#not necessarily regardless but maybe by design

[loveyourownsmiilee]

Alright friends I’m back with a small and quick buddie language analysis based off all that content we got for the 100 episodes celebration!!!

First of all, I can’t even get into body language without speaking about their outfit choices. On the same day we have their costume designer talk about how everything is thought out, how she meets with the directors/producers to make sure everything is right we have a sneak peek on what appears to be Buck and Eddie’s wedding outfits for Maddie and Chim’s wedding. Why is this a big deal?!? Because they are literally complimenting each other almost as if it’s meant to be viewed that they’re together as a unit. Now maybe it can be a family unit and not necessarily a couple type thing. Regardless, light pink and mint green are very complimentary and work well together. Upon some research, I found that pink tends to balance out the color green. The color pink will typically soften the color green whereas green will keep the pink color more grounded and leveled with the earth. Think of a strawberry where it grows from the green leaves and blooms into a beautiful red or pink shade!

Anyways it’s certainly a fucking choice that now we have confirmation that their costumes are always intentional, we have a glimpse into both gentlemen matching at what seems to be Buck’s sisters wedding. If that’s not meant to be obvious or a statement, then what is the reason? Especially knowing Eddie has never worn pink a single episode we’ve seen him in. He usually wears the earthy tones and Buck is the one who wears the fun colors including pink. So this role reversal is intentional but I also think it’s because Eddie is finally stepping out of his comfort zone and trying new things but Buck is still there to balance him out with his familiar earthy tones. They simply compliment each other well.

Now when it comes to body language, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Oliver and Ryan have such raw natural chemistry that really shines on screen. Clearly they’ve been filming a lot together because they’re slowly morphing into the same person. In many videos we have seen thus far, they are mirroring one another so seamlessly. That’s because their bodies have become so familiar with one another that it naturally mimics one another.

Take this video for example. They both go in and take a bite at the same time. They’re not even looking at each other but their bodies are in sync with one another.

Then we have another video where both men tilt their head and look left at the same time. It happens so naturally, almost as if there’s a mirror there and you’re seeing the same reflection. It’s ridiculous how in tune they are.

Then we have the level of closeness and lack of personal space. Oliver usually tends to keep his arms straight out and never really puts his hand around anyone when taking pictures. He clearly feels comfortable enough with Ryan to put his arm and hand around him for the photos they were taking. Also, Ryan is leaning in towards Oliver in the first photo which can be a direct result of how comfortable they are to be around each other, taking up the same space.

Do not even get me started on whatever this is. Clearly they didn’t know their picture was being taken while they were having their little talk. But this reminds me of all of Aisha’s lives where they were in their own little bubble talking as if they’re the only two people in the room. Same goes here. This is clearly two people who are so fucking comfortable in each others’ orbits and tend to tune out everyone and everything around them when they’re together. They exude such natural chemistry that it’s so palpable in pictures such as candids like this one. This tells me that it’s very likely a lot of their scenes have been together, which would explain why real life starts mimicking what happens on screen. 

All in all what I’m trying to say is something is definitely different about these two this season. I know I’ve said it in the past but you don’t just look this comfortable and attached with just a random coworker or a friend. These are two people that have grown closer whether it’s on screen or maybe in real life with their friendship. All I’m saying is that something has shifted and it’s so obvious with just how naturally in sync they are with each other, how easily they touch one another and lean into the others touch. Something definitely has shifted or is on the cusp of shifting and I for one am excited to see. Excited to see why these choices on their wedding attire were made. Excited to see the trajectory of their on screen relationship. Excited to see how they’re going to strengthen Buck and Eddie and excited to see if they do in fact plan on planting those seeds for Buddie to bloom come next season.

#buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #ryan guzman #oliver stark #911 spoilers #buddie language #body language #911 on abc #buddie meta #I’m back at it

[gojoidyll]

Thinking of the phrase "the house always wins" and how Aventurine gambles.

Warnings | I haven't played the new 2.0 quest yet, so forgive me if Aventurine seems a little off, also slight yandere!aventurine??, grammatical errors, etc.

Also, ngl, I really want to make a series out of this lol

Aventurine x Casino Dealer ! Reader

The house always wins.

In a casino, all gambling is designed so that the house (or the casino owners) will always net a profit, regardless of the successes of individual patrons.

Yet Aventurine couldn't help but to go because he just had to win.

Granted, he wasn't necessarily thinking of winning more credits or better job positions. Not at all. (Or, at least, not this time.)

His main goal was to gamble for someone's time. Your time, to be more exact.

He knew you were just a dealer working for the casino, but everytime he came around - he couldn't help himself but to find the tables that you were working in hopes of gambling for your time. Like, maybe if he wins this hand, then you'll go on a date with him.

You never agreed, of course. Saying that working and making money was more important at the moment.

And that was fine, Aventurine understood that much. Not everyone had a luxurious life, after all.

So, Aventurine would settle in just sitting at the table and playing the game you were dealing.

But over time, even Aventurine could get bored when nothing new was happening between you both, so he got to digging. His eyes would scan multiple and different reports through the casino's records in hopes of finding anything. And when all hope seemed to be lost, he found an interesting little document concerning the casino and the IPC. More specifically, it dealed with the casino owing a debt.

Perfect.

Before too long, and after countless negotiations, the casino itself belong to the IPC and Aventurine (and for his "good" work) was given the opportunity to run and oversee the casino in his spare time.

"Isn't this wonderful?"

He held your hand as he walked the streets with you under the night sky. The two of you going for a walk after going out to an expensive restaurant.

"Yes, sir."

"Aww, there's no reason to call me sir. I'm not your boss right now. I'm your date."

He stopped walking and turned you to face him, "understand?"

You nodded.

"Wonderful, now where should we go to next? The night is young and the date can't possibly be over."

The house always wins.

#hsr #honkai star rail #aventurine #hsr aventurine #aventurine x you #aventurine x reader #aventurine x y/n #honkai star rail aventurine

[silentcryracha]

❍ ‗ SKZ + What they love on you (fashion) ‗ ❍

Pairings : OT8 x reader

Genre/warnings : skz simp agenda. Fluff, lots of compliments and sweet boys. no smut but it's definitely suggestive (18+), boobs and ass are mentioned and reader is female presenting

Summary : Which items of clothing (or related things) I think would drive the boys insane when you're wearing them

Word count : 1.8k

A/n : None <3

masterlist

ps: No beta'd. Do NOT repost on other socials. Leave feedback if you feel like it, otherwise enjoy! ♡︎

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Chan ‗ ❍

- This man would adore you regardless. He's one of those guys who would find it 10x times more sexy or romantic seeing you just being yourself in an intimate setting, like a house, some sort of trip, going grocery shopping and so on. Plus 10+ points if you happen to be wearing something of his.

- Yeah, wear one of his hoodies or shirts and he's already GONE. He's a (simp)le man. Or his beanie, jackets, scarf, anything that could look good on you tbh.

- But hear me out: also his accessories like his famous stay bracelet, or you could even be lovey doveys and share one earring each.

- NAIL POLISH!! Let him paint your nails for you and do silly little designs on them! You'd have so much fun, he'd giggle so much and end you playing with your hands at random times reminiscing the memories.

- Now onto what would ACTUALLY get him going: I think that either a really really nice dress (like a cocktail or party dress) would make Chan go CRAZYYY

- Bonus points if it's black and hugs your body perfectly. Even more if some skin is showing. V neck, shoulders, low back. He LOVES seeing you dolled up and confident and would make sure to boost the energy as much as he can because you deserve it and he wants to make his girl the most beautiful in the world <3

- Okay now hear me out, seems quite specific but random at the same time BUT, what about side boob. You know those loose sleeveless shirts/tank tops? Like the sporty ones? If you ever wore one of those he would NOT be able to control himself. Imagine if you're not wearing anything underneath tho 🫠

- The side boob + nipple shadow peeking...oh he's HARD and only an emergency fuck can fix it for him I fear

Minho ‗ ❍

- Anything that shows your skin is free real estate for this man. Shoulder? Neck? Collarbones? He's gonna BITE.

- Oh but not only. Imagine wearing something that exposes your legs (and maybe some thighs) like shorts or a mini dress, skirts and so on.

- He's so unhinged like he would purposefully drop his keys or something and leave a bite on the side of your thigh when he crunches down. If he's feeling romantic he'd go for a lil kiss but his goal is to make you flustered nonetheless.

- Speaking of touch and kisses: he'd make sure to get his mouth literally everywhere. Picking up your hand to linger his lips on your palm, back, wrist or forearm, fingers.

- Moving your hair to the side to kiss the back and side of your neck. Yeah 🤒

- In general I don't think he has specific preferences in fashion? I just think that he'd love to see you confident and comfortable in whatever you want to wear.

Changbin ‗ ❍

- You're either his little precious porcelain doll or his emo bad bitch. Nor in between. Man CAN do both and can HAVE both.

- I feel like Changbin (like all the others tbh) would be happy seeing you comfortable and confident. Which doesn't necessarily needs to tie with fashion or your looks.

- BUT☝🏻 he'd be a sucker for a good aesthetic look. He'd lose his mind fr, worshipping the ground you walk on, being loud about how HOT his girlfriend his and all that. As he should!

- As I was saying, he'd like both someone who's extremely feminine and delicate, doll like almost. Soft make up, lots of girly clothes, dresses, skirts, stockings, cute hats and accessories.

- But also someone who gives off the same 'dark/emo' vibe that he gives off at first glance. Lots of black, leather, dark colors, laces, a stronger make up, some edgy accessories.

- And a resting bitch face that would make anyone run but NOT HIM! You'd look like a cupcake to him regardless. He'd go around gushing and fighting his cute aggression for you by just existing.

- Now, a little treat that would most likely (and fortunately for you😵‍💫) get him turned on would be a GOOD pair of jeans. Either some very tight jeans or some cargo style ones, as long as they show off the delicious curve of your ass he's gone. It's literally over for him.

- Trust him to be EMBARRASSINGLY turned on by this, to the point where he'd ask you to wear some just for him, he'd buy them for you and so on. Your body and your ass are already his constant thought and motivation while he works out so might as well fuel his own delulu fantasies by providing the material, am I right?

Hyunjin ‗ ❍

- Once again, he loves you as you are and would be happy just knowing you comfortable in your own skin. But that won't stop him to try and dress you up like his personal model.

- He would never force on you something, especially if it was something that would make you uncomfortable. But he would give you some suggestions here and there, on how to mix and match some items, which colors he thinks compliment you the most.

- He would love to see you being so confident and happy in the results, too. Just like a painter adding details to his masterpiece.

- I lowkey feel like, since we got Mr. Romantic and artsy boy on our hands, I kinda feel like he'd lose if he saw you wearing something more... ethereal? Like a specifically made dress. It could be the soft palette, the delicacy of laces and pearls, the perfect way that the draping compliments your body and falls perfectly.

- His own personal princess. Yes, I think that he would love to either have you as his personal hot catwalk style model or a literal princess that came out of a painting.

- Speaking of art. You're also his muse, of course. And few things to him are equally as aesthetically pleasing as certified turn on for him like your chest.

- He does love lingerie on you, BUT, if you really want to make him drop on his knees on the spot, just wear one of those pretty corsets. You know, the ones with laces, and ribbons. This is for the bedroom though.

- He'd get equally as horny with any type of garment that gave the same effect though. Like a sweetheart neckline paired with a good bra. A low v neckline dress, a slightly unbuttoned plain shirt. Oh yes.

- Hyune tits man agenda going strong and I'll die on this hill.

Jisung ‗ ❍

- He's a homebody. Being at home and domestic is probably his favorite place after being on stage. I feel like his perfect day would be chilling and having fun at home, where you're most free and comfortable.

- Which is why, while I of course think that Jisung would foam at the mouth with you being all sexy and dressed up, he'd as easily get turned on by a simple home outfit.

- Yoga pants showing your ass, shorts showing your thighs, long oversized t shirts showing legs AND thighs. Bonus if the stuff is his. Bonus X2 if you're not wearing anything underneath.

- Yes absolutely that's enough for him. He loves a nice put up together outfit but would that allow him to take you on the nearest surface and make an absolute mess of you without a care in the world? Probably not, so there you go, you got yourself a winner

- You wearing his old glasses (since he doesn't need them anymore) or even your own glasses get him turned on. Don't ask, he's a pervert.

Felix ‗ ❍

- Felix seems like he has a taste for expensive things. Especially fashion and accessories wise.

- He'd drool seeing you sport a very high fashion item, like peculiarly cut out dress or jacket, something quite unique. He loves seeing you looking like a literal model straight out of a magazine. And would love even more to match with you.

- The matching would be valid for the accessories too. You would share pretty much everything, from the earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces, watches, hats, gloves and so on. He'd insist to have always something matching with you.

- In a more intimate setting though, something that you can never go wrong with are pretty sleeping gowns, lingerie sets, silky and lacy pajamas. Something very girly, dollish, delicate, almost innocent. Strictly in pale and pastel colors. He would love to buy them for you, too. As his personal treat.

- The sight of you wearing such a delicate but expensive as fuck bralette and panties that he knows he could rip off of you with his own teeth just makes him nearly cum in his pants.

Seungmin ‗ ❍

- Seungmin would get off on the confidence that you show to others. Whether it is a façade or you're really just a bad bitch, he finds it extremely hot.

- He goes crazy when you dress up smartly, elegantly, and maybe, just a tad provocative.

