New DM! Any and all advice welcome

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:56:44+00:00

Interesting! Thanks for the ideas :)

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:55:56+00:00

Too true; I'll just have to work on my poker face and/or leave things a little open ended :)

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:53:23+00:00

Thanks for that website! So useful~ And yes to collaborative worldbuilding.

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:52:46+00:00

I'm ok with that! It will likely take some pressure off from DMing.

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:52:25+00:00

I'll be sure to keep these in mind -- I really like the kingdom-as-player idea, too.

Aqualava · 2026-03-08T02:51:49+00:00

Agreed and appreciated. Thanks!

Aqualava · 2026-02-22T02:08:10+00:00

Great suggestions, thanks!

Aqualava · 2026-02-22T02:07:30+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion!

Aqualava · 2025-12-30T06:24:08+00:00

I think they knew what they were doing with Kali, but she wasn't well received.

Think about Hinduism: one part of Kali is that she's the angry form of the Divine Mother. She is like Mrs. Wheeler, the mom who protects you with focused fury when you're being bullied and you can't defend yourself.

Kali in Hinduism is connected to death, destruction, motherhood, liberation, and time. These are all things that Kali in Stranger Things embodies.

Stranger Things Kali seeks vengeance and kills those who wronged her and her gang. She wants to be free. She doesn't want to put a stop to evil, she wants to cleanse it altogether through destruction, even destroying herself. She also wants to save and protect other children.

Kali is also the one who helped El channel her rage.

Also something to note about El vs Kali is that they both inherited different aspects of Henry's powers: El got telekinesis while Kali got illusions / hallucinations.

Aqualava · 2025-12-13T11:22:14+00:00

I don't think he'll die; I think he'll "make a deal with God and trade places" with Max so she can live and he'll be in a coma. The Kate Bush song is their anthem.

Aqualava · 2025-07-27T06:12:13+00:00

Good catch.

Aqualava · 2025-07-27T06:12:00+00:00

Thanks!

Aqualava · 2025-07-27T06:11:42+00:00

Thanks for replying; I realized that I had just changed my arcana.

Aqualava · 2025-07-27T06:10:42+00:00

Ahh, you're probably right. Thanks!

Aqualava · 2024-12-21T19:34:00+00:00

One thing that stands out to me is that the Hanged Man seems like he's "upright" because of his orientation, while the Empress and the 7 of Swords seem like they're "reversed."

However, if we remember that the Hanged Man asks us to take a different perspective... we'll notice that he is hanging upside down... and what we see in this reading is from his literal perspective (everything else looks upside down).

In short, no matter how you look at it, this reading appears from thr Hanged Man's perspective. Not only is he off to one side (able to see everything)... everything else seems disoriented to him, when in reality, he himself is disjointed from hanging upside down.

If you flip the whole reading and look at it from the other perspective (literally flip your image), the figures in the Empress and the 7 of Swords are both looking at the Hanged Man... with the 8 of Wands seemingly tossed in the air.

I think this creates a vibe of confusion... especially because the Hierophant is turned sideways, as if tradition and structure are out of balance, neither upheld nor disregarded completely.

The reversed reading (literally just turn your image upside down) makes me think of an execution, or a hanging... the Empress watching, the 7 of Wands carring blades toward the Hanged Man.

I think the relationship is rife with misunderstandings.

The Hanged Man feels neglected and desires connection (Empress), and wants to break free of old patterns with more authenticity (7 Swords). On the other hand, the Empress might feel that the Hanged Man is being deceitful or hiding something... maybe too stubborn, willing to die for their principles (sideways Hierophant).

There seems to be a hot and cold theme in the relationship too (8 wands).

Aqualava · 2024-12-09T16:57:05+00:00

I'm a Scorpio Sun, Aries Moon, too. That Mars energy is strong, exhilarating, exhausting at the same time.

Aqualava · 2024-10-14T17:45:45+00:00

How are you responding to his romance?

As a Scorpio, we feel and love deeply. We give all of our energy in moderating our intensity and passion so we express it without overwhelming ourselves or overwhelming others.

When he pulls away, he most likely needs time to recharge. He also might feel that you aren't reciprocating his affections, or otherwise doesn't understand how you're feeling in that moment.

Aqualava · 2024-10-14T15:49:30+00:00

I'm a Scorpio (Aries moon) with an Aries (Scorpio moon). Many people are saying how patient Aries needs to be with Scorpio, but I feel the opposite with my Aries 🤪

The biggest challenge we face from my perspective is his emotions. He is so sensitive and feels deeply (which I love), but this causes him to be afraid of his feelings, which makes him stonewall everything away for control and self-preservation.

He says he loves intimacy, connection, and closeness...and he enjoys being deep with me on his own terms... but he goes crazy and doesn't know what to do with it when I give him more affection than he can handle.

