#mikey and mace are great too

[mstrickster]

Julia and Bobby are my favorite technically NPCs so far. I just love how Derek and Andy play off each other.

[luna-the-cretar]

Random little Avantris details I never pointed out before but won’t leave me now (not specific to any particular campaign, and little to no spoilers of any campaign mentioned)

In Beneath Dark Wings, I love that in Felix’s introduction, Andy was basically over here like “This is Felix, my beautiful baby boy. He’s running from the government and I love him dearly :)”, while everyone else was essentially like “this is my character. And that is all I’m gonna say about them”

In Edge of Midnight, Richie just. Fingerspelling H-E-X every time he uses Hexsblade Curse. Tho I think I’m just partially happy I can understand it lol

The fact that some of them do research on their characters beforehand??? The ones I’ve mostly noticed this so far is Andy, Mikey, and Richie, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the others do research for their characters too. Like with Andy knowing about Tieflings Virtue Names (like Shepherd); Richie seemingly looking up actual Latin for the Heart and Harvest oneshot (idk if he was actually changing IN Latin, but it sounded better than just taking the names of some spells and just adding -io at the end); etc.

Some of the characters just straight up looking like their player. It’s most obvious with Marius (Andy) and Gideon (Mace), but I feel like Gricko shares some resemblance with Mikey, Jornir with Richie, Kana with Maya, and Victoria with Kelsey (tho with those last 2 I feel are slightly skewed bc they actually cosplay their characters for CoS). The only one I’m having trouble placing is Derek, but my mind also keeps telling me that Frost vaguely looks like him so idk.

The DMs constantly asking each other questions like “what stat would you use for this roll” or “how hard should i realistically make this DC for this roll, and why”. And the players consistently replying with legitimate answers to these questions, and reasoning for these answers.

Also the worldbuilding feels so…idk, collaborative? Like, I’m pretty sure this world is of Mikey’s creation, but the others seem to build onto it constantly and so seamlessly and I lowkey love it??? Also makes the world feel more alive somehow, and I’m not sure why.

The sheer amount of differing personalities between characters???? Like, it’s so easy to just make every character you play just have your personality, but the cast, for the most part, don’t do that. Of course, there are some semblances of a player’s personality that won’t go away regardless of character (most notably with Andy and Mikey, I’ve realized), but the majority of the personality is very different. The best example I can give is Mace’s characters—at least Gideon, Yorgrim, and Taishen—they’re all Mace (Taishen more-so I think), but they’re very different characters. Richie’s characters are also a great example of this (Clayton, Kremy, Jornir, Briggsy, Toa).

Also how interactive they are with the fandom as a whole??? They interact with their fans, fanart, they keep up with what ships and characters are popular and why. Idk, it makes them feel a lot more real to me.

This was supposed to just be me pointing out little details in different campaigns, but it turned into me actually realizing just why I lowkey love this fandom? Not just the media, but the fanbase, and how they interact with the fandom. Idk, this has been one of the healthiest fandoms I’ve been in in a WHILE. Like, no, it isn’t perfect, but considering that some of my most recent fandoms included all sorts of controversy and content creators being shitty people, this is an upgrade lol.

[vampiric-succulent]

OUAW EP 45:

Spoilers!!

“WHY DID WE DO THAT” yes Gricko why indeed

Bit quick to jump to nudity there Torbek

Gricko is just full of great ideas today

“You are familiar with mirages” THIS ALMIRAJ IS NO MIRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nikkie: “You don’t really understand how this works” Mace/Gideon, immediately: “I know exactly how this works”

This desert is getting eerily intense

I love how they’re showing Torbek gaining control of the Witchlight and the Other

“Together, as a unit, as you do everything, you decide to tackle this next obstacle” ACK MY HEART I FUCKING LOVE FOUND FAMILY SHIT THIS IS SO GOOD

How are y’all interpreting Gricko’s monstrosity connection? Bc I’ve been doing it as like a really enthusiastic zoologist but what if he’s also a monsterfucker

Sorry that was a little unhinged and sudden but I think i might be right he does have a thing for monstrous women who could decimate him with one move

Anyways!

