#critical role but this is the tag to keep it out of the main tag

[fjordfocused]

its the early morning and i wanna run a few laps around my apartment, calamity was so good i dont feel right being at rest.

#critical role but this is the tag to keep it out of the main tag #exu:c

[bobbiesquares]

Sean Finnerty, Avatar of the Slaughter. anyone else with me. war, mindless violence, SINGING. do you see it

#candela obscura #tma #the magnus archives #critical role #sean finnerty #circle of needle and thread #candela obscura spoilers #co spoilers #cr spoilers #i guess altho i try to keep that tag for main campaign only #candela spoilers #the circle of needle and thread #OK now that all the tags are out of the way: #war. mindless violence. SINGING. DO YOU SEE IT #original content #i can think of entities for the other characters as well but they would need more of a push to go full avatar #sean is like. already there. #text post #100

[utilitycaster]

@notstinglesstoo replied to your post “The thing is, and I haven't gotten a chance to...”:

I saw someone not long ago say cr has always felt like a product to them vs D20 feeling organic and I protected my peace but I did want to ask them if they were brain dead

​Oh man I wanted to address this at length because I feel this. My posts have been centered, again, specifically on published journalists picking Daggerheart aprt critically and applauding themselves for doing so despite it being within a couple of hours of its release and therefore any analysis is necessarily going to be based on at best, a skim, when they just as frequently will claim D20 seasons/Kollok are flawless works of genius based on only a partial read, but man D20's got a fandom problem too. (and all of the following comes with the caveat of "I really enjoy D20, and Dropout, and while we're at it WBN and NADDPod which both are half D20 Intrepid Heroes cast, and think Brennan is a particularly brilliant GM, and also it's obvious that the D20 and CR casts are on great terms, and wish the fandom for D20 were more welcoming and enjoyable because I feel it wasn't like this when I first started watching, as a CR fan, in late 2019 and has since curdled into something really weird and bad.")

The first point is the obvious one: technically speaking these are both products. These are performers doing an art form; it is also a portion of how they make their money with which they can buy goods and services. Believing that art is inauthentic when the artist gets paid and acknowledges that is a thing that happens is a fucking libertarian position at best. Like cool, you think only people who are independently wealthy by other means can make art, because it's not real labor, my kid could paint that, etc etc.

The second point is also pretty obvious. I have pushed back pretty hard on the "uwu CR is just watching friends! it's like we're in their living room" mentality among the fandom, which has decreased, thankfully, but like...it did in fact start organically as a private home game, and they decided, when invited, to make it A Show For An Audience. D20 was created on purpose as a show for an audience. This doesn't make it bad or fake - reread the previous paragraph - but in terms of "this is an group of people who really played D&D in this world together even before the cameras were rolling," Critical Role literally is that, and D20 is not.

I think beyond that...my biggest issues with the D20 fandom are first, the level of discourse is abominable. The tag is almost always just shrieking praise and the most surface-level readings possible. I keep bringing up the "Capitalism is the BBEG" mug but it genuinely sums up so much of how I feel; people who want their existing beliefs fed to them as surface-level no-nuance takes. I mean capitalism is fucking terrible but I do not need every work I watch to have a character turn to the camera and say "capitalism is bad" to enjoy myself, and indeed it makes it harder due to the lack of subtlety and grace. For all D20 fans complain about how unhealthily parasocial CR fans can be (and some can be), I find that a lot of the most unhealthily parasocial "how dare they BETRAY my TRUST by having a ship I don't like or not speaking up about every single societal ill" ex-CR fans move over to D20 and then pull the exact same shit; it simply doesn't get called out. Every time D20 fans are like "we don't want to become the CR fandom" it's like "your toxic positivity and unhealthy parasocial behavior exceeds the HEIGHT of what I've seen in CR; the main difference is that CR started in 2015 when D&D was still shaking off the raging bigot dudebros and so in the early days it acquired more of those fans, whereas by the time D20 came around the landscape of who played D&D and watched Actual Play had shifted wildly, and you need to judge September 2018 D20 fans in parallel to September 2018 CR fans, not September 2015 CR fans."

I also feel, and I alluded to this in the post about journalism, and other people have said this better than I have, but the pedestal people have put D20 on does feel like a single...not even misstep, but just, difficult choice that doesn't capitulate to the loudest fans will bring a good chunk of that fandom crashing to the ground. And that includes the journalists. For all the fans of CR can still be obsessed with the cast to an unhealthy degree? The cast and company have put up pretty strong boundaries and have not budged. D20 hasn't, and I think the second they do - and I think it will be for their benefit as a company and a channel - a big chunk of their most vitriolic CR-hating portion of the fandom will viciously turn on them.

#notstinglesstoo #nonrebloggable bc god it's hell week for me i know i've been shooting off opinions bc that is how i blow off steam #but like. i can't have this break containment i got shit to do

[ineedtorantaboutjiangcheng]

My first rant, and the reason I snapped and made this blog, is not about Jiang Cheng. It's actually about the characters around him.

See, I was reading this fic and, without naming any specifics, I was enjoying it. Nothing especially groundbreaking, but it was good enough that I was immersed. In fact, the thing that probably got me about this is that what I liked most about the fic, what was really sucked me in, was the characterisations. Wei Wuxian was the definite standout. Fic premise meant that he was injured, but he was being portrayed with his canonical resilience, which is rare enough that prior to this, I would have likely celebrated the fic for it's accuracy. It's a difficult thing to pull off, and I always give extra credit to authors who can walk the line of, essentially, whumping a character while still keeping them themselves.

Then it happened. Jiang Cheng showed up. I've sometimes clicked out of a fic just for that (the timing of his appearance is, occasionally, enough of an indicator of his role in the story that I know I'm not going to be able to jive with it), but I was immersed! And the author had gained my trust with the aforementioned character accuracy until that point! I was caught up, and ready to roll with whatever version of Jiang Cheng came out.

And, well, his behaviour seemed somewhat accurate to canon. Angry, accusatory, sort of irrational, in an overly suspicious way. Seemed pretty good. Again, the timing made me think that the fic was probably going to go the reconciliation path, but you know, I can get through that. I don't care enough about Jiang Cheng that his presence or absence alone is enough to ruin a fic I'm otherwise enjoying.

But then, imagine my shock. Jiang Cheng, post first siege (where, as far as everyone knows, he killed Wei Wuxian, and has spent the years since his death hunting down and torturing anyone who might be/reminds him of him. You can dispute Jiang Cheng's actions, if you wish, but not that this is how he is widely perceived), demands to see Wei Wuxian. And Lan Wangji, who loves Wei Wuxian, who spent stars knows how much time desperately trying to protect Wei Wuxian, who would stand between Wei Wuxian and the world if he had been allowed, just... agrees.

Lan Wangji. Agreed. To let a Jiang Cheng, who shows no, I don't know, remorse, or concern, or anything, toward a person he is credited with murdering, that Lan Wangji believes he murdered. And Lan Wangji just... yep. I'll just take you to see Wei Wuxian. Sure, he's injured, and vulnerable, and you show no sign of wanting to do anything other than a violence. Yep, right this way.

And THIS. THIS is why Jiang Cheng infuriates me. This is why I had to make this blog. Because I don't care about Jiang Cheng, love him, hate him, think he's the most evil scum imaginable, think he's the true victim of mdzs, I literally don't care. I don't have enough investment in the character to give a fuck about how accurate he is.

