Nimi

I lurk. It's what I do. On occasion, I have opinions. Header by @aravindu62.

[bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher]

Oh you're writing a gay smut fic with a fantasy setting? Don't forget to give one of your characters a

[philosophicalparadox]

It’s not that mysterious though.

Anyone carrying a bladed weapon carried oil. (More on that in a sec) Oil is what you use to clean and condition steel, especially, since water will rust it.

Many people in the Middle Ages used scented oils for their skin and hair from noblemen to lowly serfs.

Oil was incredibly abundant and quite cheap. The TYPE of oil however does matter in this.

Sheep oil (rendered from their fat) was very common and used for all manner of things from making soap to treating skin conditions. Rendered sheep fat has a very light texture and is a decent carrier oil without too pungent of a scent. Unfortunately it did rancid fast so it was common to add lots of herbs to it to help preserve it, especially rosemary, borage, marjoram and citron peels. This is how it became a common “perfume” oil used to scent hair skin or clothes. Nearly anyone would have had this handy somewhere.

Rendered pork oil was very common too and was most popular as a cooking oil.

Vegetable oil made from walnuts, almonds and flax seed was by far the most common non-animal oil. Nearly anybody had a bottle of almond or walnut oil in their pantry or on their person. These were by far the most popular oils used for conditioning steel, with walnut oil preferred because its tannins also gave armor a patina that kept it better. Only the absurdly wealthy ever wore polished armor. Everyone else blackened it to make it keep better. Walnut oil is good at doing that.

Walnut oil also works well as a lubricant. People back then DID use sexual lube by the way. No prostitute would be caught dead without it. Their favorite types were walnut and olive oil, though almond oil might be used in a pinch. They also used watered down acacia gum in southern Europe, which was sticky but slick and easy to re-wet.

Olive oil though was THE oil in Europe. It was expensive, comparatively, but obviously people considered it well worth its cost because it was found everywhere south of the Seine and frequently seen in even minor lordly houses or knights quarters much farther north. Considering quite a few people of the time thought it had aphrodisiac qualities when applied as certain way (likely because raw olive oil has a warming effect) I think you can imagine the most common reason it was sought after by men in particular.

Olive oil was also used in medicine and just about any church had some floating around somewhere because it’s conveniently good at treating minor infections and is wonderful for toothaches.

So the mysterious vial of oil isn’t at all mysterious and even if he were carrying it around with the sole intention of using it for sex, that wouldn’t actually be that strange either.

[munchkinchild]

SJM saying that Rhys is allowed to make mistakes is hilarious to me because nothing he's done in the series regarding Feyre can be categorised as a mistake.

Drugging and SAing her UTM, making her go into the weavers cottage to get a wedding ring, not telling Feyre that they're mates, not telling Feyre that he's going to sacrifice himself, hiding vital information about Feyre's body and pregnancy from her.

All of these are things he has done knowingly while being aware of the risks and damage it causes.

He knew she would be under the influence and still let her get humiliated.

He knew the Weavers cottage could be a life-threatening situation and STILL went through with it.

He knew Feyre wouldn't react well to being his mate and would not react well to him sacrificing himself and STILL kept that from her.

He KNEW Feyre didn't like secrets and decided to keep vital information from her regarding HER body from her and made EVERYONE lie by ommission to keep her in the dark.

None of these by definition are mistakes. And they never have been. He knows what the outcomes will be and still decides to do them.

How many more "mistakes" is he allowed to make in the name of "protecting" those he supposedly loves before he's finally held accountable for the damage he's caused?

[haggishlyhagging]

In 1847 the stereotypes for male and female writers were very rigid. Critics expected from a male writer strength, passion, and intellect, and from a woman writer they expected tact, refinement, and piety. They depended on these stereotypes so much, in fact, that they really didn't know how to proceed, what to say, or what to look for in a book if they were unsure of the author's sex.

So Jane Eyre created a tremendous sensation, and it was a problem for the Brontës. The name Currer Bell could be that of either a man or a woman and the narrator of Jane Eyre is Jane herself. The book is told as an autobiography. These things suggested that the author might have been a woman. On the other hand, the novel was considered to be excellent, strong, intelligent and, most of all, passionate. And therefore, the critics reasoned, it could not be written by a woman, and if it turned out that it was written by a woman, she had to be unnatural and perverted.

The reason for this is that the Victorians believed that decent women had no sexual feelings whatsoever—that they had sexual anesthesia. Therefore, when Jane says about Rochester that his touch "made her veins run fire, and her heart beat faster than she could count its throbs," the critics assumed this was a man writing about his sexual fantasies. If a woman was the author, then presumably she was writing from her own experience, and that was disgusting. In this case we can clearly see how women were not permitted the authority of their own experience if it happened to contradict the cultural stereotype.