- A normal blouse, elegant. But that shows just enough cleavage when you move or bend in certain ways. Cigarette pants perfectly ironed, peofessional. But that make the curve of your ass so delicious. A normal pair of black Louboutines, with that sexy red heels.

- It makes him hard because he feels superior in knowing exactly what's behind that façade and that he's the only one that you'd be willing to drop it for.

- Extra points if he saw you getting ready and you're the only two people in the room who know that a pretty, lacy red lingerie set is hiding under all those elegant and composed clothes. You'd get him thinking about it all night.

- I also feel like he'd have a thing for your legs being shown off and your nais being done, maybe even when you're wearing a particular perfume. Maybe HIS, perfume.

Jeongin ‗ ❍

- Jeongin would be a sucker for you acting cool. Like standing there with some sporty clothes and a pair of sunglasses and a nice perfume. That's enough for him to simp HARD.

- He'd love to go shopping together and purposefully buy stuff that you could easily switch and match with each other. You're boyfriend and girlfriend yes but you are COOL boyfriend and girlfriend ykwim.

- In a more formal setting, he particularly loves when you wear dresses that have low cuts. Somewhere. Whether is a frontal low cut, a side low cut, a back low cut, or a high slit on the bottom part.

- The idea that all it would take for him to take it off you is just a flick of his fingers gets him CRAZY. Especially if they are dresses that require to not wear a bra.

- All that bare back, shoulders, neck, chest...idk man in his opinion it should all be covered in kisses, licks and bruises IMMEDIATELY.

- Bonus if you wear a high slit dress and you make him understand that you're not wearing panties underneath. Now you're in for a treat...

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

#silentcryracha #stray kids x reader #skz imagines #skz #stray kids fluff #stray kids #stray kids bang chan #skz scenarios #stray kids smut #stray kids felix #stray kids hyunjin #stray kids han #stray kids changbin #stray kids lee know #stray kids seungmin #stray kids in #in x reader #skz in #skz changbin #hyunjin skz #skz fiction #skz felix #skz han #skz lee know #chan skz #skz drabbles #skz x reader #skz fluff

[suashii]

୨♡୧ TAKE TWO — miya osamu x reader. sfw. fluff. reader and osamu are exes. best friend!atsumu.

“do we really have to eat here?” you cross your arms, hesitantly lingering outside of onigiri miya. you spare the sign a quick, apprehensive glance before turning your gaze back to atsumu who looks uncharacteristically annoyed.

“yes.” he nods, pointing at himself. “it’s my turn to pick lunch.”

that much is true but you thought your best friend would be a little more considerate of your circumstances and choose not to force you through an awkward meal at your ex's restaurant. maybe it was silly of you to think so; atsumu hasn’t been necessarily accommodating since your break up. he always invites both of you to his games and takes you back to hyogo to have dinner and celebrate holidays with his family. you suppose these are all things the two of you did before you started dating osamu, but you can’t help but feel guilty for continuing to be so present in the man’s life even after ending things with him.

you sigh and throw your hands out in exasperation. “please just pick somewhere else. he probably thinks i’m haunting him with how often i’m around.”

“no,” atsumu tells you with the shake of his head as he comes to stand behind you. his hands come to rest on your shoulders, firmly guiding you toward the front entrance. “i’m hungry and we’re already here. you’ll both just have to deal with it.”

there’s no use in fighting him on the matter any longer and while you won’t admit it, you’ve been craving some of osamu’s rice balls ever since the two of you split up. so, with a shaky hand, you pull the door open, the bell above it ringing to announce your arrival.

it’s just your luck that osamu is stationed at the host stand when you enter. his gray eyes are shielded by his cap when he looks up but that doesn’t stop you from feeling like his gaze is piercing you. it isn’t cold or dismissive but the intensity is still there.

you’re not sure if atsumu wants to save you the embarrassment of the uncomfortable interaction or if he’s really just starving—regardless of which it is, he speaks up from behind you, one of his hands lifting from your shoulder to hold up two fingers. “table for two, brother.”

osamu hums in confirmation, picking up two laminated menu sheets from behind the podium and nodding his head in a gesture for you to follow. you do, hanging back and falling behind atsumu to keep a healthy distance between yourself and osamu. he settles the two of you at a small booth, setting the menus on the table and telling you both that he’ll give you some time to look over them before he returns to take your orders.

your eyes scan over the selection offered but even without looking at the index of food items, you’d be able to list off almost everything printed on the menu. you had helped osamu draft it, after all.

you remember it like it was yesterday; his experimenting with recipes and your taste testing of each one of them. you’d sit down and help him go through interior design catalogs, compromising on a mix of functionality and trendy. it was an exciting experience, a time when the both of you were happy. but as joyful as the both of you were, it was also hectic and opened your eyes to how you each had priorities and commitments outside of your relationship.

you still aren’t sure if it was the right call, but you and osamu came to terms with that fact and decided to end things on a good note. right person, wrong time or something like that.

with a sigh, you push your menu to the center of the table. it’s a reminder of what once was and you already know what you want anyway. your melancholy aura must reach atsumu on the other side of the table because he levels you with another miffed stare. his lips move as though he’s about to scold you but before he can, his cell phone rings.

the blonde pulls the device from his pocket and reads to contact name lit up on his screen. his golden eyes flit up to you as he stands up from the cushion. “i gotta take this. order my usual if i’m not back when samu stops by.”

you’re tempted to grab his arm as he goes and beg him to stay so you won’t be alone when his brother comes back around but you scoff at yourself instead, saddened by how you’re uneasy at the mere thought of being alone with osamu. you were in love with him once. for all you know, you still might be.

you anxiously wait for atsumu’s return, leg unconsciously bouncing up and down as you do so. osamu beats his brother to the table, though, notepad in hand and a casual smile pulling at his lips. “hey. ready to order?”

you nod, reciting atsumu’s menu choice and then yours, which hasn’t changed since osamu first made it for you. silently, you wonder if he already knew that’s what you’d get.

“anything else?” he asks.

you should just say no and let him be on his way but before you know what’s happening, the words are spilling out past your lips. “i’m sorry.”

“for what?” osamu laughs—the genuine kind with no bitterness laced in it. “getting food?”

“no.” you shake your head, the ghost of a smile tugging at your lips before it falls only a second later. “well, kind of… i know you’re probably tired of seeing me around all the time. it must be pretty awkward for you.”

osamu’s silence pulls your eyes away from your hands and up to his face. you expect him to stiffly chuckle and agree but, to your surprise, he doesn’t. his lazy smile persists as he clips his pen to the waist apron tied around him and stuffs the pad of paper in its pocket.

“i’m not tired of seeing you.” his declaration makes your heart jump from your chest to your throat and your lips part in disbelief. it’s good to hear, though you’d be lying if you said it didn’t catch you off guard. you don’t have time to think about it too much before osamu continues. “and… maybe it’s a little awkward, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”

you press your lips together, puffing out your cheeks with air as you ponder over his words. a stream of cool air pushes past your lips as you deflate your cheeks and turn to look at osamu again. “i don’t know. it seems like an awkward situation by default.”

“yeah, it does. but i don’t want either of us acting cagey just because the other is around.” you don’t want that either. even if things can’t go back to the way they were before, you’re sure that anything osamu has in mind is preferable over strained smiles and forced laughs. “what do you say? no more walking on eggshells?”

it doesn’t sound like a simple solution on the surface but the more you think it over, the more doable it sounds. if you start seeing osamu as your best friend’s brother instead of an ex-lover, all the clumsy interactions you’ve been dealing with for the past few weeks will be traded in for something less delicate, more civil. and although it may not be in your cards at the moment, maybe this could be the start of the path back to the way it once was between you and osamu.

you meet his flint eyes and recognize the hopeful glint swimming in them. it makes you smile, not tense or tight like they have been for almost a month now, but a real one—the kind that meets your eyes. “sounds good.”

“good.” osamu nods, wearing a pleasant smile of his own.

you’ve only just agreed to this new, civil, friendly, non-awkward relationship, but you have to hold back the urge to bombard him with everything that’s happened since the two of you broke up. you want to tell him that you finally got that promotion you were up for and that you were able to adopt that puppy you were always visiting. and you want to ask him all about how his restaurant has been doing and if he ended up moving into that apartment with the nice kitchen that he’d been eyeing up.

“you guys have been talking for a while now.” atsumu’s voice drifts through the air, making you jump. you had almost forgotten about him. he looks between you and osamu as he sits down, taking in your shared smiles and the tranquil air around you. “are you getting back together or what?”

“jesus, atsumu.” you reach over the table to smack his arm. the awkwardness had just dissipated and he single-handedly made this encounter weird again.

osamu holds back a laugh, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. “i’m gonna go start on your food.”

he walks away but that doesn’t stop atsumu from pestering you for more details. “are you? that slap wasn’t much of an answer.”

thanks for reading! consider commenting or reblogging if you enjoyed ❤︎

#₊˚ପ⊹ signed: haikyuu #miya osamu x reader #osamu x reader #hq x reader #haikyuu x reader #osamu x you #haikyuu x you #osamu drabble #haikyuu drabbles #osamu fluff #haikyuu fluff #osamu scenarios #haikyuu scenarios #osamu imagine #haikyuu imagines

[celestialtinkerbell]

.˳⁺⁎˚Aphrodite (1388)˚⁎⁺˳ .

When I was on Twitter, I followed this user named @taisoleil and I remember she had this cool concept of combining tarot with astrology to read for people. She called it tarotstrology. I'll be using this to interpret the Aphrodite Asteroid.

My paid services are still open, if you'd like to book, then click here 🌌

First House

Natives with this placement have a beauty that's uncommitted to any societal standards. Their charm isn't based off of their physical features like their face or body, it's an energy that's unconditionally magnetizing. They're able to pull off anything in terms of style, charm, desirability, and appeal, even if they substantially have a change in their appearance or aesthetic, both intentional or unintentional, their allure still has a powerful grip on most people if not all. These individuals could be prone to an ambiguous lifestyle which makes sense due to Aphrodite's origin starting with the death of Uranus. They may not have fixated tastes at all and every person that they have met may have uncommon perceptions of them. Very complex personalities that are quite difficult to summarize because they aren't meant to be tied down to just one category. This is going to sound weird, but maybe when people mention those who have these placements in conversations, they won't need to specify any characteristics due to your iconic ambiguity, your identity and presence just holds that much weight. 

Second House

These individuals are very lucky when it comes to money, they can't stay consistent when it comes to saving it though. However, that's the power in this placement, they naturally have an abundant mindset about not just money but in other facets of their life. Money comes and goes, people come and go, but when it comes to a moment that could be very treasurable for them, they will not just let that go. Charm isn't only just used for attracting people, these Natives have a charm that effortlessly attracts new opportunities. Their mistakes could lowkey not be mistakes at all, but intuitively made decisions that lead them their lavish desires, and it doesn't have to necessarily mean something extravagantly materialistic, luxury is what you make it to be. People with this placement could also have a gift for giving things meaning, but also the curse of making people more than what they are. This placement could also indicate someone that doesn't stick with just one job, they could continuously change their career until they find one that meets their needs while also giving them the recognition that they deserve for their work and talents.

Third House

Natives with this placement are highly intelligent and pragmatic, but most importantly, they are crafty. They're keenly persuasive with others by utilizing what they know, regardless if it's with good or bad intentions. This placement could also indicate someone that doesn't ever plan on losing an argument or a debate. This could be a self sabotaging mechanism because of the obsession with winning, but also the foundation to what makes you guys stand so firmly with having a mind of your own. These individuals are talented at networking and assuming leadership roles when it comes to speech, even if they aren't the designated star of a stage, they stand out with anything that relates to vocal expression, especially activism. I'm getting that you guys could "steal the show" often, if you have siblings, then you could be child that gets the most attention. When it comes to auditioning for roles related to theater or singing, you're more likely to be the main attraction.

Fourth House

Those who have this placement are very opulent, therefore, attract a lot of people that only want them for what they could add to their life. This could be many scenarios, like maybe others could see you as the perfect person to make a home and raise children with or this could also look like people depending on you as their entire support system and expecting you to take care of them and only them. This placement could evoke jealousy in other people for what you have naturally. Aphrodite in the 4H can either make having children a strong want of yours or could make you push the thought of having children, away. However, the way that you nurture people is very healing, moreover, babies and children could be more receptive to your care. Natives with this placement could also be given a purpose to break generational curses by being the first to not partake in traditions that were passed down in their lineage.

Fifth House

I'm hearing "hypervigilance". Maybe people with this placement could not be fond of social gatherings or crowds of people that they don't know because it tends to always result in someone offending them or overstepping their boundaries. Romance and sex could be a muse for what these Natives create. A lot of you could be into writing eroticas or making erotic art that have a high potential for generating a lot of wealth. I'm seeing a push and pull, where if you're not being a heartbreaking Casanova, then it's you being heartbroken by your romantic interest(s). I feel like this placement could indicate being pulled into love triangles or situations where someone feels strongly for you, but you don't feel the same way about them. You could be always searching for a new hobby to take interest in or not tied to the same methods of where to seek fun, which could be reckless at times because I'm seeing that you guys could maybe bargain and take risks a lot to experience something for the thrill. Aphrodite in the 5H, could also increase the probability of having twins for children or raising a large family.

