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dicedungeons-and-dragons · 5 years ago

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Scales

Note: As most of you know my campaign has well as truly taken over my life and I’ve been writing little (and not so little) stories based around it. And I’ve decided to post them from time to time, they’re going to be tagged ‘cotd fics’ if you want to blacklist them, I’m also sticking them under a ‘read more’ but I know they glitch a lot so sorry if it doesn’t take. Here’s a little one because I’ve been plagued by the fact that dragon bloodline sorcerers canonically have scales.

His mother noticed when he was five.

She found little patches of pebbled skin on his shoulders, along his elbows and knees, and running along his spine. The skin wasn’t red, or itchy, or like any rash she’d seen but she’d been worried and taken him to the local physician anyway. The older man hadn’t known what to make of the tough little bumps either and had given them a special lotion. Waylan got in the habit of putting it on the patches every night and morning, but the pebbled skin never went away.

***

His father takes notice of it when he’s nine.

His mother has been dead for eleven months and things are different now. There’s no more music constantly drifting through their home, his father works longer hours, and Waylan is silently expected to care for himself. The expectation is distant. His father doesn’t call him a burden, doesn’t scoff or roll his eyes when he asks for something, but he makes a point of showing Waylan how things are done in the house and where things are so that he doesn’t have to ask for them again. So Waylan learns how to make and tend fires around the house, for warmth and cooking, how to do his laundry, and eventually, where the first-aid kit is.

He burns his hand on the fire poker, not having realized that he’d left it resting too close to the roaring flame he’d brought to life. His father heard his scream from across the house and he’d come running. The sharp red line already had two blisters bubbling up inside of it and his father had picked him up and taken him straight to the bathroom, setting him on the edge of the tub before rooting around in the small dresser that sat beside the door. He’d put a thick cream on the raw skin, wrapped it, and warned Waylan to be more careful.

When he’d taken the bandages off a few days later the blisters were gone, but a distinct line of that pebbled skin had risen in their place.

***

Waylan figures it out when he’s fourteen.

After his hands catch fire, after he can suddenly hold a piece of wire and talk to someone over a hundred feet away, after he realizes he has magic. And once he realizes it he starts to research, finding scant moments to slip away from his father when they’re in Creta so that he can buy as many books as his bag can hold about the arcane. And when they’re home he reads. He learns about the different sources people have for their abilities. There are people who use words and songs to pull their magic from the strings of the universe, people who through their own means and study are able to learn the craft like a science, people who draw power from the natural world, and people who are just born with arcane magic. Though his mother had taught him to play piano when he was still little he doubts his fumblings there are the source of the fire he can feel burning under his skin. So he figures he must have just been born like this.

And there are plenty of records of other born sorcerers. There are some who can’t contain their magic and strange, sometimes destructive, things happen around them. But he understands what Sabroth and Dojhan say when they speak draconic and he’s never been taught. And he thinks that maybe he should be more surprised to find out that there’s dragon blood somewhere in his family line. But he’s more relieved just to find some answers. He reads the chapter on mages with dragon blood four times that night. And when he goes to bed he traces his fingers lightly over the raised rough skin along his shoulders and the backs of his forearms.

Scales. Thin and flesh colored, not the metallic (or dare he think, chromatic) color of his ancestor, but another remnant of them. Something left behind to protect him.

He stops using the strange lotions from his childhood.

***

Gadreel doesn’t notice them until after they start to date.

That’s not a surprise really. The protective patches blend in with his skin, they’re pretty nondescript until they’re felt. Gad’s fingers twitch where they’re curled around his hips, his calloused fingers taking note of the unexpected tough texture.

“Scales,” Waylan mutters against his throat. He wants to try and press himself closer into Gad’s lap, but he’s still unsure and off balance. The stump of his arm aches and it would really kill the mood if he fell over because he couldn’t catch himself.

“Scales?”

“Dragon blood.” He says in draconic, nipping sharply along the edge of his jaw. He taught Gadreel the tongue he’d been given by birthright. “Now fuck me.” Waylan adds in the orcish Gad had taught him.

He doesn’t comment on the patches of scales he finds as he runs his hands along the rest of his body.

***

Ray finds out shortly after.