But even more shocking than this to the Victorians was Jane's reply to Rochester, a very famous passage in the novel. He has told her he is going to marry another woman, an heiress, but that she can stay on as a servant. Jane answers him thus:

"I tell you I must go," I retorted, roused to something like passion. "Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton, a machine without feeling and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I'm soulless and heartless? You think wrong. I have as much soul as you and full as much heart. And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should've made it as hard for you to leave me as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionality, nor even of mortal flesh. It is my spirit that addresses your spirit, just as if both had passed through the grave and we stood at God's feet equal—as we are."

This splendid assertion violated not only the standards of sexual submission, which were believed to be women's duty and their punishment for Eve's crime, but it also went against standards of class submission, and obviously against religion. And this sort of rebellion was not feminine at all.

The reviews of Jane Eyre in 1847 and 1848 show how confused the critics were. Some of them said Currer Bell was a man. Some of them, including Thackeray, said a woman. One man, an American critic named Edgar Percy Whipple, said the Bells were a team, that Currer Bell was a woman who did the dainty parts of the book and brother Acton the rough parts. All kinds of circumstantial evidence were adduced to solve this problem, such as the details of housekeeping. Harriet Martineau said the book had to be the work of a woman or an upholsterer. And Lady Eastlake, who was a reviewer for one of the most prestigious journals, said it couldn't be a woman because no woman would dress her heroines in such outlandish clothes.

Eventually Charlotte Brontë revealed her identity, and then these attacks which had been general became personal. People introduced her as the author of a naughty book; they gossiped that she was Thackeray's mistress. They speculated on the causes of what they called "her alien and sour perspective on women." She felt during her entire short life that she was judged always on the basis of what was becoming in femininity and not as an artist.

-Elaine Showalter, ‘Women Writers and the Female Experience’ in Radical Feminism, Koedt et al (eds.)

[gwandas]

Everyone wants to talk about how Nesta reacted but not what Feyre did right before Nesta decided to spill. I would‘ve become the fandom most hated character for this.

When Nesta told Feyre all about how the others and especially Amren voted away her right to know about her own body and magic, Feyre was like „Amren is my friend“- this hoe heard Nesta say all that and defended the inner circle still.

Feyre deserved what came next. Nesta may said it out of anger for the both of them, but at that point I would‘ve said it to shoot this cuck sucker down and I wouldn‘t have regretted it. The audacity

I cannot stand their pretentious high and mighty act anymore. They‘re so hypocritical and manipulative, it‘s almost painful!

Oh I promise some of us have absolutely been talking about that.

I don't think anyone deserves to learn they're going to die in pregnancy in an insensitive way but ultimately, Feyre finding out in the way she did is on Rhys. Whether or not Feyre "deserved" that is irrelevant.

Feyre is at her most empathetic when she can draw a straight line from someone else's experience to her own. She really isn't empathetic at all outside of that, which is why before Nesta finally tells her, she's so dismissive of how angry Nesta is about the vote. But then after she learns, she's the only one who isn't mad! Because now she gets it, now she knows what it feels like to have other people make decisions for you regarding your body. Even though Feysand already went through that nonsense in ACOMAF and Rhys promised not to keep things from her anymore but whatever not my circus not my monkeys.

[woman-becomer]

tumblr users love reading. you literally stopped for this post just because it has words in it

[interpolationz]

this is one of my favorite bits about tumblr

the users seem to actually prefer text posts to anything else, and treat it as a chore to play a video especially with sound

[lazzarella]

[trash-shrike]

a jigsaw falling into place

For @tamlinweek Day 4 - Family (YEAH I'M LATE AGAIN, AND WHAT OF IT?)

I massively fell out of love with the original concept for this since I failed to render it how i wanted. i'm just not skilled enough yet. a shame because how these two meet has always been very vivid to me. Maybe I'll try to do a better job way down the line in procreate or smthn, I think it's a good exercise.

I'd originally had Tam and Rhys meet immediately after the human war under the pretense that Tam was in his teens when it concluded, but learned later that Tam was born at the start of the 7-year war, when Rhys was 28, so he’d be only 7 if that were the case. So the interpretation has changed a bit...

Tam is about 17 here whilst Rhys is 45. U also must keep in mind that fae age at a different rate and have a different culture around maturity. Rhys appears 20 and is culturally considered “teenaged”. Tam appears closer to 14 and is culturally considered a little baby, arguably too young to be a part of such meetings.

