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#characters in it are used well even if the only people who would be recognizable if we weren't told who is who are quackity and
m1ndbrand · 2 months
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"all it took was..." — The new President
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WARNINGS: Coriolanus Snow is it's own warning(Snow after the 10thGames, 2 years after to be precise); Mentions of death and corpse(small description, nothing big).
SUMMARY: The 12th Hunger Games winner unfortunately fortunately gets the attention of President Snow.
WORDS: 1.384
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the franchise The Hunger Games characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used nor do I claim to own them. I do claim what I wrote and only that.
A/N: If you know the tragedy of Coriolanus by William Shakespeare some names will be recognizable...Also I'm sorry but this chapter won't be the continuation of their little...encounter— but I promise, it's going to happen!
TAG-LIST: @sorry-mrs-jacobs; @phoward89;
MASTERLIST
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He was never someone who believed in the stars and whatever they might mean to some people.
It seemed completely idiotic and beneath someone from the level of education, you would get from the Capitol to have this belief that in his humble opinion, of course — was archaic and beneath him.
Fate and stories written on the stars were all but a way of fairy tales being made, a topic on some and even a very important one at that "merging" some characters together like the universe itself deemed them a pair, one in two.
Star-crossed lovers.
How he hated that idea, he couldn't believe he even fed it to—
Let's not dwell on that topic, he had better things to do, like arrange a new Games Maker for the 12th Hunger Games.
Doctor Volumnia Gaul is no more, some freak accident with one or more than one mutt; it wasn't clear, the body was far too mutilated to be recognised by anyone at all if not for the DNA tests and well...the place of the accident, a place only a few people were able to enter and of course Doctor Gaul was one of those people, him included in the small pool.
It was slightly weird however how the mulls were able to break free, the reporters debated it for the first days the case broke daylight, but the theory was quickly suppressed.
After all, mulls were still in being tested and we're highly volatile, their behaviour unstable and unpredictable. And of course, accidents happen.
But the world continues to go around and so shall the Capitol, he needed to find someone and fast. 
He should have looked more into it, the selection that is. But he had more important things in his place, strength the security in the several points of entry on all distractions, the training of the peacekeepers and the change of the uniform like he so petitioned for just to name a few.
The new and young president had more important things to worry about than some person who would probably be soon replaced if so needed.
The theme he chose ,he didn't even try to remember the man's name, was an advanced-looking arena; a sign of the year the Capitol got a new President. Coriolanus liked the idea. It painted his future reign as one that would lead them into the future, lead them into a better time.
It painted him as a good leader.
The reaping ceremony passed without a problem. Some students clearly didn't like something— their tribute lack of attributes to make them win or the idea of having to participate in such 'twisted games' as the rebel-like-youth liked to name his games. He honestly couldn't care less, blue-ice-like eyes looking straight at the screens with a fake polite smile when the camera twists at him, showing his all too polished self composed with a deep red suit and thick coat that made his figure even more imposing than it normally is.
He would soon return to his manor and actually work, the two hours of the opening ceremony put his work ethic behind schedule more than he liked to admit.
There was much to be done to make the Capitol and the Districts into the way he saw fit and Coriolanus shouldn't waste more time than he already has.
Not even a day later he would have the files of everyone who chose to review. For some reason the late president did this— the threat of the Rebels was still very much a problem and he was of course scared shitless by them so all 'useful' information was of course turned into two paper pages that it was his duty to read through.
Coriolanus was just about to skim through them all but the very first file caught his attention, District One female tribute.
Not the girl's image he didn't even look at it properly, he already saw every tribute face on the reaping ceremony... all looked underfed and clearly not fit for an entertaining games in terms of pure brutal strength, the mentors would need to sell them well to the Capitol. No it was her name. Her last name rang a bell.
A big warning bell was inside his head and it made his eyebrows furrow, hand picked up the two-page long file and flipped through the description of her family. Something was amiss, he could feel it in his bones. Something was wrong. 
Coriolanus could almost feel the hunger tearing at his stomach, his small sweaty hand tightly gripping his equally moist cousin's hand as they received the news of his father's death.
His other small hand gripping the files of several names of supposed rebels that could be the reason behind his father's death. Blond hair falls against his sweaty forehead as at that time he didn't understand why he had to read the names of random men.
Brutus.
His hand grips the file on his hand, veins popping up as his eyes skim through the contents of the file, once and then twice. He didn't even sit down, reading in silence for 10 minutes over and over again to look out for another word, sentence, or anything more.
Only two people are still alive from her family— grandmother and little brother, Valeria Brutus and Menenius Brutus, then they got the last name from her grandfather. His hand moves the paper right and left, trying to see if her grandfather's first name was there. But it wasn't. It probably wasn't deemed to be useful information since he is dead. Putting the papers down he turns with a sigh to his window, chin rising as he looks to see all the perfectly arranged garden of pure white roses in the front of his mansion.
No this shouldn't matter. It didn't matter, not now. He got what he wanted he won, the victor. He was still standing with or without his father.
The nostalgic feeling of feeling hungry regrows once again and it makes him nauseous, sharp eyes turning to the face of the girl on the page. She looked like every other girl he reminds himself as he starts a little too long at her face. Eighteen, one more year and she should have been safe from the reaping.
A smile creeps on his lips. Amusement dancing in his eyes like he had just read a good enough joke.
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He couldn't sleep.
Coriolanus hated to be in need of something even if it was just a simple pill to go to sleep. He was better than that, he could sleep alone thank you very much.
Couldn't he just get the information he wanted? He could, he had the resources, and he had the needs to if he so pleases, so why not?
No.
No, he wouldn't lose to this...whatever this is, curiosity, need— want to know. Closure.
Maybe that was it. Know the person or people that did this to him. To his family. The people that made him starve and struggle. Envy and step on people that he knew were living better than him, growing to bring them down so he could feel himself high above them all. Know the people that in a way, made him the way he is now.
Rising he presses the inside of his palms to his eyes.
For fucks sake— Shut the fuck up! 
His mouth was open. Eyes shot open and hands grabbing tightly the silk covers, knuckles turning white. Did he shout those words? Wasn't it all in his head? His hands were shaking, face was slightly flushed red from anger.
It's one of those episodes.
Rising he curses under his breath, feet carrying him to one of the small tables with some pills on them. Deep eyes thin as he tried to look into the colours of the various drugs that looked like they were thrown there and he picked a deep purple one in the midst of the rainbow and quickly gulped it down without water.
His attention is caught by the silver-like glow of the moonlight slipping through his windows, blue tired-looking eyes looking up at the sky, they find the stars instead of the moon that sings for attention. Wishing to catch a stray star amidst the ones that stay. Maybe he could catch it as it falls.
With those thoughts, sleep would soon catch him.
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overthinkinglotr · 1 year
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People keep insulting the Amazon Lord of the Rings show by comparing it to fanfiction when really it's the EXACT opposite of fanfiction! It's so interesting/awful because it's like the ultimate ANTI-fanfiction! I was talking to someone the other day and wasn't aware that lots of people don't know about the insane complicated rights issues happening behind the scenes of the Amazon Show but it's wild. To give a quick summary of the Battle of the Five Rights Issues, as I currently understand it: 1. Amazon only has the rights to make a show about the pre-LOTR era as described in the Lord of the Rings books-- primarily in the appendices of Return the King, where a handful of pages give a brief timeline of some events that happened before the stories. In practice this means they are unable to use nearly all of the characters, places, and events people are familiar with when they think about Middle Earth. They have to make up everything out of whole cloth-- from characters to events to settings. This is either because of timeline reasons or for legal reasons or for both. Whenever they do manage to scrounge up the rights to something you might even vaguely remember (like Mithril) they announce it with enormous fanfare like they're a marvel movie introducing an avenger.
(Parenthetical: Another weird thing I noticed is that the series features practically zero quotes from Tolkien. I only counted about like 4 lines that were edited versions of lines from the books? While this is just a wild tinfoil hat theory, It does feel to me like there might've been some kind of limitation on the amount of Tolkien's words they were allowed to use, as well as the obvious limitations on characters and plot points and etc. The show has the rights to so few things and always REALLY wants you to know when it has the rights to something. It's desperate to remind you of the original books. You would think that, when it's unable to rely on familiar characters or places or events or plot points or music or etc, they would rely instead on Tolkien's really recognizable prose/poetry/language to form an emotional connection to the original stories. After all, language is the heart of Middle Earth, the author's love of language is the reason the world was created, and the unique prose of the story is kinda the soul of why it's memorable. And again, they theoretically have the rights to everything mentioned in the original trilogy right? Theoretically? So it's really odd that they don't use almost any of the language, unlike basically every other adaptation. It might just be a weird writing decision, but it's so strange that it really makes me feel like they were limited or at least dissuaded from including lines from the books.)
2. Amazon is legally Not Allowed to feature things that were mentioned in the Unfinished Tales or the Silmarillion, despite the fact that those are the books that contain most of the stuff about the era they're theoretically adapting. This leads to a bunch of really weird stuff where they introduce things you'd only care about if you read the Silmarillion, but can't include any of the things that would actually make you care about it. Like people who Aren't deep into the lore have literally zero emotional investment in Celebrimbor, but people who ARE deep into the lore know that you can't reference any of the reasons they care about it. 3. Amazon's series is NOT part of the same canon as the Peter Jackson/New Line Cinema films. They're not. However they obviously want to trick people into thinking they are because those movies are popular and a prequel to them would make money even if it sucked (see the Hobbit films.) But again, New Line Cinema still wants to make its own LOTR content based on the slivers of rights they've managed to grab onto, and don't want Amazon to step on their toes. So IIRC Amazon actually made a deal with New Line Cinema that they were allowed to imitate their movie franchise's aesthetic (to keep the brand popular and in the public eye)........ BUT if New Line Cinema ever felt like Amazon was infringing too much on their territory, they could step in and stop it. So the show just sorta looks and sounds like a bland knockoff of the New Line films, because that's all they're legally allowed to be XD. Like they're supposed to look/sound just enough like them to trick you, but they're not legally allowed to include the specific things from the PJ films that would actually make you feel nostalgic for them (like the famous musical leitmotifs.) 4. Part of the deal was that the Tolkien Estate could step in and change anything in the show if they felt it wasn't true to the lore-- which is ridiculous because again, Amazon basically doesn't own the rights to any of the lore so they're just making stuff up anyway. From what I can tell it seems like this basically means the Tolkien Estate can arbitrarily veto any creative decisions based on whatever they've decided “Tolkien would've wanted,” which obviously limits what Amazon is able to do (and likely prevents them from actually criticizing the awful problematic elements of Tolkien's worldbuilding)
5. Ok I don't have a fifth one. SO BASICALLY: Yes, the Amazon series is about a bunch of original characters in almost completely original settings featuring original events and original plot points that (for the most part) doesn't even include any of Tolkien's actual words, and also isn't affiliated with and doesn't include the recognizable things like musical motifs from the New Line Cinema films. But that doesn't make it fanfic. Because fanfiction is when you take another's person's characters and stories and write your own weird personal take on them, even if you don't legally own it. Who legally owns the copyright is irrelevant in fanfiction. Fanfic it's about writing a story with the characters and world you love, about transforming a story you're passionate about even if you don't legally own the rights. Amazon Rings of Power is what happens when an entire show is completely written around what you legally own the rights to. Every aspect of it only exists as an elaborate tap dance around copyright infringement. Again, I think the Amazon series is more interesting as "a study of how corporations/megafranchises can do massive harm and also weaken our ability to create good art" than it is as a tv show, alskdjfsdlf.
If fanfiction is "writing something you love regardless of whether you own the rights" then Rings of Power is "writing whatever fits within the extremely narrow box of the rights you happen to own." And that makes it....a very strange thing to exist! It’s kinda a shining example of how giant media monopolies and copyright laws designed to benefit them end up hamstringing everyone’s ability to create meaningful art, even the corporations themselves.
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davidfarland · 2 years
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7 Considerations for Characters
Of all the topics on how to write, I suspect more books have been written on how to create solid characters than on anything else. So there are a lot of great resources out there on how to create characters, and I can’t even touch on every topic that I would like in the space of an article this short.
Let me just say a few things, though. We are often told that our characters should be “round,” rather than stick-figure drawings. If you were an artist and you painted a picture with stick figures, people would say, “Well, that’s not very realistic. It is hardly recognizable as human.”
In stories, we usually don't want that response either. We want our characters to have dimension. Such characters have (but are not limited to) the following attributes:
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Character Consideration #1: Specific Physical Bodies
Real people have physical bodies with inherent limitations and strengths. These bodies get hungry, hurt, and have urges all their own. They also have a history of ailments and injuries, various scars, and of course plenty of traits that we may or may not want to include in our tale—including things like foot size, ear size and shape, and so on. Trying to describe some of these traits is danged near impossible.
Character Consideration #2: Relationships
Real people have families and friends. For a while in young adult literature, just about everyone was an orphan. That’s because editors didn’t want authors to have to deal with family issues. Yet far too often, authors don’t create extended families primarily out of laziness. Similarly, each of us has various levels of friends, business colleagues, people we are attracted to, and people who are attracted to us at some level. We might include in this list of associations things like pets and plants. Does your heroine keep African violets around the house, and tenderly nurse her geraniums? A likeable character is usually one who shows kindness to others, who seeks out deep and lasting commitments—even if it is just to her flowers.
