#3E-Understanding

[ruushes]

finally some good fucking spells

[fumiko-matsubara]

hiii! maybe this is a bit niche, but what sort of piercings do you think the 3e kids would get? not necessarily at canon age, but maybe over time?

I would answer this to the fullest if I knew anything about piercings, well, aside from the ones I had since I was a kid.

So it's not gonna be much this time I'm sorry 😭

I think most of the girls have their ears pierced. Except for maybe Fuwa, Hara, Okuda, and Okano.

Megu had her ears pierced, one on each lobe, but never got the right occasion to wear earrings, since she finds it embarrassing to wear at school. So, they were starting to close up over time.

Kanzaki actually wasn't allowed to have her ears pierced. But she did it anyways, 2-3 on each ear. No one's gonna know though since her hair typically hides them.

Hayami was never intending to have her ears pierced, but alas, Nakamura the bad influence got her to do it.

Speaking of Nakamura, she has loads of them. Like I'm talking about 5-7 piercings on her ear lobes alone. If she's feeling a little bit silly, she might ever get her nose pierced sometime in university.

And I think Hazama would also have enough to go crazy with accessories.

Now for the boys.

Listen, in my country, there used to be this trend of men having only one lobe pierced, so they could go around wearing a tiny hoop earring. And I think Maehara would totally do this 😂

Yoshida would rock a cool pair of black studs methinks.

Chiba got piercings either sometime in his 1st or 2nd year of junior high. But his intrusive thoughts be intruding and it scared him to not wear anything on his ears anymore. They showed no signs of closing up anytime soon for some reason.

With Karma I'm undecided whether he should have at least 2 piercings per ear... or he wears clip-ons so he could look cool lol.

I'm thinking about the rest of the boys but nothing's coming up in my head. So this is what I have so far 😭

[dailyadventureprompts]

Monsters Reimagined: Kobolds

I started playing d&d during 3rd edition, which presented kobolds as a trap happy gaggle of dragon obsessives who were counted as the weakest but smartest of the traditional dungeonfodder humanoids. Other than being lizardy they were presented near identically to goblins, both being petty and cruel and resentful over their small stature and the place it meant they occupied in the world. This overlap is actually one of the reasons I haven't gotten to kobolds before now, as I kinda felt like I covered most of it in my writeup for goblins a couple years ago.

Since Kobolds are a reoccuring request however I eventually decided I was going to give the people what they wanted. My plan was to talk about d&d dragonsimp kobolds vs. warcraft candleloving kobolds vs. jrpg dogpeople kobolds, and how all of these relate back to creature's mythological origin but hey wait a minute the official forgotten realms wiki says WHAT ?

Huh, that sounds like a weird sort of projection from a man who's super insecure about his height. I wonder if the original dragon magazine listed as a source here has anything more to.. Oh.... OH-NO

Living space, huh? Extinction of weaker peoples, eh? A religion based around survival, insularity, obedience, and the defeat of stronger enemies through attrition, yadon'tsay? Man, the canine kobolds might be on to something because there's an ORCHESTRA of dogwhistles going on here.

Friends, there's a lot to unpack here, so like a kobold with a pickax lets dig in

Where it started: the connection between kobolds and goblins and gnomes predates d&d back to mythological roots, as all are names shared by the european folklore character of "weird little guy who lives under the hill and plays tricks on us". Kobolds have an even more delightful bit of etymology attached, as miners blamed them for magically transforming valuable silver for (at the time) worthless cobalt. Originally my rehash of kobalds was going to centre on them as tinkerers/engineers for this reason, as alchemical cobalt batteries sound rad as hell.

Kobolds are in this way also part of the greater traditions of "mine spirits", Knackers, tommyknockers, and the like. Who play tricks on miners, and are just as likely to cause disaster when displeased as they are to warn of it when befriended.

Then the d&d authors did what they always do, they pilfered the name of folkloric creatures for the game while ignoring actual mythology, drawing hard and fast lines and making up rigid catagories as they went.

What's wrong: Given their proclivity for traps, sneak attacks, and guerilla tactics you end up getting a LOT of comparisons between Kobolds and the Viet Cong… which I find very telling.  So many of the original d&d antagonists were vessels for middle aged geeks of the 70s and 80s to hit back at their insecurities ( whether it be challenges to their masculinity, sexuality, or something more existential) it doesn’t surprise me at all that d&d has an enemy that let american boomers rehash their nation’s at the time biggest military debacle. 

Kobolds are so weak and undeserving you understand, they’ve only survived because they’re tricky, but this time we’ll get them, if we come in with enough firepower and hirelings to get through the meatgrinder we can finally hit them where they live and deal with them for good. 

D&D worldbuilding imagines kobolds as “the other” from an occupier’s lens: resentful of their rightful displacement, nursing their hatreds in the shadows, emerging only to attack or to steal and despoil what they’ve been denied. They have no ambition, no culture, no wants beyond being a threat for the new dominant power. They’re cowards for using traps and poison and tactics on those here to plunder their homes. 

