#mod: rogue of blood

[tendorksclasspecting]

Frankly the list of Homestuck characters who would do that is probably longer than the list who wouldnt

idk i would have also kept the heads of my friends slash myself if i had the opportunity to i dont think gamzee was that weird for that. put their skulls in a little display case with a laminated label. well as long as theyre okay with it

[tendorksclasspecting]

Another SU/HS crossover character

[homestuck-hell]

Loboto Nurrot, Rogue of Rage, Derse

She/Her

Swears on her bloodpusher she was made in a lab

Behold the world's worst accident!

Has the most off-putting vibes, but she's really friendly

Land of Lemons and Candlelight

[tendorksclasspecting]

Ah fuck, is that why the relationship between gideon and harrow is such a shitshow and the houses situation reminds me SO MUCH of homestuck.

Are the girl!dave and rose. With the swords and the necromancy. And the horrors in deep space, and the absolute shit show of a

Wait. Wait. Is that why god's name is John.

Kill me

ya authors think people won't notice when they publish their slightly altered fanfics as original works.... WE KNOW. we see it. ITS NOT AS SUBTLE AS YOU THINK

[justwanderingmuses]

replaying DAI to get some OC muse back and... he's just a baby boy.... I love him

[cosmerelists]

Favorite Video Game Genres of Cosmere Characters

As requested by @thesternest :)

1. Silence

Silence: Don't know why, really, but I like casual games, games that are just like real life. Silence: Something about doing your daily life, but in game form--very relaxing. William Anne: Uh, mama? I think "Silent Hill" is a survival-horror game. Silence: It is? How so?

2. Marasi

Marasi: [Looks around nervously] Marasi: I...well, I like first-person shooters. Marasi: I-I just like to pretend I'm in the Roughs, like Wax! Marasi: I don't want to be Wax in real life or anything, but...it can be fun in a game!

3. Dalinar

Dalinar: In real life, war is a terrible necessity. Dalinar: In games, war is fun. Dalinar: ... Dalinar: I like tactical RPGs.

4. Vin

Vin: Huge fan of platform games. Vin: Jumping from ledge to ledge, controlling my speed and trajectory, occasionally swinging from hooks or managing double jumps... Vin: It's just like moving through the city as a Mistborn! Elend: Your high-score is RIDICULOUS, Vin! Vin: I'm also REALLY good at it.

5. Yumi

Yumi: I wasn't allowed video games for a long time, but now that I can play them... Yumi: [eyes sparking] I've become a HUGE fan of visual novels! Yumi: It's like Seasons of Regret, only *I* can be the one making the choices!

6. Leshwi

Leshwi: Like many Fused and Singers, I find myself quite taken with Rhythm games. Leshwi: Now that it is no longer appropriate for me to fight the Windrunners, I do like to challenge them to Dance Dance Revolution instead. Kaladin: OH COME ON I DEFINITELY HAD THAT Leshwi: I always win.

7. Steris

Steris: I used to think games were a waste of time, but then Wax introduced me to these construction simulators. Steris: My city is a paradise with excellent infrastructure, logical layout, and plenty of greenspace. Wayne: You should try to mod that makes a tsunami hit your city! Steris: Oh please, I beat that mod yesterday on my first try.

8. Navani

Navani: Recently, I've gotten into Tower Defense games. Sibling: I can defend myself, thank you very much.

9. Vivenna

Vivenna: Love a good roguelike. Vivenna: It's something about trying it over and over again until you're perfect. Vivenna: The victory is sooo sweet when you've worked hard to achieve it, dying many times. Siri: Oh me too!! I especially like Hades--the art is AMAZING. Vivenna: (scoffs) You mean a rogue-lite? Siri: I'm telling you--you should try one! Getting powerups in between runs is pretty sweet. Vivenna: Hedging out a difficult victory after hours of blood, sweat and tears is also fun! Siri: If you say so...