She is their resident healer, though both Lugh and Vani can make due in a pinch, and he is the resident torture victim. He’s got a lot of healing to do. Ray chatters away at him when he seeks her out to take a look at his arm. She healed a lot of the damaged, closed the bone over the marrow and stopped the bleeding when they’d found him. But the damage to the muscles and nerves required a check-up. So he lets her chatter and waits patiently as she finishes unwrapping the bandages to get a better look.

“Oh,” he doesn’t look at her or at the rough stump of his arm. His stomach twists and sinks. That wasn’t a bad sound necessarily, but he doesn’t like the idea that she’s surprised by some new development with the injury. “Does this always happen when you’re hurt?” Teeth clenched, he finally glances down at the stump.

The scales are thicker, thicker then he’s ever seen them anywhere on his body, almost as defined as Dojhan’s. They’re an unhappy, flushed raw color where they’re swelling around the stitches Ray’s supposed to be removing.

“Never been hurt like this before.” He grunts in response. Ray mulls that over for a second. He wonders what inane thing she’ll come up with this time and half wants to yank away from her touch. He’s not half bad with a medical kit himself, he could probably take care of this on his own the slow way.

But instead Ray just says, “Tell me if anything hurts.” And starts trimming away the black thread. When she checks the bandages on his chest as well they find a similar line of rough thick scales.

***

He notices after a few more months of traveling with the party that the scales don’t go back to the way they were before.

The ones around the stump of his left arm are still thick and rigid, a protective insulation against the potential discomfort of his mechanical prosthetic when he manages to procure one. As are the ones tracing the wound left by Gadreel’s axe. But he starts to notice the scales growing thicker in other places. Along his other arm, down the front of his chest and thighs, spider webbing out from the slash the Crimson Sign left across the hollow of his throat. The more they fight, the more his magic grows, the more scales he feels on his skin. They’re still invisible save for the pink tinged ones that line his scars, but Waylan can’t help but note the changes.

The scales are for protection and the gods know he could use as much as he can get traveling with this lot. And when he leaves them, leaves Gadreel, only a few days after the winter solstice to travel to one of the most isolated and dangerous places in the world, he's grateful to carry that protection on his skin.

***

He tells Corzaren.

They’re in the ruined castle, and after weeks he’s finally persuaded the undead creature to remove his armor. Seeing what two hundred years of decay has done to the knight is strange, but in a different way than he’d expected it to be. Waylan had known that Corzaren would be nightmarish. But the skeleton in front of him with red coal bright pinpricks of light burning in its eye sockets isn’t frightening really. Though he wonders if he’d feel differently if he didn’t know Corzaren as well as he does.

“Can I?” He raises his flesh hand.

“Of course.” Corzaren leans forward, still far taller than him even without his thick armored boots and helmet, and lets Waylan carefully cup his fingers over the bones of his face. It is strange to see the mandible part and hear the words slip out with no assistance from lips or tongue. The bones are rough under his fingers and the heavy thrum of necrotic energy that keeps the knight’s soul bound and animating his corpse makes Waylan’s hand start to go cold and numb after a few moments.

“Can you feel this?” He asks, drops his fingers down to the creature’s neck so he can carefully touch the interlocking pieces of his spine.

“Vaguely. I mostly note the pressure. I imagine I feel your touch as much as you can feel this.” He reaches out and runs his fingers along the metal arm. And the magic and machinery that keep the prosthetic going does transmit some of that sensation to him. Mainly a whisper of pressure, and a slight twinge that he suspects is the arm’s magic reacting to Corzaren’s necrotic energies. But no registration of texture or temperature.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“I am content being as close to you as I am able.” That makes his heart do a funny thing behind his ribs so Waylan just settles for tracing careful fingers along the thin bones of Corzaren’s instead. They feel brittle, like even he could break them without much effort, but when he does press a little more roughly he finds them solid as steel under his hand. Corzaren doesn’t even acknowledge the attempt, and to be honest Waylan wouldn’t have even tried if he thought for a second he’d actually do the other man harm.

When Corzaren’s touch moves from his prosthetic to his cheek he doesn’t say anything, just leans in to the touch slightly as he continues his inspection of the knight’s skeleton. There’s no flesh left on him, and Waylan’s a little grateful for that. He thinks this would be a lot more unpleasant if Cor looked like some of the bodies mouldering away on the lawn. Instead the old bones are clean, and scarred. A deep gouge in his rib here, a nick along his vertebrae there, and notably a crack, long and thin a few centimeters from his sternum on the left side of his ribcage. When Way’s fingers hesitate there Corzaren says,

“When Westly finished the ritual he asked me to fall on his blade. He was too far gone to sever his own soul from his body, but if I was willing then he could sever mine. Spare me the fate that was coming for everyone in the castle.”

