#looong post

The bottomless pit basically makes it so the fate is unknown of whatever goes in. it could come back, it could end up somewhere else, or it could continue falling for eternity.

ford has attempted to hide his journals before, but they were all found. Gideon even dug up the 2nd one and used it to terrorize the town and even ford's own family.

so I don't think ford would be blind to these outcomes, its happened before why wouldn't it happen again? I think the thought of the journals falling through the pit and wounding up in the hands of someone more powerful than an 8 year old would be enough to keep him up at night. the forever uncertainty would kill him.

then I think, well maybe he would burn them with everything else?

however, I think it's important to remember how much these journals meant to him. despite the memories they carry now, they were once his sole confidant in six years of solitude.

even if ford felt any sort of connection to them now, he probably felt like he had to get rid of them.

he probably felt that his work was a burden to those he cared about. that he would have to make the sacrifice to part with them.

I think it would be a great dilemma for him. So I believe he gave them to someone. I think a lot of people would assume it would be Dipper, but to me what it comes down to is that it would have to be someone ford could fully trust.

it would be someone who could see the value in his work despite his mistakes. someone who could fully understand where his passion came from at the very start.

so i believe he gave them to fiddleford

I think fiddleford has had an interest in Ford's old journals ever since his memory started to recover. he remembers something new each time he reads them. fiddleford would be able to keep them safe, keeping ford's mind at ease knowing someone was keeping an eye on them.

and I think that would be enough for him

I’ll give you my top three with a quick summary and what I think is most likely to have happened!

3. Dennis Martin

This is like, the most famous Missing 411 case so you guys have probably heard it before. But, in case you haven’t; in 1969, a six year old boy vanished without a trace in the Great Smoky Mountains. No one has ever found him and no clues to his whereabouts have ever been uncovered, despite a massive search effort.

The part that a lot of people find intriguing is the involvement of the Green Berates. Normally, such a specialized task force wouldn’t be asked to look around the woods for a missing kid. But this is much less weird if you know that they have a training base nearby and they just happened to be available. However! The part that I find interesting is their behavior during the search. They very much seemed to be focused in one small area, away from all the other searchers, progressively moving in one direction as if they were tracking something. The day before the search was called off, they gave instructions to a helicopter team on what to do when the boy was found, as if they believed that they would find him very soon. The next day, the helicopters carried the Green Berates out of the park and the search was called off.

Apparently there was also some weirdness with federal agents making vague threats to witnesses. The Lore Lodge on youtube has several videos about this case (but watch the most recent ones because the old ones contain a lot more unfounded conspiracy stuff, which the host has since stated he no longer believes).

What do I think happened? Realistically, I think Dennis probably fell into a cave or got carried off by a bear. This is the Great Smoky Mountains and it is a very wild area. BUT it has just enough weird factor to make me wonder if something else was going on, although what that is I have no guesses.

2. Tom Messick

Tom was an 82-year old man who has half-deaf, half-blind, and unable to walk very far on his own. In 2015, he went hunting (which basically means he was sat down in a stand and his younger friends walked down the hill to scare deer in his direction so he could shoot them). And basically he just vanished. They went back to the area where he was sitting and he was just gone. No trace of him has ever been found despite a search. His friends believe he couldn’t have walked off far enough to get outside of the search radius due to his condition, so that leaves us with very little to go on.

This, of course, assumes that his hunting buddies are telling the truth. They probably are, since they’ve been very consistent with their story this whole time, but I think the most rational explanation is that they aren’t being entirely truthful. Maybe there was a hunting accident. Maybe Tom knew the end was near and wanted to go out on his own terms doing what he loved. Maybe they just had some kind of problem with him and decided to stage his disappearance. Other than that? Idk. Aliens. Perhaps.

On this subject, I heard about another very similar case once that involved an elderly geology professor and a younger friend looking for quartz in the woods near an old mine, but I can’t remember the details to look it up. It’s basically the same story; younger guy leaves grandpa for a few minutes, turns around, and he’s gone with no trace that he was ever there. If anyone knows this case, please tell me! I’d like to look into some more!

