#[...hopefully some of these reasonings make sense xp]

[ask-thedepressedkidatthetable]

FACTS ABOUT YOUR MUSE !!

A short collection of basic info of your muse to present them on your blog. REPOST, don't REBLOG.

TAGGED BY: @heartxshaped-bruises TAGGING: @fourcriminals @fangsandmagic @seolinah @tyliocellier @eeliabwrites @godstrayed and anyone else who wants to!

▬ι══════ﺤ Sylwia Wrona

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

I suppose the main one I've encountered is that Sylwia is a "bitch" rather than a shrewd muse of extremes. Something along the lines of expecting a similar reaction to other muns / muses to a given situation and being surprised when Sylwia is unsympathetic to more of the same. Online, all the same trends cycle over time, and society is steadily getting worse . . . She'll feel differently when she sees something different.

AN IMPORTANT HEADCANON

I try to strike a balance in my writing, but keep in mind when your muses are interacting with Sylwia that she had a STRONG addiction to her phone. It's the one habit she absolutely cannot kick, so unless your muse has dragged Sylwia outside and just so happens to be holding onto her phone, the likelihood that she's looking at a screen while talking to you is high! And I promise she's paying attention, and she is engaged! Mostly. She's just . . . also scrolling. And doing upkeep on her forums. And looking up random shit. She'll show you a meme every now and then!

A USELESS HEADCANON

With some possible exceptions in the animated world, Sylwia absolutely despises sitcoms. Humanity it bad enough, must the downtime entertainment be filled with all of its worst aspects? Cruelty, stupidity, empty romantic plots and just most of the characters being annoying! At least with cartoons they don't look real. Even there, small doses is a key phrase.

POTENTIAL TRIGGERS

Depression, suicide, dissociation, self harm, social anxiety, insecurity, manipulation / possessiveness, death, and some neglect growing up. I would also note that while she can be attracted to anyone, her circumstances growing up were rather conservative so she is rather cautious on that front.

SOMETHING YOU ENJOY ABOUT (WRITING) THEM

God, I love writing Sylwia when she's in love. She's so sweet and sentimental and vulnerable in ways she would never credit herself with. I think she'll always blame herself for Dominik, and she'll probably always think that the world wasn't made for love, but that doesn't mean she doesn't hold so much of it in her heart. It's truly a pleasure.

SOMETHING YOU WANT OTHERS TO KNOW BEFORE WRITING WITH THEM

She's going to tell your muse to leave, time and time again. It's nothing personal most of the time, she just gets overwhelmed with social interaction and deals with it the only way she knows how.

▬ι══════ﺤ Absinthe Moon

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

Absinthe can fall in love so to speak. This one surprised me as well. That being said, any such relationships will rely on distance, mutual toxicity, and sex. Marriage and that whole apple pie thing is completely out of the cards, because as soon as it gets serious, Absinthe goes on guard- and the second there's a fight and things get emotional Absinthe will cut your muse out and there will be no return. Haven't found a work-around for that. Absinthe cuts out from all threads and it's . . . something. And for all of Absinthe's academic / professional pursuits, they actually have quite a bit of downtime in their life. Naps, staring at walls, whatever 'nothing' catches their fancy. Humans aren't meant to run at 110% all the time, and moreover, they don't want to.

AN IMPORTANT HEADCANON

While Absinthe is a very violent person personally, with no desire to change that, they are very receptive to pacifism. There's a catch though- Because Absinthe's read it all, Ghandi, King, the Quakers and the Shakers- and if you aren't doing pacifism properly, if you're just using it as an excuse to act like an asshole without getting consequences, then there will be hell to pay. If pacifism is truly your thing though, and you are trying your kindest and hardest in the world, more power to you! (No one will hurt you, not for the short time they're around. It's not their path, but why not chase utopia?)

A USELESS HEADCANON

Probably useless in the sense that I haven't gotten much of a chance to explore this side to them, but the vast amount of time an resources they've put into soaps, beauty products, and sewing! Work is a practical matter and unfortunately, can end out with a very masculine presentation, but I imagine in their daily life they put a huge amount of effort into androgyny. In being very visibly nonbinary and queer! It's a huge part of who they are.

POTENTIAL TRIGGERS

Violence, murder, weapons, crimes, drugs and so on.

SOMETHING YOU ENJOY ABOUT (WRITING) THEM

I absolutely adore writing their intellectual side. They're extremely intellectual, experienced, and in this stage of their life, the narrative demands success. It's fun to pit against others and a huge learning curve personally depending on where the thread is going!

SOMETHING YOU WANT OTHERS TO KNOW BEFORE WRITING WITH THEM

Absinthe is one of my favorites around here, but the build-up and appeal takes a long time to come through. They're a rather guarded character who operates under a general code of, 'Don't talk to anyone' to avoid trouble. So even if their character doesn't appeal to you in the moment, please, stick around. Wait for the day when it all clicks! because that's been my experience before and I happen to think it's worth the wait!

[adwox]

i think ive defeated every boss in mmx1 so far without their weakness except for one... thats crazy

[fantasyfantasygames]

Scramble World

Scramble World, Jenny J. Jensson, 2011

Scramble World is an extremely badly named RPG with a fairly generic premise and fantastic execution.

The titular world is one of those weird mixed-up dimensions where dozens of different worlds have crashed into each other for unknown reasons. You play characters from different RPGs, teaming up to prevent catastrophes or at least be there to help afterward.

The setting is like Torg, but without our world as the base and without the cosms having well-defined boundaries. It's like Rifts but again without our world as the base, and with all the most flavor-packed parts of each worldbook crammed into an area the size of Pennsylvania. And with less racism. It's a world whose major powers did not evolve in each others' presence, so their mutual existence explicitly does not need to make sense. Scramble World is in constant catastrophe and will be until the sky stops being red and worldbergs stop crashing through the bleed.

Remember We Were The First, where the alien species were all randomized in ways that made sense together? Well, here your character sheet is randomized. I don't mean that you roll for your stats, no, I mean you roll to see which stats you get. You get pieces of the character sheet, suggested locations to place them (you can change those), and half-pages of rules that connect to them.

One character might end up with a standard-six-stats block that goes 3-18, an extensive skill list, and a set of emotional attributes that trigger XP conditions. Someone else might have the same stats but they go -2 to +4, a set of Apocalypse World style moves, some Merits and Flaws, and a Vancian spell system if you choose to pursue it. It's an amazing setup. It was clearly well-tested: there was a character generator online to speed things up for you, using the same mechanics as the random roll tables, and I've never seen it come up with a non-viable combination.

Because there are so many options, some of them boil down to the same thing under the hood. For instance, everyone ends up rolling for (or otherwise generating) a Likert-scale success measure and comparing with each other to see what the actual winner gets. Each character sheet fragment has only half a page to get in, explain things, and get out, so a lot of things have to do double duty. Kudos to Jenny for keeping this as small as possible, even if "as possible" does a lot of lifting in that sentence.

There are lots of "world fragments" described in the book. Out of 304 pages (in 6x9 / A5 format), they take up about 200. Each one is roughly 5 pages, with one piece of art, descriptions of their leaders and common people, a few key landmarks, and a "heroes from here are like X" section. A corebook overflow supplement ("World Omelette") adds another 20 pages of rule fragments and 60 pages of world fragments. They range from "pastiche" to "homage", but none of them feel like "ripoff".

The art is taken from a dozen different types of action-oriented RPG stock art, thrown together with slashes or tears or glitches between them. I'd like to see a version that showcases a small number of artists rather than just stock art, but it's used very well for what it is.

I've already spent a lot of words on Scramble World, so I'll stop here, but hopefully you can tell that I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

* For those of you who are less mathy, 1d100 has a max of 100, a minimum of 1, and an average of 50.5. All numbers are equally likely. 1d10 x 1d10 has a max of 100, a minimum of 1, but an average of 30.25. Not only is the average 20 points lower, but it's also more closely concentrated. Less than 5% of the results are 60 or above. 🌈The More You Know!⭐️

[teras-art]

Sometimes when I’m having some creative block, or know I want to draw but don’t know what to draw, I look through my old stuff to see what I can redo.

This is a drawing I did back in 2008 when I was in high school.  Nicolette is a character of mine that I have been working on since 2006, she’s been through a lot of revamps and a lot of dye jobs, and I remember this being a very ambitious drawing for me at the time.  I still don’t love doing full backgrounds and avoided them even then.  I also wanted this to be a two-parter, with the second part being her boyfriend listening to music in a room where it’s daylight, but I honestly never even started that second part.

So, how about a little critique for past me?  It will set up my game plan for the new drawing and hopefully help some of you reading this that draw.

Perspective has always fucked with me and something I will say about this drawing is that everything does appear to be going to the same vanishing point, so good job, teenage me.  Unfortunately, the scale is absolutely wack and as soon as Nicolette stands up, she’ll hit her head on the ceiling.  Anymore, I like building 3D references (I use DAZStudio, but there’s a lot of options) and just trace them to help with perspective.  If you think that’s cheating, take it up with the old masters.

I also feel like there is no character to the desk and chair.  They’re just so clean and look kind of cheap.  The desk chair looks more like a dining chair.  There’s basically nothing on the desk, it’s like she just moved in today and hasn’t had a chance to fully unpack.  I think at the time, putting more objects on the desk and figuring out the perspective for all of them felt just too daunting to bother with.  I definitely want a ton of clutter on the redo (famous last words).

At the time, I had it in my head that I wasn’t allowed to outline anything if I was going to go for a more painterly style, so a lot of it looks pretty blobby and undefined.  If you’re going for a painterly style rather than line art, you are allowed to use lines, just be mindful of the weight and the color of the lines.  Thick, black lines, are obviously not what we’re going for.  In the new drawing, her face and fingers in particular should be much more defined.

Hair used to really, really throw me for a loop.  I think part of my problem was looking at all the hair as one thing, and it ends up feeling sort of like hair for Lego people that just snaps on.  It makes a lot more sense to break it down into different clumps and strands.  Think about things like how and where the strands attach to the scalp.  Another nitpick is just that her hair would obviously be obstructing the sound coming from her headphones.

I believe she is wearing black flats (at least, I don’t think they were supposed to be black ankle socks) and I want to get rid of those.  Who wears shoes when they’re hanging out in their room at night?

As though admitting that I was in high school in 2008 did not age me enough, the computer is running Windows XP with the most generic looking music player possible.  I think I’m going to make the computer in the new drawing a little more obscured, screen-wise, in the hopes of not aging so badly and obviously.

The window and the lighting from it isn’t so bad.  I definitely was mindful of the lighting on the curtains and the rug, but didn’t really bring it in toward the figure or any of the other furniture.  This is supposed to be dark and moody, and hopefully I can bring that across better in the new one.  I also want to put rain drops on the window and make the view something more reasonable for just outside someone’s bedroom.

The posters I gave her are pieces that I just kind of threw together as I was working on everything else.  This time, I’ll use some of my other art that’s already done and that could reasonably be a poster that she owns.  I also want to add some shelves for more clutter (again, famous last words).

The bed will probably not be in the redo, nor the guitar.  I think the bed makes the room seem very small, and this way the desk can be more of a focus.  As far as the guitar, as I’ve worked more and more on Nicolette, she’s gravitated more toward keyboard, so I’d like to fit that in if I can.

