#Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft

[kckerlon]

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft

#GAME OF THRONES BEYOND THE WALL WARCRAFT FREE#

Sacrificed herself to wights so Bran Stark, Meera Reed and Hodor could escape the cave.Īuthor George R.R. In past centuries the Night's Watch tried to stop the fur-for-iron trade along the coasts, but in recent centuries as their numbers dwindled they abandoned any attempts to prevent passage around the Wall by sea. However, the wildlings do engage in at least some long-distance trade: the heavy furs of local animals adapted to the harsh cold of the extreme north are fairly valuable, and they often trade them to passing smuggler ships in exchange for iron weapons, which they cannot forge on their own. They use no official currency, as they are more interested in obtaining things that are directly useful to them, and thus function on the barter system. Most of their economic activity is fixated on hunting and gathering: they live to catch what they can eat, and they eat whatever they can catch.

#GAME OF THRONES BEYOND THE WALL WARCRAFT FREE#

The Free Folk living north of the Wall have a hardscrabble, survival-based economy, with little settled agriculture. The White Walkers are rumored to originate in the depths of the Lands of Always Winter. The forest ends and gives way to these truly polar regions, which are unexplored. This small area is totally enclosed by the Frostfangs, which run southeast to northwest, and the ocean.īeyond all of these areas, in the furthest north are the Lands of Always Winter. Southwest of the Frostfangs there is a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea known as the Frozen Shore, a harsh area inhabited by fierce and primitive warriors who frequently cross the Bay of Ice to raid the lands in the North sworn to House Stark. However, there are rumors that even the northern Frostfangs contain hidden valleys, heated by volcanic activity, which are actually the most hospitable regions north of the Wall, and heavily settled by the wildlings. The Frostfangs extend an unknown distance to the north and are quite inhospitable. The forest extends from the eastern coast to a large mountain chain in the west known as the Frostfangs. The region immediately north of the Wall includes the Haunted Forest, a vast taiga-forest which covers most of the area, extending from the Wall to the furthest uncharted north. The lands Beyond the Wall are mostly uncharted. The Free Folk sometimes refer to these lands as "the real North", because they are actually located north of the northernmost kingdom of Westeros, which is named simply "the North" - and they think it odd to say that "the north" is south of where they live.ĭavos Seaworth: " This is Stannis Baratheon, the one true king of the Seven Kingdoms." Mance Rayder: " We're not in the Seven Kingdoms." - Mance points out that the lands beyond the Wall might be on the same continent, but they are not part of the Seven Kingdoms. Some wildlings are little more than savage and primitive raiders, but other groups live in small settled communities and villages. Many are semi-nomadic hunters, due to the impracticality of agriculture in the far north. The wildlings themselves are not politically unified but consist of numerous and diverse groups. It is inhabited by tribes that refer to themselves as the " Free Folk", known by the people of the Six Kingdoms as wildlings. It is the only part of the continent that is not part of a realm, and thus the only place where particular attention is given to the difference between "Westeros" (the continent), and "the Six Kingdoms" and the Kingdom of the North (the two realms to the south of the Wall). " We don't kneel for anyone beyond the Wall." ― Mance Rayder īeyond the Wall is a generic term employed by the people of the Six Kingdoms and the Kingdom of the North to refer to the large area of Westeros that lies north of the Wall.

[imagemains]

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft free#

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft crack#

The Lannisters are treating me well and providing me with every comfort. He conspired with Robert's brothers against my beloved Joffrey and tried to steal his throne. ARYA: "Father has been charged with treason. Killed from wounds he took in a boar hunt - SANSA: You don't have to read it. "Robb, I write to you today with heavy heart.

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft crack#

Septa Mordane used to crack my knuckles because I couldn't write as well as you. SANSA: What? ARYA retrieves a raven scroll from her pocket and unrolls it. I was doing what I was meant to be doing and he knew it. But he was smiling so I knew it wasn't wrong. I knew what I was doing was against the rules. ARYA: I looked up and he's standing right here smiling down at me. It could have been the 20th shot or the 50th. And every shot I had to go out there and get my one arrow and walk back and shoot it again. Ser Rodrick would have cuffed him if he saw. I came out here after and Bran had left his bow behind just lying on the ground. ARYA: One time the boys were shooting arrows with Ser Rodrick. ARYA: Father used to watch us from up here. ARYA is standing on the upper level looking into the courtyard. Several braziers are burning and a servant carries a bucket of steaming water across the grounds. The ground is covered with several inches of snow. CUT TO: WINTERFELL - COURTYARD Snow is falling into the courtyard. May it serve you well and your children after you. JORAH: I forfeited the right to claim this sword. JORAH resheaths the blade and hands it back to JON. JORAH pulls the sword halfway out of the sheath and inspects the blade, turning it in his hands. JON: But you are back and it's been in your family for centuries. JORAH stops examining the sword and looks up to JON. JON: Lord Commander Mormont thought you'd never come back to Westeros. JORAH slowly takes the sword and looks it over in his hands. He changed the pommel from a bear to a wolf, but it's still Long Claw. JON stops walking and loosens the belt holding his sword. My father was the most honorable man I ever met. He would have died to protect every one of those men, and they butchered him. JORAH: I can't think of a worse way for him to go. I want you to know that every mutineer found justice. Were you with him at the end? JON: I was a prisoner of the Wildlings. JON: The first time I went north of the wall was with your father. The camera shifts to the head of the line. THOROS holds his wine flask out to GENDRY who takes a large gulp and hands it back to THOROS. SANDOR: This one's been killed six times. SANDOR: Your lips are moving and you're complaining about something. They would have killed me if it wasn't for Davos - SANDOR: But they didn't, did they? So what you whinging about? GENDRY: I'm not whinging. SANDOR steps in front of GENDRY to halt him. SANDOR: Was she naked too? THOROS: She needed your blood. Do you know what she did to me? She strapped me down on a bed, she stripped me naked - SANDOR: Sounds all right so far. I wanted to join the Brotherhood but you sold me off like a slave. THOROS: Are you still mad at us, boy? GENDRY: You sold me to a witch. The view shifts to GENDRY walking along with THOROS, BERIC and SANDOR. There are mountains and a lake of ice in the distance. The men are walking across broken slabs of ice and tundra. How many of his people died for his pride? The camera pans out to a frozen vista. The king beyond the wall never bent the knee. Mance Rayder was a great man, a proud man.

