trafficblr #inthelittlewood #martyn inthelittlewood #rendog #watchers lore is back whooohoo #can't wait for more i adore watchers

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wipethetape · 1 year

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maybe it wasn't bad after all

Ajak x Goddess!Reader

Request: Hi! I was wondering if you could do a one shot with reader and ajak? But it’s after the emergence stuf and she’s alive? Maybe it’s how the reader ( who’s some type of non—human creature), and ajak meet? And how ajak gets flustered easily around the reader? If you could that would be great! Thank you so much!

A/N: two things: established hela x thena relationship, hela x reader bestfriends bc they're goddesses AND IM SO SORRY THAT IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO POST IT

Something shifted in Ajak's behavior after the whole stopping of the Emergence plan and Ikaris flying to the sun. She considered Ikaris as her closest companion, maybe not comparable to her relationship with Thena.

She treated her as the favorite child out of everyone on their team. Ikaris leaving and choosing to protect Arishem's design left a void not only in her heart but in the purpose of her living as well. All she wanted was to stop the birth of the celestial and save the Earth even if it means disobeying Arishem, but it came with a price she cannot bear to accept: Ikaris.

She blames herself for Ikaris' decisions. Maybe if she hadn't told him the truth and the purpose of their existence, he wouldn't have left Sersi. Maybe Sersi may have convinced Ikaris to join them in saving humanity and not go against his 'family' despite his unwavering loyalty to Arishem because his unwavering love for Sersi was more. Maybe he was still together with them, with her.

The Eternals are not dumb to not notice how their Prime Eternal was still affected by all that happened to them. She was always level-headed, strong, and impartial as their leader. But this, with the whole Ikaris ordeal, no one exactly knows how to help her. Ajak was always there to help them deal with their issues, the mediator, their emotional and rational pillar, but who would be the pillar if she requires one?

That's why they collectively agreed to frequently visit Ajak's cabin, taking turns but always overlapping with one another. The most frequent visitors are Sersi and Sprite, who are now visiting together after their reconciliation. It is working, but it couldn't do much. It came to the point where Ajak tried to convince them to stop, but they didn't listen.

Tomorrow morning, she noticed Makkari and Kingo laughing in front of a monitor. Ajak silently walked towards them to see what they were doing.

They were too immersed in the monitor that they didn't hear Ajak coming to them.

"No, don't say that. It's a turn-off," Makkari signed. Kingo just smirked and sent the message he typed.

Kingo sent the most terrible reply after what seemed to be a suggestive exchange of messages then unmatched with the person.

"What were you doing?" Ajak asked. In a sudden moment, they exchanged glances in realization, which didn't go unnoticeable to Ajak. Is she in trouble? Yes. Was it a bad idea that she let her curiosity dominate? Without a doubt.

They made Ajak sit down, briefing her about how the internet works, then explaining what they were doing and how it works, mainly how you can find someone to talk to. Ajak is a fast learner, but they knew she wasn't interested enough to try this so they made her an account and forced her to make a match while they were there.

Ting. Match successful.

Ajak sent "Hi" as her message. Kingo grunts and Makkari stoops down her shoulders. She's a starter, let's give her that, they think.

You replied with a greeting, and thankfully you asked a lot of questions that kept the conversation going really interesting. The three Eternals were so invested in you.

At one point, you unknowingly asked her if she believes in God, and the two masterminds beside Ajak wanted to laugh their asses off with the question. With the way you asked, "Do you believe in God?", that's what religious emissaries spreading the word of God would say.

I see why you said you don't believe in God.

You sent it, and it was an understatement to say Ajak was utterly confused. She's clueless about whether it's genuine, a joke, or sarcasm. She saw the typing icon, so she waited on what were you going to say. Kingo already understands the reason why you brought up this out-of-place topic.

I don't think He could create someone as stunning as you.

Ajak felt her cheeks heating with what you said. Add that to the embarrassment she feels knowing that two of her team members were watching this whole exchange. Kingo was right, people on the internet can be really.. scary. How can you manage to be cocky in front of a monitor and say whatever you want to someone?

Well lucky you, because that message would be the reason Ajak is always on her phone to talk to you for the whole day in the next months.

When you finally dared to tell your best friend Hela about your chat buddy on a dating app, oh how she takes great pleasure in teasing you. It did not help that her wife Thena was in the game.