Love how Frost always wants to talk first but Gideon is immediately “IM GONNA GETCHU”

Gideon is going to oneshot this tricobra/cobydra if he keeps this up

“Two attacks on Frost” “no thankyou ❤️”

OH SHIT KREMY’S DICE MOVE HUNGER OF HADAR. HOLY FUCK.

Rich is so good at flavoring this spell and its effects

Mace/Gideon “Don’t roll max against me” and then Rich doesn’t— that’s Kremy employing Husband Privilege right there

What is the realm they are talking about?? Ghettei? Gehettei? Whatever realm they say Kremy is bringing with Hunger of Hadar

Goddamn that’s a lot of damage at once

Torbek and Gideon and Hootsie bro moment 😎

“Torbek accidentally Longscarfed him” 😭❤️

WHAT IS THIS FUCKING LIGHT?????????

Love how Nikkie just keeps repeating the generic desert description like an NPC in a game when you try to talk to them too much

HOLY SHIT okay 1. The immersion hell yeah 2. Why. Why is there a swamp here again. The swamp was supposed to be gone. There wasn’t supposed to be more swamp.

SERIOUSLY WHY IS THERE A SWAMP

“Blow on my dice” there is no heterosexual explanation for this

Now I have this horrible image in my head of Kremy pulling an Entrapta and going “I just need a little more time”

GRICKO DONT CALL TO MR GARU

“I am the thing that remains when the alphabet is gone” this is giving me such a good idea for a Tower of Babel campaign wait a minute

Ah yes just like the 1999 classic film The Mummy—- *I am forcibly removed from the stage*

It IS TIME!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY FUCK HES RIGHT

Is. Is the swoose sounding like Bavlorna on purpose. Is this a plot thing. Please this is so important—- Bc there’s an hourglass on the archway, so it has to be time and also maybe the voice is important— Oh. Okay. So not like Bavlorna.

What is the realization Andy is having???? Oh my god I need to know

Does the fact that this is Nekhbet and the lion-headed guardian mean Egyptian mythology at all influences this part of the story? And maybe the Hourglass Coven in some sort of way if this temple is here? Was this temple originally of the Hourglass Coven, or was it taken over???

The emotion in Mace’s storytelling is incredible and then he has a your mom joke. Alright.

Andy and Mikey’s reactions are beautiful things to watch

“We’ve been free ever since”

Fic idea: Kremy and Gideon get married and uh. Yknow Gricko’s entire thing about getting Pa Coal to come to one of Gideon’s weddings? Somehow that happens but it’s a really sad moment bc Pa Coal is dead so it’s an urn and Gideon gets to have a moment just talking to the urn

OH SHIT THE BIRTH OF THE HAGS?!?!??? Wait wait wait I have so many questions— to be made into a hag, do they need to find this temple first?? Does this temple somehow lead to the hag hut??? What is the thing that drinks the brew in the hag hut?????? How did that being come to exist???????? How is this temple connected to the thing that makes the hags???????? Is this a temple of time or of memories and records????

What is the process of making a hag??? Do all hags come about via this process????

Wait a minute. We had a white horse and rider statue, now we have a red one— if the next one is black then these are the riders of Baba Yaga and maybe that is who makes all the hags— like a sort of Mother Hag situation??

Frost is right, I think, this is also a story or situation or whatever about choice (esp bc of the swoose at the entrance)

I need a series which is just Gricko explaining everything that’s happened in the campaign in extreme detail

“We hit rock bottom and we picked up shoooveeeelllls.”

Ayo Bavlorna what the fuck— Endolyn’s story was terrible but this is another level

So these hags are not actually sisters then? Or are they sisters because they all come from the same source? (Whatever makes the hags)

Yuuuup I was right about the riders!!!!!

Idk why but Kremy’s story hits for me

Nikkie this is so impressive. Holy shit— this isn’t in the module. She wrote these backstories herself. Wow.

And the flipped time order of everything!!! And the Granny Nightshade symbolism

Wait blue roses??? Like the ones in Twig’s eyes???????

WHAT IF THIS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEARTS DESIRE WHAT IF THEY ARE AT THE DOOR RN

Andy what are you doing

Oh shit. Next is the fabled Episode 46. Ohhhh lord. What’s gonna happen………

How much time has passed for the Feywild while they’re in the material plane???