1. The Yuba County Five

This one isn’t technically a “disappearance” since most of the bodies were found, but it does remain unsolved and is very weird. In 1978, five young men went to a basketball game together. They were all friends through a local support group for people with disabilities, and they each had varying degrees of intellectual disability or mental illness. After the game, instead of driving straight home (a route that they had taken many times and would have known), they somehow ended up in the Plumas National Forest on a mountain road, which was in a totally different direction than the way home. That’s strange on its own but not nearly as strange as what happened next.

Joseph Schons was the one and only witness to this, and the details of his story have changed several times. For brevity’s sake, the basic story is that, after visiting several local bars, he drove up the mountain to see where the snowline was, got stuck in the snow, and inadvertently spent the night out on the mountain, where he also had a heart attack (really fucking bad night for him I guess). At some point in the night he saw headlights behind him and climbed a hill to see around the bend (instead of just walking down the road, which would have been vastly easier??) and saw two cars (or maybe one car) with anywhere between two and fifteen people standing around them. He called out for help and they ignored him, so he went back to his car and fell asleep. When he woke up, one car was still parked on the road behind him but everyone was gone. He hiked down the mountain to get help, sat down at a tavern, and muttered “I should have done this two years ago”, as reported by several witnesses. Someone gave him a lift back home and on the way he told them a totally different story, about being tailgated up the mountain by a strange car and generally being pissed off about it.

Okay. So. The five boys never came back down the mountain. Their car was found parked next to Joseph’s on that road, and when the snow melted, three of their bodies were eventually found at various points HIGHER UP the mountain, where they likely died of hypothermia while walking. That road ended at a small ranger base that was uninhabited for the winter, and in one of the trailers they found the body of one of the other men, covered by sheets. Notably, he had a full beard, even though he was clean-shaven when he went missing. This led investigators to conclude that he had survived in the trailer for many weeks before eventually dying of gangrene from frostbite and malnourishment. The body of the fifth man was never found.

What all this means is that, for some reason, these five men left their car and hiked up a mountain road in the freezing cold until three of them froze to death, and the remaining two found the trailer and survived there for upwards of a couple months before one died and the other likely left to find help, probably also dying of hypothermia during the attempt. Obviously the question is why.

Personally, I think the answer is our boy Joseph. His story is very inconsistent and frequently nonsensical. I think the original story he told after hiking down the mountain was probably the truth. It’s possible the boys were tailgating him up the road, causing him to get stuck in the snow, and, due to the fact that he was probably drunk and was known to have a temper, he got out of the car and some kind of altercation occurred. I think he probably pulled a gun on them and they panicked and ran off, or he ordered them to start walking up the road and they obeyed. They were too afraid to turn back and would rather take their chances in the cold than face the lunatic with a gun. Unfortunately, Joseph has since passed away, and the truth of whatever happened died with him.

NOPE not a fan either! I don't really understand why these theories became so popular. no hate- I believe in having fun!- but they've never made much sense to me...

I kind of wanted to list all the evidence of Eram NOT being another character somewhere, sooo no better place than here I suppose

Starting with FRIEND- these two appear separately in the same fight?? this seems like a clear sign they're different entities. also, while Eram has a pretty strong personality- playful but mysterious, a bit snarky, sure of itself- FRIEND has almost no personality to speak of

the "Ramb is Eram" theory is. Confusing to me. why would Ramb, proclaimed #1 Kris supporter, put Kris through a game that obviously makes them uncomfortable (at best) and force them to do things like kill their friends? Why would he pick at Kris's insecurities and trauma? also, he was petrified during Eram's fight.