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft free#

TORMUND: You spent too much time with the free folk and now you don't like kneeling. So, you met this Dragon Queen, huh? And? JON: She'll only fight beside us if I bend the knee. TORMUND: Smart people don't come up here looking for the dead. TORMUND looks at JON as they continue to walk.

[longresource]

Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft

#Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft series#

#Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft free#

#Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft free#

Instead he gets pulled under water by the non-floating wights, somehow manages to free himself, hauls his fur-clad self up out of freezing water, and shudders his way over to the lake’s edge where he, of course, attracts the attention of the shambling horde. Jon could have instead hopped up on the dragon behind Dany and pulled the other heroes to safety while Drogon sprayed the decomposing mass with more dragon fire. Viserion ♥ #GameOfThrones /otN1lBVYULĪt Jon’s insistence - another plot issue - Daenerys flies off with a Drogon-load of heroes (and one wriggling wight), while Jon remains to battle the undead. My name is Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, Mother of Dragons. Never should have named a dragon after bitch ass Viserys, he never could have grown up to be any good #GameOfThrones #ThronesYall /bdCi4NWGXF Let’s just say, Viserion was unfortunately named. That'll be a 15 yard penalty on the Nights King #GameOfThrones /KlW2oBlMfIīut why didn't the dragon just burn the night king and end it all?! #GameOfThrones /YvKKB4gl2u #GameofThrones /DE5kEDFRWQĬongratulations to Gendry and the Night King on their First Team All-Westeros Track and Field selections! #GameOfThrones /oPdQQBqLBs The Night King is about to dominate the next Olmypics. Thoros survives, but later dies of hypothermia while spending the night on a small rock outcropping in the middle of a barely frozen lake surrounded by wights - who don’t float, by the way - and their White Walker masters. The red shirts got it first from a dead bear, then Thoros of Myr ( Paul Kaye) is mauled by the monstrosity. Tormund wants to make giant, world-conquering babies with Brianne ? #GameOfThones #ThronesYall /7Fb9MY0l7I

#Game of thrones beyond the wall warcraft series#

I want an entire spinoff series that's just Tormund Giantsbane and The Hound living in an apartment together. Tormund: We have to make due with what we got…? Jon: There's not a living woman within 100 miles of here The Hound: “How did a mad f-er like you live this long?” Think of them: great big monsters! They’d conquer the world!” Tormund: “You do know her…I want to make babies with her. The Hound: “How does she look at you? Like she wants to carve you up and eat your liver?” The Hound: “You’re with Brienne of f-ing Tarth?” Tormund ( Kristofer Hivju): “You’re the one they call ‘the Dog.'” Guess they wanted to soften us up before they plunged the ice spear in. Sansa: wow its so great having the family back together againĪrya: I will murder you and steal your fucking face #GameOfThronesīrienne telling Sansa what a snake Little Finger is and Sansa just dismissing her. I wanna cry for young sansa believing in fairy tales and good people /LKJf17mWQE Sansa gets no love for being the only goddamn adult in the room. #gameofthrones #demthronesĪrya is like: Sansa may be a capable politician, but what about her r-mails? James Hibberd August 21, 2017 And yeah Arya could listen better, but Sansa isn't talking… Sansa could have avoided all of this by trying to mend fences with Arya. Live look in at Littlefinger while Arya and Sansa argue #GameOfThrones #BeyondTheWall /nqY9qC6B7fĪll things considered Sansa handled FINDING A FUCKING BAG OF HUMAN FACES IN HER SISTER'S LUGGAGE pretty well, wouldn't you say? Sansa: #GameOfThrones #ThronesYall /19lP9Br5i5Ĭalling it arya already killed littlefinger and is posing as him in an elaborate test of sansa's loyalty #GameOfThrones The number of fans hoping that Arya ( Maisie Williams) will wear her sister Sansa’s ( Sophie Turner) face or stab Littlefinger ( Aidan Gillen) through the eyeball was huge this episode - more huge than usual, that is. Perhaps Arya’s psycho act was infectious.Īrya: All I need is your face *grabs knife*

[mirab3lle]

Game of Thrones 7x06: mood

[arkt-nehrim-archive]

Thoughts on the actual land of Nehrim?

Soooo many thoughts!  Possibly too many to share in one post, but I’ll try to keep it contained(I make no promises).  I’m still gonna put a break in it so it doesn’t just throw a WALL onto people’s dashes. 

Before saying anything tho, I subscribe to Nehrim’s clock that 1,000 years really did pass between certain events, so I’ll be cataloging my thoughts according to that. 

So the land of Nehrim!  Possibly the single most diverse place on Vyn!  Trouncing even Qyra, since Qyra is still overseen teeeechnically by a theocratic element (Saldrin) for a vast majority of time and is mostly just arid/tropical desert. Sure Qyra is SUPER progressive as far as Vyn’s various territories go, and I dream of a game set on that continent-  AAAH okay, focusing. Here to talk about Nehrim, not Qyra. 