But I love Lan Wangji. I really do (and Wei Wuxian, and Wen Ning, and Wen Qing, and Jin Ling, and every other character even peripherally related to Jiang Cheng). So to see the characters I do care about being warped and twisted, just to try and force a particular narrative to play out about this one character? I've spent the past idk two hours as I set this up frothing with rage.

It's not like he's the main character of this fic. He's one of the last ones listed (after characters that are actually deceased throughout the entirety of the fic), and there's no, idk, Yunmeng siblings or reconciliation tag or anything. Full confession, I haven't finished the fic, but I'm well over halfway through, so I can somewhat confidently say that his presence, while maybe playing into something in the endgame, is not super critical.

And yet. The author, who until that point had been pretty good with their characterisations, felt the need to overlook one of the main characters primary personality traits (Lan Wangji's desire to protect people and keep safe that which he loves) in order to... make it slightly easier for Jiang Cheng to be shoehorned into the plot? Why? Just... why?

I'm frustrated. Frustrated, and confused. Is it lack of imagination? Could the author not think of a single other way Jiang Cheng might come into contact with Wei Wuxian after the first siege (assuming, of course, that he is alive)? I don't believe that, the author did well enough with thinking up some left field plot points at other stages of the fic. Did they overlook the fact that, Jiang Cheng having demanded Lan Wangji take him to Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji could have just... not done that? Lan Wangji, Mr. You Are Not Qualified To Talk To Me, had no choice but to acquiesce to Jiang Cheng's will. He couldn't have just. refused. Or walked away from the conversation. Knocked him out and left. Or called out the inherent contradiction of Jiang Cheng wanting to visit someone he killed (again, regardless of your opinion on Jiang Cheng's culpability, it is made clear in canon that that is the version of events Lan Wangji knows/believes). Or at the very least placed conditions on Jiang Cheng that he's not allowed to do anything to harm Wei Wuxian.

But nope! In the space of a single scene, just by his very presence, apparently, Jiang Cheng is able to turn a fully fledged, well characterised version of Lan Wangji into a robot that cannot disobey a human's will due to it's programming.

And it may seem like I'm ragging on this poor author, or that I'm getting too worked up over one scene, and, and, yeah, that would... that would be correct (hence I'm trying to avoid saying anything identifying about the fic, though I realise that might lessen the impact of my arguments). But the thing is, it's not just this fic. Or just this author.

It's everywhere.

I cannot count the number of fics that have characters that otherwise align pretty well with their canonical selves, only for all that to go out the window the second Jiang Cheng shows up. It's like people can't help themselves. Jiang Cheng appears, and every other character must suddenly become whatever version of themselves makes Jiang Cheng appear most sympathetic/reasonable/well-intentioned. Whatever helps the author make Jiang Cheng be what they want him to be.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji definitely get this the worst. Wei Wuxian goes from an intelligent, calculating individual, who excels at reading the situations he's in and figuring out what's going to get him the outcome he wants*, to a reckless idiot who charges in without thinking because he wants to "be a hero". And Lan Wangji goes from someone who has repeatedly failed to save the ones he loves, and so is appropriately determined to protect them as much as he can (without becoming his father), to someone who thinks he always knows best**, and will happily put someone he loves into a potentially deadly situation because... I don't know. His thinking is pretty much never clearly explained, but I've seen different half-reasons. Sometimes Lan Wangji just thinks that Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are such good, good brothers, and that Jiang Cheng is so important to Wei Wuxian that the chance to hold a conversation with him is worth Wei Wuxian... best case scenario, being verbally abused, worst case, being tortured to death. Sometimes he thinks he wouldn't be able to stop Jiang Cheng which... haha. Even Jin Ling, who reflexively defends Jiang Cheng over everything, thinks that Jiang Cheng doesn't stand a chance against Lan Wangji. Sometimes he thinks he shouldn't interfere with someone else's family... even though they aren't related, and Jiang Cheng cannot, under any circumstances, acknowledge Wei Wuxian as anything other than a disciple/servant. Also, Lan Wangji gets involved in everything. That's kind of his thing. You know... going where the chaos is? There's certainly a lot of chaos whenever Jiang Cheng is around...

But really, it's everyone. Wen Ning goes from being so defensive of Wei Wuxian that he breaks a promise and reveals a secret he kept for nearly twenty years just to get Jiang Cheng to stop talking shit, to usually being passively pushed into the back seat, his bond with Wei Wuxian glossed over in favour of the "brothers"***. Wen Qing, a person so devoted to Wei Wuxian that she sacrificed herself and her beloved brother on the off chance that it would mean he wouldn't have to face consequences for Jin Zixuan's death, is suddenly chastising Wei Wuxian for not doing more to smooth over their relationship. Jin Ling goes from creating a diversion so that he can help Wei Wuxian escape Jiang Cheng, despite knowing he would get in trouble for it, to trying to trick them into being in the same room. It's everyone.

Every. Single. Character. Must be changed, must behave in ways antithetical to their personalities and relationships, because it seems that's the only way many people can reconcile with their affection for a character that behaves the way Jiang Cheng does. In order to keep Jiang Cheng even slightly resembling his canonical self (angry. violent. verbally abusive at every possible opportunity), and yet still have him be welcomed and beloved by the other characters, every other character must lose integral parts of themselves. Mo Dao Zu Shi is, in many ways, a surprisingly tightly woven story when you start pulling threads, and if you want that jumper to work like pants, you need to get the scissors and start cutting.

Or at least, I can only assume that's what's happening. I can't fathom any other reason as to why so many fics, that are otherwise fairly true to character, veer so wildly OOC as soon as he appears. And it is so, so many fics. Note: I've read, ballpark, around two thousand mo dao zu shi fics (yes, I have no life. no, why do you ask?), and this happens in a staggering amount of them.

And basically, this is the root of my issue with Jiang Cheng. I don't care how you write him, he can be the most loving, soft, compassionate individual in the world in your fic, it's your fic, you write what you like****, I'm just going to engage less with those parts, because I don't care as much. You can make him greet each sunrise by weeping, and coo over every baby he encounters on the street, and weave blankets for the homeless in his free time. I literally don't care.

What I care about is the changes made to the other characters. That in order to raise Jiang Cheng, other characters must be dragged down. That he must be there, and he must be the secretly misunderstood caring brother, so every character that could challenge that in any way must be changed, by any means necessary, to prevent that.

(But really, do they? It's fanfiction. Can you really think of no way to make Jiang Cheng be the character you want him to be without mutilating everyone else? If you truly feel for him, truly think his actions make sense, truly wish to show how his relationships can be fixed without him altering his own attitude... then shouldn't it be easy enough, to persuade others of this, without turning the cohesive characters around him into a farce?)

* - since I know this is going to get disputed, even if only internally, by someone; the literal second scene involving Jiang Cheng (immediately post dancing-statue attack, Jiang Cheng suspects and wants to test with Zidian) has Wei Wuxian realise he's not going to be able to escape without some proof of innocence (i.e. reading the room, despite the stress of the moment). He then deliberately steps out of cover so Jiang Cheng can hit him, proving he's not possessing Mo Xuanyu, and then, when that's not enough to guarantee his freedom, he recognises that, and plays on Jiang Cheng's ego (and ymmv homophobia) by saying he's not his type, so Jiang Cheng can't take him without losing too much face, which Wei Wuxian knows he won't do, since Jiang Cheng is very concerned with reputation and appearances (after all, that's why he refused to help Wen Qing and Wen Ning, in spite of the debt he owed them). If that doesn't indicate Wei Wuxian is a clever person who thinks things through, I don't know what does.

