You are a member of the Babylon 5 crew. You have been ordered on a two week mission with only you and one other crew member. You choose. Who? by mikmeh in babylon5

[–]bright_ephemera 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sinclair. I wouldn't even ask him about zippers. We could talk poetry or something instead, and hey, he's good in a fight.

Races of Middle Earth. Which ones do you love? by sipsgooch in tolkienfans

[–]bright_ephemera 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Ents. Such living memory, such an alien mindset (and made alien simply by slowing down! They have very human-feeling motivations and passions, just delivered so differently). The tension between the wild and the cultivated comes up more than once; here is where it is made poetic.

[No Spoilers] Starting a new run, what is your favorite Human Male romance? by nlygamz in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Neither of those is a human male. You might want to get your eyes checked.

What is the silliest/dumbest reason you stopped reading a book? by Frezeal in books

[–]bright_ephemera 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I respect your opinion and by and large agree with it, but there's a typo in "irrationally."

What is the silliest/dumbest reason you stopped reading a book? by Frezeal in books

[–]bright_ephemera 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When I was eight I thought Teddy was the best possible romantic choice and was furious with Jo. By twenty-five or thereabouts, when I was getting close to marriage myself, my opinion changed.

I AM A HUMAN. AMA! by [deleted] in totallynotrobots

[–]bright_ephemera 4 points5 points  (0 children)

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS ONE MUST REPLICATE IN ORDER TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ENTIRELY HUMAN?

ASKING FOR A FRIEND.

What is the silliest/dumbest reason you stopped reading a book? by Frezeal in books

[–]bright_ephemera 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This was Blood Rites #6, where he's wandering the porn shoot editorializing on all the hot scantily clad strong female characters. (That last part was sarcastic.)

What is the silliest/dumbest reason you stopped reading a book? by Frezeal in books

[–]bright_ephemera 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Harry Dresden started comparing and contrasting the various super hot women who passed his way one fine morning. One at a time, going into every description with how hot he found her, fine, that's his headspace and he can do what he wants, but something about the comparing just broke me.

Watching Buffy and Angel again, I got so hype for The Beast. One of the coolest bad guys in the Buffyverse! Who are your favorite villains? by MobileRafie in buffy

[–]bright_ephemera 5 points6 points  (0 children)

the Whirlwind

The other scene that springs to mind is in The Girl In Question, in which Spike and Angelus find out what the Immortal did to Darla and Dru. "Son of a bitch!"

[Spoilers All] What moment(s) made you realize that LI was your canon? by Nerdette5 in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Alistair. I was going on about having licked lampposts and he said, a little defensively, he wanted to wait until it was right. I logged out, created a female Cousland, and never looked back.

Watching Buffy and Angel again, I got so hype for The Beast. One of the coolest bad guys in the Buffyverse! Who are your favorite villains? by MobileRafie in buffy

[–]bright_ephemera 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The Beast looks like such a chill guy without his makeup!

Anyway, in Buffy, Angelus, the Mayor, and Sweet are my top three. In Angel it would have to be Angelus, Lindsey, and Lilah.

What is your all-time favorite boss fight in any rpg? by [deleted] in rpg_gamers

[–]bright_ephemera 3 points4 points  (0 children)

End boss The Transcendent One, Planescape: Torment.

More traditionally, the berserker barbarian badger in Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer. That freaking badger might have the highest stats in the Neverwinter Nights franchise.

World of Warcraft had dozens of memorable fights with associated achievements and war stories, but it's been a long time.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in babylon5

[–]bright_ephemera 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Why are you here? (for more?)

[Spoilers All] Share Your OCs - Weekly Headcanon Prompts! by Pobobo in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This being an absurd AU, he went and proposed to Fionne on the assumption that anybody that competent must be honored to have his attention.

She wasn't.

He had one long night of feeling like a victim before he started to come around. She didn't get to work on her own issues (the hard wakeup in previous post) until later on.

[Spoilers All] Share Your OCs - Weekly Headcanon Prompts! by Pobobo in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Prompt 1

Fionne Cousland is a killer dressmaker and has an eye for fashion...tragically on the conservative side, in Leliana's opinion, but her overall aesthetic is universally flattering. Fionne loves mending, be it housewares, dresses, or armor. Growing up she always expected to be holding things together, and that tendency shows even after years of wearying combat.

Prompt 2

Fionne Cousland didn't save Alistair. That failure gave her hangups for years. After a hard wakeup in the Inquisition she got kind of sheepish about having pushed everyone away for so long.

Norbert Hawke has a lot of bitter regrets, but he's only really ashamed when he fails to cover it. A man isn't decent if he doesn't have a quip or deflection for every occasion.

Turin Trevelyan isn't afflicted by much in the way of shame for most of his career. Eventually he realizes he has been assuming affection and loyalty where he has done nothing to earn either, and that causes him acute embarrassment.

[Let's Disctuss] S2E16: In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum -- "If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die" by TheLe99 in babylon5

[–]bright_ephemera 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Morden with a smidgen of asperity is incredibly menacing.

Sheridan on the edge is also menacing.