(i do like some of the possessed Ramb designs though they're pretty cool 👍)

Surprisingly, the Knight is the one that I see the most evidence for. strong similarities between their songs, similar phases of their battles, associated with each other through the Shadow Crystal. even so, this one doesn't make sense- why would the Knight knowingly give Kris something that would make it easier to defeat?

also I know you didn't mention it here, but as for Eram being the Shadow Mantle:

When we saw Rocks meet Imu/Im/Mu we assumed he saw their face and that no one was allowed but the Elders, but when they were fighting, in my translation, Rocks calls Im "King of Ants"(1163), partly I'm sure because of the Saturn transformation giving them spider legs but I'm set on the fact that Ants are Black. To me, this seems to imply that the 'Shadows' that cover Imu isn't a stylistic choice for us the audience, but what they actually look like. Meaning No One Sees Imu.

When fighting Imu, Xebec also specifically separates 'JoyBoy' from 'Davy Jones', which seemingly confirms they aren't the same person, but whether JoyBoy was a Davy is still up in the air.

Similarly, Imu claims Rocks has 'No part in Mu and Davy's fate' though I've seen some translations say 'The grievance between Mu and Davy', either way it implies Davy D. Jones came first, because we know When JoyBoy was, and that there was something Before Joyboy, —3 Worlds with 2 Wars/Big Events,— with the Second being the Void Centery with Joyboy. So Jones must have been the First War and from the First World, presumably with Imu.

This also may disprove Imu's identity since they'd have to be even Older than the Void Centery and so Not Lili originally. Whether that means Imu took over Lili like a demon possession... well.

Another thing is how Im talks about the Giants. The use of "Found" and/or "New" at first made me think they never met the Giants? Which would mean Joyboy wasn't a Giant as the very big Strawhat would have us believe. Now, as I've had time to think about it, it could be that they're differentiating between New/Modern Giants and Ancient Giants, because we know there's a difference; they aren't the first to separate the two. Evolution aside, New Giants have Ancient Giant blood, but they aren't the same. It's possible Imu, who's been around apparently since the First World, would have known the Ancient Giants, and these new ones are a first for them. So Joyboy may have been an Ancient Giant, though his silhouette had no horns. Alternatively, we've seen Imu seemingly change size, both because of possession and in Mary Geoise, so its possible Imu just became tiny when walking into what looked like a freezer, or frozen room next to a garden.

Now, when Xebec became possessed, he spoke to Garp and Roger with his mind; Roger who we know can hear the Voice of All Things. And I was very caught off guard because to me, it always seemed like the VoAT was like, Godly; Nature or the Sea. While we have seen it connected to Sea Kings, their thoughts and the control of them, but we've also been given hints that the Sea Kings Aren't Normal. (Alien Theory my beloved) So I brushed that aside in a way, but now having Rocks seemingly use the VoAT like telepathy? I'm unsure what that means, because Voice of All Things isn't a name I'd brush aside; it seems bigger than Monster Telepathy and I feel like it's been used in ways/places where Sea Kings speaking wouldn't make sense? But I could be wrong. This does confirm that Garp also hears the VoAT, if it is the same thing!

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I’m gonna be talking about how the mutant hierarchy works in my version!

The highest spot on the hierarchy is reserved for The Mother, the origin of mutant kind (canon counterparts is the supreme leader, but she’s removed from Jim’s brother and acts as her own entity.) She was the first traces of mutation on earth, bringing with her death and plague. 500 years before the main story begins she entered metamorphosis and has spent half a millennium incubating in her chrysalis.

Right under her are ascended paragons, normal paragons who were chosen and altered by The Mother, giving them more strength than the normal paragons. There are two ascended paragons, High Priestess, previously Omega (shown in image) and Glorious Reaper, previously Iota. When a paragon ascends, the six gems adorning their form are transformed into star markings, which can either form in the eyes, on the skin, or as a hole somewhere on their body.

