A Few Weeks Back I Looked Up The Source Of “we Deserve A Soft Epilogue, My Love” Because It’s

I love the casual refusal to tell the readers Yadriel’s deadname in Cemetery Boys. All the opportunities a cis writer would have taken to reveal it are firmly blocked by the narration. It’s not there because it is not an essential or necessary piece of information and I love that. You can still tell Yadriel’s feelings about it, how painful it is to be deadnamed, all without revealing it. Cis writers could never.

Noelle Build Guide

Noelle is a character that everyone has access to and is a fan favorite. She’s also been on several rate ups recently so I figured I’d go ahead and do a guide for everyone’s favorite shield maiden.

Role

Noelle is an interesting case because when you read her talents and kit she screams support, but she’s actually much better as a DPS....if built right. This is in large part due to her not regenerating energy well on her own. Generally, supports need good ER to be effective at their role. It’s one of the main reasons Bennett is so good at what he does. When a support can’t contribute energy particles to the rest of the team it makes them feel very clunky to play and outclassed by other supports.

Basically, Noelle is a support character that needs to be supported, so it’s honestly easier just to build her as a DPS.

She can be a bit challenging to build at c0 for this role, but doable. If your Noelle is c6 then she’s a monster.

Noelle can still be a great support, especially at c1+. She just needs other supports that can help her regenerate energy so she can keep her ult up.

Gameplay tip: When using her to heal use her spin charge attack to get the most healing per second

Talents

As a DPS prioritize Noelles normal attacks first, her Burst second and her shield last. As a support do the exact opposite!

Noelle’s talents ascend with books of Resistance, Hilichurl Masks and at higher levels, Dvalin’s Claw.

As a support Noelle is fine to stop at Lv70/80. As a DPS take her to Lv90

Weapons

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Redhorn Stonethresher; The Unforged; Wolf’s Gravestone; Skyward Pride

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Serpent Spine; Whiteblind; Blackcliff Slasher; Litchic Blade;

Redhorn Stonethresher is BiS. If your energy recharge is high enough, the BP weapon Serpent Spine is second best for main carry Noelle because she can abuse its passive. If ER is low Skyward Pride can be better than SS. If you don’t want to spend the $10 and don’t have any of the 5⭐️ listed above there are other options in the blackcliff and litchic claymores. Keep in mind that Atk% claymores like the Unforged and WGS are better than *most* 4 star options, but not as effective as the other options listed since Noelle scales off Defense, especially with c6.

The craftable weapon Whiteblind is BiS for support Noelle. It’s not really recommended for DPS as much as the other listed options though.

Artifacts

Overview - DPS

(4pc) Husk of Opulent Dreams; (2pc) Husk, (2pc) Archaic Petra; (4pc) Retracing Bolide; (4pc) Gladiator

If your Noelle is c6 Husk of Opulent Dreams is without a doubt the best set bonus to go for. Even prior to c6 It’s still the most consistent option.

Stats

Timepiece: Atk% or Def%

*Run Atk% unless your Noelle is c6, then run Def%

Goblet: Geo Dmg Bonus

Circlet: Crit

Sub Stat Priority

(~180%) Energy Recharge > Crit > Def% > Atk% > Def > Atk

Overview - Support

(4pc) Maiden Beloved; (2pc) Maiden, (2pc) Husk of Opulent Dreams; (2pc) Maiden, (2pc) Retracing Bolide

Any of the above sets can work depending on what you want to get out of Noelle. For more healing, Maiden is the best bet but it can also be paired with Husk for stronger shield or retracing Bolide to make her more tanky during sweeping time. 🧹

Note: Defenders is better for overall stronger shield whereas Bolide is better if Noelle is on the field a lot. Bolide only affects the wearer, not the entire team.

Stats

Timepiece: Def %

Goblet: Def%

Circlet: Healing Bonus

Sub Stat Priority

Def% > Energy Recharge > Def

Support Noelle keeps it simple with stats. Stack DEF% and ER and she’s good to go. Shoot for at least 180% ER

Team Comps

BiS teammates for Noelle are other geo characters that can help her regenerate energy particles. This is almost a necessity as a DPS to keep the uptime of her ult. Gorou is her best support as DPS.

Beyond Geo Resonance Noelle doesn’t really have too many limitations as far as team comps go. As a DPS she pairs well with sub DPS who can battery her to keep her ult up. Gorou, Zhongli and Albedo are amazing options if you have them. Bennett and Fischl are good partners for their shield breaking capabilities and Fischl’s off-field damage. Xingqiu is also a great battery. As a support you just swap Noelle in to tank damage and heal her your teammates with her charged attacks so really she works with anyone, but she will need a battery.

Team Samples

F2P - DPS

Noelle + Geo MC + Xiangling + Fischl

DPS

Noelle + Zhongli + Albedo + Gorou

Noelle + Geo + Bennett + Fischl

F2P - Support

Geo MC + Noelle + Xiangling + Fischl

Kaeya + Noelle + Fischl + Geo MC

Support

Ningguang + Bennett + Noelle + Xiangling

Zhongli + Bennett + Noelle + Fischl

TLDR

Noelle is a really cute character that comes in clutch if she’s built right. She is much better overall with her constellations but still viable even at c0. Her talents ascend with books of Resistance, Hilichurl Masks, and Dvalin’s Claw. Serpent Spine and Whiteblind are her best weapons for DPS and Support respectively. Husk of Opulent Dreams is her best artifact set.She relies on her teammates to regenerate energy for her since she can’t do it on her own.

If you’re a Noelle stan hopefully this guide was a bit useful :)

Beidou and Xinyan are up next!

that hum he does when he’s reading comments

Parktown Themes

#1

Did you ever had an experience where you wanted to say something, but afraid you'll be hurt?