Sixth House

Natives with Aphrodite in the 6th house could want absolute control over their daily endeavors and could be deemed as very picky. I feel like these individuals are the type to prefer their own home cooked meals, from scratch, with careful precision on where they get their ingredients from. They prioritize having a stable and comfortable lifestyle and could attract the best of the best when it comes to finding the right person to service their needs. Luxury is again, subjective, but I feel that these individuals are able to obtain high quality things and refuse to settle for anything less. A dirty bathroom could be one of their top pet peeves. The way that they live and how they carry themselves could provoke a lot of envy in others or the way that Natives with Aphrodite in the 6th house, pride themselves could be offensive to others. It may look like you're being a snob, but you guys are just very comfortable with what you're familiar with and are particular about how you're being catered to. The roles can also sometimes be reversed, you could be offended by people who suggest that you make a certain change in the way that you do stuff.

Seventh House

In your close relationships, you could be showered with love, affection, and attention. Natives with this placement could be viewed as very dreamy and euphoric by their romantic interests, but there's this distance here that makes them feel like you're unobtainable. I think of this placement as the painting that illustrates the birth of Aphrodite, where she's standing on a clam shell in the middle of the ocean with people surrounding her. You're the center of attention in your love interests' lives, it's almost as if you steal them in a way from their own personal endeavors as you powerfully draw them in while they simultaneously could go to extreme lengths trying to intimately reach you. This could look like people maybe resorting to manipulative tactics in order to keep you or trying to match your energy by being the one that stands out the most among your suitors as if it's an actual battle that they seek to win. Jealousy could be prominent in both roles, even if you aren't remotely interested in a person but see them withdrawing their devotion to you to give to someone else.

Eighth House

The eighth house rules over shared resources in marriage, this placement reminds me of the notorious girdle that Hephaesteous crafted for his wife, Aphrodite. The girdle had a variety of magical attributes, from immensely increasing the wearers attraction to making people fall in love with each other and even with couples who fell out of love with each other. Seduction is truly an art form for the Natives with this placement. They have very vixen-like auras, high potential of becoming sex symbols, but also prone to being sexualized unwarranted. Sex for them is not just sex, it's a very mystical exchange. These individuals are treated like deities in sexual encounters. Like offerings, they could gift you something that meets your desires and in return whether it be adoration or literal materialistic things, and in return, you help them heal through sex. There could be a lot of drama surrounding your intimate life and your belongings. Makeup sex could be a high for you and others could feel entitled to who, what, when, where, and how much you have sex.

Ninth House

Aphrodite in the 9th house could indicate successfully charming others to reform their mindset about a philosophy or religion and to let go of traditionalism. These individuals are likely to become major figures that people seek for insight and direction to understanding what their own beliefs are or the epitome of a religion. However, this placement seems exhausting for these Natives because they could be heavily projected on or put on a very high pedestal that they didn't ask for. This could also indicate attracting people with cult-like behavior. They may abhor closed practices, closed minded people, or closed marriages. They could also be prone to polytheism. Natives with this placement could be highly drawn to traveling to places where there's a lot of water. Although they love to help, and  being a teacher is a natural gift of theirs, freedom is what they value the most. Could be drawn to pacifism, and obsessed with tropes relating to love overcoming everything.

Tenth House

People with the Aphrodite 10H placement could be involved in a bunch of public scandals, especially with romantic partners, but are loved enough by the majority to maneuver around them. One thing about Aphrodite is that she's like an original because she's one of the oldest of the Olympians. Therefore, individuals with this placement could inherit a lot of star power or easily attain a strong and good reputation. Although you're adored by many, your privacy could be invaded a lot by others and you could find yourself in situations where the people close to you are spreading your secrets and plotting on your downfall. You could even have scenarios with "friends" trying to humiliate you to knock you down a peg, but it doesn't keep you down for long. I honestly see a lot of people seething when it comes to your accolades and the more success that you build for yourself. You could also be admired by your beauty and your social media pages could be very aeshetically pleasing to the eyes.

Eleventh House

Natives with these placements take friendships very seriously and are loyal to a fault. You could be the glue in your friend groups and are able to mediate any conflicts within them to keep the peace. You're so supportive, tender, and you're an excitement to be around, however, I feel like people with this placement could often be third wheels and deal with friends who neglect them so that they can focus on their romantic relationships. You could also be caught in the middle of a lot of disputes, especially regarding politics. I feel like because of how you much you genuinely invest in your connections, you could have a bunch of supporters or a huge following. You guys could be great and blogging or should look into doing podcasts, if you don't already, because people love to hear your point of view and reasoning. You're passionate about what you speak up about but also, there's actions behind your words that really draws in the trust of many people.

Twelfth House

This placement reminds me a lot of the malice Aphrodite had towards Psyche. You could have experienced a lot of heartbreaking betrayal relating to cheating or people trying to cheat you out of what's yours. You could even deal with a bunch of one-sided competition. This, to me, is similar to Aphrodite in the 1st house, there's a divine beauty that these Natives carry that's not seen with the naked eye, but is quietly yet heavily admired unlike the 1H placement. These individuals flourish in their own solitude and benefit more when they worship themselves instead of worshipping others but they could often restrain from this by choosing stay humble. Despite their humility, they could have a significant amount of secret admirers that create artistic tributes for them. People could also be prone to fantasizing about you a lot.

#Spotify #astrology #pick a card #divination #tarot reading #astro observations #astro notes #aries #pisces #leo #libra #venus #taurus #asteroids #virgo #gemini #Sagittarius #scorpio #Capricorn #aquarius #zodiac #astrology notes #tarotstrology #intuitive #intuitive readings #aphrodite #greek mythology

[girlbot666]

advice for university students who have a hard time getting work done aka the things that my ADHD-having ass needed 3 fucking semesters to learn :

1. go to class. GO TO CLASS. yes, even if the lectures are recorded. yes, even if you have other work you really need to do right now. you will fall behind if you don't and it will suck. next time you have class you will think, "I can't go to class today because I still haven't caught up with the material from the previous class" and then you'll do that several times and then you'll haven fallen really far behind and it will really suck. when you show up to class, keeping up with assignments will just naturally follow.

2. do not try to get work done in your room. it will not happen. no matter how much you don't want to leave, you have to do it, you have to leave. go to a library, or a cafe, or even just a different room in your house/dorm if you don't want to change out of your pjs (and even if you're one of those people who *can* get studying done in your room [couldn't be me], separating the environments you work in and relax in will feel so much better, i promise!).

3. go to office hours. if it's one of those STEM class office/peer tutoring hours where lots of people are being helped at once, it's especially important that you go. the material is designed to be challenging and you're not expected to be able to do it on your own. it's also a great way to hold yourself accountable to getting the work done on time. literally just put on some noise-cancelling headphones and work on stuff there until you have a question.

4. start on your big assignments EARLY. working on one essay or project and almost nothing else for 2 days straight leads to burnout. start at least 2 weeks in advance, and work on it everyday for just an hour, maybe 2. setting time-based goals is key here. it makes the assignment feel less intimidating. it's easy to convince yourself to work on it even if you don't want to because, hey, it's only an hour. once you start getting bored or frustrated, it's not too hard to power through, since it's only an hour. and if you're getting super distracted and really struggling to focus you can switch gears to something else guilt-free, and then return to it tomorrow with fresh eyes and a fresh mind.

5. inevitably, you'll fuck up. you'll do poorly on a test, you'll miss an assignment, you'll not understand things you're learning in class, you'll get nervous during a presentation. some days, you might not even fuck up necessarily, you'll just feel bad. when it happens, take a step back. acknowledge and honor your emotions. you might feel sad or disappointed or ashamed. treat yourself with kindness and compassion. try not to judge yourself, recognize that your feelings are natural and normal. take care of yourself like you would take care of a friend who was in your position. do some easy assignments, then wrap up work early. eat something, talk to someone or journal about it, do some cleaning, take a shower, and go to bed early. maybe it feels like you shouldn't because you have too much work to do, but trust that addressing your heavy emotions is more productive than just powering through. personally, if i don't do this, the feeling of shame lingers in my subconscious and i spiral for several days. like, don't get out of bed or eat or do any work kind of spiraling. perhaps the consequences are not as material for you. regardless, honoring your emotions and treating yourself with compassion is a life-long skill that is always worth practicing. your mental health will thank you for it.

#this would normally be a journal entry #but i thought my fellow depression/ADHD queens might benefit from some of this #or anyone else obvs! #studyblr #mental health #ADHD #university #college advice #adhd tips

[raayllum]

So what's the Mirrored Trio Theory?

The Mirrored Trio theory is, for lack of a better explanation, a two pronged theory regarding the way the main trio will parallel both the generation that led to / immediately received Aaravos upon his fall (himself, Leola, and a speculative human who may or may not have been a mage / helped to found Elarion) and how they may also parallel the Orphan Queen, Jailer, and Aaravos yet again. So put your tinfoil hats on and strap in because it's going to be a speculation heavy one, lads! We're going to get deep in the weeds.

Fallen Trio

So the first trio we want to talk about is what I'm going to, for lack of a better term / meta simplicity, refer to as the Fallen Trio, consisting of Aaravos, Leola, and 'Elarion' — our stand-in for a potential human Aaravos had a close dynamic with that may be intertwined with the human city of Elarion.

First, I want to talk about Aaravos and Leola. We get our first mention of Leola in S5, specifically with Leola's Last wish being a star for both Xadians and for humans, who use it to navigate and "to find their way in the endless darkness of the night." This is fitting given that what we know of unicorns from the book one novelization — that they gave primal magic and stones to humanity out of mercy and compassion — and that Tales of Xadia singles her out further as the specific unicorn to do so, although it omits primal stones from the equation:

This is, of course, a big parallel between Leola and some details we know from Aaravos as well, who also gave gifts to humanity: the relic staff that Ibis identifies as truly belonging to Aaravos ("It was a gift from one of the Great ones" / "If you seek to return that staff to its true owner...") and, as Claudia says, dark magic:

However, there's also been indications that Leola might've been a Startouch elf (tweet from Aaron Ehasz identifying her as the Startouch child + the star on the star chart map, although it's not entirely clear), that star magic can be reality altering, that Startouch elf designs had unicorn like horns protruding from their foreheads, and that history can change and shape things differently than they necessarily were.

Either way, unicorns are one of the few creatures we know to also possess the Star arcanum and, seemingly like the Startouch elves, are all but gone from Xadia (+ the Pentarchy)'s physical plain. And that she, like Aaravos, were two Star(touch) beings who both wanted to help humanity and help them develop magic, but did so in very different ways. Whether they are literally related or the same species, I think this parallel between them means they're set up to have an almost sibling-esque bond — one that existed, and one that accordingly fell apart under the brunt of dark magic and other disagreements, as TDP is prone to do.

(Put a pin in Callum and Ezran for now, cause we're going to circle back to them shortly.)

Bare minimum, Leola and Aaravos will have to be foils if not contemporaries of each other, given the closeness of their original goals in manifestation, regardless of motivation. This is particularly true given that Aaravos preys on mages in particular and that dark magic (plus a little Star magic, maybe?) allows him to literally possess people who have done dark magic, which can be no happy accident.

Given that Leola seemed dead set on giving humans primal magic, it seems unlikely she might've been too keen on a dark magic, alternative development either, which we know came after, thanks to Ripples.

It happened long ago, when humans had only just learned to hold fire in their hands without burning. They nurtured their precious primal flames secretly—in the dark of night, beneath shadows and shrouds—as cultivating its glow drew the eyes and ire of monsters. Eventually, for the audacity of their fire, they were hunted, and—though they looked to the stars for salvation—the stars, too, looked down upon them with disdain. Humanity had been given something it was never meant to have.

So again, you have two characters with very similar goals/desires, but very different ideas of how to achieve said goals. This one of the reasons why, I think, that TDP loves to have siblings disagree, as it's an effective way of having more worldviews on display with some hope for reconciliation or the tragedy of deterioration, or both. Callum and Ezran stand alone as the one sibling pair that hasn't been terribly wrenched apart by political or ideological disagreements thus far, save for Sarai and Amaya, who were torn apart by Sarai's death.

Which brings me to my next point: if Aaravos and Leola had a sibling like bond, did he lose her to their potential ideological disagreements, or did those disagreements actually cost her life?

Whether Leola just walked away and likewise abandoned him (like Soren), became too distant in disagreement to continue having some sort of bond (like Harrow and Viren, and Janai and Karim), flat out died (like Khessa, Harrow, and Sarai), or all three, that could be one of the many cogs motivating Aaravos to keep turning the wheel of the cycle, as grief has often been the primary motivator throughout history, even amongst the 'villains'. A "song of love that loss" that Aaravos has chosen handpicked "instruments" for, after all (4x03, 4x04).

And like I said, Callum and Ezran are long over due to have a disagreement, given that they haven't had a substantial one since season one, and given that Ezran has grown to only be more assertive than he was since then, not less. This could easily be over Runaan (Callum, having already sworn himself to helping Rayla free her parents, and Ezran, understandably holding onto anger and grief concerning Harrow's death). I'm sure there are also plenty of other things they could heavily disagree over in the future, like military aid or action or how to approach trying to defeat Aaravos, etc.

The point to all of this is that I think Ezran could be a very good stand in for Leola — at least in terms of being selfless, deeply compassionate, uncomplicated, and adamant about giving people their freedom even at the cost of themselves and even if that gift can be misused or discarded (3x04) — which means Aaravos could offer a potential parallel to Callum in the sibling split. Aaravos, who turned to dark magic as an option regardless of or precisely because of the potential violence, and Callum, who argues for the Nova Blade whereas his brother still always champions a non-violent route thus far.