This occurs at the Dawn court like a whole decade after the human war for independence is won. Tensions had mostly died down between Prythian and the Spring Court, the only court that fought staunchly in favor of slavery. They had lost plenty and faced significant indictments during the negotiations that followed, to the extreme displeasure of Tam's father. And yet, there are still negotiations to be made. Dawn Court was considered a neutral touchpoint.

Tamlin himself was silently grateful for the war’s outcome. He’d always been the softest brother, never having been able to stomach his family’s treatment of their slaves. When Tam is asked to shadow the rest of his family as a scribe, he doesn't complain.

Spring and Night’s families pass by each other in the halls in between meetings. Neither would have courteous words to say to one another, as such, everyone is silent despite the palpable tension in the air.

Rhysand, hair still cut close to his scalp from his time commanding the military, stays close to his mother, and pointedly ignores the glares of the Spring royal family. He never let the brutish appearances of the southern slave-owning court ruffle him, despite his burning contempt. Celyddon was easily the strongest high fae male he’d ever seen, and his sons had all inherited his build. Their bodies blocked the sun from his eyes as they walked past.

As the two groups had almost completely passed each other, Rhysand double takes when he spots the unfamiliarly small figure at the back of the entourage.

Since when did Cel have a third son?

The male young, likely no older than twenty; a child. He has the awkward lanky build of one experiencing their first growth spurt, and Rhysand distantly wonders if this one would grow to be as tall, broad, and violent as the others. The boy's hair is as golden as his mother’s and falls like a messy mop about his shoulders. He’s underdressed compared to the rest of the group; almost plain looking. Instead of gripping a court sword, he holds a stack of parchment in his arms.

Eyes like newleaf glance towards him warily, and Rhysand notices the purple swelling around his left eye.

One could not expect even basic courtesy from Celyddon, such as to glamour the obvious hand he or his ilk had laid on his youngest child, but nevertheless Rhys cannot keep the look of pity from his face.

[battlecrazed-axe-mage]

We've all gotten just a bit too comfortable being jerks to strangers on the internet I think

[battlecrazed-axe-mage]

So I've hidden this reply, both because it's obnoxious and because I don't want the person who wrote it being harassed for it, but I need you to understand: I don't know you. We are not friends. This is not fun or cute, we are not sharing a charming joke together. You are just being an asshole.

[battlecrazed-axe-mage]

literally that is what the post is about, I am saying people should be less eager to jump on any chance to be snarky and rude to total strangers on the internet

[dailymanners]

#idk why some of yall feel the need to like. iunno. be snide and petty for no other reason than weird social circle internet clout#like arent you tired? it seems so tiresome and yucky to constantly be jonesing for the opportunity to be just uh. kinda shitty lmao

[copypastus]

Day 2 of @tamlinweek - Cursed

When everyone else is getting their happy endings but you're stuck in character purgatory forever coz you remind some readers of their exes >_>

Tammy being sad at individual ships under the cut.

[marsadler]

A reminder that darker fiction has a right to exist and explore themes that people are uncomfortable with. Yes, even if it's romanticized. Yes, even if you personally don't like it.

Authors have always written about things that they don't agree with morally, and I hope to god they always will, despite how shitty people treat them for doing that now.

[gwandas]

Everyone wants to talk about how Nesta reacted but not what Feyre did right before Nesta decided to spill. I would‘ve become the fandom most hated character for this.

When Nesta told Feyre all about how the others and especially Amren voted away her right to know about her own body and magic, Feyre was like „Amren is my friend“- this hoe heard Nesta say all that and defended the inner circle still.

Feyre deserved what came next. Nesta may said it out of anger for the both of them, but at that point I would‘ve said it to shoot this cuck sucker down and I wouldn‘t have regretted it. The audacity

I cannot stand their pretentious high and mighty act anymore. They‘re so hypocritical and manipulative, it‘s almost painful!

Oh I promise some of us have absolutely been talking about that.

I don't think anyone deserves to learn they're going to die in pregnancy in an insensitive way but ultimately, Feyre finding out in the way she did is on Rhys. Whether or not Feyre "deserved" that is irrelevant.

Feyre is at her most empathetic when she can draw a straight line from someone else's experience to her own. She really isn't empathetic at all outside of that, which is why before Nesta finally tells her, she's so dismissive of how angry Nesta is about the vote. But then after she learns, she's the only one who isn't mad! Because now she gets it, now she knows what it feels like to have other people make decisions for you regarding your body. Even though Feysand already went through that nonsense in ACOMAF and Rhys promised not to keep things from her anymore but whatever not my circus not my monkeys.

[segamascott]

[voskhodart]

Turning heavenward.

[gwandas]

The thing about the pregnancy reveal that pisses me off the most is that its real purpose at the end of the day was to dismiss Nesta’s completely justified anger.