Character Consideration #3: Vocation
Real people have jobs—usually a history of them. For example, I’ve been a meat cutter, a prison guard, a missionary, a movie producer, novelist, video game designer, technical writer and editor, grocer, gourmet ice-cream pie maker, and farmer. In the modern world, we tend to develop large skill sets as we age, but there was a time when a person started life as a farmer and ended up buried out by the grape vines.
Character Consideration #4: Social Status
Real people also have a place in society. These societies might include political groups, religious and civic organizations, and so on.
Character Consideration #5: An Internal Life
Real people have an internal life, invisible to the naked eye. This is a good category for a lot of things—emotional needs and phobias, ideals, and so on. These might include secret beliefs, hopes, desires. It also includes our own personal way of seeing the world, and includes how we cope with it. Sometimes our personal ideals are at odds with our public affiliations. For example, while most people profess some sort of religion, very often our personal beliefs might vary in some way from the official doctrine of the church that we espouse.
The internal life of a character is of course where we get the “meat” for our novels. A movie can easily capture the exterior of a character, but novels do a better job of capturing the internal feelings, moods, and beliefs. Yet that’s only part of the reason why novels are so popular and are often said to be better than the movies they inspire.
I’m convinced that we have an innate need to get to know one another from the inside out. . . . So we spend a great deal of time analyzing the motives, beliefs, and actions of others.
The internal lives of our characters are the most fertile ground that an author may plant his story in.
Character Consideration #6: Internal Conflicts
As we explore the internal lives of our characters, one of the most important areas to explore is that person’s internal conflicts. What happens when a person loves and fears the same thing? What happens when a man’s conscience won’t let him carry out his boss’s (or wife’s, or master’s) orders? Most people are filled with interesting contradictions, and usually that provides the best material for our novels.
Character Consideration #7: Voice
Each character has a unique way of speaking. Finding a character’s voice and accent is often a key for me when writing a book. The character never comes alive until I can hear him talking in my own imagination.
In Conclusion
Please note that people are not stick figures. In a good novel, the author creates a number of characters who are put in opposition, and each of them is satisfying and believable. Your imaginary characters never really quite come alive, but at times it can feel like they’re taking over your story, bent on achieving their own ends.
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Was I the AH for making a joke no one told me they didn't like?
This happened back when I was 12.
I was pretty... not popular, but friends with a lot of semi-popular figures in a certain fandom. I know you aren't supposed to be on social media until you're 13 and all that, but it was a good while ago [2019ish] and I was a kid who never made friends IRL.
One of my friends [16, I think?] had a delusion [it was a diagnosed disorder they had and told me about, if I remembered I would tell you, MAYBE OSDD but I think it was something else] that they were one of the characters from the show the fandom was about.
I had other friend groups into the same show, and I would often make jokes "pretending" to be one of the characters [usually just posting a memed up version of a screencap and mimicking the speech pattern of the character], which would land well and make them laugh, so I saw no issue using this joke around the friend with delusions [who I'll call Lucas]. I only did it twice.
The first time I didn't notice anything different, but the second time they started treating me like this character [who I later learnt but didn't know at the time Lucas recalled having memories of being in a romantic relationship with]. Lucas was the only person I knew who had these types of delusions, so I didn't know what to do and just went along with it until they, uh... "snapped out of it", I guess?
Soon after, I was added to a group chat with a few other people. All of them were 16, except for who we'll call Dawn, who was 12 or 13, and who was the leader of their whole group. I'll call the other people Rosa [someone who I had gotten in a huge argument with before for a reason I don't remember but I think she started it and I overreacted, if this was about that it'd probably be YTA or ESH, but I apologized and we didn't really talk anymore], and Nate [someone who I hadn't ever talked to outside of a large group setting]. Lucas was also there in this group chat.
They were staging an... intervention? They were basically making me explain my actions and were telling me how I was a horrible person for "tricking Lucas into thinking I was this character". Lucas wasn't very responsive to the situation, and I was pretty sure Dawn was the one who orchestrated the whole thing and roped Lucas into it, maybe as a confidant or something like that. Rosa brought up how awful I was to her before, and how she never forgave me even though I thought she did. Nate also brought up how "aggressive and violent" I was, citing one of the only times I had talked to him [which I thought was just a funny way to greet someone, akin to like "*knocks a door off its hinges and it explodes everywhere, I take several minutes trying to put it back together but it clearly isn't done well* Hi guys"], using a screenshot he had taken MONTHS prior and had been saving for that moment, he told me.
I was supposed to go out shopping, so I couldn't keep on checking my phone without my parents getting suspicious of me. I was also hyperventilating and kept on having to take breaks to make sure I didn't freak out. I kept on trying to reply to things in chronological order, and they were getting more and more progressively upset. I told them the first part about my parents getting suspicious, and one of them even told me that "your parents should know what kind of sick fuck you are, maybe then you'll understand your actions." Eventually, we DID go shopping, and I couldn't reply for several hours.
When I got back, Dawn and Rosa had made several call out posts on their social media each, and I had several DMs from other people about it. I couldn't read the posts, and all I did was deactivate my account. I couldn't post art I had done online until about a year ago, couldn't even think about the show until a few months ago when my friend wanted to try it out, and I still can't go onto that social media platform because it makes me so nervous and I can't breathe, afraid that someone will recognize me even now and "expose me". Lucas wanted to keep in touch, but they were a bit clingy and only came to me when they were having mental breakdowns. I couldn't handle the constant reminders, so I eventually deleted their number.
Note: while I am very safe about my identity online, these people [at least Dawn, since she said how old she was before me and even showed pictures of herself in cosplay online before, she WAS very 12] did know what age I was [I had lied about it before then to other people].
I still feel really bad about this, and I was wondering if I really was being an asshole. Maybe I was just being biased because I was the one being persecuted? I don't know. Maybe I was the AH because I was suffering from the horrible illness sweeping the nation called being 12 years old?
I'm sorry if this is a little silly, but I'm 17 now and this is still a part of my past I'm ashamed of.
Could you tag this post "12 year old confrontation" so I can find it? Thank you. Sorry, again.
What are these acronyms?
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theresattrpgforthat · 8 months
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Hello! I’ve been following you for a bit now, and all of your recommendations have been super cool and interesting! If you don’t mind me asking, do you have any recommendations for really long indie ttrpgs? One that could match the length of dnd or CoD books, I mean. The specifics don’t matter as much, I just really like sinking my teeth into long game books like that.
THEME: Long Indie Games
Hello friend! Fear not, I have a multitude of long indie games to recommend for you!
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Chuubo’s Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine, by Jenna Moran.
Length: 578 pages.
The Chuubo’s Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine RPG is the diceless RPG from Jenna Katerin Moran, author of the well-regarded Nobilis and an important contributor to Eos’ Weapons of the Gods and White Wolf’s Exalted RPG.
Chuubo’s is a special beast. I personally don’t know how one actually plays this game, but the book itself is fascinating to read. It has recognizable parts such as character skills, Health Levels, and XP, but I think I’d want to sit down with a physical copy to be able to properly read it and get a handle on how you play through a story. If you enjoy a challenge, or even just something enchanting and evocative, I’d recommend Chuubo’s.
Part-Time Gods, by Third Eye Games.
Length: 318 pages.
The gods of today are shadows of what the old gods possessed. Their power has been heavily diminished, and many choose to live a regular, mortal life, revealing themselves as gods only when absolutely necessary. The reason for this is twofold. First, fate doesn’t like it when the gods share their secrets with a mortal. Unless they are the god’s worshipper, terrible events and horrific accidents have a way of happening to the people closest to the god. Secondly, divine works attract creatures and monsters called Outsiders, created by the Source (after its capture) to destroy any god they encounter.
This is a game that’s on my TBR shelf - and it might stay there for a while, because this is another pretty lengthy book. I am very grateful for the index at the back of this book, because I think this would be pretty difficult to navigate. Part-Time Gods is set in the modern-day, but the premise behind your god-hood is very unique, so one of the first chapters is dedicated to telling you what exactly it means to be a part-time god, part-time taxpayer. The book also contains small pieces of prose set in the world, meant to give you a flavour of the genre and tone intended by the designer. I’m really interested in the concepts expressed in this game, and I hope I have enough brain space to read it in the future!
We Are All Mad Here, by Shanna Germain.
Length: 226 pages.
Jack climbing the beanstalk. The little mermaid finding her voice. Alice struggling with the madness of a place unruled by the laws of reality. The queen. The child. The woodsman. The knight. When you think about fairy tales, who do you become? Where does your imagination take you?
We Are All Mad Here is a tabletop game about fairytales and mental health, providing you with new options for the Cypher System while also creating a setting about visitors to a magical land called the Heartwood. In the fiction, only those who have had some kind of struggle that affects their mental health are able to travel to this magical land. Germain intends this to be a way to tell a narrative about mental health using allegory and metaphor. The Cypher system itself is pretty complex, and you probably won’t be able to play a game of We Are All Mad Here without the core rulebook, so it might be worth it to take a gander at the Cypher System Rulebook while you’re at it.
Coyote & Crow, by Connor Alexander.
Length: 484 pages.
More than 700 years ago, a massive disaster changed the course of history. The world was plunged into centuries of darkness, but the event also introduced the Adanadi — the Gift — a strange mark that appeared on all life. This mark would have an enduring impact on humanity. Centuries later, the Earth is healing. New, advanced nations have risen. Ancient legends stir.
Coyote & Crow is a pretty extensive and unique game, using pools of d12s pulled from your stats, as well as narrative beats such as character motivation, Gifts and Burdens to help give your character a personality. Because it introduces an alternate history and a drastically different future, the core book as a decent amount of lore to acquaint you with the city of Cahokia and the world that surrounds it.
This game has quite a bit of support out there, with adventures such as Stolen Heart, Laughter Lost & Found, and The Case of the Great Underwater Panther.
Impulse Drive, by Adrian Thoen.
Length: 242 pages.
Play a crew of misfits and scoundrels living a life of danger and adventure as they explore space and try to make their ship a home in a technicolor sea of stars. Fight dangerous organizations, investigate unnerving mysteries, and find trouble in a game that rewards you when your characters face their shortcomings. Grow your characters and ship with new gear and abilities as you discover and create the universe together, as a group.
For a PbtA game, Impulse Drive feels pretty substantial. It provides a quick primer on Powered by the Apocalypse games, and includes advice for the players as well as the GM. This might be because the game includes a lot of details about gear and vehicles, as this is a space game that cares what your party has on hand and what their ship can do. There’s also advice on changing the game, extra moves, and a roll table for mutations! If you’re looking to see how to play out a space adventure in a more narrative-focused system, you might want to check out this game!
The Shrike, by Alice the Candle.
Length: 162 pages.
The Shrike is a game about fantastical voyages aboard a skyship. It's inspired by Avery Alder's The Quiet Year, John Harper's Lady Blackbird, Italo Calvino, Ursula K. Le Guin, and utopian and dystopian fiction. It features four complete adventures (two multiplayer, two for solo play). 
This indie game is on the short side of this list, but it’s definitely long by indie standards. The author has provided 4 different adventures that you can read through, which will likely spark your imagination along the way. Interestingly, the voyages are placed in the first half of the book, while the information about Solo, Co-operative. and Guided Play embody the second half of the book. I’m not sure how I feel about this layout choice, but if you’re mostly looking for a book that you can read, flipping through the voyages might be more interesting to you than the rules of play.
Games I’ve Recommended in the Past
Lancer, by Massif Press. 431 pages.
The Wildsea, by Felix Isaacs. 364 pages.
Exceptionals, by Sahoni. 253 pages.
Gubat Banwa, by makpatatag. 399 pages.
Monster Care Squad, by Sandy Pug Games. 176 pages.
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utilitycaster · 1 month
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The narrative of D&D
Fantasy High Junior Year has made its exploration of the tropes, mechanics, and structures of D&D readily apparent, perhaps even more so than the earlier two seasons. This is unsurprising for a show in which the characters are, in-universe, extremely aware of their mechanics and indeed in a high school intended to develop them. And yet, while Brennan Lee Mulligan pokes at these structures, the story still rests squarely within them.
This is not accidental; in longer form narratives (and Fantasy High as an overall story certainly is one, though each individual season exists in a strange no-man's land of campaign length) there is a distinctive pattern to the D&D narrative, one that is outright stated in the player's handbook. D&D is a progressive advancement game; characters grow in power and in sociopolitical import as they level up. They begin, even at level 1, as exceptional people (no commoner stats for them) and are destined by the fact that they are in a D&D game for greatness. There are things D&D supports well; travel, social interaction, one-time skill use, and combat. There are things it does poorly, notably downtime and stories that are not built along the lines of heroic fantasy.
I think this is a value neutral statement, in that I think that trying to avoid playing D&D while playing D&D is a futile exercise; your character will become more powerful while playing it and the only way to avoid gaining this power is to play a different game. I also think that while D&D has the potential to comment on our world from a new perspective, as most speculative fiction does, and is certainly not without flaws, that conversation is one for a later date. The structure exists; like it or not, it exists. There are other games to play that support other stories.
Fantasy High is direct in its engagement: characters are aware of their classes. They learn about the conventions thereof in their high school coursework, and must justify their multiclassing, both with their current level of power in their base class as well as with what they have done (both narrative and mechanical justifications). The antagonists of Junior Year are the Rat Grinders, explicitly commenting on Experience vs. Milestone leveling; several characters provide an eye into such D&D player tropes as min-maxxing and focusing on RP vs only on the game and mechanical elements. The Seven, set in the same world, operates on a similar premise; the party risks being broken up because half are still in high school and they would not survive a split of that level. Adventurers at the Aguefort Academy must adventure, and both the humor and deconstruction come from the juxtaposition of the conventions of D&D with the typical life of a high school student. The characters do level up; they do become more recognizable; they do have to save the world, repeatedly.