Under them are normal paragons, who’re given that name as a reflection of their superiority over normal mutants. Paragons both have a more monstrous true form and a human-like form, which uses less energy and is therefore used more often than their true form. There are only six paragons, not including the ascended paragons. Each paragon reflects an aspect of disease/parasitism. Beta is disease transmitted through water (canon counterpart is Verruca) Delta is parasitism among bugs (canon counterpart is Wart, image is shown below) Gamma is Disease that collects on metals, Theta is disease in plants, Zeta is mania/aggression caused from disease (also shown below) and Alpha is airborne disease. High Priestess (Omega) is the parasite’s ability to reprogram the host to protect it, and Glorious Reaper (Iota) is the death that follows disease and parasitism. The Mother would be the personification of disease and parasitism itself, the paragons being born directly from her. The paragons act as leaders for their respective strains of mutation.

Right under paragons are the colossus. The colossus are similar to paragons in the sense that they have a true form and a human form, but the difference is that their true forms are much smaller than the paragons, the colossus being the size of a large building, and paragons being thrice the size. The colossus were also human one, unlike the paragons, who were born from mutated cells that were advanced by The Mother. A colossus can only become a colossus after being chosen during the larvae state and are given more energy while going through metamorphosis. A colossus is usually selected on how much strength and resilience they have during the larvae state. A human who resists mutation more is more likely to become a colossus in mutation. The colossus have the memories of their human life erased during metamorphosis.

Under them are envoys. Envoys are mutants who can be manifested by both paragons and colossus, though the colossus can only make a few at a time and only for a few minutes, white paragons can have as many as they want for as long as they want. An example of an envoy is Centi (canon counterpart is cavity, seen in image with Delta)

A unique case in the hierarchy are born mutants, aka mutants who were exposed to mutation as babies and lived past early mutation. The only born mutant so far is Mica (canon counterpart is Stoney.) Born mutants cannot become a colossus, since they were mutated at such an early age, they develop like normal humans, going through growth stages throughout their life.

After that are regular Mutants. They are simply what most larvae turn into after metamorphosis if they do not become a colossus. They cannot speak but they can think, though they cannot remember their human life like the colossus.

Next is Larvae. Larvae are simply new mutants, who have just gone through the final steps of mutation. Larvae do not have the capabilities to think or speak, only gaining this ability after metamorphosis if they become colossus.

The last in the hierarchy are the early mutated. Early mutated are as low as they are because they’re still human. Other mutants are ordered to leave early mutants alone if they have visible signs of mutation and/or if they are predicted to be colossus after metamorphosis. An example of an early mutated is Sheriff, though his mutation is covered up, so he is unfortunately allowed to be targeted by mutants as they would a non-mutated human.

might get long sorry.

Let's go from general to specific.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS EXPANSION BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS I'D CHANGE.

I liked how everyone came together, cause at the end is what the game is about, connection and helping others.

I loved exploring Garlemald, and learn about it's people beyond just the faceless evil.

AT THE SAME DAMN TIME WHY IN THE FUCK DO WE BUILD UP A REGION ONLY FOR IT TO BE HALF A MAP?!? OR WHY DO WE HAVE 1 AND A HALF GARLEANS HELPING WHEN WE HAVE OTHER THREE THAT WE KNOW BETTER?

Bear with me here as the local Cid lover I'm about to go on a rant: WE HAVE CID AND NERO; FUCKING GENIUSES, ONE OF THEM WITH EXTENSIVE MILITARY TRAINING, THAT DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHEN WE TRY TO HELP THEIR PLACE OF BIRTH. AND THEN WE HAVE GAIUS WHO'S LITERALLY THE HIGHEST MILITARY HEAD OTHER THAN ZENOS HIMSELF, WHO AGAIN DOES NOTHING FOR HIS COUNTRY EVEN WHEN HE SWORE TO FREE IT FROM THE ASCIANS.

(as you can imagine I'm very angry about why we used ONLY Lucia and Max when my boys are right there)

Honestly I think Garlemald could have been handled on it's own expansion, like make Garlemald and Vitra one expansion, Old Sharlyan and Elpis another.

