You guys put up with my insane ramblings so have some early access Games of Divinity

99 years, 11 months, 27 days

“Esteemed subjects, we come before you today to re-affirm the pledge we made nigh a century ago. For a hundred years, we have pledged ourselves to the constant defense of Fontaine and Her blessed waters and for a hundred years, our people have enjoyed peace in the wake of the cataclysmic Cataclysm...cataclysmic Cataclysm?”

Furina sighed, scratching a line of her speech out as she sat perched on the edge of her writing desk. “In the wake of the...theeeee....disastrous! Disastrous aftermath of the Archon war.”

Furina cleared her throat, standing up to look herself in the mirror. “Esteemed subjects, we come before you today to re-affirm the pledge we made nigh a century ago.”

Furina raised her hand, frowning at the gesture and tilting her palm back a little. By now, she had a repertoire of gestures she used when expressing herself as Focalors; grand, sweeping motions that never felt right but seemed to entrance her subjects. It was hard to tell when she crossed the line into parody, so she tucked her elbow in a little closer, praying it was just enough to look convincing.

“For a hundred years, we have pledged ourselves to the constant defense of Fontaine and Her blessed waters and for a hundred years, our people have enjoyed peace in the wake of the disastrous aftermath of the Archon war,” Furina said, wrinkling her nose.

Too wordy, she thought. Half the audience would be half-listening, eager to get to one of thousands of parties that would take place over the next week. The Archon's household was hosting three increasingly lavish galas culminating in Furina's hundredth birthday, but citizens across the country would be celebrating her anniversary for a whole week. Gardes had booked tavern backrooms months in advance for their parties, apartments overlooking the parade route were rented out for exorbitant sums of mora, and Mondstadt had sold Fontaine so much wine, whiskey, and beer in the last few months that they were finally able to finance a wall around Mondstadt City. Everyone else was looking forward to a week without work; all Furina had to look forward to was the grandest performance of her career.

It's not just humans I have to fool now, Furina thought. Liyue was sending adepti who knew Egeria personally and if Rex Lapis wasn't among them, she would eat her hat. Yae Miko had spent nights kissing an Archon's bare skin; surely she would take one look at Furina and know she was a fraud. And then there was the delegation from Snezhnaya; two sorcerers that were raising hell before Furina was even born. Threats she had kept away for so long would now sleep under her roof and try as she might, she couldn't enjoy her last night of peace. Instead, she found herself pacing back and forth in her night-gown, obsessing over every line in her address.

If I get any sleep at all this week, it will be a miracle, Furina thought, finally moving on to the next line of her speech. “Egeria's blessed children have emerged from the shadows of Our Beloved Mother's death to become a technological forerunner, an economic titan, and a fountain of beauty whose artists are the envy of the world...okay, that'll do I suppose.”

Furina's eyes lingered on the half-open pile of presents she had been unwrapping all week. She had tried to pace herself, giving herself little treats to look forward to as the preparations for the centennial consumed her whole days. Time spent with Neuvillette was limited to hurried business lunches in the company of others and late dinners before bed. He had been consumed with his own preparations, shouldering some of the more tedious tasks like reviewing diplomatic credentials, enhancing security around the Palais, and working on a present of his own that he refused to discuss no matter how large and watery Furina made her eyes.

He's developing an immunity, Furina thought, picking up a box on top of the pile. Like the rest of her presents, Neuvillette had already ransacked the packaging for traps or contraband. But the white snowflake insignia of the Tsaritsa still gave Furina pause. She lifted the lip of the box like a snake was inside, spying a pearlescent crown of pale metal set with a rainbow of pearls, jade, and sapphires. A lump formed in Furina's throat, her fingers shaking as she reached out for the tiara. She had seen it in every portrait of Egeria, but after the Cataclysm it went missing; a lost treasure like the Oceanids. The jaunty top-hat Furina wore distracted people from the fact that Furina had no crown of her own; her birthright had vanished into myth until now.

It can't be... Furina thought, reaching for the card that came with it. Why didn't Neuvillette tell me?