10. Lightsong

Lightsong: Soooo addicted to Candy Crush. Lighsong: Can't even tell you why. Llarimar: Perhaps your divine eye is drawn to the bright colors. Lightsong: Whatever makes you feel better, Scoot.

11. Adolin

Adolin: Lately I've become completely engrossed with life simulators. Adolin: I make my character get up, make breakfast, go to work, go on dates, learn the piano... Adolin: WHY IS IT SO ADDICTING?? Shallan: This may be a sign that your actual life is incredibly stressful and the allure of a simple, daily life is drawing you in? Adolin: No, that doesn't sound right... Shallan: You want to date a bisexual vampire? Adolin: ...That could be it.

12. Rlain

Rlain: I'm quite taken with these cozy farming games. Rlain: You just build a nice farm, meet the villagers, explore around. Renarin: Rlain, please, it's been six hours! Rlain: Just one more day...

13. Tress

Tress: I've been enjoying survival games! Tress: It's fun to gather and cook and build a base! Tress: A little bit unrealistic, because the rain doesn't make anything explode, but I guess they wanted to make it easier than real life, not harder.

14. Shallan

Shallan: It has to be MMOs for me. Shallan: I like a game where I can do pretty much anything I want. Shallan: Advance the story, collect every type of mushroom, fill in the whole map... Shallan: Plus, I like leveling every class and giving each one their own outfit and personality. Veil: You named the rogue after me, I see. Shallan: It's a compliment.

15. Kelsier

Kelsier: There's only one type of game for me: and that's a game where the name of the, uh, game is survival. Kelsier: And I especially like it when you have to survive as a team. Kelsier: Especially against great odds--like lots and lots of real-life players. Kelsier: Yup, yup. Kelsier: It's all about Fornite for me.

[wh40ksummerfest]

Warhammer 40,000 Summer Fest Exchange: Nominations open!

The tag set for the Summer Fest Exchange is now open for nominations!

Nominations close on May 31 at 5:59pm CEST | 11:59am EDT | 8:59am PDT | 11:59pm CST (countdown).

If you are new to gift exchanges on AO3, here is a guide on how to submit character/relationship nominations to the WH40K Summer Fest Exchange tag set. 👇

What is the tag set for?

Put shortly, the tag set is our shared wishlist for characters and relationships we'd like to see in this exchange.

Like most exchanges on AO3, the WH40K Summer Fest begins with a two-step setup period:

During the nomination period (May 17–May 31), anyone can submit characters and relationships to the tag set created for the exchange.

During the sign-up period (June 1–June 14), participants submit requests and offers for characters/relationships from the tag set they would like to receive or create fanfic/fanart for. At the end of the sign-up period, the exchange mods will match participants based on their requests and offers.

You can only sign up to request or offer the characters and relationships contained in the tag set, so make sure to submit your nominations before Saturday May 31, 5:59pm CEST | 11:59am EDT | 8:59am PDT | 11:59pm CST (countdown). After this time, the tag set will close and additional nominations cannot be added.

How to nominate

You'll need an AO3 account to participate in this exchange. If you do not have an account, you can request an invitation to join the Archive here – the wait time is currently around 8 days.

Find the link to the tag set in the info box at the top of the exchange's profile page (or click here).

On the tag set page, click 'nominate' in the top right corner.

Choose 'Warhammer 40.000' for the fandom.

All nominations go in the 'Warhammer 40.000' fandom category, even if they belong to other media, e.g., the Horus Heresy series, the Rogue Trader computer game, etc. Nominations are only used for matching participants; when you upload your gift to AO3, you can use the fandom tag(s) of your choice.

Both characters and relationships go in the 'relationship' box for matching purposes.

Add characters to the tagset by writing: Character: Name and finishing with a comma.

Add pairings by writing Name/Name (for romantic or sexual pairings) or Name & Name (for platonic pairings/friendships/enemyships – any specific characters you want interacting in a non-romantic/non-sexual way). If the tag has been used on AO3 before, you can choose it from the dropdown menu, otherwise finish with a comma.

