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#like they aren't people that are meant to survive what they have is not smth that is meant to survive.
tvxcue · 8 months
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i can feel myself returning to who i was in early 2020...............
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randomnameless · 10 months
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It's still wild to me that people will go to bat for the nothing characters that are Randolph and Fleche as proof of Dimitri being bad; we know next to nothing about them, they have miniscule screentime, what little we do know of Randolph paints him as human scum who'd do horrific things if it meant a chance at a promotion, and Fleche illogically only ever holds a grudge against someone for killing her brother if that someone is AM!Dimitri, with her completely vanishing from the game in every other route.
Eh,
I'd say they play the same purpose than this random child in TS in Roland's story - at this point, both lords want vengeance, and they have to face someone who also wants (misdirected!) vengeance at them, smth smthg like war sucks because people die.
But it's completely wasted in FE16, because, as you said, Randy isn't a random or a civilian or a war orphan, he is a general leading an attack on refugees/civilians/randoms to gain more fame, and dies in the process.
Now, can we say Flèche's anger and death are ultimately directed at Randolph, who died for nothing and took his sister down with him in his quest for "muhrit" ? Or are we supposed to think that this scene is important because Dimitri, the Blue Lord, isn't supposed to fall as low as the Imperial Army - something he comes close to (apparently?) ?
And yet again, it completely fails.
Because for one Randolph - who also had a family and loved ones - we have 50 Waldos and Baldis, whose lives aren't given any fuck about.
We don't see a war prisoner, or an Adrestian civilian accusing Supreme Leader of having sent her/his wife/husband/daughter/son to death with a conquest they never asked and trying to off her.
Only Dimitri receives this backlash from - invaders who wanted to invade and suddenly remember they have loved ones so are very sad when their loved ones dies - Flèche, but not Claude nor Billy, as you rightfully pointed out.
And Supreme Leader never receives any backlash - or wake up call - from a real third party/civilian/casualty who could have done the exact same thing.
Emile mentions how, during her attack, the Holy Grounds near Garreg Mach were turned in a slaughterhouse, why don't we have any civilian who survived from that try to take a jab at Supreme Leader? Waldi's best friend? Baldo's mother? A war captive from Leicester/Faerghus or a conscripted Adrestian?
I laughed about it with friends earlier, and again with the teatime paralogue, but it truly feels as if only 1/3rd (since the church doesn't count) of the cast will face consequences for the war and suffers backlash from the constant fighting (they didn't even start!).
Whenever you have to deal with serious stuff in Fodlan, it'll be for the BL members.
The rest? Will sip tea, talk nonsense, try to solve "mysteries" and live as if nothing is happening in the background.
Just imagine how both deer routes could have been much more impactful and interesting - instead of being a recycled Billy route with a different infodump at the end - if Raphael's sister popped up to a War Council, asking Claude to stop coddling the Empire because their lands were invaded, her grandfather put to Aymr and her inn destroyed by the Imperial Army, or how Ignatz's older brother discovers how Adrestia is burning pieces of art and history and every material related to Leicester and Faerghus history because they want to push an "Adrestia Eternal" narrative. Heck, Claude could even discover more "lore" by picking a Leif route, sort of rescuing the people "handpicked" to become new Baldos and Waldis, discovering the secret of the artificial crest stones and maybe having an infiltration map where, lo, instead of receiving an info dump, they maybe witness Rhea being turned in a relic or used to "produce" artificial crest stones.
War BaD, but only when we can make the BL suffer for it, for the rest, it's just a bgm.
And even then, it can't be too critical of Supreme Leader, because she was made to sell alts in FE heroes or dubious Cipher Cards.
"Supreme Leader", "cute girls" and "I want to see how Faerghus and its knights will deal with the aftermath of the Tragedy while defending against the invading forces".
Tl; dr : Flèche and Randolph are named, which is a cheap way to make people care for them despite their role in the plot, but the demonic beasts and the civilians dying aren't mentionned nor talked about.
Hell, why do you think I gave names to the artificial demonic beasts? The game doesn't want you to think too much about them, but if I talk about Baldo and Waldi, maybe the fandom will?