The card was heavily perfumed with something that smelled like lilac and gooseberries, the parchment inside so fine Furina thought it was made from snowflakes. Crimson sweeping cursive flowed across the page, casting a red glow on Furina's face as she held it up to the light.

My Most Esteemed Lady Focalors, There is not ink enough in Snezhnaya to properly express my regret for missing your anniversary gala. I have long admired Your Eminence's charm and the things you and your partner have done for the people of Fontaine. You are, in every respect, Egeria's successor. I held great affection for your predecessor, and that she was butchered for such petty reasons incenses me to this day. While she lived, we talked of uniting our nations as mothers talk of arranging a marriage. Now, after we have stabilized our lands, I greatly desire to renew our friendship and the friendship between our great nations. Our technologies have allowed us to stand apart and retain our former glory as the rest of the world regresses or remains static. Not even the Akademiya would be capable of the things our nations might accomplish together. To that end, I am sending my Pierro and Signora in my stead to discuss my dreams for the future. I ask only that you lend them your ear and consider the benefits of a mutually agreeable partnership for the good of scientific progress. And should that not suit Your Eminence's tastes, our great minds may find a way to avert the crisis that looms over your head. Forgive me; this should be a happy time for you and I am bringing the mood down. And as a token of our friendship, we present you this crown. Not quite the diadem that Egeria wore, but I beheld its magnificence many times and tried to faithfully restore what Fontaine has lost. Perhaps it is not Egeria's work, but I'm sure there is no one now living who can tell the difference. May it bring a little of Lady Egeria's grace to you on such a momentous day. Yours, in faith, Her Royal Highness the Tsaritsa Czarina of Snezhnaya and Conductor of the Fatui

Furina's hope soured in her stomach, her cheeks burning as she realized she had been duped as easily as the Tsaritsa said people would be. Imagine if she had actually paraded the crown around in front of the Snezhnayans; she would have looked like the biggest fool in the world, strutting around in costume jewelry. As fine as the metal was and as exquisite as the craftsmanship, it was a fraud...like she was.

The sinking feeling turned to cold dread as Furina wondered if the gift was a message in itself; a fake crown for a fake goddess.

(“Does he know?”)

Now and then, the blonde woman's words ran a chill down Furina's spine. She had been almost positive that the odd traveler who saved the hilichurl knew something of her secret. Every now and then Furina's heart would stop when she caught a mop of blonde hair in the crowd and three words haunted her nightmares as frequently as the floods did.

i am mad! lol

Ooooh the fact your manager hasn't gotten fired yet tells me that she's fucking someone higher up, back when I was a hostess we had a guy that was always no call no show, got into shouting matches with the cooks, etc. Only reason he never got fired? We all soon found out he was fucking our manager

LMAO I’d agree if she wasn’t literally ancient 😂

people still liking my post about how i theorized asa would save the day against the falling devil even though i was totally wrong and she got reduced to a damsel in distress lol

Thinking more about my isat au and I'm gonna need to change a LOT more than I thought. First things first, Siffrin's connection to the wish. Since in Of gems and pages, all the wishes stayed the same. So why is Odile the one looping and not Siff? So basically, what I think I'd do in my au is that the Universe decided to change things up a bit.

The first time the Universe granted Siffrin the means to fulfill their wish, things went horribly bad (just look at Loop). So this time, the Universe decided to give this new Siffrin, something a lil different. They still gave Siffrin the timeloop But made Odile his proxy. So that Siffrin may have helpers in this new timeline, with Loop as the guide and Odile helping as well, it Should go better, right??? And since the wish is connected with Siffrin's emotions, the Universe can't just completely make it Odile's problem now, sooo basically... Siffrin can still remember Parts of a previous loop PRIOR to their deaths.

That means during the beginning of canon when Siff was crushed by a boulder, he remembers that. And found Loop as well, but when he accidentally ended up touching a tear, he now Doesn't remember being crushed by a boulder but by being frozen in time. At the same time, he ALSO doesn't remember Anything else prior to it. So he doesn't remember that there's a boulder that can kill him by the entrance of the House, he doesn't remember Loop. All he remembers is that somehow, one way or another, he was frozen in time within the House and needs to be more careful with the tears. And because of the way that the loops affect Siffrin now is faaar too different than how it affected Loop, he can't go forwards or backwards in time. Siff will always awaken back in the meadow and Loop will always have to do their whole speech all over again (which would most likely annoy them immediately cuz why? Why is it so different now? Why can't this Siffrin REMEMBER?)