You can nominate Original Characters as characters or in relationships. HOWEVER, note that it will be the creator's choice which OC to use; e.g., if you request "Saint Celestine/Original Female Character," the creator can use an OC you suggest but can also use their own idea. You may nominate original characters that specify an OC's faction ("Original Ultramarine & Original Tau Fire Warrior") and/or gender ("Original Transfem Sister of Battle/Original Nonbinary Imperial Guard").

You can also nominate 'Any' characters, e.g., "Sanguinius & Any Blood Angel(s)", "Ciaphas Cain/Any Canon Female Character", to give the creator freedom to choose which character(s) to include.

You can nominate up to 20 characters or pairings.

Once you are done, click 'submit' at the bottom of the page.

You can add more characters and pairings, up to 20, by clicking 'My nominations' on the tag set page, but once your nominations have been approved by the mods they can't be deleted.

If you nominate something that has already been nominated by someone else, or if the mods change the wording/order of names to match archive conventions (e.g., "Ulfar of the Space Wolves" ➡ "Ulfar Redmane"), it may continue to appear on your 'My nominations' page as unapproved. Click 'Expand All' on the tag set page to see a full list of all nominated characters/relationships and check if your nominations are included, possibly under a slightly different name.

It may take up to 24+ hours for nominations to be approved, so please don't delete your unapproved nominations.

If you have any questions about your nominations, contact the mods at 40kfanworkexchange@gmail.com or here on tumblr.

Remember to follow this page for updates on nomination clarifications and more.

[tendorksclasspecting]

Humans are not limited to one cultural lineage. Both is good

all you youngins making humies of terezi and making her Irish I understand that, but “Teresi” is an actual Italian name so maybe reconsider 👀

[wanderingaldecaldo]

And this is the red Broken Dreams for the Tower AU "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" AU

And this is the red Peach Pie for her corpo AU when she's in her early 20s and just got a big promotion at Arasaka and impulsively got that wolfcut

And this is the red Strawbebby for when she moves back to NC from Atlanta in her canon

And this is the red Violet for the start of her Nomad (Fuckboy) AU

And this is the red Ginger Strawb during Act II of her Nomad (Fuckboy) AU

And this is the red Blood Diamond for her Rogue cosplay

And this is the red Sunset from when she's just a lil bb streetkid

And... @streetkid-named-desire cut me off bc they wanted to actually publish the mod, which is fair, I guess.

[aziraphales-library]

HELLO LOVELY PEOPLE!! this might be too specific of a trope so if it is i’m sorry ab that but do you know of any fics where crowley is cursed or controlled in some way to hurt aziraphale? thanks and have a slay day!!!

Hi! Here are some fics in which Crowley is forced into hurting Aziraphale. Mind the tags and warnings on ALL of these ones, folks!...

Hell's Greatest Punishment by evilwriter37 (E)

Hell possesses Crowley and makes him hurt Aziraphale as a way of punishing him.

F to pay respects (I swear this isn't a crackfic) by satiricalScythe (NR)

In which upon failing to destroy the traitors to Heaven and Hell themselves, Gabriel and Beelzebub realize what they much do - if they can't destroy Aziraphale and Crowley, they'll make them destroy each other. Idk if this really earned the graphic depictions tag, but better safe than sorry. It was originally far more bloody but I cut a lot of parts out to make it work.

The Night Of Time by NuriaSchnee (E)

Aziraphale and Crowley are about to take their relationship to the next level when Gabriel and Michael's wrath falls on them. To punish them, they implant a fake reality into Crowley's memory in which he becomes a proper demon for a while and hurts Aziraphale several times. However, they leave Azirapahale untouched and aware that none of it has been real.