After all, TDP loves to have their "person A is estranged from their sibling and is determined not to lose their lover" parallel, given that it's happened four times (Harrow, Viren, Sarai; Viren, Harrow, Lissa; Claudia, Soren, Terry; Janai, Karim, Amaya) already.

Now, this could be wildly off base as we know very little about Leola and even less about her potential dynamic with Aaravos, but if we follow along with the idea that Ezran could parallel her and Callum could parallel Aaravos, I think now maybe we can talk about Elarion and Rayla.

Years ago we learned that there was a place on Xadia's map (both sides) that was named after someone who had a deep connection to him, and that many of his choices are based around this relationship. Given the Midnight Star poem, people defaulted to Elarion ("Elarion, black-eyed child / her twisted roots spread deep and far / The humans’ might sparked by the light / of Aaravos, her midnight star") although I've also considered Kalik.

And while I'm still not unconvinced that Elarion isn't just a name like Elara and Laurelion, before Aaravos changed his name, combined, I do think Elarion has to be important in Aaravos' backstory, and that it's more than likely that a founder of Elarion / a human involved with Elarion for a variety of reasons.

For starters, while we can be told that Aaravos had a soft spot for humans at one point, giving us a specific person or dynamic to think of is helpful in regards to emotional investment, and in helping to explain why he may have developed said soft spot. We also know, thanks to a birthday post years ago, that a human once gave him a gift:

He thinks that if he cared for the idea [of birthdays], he’d like to remember the taste of a smooth red fruit a human had plucked from a tree for him, once. It had been so crisp, and so sweet.

While this could've been the Orphan Queen (we do know, thanks to 1x01, that there's a tree planted in the castle courtyards 300 years ago, but we don't know it was an apple tree), an apple transfer like this one feels far more "Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and knowledge isn't always a Good thing" type schtick. Not only does it seem to indicate a more intimate bond, it also might foreshadow the reason Aaravos Fell.

One of the most interesting, but perhaps more discreet, reasons I think there's a connection between 'Elarion' as a person and Aaravos is because of the nature motif running between what little we know of Elarion and to do with Aaravos' mirror and appearance motifs. The Midnight Star is riddled with flower and nature symbolism, referring to it as a "trembling seed" and "fading bloom," that "her roots took hold" and later became "twisted," and that before the gift of Aaravos, she was "wilting" with "bone-white branches". And Aaravos' mirror and the box that held his matching key have blooming flowers on it.

See the flowers along the bottom on the actual frame of the mirror, then sculpted along the sides, and the top? Yeah. We also know that flowers themselves, thanks to Tales of Xadia, are featured in a story told both in Katolis and amongst the Moonshadow elves in particular, featuring an elven thief who steals what you value most, leaving only flowers in their wake. This is the only story in all of Tales of Xadia that we see two cultures share, even if they interpret it wildly differently.

Flowers that were always gone by morning, and gifts that couldn't be accepted or understood ("I’ve got one more gift for you, Callum: I'm going to keep you safe. I have to. I love you too much not too [...] Taking on hard choices and going to dark places is an act of love. It’s a gift. So, please let me give you this gift, Callum. Stay safe, and stay in the light").

We also know that whoever Aaravos loved, he inevitably lost whether due to time or tragedy. While this form of grief is one the show has explored, it was previously largely only through Harrow, who mourned Sarai for 9 years upon losing her, and who avenged her by slaying Avizandum, and more briefly through Ethari believing Runaan was dead.

That was, until season four, where Callum grieving Rayla and dealing with the fallout of that grief and distance turned it into more of an accentuated plot point, both before and even after her return.

Before, losing your partner in this manner would've been something Callum had witnessed, but not experienced. Now, whether the show wants Callum to sympathize with Aaravos or not, it is an experience that they could both understand, particularly if it is going to be one of Aaravos' main motivators.

Thus, we have a disagreement set up between 'siblings' (Leola, Aaravos; Ezran, Callum) as well as lost love (Elarion, Aaravos; Rayla, Callum) as a big motivator for choices, grief, and what possibly led to the fall. That Aaravos, at least in practice / thematic lineups, being a Callum who lost his Rayla and his Ezran*, and then lost himself.

Therefore:

Aaravos — Callum

Leola — Ezran

Elarion — Rayla

[ * This is not to say that Callum would pull an Aaravos and go on a hellbent 1000+ year revenge scheme, because he's not like that, but I do think it could be a very poignant and apt parallel of giving him and Aaravos more in common than they currently have, which is about nothing but magical curiosity and connection. ]

However, 90% of this is all speculation of things that have been kept supremely under wraps. For something a little more tangible simply because we have slightly more information, let's talk about the

Imprisonment Trio

The Imprisonment Trio, as the name implies, refers to the two humans who seemed to directly (the Jailer) and potentially indirectly (the Orphan Queen) be involved in imprisoning Aaravos (the third in this trio). This time, however, I'm going to argue that Aaravos — in terms of his imprisonment — is going to parallel someone other than Callum, but we shall see.

To start, I want to look at the Jailer and the Orphan Queen, since their parallels to Callum and Ezran respectively are the most obvious.

We don't know for sure whether the Jailer came from Katolis, but we know that the Orphan Queen did, eventually taking on the throne from the previous royal family and starting Harrow and Ezran's royal line, first hinted at in 3x05 with "Only orphans can ascend to the throne". Ezran has been directly compared to her in both role and appearance by the show's framing and by characters like Rex Igneous in 4x08: "I should have seen it before. Long ago, it was a human who saw through the Fallen Star's schemes and helped Xadia put an end to them. You look so much like her." This plays well into Ezran's tendency to discover or unearth long lost things, most notably Zym's egg, just as the Orphan Queen became the Truthteller of Aaravos' treachery.

Callum, for his part, is a human mage, just like the Jailer. He's clever, very talented with magic, and despite being Aaravos' preferred prey as a mage will ultimately — like the Jailer — play a role in his defeat. He will also work with and for the archdragons and their wills, but has no problem being disobedient either, in the name of concern or mercy, much like how the Jailer kept Akiyu alive rather than tell the archdragons the truth. And like the Jailer, he understands the potential danger of knowledge: "The entire world would be in danger if she let him live with this knowledge" / "I need you to kill me."

Like the brothers, they were a (future) royal and mage working together, starting off what perhaps was a long tradition of Katolian monarchs having high mages. If, as often theorized due to having an Aaravos-y twin box (S2 novelization) and his love of puzzles, Kpp'Ar is indeed descended from the Jailer, that adds another layer onto Kpp'Ar being one of Callum's predecessors as High Mage. While Ezran has the job and the bloodline of the Orphan Queen, Callum would've more directly inherited the position of (high) mage from the Jailer's thematic and occupational line.

Granted, there are differences. Most notably, the Key of Aaravos was given to Callum, not to Ezran, although there could be potential future parallels between the brothers and the Sunfire siblings, with Karim unable to undo Kim'Dael's chains because his sister is still queen, and the brothers needing to work together to fully use the cube. I wouldn't be surprised if Ezran learns more about the cube and the Orphan Queen in S6 while Callum still has some unknowns to its true meaning, leading to some delicious dread and dramatic irony. But I digress.

The point is that the Jailer and the Orphan Queen both had their roles to play in imprisoning Aaravos, and that Callum and Ezran, respectively, will both have their roles to play in trying to keep Aaravos contained, only to inevitably somehow fail in a way that allows him to escape, if by another's hand. We do know the brothers will be going to weird ruins in a future season thanks to some out-of-context spoilers that have yet to pass, and the Ruins of Elarion would certainly fit:

Which, just like the out-of-context spoiler card, you might've noticed that I haven't mentioned Rayla and who she's going to be paralleling yet. Well, that's because this time / generational pass around, I think she's going to be the primary foil to Aaravos.

Now, this train of thought isn't new by any means. I've thought Rayla paralleled Aaravos reasonably well since S3 aired largely due to their status as ghosted/banished elves, a compassion for humans (at least implied for Aaravos) that other elves disapproved of, and their dynamics with Callum and Viren, respectively.

Both Rayla and Aaravos have to work to earn their high mage's trust ("And should we trust you? Have you told us the truth about everything?" / "And why should I trust you?") over the course of season one for Rayla and season two for Aaravos, ending in promises of allegiance and togetherness: "You've got to stay with me" / "I will stay with you" (2x09). Aaravos leads Viren to his doom in being tackled off the Pinnacle, and Callum throws himself off the Pinnacle after Rayla.

You can imagine my delighted surprise, then, when S4 simply cranked it up even further: Rayla was hunting Aaravos' mage ("I spent two years hunting"), and Aaravos was hunting Rayla's mage ("Yes, mages were his prey"). Rayla wants to protect Callum and kill Viren, and Aaravos had promised to save Viren and use Callum. Even for Callum himself, 4x04 and 4x07 seemed like clear set up for Rayla symbolizing agency in Callum breaking free from Aaravos' control someday, putting the two in literal opposition to each other. Two potential paths (although picking Rayla, at least at first, may not be mutually exclusive from picking Aaravos).

Rayla, who was also harshly punished by Xadia with no trial.

This isn't to say that Aaravos didn't do anything wrong and is being unjustly punished — far from it — or that Aaravos' imprisonment and subsequent freedom won't have parallels to anyone else like say, Callum, who will likely be imprisoned by Aaravos through possession in S6 and ultimately freed by Rayla. More so that imprisonment of different sorts has been a running theme throughout Rayla's arc, and that Callum — who is primed to be Aaravos' chain breaker, whether through possession or not — could also be hers (if not just her parents') the way he has routinely been in the past, whether it was from instigating the events that eventually led to her binding (chain) coming off or saving her from being emotionally stuck (3x08) or from doing anything for her freedom (5x01, 5x08). He's primarily been someone who is tethered to freedom when it comes to recognizing and breaking cycles (chains of history) or literal restraints, and it's only in season four and season five that he's shifted to being both tied to freedom and having himself restrained.

I've speculated in the past this may result in Callum (and Ezran) leading to Aaravos' release in order to save/free Rayla; however, the show may not want as much of a repeat from 5x08, and freeing the Moon fam from the coins also resulting in Aaravos' freedom through an escalation of events would also keep that ironic thread, so it could really go anywhere.

Two humans, one elf, and endless tragedy, repeating and breaking cycles all at the same time. Ezran, discovering important info about his ancestor and possibly the Key; Callum, following in the Jailer's footsteps and unravelling the final puzzles of the prison and figuring out how to undo it; and Rayla, ghosted, banished, vying against Aaravos for the control and agency of his latest pawn who also happens to be the love of her life.

So for the Imprisonment Trio:

The Orphan Queen — Ezran

The Jailer — Callum

Aaravos — Rayla

In Conclusion

Is any of this something? I don't know, honestly. I think it's plausible, at least partially. I think it'd be neat. We know TDP likes varying intergenerational parallels and looking at how history repeats, whether that's directly through family (blood or not) lines, or by having repeating plot points (the dragon quartet, or Rayla being immobilized) and trials (Rayllum facing Sol Regem, much like Ziard, etc). We know there was someone Aaravos loved and lost, we know he's not above using what people want against them, and the connections between Ezran and the Orphan Queen are just Text at this point, although how they may manifest further, we don't know.

This is just one particular stab at it, and an examination of three of the series' most interesting (potential) trios. We'll simply have to see if anything here hit the nail on the head.

As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

—Dragons Out

#tdp #the dragon prince #tdp meta #tdp theory #predictions #mirrored trio theory #tdp aaravos #the orphan queen #leola #aaravos x elarion #parallels #analysis series #analysis #brotp: we're in this together

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello, a question, due to the reactions of the boys,.... perhaps Valentine's Day does not exist in their world? :00

I was thinking that was a possibility 🤔 It would certainly help explain why we’ve never really had a Valentine’s Day event. Not to mention that it's off that of the 28 letters we've been getting for 3 years now, not ONE has ever mentioned a "valentine" or a special occasion of the sort. (Maybe Christmas and various other winter holidays don’t exist either, since we’ve never had a Christmas themed event…? Or perhaps they’re under different names like how the Star Sending is basically TWST’s take on Tanabata.) I know Twisted Wonderland has Halloween, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all holidays in our world translate over to their world.

On the “Valentine’s Day doesn’t exist in TWST” theory, we’ve never heard the name mentioned or a holiday like it vaguely referenced in passing. Also supporting this is the fact that many of the Valentine Gift letters (which are only called “Valentine Gifts” in the real world, not in the context of the in-game universe) don’t make mention of the day being particularly remarkable. In fact, it can be argued that some letters imply the sender is giving a character a gift on some random day of no particular importance. For example, Floyd 2021: Hey, thanks for the gift! I don’t think it’s my birthday though, so what gives? It’s a little weird just getting something out of the blue/Floyd 2022: Is it a thing for land-dwellers to just randomly gift each other stuff?, and Ace 2021: Thanks for the present. But what’s up with the sudden gesture?/Ace 2022: I was floored when I got a gift from you out of nowhere!, just to name a few! This is, of course, assuming the characters are not teasing, playing ignorant on purpose, or actually forgot what day it was (which, given which characters these are, that’s a 50-50 chance). It's not clear if the letters actually indicate consecutive years or not (ie 2021 letters are one year, 2022 letters are the consecutive year in the TWST timeline, etc.), otherwise I would say that Floyd being confused about the gifts he receives as an indication that Valentine's Day isn't a thing for those in Twisted Wonderland. Alternatively, maybe it isn't a holiday for merpeople???? (Just because Floyd mentions in his 2022 letter that he thinks it's a tradition for land-dwellers.)