You've been single for years now, and Hela (courtesy of her brothers Thor and Loki, but mainly the mischievous one) introduced you to a dating app. She says she wants you to get laid so you wouldn't bother the couple on holidays, again. The last time you asked to drink with them because you were lonely on holiday, they (Hela) almost kicked you out the moment you got sober after making them take care of you.

The bad thing about divulging into this dating app was not only just letting Hela get into your mind about it, but you forgot how small Earth is. You never told the couple the identity of the person, and they didn't pry about it because they're just delighted you're finally entertaining someone. Until Thena invited you to join them on the family dinner slash reunion with the other Eternals.

You didn't want to be there, because as Thena mentioned, it's a family dinner. On holidays, where you can wander around the world or just talk 24/7 to Ajak at that time. However, thanks to those wives who have their own world and are scary when they join their forces together, you can say you just have to make bad choices sometimes.

The dinner is hosted in Thena and Hela's house, and you were the one in charge of the decoration of the house and mostly helped in the preparation of the dinner itself.

Everything is almost done except for the main course when someone knocks on the door. Thena fixed her apron and walked towards the door. Opening, she was greeted with smiles and hugs from every Eternal. One by one, as if by cue, they go inside after offering their greetings and small gifts to Thena.

Something tells you to glance over the visitors, and you did. Only to see the Eternal Thena is currently hugging.

You knew Ajak as the Prime Eternal whom Thena always seemed to cherish the most whenever she tells stories about her family. You never realized that the Ajak you were talking to online was the same Ajak that was almost killed by her favorite child and saved the Earth with the other Eternals from the emerging celestial.

Idiot. It should have occurred to you when you thought it was too unique for a human to bear the name.

Before removing herself from Thena's embrace, her eyes found yours. She saw you. She saw you. Not even in your best form. You're aware of how much of a mess you look having a few minutes to dress up and fix yourself. However, it was too late to retreat now.

Makkari and Kingo noticed the subtle shock on their Prime Eternal's face. Following her vision, they finally saw the woman who was making Ajak's day filled with joy rather than sadness after the incident.

You noticed the other pairs of eyes as well, chuckling at how the two were signing to each other about you and Ajak. You don't want to gossip, but you discovered that they refer to you as "the God". Ajak told you during one of your calls that she was forced by her friends to join the app and helped her through it, and you put the pieces together.

———

The time has flown by fast. Everyone is currently enjoying their booze before retiring for the night, except for Sersi who went first to bed after tasting the alcohol from Asgard, with Sprite and Phastos following moments after. Only the three of you, Ajak and Thena, were not drinking—though Thena took some when she was trying to stop her wife from drinking more. Ajak, being the mother figure that she is, you assume, chooses to be sober to take care of the remaining Eternals. You? You feel drunk with her presence alone.

It was a challenge to maintain your interest to have a chat and listen to the other Eternals. You weren't rude enough to ignore their questions, but the only times you opened your mouth were to respond to their inquiries and feed yourself. You don't know what they're talking about because you were too occupied being mindful with the Prime Eternal by your side, not wanting to look more foolish in her presence.

Whenever she needed something, whether the condiments or to taste the food placed on the other side of the table, you were fast to move even before she spoke about it. You find charm in watching her being flustered and trying hard to hide her emotions by avoiding your eyes whenever your fingers graze on each other.

"Wrong. It is my Makkari." Druig glances at Makkari sweetly, to which she reciprocates and smiles.

It seems that Druig and Hela were bantering about their partners. Hela is already conceited, which gets worse with a combination of a topic about her wife or her reign and journey as the queen, and liquor from Asgard.

"Morons. It is Thena, my beloved, who was worshipped as a goddess by the midgardians, befitting as her wife is the queen of Asgard."

"I have to throw up," you seriously said, earning a glare from Hela.

"Me too." Thena butted.

Both of you stood up but went in different directions. Thena went straight to the kitchen, still pretending to throw up about Hela's comment which gained laughs from everyone, while you went outside the porch to breathe.

You didn't know that Ajak plans to follow you shortly after. When she made her way to the porch, you noticed her and rubbed the chair beside you of dust knowing that it was clean. She sat on it while looking at how you seemingly shine so brightly, complementing the night sky.

After a few minutes that seemed long to you, you heard her speak.

"So do you always say those," she pauses, contemplating if she should continue, "things when you talk to other people?" She starts the conversation, ending her question with a tone stronger than she intended to. You were confused for a second about what she was referring to, then you realized it was your messages with her. You believe you simply misheard the jealousy and insecurity in her voice.