So at one point in time, we’ll say somewhere in the 7200s a.St. by the Light-born’s established clock, Nehrim was a loosely unified place under Erodan. Not in the sense that everybody -agrees- with one another, but y’know, nobody is -actively- at war.  We got the Middlerealm of course, which is the seat of Erodan’s power in which he may or may not have actually -lived- amongst his subjects (given Narathzul is described as being his right-hand dude and the Order of Paladins is stationed -on- Nehrim up north, I’m inclined to think this is true).  Then there’s the North, which wasn’t it’s -own- territory at this point but still definitely had its own diverse culture and possibly still some manner of monarchy specifically loyal -to- Erodan  (not too hard to believe given Erodan is actually a half-breed between “Light-born” and Norman anyway; King Wuran). Then we have Ostian, which only -recently- in lore has been the theocratic dictatorship we see in Nehrim (only existed for 40 years by then), otherwise being described as being a home of art and culture, much like Qyra. A place still recognizing Erodan’s rule, but likely having its own power structure beneath him- again, a lot like Qyra/Golden Queen/Saldrin.  Lastly there’s Treomar!  Which I am fascinated by because it’s a swath of territory -attached- to Nehrim, that is openly -not- loyal to Erodan or the Light-born. From those that live within during Nehrim’s gameplay, one can assume it was primarily, if not entirely a nation of Aeterna, possibly loyalists still to ancient figures like Asatoron and Aeterna from Irdor (which is it’s own whole fuckin’ thing, I’ll share thoughts on that later).  With its geographical location its not too hard to imagine they came from Myar Aranath and landed in what they’d found as Treomar, building this Dalaran-esque (any Warcraft peeps in here?) mage society and aaaaaaaaaah, they’re cool. 

There’s all of this going on and co-existing at least to some degree, with the only other place approaching being that diverse being Arktwend later. I honestly would have looooved to see this Nehrim, before all the craziness and war and murderdeath that results in the country -we- know and experience in the game itself, as back then I’m fairly sure the magic abolition hadn’t been a -thing- yet  (because Aeterna and magic weren’t such a threat to Barateon’s power), so Aeterna would’ve still had rights n’ such, though they were probably still looked down on because of heritage (soooo gonna get into THAT later mmmMMM).  Erodan all in all seemed pretty chill all things considered, which may be owed to his half-breed status, he’s closer to the people on a genetic level, so maybe that makes him inclined to treat people better I dunno.  We only get to see him for like two seconds and -can’t- talk to him!  So!  -shrug-  

OH SHIT I forgot somebody really important!  -Anku-!  Technically speaking that is totally a fifth nation/state, as it encompasses a huuuuge swath of territory (underground) and is ruled by some fashion of monarchy, so -EVEN- more diverse cultures on this continent. The Starlings don’t answer to Erodan, but still exist peacefully within Nehrim within their own lil’ pocket nation and MAN I was sad most of our time spent with the Starlings is in the parts of their territory they don’t actually spend time in. I get it, when we got to see Anku is a time when there’s very few Starlings actually -left-, but still. They’re such a neat race, especially when you consider Nehrim’s lore for them over Enderal’s (which downgrades them significantly from the literal galactic superpower they’re said to be in Nehrim). 

And all of this!  All of this and still the Nehrim -we- see and adventure in is -so -different. Erodan is dead, has been for -centuries-.  Now there’s this grubby, tyrant human in the throne named Barateon, who’s loyalty literally goes only as deep as whatever preserves his life the longest. Credit where it’s due, he’s still a powerful arcanist, extending his years beyond what mortals should be capable of (which is exactly what the myths say the Light-born did so hhHHMMM more on that in another post).  Treomar is destroyed, and much of its history is gone with it outside of specific documentation the Light-born for some reason keep around and guarded instead of getting rid of it- like they -want- people to rise up against them or something. Ostian is a friggen magical radioactive wasteland where the fabric of reality is so damaged now even the skies rage with toxic super storms- and as if that weren’t enough the part of its that’s still inhabitable is now kept under the bootheel of another powerful mortal mage whose roftstomped everybody into a new highly oppressive, morally appalling religion that saw Enderal’s Prophet created from its awful maw.  Like, Nehrim has become, in its centuries outside of -direct- supervision become this tragic shadow of what it once was, and when you actually dig into the lore of how it all ran before, it’s just like auuuughh -man-. It’s so sad. ;_;  It’s tragic that somebody as negligent and awful as Tyr, is proven right, because of how life has degraded in the absence of direct intervention. And I’m not making a case for Light-born tyranny here!  I’m just saying Nehrim 1,000 years ago was pretty cool and I would’ve loved to see it  (I’ll just have to write stories from that era heheheh >>;).  

So yeah uuuh...  OH!  I didn’t even mention the sheer amount of Aeterna ruins all around Nehrim!  Suggesting Asatoron’s empire probably had a decent chunk of it built there when it was still part of the super-continent of Pangora! I would’ve loved to be able to actually -speak- to the clans of Aeterna that took refuge and used these ruins; I want to know so badly -who- Etronar is, I want to know more of the various Aeterna peoples that splintered off and had to find safe corners in Nehrim to exist after Narathzul’s rebellion and subsequent defeat/capture, that is centuries worth of time, a significant swath of history and there’s so much to play with there that y’know, stuff like cutting the timeline apart and whittling it down just makes all the unrealized potential sssoooo friggen unsatisfying, but anyway. 

Overall, I think Nehrim, as a region, is a fascinating place. So much has happened there, absolutely world-defining events that changed so many things; how Aeterna were viewed and treated, how use of magic is policed/outlawed, how the Light-born govern purely from a fear of -what if they rebel again-, I mean they ALL retreated to Inodan after Narathzul and Arkt unleashed their individual rebellions and ruled from a distance, bringing about this era of mystery where the peoples of the world just -forgot- what it was to -see- and -hear- their Gods, leading to no small amount of many just, -not- thinking they actually existed. I mean shit, look at how Jespar thinks, that man came out of an upbringing that tried its -hardest- to instill faith in the Light-born, but without them actually around to -prove- anything for -centuries-, what grounds did they really have to prove to the kid they were legit?  But there I go getting off topic -again-, because I love Vyn way too damn much. 

I love Nehrim. I think Nehrim is awesome, and fascinating, and I feel too many feelings.   xD  

Thanks for the ask @mirogeorgiev!

[dreamingdolls]

Top Ten Games of the Decade

Inspired by my friend @luniil I figured I would try and write down my top ten games of the decade before we ring in the new year. This list is quite obviously going to be extremely subjective. Note that I am limiting myself to one game per franchise to avoid potential bias there.

