Every DnD game that starts out with a serious “Lord of the Rings” type of tone turns into a Monty Python sketch and every DnD game that starts out like a Monty Python sketch turns into Lord of the Rings
DnD game with characters named Kua the Brave, Enoch Bluehelm, and Hallow Greaves: Our current mission is to save the kingdom from the Dark Queen Ravenbone but we fucked up a charisma roll and now Kua and Ravenbone are dating and the king of Fendale was turned into a frog
DnD game with characters named Bunny Wabbit, Ford Trukk, and Dildo Baggins: Our current mission is to find a birthday present for a spoiled prince but in the process we found a lich planning to devour the life force of everyone in the land and Dildo gave his life to stop him in a scene so moving it won the Newberry Medal
If you give your players room to do whatever they want, including be silly, they will most often choose to express themselves. And you’d be amazed how much you’ll start to care about characters once people have attached little pieces if their soul to them.
If you try to enforce a “serious” tone, it just makes the gags funnier, and your players will treat you with the same casual blasphemy orangutans show to God.
“the same casual blasphemy orangutans show to God” WHAT THE FUCK I’M DECEASED
Okay, so I just got shampoo in my eye (luckily my blind eye; it could have been a lot worse) and as I was grabbing said part of my face in complete agony, it hit me…that’s exactly how Zuko got his scar. Not the ‘shampoo’ bit, the ‘grabbing the face’ bit. Ozai put his hand to Zuko’s face is what I’m getting at.
I guess part of me always knew that, because his scar does look a lot like a handprint:
But still, whenever I thought about the agni kai, I’d imagine Ozai standing over his thirteen-year-old son and firing haphazardly like:
But no, I think he brings his hand right up to Zuko’s face.
Which would explain, you know, this:
At first, I thought that he backhanded Zuko, like Azula does here.
But when I looked up these photos, it hit me (no pun intended) that we’ve probably seen the exact move that Ozai made:
Just at a different angle, because I imagine that he was standing over Zuko, due to the whole symbolism of height differences.
Still, I think he slowly brought his fire-encased hand up to Zuko’s face and held it there, burning him, just like he was about to do with Aang. The difference being that Aang is able to deflect the attack:
Which he was able to do, because he learned from Zuko.
I swear this show has more circles than a cheese grater…
That could also explain the way Azula mimicked him!! She’s using her right hand, which normally might be a little strange if you’re covering your left eye, but this way it looks like she’s using the hand that hit Zuko
how long does it take zuko to convince his staff that he isn’t gonna slap, punch, beat, banish, or otherwise assault them?
that they aren’t about to lose their job (or life) over a spilled cup or broken vase?
that he’s not trying to trick them when he says they can relax the ornate and complex flattery each time they leave the room?
that he means it when he bans corporal punishment in the palace (and out of it) and that they really can come to him if someone forgets that rule?
that they haven’t upset him or wronged him when he asks to take his meal without the full serving staff of twenty watching him?
zuko is sensitive, even when he tries not to be, and watching these people be so afraid of him would break his heart. but that also means we gets to see it when they begin to open up to him.
firelord zuko who’s feeding the turtleduks when a toddler comes running over. she almost topples into the water but zuko sweeps her up before she’s in any danger. he holds her in his lap and shows her how to feed them gently. when the mother comes careening out screaming for her child she stops short at the sight of zuko and collapses into a bow, head to the floor. she begs forgiveness but zuko shakes his head, and offers his hand for her to stand. he hands over her daughter, asks the girl’s name. his guard calls him back into meetings so he leaves with a smile and a bow to both of them. it’s the first time a child hasn’t been afraid of zuko here in the fire nation, and he smiles all week
firelord zuko who spends months trying to win over the kitchen staff enough the let him make his own tea. they refuse at first (as much as one is allowed to) and stand on principle. but zuko is patient, so patient, so he begins to visit the kitchens once a week. he tells the head chef he’s going to come, it’s not a surprise. and he just thanks the staff, asks their names, maybe mentions an earth nation dish he had that’s native to a region who’s dignitaries are coming. once he’s been a few times he asks about their lives. simple things, never much more than yes or no answers; he doesn’t want to force them into speaking more than they’re comfortable just because he is their firelord. but 10 months in, and he finally convinces the guards, tasters, and head chef he can make his own tea. the head chef still insists on checking the tea as it comes in (special shipment from the jasmine dragon of course) because he’s been working in the palace for a long time and he’s seen many leaders but zuko is the first firelord he’s actually wanted to serve. and he’s seen this 18 year old kid trying so damn hard to help the palace and nation heal, tying so hard to win favor with his dishwashers, that he wants to keep safe. he may not prepare the tea, but not a leaf gets to the firelord that isn’t personally checked by him.
and in a couple years, the permeating sense of fear and dread begins to leech out of the palace. maybe the maids start humming in the corridors, maybe the washer women laugh and talk as they go about their business, maybe the royal dressers don’t flinch at the scars all across their young leaders skin anymore
maybe the country is being run by a smart, kind, genuine young man who works tirelessly to restore their honor as people of the fire nation. zuko brings music, art, poetry, dancing and life back to the fire nation. he teaches the wisdom he learned from the sun warriors and old masters: fire isn’t just hate and death. it can be life, light, a sun blazing inside you and he fosters that light in his people. so they can shed the last 100 years of hatred together and foster a new nation of peace
I am Silver Tongue, I am an artist. I have many characters and you can check out my art in the art tag. I occasionally practice witchcraft though I don't do anything too complicated. I am girl 2 and don't know what else to put here.