“And avenge him and his mother?”

“No, Westly was a kind man, I don’t think revenge would have ever crossed his mind.”

Waylan doesn’t say anything when Crozaren’s fingers drop to his throat. He’s not wearing his necklace, and the pale pink scar smiles along his throat. “Same person who did almost all the rest of it.” Is all he offers in explanation. He hasn’t told Corzaren about the Sign yet. He’ll get around to it eventually. He doesn’t flinch as the thin bones run over the scar, but they make a loud rough sound in the quiet room despite the soft touch. The undead creature pauses and then does it again, as if he doesn’t know quite what to make of the discordant and unfamiliar sound. “I grow scales over my deepest scars.”

“Were you anyone else I would think that was a metaphor.”

“Good thing I’m not then.”

***

Terran knows he has scales after the first five minutes they speak.

Which is fair, he supposes, considering the man is a real dragon and an old one at that. He’s been around long enough to have seen other sorcerers.

(“Do you have any kids?” He asked one day when the thought crossed his mind.

“Absolutely not.” The other had replied with such an air of disgust Waylan couldn’t be sure it wasn’t intentionally exaggerated as a joke. “I have far more important things to do than contend with offspring or run around spreading my seed like a base animal, unlike some.”)

Waylan doesn’t realize how nice it is not to have to explain himself until he suddenly doesn’t have to. When they start sleeping together and Terran’s hands find the patch of scales running along his sternum, Waylan's mouth automatically opens to speak. But Terran doesn’t hesitate, just scrapes the whisper of claws between the interlocking pattern before continuing on. He doesn’t even blink. And the thing is Waylan never thought he was particularly self-conscious about the patches, but having them treated as if they are no more interesting than any other piece of skin loosens a coil of tension that he hadn’t even realized was taut in him. Terran neither pays them special attention nor ignores them. And that bland acceptance is something Waylan didn’t even know he wanted.

Over the course of the next few months that treatment has Waylan not thinking about them as if they’re anything strange or special either. It’s just his skin. Not his skin and the patches of scales. It’s all just him, and it’s no more worth acknowledgement than his eyelashes or fingernails.

So maybe that’s why he’s so confused when Terran starts muttering, voice low and angry, one rare sunny afternoon as they’re laying tangled in a pile of furs together. He feels the dragon’s fingers on his spine, pressing and pulling at his skin, it’s not painful, but the skin is still tight. The draconic letters he’d had Terran carve into his skin finished healing a few weeks ago, but it’s still tender.

“What’s got your tail in a twist?” He mumbles into the cradle of his flesh arm, reaching back with the metal one to push Terran’s probing fingers away. “If you wrote it wrong I’m going to kill you.”

“Oh no pet, it’s worse than branding you incorrectly.” He hisses, smacking Waylan’s hand away in response and putting his fingers back on his skin. “You’re marked correctly, and I’m afraid I’m debating the merits of killing you.”

A few months ago a statement like that would have actually frightened him. Now, “If you’re going to break up with me at least wait until Corzaren comes back so he can sooth my heartbreak.”

Terran swats him on the ass. “I’m being quite serious, brat.”

“Sure, why are you dumping me?”

“Because your scales are coming in.” Terran half snarls.

And that does give him pause. “My scales? You’ve already seen my scales.”

“Not these,” to accentuate his point he grinds his thumbs along the inner curve of his shoulder blades. Waylan makes a surprised sound in the back of his throat, the scales there must have gotten more pronounced because Terran puts a fair amount of pressure when he touches them and they ache as he draws his hand back.

“Ow.”

“Suck it up I have bigger problems.”

“You know what, you’re a jackass, I’m dumping you.” He makes precisely no move to extract himself from the furs and go find his scattered clothes.

“Your wing plates are starting to grow.” Terran finally says.

“What?”

“They serve as a place for you to focus your magic and manifest your wings once you’re able to sustain that kind of power.” Waylan considers this for a moment. He knew that sorcerers like him could eventually learn how to create wings and fly, he didn’t know there would be a physical change to accompany the magical one.