** - not as worried about this being disputed, but I can see people thinking this so; no, Lan Wangji doesn't think he knows best. He did when he was young (or, at least, thought the rules he lived by were definitive morals), and that's what led to his rigid black-and-white thinking regarding rules and such. Then he got older, and got more experience, and made some mistakes, and realised that different people approach the world differently, and that he needed to be more flexible and meet people halfway if he wanted to be able to help them. See his change in attitude toward mo dao/gui dao.

*** - fic challenge; see how many fics that portray Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng as close, loving brothers, and also contain the close, caring, trustful friendship between Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning. It's very, very few. On some level, I think everyone who wants to show Jiang Cheng as #bestbrother knows that, from his actions to his attitude, Wen Ning is what a beloved, caring, bad-reputation-but-is-actually-just-misunderstood baby-brother-figure should be.

**** - at the end of the day, everyone has the right the write whatever they like in their fic. I'm a full supporter and encourager of that. But if you don't make it clear that you are going to write OOC, I reserve the right to feel frustrated when I stumble across it. I would never comment it in the fic itself, Ican't imagine anything more poorly mannered, but I am, apparently, not above vague blogging about it (hopefully vague enough that no one can identify any specific fics).

#mo dao zu shi #mdzs #mdzs canon #sorry #the worms were too strong #on the plus side i do feel better now

[mjunhinged]

Radical Feminism - Getting Started

Hi there, and welcome! A lot of young women find themselves lost when first identifying themselves as RadFems, and this post aims to diminish that. I will be summarizing the main ideas of radical feminism and attaching resources below. My asks are always open, so please never hesitate to reach out if you have questions!

📖Definition

The internet defines radical feminism as follows:

"Radical feminism is a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical re-ordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts, while recognizing that women's experiences are also affected by other social divisions such as in race, class, and sexual orientation."

While that definition is somewhat broad, I would say that it is fairly accurate. Radical feminists believe in a complete restructure of the current system, into one that does not unjustly favor and prioritize men.

🗝️Key Ideas

~Female solidarity before everything else.

~A woman is defined as an adult human female. Women are oppressed because of our sex.

~Radical feminism is for ALL women, regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality, or nationality.

~Gender roles, and gender as a whole, serve only to oppress women.

~Bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom are human rights.

~The sex industry is an entity that rapes, abuses, and objectifies women. Sex workers deserve liberation.

~Modern pornography encourages the abuse and rape of women, and is therefore immoral.

(I almost certainly missed some ideas here. This is by no means an exclusive list, just main ideas that are common amongst RadFems).

🗒️Subsets of Radical Feminism

Radical feminists are not a monolith, and even within this political ideology you will find offshoots. Some of these include (but are not limited to) gender critical feminism, socialist and Marxist feminism, black feminism, and lesbian feminism.

🗣️Commonly Used Abbreviations

These are some terms and abbreviations that I see commonly in RadFem circles, that may be confusing to newcomers.

TERF: Trans exclusive radical feminist. Often used as a derogative, a TERF is a radical feminist that does not believe that males can self identify as women.

TIF: Trans identifying female. A female who now identifies as a man.

TIM: Trans identifying male. A male who now identifies as a woman.

TRA: Trans rights activist.

👥Organizations

These are some organizations that align with RadFem ideology. Against, not an exhaustive list.

ICONS

The International Council on Women's Sports is one of the leading organizations fighting to keep women's sports free of sex based discrimination.

https://www.iconswomen.com

Women's Liberation Front

A gender critical RadFem organization that fights for women's sex based rights in legal and political spheres.

https://womensliberationfront.org

Women's Declaration International

Another radical feminist organization that advocates for women's sex based rights.

https://www.womensdeclaration.com/en/about/

🩷Radblr

The Radblr (RadFems of Tumblr) community is growing everyday! Some common tags used by this community will be attached to this post.

#feminism #radical feminism #radfem #radfems please interact #feminist #radical feminists please interact #radfem safe #gender critical feminist #gender critical #drop the t

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group A Round 3: #A5 vs #A6

#A5: Two girls unravel mysteries surrounding an isolated manor

#A6: Sad lesbians sing while fighting monsters

Details and poll under the cut!

#A5: Shadows House

Summary:

The Shadows, characterized by their pitch-black appearance and tendency to emit soot when agitated, are a family of nobles who reside in a colossal manor deep within the mountains far from other humans. When a Shadow child is nearly of-age, they are assigned a Living Doll who acts not only as their attendant but also as their second half—the faces they could have had if not for their complexion.

Emilico is a cheerful, newly created Doll who serves a rather soft-spoken master named Kate. Despite their difference in personalities, Emilico does what she can to carry out the needs of her master. As she learns more about her role and duty, Emilico begins to meet her fellow Dolls and their respective masters and comes to know more about the purpose of her existence.

"Do not fret over trivial matters," says one of the rules by which all Dolls must abide. But how could the ever-curious Emilico do so in the face of the deep secrets that the Shadows House holds?

Propaganda:

The atmosphere of the manor is probably the most effective aspects of the story, creating a feeling of isolation and worry as Kate and Emilico try to survive in the mansion. The show starts off pretty subtle, but as it progresses it becomes more and more strange and off-putting. This series is an incredibly interesting, layered mystery, and the horror elements are excellently done.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse

#A6: Symphogear (Senki Zesshou Symphogear)

Summary:

The world is beset by creatures known as the Noise. Nothing can touch them, and if they touch a human being, both turn into carbon dust. But, with the symphogear system-magitech battle armor powered by music and singing, humanity has a chance to fight back.

Propaganda:

This is the best example of music fights I’ve ever seen. They sing WHILE fighting. It’s amazing. The fight choreography, how the music plays into it, and let’s not forget the incredible character development. The entire cast is full of characters that would be the highlight of any other show. And last but not least, it is off the walls insane fun. You think it reaches its heights at the end of season 1, but no. It keeps climbing, and you are along for the ride.

Trigger Warnings: Drugs, Emotional Abuse, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Guns, Kidnapping, Nudity, Slavery, Suicide

All warnings apply to the main characters, some are for the later seasons (drugs, guns (especially S2)). Slavery and kidnapping are rather said than shown and are fom a flashback.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

#anime #best underrated anime #polls #poll tournament #tournament #anime tournament #animation #group stage #group stage round 3 #tournament polls #group a #shadows house #symphogear #senki zesshou symphogear

[phynoma]

Oh hi!

I'm Phyn! I write things. I'm not going to get into a bunch of identity stuff, but I'm queer, I'm an adult, and I like writing queer adult stuff. Mostly horror (see: queer) and absurdity (see: the world)

I have degrees in english, theology, and more theology, which just means I have a bunch of experience doing critical thinking and analysis of storytelling, and enough imposter syndrome that I don't know how to put that on a resume.

FANDOMS!

If you're already following me it's probably for Pillars of Eternity, TMA, or LOTR/Silmarillion. I cycle through hyperfixations every few years. It's still TMA/TMAGP right now. You can find my TMAGP sideblog here, where I just collect art.

Other things I like: Fallen London, everything by Pia Foxhall/not_poignant, re:dracula, SILT VERSES, Rivers of London, Murderbot, Critical Role, Saga, Wicked+Divine, anything by Neil Gaiman, I Am in Eskew, norse myths, egyptian myths, jewish myths, the dragonlance books (don't judge me they were foundational), pretty much everything Mike Flanagan makes, and much much more

WRITING!

I'm on ao3 as Phynoma! What do I write? Well. I write in-depth explorations of characters placed in harrowing situations which draw out the very inmost parts of their vulnerabilities and--

Smut. I write smut, okay?