The Uncanny Valley by mozbee (E)

“Oi, Crawley.” He freezes, then turns, because you should never turn your back on a Duke of Hell. He sees the woman leering at him, and kicks himself for not paying attention before, to her blank eyes, the slightly sour smell wafting off her now he’s looking for it. “Have a nice night,” she rasps, and suddenly lifts her hand and blows a palmful of black powder into his face. Crowley coughs and stumbles back, out of the elevator, dropping to the floor, eyes watering. Its gone up his nose, down his throat; he can feel it, cloying and irritating. “What the fuck—” he tries, but suddenly he’s gripped with a new, urgent thought: angel. He pauses, mind perking up at the thought. Angel. He stares up at Hastur, who’s giggling and tossing long blonde hair over his borrowed shoulder. “That’s right, demon: you smell an angel.” “I—” It’s important, this bit about the angel, but it’s harder to put his finger on why. “You smell the angel,” Hastur says, and reaches out, to grip his chin in harsh fingers. “You want to kill the angel, don’t you, Crawley? Don’t you, demon?”

Fire in the Blood by Lurlur (E)

Heaven and Hell are in disarray, Earth is feeling the consequences. Crowley is hit with a lust curse from a rogue incubus which triggers a series of events that he'll never be able to undo. This fic features explicit rape and the aftermath. It is emotionally ugly. Look after yourselves.

Branded by Bookwormgal (M)

The mark on Crowley's face was not a tattoo. When Lucifer, still furious and his pride damaged, took out his frustration out on the first thing to catch his attention after the Fall. Rage, possessiveness, and a need to prove that he was not as weak as he felt when he was cast out spurred him into action. He claimed the broken and fallen creature in every way, relishing the confusion and fear. And he left a piece of his power tangled up in the former angel's essence, the only easily visible sign being a shape manifesting on his eventual corporeal body. But rather quickly, Lucifer found other things to occupy himself and the demon was sent up to Earth to cause some trouble. Six thousand years later and newly-enraged by the betrayal and halted apocalypse, Lucifer finally decides to make use of that power that he left behind. The devil is not one to surrender something that he'd claimed so easily. And the traitor would pay. He would make Crowley suffer.

- Mod D

[wangxianficfinder]

Hello!! Please help me find a fic where WWX discovers there is more Wei family. I think there was a grandma and other relatives that lived in a town in Yummeng. Also, while him and LWJ are visiting they find a poisonous bird that is close to some towns, I think the name is Zhenniao and another cultivator, maybe a Yu clan one, is trying to kill it but WangXian try to help the bird find a mate and they find others of that race!! Thanks for all your work!! Be well :)

Hi, I asked a question yesterday but I found the fic!!! Thank you so much!! :) be well!!

Glad you found the fic you were looking for! Which fic was it if you don't mind us asking?

~Mod L

--

monicaop21: Hi :), thanks for answering!! And I was searching for:

We Meet at the Thousandth Step by Admiranda, Rynne (T, 315k, WangXian, CSSR/WCZ, Canon Divergence, No Sunshot Campaign, CSSR & WCZ Live, Rogue Cultivator WWX, Different First Meeting, Night Hunts, Genius WWX, Inventor WWX, Romance, Drama, Fluff, Strangers to married, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Everyone Lives AU, Developing Relationship, Minor Violence, Case Fic, Mystery, Flirting, WWX’s Canon-Typical Flower Flirting, Arson, There Was Only One Bed, Getting Together, First Kiss, Meeting the Parents, Resolved Sexual Tension, Resolved Romantic Tension, WWX Is a Good Big Brother, New Relationship Bliss, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Blood and Injury, Yiling siblings, Married WangXian, Honeymoon, Wangxian's Baby Fever)

[tendorksclasspecting]

Are any of these related to the meme?

someone please find me the crying ultimate dirk meme where he's wearing a mask

[bara-izu]

I got way too excited this afternoon making my main oc Toma (the one in my icon/banner) as a custom dark urge! ....And customising astarion into their hubby Griff coz they share a lot of mannerisms and are both high elf rogues.........

