FoA Episode 3 😭 Should i get the last blade DLC too? Is it worth it?

And here it is (below the cut), the bit I want to capture the feeling of but not actually replicate.

I was so proud of engineering this bit in the Zero Draft. I needed to make sure God’s last word to Humanity was “Hate.” Which really isn’t a natural feeling word to end a sentence on. 

(The Zero Draft, by the way, is the full text without respect to making it any way publishable, or even really readable, of the entire series. The Hidden and the Maiden (The published book), The Lights of Other Lives (the binned book), The Eshu Adventure (this book), and basically every book I’ll ever manage out of The Knights of Day series are all sub bits of James’, Zephyr’s, and JJ’s adventures plucked out and rewritten from the Zero Draft. @coatntails is really the keeper of the Zero Draft, her grand project has been turning it readable. I’m mostly going on faulty memory.)

In the Zero Draft, the Knights go to The End of the World in Venice 15 something, something. I don’t actually remember and it doesn’t really matter, since 1500′s Venice doesn’t actually tie in to the larger story of the Knights. But there is another End of the World (there are lots) that does: The Fall of the Copper Kingdom and the dying of the Mythic Age. So I want to set the book’s nightmare angst moment of divine hatred there.

The problem is that Venice lends itself well to a Christian based screed that is easy to get and process. The Copper Kingdom, that explodes 12,000 years before Christ is born, doesn’t really lend itself to that kind of easy reference.

So, I have to adapt. I need the FEEL of an angel showing up over a field of destruction and proclaiming: “God hates you, so you deserve this,” (I am writing warlockiANGST) in a culture that doesn’t perceive the divine in the same way, for an audience that doesn’t really know anything yet about the Copper Kingdom, except possibly figuring out that the Copper Kingdom is supposed to be an inspiration for Atlantis. Depending on how clever they’re feeling and how good I am at hint dropping around unimportant elements.

It’s tricky. 

Hard thought work today.

Quote from the Zero Draft below the cut.

This is just after Venice has exploded in fire, lightning, and horn blasts, leaving ruins sinking into the water, the survivors clinging to the last bits, while James, Zephyr, JJ, and Ferris are trying to convince people to get on the Eshu before they drown.

A great splashing and then a rushing sound fills the air. Out of the water, from somewhere in the middle of where Venice was, a winged giant rises in prim grace from the water.

The giant is beautiful. More beautiful than any movie star or model - it actually makes your chest ache to look at him as he rises from the water on five beating wings.

He is untouched by the water - it does not cling to him - it does not drip from him. His purple robes and golden armor are completely dry.

About his neck is hung a horn. In one hand he holds a great staff and in the other a scroll clothed in white samite.

His sandaled feet come to rest, pointed, just above the now completely still waters. He slams his staff at the water and with a gong the water ripples away from the strike in a small wave.

His voice when he speaks is more beautiful even than his face and form. It is every sweet sound and so it is difficult for a second to make out his words but he speaks slowly and calmly as if anticipating the problem.

"Look upon me, you last sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. Behold me. I was named in the begining of things Hasmed, and my great wings were named Arakiel, Remiel, Uriel, Samiel, and Aziel. I have been set by the namer of all things - at the speaking of the Metatron who is the voice of YHWH: The Lord God Almighty to proclaim the Judgement of the Throne at the time of Judgement when the last worthies may hear.

"This is the Judgement of God - Upon Man his creation. Hearken unto me, for only once in all of creation shall HIS Judgement be known.

"YHWH, Lord of Thrones and Hosts. First and Last. Namer of creation. Thus he inscribes the last lines of the book of life, which I hold.

“Mankind, I find you wanting. I find you of less value than he I set to wallow in the dust all the days of the world. I find you of less comeliness than the bestial Leviathan I banished to the deep to go unseen all the days of creation. I find you a mistake. Could I undo the word that created the foulness of you - I would do so and cast you out as an unwanted abortion from my side. But I cannot and so I utter unto you the word of death and cast you into the pit to abide forever in misery as you belong. I renounce you and all that was human that I have cherished. I cast you to Adam's side and to Eve's side to abide forever away from my love or forgiveness. Let the last thing you hear be my last word upon you: For you, I feel only Hate."

I am occasionally curious about where and when I latched onto the idea of “God doesn’t like you.” No idea. But it is a theme that definitely pops up every now and again. It’s part of my writing DNA.  

And now I really need to get onto SOLVING the problem instead of stating it.

with mousey and bad together on the server, there's been a lot of talking about her as satan (it's been clarified by mousey that all she remembers is that she's a demon from hell) and her as bad's boss, and i wanted to do a bit of a deep dive on bad's demon lore through both a "pop culture" view and a more traditional biblical view.

in pop culture we've had a lot of mixing up of demon lore in general, with the prevalent idea that demons are creations of hell, and not all of them necessarily fallen angels or previously heavenly beings — it's a perfectly valid analysis, but i'm firmly convinced that bad's character is not just any demon, but instead very much a powerful demon that was once an angel.

let's start with what we do know of q!bad's personal history and slot things into their proper place. we know he's around 11600 years old (making his "date of birth" somewhere around 9577 BC. we also know he arrived in this world (which in this case we have to assume is whichever dimension qsmp is held in) in 9600 BC which means he lived the majority of his life away from his home — he was barely 23 when he "moved".