With that said, let’s kick this thing off, shall we?

#10 - World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria

Whatever my thoughts on WoW are today, I will never deny that for a long time it was my main game, barely playing anything else at all. Mists of Pandaria then was by far my favorite expansion. Challenge Modes were a blast, the new Monk class quickly became my favorite and for the most part the writing was great. Pandaria was shrouded in mystery - as Thrall told us in the trailer - and much of the writing reflected that. After years of expansions pulling from the past, this stuff felt new and fresh, while not out of place either. Throne of Thunder is and will probably always be my favorite raid instance of all time as well, with quite honestly every single fight there being enjoyable from start to finish.

#9 - Undertale

The tears. Oh FUCK the tears when I reached that ending. And then the tears when I learned that wasn’t the end at all and there was more if I rebooted the game - they got me with that one. I was extremely late to the party with Undertale, only starting playing it as late as half a year ago, but I was inspired by Rey to try it out and I absolutely loved it. Bonus points for the 4th wall breaking throughout - a trope I admittedly might enjoy too much.

#8 - Hearthstone

This game got me into card games. I mean, I dabbled with some Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh cards as a kid but that was more of a collecting thing than actually playing the games. The polish on this game is honestly amazing from the voice acting on every card, the animations, the trinkets and odds to mess around with on every board... It’s a great game to play when I’m not really in the mood for something too intense and just want to sit back and play some joke decks.

#7 - WildStar / TERA

I’m cheating a little here by listing two games as a pair because both are here for very similar reasons, and I wouldn’t really feel right listing either above the other. I play MMOs. Like, it’s probably my favorite genre. I love the social interactions and as I play on a relatively limited budget compared to most of my friends, the constant updates and stuff to do is a very big draw for me as well. However, I’ve always felt the combat could be a bit... More involved beyond just hitting buttons on a hotbar. WildStar and TERA then seemed like the answer to my cries, taking a more action combat approach to the genre. I *loved* playing these games and it’s unfortunate the communities in both seemed to dry up so easily. Evidently I am in a minority enjoying these, but I have fond memories of both. RIP WildStar.

#6 - Pokemon B/W2

I had to really think hard which Pokemon game I would be listing here. One way or another one would get a spot but I wasn’t sure which. I loved mega evolutions, and regional forms were an amazing idea too. For all the hate Sword/Shield have gotten, I’ve still gotten a ton of fun out of them as well. But ultimately? All of these I liked for a gimmick. Megas, Regionals, Raids... Each of them a great idea but none of them defining the core experience. Black/White 2, on the other hand, was the first game where I wanted to get my main team to 100, and where I actually wanted to put thought into my main team as opposed to just kinda rolling with whatever I run into. The story was great, the returning characters were great, and the variety of Pokemon in a playthrough was incredible. Easily one of the best Pokemon games of all time.

#5 - Super Smash Bros Ultimate

There isn’t a world where this couldn’t make the list. I grew up with Smash from the N64 days. I love the crossover aspect and seeing everyone return in one game, plus newcomers including, at last, BANJO? This game is why I bought a Switch in the first place, and it continues to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. For the first time I’ve dabbled in competitive play as well, and I’ve been loving every moment of it, even the losses. World of Light was a blast to play through and having each character’s Classic mode follow it’s own theme was brilliant. Ultimate indeed.

#4 - Mario Galaxy 2

HOLD THE PITCHFORKS! Had it not been for my one game per franchise rule Odyssey would have made it on to the list. However, between the two, Galaxy 2 easily wins out as the better game. Odyssey had a lot - to the point of fatigue in some cases. Yes, there are 880 moons versus 242 stars, but a good chunk of the moons felt tacked on towards the end of the game. Galaxy 2 on the other hand was a blast from the very first star all the way to the last. It took the idea of Galaxy and made it easily ten times better, and where most people are hoping for an Odyssey 2 or Sunshine remake... I’m lowkey praying for a Galaxy 3.

#3 - Skyrim

Skyrim is not perfect. I’m going to say that right away. Plenty of bugs including some gamebreaking ones are about. But with that said, I still got an easy 350 hours of joy out of the game and still have stuff left unexplored. See, being that I’m gaming on a budget longevity is very much a part in how I rate games. I’d rather buy a good game that lasts me forever than an amazing game of 5 hours with no replay value, and Skyrim is full of the former. And while it might not be perfect, it’s still got a lot of good things going for it on top of that replay value. That is why it deserves it’s spot on my list.

#2 - Life is Strange

Excuse me while I cry my eyes out please? There isn’t much I will write on the actual story here as I don’t want to spoil things for Rey (with whom I’m replaying the game as of late) or any other reader that might pick the game up, but few games have made me as emotional as this series. There’s some cheesy jokes that might be trying a bit too hard, but in general the actual story is brilliant.

#1 - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Dear reader, let’s run back through the previous points I’ve made in this post for a minute before we properly dive into the number one pick here. I’ve mentioned a love for MMOs and their social aspects. I’ve mentioned a love for stories that aren’t afraid to shake the norm up a little. I’ve told you about valuing replay-ability, which the job system in FFXIV definitely offers. And, I’ve mentioned a love for games that make me cry my heart out.

Shadowbringers got all of that and then some.

Never did I think a MMO’s story could bring me to tears quite as badly as Shadowbringers did. I always kinda accepted well, a MMO is just that first, RPG second, prioritizing the online experience above a coherent story. Shadowbringers took that and threw it in my face, telling me no, damnit, I can do both. Even characters I wasn’t all that fond of on a personal level, the game does such a great job at establishing them that if they kill anyone off my face is full of tears in a matter of seconds. But they don’t even need to go that far. The storywriting is strong enough that even without shock value moments I’ve bawled my eyes out on my keyboard. Shadowbringers is a heartbreak in the best way possible, and that’s not even mentioning the music or hell, the actual gameplay yet.