SO! i finally got the Blood Hunter mod working, which meant i could play Toma how they were in campaign! They're a Order of the Lycan Blood Hunter, and a changeling, who struggles a lot with maintaining their 'human' form sometimes, so Durge kind works v well with them~

I would make some visual changes (make their jaw more square, add stubble, tint their glasses and fangs but- maybe in the future~

[michanvalentine]

I just finished my run as Astarion. Okay, I admit it—after the first adventure, I used a few mods to speed things up. Lol. I had to! Partly because some of them are really cute and partly because, well, my husband and daughter might’ve left me otherwise.

In any case, I managed to pursue a romantic relationship with Shadowheart, just as I had planned in my first playthrough... at least before the vampiric rogue got in the way! But in this run, of course, there was no such risk.

Astarion: Hold on, I need to finish the last chapter. I need to know if Stephanie ends up with George. The cursed lands can wait, Halsin will understand.

But enough chit-chat—here are my impressions in short! Playing as Astarion gave me the chance to notice additional details and delve deeper into aspects of his characterization. First of all, even from the earliest interactions, his fear of suddenly having to rely on and interact with others unaware of his vampiric nature is immediately apparent. The revelation doesn’t happen through the infamous bite scene but rather through a genuine act of trust, where Astarion himself chooses to confess. Even before this, though, the game allows you, through dialogue options, to weigh the matter—to consider whether to tell this or that companion, who, depending on approval (or personal inclinations), may seem more or less willing to accept cohabitation with a bloodsucker.

Gale is one of the most understanding about it, as well as one of the most curious! <3

Let’s just say, if it wasn’t already clear, playing as the vampire makes the issue even more obvious: vampires are seen as monsters, feared and despised by default, and they can’t easily build relationships with others. Being a vampire is, in itself, an almost insurmountable obstacle to reclaiming one’s humanity and being recognized as a person with rights.

This becomes even more evident in the encounter with Gandrel. Astarion remembers what he did—he recalls being at the Gur camp and abducting their children. Among the various dialogue options, there’s one that attempts to highlight the fact that vampire spawn cannot disobey their master's orders and are, in essence, acting against their will. And we know all too well that Astarion is a victim himself, caught in a cruel trap.

Gandrel’s response is chilling, to say the least: monsters are monsters. Period. There’s no salvation for Astarion, no hope, no understanding. Who cares if your master treats you like garbage? Who cares if you literally have no free will? Who cares if you’re sold, raped, tortured for days? You’re a monster, and you deserve to die.

I've always found Gandrel to be a likable character—I enjoyed his willingness to play along with the stereotypes about the Gur and his honest attempt to warn me about the dangers. Plus, let’s not forget he’s a father grieving for his kidnapped children. But I swear, in that moment, my blood boiled!

Another thing that becomes much clearer—and really underscores the absurdity of the situation—is the sheer magnitude of what Astarion is thrown into when you play as him. Imagine it: a vampire spawn who, out of nowhere in his miserable existence, finds himself suddenly free, with a tadpole stuck in his head, a group of companions relying on him to solve their problems, and the salvation of the world resting on his shoulders.

Dream Guardian: You see, Astarion, as far as the eye can see, this mess is yours now. Do something, don't die horribly, try not to get caught by your master, and while you're at it, save the world.

It’s a stark contrast and an overwhelming amount to process. For Astarion, it must be a downright Herculean task, especially considering he hasn’t even begun to resolve his old, massive issues and now has a mountain of new ones dumped on him. This is the same Astarion who, after 200 years under Cazador, probably doesn’t even remember where his own ass is anymore. If it were me, I’d be cursing every god in existence! Who knows, maybe then they’d finally bother to answer my prayers.

The absence of Tav is definitely felt. Astarion needs Tav, he needs a guiding figure. He’s better suited as a follower than a leader, though I have to admit, playing as the vampire spawn protagonist makes the whole journey feel even more epic.