You shook your head. "I learned from the Avengers. The phrases. Really a bunch. My first and last time using it. It just slipped my mind that humans like those phrases, and I tried." You explained while trying to check her reaction.

You don't want Ajak to think you are a flirt. Sure, being a goddess entails experience, but you were not an expert on it in contrast to your Goddess of Death friend. You innocently thought she was a human from your first interaction, so you tried to apply what you've learned from humans during your stay here.

Silence enveloped the two of you. It is totally fine with you since you can admire the woman beside you whose eyes wander at the now appearing stars in peace.

"Your voice is more enticing than in phone calls."

"Only my voice?"

Ajak raises her eyebrows in shock and embarrassment. How she wants to melt in your gaze while she listens to your voice.

"You're ravishing," she replies, her voice a bit wavering.

The silence once again made its presence known around the porch. Both have no intention of wanting it to leave, yet they want to hear each other's voice even if the words don't make sense.

"That Arishem should have a little credit for creating a beauty like you," you complimented. "Probably the best," you whisper.

And that's where Ajak lost it. The composure she's been trying to maintain the moment she set foot in the house and saw you in the kitchen cooking. The moment your eyes met in shock and joy when both realized your unconventional first meeting. The glances you steal at each other at the table when one thought the other wasn't looking.

She kept on looking everywhere except your eyes. The floor, the walls, and the whole night sky became her best friends.

You simply smiled at how adorable her reaction is. You thought it would be the other way around, aware of your tendency to develop a whole personality to cover your nervousness.

"Would you go with me, Miss Prime Eternal?"

"To where?"

"To get married."

That gains her full attention to you. She heartily laughs.

You add, "For a walk. And other things," pausing, "More like exploring each other's universe and be a part of it."

She finally stared right into your eyes lovingly.

"Haven't you already?" She inquires, a tiny smirk forming on her lips.

#eternals #ajak #ajak eternals #ajak x reader #ajak x you #ajak imagine #eternals x reader #eternals imagine

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glamfellens · 9 months

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serious question: what non bioware games would you recommend to someone who really prefers that kind of game? rpg with custom protagonist, cutscenes and choices, that is. i don't exclusively play bw games, but a lot of what i play is made by them because i don't really know any other games in a similar style. or did you also mean "play games of a different genre/style"?

i'm currently going through bg3 and i do enjoy it but i wasn't a big fan of dos2 for example simply because of a lack of cutscenes with your character.

i don't mean this in a "well i only like video games like that so i won't play anything else!!" way, i would genuinely like to hear your recommendations

i think the thing here is that all game studios have a niche, something that is core to nearly all the games they make - and that kind of cinematic experience is very much a Bioware thing

i know i sound like a broken record at this point but i highly HIGHLY recommend Pillars of Eternity. if you enjoy high fantasy rpgs like Dragon Age then I really do think Pillars of Eternity is worth looking at. It doesn't have the same cinematic cutscenes as Dragon Age or Mass Effect but it does have character customisation, class options, faction reputation, and in the second game (Deadfire), companion reputation and romances. Other than that, I would also suggest Fallout. Fallout 4 is the most recent (I'm not counting fallout 76 lol) so I think that has the best to offer in terms of character creation (at least appearance wise) and cutscenes. My personal favourite is New Vegas - there's no romance or in-game cutscenes, but there's a lot of character customisation when it comes to how you want to play the game. You can customise how your pc looks of course but since it came out in 2010 its not exactly the best (though mods go along way) if I can suggest another rpg that isn't High Fantasy (and is another obsidian game lol), there's also The Outer Worlds. it's on my to play list, there aren't any romances but there is character customisation and from what friends have told me it's a very well written and enjoyable game :) like i 100% understand where you're coming from and i totally agree, i really do enjoy the more cinematic aspects of bioware games, they can add a lot to the experience! but having expanded out of mass effect and dragon age in the last year or so i've just realised that i also really enjoy games that react to my choices and have me and my pc deal with the consequences!! it makes for such interesting character and world building and this is why i think ive gotten so into fallout new vegas and pillars of eternity this year. sorry for the wall of text - i hope you're enjoying bg3 and its giving you the things you were looking for :) im definitely enjoying it

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ex-textura · 5 months

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Screeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! You play Pillars of Eternity too?? :D If it's ok to ask, who is your watcher(s)? 💜

I do!! But it's been... a little while since I played it so I'm gonna be rusty with some details here lmao. I started playing before I got BG3 in early access and I've been dying to pick it up again but. Well. Yknow. The BG3 hype is still too strong right now.