“Okay, so why are you mad?”

“Because your skin is pink.”

“Yes. Sorry I can’t be as sallow and pale as you.”

Terran pinches the back of his neck this time and Way yelps. “You are my blood,” he hisses in draconic. “And we do not come in pink.”

Ah. So that's it. “So you’re saying you won’t love me anymore if we clash colors?”

“I should have known from your affinity with fire.” He laments. “But with your eyes and hair I had hoped. A metallic would be better than--” He lets out a string of curses, mostly in draconic, but Waylan thinks he hears the rough incomprehensible sounds of abyssal thrown in as well.

“Would you rather I be green?” Like you.

“That was never a possibility, pet,” Terran finally says, huffing out a sigh before pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. “You’re far too terrible at manipulation and subterfuge for starters.” He doesn’t bother taking it as an insult. “But really? Couldn’t you have been gold? Brass even?”

“I can’t control my blood.”

“Have you tried?” They’re quiet for a few minutes. And eventually Terran’s hands return to his shoulder blades and he runs his fingers over the scales again and again.

“When do you think I’ll be able to fly?” Waylan finally asks.

“I’m not sure, it’ll depend on how quickly you develop your gifts. But I think you’ll enjoy it.” He makes a soft sound of agreement in the back of his throat. “It will be torture to fly that slowly, but when you can perhaps I can teach you a thing or two.”

“You’re going to still want to be seen with me if I am red?”

“I suppose, and if I change my mind swatting you out of the sky will be a very efficient way of solving that problem.” Waylan huffs, but doesn’t say anything. After all, Terran doesn’t stop pressing soft reverent touches to the forming wing plates.

He’s twenty-one when he learns he’s going to have true scales and the wings to match. And he’s greatly looking forward to showing them off.

#call of the divine #cotd fics #waylan #dnd fic #dnd character #ray #corzaren #terran #oc: waylan #oc: corzaren #oc: terran #oc: gadreel #my writing

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atimefordragons · 4 years ago

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𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖘, 𝖉𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆 𝖌𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊

☾♔; February 13, 2021 ☾♔; 4:03pm ☾♔; sotd: Love Story - Taylor's Version ☾♔; cotd: Joel Miller ☾♔; Circle Collage ☾♔; GALENTINES/VALENTINES

HAPPY VALENTINES!!! AND HAPPY GALENTINES DAY!!!

This is an official valentines for ALL OF YOU. Everyone. I'm going all out this year, so a lot of you can expect an additional valentines card on tumblr tomorrow, but it's slightly more awkward and creepy to make an individual card for someone I've never spoken to on urstyle. tumblr is like a free for all place, so it's not as creepy, just thirsty. They're scheduled to post throughout the day, but you can find them all under this tag http://atimefordragons.tumblr.com/tagged/clara's%20valentines%2021

Anyway, 2020 was a YEAR, so thank you to everyone who was there for me through all of the crazy shit, and I'm not just talking about covid here. My new years resolution was to be a nice person now (it's hard 'cause people suck), but you guys just fill my heart with so much joy and love. I know I talk about Pedro 24/7, but you guys have that same effect of immediately brightening my day too. Baby, you light my world like nobody else. (You are all baby).

This card is for EVERYONE but special shoutouts to: @themadmonarchist @kzombi3 @.telperion @.queen-rhaenyra @.adastra @.jess-h @.ObiThotKenobi @.nikkit13 @ayzrules @.eternal

I don't have the words to express all you've done for me the past year, so I'll take some of SRK's, love is friendship and I haven't felt that more than in this past year 'cause f you guys, so thank you so much. 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

#urstyle #circle collage layout #mine #valentines 2021 #clara's valentines 2021 #valentines cards

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twoscoopsblog · 4 years ago

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CotD 4/16/2021 - City of Shadows

(Note to self - post CotD on the right blog)

Why do I kind of love this? I can see how this is very slow ramp, and draws a target on you, but you put this into a deck that steals control, turning opponent’s creatures into mana? Perfection. Or perhaps into a proliferate deck. Start with exiling some poor saproling, then proliferate the land a few times? Get yourself a land that taps for CCCCCCCCCCCCC, and then cast some big X spells or have some of those new Prismari guys who care about mana value of sorceries. This can be a lot of fun is what I’m saying.