The lack of Tav is especially noticeable during Astarion’s personal quest. In my opinion, it’s incredibly sad to watch him try to face his trauma and problems alone. He’s been isolated for 200 years, and it’s so much more impactful to see him open up to someone who’s there for him, rather than struggle in silence, tracing the scars on his back all by himself.

The scene goes like this: during the night, pain overtakes him. He can’t sleep, tossing and turning on his bedroll. The scars ache, and if he focuses enough on his own terrible experience, Astarion can vividly recall the exact path Cazador’s blade carved into his flesh. Naturally, you need to pass a skill check to gather the right insights, but the essence remains: he suffers alone, in silence. As always. And it broke my heart.

He seems so small, forgotten, and defenseless, licking his wounds and facing his most horrific memories on his own.

As the main character, Astarion has few opportunities to talk about the past and Cazador with others, and especially only in a general way. The details remain private, surfacing only during specific moments. One such instance is the encounter with the drow twins, where Astarion can tell the sex workers that he once found himself in their position. The drow asks how it was, and Astarion has several dialogue options that, no matter what you choose, convey just how harrowing and non-consensual that experience was for him.

Another scene in the brothel that pleasantly surprised me was the one with the nymph. When she uses her power on Astarion, after being saved from the mindflayer, she asks him what he wants to be. The dialogue options are rich, powerful, respected, etc. But the specific one for Astarion's character is: "safe." It brought tears to my eyes. It's in moments like these that his motivations become even more apparent, and for him, the power he craves is nothing but the only way to feel safe.

Instead I was deeply disappointed with the interaction with Araj, the blood merchant. As the main character, Astarion has nothing significant to say about her or her request to be bitten by a vampire. The dialogue options are pretty neutral—you can either bite her or refuse—with no real acknowledgment of how deeply personal and repugnant the situation should be for him. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore his trauma and agency further.

On the other hand, Astarion dreams of Cazador, and through the vivid voice of the vampire lord, we are made privy to the general rules that his spawn must follow: never drink the blood of sentient beings, never disobey, never stray, and never forget that they belong to him. During this nightmarish confrontation, several dialogue options are available, reflecting the full spectrum of Astarion’s possible reactions: he can cower, fight back, or plead for forgiveness. Regardless of the choice, Cazador will belittle him, scare him, and humiliate him. Their dynamic is crystal clear, and the scene always ends the same way: Astarion bows his head in submission.

As if that weren’t enough, he wakes up in a panic, terror gripping him, with one harrowing realization: he’s late, and if he doesn’t return to Cazador soon, he’ll be whipped.

This also provides additional context for the infamous bite scene. While a vampire’s hunger—especially that of an underfed one—is a powerful motivator, there’s more to it. Astarion’s decision to break the rule and take the risk is driven by a desire to test his limits, to prove to himself that he’s no longer a slave. Naturally, as Astarion, players are presented with a choice: bite one of their companions or resist and go hunting in the forest instead.

In this regard, the unique choices Astarion has in situations tied closely to his personal story always offer a wide range of possibilities. There are options that could be considered outright evil, but also others that reveal his desire for redemption. Another proof that his character cannot be considered solely evil. I think this perfectly reflects his real nature, constantly teetering between good and evil, right and wrong, humanity and vampirism.

I particularly enjoyed the confrontations with Petras and Dalyria, as well as with Aurelia and Leon. These interactions feel more nuanced compared to when Tav is present. The rivalry and love/hate dynamic among them becomes more evident, and Dalyria’s trust in Astarion is surprisingly deeper than one might expect after a standard playthrough.

Beyond the dialogue options concerning the deception against the other spawn needed to secure Astarion’s ascension, there are other options that reveal his genuine desire for redemption. He seeks to kill Cazador not just for his own freedom but to save his siblings as well, to be a better brother, as himself says in one of the options. This intention is evident even before encountering the unfortunate victims in the Szarr palace dungeons.