we also know that he didn't come to this dimension willingly, that he was summoned and in that summoning he caused serious destruction — it's been made pretty apparent that the man sunk atlantis, and frankly there's still a question as to whether he did it on accident or not, or the reason why he keeps it hidden. according to bonnie the horse, he sent them a lot of "salty souls" once, and bonnie has also dubbed bad "death of the sea". it doesn't matter whether bad is hiding because what he did made him famous, or because he feels terrible — what matters here is that one singular demon was able to cause the destruction and sinking of a whole civilization singlehandedly. he was also able to do it at a pretty young age.

we also know that bad has eaten souls before (as well as anything he can get in his mouth, apparently), that he's got a way to avoid being summoned (as he told dapper he'd let him know later) and that for better or for worse, he's immortal. so, it's safe to say that bad is an extremely powerful being that cannot be killed by any means, and who has enough control over himself to not only hide his true nature but also contain himself to the highest degree.

speaking of death, bad's relationship with it is very interesting on a few levels. we know he's employed as a grim reaper (and that being a grim reaper is completely removed from his origins, it's just a job) and that to one degree or another, he's acknowledged mumza as the goddess of death as being canonical to him as well (yesterday tallulah spoke about death as a beautiful woman, and bad confirmed to chat she meant mumza).

but what is a grim reaper?

traditionally, grim reapers (or those who served their role) were nothing more than physical manifestations of death with the purpose of easing humans from one plane into the next. they're friendly and kind, and historically for the longest time (up until the middle ages and the plague) they were positive figures, reminiscent at many times of angels.

now, onto angels. angels biblically are far from the cherubic vision we see most often — they're whatever they're needed for. they can be kind-hearted messengers, but they're also warriors and if need be, and they can be incredibly dangerous to humans. why did some fall? simple enough, they sinned. there are passages in the bible regarding the fall of angels and they're described as losing the war in heaven, being cast down with "satan" (while satan and lucifer are not entirely interchangeable and they're often considered two different people, biblically today they're presumed to be the same so let's just roll with it for now) into hell. other passages speak of angels who sinned against god and who await judgement in hell.

but what does any of this have to do with badboyhalo, you ask? well… more than it seems at first if you put it all together. on a basic level, bad wouldn't be considered your average demon — yes, he's full of mischief, has an odd moral compass, and can be incredibly violent, but he's also very kind, and very gentle, and very very loving. there are contradictions in his personality that could be discounted as meta… but the evidence continues to pile up. bad is full of angel iconography, from the actual halo in his name and in his preferred design, but his new build in his home is really beating us over the head with it — he build two statues that can only be described as holy warriors, dark and demon-y but with a golden halo and beautiful white wings.

then, there's "the chair". which is not a chair, it's very much a throne, but for whatever reason bad seems vehemently opposed to admitting that it is, in fact, a throne — it's huge, and full of dark and red blocks, fire… and behind it? huge angel wings. now, one could argue that they're bones, but there are details in the blocks that very clearly allude to feathers — the idea of white feathery wings is a direct parallel to angels, and i think it's very intentional.

who, then, is badboyhalo? i'd put my money on his personal lore being connected to the demonology idea of "the princes of hell" — angels who fell from the grace of god, and took up their kingdoms in hell. i'm fully convinced that bad is a prince of hell. now, which one? that's trickier, and not something we know enough to real pinpoint, especially when you consider that the identity of the princes of hell is pretty fluid — there's a lot of different texts who name different demons, so i'm choosing to simplify it until we get more information.

tl;dr - badboyhalo is not just any ol' demon, but a fallen angel — one of the "princes of hell".

a special thanks to @comradeboyhalo because this post was very handy!

Best Rogue Amendiares Quotes because I can.

"Its not about the colour or the max firepower, I want what I ordered" "its not about firepower, there are ways and people who know them. Or who can at least improvised on a theme."

"Fuck Stealth, I always hated stealth anyway" "I don't know Johnny, we were young. Hot blood in our veins, shit judgement in our heads, like all pups." "That's what I love about night city. One day you're in the gutter, next day you got the whole city at your feet." "I look my cut up front honey, but i guess I'm touched by your concern."

"There is nothing I hate more than losing good people to plain stupidity." "We all pay a price for the choices we make, I'm no exception. That's what I tell myself when i stand over the graves of the crew of the Atlantis. It's what I tell myself when I look at you now." And as a bonus "Shut the fuck up Johnny."

hello :) i have very recently gotten into namor comics and i wanted to know, what are your favorite arcs/solos hes had? i hope its not too much of a bother. thank you and i hope youre doing well. ^_^

Hello and welcome. It's always a pleasure to speak with Namor fans ❤️ Thanks for asking, I'm well and I hope you are too.

Series:

King in Black: Namor - It's wonderfully written and gives us great lore and character moments. It's written by Kurt Busiek who really knows the character. The artwork is amazing, drawn by two different artists but I have to point out how much I really enjoy the colorists' work. The way they chose to make present day Namor scenes all muted colors, like the ocean is sick and dying, meanwhile his past scenes has such vibrant color.

Sub-Mariner: The Depths - I'm a big horror fan so this was a perfect combination of horror and Namor. I wish this would someday be adapted into a short animation or live action film. Ribic's art carries the whole comic, you could understand it just by the art alone, tho the writing is great too.

Sub-Mariner (2007) - Honesty I feel this series is criminally under rated, it's one of my favorite modern takes on Namor. I do have a couple of criticisms of the plot/ending but overall this series is favorite, love the artwork, love the premise and Namor's characterization.