There are also various lines you could interpret as “oh, the character is just surprised that you consider them a good friend and gifted them something (regardless of it’s a special day or not)”. For example, Deuce 2021: Thank you for the present. You surprised me a bit with that since we don’t often get chances to give our classmates gifts (the bolded part implies that today is somehow a special day designated for gift-giving?), and Jamil 2021: Thank you for the gift. To think I would receive something from you… Well, it caught me off guard (the bolded part would be interpreted as Jamil being shocked you consider him a friend worthy of a gift, or it could be his general shock at being thought of since he's used to playing support to others; it does not imply a special day).

I think the letters could also be interpreted in those ways as well, especially since not all Valentine’s Day gifts in Japan are meant to be romantic. (There are different phrases to denote gift meaning in Japan; “tomo choco” are given to friends, “giri choco” are given to coworkers/teachers/family, etc.) Sometimes there are lines which imply a "return of the favor" (via gifting, sharing their sweets, or just hanging out together(, and while this is definitely in-character for the boys who say it (coughAZULcough), it also implies a custom that is similar to Japan's version of Valentine's Day (ie if you have similar feelings (again, these feelings DON'T need to be romantic in nature), then you reciprocate by giving a gift in return). However, this doesn't occur with all the characters so it seems inconsistent. The inconsistency can be considered either as 1) it's not a holiday, so they don't feel like they have to return the favor for a random gift they got for no particular reason, or 2) the character does not return the sender's feelings (implied to be at least respect or friendship). It’s also possible that the characters just feel like they should do something nice for the sender in return as a general “thank you”.

That could, of course, also have to do with the joseimuke design of the game (meaning that while it is marketed to a predominantly female demographic, the content is not explicitly romantic in nature like it would be for an otome). This allows a wider audience to be cast in TWST’s net, since not all fans are interested in romantic relationships with the characters.

In any case, until TWST gives us confirmation of Valentine's Day or some twisted equivalent of it, then I don't see why the "Valentine's Day doesn't exist in Twisted Wonderland" headcanon can't be true 😂 They left it juust ambiguous enough for everyone to have whichever headcanon they want!

#twisted wonderland theories #twst #twisted wonderland #twst theory #twst theories #twisted wonderland theory #disney twisted wonderland #notes from the writing raven #question #spoilers #Floyd Leech #Jamil Viper #Deuce Spade #Ace Trappola #Azul Ashengrotto

[toxooz]

i dont know if you've ever said anywhere- but we know that Remy and Ollie are both half orcs and that Ollie's other half is ~Demon~

Do we know what Remy's other half is or is that a future secret?

I'm just curious cause Ollie is So Clearly Orcish so is Remy's other half just super strong blooded or is he a twink?

SHEW yall I've been sittin on a huge lore breakthrough with Ollie and Remy that my high ass accidently unlocked a few weeks ago that I've been debating on just dumping here but I'm still considering if it's too spoilery for what is literally just about to come up in the comic, but tbh it would probably just help contextualize things a little better so IDKK if i dont drop it soon it'll be after-not this update or the next-but the one after but before I slap a little snippet, the short answer is I still don't know what his other half is exactly, it's demon no doubt but a mangly unimpressive one for sure. Adding onto that I don't even know what Remy's mom is part UUH and imma have to design her up Real Soon so im still wracking my brain for that one. The closest I got right now is maybe the demon resembled a giraffe somehow hence the giraffe esque spots on Remy ??? both Ollie and Remy's "fathers" came from the same demon cave hence the kinda dark look even around Remys eyes and similar horn stripes:

believe it or not it isn't eyeliner LMFAO its basically what Ollie has horn with just to a much lesser extent (they used to be more of a brown hue to i guess show that they weren't as tough and more sensitive to the touch but making the comic i kinda dropped it oof) but anyway the whole reason Remy was born in the first place was just for a "anything you can do I can do better" attempt by Remy's mom (Mogaks sister) ie. a lil snippit from the lore dump in the drafts:

*SIDE NOTTE Remy's mom has mental issues due to the hierarchy in the orc community over being a half orc and the fact that she isn't involved in combat and just minds the village, so she already wasn't really seen highly of (Mogak would treat her equally however) meanwhile Mogak was a pretty hefty solid full blooded orc and was a warrior of sorts and a leader in that aspect (her 'occupation' for lack of better word wasn't necessarily THAT high ranking in their society considering battle fighting was a common 'career' within the orc tribe so she's still even among the orc community, but still well liked and respected regardless) but her sister was seen as less-than in subtle ways. Due to her tough upbringing she quietly dealt with jealousy of Mogak throughout her life and during their young adult years she would take up the habit of trying to outdo Mogak with little things. When she was told about Mogak being pregnant with Ollie by her quest into a demonic cave, she planned on doing the same. The demon she ended up mating with wasn't all that great to say the least and didn't put up much of a fight either (Mogak declared a battle with the demon she wanted to make the deal with and chose a Pretty Fukkin Big Ass Boi one of the biggest in the cave I'd argue) so that's why Remy turned out Like That. After everything happened and they moved Remy's mom still carried self conscious habits and would get with men who would play off of those insecurities

#which is why remy was left unattended in the chicken coop so much was he lowkey was just another failed attempt at being better than her si #ster in his mothers eyes #OOOF GODD AND YET THERES SO MUCH MORE i gotta shutup #the timelines i made for ollie and remy are so chaotic man but oh so juicy #remy #ollie #remy baby im so sorry but it must be done #i went in 5 different directions in this ask but ive been THINKING ok

[theresattrpgforthat]

I’m probably gonna sound very disjointed. But I have an idea for a superhero campaign where all the P.Cs are kids cause all adults have disappeared.

I thought MASKS would be a good system for this but my friend informed me that in order for MASKS to work you kinda need mentor characters.

So in your opinion, what would be a good, easy to learn superhero based system to run this game.

THEME: Superheros, Kids - Only

Henshin, by Cave of Monsters Games.

Henshin A Sentai RPG is a storytelling tabletop game about young heroes with transformative powers who battle both monsters and personal problems. It borrows from a Japanese superhero culture of color-coded masked teams, giant robots, and over-the-top special effects. Anyone can tell fun, collaborative stories in Henshin!, regardless of familiarity with the tropes, and the game showcases a diversity of settings and characters for every player.

This book includes instructions and actual play examples for everything needed to start playing Henshin! right away. Also included are the eleven Color playbooks, seven ready-to-play settings, original exclusive art, and references to digital downloads. Resources and information can be found at henshingame.com. Let’s Henshin!

Henshin is inspired by the Tokusatsu genre of superhero media, and reminds me intensely of Power Rangers. Your characters will wrestle with personal obstacles such as dealing with their temper, their failures, and the way they are seen by their peers. The system is inspired by No Dice, No Masters but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily GM-less, just that it doesn’t use dice. Henshin’s settings are also very flexible, so you should be able to write your own custom setting in which the kids have taken on super-powered relics in order to survive in a world without adults.

Masks: Retconned, by Sam Roberts.

You’re like most teenagers, with one small difference: You’re a superhero. Fight villains, be part of a team, save the day, and maybe, slowly figure out who you are.

Masks: Retconned is a game of teen superhero adventures, designed for 3+ players. Most of the players will take on the role of individual Heroes on a Team. Imagine these as the protagonists of your new comic book series. One player takes on the role of GM, embodying the superheroic setting, supporting characters, and villains.

If you like the basic premise of Masks but you don’t want to deal with the adult entanglements, you might want to take a look at Masks: Retconned. The game is very bare-bones, and only has the basic mechanics - your stats, your emotions, and the graded success scale and what it means for moves. The rest is meant to be designed as you need it. So if you don’t mind doing a little bit of game design before you sit down to play, you might want to check this out!

Powered by Cereal, by bismuth.

Become the Teen With Attitude you always wanted to be Inspired by tokusatsu hero teams and magical girl squads, PbC is a game about building a brightly-coloured Hero team and playing their adventures across a Series, fighting to save the world from evil!

PbC brings all players together to collaborate on crafting a Series, with its own aesthetics for heroes and villains, its own setting, and unique qualities for each hero. Play comprises the Episodes of the Series: both the Heroes' lives, and fights against Boss characters. It uses a relatively straightforward d6 system and encourages the Hero players to think about how their individual actions work towards a team strategy, bolstering allies and keeping momentum!

Characters in PbC are embodiments of different virtues, and these virtues will define your personal strengths, as represented in the Verbs and Adjectives assigned to your character. Relationships are also important in this game, and this is represented by connections that each player will have with side characters, whether that be positive or negative. Overall the game is still very lighthearted, as it’s inspired by Saturday morning cartoons.

When you try to do something in PbC, you roll a number of d6’s, and check to see how many results were unique. The more unique results you have, the more successes! This means that there’s a cap on how successful your character ca be, but I think the fact that any roll is going to have at least one success really communicates the tone of this game. This another game where the setting is build-your-own, and I don’t see any mechanics that require adults to be part of the setting.

Teens With Powers, by Unknown Dungeon.

Teens with Powers is a one-page roleplaying game about extraordinary young people, inspired by TV shows like Teen Titans and Avatar the Last Airbender, and shonen manga.  As a group, the players and GM come up with the setting, themes, and age-range of the characters. Then each player creates a character with a singular power that they can use to help solve problems and fight evil, while also traversing the trials of being young adults.

Teens with Powers uses a dice-pool system to resolve risky actions, and a back-and-forth combat system to allow of maximum expression and excitement. Also included is a back-page with GM advice and rules.

Teens with Power is a stripped-down Forged in the Dark game. There isn’t much of a setting involved in the first place, so you should be able to build your own setting to fit your preferences. The downside is that there isn’t much guidance or inspiration for powers, so it might be worth it to check out something like Supertables to help you come up with your powers.

This ruleset has a mechanic called Limit, which tracks how close your character is coming to breaking down - push too far, and you lose control of your powers, likely causing damage and hurting something or someone you care about. This might be also good for a high-tension game where the disappearance of adults is the cause of a lot of stress and fear for your characters.

Super City, by David Garrett.

One in every one hundred children in Super City is born with super powers. You are one of those children. Together with your classmates at Super City Elementary, you save helpless citizens, rescue lost pets, and eat delicious ice cream.

Utilizing the ultralight VRBS system, Super City is easy enough for a six year-old to master, but also provides the structure for anyone to generate a superhero story of their own.

Super City was designed to be able to run for small kids, so the rule-set is definitely very light. Your powers will be represented as verbs, and you’ll gain better control over your powers as you progress. The game is organized over a series of scenes, which will present you with a number of problems that you’ll have to solve. You also have a collective pool of Energy, which is meant to track how close your characters are to running out of steam. The goal is to get through the mission without running out of Energy, which depletes when you fail a roll.

This is a game without a setting or history, which means you can backfill whatever lore makes sense for your characters.

Cosmic Ray Kids, by Hedgemaze Press.

Cosmic Ray Kids is a single-page (front and back) atomic-age adventure roleplaying game for all ages. Play as superpowered youngsters who fight the forces of evil with heroics and heart!

Cosmic Ray Kids uses a push-your-luck style of gameplay, that looks very much like the PUSH system by Cezar Capacle. Rolling a 6 is the best possible result. If you roll a 4 or lower, you can choose to roll again - but roll higher than a 7 and you’ve gone too far!

This game also has a Boost resource that is communal, and can be spent to improve a roll up to a certain point. This gives the players an option in case there is something that they can’t risk a re-roll for but still need a success, and also encourages the group to work together to figure out how to solve problems. If you want a game that has a retro-cartoon feel that encourages the characters to work together, Cosmic Ray Kids might be worth checking out!

A Special Extra:

It’s not a superhero game, but Children of the Fall is a GM-less game that takes place in an apocalypse that has turned adults into bloodthirsty monsters. It’s very gritty and dark, but an interesting premise.

#tabletop games #indie ttrpgs #game recommendations #dnd #indie ttrpg #asks #superheroes

[thydungeongal]

D&D is actually pretty good at what it does

So what can be done to make it better?

This is part five of my series of big silly posts about D&D, its mechanics, and how D&D best supports a style of play I like to call "Challenge Mode," and how it resists using it as a means to tell conventional narratives, i.e. "Story Mode."

Now, before I get to today's discussion: a lot of people already use D&D as simply a loose framework around which they tell stories and then ignore or bend the rules into the shape of the narrative they want. Those people are not the target audience for this post. The target audience of these posts are those people who already enjoy rules-mediated play and who wish to either hack D&D into a form where it better supports conventional narratives or to find games that already support conventional narratives.

Once again, I will be tagging this post as #the big damn post and you can find the previous four instalments below.

1. Terminologie

2. What is it that D&D actually do?

3. Misaligned Expectations

4. Challenge Mode isn't that scary really

Once again, let's go:

5. Hacking D&D into Shape

Another caveat before I start: I do think D&D is fine as is and that as written it does support challenge-based gameplay better than trying to use it to produce a conventional narrative. What I will be doing today is not presenting to you ready-made fixes to those structural issues of D&D that make it resist conventional narratives, but providing other games as examples for how these issues could be approached. If you like what you hear about these games consider these as either soft recommendations to maybe check out those games or as inspiration for your own hacks and house rules.