A somewhat subtler deconstruction comes in the form of NADDPod's first campaign, or as it was introduced, The Campaign after the Campaign. As envisioned by Brian Murphy (a player in Fantasy High; it is perhaps relevant that the two shows both began production around the same time), the world in which it is set is grappling with the aftermath of the "campaign" of the three legendary heroes Alanis, Thiala, and Ulfgar, who had slain Asmodeus, among other feats. While this ended a war, it set off several crucial events. Most centrally to the story of NADDPod, Thiala, disillusioned with her role as the healer, broke her worship of Pelor and used the heart of Asmodeus to ascend to godhood; she would eventually become the final antagonist of the campaign. However, the death of Asmodeus also set off a power vacuum in Hell. NADDPod's third campaign is set two centuries after the first, and the new legendary heroes (the Band of Boobs of the first campaign) have been dealing with the aftermath of an extraplanar war of the gods; Mothership, the main antagonist, arose in Thiala's wake. This is all typical actions leading to consequences, but the idea that the butterfly that flapped its wings was the resentment of someone having to play the cleric is notable (and is directly contrasted by Emily Axford's Bahumia characters, who openly embrace healing and support casting, breaking Thiala's cycle while cleaning up her mess.) But NADDPod too is heroic fantasy, even with the science fantasy elements present in the second season, and even slots nicely into the PHB tiers.
Critical Role does not, per se, strive to deconstruct in the same way (though Matt Mercer does provide some direct retorts to Forgotten Realms lore, particularly that of drow). But like NADDPod, the consequences of past campaigns influence subsequent ones. Campaign 1 is very easily recognizable as a classic "gain influence and power" story, and while Campaign 2's heroes the Mighty Nein retain a refreshingly low profile throughout the story, it does still progress in a typical way, though in a rather more self-directed manner.
Campaign 3 is interesting, in that it initially deviates from some of the more classic tropes of early D&D, but ultimately succumbs (to its benefit, in my opinion) to the inertia of the heroic fantasy arc. Bells Hells do not work their way up from level 1 or 2 taking on odd jobs; they begin the campaign by joining up with a benevolent patron, and several party members have pre-existing powerful connections. They receive the use of a skyship by episode 22 and level 6 (something even Vox Machina considered having to steal at level 13) and inherit it not long after. And yet: despite this, and a pivotal set piece of the apogee solstice in which a comparatively low level party plays a part among many factions, following a brief split the campaign begins to run on more familiar tracks. For all the early privileges the team enjoyed and the theological debates they engaged in, they ultimately find themselves in a position identical to that of the archetypal Vox Machina: facing an evil wizard who, after a rushed solstice ritual mid-campaign, only partially unsealed a long-imprisoned ancient deity of manipulation and destruction and now wishes to finish the job. One must assume Delilah Briarwood is appreciating the parallels from within Laudna's psyche.
Worlds Beyond Number is a player on the scene to watch out for, especially because Mulligan has shown himself to enjoy playing with these tropes and his players are all immensely knowledgeable and experienced players (and in Aabria Iyengar's case, DMs) themselves. Rather like Bells Hells, two of its three characters are coming in already in storied positions, despite being level 2, and it will be interesting to see if it bucks the trend. I don't think it needs to. I think there's plenty of variety to be had within this subgenre, and I think a quiet pushing at the boundaries is frequently more effective than full-scale subverstion. But should that be the plan, it will take a lot of work; even with immense awareness of the path D&D sets forth it seems DMs - and players - tend to stay on it.
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throwaway-yandere · 2 years
Text
500 Year Long Identity Crisis (Yandere!SAGAU Various/Reader)
A/n: Advanced happy birthday Ayaka/2nd anniversary everyone!!! I put quite the effort into this fic to celebrate lol.
Characters present in this chapter: (Main Focus) Traveler!Aether, Baizhu, Dainsleif. (Briefly Mentioned) Yelan, Albedo, Kaeya, Zhongli, Venti, Abyss!Lumine, Enjou
Cw: yandere self-aware genshin au, "impostor" reader, gn!reader
Unreliable synopsis: The traveler received a strange commission indirectly from a government official. Although, it seems their azure-glasses-wearing guide is far more interesting than the quest itself.
Hysteric Humanoid (Yandere!SAGAU):
Side Story I - The Longest Devout Believers (this short story will be uploaded in a few days.)
Chapter 1 (You're here)
—---
"He who leaves a good name does not die poor. Remember that well, Your Grace!"
------
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Everyone you encountered in your travels wondered what you would look like without your azure-tinted sunglasses at some point in their lives. Whether it be random passersby or your "closest" confidants, not a single soul knew what you looked like underneath the accessories you wore. This eccentric trait of yours made plenty uneased, for each time someone tried to pry into your privacy, you were quick to quip more riddles for them to lose sleep over.
As expected, today's appointment with the traveler was no different.
Aether couldn't tell what to make of you when you entered the restaurant. You covet too many cultural accessories, more so than Tighnari's infamous mess of a getup. Yet the only somewhat recognizable article of clothing was the fur scarf around your neck. However, this is only because a certain Mondstadt cavalry captain wore something similar. Only this time, this scarf had more love put into its handiwork than Kaeya's.
At least you balanced his abysmal first impression by offering to pay the bill.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. They call me "Jianfeng". I'm a temporary tax accountant here in Liyue. It's a pleasure to be working with you."
The traveler noticed your gloved hands extended. Almost every part of your body was covered, indicating that you made a concerted effort in covering everything up. He couldn't tell what color your eyes were underneath those glasses. You don't fit in in the bustling main metropolis of Liyue Harbor, let alone Wanmin Restaurant, and Aether doubted that you'd be able to blend in anywhere else.
You looked like an eccentric Fatui Agent. Almost. But even bad guys in uniform had better fashion sense. Are you trying to look worse than criminals?
The traveler didn't like you right off the bat.
If he were to guess, people “call you Jianfeng” because they don’t know your real name.
"It's... Nice to meet you too." Aether hesitantly shook your hand. His eyebrows furrowed.
Your hands were as cold as Albedo's.
That fact alarmed him.
Not long ago, he discovered Albedo's true nature as a homunculus and met his clones. In that handshake, he felt your flesh holding his, and he might dare say that you have unique human characteristics, yet your rigidness makes you appear more like an entity. Aether eyed you quietly.
What if you were one of them? What if behind your blue-tinted glasses, your eyes are composed of chalk? 
Aether doesn't believe you are human. He had already concluded who you were after this little discussion. You're either a doll, a clone, or an exuvia. However, he couldn't explain why he thought it was the third guess.
"They call you Jianfeng? So, is that not your real name or...?" 
Paimon asked what he was afraid of saying.
He didn't even notice that you already pulled your hand away. Aether's hand was trembling. 
You used up all the self-restraint you had left so you won't narrow your eyes at her. He's already suspicious enough. You know that look well. His sister had that expression, too. Their faces bespoke knowledge and experience that free-spirits have. This is no time to let your guard down.
The traveler is a lot more perceptive than you thought.
You felt a tiny hand grabbing your hood. 
"Do you need to wear all these clothes? You're not weak to the cold, are you?"
You flinched as you came face to face with a starry-eyed "pixie" tugging your earrings like a newborn baby. You gently smacked her away with one hand. Have you been slacking on training so much that Paimon, of all people, nearly yanked your hood off? You must have given her a menacing look since the cowardly critter scurried behind the traveler right after.
She's a lot nosier than you guessed.
"P-Paimon!!!"
Aether's eyes went wide as he slammed his hand to cover his traveling companion's mouth, not even bothering to look behind him. If he wasn't already a famous figure, you would've noted that the two traveled adequately enough for him to hit her lips intuitively.
He may appear shocked, but he is nothing but calm in assessing your character.
So, you don't like it when people grab your clothes. You're hiding something.
"I'm SO sorry about Paimon!" The blonde man squeaked. "She can be a bit tactless."
"No, no. It's fine. I enjoy talking to blunt people." You chuckled. "Makes my job run a lot smoother, especially during busy seasons. Though, I would greatly appreciate it if neither of you would strip away my clothes. We don't have an intimate... friendship."
You shook your head, realizing that your reply sounded like something Kaeya would say.
"I hope you're not assuming that I'm here to talk about tax return preparations. I won't press you about anything related to taxes. Besides, I'm a bit off schedule and I don't have time snooping into your business."
Paimon audibly sighed, Aether not so much.
"So you're not going to ask about tax evasion...?" He muttered.
You didn't quite catch that. "What?"
"N-Nevermind that!" Paimon giggled suspiciously. You've heard the traveler had done around Inazuma and for the sake of keeping his heroic ventures alive, you turned a blind eye in this case. 
It's not like you can jail a video game protagonist for tax fraud anyways.
"I asked for your audience because I would like to hire you for a special commission." 
You cringed for a brief moment before clearing your throat. 
"Actually, no, that doesn't seem right. SOMEONE from The Civil of Ministry Affairs wants to hire you for a special commission, and I happen to be nearby for SOMEONE to dump this workload without consent. I have a life of my own, so expect me to make this quick."
"Civil of Ministry Affairs..." The traveler glanced at Paimon.
"Ooh! Ooh! Is it Yelan?!"
The small creature loved to hog the conversation, but her slip-of-a-tongue proved to be quite helpful in this instance.
"Yes, precisely. Huh, I thought I'd have to make a roundabout excuse as to why I can't disclose who your client is." 
You slid the files onto the table's surface. Aether didn't seem phased by the enormous red CONFIDENTIAL text stamped on the folders and quickly took a look without your authorization.
"You have three days to decide. Look for me at Bubu Pharmacy at around six to ten pm. See you then."
Yelan often visits the pharmacy in disguise, so if she ever doubts you, you might as well prove her wrong. You stood up. You can't be bothered to stay longer, lest you want Mingbo's ire.
"H-Hey, hold on, Paimon can't understand this!"
"Then hire someone that can. Yelan insists that it's an important mission. It's imperative that you must perfect this task." 
Your departure was as quick as your arrival, and you spared not a single second more to entertaining the traveler's questions. 
Was it out of false confidence that he could decipher scholarly pages or pure indifference? Neither Paimon nor Aether knew. What bugged them more was not the fact they couldn't understand the files without Paimon reading through a dictionary for the foreigner, but the proverb you whispered right before you disappeared.
"Remember to paint the dragon, then dot the eye."
-----------
Cursed hands roamed the severed threads of your hood... until they slowly traveled down your neck, squeezing lightly.
"Your hair, your face, your body, your eyes..."
You shivered.
As you've heard, eyes are a telltale marker of neoteny. It speaks for how you've aged without saying a word and expresses everything humanity desired. Nonetheless, you did not pay attention to these sermons. What you heard is nothing more than a dirty craving for eternal youth, similar to a corrupt man's desire to deflower what is absolutely still and Celestia's desire to demolish a prosperous nation.
Man or Heaven– it did not matter which, they all wished you gone.
All you have left is him. For he remains as your soft glow at dawn and the sword at your side.
He spoke into your ear. Strands of his light hair stroked the nape of your neck, enticing you with his closeness. He shades your view of the burning nation in front of you with one gloved hand. Someone as frail as you, in his opinion, should not squander their eyes viewing a despicable final act.
His somber voice was an epilogue– a closing narration to humanity's greatest achievement. 
And Khaenri'ah's end starts with you.
"Every inch of you is under my protection."
His breath was uneven, much like his tearful visage. You did not permit him, but his head rested on your shoulder, soundly defeated. From that moment forward, you were the only person he could touch without feeling guilty about his curse, for better or for worse.
"But we must continue this path. It's far too late to stop…
"I beg you, My Lord. Don't go anywhere without me."
-----------
"Are you sure the traveler will say no? I must say though, you're very bold for tampering with Yelan's files, (Player Name)."
"Stop calling me that," you gritted your teeth. "You know damn well I despise that name, doc."
The person who asked you was a slim doctor who ground some medicinal herbs on the countertop. Considering how he says the name (Player Name) without any thought of divine retribution, he's a bit of a heretic, like you.
The doctor's name is Baizhu, renowned for his work in the Bubu Pharmacy. 
He appears fragile but make no mistake: disagreeing with his methodologies is futile. Baizhu is by no means a friend but you wouldn't want him as your enemy. He's the only one who knows of your "unique" constitution, and therefore the only one who can tinker with your body. At least, the contract says so.
Baizhu met your eyes with a small, scheming smile.
"In all honesty, Jianfeng, your hatred for The Creator will bite you one day. You can't hate them forever."
You grunted.
Yes, yes you can.
The crest of Khaenri'ah rests in your pupils, daunting and pure. Looking at the mirror feels awfully naked without your glasses since your reflection haunts you. The symbol weaved in your eyes echoed the voices of those who were there long ago. 
You were naught but a primordial being shaped like the one that played behind the "screen". You were a Khaenri'ahn offering, an homage to this "player" figure you'll never understand. This flawed birth process is your bane. You were molded into their ideal human Lord, one who wielded power beyond the Archons and Celestia itself...
The Creator. 
(Player Name).
Your homeland revered this one entity. In fact, your master made you in their image, not as a person but as a walking sculpture. Nonetheless, you aspired to be The Creator whom anyone would be glad to share a room with. You worked hard to be considerate and kind... But playing the role of a saint is pointless in the nation of agnostic men.
Khaenri'ahns do not rely on Archons or their doctrines, but they recognize that your very existence was blasphemous.