#City of Shadows #Magic Cards #Magic the Gathering #Card of the Day

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sveasauvageon · 5 years ago

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XOXO Gossip Witch || GW

☾♔; March 7, 2018 ☾♔; sotd: idk ☾♔; cotd: idk ☾♔; GW's buzzing ☾♔; {G} https://goo.gl/XSTtMc ☾♔; mod(s): @themadmonarchist @maybones et moi

I know, I know, there's loads of other stuff I should be doing, but I was struck with inspiration during the car ride home and came up with some GW posts. I'll probably make a set for all of them eventually, but I wanted feedback first, because I constantly need affirmation or something. I dunno, I'll ask my therapist. When I get one.

Anyway, the one in the set features Tyler (I think that's Jungkook, but I'm not really familiar with BTS, the searching I did says that's him, but tbh, not 100% on that).

Anyway, the posts:

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe if T tried that, our beloved It Girl wouldn't threaten to use an unforgivable curse on him every other day.

Spotted: T and M having a nice and murder-threat free study sesh at the library. Could this be it folks? Is the royal arrangement finally working out? Or is it just the calm before the storm?

Spotted: Henry Clark in the Slytherin common at 4am. Why is H there so late you ask? Is something scandalous happening with our favourite Swede? Sadly, I don't have any fun juice to report. It seems they're entering the 7th hour of a Eurovision marathon. Poor H, but if wanna be the Duchess's lover, you gotta get with her friends. 46 European countries with thinly veiled deep seated resentment of each other.

Uh-oh, looks like our favourite Norwegian has her heart torn asunder between two Gryffindor pretty boys. Just pick one S, there's plenty to go around. Or pick someone more dangerous, more scandalous, more interesting to snoop on. Nice boys are nice, but it's the bad ones that give me the drama I so crave.

This tip came in more as an aggressive demand from one Lady Lothbrok. But it seems that Lady Sverige doth have a new man and Scandi bestie is dying to know whom. Please send her your theories, and as always, send them to me too. Awaiting your owls, XOXO, Gossip Witch

Confirmed: Our favourite Ice Queen and Ukrainian Prince are officially an item. Doesn't it just make you tear up when a ship finally sails? Speaking of, be careful not to sail into rough waters. We hear someone's father is a monstrous criminal. Watch out Queen E, as pure bred as you are, no one's safe from a fascist.

Head's Up: some kind of dragon based argument breaking out between three of Slytherin's classiest. Two T's and an S do not a good game of thrones episode make. If you're going to argue, at least have someone play the rains of Castamere. (Svea, in the Slytherin common room, screaming at the top of her lungs and possibly heard all the way on the other side of the castle up in the Gryffindor Tower: IT'S A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE YOU UNCULTURED SWINE!!)

----------- oc's mentioned tags: @.maybones (Minah and Tyler), @.themadmonarchist (Eloise, Theo, and Bart, I mean Reinhart), @.ghostpastey (syn), @.lady-stoneheart (Henry), @.melophilia-c (mason), and @.juliefel (wesley)

#polyvore #art set #mine #xoxo gw #gw #tyler lee #minah x tyler #may #writing #minah delacroix #eloise avery #Theo Nott #syn lothbrok #Henry Clark #mason thygeson #svea x henry

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marvelsincorrectquotes · 6 years ago

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Fanfic Author Questions Tag

I wasn’t tagged because I don’t think people know I write, and I’m still new to Tumblr anyway, so I figured I would just...answer them.

Here we go...

Author Name:

KikoRush96 on Archive of Our Own

Fandoms You Write For:

I have written for various fandoms! Whever my hyper-fixation takes me.

One Direction, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Marvel, and even wrestling!

Where You Post:

Archive of Our Own

Most Popular Multi-Chaptered Story:

Loki Meddleston, which is an IronStrange story from Loki’s point of view.

Favorite Story You Wrote:

I have a few. Normally, I am my own worst critic, but a few just surprised me.

A Journey of Fourteen Million Futures, Summer Snow & Fire Flowers, Marry Me, Snapshots, and For a Love Eternal are a few of the special ones.

(I added a couple questions to the Q&A)

Least Favorite You Wrote:

Illusion, which is a Ziam story. I don’t really have a REASON; I just dislike it.