The Sub-Mariner (1968) - I'm a big fan of Silver Age Namor and this series has lots of great comics but some do drag on at point. Personal favorites, Namor vs The Thing and Namor meeting Betty again in #8, Dorma being possessed by the Serpent Crown in #9. Gonna stop there before I go digging to find every issue I loved, bc there's just a lot there, like I love Tigershark's introduction/stories and Namor and Diane's friendship, and the quest for Namor's father etc.

Arc's:

Tales to Astonish: The Quest for Neptune's Trident #70-76. (To be fair I do love a lot Tales to Astonish but I'm just trying to pick out arcs that I reread alot.)

Namor goes insane in space: Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 3 (2001), Steve Rogers: Super Soldier Annual 1, Namor: The First Mutant Annual 1

Suma-Ket & Artys-Gran Arc - Namor, the Sub-Mariner (1990) #30-40. Dark Undersea High Fantasy arc, love it.

Solo Comics:

Marvel Fanfare (1982) #16 & 43, both these are solo adventures

Marvel Snapshot: Sub-Mariner (2020) - I can never get enough of this comic, told from Betty's pov, its wonderful.

Avengers: Emperor Doom - I love every time Namor and Doom team up or interact but if I had to pick one time it's this.

What if? Sub-Mariner (2011) - Love love this story by Greg Pak of Namor growing up on land.

The Judgement of Namor - Dark Reign: The Cabal - Namor takes court and deals with his subjects. An excellent look into Namor's role as the monarch of Atlantis.

Marvel (2020) #3 - I loved the sketch arts of the comic that was unfinished, it had been around for decades but when Marvel finally printed it in full I was so happy. I still prefer the sketchy art but I thought this was a fun adventure and Namor is in a suit, lol.

Marvel Comics Presents: (1988) #33 - All time favorite Namor comic, #1 spot in my heart. (2007) #7 - Namor mourns Nita's death (2019) #1 - A heavy story by Greg Pak about WWll

Tales of the Marvels: Inner Demons - a look at Namor while he was an amnesiac

I haven't even started on character team up comics or team books and if I start on those I won't stop. lol. I'll put a link here to my 2019 comic reading guide that can help you find most major arcs. I hope you enjoy reading!

Would I be here or anywhere else if it were not for you?

Oh boy, to think I've been wanting to do this post for a long time, but I always put it off. Now it has already happened that for the Marius/Daniel ship I have argued, mainly because of what is written in those two lines in, I simply call it, 'Atlantis'. Forgive the little dedication I have for that book. I was told that 'Marius lost Daniel to Armand' has only one meaning, and only one way of interpretation, that there is no room for anything else, except of course the throwing away of one for the other. And I make no apologies for saying that this pisses me off. First of all, because I love Daniel's character, and his journey of pain and loss of self is something that has always made me think a lot. The thing that causes me more annoyance, however, than those who support this theory, is the fact that in my eyes, it creates a Daniel Molloy, who is a profiteering, carrion, and emotionless bastard, and Daniel IS NOT THAT. We can talk endlessly, meta, canon, headcanon, there is no way you can convince me that this is the case and that it is justified that it is so. Daniel has his flaws, like everyone else, but he's a loving, giving character, even when it hurts. What actually happened, I personally think, is because of Daniel's good heart. In fact, at that moment in the story, everyone was against Armand, no one shared his vision, no one wanted to listen to him, so much so that, as we know, even Marius gets into a very serious discussion with him, which leads to harsh sentences. What I think, is that Daniel understood Armand's loneliness and isolation and also his anger and frustration, that he sensed how he was suffering from that situation, how being openly against Marius marked him, because only Marius has the power to generate such strong feelings in Armand. Conflictual and non-conflictual. I think that the moment Daniel understood, he decided to comfort Armand. Perhaps, it could be that even Daniel himself shared Armand's view on this problem. Be that as it may, I am not talking about love in the romantic/passionate sense but about a different kind of love, seeing someone we love suffer is destructive, seeing their pain and inability to make themselves understood, together with the fear of what they fear might happen to those he loves as well. This is a Daniel I like, one who is him, a Daniel who, in order not to leave someone dear to him alone, decides to separate himself from the One who saved him, and loved and protected and cherished him. An act of altruism, dictated by the need to live up to the one who brought him back to life. Marius taught him to trust again, to open up again, to love again. So what I think those words mean is this, that Daniel followed Armand because he feared for him, so as not to leave him alone.

Also because in fact, those two lines do not speak of love, no romantic/sensual love is mentioned. There are no references to anyone's heart or need. Yes exactly I'm drawing a parallel with Blood Communion and where Anne Rice, clearly spoke of, an Armand needing Marius and an Armand reopening his heart to Marius. In 'Atlantis' there is none of this. I firmly believe that the only reason Daniel decided to follow Armand is out of empathy, and it is perhaps also because seeing Marius so convinced, so committed, so dedicated, he thought that at that moment Marius did not need him there. Which, as we know, is not true, Marius suffered greatly from that detachment. I believe that in good faith Daniel did not realise this. And obviously, because I always have to put tenderness between Marius and Daniel, Marius let him go, because he loves him, respects him, trusts him and his judgement, and would never impose anything on him. And this is love, the dedicated kind, the strong and pure kind, where you are afraid, you feel pain, but you leave it up to the one you love to embrace his or her own life, with his or her own decisions.There, that is my final and personal thought on this. The way I see Daniel Molloy, and the way I see how he would never hurt Marius, how he would never go against him, how everything they went through together supporting each other created a unique and unbreakable bond between them, blessed by love.

in the tag game, what's the trinity au one?

thank you mushroom for giving me an excuse to post this ooh thanks!!! this one is kinda long but i'm obsessed with this and it might be one of the best scenes i've ever written and i like elizabeth being a badass babe and yelling at people

Elizabeth never stopped glaring at him as she silently took a sheet of paper out of her desk. John glared back.