It would've hurt less if you hadn't deluded yourself that you had a chance. It didn't matter how much love you offered when those sentiments did not reach the masses' hearts.
Because you'll never be their image of (Player Name). Even if you inherited their intellect and insights of the future.
You would've loved your countrymen as they grew wrinkly and unrecognizably older. You would've given them the kindness they deserved. You would've forgiven them for all their flaws. Because you know you see them as who they were.
But why couldn't they have thought the same for you?
Oftentimes you wondered if it was their eyes that stalked you when you first left your cage. More often than not, you lie awake at night wondering what made (Player Name) so valuable and what made this human, an imperfect and mortal thing, more adored than you will ever be. Try as you might in racking your head for an answer, dead men tell no tales.
And where did all the love that you gave got you now? Scared of your own faux body. Paranoid and pitiful.
You just want to be loved. 
By anyone.
"... Jianfeng? Are you crying?" Baizhu said in disbelief rather than concern.
You sniffed and hastily smudged the tears behind your glasses. Baizhu made his way towards you with a hand that eagerly patted your head. Changsheng, who's normally abrasive, slithered on top of your shoulders and gave you a cold hug. They didn't ask why you were crying. You spilled your heart out to him long ago, and he's not a forgetful person, unlike his little helper. 
You snickered weakly.
By the looks on both their faces, you could tell that they know your true identity.
But you don't care.
After all, it was Baizhu who gave you your new name. And "Jianfeng" suits you just fine.
"Me? Crying? You need new glasses." You sniffed.
"Hmm? Oh but darling I think my diagnosis is spot on."
"If I was crying, shouldn't you realize that you're the problem?" You half-heartedly quipped.
His smile faded. Before Baizhu could say anything witty in response, Qiqi, with her stubby legs, opened the door in her tippy-toes. 
"Jian… the traveler is here…"
You gently patted Changsheng's head, silently motioning her to go back to her master. 
"Will be there in a sec."
---------------
Aether was curious as to why you chose this to be your meeting place, but after seeing Baizhu trail behind you, he formed a concrete assumption as to why.
The doctor had a hand draped around your shoulder. You two must have an "intimate friendship."
"Before we give you an answer, Paimon has a few things Paimon wants to ask!"
You expected as much. "Sure, go on then."
The traveler sat in one of the free chairs and you did the same.
Baizhu took a seat behind the counter. Given his frail constitution, he isn't the most imposing man in the room, but his look was something else entirely. The doctor observed the traveler and his companion stealing your attention.
Paimon may be dense, but Aether isn't.
Aether couldn't speak when Baizhu's snake-like eyes tilted like a blade under his chin.
"Are you from Mondstadt?"
"Huh? Er... No. Why did you think so?"
"You have the same scarf-thing like Kaeya– he's The Knights of Favonius’s Cavalry Captain."
You've met him. The Creator knows him as well. They frequently controlled his body before swapping to someone else after "wishing." Aside from that, you two correspond letters frequently. Kaeya sends notices whenever a certain fellow countryman concocts drinks at his brother’s tavern. Hence, you consider him a close confidant.
But you'd rather not share that information.
Kaeya likes to keep his friendship with you as one of his dirty little secrets.
Last time someone found out about you, the cavalry captain knocked him out. You never saw Connor again after that.
"Maybe we have similar tastes. I did visit old Mond before, but that was because I wanted to see the Great Wolf, Andrius..." You sighed.
Paimon quickly moved on. "Are you sure you're a tax accountant? The traveler hasn't seen you on Liyue's list of graduates."
They must have obtained the information through Keqing. That lady has reservations about everything, from your golden shrimp balls to Rex Lapis and The Creator. You were skeptical of her at first, but she welcomes any criticism that borders on blasphemy. It made you wonder why she only revealed that information now and never interrogated you before.
"This carp had jumped the dragon's gate before you arrived in Mondstadt, pal. I studied in Fontaine and got my license a few years ago." You sipped your chamomile tea, lazily pointing at the papers on the table. "See? I'm rather upfront about what I do."
Except for the fact you graduated nearly fifty years ago, under the name "Faust."
"Paimon thinks it's because you don't exactly look like a government worker, Jianfeng..."
"What do I look like then?"
"Well, uhh... Paimon can't say..."
"Exactly," you sat up straight. "A man cannot be judged by looks, much like seas cannot be measured by a cup."
"Another Liyue proverb..." Aether muttered.
Jokes on you, they DID hire someone to simplify the documents. In addition, he asked Zhongli what your departing words meant moments prior... Admittedly, Aether's not ready to sit through another thirty minutes of him discussing what you meant this time. One literacy lesson is enough for one week.
You wouldn't know about all that. You avoid Morax– he calls himself Zhongli nowadays– like Hilichurl camps. His new appearance does little to fool you. Based on The Creator's insight, he had faked his death. The last time you had talked to him, he tried to kidnap you, so the only Archon you have the slightest semblance of trust for is Lord Barbatos. 
Speaking of Lord Barbatos, you're sure he'd love what you'll say next…
"Do you want a Fontaine proverb? Sure, here's one."
The travelers muffled their groans. Baizhu laughed heartily while Paimon pressed her head on her palm.
You chuckled.
"The robes don’t make the monk. If you can't label me from my looks then I shall do it for you. You're travelers, yet you've not seen all of what Liyue has to offer. This is what Jianfeng, a humble tax accountant, looks like, and other people in my profession can appear similarly if they chose to. What matters more is how we perform. The end."
The two travelers looked dumbfounded. 
Good. What you said was total horseshit.
"Paimon doubts it's as complic– umm, easy as that..." She droned on. 
The Creator's insights were right. Paimon is the noisest character in this "game." By then, you couldn't care much about what more she had to say. Instead, you handed the traveler a pouch.
There's no other choice than to send them on a wild goose chase.
"Yelan told me that you have no deadline in tracking The Creator down," you squinted. "But I'm no kind person. As the Liyue saying goes: return a loan on time and borrowing again will be easier. I'll only give you a daily allowance for two months. That's the only favor I will grant you."
Paimon floated near you, a lot cheekier this time. "But won't that be a pain for you?"
"How come?" You tilted your head.
"You're... Joining us, right?"
You went silent.
"Huh?"
Baizhu chuckled. He and Aether sidelined the entire conversation, yet they caught on rather quickly.
The traveler spoke, his voice was subtly smug.
"Mx. Accountant, Yelan put your name in the contract as our travel guide. And you already signed it."
------
Great, now you’re part of the wild goose chase too. Damn you, Yelan. Damn you, Wupei, for dressing up as a Good Hunter delivery boy. You can't believe she outsmarted you. Why did you even sign it– food deliveries don't ask for signatures and Mondstadt is miles away. Just because you've seen most of Teyvat for the past 500 years does not mean you have the qualifications as a travel guide– much less for a place that's a giant underground cave full of unanswered questions. Or a cave where the souls of your countrymen loitered, more specifically. 
Baizhu was concerned about this and, uncharacteristically, offered to accompany you. You explained that he would be a liability if he joined, and he reluctantly agreed. But not before doling out an inordinate amount of medical herbs to make you smell ancient (and you are.)
Nevertheless, the three of you squandered the hours skulking around the cramped confines of the Chasm. So far, you've provided minor historical context and directed them to a few shortcuts as the traveler brandished his weapon.
It's also worth mentioning that, when compared to his sister, Aether's swordplay falls short. As Lumine would say, "Aim for the neck." He swings more defensively than she does, and his range is shorter. You're no expert, but after more than a century of traveling with two fierce sword masters, you couldn't help but nitpick.
You grilled him about his sword abilities a few times, and he responded with sugar-coated remarks about your unusual outfit. His attempts to discredit you were poor, but hearing him speak is a rarity enough. You didn't mind his comments. In comparison to Lumine's snarkiness, he is more straightforward and pleasant.
"The coast is clear– This should be the place the Creator was last seen," you muttered. "Allegedly."
"Ooohhh!!! Paimon is so excited!"
Aether grunted, sharing her sentiment as a typical voiceless protagonist. His childlike wonder makes up for his lack of speech as he walked past you.
You watched him run without looking back for both you and Paimon.
Unsurprisingly, he was most excited– he's the twin The Creator chose. You would be ecstatic too if the person who set you out on an exhilarating journey came returned. The difference is that you would probably curse them for it. 
"You don't look happy for someone who's gonna see The Creator, Jianfeng," Paimon said. She nearly tugged your hoodie before stopping herself when she noticed you glaring.
"Um. You okay?"
"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean that– I'm fine." You palmed your forehead. "Just a bit light-headed."
"Do you wanna take a rest for a while? It's not good to force yourself. We can't greet The Creator if we're exhausted! You gotta look like your best self! You don’t want Them to see you like this, do you?"
You smiled weakly. 
Just shut up, Paimon.
"Right. Right."
"Hey, is this the location?"
Aether pointed to a place with a light source.
You gulped.
“That's right.”
“Oh wow! Paimon heard that They like these mysterious white-blue flowers! Paimon doesn’t know what it's called though…”
As Aether knelt to examine the odd flower meadow, you attempted to mask your uneasiness. The flooring in this spot was soft and fragile; approaching the flowerbed risked breaking it. Yelan's reports were correct, but they shouldn't have been. After all, these are--
“Inteyvats.”
Paimon and Aether looked at you.
Your eyes didn’t tear away. You were frozen from your spot.
“These are called inteyvats.” You said, lips trembling. Your forehead creased and you grabbed your arm while looking at the batch of flowers, tense. “They are Khaenri’ah’s national flower… They're a symbol for wanderers far from home–”
Your face paled and your hand began to sweat.
It seems like the Chasm-Yaksha story quest happened before "Requiem of The Echoing Depths." But why?
How come Aether knew who Yelan was, but doesn't know what inteyvats are?
You shook.
Stop talking. Stop talking. Stop talking.
If they’re here then... Maybe That “Creator” is actually around here too.
You've never met Them before. Strange how not once did you both cross paths when you supposedly share the same face. But just because you haven't met them yet doesn't mean you want to. 
All your muscles tensed up while your eyes squinted as if searching for a dead nation from far away.
You stepped backward.
"Hey, watch out!"
You had a mini heart attack as the steps gave in. Aether reached out. You were unable to grab his arm and Paimon's futile attempt to pull you up by your hood failed. 
You tripped. 
Unsteadily kneeling up, you unusually saw the world had taken colors way beyond an azure hue. It took you seconds before realizing your predicament.
You went completely still.
Your azure spectacles are cracked and out of reach. Your hood was lowered. All that was covering your head was a cotton face mask. The luminous stones gave your (h/c) hair an unwanted spotlight and your imperfect (e/c) eyes displayed fear in full view.
They could see your eyes– your face. No words were further spoken.
… Oh.
Aether's eyes widened and his chest sank as it heaved at the realization of who he was blindly following into the depths. He stepped forward and his dull blade clanged, subtly reminding you of his repertoire.
"JIANFENG IS THE FAKE CREATOR?!" 
It all happened way too quickly.
Paimon screeched as she lividly floated beside Aether. She had been stomping on air with her clenched fists. Neither of you truly heard her.
Because from then on, you were enemies.
Aether unsheathed his dull blade.
You drew what you thought and hoped was your last breath. It had been more than 500 years, and you longed for a moment of respite. 
If you were just another body that got in the way between the protagonist and his goals, then so be it. You'd gladly throw yourself into his blade and die as you've been dutifully commanded by the threads of fate.
"Jianfeng…" The traveler spat your fake name with malice as he sprung toward you in a single step. 
He managed to slice your thigh.
"I shouldn't have trusted you."
You winced.
You've compared how different he acts compared to his sister the entire time, but this was the first you've seen their startling resemblance. 
Aether looks just as numb as Lumine when placed into the role of a villain. He didn't look like an animal that wanted to tear you to shreds– he looked disappointed. 
You reluctantly walked backward, gritting your teeth as he skillfully slashed in your direction. His attack on your leg stung, and your hand flew to conceal the wound. 
As expected from a silent protagonist, he seems to know that the smallest sentences bite the most. But his words are meaningless. You knew Aether only said it because of the rumors about you. He wouldn't know the wishes of those who died with lingering regrets as much as you and your previous traveling companions. 
All he has is lip service and surface-level heroism. A facade that is slowly deteriorating ever since Inazuma.
You could dodge his attacks easily. In one flick of the wrist, you could bounce him off, but…
Many moons ago, you made up your mind on how you wished to go. You will not cower away and accept judgment with resolve. Retribution is coming to pass and with livid breaths, you'll let Aether draw his blade. You longed for the sweet release of death to be under this world's rightful protagonist.
However, in a blink of an eye, a fluttering grey cape obstructed death's view.
CLANG!!!
Blonde hair. 
A dark violet mask. 
Unmistakable starry eyes. 
And a long, pointed cloak.
"How... How did you get here?" You whispered breathlessly. 
He must've emerged from the wormhole below this platform.
The blonde gave you an all-too-familiar look that says he knows all that he needs to know.
The traveler froze in shock while the third person dashed in to capture your waist before he scooped you up in one quick motion. His body felt cold against yours, much to your dismay. 
He briefly exhaled through his nose; his stamina unaffected. "I'm always watching."
"Tch."
You'd call him out for being arrogant, but you know he's telling the truth. This man gathers knowledge as if his life depended on it- and you wish you had a better comparison because there is no life within him other than an amalgamation of pure jadedness.
The blonde man keeps this world's secrets, and no amount of proverbs will make you more seasoned and knowledgeable than Dainsleif, the Bough Keeper.