What’s worth Salvaging:  While the 3e revision of kobolds as dracomaniacs is a welcome change from their old lore I’m not especially fond of it. Overuse of dragons is one of the things that most turns me off general fantasy media. Any group of sapient creatures serving a dragon is just as likely to form a dragoncult, it doesn’t make kobolds special. 

That said, if you did want to double down on kobold dragon worship you might consider spicing in a few elements from my revamped version of Tiamat, painting their reverence not just as ego and overcompensation but as a desire to emulate and become…certian kobold enclaves possibly using sorcery or alchemy to transform a chosen among their people into a fully fledged wyrm. 

While we’ve mostly tossed alignment to the curb where it belongs,to distinguish kobolds from goblins it might be worth leaning into their lawful aspects; Underfoot foremen and notaries and  work crews addressing things with a utilitarian collective effort before scurrying out of sight when the shift change occurs.  Where as goblins are screwball and slapstick onto the verge of cartoonishness, perhaps kobolds are practical and industrious to the point of causing problems: They dam a river to access a sacred cave heedless of the disruption and flooding it’d cause, they tear down, occupying and restoring a derelict mill and restoring it to function regardless of who owns it, undermining the foundations of the duke’s palace following a vein of copper in the nearby hills. 

This efficiency-focused attitude also helps thematically define mechanically minded kobolds against gnomes and dwarves as the game’s other tinkerers:  They share the practicality of dwarven artisans and the inventiveness of gnomish artificers, but lack the sentiment the other two place on what they make.  Kobold craft is often regarded as lower quality, but that’s because resource efficiency and easy replaceability are primary metrics upon which they judge something. 

Artsource

[thydungeongal]

Broadly speaking I fuck with the OSR playstyle even though I find that in places there is a tendency towards historical revisionism. For an example, claims that the OSR is rediscovering lost modes of play I think are somewhat overblown: I think it's better not to retroactively apply these playstyles discovered through interrogating these texts through a more modern system-matters-pilled lens onto these games, but simply view them as new interpretations of old texts. (Like, I do think there is some truth to "OSR as playstyle" being more grounded in how these games were played in the old days, but I think it is an universal truth that D&D players have always ignored large swathes of the rules: so "discovering" a new playstyle through strict adherence to the rules might actually result in a playstyle not necessarily recognizable to those old geezers.)

But there is one specific claim often made about the OSR as a playstyle that doesn't quite sit right with me: the idea that OSR games test "player skill, not character strength."

There's a few things wrong with this. I understand where it's coming from though: it's contrasting old-school style "you just roll up a random asshole and then try to keep them alive" play with more modern "you lovingly craft a guy who you then throw against adversity" types of play. But where it goes wrong is in the implication that the latter also does not involve a test of player skill. System mastery itself is a player skill and one that can be tested when the rules are treated as a system.

And OSR play isn't even immune from testing player system mastery. So you rolled your 3d6 down the line badly. What do you do? Well, you pick a class that is less reliant on ability scores (this could arguably be all of them, but since the things that ability scores mostly inform are usually relayed to combat you'll want to pick a class that isn't expected to engage in direct combat) or you pick a class with enough non-ability score related bonuses to offset your character's low ability scores.

Combat still rewards system mastery and actually knowing how to best utilize the rules. If you're playing AD&D bows have a separate Rate of Fire stat which means multiple attacks in a combat round even at low levels. Sleep does not give a saving throw in many older editions. Protection from Evil straight up prevents creatures with immunity to non-magical weapons from attacking the target. A 1st level Cleric with no spells is still useful because they can pretty much end an encounter with the undead in an instant!

Of course there is a difference in kind of the type of player skill that is being tested, but I feel the claim that the OSR playstyle tests player skill more than post-TSR D&D is somewhat ahistorical but also dismissive of the types of player skills cultivated by 3e/4e/5e and their derivatives.

[cardiac-arresting-sweetheart]

Yandere Psychosophy/Attitudinal Psyche

Inspired by yandere MBTI and yandere Big Five. Personality test/self-assessment for this Google document verison of this

Overview

This is a yandere typing system based on the original Psychosophy (also remade as Attitudinal Psyche) system. Originally, it was divided into four aspects: logic, physics, emotions, and volition/will.

These placements are divided into another four placements: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The 1st placement is characterized by absolute, possibly even arrogant, confidence in that aspect and feeling no need to improve or change it. It is very rigid and unchangeable. The 2nd placement, on the other hand, is the most flexible placement. It is characterized by confidence but not arrogance, feeling little weakness in this aspect. To the user of the 2nd function, it is comfortable and easy to use with others and develop further. But the 3rd placement is the opposite. It is the most uncomfortable to use, with a constant feeling of insecurity associated with it. There seem to be two most common approaches to this function: aggressively overusing it or the opposite, neglecting it. This is the placement that needs the most improvement. Finally, the 4th placement is the most underused and is seen by its user as either unimportant or better with a quick fix. These four placements form the foundation of understanding an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and areas for potential growth within this typology system.

