The way Astarion reacts depending on how you compliment him in the mirror scene (I have no interest in insulting him so I won't be covering that here, have fun though!) drives me fucking insane.
"I want to know what the world sees when it looks at me. What you see."
And you get two types of responses. First, your choices for compliments are
Strong, piercing eyes.
The creases when you laugh.
Pick the first, and he's pleased. "Go on," he says, sounding very seductive. You're giving him exactly what he wants, and he's encouraging it.
Pick the second, and he gets upset. He's an eternally young vampire, not your doting grandmother! You can do better than that. Even if you meant it as a compliment (I know my Tav definitely did), he doesn't seem to take it that way.
Your second options are
That dangerous smile.
The way your hair curls around your ears.
Once again, the first one pleases him, and he even praises your efforts. Very good. Now finish the scene and tell him he's beautiful.
But if you say the second, he gets exasperated. This is meant to be flattery, not poetry. Just tell him he's beautiful and we can call it a day, he says with a dismissive wave of his hand. He doesn't need to hear this crap, just tell him what he wants and fuck off.
Of course, it doesn't matter how you get to this point, and every dialogue option at the end of the scene nets you the same amount of approval. If you call him beautiful, it's +1. Call someone else beautiful, it's +1. If you ask whether he just wants shallow praise (aka don't call him beautiful), you get +1. So this is me pulling this out of my ass I guess.
I always choose to call him beautiful becuase 1) he is and 2) my Tav thinks so too and would oblige him if he asked for it that directly.
But I am obsessed with the different routes you can take to get to this point and what they imply.
Strong, piercing eyes and dangerous smile pleases him more outwardly, but doesn't actually affect the outcome. He's satisfied and confident with these compliments. They confirm what he's trying to project into the world, what he aspires to have and to be.
The creases when he laughs? The hair curling around his ears? Those are things he can't control, can't use against someone else. But he asked to be seen, and if this is what Tav sees, then what does that mean for him?
Why are they complimenting his laugh lines? Why are they speaking poetry at him? Why are they seeing things he has no control over, and why are they revealing them to him?
He doesn't want shallow praise. Questioning this nets approval, and giving it to him doesn't increase approval. What he wants is assurance that what he's trying to be is what the world sees, that he's in control.
And if you actually act as a mirror, point out the things unique to him that you see, he gets uncomfortable, because you're showing a reflection of someone he thinks he's not, of someone he has no control over. And that's scary, even if it's supposedly complimentary.
Because what's scarier than losing control?
But then, compared to how genuinely upset he seems when you insult him (I looked these up on YT for context), the laugh lines and hair curls are still accepted as compliments. So what does he think when Tav says these things?
They see past his piercing eyes and dangerous smile. They see something else that they like even more, things he's not aware of or doesn't appreciate as much. What does that feel like, to cultivate such a perfect image of oneself for the purposes of seducing and tricking others, and then be stumped when someone walks past all that and points out something entirely different that they noticed and found endearing?
Do you do him a favor, and tell him you see only what he wants to be? Or do you speak the truth, and show him what he actually is? Which one is better? Which one is worse?
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Ride 742: Sudden death match!!
Pag 1
1: Woah, Danchiku, oh-
And Sugimoto-san too!?
2: They passed us so quickly!! Such high pace!!
Huh!?
They're doing some sort of serious race!?
3: I get it
4: I can feel it
5: This guy....!!
Pag 2
1: He's not giving up at all!!
Pag 3
3: Earlier, at the line, I thought I had won this race
I thought he was far behind me and would cross the line with his head hanging down
4: And yet....
Pag 4
1: He caught up to me....!!
2: The preliminary of this race was already done on the “second day”!!
3: That time, the result
5: was a draw!!
6: So it would be better to have a more precise result, wouldn't it
We'll decide it with this lap!! The rules are simple: the starting point line is 4km from here, the one who crosses it first wins!!
7: And then the loser shouldn't “surpass” the winner anymore!! Sugimoto-san!!
Pag 5
1: Imaizumi-san too!!
2: …. yeah
It's better to make it clear with a proper race like this
3: So you have no regrets....!!
4: Let's go!!
5: Crush him, Danchiku!!
Pag 6
2: At the same time....!!
Ah.... “at the same time” again!?