And this all-knowing yet curious individual appeared both pissed and enamored.
First and foremost, he is furious at Aether for performing such an atrocious "stunt." To draw a blade against the one to whom he vowed vassalage served to make his heart race for the worst reasons. Yet, Dain still has his patience, courtesy to his immortality, and you by his side.
His eyes searched yours. Longing for some shred of blissful recognition you might've felt after meeting him again but couldn't ignore the engulfing dread that settled in your irises.  You could tell he was fighting hard not to melt under your touch.
Dainsleif promised before that he would never disobey his lord’s commands. He was true to his word and never once appeared in the past few centuries
But seasons change.
He made his choice. Dainsleif pulled away.
"My memories have all but faded, but I know that underneath those clothes, you're still the same person, my Lord." 
His gaze was smoldering. The Bough Keeper did not take one step closer, but the way he stared at you already felt suffocating. He didn't and he won't come close. His Khaenriah'n eyes sufficed in expressing the loneliness he dealt with when he traversed Teyvat without you. He didn't have to hold you tight. His presence is intense enough.
You thought you were the one monitoring his actions through Kaeya, but Dainsleif had always been the better stalker.
You don't know the hell you put him through by leaving him on his lonesome.
Dainsleif smiled delicately. Had you never traveled with him, it would've been an unpredictable expression. As much as you hate reminiscing about that era, you know that he reserves that look for you alone. He was elated when he saw you wear the scarf he gave you.
Skinning that cryo abyss mage was a lot of work.
You should've thrown it away, but you couldn't, not when it was one of your good memories with him and her. Not when he worked tirelessly to master sewing just for you. 
Now there's no way he won't assume that there's more to it than keeping warm.
"Lord (Y/n)..." 
Dainsleif's voice was still soothing.
Aether gave him a strange look. He didn't think of him as the kind to address someone by that title, but then he remembered that Dainsleif was once an honorable knight. He just didn't know that the Twilight Sword used to serve you. Nor did he know that (Y/n) was your real name.
"Stop." You commanded, but your shaky voice betrayed you.
You haven't heard that name in a long time.
"... At last. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Dainsleif awkwardly spoke as if you both lacked time.
How dull. The three of you always had enough time.
And you have already picked a route to follow. Having the Creator's wisdom already gave you an advantage in predicting what would happen, and each day made you wonder when your paths might diverge. You didn't deny fate when it arrived. Lumine chose the Abyss Order, while Dainsleif seek to oppose it. 
They were both suffocatingly possessive. If Khaenri'ah shunned you as a heretic creation, Dainsleif and Lumine prized you as their hysteric humanoid.  They both desired you, but neither was willing to share. They tugged and pulled as if you were not capable of thinking for yourself.
And what did you do? You opted for a strategic retreat. You have no malice against Teyvat but no will to save it either. After knowing that your old companions represent these two sides, you wanted nothing to do with their metaphorical coin.
As a creature abandoned by its nation, can you be blamed for having no plans of carrying the burden for those who died and survived?
You shook your head. 
"You reek of corruption, Twilight Sword."
He grunted, and yet he pretended not to hear you.
Dainsleif pushed you behind him, eyebrows knitted together as he glanced at your leg.
"Don't act tough," he said, despite tracing traces of his curse with his free hand. "Stand back, you're hurt."
Aether struck first. 
"HIYAH!!!"
Dainsleif parried effortlessly.
He smiled, realizing what he had done. 
When alone, he's the Bough Keeper, but with you, he stands firm as the Twilight Sword.
"Why are you helping them...?" Their swords clashed against each other in a temporary stalemate. "They're the impostor! They're dangerous!"
Despite his grievances, you were somewhat proud that Aether took your advice to heart when he swiftly aimed for Dainsleif's neck. Even if his efforts were futile.
He's no longer angry, just confused. Aether thought to himself that if Dainsleif is keen on protecting you, then are you his sister’s enemy as well? 
But Aether wasn't sure if his views aligned with his sibling. 
"Not to brag, but your form is poor." Dainsleif retorted, pointing vaguely at Aether. He pursed his lips, unamused, before slashing Aether's defenses in one strong cut. 
Dainsleif kicked him down, forcing him to gasp sharply. His heel dug into the flesh of his cheek. Paimon shook afraid as she watched her companion weakly grab his opponent’s heel.
The Bough Keeper’s eyes darkened. He only had one thought in mind while Aether pathetically wormed under him. 
Any man who believes in baseless rumors does not deserve to bask in your presence.
"If my memory serves, My Lord could barely pick up a claymore or hunt a boar. It would be hopeless for them to try and beat you in a spar.” He said with a faint but recognizable teasing lilt. “I'm simply standing in for them."
You could disagree with his claims if you wanted, but he'd reply with a subtly sarcastic "that would be a miraculous development, indeed." Dainsleif never trusted that you can protect yourself because that's what he was there for. But you're done using his services.
Aether pushed Dain away and distanced himself. His bruised cheek and bloody nose could not deter him from his new mission.
The traveler tilted his chin upward. “Dai–”
"Kill me, traveler."
The men flinched.
You walked to your fallen enemy, not caring for how Dainsleif caught your wrist.
"Take my life– before he tries something funny."
After sending Dainsleif an accusatory glance, he pushed you aside forcefully.
"Traveler, your battle is with me."
“I’m your target!"
Dainsleif's face hardened, glaring at you. 
You smirked. You can't help but wonder how much 300 years alone had impacted him. He used to be so careful not to offend you and so remorseful when he did. Seems like the captain would bare his fangs with just about anyone that stood in his way. Including his old master. You were happy about this development, yet sad all the same.
You’ve grown tired of everything too, haven’t you, Dain?
"Paimon is so confused, please stop it!"
No one listened to her.
“Traveler, you’re looking for the Creator, right? They’re not here. I lured you here to kill you.”
Dainsleif sneered. “They’re lying. It's possible that everything is under your sister's orders to redirect your path.”
“Lumine has nothing to do with this. I’ve lied about many things but this is not one of them.” You lied nonchalantly.
Aether faltered.
"You know Lumine?"
Dainsleif gripped your shoulder. “(Y/N).” 
You huffed and elbowed him. “Shut it, Dain. Your corruption is beyond saving. Don't butt in like this is about you."
"Ngh..."
Dainsleif's eyes softened, visibly stung by your words. He bit his lip and looked at the floor for a brief moment.
Aether and Paimon were speechless. They did not expect you to speak so harshly nor did they expect to see him look hurt.
You looked back at the traveler.
"Traveler, why don't you prove yourself worthy of being the main character and take us both out?"
Paimon shrieked and palmed her cheeks.
"W-Wait! Why don't we all just talk instead?!" Paimon screamed.
"Paimon's right."
Aether sheathed his sword back. You and Dain met each other's eyes, before staring at the traveler, confused.
"Jianfeng..."
His hand shakily pointed to your leg.
Saturated blood oozes from your open wound. No means a regular sight and unwise to call it a vibrant hue.
Your blood glitches. 
It spills, yet evaporates into thin air. You stared at your wound as if it wasn't yours. You forgot that you were supposed to cover it, but–
Would a normal person's blood look like red-black cubes?
There's only one other person Aether knew had red-black cubes. 
And it was the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
"Was I wrong…?"
Aether's knees buckled, shaking. His eyes stared up apologetically, mouth agape.
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"Are you… The real Creator?"
...
Dainsleif went rigid. He felt the air shift but he needn't look behind. The Twilight Sword knew you didn't like that question at all.
Your expression dampened.
The Traveler had successfully provoked you.
"My Lord, please stand back." 
The silence was unbearably long.
And then, you clicked your tongue.
"No." You said firmly. "No, I don't think I should."
You stomped your foot.
And the Chasm trembled.
The floating mushrooms scurried for a place to hide as the unstable foundations of the upside-down city crashed their weight down. The floating debris shook and fell in the sudden momentum– asphalt slimes shriveled and the cave's miniature plateaus slipped like pencil shavings with a thunderous thud.
Rubbles echoed every moment or two, threatening to collapse.
You can't think of a better way to answer him than this.
In one stomp of your foot, the underground mines shook as much as an ancient dragon's tantrums. There was no visible effort put into causing this phenomenon. 
The air began to weigh heavily.
You stole Dainsleif's sword without him noticing before pointing it beside Aether's neck. You looked down on him with your chin up.
There was no divine work in play, no illusions, no elements. Every Archon both dead and alive knew that your measly power cannot summon the elements.
But gravity is in your hands.
"Enough." You commanded, voice cold and piercingly authoritative. "Just kill me, traveler. Kill me and go on your merry way, before I end this game right here– before the Chasm crumbles."
"Your Grace–"
Aether begged, kneeling on small shaky pointed rocks.
You let out a guttural groan, exasperated. He heard your throat strain itself as you answered him bitterly.
"WRONG. I am Their Impostor. Teyvat had abandoned me long ago. I bore no "divine" power nor "will" of my own, instead, Rhinedottir molded me to Their likeness."
If you told him that at the restaurant, Aether would've believed you. Your aura was akin to Albedo's, but there was something the chief alchemist lacked.
Divine blood.
You inched the blade closer. The blood that spilled from his neck was unlike yours. It was red. It was shapeless. They were not cubes.
"T-That doesn't sound right!" Came Aether's shaky reply. "You HAVE to be The Creator, Y-Your Grace! No one else can replicate your blood– and the way you shook the Chasm just now it's–"
Aether speaks like Lord Barbatos.
"And so what?"
"H-Huh?"
Enough.
You've heard this multiple times from Kairos.
Your blood began to boil.
Stop talking. Stop talking. Stop talking.
"So what if I look like Them? If I have Their powers?" You said, eyes lifeless. 
"So what if I'm The real Creator? Do you think I'd come back? After how this world had treated me? That I would graciously fix this realm's problems. Am I a tool? A plot device like you? Do you think I'll motivate the Knights, help Morax find a replacement, reverse Inazuma's grievances, reinstate Rukkhadevata's form and dignity with the oh-so goodness of my heart?"
Aether gulped. He did not speak. You were right.
The Chasm continued to shake.
You gritted your teeth. "The greed in your eyes disgusts me. You've traveled far enough, surely you know how inherently selfish this world is? Aren't you tired, Traveler?" 
There's one more thing hidden within his eyes that you forgot to mention.
Aether cried.
It was regret.
You put away Dainsleif's sword, clanking it down the floor. You smiled crookedly and cupped Aether's cheek,
before reaching for his neck. 
"If you can't bring yourself to kill me, why don't we both stop breathing, together?"
"(Y/n), that's enough!"
Dainsleif ordered. 
The vibrations stopped.
You didn't know what came over you. Was it survival instincts? Baseless hope? The desperation in his voice? Or a fragment of trust you had left from when you traveled with him?
Dainsleif reached his hand out. His frown was not a display of toughness, but genuine concern.
"It's no longer safe here. The Abyss Order has sensed our movements and I can tell they're heading our way. We'll leave. Now."
His hand looked welcoming, warm, and enticing, but your heart was not in it.
Your eyes wandered elsewhere.
You recalled a distant memory from long ago. Barbatos often told you that "He who leaves a good name does not die poor." and you wondered why. And so, you foolishly lived more than a hundred human lives in search of a proper answer. Immortality devours the soul, and you expected that after the fifteenth life you may not grasp the true meaning behind his ramblings.
But at that moment, you looked at Aether’s pained eyes and got your answer.
Ah.
"I got it."
You took a step back near the cliff's edge, facing the two men. Dainsleif gradually prepared himself for a sprint. The faint crunch of your shattered glasses resonated through the cave, and if you took another step, you'd fall.
Yelan's reports state that there should be a portal below this platform. It should be the same place Dainsleif warped from.
You're uncertain that it's still open.
But hey.
Haven't you always wished for something that only has a 50/50 chance?
"This is my farewell as Jianfeng, a tax accountant."
You jumped off with a big stupid grin.
For a brief moment, Dainsleif felt as if icicles were pressed against his internal organs. His eyes widened.
"LORD (Y/N)!!!"
He did not hesitate– your most loyal retainer dashed forward like a wild animal and jumped with you.
Aether watched how his Creator sank deep into the Chasm from above in pure horror.
You lost yourself.
This was the stupidest asspull you've ever done in the past 500 years.
You roared with laughter as Dainsleif pulled you close to protect you from the fall. He longed to hear your laughter, but this sound was disjointed and airy– an inexpensive imitation. Dainsleif closed his eyes and groaned almost inaudibly. He's been starving for your touch, and he can no longer hold back. 
Dain snuggled against you, his fingers tangled in your hair. You smelled like violetgrass.
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"I'll never leave you alone again." He whispered desperately, wanting to add that this was his new oath but couldn't due to lack of air, something you had plenty of. You did not hear it. All you heard were the flaps of his cape.
The air pressure prickles into your skin. As you both plunged into something similar to the abyss, his hands roamed around your back, keeping your scarf in place as he planted a soft kiss on your forehead. You did nothing to stifle your misplaced laughter. 
You wanted to tell her that you finally understood Barbatos' proverbs, his everything. 
The portal should close soon, but you'll both make it.
Should your body rot away in the depths of Chasm's shallow wind, you hope to witness the endless cycle of life again without those azure-colored lenses–
"You can't leave me. Never."
–as no one else but Lord (Y/n) (L/n), and their most loyal retainer, Dainsleif, the Twilight Sword.
—-----------
“Your Highness, it appears that Dainsleif had captured Your Grace.”
“Traitor, but he kept his promise.” She spoke, not in a way that betrayed any emotions. The Princess said it as what it was: a fact.