Gahhhh!!!! The lore!!!!!!!!!!!! So good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait okay there’s a connection to Prime but I haven’t watched Prime and it’s 91 episodes there’s no way I can watch all that rn but I NEED TO KNOW THE AVANTRIS LORE AND WHAT THE CONNECTION IS OMFG

So much happened!!!!! Holy fuck!!!!!!!!! And next is Episode 46 I’m gonna have my brain explode

[complete-idiot-in-love]

Once Upon a Witchlight: Episode 45 (SPOILERS)

Oh no, a warning for graphic themes? If someone died im crying so hard

KEEP YOUR DAMN CLOTHES ON TORBEK OR I SWEAR TO THE GODS

My S/I would be so happy to finally explore the material plane!!

Father twin giggle sesh :D

Kremy is going crazy again

When Torbek is worried about YOU, then you know you're acting crazy /j

Gideon and his old man glasses omfg, I love that image so much

“Empath” Gricko gives off astrology girl vibes and idk why

I WAS RIGHT, HE DID A GEMINI JOKE OMG

NAT 20 FOR GIDEON LETS GOOOOOOO

My S/I would be having so much trouble in the desert because of them never having experienced a dessert before and the whole satyr fur thing

My bestie, the eldritch abomination of a bugbear <3

Gricko getting the party into trouble against a desert hydra is so him coded, bro would get the group in trouble at a damn Wal-mart

ANOTHER NAT 20 FOR GIDEON, THAT HYDRA IS SO FUCKIN DEAD!!!

OMFG A THIRD NAT 20 FOR GIDEON!!!! THAT HYDRA IS GONNA BE MUSH!!! (Im stimming so hard right now, my hands are flying like crazy fr fr))

Mace has the same amount of object permanence as I do /j

OH FUCK, I HATE BUGS! KILL EM, KILL EM

I LOVE KREMY’S OMINOUS JAZZ AND NEON FORM :D

OOOOO NIKKIE GOT A NAT 20

What is with all these nat 20’s this episode, loaded dice? /j

Of course Gricko would try to befriend the monster

Mikey's dice bag being full of bananyas is so damn funny

ALCHEMIC WHAT? FLEASHLIGHTS??

NOOOOO, TORBEK GOT A NAT 20 TOO BUT NIKKIE DREADED HIM

WHAT? HUNGER OF HADAR??? KREMY IS OP AF

Hootsie is so smart to not deal w that bs fr fr

Kremy accidentally kills his teammates via mind fuckery /j

My S/I would be so confused during the hunger of hadar thing, they'd be screaming shit like: “IS THIS NORMAL IN THE MATERIAL PLANE, AND WHERE IN THE HELLS IS EVERYONE???”

All these dudes are so OP in their own ways but also complete idiots in others, I love them all so much

NOOOOOO GIDEON IS IN QUICKSAND

“That's from Agwe you dumb ugly bastard!” is a great like Gideon, good job

NAT 20 FOR TORBEK FINALLY!!!!! AND HE KILLED IT YEAHHHHHHHHHH

“Longscarfing it” is my new favorite thing

Fighting with an erection mention lmao XD

They're freaking out about Nikkie playing swamp music lmao

NOOOO DON'T AWAKEN GOREBEK

We love the swoose (Swan + Goose)

Also wasn't one of the cookies Bavlorna gave Torbek a swoose, and Nikkie is using the same accent for the swoose as she did Bavlorna

“Recount the tales to me x3, of a troubled past and what set you free” ARE WE GONNA GET SOME BACKSTORY ON THREE OF THE DUDES???? PLEASE LET ONE OF THEM BE TORBEK, BRO IS AN ENIGMA

GIDEON BEING KIDNAPPED AS A CHILD AWAY FROM HIS PAW IS SO SAAAAAAD, WE NEED TO REUNITE PAW COAL AND MY DAD TOGETHER AND HAVE A HAPPY FAMILY AGAIN (T-T)

“We hit rock bottom and picked up shovels” HAHAHA

I wonder what Andy’s theory is, My theory is that Zybilna is the fourth sister or at least connected to them in some way

[kattystripes14]

Kk, so I'm a little obsessed with the Fusion Mayhem AU @teenagenutant made- And I have a bunch of personal hcs and I remade T.I.T.I.A.N. into Masaccio... Soooooooooo- Time to post about that now-

Anywhizzle, have this Fusion Mayhem AU short I made called "Favorites". ---

Mikey: Y’know, with this new fusion ninpo stuff- it kinda feels like we have 6 new brothers! Leo: Well, kinda. I agree with Mike, this fusion thing is pretty sick!