"Effective immediately, I am officially resigning from the position of Head of Science and Research on Atlantis. Due to a recent error in judgement that has led to a lack of trust amongst my colleagues, I believe it best for me to step back and allow someone more qualified to head the department." Elizabeth read sharply, and John suddenly forgot how to breathe.

"What- what the hell is that? Is this a joke? Where the hell is McKay-"

"He quit John! He left the city, he's gone back to Earth! He quit the entire damn Stargate program!" Elizabeth yelled, and John stumbled back like it was a physical blow.

"He- no, Rodney wouldn't- he- when did he leave?" John stuttered, all the anger from the last week draining so quickly John could barely remember why he was holding onto it. Rodney was... gone?

"He left 2 days ago. Maybe you would have noticed if you didn't turn and run at the mere mention of his name," Elizabeth snapped, glaring at John like this was his fault.

Maybe it was.

There's a real interesting contrast between the treatment of Sheppard's killing of the Genii by raising the gate shield and Young's plan to vent atmosphere as the Lucian Alliance gate onto Destiny. It's kind of a microcosm of the differences between the Atlantis expedition (before contact w/Earth) and the Icarus group/Destiny (who have contact w/Earth).

It makes me think about the different issues Young and Sheppard had with securing command. Sheppard didn't have to win over civilians (besides Elizabeth), but he did have to command Marines. Young wasn't the planned CO of the expedition, but he had to secure the respect of the civilian contingent.

Sheppard also raised the gate shield after Kolya had tortured McKay (and said he'd killed Elizabeth), and he was alone. While Young had forces to fight, but also more civilians to protect. Sheppard's choice was out of desperation and in the moment, while Young's was a different kind of desperation and premeditated. Which gave him the chance to hesitate. And be judged. While Sheppard only faced judgement after the fact.

I have a lot of feelings about it (mostly that I hate death and destruction), but I find it fascinating that they decided to to cover the same kind of ground in different ways. And that the person who questioned Young's cold equations was an Air Force officer.

Submariner Summer 16

Ok all, lets go! It's part 16 of #SubmarinerSummer with Tales to Astonish #83: The Sub-Mariner STRIKES! Hulk has cover-duty, but the Title page has Namor coming right for us as he launches himself at Krang's ship. We have Kirby himself on art this ish, so lets enjoy that treat

Right away we're hit with a text wall as they catch us up to the story and narrate the action Silve Age-style, but the action isn't long arriving as Krang's first shot misses, but our Prince of Atlantis does NOT

Namor manages to be magnanimous and offers Krang the chance to surrender, but Krang isn't interested and tries running towards the city in the most hilarious piece of bad judgement ever: "Maybe Namor won't endanger New Yorkers?" AJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

Dorma is trying to talk Krang down, but Krang knows Namor won't stop and he has no intention to either. He blasts him with the next weapon on deck and gets Namor dead on, hoping to hit his "weak spot" (spoilers: this weak spot is definately headed for retcon land). In any case it doesn't work

Namor crashes onto Krang's ship, but at this point we get an interesting plot twist/crossover, sort of. Over in the Hulk stories, the Secret Empire has been clashing with the Green Goliath. Now, that group's Number One sees Namor, and wants to use him against Hulk!

Meanwhile on Krang's ship, Namor manages to get to a window and Dorma finally realizes his rage when she sees his face, and he hers. Just as he crashes through, though, Krang manages to use another of his many weapons to knock him back into the water

The Secret Empire's Number One approaches, planning to wipe Namor's memory to make him a pawn. Meanwhile Krang launches his last resort: the "fleet destroyer", a fission bomb. That's right, he tries to nuke Namor! Namor however manages to destroy it before it can fully activate

Krang takes the opportunity to flee, again. Classic villain move. And as it turns out, Number One doesn't *need* his lobotomizer ray: the blast of even the weakened fleet destroyer nuke rendered Namor amnesiac on its own! Uh-oh... Cliffhanger!

Another great action issue with raucous Kirby art, and another clever crossover plot thread woven into the narrative; Marvel tight continuity expertly used. Gotta wonder if they're intentionally making amnesia a Namor thing.

We'll have to see what Number One has in store for our Prince of Atlantis in the NEXT issue, though, in Tales to Astonish #84: Like A Beast At Bay!