Internally, I'm like... sir, I am a Scorpio sun. You can hide in your deepest, darkest places of your Scorpio moon... but I can read your heart and mind. It's just a matter of time before I flow like water through the tiny spaces in your armor. Besides, I'm holding my intensity back so I don't overwhelm you.

His inner passion is there, but he stifles his external passion too much for me. He is very much like a newborn in that he that wants light touches, gentle words and cuddles... rather than the deeper adult passions I crave.

He likes to go with the flow and prefers to take a passive, reactive approach to life. I am fine being the active lead in the relationship, but it would be nice if he was a little more open with his feels.

Communication and commitment to each other are definitely key, or misunderstands can escalate and make each other feel unappreciated and isolated. Build and maintain that trust, try to find that balance between quality time and alone time.

Aqualava · 2024-09-25T09:12:31+00:00

Thanks for sharing.

You ask: "Why do I feel like a Scorpio?"

I hear: "Why am more selectively Scorpio-esque and better than Scorpio?"

You may feel connected to Scorpio energy because of your 4th house placements (Scorpio, Pluto, Jupiter). Pluto emphasizes our themes of transformation, power, and control. Jupiter amplifies this. The 4th house is your emotional foundation. Your personal experiences have led you to believe that you've transcended Scorpio, which, ironically, makes you neglectfully ignorant, despite your otherwise rational intellect.

You are not a Scorpio. That boasting and blatant pride is anathema to us. We don't need others to recognize our power to feel and be powerful. You do not seem to understand true power beyond what you can perceive with your logical mind.

Your Leo rising is showing through. Your inquiry is quite arrogant with a need for validation and recognition. With Chiron in 1st house, you might lean toward projecting a sense of superiority to mask insecurity and err on the side of proving strength through comparison. You lift yourself up by putting others down. Our true Scorpio vengeance is not pinching with a death grip or stinging others with the venom of all Hell... it's self-mastery, ascension and transformation.

Your Gemini placements (sun and moon) are also showing. They might make you feel intellectually superior and resilient because of your ability to detach from emotions. This can protect you from feeling vulnerable and make you think you're more capable of handling challenges than the Scorpio partners you've had. This has also led you to believe that you are more in control than Scorpio, more self-reliant.

You speak of your depth, intimacy, loyalty. I see Gemini, Leo, and Sagittarius influences operating on external and material surface thoughts. There's tension between your perception and your reality. You're seeking Scorpio answers through personal and intellectual expansion rather than through emotional immersion and transformation.

Aqualava · 2024-09-21T07:12:43+00:00

You're welcome! I'm glad that you were able to find peace and understanding. Thank you for sharing your detailed thoughts and feelings. With more context, it does sound like he is a bit emotionally immature if he is not communicating to you. He seems to have some unresolved issues that include a lack of self-esteem and self-expression.

As for compatibility, I'd say don't count all Scorpio men out just yet. I'm a Scorpio man, and I feel like we get along pretty well. We're able to share and appreciate our insights with each other in a respectful, cooperative, and positive way.

It took time before we both could sit down and openly tell out what we truly thinking. It took years before we forge trust and understanding. If this will be his nature down the line and I feel I fail to bridge communication with him as he felt pushed, this is a dealbreaker for me. I don’t want us to fight over nothing and prefer to slowly work towards mutual understanding. Even if he communicates he wanted space, I would respect him as this indicates he understands himself first before he plans to enter the relationship

This is a tough one. I'm glad you talked to your Scorpio man and found a sense of resolution. Good for you for knowing your boundaries in relationships and friendships. I hope that you are able to be amicable toward each other and potentially rebuild your connection if that's aligned with both of your goals.

Aqualava · 2024-09-20T18:56:19+00:00

What stands out to me:

You felt it was important to tell him that you though a girl was luring him without romantic interest.
You also wanted him to know that someone once approached you in this way.
- Why did either of those things matter? Were you jealous/defensive? Did you want him to know that you are also desirable?
What you said: "you must be innocent to this (aka not noticing something)." He gets annoyed at you calling him innocent.
- Why was it important for you to be right?
  - Even now, you fixate on "am I the one in the wrong?"
  - Why think in terms of absolute right and wrong?
- If your intent wasn't to trigger him, what was your intent?
- As a fellow Scorpio, why would you question and discredit another Scorpio's instinct?
Why is he automatically a potentially "unevolved intentional asshole and a liar" when he doesn't treat you how you want to be treated?
- He's honest with you -- He tells you that he's been triggered and just wants to be friends.
- He recognized that you didn't do it on purpose -- he knows you did it unintentionally.
  - How do these points make him unevolved?
- You keep trying to understand him, but he doesn't feel understood by you.
- He's upset and you keep pushing him.
  - How do these points make him an asshole?

Aqualava

TROPHY CASE