Elpis, good lord I loved Elpis, I loved meeting Hyth and Venat, I LOVED LOVED meeting Hades properly, not just Emet, BUT HADES. (If you know me you know I have a very big weakspot for tragic villains) HADES WAS FANTASTIC, someone grab Renee and shake him giving him thanks cause I swear to god his portrayal of the two sides is Oscar worthy, THE ONLY TIME I WAS MORE INVESTED ON A VOICE ON THIS GAME WAS FUCKING ARDBERT CRYING ON THE FIRST ABOUT BEING A GHOST FOR A CENTURY.

To be able to see Hades, the kind man that hides under all the pain Emet went through... It was so heart-wrenching, to finally understand what he was fighting for, to see how much he did lost himself in trying to bring everyone back...

I loved Hyth so much too, he's so confident in his friends, he never doubts them, he knows we have soemthing to do with Azem and he trusts us IMMEDIATELY, he's such a good friend, he tells us about the things Hades won't, and in the end of all things, in the Moon where he has been wandering for millenia he STILL RECOGNIZES US, CAUSE WE ARE AZEM AND HE LOVES AZEM. (writing this with the LoTR soundtrack in the background was a bad idea, now I'm crying)

Venat.... I have conflicting feelings with her (Which you CAN TOTALLY SEE ON HOW MY AZEM OCS REACT TO HER) on one hand I understand why she would keep things from the convocation, as she was part of it and got how they worked and such... BUT MA'AM I'M SURE YOU COULD HAVE THOUGHT A COUPLE OF SAFEGUARDS MORE FOR CERTAIN THINGS.

I understand that in turning into the Mothercrystal she also lost herlsef to it, in the same way Elidibus lost himself to his purpose, It's one of the things I like the most, THE PARALLELS.

I'M A SUCKER FOR PARALLELS AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE ZENOS SO MUCH AS OUR FOIL.

Old Sharlyan... Dear god I REALLY REALLY wanted to slap the teins father a couple of times, like bish come here, our hair might look the same but I wear it better (Astrid uses the same hairstyle as him)

I liked the whole forum part, not as much as Elpis or Garlemald but it was alright, BUT AND GET READY FOR THE SECOND PART OF MY CID AND NERO RANT:

HOW IN ALL THE FUCKS DO WE NOT CALL THE BEST FUCKING ENGINEER IN THE DAMN STAR TO HELP US MAKE A DAMN ROCKET?!?!? I'm not saying this as Cid's wife, no I'm saying this as a person who knows nothing of engineering, If I have to handle something like the Ragnarok I call my friend who knows how to fix ANYTHING, and who has been proving himself as a fucking genius for the last 10+ years of the damn game going all the way back to 1.0, HE AND NERO FOUND A WAY TO TRAVEL THROUGH FUCKING TIME FOR FUCKS SAKE, AND YOU DON'T THINK TO CALL THEM TO FIX TEH RAGNAROK ONCE WE REACH THE POINT OF NO RETURN??????? I understand not doing it before, secrets bullshit... but once we see the fucking clock ticking, call him to fix it not ME.

I'm going to change the subject before I get too angry, I'll write something to fix it later... IS THE AYMERIC BULLSHIT ALL OVER AGAIN SE, LET THE MEN JOIN THE FIGHT.

Thavnir is gorgeous, and I loved Vitra so much, to see a dragon with such love for humans that he WOULD JOIN THEM... It was beautiful, the places are beautiful, the people are kind and the cutlure was fascinating, I love learning about other cultures AND IS WHERE KALEH WAS BORN (Kaleh, is the little miqo that Arslan and Aren adopted during the whole people turning into monsters part of the game, her family was unfortunately dead, and she was a baby so they just adopted her)

I really loved the expansion don't get me wrong, I do thing things could have been handled better in two expansions instead of one, but... At least it will feed my fics for a while to come.

LAST

long post because i have SO MUCH to say about this

i still have a huge obsession with The Interwebsseries gijinkas/design of Wikipedia & Urban Dictionary im still upset to this day that they've rarely interacted