Past Life 🪡 Karmic Spread January 2024 - Capricorn

Gender I’m Picking Up On (in the past life): Young male, late teens…could be female now, or a more feminine energy of male, very humble, a softer personality, could be “the woman” in a male dominated profession, either way women like you 💯

Who You Were: The Fool

What You Did: 4 Cups & Knight of Wands

How It Ended: 9 Wands

What Karma Was Brought With You: 10 Pentacles, 9 Pentacles & Wheel of Fortune rev

Who You Brought With You: Queen of Cups

Additional energy: 7 Pentacles & Judgement

Character Card (present): The Smith

Past Life Oracle: Atlantis (past), Orphan & Medicine Man/Woman (present)

Dreaming Way: Lady & Ring (past)

Charm:

Alice 🐇 on Knight of Wands

Star ⭐️ on Atlantis

Angel Wing 🪽 on Wheel of Fortune rev

Spiderweb 🕸️ and Fox 🦊 on Queen of Cups

Your mother was a whoooore 🎶 What a great way to start a reading. I don’t feel bad, you shouldn’t either, because she was a cruel betch, not warm, loving, or nurturing whatsoever and there were always strange men around that threatened, intimidated, or tried to/would put their hands on you, smack you around, act like your boss. One in particular called you “boy” with such disdain, you hated this one the most, he was probably abusive to you if/when he had the chance, which I don’t get being a lot, but he wasn’t the only one either. You never could feel secure in your own home. She’s the reason you were how you were, and for why this all happened how it did. I get no mention of a father. Finding a location took a minute, I kept getting hot, dry, desert 🏜️ and longing for the sea, that’s what Atlantis is for you. Naturally I looked at Africa, heard “Middle East” it’s closer to there, and from the map, Sudan is what stands out to me most - I felt the *ding ding* How else do I explain these things idk, it’s the ding ding, got it 😆

Sudan matches the vibe, and is close enough to the sea to be possible for you to get to, enough for a young boy with no fear whatsoever to attempt a “jailbreak” is what I heard, journeying across the desert, how I’m not sure. Horse? You were a “petulant” young boy, rebellious in every way, you had no respect or consideration for your elders (you had no reason to be 💯) You probably had a mouth on you and got into tussles with shitty men on more than one occasion. Probably your mother too. You were seen as disrespectful and ornery, but I don’t get you were, you were an adventurous & excitable young man that was ready to break free from hell. You knew better, and you’d do better, you just had to get tf out of there. The sea was some built up dream of yours, where everything would be better, it was your escape plan, your light in the dark, your Star ⭐️

You died young. There is a particular event surrounding the death, an argument, an explosion of temper, possibly from you, and you acted immediately to set off on this journey, running away more or less. I had to ask if this death was related to dehydration or vengeance, and I got your mother. Wherever you went, one of her lovers followed, and caught up after you had stopped to rest, sleep, I keep seeing water 💦 being highlighted, it’s possible as dehydration was setting in you got weaker. How many days does it take to cross a desert? It feels underestimated. You may have forgot water, The Fool can be very forgetful, he just acts, and being unprepared or spontaneous is how you’re described here. Or you had one jug but still not enough, it plays a role in this. This person, again I see the one you hate the most, or one of them, he overtook you by force and ended it. This version of Strength comes out to show one man choking another, ready to beat him in the head with a club, I’m getting this card has come out for that reason. Brute force. He was much bigger and stronger, scary even, probably why you ran. You told him off first. A very cruel ending. Had you snuck off quietly & better prepared, it may have gone differently.

Now with this life…you’ve brought your mother. She’s still your mother. Technically. I do get you being more female, but I can’t pinpoint it, you could be gender fluid, or look one way but act another. Possibly lgbtq or just “tomboy”, I’m getting it’s not related so it’s not important, moving on. Your mother is still cruel, but she comes up as Queen of Cups, loving & kind on the surface, with webs of lies, deceit, cunning trickery and bs. She can’t function like normal people do, she’s a class A manipulator and getting away from her was the best thing that ever happened *for* you, but I get you don’t see it that way and The Hanged Man shows you needing some perspective on this “disaster” with her. I also felt she’s coming up as Queen of Cups to show she’s nothing like you, you may get compared to her a lot and it pisses you off, because you’re not. Or the things you share are what’s positive, you may both be beautiful or have pretty eyes/hair, something that doesn’t *really* matter but it gets under your skin to be compared to. She has heavy Cancer energy attached to her, that could be the case or it’s just your opposite generally and the sign doesn’t matter. Orphan has come out for you as well, I don’t know if you are one from birth, or if she left, but I do get her not being able to “handle” life generally, and not really caring about her actions, she’s emotionally cold. And if she acts otherwise, it’s all a lie, she wears a mask. Web of lies.

Wheel of Fortune rev shows this event of her leaving you (I assume that’s what it is), as a major turning point in your life, or it plays a defining role in your character, memories, life as a whole. A negative one, possibly the worst thing that ever happened to you. Angel Wing 🪽is here as a message from Spirit that they were with you all along, this was divinely guided, and though it feels like a terrible thing, it’s your freedom. Your Star ⭐️ You wanted to be away from her so badly in the past life, you not being with her in this life is more a gift to you, and karma for her. She doesn’t deserve you 🙏 Still. She never did, she’s selfish and deceitful, manipulative and uses people to her own benefit, that would cause you much more harm than any benefits you hope she may bring - she’s just not that person. There’s a note here on the bottom that either one of you are resistant to a new start, probably her, or if there is another life to come - you won’t ever have to see her again, and that’s this ultimate Justice you’re waiting for. Waiting for a sign that she’s received her Justice, she has. Maybe she’s waiting for a sign from you that you may come around again, and you won’t. I get this Justice is unseen, you can’t know for sure, you just have to have faith because you’ve gotten what you need on a very deep soul level, and will continue to. Spirit has your back 💚