My first watcher wasss a.... I believe she was a moon godlike. And I think she was a beguiler/rogue? I didn't know anything about the world or lore yet at this point and I started with PoE2 so she had no real lore. She was just pretty and liked Tekehu.

The one I played most recently and am running the long haul with for Aloth is a pale elf chanter. Handsome, strong, and brave he's got a kind heart but a bit of a mischievous soul. He's had a crush on Aloth from the moment he met him. I'd just started the White March DLC in PoE1 when I stopped playing. I have... so much left to do xD I'll get back to him one of these days

My dear Eidhur:

(i feel kind of weird about the portrait. I think I got it in a portrait pack but i think it's an edit of another artist's work that I can't find to credit. i *think* it was zevran fanart, if that helps. But anyway. I feel weird about using it, and might delete the pic later.)

#asks #pillars of eternity

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liars-archive · 2 days

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I want some people to read the start of my little story before putting it anywhere so I just… yeah… I don’t think anyone will read it here but well… Copied from my notes lol

The soft, twinkling lights bathed the entire ballroom as the guests drank from their glasses all kinds of drinks.

The ballroom basked in the soft taps of the duets that were dancing as the Waltz went on, while the beautiful arches that decored the whole place shone as the glistening lights reflected in the gold of the architecture. Intricate designs that seemed almost if telling a story to him were placed over the pillars that he recognized from old records and books. He glanced as he took in the sight.

Rich and poor, young and old, new people and those who have experienced the beauty of the countrary. All united under the beautifully complex light of the magical stones that made up the chandeliers, setting up the mood to be in a night that you will remember all your life.

After all, this is when your destiny is set in stone. His mind reminded him softly, whispery, phantom reminder.

His soft, elegant white clothes matched the grandeur of the ballroom as he carefully walked towards the center of the Waltz circle, gold chains and details tingling as his boots made slight noises when his feet met the floor, his blond hair neatly tied in a small low ponytail with a beautiful lily adorning it.

This is where I belong, it must be.

Proudly the blond walked, basking in the shimmer of the fancy lighting of the chandelier, ready to start a formal talk with other guests or newcomers to his brand new destiny, as old couples danced under the glittering diamonds and warmth of the artificial light.

But his eye caught a glimpse of something his brain couldn’t let go of, quickly and carefully setting as a roaming thought in his head.

Something in his own soul was screaming to turn around.

He saw someone.

Blue and purple hair slightly long, topped off with a big top hat covered in black flowers. His figure was framed by a long, black coat with silver details, yet the blond wasn’t able to notice anything else. Why was he so attracted, enchanted, by the other? Why does he feel like he knows him?

☆彡

“A new birth, a new soul is born.

It irradiates light, warmth, and hope. The essence of the day, the sun. Yet it misses to realize that its own light casts a shadow that it has to be aware of.

And then, another birth, yet this soul is far from the same as the first one. This one is cold, mysterious and lonely in nature. The essence of the night, the moon. It seems to carry more flaws than the first, but it's the same flaws that hide its biggest strength that it must learn to control.

These souls meet, they see each other. They seek each other.

Slowly, they approach. Slowly, they get nearer.

Until they connect, they bond. They’re meant to complement each other, complete each other. A bond that will be eternal, way farther than what the concept of time is about. A connection that will never falter, that will never break.

This is how soulmates are made, how souls then seek each other.

The link between them may be strengthened or weakened, it depends on the relationship that the soulmates have, yet the link between them may never fade away.

Some soulmates in their terrenal life have fraternal relationships, others have friendships, very few have a romantic partnership… But some have relationships based on hate, others are enemies.

But those who once were the believers that out there in the world their soulmate was waiting for them, became the ones that now only trust science and magic to prove their point.

Nowadays, the bond between soulmates is almost imperceptible, completely depending on the relationship that the two souls hold. But even like that, people now don’t believe in soulmates.

Poor creatures in need of concrete evidence to prove the phenomenon that they can see with their own eyes. And those who believe, the true genius and the truly capable, get called either crazy or childish.

But in the eyes of society, that’s understandable, after all, who believes in an old legend?”

☆彡

#ruikasa au #tsukasa tenma #rui kamishiro #soulmates

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theressomethinghappeninginparis · 3 months

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More pages I have skimmed and tried to compress in a short amount of time. I really don't want to stay longer than I have to, but I think my findings are interesting enough to get your attention.

