#morality ambiguous sorceresses fuck me UP

[bamf-jaskier]

“An utterly new, secret organisation should be founded which will exclusively serve matters of magic. Which will do everything to prevent a cataclysm. For if magic were to perish, our world would perish with it. Just as happened many centuries ago, the world without magic and the progress it brings with it will be plunged into chaos and darkness; will drown in blood and barbarity. We invite the ladies present here to take part in our initiative: to actively participate in the work proposed by this secret assembly.”

The Lodge of Sorceresses, The Witcher

#I AM SO FUCKING EXICITED I AM #assire sheala and ida are not cast yet but STILL THIS THIS THIS #this is now a lodge fanpage please and thank you #morality ambiguous sorceresses fuck me UP #bless up #wonderful #give them ALL THE SCREEN TIME #the lodge #the witcher #twn #fringilla #yennefer #triss #philippa #rita #sabrina #keira #francesca

[limerental]

I have now run into a number of folks with questions about what it is exactly that makes me love writing Yennefer as a character so dang much and there are times where answering that question feels like rattling off a list of defenses against her worst actions and qualities that people tend to dislike. So this is not that post.

I like that she is unapologetic, ambitious, and occasionally vindictive. That she will not tolerate anything less than the treatment she deserves, and that she will stoop to using methods that others would view as unethical to get what she wants/needs. I like that she does not make excuses and does not allow others to change her mind.

I like that she is not afraid of questioning authority or speaking her mind, loudly critical of priestesses and sorcerers and even goddesses alike. That she would not allow others to talk over her or for her. Given her humble past, she could have learned to shrink into the background but stepped front and center instead.

I like that she is openly sexual and dominant and likes to be in control. I like that her sexuality is not meek and quiet but that she is demanding and open about her desires and quick to tell her partner what she wants... but that in the moment with the right person, she can be gentle as well and as tender as she is able.

I like that she's stubborn and bossy and does not like to be wrong. I like that she's a bitch to those who deserve it, impatient with people who waste her time, and uses fond insults as pet names.

I like that she does not miraculously become the soft and gentle stereotype of a mother figure the moment the story requires adoptive motherhood of her. That being the main love interest of the story does not mean she demures to Geralt and has her personality skinned down to proper housewife. I like that she struggles to be vulnerable and trusting and does not really learn how.

I like that even for all those "flaws", she is loyal where it matters, fiercely protective of her loved ones, and not lacking in compassion toward innocent people, especially women and children. Almost all of her disdain, vitriol, and cynicism are directed at people in positions of power and those who wish to control or pin her down or those she assumes have that in mind. That she breaks the typical "sorceresses are vain and self-absorbed" stereotype in ways that earn her the instant favor of a goddess she doesn't even believe in.

I like her for a dozen or more reasons (some of which are just my own interpretations and headcanons rooted in who she is as a character) but mostly I do like her as a character for her many flaws. For her moral ambiguity and her struggle with traumas and her difficulty opening up to rely on and care for someone else. It's relatable to my own flaws and struggles with stubbornness and ambition and fear of vulnerability. As someone who grew up an isolated, mistreated, disabled kid, she's how I wish I could have responded to a world that fucked me over. And also a reminder to hold onto tenderness and compassion even while you hold onto your anger.

Are there ways that many of those traits can easily manifest in negative ways? Yes. Certainly. And I like that too. It's neat. It's sexy. Yennefer of Vengerberg is a bitch and I like her so much.

#yennefer #yennefer of vengerberg #anyway <3 #if y'all can write essays about how its ok to dislike yen for her flaws i can write them about how i love her for her flaws

[avas-poltergeist]

Koschei The Deathless Portrayals In Modern Writing Ranked By Me

Kasyan Lutovich The Winternight Trilogy: Loses a few points for acting like a human, having a human origin story, insisting his name is Kasyan, and pulling a fast one on us akin to Hans from Frozen. But makes up for it in the fact that his more human qualities are a bitter love and anger for a powerful sorceress woman who rejected him and a lure to wild liar mortals. Charming to the point where when I knew he was bad news, he still caught me slipping and I wanted so badly for him to not be a prick. Fucks around with the king because ‘why not’ and because he needs to bring back the magical creatures and hide from death. That is perfect Koschei characterization. Promises the protagonist a life that will never be uninteresting. Also promise the protagonist a world of strife and constant lies. Solid. Caught me slipping with his laughter and playful malice during the horse race 8/10

Koschei The Deathless in the novel Deathless: Oooooh yeah. Here we go. Capricious, cruel, enigmatic, and positively not human. The only thing keeping the illusion up is that he wears a flesh mold so that Marya Morevna will hang out with him—but even that barely holds up to scrutiny. Clean shaven with long pretty eye-lashes. His only desires are to keep the world in balance between life and death, party hard, and don’t leave him for a guy named Ivan. His whole logic and courtship revolves around fairytale antics like speaking to the dead and getting locked in Marya’s attic. There is no value in human morality, just the movements of the world. He knows the female protagonist will be his downfall, but that’s why he chose her in the first place. Can’t die if you keep making the same mistakes, am I right boys ? Actually helps turns the female protagonist into a pseudo mythic god. 12/10 he’s not human. this is one bona fide monster wizard dude.

The Darkling, or Aleksander Morozova from the Grisha Trilogy: Despite being apparently nearly a century old, acts like the most human thirty year old man I’ve ever met. All his evil deeds are human and human motivated. Does he want to rule the world ? Does he want to make a land safe for the magically oppressed people ? Does he want to live forever ? Or does he just want to fuck around with two high school sophmores who have personalities like milk toast ? We don’t know. All the aesthetics of your favorite Russian, morally ambiguous spirit are there but they are washed away by 2010s YA discourse on if young women readers are being brainwashed by their love for the ‘bad boy’. He gets one point for imitating the process. It’s a mess 1/10

#winternight trilogy spoilers #grisha spoilers #wnt spoilers #girl in the tower spoilers #long post