Almost all of these fics are explicit and PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD mind the tags, I am *very* careful with my tagging for good reason!!!!

HERE YA GO, YA FILTHY ANIMALS!

The Magnus Archives:

I mentioned this is my current fixation, right?

an extant form of life: pollen fic! You could say, maybe, that the Consuming AU uses pollen tropes, but I'm counting this as my first-ever pollen fic. Jon/Tim, Jon/Martin, maybe Jon/Tim/Martin, we'll see if Sasha gets thrown in there. Ongoing.

Hey, Jude: A hurt/comfort fic about what happened after Jon shook Jude Perry's hand. Jon & Georgie & the kindness of strangers (not those strangers) Oneshot.

The Consuming AU: My pride and joy. My baby. I started this halfway through listening to TMA the first time and finished the original fic in about two months in time for the Rusty Quill Big Bang of 2023. Canon is basically the same, with the addition of "what if there was a Entity of Hunger, (fear of) Intimacy, and Codependence?" Also Jon is turning into a succubus. Main fic is complete at a little over 100k words. Sometimes I add one-shots to the series.

~Incredible bookbinding done by @bluejayblueskies HERE ~Art of human-looking Rhia (by me) HERE and commission of eldritch angel Rhia by @isbergillustration HERE ~Commission of Naadia by @dcartcorner HERE

Kittens & Kink AU: Fluffy Somewhere Else one-shots. Cat play. Mostly nonsexual kink. Oliver/Jon/Martin. Ongoing, until I get bored of it, basically.

Pillars of Eternity:

The In-Between Series: A series of fics following the relationship of Watcher Mirad and Aloth Corfiser, ten years or so after the events of Deadfire. The world of Eora is ripe for a new cataclysm, and these two elves are trying to finally have the relationship they've been dancing around for two decades. Ongoing, on hiatus as my hyperfixation is elsewhere. I do plan to finish it, though.

Moments: same universe and characters as above, focusing more on events that happen in canon-- ie, during gameplay. Complete.

Faetales:

Mat & Kal: Fae AU: You know how sometimes you keep writing characters and put them through a blender so many times that they just become something completely new? That's this AU. Mateo and Makalo are two ancient fae beings trapped in the human world during the events of The Ice Plague (by not_poignant) who become bound by each others' lives and deaths. They hate each other, they love each other, they're in weird psychosexual sadistic codependency with each other. They're a cat-person and a snake-person. I'm not a furry but I like some of their ideas, okay? Series complete.

See commissioned art of Mat & Kal by @shojoshark HERE

The Silmarillion:

Mistakes Were Made: Imma be real, this is just straight up torture porn. Sauron is punished by Morgoth after the loss of the Silmaril to Beren & Luthien. Basically, I was annoyed by all the fluffy Angbang fics I was reading and wanted to depict them in all their horrifying, codependent glory. Complete.

Cost of Surrender: I read a really good fic about what it took for Mairon to grovel/debase himself to Eonwe to gain his freedom and I took it a bit further. Complete.

Good Omens:

the beautiful and the fitting: pretty sure the title of this is a quote from St. Augustine, too. I almost didn't include this one because I don't even remember what it's about. Fluffy sex times with nonsexual beings, I think. I started writing it because Good Omens is one of my favorite books, but tbh the fandom for the show exhausts me and I don't know if I'll come back to this. Abandoned, probably.

#writing masterpost #fic list #about me #phyn writes #sorry to all the folks I tagged I just want you to be loved #on the off chance anyone actually reads this #long post #pinned post

[akiyamastar]

Hi guys, I am back on the Chiaki tag. Yes, I'm analyzing him again and sort of picking up on a point I mentioned in my last post.

I think there's an interesting divide in how Chiaki acts in front of the other Yumenosaki graduates versus the rest of Ryuseitai (yes, even Kanata). He has this serious, no-nonsense personality that he tends to conceal in front of Ryuseitai, because he needs to act like "Ryusei Red," but this other side leaks out more in front of the other graduates. You can see this clearly in stories where he isn't interacting with his unit.

Chiaki's more complex than people make him out to be, especially if they don't know a lot about Ryuseitai and think he's some dense hero. In reality, he's an extremely perceptive person. This is a given, considering one of the main roles that he imposes upon himself is to read the emotions of the people he cares about, so even if he comes across as brash and pushy, there's this indirect sense of "I need to look over them and make sure they're all okay." His pushy, energetic personality disguises how he discreetly tries to read into situations with startling accuracy, defending the people he loves most.

In fact, he was so perceptive that he refused to let anything bad happen to Ryuseitai anymore after the events of Comet Show, thwarting Gatekeeper's move to try to alarm Madara of the false information that Kanata had been enshrined as a god again during Submarine.

Moreover, I'm of the opinion that Chiaki knew that he didn't do the best thing by reclaiming the leader role, but at the same time, the reason why he did so makes more sense in the context of the situation; he is trying to make Ryuseitai last at all costs, and he won't let the corruption of the idol industry take them down. While Chiaki does have a problem with taking things on his own, something that gets on Tetora's nerves and leads to that growing tension depicted in the prologue of the Universe story when he punches him, Chiaki's intentions were very much calculated. Chiaki is constantly reading the situation and emotions of the people around him to make the next optimal move that can help others.

While in front of Ryuseitai, he feels the need to be this "beacon of light," as symbolic as the blazing red sun that is the essence of his role as Ryusei Red, this facade is something that he is only keeping up because it's his "idealization" of himself. It is what he had originally wanted to become in Meteor Impact, and now that he finally has the power to become a hero in others' eyes, Chiaki partakes in this "fake it until you make it" act where he acts like a competent hero in front of the rest of Ryuseitai. It is to the point that his unitmates may admire him, but don't see his true self, marked with hidden insecurities of never being the main character of his own story. It is something that I really wish was explored more when Chiaki mentioned to Tetora how he wasn't that cool senior he tried to make himself seem to be. (Tetora and Chiaki's dynamic is so important to me if you haven't noticed by now.)

Essentially, Chiaki's personality is outwardly boisterous and passionate, channeling out his love for heroes and tokusatsu, but inwardly, he is extremely critical of how he enjoys such things. He also may seem like an unrealistic fool who views everything through the lens of tokusatsu, but he's also too realistic for his own good. He just thinks he'll seem like "no fun" if he shows that in front of Ryuseitai, but he does show his seriousness more around the other graduates.

I think an optimal example of Chiaki's more serious side was displayed in Shu's gacha event story centered on the graduates (Astraea's Atelier), specifically with how Leo and Chiaki interacted there.

Leo is generally a very playful and often unpredictable person, and you might initially think that this would go hand-in-hand with Chiaki's energetic personality. This isn't entirely a false assumption; in Red Hot Island (the water park gacha story) the two of them got along like two peas in a pod with their enthusiasm for the trip. (Their dynamic also goes so hard, btw.)

Nonetheless, there is a key difference between the two that shows a lot about Chiaki's character: while Leo tends to cope with problems by becoming increasingly more unpredictable and erratic in his personality, or isolating himself when he can no longer do so, Chiaki tends to shrink back and start showing cracks of his serious self when encountered with something grave, putting a halt to the energetic act rather than dialing it up.

This is why Chiaki is more likely to become suddenly realistic and even slightly irritable if people aren't taking things seriously when it matters most, which you can see when Chiaki sometimes shows a bit of annoyance for Leo's antics when they go too far in Astraea's Atelier, since he thinks that Leo isn't taking the situation of a stranger invading Shu's place in France seriously enough. Which is something I kind of love considering I wish we saw that side of him more.