“Remember.. Remember us. Remember, that we once lived.”

[ramavataramaart]

Finally did my version of Elia Martell! Two words, Ruth Negga. (If I made gifsets, there is a lot of good material from the Warcraft film, she looked amazing, throwing that out there) so she’s definitely my inspiration for my canon Elia, as well a the Restless AU version. Also got around to work on a concept for Aegon, but he’s not looking a lot like Young Griff because I definitely have my reservations about his identity. He’s like the hottest person in Westeros, a maiden’s and many a man’s dream, young and strong, a warrior and a strategist, he’s the perfect heir to the throne, a Golden Prince. He loves his family fiercely, specially his sister and and his aunt Daenerys, who he considers as much as a sister as Rhaenys. While the concept of marriage weighs on him, he has the confort of knowing he’ll wed someone he’s truly fond of,with him and Dany set to marry after Rhaegar’s return. (A decision that Viserys was adamantly against, which eventually lead to him leaving for Pentos.)

So with Rhaegar gallivanting beyond the wall (his head has always been more concerned with prophecy than ruling) his son Aegon is officially ruling on his stead. He’s the only of Rhaegar’s children that takes more of his valyrian features, tough his complexion is definitely dornish. “The Golden Prince” he is called. Well loved by the smallfolk, not so much by the nobles, who question the influence his Dornish mother has on him.

It’s no secret that the true ruler of the seven kingdoms since the death of Aerys has been Elia Martell. The frailty that has accosted her health has only made her intelligence and wit all the more stronger, her kind and her charm undeniable. Yet since the Tourney of Harrenhall where she did not bat an eye at Rhaegar crowning Lyanna Stark his Queen of Love and Beauty, it has been clear to many that Elia cares little for Rhaegar’s affection. Cunning and manipulative to her enemies, selfless and caring to those who love her, Elia’s true motives for supporting Rhaegar’s fligths of fancy are only known to herself. All it is known is that Elia rules the kingdom with a grace and wisdom that most Targaryen failed to have. Now ruling alongside her son, there’s little her detractors can do against her, even when they truly despise the dornish influence she has brought to court. Soon Robert and Cersei will make their move to start a new game of thrones, but no one has faced anyone like Elia Martell.  

[victorhugordz]

I'd rather choose Arthas Menethil (the Lich King), Sindragosa and the Scourge from World of Warcraft than the night king, the white walkers and the blue-eyes white dragon from Game of Thrones. I love the series, I just hate what's happening beyond the wall, it's a vile copy of the Frozen Throne and Wrath of the Lich King tbh smh.

[waynekelton]

Upcoming iOS & Android Games 2019

The mobile gamer can look back at 2018 with an affectionate and misty eye, secure in the knowledge that gaming on mobile devices gets more diverse, sophisticated and polished with each year. In this respect, 2019 has also proven to be a banner year on this front and it shows no signs of stopping now.

Roughly speaking, the most exciting upcoming games can be split into three groups: the name-brand mega hits-in-waiting, boardgame adaptations, and indie projects. Read on to see what the who’s who of mobile gaming are cooking up for this year’s treats.

Upcoming Mobile Games 2020

Commandos 2, which was originally in the main list below, has slipped to 2020 on mobile. It's still due out on PC this year but speaking to the devs at GamesCom, they're probably not going to even start testing on mobile until the New Year so we've still got some time to wait yet.

Homeworld Mobile was announced at the same time as Homeworld 3. We're only guessing at a 2020 release here, but it's within the realms of possibility.

Eve Echoes - the EVE Online spin-off is going to go into Open Beta in December, which means we're look at a general release in 2020.

Teamfight Tactics Mobile - Valve's take on Auto Chess is confirmed to be coming to mobile.

Legends of Runeterra - Valve's (incredibly belated) answer to Hearthstone. Yay, another CCG...

League of Legends: Wild Rift - A mobile variant of Legaue of Legends for mobile devices.

Runescape Mobile - current in Early Access on Google Play if you're a PC Subscriber. I don't imagine a full roll-out will be till 2020 but you never know.

Space Grunts 2 (Turn-based Strategy/Roguelike)

The original Space Grunts was one of our favourite games back in 2016 - an excellent combination of turn-based strategy with roguelike elements. Now OrangePixel are looking to try and recapture some of that magic with a sequel. Space Grunts 2 brings back that typical turn-based flair with procedural generation, but is now adding a card-based battle and inventory system to shake things up a bit. It's currently in Steam Early Access on PC, but some kind of iOS release is expected before the end of the year. You should check out OrangePixel's official YouTube channel for regular dev-logs on how the game is progressing.

Black Desert Mobile (MMORPG)

Black Desert Online is a popular free-to-play MMORPG that's become something of a quiet sensation in the now-desolate realm of PC MMORPGs. With the war officially 'over' and World of Warcraft still king, you wouldn't think they'd be room for another big MMO, but here we are. Black Desert Online is a freemium game that actually balances its free content and premium pricing options really well. It's also got a lot going for it in terms of quest content, crafting and customisation, not to mention a wide array of interesting classes.

Now the developers want to bring the game to mobile, which is due to happen in December. We imagine the graphics are going to be reduced to faciliate play on tablet and phones, but other than that it's not 100% clear what the differences will be at the moment. We know 'MMORPG' has its own rather negative connotations on mobile devices, but there's a reason this is so popular on PC so if you've been looking for something like WOW on your handheld device, this is as good place as any to start.

Company of Heroes (WW2 Tactical RTS)

We don't deserve Feral Interactive, quite frankly. In a sea of games fighting and struggling against the whims of mobile gamers and business models, here's a company that decided to just get really good at porting things to iOS, and at the same time decided to get really chummy with companies like SEGA. This is the company that's brought us Rome: Total War and Tropico to tablets and phones... and now they're bringing us that most sacred of strategy games, Company of Heroes.