Transcript of the first and second page: This rock on the first page, does it remind you of the Rosetta stone? This is the Tabula Smaragolina. It's been found according to several myths by Abraham's wife, one dude out of the bible. It's written in Latin and has some hints or rather guides on how to create the Philosopher's Stone, gaining eternal life, healing every sickness, and so on. Some of the key points noted are: - as above, so below - the Sun ist the father, the Moon is the mother - all is being made from one substance - you shall segragate soil from fire - the wind borne you, the earth fed you It basically attempts to explain the macrocosmos as well as the microcosmos and claims everything is connected either way. it was recited especially in the Middle Ages and is used even today in pseudo-science and occultists and even the Lux Veritatis seem to have worked with it. It's written by Hermes Trismegistus, who is an author with a pen name and there's a whole belief made by his collective works someone titled "intermeticism". It's religious texts mixed with philosophical inputs.

Transcript of the third page: This is a paper with a collection of medieval torture methods painted on it. I might have brought the page with me, you know, a woman's gotta collect something before she dies. I made peace with the fact I don't know if I'll get out of here. Anyway. The most important thing here is that the Sanglyph is in the left upper corner with text I cannot read. Maybe it's a pre-Sanglyph or something, but it has these holes and shapes and symbols as the original.

Transcript of the fourth page: Here's a colection of symbols for elements. All of them are still considered elemts today and are in the periodic table. The symbols are more often related to plantes that to elements. I guess all elements needed by Eckhardt are being logged here. He managed to turn one into another, which today is 1) too expensive and 2) involves some atom-knowledge no normal person besides a physics expert know about. I kinda wish I could decipher all his motes, or the LV ones. So much knowledge lost in time and there's barely any I can carry with me or write down.

Transcript of the fifth and sixth page: Say hello to one of the numerous papers I have no idea of! I don't know what that is. Neither his nor the next pages make sense to me. I can only assume, so my tinfoil is as follows: this looks like a wheel of the year? Or some planetary sketch? Could aslo be some measurements taken of some star- or astronomy or astrology-related things. Really I wish I could understand this. The rest of the books contained a lot of writings propably in Angelic Alphabets, something beyond me, so I only included these pages.

I'll have a closer look at this place, I am hearing weird sounds..and I really don't want to go there. I am stalling and hoping to be left alone.

Transcript of the seventh and eighth page: So uhm...after a while I had to move on. I can't be stuck in this place forever. When I walked out I was greeted with a deadly room, I am not kidding you. I made a map to show you somehow where I am so you can dig up my corpse some time...So. At 1 there is a door with a lion, leading to my place. Bascially I stand here. At number 2 are statues of angels holding fire, at 3 are platforms I could jump on if I am insane and at 4 there are two bridges, probably one that fell apart like my current faith of getting through this in one piece. Oh and at the other side at 5 there is another door leading to this room- and perhaps also out.

Someone crossing my way would have to jump on these pillars, climb ladders, jump over giant pits filled with molten lava and somehow survive this while also pulling a lever, at least there is one I can actually see. The lava is far away from me but honestly I wouldn't want to test its temperature. There is literal fire on the ground, it's incredibly hot in here, and I won't and can't go in there. The only open path left is the fucking door at the other end of the room. Shit.

I made two charts with my idas on how to deal with my situation right now.

GO FURTHER:

maybe find out who the fuck went on a killing spree in Paris and Prague

confirm Lara Croft hasn't murdered her friend

see a nephilim/Eckhardt/ a Lux veritatis

GO BACK:

hope I can actually find the way back

all I've done and learned so far is not completed

Lara isn't redeemed

my ellbow that I somehow bruised and that is throbbing was for nothing

won't know if all I gathered is even real

no one will get to read this book yet I'm still alive...

Transcript of the nineth and tenth page: I have been listening to a man and a woman talking. I will try to slowly get down the slide here. not end up as barbecue, and see what's going on. There is a path ahead, and people. I think I am on the right way.

I made it! I made it and only hurt my knees and have run out of first aid supplies so I had to rip part of my jeans' seam and pat the wounds dry. I need a goddamn week of sleep. I picked up some of the talk in between the two though:

Woman: You stole their body parts. Man: As I will take yours! W: *unimpressed, shots fired, running* M: Only I can make the old race flurish again. W: I'll stop you then. M: I killed the last Lux Veritatis. I am immortal. W: *shows him something* Scary, huh? M: It's on me to bring hell onto earth, you mean nothing! W: It's gonna be a real pleasure to shut you up. gunfire

This has to be Lara Croft! I saw a glimpse of her face while hugging the wall. it's her!! This other guy she's talking to is on a platform upstairs. He has a belt(?) on his arm and I think I can see a chest place connected to one arm. This reminds me of this drawing on a man...it has to be Eckhardt!