Here are some examples of their interactions by the way (all translated by @/nia_narqissa on Twitter):

I recommend reading the story in all honesty since in general it reflects the graduates' friendships and how they interact with each other (and it's really funny).

I find it really interesting that Chiaki actually does seem almost hostile to Leo at some points in the story, something that might seem strange at first, but makes a lot of sense if you consider the fact that this aspect of his personality has always been a part of him; you could even conclude that it's very likely that he just swallows emotions like anger, but feels them just as much as anyone would.

In the end, however, the two do understand each other and I'm honestly really glad that they're interacting more in recent gacha stories.

I do hope to see more !! stories like this one where we see more of Chiaki's serious side since I think it's really interesting, and maybe even more on showing himself more to the rest of Ryuseitai because he is just human in the end. I think those are all my daily Chiaki thoughts for today. (I am very normal.)

#enstars #ensemble stars #chiaki morisawa #leo tsukinaga #character analysis #ryuseitai #I am a normal functioning member of society. Probably #I HAVE HOMEWORK

[softquietsteadylove]

Masterlist

By popular demand, I have done my best to compile things here for you! I will keep it as updated as I can, and I will still use my same tagging system. Chronologically, you can start at the bottom and work your way up!

Thenamesh 18+ List

Part 2 List

Without further ado:

Thenamesh Family Law AU

(Thena has custody of her younger sisters after their parents’ deaths, which she is determined to handle completely on her own, although Gil - who works at the law firm with her - is even more determined to help)

 // Supporting Arguments

Thenamesh Tomb Raider AU

(Thena is a freelancer who retrieves historical artifacts outside of the usual archaeological duties, although sometimes this conflicts with fellow freelancer - but in no way ally - Gilgamesh) 

Second // First

Thenamesh Vow AU

(Thena suffers an episode which makes her forget the last five years of her life, including her marriage to and even meeting her very sweet husband Gilgamesh)

Elephant in the Room // For Better or Worse // Second First Date // Reminiscing // In Sickness and In Health

Thenamesh Addams Family AU

(Thena meets Gilgamesh, the son of a respected and affluent family, but at least he seems much more pleasant company than their equally dry parents)

Love Stories // Beautiful Weather // The Lee Family

Thenamesh Hamptons AU

(Gil is the private chef for Thena, a reclusive heiress of old money who lives in the Hamptons, and seems really sweet even if she’s only ever said a few words)

Monster’s Ball // Worth its Weight in Gold

Reverse AU

(In a reversal of roles, Gilgamesh is cold and frightening to most, but for the quiet but beloved Warrior Eternal, he’s nothing but soft and warm)

Sunshine // Reversed

Thenamesh Inmate AU

(Thena is an inmate in a women’s correctional facility, where Gil works as a guard and is quite sure there’s more to her than meets the eye)

Safe and Sound // Fair Trade

Thenamesh Cook and Critic AU

(Gil is in the cooking track at a culinary institute which also offers studies such as molecular gastronomy and review for critique, which is how he meets Thena, the critique student with a perfect palette and no personal skills)

The Main Course // Amuse Bouche

Thenamesh 10 Things (I Hate About You) AU

(Sersi is forbidden from dating unless her shrewish sister Thena accompanies her, which Dane accepts with the help of reputational bad-boy Gilgamesh)

Out of the Shadows // Young Love(18+) // To Have and to Hold(18+) // A House Divided // Wherefore Art Thou // Star Crossed // Much Ado // A Midsummer Night

Thenamesh Hunger Games AU

(Gil volunteers for his brother Phastos back home in District 4, and meets Thena, a frighteningly competent but oddly helpful girl from District 2 who volunteered for her younger brother Druig)

In The Wild // In Preparation

Olympia AU

(Sersi uses the unimind energy to bring Gilgamesh back to life, and this ends up with Thena becoming pregnant, but the two aren’t alone in raising their young Eternal)

New Star // Olympia

Thenamesh President AU

(Thena has come into office of the presidency following Ikari’s deposition, with the most key support of her personal assistant, Gilgamesh)

Long Distance Relations // Diplomacy // In Private // Protection Detail // Small Reprieve // Behind Closed Doors

Thenamesh Wildfire AU

(based on Those Who Want Me Dead, Thena is a wildfire fighter who used to do search and rescue, but has sequestered herself to perimeter patrol, where she runs into fellow forest fire fighter Gil)

Enclosed // Key // Safe // Slip Up // Sanctuary // Sparks

Thenamesh Circus AU

(based on Water for Elephants, Thena is a star trapeze artist for a travelling circus, married to ring leader Kro, but undeniably fond of the new veterinarian, Gilgamesh)

Snapped // Out of Sight // Just Out of Reach // Just Us // From Afar // [Just Us]

Thenamesh Gladiator AU

(Gil is a gladiator who fights for Queen Ajak and Princess Thena, who - against all odds - has actually spoken to, and maybe even become fond of, him)

Peace // The War // The Battle // Declaration of War // Tournament Rules // [Declaration of War]

Thenamesh Human AU

(Gil gets weakened to a human status by a Deviant attack, leaving the rest of the Eternals - especially Thena - to protect the Strongest Eternal)

Shattered // Paper Skin // Glass Bones

Thenamesh Dressage AU

(Thena is a champion equestrian and competitive rider of Olympia, whose new caretaker Gilgamesh gets along with the stubborn mare surprisingly well)

Guy Talk // Friends...? // Stallion // High and Mighty // Bales // [Friends...?] // Escaped // Hanging Out // Too Nice

Thenamesh Photographer AU

(Gil is a freelance photographer who has come to work with Thena on various modelling contracts--enough that she’s come to maybe like his company)

Comfy // Three is a Crowd // Natural

Thenamesh Mermaid AU

(Thena is a mermaid who one day saves Gil the fisherman after falling into the water, and they only become closer from there)

Not Today Poseidon // Yearning(18+) // The Morning After // Feeling pt 2(18+) // Expressing pt 1(18+) // Green Around the Gills // Touching(18+) // Not Sharing // Sharing // Forbidden Treasure pt 3 // Forbidden Treasure pt 2 // Forbidden Treasure pt 1 // Home // Protective // Safe // Cuddlefish // Catch and Release // More Human // A Gift // Beautiful

Teach Me to Love AU

(based in this work from Ao3 called Teach Me to Love, in which Thena is a single mother to Druig, whose teacher is Gilgamesh; this has become popular to ask for drabbles on this platform, and thus gets its own section)

Butterflies // Consequences // Tiny Terror // Team Effort // Personal Space // Quiet Night In(18+) // Parent Day // [Personal Space] // Overheard // Bad Dreams // Mister Dad //  Teach Me to Love Again(18+) // Home Sick // Visitation Rights

Thenamesh Hanahaki AU

(Hanahaki is a disease in which love will form in the body as flowers, which can worsen until fatal if gone unrequited or even unspoken)

First Bud // Dying Roses // [First Bud]

Thenamesh Doctor AU

(Thena is a doctor who runs the ER, and is the unofficially official work-wife of Gil, one of the best and certainly the most popular paramedic there)

The Little Things // On Break(18+) // Up Close and Personal(18+) // Search and Rescue // Too Little Too Late // Thanks for the Save // [Up Close and Personal] // 5+1 This Time // Grieving Spouses // Revisiting(18+) // Interrupted(18+) // Red Roses for Love // Dreams // Love // Late Lunch // Ongoing Treatment // Wife Talk // Dropped // If You What // Trapped // A Doctor In the Making // Jealous // Hovering // Threat // Dozing Off // Adrenaline // Dream Team // If Only