These interactions add layers to Astarion’s character, highlighting the complexity of his struggle. They show a man caught between his dark instincts and a burgeoning sense of responsibility and morality, making his personal arc all the more compelling.

Naturally, the same applies when confronting his victims. Astarion can choose from a range of lines that span from the more villainous to the more heroic, effectively showcasing both sides of his character. The outcome always depends on how the player prefers to approach their playthrough.

One thing that absolutely delighted me was the confrontation with Cazador. When the vampire lord tries to assert control over Astarion, you can make a dice roll to resist him. Watching Cazador's frustration is priceless. Additionally, once defeated, you can force him—again through a dice roll—to beg for his life. In my case, I made him grovel… only to kill him anyway. I know, I’m a terrible person, but he totally deserved it! xP

Astarion: Well, now that I know Stephanie and George have broken up, I can go kill that damned Netherese brain.

Of course, mine was another heroic playthrough. Well, not exactly heroic, but good. We're still talking about Astarion, so whenever I saw his name pop up, I automatically selected his personal dialogue option. So let's say it was a "conservative" run, I did what I had to do but without overdoing it, maintaining a pretty neutral profile.

So, the ending was the classic one, with Astarion enjoying the darkness and his existence as a vampire, free from Cazador's influence. Then, he's like the dark avenger, Batman-style, feeding on criminals. For the right price, of course. xD

From a romantic perspective, I finally managed to win Shadowheart over, and I think her romance, along with Astarion's, is one of the sweetest. She also offers the right challenge in being won over and understood, considering her "dual identity" and the influence that Shar and Viconia had on her. I enjoyed seeing her transform from the sulking cleric full of secrets to the sweet, fragile girl beneath the armor. Of course, since this was my second playthrough, the element of surprise was a bit lacking, especially regarding the conclusion of her quest.

Then things took some strange turns... let’s say I decided to take a few more risks this time and experiment with different things compared to my first run. xD And I discovered that I also love Halsin and Astarion together! The druid's proposal surprised me, and honestly, I didn’t expect Shadowheart to so calmly accept sharing her beau. Good for me! Although the content with Halsin is really limited; I wonder if that’s because he was my second boyfriend?

Then, this time, I also accepted the squid's proposal... yep. xD Let’s just say I had some fun.

Right now, I'm playing my first (and I think only) evil playthrough. I feel guilty every time I do something bad. And Ascendant Astarion was a cold shower for me! But maybe I'll vent about it once I have all the elements, for now I'd say I've rambled on enough. Anyone who's made it this far is a hero!

[mirrorbird]

okay so there's this little indie title called baldur's gate 3

and there's a challenge someone slapped onto a graphic and insisted was a "new trend" called the "frodo challenge"

this is not a "trend" any more than any of the other challenges/trick runs/bits people have been doing, but it intrigued me. because I am a turn-based gamer in my blood and have been known to do a bit. so I rolled up Mister Frodo.

level 1 rogue, no mods, stats built specifically around keeping him as alive as possible within that VERY, VERY LIMITED framework (i.e. Dex and Con). My boy has 10 hp. Until I get some late-game equipment, he will never have more than 10 hp.

(This is going to become a problem.)

and one more fun little narrative/mechanical twist: what is the corruption of the One Ring, I thought, if not a Dark Urge? (this makes sense logically but also has a real and practical purpose: only the Durge has access to the cloak that makes you invisible and I need it so fucking bad)

Now, for Da Rules. I'm doing very slight deviations: 1. I am on Honour Ruleset but not in Honour Mode, meaning that I do get to save and reload--though I will be at least NOTING if and when Mister Frodo dies 2. While the only weapon Frodo may attack with is a shortsword, he is allowed to: a. throw small objects (is there anything more hobbit than throwing a rock) and b. have other weapons equipped (because surely at some point someone said, here, Frodo, hold this). I have Taken Steps to ensure I don't accidentally attack with the bow that's giving him a passive initiative buff please I really need this.

