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Multi-fandom trash dump

@merrypaws / merrypaws.tumblr.com

My small 'just for lulz'-corner of whatever catches my fancy at the time. Fanart and fanfiction from various people and multiple fandoms, drawing references and inspiring images, and an occasional random thought or scribble by myself.
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merrypaws
nephiamart
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notbecauseofvictories
Anonymous asked:

Can you tell me why Frodo is so important in lotr? Why can't someone else, anyone else, carry the ring to mordor?

notbecauseofvictories answered:

but someone else could.

that’s the whole point of frodo—there is nothing special about him, he’s a hobbit, he’s short and likes stories, smokes pipeweed and makes mischief, he’s a young man like other young men, except for the singularly important fact that he is the one who volunteers. there is this terrible thing that must be done, the magnitude of which no one fully understands and can never understand before it is done, but frodo says me and frodo says I will.

(when boromir is thinking of how he can use the ring to defend gondor, when aragorn is thinking of how it brought down proud isildur, when elrond is holding council and gandalf is thinking of how twisted he would become, if he ever dared—)

but then there’s frodo, who desires nothing except what he has already left behind him, and says, I will take the Ring.

it is an offer made out of absolute innocence, utter sincerity. It is made without knowing what it will make of him—and frodo loses everything to the ring, he loses peace and himself and the shire, he loses the ability to be in the world. It’s cruel, the ring is cruel, it searches out every weakness you have and feeds on it, drinks you dry and fills you with its poison instead, the ring is so cruel.

and frodo picks it up willingly. for no other reason except that it has to be done.

(the ring warps boromir into a hopeless grasping dead thing, the power of the palantir turns denethor into an old man, jealous and suspicious, it bends even saruman, once the proudest of the istari, into a mechanised warlord, sitting in his fortress and bent over his perverse creations—all the best of intentions, laid waste)

but there’s a reason gollum exists in the narrative, which is to show—well, to show what frodo might have been. because even as frodo grows mistrustful and wearied, as the burden of this ring grows heavier and heavier, he is never gollum. he is gentle to gollum. he is afraid—god frodo is so afraid for 2/3 of these books he is so tired and afraid, but he keeps moving, he walks though it would pull him into the ground, because he asked for this, he said he would.

someone else could have carried the ring to mordor, I suppose. the idea of a martyr is not dependent on the particular flesh and blood person dying for some greater purpose. but such a thing has to be chosen, lifted onto your shoulders for the right reason, the truest reasons, and followed into the dark, though it would see you burnt through and bled out.

I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.

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mushfromnewsies

y'know say what you want about tumblr (and I have), but this is still probably the simplest and most powerful distillation of the heart of the Lord of the Rings I’ve ever read. I think back to it all the time

#lotr#frodo baggins#meta#right in the feels
merrypaws
muffinlance
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growingroses

Contrast: A Zutara Coloring Book is OUT NOW and free to download! Grab your copy here and start coloring! @zutaracoloringbook

Here is my piece, Fragile Line. I’m so happy to have been a small part of this wonderful project. 🤗

The finished product is absolutely beautiful y’all. ZK fandom, I hope you enjoy, and don’t forget to tag us artists with your colored pieces ❤️‍🔥

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muffinlance

Free coloring book for any interested

#atla#zutara#coloring book#nice#to-do list#saving for a 'what to draw' day
merrypaws
godbirdart
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sporesgalaxy

"I can fix him" good for you. I need to craft a scenario in which he betters himself, to prove to myself that I can meaningfully atone despite how much of myself I see in him.

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sporesgalaxy

"I can make him worse" I can too but first I have to prove that there was hope for him somewhere, at some point, which he rejected. Because if there was never any hope for him, what hope is there for me?

#writing#redemption#corruption#inspiration#characters#art is hard#the pain of creating
merrypaws
muffinlance
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agent-grey-fics

Mutuals I need your help with my thesis!