Overall, I remember being proud of this piece, and I don’t think I did a bad job or had a bad idea.  I do think I can do a lot more with the idea now, and I am looking forward to doing so.

[pathfinderunlocked]

Sin-Carver Mummy - CR16 Undead

Who dares plunder the final rest of the Sin-Carver?  Your sins are at an end.

Artwork by Adnan Ali on Artstation.

Here’s another crazy boss fight for you.

A sin-carver mummy was pledged in life to the eradication of what it perceived as sin, through any means necessary.  After great battles against both demons and humans, it was laid to rest as a hero, along with its armor and weapon.  But those who enter its tomb should beware - the forces of sin have defiled its place of final slumber, and now it rises for vengeance.

This is a high level mummy lord with the powers of both a hell knight and a cleric, and then some more unique powers on top of that.  Some of the mummy lord abilities were altered to make them more fun and dynamic.  Hopefully it’s obvious that this is designed to be a boss fight, though if you have a level 20 party and want to make them fight a group of eight of these things, I’m not going to tell you what to do.

It would be totally reasonable to give this boss a cool unique weapon, or some unique cursed armor or other cursed magic items, maybe putting its Carve Away Sin ability or Sin’s Revenge ability on a magic item.  But that would just be loot, and wouldn’t affect the encounter, so I didn’t include that in its gear.

Its constant aura sight effect lets it automatically know which target to use Smite Chaos on.  It saves the Good Fortune ability for important saving throws or other defensive rolls, and if that fails, then the Hell Knight Aegis feat is a neat alternative to legendary resistance.

It uses its Harm spells to heal itself when below half hit points, moving into an area of Lingering Sandstorm Wrath to safely heal if possible.  Even on rounds when it heals, Opportunistic Dread Bolt allows it to also do some damage as well.

If the players are trying to flee from a sin-carver mummy, it uses the Scar hex on one or more of them, and thereafter uses the Unnerve Beasts hex and the Nightmares hex on them from long distance, leaving the target cursed for defiling the mummy’s tomb.  It doesn’t use its hexes otherwise.

It lacks a typical mummy lord’s Undead Mastery ability that takes control of other undead.  A sin-carver mummy prefers to destroy other undead if they’re not already loyal to it.

Sin-Carver Mummy - CR 16

The fully armored figure rises from the sarcophagus, sword in hand.  Glowing sin runes adorn the pauldrons of his armor and the flat of his blade.

XP 76,800 Unique human mummy lord, divine scourge cleric 12 / hell knight 2 LE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, human) Init +5 Senses aura sight, darkvision 60 ft., deathwatch; Perception +17 Aura great despair (30 ft., DC 26)

DEFENSE AC 30, touch 17, flat-footed 24 (+9 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural) hp 208 (12d8+2d10+140) Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +18 Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, hell knight aegis (1/day), rejuvenation, sin’s revenge DR 10/— Immune cold, electricity, undead traits

OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 unholy bastard sword +21/+16/+11 (1d10+14/19-20 plus insidious mummy rot plus purging wave plus carve away sin; +2d6 vs. good creatures) or slam +20 (5d6+13 plus insidious mummy rot plus purging wave plus carve away sin) Special Attacks channel rot, hexes (blight, scar, nightmares), insidious mummy rot (DC 19), lingering sandstorm wrath (DC 26, 8d8 fire and slashing), purging wave, spontaneous casting (inflict), opportunistic dread bolt

Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 12th; concentration +21)     6th—eyebite (DC 26), greater bestow curse (touch +22, DC 26), harm (touch +22, DC 26, carve away sin) x2     5th—break enchantment, dispel evil (DC 24), dispel good (DC 24), greater contagion (DC 25), slay living (DC 25) x2     4th—divine power, freedom of movement, poison (touch +22, DC 24) x2, spit venom (ranged touch +14, DC 24) x2     3rd—bestow curse (touch +22, DC 23), dread bolt (ranged touch +14, DC 21, carve away sin ) x5, sands of time (DC 23)     2nd—aid, dread bolt (ranged touch +14, DC 21, carve away sin) x5, silence (DC 21)     1st—bane (DC 21) x8     0th—detect magic, detect poison, purify food and drink, read magic

Spell-like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +23)     Constant—aura sight, deathwatch

STATISTICS Str 28, Dex 20, Con —, Int 12, Wis 28, Cha 28 Base Atk +11; CMB +20; CMD 37 Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Hell Knight Aegis, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Spell Focus (enchantment), Spell Focus (necromancy), Toughness Skills Intimidate +26, Knowledge (religion) +18, Knowledge (planes) +16, Sense Motive +24, Spellcraft +18, Perception +17, Stealth +17; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth Languages Common, Necril, Thassilonian SQ aura (evil, law), curse domain, good fortune, hell knight order (order of the scourge), hell knight armor 1 Gear +1 unholy bastard sword, mwk mithral hell knight plate, ring of protection +1, 1200 gp worth of ruby

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Hell Knight Aegis (Su) Once per day as a full-round action, a sin-carver mummy can give its Hell Knight armor the broken condition.  Upon doing so, it is affected by one of the following spells of its choice (caster level 14): break enchantment, neutralize poison, remove disease, or remove paralysis.  Once it has used this benefit, its armor must be repaired as normal to restore its full bonus to its Armor Class and return its armor check penalty to normal.

A sin-carver mummy can use this ability even if paralyzed, helpless, or otherwise unable to act.

Great Despair Aura (Su) All creatures within a 30-foot radius that see a sin-carver mummy must succeed at a DC 26 Will saving throw or be paralyzed with fear for 1 round, then shaken and unable to willingly move towards the sin-carver mummy for the following 1d4 rounds.  Whether or not the saving throw is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by the same sin-carver mummy’s great despair aura ability for 24 hours.  This is a mind-affecting paralysis and fear affect.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Rejuvenation (Su) One day after a sin-carver mummy is destroyed, the necromantic energies that created the abomination begin to rebuild its body. This process takes 1d10 days. If the body is destroyed before that time passes, the process starts anew. After this time, the sin-carver mummy awakens fully healed in its tomb. To permanently destroy a sin-carver mummy, it must be destroyed and then its remains must be targeted by consecrate, hallow, and then dispel evil, cast in consecutive rounds and in that order.

Channel Rot (Su) A sin-carver mummy can deliver its insidious mummy rot through melee weapon attacks, its slam attack, and any natural attacks it possesses.

Insidious Mummy Rot (Su) Curse and disease—slam; save Fortitude DC 26; onset 1 minute; frequency 1/day; effect 2d4 Constitution and 2d4 Charisma damage; cure —.

Insidious mummy rot is both a curse and disease, and can be cured only by first removing the curse and then curing the disease.  Even after the curse element of insidious mummy rot is lifted, a creature suffering from it cannot recover naturally over time.  Anyone casting a conjuration (healing) spell on the afflicted creature must succeed at a caster level check (DC 26), or the spell is wasted and the healing has no effect.  Anyone who dies from insidious mummy rot transforms into a pile of sand and cannot be raised by means other than resurrection or greater magic.

Purging Wave (Su) When a sin-carver mummy performs a melee attack, it also creates a shockwave in a 15-foot cone in the direction of its target.  All creatures in this region must succeed on a DC 22 reflex save or take 2d8 force damage and be pushed back 5 feet.  Immediately after doing this, the sin-carver mummy can move five feet as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity; this does not have the normal limitations of a five-foot step.  The save DC is Strength-based and includes a -4 racial penalty.

Lingering Sandstorm Wrath (Su) Three times per day as a standard action, a sin-carver mummy can exhale a blast of superheated sand in a 40-foot cone.  The blast deals 8d8 fire damage and 8d8 slashing damage and blinds targets for 2d4 rounds.  A successful DC 26 Reflex save halves this damage and negates the blindness.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

The area affected by a sin-carver mummy’s sandstorm wrath becomes filled with superheated sand particulate which floats in the air for 3 rounds.  Creatures other than the sin-carver mummy which enter this area or end their turn in it take an additional 2d8 fire damage with no save.

Smite Chaos (Su) Once per day, a sin-carver mummy can call out to the powers of law to aid it in its struggle against chaos.  As a swift action, the sin-carver mummy chooses one target within sight to smite.  If this target is chaotic, the sin-carver mummy adds its Charisma bonus (typically +9) to its attack rolls and adds +2 to all damage rolls made against the target of its smite.  If the target of smite chaos is an outsider with the chaotic subtype, a chaotic-aligned aberration, or a fey, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 4 points of damage  Regardless of the target, smite chaos attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite chaos is in effect, the sin-carver mummy gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier (typically +9) to its AC against attacks made by the target of the smite.

If the sin-carver mummy targets a creature that is not chaotic, the smite is wasted with no effect.   The smite chaos effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the sin-carver mummy rests and regains its uses of this ability.

Good Fortune (Ex) Twice per day, as an immediate action, a sin-carver mummy can reroll any one d20 roll it has just made before the results of the roll are revealed.  It must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll.

Spontaneous Casting (Su) A sin-carver mummy can “lose” any prepared cleric spell that is not an orison or domain spell in order to cast any inflict spell of the same spell level or lower (an inflict spell is any spell with “inflict” in its name).

Sin’s Revenge (Su) When a sin-carver mummy is subjected to a spell or spell-like ability that allows for a Will saving throw, and succeeds on that save, as an immediate action the sin-carver mummy can cast Bestow Curse (DC 22) as a spell-like ability on the enemy that targeted it, as long as that enemy is within 100 feet.  Bestow Curse gains a range of 100 feet when cast in this way, and requires a ranged touch attack as if being cast with the reach spell metamagic.

Opportunistic Dread Bolt (Su) When a creature moves within close range (55 ft.) of a sin-carver mummy, as an attack of opportunity, it can cast Dread Bolt as a cleric spell against that target.  A sin-carver mummy can only use this ability while it has Dread Bolt prepared as a cleric spell, and the spell is expended as normal.

Carve Away Sin (Ex) A sin-carver mummy gains a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls and deals 2d6 additional damage whenever it makes an attack to deal lethal damage to a living humanoid or evil outsider.

Scar (Su) A sin-carver mummy can hex a target to scar it.  The target may make a Will save (DC 25) to resist this hex.  The sin-carver mummy can use its Unnerve Beasts and Nightmares hexes on the scarred target at a range of up to 1 mile, and it is considered to have a body part from the target for the purpose of scrying and similar divination spells.  This scar persists through disguises and shapechanging.

The sin-carver mummy can withdraw this hex from a target as a move action at any range.  The sin-carver mummy can maintain 4 scars at once; once it reaches this limit, it must remove the scar from a current victim in order to mark another.  Effects that remove curses can remove the scar.

Unnerve Beasts (Su) A sin-carver mummy can hex a target within its line of sight (or within 1 mile if the target is affected by its Scar hex) to unnerve beasts.  The target becomes offensive to animals (DC 25 Will negates). Animals become distraught and aggressive in the victim’s presence—horses buck, dogs snap and bark, bulls charge, and so on.  The hex lasts a number of hours equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier.  A creature that saves against the hex cannot be affected by the hex for 1 day. The reaction of the animals is a mind-affecting charm effect, but the hex on the target is not.