The gold standard of squad-based real-time tactical strategy gaming, and they're just casually bringing it to your handheld device likes it's no big deal. We don't know much about it, at this point, other than it's due in the 'Fall'. It's only coming to iPad to start with, as is their tradition with most of their ports. It will also be premium, with no IAPs, and just include the base game content for starters.

Football Manager 2020 Touch & Mobile (Sport Management/Sim)

Another year, another round of Football Manager games. The FM 2020 series is going to be launching on PC and Mobile all at the same time, with the mobile offerings once again being split into Football Manager 2020 Mobile, which is a stripped down version of the game that works on phones, and Football Manager 2020 Touch which is the PC version ported to tablets. Not much more to say on this one, other than the release is planned for November, currently. 

Minecraft Earth (AR)

It seems 2019 is the year people finally try and jump on to the Pokemon GO craze. It's only been three year! Minecraft Earth is Microsoft & Mojang's answer to the likes of Ingress Prime and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Different from the existing Minecraft experience on mobile, this AR-fuelled game comes with a number of key concepts. First and foremost, people can explore the world in real-life, checking into locations on their phone much like how Pokestops work. These locations net them resources which can be used in the building mode, which is reported to be just as free-form as the original game. Finally, those constructions can then be placed in the real-world, so anyone with their phone can explore and interact with them.

This looks like a pretty decent marriage of Pokemon GO-style AR and a popular IP. Say what you want about Microsoft, none of their various Minecraft versions have felt like cynical cash-ins, so it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out. It's currently running a closed beta test that is rolling out to more and more people over time, but we're not sure when a full release is planned yet.

Phantom Doctrine (Turn-based Strategy)

Phantom Doctrine ... mobile version, are you ready for the change.#indiegame #gamedev #mobile #PhantomDoctrine pic.twitter.com/fKM4RAVqkN

— CreativeForge Games (@CFGmain) June 7, 2019

 Another one a few of us here are really looking forward to. Phantom Doctrine was an attempt to make an XCOM-like game set during the Cold War. You run an international spy agency and you must train up your agents, develop their cover and embed them in locations, as well as engaging in other acts of espionage and intrigue. There's a 'base/strategic' part, and then a turn-based tactical part. What stops this from just being a token nod towards Bond-style espionage is that most turn-based tactical battles can start off peacefully, and even end without a shot being fired provided you do your job well enough.

It's pretty good, although it was a bit glitchy when it first launched, but provided how well XCOM fits on tablet and mobile, I have no doubt the mobile version of Phantom Doctrine is going to be right up our alley. Considering there was no word of an actual release window, perhaps a 2019 release is a bit ambitious but what the heck, we're excited!

Tom Clancy's Elite Squad (Collectable RPG/Battler Thing)

Not sure if this is turn-based or real-time thing - there's not much information beyond the E3 2019 trailer. Ubisoft will be offering players the chance to assemble a 5-person squad with characters from across their franchises, where you need to collect and upgrade characters and fight in 5v5 battles against either the AI or other players. There's going to be a single-player story + guild vs. guild warfare.

No release date, but pre-registration is already live so I'm expecting at least a beta or something this year, with perhaps the full release early next year if not by Christmas. I stand by what I said when we originally reported on this though - I think Ubisoft are missing a trick by not making this an Auto Chess game.

Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall (As Above)

Behavoir Interactive (them what made Fallout Shelter) had their own announcement as this year's E3. In the same vein as Ubisoft's Elite Squad, BE are working with HBO on Beyond the Wall, another RPG/Strategy/Squad Battler thing. Usually, separate new games sharing the same basic DNA signifies an emerging trend but, again, I think the guys have completely missed the fact that Auto Chess is happening.

Still, all the parts are there to make this a potentially compelling experience - you've got to recruit people into the Night's Watch, go on rangings beyond the Wall and defend said Wall from wildlings. This trying to cash-in on the recently finished television show, there will be some magical based mumbo-jumbo reason to recruit, or collect, famous people from the TV series as well (this game is officially set half a decade before Book 1, so you can imagine there'll be a bit creative license going on here). Pre-registration is live on both iOS & Android, so hopefully we'll learn more about this soon.

Final Fantasy (Tactical RPG)

We're lumping two Final Fantasy games into one entry because there's not much to say on them at the moment. At E3 it was announced that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle's Remaster will also be hitting tablets and smartphones. We're expecting that to drop in the Winter. Here's the trailer:

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius is getting a tactical RPG spin-off, War of the Visions. We're not 100% on details or release window yet, but it's also got a trailer:

Out of the Park GO! (Sports/Management)

While not the all-father of sports sims that is Football Manager, the OOTP Baseball series holds just a firm a place in baseball fans hearts. The mobile incarnation of OOTP has been a series of games called MLB Manager, the most recent of which we reviewed last year. It seems the developer is starting from scratch for the next iteration, even re-branding it to become OOTP GO! Here's what they have to say about it:

OOTP Go! will be free to play, which includes full access to Perfect Team and the ability to create and play fictional solo leagues. The current MLB rosters are a $4.99 in-app purchase, international leagues will be $1.99 each and historical MLB seasons will be (as usual) $0.99 (plus there will be bundles available for a reduced price).

Last thing we heard a public beta for it was due to start soon, so we'll be amazed if it still manages to release this year. Coming to both iOS & Android.

Dire Wolf Digital (Board Game)

This isn't the name of a game, but the name of a company that announced this year they're making a bucket-load of digital board game adaptations. Because we only have the announcement text to go on, we've decided to keep the new games all in one place until we know more. The company recently released their first offering from the list, Raiders of the North Sea, at the end of July. We're not sure if they'll be able to release many more before the year is out, but here's the remaining ports they have on their slate:

Mage Knights – It's worth noting this is the first step in a bigger agreement with WizKids, so it's likely we'll be seeing more announcements this year.

Wings of Glory – A popular table-top aerial skirmish game.

Yellow & Yangtze – a Reiner Knizia tile placement game of civilization building.

Sagrada – A dice drafting game about creating works of art.

Root – the recent Kickstarter sensation about asymmetrical warfare in the woods.