She’s angry about the further stripping of her bodily autonomy. She says she understands they put her in the HOW to help her, but that the vote was out of “hatred and fear” of her (how those things can be simultaneous truths I have no idea but I digress).

Feyre barges into a conversation that has nothing to do with her, dismisses Nesta’s feelings, and that’s when Nesta decides to reveal how unknowingly hypocritical Feyre is in that moment. Because now, Feyre is devastated, Nesta’s anger is rendered irrelevant. Now, the focus is on how she cannot lash out even if she had every right to do so.

It’s a way for the narrative to put on a facade that Nesta’s anger is valid, while also brushing over it so the IC doesn’t have to face any consequences. The punishment during the hike serves a dual purpose—The book doesn’t have to address what the IC did to Nesta OR they did to Feyre.

[memories-of-ancients]

Drinking horn with gilded copper mounts, Europe, 15th century

from The Hunt Museum, Limerick

[tarvek-sturmvoraus]

[localxenospores]

i was compelled

[snarkformysanity]

Rhysand: So hey, I know that I've been specifically cultivating an image as an evil mind-controlling dictator for 500 years, and there is a court that 100% exists in my lands that is full of evil and stuff that I rule with an iron fist (where I break people's arms and make them watch me finger people, dw about it), and I know that I was totally serving the bad guy for the past 50 years, and literally everyone outside my court (and most people in it, but dw about that) think I'm evil, and there's literally no way I can prove I'm not mind-controlling everyone right now like my reputation says I would, but look! There's this one really cool city in my land (that I've lied to everyone about for 500 years, dw about that either) where rich people can party and do art as much as they want because we literally don't allow any filthy poors in, but dw about that either! This totally proves that I'm actually a nice, trustworthy guy, right?

The Mortal Queens: No, it doesn't.

Rhysand and the IC:

[ataraxetta]

DID YOU KNOW that sometimes characters lie. out loud to others and internally to themselves, and it'll happen right there on the page. other times they are just flat out wrong and don't know it. oftentimes they don't ever find that out. a sizable portion of any story is decidedly not cold hard fact.

[ofbreathandflame-archive]

telling me that it’s Elain’s s’aide of the fandom is racist but nothing for Gwynn. I know what you are..

I guess I knew you'd guys would be quick lmaoo

Not a ship account, srry. But I would like to expound on this quickly.

Elain and Gwyn operate differently in the story, I'm sorry. Elain was initially introduced by villification. A lot of the defensiveness around her character was borne of that. I think initially, it started as reminding people that femininity is not inherently 'useless' or 'negative' -- to which I agreed (in the beginning). Like it was...a criticism to how Elain was written and interpreted. But as the story progressed (i.e. ACOWAR), she became a commodity for the ship wars. And I think the initial defensiveness became something else entirely. It became a distinction. A currency--and that's when it became extremely racialized.

Like...some of us were here for that shift. It wasn't always like that with Elain. And I'm not saying Elain's side as like all people who like Elain. I'm specifically talking about the communities both on here and twitter. There's a specific kind of fanon baked in racism and misogyny. It started as a way to differentiate Nesta and Elain. The discussion between Gwyn and Elain, in my opinion, is an extension of that conversation, because Gwyn is staunchly aligned to Nesta. You have to understand that a lot of people used to hate both sisters. Like there was no differentiation it was a joint hatred lol.

Like does anyone remember that? I know I do - because you used to have to defend both sisters. But as they became fodder for romance, thats when the distinction begins to start. You start to Elain v. Nesta all the time. This 'distinction' ends up following us into the current ship wars.

Is Gwyn's side of the fandom the same? In some ways, yes, in other ways no. I don't think Gwyn side of the fandom has had to make these 'distinctions' because she was never written to be villified. She has present, autonomous friends, and the romance is not centered around Gywn's softeness, or defensive about her faults or proving herself. Gywn's side of the fandom doesn't have to villify Lucien and Azriel because they are the central romances. If you want Gywn with Az, you want Lucien with Elain. There's no point in having to distinguish because you want them to get their story.

Elain stans have to vilify Lucien, as he's the mate. They have to argue against the fatedness of it all. And they tried to shove Lucien with the other queen (Vassa? I believe her name). But it ends being funny (funny ew) because they argue how much of a monster is for Elain, but deem the woman of color deserving of all of the negative traits they placed on Lucien.

Also...just go through the tags for both women and see the difference in the discussions and how the arguments. A lot of Elain stans approach these conversations through delegitimization. Because they have learned to argue these points through distinguishing Elain. So - Gwyn didn't actually win the blood rite, she's got too much explicit trauma to be a character and blah blah blah. And these distinctions are actually for Nesta...but they trickle down to Gwyn. Just go look at the difference...it is jarring.