In summary...

1st placement: Confident Function (1V, 1L, 1E, 1P) Strong, Aggressive, Monologue

2nd placement: Flexible Function (2V, 2L, 2E, 2P) Strong, Passive, Dialogue

3rd placement: Insecure Function (3V, 3L, 3E, 3P) Weak, Aggressive, Dialogue

4th placement: Unbothered Function (4V, 4L, 4E, 4P) Weak, Passive, Monologue

Yandere System

So what about the yandere system? It follows the same placement rules as the original system but uses its own aspects. The yandere Psychosophy system is divided into four four aspects, respectively: cognition (C), aggression (A), expression (E), and determination (D).

Cognition, equivalent to logic in the original Psychosophy system, reflects how a yandere processes information, plans their actions, and uses their intelligence to manage their obsession.

Aggression, equivalent to physics in the original Psychosophy system, evaluates how a yandere uses power, intimidation, or violence to get what they want or control their darling.

Expression, equivalent to emotion in the original Psychosophy system, focuses on how freely a yandere shows their affection and obsession for their darling.

Finally, determination, equivalent to volition/will in the original Psychosophy system, assess how either determined or fragile a yandere is in achieving their goals with their darling.

Placement Descriptions

Cognition (C)

1st Placement (C1): Exhibits absolute confidence in their ability to strategize and plan. This yandere is highly analytical and methodical, always staying several steps ahead. They see no need for improvement in their cognitive abilities and are often seen as calculating masterminds.

2nd Placement (C2): Confident and comfortable in their cognitive abilities, they can adapt plans fluidly and are skilled at thinking on their feet. They are open to developing their strategic thinking further and are effective planners who work well with others.

3rd Placement (C3): Struggles with insecurity regarding their cognitive skills. They might oscillate between overanalyzing situations to compensate for their perceived shortcomings or neglecting planning altogether. This yandere needs the most improvement in how they process information and strategize.

4th Placement (C4): Minimally engaged in strategic thinking, often relying on intuition or others for planning. They see detailed planning as unimportant and prefer quick fixes or spontaneous actions.

Aggression (A)

1st Placement (A1): Extremely confident in using aggression and violence to achieve their goals. They are unyielding and often intimidate or overpower others without hesitation. Improvement is seen as unnecessary as they view their aggressive approach as highly effective.

2nd Placement (A2): Uses aggression when necessary but with restraint and control. They are comfortable leveraging their power but prefer to balance it with other methods. Open to refining their approach, they effectively combine intimidation with strategic non-violent tactics.

3rd Placement (A3): Feels insecure about their use of aggression. They may either overuse violence in an attempt to assert control or avoid it altogether out of fear or uncertainty. Developing a balanced approach to aggression is crucial for them.

4th Placement (A4): Rarely resorts to violence or intimidation, viewing it as a last resort. They prefer non-aggressive methods and see aggression as unimportant or something to be avoided. They often look for quick, peaceful solutions.

Expression (E)

1st Placement (E1): Highly expressive, openly displaying their emotions and obsession with intense fervor. They are unapologetically passionate, showing no need to alter their expressive nature. Their overt emotional displays are a core part of their identity.

2nd Placement (E2): Comfortable and confident in showing their emotions, they balance expressiveness with control. They can openly share their feelings and are adept at adjusting their emotional displays to suit different situations. They find it easy to develop and fine-tune their emotional expression.

3rd Placement (E3): Struggles with expressing emotions, feeling insecure about their displays of affection or obsession. They may either overexpress in an attempt to compensate or hide their emotions entirely. Improving their emotional expressiveness is a key area for growth.

4th Placement (E4): Minimally expressive, often appearing detached or indifferent. They see emotional displays as unnecessary and prefer to keep their feelings hidden. Quick, minimal expressions are preferred, avoiding deep emotional involvement.

Determination (D)

1st Placement (D1): Exhibits unshakeable determination and willpower. This yandere is relentless and unwavering in their pursuit of goals, seeing no need to alter their approach. They possess a strong sense of purpose and are highly driven.

2nd Placement (D2): Confident and adaptable in their determination, they pursue goals with a balanced approach. They can persist through challenges while remaining flexible. Open to enhancing their resolve, they effectively combine willpower with adaptability.

3rd Placement (D3): Feels insecure about their determination, often fluctuating between intense bursts of willpower and periods of doubt. They may either push themselves excessively or give up easily. Developing a consistent and confident approach to their goals is essential.

4th Placement (D4): Exhibits low determination, often relying on external factors or others to drive their actions. They see strong willpower as unimportant, preferring to go with the flow or avoid direct confrontation. Quick, minimal efforts are favored over sustained determination.