Story That Surprised You With How Popular it Became:

There have been a few I honestly couldn’t believe people liked so much! Check Out This Doc, For the Love of the Moon, Strange Circumstances, and 18.

COTD was nearly deleted completely, and SC started out as a vague argument I almost didn’t develop into anything.

Why do people like them???? 😂

Story You Wished/Thought People Would Like:

I was certain A Painting Worth A Thousand Words was something special; that people would really like it.

The Sacrifices of Loyalty wasn’t nearly as popular as I hoped it would be.

And Marry Me never got the attention I felt it would and should have. It was a favorite of mine to write.

(Back to the regular questions)

Story You Were Nervous to Post:

I Keep Waiting Like You Might Change My Mind because it was one I really slaved over and edited for days and weeks. It was nearly deleted twenty times.

How Do You Choose Your Titles:

Some titles just kind of come to me before I have even written the story.

Many are lyrics from songs I like or that are related to the story.

A couple future project titles are written in Italian and Latin because it relates to the story.

And finally, some are just thrown together after I’ve written a story and I’m scrambling for a title.

Do You Outline:

Not usually. I write as I go, which often leads to heavy editing or rewriting. Oops.

For one of my current projects, however, the whole story came to me in the middle of the night and kind of...planned itself.

How Many Stories Are...

Completed:

I have two completed chaptered fics: Loki Meddleston and The 50 Marriage Happenings. There are also a couple two-part stories.

In-progress:

One that is currently in the works and will be finished. Six are un-finished and waiting for me to get around to them. Three of them are abandoned, but I could always go back to them I suppose. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Coming Soon:

I’m someone who bounces from story to story, so there are quite a few in the works. Many won’t see the light of day, but a few I have coming make me excited...

The second parts to A Feeling of Intrigue and Bringing You Home are in various states of completion and should hopefully be out soon. The rest of Abstraction is coming so I can make room for its sister fic- Effaced. I have a fun little Tumblr IronStrange fic that features Stephen in his Defenders black & red costume in the editing process. Lots of fun stuff.

(You know, counting the stories on my phone and my laptop, there are 39 projects I’m playing with. And a ton more ideas in my idea folder 🙃 I gotta stop.)

Do You Accept Prompts:

I have taken a few sent through the comments on my works, and I generally don’t mind writing for people.

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited To Write:

Hmmm...gotta say my King Anthony Stark/Sorcerer Stephen Strange chaptered fic. Thus far it’s going well. Fingers crossed.

I’m also writing one that features Loki pretending to be Stephen (similar to Loki Meddleston), but with a more sinister motivation. Poor Tony!

Finally, there is this idea I had of bringing in Tony’s brother (from the newer comic series) Arno into the mix. Possibly kind of inspired by an episode of Teen Titans dealing with Starfire and her sister.

I better stop before I give everything away in my excitement.

I don’t know any writers on here to tag, so feel free to take it and answer the questions too! Happy writing!

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daily-crowley · 2 years ago

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Crowley Of The Day: if I could run my fingers through his hair, maybe give him a little braid, I’m sure many of my problems would disappear.

#Crowley #Aziraphale #Good Omens #David Tennant #Michael Sheen #Good Omens Prime #Neil Gaiman #Terry Pratchett #Ineffable Husbands #Crowley Of The Day #COTD #COTD New Post #New Crowley Of The Day #Daily Crowley #Daily Crowley Content

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poliwhirl42 · 6 years ago

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Arigatou, Alola!

I’ve mentioned before that I came into Pokemon pretty late- I didn’t watch the show until I was 14, and over the past 10 years I’ve been slowly “catching up” by playing the games and watching the anime on my own time, all out of order.

Moon changed things- it was the first pokemon game I’ve played in the same time frame of its release, and I enjoyed reacting to it and sharing my experiences alongside my friends and the fandom. Similarly, the Sun and Moon anime was the first generation of Pokeani I’ve seen about 90% of as it aired, so it’s definitely a generation I took to and connected to right from the start! But this is just one of many reasons why it really is so special to me.

I remember being so apprehensive about the jarring art style change when I first started watching, but ultimately I decided to stick it out, and I’m so glad I did. I now understand and accept why this art style fit so well with this type of series. Though some of the facial expressions were a little extreme, I thoroughly enjoyed the humor to the point of laughing out loud at almost every episode. I’m someone who likes a good mix of action AND slice of life, and SuMo was the perfect mix.