Nightmares (Su) Calling upon fell powers, a sin-carver mummy can hex a target within 60 feet (or within 1 mile if the target is affected by its Scar hex) that causes its sleep to permanently be tormented by terrible nightmares.  A DC 25 Will save negates this effect.  If the save is failed, the target must make a new save each night or be unable to rest, become fatigued, take 1d10 damage, and be unable to recover arcane spells.  A target affected by the sin-carver mummy’s Scar hex takes a -10 penalty on these additional saving throws each night.  This is an evil mind-affecting illusion effect.

[fizzingwizard]

On my way home from work today I found a lavender wallet with a key inside. I had groceries and couldn't wait around too long, and it was an area with only parking lots and no people in sight, so I decided to take it to the nearest police station.

After walking a few blocks, I came to a park with lots of kids that is very near the police station. I was walking holding the wallet out, hoping the owner might see it, but nope. However, there was one kid who caught my eye. She was dressed very brightly and I kind of had the feeling she was swerving toward me and then running away. But she never actually looked at me, and she was skipping and running and going all over the place. I really had this pull that said "it's her wallet," but I couldn't justify why I thought so? So I decided it was just better to keep going to the police and let them handle it. The girl disappeared then anyway.

Took about ten min to get to the station, where the police took aaaaaall my info x'D Actually scared me a little, like did they think there had been money and I took it? Fortunately the wallet was very small and couldn't have held more than loose change anyway. They were nice, I don't think they suspected me, didn't even have any "foreigner!!!" panic haha. They took out a map of the entire town so I could place the exact corner where I found the wallet. Then they told me that if no one claimed it after some time, I could have the wallet and key. I was like "Um, thanks, but I have no use for a key to something that I don't know what it is." Then they asked if they could give my info to the owner in case they wanted to thank me. I said "sure" in as noncommittal way as possible and added that no thanks were necessary. They finally let me go home.

Minutes later, I'm walking past the same park, and the colorful girl and a friend come walking by. The friend is in the middle of saying, "So since you don't have your key..." I stopped, turned to them and said, "Are you looking for a key?" They nodded. "A purple one?" More nods. "Go to the police station!!" They both took off at top speed. I was gonna leave them to it, but I heard the boy telling the girl the station was "this way!" so I decided to make sure they actually made it. (Their friendship was so cute ;_;) They did, and I gave thumbs up to the officer so he hopefully will have no reason to make me talk on the phone lol.

I just think it's so funny/weird that I totally knew the wallet belonged to that girl. It's hard to express it well if you weren't there, but really there was no reason for me to think it was hers. She wasn't near where I found it and she didn't look lost, upset, or like she was searching for something. She didn't even seem interested in me - I've just never seen her before around here, so I think maybe that's why she stuck out to me. It's just so weird that I almost, almost called out to her by myself, but didn't because it just didn't make sense and I didn't want to seem like a creep (although now I realize that was totally overthinking it - asking a kid "is this wallet yours?" in broad daylight in a busy park isn't gonna scare anyone). I feel like I had a sixth sense about that kid haha.

I felt a little silly for going all the way to the police and then having the mattered resolved in minutes, but it's a good story anyway! The police got a little variety in their day too, they got do some good, meet a foreigner, and also some cute kids ahahah. When I left them the officers were taking the kids' info the same way they took mine xP adorbs

[penname-artist]

It took me scrolling through the dusty crophopper tag to realise your icon had changed!? I kinda did a double take and went "is that pen? Oh they changed their icon ohhh!" It looks great tho I like it:)

Anyway I was wondering if you had any headcanons for blades childhood? Does he have any siblings and such? Or just some general headcanons for dustys time with the ppaa? (I slowly feel like I'm going to start scratching at the walls in desperation for some planes content I love it sm)

I did, yes!! Hopefully it's a good combination of familiar and new, I wanted the background to stay the same XP (we don't talk about how it's asymmetrical but I'll fix that eventually lol)

And yesss, I have headcanons aplenty for the both of them ;P

Blade's the oldest child of four kids, all a couple of years apart (damned staircase children). Needless to say the house was always pretty loud, which might have been part of the reason Blake (aka Blade) had frequent migraines as a child. He was easily the most sensible and mature of the four, though April (the second youngest) was pretty similar, if a bit bossy.

Oldest to youngest of the Ranger children, there's Blake Aaron (jr), Caleb Marshall, April Beverly, and Sydney Robin. [note that that's first and middle names, yes I gave them all full ass fuckin' names lol]

Blake was always a quiet kid, and he liked to spend time alone outside. He'd catch weird bugs, collect cool objects like rocks and things, and build shit with whatever existed in the shed. Despite the nice suburbs, the kids were still, well, kids. And 50s-60s kids, to boot. They built some of the best and weirdest fortresses known to man.

He was also an avid reader, and frequented the local library for the latest copy of his favorite novels. And, because he enjoyed the attention of the kindly librarians there, who appreciated that he helped them out during the afternoons and was all around really mature for his age

He went to a relatively high-end school growing up, given the family was pretty upper-class, but even with that perk, his school years were pretty shit. He was a theater kid, and a bit of an emo (though he didn't have the balls to be a rebel) and spent the majority of his time avoiding people and being a straight-A student. That's not to say he didn't have friends, he just wasn't really a "people person". Never was, never will be lol

Had an absolute shit relationship with his father, though. He had few too many verbal fights with Blake sr, and after tearing out of the house headed for LA, Caleb (the second oldest) became the son he never had. It should figure he favored the children that followed his stead and went into the military.

Diana (le mother) wasn't too much better, although she was more sympathetic. She was just kind of an overbearing hawk parent to Blake, mainly stemming from the years of his migraines. But she didn't exactly approve of his antics either; she just wanted him to come to his senses, rather than beat them out of him.

Onwards to the Dusty bit here, I have a few fun stories of his time around with the Piston Peak team...

He may or may not have kinda sorta maybe gotten his ass whooped by the team this one time, because while helping Blade and Maru move an engine, he kinda bumped a heavy thing which fell...on Blade's foot. And he was down for a few weeks with a cast. yeah Dusty spent a night outside duct-taped to a light pole--

He earned honorable rights to the kitchen in his first week with them, after sharing some old family recipes the team started hounding him to make every time he was there. He's even got his own apron (with his seven on it, made by Dipper as a late birthday gift)

He's also joined Cabbie and Windlifter on the side during their gym sessions. He doesn't have the strength to go up against either one, but like Blade, he gets a kick out of watching them compete, and enjoys furthering his own muscle strength in the process.

He has attempted to learn chess before with Blade and Wind, but he still doesn't quite get it, so he often joins Maru or Cabbie in checkers instead (a game he's more familiar with and can kick ass at)

[spidersfanfics]

Fearless

Hermione x Reader | Fluff | Request from Wattpad

After a long day of work, you suggest that Hermione unwind with a movie night. However, when a little bit of banter turns into a challenge, the two of you watch a horror movie that Hermione might not be quite prepared for.

Also I want to preface this by saying I don't watch horror movies, at all. Never have, probably never will. So any opinions I state about horror movies are based on google search results, pls don't come at me XP Enjoy!

"Welcome home," you said as Hermione came in through the door. The two of you shared a quick kiss and she took off her scarf and coat.

Her skin was cold under your touch from the winter wind and you ushered her inside as soon as she kicked off her boots. "How was work?"

"Busy as always," Hermione sighed, dropping off her bag in the lounge as you headed back into the kitchen to finish making dinner. "I think I'm really making headway, but it's hard to fight tradition you know?"

Hermione sat down at the small dining table and you brought over your plates with a smile, "I'm sure they'll come around soon, 'Mione."

"You think?" she asked as she began to eat.

"I do," you agreed, "And I'm proud of the work you've been doing."

"Thanks love," Hermione said, smiling softly. "Dinner's lovely as usual. How was your day?"

You shrug as you begin to dig in as well, "Same old. No news on the job applications yet but hopefully something will stick soon."

"Take your time," Hermione reassured you, "The ministry pays well enough."

"I know," you nod, "I just want to provide for us a little bit more. Something with less hours than you so that I can still cook for us, sure. But I do wanna bring in a some money."

Hermione touched your hand lightly and beamed at you, "I love you, you know that?"

You chuckled and nodded, "I know, I love you too."

A comfortable silence fell between the two of you as you finished your meals, grown from years of living together. As the last of dinner was cleaned away, you cleared your throat. "Say, 'Mione?"

"Yes?"

"Since tomorrow is a day off for you, I was wondering. Do you wanna stay up tonight and watch a movie?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Are you suggesting a movie night?"

You nod eagerly, "Yeah. It might help you relax a little bit. You've been working so hard lately."

Hermione thought it over for a long moment before nodding, 'Yeah, sure. A movie night sounds lovely. Why don't you go pick something out while I do the dishes?"

"Are you sure?" you asked hesitantly, "I can do the dishes if you're too tired."

She waved off your concerns with one hand, already gathering up the plates. "It's the least I can do for this lovely meal. I'll be just fine."

"Alright," you nod and head off towards the lounge. As you reached the doorway of the kitchen your spun back around and pointed at Hermione, "What kind of movie did you want to watch?"

"Did you have something in mind?" Hermione asked.

You tilt your head back and forth in a sort of uncertain manner, "Well you know I love horror movies but I thought those might not be quite your speed."

Hermione gasped dramatically, "[Y/N]! Are you calling me a wimp?"

"No, of course not!" You say quickly with a sheepish grin, "It's just that whenever I talk about horror you make a face and change the subject."

"Oh I'll show you," Hermione laughed, "Don't you know who I am? I fought at the battle of Hogwarts!"

You laughed along with her and dipped into the lounge with a shake of your head. "Alright then, horror it is," you shouted at the other room.

"You bet it is," Hermione called back.

Soon enough, you had Insidious loaded up and ready to go for when Hermione was done. A horror classic in your opinion and one of the scariest movies you've ever seen. If Hermione wanted to prove she could handle horror, you were going to try your best to scare her.

"Alright, ready to go," Hermione said, joining you on the couch. "What are we watching?"

You gesture to the tv as you pull her closer with one arm around her shoulder. "Insidious," you tell her, "It's got all the best parts of horror. Creepy kids, evil spirits, the works."

She leaned into your touch and rested her head on your shoulder, "Sounds like a blast."

"It is," you grin, "But you know, don't hesitate to tap out if you get too scared." You give her a cheeky smile, "I won't judge."

Hermione just laughed and leaned over you to press play, "In your dreams."

Your light banter tapered off as the movie began and the two of you settled down to enjoy the night. It wasn't long however, before the scares started happening, and Hermione started fidgeting.

"Doing alright?" you whispered to her during moment of calm and she shot you a tense smile.

"Just fine."

You couldn't help but chuckle at her pale and nervous expression but she double down on putting on a brave face so you didn't push it and simply turned back to the movie. However, it wasn't long before another tense moment had Hermione digging her nails into your arm.

"Are you sure you're okay?" You winced with a laugh as you extracted yourself from her vice like grip.

Hermione blushed, "Oops, sorry."

The movie went on and as it only got scarier, Hermione only got jumpier until by the end of it she had buried her head firmly into your chest. Luckily, you were happy to wrap your arms around her and hold her close.

Finally, the credits were rolling and you kissed her gently on the top of the head. "Movie's over, 'Mione." You told her, "You can look now."

Hermione lifted her head and gave you a playfully smug smile, "Told you I could do it."