Raph: Yeah! It’s kinda like when we fuse we get a better understanding of each other. Even if our fusions are different from us. I think-?? That’s what Draxum said, right Don? Donnie: Affirmative, it would seem that despite being literal fusions of our personalities, habits, thoughts, physical traits, et cetera, in these new forms we act like new people. We feel like new people. Mikey: So crazy!! And it feels kinda weird too, haha. Raph: We haven’t really used 'em much outside of fighting. Leo: Meeeeeh- Gal was kind of an accident. We didn’t mean to fuse, we were just making fun of Warren and Hypno. Raph: True! But that was the case for most of em.

Donnie: Okay but can we all agree that Masaccio is the most fabulous out of everyone? Mikey: Hah! You wish! I personally think Nino is the most dapper if I do say so myself! Leo: Yeah! Plus he’s the only one with luscious locks, unlike the others. Raph: Hey, hey, lets not pick favorites- Donnie: -Scoff! At least we have real eyebrows! And cool explosions! Leo: So? Who needs explosions when you have magic and portals? Raph: Guys, c’mon I just said-

Donnie: Aaaand we don’t look like Gene Wilder. Mikey: *Gasp!* What’s wrong with Willy Wonka?! It adds to the trickster-y magician vibe!!

Leo: Yeah!! Plus what about you? You stole our diamond look! And you guys just talk about how great you are whenever you’re Masaccio! Not gonna lie, you’re kinda self centered. Donnie: You realize you’re the turtle currently speaking, correct?

Leo: Pssh- and?

Mikey: *Wraps his arm around Leo* Face it Dee! You guys are just jelly of how magical we are! Leo: And our dripping good looks. Raph: Seriously, can we not make something a competition for once? Mikey: Says the one who’s losing the competition. Raph: Wh-! … *gets an idea* …Fine. You know who my favorite is? I like Angelico’s vibe. Mikey: Say what?! For realsies?! Donnie: Gasp!! Betrayal Raphael!!! Leo: Mikey! Remember Nino! Raph: For real, big man! He’s a pretty cool dude. And plus, who doesn’t love mystic maces with fire power, huh? And he’s got this like- “cool anime sensei” thing goin on! Mikey: Yeah he does, baby!!

Leo: Oh yeah-!?! Well- *grabs Donnie* Our double bladed ninja staff is way cooler than your mace. Pssh, who even uses maces anymore. Amirite? Mikey: You take that back, Leo!! Maces are the bomb! 

Donnie: He does have a point though. Together, we can portal in useful tech from my lab into battle like my attack drones or even the escape pods if we needed them. His portals become more accurate and stable while my ninpo constructs become more complex and powerful… In other words, Gali rules! Mikey: Wha-!? *he smirks, gaining the same idea as Raph* Fine then! What about Newton? I think he’s the most productive out of any of our fusions! Plus, he’s like the best of both artsy and science-y worlds! Newton’s pretty much a super geniusLeo: (Way to toot your own horn…) Raph: *Actually getting sucked into the argument now* Hey- wait- what about Anime Sensei?! Mikey: Does Anime Sensei have a cool theme song? I think not, Raphie! *Slides over to Donnie* 

Leo: Okay, as cool as you may think he is, you guys almost blew up the lair once. At least Gali’s a chill scientist. And we’re productive too!! Raph: Not really actually. Mikey: Yeah, you guys are more into space stuff than anything else. Leo: Wh-?! You don’t know what’s going on in our heads! We get so much done. Ask Donnie! Donnie: Surprisingly, while we do get a lot done, it’s still not as much as Newt. Leo: Traitor! *slides over to Raph and climbs on his shoulders* What about the amount of times Gio’s gotten you two out of trouble? Mikey: Psssh, you guys just become one big worry-wart whenever you fuse. Donnie: *Chuckles*