Possible Types

CDEA, CDAE, CEAD, CEDA, CADE, CAED, ACDE, ACED, ADCE, ADEC, AECD, AEDC, EACD, EADC, ECAD, ECDA, EDAC, EDCA, DCEA, DCAE, DEAC, DECA, DACE, DAEC. (First letter is the first placement, second is the second placement, etc.)

Conclusion

That's all! Thank you for reading, and feel free to reblog with the type you think you are or maybe even type a character :D And feel free to send asks or comments if you have any questions.

[mirandyficlists]

what are the nastiest, most toe-curling mirandy smut fics can you recommend?

Hey Nonnie

Uhh well we do have some hot and steamy fics out there in all shapes and flavours.  So there are several lists that will throw some of these up and I’ll link them below.  But for raunch or super hot sweaty snugglebunnies….

Basic Black by Beachbum https://archiveofourown.org/works/29045490

The sex scenes in It’s All Relative by Hawkbehere https://archiveofourown.org/works/5884348/chapters/13561771  And the later vignette

Taking one for the Team  https://archiveofourown.org/works/5866264

The X Ingredient by Telanu  https://archiveofourown.org/works/779927

The Devil in Ms Sachs (hot and hilarious) http://ralst.com/DevilMsSachs.HTM

Also there is some majorly hot shenaningans in two deleted fics (and I do have them, pm me if you want them)

Womanizer by 2dementedMuses 

Working Title by Pin_drop

I also understand that this author explores some hot and heavy dynamics  https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidSexyCopShows/pseuds/StupidSexyCopShows/works?fandom_id=54476

And you can read through the following lists as well.

All the breast

Xvnot15

PWP 

(Might be either Plot? What Plot?  Or Porn with plot.  Basically hot sweaty snugglebunnies)

#34 by f_femslash  drabble -fic deleted but I have it.

5 Drabbles about Andy's Favorite Sex Toys by jaws_of_fenrir - afro_dyte?  Deleted but I have it.

12 Minutes by Zos  https://archiveofourown.org/works/17422376

17th Floor Going Down by worstliarever  https://worst-liar-ever.livejournal.com/1722.html

A Clean Break by Fictorium https://archiveofourown.org/works/250612

A Fly on the Wall by Pantone462 https://archiveofourown.org/works/8706967

A Minor Setback by Ubiquitousmixie https://archiveofourown.org/works/1616144

A Novel Idea by Ubiquitousmixie https://archiveofourown.org/works/1616096

A Slip of the Wrist by Scarlettscribble https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4462691/1/A_Slip_of_The_Wrist

Adjustments by thefutilitarian  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5874963/1/Adjustments

All Work and no Play by Elder_queer https://archiveofourown.org/works/584628

Angry by Elfjet  https://archiveofourown.org/works/14391420

Anything by Shyboots  Deleted but I have it.

B is for Bitch and Birken by quencher https://queencher.livejournal.com/945.html

Bedroom Confidential by Grdnofevrything https://grdnofevrythng.livejournal.com/196690.html

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Blue eyed Devil https://blue-eyed-devil.livejournal.com/18444.html#cutid1

Call Me Andy by GrrrIliketigers https://archiveofourown.org/works/746194

Christmas Fic Exchange by air_one 23 https://air-one-23.livejournal.com/

Collision Course by Fictorium https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/1913519.html#cutid1

Come Andrea by Colleen  Deleted but I have the fic.

Common Reaction by Gardnofevrything https://grdnofevrythng.livejournal.com/195241.html

Dare by lady orleans  https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/1796475.html#cutid1

Degrees of Naked by ficburd https://ficburd.livejournal.com/1923.html

Fedora by chillyflame  https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675290

Foodfight  by miconi  Deleted but I have the fic.

Heat  by Fembuck  Deleted but I have the fic.

Hidden Talents by Chillyflame https://archiveofourown.org/works/2673134

Hot Hot Heat by Mira Cohen  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4548739/1/%3Cb%3EHot%3C_b%3E_%3Cb%3EHot%3C_b%3E_%3Cb%3EHeat%3C_b%3E

How Miranda Likes to Game by Skeeter451 https://archiveofourown.org/works/515560

I Said No Foam  by bellavita  Deleted but I have the fic.

Improvisations by Ubiquitousmixie  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649000

In Front of the Fire by kosmos8 https://kosmos8.livejournal.com/3058.html

Kissable Lips by Grdnofevrything https://grdnofevrythng.livejournal.com/184278.html

  2. I’ll Be Yours by Grdnofevrything  https://grdnofevrythng.livejournal.com/185442.html

Long Hot Summer by pinguissexy https://pinguissexy.livejournal.com/2848.html#cutid1

Lost in Delaware by Sporkmetender  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1915359

Love is in the Air by Pandora007 https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/146697.html#cutid1

Lunchbreak by CrazybeCat https://archiveofourown.org/works/14911949

Lust by MirandaMeryl  https://mirandameryl.livejournal.com/19431.html

Melting the Ice Queen by Blue-eyed Devil  https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/206231.html#cutid1