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bhaalsdeepbat · 4 months
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self-indulgent "oops accidental pregnancy. let's drop it off with grandma" au. rambling below the cut CW for accidental pregnancy & discussing forced breeding shit with durge
in my canon my durge is a twin and i'm like,,,,,,the drama of "oops the thing i did to try and make sure i couldn't have kids didn't actually work, now i have twins who might try to slaughter each other like i murdered my sister. i didn't know of bc i was literally created to conquer the world or become breeding stock for those who would, so my body was literally meant to create broods"
so to explain i have this idea that, just in case Durge became a disappointment, Bhaal specifically made them so their body and mind would fulfill one of two purposes for him. Resist durge still has the body he sculpted. i don't really like the idea of "magicking a dick on them" and i like the idea of exploring the dawning horror that your body was made to very easily spawn your replacement in the case of your failure. so, shortened pregnancy, plus super easy to get pregnant.
and mercy knew when they were bhaal's chosen that they were expected to have more bhaalspawn, and early on they did smth to try and prevent that (think stupid, dumb child who sees logic but not thinking my father is a god who can just magic this back to normal)
and then having the twins and having horror flashbacks to baby's first duel and just the FEAR that history is doomed to repeat itself.
and like the birth would be so fucking easy like it would be comedically so. just like "wow i do not feel good today and--oops here is a baby" and the babies are dhampyrs so it took a long time bc of mr. undead not Mercy
and mercy and astarion should NOT be raising kids. they both know that. and mercy has a thought that they're ashamed of bc it's soooo old durge, but they're like "mercy killing them might be better" but they're also just like.....i can't actually kill these babies i'm no longer that monster
bc y'know, still having intrusive thoughts, it's just their CHOICE whether they listen, and there's no physical illness or other repercussions if they choose to ignore them thoughts.
and their options for what the fuck to do are actually very limited because family ??? DURGE ????? and like Astarion has his siblings in the underdark and on Mercy's side, they're officially adopted by Jaheira. That's their mom, now, and they know she's not the best mom to her actual kids she's raised, but like.
again. if the option is to be raised by Jaheiranor to be raised by Astarion "trudging through filth is for Pigs and Children" Ancunin and Mercy "I only have solid memories from the last several years and everything else is just death, destruction, and darkness" The Dark Urge, leaving them with the most qualified people to handle potential ticking time bombs of a blood thirsty nature, it's Jaheira.
also with sceleritas being there since Durge was an adolescent, I decided Mercy was pretty useless beyond basic survival skills because they aways had him to take care of them. They had to learn a lot in the months, even years following waking up on the nautiloid.
And they're both panicking bc what the fuck do you do. They don't even name the kids. Like they just pack their shit and head out without warning bc they will not take a "no it's urs"
Jaheira gets the twins at first while they're too young to try and kill each other. astarion and Mercy visit frequently with how easy it is to move around with magic, they just.
1. Gotta make that $$ to support them brats and adventuring makes that gold bc those two aren't going to get jobs are you fucking kidding me. They're gonna do heroic shit, get rewards, and rob horrible people blind. They would be doing most of this during infancy / toddler years to set up a nest egg and then decide they need to pitch in more and be more available so that they're always with one twin or the other when they anticipate they need to listen for the blood whispers.
2. With kids, there's a pressing need for Mercy to travel and learn everything they can about their heritage. So good intention, bad idea, motivated by fear. Just anything about the other bhaalspawn who resisted and how they manifest in ones not literally made from him
3. On a real note with Astarion I think he genuinely wouldn't have wanted kids, but with the circumstances (can't just drop two dhampyre bhaalspawn at at orphanage) are such he would step up when it was time. He would eventually become #1 girl dad to them both. Like he does NOT want anymore, but handling this will be barely a blip in their eternal lives they can go back to adventuring full time later.
I think at a certain point the one with the bhaalspawn blood inheritance would depart to start traveling with them bc I think that they would be solid with a ten year old. Like they wouldn't be best role models at times. And the curse still lingering in the tainted gore mercy was sculpted from was passed to one of the twins and their blood curse stirred. That one, they can't, in good conscience leave in case Bhaal has a stronger hold or not. Like Mercy would have to take on more responsibility there.
And Astarion just. Didn't want kids, but also this is one of those "this is a consequence of one of my free choices" thing. He wouldn't be HAPPY about it, and would complain when he was left alone with them, but be very, very good at handling them. He would become #1 girl dad (regardless of their gender) and he'd grow to love his wretched little brats.
And the one that stays with Jaheira needs astarion for counsel because dhampyr bloodlust. They don't have Bhaal's curse, but their sanguine hunger is far stronger, awakening early and becoming a hurdle that required assistance from the Gur to help keep it medicated enough to make this baby so feral bc that isn't who they are.
But that one has a really solid support system bc Astarion would take them to the underdark frequently and they would befriend one of the Gur children.
And like this one I think would feel like other sibling is favored, but it would be one of those things that just they realize baby thinks that and have to correct the mistake. Bc they'll be deeply imperfect but at least *try* with what little they can do to help.