3: Seriously!?
Are you being for real, Sadatoki!?
Pag 7
1: You're just seeing things as you wish they were,since he's your brother!!
Oon!! No that's not it, on!!
It's true, Kaburagi, I saw it too
2: They arrived at the same time, Sugimoto stretched at the last moment
3: Kawada!!
It's “san”!!
4: Are you an accomplice too!!
What are you talkin abut
5: A- amazing, Sugimoto-kun
6: Amazing!!
Pag 8
1: “Amazing”, huh, Onoda
2: Imaizumi-kun....
Pfui
3: You thought Sugimoto would win? ….This race
Huh
4: You didn't think he would, that's why when we heard the results you could say “amazing”
Ah!!
5: I'm- I'm sorry Sugimoto-kun!! I didn't believe in you, even though you worked so hard....!!
Who are you yelling at
6: Me too
Pag 9
2: During these past four days.... Sugimoto worked hard, but, after their race on the second day and after seeing how remarkably stronger Danchiku has gotten
3: When they decided to do another race, I thought Sugimoto would definitely lose
4: Then, when the time came
5: If you lose, you feel better if you gave it your all, so
6: “So you have no regrets”
7: I said that
But
8: He turned it around
Sugimoto really is amazing
Pag 10
1: Even with no one believing in him, with only his own strength, he snatched a “draw” against Danchiku!!
Pag 11
1: Keep going!! Let's keep going with the race, Danchiku!!
2: Even though he's having such an hard time, he's still following me!!
3: Since earlier I've increased the pace many times
4: Garuaaa
Even if I tear him off
Pag 12
1: Every time
2: While saying
3: “Kuaa kuaa”
“Kuaa kuaa”
5: Kuaaa-
6: Kuaaaaaaa
He catches up to me
Pag 13
2: You keep following me....
3: No....
4: You're the one who said “please follow me”, Danchiku
Pag 14
1: Garuaaa!!
2: Ahhhh
Don't make fun of me, there's no way!!
3: Aaaaaaaa
4: Hiigaruaaaa!!
There's no way I'll lose!!
Pag 15
1: To Sugimoto-san!!
4: I was careless – I was careless and that's why he caught up to me!! The second time too!!
I won't be careless this time!!
Pag 16
1: Ill take a plunge firmly, throw my handles, and cross the line
2: At full throttle!!
The last curve!!
3: He's not following me anymore!! He's....
Pag 17
1: He's here!!
Cough cough
2: Kuaaaa
We're entering the final sprint!!
3: Dammit, this guy is gonna stretch from here!!
4: Hiigaruaaaaa!!
Take a plunge!!
5: Take a plunge!!
Pag 18
1: Throw your handles!!
Pag 19
1: Wooooah!!
No... wait, even now....
2: It's a draw!!
Ya!!
On!!
Woah
3: Dammit, what happened, Danchiku what are you doin!!
You should be much stronger..... should....
Pag 20
1: Don't tell me.... that Sugimoto-san.... is strong too!?
2: You.... you mean it's a draw for the third time!!
How long will they keep going, at this pace it won't ever end!!
3: …. no
5: It's a shame, but there's no time left...
6: This lap is the last
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I know we as a fandom all love to shit on Duncan whenever we get the chance (see: me posting Duncan GruncanWuncan) especially since the like, two times we ever see him he's shitting on us for being ourselves then tries to kill us because of his own delusions of grandeur but I thought about it and I was like, "......man that's kinda Sad actually"
BECAUSE seeing this from Duncan's perspective; he's The Best, he always has been the best, but reality constantly shows him that isn't true (Malorn, The Wizard, anyone else)
Like imagine how painful that can be when you think something that you truly deserved and something that you've fought for, maybe for your entire life, is seemingly handed to others who aren't nearly as deserving as you
And yeah WE know that Duncan has neither worked (very hard, at least) for his perceived greatness NOR does he truly """deserve""" it (Duncan has been shown to be shirking his duties off to us and possibly others for his own gain), but DUNCAN doesn't know this. Like in his mind he truly, honestly, genuinely believes with his whole fragile heart that he is just above everyone else and puts more effort in trying to convince others of that rather than literally just trying to work towards that himself
And then there's the extra added insult that even in his own class he's pretty mediocre. Duncan INSISTS that he was Malistaire's best student and that he praised Duncan maybe once and that all other Death students only wish they could be like him, but... Malorn. And I bet deep down Duncan KNOWS that in fact Malorn was Malistaire's best and most talented. And Duncan can't even really twist that in his mind because it was made solid when Malorn took over Malistaire's duties instead of him. It was proven as a hard fact that Malorn was more suited to the job than Duncan was and is widely recognized as being The Best Death student (if the YW isn't a Necromancer)
Okay so fine. Whatever it's just Death right? At least Duncan can be the best at ANYTHING ELSE, maybe he's not the most talented Necromancer but there's 6 more types of magic to excel in!!!