I’m writing my thesis on fandoms and I’m including a part about Tumblr. I’ve talked with people irl but now I’m wondering ‘why didn’t I just post on Tumblr?’

So I’m wondering: How did you endup on Tumblr and why do you like this platform in connection to your fandoms?  reblog this or send me a DM with your answers, everything will be anonymized!

Stay golden! 

Lexi

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merrypaws

I came in from DeviantArt, I think. I saw fanart for an animated movie that i didn't know at the time, and that got me curious. I started searching and that led me to some person's tumblr. I registered so I could like stuff, and it snowballed from there.

As for why I stay, the tag system really is it for me. It gives everything a lot more permanence. Anything nice I find, I can add to my blog, and then easily revisit just by searching through my own tags. Other platforms like Twitter, sure you can reblog stuff, but godspeed trying to find it later. I think I once used the metaphor that Twitter is like throwing darts at targets that have been strapped on carousel horses. You might hit one, but it's mostly up to luck, and then you can only revisit that one brief success once in a while as it whirls by.

In a lot of ways it feels to me that Twitter is a reactive place, where you toss out something for your followers and enjoy the brief ripple effect. Tumblr is for myself, where I can go back, choose a tag according to my mood, and browse through stuff I currently crave at my own unhurried pace, like picking up a well-loved book.

#tumblr things#thesis#fandom things
merrypaws
blackkatmagic
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derangedrhythms
“The messages of the gods to each other travel not by pen and ink and indeed your bodily presence here would not make you more real: for I feel your fingers in my hair, and your cheek brushing mine. The air is full of the music of your voice, my soul and body seem no longer mine, but mingled in some exquisite ecstasy with yours. I feel incomplete without you.”

— Oscar Wilde to Constance Wilde, 16 December 1884 (via fuckyeahhistoricalloveletters)

#oscar wilde#beautiful words#romance#love letter#inspiration
merrypaws
blackkatmagic
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geekysteven

A Betazoid character who isn't in a nurturing profession, but is a tactical officer.

"Captain, I sense they know they're about to get their asses handed to them"

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macko-99

Also, a Klingon character who is in a nuturing profession instead of tactical.

"You are a true child of Kahless for confronting your fears and I am honoured to have helped you."

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asimovsideburns

Klingon therapist: the battle against mental illness cannot be won decisively. It is a long campaign against an enemy who never tires, whose forces swell to twice their size whenever you look away. Battle against a foe of such magnitude, who occupies your very mind… every moment you survive is a triumph against all odds. There is no more honorable combat.

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threezoz

the warrior's anthem as an anxiety focus

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ospreyonthemoon

Betazoid tactical officer: I can feel your fear as you face me. And it's not nearly enough. Let me correct that for you. *starts swinging*

We could all use a klingon therapist occasionally.

#star trek#klingon therapist#ok but fuck yes#mental health#feel good post
merrypaws
pakhnokh
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ziseviolet
Anonymous asked:

Hello! Do you happen to have a master post of all of your asks/posts anywhere? Just to help me navigate! ^^

ziseviolet answered:

Hi, thanks for the question! (Image via duitang)

For all my own posts, please see my China tag (that’s the tag I use for my original posts).For navigation via tags, my Tags page has links to common & useful tags on my blog. I’ll be updating the Tags page and this Masterpost as needed ^^.

Ziseviolet’s Replies Masterpost, Part 1 (Part 2):

Hanfu Terms:

Hanfu History:

Wedding Hanfu:

Modified Hanfu, Hanyuansu, Mix & Match:

Hanfu Accessories:

Hanfu Hair Accessories:

Hanfu Hairstyles:

Makeup:

Men’s Hanfu:

Men’s Headwear/Hairstyles:

Hanfu Undergarments:

Wearing Hanfu:

Making Hanfu:

Buying Hanfu & Hanfu Accessories:

***Hanfu in films/dramas/animations is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!*** 

***Hanfu revival movement is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!***

***Comparison with kimono & hanbok is in Pt 2 of Masterpost!***

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#hanfu#traditional dress#chinese#beauty of cultures#reference
merrypaws
blackkatmagic
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just-horrible-things

Power Signalling

Kneeling. (It’s not popular for no reason.) Ordered to kneel as punishment or as a show of deference. Shoved physically to the ground by hands on their shoulders, maybe a kick to the back of the knee. Picking themself up off the ground but only getting as far as hands and knees. Crawling because they haven’t got the strength to stand any more. Dropping to their knees from exhaustion, or despair.