You laughed and pulled her properly into her lap, which she allowed with laughter and some half-hearted protesting. "I never doubted you for a second," you told her as you closed the gap between you two for a kiss.

When you broke apart, Hermione rested her head against you once more with a contented sigh. "But in all seriousness, maybe next time we will watch something a little calmer."

"You think?" you laughed, rubbing soothing circles across her back.

She nodded, "I think I can deal with real life horror a lot better because then I can actually do something about it. Like when I was in school, sure bad things were happening but I could try and stop it. When I'm watching a horror movie, there's nothing I can do. I just have to watch it all happen."

You petted her hair gently and nodded, "Of course, that makes perfect sense. I'm just a weirdo who likes seeing fictional people scream."

Hermione slid off your lap and laughed before offering you a hand up. "Come on, it's getting late. And I'm not sleeping alone after watching that."

"Which was of course my plan all along," you joke, eagerly taking her hand and allowing her to pull you to your feet.

"Shush, you," Hermione giggled and began to lead you up the stairs. "Oh and now that you've shown me that, I hope you know we are never having kids."

You laughed along with her as the two of you retreated to the bedroom, "A perfectly reasonable conclusion to draw."

[elletromil]

How about r for fuba?

So this took a while, but one cannot control life xp Hopefully this was worth the wait :)

r…ed string bonds two soulmates together for a lifetime and all come in varying lengths—imagine the trouble of only being able to walk certain distances or having to sleep on the edge of your bed.

--

As has been the case for the past week or so, Tiezui is unceremoniously yanked out of his bed at an outrageously early of the morning. In fact, it’s so early that calling it morning yet is quite the exaggeration.

“Stupid soulmate,” he mumbles darkly as he feels the string of fate continue to pull on his ankle. The first couple of days, he got dragged along on his ass for a few minutes before he woke up enough to put up some resistance.

Now it’s already become a routine to stand up to resist the pull, forcing whoever is on the other end to stay put at least until Tiezui can get dressed and have breakfast like a sensible man.

At least his soulmate is considerate enough to give him some time to go about his routine as soon as he makes it clear he’s awake.

It doesn’t stop him from wondering how his soulmate could be someone who can apparently function when the sun isn’t quite up in the sky yet. Tiezui is starting to believe he must have done some terrible deed in a past life to deserve this as any joy he felt at realising his soulmate had to be close now started evaporating into irritation.

To think the string of fate’s diminishing length as soulmates came into closer physical distance was supposed to be a gift from the Gods to help them find each other.

If you asked Tiezui, making the damned thing visible would have been much more useful.

At least once he would find his soulmate and spend sufficient time with him, the string should go back to a more manageable length.

The only problem with that was there was no lack of people looking for their soulmates in Changsha and Tiezui had very little patience to go through meeting all of them. So that meant relying on, well, on fate.

***

Maybe Tiezui used to kick defenceless puppies or something just as reprehensible in his last life. It’s the only way to explain why he’d end up shackled to such a useless soulmate in this one.

He had been so sure that for once, Fo Ye wouldn’t force him to come along on his latest expedition. After all, tombs were dangerous places even without someone inadvertently stumbling on an inconveniently invisible thread of fate and triggering a very real trap by mistake.

And for a second there as he had been making his case, Fo had seemed like he would agree with him. But then, he had gotten that calculating gleam in his eyes and that had been the end of Tiezui’s hopes.

Fo Ye didn’t care how uncomfortable and inconvenient it was to try to go farther than what the length of the string of fate was, only that it was possible. And he had assured Tiezui that he would have one of his men stay close-by at all time to ensure Tiezui wouldn’t trip them all into their doom.

After that, it hadn’t mattered how much he argued and whined, Fo Ye had been all but deaf to his numerous complaints.

The same cannot be said of the young lieutenant that has been assigned to assist him however. And even if he looks mostly amused by his rant, Tiezui still magnanimously decides to take pity on him after an hour or so.

His decision has absolutely nothing to do with how handsome Zhang Rishan is or how diligent he is at keeping close, one hand around Tiezui’s elbow to keep him steady.

It’s just that much like Tiezui himself, Zhang Rishan has little choice but to follow Fo Ye’s orders. And even if he’s kept silent, Tiezui has seen him valiently biting off his own remarks.

The lieutenant is still young enough that he can only be blindly loyal to his leader, but it’s not like Tiezui himself hasn’t vowed to follow Fo Ye too. He’s just more discerning as to when his presence is actually required or not.

Given enough time, Rishan could become an useful ally, potentially even a friend. Maybe even more than that, if the man is so inclined. It’s not because his judgment isn’t affected by the man’s beauty that Tiezui is blind to it.

But of course for any of that to have a chance to happen, Tiezui needs to not completely annoy him. The first impression is most assuredly ruined by now, but Tiezui knows how to be charming enough to fix it.

He’s so distracted by his attempt at befriending Zhang Rishan that he doesn’t notice what should have been obviously until much too late.

The group is taking a short rest in a safe spot and Tiezui leaves Zhang Rishan’s side to go talk to Fo Ye privately.

Or rather, he tries to.

Because the moment he takes three steps away from the other man, he feels the familiar pull at his ankle and Zhang Rishan abruptly stumbles right into his back.

Tiezui stares in shock as he suddenly realises that he hasn’t felt the string of fate at all since they left the city. Which would make sense if, as he now suspects, Zhang Rishan is supposed to be his soulmate.

He doesn’t understand why the lieutenant wouldn’t have mentioned anything, but then again, Tiezui had been complaining about Fo Ye and not the inconvenience of soulmates. And he wouldn’t put it past Fo Ye to only have told his lieutenant to keep close because Tiezui is clumsy.

Seriously, the reason why he is still friend with this man completely escapes him at times.

He turns from Zhang Rishan to stalk dangerously toward Fo Ye, leaving the lieutenant no choice but to trip after him.

“You-” he starts angrily, point at a smirking Fo Ye, but he’s interrupted before he can say more.

“I see congratulations are in orders Lao Ba. Lieutenant.” He pats them both on the shoulder at that, patronizing in the worse way possible. “I trust you won’t let this distract you from our goal today. Be assured that I’ll make sure to give you some time alone as soon as we’re back in the city.”

And just like that, he leaves them under the pretext of going to talk to another one of his men, leaving a spluttering Tiezui in his wake and a frozen-looking Zhang Rishan.

It’s a small consolation that the lieutenant look just as absolutely betrayed as Tiezui feels.

“I hate this man.”

Zhang Rishan doesn’t say anything of course, but the fact he doesn’t jump in defence of his commanding officer speaks volume on his current opinion on Fo Ye.

Maybe Tiezui’s soulmate is not so bad after all.

[johnnys-green-pen]

Quick FAQ

Just a super quick interlude because I’ve actually been asked a couple of things since I’ve started this blog, and I might as well collect all of that in one place. This FAQ can now also be found at https://johnnys-green-pen.tumblr.com/faq

Q: Who are you? A: I usually go by Guardy. I’m 24 years old, German, and have been active in various fandoms since 2006 or thereabout. I’m always at least a decade late to everything and am very much used to my fandoms being half a dozen stragglers, lil’ old me, and a lone tumbleweed in the distance. I’m currently waiting for my BA in English and German studies to be finalized, my studies mainly focused on Literature and Cultural Studies in both subjects, with a big dash of language history in German as well. Wrote my BA thesis on Dracula and Varney the Vampire and the concept of the Other in vampire fiction, so I actually do have something of a background in analyzing media... not that it shows, lol.  (I also have adhd and my short-term memory sucks, so if I ever don’t reply to messages or don’t reblog something that’s obviously relevant/I was tagged in, I probably forgot and will be grateful for a reminder. I don’t think I’ve ever ignored somebody on purpose, but between me being hilariously scatterbrained and tumblr eating asks sometimes, stuff can get lost)

Q: How did you even find this show? A: Saw it mentioned on TV Tropes, though I have no idea what initially made it stand out amidst the thousands of other things I scroll across on there all the time. Decided to give it a try because I’m a sucker for media history, old TV shows, 70′s fashion and vintage tech, and stuck with it because the show’s remarkable in a lot of ways and also has an incredibly lovable bunch of main- and supporting characters. 

Q: How do you do your screencaps? A: I’m using VLC media player for my screencapping; I take several dozen screencaps per episode, liberally using the pause button and going through scenes frame-by-frame if necessary. Only a handful of caps an episode make it to tumblr. My total number of screencaps taken as of S2E17 is 2,788, which averages out to about 96 screencaps an episode; probably around five or six on average actually get posted.  Whenever possible, I use the German DVD box set for my screencaps because they’re slightly higher-res than the single-season American box sets: 720x540px as opposed to 636x480px. My screencaps are generally not edited in any way, just carefully curated.

Q: How do you do your gifs? A: Photoshop CS5; importing video as frames, gently polishing the colors (though I generally try to keep my touch-ups subtle), resizing to either 540p or 268p wide, exporting. I try to keep them under 3 MB so tumblr doesn’t compress them.

Q: How do you do your art? A: Beats me, lol. Okay, more helpfully: Been drawing for a bit over a decade. I’m currently using an XP-Pen Deco 02 graphic tablet, and usually Clip Studio Paint as a software, though I’ve done art using everything from Microsoft Paint to Corel Painter and Photoshop (and, quite frankly, preferred MS Paint). 

Q: Can I use [thing I posted]? A: Probably yes, within the constraints of general fandom rules (so, yknow, don’t try to make money off of them or something? Fandom common sense applies, basically).  Screencaps and Gifs: just take ‘em and spread the fandom love. Credit is always appreciated, mostly because it saves me the guessing game of “are those mine or not”, but definitely is not necessary for those. That also means that you CAN definitely post gif sets using my gifs if, for instance, you want a collection of adorable Johnny expressions instead of gifs sorted by episode.  Analyses and potential fics: Quote as much as you want, though if you want the whole thing, please link to my posts or reblog them instead of reposting (and if you do want to repost the whole thing for some reason, please ask first), and please do credit me for that stuff. Also yes, there will hopefully be fanfic at some point. Art: please ask first - I don’t bite, and I’ll likely say yes, but art takes a lot of work, and I like knowing where it ends up and having some control over it.

Q: Can you do [E!-related thing]? A: Probably! I can definitely do screencaps, analyses, gifs, fanart, fanfic and also all sorts of video editing, and am always open to requests... even though I can’t guarantee anything, and they may take a while to go through, especially if I have to figure out how to make something work first (... one of these days I’ll learn how to make gifs with readable subtitles and get my “to gif” list worked off). 

[creativenicocorner]

behind the scenes time: 1.) what's your favorite scene (terpsichore and/or otherwise) you've published so far? 2.) ever think of rewriting any scenes/fics from an alternate pov? 3.) top 3 favorite fanfic tropes? :v

Director’s Cut Questions

Oh boy you’re hitting me with some hardballs!! Hell yeah! Hehe

1)  Oh GEEZE dskjkdsj this is a hard question XP I..uh…dang, there have been so so many that I enjoyed writing! I can't be decisive to save my life at times XP

I’m quite proud of the xxx scene from ch10 in Terpsichore, and also the entirety of ch3 in Alto Mare, oof and that moment in Of Names & Ebb where the narrative kind of flips.