D&D's rules are concerned with soft simulation over narrative convention. I don't mean this in the Forge simulationist vs. narrativist sense because I don't find that model useful. Suffice to say that while D&D's systems are not realistic they at least try to gamify things as they are present in a real environment. A wet rock is harder to climb than a dry surface with plenty of handholds, because that's how it is. This emphasis combined with a famously swingy d20-based resolution system can often produce narratives that do not follow the pattern of rising action towards a climax.

What makes QuestWorlds principles easily adaptable to D&D is that it is also a d20-based system that uses target numbers that are expressed in increments of 5. What makes it somewhat alien to the way D&D's rules work is that QuestWorlds assumes that a single check may be used to overcome an entire obstacle, and that it is very much a let-it-ride system: there are no retries on failed checks, as a contest represents all of your attempts at overcoming a story obstacle. Hence, you probably wouldn't even roll to climb a sheer cliff: you might roll to see if you manage to climb the sheer cliff quickly enough to prevent the enemy guards from raising the alarm. A combat in QuestWorlds would be handled as an extended contest and would not necessarily result in death, but will potentially result in permanent consequences for the characters regardless of whether they win or lose (also: losing in a contest in QuestWorlds would not mean death necessarily). Resolving that with D&D's blow-by-blow combat system would obviously require hacking.

Enter QuestWorlds. Originally released under the name Hero Wars, later changed to HeroQuest to tie it better to the world of Glorantha and the RuneQuest RPG, and later changed once more to QuestWorlds as the copyright holders sold the HeroQuest trademark to Hasbro who were in the process of rereleasing the classic board game named HeroQuest (which kicks ass). QuestWorlds is a role-playing game designed by Robin D. Laws, and while it was originally tied very closely to Glorantha, the amazing fantasy world that kicks ass, QuestWorlds is these days billed as a universal system. However, whereas most universal systems like GURPS are very interested in some kind of simulation, QuestWorlds' system runs very much on story convention. In QuestWorlds, the GM first sets the difficulty of a given check or contest based on what would make the most narrative sense at the moment (if the heroes have been breezing through encounters and obstacles it might be time to introduce a truly difficult obstacle: if the heroes have been struggling it might be time to introduce an easy obstacle to release tension and get the story momentum going) and then describes the situation.

If any of that sounds interesting to you, the game has a free SRD that presents many of its basic principles, but I heartily recommend checking it out in full. I am not a 100% certain on QuestWorlds, but I know for a fact that all of the older versions released under the name HeroQuest include a method for altering resistance (or assigning DCs) on the fly based on the number of successes and failures in previous contests the group has accumulated, thus mechanically enforcing the ideas of rising action/tension, and release, which is what I think would be most adaptable to D&D. The main takeaway from QuestWorlds is thinking about obstacles in terms of what the story demands right now, and letting the story branch out from both failures and successes.

While QuestWorlds already addresses the lethality of combat in its own way, its method of combat resolution is so different that it isn't readily adaptable to D&D. Luckily, there are some very trad RPGs that have blow-by-blow combat in the style of D&D that address lethality in ways that respect story convention.

I'm going to talk about 7th Sea. As opposed to the very narrative-logic driven QuestWorlds, 7th Sea is a very traditional role-playing game albeit one with many nods towards genre emulation. It is a swashbuckling RPG, set in a fantasy world very much inspired by the Age of Sail, distinctly European in flavor, and meant to emulate various swashbuckling romances. Its genre emulation tools (Hero Points, Danger Pool) are resources that can be used by players to achieve improbably stunts or by the GM to introduce additional complications or adversity into the story. As such, Hero Points and Danger Pool also achieve some of what QuestWorlds' adaptable difficulty due to story demands does, but the lethality issue is the most interesting one. One of the GM's available uses for their Danger Pool is Murder, which means that a Villain can kill a Helpless Hero.

I spelled Villain, Helpless, and Hero with capitals because they are all game terms. A Villain isn't simply any old adversary: a palace guard that stands between the Heroes and their goal isn't a Villain. A Villain is a named NPC that opposes the Heroes. Now, Helpless is very much like Dying in D&D, so when you've taken too many wounds. The distinction should be obvious: a Helpless Hero isn't necessarily dying, but they have sustained so much damage that they are prone and can not act (unless they spend Hero Points). The only way to kill a Hero is to have a Villain present and for the GM to have enough points in their Danger Pool to Murder them.

But even then, a player whose character is present at the scene can immediately spend all of their Raises as well as a Hero Point to save their comrade. That character is now out of the scene, but also immune to any further attempts to Murder them in this scene.

The simplest way to adapt this rule into D&D is to simply make it so characters are by default not dying once they hit 0 HP, but simply helpless and stable. Characters may not even be unconscious, simply too weak to move. This also achieves the potential for losing without dying: a group that gets beaten to 0 HP gets taken captive or left to die.

Only once there is a named NPC villain on the scene can players die. Now, without introducing the Danger Pool into the mix simply having an NPC villain murder helpless PCs might feel unfair, so this is where I suggest you look for a hack or house rule that addresses that issue.

And finally, the resource management structure of D&D does little to help shape conventional narratives. This one is the trickiest because resource management is so innate to the structure of D&D and without resource management in some form you risk screwing over game balance. Taking one-hour rests between combats also feels detrimental to story momentum.

Well, there's a little lesser known RPG that once tried to address these things: Dungeons & Dragons, 4th edition.

Now, I'm going to be frank, D&D 4e didn't succeed at all it set out to do with these rules, but it at least tried. First of all, short rests in 4e last only ten minutes, which is much less of a chunk of the day than the hour proposed in 5e. Secondly, and this is the big one, 4e experimented with something called a Milestone. This is not the milestone from milestone leveling in 5e, but a special reward for every two encounters completed without a long rest in between.

The reward for a milestone is simple: an action point and an extra use of a magic item's daily power.

Action points are a very powerful tool in 4e because they can be used to literally gain an extra action. However, the sad truth is that even with all these benefits for completing multiple encounters back to back, the benefits of taking a long rest ultimately still outweigh the benefits of an action point and an extra use of a magic item's daily power. Especially since you couldn't use more than 1 action point per encounter, meaning that you were already not encouraged to hoard them any way.

But there is still something there: a mechanic that encourages players to dive headfirst into danger. The mechanical reward for going on without a rest should outweigh the benefits of a rest until narrative tension has been resolved. I feel looking at QuestWorlds in addition to 4e might not be a bad idea here.

Honorable mentions that I am not going to talk about in depth here:

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Despite its reputation for lethality WFRP is actually less lethal at starting levels than most editions of D&D simply due to Fate points, a resource that is gained at character creation and that can be used to save a character from death and permanent injury. They are permanently expended but can be gained through divine intervention or for especially brave or heroic actions.

Break!! This action adventure RPG inspired by old video games is very much a D&D in its structure, being very much a challenge-based adventure game, but where it deviates from D&D is how it handles injury. At 0 hearts characters don't immediately die, but instead roll on an injury table. The number of times you have already been injured weighs the odds towards death, but the first time you fall to 0 hearts you simply won't die due to how the rolls are interpreted.

Fate family of games. Fate has both rules that model story convention above simulation as well as a conflict system that does not result in death as the only result from combat. Fate's rules are available for free so there is nothing stopping you from reading it. Not all of it is adaptable to D&D of course, but even beyond specific rules applications Fate has a lot to teach about different philosophies to running games. I highly recommend it to everyone regardless of what games you're running, just to broaden your perspective.

I am not sure if there's going to be a part six because I'm not sure how much more use people are going to get out of "hey, consider playing these games instead." As said, all of the games mentioned above are already soft recommendations from yours truly, but as a general rule you have nothing to lose from broadening your horizons and reading more games, even if you feel D&D is perfect for you as is.

#long post #the big damn post

[liloinkoink]

*runs into inbox clothes burning and disheveled* LAMPLIGHT QUESTIONS??? YOU WANT LAMPLIGHT QUESTIONS??? (i think you made that post like four days ago so i'm late but aaaaaaaa)

what do you think is like, The Turning Point in Martyn and Ren's companionship? Or if there's more than one already written, what's your favorite?

Is there a scene that you've really been excited to write for lamplight/one that you've written but haven't shown The Public yet?

In his original party, were there like, designated roles for everyone to play? Like healer/brawler/short-range/scholar etc? If so, what role do you think Martyn specialized in? And everyone else? Is there anything you would say lamplight Martyn is good at--- like a skill or something? Also, how long had the group been together before that incident at Dogwarts?

From what I can remember, Ren and Scar are the only Gods we've seen so far--- do you have an idea of any other familiar faces that are also Gods?

Do you have any other world-building details you wanna talk about? Any Martyn or Ren thoughts that you've been wanting to talk about?

Sorry if this is too many questions, you don't have to answer all of them! Give as vague answers as you please--- honestly, anything you say about the lamplight world i Will Chew Up Like Dog Toy, so put whatever you want!

Regardless, thank you for your writing and all your efforts! I hope you have a nice day ^_^

okay this is a massive ask with so many questions in it, so im gonna repeat/bold each question and deal w em one by one

i will put this under a cut bc it is So Long. below this cut is SO MUCH lamplight worldbuilding, like, So Much, so i hope you enjoy that

what do you think is like, The Turning Point in Martyn and Ren's companionship? Or if there's more than one already written, what's your favorite?

turning point... i guess it depends how you define a turning point? any point of development in their relationship? there's been a few--heliography, with Martyn deciding to swear a real oath to Ren (if still one he can back out of); sleeping hound, w Martyn realizing Ren wouldnt ever burn him; worship the ashes, love wins. there's another big one for Martyn planned that i havent written yet, and one, maybe two or three for Ren.

my favorite, tho, hmm... i think sleeping hound.

Is there a scene that you've really been excited to write for lamplight/one that you've written but haven't shown The Public yet?

i planned the scene for how Ren gets his body back literally day one of the damn fic and i still havent written it a year later i want to SO BAD YOU DONT UNDERSTAND

literally this one fuckign scene is part of the reason i STARTED WRITING THE DAMN FIC. crying

for the latter half, i posted this!

In his original party, were there like, designated roles for everyone to play? Like healer/brawler/short-range/scholar etc? If so, what role do you think Martyn specialized in? And everyone else?

i get so many questions abt martyns og party you think after a year i would have answers to them but my answer is unfortunately always that i am a treebark writer making a treebark au and it isnt relevant to ren and martyn doing ren and martyn things so i didnt really bother

that said! i dont think they necessarily had roles? they all strike me as pretty mid-level adventurers. theyre not chosen ones on holy quests. none of them are going to have songs sung about them for decades to come. they can hold their own, but they arent saving the world. theyre like,,, fantasy backpacking. doing some minor jobs sometimes. all of em are skilled enough w their weapons/magic but none of em are like, The Fighter or The Mage.

all of them are swordsmen tho bc i think swords are cool. i think Jimmy is better at it than you think he is, but not as good as he says. he will occasionally surprise you by doing something really cool and then when he turns around to brag about it he eats shit. jimmys magic really only affects the area immediately around himself

i asked local to weigh in on bigb bc thats who im least confident on and he suggested bigb using a fighting style that heavily relies on a shield? like sword in one hand shield in the other. i think thats very sick. also, bigbs magic only affects his own body

i can see Grian having some kinda little explosives he uses to fight, tho he clearly doesnt have them anymore (and doesnt need em--bro has talons these days). he used to be immune to magic, but bc of the watchers, he now has a magical core and can be cast on, which is new to him

their group didnt have a leader, either, and all decisions were just made as a group. if asked, both Martyn and Jimmy would say they were the leader (tho neither would boast this anymore, due to believing that would imply having lead Grian to his death). Grian used to handle their money (and hes annoyed about having lost it)

Is there anything you would say lamplight Martyn is good at--- like a skill or something?

he's a musician! it's come up a few times, but he's skilled in a few instruments and has a nice singing voice. hes played a lute on page, i believe, but i think he could also use a harmonica. dont worry abt whether or not those have been invented yet i dont care i just think he deserves one. probs knows a fair amount of songs thatre good in taverns and some dances that accompany them. if he ever got tired of adventuring, he could probs make a fair amount playing at bars (he'd probs do it to fundraise for himself if he didnt have to worry abt ren's lantern)

he's also a pretty decent cook. at least, Ren really likes his cooking, when he has a body again, tho Ren hasnt eaten anything in 20 years

he's generally pretty strong/fit w good stamina to walk all day long. when Ren has a body again, Martyn will be strong enough to lift him, even tho Ren is taller than him. Ren finds this incredibly impressive. Ren finds everything Martyn does incredibly impressive

of course, there's also being a deadzone, making him completely immune to magic (within reason--if someone casts fireball at him hes still going to burn). charms and curses dont work on him at all, which is very helpful as an adventurer

Also, how long had the group been together before that incident at Dogwarts?

jimmy, grian, and martyn were childhood friends, all lived in the same town/neighborhood (Evo) and grew up together. bigb moved to their hometown/neighborhood when Dogwarts fell, he was about 10? theyve been friends ever since. so theyve known each other about 20 years minimum

(note on ages: i dont know how old any of these people actually are so in lamplight theyre all like early 30s. pretty sure grian and jimmy are like late 20s? and bigb and martyn are somewhere in their 30s? so i set em all as early 30s)

barely related, it does make me laugh Dogwarts has Watchers and Evo doesnt

From what I can remember, Ren and Scar are the only Gods we've seen so far--- do you have an idea of any other familiar faces that are also Gods?