Separately the last two cards, The Smith shows your career being something that takes intense focus and attention to detail, there’s a note about you overthinking something, needing to act more and think less, you may sabotage yourself in this way. Always wanting to be prepared is a lesson learned, but it needs more balance. Yes and no, because you can’t always be 100% sure. Sometimes you need faith. There’s also a message from spirit regarding this Medicine Man/Woman, this could be a nurse? Doctor. A healer. Someone in pharmaceuticals idk. That could be you too. It’s meant to be, that’s all they say. There’s also an ex, and a new person. Disconnecting from an ex is the right thing, The Lovers rev, Queen of Wands & victory, new love is with them, could be a fire sign or just someone you find very attractive, pulled towards, it *feels* right to you, because it is 💯 There may be some kind of scandal surrounding this or you constantly question if it’s the right thing, is it just attraction, Spirit is saying yes it is the right thing - wherever/however that applies, Ace of Cups is new love, it’s genuine.

i'm drawn to it, even though i shouldn't be, even when i try not to be. @pyratezlife / silver.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇, 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 in the fading daylight. flint's gaze was drawn to the horizon line, where his own glittering blue expanse met with silver's beloved sky, painted a canvas of warm hues in the sunset. sparse wisps of cloud rolled overhead, but didn't dare to defy their master nor his love in obscuring the view above. it was a beautiful sight, made all the moreso by his company, silver's presence a constant draw for both his eyes and hands alike.

he turned to him now with a hum of understanding, rolled to his side to face them with an elbow propped. he stared down at the once ever fluttering god. drank in the setting sun reflected in their wistful gaze and frowned. ❛ mm, i understand the feeling, ❜ he began in a low murmur, fingertips rising to brush a stray curl caught in the breeze and strewn across silver's face. ❛ the sea calls to me. i created her, i nurture her, and her current yet shapes me to this day. each morning i awake, and the tide draws me in anew. ❜

head dipped to press a kiss against the other's brow, and another to their cheek upon retreat. ❛ i can only imagine the pain i would feel at being parted from her. how a part of me would seem to be missing, shorn away, without her. ❜ his voice, already hushed from the weight of his words, broke off and fell away. laying oceanside, with the godling who so held his heart, felt right. felt poetic. his first love and his true love, brought together. there was once a time he couldn't begin to imagine himself without the sea. couldn't imagine himself loving anyone as deeply as he did the rolling crest of waves.

but then silver had chosen him. silver had sacrificed the sky for him, and flint knew in an instant that he would do the same. for home was not the ocean, nor the beach, nor the glittering palace stretched out atop the hill behind them, nor the whole of atlantis. water and sand and shell were material : they could not love you back. home was the heart he now called his own, & the one he gave to silver in return.

❛ you chose me ... i know that now. i feel the weight of it every day. but, ❜ his tongue felt heavy. countless centuries, millennia, he had spent guarding his heart. his home. even ned had never felt the full breadth of his affection, seen the true extent of his mind, through no real fault of the dead king's own. but silver knew him all. knew his whole being without judgement or compromise.

his palm settled full against their cheek. ❛ but you should never be forced to choose between the parts of yourself that make you whole. ❜ he sat up then, slow, and reached for the messenger god's satchel he'd carried down to the beach for them. he began rifling through its depths, the extent of which reached far deeper than any could perceive from the outside. his hand closed about the precious item he'd searched for, that which had been crafted by his own skill and labour, and he drew it out : a leg, fashioned of wood and wrought metal, inlaid with golden filigree and fashioned with matching wings about the ankle. golden fleece laced its design, and thus the leg would imbue a surprise upon silver when used.

it had taken weeks to hunt the materials from the argo's wreck herself, and weeks yet more to shape it as such. a hand dropped to his lover's thigh and down, to settle upon the blunt end. he held the creation in offering and awaited to help affix it. ❛ a limb fit for a king, i hope. ❜

saw the dashboard osmosis abilities ask game post several days late, so feel free to ignore this if the inclination has passed, but if not! then. obviously. i will have to say due south. (though stargate atlantis and sports night also come to mind, if you feel like you want to spend some time on this)

Due South:

Actual plot: Police procedural but weird. Canada? Someone who is Canadian (a Mountie?) gets partnered with an American who wants to go back to America but can't for... reasons. Although wait actually maybe it's the other way around I'm sure I've seen something about them badly subbing in Vancouver as... Chicago? Maybe the Canadian wants to go back to Canada. But then why would they be due south wouldn't they be due north?

One of them (the American?) is called Fraser and the other one is called something that starts with B. Bentley?

Important things: they're gay. with each other. at one point they kiss underwater under pretence of it being a secret air-sharing technique. there's a puppy! he lip-reads..... he's a very good boy and very human as all wolf cross-breeds genuinely are. there is also a ghost? of one of the MC's father? who just hangs out and gives unwanted advice? There's cross-dressing talk I know this purely from your video. at some point i will watch this show but at the moment i'm happy with it being a fever dream in my periphery.

Stargate Atlantis:

Um. space. portals? found family gang of characters. (ex-)space military. there's other Stargate shows as well. Jason Momoa's in this one.

Sports Night:

An office dramedy/sitcom about the cast and crew of a late-night sports show. The two co-hosts on this one are gay with each other. I had a brief moment of going 'i can't believe there's a fandom for this' when I first discovered it existed via you and ACL and then I thought about the shows I am in fandoms for and withdrew my judgement.

Avatar vs Atlantis: The Lost Empire

I’ve seen a handful of people saying that these movies are basically the same, and I’m taking it upon myself to educate the masses about why this is false.

Now it’s true that, in broad terms, they are similar movies. A group of explorers “discover” a blue indigenous people whom they plan to murder in order to get a special rock. The white male protagonist falls in love with an indigenous woman and decides to protect her people from violent exploitation, and after they defeat the bad guys, he stays with her and is accepted into the indigenous community.