And eventually they both do love the kids. And as adults the kids sometimes travel with them, but are supported in whatever endeavors they choose to embark on by the extended family that helped raise them to adulthood.
And then from kid perspective
I'm torn between either having them raised together OR separating them. Bc having a twin you can never meet (one could go to Leon and I have thoughts if I did that) for the foreseeable future
or
You were raised with your twin and love them so much but suddenly have to be ripped apart bc one keeps trying to kill the other (even tho the other doesn't have the curse, Bhaal just wants them to suffer).
also back to leon
i can see that going one of two ways. like that was the initial plan for one, but then him and the other vamp spawn sibs are like "you're just running away from shit again" but like make it dramatic bc i don't think they'd get along entirely right away. like they all have shit they did to each other bc they have resentments they gotta work through. i think there are siblings he'd get along with better than others, but the two i just cannot see him ever quite getting along with are Petras and Violet. Yousen would ONLy depend on if Yousen could forgive how awful and racist Astarion is lol
and like if Leon DID take the baby, I could see the bond he has with dhampyr baby as like. part of his healing journey. in NO way a replacement for victoria, he misses her every fucking day with everything he is, but raising this baby reminds him of the ONLY happy memories he has and he would kinda like to bask in them and it helps him separate those happy memories from the bad ones he suffered bc they all happened together
idk I JUST NEED TO TALK IDEAS OUT IG. if you read this i would love to hear your thoughts lmao
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nicolos · 8 months
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Tagged by @non-un-topo, thank you tumblr user non-un-topo!!
Rules: Pick any ten of your fics, scroll roughly to the midpoint, pick a line (or three) and share it. Then tag ten people.
I went with 10 TOG fics, including some of the more recent mini fics so I wasnt going for smth from like, 2020. They're in reverse chronological order here~
Rate of Interest
Nicolò propped his hands on his hips. He was dressed far better for the palace than he had the other day at the piazza—in brocade and a fur-lined cape. When he shifted his hands, his signet ring glinted. “I had not expected you to be so unhappy about an arrangement Signor Al-Wahid and your uncle have spent so long making possible.”
snakeskin
Nicolò sighed. “I have wanted to tell you for so long, Joe, but—we are not allowed to say it to mortals, not until they have an inkling.” He paused, and then, “I hoped you would not be afraid.”
disaster taxon
After, with Nicky lying beside him, smiling at him like Joe had given him something wonderful and intangible, Joe thought that it was easy to give Nicky what he wanted all the time. And he would—if it meant he’d keep looking at him like this, and holding him like this, and—he’d do anything if it meant Nicky wouldn’t see the cracks in him and disappear.
adventure
"That's it? I thought knights these days were more about the pageantry. Aren't you going to wave about a sword and threaten to kill me if I don't help you, or cry about some princess you've never met and have to rescue from a dragon somewhere?"
some cupids kill with arrows (some with traps)
It was exactly like a fae’s mark would be—but still, Yusuf would guess. Unmoving. Waiting.
fossil
This is it, she thinks, trying not to feel like she’s been falsely lulled into complacency. Time for Kill Bill: Vol. 2. For a second, she even wonders if all the rest of it—the cards, the cheese, the terrible driving and the jigsaw and the full three hours Andy and Joe spent in a single shop trying to buy a blanket that felt right—if all of those things are just to make Nile’s survival instinct forget who they are.
a founding
When they part, he takes the sea route, though not by choice, and later Yusuf hears of a calm sea into which a ship disappeared whole. Sometimes, things slip through the cracks.
wasteland, baby (i'm in love with you)
“What a coincidence,” he said, when Yusuf was looking down at his hands with an expression that was just as fond as it was hungry, “so have I.” His hands would be sweet, if he kissed them now, from the dates Yusuf had brought him.
lachesis' noose
He was still looking at his palm when Andromache arrived to throw herself into the armchair next to his. She looked over, one eyebrow raised, and he showed her the guilty hand. One of the women had insisted on reading it, as a repayment for his aid that he didn’t particularly want; she had blessed him with a long life. It was almost funny.
and a smile means friendship to everyone
“I like this shirt,” Joe murmured, and Nicky laughed; the real thing, now, unpracticed, with no hint of threat, only the purest expression of joy. Joe pressed his thumb to the crow’s feet—then rushed to wipe away the blood that followed.
I tag..... this is all just going to be the same people, but. @raedear @chinchillinator @babygirlyusuf @knoepfchen @werebearbearbar !
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