We'll update as we learn more.

Diablo Immortal (Action RPG)

Diablo Immortal will draw some side-eye and mockery, having been already made notorious because of its horribly mistimed announcement. (Yes, we have phones, but read the room, Activision-Blizzard). Even more puzzlingly, the game is being created in partnership with NetEase, a Chinese developer whose resume already includes ‘Eternal Realm’ (无尽神域) itself essentially a Diablo clone. Weird stuff: the official license merging with a pretender to the throne to make a hybrid project together. Concerns about endless grind or re-skinning of Eternal Realm are well-founded, but while most of us will be as judge-y as possible we’ll also probably still give the final product a try. Good action RPGs live or die by loot, character progression and above all, delicate-yet-accurate controls, so it will be interesting to see if Diablo Immortal will be a good game as well as the inevitable cash cow.

We thought we'd have heard something about this game by now following its announcement last year. The silence doesn't mean the project is cancelled, of course, but it could mean this will slip to the 2020 list.

Terraforming Mars (Boardgame)

Terraforming Mars sounds like a noble goal for all of humanity. In reality, the game is a push-and-pull competition for corporations to garner by prestige by...terraforming Mars. Three categories: oxygen, temperature and ocean coverage dictate the endgame, but to get there, players will reshape the red planet into a bright blue hope. It’s a Euro though-and-though: precisely balanced, intricately co-dependent and inevitably point-based. But the close match between theme and mechanic makes this game deeply satisfying and intuitive to learn and explain, and the action selection mechanic is uniquely innovative and inspired. Just when I think boardgame design is tapped out, something truly exceptional rises to the top.

A limited beta was in progress on mobile, but then the developer went bankrupt. Last we heard Asmodee Digital have retained the rights and assets to the mobile version so hopefully they'll be able to get a new developer on board sharpish. Whether we see this by the end of the year though is anyone's guess.

Impossible Bottles (Rhythm/Action)

Various robots move about in their bottles and raging about like a bull in a china shop. Each level presents one of these Impossible Bottles for the player to fix by manipulating the environment and repairing the situation, or at the very least soothing its sole occupant. A scientist built these robots as part of a perpetual motion machine for unlimited energy, but they don’t quite work as is. The secret to fixing everything is music, or in gameplay terms: rhythm.

One-touch gameplay and lush, fantastic art: it was slated with a mid-year release which obviously hasn't happened yet, and we've yet to hear anything else about it.

Heaven’s Vault (Interactive Fiction)

We're not sure what's going on with Inkle's of 80 Days interactive fiction fame) newest game Heaven’s Vault. It's currently available on Steam and Playstation, and a Switch version is planned for 2020. As for mobile? Who knows. I've been worrying that the Switch is stealing some mobile ports, although you never know - Apple Arcade might change that now.

An archaeologist-slash-xenolinguist explores the dusty remains of an alien civilization on an unknown planet, with a vivid backdrop of sienna sand and celestial blue. There’s some pretty nifty procedural tricks behind the code-breaking and translation, and while its approach to storytelling is a little less handcrafted, it has the potential to have even more surprises and replayability than the globe-trotting 80 Days.

Other Missing Games From 2018

As a reminder, here is a quick list of some other games we were expecting last year, but never turned up on mobile:

Exodus: Proxima Centauri (Boardgame)

Epic Card Game (Card Game)

Lord of the Rings Living Card Game (Card Game) (Out now on PC)

Monster Slayers (Card Game) 

EVE: War of Ascension (MMO) (Possibly replaced by EVE: Echoes?)

Best iOS & Android Games of 2019 (So Far)

There's already been some excellent releases this year, and not all of them were expected/on this list. If you haven't already, check these games out:

Bad North (RTS)

Pacific Fire (War Game)

Aeon's End (Card Game)

Raiders of the North Sea (Board Game)

Santorini (Board Game)

Astrologaster (??)

Tharsis (Turn-Based Strategy)

Shards of Infinity (Card Game)

Fort Sumter (Boardgame)

Dungeon Warfare 2 (RTS)

Cultist Simulator (Card Game/Sim)

Necrodancer AMPLIFIED (Roguelike)

The Castles of Burgundy (Boardgame)

Star Traders: Frontiers (RPG)

Legends of Andor (Boardgame)

Evolution: The Video Game (Boardgame)

The Escapists 2: Pocket Breakout (Simulation)

Seen any other games coming out this year you're excited about? Let us know in the comments.

Upcoming iOS & Android Games 2019 published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[ddueck88]

Warcraft (2016)

Sitting in the theater during this movie, I was enjoying myself immensely while being acutely aware that the two people who came with me that night were bored to tears. It's this context that frames my opinion of the movie, more than the critical reception of the movie.

A horde of newly united Orc tribes uses a magic portal, fueled by the very life force of their war prisoners, to enter a new world ripe for conquering. That world is Azeroth, home of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves. Failed attempts at peacemaking lead to a tragic war that will last for centuries.

Rereading a bunch of movie reviews before rewatching the movie itself, I came to expect a movie with rushed pacing, cardboard characters, with weak worldbuilding and excessive fanservice. But no, I still quite enjoyed it. Despite hearing Phil Collins’ ‘Tarzan’ theme every time I saw the poster’s tagline.

I can't really comment authoritatively on the fanservice angle. The extent of my familiarity with the Warcraft IP is through Warcraft II on DOS, and the digital collectible card game Hearthstone. The most fanservice I received as a filthy casual was some familiar sound design and being able to say, "Yep I recognize that name." Is it possible I enjoyed the movie more for not being intimate with the details of Azeroth? Possibly, although again, my companions, even less familiar than I, had no love for this movie. We'll come back to the point of the fanbase later.