However, this description does not take into account the circumstances of the “discovery” or the motivations of the protagonists, which end up making them into rather different movies.

In Avatar, Jake Sully is a marine who decides to sub in for his dead twin brother to inhabit a modified Na’vi body. The avatar program was created in order to convince the Omaticaya to leave Hometree so an unnamed company can dig up the minerals underneath. He knows this from the beginning and has zero qualms about it for at least half the movie. He gives the company detailed information about Hometree to help them with their plans, knowing that this will completely upend the Omaticaya way of life and probably kill hundreds of them.

In ATLE, Milo Thatch is a linguist and cartographer searching for what he believes to be a completely dead civilization. He, along with the rest of the crew, is shocked to find an actual city with actual people. He even says at one point that he didn’t expect to find much more than some broken pottery. He immediately defers to King Nedakh’s judgement, insisting to Rourke that they should leave the Atlanteans alone, and tries to follow their customs for the short time they stay. He had no idea about Rourke’s plan to steal the magical crystal that has kept the Atlanteans alive for thousands of years - and as soon as he learns of this plan, he immediately tries to stop it. No questions, no hesitation, no regard for what this decision will cost him.

Jake only starts respecting the Omaticaya once he builds a relationship with Neytiri. Milo respects the Atlanteans regardless of his attraction to Princess Kida.

And another thing - Milo does not become the new king of Atlantis once King Nedakh dies. Based on his clothing and tattoos in the last scene, he doesn’t have any particularly high status. Kida becomes queen, and Milo stays as her friend and presumably teaches (re-teaches?) her how to read Atlantean.*

Jake, despite being a traitor and colonialist who knows barely anything about Omaticaya culture - despite being directly responsible for the destruction of their home and much of their people - gets to be king because he can fly the giant dinosaur.

* If you feel icky about this plot point, I don’t blame you. It is weird that in over 8,000 years they never rediscovered their own language, especially considering it’s all around them. However, I still don’t think this gives ATLE the same level of white savior-ness as Avatar because of all the aforementioned reasons.

Namor: Conquered Shores #1 SPOILERS

I’m gonna be read/reviewing the comic that has gripped my BODY AND SOUL today, and I’m gonna make it everyone’s problem.

We start off Namor, 100 years in the future, and the explanation for why is short but to the point, I’m really glad Cantwell didn’t dwell on the whole end of the world plot because I have read those kinda plots so many times and I have zero interest in another one.

When we first see Namor you get this sense of aloofness from him, as if he’s looking down at these two humans like they are bugs he can easily squash, even his offhanded judgement of “I don’t really care enough, to be honest” would make one think he’s removed himself from the situation of the surface human struggle to survive.

Ferry’s art is wonderful, I do love how pointy he made Namor’s ears! But the sketchy quality of his work, really works for the story imo because it’s been giving me these raypunk scifi novel book cover vibe, it but it def has that astonishing stories cover art feel to it. As a person who loves most of the Punk subgeneres (cyberpunk, raypunk, steampunk etc.) this was great for me.

What I want to quickly point out is how awesome the colorist is as well, the toxic air in the surface world being represented by this mist is such a great touch!

It's so refreshing to see Atlantis thriving when all we ever get in the current comics is another Atlantis is destroyed plot. I love the undersea scenes Ferry has created, it really has this beautiful underseapunk futuristic vibe.

Namor’s arrogance is present as well, you can almost hear him saying “Am I not the most benevolent ruler?” and “It was I who usered in this golden age of Atlantis”, I love how Cantwell doesn’t shy away from his Pride and Arrogance which are both key traits for this character.

You do not know how great it is to have Nita back, for many people who may not have read Namor and Nita comics, there is a Big Brother and Little Sister relationship, and when she died it really messed him up because she was the closest family he had. Future!Nita is now Queen, and there is a coldness to her in her regards to the humans that past Nita didn’t have, who knows what has turned her heart colder, one could explore a lot in the 100 years since to understand why.

However the aloofness we felt from Namor in the opening pages is contradicted by Nita’s words “When you do return home, you obsess over the suffering of the surface settlement clamoring for aid to a doomed people.” Namor once again showing that even if on the exterior he is a salty mean bitch, inside he is a bleeding heart. I love how this comic shows that Namor is still trying to bridge the gap between his two people, and how he’s always been the one to stand for and between them depending on the circumstances. The Atlanteans in the comics have always hated and mistrusted the surface world, Namor is one of the few who would actively seek peace (outside of plots that would require him to take vengeance for his people, etc)

I ADORE this scene, lol. This Snobby Bitchy pair hold my whole heart, but I really love the third panel in the center, Nita trying to copy Namor, she’s looked up to him ever since her escape from Llyra’s clutches, and it’s just so cute, little sister coping her big brother. Also her words, her wanting Namor to be there to advise her. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR 1 CRUMB OF SUB-MARINER FAMILY FEELS? SO LONG.

lol, to Namor slyly suggesting/joking she give up her crown if she feels the burden is too much and have a council XD this is that dry sarcasm I don’t get from Namor these days because writers never write him well! I’m just really happy about this comic.

Eudora is a great addition to the supporting characters. I do love a tiny science nerd lady.

The cool blues of the thriving people beneath the waves vs the harsh reds of the decimated world above really provides the best contrast between the worlds. I think the artist and colorist collaboration is perfect in setting the tones for each world. 