Thenamesh Special Forces AU

(Thena is the head of a team of agents, although Kingo is keenly aware that she and Gil feel more strongly about each other than commander and agent)

A Little Help // After the Fight // Fighting for Love pt 4 // Fighting for Love pt 3 // Fighting for Love pt 2 // Fighting for Love pt 1 // Transfer // Guard Dog // First Impressions // Cover Blown // Fall Back // Staying Late // And He Did // Come Back // [A Little Help] //  [First Impressions]

Thenamesh Runaway Bride AU

(Thena is a princess who has run away from her arranged marriage to Prince Eros and found Gil, the very sweet and kind lumberjack who takes her in)

New(18+) // Anniversary Night(18+) // Ruined Celebration // Returning to the Scene // Bedridden // Budding Love // Blueberries // Ran

Thenamesh Bodyguard AU

(Gil is the private bodyguard for the very famous and popular singer, Thena)

Dreams // Cuts the Deepest // Silent Admiration // Sounds of Comfort // Where Is He // Trust Goes Both Ways // Caught in 4K // 5+1 Protection // Duet // Date // Slipped // Contract Negotiation // Sounds of Breakfast // Altercation // Trust // Recovery // Stage Rush // Live // Ambush // Cover // [Live]

Thenamesh Pokemon AU

(Thena is a professional Ace Trainer who works in Victory Road for the League; one day Gil - her best friend and a Pokemon Ranger - rescues a Teddiursa in need of a home)

Antidote // Joining the Flock // [Antidote] // Gil Was Hurt by Poison // First Encounter // Take your Kid to Work Day // 5+1 Interruptions (18+) // Rich Boy Eros Wants to Battle // Just Ask // A Great Fall // Something In the Water // Paldea // Calling In Sick // Accident // Rescue // Poachers // First Checkup // Teddiursa // [First Encounter]

Thenamesh Beauty and the Beast AU

(Gil gets dragged into going up the mountain to look for the cursed beast said to roam around the abandoned castle grounds, unrelated to the missing Princess)

The Eye of the Storm // Search and Rescue // Searching for More // Something in the Mountains

Thenamesh Goalie AU

(Gil is a goalie on the high school hockey team who meets Thena the figure skater in between their practices)

No Practice // Rough Practice

Thenamesh Ghost Files AU

(Gil is an amateur ghost hunter, and an avid believer despite his fear, while Thena joins him whether she believes in ghosts or not; conceived with Taran)

Lying // Forward // Be Still, My Beating Heart

Thenamesh Maleficent AU

(Thena and her brothers Ikaris and Druig visit a larger nest from some southern islands; Gil is a nest guard entrusted with guiding and protecting the visitors)

Lookalike // Nesting // Preening // Healing // Trinket // Rescue // Morning // Exchange

Thenamesh Rus AU

(I headcanon that the Eternals were in Kievan-Rus for a time, during which Thena was the war advisor to Saint Olga)

Doomed to Fail // Yours // Warming Comfort // If It Were You // Wounded Pride // She’ll Live // [Warming Comfort] // Soft Water // Warming Up // [Yours] // [She’ll Live]

Thenamesh Ballerina/Boxer AU

(Thena is a ballerina who teaches classes with Sersi across the hall from Gil and his boxing studio)

Fallen // Holding Back(18+) // Life Imitates Art(18+) // Morning Stretching(18+) // Same Territory Different Angle // Territory // Swan Fight // Night Out // Locker Room(18+) // Friendly Match // Friendly Fire // Kiss // Performance // The Swan

Ice Queen/Tyrant King AU

(Thena and Gil are rival mob bosses in the same city; Gil is a gangster who runs Koreatown and everything therein, while Thena controls the diamond industry)

Retaliation // Matching // Lovers’ Quarrel(18+) // 5+1 The Little Things // Meetings // Boyfriend Stuff // Family Visit // Engaged(18+) // Proposal pt 3 // Proposal pt 2 // Proposal pt 1 // Frisky(18+) // Rings // Home Again // Tell Me // Physiotherapy // [Tell Me] // Shots Fired pt 2 // Shots Fired pt 1 // Standing Up // Lying Down // Tied(18+) // Skating // Lost // [Boyfriend Stuff] // Target Practice // Lunch // Reconciliation(18+) // Committed pt 3 // Committed pt 2 // Committed pt 1 // [Meetings] // Targets // [Target Practice] // Poisoned // Dates // It’s Fine // Resolution(18+) // Tension

Thenamesh Life Interrupted AU

(based on the prompt of Girl Interrupted, Thena is a patient in a psych ward, where Gil works in the cafeteria)

New Perspective // Unfamiliar Territory // Getting Better // Bad Day // Outside // Hiding

Thenamesh Receptionist AU

(Thena works as the personal receptionist for Gil, who runs a ‘shipping’ business, but is actually a mafia leader)

Best Served Cold(18+) // Above the Table(18+) // Under the Table(18+) // Free(18+) // Cells // Sundubu Jjigae // Meeting Gone Violent // Shopping // Party // Meeting Gone Wrong // Back in the Office(18+) // Wounded // Sick Day // London(18+) // [Shopping] // Kidnapped // [Sundubu Jjigae]

Thenamesh Actors AU

(Thena and Gil are both professional actors; Gil is famous for doing his own stunts, Thena’s sister Sprite is a big fan of his)

Falling Harder // Sexiest Man Alive // Rubbing It In // Old Wounds // The Big Speech // Too Early for This // (No) Competition // Bewitched // Encouragement // Working Up a Sweat // Never Again // Late Dinner // Red Carpet // He and She // On His Arm // He’s Done // High Score // The Skittles Diet // Salad // Eros’ Panel // Rehearsal // Conference // Movie Night // Sling // Stunt Fall // Paparazzi // Interview // Finally Meeting

Thenamesh Proposal AU

(Thena and Gil have worked together for some time, but when Gil wants trick his father into thinking he’s engaged, he asks Thena for help, and things only get more out of hand from there)

Just Five More Minutes // Just the Dishes // Just One Dance // Just a Snack // The Decaffeinated One // The Beach One // One Bed // The One // Dress Fitting // [One Bed]

Thenamesh Zombie AU

(Thena finds Gil at the end of the world and they decide to stick together)

Candlelit // If Anything Happens // More Than Just Us // Good In the World // 5+1 Injuries // Later // Safe to Sleep // Shed Tears // A Little Help // First Leaving // Train // [First Leaving]

Thenamesh College AU

(Gil and Thena meet through Kingo)

Halloween // First Sight

Thenamesh Spy AU

(all agents have partners, although Thena and Gil might be closer than most)

Relief(18+) // Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing // Rescue Mission // Eyes Elsewhere(18+) // Eyes on Her // Eyes on Target // Extrication

Jack and Thenamesh

(I would consider this somewhere within their canon but not strictly adhering to the rules of the film)

Family Valentines // Day Off // Multigenerational // Confused // Fathers’ Day // Party Guests of Honour // Home Alone // Dog Park // Family Christmas // Bake Sale // Talent Show // Trick or Treating // Prizes // Episode pt 2 // Episode pt 1 // Pick Up // Soccer // Natural

Thenamesh

(I consider these close enough to what we know of the canon to be part of that particular timeline - although not necessarily connected to each other - and dynamic, including Babylon, Australia, Tenochtitlan, etc. I will include things during and close enough to the movie’s timeline, and not things potentially taking place much further from that)