((Both look away at the comment)) Leo: No! Well- maybe, but that’s because of how much destruction comes with all of your “Super-Genius” energy. And you can’t even keep up with yourselves half of the time! Raph: Yeah, you two always crash after you fuse! I don’t think you’ve ever stayed together for more than 2 hours. Gio is the ultimate big bro and the best leader. *he fist bumps Leo* Donnie: Hey!! Mikey: Not our fault even we can’t keep up with how sick we are! Leo: Nino could beat all of you in a magic-off. Raph: Oh really? Well Masa looks cooler than all of you combined!

Donnie: And, Newton could out-create any of you. Mikey: Well Angel could razzmatazz and punch his way out of anything!

((A while of arguing later April walks in on them.)) April: Uhh… What’s this whole situation about?? Leo: APRIL!! Quick- tell them all of my fusions are the best! April: What? Donnie: Negative, Leonardo. My fusions are better, and you know it. April: What are you- Mikey: -Uh-uh!! Ain’t no way you’re turning April against us! Your fusions may be smarter, but my fusions have pizazz and flare, baby!

April: Guys.

Raph: No way! Raph’s fusions are the coolest. Who doesn’t love my big brother energy? And they’re all the strongest! April: HEY!!! …What are you guys talking about?! What do you mean by fusion??? Is this a game??

((All of them pause and light up again, almost forgetting about the argument.))

Mikey: We haven’t told you?!

Leo: Come sit down, we’ll fill you in!

Donnie: According to Draxum we’ve acquired a new ninpo ability called ‘Fusion’!

Raph: It’s so weird, but here’s the rundown- basically it combines our powers-

[thebibliophagist]

In 2016, I really tried to expand my reading horizons.  While I normally stuck to very specific types of romance in 2015, I tried to think outside the box.  I read many different tropes and genres within the romance category, including some I’d never before tried.  Some of these books did it for me, others didn’t.  It’s all about trying new things, right?  Anyway, here, in literally no order whatsoever, are the best of the best.

Genre: new adult romance, friends to lovers You should know: love triangle

Longtime friends Isla and Colby have had feelings for each other for years, yet remained firmly in the friendzone.  Circumstance leaves them stranded together in a storm, and enough drinks break down their barriers.  Can they get over their fears and make something real? 

Genre: new adult romance, rockstar romance You should know: Beryl is kind of a creeper

After finishing college, twenty-something Beryl feels stuck in her small town.  She heads off to New York City to work for a family friend and is given a job house sitting for a famous musician.

Genre: new adult romance, skater girl/preppy boy You should know: heartbreaking side plot

Graphic designer Cat never does relationships until she meets a drop dead gorgeous guy on the beach.  The all-American Huck couldn’t be further from her type, but they’re great together.  Too bad Cat is so closed off and unwilling to trust him.

Genre: new adult romance, erotica, travel romance You should know: Mia is really frustrating

Mia is dumped by her fiance mere days before their wedding, but is given the opportunity to take the already booked honeymoon by herself.  Prepared to hate it, Mia is surprised to find she’s enjoying herself once she meets Lucas.

Genre: new adult, college romance, rebel girl/nice guy You should know: it’s one of those “let’s pretend to be dating so my parents don’t find out about my weird real boyfriend” books

Rebellious Max needs to find a good guy to play her boyfriend while her parents are in town, because they certainly won’t approve of Mace and his neck tattoos.  Cade is getting his MFA in theatre, so he’s just the guy for the job.  What happens when it turns into more than acting?

Roommates (Book 1) Genre: new adult romance, stepbrother romance You should know: a lot of internal dialogue

Back in high school, quirky Jenny always had a crush on popular Ethan.  Then their parents got married and things just got confusing.  Now, years later, Jenny goes to stay with Ethan for a weekend as she auditions for a play in New York, and sparks fly.

My Best Friend’s Brother (Book 2) Genre: new adult romance, college romance, friends to lovers You should know: the title is misleading -- they two MC’s are also best friends

Feelings that have been kept secret for years come to the forefront as Shane helps his longtime friend Andi out of an abusive relationship. Can their fledgling relationship survive criticism from the third Musketeer, Shane’s sister and Andi’s best friend, Izzy? 