Merry Christmas by Mercurichita by pinquissexy https://pinguissexy.livejournal.com/3695.html#cutid1

Midnight Desire by Pureecstasy6 https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/1646085.html#cutid1

On a Tear at the Beach by Quiethearted  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6861897/1/On-A-Tear-At-The-Beach

Pillow Talk by Eshusplayground  https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843723

Pining by Outuendo  https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/523809.html#cutid1

Plaything by fanchiction  https://fanchiction.livejournal.com/7256.html#cutid1

Possession by Loganwolfe http://www.ralst.com/PossessionDWP.HTM

Pushing Desire by frenchflotus  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5839911/1/Pushing_Desire

Pushing Her Buttons by Telanu  https://archiveofourown.org/works/750421

Ravenous  by ellenm https://archiveofourown.org/works/319392

Risky Business by Elder_queer  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1373971

Seven and a Half Minutes by The Raven https://archiveofourown.org/works/25689700

Smart Little Mouth  by ubiquitousmixie  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1616072

Stalling the Inevitable by Schwanenkoenigen  https://archiveofourown.org/works/49796446/chapters/125700463

Sweet Like Chocolate by Scarlettscribble  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4553399/1/

Too Hot To Handle  by Polgaria  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12052056/1/Too-Hot-To-Handle

Uninvited by Ubiquitousmixie  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1616192

Untitled by Helebette https://helebette.livejournal.com/3970.html#cutid1

When You Whistle by chillyflame  https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675191

Winning the War by Sporkmetender  https://archiveofourown.org/works/1916313

Yes You Make Me Wet by Wiser_dacshund  https://dvlwears-prada.livejournal.com/1107831.html#cutid1

You Give Me Fever by Sydney Redfield  Deleted but I have it.

[unknownhomosapien]

Wanna add some more context to reverse!au for better understanding

(Added more sickness to his face cus I still like trickstarbrave's art teehee)

Basically all canon events till "foul murder" is...canon. It wasn't his will to become a god, but Nerevar's mind got corrupted in some ways because of heart of lorkhan, so he ready to use god powers to reach his goals. His ways to deal with tribunal are much more sinister, so he as well as madman.

Somehow even Almsivi thinks that it was Dagoth Ur who has got awakened (very tough awakening though). Nerevar using this legend as profit. Everyone seems to believe that Nerevarine prophecy is true, even ashlanders. Wonder how he deceived them.

If Dagoth Ur using the magic to fight, Mora Ind using his strength. Don't be fooled by his exhausting look, this man is able to cut a massive rock with trueflame in the first try as well as crush your head with one hand.

He is using the magic, still. Prostetics looks advanced, but has bad mobility, plus constant pain, so, he learnt how to levitate and use it effectively in the attacks. Also, Nerevar somehow developed resistance to magic, and its not easy to beat him only with the spells.

His god voice echoes, but can change depending on mood. Main difference that in moments of anger it echoing in higher tone, almost cutting the ears.

Mora Ind has his own followers, despite having sixth house as source to threaten people. He is not fully controlling them though. Despite being blind and using raw magic, Nerevar is able to "see" through eyes on his hands, and through his followers. This is part of the deal: they're serve him with no hesitation, him is protecting them from corprus (except sixth house sleepers), saving their will, but has right to take control whenever he wants. And he has much more influence on dissident priests. But only few loyal knows who is truly sitting in the red mountain.

Godryn is quite weak, despite being tall, so he is highly counting on his charisma, magic abilities and alchemy skills. He is suffering from rosacea, migraines and epilepsy, thought last one comes from migraines and happens in the moments of high stress, and has uncontrollable and incurable magic origin. Blessing and a curse in the same time.

This man loves to be good looking and morning routines are his best friends. Only when being alone, he allows himself to look sloppy.

He is not a Nerevarine. How do you think he'll become one if Nerevar is alive? But Godryn surely gonna doubt tribunal much and make his own investigation because of curiosity. Will meet Almsivi eventually.

Anarenen gonna have main part in his story and will become some kind of love interest before meeting Nerevar? Anyways, they both slay queens in boring Ald'ruhn with dumbass Redoran around.

He gonna be suspicious and paranoid in the first chapters. Godryn is not a reckless one, and tryin to make decisions with thinking twice.

Godryn is 24 years old and born in 3E 403. He is an adult, but very unexpirience in live, so, there are gonna be some dumb choices. Recognising himself as Voryn will help in some ways, but dunmer is not gonna BE Voryn. He doesnt wanna be "someone" except himself. He tired of that.

[ladiemars]

I love Nor and her giant sad puppy eyes, I would love to know more about her

thank you!! have a hastily drawn nor ft. her giant sad sopping wet puppy eyes:

+ a giant nor lore dump below the cut જ⁀➴

➸ her whole character was inspired by that one textpost that’s like, “characters with both the abject terror and desperation of an animal that knows it is cornered and destined to be eaten. you just can't get that kind of angst out a successful hunter” and this quote by james harriet: “if having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.”