Obviously, not everything was perfect about SuMo:

Lillie and Gladion’s development were fantastic, but I thought the other companions could’ve been fleshed out a little better.

Ash and Gladion’s rivalry was pretty average compared to previous rivalries, but I understand that this series didn’t revolve around Ash’s rivals.

Hau was introduced way too late and his presence was pretty pointless, but it was still good to see him animated (since a lot of times we never even GET to see the male rival animated at all).

Really would’ve loved more Guzma and Skull episodes, and Guzma was also introduced way too late.

Rowlet unfortunately got cursed with being Ash’s “comic relief” pokemon, and it really would’ve been nice to see him fully evolved, but eh I can take it or leave it.

This is not exclusive to SuMo, but the lack of continuity with non-Kanto characters is pretty upsetting.

But here are several things I absolutely loved about it:

I LOVED Ash in this series! The fluid art style did him a huge justice in making him so much more expressive than he has in previous generations, IMO. My heart swelled at seeing him so emotional over pivotal moments- saying goodbye to Poipole, rejoicing over the news of Kukui and Burnet’s wedding announcement, etc. He accepted defeat with grace and kindness, but was often prone to impatience, anger, and bad habits at times, too. XY’s portrayal of Ash was by far my least favorite, so this was so refreshing to see!

Lycanroc and Torracat’s character arcs were both awesome.

Such a roller-coaster twist of emotions! The writers really tricked people into thinking this series would be all goofs and gags but I’m pretty sure I bawled like a baby every few episodes. Between Stoutland, Mallow’s mother, Lillie and the Mohn arc, the Minior episode, and more...the writers did a great job in playing up the more emotional moments, which was a nice contrast to all the humor and slice of life.

Aside from OS, this portrayal of the TRio was by far my favorite! I was so glad the writers broke the stale “let’s-steal-the-CotD’s-pokemon” formula from the previous seasons and offered smaller dosages with twice the amount of humor. Bewear, Mimikyu and Mareanie were also so great.

Miyazaki’s final hurrah was satisfying to the ear as he arranged many of the main battle SuMo themes; I think we could’ve done without so much BW and XY but I was glad to recognize lots of SuMo music throughout.

I’ll probably wind up adding more to this post, but overall, I loved the consistent theme of family in this series, and the familial bonds all characters shared between the students themselves, their pokemon, the recurring adults, and all the people of Alola. I must’ve sobbed like 3 times watching today’s episode, and I’m very sad to see it end. I’ll miss you so much, Sun and Moon, and thank you for an enjoyable experience.

#long post #SuMo #Pokeani

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infjtarot · 5 years ago

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6 of Swords ~ Wildwood Tarot.

Six of Arrows ~ Transition. Wildwood Tarot.

Clouds scud across the face of a full moon. In its light, we see that a small boat sails close to the rocky coastline. A hooded figure stands at the prow of the vessel, guiding it through the waters with a firm hand on the tiller. Six arrows decorate the sail, their tips all aiming at the same, central point.

It's so easy, so comfortable to remain trundling up and down the same old mental rut. We cease to challenge ourselves with new ideas or concepts and become complacent in our outlook. The Six of Arrows calls upon us to change this; to seek out new mental horizons and be unafraid to steer ourselves into unknown territory.

Just as the moon lights the way for our lone sailor, our intuition will guide us through these new waters too. And look! See how the Queen of Arrows takes this journey with us!

Of course, such a journey is fraught with peril and anxiety, but also adds excitement and vigour!

Today the Six of Arrows asks you to be still and listen to your heart, in the Wildwood:

* Where are you being asked to consider new possibilities?

* Can you unfurl your sail and cast off, hopeful and open-hearted, ready to embrace the change?

https://www.facebook.com/TheWildwoodTarot/posts/six-of-arrows-transitionclouds-scud-across-the-face-of-a-full-moon-in-its-light-/1076719089038744/

We see a hooded figure on a boat, the wind in its sails, the sun setting, the moon climbing high but not totally in view. There are calm waters on one side with more turbulent waters on the other. It’s a card of transition, of balance, of safe navigation and focus. Arrows in this deck are Swords in others, so it’s more to do with mental balance, keeping your cool, your temper and yourself in balance.