I've always said "Namor going to the surface world should feel like he is setting foot on an alien planet bc to him the humans ARE aliens, their world isn't the world he was raised in by his mother, Princess Fen", for once I finally get that feeling that Namor is in another world.

There is this vibe, this tone, that Cantwell sets within his words that I'm trying to describe, it's like a sadness? but deeper. It's sorrow. It's like they lost something long ago, and while Namor's people are thriving his heart is torn with sorrow over the plight of the humans. This whole surface scene is just ALOT, but the way Namor is shown is so in character, yes Namor is older and less brash and less ready to talk with his fists, holding himself back even when attacked. I like to think it’s because Namor knows how sensitive things are in the relationship between his people and the humans. A human dying at his hands would make his mission to convince the rest of the surfacers to move to one of his undersea settlements much harder, they already hate him.

I was NOT expecting Jim to show up in issue one, but aaaahhhh my HEART, the way Namor is screaming for him!!! I wonder how long has it been since he’s seen Jim? I just love Namor and Jim SO MUCH, and this comic is gonna make me cry over them I just know it.

Cantwell's letter at the end of the comic is a must read as well! I really enjoyed reading it and it really feels like I have a person who understands what makes these characters so beloved even if most of the world and time has forgotten about Jim and Namor.

There’s more I haven’t talked about but I urge people to give this comic a read and to follow along with future comics!

@kingdom-atlantis liked for a starter!

In her earliest memories, she saw that place, that beach she and her family used to go to. It was a rather small, isolated place, far from prying eyes and harsh judgements. Before the accident that had taken her parents, that place had been her refuge.

And now she was back. After almost twenty years, Cadenza Revan was back. It was a little different, but the sight was still familiar, still bringing the crystal-mancer a sense of comfort. As the sun started to set, she sat at the waters edge, simply taking in the scenery, letting the sounds of the waves calm her.

Perhaps here she could start anew. Dye her hair, go by a different name...the foundation would never know. She didn't belong to them anymore, and they could look all they wanted, but they'd never find her.

It was here she was safe, here she was home. And home was where Cadence would stay for as long as she could. The redhead rested her head on her knees, held to her chest by slender arms partially covered by long black silk gloves that reached her forearms. She closed her eyes, basking in the last moments of sunlight, her breathing calm and even, with only the sounds of the ocean as her companions.

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @kelyon

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

89

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,451,688 (Whoa!)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The Mummy Franchise UC: Undercover Sleeper Cell (TV) Stargate: Atlantis Tolkien Halt and Catch Fire Star Trek: Discovery Once Upon A Time Stargate: Universe Cobra (TV) Stranger Things Foundation (TV)

Those are the ones that are kind of... in their own right, but with a few crossovers there are other fandoms too. You can ask me about those if you like.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Library Beneath the Clock Tower

Laer o Faen

Beauty Compelled

Disparate Pathways

Bluebell

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I always do, though I am currently woefully behind. (I hope to remedy that today). I believe reader/write engagement is a gift, and one to be encouraged and celebrated.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

OMG... Angstiest.... um... I try not to end with angst. I fill the body of a fic with angst, or start a fic with lots and lots of angst, but ending...? I don't know. Maybe someone can tell me?

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think that's subjective, honestly, because I think they're all pretty happy in the end, but the degree to which the fic makes a reader feel happy is dependent on how the reader feels about the characters, I guess. As a writer, and I suppose because it's the most recently finished, I'd probably say, Disparate Pathways.

Of course, both of the above questions rely on fics being finished before judgements are made, and I have so many WIPs...

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not here, nor on AO3. Way back when... I got a little bit of hate on 'the site that shall not be named' - but it smacked of jealousy, so... I dunno. I've since deleted everything from there in any case. Moved it all elsewhere.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do, yes, but I like to think it's never gratuitous. It's all couched within the the progression of the fic, and usually heavily romance driven.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I never used to write crossovers. For me there needs to be an internal consistency and reason for bringing characters from one work into another, and a good reason at that... and then I started Rumbelling things... and then @peacehopeandrats challenged me to write a particular fic, and this is a multi-source crossover, including: Cobra, UC: Undercover, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Miami Medical, 24 (TV), and Airforce One is Down, in the one fic.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

To my knowledge, not a whole fic, no, but someone once stole a concept and /part/ of a fic I'd written (on the aforementioned never to be named site). I was told about it by someone who was a reader of my fic. The person denied their wrongdoing, but eventually - after much calling out - removed the offending fic.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have, yes. Forbidden Loves and Stormy Nights was written with a whole lot of people whom I consider great friends, (@peacehopeandrats, @jackabelle73, @reolf @blueboxesanddeerstalkers, and @shadowedoracle for another beautiful friend @deliriumsdelight7 on the occasion of her birthday.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

There are two, and I can't separate them. There are several similarities in the overall nature of the ships: Rumbelle, and Michael/Teyla.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Laer o Faen, and I don't necessarily doubt that I ever will, it's just there's such a lot to write... you know?

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think it's in my worldbuilding and descriptive language.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I can often be very wordy. I don't know how to write short fics.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Language and dialect both, yes. My most ambitious is the Sindarin in Laer o Faen.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

If you don't count Blake's Seven, which I wrote for when I was 11, then it would be The Mummy franchise.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Oh, come on. That's like asking a parent to name their favorite child. I am very fond of Disparate Pathways, though, as well as Library...

Thank you, this was though provoking (and eye opening) I tag whoever is left that hasn't already done it and wants to.