➸ she’s is the product of a union between a drow woman and a deep imaskari man. for those who don’t know, the deep imaskari are a human subrace (from 3e) that have stone-like skin and hair that’s white or black. because that’s nor’s human half, most people assume she’s completely drow upon meeting her, since did not inherit any features from her father that would make her look less like her drow mother.

➸ the deep imaskari live longer than other humans—up to 550 years—so nor ages at a rate more akin to drow and elves than half-elves or humans. nor believes she’s currently around seventy years old, though she could be off by a decade or two. she’s not sure when she was born and has long periods without human contact. she really isn’t sure how much time has passed.

➸ she has no given name, but eventually ended up going by the name ratcatcher, which is what the locals in baldur’s gate called her. halsin is the one who names her nor shortly after they meet, which is the elven word for “passion” and also “run.”

➸ this excerpt from one of my fics sums up her urchin/orphan to urban ranger/beastmaster pipeline pretty well:

➸ around the age of twenty, nor grew to resent humanity so much that she decided to leave baldur’s gate and live in the forest with only animals for company for half a century. (this is when she lost track of time completely.) in the forest, she became an expert in survival, attuning her ears to the slightest twitch in the air, to every noise and smell. she lived in a cave and slept curled up beside velvet on a bed of willow leaves. the events of baldur’s gate 3 is the first time in decades that she’s had social interaction.. and it shows.

➸ she has a little wolfdog companion named velvet. (i’ve drawn him and her and halsin and scratch here). he was another half-breed who didn’t quite being anywhere, so they bonded very deeply. (fun fact: velvet killed the elder brain in my first playthrough as nor. he’s a legend in faerun now.)

➸ laezel is her bestie. they are ride or die. neither of them understand a damn thing about faerun or its inhabitants. but that also means they don’t judge each other for anything, cause they both just kind of assume what the other is doing is normal

➸ a big part of her character is her dynamic with the emperor. she gets manipulated by him so bad because he tells her everything a forgotten, unloved creature wants to hear: i need you, i’ll protect you, you’re not like other people, we’re a team, you can trust me, i want you to join me, you aren’t alone. it’s not until he begins to pressure and compel her to become illithid against her will she starts to fear him and his power over her, and after certain revelations she realizes he was using her and turns on him altogether.

➸ obviously she romances halsin. i love the dynamic of beastmaster/druid. they’re extremely well suited because they’re both such inherently good people and they bond a lot over their love for nature. they are also the only two people who can really understand each other’s animalistic quirks.

i’ve written some fics with her that you can read here if you’re interested. >:3c

[indierpgnewsletter]

Traveller & Champions

What is your relationship with the characters you play in RPGs? What do you want it to be?

In Traveller (the classic version, I add, tipping my hat), you make a character through what is now called the “lifepath method”. That name is a bit misleading because in this game, it’s more of a career path. And maybe more specifically, your military career path. Traveller was a game of veterans and if you want to get complicated, that’s what we should talk about. But let’s keep it light and focus on this unassuming table:

Now honestly, this table is iconic but I couldn’t make sense of it without having read the rules of the game (twice). But to put it simply, you’re rolling dice to see which branch of the intergalactic military you joined (either enlisting in your first choice or being drafted by whoever would be willing to take you). Then, you roll to see if you survive your first term, whether you become a commissioned officer, whether you get promoted, and whether you’re allowed to re-enlist for the next term or forced into an early retirement. If do re-enlist, you repeat the process till you retire or die.

Apart from picking your first choice (which you might not get), there are no decisions made in this process (don’t disagree yet!). You roll the dice and whatever happens to your character, happens. You just find out. You might die – and if you’re serving in the Scouts, it’s very likely you do – and you just have to start again with a new character. I think consensus is that this method can be surprising but detached.

Let’s talk about Champions. Traveller came out in 1977 and was revised constantly over the next decade. Champions came out in 1980 and is remembered by many as the classic superhero RPG. In 1984, we got Champions 3e which I understand is what cemented it as a landmark in RPG history.

In Champions, you build your character. You get skills (Security Systems, Swinging), Special Effects (Extra Limb, Mind Control), Advantages (Useable at Range), and Disadvantages (Unusual Looks). You pick your skills, spend power points to buy your powers, balance your advantages and disadvantages, and come out the other end – sometimes hours later – with your character. It’s fair to say that Champions is only decisions – it’s nothing but decisions. And that feels different. I think consensus is that this method has lots of strategy and self-expression but is very involved.