(that side of the bar is usually closed.) I'm interpreting "never separate" to be "never out of combat range" (so, included in initiative) and "takes at least one combat-relevant action per combat" (my boy is chucking a lot of potions, but he's also last-hit several things with a rock). We're going to see how this gets when I have large AOEs to contend with (I'm still working out how I'm gonna tackle Grym). Currently I'm also keeping the Magic Ring equipped (meaning I'm down a slot), but since Frodo doesn't constantly wear it I'll probably swap it out. He'll put it on occasionally, and it will always be in his inventory. Early levels aren't too scary (except in the normal Honour Mode ways) , so I've been running around saving every tiefling (the only non-evil-ending achievement I STILL DON'T HAVE) and knocking Minthara out and stealing her armor (and then triggering the raid ANYWAY to which she arrives in the nude like a FUCKING queen (I actually had to reset my run after this because I'd hit a weird bug but I went through the exact same progression of events, because fighting nude Minthara is a canon event)). so now I need to start dealing with Githyanki! cheers!! p.s. fun fact: if you awaken in the middle of the night with the blood of a traveling dragonborn bard on your hands and in a ritual circle at camp, BUT a cute dog arrives the same morning, this will never be spoken of again! So everything's cool!!

[pawfulgood]

Hi everyone! I just finished up my 3 year campaign of Rime of the Frostmaiden! Here are the final character portraits for the players, known as The Last Embers

(details and retrospective under the cut)

I've been playing and running in a legacy Forgotten Realms setting for ten years now, so I made a lot of changes to this campaign to honor the Players' pasts and potential futures. We have rotating players and DMs depending on the module.

Averik Spellfellow (Formerly Meborg the Goblin): Goblin Scribe Wizard played by the DM of a Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign he ran for all of us ten years ago! Averik was an NPC goblin the Phandelver PCs saved from Cragmaw Castle. He became a wizard in his own right, but not without a massive chip on his shoulder. He journeyed to Icewind Dale to research Chardalyn.

Cormorant Black: 1/2 orc tiefling Rune Knight fighter. She's a scion of PCs that went through the Tyranny of Dragons campaign. Corrie is obsessed with giants and wants to learn as much as she can about them in order to prevent another dragon apocalypse, should the cult of the dragon ever return. She's searching for The Eye of the All Father, but got waylaid in Icewind Dale thanks to Auril's Rime.

Carnelian Black: 1/2 orc tiefling Circle of Stars Druid. Another scion of PCs that went through the Tyranny of Dragons campaign. Carnelian has a different approach to dragons and sees them as creatures that deserve life like any other. They're very self-assured and followed their sister to Icewind Dale to protect her and restore balance to the seasons.

Isabella Quitano: Shifter Ranger / Rune Knight: An artist who incorporates blood into her paintings. In search of new adventures and inspiration for her art, she followed the Black Scions into the unknown.

Ryker Goldheim: Dwarf Rogue/Fighter: Ryker is FROM Icewind Dale, born in the Dwarven Valley but spending much of his life in Easthaven. He left home years ago and became an agent for the Lords Alliance. He's on one last job for Castle Neverwinter: Assassinate a potential threat to Neverwinter's throne. He returned home with the party under the guise of acting as their guide in the Ten Towns.

So based on these players, I added a LOT more giant lore to the bast campaign. For example, the Chardalyn Dragon became the Chardalyn Vonindod (Giant construct, the blueprints were found by Sunblight). The tieflings' mom is a high-leveled cleric of Umberlee, so I also added a bit more to do with the other divine furies as well, particularly Malar and Umberlee.

So yeah! I'm going to miss these jokers. This campaign was a LOT of fun to run and honestly… I'd do it again. Maybe without modding it next time.

Thanks for reading!