Genre: childhood friends, forbidden romance You should know: this is about a seminary student (almost priest) and a stripper

After his best friend Mikey dies, Thorn joins a seminary and vows to take care of Mikey’s little sister, Rose.  Rose and Thorn grow apart, only to be thrown back together as Thorn is called to Rose’s side in the hospital.  Now Thorn must choose -- what’s more important, Rose or his vows?

Genre: erotica, stepbrother romance, romantic suspense You should know: some really, really explicit scenes (this goes for anything by BB)

Laney dreams of working for the FBI someday, so she can’t turn down the opportunity to work for Easton, her new stepbrother, an ex-FBI agent and current private detective.  Mystery looms in the background as a killer from Easton’s past threatens the budding romance between the stepsiblings.

Genre: new adult romance, older brother’s best friend You should know: widowed heroine, previous drama between MCs

Estelle and her older brother’s best friend Oliver have danced around each other for years, even hooking up a couple times over the years, but they never ended up together. Not until tragedy wrecks Estelle’s life and she moves in with her brother, putting Oliver front and center in her life again.

Genre: romantic comedy You should know: Emily literally stalks Sebastian

Emily and Sebastian meet at a dart bar, and Emily knows he’s the one she’s destined to be with.  Too bad he doesn’t realize it.  But that’s okay, because Emily doesn’t give up easily.

Genre: new adult romance, college romance You should know: heroine is basically a horny, female Sheldon Cooper

Young genius Lucy needs to get some hands-on research into emotion, so she enlists the help of her cute neighbor, Jensen.  What starts out as purely scientific quickly turns romantic as Lucy and Jensen realize their attraction.

Genre: new adult romance, Hollywood romance You should know: really, really, really, reeeaaaalllllyyyy slow burn

College student Jessica was supposed to be studying abroad, but her doctor recommended that she not travel due to a sudden bout of mono.  Jessica’s agent aunt comes to the rescue, offering a job as a personal assistant to one of Hollywood’s hottest actors.  Jack may put up an asshole front, but he turns out to be really sweet.  Jessica starts to fall for him, but can she handle watching him do love scenes with other women?

Genre: young adult romance, stepbrother romance You should know: Chloe is almost raped at the beginning of the book (not by Landon)

Teenage Chloe heads down to Florida to meet her new step family.  While she’s had a traumatic several months at home, she finds that she’s able to relax around her new stepbrother, Landon.  Soon, their forbidden attraction is blossoming into something more.

Genre: new adult romance, reality show romance You should know: Maddie is the most frustrating MC you’ll ever read

Classically trained musician Maddie is drafted into joining her friend’s rock band as they audition on The Sound, a reality show similar to The Voice.  The one rule is not to fall for singer Jared, America’s favorite bad boy.  Maddie breaks the rule, but nobody can find out.

Genre: new adult romance, childhood friends You should know: this book will stick with you forever

Childhood friends Annabel and Kennedy reconnect after years apart on a road trip to a music festival.  Throughout their trip, they make a deal that Kennedy can dare Annabel to do any seven things if he will apply to seven writing internships.  The dares get progressively steamier as a romantic spark ignites between them.

Genre: new adult romance You should know: you’ll still be crying months later

The tenth book in the Addicted/Calloway Sisters timeline follows the three main pairings -- Lily & Lo, Rose & Connor, and Daisy & Ryke -- as they travel through life, start families, and experience heartbreak.  You’ll cry.

Off the Hook (book 1) Genre: sports romance, reunited lovers You should know: the MCs used to be married

Hardworking Kate takes a job revamping a fishing resort that turns out to be owned by her ex-husband.  Pro baseball player Liam knows that he made a mistake when he left Kate all those years ago, and fully intends to make up for it.

Lured In (book 2) Genre: friends to lovers You should know: both MCs have fairly traumatic pasts

Despite her paralyzing fear of water, Jessie has worked at a fishing resort for years. Finally ready to move on with her life, she asks her friend Finn to help her get over her fear.  Slowly but surely, a sweet, natural relationship builds.