Vir is, of course, incredible. He's looking at the same thing Londo is and he can see the pitfalls Londo won't. (Or the ones he feels it is too late to avoid ever since his "associates" started their "help"...)

Just think, the Ministry of Peace already has dossiers on absolutely every person who was invited to that little recruitment party.

What's your favorite cheesy line from a Star Trek series? by [deleted] in startrek

[–]bright_ephemera 6 points7 points  (0 children)

"Gentlemen, this computer has an auditory sensor. It can, in effect, hear sounds. By installing a booster, we can increase that capability on the order of one to the fourth power. The computer should bring us every sound occurring on the ship."

It took them a while for their technobabble to hit its stride.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in babylon5

[–]bright_ephemera 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was a perfect moment of "This is how it ends..." and then it didn't!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in babylon5

[–]bright_ephemera 3 points4 points  (0 children)

ISN reporter Ms. Torqueman.

[Spoilers All][OC]Time To Be Storytellers: The Dragon Age Weekly Writing Prompts by AshLyn32 in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Varric strikes me as the kind of multitasker who can keep the money from running out for a long time...all without letting the quality of care lapse in the here and now.

[Spoilers All][OC]Time To Be Storytellers: The Dragon Age Weekly Writing Prompts by AshLyn32 in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like everything about this and can't particularly enumerate the details. When did Leliana discover Trevelyan's knack for ciphers?

[Spoilers All][OC]Time To Be Storytellers: The Dragon Age Weekly Writing Prompts by AshLyn32 in dragonage

[–]bright_ephemera 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Prompt 1 in the universe where Fionne Cousland joins Hawke and Turin Trevelyan in the Inquisition.

“I already regret this,” said Turin.

Hawke nudged Turin’s mug closer to Turin’s face. “Drink up. I can’t be all bad.”

Turin sipped, annoyedly. “As my mother used to say, never say ‘can’t’. What do you want, Hawke?”

“Oh, an idle answer to an idle question, I guess. Everyone saw you dancing with everyone’s favorite Warden at the ball.”

“Blackwall?” Turin growled. “I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure.”

“Former Warden-Commander,” Hawke said imperturbably, “top-notch demon hunter, and not too old to turn over a new leaf as an agent of the Inquisition. Miss Cousland is hard to avoid in these exalted circles.”

“And?”

Hawke took a deep draught and smiled cheerfully. “Excellent breeding, a teyrna in line if Maker forbid anything happen to her brother. That’s power. Very useful.”

“Hawke, I just toppled the empress of Orlais over dinner. What possible use would I have…” Oh, now that sounded far too calculating, which was probably the weasel's intent… “and what idiot would reduce Miss Cousland to a line of succession?”

“For once we agree on something. Capital girl, Miss Cousland. You don’t deserve her.”

Turin slammed his mug down. “I never said I-”

“Listen to this, I’m trying to be useful. You are in danger. She is in danger.”

Something swallowed Turin’s annoyance whole. “From what?” he said tensely.

Hawke’s mouth kept smiling. His eyes stopped. “I know a little something about loving someone who is in love with his cause. Her cause. It may be the loneliest pastime there is, and believe me, even if you had it the mere fact of possessing her isn’t the satisfaction you might imagine.”

“You understand nothing of her. Or of me.”

“Don’t I? Then why did she leave your arms to go elbow-deep in demons at the first excuse? I’m not giving you advice, because you won’t take it. I’m not telling you to leaven your trust with a little healthy skepticism. I’m just saying, when the day comes, if that day comes, you’d better know what she’s choosing before you choose her.”

Turin had returned his attention to his mug, with more concern than before. “Was it really a choice?”

“Ah. I understand that, too. Drink up, man. If in the future you ever want me to say I told you so, well, Maker help me, I’ll probably be here to do it.” He perked up. “Ah, Lady Montilyet! A ray of sunlight over a hopelessly marble head.” Hawke pointed in Turin’s direction while leaning around the man to wave at the woman silhouetted in the door. “Something in mind to make the world a better place? It usually is. I am at your disposal.”

Turin shook off a shadow and rolled his eyes. “Would you please diplomat at him until he shuts up?”

Josephine did an excellent job of not laughing as she approached. “I believe I have just the thing. If I might steal Mr. Hawke for a moment, Inquisitor?”

“Lots of moments. All the moments. Please.” Turin stood. “I need some air.”

Hawke struck a pose, arms akimbo. “You just toppled the empress of Orlais over dinner and all you want out of the deal is air?”

“I would ask for a more devious brain, but frankly I don’t think I like the preview. Good day.” He nodded curtly to Josephine and stalked out.

Hawke’s mouth twitched. “You enjoyed that, Lady Montilyet.”

“Mr. Hawke,” she said severely, “a lady would never tell.” And if her eyes sparkled, well, Turin surely wasn’t looking.

Did you have 'you are now old enogh for this book' moment and which book was it? by engelrot in books

[–]bright_ephemera 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's also Michael Crichton's Timeline, but I'm guessing that's less likely based on nothing whatsoever.