I find navigating the middle water somewhat interesting and hard. Usually this card comes up when I am over tired. It is then I stop thinking straight and swerve the boat to one side over the other. Sometimes things calm down too much, other times it’s like fighting a war with two little boys.

So the key word today is: transition. Going from one place to the next, trying to find the calmest but less boring path going. It’s also maybe a case of finding the lesser walked path, one that is interesting but still slightly calmer than maybe taking the long way around.

So, be careful what you do today, but be prepared for an adventure, for it is an adventure that beckons today, is it not? I’m here if you need me.

https://www.priestesstarot.co.uk/2012/04/wildwood-cotd-six-of-arrows-6/

#6 of swords #swords #arrows #tarot #wildwood tarot

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doomedandstoned · 6 years ago

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Cycles of the Damned Craft Album for the Post-Apocalyptic World

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Art by Adelyn Krone

Without exaggeration, this is one of the most furious openings to a record I've heard in a long time, perhaps ever. CYCLES OF THE DAMNED call down brimstone from heaven and it hails riffs and beats with a vengeance.

While the dust settles, 'A Time To Survive' (2019) takes time to survey the destructive aftermath with moments of bittersweet contemplation. These aren't insubstantial tracks, most clocking in beyond the ten-minute mark. You feel the full weight of each, not just for their run-time but for the massive war-beat of the drums, the roaring vocals, and the melancholic guitar leads. As I listen, I can't help but summon the stark imagery of the latest film by Panos Cosmatos, 'Mandy' (2018), with The Black Skulls riding out into the night through red-tinted fog.

All told, the music etches out an evocative landscape to a new world, with each atmospheric note coloring the environment in burning embers, black dust, and crimson remains. It's as though you've been transported beyond the now to a time and place when the destructive intent of our collective words and actions has finally given way to a wasted earth, as though the planet could finally bear it no more. I began by remarking upon the fury of this spin, but it is perhaps more so an album of mourning as we survey the work of human hands -- at first promising and brilliant, then terribly poisoning.

Tad Doyle's label Incineration Ceremony Records has quite a prize on its hands, releasing A Time To Survive by Cycles of the Damned on October 12th (pre-order here). A limited vinyl run will follow on D.H.U. Records. In the meanwhile, we invite you to soak it all in from edge to center.

Give ear...

A Time To Survive by Cycles of the Damned

Some Buzz

Seattle, Washington's Cycles of the Damned successfully create a visceral experience sewn into intensely heavy and dark music. Showcasing a life experience in today's world with malicious guitar onslaughts, hypnotic primeval rhythms, and despondently somber interludes, Cycles of the Damned create the necessary chaos to violently break through the human subtopia of mediocrity into a new world with fresh, open eyes.

Founding members Dave Krone (Guitars/Vocals), Mike Lee (Bass/Vocals), and Keith Greer (Percussion) have evolved past their original formation as Black Bone Exorcism, leaping forth from those years of musical craft and now rise to a higher level of heavy.

Cycles of the Damned invite you into their realm with their debut 'A Time To Survive', coming October 12th from Incineration Ceremony Recordings, the brainchild label of the legendary Tad Doyle. COTD bring their message in roaring riffs, demolishing drums and bass, and creatively disturbing ambient landscaping to defy the boundaries of our vision of dystopia.

Photo by Chris Schanz

The Cycles of the DamnedD title track "A Time To Survive" is also featured as the final track on the recent D.H.U. Records label sampler compilation, 'MMCVII Vol. IV'. The Netherlands-based label is releasing the European edition of the Cycles of the Damned debut album on vinyl, in conjunction with the U.S. release from Incineration Ceremony Recordings.

'A Time To Survive' was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Tad Doyle at his Witch Ape Studio in Seattle, Washington. All songs on 'A Time To Survive' were written and arranged by Cycles of the Damned, with appearances in recording from Brandon Wilder (guitars) and Mischa Kianne (violins). Cover artwork by Adelyn Krone, with art production and photography by Chris Schanz.

The album 'A Time To Survive' is available October 12th from Incineration Ceremony Recordings, with a limited vinyl pressing available globally from D.H.U. Records in Europe.

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#D&S Debuts #Cycles of the Damned #Seattle Washington #Doom #Sludge #Metal #Post-Doom #DHU Records #Incineration Ceremony Recordings #HeavyBest19 #Doomed & Stoned

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