But man oh man…I think, I think despite all of that, and all the newer things I’ve written, a scene that always has a soft fondness in my heart is Ch3 in Terpsichore, the Aquarius section, where Barbara and Walter have their picnic date, and they get very drunk and sing and dance:

It was upon finishing their first bottle, their meal more than finished, and Arcadia glowing in the valley like a collection of lightning bugs with hues of pale yellows and reds, that Barbara got up and managed to walk a straight line to the car. Walter watched her saunter while collecting some of the trash, a hum in his throat when he heard the car start for a moment.

He thought the worst, and quickly turned around to see Barbara sitting in the driver’s seat- door open. Collecting himself, Walter walked over and leaned on the roof of the car, looking down at his rosy cheeked companion who was slowly cranking up the dial.

“Walt…” she looked up grinning, the intro to a song playing with chimes and languid guitars, a tasty bass line starting, “..Walt.” she repeated.

“Yes?”

“Quick - ask me what my sign is.”

A low laugh escaped in the form of uneven exhales through his nose.

“Quick!” she said in earnest, racing against the started song. Those deep blue eyes wide.

He humored her and leaned lower, “What’s your sign, Barbara?”

She shot her hand out in response, and waited for him to take it - she didn’t have to wait long, and let the lyrics of ‘Aquarius’ answer for her, mouthing along. 

It’s one of the first scenes I was really profoundly proud of and enjoyed writing. I’m not the biggest fan of my earlier chapters, and I often think of rewriting some of them, but this? Aaah Walter asked and then saying “What’s your sign?” and Barbara answering by mouthing the lyrics to Aquarius as they start to dance together??? Sparks a lot of joy in me.

[Sigh] if only I knew how to animate, the soft tenderness I would have arted of this, I often think of drawing a comic of this moment…but it never seems to come out right. 

However Barbara pushing Walter out of a window in ch8 is a VERY close second. 

Oh god, and in 3rd would be ch7 with the changeling party that happens in the Anything Goes section. Otto searching for Walter, the chaos of the party, and Walter quoting the Great Gatsby fgjkfdjgs All this to say, that couch moment between Otto and Walter is gah so tender to me. 

Ch14 Julia wasn’t so bad either, dang! It’s really hard to choose >~<’’’’

2) Eeeeeh not 100%

I like the freedom of writing as an omniscient narrator so that if I want to change pov or view into someone else’s storyline I could just, do that. Or, erm, maybe it’s less omniscient and more of a messy fondue pot of perspective. 

I like the ability to give descriptions about characters that even the characters themselves might or might not know. While simultaneously playfully scrutinizing the characters along the way. Even give details other characters wouldn’t know about, because what is important to me is that the reader knows about it, hopefully adding a heavier weight to a potentially juicy moment, maybe even an extra layer of situational irony. Or sometimes, even choosing to withhold information/character reactions to things…sometimes that can be just as powerful, I think.

It doesn’t matter who’s perspective is being followed (kind of) as long as the scene / moment works(™) and can deliver the emotional and atmospheric weight I’m gunning for. Why get stuck on one perspective when you can use all the perspectives you want or need to your disposal (in hopefully a coherent way) to get the story across? And again, that sweet sweet situational irony/poking at the characters. 

Goodness I hope I’m explaining myself alright. 

Whether I’m successful at it or not, while not making it too confusing, is another thing. It probably makes me out as a bit of pretentious writer, or absolutely confusing…I’m not sure. 

One of my biggest fears is whether or not any of my writing makes sense to begin with, and yet I have the most fun choosing such a confusing approach to things XP

Idk, I need to think about pov more, and stop being a baby and better learn writing rules I suppose, there’s always room for improvement…and I’m no professional…my best is the only thing I can do, and along the way I can only hope it makes any sense. Honestly it’s a miracle to me anyone can make sense of anything I write haha. 

Sorry for the tangent, I might have spilled too many of my guts answering that, and a bit of self doubt seeped through along the way.

That aside, it would be neat to revisit We’ll Meet Again from a more Barbara focused angle. Looking through the world 9 times at a Stricklander from 9 points in his life and reading about all the different ways she dies (Also a fun add on: the reason I chose 9 moments is because cats are said to have 9 lives >;3c  )

3) Found Freaking Family babieeee! (Friends to lovers is in this category, sorry I don’t make the Nico rules hehe and totally not a cop out to sneak a 4th trope)

Begrudging father figure and snarky ward 

Assholes with a heart of gold

[queenofcats17]

You don’t need to do this, but earlier today I saw a post about Sammy living in a farm or so but others not knowing this cause it’s Sammy and he doesn’t seem to be the one lived on a farm(or so). And I can only imagine how they’ll figure it out and how they’ll react XP. You don’t need to to this like I said but I just LOVE YOUR WRITING

I believe the post you’re referring to is this one by @1930s-inkhell. I was planning on writing something involving it because it’s a really cool idea, but I never really got around to it. This’ll give me the push to finally get to it.

I also like this post. 1930s-inkhell has a lot of really cool ideas and you should really check them out! :D

(Also I apologize if I butcher this idea. I’m sick and a bit loopy)

———————————————————————-

Sammy Lawrence had been born and raised in Mississippi and had gotten out of there as soon as he possibly could. He’d never cared for the bigotry that had seemed to permeate every facet of the small town he’d grown up in. He still went back to visit his family, he was the designated babysitter for his plethora of nieces and nephews after all, but he was happier not living there.

Unfortunately, bigotry was just as rampant in New York, but he didn’t have to drive an hour to go to the store. It was a trade-off. He did what he could to shut it down when he saw it, earning himself a reputation as a hard-ass. He was perfectly happy with this reputation as it scared off the sort of people he didn’t want to be talking with anyway.

The people who needed his help knew they could count on him. He’d been asked to babysit the kids of some of the more desperate employees more than once, which he was more than happy to do. The fact that he was good with children was similarly kept a secret. He had a reputation to uphold, after all.

He still kept his home state a secret from most of his colleagues. He knew the prevailing thoughts about people from the South and wasn’t in much of a hurry to burn any more bridges snapping at whoever made such ignorant remarks. He didn’t care much about what people thought about him, but he would not tolerate people talking ill of his family or friends.

He had known some amazing people in his hometown. Kind, amazing, wonderful people who had shown more compassion and humanity than a lot of the people he’d met in the city. The choir in his church had made some of the best music he’d ever heard in his life. They hadn’t had a lot in the way of instruments, but they’d been incredible. Part of the reason his standards were so high was because of them. If the church orchestra in his middle of nowhere town was able to make amazing music then these big city musicians should be able to do just as well.

But only a few people actually knew where Sammy was from.

Joey knew, of course, because he knew everything about everyone. He didn’t make a fuss about it. It didn’t matter where Sammy was from as long as he could do good work.

Norman knew as well, having seen and heard Sammy calling his family back home. He didn’t say much about it. The way he saw it, it was Sammy’s business, not his.

He’d told Susie himself. He’d been so head over heels for her and he wanted to share this part of himself with her. She was from the South too, so she’d thankfully accepted it. In fact, the two of them had bonded over the various things that both their families did.

Then Wally had found out. And he’d reacted…predictably badly. Wally had been the one Sammy had been most worried about finding out. The janitor could never keep his mouth shut and had a habit of saying whatever stupid thing popped into his head at any given moment. 

“You’re from Mississipi?!” Wally sputtered. He’d heard Sammy arranging his Christmas trip home to visit his family and caught the fact that he was discussing flights to Mississippi. 

“I am,” Sammy replied, internally groaning. This wasn’t going to be a fun conversation, he could just tell.

“But you’re so-! So-!” Wally gestured broadly to Sammy. Sammy felt his temper beginning to flare.

“So what?” He asked coolly.

“Um…Sophisticated? Open-minded?” Wally said weakly. His voice had gotten a lot quieter due to the building anger he could sense coming from Sammy. It wasn’t the normal kind of angry Sammy usually was. Wally had crossed a line and he knew it.  

Sammy took a deep breath to calm himself, pinching the bridge of his nose and counting to ten until he no longer wanted to murder the janitor.

“I will admit, there are some rather backward and bigoted people in Mississippi,” he said slowly. “But there are backward and bigoted people in every state. Making assumptions like that is dangerous and I’d thank you not to do it again. You can hurt a lot of people with that sort of thinking.”

“I’m sorry.” Wally bowed his head. “I wasn’t thinkin’.”

“No, you weren’t,” Sammy replied. “In the future, I suggest you do think about the effect your words can have.”

“Sorry,” Wally mumbled again.

“Apology accepted.” Sammy turned back to his desk. “Now, I think you should get back to work.”

“Yessir.” Wally nodded and scrambled out.

Sammy breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, Wally wouldn’t bring this up again.

The next day, Sammy found a chocolate cake on his desk, as well as an apology note from Wally. It wasn’t signed, but Sammy could recognize Wally’s handwriting anywhere. It was rather distinctive.

“Hm.” Sammy looked down at the cake, noting Wally watching from around the corner. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself as he put down the card. He’d have to return the favor at some point.

He wondered if Wally had ever had a whoopie pie. Maybe he should make one for him sometime.

[cyberkevvideo]

My Changes to “Way of the Wicked“, Extras 3: Extraplanar Hunters

I kind of had the first one in the back of my mind for a while, but always forgot to put it down on paper, but thanks to vlogger Dungeon Dad converting a bunch of old 3.5 and Pathfinder 1e monsters to 5e, I was reminded that these creatures were very different in 3.5 compared to Pathfinder, and why I had originally considering at least the inevitable for this adventure path.

As always, for space reasons, I’ll be cropping the encounter build.

I do not have a Patreon or a Kickstarter, but I do have a Ko-Fi page (linked) for those who would like to support my work. There is no pressure or obligation to do so, however, but a like and a share would definitely be appreciated. Of this and my older work.

Just before get to it, I hope everyone’s staying safe right now.

There are three sets of stats this time around, and two of them are actually one NPC; a hound archon and his dragon mount. More on that later, including a description regarding how the concept exists. This is what I was talking in the last entry regarding this being something that was skipped over in the Pathfinder bestiary from its 3.5 version.

I’ll say for starters, I didn’t give the NPCs any traits. Those are for PCs, more often than not, but admittedly that was a staple of Gary’s builds to try make the NPCs able to stand up to the villains more. It also felt like an in-joke that the NPCs were the heroic PCs all along. If you want to give them one trait, that’s fine, but for these ones, I didn’t feel it was overly necessary to do so. The only one I even considered was the hound archon, and only to give him armor expert to negate the final armor check penalty to skills.

For starters, inevitables are the very definition of law. Each one has a specific mandate for how things should or shouldn’t be, and how everything interacts with the multiverse.

For starters, we have a zelekhuts are defined as “ bounty hunters and executioners all rolled into one.” The PCs were supposed to die or at least be judged and sent to the salt mines. They escaped. That needs to be rectified. By all means, you can use the standard CR 9 version and have it appear during Book 2, but mine is slightly different. More so because in Book 2, unless you’re doing this incredibly early, the villains may have already amassed a literal army, if only undead. A CR 9 inevitable isn’t going to cut it. My version would appear much later, and it’s also a little different from your regular zelekhut.