Personal space. Casually invading it. Uninvited touch - from the deeply creepy to something as simple as a firm hand on the shoulder. Standing too close - especially if taller or otherwise physically stronger. Conversely, hurrying to get out of someone’s way.

Eye contact. Staring someone down. Who is first to look away? Averting eyes for one’s social superiors. Insisting that someone maintain eye contact while you’re talking to them. Insisting that someone never look you in the eye. Trying to de-escalate by avoiding eye contact. Singling someone out just by looking at them. Too frightened or ashamed to look someone in the eye.

More generally, attention. The room falls quiet when they walk in. Who cuts in, and who gets talked over. Ignoring those who are beneath your attention. The excited attention given to the object of respect and idolisation. The careful, wary focus given to a potential threat. Deliberately attending to something else to appear less threatening. Deliberately burying oneself in something else to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

Codified status behaviours. Bowing to one’s superiors. Bonus points if there are differentiated kinds of bowing for different status differentials. Soldiers coming to attention when a superior officer comes in. Saluting. Who greets whom first? Serving food in a particular order. Standing up when a respected person enters the room.

Non-verbal threats. Just resting a hand on a weapon, or perhaps even just near a weapon. Cracking knuckles or rolling shoulders. Clenched fists. The little come-get-some-then lift of the chin. Stepping from a conversational stance into one that’s balanced for fight or flight. Pointing a weapon at someone. Casually brushing aside a weapon.

Conversely, de-escalation and surrender. Open hands, spread in front of them. Hands above head. (Raised slowly, transitioning from the simple woah-calm-down gesture to full on surrender as the situation gets tenser.) Going still. Slow, careful movements being sure to keep hands where they can be seen. Laying down weapons. Hands on head. Getting down on the floor. Deliberately making oneself vulnerable to prove non-hostile (or non-resisting) intent.

Alternately, deliberately showing “vulnerability” to demonstrate how little of a threat you consider the other person. The slouch of villainy. Casually putting weapons away or turning one’s back, confident that they won’t do anything. Open posture, casual, relaxed in the face of apparent danger.

Signs of fear. Flinching. Trembling. Closed, defensive posture. Tension. Backing away. Fidgeting. Lip-biting. Arms hugged close to chest. Or refusing to lower defences. Checking for escape routes. Trying to insist that they don’t come any closer.

Offers of or requests for help. Extending a hand to help someone up off the ground. Reaching out a hand in a silent plea. Do they have to ask for help? Are they willing to accept it? Do they get a choice? Who has plenty and who has to rely on the other’s goodwill? Picking someone up off the ground. Carrying them. (Dropping them?) Adjusting someone’s clothes. Withholding aid.

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whetstonefires

An addition! Because I’ve found some of the stuff I learned in stage director training is remarkably useful in conceptualizing use of space when writing prose, and this one seems particularly overlooked and isn’t in op’s excellent catalogue.

It’s possible to do power plays without getting near to or directly acting in the direction of the person you’re playing at, and one great way is by claiming pieces of the set.

A character can vastly expand their area of influence by laying a hand on a table, for example. If you’re standing on opposite sides of a large table, and one of you puts your hand down, that can symbolically take you up into the other party’s personal space in a much subtler and more deniable way than actually getting up in their face.

This can be used equally well to convey affection or threat.

#writing#power signaling#character dynamics#character interactions#nonverbal ques#gestures