The characters are diverse and while some of them are uninteresting and merely expository, the main characters genuinely have lots of interest - especially the Orc chieftan Durotan. Father of a newborn son (stillborn, but resurrected by evil magic), his plight is immediately engrossing: he wants new life and prosperity for his people, but does not trust the magic that costs a life at every use. Suspecting that this magic is what actually destroyed the Orc homeworld, he devises plans to rebel against the Orc shaman Gul'dan, and attempt to live in peace with the humans. Toby Kebbel (whom you may recognize from 'RocknRolla', especially this wonderfully pretentious montage) brings incredible and believable empathy for a cartoonishly brutal archetype.

The humans are led by King Llane (a good but truncated performance by Dominic Cooper) and Lothar the knight (Travis Fimmel, brilliant). Lothar is a widower whose young son is a man-at-arms; he constantly fears losing his son as well as his wife. His successful capture of an Orc/human half-breed gets him a foot in the door for talks with Durotan. He also develops feelings he doesn't trust for the half-breed, named Garona.

Finally, the humans rely on protection from The Guardian, a powerful mage named Medivh, who has taken on a young apprentice named Khadgar. Unbenownst to all, Medivh is actually the creator of the portal through which the Orcs are invading. Khadgar's innocent search for knowledge leads him to discover Medivh's plot, and Medivh is ultimately defeated - but not before enough Orcs have invaded and enough blood has been spilled to ensure that Orcs and humans will never trust each other.

I love that the movie is a tragedy - or as close to one as you can get in a modern blockbuster. It does not have a happy ending. A tenuous alliance which would save countless lives is destroyed by a betrayal of Lothar's best friend. A poignant romance is hastily sacrificed in order to stem the violence, but that too fails. Lothar's king and son are both slain in battle, leaving him with no aim but to lead Azeroth in an eternal war against the orcs. And the Orcs remain under the leadership of a deeply corrupt shaman who possesses magic well beyond his control.

Obviously the movie is written as a tragedy to explain the centuries of conflict that will follow, whether in sequels or the existing video games. But taken standalone, it still does a fine job setting up an animosity between humans and orcs that could have been prevented as easily as it could have been created; and I just love that doomed, Arthurian sense of romantic brutality, of betrayal coming from the absolutely most hurtful place possible, and of how deeply a man's faith can be shaken. Having thrown his lot in with Medivh, Durotan, and Garona, Lothar is alone at movie's end with nothing firm to believe in except the evil of Orcs. Not many big-budget movies these days are willing to go with such bitter endings, and I admire the movie for it.

The pacing is indeed fast for a movie of this scope, although I was never bothered by it. This is no staid and stoic four-hour Lord of the Rings epic, but a brisk adventure. I believe if the same movie had been filmed unattached to the Warcraft IP, it would have made a great throwback or nostalgia piece, like a modern Willow or Krull, and been accepted much more widely with marketing to that effect. As it is, the first part of the movie whips us from the Orc homeworld, to Azeroth, to Ironforge, Stormwind, to the mage tower of Karazhan, and hoo boy, all those names are a bit of an issue aren't they? But more on that in a minute. Yes, this movie has a lot to show us and not a ton of time to do it. So as fantasy epics go, it does move fast. But that also means it never drags, which is always a virtue in my mind. The worldbuilding then, by necessity, is mostly visual shorthand.

Magic is portrayed in one of the most entertaining ways I've seen on screen, and I think 'Doctor Strange' owes a lot to Warcraft for its acclaimed depictions of spells. The magic feels tangible, impactful, fearful, and not to be used lightly - but nor is it saved for special occasions. It is a tool, a powerful one, and used when appropriate. It just so happens that Azeroth has a lot of appropriate situations for magic.

Races are visually distinct almost to distraction (you'll read a lot of reviews snidely referencing Orc hand size, tusk jewelry, stylized human armor, problematic architecture etc.). Warcraft has always been very obvious about its western high fantasy influences and wears the exaggerated tropes proudly on its sleeve. And to its credit, the visuals and sense of place in this movie are very well done. Even if you don't remember that the human city is called Stormwind, you know this scene takes place in the human city. Even if "Karazhan" goes in one ear and out the other, we know this is in the mage's tower because of the crackling magic, the glowing pool and the towering golem. But the unfortunate downside is the lack of a certain connection with these places. Names we can connect with are important.

Those generic fantasy naming conventions are probably a big reason why my companions were so uninvested in this movie. Khadgar, Lothar, Garona, Durotan... these are distinct enough names but they're all "made up" and let's face it, when the movie throws a dozen such names at you in the first ten minutes, it becomes hard to remember which name refers to whom, or to where, or what. For moviegoing people whose primary fantasy enjoyment is Tolkien or GRR Martin, names can be hard. Bilbo, Aragorn and Gandalf have been around for decades, and Game of Thrones basically uses English names (or close enough), and easy colloquial place names like 'The Twins', 'The Neck', 'The Wall'. For fans of the Warcraft IP, I'm sure it's not a problem, and I think it's fair to say the movie was made for these fans. I don't really see how it could have been improved without pissing off the movie's main audience, so I wouldn't call out the movie for it.

So that's probably the biggest thing against the movie if we're looking at it from the viewpoint of Joe Moviegoer - it wasn't made to get him interested in Warcraft. Firstly, it was made for Warcraft fans (I'm not really one) who are familiar with the lore. Secondly, it should appeal to people who really enjoy high fantasy as a genre, for its own sake (this is a group I'm in). My companions in the theater, sadly, were in neither group.

If you want a slow-burn, exhaustive introduction to a new fantasy world in the elegant style of Lord of the Rings or the gritty realism of Game of Thrones, this is not your movie. But if you like reading or watching fantasy that takes slightly different but creative approaches to basically the same conventions that have been popular since The Hobbit and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons; if you like brisk action movies with a uniquely bittersweet ending (much more bitter than sweet), Warcraft will hold a lot of enjoyment for you.

One actual problem I have with the movie? The score. Compare Ramijn Djawadi’s plodding Orc theme with the awesome music from the video games. It’s not even close, Russel Brower’s music is a strict improvement. Music a rich and important part of any popular game’s legacy and should have been brought forward into the movie version.