Sleeprunning // Promise of Paradise // Stars // Healing // Warmth // The Sun in Babylon // Three Days Later // Instinct // Be Mine // Out of the House // Comfort // You, Here, This // Aftermath // Hurt // First and Harder // The Bath Halls // Gil’s Nightmare // Woken Up // Nightmare // On the Beach // Drunk // Unwelcome Advances // Sleepwalking // Overly Affectionate // By the River

Thenamesh AU

(every au has this tag, although as soon as it gains a second installment it loses it and becomes part of that running au; anything from slightly outside of the movie’s canon to completely separate ideas)

Eternal and Human // My Kingdom for a Heart AU // Far Out in the Australian Desert // Bittersweet // Enemies to Lovers // Human and Eternal // The Last of Us Remaining // Academic Tension // Unbearable Love // Last Christmas (This Year) // Curve the Bullet // Sorry to Keep You Waiting // The Tourist // Jujutsu Kaisen AU // Cake // Unspoken // Runaway Love // Camp Counselling // Scream // My First and Only AU // The Tube // Young Babylon // Mind Control // Onions // Only the Mahdness // Socrates // Isn’t it? // This is Him // Mr. And Mrs. Lee AU // His Recipe // Passing Notes AU // Intervening // Dane Meets History // Hit a Nerve // Given Enough // Family Bonding // Wedding Reception // Inevitable // Reunion // Total Erasure // A Running Leap AU // Something New // Christmas Cookies // Lifeguard AU // Panic // Pet Store // Sculptor AU // That Time // Lawyer/Client AU // Arthur // Amnesia AU // Family Dinner // Believe in Love // Flirting // Mr. and Mrs. Lee AU // Public Episode // The Australia Chronicles AU // Mid Fight // Mafia AU // [Wedding Reception] // Wedding Gift // Birthday // Interfering // Territorial

Thenamesh Week 2022

(stand alone entries from pre-selected prompts)

08 - Reunion // 07 - Chaotic Family // Spicy 07 - First Time // 06 - Hurt/Comfort // 05 - Soulmates // 04 - Canon AU // Spicy 04 - Outside // 03 - Remember // Spicy 03 - Sweet and Slow // 02 - First Kiss // Spicy 02 - Shower // 01 - Modern AU // Spicy 01 - Wedding Night

#guys this thing is so long #Thenamesh #Thenamesh AU #reformatted because tumblr said it was too long

[fearnecallogay]

i think i’m going to be abandoning this blog for good. :(

if you want to follow my main, pls feel free to! i usually always follow back: @emilylprentiss - i post cr stuff over there, its just not pure cr content like it is here.

i also think i’ll be releasing all of my cr urls that i’ve used/hoarded over the years here soon too, so if you’re interested in that, keep an eyeball out for my mian blog and/or the critical role tag.

i am going to keep this blog, there’s a very slight chance i could return if a new campaign happens, but we’ll see!!

thanks to everyone who’s followed me on this blog and been with me since 2016. u a real one. <3

i’ll probably reblog this post a few times this week just let everyone know, sorry in advance if you see this again, lol.

#pinned post

[witheredoffherwitch]

Yeah I agree with the last anon. I definitely don’t think all stories should be catered to us but it is kind of laughable to see the amount of unfiltered misogynistic discourse directed towards her and people consuming these stories always rooting for her to die so that him and the wattpad-esque OC can end up together. It’s definitely a trend and as the anon said, very much eye-roll worthy and unoriginal. It’s fine if people want to practice their writing skills ofc but a huge part of being a writer is being able to accept criticism and feedback related to the sort of the themes and tropes we use in stories. I think this is oftentimes conflated with “hate” and that’s just not the case. The “evil witch” trope has been around since fairytales existed and I get why people find it lazy because it inherently is.

Hi nonnie, hope you're doing well.

I do not condone this point of view. Every fanfic writer is allowed to create and narrate their own rendition of these stories however they wish. I believe shaming or even 'taunting' these authors is the worst course of action here. In fact, constantly questioning these genres/tropes can sometimes bring them into the spotlight - Lucemond and Jonsa are two great examples! I personally read stories filtered under both of these tags and have met with a great deal of pushback from other shippers for liking or even promoting these stories on my page. Fanfic writers put in a great deal of time and energy into writing these stories for free, without seeking any financial gain from their readership. Therefore, there is no significant loss for a reader who may dislike a story. While art is certainly open to criticism and interpretation, it's different from critiquing a more financially incentivized book or film aimed at a wider audience.

Secondly, I understand why you feel so exasperated - it is disheartening to witness the frequent rejection of Alys' character. I'm more sympathetic to those who view her as a victim in this dynamic - something of a 'war trophy' for Aemond. What really irritates me is how some downplay Aemond's power in the relationship, making him out to be a victim. If Ewan's portrayal hadn't gotten so much traction, I don't think many people would have even noticed Alys' role in his storyline - or perhaps they'd be applauding her for 'bewitching' him and ultimately sending him to his death.

That being said, I don't think fanfictions are the main issue here. Do people make Alys into an evil temptress and diminish her role as the other woman? Yes! However, we have yet to see her appear onscreen and we're still unaware of what direction the show will go in. With recent rumors that Nettles and Daeron may not make an appearance (which I'm desperately hoping isn't true), many Alysmond shippers are now concerned that Alys will be given the original arc between Nettles/Daemon before Aemond enters the picture. If this is the case, how fucking disappointing! As an Alysmond shipper, these fanfictions are the least of my worries. Other fanfic writers will keep crafting content for these two in the future - I'm positive of that.

I still believe (hope?) that Alys' character will gain popularity when she's introduced in the show but until then, it's best to maintain a healthy dose of caution when discussing them.

That's all 🤗

#anon asks #aemond x alys #aemond targaryen #alys rivers #alysmond #hotd discourse #shippy discourse #coven convening #alysmond hive

[fjordfocused]

ahhhh I’m excited for Calamity but also upset we gotta wait weeks to see Erika at the table again

#granted this isn't their only session but ahhhhh #critical role but this is the tag to keep it out of the main tag

[iprobneedabeard]

9 People You'd Like to Get to Know Better

Thank you for tagging me @not-so-good-omen made my day.

Last song: Words by Missing Persons only because it was on in Wal-mart and I had to keep myself from laughing at the squeaks in it. It is kind of catchy though.

Favorite color: green is the best

Last movie: I was forced to watch cocaine bear. It was silly and not terrible. The gore kind of surprised me though which is goofy.

Currently reading: a tooon of fanfiction, but I just finished a book called Her name in the sky and I wish my younger self had it. It definitely helped heal some old wounds. I'd recommend The lady's guide to celestial mechanics and I am currently trying to start The Loudest Silence.

Spicy/Sweet/Savory: Savory and then sweet.

Relationship status: Single, but I have been talking with a kind catfish which is sad, I know I need to get out and show off how hot I am😆😉

Current obsessions: Always Donna Beneviento. I'm hopefully going to get Baldurs Gate soon. I'm still super into Elden ring after beating it. Also, watching critical role. I love swords as well. Plus Pokémon and anything lesbian related. Oh! And the new mortal kombat.

Currently working on: Decorating my new home. I have discovered I'm terrible at interior design because of animal crossing.

Also tagging: @ilovedonnabeneviento @pizzazz-party-main @resident-milf @salty-spud @greyella @i-wanna-be-a-deer @eletricheart @circesoracle @the-unkindled-queen

Hopefully I did this right. I've been on here for I don't know how long and I still don't know how to use it.

*throws this at you and runs*

[utilitycaster]

The Much More Streamlined Pinned Post

I tag spoilers for podcasts and shows until a day after the on-demand released version comes out. (For Critical Role this typically means through Tuesday night). Movies and books are for at least a week but ultimately it will be vibes-based. If you are catching up, this will not be a spoiler-free space; plan accordingly.