I’ll say now, that the reason Judiceye is a variant is because most zelekhuts would just arrive and rain down lawful smiting on their chosen to die. But this one is more crafty. Mitra has seen what the villains can do, and how devious they are, not to mention how large their ever growing army has become. This particular zelekhut’s duty is to show up at the end of Book 3, during the winter months, free any and all prisoners as best as it can, and cause in-fighting among the bugbears and other riffraff that have joined the 9th Knot. If it can take out some unwanted undead, all the better. The PCs are supposed to lose a portion of their troops at the end of winter anyhow due to them running away and leaving their minions high and dry, so this just furthers that plot line all the while putting the PCs on edge. There’s either a traitor among them or maybe the villains just can’t control their people, showing just how unfit they are. And if they start executing their own men for not listening when it’s really just the zelekhut? All the better to use as kindling to create riots and arguments, and really give the villains a run for their money. It’d make for a long winter indeed. And right before the king shows up, or whenever the time is right in the GM’s mind, and the Knot is near their breaking point (possibly when there’s the most confusion), the zelekhut can start a major brawl and try its luck in taking out the PCs. Even better, with its greater hat of disguise, it can change itself to look like whomever it needs to. Just needs Intel first. It can be a PC, a bugbear, a vampire, the medusa half-fiend, or whoever. Doesn’t matter. Because it start a fight, then leave, and turn into someone else. Whatever needs to be done to take down the PCs.

I will not that the DD for the elemental combat style is from  the Pathfinder Disciple's Doctrine. Normally I would go OGL and Core, but this time I need some extra damage, and this was about the only way to pull it off. Also, the reason the hat’s trapped is because these things aren’t supposed to normally have treasure. This will destroy the treasure and maybe do some damage to the PCs at the same time.

JUDICEYE (CR 16; XP 76,800) Variant advanced zelekhut ranger (guildbreakerUI) 7 LN Large outsider (extraplanar, inevitable, lawful) Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +25 DEFENSE AC 31, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+1 armor, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +13 natural, –1 size) hp 236 (21d10+121); regeneration 5 (chaotic) Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +15 Defensive Abilities constructed; DR 10/chaotic, DR 3/— (small ranged piercing weapons); SR 27 OFFENSE Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (average) Melee 2 chains +31 (3d6+10/19–20 plus 1d6 electricity and trip) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks favored enemy (goblinoids +2), favored organization (Knots of Asmodeus +4) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +18)   Constant—true seeing   At will—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimensional anchor, dispel magic, fear (W-DC 18), hold person (W-DC 17), locate creature   3/day—hold monster (W-DC 19), mark of justice   1/week—lesser geas (W-DC 17) Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +8)   2nd—chameleon stride   1st—lead blades, resist energy STATISTICS Str 30, Dex 24, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 18 Base Atk +21; CMB +32; CMD 50 (54 vs. trip) Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved Critical (chains), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (chains), Improved Vital Strike, Inner FlameARG, Mobility, Power Attack, Scorching WeaponsARG, Step Up, Weapon Focus (chain), Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +25 (+33 jump), Bluff +15, Disguise +15, Diplomacy +17, Fly +19, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (planes) +13, Perception +25, Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +21, Survival +17; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Sense Motive Languages truespeech SQ chains, combat style (elementalDD), crowd stride, deep cover, favored terrain (urban +2), read the cityUI, track +3 Gear quilted clothUE, greater hat of disguise (trapped: maximized fireball; 60 fire damage, R-DC 19) SPECIAL ABILITIES Chains (Ex) A zelekhut’s arms end in long lengths of barbed metal. These chains deal slashing damage and 1d6 points of electricity damage with each hit. Constructed (Ex) Although inevitables are living outsiders, their bodies are constructed of physical components, and in many ways they function as constructs. For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger’s favored enemy and bane weapons), inevitables count as both outsiders and constructs. They are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Inevitables are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. They are not at risk of death from massive damage. They have bonus hit points as constructs of their size.

Catching up on a few posts from GMs and players who are going through “Way of the Wicked”, most groups are having no issue whatsoever with the AP because they have a necromancer and a cleric who are creating epic armies of undead. That said, there have been one or two groups that have found themselves struggling, if only because they never rescued Grumblejack, or he died on them back during Branderscar because they all bailed and abandoned the ogre. As such, they’re finding that as the game is progressing, they’re having issues. I’ve got something to help potentially counteract that, if only for one part of the book.

It’s a Book 5 add-on that I thought of. Marut inevitables go after those who artificially extend their life. Namely, lichdom. Now, depending on the PCs, this could be yet another encounter for them too. If they’re using the feat tree that turns them into a vampire or lich, or they all became vampires in the alternate version of the story where Thorn’s a vampire, this thing’s coming after them. There’s just no way around that. However, my initial thought for this, so as to help parties that are having troubles, is the marut came to take down the now ex-Cardinal Thorn, but was dominated and sent after the party. This encounter would take place on the main floor, probably as soon as the PCs entered the cathedral. If the PCs have the means, they could break the control and have it join them in the final battle against Thorn. But you’re asking, “how can Thorn use that spell? It’s not a cleric spell and it’s 9th level.” It’s also a 6th level summoner spell, so miracle would work to cast it. This would reduce Thorn’s 9th level spells by 1, and hopefully that’s enough for the PCs who are struggling. After that though, the marut would leave, its mission completed.

Finally, my last inevitable add-on, and this would be for whenever someone in the party broke a contract (or someone attached to the party, etc). It can even be someone the party is dealing with, who broke a contract, and they summon one to go after that person/creature. The kolyarut is all about negotiating bargains, and they don’t like it when contracts and negotiations break down. They punish all oath-breakers. As stated: “They care little for the terms of the agreements in question, only that promises are fulfilled, debts are paid, and balance is maintained.“ They are definitely someone that the PCs want on their side. Pit fiends and contract devils are great, but they don’t necessarily like to get their hands dirty. They just want souls and payment. Kolyaruts, on the other hand, will always make the time.

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And now, the ultimate combo that’s just bonkers. I even did a small feat sink on this one despite it actually being something in the original edition that happens for free, and just adds to the CR.

As for where you would encounter this one, there’s any number of ways. 1) Could be a fight not long after they finish Book 3. Mitra might send the archon as an avenger for what happened. 2) Could right after Spring arrives and the villains are fleeing from the king and his army. This could either be an air battle or the very second they land, but before Tiadora arrives. 3) They could arrive with any other encounter, boosting the over all combat and aiding whomever else decides to attack the villains. You could even hold out until Book 6 with this one, if you really wanted to.

The monster info on this variant hound archon reads as thus:

Hound Archon Hero Mounts

In the course of their adventures, many hound archon heroes befriend bronze dragons, which may come to serve as their mounts. The relationship between these mounts and their celestial riders goes beyond even the special bond between paladin and mount. The dragon and the archon are naturally allies and friends, as can be expected of two powerful servants of cosmic justice. The juvenile bronze dragon mount gains 2 additional HD, 4 points of Strength, an additional 4 points of natural armor, improved evasion, and +10 feet to speed in all its movement forms. The dragon cannot, however, command other creatures of its type as other kinds of paladin mounts can.

Note: Under normal circumstances the Draconic Companion from the Dragon Companion Handbook would give you a dragon and have it go up as an animal companion, with the Dragon Companion Mastery feat giving you their full power. Hound Archon Heroes already get an equivalent ability for free so I’m revising the feat to instead give: frightful presence 1/day, +2 Dex instead of +2 Str (which is a swap option you can choose), SR 5 + paladin level, share spells, empathic link, and two of the four bonus dragon feats. However, I’m ignoring the other two bonus feats the dragon would normally gain, additional bonuses to Str/Con/natural armor, and standard ability score increases every 4 Hit Die. The trade off being that a standard bronze dragon has higher mental stats and spells, so it easily balances out.

Overall, this not all that different from the 3.5 Monster Manual version, and should be considered a difficult CR 16 encounter. Also, their wealth is for a CR 16 NPC. Bartel shares it with his dragon mount.

BARTEL, THE HOUND ARCHON HERO (CR 16; XP 76,800) Male Advanced variant hound archon paladin 11 LG Medium outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect evil, low-light vision, scent; Perception +18 Aura courage (10 ft.), justice (10 ft.), menace (20 ft.; W-DC 21), magic circle against evil, resolve (10 ft.) DEFENSE AC 33, touch 12, flat-footed 31 (+9 armor, +2 Dex, +12 natural); +2 deflection vs. evil hp 229 (19 HD; 19d10+125) Fort +24, Ref +16, Will +21; +4 vs. poison, +2 resistance vs. evil DR 10/evil; Immune charm, disease, electricity, fear, petrification; SR 27 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +2 cold iron greatsword +29/+24/+19/+14 (2d6+12/17–20), bite +22 (1d8+4) or   bite +27 (1d8+8), slam +27 (1d4+4) Special Attacks channel energy (W-DC 20, 6d6), smite evil 4/day (+5 atk & AC, +11 dmg) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +11)   Constant—detect evil, magic circle against evil   At will—aid, continual flame, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), message Paladin Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +16)   At will—detect evil Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 8th; concentration +13)   3rd—heal mount   2nd—bull’s strength, eagle’s splendor, resist energy   1st—divine favor, hero’s defianceAPG, protection from evil, shield of fortificationACG STATISTICS Str 24, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 20 Base Atk +19; CMB +26; CMD 38; +2 vs. evil Feats Blind-Fight, Draconic CompanionDCH, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Word of HealingUM Skills Acrobatics +14, Diplomacy +19, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Intimidate +15, Perception +18, Ride +18, Sense Motive +19, Spellcraft +10, Stealth +14, Survival +18; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth, +4 Survival; ACP –1 Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; truespeech SQ aura (overwhelming good), code of conduct, change shape (beast shape II), divine bond (dragon mount; Arlakaida), lay on hands (5d6, 7/day), mercies (cursed, dazed, fatigued) Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds (15 charges), holy water (2); Other Gear +3 mithral breastplate, +2 cold iron greatsword, amulet of mighty fists +1, belt of mighty constitution +2 SPECIAL ABILITIES Aura of Menace (Su) A righteous aura surrounds archons that fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of an archon must succeed on a Will save to resist its effects. The save DC varies with the type of archon, is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours. Change Shape (Su) A hound archon can assume any canine form of Small to Large size, as if using beast shape II. While in canine form, the hound archon loses its bite, slam, and greatsword attacks, but gains the bite attack of the form it chooses. For the purposes of this ability, canines include any dog-like or wolf-like creature of the animal type.