the answer to this is uh. kind of long and a little bit hysterical. so ill first direct you to this paragraph from moonlight ch2

i did actually have uh... a few things in mind for this? but not uh. not reasonable ones

so. quite a few of them. ill be honest. to fill the paragraph and make it long and expansive i recounted the pantheon from a zolu fic abt the entire strawhat pirate crew as gods which i wrote w my friend Sam when i was like 16. i do not think the strawhat pantheon is canon to lamplight but recalling the domains i used for the strawhats was how i made a lot of the list, so, uh, take that as you will

for other characters... the god of nothing is Scar. the god of death is Kristin. the god of blood is... not Technoblade, actually? tho ive thought abt him in Lamplight. i like to think he may actually also be a paladin, he travels around w Phil. gods of places references Ren but also is a shoutout specifically to my friend Zeph who loves place gods, so i just wanted the world to have lots of them

the god of survival is actually Martyn! in leaflight, the roleswap, Martyn has long since abandoned his post as a god, but he was born the god of survival

.....oh and uh. well. the god of decay is... me! my mcrp character on another server is the god of decay. the secret truth about this specific paragraph is i wrote the entire thing so i could make a cameo in lamplight

Do you have any other world-building details you wanna talk about?

magic system... have i told you guys about magical cores? i had some of this already in mind but typing it out i made up a lot more. it is also approaching 1am so if this doesnt make any sense that's why

every person in lamplight has a magical core. it's sort of like a,,, spiritual organ? a little core of magic in them which takes magic from the air and makes it usable for an individual. cores vary in size/reserve, which is how much magic a person can do at max / how much magic their core can store. they also vary in type/strength of magic, which i guess is what a person's core processes ambient magic as

people can usually only use one kind of magic, which corresponds to what their core is. i think the type of magic is mostly determined by what/who it works on. it might work on just you and the space around you, it might work on just objects, it might work on animals, it might work on other people. magic which works on just yourself is most common and weakest, and the majority of people have that

deadzones dont have a magical core At All. theres nothing in there. straight up missing an organ. most deadzones are born this way, but i can see it be possible to become one if you Really, REALLY exhaust your core, tho that's probs rare

casting a spell depends entirely on belief. if you believe it should work, and are confident in your spell, it should do what you want, esp if it's in your power. you can... probs push your limits a bit if youre super confident, and doing this enough with enough confidence is basically the closest thing to training one's magic a person can get?

related, i can see bc of this kids having magic thats just a little stronger than adults bc of this, which is cute. kids probs also have smaller cores w smaller reserves, tho im not sure how much a core grows as a person ages

inanimate objects dont have magical cores or innate magic. i said earlier i think the lamplight world has a lot of ambient magic just floating about (which is how cores refill back to baseline once you use magic), but it doesnt stick to things unless you make it. to cast on an object, you have to use magic from your own core to adhere it to the thing youre casting on (which is why spells casted on objects dont USUALLY last that long--as said in moonlight, most only last a short while, and ren's enchants only lasted for months is just bc he was insanely powerful). you basically give items a little piece of your core with an instruction of how to use it

(jimmy's magic i think affects himself and ambient magic around him, while bigb draws entirely on his own core and can only affect himself)

i dont know if animals have magical cores ive never thought about it until this exact second. probably, but not ones most creatures know how to use? magic is belief based, they might use magic a little bit on accident? i dont know. some monsters absolutely have magical cores they know how to use

this is probs how zombies work. i think it's either a curse cast by one very powerful god/magic user a long time ago, or that people need to be properly buried or else weird things happen to their lingering magical core. or smth. i havent entirely decided

to cast on a person, you need to get your magic to stick to, cover up, or drown out Their magical core, depending on the spell. spells cast on other people dont last very long bc magical cores dont tend to like things intruding on them. this is why deadzones cant be cast on--no core, nothing for other magic to stick to

it's a little bit like a sliding scale? "weakest" magic is yourself, it's easiest to cast on yourself bc your will is your own and should generally line up w your magic, so long as you believe in what you're doing. then ambient magic, bc it's just chillin, you just need a little extra strength to grab it. then objects, tho you have to share a little will to cast on objects. then animals, they usually have smaller magical cores than ppl, friendly animals are a bit easier to bend to your will, tho some animals are harder to cast on then others, esp hostile animals or monsters. then other people. people have their own will and their own cores that are most difficult to bend/influence. so magic that works on other ppl is the "strongest"

being able to cast on a later step on the scale, like animals or ppl, doesnt mean you can do all the steps before it, tho. Scar i think can ONLY cast on living things, his magic sorta specializes in sticking to other ppls' cores. i would imagine all magic users can cast on themselves at least a little tho

to cast on a deadzone, you have to first give them a magical core, which is incredibly difficult, unstable, and dangerous. it requires a lot of power and a lot of people, which is why it did such weird things to Grian

divine magical cores are on another level entirely compared to mortals, and tho ren's was impressive as a human, it got infinitely more powerful when he became a god. he's basically a well of magic all on his own, w no limit on the size/reserve of his core

ren is overflowing w magic, but it works only on inanimate objects (things that dont have wills of their own to fight his) and himself (obviously he doesnt have to fight his own will). if Martyn werent a deadzone, he could probablt have cast on late-series Martyn, as martyn's will as ren's paladin would probs line up w ren's own

none of these rules are super hard and set in stone. lamplight magic is vibe based first and foremost

uhhh. i dont know if this all made sense? if it doesnt feel free to ask follow up questions

oh, and before anyone asks:

jimmy has a slightly more powerful core than bigb bc he can cast on ambient magic and bigb cant. bigb's core is probs bigger than jimmy's tho, so he can use more magic / use magic for longer than jimmy can

Any Martyn or Ren thoughts that you've been wanting to talk about?

heres a fun fact: gods are supposed to give their paladins blessings. Ren is no exception to this, but bc Martyn has no magical core, he cant receive them. if he did, ren's blessings would be all about protection. it'd basically be like casting armor enchants like protection and unbreaking directly on martyn's body? he'd less likely to be directly injured and sturdier in general. he would also be completely resistant to any fire, not just ren.

(the thing i said earlier is sort of why blessings work for Ren despite the fact hes technically mortal, but for other gods blessings are automatic so long as the paladin's oath stands)

Ren is aware of the fact he should be able to bless Martyn and cant and is sort of upset about it, but he blessed his armor, so he thinks thatll have to be enough

#oink asks #anonymous #lamplight au #thank you so much for all of these questions please feel free to return if you have more

[actualbird]

have you noticed that time’s antiques has a CRAZY amount of ceiling lights? and whenever luke is there every light is on? his electricity bill must be absolutely crazy. not to mention he has a literal DARTBOARD in his detective office. this has led me to realise that not only is his taste in clothing questionable but his interior design skills are also bizarre

omfg yes YES luke's interior design tastes are BIZARRE and hes a WEIRDO (affectionate)

i now feel possessed to screencap everything in his building that i am either baffled by or want to point out because i found it cool. buckle up, i (as always) have a lot to say

so let's go on a tour of luke's home

FIRST FLOOR: THE ONE FREE OF MOST SIN BY VIRTUE OF BEING AN ANTIQUE SHOP

a lot of my confusion here can be waived since it's an antique shop and those are meant to be crowded and kitschy and maximalist, thats their whole Thing and i love that. like, the lights, which uve already commented on, there are SO MANY but theyre charming to me here because it fits, this disparate chaos but still emanating warmth

tho that being said ive noted down some bits that do still pique my interest

EXHIBIT A: antique cash register. given its placement on the counter/main table, i assume it's used for actual business and not an item for sale. of course, it could just be for display, but im jarred because it's right next to the High Tech Touch Screen. do people in stellis even pay with cash anymore? they seem to be hugely digital even in currency. it'd be funny if this thing WERE used for actual business and it's filled with all of luke's loose change and coins that he has trouble getting rid of so he instead foists them off to unwitting customers

EXHIBIT B: my only real complaint for this portion because how can any customer get to those drawers, theyre BLOCKED BY OTHER STUFF

EXHIBIT C: alright antique TV but i cant tell if it's just showing a random VHS tape or if it's doubling as luke's CCTV camera display. cuz it kinda looks like CCTV display of a road. which, honestly, is pretty cool!! it's a fun marriage between old tech and new. this is something im less confused by and more just something i wanted to point out cuz it delighted me to think about

SECOND FLOOR: NOT NECESSARILY CONFUSING BUT GOD IT IS SO MESSY IN HERE LUKE LET ME IN HERE I NEED TO CLEAN THIS ROOM

EXHIBIT A: certificates!! this is cool, i wish we could see them clearer. i guess these could be luke's PI certification though maybe one of them could also be his master's degree? which would be odd to have displayed in a detective agency given his degree is in bioengineering but itd be funny to match vyn who has his Two Doctorates on display in his office HAHA

EXHIBIT B: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT C: door with 221 B on it which i think is super cute. hes such a nerd hes just got that blatant sherlock reference in his literal detective agency office, so everyone who walks in will know that he is not only a detective, but also a fanboy. im not sure if this door is what leads to his third floor home but itd be SO LOVELY if yes!!

EXHIBIT D: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT E: peanut's bird perch!!!! this is endearing to me because it looks like such a....such a Gym Flavored Bird Perch kjhJHVSDFH LIKE it's made of metal and chains and not at all like most bird perches u'd find that are usually a wooden or more natural design. this is a bird perch for birds that work out. maybe luke made this for peanut himself to get peanut to exercise. peanut is offended by this. peanut perches on it regardless

EXHIBIT F: luke, please tidy up and god if u keep missing throwing trash into the trash can just moVE THE TRASH CAN CLOSER TO UR DESK

EXHIBIT G: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT H: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT I: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT J: luke, please tidy up

EXHIBIT K: dartboard!!! which u mentioned. i like that it's here in the detective agency office floor because i get to imagine luke stumped on a case and then playing some darts to help himself refocus <3

THIRD FLOOR: LUKE PEARCE, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS

EXHIBIT A AND EXHIBIT B: okay my question here was gonna be "hoop lights?? tiny ladder????" but i answer it myself in a post wayyy wayyyyyy back where i talk abt how i think these interesting furnitures are there for Peanut Pearce Enrichment. it simply makes no sense if i dont assume this, but that aside, it's endlessly endearing to me to think that luke has fashioned a bunch of his living space to give joy to his emotional support birdson. imagine peanut hopping up that tiny ladder! or flying thru one hoop light and perching on another! avian paradise :D

EXHIBIT C: luke's palette bedframe....god this thing drives me nuts. it's not BAD but what gets me about is that it seems like such a stub-ur-toe hazard, a bruise-ur-lower-shin hazard, and a tripping-over-this-corner-that-sticks-out-and-is-on-the-path-of-foot-traffic-otw-to-the-kitchen hazard. the clumsy will be HARMED!!!!! LUKE, WHY WONT U GET A PROPER BEDFRAME!!! OR AT LEAST FIX THIS BEDFRAME TO BE THE EXACT SIZE OF UR BED SO IT ISNT THAT MUCH OF AN INJURY MAGNET JKAFVAJHFVA im on my knees....

EXHIBIT D: why on earth does he have a whole cupboard filled JUST with camera lenses. wait brb //asks a friend who is has a professional photographer dad............ok nvm hes off the hook for this one, apparently this is normal for photographers. im simply diagnosing luke with dedicated nerdery once again then. i love him dearly.

EXHIBIT E: HE WAS A GAMER BOI, SHE SAID SEE YA L8ER BOI!!!!! man peep all them games!!!! and his consoles next to them!!! i hope luke plays matches against other ppl and that hes Fucking Terrifying to other players. i know we've seen him game with mc and hes mostly adorable, but when hes gaming against non-mc individuals......i hope luke pearce is accidentally going Raven Mode against some random 13 year olds in apex legends or something. just because itd be so damn funny.

EXHIBIT WE'RE SAVING THIS FOR LAST: this is the most baffling to me among all the things in this whole building. it's a....trash can? but Not. it's a large trash can shaped container used for containing things, which, okay, that could work. but luke is using it to contain MAGAZINES????? AND ROLLED UP PAPERS?? im speechless. that is simply the most non-intuitive container to go for when thinking "hm, where should i put these objects made of paper, a material famously known for their flatness" aND HIS CHOICE OF CONTAINER IS A CYLINDER ?¿¿?¿??¿????LUKE!!!!!.

luke is a strange little guy. hes also the epitome of cluttercore. im obsessed with everything about him.

#i love him ''zak u roasted his house for a thousand words'' that is part of Loving Him #asks #anon #tears of themis #luke pearce #tot luke #xia yan

[cinco-guijarros]

hi i'm doing a thing and i NEED to know your opinion on the ancients having disabilities. thank you. :)

Hi hello. Thank you for reaching out!!

So I asked an expert on RW lore (my Friend) so we could bounce some ideas at each other, and I will try to summarize our thoughts in bullet points, hope this helps :)

Well, let's get the basics out of the way and say that there absolutely were disabled ancients, regardless of technological progress.

In fact there probably exists a lot of support for disabled ancients, going from mobility aids, aids in day to day life to prosthetic body parts.

Heh, now that I think about it maybe some people even had purposed organisms designed to be guide or support animals.

My Friend also suggested that body modifications were common, which I feel a lot of disabled people could take advantage of, not necessarily to gain functionality but just because it's cool, same with mobility aids.

Picture someone on a wheelchair passing everyone on the street, Maybe even power it with void fluid I Don't Know.

We both did agree that there was likely some ableism present in their beliefs, sadly. But my friend suggested that there's no reason for that to be representative of all of their society.