We've all been there. I tell you right now, Let out your feelings. Tell them what you feel, from the bottom of your heart. Don't keep your feelings inside a bottle that you know you'll never open. Now you ask me, what about the consequences?

If I do this, will my feelings be hurt from what I will do? Oh, sweetie. It will. It will and it will hurt badly. But if you say what you want to say, you'll be free from the bottle you kept to yourself.

I finally figured out what it was about IKSW that I didn't make a whole big splash about it unlike Casey's other two books. It's about the good, the bad and the ugly.

Shara had a secret. And to protect that secret she took an ugly, compicated, overcompensating road. Chloe wanted to define herself so went down with the 'Bad Bitch Deal With It'™ persona route. Smith figured out the clues about halfway through but kept silent. Most of the characters in IKSW do bad things, and as teenagers living in a stressful controlling environment, while it may not be justified, the source of their choices can absolutely be understood.

And that's something that's been missing in RWRB and OLS. Alex and Henry never do anything outright morally wrong. The OLS gang, as chaotic as they are, commit multiple felonies but not a moral wrong. Maybe they're grownups, maybe their circumstances are different, maybe Casey has progressed with their writing style. Either way, this is a new thing to have been introduced in the Mcquistonverse.

And let's face it, none of us likes having the ugly side of us being pointed out. And as brilliant an author Casey is, they've pointed something out to each of us that resonated, and those things are not necessarily sunshine and rainbows. Which means, we've put it away, let it wash over and forgotten about it. Because of course I'd rather read about Henry playing piano to Alex or Niko being a psychic plant dad than realize how angry and hurt and raging I've been as a teenager, and how much of that stemmed from the lack of emotional support from the people who were supposed to be it

Reading TBoSaS was an eye opening experience for me because for a minute I was like Katniss and Peeta had it so much better than Lucy and these other children who were treated like literal animals- transporting them like livestock and putting them in cages not to mention the very public, dehumanizing parades. But then I was horrified at myself because I couldn’t believe myself. It wasn’t better at all, Katniss and Peeta were brought there for the same exact purpose and putting them in fancy dresses and providing them with expensive amenities doesn’t take it away. It’s still the same horrible, wretched, gruesome tradition, I just thought it was better because it was also wrapped up nicely with a pretty bow which I guess was the whole point.

pspspss for @pecanplease based on this post

_X_

Larissa Lardo still isn’t sure about the whole “hockey manager” thing. It’s decent money, and the guys are nice enough, but they’re an art student for fuck’s sake. (They’re keeping the name whatever happens, its cool as shit, and fits way better than they’re given name). What are they even doing here, hanging out at the Haus when there’s not even a kegster happening. It’s 3pm on a Sunday in November and they’re standing on the porch, still debating whether or not this is a good idea.

Fuck it whatever they think, and push open the door, braced for the inevitable wave of sound that normally occurs.

Nothing. There’s no one in the living room, no sound from the tv, no blender being subjected to Jack’s protein shakes. Where is everyone?

Shitty told them to come hang, and there’s no way that he would have been deliberately cruel. He’s here, even if the rest of the haus-dwellers are out. As they move up the stairs, it’s still freakishly quiet until they get to Shitty’s door, and Lardo can finally hear talking. They knock and after Shitty yells, “Lards get your ass in here!” Lardo pushes the door open. They take one look around, curious, and -

That’s their art on the wall. The pieces Lardo threw in the dumpster two weeks ago, angry at the world and coming off a horrible critique from her professor. The small triptych of ducklings. The abstract inspired by Lake Quad. The small portrait of their neighbor back home. The still life of a pong table they painted after the first kegster of the year.

The white noise in Lardo’s ears clears long enough for them to hear, “ - just left in the dumpster by Faber can you believe it? Who would want to throw this stuff away, it’s fuckin’ sick! I made Jack help me carry it back here there was no way I was going to risk someone else taking it or the trash guys coming before I could get back for a second trip, ya know?”

He put their art on his wall. He put their art on his wall. He went out of his way and made his best friend help gather their art and put it. On. His. Wall.

“…Paging Dr. Lardo. What’s up with you Lards? You look like someone hit you over the head.”

“That’s my stuff up there,” they breathe, not able to catch their breath properly yet from the sudden desire to cry.

“What?”

Lardo clears their throat, do not cry do not cry do Not Fucking Cry -

“That’s my art on your wall. I tossed it two weeks ago right before practice.”

“HOLY SHIT BRAH! Lards, that’s s’awesome! You have to sign it for me, all of it, right now - where’s my sharpie?” He’s rummaging in his desk, still chattering excitedly, when he straightens up suddenly and spins around, eyes narrowed. “Wait. I found it in the dumpster. You threw it out. Why would you throw this stuff out? It’s seriously so good Lardo.”

“Just a bad day I guess,” they say, trying not to make it a huge deal. Lardo doesn’t want to poke that raw place inside themselves just yet. Not even in front of Shitty.

Shitty just looks at them for a second, considering. For a second, Lardo thinks he’s going to pry and that is not going to go well. At all. Then his face clears back to it’s normal amusement. “Well, I’m even more vindicated in forcing Jack to help me. And you’re still signing this stuff. Get over here.”

Lardo goes, and can feel the corner of their mouth quirking upward, almost against their will.

Cool, so we’re doing this. Managing the hockey team.

Uni was fun today

Need help with artifacts? Here are some guides for beginners:

I made these and posted them on the Hoyo lab forums for Genshin, but thought the info wouldnt hurt to share here either.

These guides are aimed towards people who are beginners/ dont know how artifacts work, so more experienced players will probs find not much of use here lol.

Ask questions if you dont understand anything, I'm here to spread knowledge :))

A short story about Persephone’s myth that I wrote this summer.