In one hand, the Princess poured herself a glass of wine, elegantly gulping the contents in one go. She couldn’t be bothered to hold it with both hands when the other held a priceless artifact. Once she placed her empty glass on the silk-covered table, she lazily beckoned the Abyss Lector forward.
“Burn all the inteyvats left in the Chasm.”
The Lector, Enjou, hesitantly raised his head. “But Your Highness–”
“I did not cultivate them for my brother to find.” She said, looking at the cracked azure shards sitting on her palm. “It was for Them, and you failed to lead Them there.”
The Abyss Princess lovingly kissed the broken shards.
“I wonder…” Lumine looked up.
"What is it like to finally see the world without these glasses, Your Grace?"
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tinyozlion · 4 months
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The Char Aznable Problem 
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Here’s a take for the MS Gundam fans in the audience: Using the Zechs-as-Char analogy will actually hinder you in understanding the finale of Gundam Wing.
I know there are unavoidable reasons for the comparison! Zechs is a deliberate homage, that's not in question. But I’d like to argue that taking Zechs’s actions on their own terms is the only reasonable way to evaluate them. Understanding Char’s Counterattack will certainly make Zechs’s performance more nuanced and recognizable, but expecting him to be the same person with the same copy-pasted goals is to miss the purpose of his character. 
Neither of their goals make sense outside of their respective settings and character arcs, in the same way that MS Gundam and Gundam Wing are related thematically but are both telling very different kinds of stories in different ways.
Zechs doesn’t do a heel-turn and become a Char just because the hand of the franchise swooped in and forced him to; he does a heel turn and puts on a Char Costume (…mask?) because he is playing the villain, and the villain he is playing is Char. 
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Why? Because Char from Char’s Counterattack has no place in the universe of Gundam Wing. Standing up and saying Char Stuff™ in After Colony 195 makes you sound like you got the space madness. 
White Fang Milliardo shows up out of nowhere with this new kind of racism he just invented and delivers a treatise about how humans from Space have become biologically superior to humans from Earth within a couple generations... in a setting where Newtypes aren’t a thing. There is no established precedent in AC 195 for declaring that space colonists are a super-evolved utopian master race OTHER than to blatantly manufacture conflict.
 And like... ding ding ding, that’s the point. 
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Char from Char’s Counterattack is a complex, disillusioned, flawed man who is trying to make the earth uninhabitable for complex, flawed reasons that he genuinely plans on carrying out.  
Milliardo is a complex, disillusioned, flawed man pretending very hard to want to make the earth uninhabitable because it’s an Ozymandias Gambit intended to galvanize all remaining forces to take part in a war that will ultimately burn through all of their military resources.
 Char from Char’s Counterattack exists in a timeline where the earth is a polluted wasteland, and the space colonies are pristine, self-sustaining eutopias with ten billion people living in them. 
Gundam Wing is a timeline where the earth is pristine, and the space colonies are oppressed dystopian slums with marginal populations still largely dependent on earth’s resources. Staging the KPG 2.0 in this context would be a death sentence for the colonies as well as the people on earth.
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Char believes it’s his destiny to punish the people of earth for their selfishness and their inability to change or allow future generations to evolve. Milliardo believes the only thing he’s good for is to rid the world of people like himself, SO that the future generation has a chance to change for the better.
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I’ve found that the more I know about MS Gundam, the deeper an appreciation I have for what Wing chose to adapt and where it diverged; I think that some of Wing’s greatest achievements are born from the moments it purposefully broke from its predecessor, and some of its greatest flaws come from when it chose to adapt things that just don't make sense outside of their original context-- I don't necessarily think that Milliardo pretending to be Char is one of those moments.
On the whole, what Wing feels like to me is a poignant echo of the Universal Century, as if we are seeing the reflections, the shared rhythms, of people and struggles across time and reality. Zechs is like a variation of the Char leitmotif transposed into a new composition.
…And anyway, Zechs isn’t even the Char Clone of Gundam Wing. Zechs AND Treize are the Char Clone of Gundam Wing. 
The Red Comet is an ace pilot simultaneously admired and hated for his abilities and the respect he commands as a soldier. He has the luxury of being chivalrous on the battlefield because no one can compete with him, and because his ultimate goals differ from those of the ruthless organization that holds his reigns. He has the burden of a spotless reputation hiding a dark, secret purpose. He eventually turns coat and becomes Quattro, a mentor figure to the talented pilots who idolize him and walk the same path he does. The complexities of war erode his confidence and understanding of what is right, of what is actually worth fighting for in a world where the grind of battle never stops, and the same points have to be made over, and over, and over again, paid for in the blood of young people– people just like him, who he encouraged to fight, who had bright futures ahead of them– each and every time.
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The glorious Neo Zeon leader is a wheeling and dealing homme-fatale who can play the game of politics, who knows how to put on an inspiring show for the adoring masses, all while getting what he wants through deceit, charm, treachery, abuse of his charisma, even his sensuality. He is willing to do anything for what he views as the best future for humanity– particularly for the humans he thinks are worthy of that better future, all while knowing he is not one of the chosen ones. He will always carry a seed of self-loathing and insecurity with him. He knows that the version of him that people idolize is only a mirage, but he is willing to use that mirage to steer the future where he believes it should go, sacrificing whoever he needs to for an end that justifies any means.
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Zechs is the ace pilot. Treize is the glorious leader. They’re both variations on theme of Char.
Char’s story takes place over the course of his lifetime, spanning multiple series-- Zechs/Milliardo simply doesn’t have time to be everything Char was in the time frame of Wing. Instead his influence is played by two people, representing different eras of his life, existing simultaneously and in coordinated opposition to each other.
Nobody can really be Char except Char, and Char can't really be substituted for Zechs or Treize within their own universe. Even clones grow up differently when they're raised in different environments.
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latteandjacks · 3 days
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I'm cooking I will be posting the traditional version of the designs but these are just to ramble about the design choices and why I decided to swap them rather than information about the characters, I will not do this for all of them, only a few, I will post the finished, fully detailed designs on the next week in schedule form
Sorry they look kind of blurry, it's not the camera, it's the grafito getting fucked up when I but my shoulder over it
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I believe it's rather obvious that Adam's suit was designed after Beetlejuice, I was going to take more reference on Dewey from School of rock but this one seems more recognizable and I think it fits better since, well, they're dead I added the little spikes on the shoulders because of Adam's outfit for the last episode Also piercings, because I can't believe he doesn't have them in canon I refuse to believe he wouldn't pierce his ears You can't see it yet but his eyes aren't going to be yellow, instead they're going to be blue like Emily's
The why I decided to swap him with Charlie is pretty obvious, they're opposites Also I just like to put Adam through hell both in the swap au, in the Benefactor au and in the Adamsapple fic I'm writing
Lute is also obviously designed after Vaggie's outfit, except that the colors of it are more to resemble Adam and her gothic style She didn't lose her eye, (V)Agatha ended up cutting her arm (details will not be explained yet but it was not intentional), so they gave her a replacement, but because hell isn't as refined as Heaven, the closest thing Adam could get was the sin of Lust to give her one of the best they had (Note. I have yet to decide who will be Ozzie), she normally wears her glove over it but only in front of anyone that isn't Adam, after episode 3 she stops using it in the hotel, being more comfortable around the cast Couldn't see her wearing a bow, so I put it in her back and around the hips Also long hair because she wanted to be separated of her excorcist status (as they all probably have a short hair), put it in a ponytail because she's always ready to throw hands for Adam
Why she is swaped with Vaggie is obvious Also I changed my mind they are dating in the swap au (Adam needs her gothic gf but they have to sort some issues before kissing)
Oh oh, you are gonna love this one
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Why are they swapped? Because it's funny, because I have seen people swapping EVERYONE with Alastor except for Pentious which is pretty surprising honestly
I took most of Pentious eyes in the design since they originally serve the purpose of showing how much he distrust others, they disappear once he gets to heaven because now he has learned how to trust and care about those around him Even tho swap Pentious would obviously still be pretty distrusting, he would not be as paranoic, the eyes would come out on his full demon form I gave him a monocle just because I liked how it looked, he was supposed to have glasses like Alastor but he looked like a grandpa and I want him to have a more "Big brother" kind of vibe towards Adam rather tan fatherly (Since Emily is more like his big sister, not a mother) His hat takes the place of Alastor's cane, he's protective over it, it's the source of his power after all, it does not show Pentious true emotions Speaking off, since canon Alastor is always smiling, swap Pentious always has his hood up, never letting it down, he shows other emotions with his face but his hood represents him always having his guard up
Alastor is more pathetic Listen I am not sorry for taking away his bob cut, I don't know how you all can simp for that man with that hair, I gave him something similar but it goes all the way back, no bob cut Glasses, because we all love to give this man glasses His cane takes the place of Pent's hat, it shows his genuine emotions Not getting into details, but Alastor doesn't smiles as much as canon just like Pentious not always has his hood up, he does drop the smile and the more comfortable he gets with the cast the more he drops it for a normal, neutral expression Yes, he goes to heaven but his angelical form will be revealed later
Pentious is still an inventor, Alastor is still a Radio host
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This one is simple, I tried to turn Keekee into a dog, not only because of Adam but it was mainly because Alastor canonically HATES dogs, so the idea of this fucking dog getting attached to Alastor and him petting her lovingly on episode 7 was an opportunity I could not pass up
Yeeyee is still female I just didn't trust myself to draw the eyelashes because she is a lot smaller than you think, and I didn't want to fuck her up and end up erasing most of her
I was also just going to put a giant mouth instead of an eye but it looked disturbing, so no
Yeeyee because the k on Keekee obviously comes from Key so I took the last letter to change it but still have it make sense
The key is also still in progress, I don't know how to draw keys
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drowsyr · 8 months
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top ten stobin halloween costumes:
10. barbie and ken. well actually ken and ken bc there was some miscommunication over who was going as who (steve figured robin was going as barbie bc Girl and robin just wanted to go as ken and figured it would be a better costume if they swapped dolls and then did not communicate this to steve) however nobody knew who they were supposed to be bc there was no iconic ken outfit at the time
9. garfield and odie. just made up of dog/cat ear headbands, yellow/orange shirts, and new name tags on their family video vest. lazy perhaps
8. jonathan + argyle. universally panned by the party bc neither of them had long enough hair to effectively be argyle. esp bc robin went as argyle and had just recently gotten a buzzcut in a panic the week before and the funky patterned pants and button up combo artfully curated at the salvation army could not compensate. however steve’s costume included constant comments abt the smiths, the who, the clash etc which did go over especially well with nancy and argyle
7. marty mcfly. steve tried to convince robin to be the love interest from the movie but only got as far as saying love interest before robin interrupted and asked if he even knew her name (he didn’t and neither did she) and said her dad already had the vest so she should get to be marty mcfly!! at which point steve was like ugh fine. and thought about admitting that he could ask dustin for a lab coat to borrow or ask max to steal one from the science lab but didn’t bc he couldn’t stand the thought of wrecking his hair to look like doc brown. so they just ended up both going as marty mcfly. dustin was doc brown
6. luke and han solo. actually accidental they independently showed up to a party while having a minor fight and realized they were still in matching costumes. drunkenly cried in the upstairs bathroom and made up. this was pre robin’s haircut and was one of the Incidents she gave as evidence for why she needed to cut her hair
5. batman and robin. robin was able to successfully bully steve into being robin. done before robin-with-pants became recognizable so they settled on green-dyed denim shorts (a lovely contribution from the goodwill). robin strangerthings had a fully decked out utility belt lovingly rendered in cardboard and acrylic paint by will with oversight from max. max herself has gone as batman as well (and wonder woman obviously) and used the same utility belt.
4. luke and leia. only successfully coordinated movie costume. this was post robin’s haircut so she went as luke and steve went as leia. obviously went as the classic versions to match even more.
3. their dnd characters as portrayed in an epic six week campaign run by erica sinclair the summer of 1987. caused chaos in the party who had not known about said campaign at the time of it being played and were only slightly devastated by the fact that they hadn’t been informed. only erica and dustin knew who they were dressed as but erica was thrilled :)
2. butterfly + caterpillar. robin dated an art/sculpture student while in college who was really into papier mache. she made them overly elaborate costumes to model for a final project + and they took them back from her dorm after the brutal breakup brought on by a disagreement over joan jett. steve was the butterfly and robin was the caterpillar. they were theeee most inconvenient costumes to wear to a party but they got a lot of compliments and it was a great story to tell people
1. each other obviously. repeated at least four(/“five”. it’s disputed) times, including twice in one year when they were trying to hit as many costume parties as possible in one week. they still argue that the year where halloween was just on a tuesday and they swapped name tags for their shift totally counts. this is not one of the four times.
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astraltrickster · 7 months
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"I miss when AI was bad" is a sentiment I've been seeing floating around a lot lately, and it's one that I...half agree with, but I must point out-
AI is still "bad".
Sure, there are some pretty beginner-friendly models out there now, like Midjourney, that make it easy to get...something appealing on first glance pretty quickly with minimal skill or even luck, but contrary to corporate claims, no, you CAN'T just get them to pump out an entire passable novel with as little as "hey computer give me a 50k word lesbian space western" or even less "dear ChatGPT, please write me the next great classic show that will appeal to everyone and make me eleventy trillion dollars, love, Netflix". No, there is no Secret Professional Paid Model that makes this possible, either.
The work that goes into making something Good(TM) using AI is being very deliberately hidden from anyone who isn't using it to see for themselves that there is Work and Skill involved, because companies like OpenAI want people like the CEOs of AMPTP member companies to think it's that easy, because they're big money potential clients.