But then another person ruins that. The Young Wizard poofs in from another world and suddenly, Duncan is overshadowed once more because a literal child prodigy and Local Hero arrives and literally saves their world and then, the universe. Multiple times in fact
Like bro I can imagine that could be at least a little bit painful for anyone, but imagine with Duncan's already low self-esteem and his fragile, large ego, he literally and genuinely took that personally and a hit to your pride is devastating for anyone, no matter who you are. That was like, Strike Three for Duncan and it was so very personal and important to him that it left him in a deep and vulnerable state
But I think the absolute saddest part of Duncan's downfall is that near the end, he was ultimately manipulated by an adult. A grown ass adult noticed and acknowledged his insecurities and purposely struck where it hurts the most, in his weakest state. Duncan already wasn't thinking clearly from the start but when everything went to shit for him and he was clinging, Gretta DarkKettle approached him and completely broke him down to make him into something else entirely for the Schism's benefit.
Of course Duncan was a piece of shit from the start but he truly didn't have any malicious intentions until Gretta messed with his mind. Like, he went from a pretty much harmless bully to an actual criminal of the state and a threat to the literal universe. Duncan was CORRUPTED and all of his worst fears and delusions were solidified the moment Gretta """validated""" those feelings Duncan had.
Is Duncan completely blameless? Fuck no he did some fucked up shit actually and I'm glad he was held accountable for it by the narrative and the fandom!!! But I think it's something to be said that at the end of the day, Duncan was still a child that was suffering from many type of issues before being recruited and manipulated by a powerful literal cult. Wizard101 does have a theme of malicious intending and less than responsible adults using children to get what they want (Malistaire, Morganthe's brother, GF Spider, GM Raven, coughcoughAmbrose) but unlike the Young Wizard who successfully stays true to themselves despite that, Duncan had a more Morganthe-like route and ultimately succumbed to it. Of course their situations are a lot different since the YW wasn't brought in by a cult, but you can't help but feel bad for someone so young being preyed on by older people who are supposed to look out for them and protect them from something just LIKE that.
I will always shit on Duncan because it's funny and hold him accountable for his actions because he should, but I also feel bad for him and I hope he had a better ending after he was defeated
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Me and my sister were remembering the time the books and movies of Twilight were being hyped at most and every girl we knew had a crush in some of the characters and fought over this...
And then my brain gave a full 180° flip and came to the question "Would Gold get a crush on a literary vampire or on a literary werewolf?"
So now I deposite this question upon thee: Do you think that exploring the romance books around Vampires and/or Werewolves, Gold would tend more to get a crush in which one?
(I personally vote for vampires, but not because I love vampire Blaze AUs, I swear)
This is a very funny question for me, because in the Onyx City lore I created, the city indeed has a Twilight But Even Worse book series that also has vampires in it. And guess who was/is just about the biggest fan of it all?
The other Councilwoman. :>
So once the Council is rescued and the Councilwoman can return to those books again, Gold definitely gets exposed more to vampires than werewolves at first. Though, even without that influence, I feel like she would have gravitated towards vampires more naturally anyway: they do have a veneer of politeness and attractiveness, I guess I can call it, compared to werewolves. And it also helps that they live in very fancy castles and dress incredibly handsomely and what-not. So Gold's crush is immediately going to become a vampire, probably a main character from the Twilight But Even Worse series. I wonder if she'll write any poems about them, haha!
(Vampire Blaze AUs are also a funny concept to me because Blaze is meant to be Sonic's dimensional counterpart, and I guess you can make a solid argument that vampires and werewolves are literary counterparts too. So it fits perfectly!)
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