I am myself spoiler-averse. I block main tags and turn off the askbox when seriously avoiding spoilers. If you spoil things in a reply or reblog (this includes tags) you will be blocked.

My tagging system keeps evolving so please don't hesitate to ask questions if you're lost. If there is something you need tagged, and blocking a phrase won't work, feel free to request that tag. I make no promises but I will take it under consideration.

Please do not send unsolicited recommendations, advice, or trigger warnings. I'll ask if I'm looking for them!

The askbox/replies/reblogs match your energy. Be respectful, and you will be treated with respect. Be a clown, and don't be surprised if you're shoved into a comically small car and laughed at.

If I am factually wrong about something please let me know. If I simply have differing opinions or choose to explore a different space than you do, that is because life is a rich tapestry full of diverse perspectives.

#found myself in need of an update

[averyhollow]

@bromelads is amazing. I can’t say enough in praise of the kindness, patience, love, good will, and thought that are going into this conversation and spreadsheet; and I hope it’s genuinely appreciated by those it’s in reply to.

I think my main takeaway is that I have no common ground with a lot of people who consider themselves “Izzy critical” or anti-Izzy, and can’t say I think we care about the same things. I think that’s a good realization for me to come to and one that’ll hopefully make it so much easier for me to focus on letting what I see as inflexible assertions stemming from respectability politics and/or paternalistic racism, float on by.

Looking through the responses from “Izzy critical”, and feeling the comments so far are reaffirming positions I believe flatten BIPOC characters due to their inflexibility; and that I think are prevalent not only out of a desire to center the voices of BIPOC, but out of a desire to have a Right Answer that’s coupled with bias towards certain characters and ships.

The more I look at the arguments being made, the more I see them as the liberal/leftist counterparts to socially conservative justifications for excluding BIPOC from certain roles; or (likely unintentional) smokescreens for infantilization, sanitization, respectability politics, and dehumanization (e.g., the idea that interpreting Ed as having “anger issues” is a microagression in and of itself has some pretty fucked up implications to me). It’s not the differences in opinions and interpretations themselves that are the problem for me. It’s the insistence on making blanket statements about which ones do, or don’t, inherently reflect racist bias or reinforce racist narratives.

I think there are a number of reasons most of the headcanon and interpretations discussed should leave room for agreement to disagree that don’t involve calling the interpretations in question microaggressions in and of themselves. But that space so often isn’t there. I feel like it’s not conversation at this point. I’m not sure I can even envision what my ideal recommendations for actionable items might be in the current environment, since I think the ship has sailed on suggestions like:

maybe don’t respond to individual fanworks, but instead comment on trends and issues you notice in your own space, and tag in a way that’s easy to find for those willing to look

if responding to something/someone directly, approach with the intent of getting your perspective and counterarguments understood, and not with the intent of getting them agreed with

if responding to someone directly, keep the same energy you would for the cast, crew, and creators of the show when/if they make similar points

consider if something happened onscreen that didn’t sit right with you and you’re making authoritative claims about how it’s meant to be interpreted in order to square your love of the show with something you find problematic, and consider how your relationship to the show might change if you’re wrong about the intent

ask people about their specific reasoning for an interpretation instead of making blanket denouncements of certain interpretations

don’t outsource responsibility for your personal views to some mythical monolithic BIPOC community

if you’re white, ask yourself if you engage with and hype up the opinions and meta of BIPOC whose interpretations you don’t agree with entirely, or at all. If not, why?

if you’re white, are you about to say something that you’re willing to stand by and defend regardless of the race of who you’re replying to or if contradicting opinions from BIPOC are presented? Or are you going to bounce the moment you’re openly confronted with a situation where no matter what position you espouse, you’re gonna have to take responsibility for holding a position BIPOC disagree with and are made uncomfortable by?

or any number of other ideas I have that are rooted in an opinion that it’s unhelpful and tokenizing to make blanket statements intended to spin objective truths from subjective material.

So I think all I can, or want, to do at this point is focus on my own engagement patterns and work on being more considerate about when and how I engage in, and disengage from, arguments. Will also continue to vent frustrations with other BIPOC who love my grumpy gremlin, are neutral about him, or otherwise find themselves exhausted, frustrated, or erased by posts advising that EdIzzy is an inherently racist and abusive ship, or that the ship name BlackBonnet is offensive to Black fans.

#long reads #the izcourse #ofmd discourse #OFMD fandom discourse

[red-man-of-mustache]

Rules and other relevant information(Mobile view)

Rule 1. I'm not at all selective with who I'll role-play with. I'd prefer mutuals, naturally, but I think if we're interacting with one another that'll come with time so I won't harp on it. I don't care about your writing length but just know sometimes I can get carried away with mine so be warned. I also don't mind doubles! Mario and Mario, Mario and Dr Mario, Shadow Mario, whatever variation is welcome. I don't do exclusivity with muses either(unless discussed). Also, I don't mind role-playing with anons either. Basically, my blog is a free-for-all. Random anons, random asks for the hell of it, go for it.

Rule 2. Personal blogs are welcome here. I'll be reluctant to follow them though as I like to keep my dash a certain way. Should you rp from a side-blog then you know what to do: lemme know.

Rule 3. This blog is multi-ship and multi-verse(ew dirty word). The main verse of course has continuity between threads so keep that in mind if you see Mario mention or otherwise reference your muse and events that happened surrounding their interaction. Verse exclusive interactions will be tagged properly. Posts without a verse tag are to be assumed main verse.

Rule 4. This is a personal mish-mash of everything Mario: the games(mainline and spinoffs), comics(Super Mario adventures primarily, Super Mario-kun is lightly followed) and the cartoons. The recent Super Mario bros movie is an origin story and I'm not sure if I'll make a verse for it yet as Mario is fresh to the kingdom and hasn't been on any adventures yet. I have headcanons that I toss into my interpretation of Mario and I'll be getting a headcanon tag going soon along with updating these rules with said tag for ease of access. I say all that to say that if I do something that you may consider off-color for Mario let me know! I take criticism. Love it actually.

Rule 5. I will reiterate: there is no set way to begin interaction. Toss me a random ask, random starters are also accepted, and my starter calls are always open(might make a perma one, who knows). My messages are open for plotting purposes or general shenanigans. Discord available upon request and I also rp there as well.

Rule 6. I will not be writing any smut. It makes me uncomfortable to try and think of Mario in that light. Sorry. No italian sausage.

Rule 7. Relationships aren't just romance. If you see potential for an ongoing friendship, maybe frienemies, partners in some grand project, let's get to working those deets out.

Rule 8. I personally don't consider much "read-more" worthy but triggers will be tagged. They won't be in the same style as my other tags, simply "tw:wires" or something.

Rule 9. Almost forgot! No god-modding.

Rule 10. If I'm taking a bit to reply and you see me replying to others then gimme a poke. Message me, tag me again, I don't mind. Most likely I forgot or real life got in the way and flipped my perception upside down. Happens more then you'd expect, trust me. Also, I reserve the right to drop a thread for any reason. I'll of course let you know should that happens. I used to be real bad about that kinda thing. This goes double for messages by the way!

This blog is quite the casual place to be( of course that's just my opinion) despite the graphics and whatnot. I'm here to have fun and indulge an old hobby of mine. If you read this far: there's no password. Just like the post so I know you read it. Catch ya on the flipside.

#ℳ ➙ Player One | OOC | #Rules