Furthermore, all these companies want you to think it's as easy as that shit on Black Mirror (whether they know it's a lie or not - they don't care either way), because they know that if you think that, eventually you'll wear down and watch their shit once they're the only new releases...and you will think nothing of the fact that the human labor is being erased, because, psh, human labor? What human labor? There definitely isn't a cubicle farm full of living humans being crunched even harder than they did with traditional methods to churn these things out, it's all the robot's doing, right?
I mean, hell, we keep complaining about ChatGPT essays full of hallucinated information; samey, dry novels and fanfics that can't keep their plots straight; and picture books that are full of glaring errors and can barely even keep the characters recognizable from page to page, and I just think-
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So you agree? Creating a coherent, accurate, and/or meaningful image or piece of writing with AI involves creativity, knowledge, skill, and patience?
...in my honest opinion, those garbage-quality cash- and/or clout-grab pieces have an important role in the tech and art and media ecosystem: to remind people that this IS, in fact, the best that can reliably come from the minimal skill and effort that the companies are saying you can make masterpieces with.
What I'm saying is...I don't miss when AI Was Bad, because that era never ended.
I miss when AI was widely recognized as being bad. I miss when everyone knew that getting the image you wanted from a simple text prompt was something like winning the lottery. I miss when people not only appreciated the surreality of the shitposts and more that we made with it, but were broadly aware that most first iterations resemble those shitposts.
I miss before the Silicon Valley ghouls managed to convince people en masse that they'd created True AI that could actually viably replace creatives with no human input. I miss before the corporate media suckers bought that lie hook line and sinker, or at least found it convenient to pretend to believe because it would let them move more work to lower pay grades with the only backlash being about the conventional work getting replaced that they hope they can wait out, but NOT about the mistreatment and underpayment of the new workers, because the public will broadly think there ARE no new workers. I miss before it became an infohazard because corporations want you to think their software knows everything - and have successfully convinced several big name companies of this, or at least that they're close enough to all-knowing to replace search engines.
I miss when we were in the "roll out toys as proof of concept" era, not the "well, we've sunk enough money into running these things for the plebs, time to yank the rug and start lying to get some big money clients" era.
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theminecraftbee · 2 years
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Where did winged!grian come from? I love him but want to know why everyone's art has him with (quite pretty) wings.
came from a lot of things! as it is with many things in the hermitcraft fandom, keep in mind some of this originates from "the hermitcraft fandom really likes non-human characters, as well as giving characters Recognizable Character Trait to make them visible in art, especially if their skin is kind of plain otherwise". (that has generally been my observation at least, keep in mind that i'm new around here.)
so, anyway: season 6! it was grian's first time using an elytra, and he started out pretty bad at it! however, over the course of the season, he got so good at flying it basically became his whole thing. elytra course was very hard and the speeds he could complete it at were impressive. he just... really liked flying, man. he also played a ""superhero"" character called poultry man, who would fly around and throw eggs at people. and, hey, chickens have wings, right? (if you've seen him as a chicken man, hey, now you know who that mysterious chicken man is! nice!)
and sometimes that's enough, you know? however, also big during season six - and i know some people don't like blaming this fic for everything because newer fans haven't read it but from everything i've heard it's still important - there was a popular fic called "and the universe shifts". (it's still the third most kudosed fic on ao3 under the tag, under shells in the foam and a tommy superhero fic i haven't read that apparently must have grian in it.) in it, we find two things that stuck around in fandom: the most common watcher tropes and design, and the original popular "hey grian has wings" fic, where his wings were because he was a watcher. (note that i have no idea if this is the first fic where grian had wings; i wasn't around then. i just know this was the first stupidly popular one.)
if you've seen grian's wings as purple, this is probably the origin point, and at that point, a lot of people started giving him purple wings.
however, then season 7 started! not only did new fans start to come in during season 7, but grian picked up new bird imagery! namely, the entire "pesky bird" thing started to happen during season 7, as well as all of his parrots. grian being a pesky bird (parrot) in the jungle was all a lot of fans needed to start shifting the design - his wings became the parrot wings that are probably his most common wing design because of that during season 7. plus, he was still clearly one of the best fliers out there and enjoyed it, which was enough to keep giving him wings.
at this point, i'd say that within the fandom, the original atus part was lost - new fans just saw people give him wings and were like "heck yeah its a guy with wings, haha, pesky bird" or "ooh watchers have wings" and didn't know there used to be a Big Fic that made that stuff popular fanon. so then, and then especially during season 8, fanon started shifting more directly just... assuming grian has wings.
since then, there have been little things that affirm to the fandom that grian should have wings. he refers to them as such, some comments he made during 100 hours about needing his wings, i think doc just outright called grian a pesky bird in his april fool's episode in season 9 which is really funny to me for some reason. it's become a pretty established part of grian's design, to the point that i'm pretty sure it's known to all of the hermitcraft creators and to the point that some people can't recognize a grian if you don't put wings on him, lol, even though that's not really an aspect of his skin.
i'd say at this point also the wing designs tend to just... vary by artist and what they like! i've seen a lot of people trying to take them from stuff he does every season because it's more fun that way. i know i've joked about grian's wings being shaped wrong and the wrong colors to actually be any real bird, and also the thing where they have eyespots, so that's a thing in my design, although i'm not an artist! at this point the why grian has wings varies too: some will tell you it's because he's a watcher, some will say it's because he's very good at flying, some will say it's because he's a pesky bird. up to the individual, and technically he also doesn't need to have wings! it's just sorta like philza in that it became really established fanon that keeps on skirting the edge of just sorta being canon at this point.
anyone who's been in the fandom longer than me can add to this and i'll reblog it
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Hi miss Raven!! I was wondering what is Rollo's character actually like in game?? I've seen people talk about it but only about how he's obsessed with Malleus. There's gotta be more to his character right?? 😭😭
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The whole “Rollo is obsessed with Malleus” thing is being circulated because it’s based on a single sinister line in the opening to Glorious Masquerade. He talks about how he wants to erase “those irritating people” (it is not specified who he is referring to), then achieving peace and freedom as a result of that. Rollo follows up by saying that he’s looking forward to seeing Malleus in particular out of all the guests for the masquerade (while making THIS suspicious expression):
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If you listen to this opening, Rollo is also heard doing the classic “evil villain laugh”, and he sounds markedly self-assured and arrogant. This is many people’s first experience with the character, and perhaps the most “overt” and easily recognizable trait about him, so that’s probably why it’s the thing people most remember or immediately jump to when describing Rollo.
Fans are still theory crafting based on that line from the opening (ie they’ve come to the conclusion that Rollo is fixated on Malleus) and the fact that Rollo’s Disney counterpart was also infamously obsessive. Some people seem to think the sentiment is negative (ie Rollo has an issue with Malleus and/or with fae in particular), while others think the sentiment is positive (ie Rollo is a secret Malleus fanboy/just wants to be Malleus’s friend, but is constantly misread because of his dour face). In any case, we have not gotten confirmation of either theory, and nor is “obsessed with Malleus” Rollo’s entire personality. (I mean, even the ACTUAL confirmed “obsessed with Malleus” character, Sebek, has his own personality outside of that.)
When the NRC students actually get to meet Rollo in the event’s story, he doesn’t initially present the same character as he does in the opening. Here is what we know to be true of Rollo, as well as some broad observations I’ve made about him. (PLEASE NOTE: as of this post going live, there are only 2 out of 5 parts of the event out; the observations made below are reflective ONLY of those first 2 parts.)
Rollo is introduced as a third year and the student council president of Noble Bell College, a status which is similar to that of dorm leader at Night Raven College.
A lot of people have been assuming that it was Rollo that explicitly extended a personal invitation for Malleus to attend the symposium; however, this is not confirmed to be the case. When Crowley goes to Malleus to communicate that he’s been chosen to go along with the other 10 picked via lottery, Crowley says, the “hosts” (plural; ie Noble Bell College students organizing the event) wanted Malleus to attend. It can be inferred that Rollo may have played a role in this or used his influence as student council president to pull the strings. However, it is just as likely that everyone else at NBC wanted Malleus to come because of Malleus’s notoriety (crown prince AND one of the top 5 strongest mages in the world) and Rollo just agreed with it because it aligned with his personal motives.
He is shown to be very polite, but also aloof (note that he is not speaking with the same fervor as he did in the opening). Deuce thinks that Rollo is expressionless, and Epel thinks Rollo looks angry. This seems to make Rollo akin to the “kuudere” archetype (at least on a superficial level), which is defined by being stoic, cold, and emotionless but having a secret side to them (usually far sweeter than their initial personality would have you believe).
Rollo prefers to remain formal; he’s confused by Rook gracing him with a nickname (then again, who wouldn’t be?) and generally speaks politely.
Continuing from the previous point, Rollo seems to take offense to Sebek referring to him as “human”. Remarkably, Rollo is the first character to correct Sebek by reminding him what his actual name is.
It seems like Rollo is disguising his true thoughts and intentions; when Sebek overhears him saying something negative (”it’s deplorable”), Rollo calmly denies having ever said anything at all.
Rollo is implied to be dutiful and diligent, not only in his work as student council president but also as one of the hosts for the symposium; he read up on each attendee before they arrived on his campus (thanks to the documents Crowley provided for him), and is aware of their full names, titles, races, and various family connections. Something that Azul mentions (after being handed his masquerade outfit) is that it’s unnerving that NBC (and thus, potentially Rollo) is aware of the prescription of his lenses (as they provided him with new glasses with his new look).
Rollo prioritizes his responsibilities; he stays behind at NBC to process other guests before going out to the City of Flowers for the festivities.
Despite his cold exterior, Rollo can be affable too. He invites the NRC students to approach him and have a conversation with him if they spot him in town.
Silver remarks that Rollo must have a good memory to remember so many new names. Again, this plays into his diligence.
Some people have noticed that Rollo is strangely friendly to Yuu (he says to them that it must be troublesome being a magicless human surrounded by magic users all the time, then invites them to relax and enjoy the event). At this point, it’s unclear whether this is fanservice for the player or if there is more meaning behind his words, but this may indicate sympathy for Yuu or those similar to Yuu.
Rollo tells us that students of Noble Bell like to keep things clean and, above all else, have faith in purity and integrity. Presumably, this is also true of himself (example: he catches Ruggie about to steal the coins in a hat and, while glaring at Ruggie, says something to the effect of, “I hope you weren’t intending to take the contents of that”).
Continuing from the last point, Rollo seems to hold a disdain for those that violate the peace and disregard laws, such as petty thieves.
It’s implied that Rollo approves of using any means necessary to stop evil deeds; he remarks that doing such a thing is “wonderful”.
He has a habit of holding a handkerchief over his nose and mouth. This seems to mostly be done in instances when Rollo is annoyed about something, such as talking about how noisy others are or when he’s trying to stay polite about something he disagrees with (such as his vice president and aide insisting that everyone wear festival clothes for the symposium).
There’s a lot of fan theories flying around about how Rollo may dislike the fae, but there are also implications that he dislikes the poor or those of “lower class”, as he grimaces and does the handkerchief thing when Ruggie comments about people of all classes and backgrounds dressing up for the festivities.
The vice president tells Idia that Rollo is strict about keeping schedules.
He is very knowledgeable and serves as a good tour guide for the NRC boys. Rollo shares many of his favorite spots and local treats and goods with them
He explains the history of important businesses and icons in the city and is genuinely proud of where he comes from. Rollo also seems to take offense when others question the traditions of the City of Flowers or seek to only gain from them or take advantage of them (ie like when Idia comments on the security is “too loose” if you toss your coins into a hat for street vendors, when Ruggie tries to steal the coins in the hat, etc.)
Basically, what we know of Rollo in the event opening vs in the actual event story is like knowing two different people that share the same face (although the story has certainly alluded that Rollo is hiding something). He is level-headed and intelligent; he is someone that values tradition and formalities, and displays disdain for those that rebel against certain conventions.
I’m personally really looking forward to the big reveal to see the full scope of Rollo’s character! Fingers crossed for more Rollo content in part 3! 🤞
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bonebabbles · 6 months
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Riverstar's Nine Lives
I feel very bitter about this ceremony. Why even have a fast-fowarded recap of DOTC at all if you're just going to shove all the most 'recognizable' but emotionally irrelevant cats into this leadership ceremony? You couldn't have used the last 18 chapters to give Riverstar some unique cats to show up here??
I mean, besides Flutter lol, who doesn't even have a speaking line until this moment. Literally just existed for River Ripple to have man pain about.
Anyway I'm going to give each life a rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = 4 stars is the highest, 1 star is the lowest.
Gray Wing: Clarity and Perspective ⭐⭐ Stupid traits for Gray Wing to be giving out, guy who can't see past his own nose and excuses his brother's evil at every step, but actually a relevant character to be giving River Ripple a life. Only gets 2 stars because he shows up in practically every ceremony, he's not special.
Quiet Rain: Kindness and Humility ⭐ why the fuck is gray wing's mother at RIVERSTAR'S ceremony? get the hell out of here. Quiet Rain is not even kind and humble outside of vaguely being a mother, come on
Moon Shadow: Patience ⭐ YOU NEVER EVEN MET HIM!!
Storm: A Wise, Nurturing Heart ⭐ YOU TOO!! HOW ARE YOU RELEVANT AT ALL?!
Jackdaw's Cry: Resilience ⭐ Well well well if it isn't the guy whose only interaction with Thunder is telling him how much he resented the baby for drinking his wife's milk. And I can't remember if he actually met River Ripple at all, either.