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ARLAKAIDA THE BRONZE (CR —; XP —) Female juvenile bronze dragon LG Large dragon (water) Init +6; Senses dragon senses; Perception +25 Aura frightful presence 1/day (90 ft.; targets are shaken for 14 rounds; W-DC 21) DEFENSE AC 36, touch 13, flat-footed 33 (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +2 deflection, +18 natural, –1 size) hp 161 (14d12+70) Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +15 Defensive Abilities improved evasion; Immune electricity, paralysis, sleep; SR 16 OFFENSE Speed 50 ft., fly 130 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft. Melee bite +25 (2d6+15), 2 claws +24 (1d8+11), tail slap +22 (1d8+15), 2 wings +22 (1d6+6) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite) Special Attacks breath weapon (80-ft. line, R-DC 24, 12d6 electricity), repulsion breath Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +18)   At will—create food and water, speak with animals Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +8)   2nd (4/day)—mirror image   1st (7/day)—alarm, obscuring mist, true strike   0 (at will)—detect magic, light, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, resistance STATISTICS Str 29, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 18 Base Atk +14; CMB +26; CMD 40 (44 vs. trip) Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon), Alertness, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Powerful BreathB, Quick Breath WeaponB, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Diplomacy +19, Fly +12, Handle Animal +16, Heal +16, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Perception +25, Sense Motive +25, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +14, Swim +29; Racial Modifiers +8 Swim Languages Aquan, Common, Draconic, Elven, Gnome SQ empathic link, change shape (animal or humanoid, polymorph), share spells, water breathing, wave mastery (40 mins) Gear +2 studded leather barding, amulet of mighty fists +2, belt of physical perfection +2, cloak of resistance +2, ring of protection +2 SPECIAL ABILITIES Dragon Senses (Ex) Dragons have darkvision 120 ft. and blindsense 60 ft. They see four times as well as a human in dim light and twice as well in normal light. Frightful Presence (Ex) This special quality makes a dragon’s very presence unsettling to foes. Activating this ability is a free action that is usually part of an attack or charge. This ability affects only opponents with fewer Hit Dice than the dragon’s. An opponent that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. Multiple uses of a dragon’s presence don’t stack. This ability is a mind-affecting aura. Paladin Mount (Ex) Arlakaida cannot command other creatures of its type (bronze dragons) as other kinds of paladin mounts can. Quick Breath Weapon (Ex) Arlakaida is able to unleash her breath weapon and deliver an attack before her opponent is the wiser. On her turn, Arlakaida can choose to use her breath weapon in place of her bite or one of her claw attacks. Repulsion Breath (Su) Instead of a line of electricity, a bronze dragon can breathe a cone of repulsion gas. Targets must make a Will save or be compelled to do nothing but move away from the dragon for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per age category. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Water Breathing (Ex) A bronze dragon breathes water and can use its breath weapon, spells, and abilities underwater. Wave Mastery (Su) For up to 10 minutes per age category per day, a juvenile bronze dragon, along with creatures or vessels within 50 feet, can move at twice its normal speed in water. ------------------------------------------------------------

And that’s everything. I don’t know that I’ll ever have more to add to this particular adventure path, but maybe I will. Just depends on how inspired I get.

In the meantime, I hope everyone who is running or playing “Way of the Wicked” is having a fantastic time.

[firebirdsdaughter]

Ryusoulger Raw post #1…

… Will there be a #2? Who knows! Not me!

But I’m rather tired and I got really excited, so here ya go.

Spoilers abound.

In no order, and I apologise for any nonsense that may ensue:

We just go straight into the opening again. How they decide that? Flip a coin?

Recap the previous … Yay, Touwa’s not dead. I’m so shocked. XD

I’m kidding. But I don’t know why we needed Melto to tell us that.

Banba’s doing his arm folding thing again. Oh my god he’s pretty. DX

Kou smile!

Naohisa is back! And I still think I’m spelling that wrong…

Come to think of it… Who the hell did he take that stuff to? Where was he? Are he and the Elder in cahoots?

Actually, that’s… Not impossible.

Already know that it turns out they need a sample to make the antidote, so I presume that’s what he’s telling them.

Oh. Oh, yeah, pretty sure I was right. He looks gorgeous, but Banba is very much in pain right now. I mean, from his point of view, he just got told he destroyed the only way to save his brother. That’s gotta hurt. And he’s probably already blaming himself for letting this happen in the first place…

Ah! My little green gremlin son! DX

I already want to hug Banba, but now I really want to hug him. He looks so upset… All these kids have their own brand of puppy dog eyes, I think.

Poor Kou has spent roughly half of this two parter rushing after Banba whenever Black runs out the door abruptly. XD

Is… Is mushroom crayon man starting his own YouTube channel?

Gods, I really love mook suit actors in Sentai. Can always count on them for comic relief and just going all out in getting dramatically beat up.

Big Brother Mode –– ACTIVATED.

And now, in which, were it not for outside circumstance, Crayon would be dead.

The fact that Kou was like ‘likelihood I find Banba trying to kill something indicates I should transform even before I find him’ is hilarious to me.

I love the fact that Asuna and Ui spend the entire time sitting up and Banba spends it standing. Like, what, we couldn’t let these three lie down, too? I mean, I guess Touwa was the one who was bitten, but… Did no one really think to get Banba a chair?

Then again, would he have sat in it?

HOW DID KOU OPEN THE DOOR?

Banba is glaring like ‘if I wasn’t in literal agony right now and actually dying, I would so be killing all of you for this humiliation.’ Boy does not like having to be carried. XD

Shocked Kou is really cute and I want to pinch his cheeks. ^^

Banba might be dying of poison, but he still has to be grumpy. It’s his brand.

I hate the ‘poisoned’ Toku makeup, but even it cannot stop Tatsuya from being amazingly beautiful. XD

Hmm… Well, Melto just said something that made Banba think of something. Not sure what though.

Smiley Kou! ^^

Congrats, Melto! You have now been promoted to being directly addressed!

Banba, I’m sure you have something important to say, but… Do you have to almost threateningly lurch over here to say it?

Why are y’all goofing off like this all of a sudden?

Crayon, don’t break the fourth wall, you disturb me.

Okay, given context, what I think Melto says is that Banba told him where he found the Minusaur before.

Context bc the two of them immediately run there.

Crayon says something about ‘otoutou’ but I don’t know if that meant what I thought it meant?

Dude, I know you’re goo, but… Seriously? Don’t put your hand in an untrained animal’s mouth.

You go, boys! ^^

Aaaaand… Melto’s down!

Actually, though, out of all of them, Melto’s the one being most crazy whilst dying of poison… Like he got back up and was fighting untransformed. Yes, Kou let himself get bitten, but let’s give Melto some credit, too.

I really think Banba would have been more inclined to wait and give them more of a chance if it weren’t for Touwa. But Touwa is the most important person to him in the world, and, coupled w/ his other trust issues, he’s scared to rely on, essentially, strangers for this.

But, more importantly, where was he keeping the sword??? In his sleeve?

Same place Akashi kept Zuuban, I suppose.

Yeah, this is a perfect storm of Banba is afraid to trust or have faith in anyone else and the fact that the person he would absolutely sacrifice everything for is at risk.

I really want to know what Banba and Touwa say in this scene… Like, I think I get what Asuna says, she’s saying that she has faith in Kou and Melto, and they should, too, but… I dunno. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s Maybel––wait, no.

But, like… Banba seems like he’s having some sort of dramatic reaction to what Touwa is saying? And whether that’s just floating drama bc they’re all dying of poison and he’s desperate to save his brother or whatnot, or if there’s something big here… I wanna know! DX

Pretty sure he’s saying if they all die there’d be no one to stop the Druidon. But I still think that he’d be more willing (even if only incremently so) to wait it out if it were just him and/or some combination of the others. Touwa being in danger (and him probably blaming himself for part of it) is likely throwing him even more off balance.

So, we all know from the magazine that Banba doesn’t trust anyone but Touwa bc he was betrayed before, and I definitely think this is setting up the path to that being revealed? If that makes sense? Hopefully they do it steadily/don’t wait too long.

Tatsuya still rocking the awful poison makeup like a boss. XD

I feel like you can see the switch flip when Asuna brings up believing/trusting the other two (at least, I presume that’s what she’s saying?). Like, by the end of her speech, Banba almost looks like he’s having war flashbacks or something? Esp when Touwa weighs in… I dunno how to describe it. Maybe after I’ve rested.

Oh, baby… He’s so upset and scared and in pain. Like, no, don’t stab the nice animal lady, but I do get you’re not rational rn…

That took tremendous effort. Like, he’s having to force himself to rely/something sort of like trust others. (I don’t think we can quite call it trust yet)

But he definitely looks like he’s having some sort of trauma reaction to the concept of ‘trust.’

Aaaaaand… Kou is down!

Aaaaaand… Kou has a dumb plan.

Throwing the sword was not necessary. You could have forced it to bite the sword.

WHY. WHY KEBABS. WHAT. WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING.

Also, nice save, Tyramigo!

Yes, yes, I see the Gold foreshadowing. But how deep does it go?

Melto’s like ‘I was afraid of you before, but not in that outfit, and not while I’m dying of poison.’

But also, WHY.

Banba can’t do anything w/out looking majestic. It’s in his contract. He’s the Knight of Majesty for a reason. XD

I feel like the other four are giving a speech, and then Banba’s just like ‘I’m only here bc I am thoroughly pissed off!’

I love MirNeedle and his honking noise.

He spin!

Double sword attack, while Banba and Asuna each get their own thing.

Also, only Touwa’s gets a cool name. XD

Touwa gets payback. ^^

Ui’s so perky. God love you, sweetie. Acting like you weren’t dying two minutes ago, too. <3

WHEN DID THEY GET IN THE AIR???

I feel like the sword is about to eat me…

For a balloon thing, that was pretty tame, actually.

Banba says something, and then Touwa, I think, something like, ‘don’t you mean ‘thank you’?’ and then Banba gets awkward and it’s SO CUTE! DX

Smiley Kou again!

Kou is like ‘we’re friends!’ and Banba is like ‘oh no, he’s adorable’ but then immediately switches back to ‘I’m sorry, you must be a level 4 friend to unlock my tragic backstory.’

Like, he literally stares at him for moment, like… I dunno. I’ll have to think more about what I think that moment means. He looks kinda… Shocked?

Then he, like, has to recollect himself to brush him off.

Did he just say that all in one breath?

Touwa’s shrug there tells me he either doesn’t know anything about the betrayal, or doesn’t know how badly it effected his brother. My guess is the former.

Love how the trio are already getting fond of Banba’s standoffishness.

They’re teasing her, but I can’t figure out about what…

Oh, I’m sorry, mr Elder whose wig doesn’t match? Are my sons not included in your cryptic prophesying? Well fine then. I’ll do it myself. XP

And believe me, they don’t want me doing that, so you’d better include my boys in whatever it is.

Well, the sisters are def suspicious, way frillier than I thought they’d be, and there seems to be a mind control plot? Wonder how the brothers are going to react to the apparent situation?

Sigh. Watching Sentai live is so painful. Now I have to wait until next week. DX

That’s all, folks! Digital chocolate torte for anyone who read all that.

Really tired, don’t have much else to say. Even more curious about Banba’s backstory. Pettily annoyed that whatever dramaticness the Elder was musing on at the end apparently doesn’t include my sons. (Petty, I know, but they’re Ryusoulgers, too, shouldn’t they be part of whatever yours prophesying? XP).

So, anyway. Curious about what these sisters are up to next week. Seems like their voices control people, or maybe I’m misinterpreting. Still loving this series.

Very tired.

[pixie-skull]

As I promised, here are some more questions I would love to read your answer to! :) Part 1 question 8 (Does everything happen for a reason?), part 2 question 1 (Do you believe in aliens?) and question 4 (Do you think love at first sight is legit?), and finally part 3 question 2 (Do you want to eventually get married?).

XD THANK YOU! =D I study after this, but thanks. :]

Part 1 question 8 (Does everything happen for a reason?)