Shit, I am hiding behind a pillar. There's screams and rumbling and noise everywhere. I'll just listen and once everything goes silent, I'll have a peak. I wish I could be of use, but there is nothing I can do, is there?

Holy shit. He is real. He really exists!

#angel of darkness #journal #tomb raider #traod #tomb raider angel of darkness #tomb raider series #aod #classic tr #lara croft #classic tomb raider

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in-your-reflection · 3 months

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Meanwhile, at Spear Pillar...

From a rift, a young boy appears, cradling his godling partner in his four arms. Fourteen Plates orbit behind the white-clad boy's body, like a halo. A few drops of black drip from Lucifer's golden left eye.

"Ayin, you dumbass..."

Ayin's unconscious body is gently laid down on the stone, and with the beckoning of a finger...the plates obey Lucifer instead, moving to orbit behind him.

Almost immediately, he is brought to his knees. Two Legend Plates on their own would be overwhelming for someone without full and complete divinity, but coupled with the others...it's a wonder how Ayin managed for so long.

He grits his teeth.

"Fuck. No. I can do this. ...Shut up. SHUT UP!"

He shouts at the mocking voices echoing in his ears. Of the other divinities, shaming him for thinking he has the right to wield the power of a god.

Silence.

He staggers back to his feet, weakly walking up the steps until they end...and continuing onward.

Up, up, and up... Climbing barely-visible stairs that seem almost as if made of crystal. Until eventually he arrives at a nonexistent landing, suspended in the middle of the air.

Lucifer mutters under his breath, but not in words - he recites a function. A long string of terms, numbers, coordinates...and gradually each Plate takes its place, thirteen in a large circle around him, and one floating in the center.

His wings manifest, and with a flap, he rises above the arrangement of Plates, watching them slowly orbit in their neat circular formation.

A familiar sigil appears above him, glowing in gold. A cross, overlaid by a circle, surrounded in brackets. A few of them appear, large, imposing. Big enough to be seen even from the base of the mountain, even from towns over.

His hands raise to his sides as he hovers there, his position evoking the shape of a cross. He draws in a deep, slow breath...and mutters another command.

judgment();

The clouds part. Rays of purest light erupt from the sigils he has drawn upon the sky, zigzagging downward from the heavens. Each one targeting a Plate, piercing through the heart of each with a deafening crash. The rogue Plates shatter, impaled by the light...and yet, they continue to float there, in a vague mockery of their original form.

"...It's not enough. Dammit. Of course I wouldn't be as good at it..."

He slumps lower, already exhausted from the attempt.

"Fine. If your way doesn't work..."

The sigils of light disappear.

"...We do it my way."

The area seems as if covered by an odd miasma, as if Distortion itself is creeping into the space. Lucifer's position turns more dramatic, raising a single hand. Another command, this one different in tone. Less instructing the universe to do as it's told, and more forcing its hand.

requiem();

He snaps his fingers, and in that instant, space collapses. Even looking at Spear Pillar from a distance becomes difficult, as each individual atom making up the location is simultaneously compressed into a singular point. Somewhat akin to a localized black hole. There's nothing to see - because there quite literally is nothing to see. A distinct absence in reality, one that the brain tries to fill in with whatever might seem natural in its place due to the complete lack of ability to comprehend it. The surroundings are filled with silence - an oppressive silence, as if the world has been muted.

And, in an instant that lasts an eternity, an eternity that lasts an instant...Spear Pillar and the mountain as a whole return to existence. The Plates are no more, the only sign of them having ever existed being a strange X-shaped flare to the light when the area is looked upon in a certain way.

And, lying down on the cold stone of the ruins are two children; one in white, and one in black.

The crimson-eyed child's voice lets out a low chuckle, clearly weak.

"Think I got it. You wanted 'em destroyed...yeah, they're destroyed."

He shuts his eyes. Just for a moment. The both of them, while ultimately okay...they need some rest.

#recollection arc #high stakes pokereality #//damn i sure was not expecting to get into something like this tonight #pokemon rp #pokemon irl #pkmn rp #pkmn irl

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