Hawk Swoop: Initiative ⭐ It's starting to dawn on me that one star is too charitable. How the hell can you be THIS creatively bankrupt when you spent HALF A SUPER EDITION telling a story parallel to the arc?!
Rainswept Flower: Honesty ⭐ His only comment about her is that he remembers "seeing her corpse" (read: clear sky murdering her in cold blood, and then River shakes his head and says "THEYRE all acting like foxes") which really says all you need to know about how relevant she is to him. She also says something incredibly stupid about, "lies come from the head, but truth comes from the heart" that is just. Profoundly false. People tell reactionary, knee-jerk lies and half-truths all the time, people can be deluded, people rationalize their beliefs because they don't see themselves as "bad people". This is the arc with Clear Sky!! I hate this so much!
Frost: Fairness ⭐ he says, "Treat your enemies as you would treat your friends." clear sky tried to fucking kill him via abandonment and shoved his son's face into his infected wound. Clear Sky DID kill him by starting the First Battle. Being overly ""fair"" to unfair bastards is why you have no pulse, you cosmic fart! And, again, River Ripple Does Not Know Him
Flutter: Courage ⭐⭐⭐ at least Riverstar knew this person, I guess, and she's unique to his. Frustrating that she had no speaking lines before this moment, and that they play up this whole part as a big shocking tragic revelation, emphasizing the man pain they retconned into Riverstar. I'm really trying to be charitable, here. Clap and cheer at them for how good they fridged a woman specifically for this one okayish scene.
This whole thing felt like they had NO idea what to do with Riverstar's ceremony, honestly. It's bland and generic at best, and frustrating at worst. He only really knew two of these cats, and only ONE of them had any scenes with him in this Super Edition.
A waste.
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AITA for asking my RP partners to censor their swearing better? This sounds so dumb because it is. I (17) roleplay on a kids pokemon adoptable site. No swearing is #1 on the rules. I’m fine with this because I really hate swearing myself, even in writing. Most of my rp partners are upper teens because we all have like 0 life and have been on this site for years (2-8) years. I have been on this site since I was 10 so I know the law pretty well. Recently, I’ve been having problems with some of them.
I have brought up my dislike of swearing (Honestly, for the most part I’m fine with reading swears, just I don’t want any of them to be in trouble with the mods) multiple times. Usually in the form of “Hey guys can you censor your swearing more?”
Today though, one character went on a long (albeit dramatic and unneeded) rant, and in it used two swears. Fucking and Bitch. They were censored as such fxcking and bxtch.
I bring this up in the group chat saying “Guys p l e a s e censor your swears a lot more” <— admittedly dramatic, I wanted to get my point since it seemed like they were ignoring me.
One of my partners (17?), the one who posted the rant, questioned how I would like them to censor it, bringing up how the censored swears don’t show up on the foul language filter provided in the rules (it’s known for a while to be faulty, such as saying pony was offensive for containing the German word po).
I told them that I would prefer them to not swear at all (The rules never say that censored swears are allowed), but that if they felt the absolute need for a character to swear (I don’t understand why, but again, I don’t like to swear so I dont get much of a say), to at least censor it in a way it is not instantly recognizable. My line of thinking was things as ****ing, ***hole, et.c.
Two other partners joined in, expressing sadness over not being able to swear (again. This is a chILDRENS SITE.) They all apologized for the swearing but. They’ve done it before. They felt annoyed. The final nail in the coffin was in the next post from the rant charater (directed towards mine) contained: “I'd express the depths of my hurt and anger, but you'd disapprove if the vocabulary it would require.”
My character has no qualms against swearing or foul language. It was a jab directly targeted at me.
So I guess, was I in the wrong? I know it’s a silly situation, but I genuinely don’t want them to get warned or even temp banned for breaking the rules (It’s well known that the mods are kinda crap at doing anything)
Additional info: even though we’re almost adults, it doesnt speak for the intention of the website. For example one of my partners (also one of the swearers) has only recently turned 13. When we first started interacting, they were 11. These are also not the first instances of swearing, but the first instance of what people would consider the bigger swears.
What are these acronyms?
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silyabeeodess · 5 months
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Thoughts on TWST Book 7: Knots in an Already Twisted History
Now that I've caught up to the available translations for Book 7's current chapters, I can't help having some thoughts on the lore that's been revealed to us. Much of this focuses on the world's history, specifically between humans and fairies, as there are some dots that aren't connecting when we look at the bigger picture. As this is a lengthy analysis, I've broken it down into sections. Please note there will be major spoilers ahead.
Where the history we know meets TWST's:
To begin, it's revealed to us in Book 7 that Night Raven College has been established since at least Lilia's days as a Royal Guardsman. While there weren't always seven distinct dorms, with Pomfiore's being the first/oldest, I get the feeling that at least Diasomnia's dorm must've existed by this time. My reasoning for this is because, even though Lilia's application came centuries ago, Maleficent still isn't mentioned except as a legendary figure in history.
I know there's probably some people who want to think of this Maleficent as the one from the 2014 film--especially with inclusion of Henry in TWST's story. However, I get a strong feeling that just isn't the case. All flashbacks have pointed us to the animated films alone and it's important to emphasize that the 2014 version of Maleficent is extremely different from every other incarnation of the character across the Disney franchise, including in Yuu's flashblacks. In 2014, she was painted as a tragic heroine that tried to undo her own curse on Aurora and helped save both the human and fairy kingdoms. I'd say that film was a complete middle finger to the original, but who's asking...? Moreover, that wouldn't explain how that ending where the two kingdoms merged peacefully changed to their being broken up again with no mention of how or why whatsoever.
More than likely, TWST's Henry is a reference, but not the same character. If he was, the timeframe also wouldn't fit since Maleficent is missing from Lilia's backstory. Even if we consider the possibility of her being Malleus' grandmother, it doesn't explain why Malenoa (except as maybe a Maleficent stand-in herself), Lord Longan, or Revaan exist or why Aurora is also missing. Yes, Silver is a heavy Aurora parallel, but Aurora should still exist just like every other Disney character explained in TWST's history: The Great Seven, the mermaid princess that was Ariel, the puppet that came to life as Pinocchio, etc., etc., etc. It wouldn't make any sense at all for only Aurora and/or Maleficent to be replaced across this entire game. Keep in mind, the characters in TWST mimic the original Disney ones, but those originals have also played their own, separate roles in the world. To call Silver Aurora's replacement would mean we would have to call all of the others replacements too when that is clearly false.
Therefore, the only possibility left is that Maleficent is much older than anyone we've seen and is no longer around because she was killed by Phillip well before even Lilia existed. This would also make sense with TWST's history being so distorted: Not even the long-lived fairies that were there during the events we see were old enough to witness Maleficent's downfall; ergo, none of them can say what truly happened outside of the stories that have been passed down to them. Which brings me to my bigger point: If Maleficent wasn't around to see the same conflict that we do, if her and Aurora's story already happened, what else has occurred that we didn't see?
A Fairy's Blessing:
This section is more of an in-between, but another point that adds to the events of Sleeping Beauty occurring much further in the past is Silver's and the Knight of Dawn's lineage. They're both described as these ethereal beauties recognizable for their blonde hair and unique eyes, a fact so important that Lilia was glad when Silver's hair color changed because other fairies would be suspicious of his features. As he points out though... they aren't natural colors. Just as Silver's hair turned to a color of moonlight from a Night Fairy's blessing, so should it have been that shining blonde from a Day Fairy's blessing. The Knight of Dawn was blessed the very same, having been given the ring that was passed on to Silver. And who else do we know that was extremely beautiful that was blessed by fairies at birth? Aurora.
Moving on...
Night Fairies vs. Day Fairies:
Despite the story pointing to a conflict between humans and fairies as a clash between species, although the Day Fairies have a direct connection to the Silver Owls, this alliance is never properly addressed. One would think that the Day Fairies would take issue with nature itself being destroyed just like the elemental fairies do, or that the Night Fairies would call them traitors or hypocrites, but neither happen. Moreover, again, what we see follows the flow of the original Sleeping Beauty, with the three fairies who give the Knight of Dawn his ring and guard Silver mimicking Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather blessing Aurora.
This conflict of interest was shown in both the animated and 2014 films: In the former, a matter of good vs. evil and, in the latter... Honestly, it wasn't well thought out beyond "spreading peace," since their entire characters were resigned mostly to comedic relief trying to wean off the original's. Thank goodness the names were changed so I don't even have to think of them as the same people. Maybe they were actually bodysnatchers that kidnapped the real Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather.
Let's review what fairies really are and how their hierarchy works in TWST's world. To repeat what was covered in the Fairy Gala event, the fairies aren't all one, solidary people like Book 7 presents them as. There are those like Malleus who can pass as human and there are those who take on a smaller, more traditional appearance like what we typically think of; there are those who transform into beasts and those who exist as manifestations of natural elements; they speak different languages and even their leaders won't recognize each other, just as human civilizations often don't. All of this, Malleus himself explains, which is why he couldn't help when the fairies came in and stole the mage stone. Clearly, the Day and Night fairies fall in-line with this example: They are literally named as polar opposites of each other.
There's another factor to consider as well, and that's that, just because the Day Fairies sided with the Knight of Dawn, that doesn't mean they were on the same side as Henry or the Silver Owls or are even necessarily against the Night Fairies as a whole. Why? Well, we see the Knight of Dawn disagree with Henry's actions and save Lilia with a pre-hatched Malleus. He didn't go directly against Henry because he felt indebted to and was scared for the king's life due to an illness. The Knight of Dawn was a good person forced to serve a bad one; facing Malenoa, an enemy just as prejudiced (it doesn't matter if you feel she's justified or not, she was still fine treating innocent humans like dirt like our NRC group); and doing the best he could to do what was right despite the terrible, complicated circumstances he was stuck with.
While this gets into strong theory territory, the reason I brought up Aurora before is because I think this might actually explain the Day Fairies' strange allegiance. They aren't allied with humans or fairies, but to one, special lineage: Aurora's and Phillip's. If you think about it, the Knight takes on the traits of both. He's as beautiful as Aurora, her blessings passed down to him, while as strong as Phillip in combat, his battle with Malenoa a much more tragic parallel to Phillip's battle with Maleficent. He carries himself with "virtue and truth," and even has a magic sword.
Why was he originally an abandoned orphan despite this royal lineage? Well, probably for the same reasons he died and Silver was left alone: Whether or not it was well after their deaths, someone took over Aurora's kingdom at some point in the timeline thanks to territorial disputes or other factors; Maybe even someone of Maleficent's lineage/species, since Malenoa's castle looked exactly like the Sleeping Beauty castle we know from the film. It's confirmed in-game as well that the Night Fairies had another, more fortified one that better matched Maleficent's. The Day Fairies' allegiance never changed, or at least the allegiance of three of those fairies: They've always supported Aurora's bloodline. As is true to real life, it's not as simple as one side started this conflict and is wholly evil--the Night Fairies aren't all like Maleficent; humans aren't all like Henry; and, even shown in individual relationships in the story, we have Malenoa and Lilia who weren't like Lord Longan in their original views of the world and its people--but rather that power dynamics have been constantly shifting over time with both good and evil individuals caught up in them. Moreover, because of that waxing and waning, Aurora's story is almost repeating itself in Silver's--only with other humans acting as an added threat to his life.
Is there another story playing out different from what we believe?
All that being said, there is another, small possibility that might be worth thinking about: That TWST's history as the characters know it might be real after all rather than distorted over the years as we thought. I take this into consideration because of our experiences with Mickey. Just like us, Mickey comes from another world, another reality in the Disney line-up. Therefore, there's a chance that, just like how we're able to communicate with him across dreams, maybe what we're seeing aren't flashbacks into TWST's past, but rather reflections of what has occurred in Mickey's timeline instead, as a world potentially existing similarly to Kingdom Hearts or how interactions in the parks are presented, to help us deal with the current issues we are having in TWST's world. This also would help us explain why territories are so different from the ones we know from the films. For example, barring a name change, there is no Greece that Hercules takes place in, but the Kingdom of Heroes and the Island of Woe. TWST may be taking the concept of separate canons into the realm of an existing multiverse within its lore. In this case, history isn't being twisted by those retelling it, but by alternate timelines taking shape. Because of this, anything that isn't adding up, like with the Draconias living in the Sleeping Beauty castle and the land being taken over by the Silver Owls, could be dismissed: We would have to take Yuu's visions simply as warnings and shake off everything we've known.
EDIT: Adding this late, but it occurred to me that the Tsum events could also possibly be evidence for this, as they also come from another world and act as AU versions of the characters. With those events seeming to be more of a simple, funny crossover with the brand, it's hard to consider it canon. Still, Yana Toboso is known for creating comedic side-stories in her works that hint/contain important information we wouldn't fully understand until later.
Again though, I list this as a small possibility rather than a theory. There's not much else to give way to it beyond that fact that other worlds exist like Yuu's and Mickey's. We would likely need to explore more of those worlds and how they're connected before considering this idea further. Another clear factor going against this is that there's also not enough in TWST's history altered except that certain events are being painted in a different light. Take Aladdin's story for instance: In one tale society passed down, he's a portrayed as trickster that Jafaar caught red-handed. In another, he's just a man that shared bread with starving children, leading to a saying that "if you eat a big baguette, you'll never go hungry again." They're both technically true events playing out just like we have always known them to since childhood: It's clearly how they've been told and in what way they're connected that's changed, with no one knowing that it's the same person in both stories.
Anyway, thank you all again for sticking with me through another long post.
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