Like, maybe an inclination from the Ancients in high society would be to not put any effort on disabled people or consider them worthy of life, but commoners don't need to agree.

There definitely is space for community support and care, I think.

On my end I feel like it was possible that some abled ancients kinda pushed the idea that disabled folks were closer to ascension because their conditions would "deprive them" of ever fulfilling some urges and kinda thought that they were more fit to reach personal ascension.

But like, I think most of us agree ableism in fiction is tiring and overdone and that the above POV doesn't need to be generalized, so let's move on to other stuff.

Despite all of this, I think there could be a lot of value in diversity, and the unique contributions they can make in society.

So, for instance, I can think of disabled communities using qualia records as a way to assert their identities, and use these records as a statement of the worth of their own experiences.

Kind of like saying "My experiences matter and are worth being shared in their truest form."

Like I can see this as something ancients with sensory disabilities or folks who don't use verbal language could do really cool things with.

I'm also thinking that some disabilities may be more prevalent because of the places the ancients live in. People affected more deeply by pressure changes, lack of air, and so on definitely were impacted when the cities moved to be on top of the iterator superstructures.

Also, if you're making your ancients have different base abilities or senses compared to humans, for anything they have, there definitely exist some way in which someone can be disabled with it, yknow? Those are cool concepts to explore too.

And lastly! Cycles, death and rebirth could also be cool topics to play around, such as the question of whether some disabilities carry across cycles, or whether they're only present in one of them. This, of course depends on how you think cycles work, whether people change body's but preserve a sense of continuous identity or the body itself just regenerates to some degree.

In my opinion, I could definitely see both disabilities that persist and some that don't, but I will leave that more open.

#rain world #note: me and my friend are both disabled. but that doesn't mean we have all the answers either #other people's additions are appreciated #also i have a tiny suspicion on who you are but idk what to do with it

[adiluv]

♡ JOHN DOE + IDOL DARLING HCS. ˚⊹꒷

﹕₊˚ʚ❤️ɞ・[word count] 2060.

﹕₊˚ʚ🐞ɞ・[warnings] yandere character [obsessive behavior, stalking, kidnapping], mentions of ending 4, not edited/proofread.

﹕₊˚ʚ🖤ɞ・[adi moment] a request from 🐎 anon, which you can view here. this was a really cool concept to write [everybody thank 🐎 anon for coming up with the realest ideas!], especially since i’m a fan of seeing the more obsessed side of doe come into play! [and i apparently had a lot to say about this concept since it’s the first thing i’ve written to break 2000 words...] even though this isn’t a very fluffy post, i hope that you enjoy! (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)

also, just as a note, i don't support yandere behavior in real life! please don't take these headcanons as a justification for any of the actions that doe takes.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・Believe it or not, I actually do believe that it’s within the realm of possibility for Doe to become obsessed with an idol. Circling back to something that I had mentioned within a previous post, I personally headcanon that Doe has a large amount of admiration for humanity. And with the rise of the internet in our daily lives, I think it would make sense for Doe to consume a large amount of media, including content of you! I imagine that it would be a large coincidence. Maybe he was just watching some random videos on YouTube and managed to come across one of your interviews for a new album. Maybe your career had been doing quite well at the time and you had managed to make it onto TV, and he had seen you while idly scrolling through the channels. Regardless of how he had managed to come across you, he would have fallen for you instantaneously. I’m talking going down the rabbit hole, getting so close to the TV that his eyes might as well just be touching the screen, watching so much content of you that his recommendations are mostly filled with videos about you.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・This obsession would grow incredibly quickly, with all of the content he’d watch feeding it even further. He’d buy all of the merchandise you offer, whether that be from a collaboration or from something that you’d create on your own. He’d design shirts based off of the song and album covers you’d create, wearing them more often than others so he could show the amount of adoration he holds for you. He’d sing your praises both online and in person, whenever and wherever he could, annoying as many people as he could with rants and raves about how amazing you were. And his obsession would only continue to worsen as he’d find himself in deeper and deeper parts of the community, all of them sharing a similar obsession and justifying it. 

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・It would honestly get to the point where he’d start to believe that the two of you were destined to be together, soulmates that would stay together through thick and thin. The only issue that lay within his perfect fantasy would be the fact that you live outside of the Valley - the rest of the world that functioned entirely differently than what he knew. And he would mourn that fact, you know? Wishing that he could have a chance to meet you, to show you how much you two had in common, how you two were simply just two halves of a whole. 

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・I think he’d also start to grow jealous of fans that were able to see you at one of your shows. The Uncanny Valley, despite its growing population, wouldn’t necessarily be a place that idols would often visit, a claim that would hold through to you. No matter how many times you’d tour around the globe, it would seem that the Valley would never be graced with your presence, as even so-called ‘world tours’ would go out of their way to keep you from stepping foot in the place. So he’d have to force himself to make due with the recordings of those concerts posted online, with him watching you dance and sing around the stage as everybody cheered. He’d try to imagine himself standing there alongside everybody else, imagine you reaching out a hand, pulling him up to stand beside you where he longed to be.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・As such, you could imagine the absolute joy that he experienced when he learned that you would be moving to the Valley in order to take a short break from your usual lifestyle. He’d sit in front of the screen in disbelief, watching as you gave one final smile and wave to the paparazzi as you disappeared from their view. And as a smile crept upon his face, nothing could’ve stopped the belief that those gestures had been intended for him. And by that point, I doubt that anything could have convinced him otherwise.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・The Uncanny Valley isn’t a very large place, and all newcomers usually get to the city on the same bus. This is something that Doe would know relatively well, something that he would try to use to his advantage in an attempt to meet you. Depending on how far away you would’ve been before deciding to come to the Valley, Doe would go out of his way to try and calculate when you’d finally make it over, keeping tabs online for any updates and visiting the bus stop daily with a pen and a poster of yours on hand. And he would know for certain the day that you would be arriving, because as he would step closer to the platform he would see the appearance of a large crowd piling around the station. He would try to squeeze his way through the massive sea of fans, though he would be disappointed to find himself getting shoved back with each attempt. And all hopes of being able to make his way closer to you would practically be dashed the moment that the bus would’ve started to pull in, with everybody fighting each other to get closer as you finally stepped off. 

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・To make matters even worse for him, he would’ve only gotten away from the horde after taking some damage to both his faux body and his [no longer pristine] merch. In fact, the poor poster would be clinging to whatever life it had left after he had made his escape, with it being bent and ripped in ways that he couldn’t repair. And even though there were small dents and chunks missing from his faux body, leaving segments of hair peeking out, he’d be so deep in his infatuation that he wouldn’t even care. After he’d get over the initial feelings he’d have about the situation, I imagine that he’d try to take it as a lesson. Doe is a person that values being straightforward, though he’d realize that approach wouldn’t work due to how large your fanbase is. And much to his benefit, it turns out that you didn’t bring any bodyguards with you! Just… don’t ask him how he knows that.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・With all of that buildup out of the way, I imagine that Doe would be a rather devoted stalker. The fact that he’s inhuman would also come along to help his goals, with him not needing to leave your side in order to rest or sleep. This fact would also spell out trouble for you if you ever learned about his actions, seeing that [even if you tried to move to another hotel] he could just follow you around at any time of day. Once again drawing back to something mentioned in a previous post, I imagine that the scars littering his arms would be his way of counting the amount of days he’s been stalking you for, with him sitting near your current hotel room during the night as he’d tally another day of success. He would even leave gifts around your suite, ranging from some of the merchandise that he’s been stockpiling to the more bloody gifts that he leaves behind in the game. Interestingly enough, however, I think that the first gift he would leave you would be the crumpled up poster from the bus stop. You’d probably take it more as a threat than anything, though to Doe your fear would signal interest.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・Of course, Doe wouldn’t be the only person who decided to take his so-called ‘loyalty’ to the next level. From other ‘regular guys’ to other types of entities - and possibly even some other humans, Doe would find himself surrounded by people who were desperate to get your attention as well. Sharing, however, isn’t something that he’d prefer to do in an ideal circumstance, and he’d be quick to try and find ways to keep you all to himself. Some weaker entities would be easier to deal with, with most of his tactics just involving misleading them away from you or scaring them off if they were more persistent. When it comes to the more troublesome ones, however, he prefers to leave that up to the proper authorities. Leaving a few pictures of those other stalkers near your door, or possibly giving the police a direct tip-off are his go-to’s, and he’s never close to feeling any remorse as he sees them get exposed. If anything, he sees it as something that they deserve, with their attempts of coming between the two of you. Besides, there’s no point in getting himself into a battle that he knows he can’t win.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・And, of course, he wouldn’t just stalk you without making attempts to get closer to you. And trust me when I say that he’d make good use of the information he’d gain while watching over you every day. Similarly to the events of John Doe +, Doe would likely take on a more normal looking form while approaching you, doing his best to come off as human-like as possible. You’d be shocked about how well the two of you get along, seeing how much you both have in common. And despite common sense telling you that you shouldn’t get too close with fans, you’d still find yourself saying yes when he’d ask you to a café.

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・Depending on how things go [and how strong Doe’s obsession is at the time], your little coffee run with him could go in one of two ways. One way is relatively normal, with things going well enough for you to not raise any suspicions against the figure. In that case, you’ll simply just assume that he has a compatible personality to yours, and the two of you will continue to hang out with each other as friends [leaving you unaware of his activities outside of your meetings]. On the other hand, assuming that his façade starts to slip up, Doe might end up unveiling the truth behind himself and trapping you in a similar way to ending 4. You would barely even register it happening, with you leaving the café at one moment and suddenly finding yourself in the strange, messy maze of his home. Everything would click as you’d turn around to find a familiar silhouette, leading to you rushing up to him and then reeling back in shock when he’d face you with his normal appearance. He’d hug you while practically yelling from excitement, telling you all about the ways that he had stalked you, how he had been your fan for so long and he had just known that the two of you were meant to be together - how when you came to the Valley he just knew that it was a sign! He’d talk about all of the other people that had been on your trail, too, chide you for not having anybody to protect you - but now he was here and you were with him and he wouldn’t let anybody hurt you!

╰₊˚ʚ🔪ɞ・Getting away from Doe would be an incredibly hard feat, at this point, with him practically staying glued to your side all the time. Even in the rare instances that you would manage to get out of his sight, it would be incredibly difficult to navigate through all of the piles of garbage and seemingly endless maze of doors, rooms, and hallways. It didn’t help that the place had some strange affinity for blocking out your cell phone’s signal, or that every door you opened seemed to lead to some place that seemed much worse than where you were already. He’d at least bring you food and water, even if on an irregular basis, making you glad that the thing holding you hostage at least had some concern for your well being. He also didn’t seem to get upset with you, even after you’d try to escape, with him mainly seeing you wandering off as a game. Nevertheless, it would seem that you would have to adjust to life stuck within his weird home, at least for a while until you could devise a proper plan of escape. Whether or not that works, however, is purely based on luck. And even though Doe might not take escape attempts too seriously, I imagine that he’d certainly get more serious if you ever managed to get away.

#꒰📍꒱﹕my writing ⋆ #john doe #john doe game #john doe horror game #john doe visual novel #john doe x you #john doe x reader #john doe fanfic #scopophobia studios #mortisfox

[trainsinanime]

I’ve been reading way too much Wednesday Addams/Enid Sinclair fanfic these days, and one thing that struck me recently is how well Enid fits in with the classic Addams family. 

Wednesday (the show) is completely different from all other Addams family things in terms of its vibes. It’s actually horror instead of horror-themed comedy, there are high stakes and high drama and much more interpersonal conflict, to a degree that can sometimes even feel a bit grating (e.g. the conflict Wednesday has with her mother that does not feel genuine to how I saw these characters elsewhere). That does not mean it’s a bad show, it’s actually a great show, it’s just different. 

But as a result, many of the characters in the show don’t fit well within the Addams world as established by the 90s movies. Xavier and Bianca are high intensity drama; they don’t fit. Principal Weems could fit and there should be more Gwendolyn Christie in everything. Tyler doesn’t fit. The Hyde fits, but as a family friend, not a threat. Look at him! He’s supposed to be scary but his design is just a little creature. He fits as a monster in the show; he does not fit as an antagonist in "normal" Addams Family media.

Enid fits perfectly, though. Yes, she’s colorful and cheerful and (deliberately) the exact opposite of the Addams family aesthetic. But the Addams’s are enthusiastic and supporting of weirdness, and those are both qualities Enid has in spades, as shown in her unlikely friendship with Wednesday. Enid is very unlike Wednesday, but they share some common qualities, such as doing their own thing regardless of what others think, and respecting each other for it.

The Addams’s, for their part, are weird, and sometimes in turn a bit weirded out by other people, but they are at their core generous and friendly, no matter how they look. And they can absolutely form relationships with people from the outside after a bit of adjusting. Cousin Itt and Margaret are a good example. Enid could absolutely thrive in such an environment. Plus, she can turn into a wolf beast and kill people with her claws. 

I don’t think this is necessarily a shipping thing (although it certainly supports shipping). Wednesday and Enid have a deep and meaningful friendship, and for Enid to become an honorary member of the Addams family works whether you decide to have them kiss or not. It also fits perfectly with Enid’s disappointment at her own family. I suppose her father will be allowed over, the Addams’s would love him as well.

Anyway: Enid and the Addams Family is a surprisingly good match, and I hope we get to see more of it, in fanfic or maybe even season 2.

#wednesday #wednesday netflix #wednesday show #wednesday meta #wenclair