Odile on the other hand, remembers ALL the loops and finds a lot of discrepancies with Siffrin. It takes awhile for her to meet Loop and they get to talk to each other. Their meeting would be pretty... rocky at first. Loop still getting regarded as a stranger by Odile, Loop finding out that Odile is the one getting affected by the timeloop from their own selfish wish. Even if that Siffrin isn't them, it doesn't change the fact that they both made the same wish. Loop thinkin bout being such a favourite cosmic joke of the Universe that not only were they turned into This, one of their family members are suffering cuz of them. And she doesn't even recognize them. It'd be pretty hard at first too cuz Loop doesn't know that their appearance changed yet, there's no mirror. For Loop, they might still look like Siffrin, right? But Odile's reaction to seeing them says otherwise.

Anyway in this au, stage wise, Odile is the actor, Siffrin is the director, and the Universe is the audience. Book wise, Odile is the character, Siffrin is the writer, and the Universe is the reader. Why is Siffrin the director or the writer and not the Universe? That's because the timeloops are Still connected to his emotions, if something he didn't want to think about happens like, that argument with Bonbon (just as an example. I'm wondering if that'll still happen here considering that only happened because of Siff had memories of all the loops in canon. He doesn't have that in this au anymore), time would loop back still, so in a way, Siff Is writing how the timeloops go.

just finished octopath and started octopath 2 (which I’m already very spoiled for bc i watched my roommate play most of it and got the play by play for the rest) and I gotta say even though I was told this in advance I was not prepared for how fuckin BUSTED castti is

planning courses for the next semester is not for the weak

if you're incapable of writing and resort to stealing stuff, just fuck off honestly. i promise no one likes you :)

Happy Mother’s Day to Isabella

(with one Isabella from almost every chapter she appears in)

man i WISH having a fp was just "haha i really like you :)" like so many ppl seem to think of it

Upon further examination, I am leaning more and more into Otto being a nonbinary egg opposed to a nonbinary person who uses he/him pronouns. Thanks for the help Mi-ma <3

I would absolutely carry you in my arms all day!! I would carry you around like my sweet little baby while I cook you food!! Waffles, pancakes, or both????

also I never want to see, hear, or hear rumors about you disliking anything about your appearance, baby, not your voice either, you are the most beautiful thing on this planet and I am systematically electrocuting everyone in my way of having you

with the only romantic love you ever need - Yoomtah

AWAAAAAAAAAAAAA BUT WHAT IF I WANNA CARRY U AROUND AND MAKE FOOD FOR U TOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND WHAT IF Y O U ARE ACTUALLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING ON THE PLANET U ARE LITERALLY THE CUTEST THING PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE OK<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<33<3<3<<3<3<3<4<4<3<<3

my mom when i was a kid: when you were an infant your bedroom caught fire lol but it was fine.

me: ok. im sure some freak accident that no one could have prevented in any way

my mom at 26: the smoke detector was beeping so i took the batteries out and stashed it in a closet without telling you, like a couple weeks ago. i figured you would probably fix it for me despite never telling you about it

me: ah. ok. connecting dots here. . .

I don't think there's enough daddy Clarke and babygirl Lexa fics 😔 I wanna see my soft commander being commanded

The fact that when you search on ao3 "daddy clarke" or "babygirl lexa" you get the exact opposite results its my villain origin story 😔

I am whoever committed to, by my own damn hand, bring the daddy!clarke / babygirl!lexa number up!! I promise you that! This is my presidential campaign speech! My promise to you!! We WILL make the commander be commanded! And we weill let daddy!clarke rise from the ashes!

Ok so life update I fly back for break Friday and I’ve got 3 total assignments left 2 of them being finals and I don’t get to come back until the 5th🫠