Okay as a someone raised Catholic I can get the impression I may, but my thoughts to this are a mess. XD I think safely depends, things like I grew up in special ed I feel did happen for a reason for it helped realize we are all different somehow and being mad at something you can not control is unfair for you are different yes you can be loved, and the Lord does give us challenges for we are human, we are complex, and sometimes need “imperfections” to remember we Mortal but again complex. Also, this can stem for the fact Greek Mythology and many time travel stories have the prophecy or destiny and yes you can miss the crucial step to whatever, but does not mean you should force yourself to avoid. I mean that is how I explain tarot card readings, there are many paths, yet please be smarter than Oedipus’ parents, you can be told something COULD happen, but think about how the paths lay, some can make you avoid, and some are a long-winded circle that loops to that you do not want. You do have free will, yet your path could lead to something that may seem predictable. I hope this made sense? O.O If not, no not EVERYTHING happens for a reason, you can avoid some things.

part 2 question 1 (Do you believe in aliens?)

As a kid no, yet now yes. I was so focused on magic and “mysteries of God” (not saying his or their/her name in vain and yes pronouns for a creator I feel can be anything XD), but with thankful exposure to Science (my parents I am so glad sent me to public school) I can see more logic in how there could be life like Aliens. Granted still spiritual and beliver in Magic. >:D XD

question 4 (Do you think love at first sight is legit?)

Ugh, my inner romantic wants to say yes, but logically side thinks you can be attracted to someone in moments, yet not quite love. O.O I mean for others, yes, yet me maybe. I worry if was in love fall with someone right away, just seems to intense to imagine such a powerful force happening to me. :/ I can imagine having a great aura reading of someone and also click fast and maybe form feelings, but again not happen, yet. XD

part 3 question 2 (Do you want to eventually get married?)

I do! =D Yes! I like the idea of getting married so much and now in my home country for so a few years now it is legal throughout. XD I am aware “keep my options open” -_- but hey my sexuality is not so easy to explain and yes I have had loved ones tell me this, umm I am pretty sure I know my sexuality better then you do; also if you want why you try it, oh wait you can not for sexuality is not a choice. Thankfully no says it is, but it comes off that way. I am a 4.5 or 5 on the Kinsley Scale. I would use terms, but they all seem not to fit as well, so gay works, meant originally happy and no matter the label I am still some degree mainly homosexual. XP Back to the happy question, yes I want to get married one day, hopefully, settle down, be the one who works (not saying my future spouse has to be a stay home parent), have a family (ideally both adopt a couple and one of my own genetics), and a few pets. I know with how expensive this fluffy bunny world is, I can sadly not picture growing up in the same place when I was a child, but at least be close by to family. I just love that idea so much and it oddly a huge motivator in things; college, feeling like I am alone ( actually enjoy being single XP But I still flirt), and more. No worries, I am fine, yet it does suck to feel it is so far away, but hey being single again not too bad right now. :D I am a huge romantic though, so thanks for this awesome question. XP

[codynaomiswireart]

“Everyone Has Their Autumn”

A quick ficlet for the Tangledtober Day 18 prompt - “Dream”

Hope you enjoy it!

[Quick author’s note: Some parts of this piece have statements written in italics between parentheses, and these are meant to indicate moments of Varian nearly questioning his subconscious as he’s dreaming, though he doesn’t fully realize that he is indeed dreaming. I know when I dream, things and places will sometimes just change around me for no discernible reason, but when dreaming I often times don’t really question it until either something happens that just really makes me stop and go, “Ok, what the heck?” or when I wake up and think back like, “Oh wait, wow, that was actually weird.” So yeah, I kinda wanted to depict that happening with Varian where things and places around him will just shift as they do in dreams, and that Varian makes a dim note of it being not normal, though his subconscious doesn’t allow him to fully realize it as unusual, so the dream goes on. Hopefully this isn’t too confusing for any readers. I just thought it would help to add a bit of “realism” to a dream sequence, if you will.  xP]

“...How the gentle wind Beckons through the leaves As autumn colors fall

Dancing in a swirl of golden memories The loveliest lies of all...”

~ Into the Unknown, “Over the Garden Wall”

Varian couldn’t have been happier.  Everything was perfect.

The autumn air was cool and fresh from where Varian sat atop the high hill overlooking Old Corona, and Ruddiger’s large presence at his back helped keep him warm and comfortable as he leaned back, utterly relaxed.  Right above them gold, red and amber leaves fluttered down lazily in the growing twilight, with some of them alighting gently atop of Ruddiger’s head, muzzle, and broad shoulders as the sleepy beast lay dozing on the grass.  Varian smiled, brushing some of the leaves gently off Ruddiger’s coat with one hand, and giving Ruddiger a few fond scratches behind the ears as he did so.  Varian could feel the purr rumble through Ruddiger’s chest and throat in response, and the giant raccoon drowsily nudged him back in return.

It all made Varian feel so safe, and so at peace as he turned back to look down at the crowd of villagers gathered around a roaring bonfire in the center of Old Corona’s greenspace.  These were the days of Old Corona’s annual Harvest Festival, and almost everyone from around the rest of the kingdom came to join in the celebration (for of course Old Corona was the kingdom’s largest supplier of crops and livestock, so it was only natural that they would be the ones to host such an event every year).  From where he was, Varian could hear faintly the sounds of the pipes, castanets, drums, and stringed instruments that played for the many dancers that skipped, hopped, and twirled in wide rings around said fire.  Among them were Princess Rapunzel herself, Eugene, Lance, and of course all the pub thugs from the Snuggly Duckling.  Varian could also see Cassandra sitting off to the side by herself on a haybale, though by the way she tapped her foot and swayed a little in time to the music as she sipped on a glass of apple cider, Varian could tell that she was having a good time as well in her own way, which of course Varian understood well enough himself.

For as he had grown up into his teen years, Varian had taken on the attitude that many boys his age did – where he felt himself too cool and too mature to participate in such odd traditions as dancing all silly-like around a bonfire (at least, what he thought to be odd and silly).  But while he may not have admitted it to anyone, there was definitely something about the atmosphere of the whole affair that Varian found appealing, and of course he thoroughly enjoyed all the sweet autumn treats that came with it all.  Pumpkin pie with whipped cream was his own personal favorite, and Ruddiger always enjoyed a good candy apple at this time of year.

Varian couldn’t help but take in a deep, contented breath of crisp fall air as he thought of these things, and tilted his head back to look up at the darkening sky and the stars that began to peep out as the sun’s light retreated westward, glowing a warm orange on the horizon.  A ways to the east, Varian could see the crescent shape of the moon begin to emerge as it made to resume its nightly watch over that part of the globe.  To the sound of the jubulient festival below and the twilit sky above, Varian felt like this hour marked the epitome of autumn time – feeling somehow slightly melancholic, but also radiating a lot of joy – and he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell at the beauty and mystery of it all.

“Hey there Son,” Varian suddenly heard the deep voice of his father greet him as he came from around Ruddiger’s sleeping form.  “Mind if I join you?”

“Oh, h-hey Dad!” Varian greeted happily in return, and scooted over to make room for his dad to also set himself down against Ruddiger’s furry flank.  “Yeah, take a seat!” 

Several moments of calm silence passed between the two of them as they sat there on the hill together.  A couple of times Varian risked a glance over at his dad, to see his eyes were filled with fondness as he looked over the land and the village that was their home.  Of course, being the village leader, this was both a very exhausting time of the year for Quirin, but also extremely rewarding.  Varian could tell that his dad was very happy with how the harvest had gone this year, and had thoroughly been enjoying the festivities of this year’s celebration.

“Sooo…” Varian began awkwardly after a few moments, and moving to adjust the red scarf he had tied around his neck (When did he put this on?).  “Some night for a party, huh Dad?”

“Mm-hmm,” Quirin hummed in agreement as he nodded.  “It really is Son.  Candy apple?” he asked, handing said treat to Varian who took it happily (and not bothering to question how Quirin aquired it when he hadn’t been holding it only seconds ago).

“Thanks.”

As Varian began munching on his sweet treat, Ruddiger’s nose twitched as he caught the scent of it in the air that brushed passed his muzzle, and soon enough Varian was forced to push and shove away from him a set of large, glistening fangs and a slobbery tongue that flicked outward, trying to swipe at the tasty piece of glazed fruit. 

“Ha ha ha!  No Ruddiger!” Varian scolded his friend.  “This one’s not for you-!  Gah!” Varian exclaimed as Ruddiger opted for swiping his large tongue across Varian’s face instead.  “Augh!  Gross!  Bad raccoon!” Varian cried as he wiped up Ruddiger’s drool with a handkerchief Dad handed to him, but a smile could also be detected in his voice as he said it, and soon enough Ruddiger had hunkered back down again, and Varian finished the remains of the candy apple (Boy, did he finish it off quick.).

“Hey Varian?” Quirin said as Varian finished his snack…his face turning strangely grave to Varian.

“Y-yeah Dad?” Varian asked in return, shivering a little as the sun sank further behind the horizon, and the chilly air of the night began to take hold.

Quirin’s brow furrowed, and he sighed deeply, but the brief shadow that appeared across his face was lifted as he now turned his eyes squarely to his son.  “Everyone has their autumn, Varian.”

A pause followed this statement, with Varian waiting for Quirin to say more.  But Varian was forced to blink up at him in puzzlement with Quirin made no effort to say anything further.

“…Oh,” Varian finally ventured to say, as Ruddiger now made to crawl into his lap (When did he get so small again?), and Varian leaned back into the hay pile at their backs.  “Um…Y-yeah, that’s-that’s very true Dad.  Comes every year, right?”

“And everyone has their spring.”

Varian raised an eyebrow now; very confused.  “Um, yup.  True again Dad,” he said.  “Spring, summer, fall and winter. That’s…kinda normal, right?”

Quirin nodded, and gave Varian’s hair a quick ruffle before resuming a reclined position on the bench they were sitting on together, and watched contentedly as the party before them continued, and Varian could now feel the heat of the fire warm him against the cold that began to set in around them (When did they get down here from the hill again?)

Though, despite now being in right among the exuberant atmosphere of the festival, and even having Cassandra right there next to him…Varian suddenly didn’t feel very happy.  Something felt off.  He blinked up at Cassandra, perplexed at the odd feeling that tugged at his guts as he saw her, and the feeling increased as he watched Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance, and the others continue to dance and play their instruments around the fire, and everyone letting out a loud cheer and applause as the next song ended.

But Varian couldn’t cheer.  Something was wrong.  Not everything was perfect anymore, and while he had some vague sense as to why, he couldn’t quite place it.

Varian shivered again as a gentle snow began to come down from the sky, and he had to wipe away at his stinging eyes as he looked over to see his father highlighted in an amber light from the fire beside him.

It seemed that a winter for him was now coming.  …Or had it already come?

Hardly knowing why he did it, Varian snuggled himself into his father’s side, his gloved hands clutching desperately into the furry texture of Quirin’s vest as he buried his face into him – needing to know that he was there, and wanting things to never change from what they were, and to stay the same.

“It’s alright Son,” Varian could hear in the air above him.  “Just rest now.”

And Varian did…with Ruddiger doing his best to keep him lulled in sleep as Varian hugged his furry companion close, and buried his face into his furry coat, with the gentle glow of the harvest moon streaming into his cell from overhead.

“Everyone has their autumn…”

Some of the music I imagined as playing during the Harvest Festival - “Harvest Dance” by Mannheim Steamroller