At first, it feels like these two games are on opposite ends of a spectrum. But actually, there’s a contradictory impulse in both of them. When you play Traveller, it’s a step-by-step process of discovery. You roll the dice and learn something about the character and then you immediately contextualize it. With every fact you learn, you spin the fiction. If you needed to roll a 7 to not die and you roll exactly a 7, you think, “Wow, they must’ve had a near-death experience. What could it be?”. And these are decisions. Big, important, affecting decisions. Often Traveller‘s lifepath doesn’t spit out a random character, it spits out someone that you’ve closely watched struggle and live for years before they come to you. If that doesn’t make you care about them, what is? At the same time, when you play Champions, you can build and tinker and strategize and eventually make somebody who you might not actually enjoy playing. Sometimes, you get caught up in the general aura of optimization and make somebody effective but that isn’t the same as somebody fun. Or you build them “wrong” and you get a character that is out-of-step with the rest of the group in power, which ends up annoying in other ways.

To zoom out a little, this isn't a criticism of either game. The point is this spectrum of controlled character creation starts to look a little superficial. Reality is much more complicated. Random can become involved and self-expression can become detached. So then what about about these two different methods is actually the important part?

(This first appeared on the Indie RPG Newsletter.)

[shunin-gumis]

As Master Joe Wishes - Track 04

Seasonal Team Event - L4mps

My parts are coming up! Thank you TLWard for letting me work with you!

Location:  HAMA House - Lesson Room

Ryui: (I don’t give a shit if that damn bear is getting targeted. I don’t, but…) 

(Whatever Toi wants is what I want. I’ll grant any of his wishes, even if I have to go through hell and back for it…!)

Sakujiro: Ryui-san, you’re not bowing low enough! The most respectful bow is at a precise 45 degree angle, you must bend until you can see your feet clearly! 

Ryui: Ugh… 

Sakujiro: Keep going! 56, 57… 

Netaro: I can’t do this anymooore~

Toi: Me neither~

Nagi:  My lower back is already waving a white flag because Ryui won’t recite the commandments…. 

Ryui: Aaaaaahhh!! Fuck!! 

Sakujiro: Oh dear… I suppose I can offer you a short respite from your little “bowing” punishment. 

Nagi: Oof… 

Chief: I see now… So that’s why Sakujiro-san is giving you special training on servitude? 

Toi: I have a feeling this is gonna lead up to a dramatic and heartfelt scenario!

Netaro: Perhaps the Suspension Bridge effect will give birth to many many new couples! 

Netaro and Toi: Ooh~~~~! 

Nagi: Chief, this might get dangerous, so it’s best if you don’t get involved. This kinda work that involves the 3Es is better suited for someone like me… 

Yodaka: I believe they were, “𝓔mbrace without” looking out of place, “𝓔xposure to danger is OK”, and “𝓔asily counted on.”

Chief: Oh… To be honest, I’m extremely worried about you guys, but unfortunately, Kafka called me in earlier… I’ll need to leave for an overseas business trip tomorrow. 

Ryui: (He probably figured this was gonna be a dangerous job… I’d do the same if I could.)

Yodaka: Not only do we have the police, we even have Danny, the brawn of HAMA Tours, on our side. I’m sure it will be fine.

Daniel: You can bet I’m gonna apply for that worker’s insurance and paid leave after this.

Ryui: —There’s something I just don’t get.

Ryui: We were only asked to escort her, I don’t see why we gotta dress up as maids or butlers and blend in as the manor’s staff. 

Sakujiro: I must disagree.

Ryui: … Go on.

Sakujiro: It would be quite unnatural to have multiple unknown faces wandering about the manor out of the blue. 

Nagi: Um, then why can’t we act as security guards instead?

Sakujiro: We must not give away that Joe-sama is the treasure. Introducing security into the picture would only bring unwanted attention.

Netaro: Indeed… Having guards around would only rouse suspicion. 

Ryui: Tch… 

Sakujiro: I’m certain you understand the necessity of your roles. Now then, let us take a short recess. We shall continue your punishment from the 58th bow.

~~~

Sakujiro: I apologize for disturbing you all during your break time, but I have something that requires your attention.

Nagi: ? Sakujiro-san, you look pretty excited?

Sakujiro: Fufufu… Was I perhaps too obvious? Please, take a look at these.

Toi: Wow…! It’s a sketch of butler and maid uniforms! 

Sakujiro: The moment I heard that you would all be working at a manor for your next assignment, inspiration welled up within me. Should you find these designs acceptable, it would be an honor to sew them up for you. 

Yodaka: These iterations honor the classic designs of old. I think they’re splendid.

Toi: But, I’m a maid? Not a butler?

Sakujiro: I believe being a maid would suit you better.

Ryui: You got that right. But… The hell you putting me and Hachinoya in dresses for too…? 

Sakujiro: I believe being a maid would suit you better.

Netaro: Lookie!! Daa’s gonna be a maid too!

Nagi: Woah, I feel like that’s gonna show up in my dreams, somehow.

Daniel: Whatever… I’d rather wear a maid dress than have to bow down one more time… 

Ryui: An old man like you should know how to stand your fucking ground! There’s no way in HELL I’m wearing a dress! I’d rather bite my tongue and let it fucking bleed out!

Toi: Ah, if Ani-sama is biting his tongue off then I will too…!

Netaro: Count me in~

Nagi: That’s a lot of “Tongue-cut Sparrows”… *

Yodaka: With this response… I’m sorry to say, but we should probably shelve that idea… 

Sakujiro: Understood… Boohoo… 

~~~

Sakujiro: Good work, everyone. Please keep in mind what you learned today. I expect you to become the absolute most perfect servants.

Location: HAMA House 2nd floor

Ryui: (Ugh… My back’s stiff as a board…) 

Sakujiro: Ryui-san, a moment, please.

Ryui: What? I ain’t doing any more bows.

Sakujiro: No, I didn’t stop you for such a reason… I have something I need to share about Joe-sama.

Sakujiro: As I recall, Joe-sama was actually a present that the late madam Brunhild had received from her father at a tender age. 

Sakujiro: She must have been treasured greatly as a close companion.

Ryui: …..

Sakujiro: When a person senses that they are not being valued, that is when they experience true anger. The duty of a servant is to find the true meaning hidden within their master’s demands, and act accordingly.

Ryui: And? What’s your point?

Sakujiro: Please keep in mind that if you perform insincerely, the other person will know.

Ryui: Yeah yeah, thanks for the warning, or whatever. 

Sakujiro: ….. 

~~~

Location: Manor - Large Parlor

Hiramei: Good morning everyone! We’re counting on you all for this mission! 

Hiramei: Please try to act natural! Samejima-san and I will be checking in on you guys every once in a while!

Ryui: ( –Is what that guy said, but… )

Location:  Manor - Bedroom

Ryui: What was next again, making the bed? How’s it even getting messed up when there’s only a plushie in here… 

Ryui: –The fuck! The heck you loungin’ around for, old man?

Daniel: My back… it hurts… It’s as stiff as a board… Give me a break already… 

Ryui: That’s what you said last time when you were lazin’ about on the sofa! For fuck’s sake, you’re a lost cause—

*loud tumbling noises*

Ryui: … Who messed up this time… 

Location: Manor - Large Parlor

Joe: My goodness! What in the world happened for the room to get to this state!

Toi: Wha- The laundry room and corridor are totally covered in foam...!

Nagi: I’m sorry… It’s my first time using a washing machine like this, so I put in a random amount of detergent and clicked some random buttons, and this is how it ended up… 

Ryui: Ah… Hachinoya’s technology impairment rears its ugly head… 

Yodaka: Joe-sama, pardon us. We’ll clean this up right away, so please overlook this. Nagi, could you bring in the cleaning supplies?

Nagi: Joe-sama…I apologize for my carelessness… 

*loud tumbling noises*

Joe: W-What in the world is it this time!?

Location: Manor

Netaro: Hmm. I thought I could grow some fresh veggies for dinner, but I seem to have injected a cell-positive agent instead of a growth promotant… 

Tomato Monster: GRRR—!

Toi: Wah! There’s a cluster of man-eating tomatoes with fangs surrounding us!

Joe: The manner in which they gnash their sharp fangs is giving me a fright! I-I fear for my life!

Yodaka: Pardon us, we will promptly harvest them. Netaro, please bring a shovel and a trowel.

Netaro: Roger that! Joe-sama, sorry about this!

Ryui: (Damn, can’t believe Natsume could clean up this mess so fast… Glad we have him around.)

Ryui: By the way, why’s Joe been on Toi’s back this entire time? You’ve even got him using a baby sling… 

Toi: Hehe, I’m Joe’s nanny right now! Joe-sama, are you comfortable on my back?

Joe: As expected of my “nursemaid.” I am feeling quite comfortable indeed!

Toi: Ehehe~ I’m glad to hear that.

Ryui: (Well, it’s all good if Toi’s happy with it.)

Ryui: Joe, you better not work Toi too hard, got it?

Joe: …..

Joe: My, whyever could it be that you are the only one to show me such disrespect… 

Note:

Nagi is referring to an old Japanese fable "Shita-kiri Suzume" or "The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue"

[prokopetz]

Thank you for the explanation! ❤️ now I’m intrigued, though: Where can I find information on why 4E was published under a more restrictive license?

(With reference to this post here.)

Before we can talk about that, it's necessary to understand what an incredible shitshow 4E's commercial launch was in general. I go over that in some depth here.

Understanding the sequence of events outlined there is important because it dispels one of the most widely accepted wrong answers to your question: that Hasbro and WotC cooked up the 4E Game System License (GSL) because they didn't want a repeat of Pathfinder.

In truth, the 4E GSL is what caused Pathfinder; Paizo was one of a handful of third-party publishers who'd taken advantage of the D&D System Trademark License (STL) to produce officially branded D&D products, and they'd likely have been perfectly happy to continue doing so if WotC hadn't come to them and said "hey, if you want to remain STL-compliant, you need to throw away all of your 3E material and re-develop it for 4E, under a more restrictive license, with zero notice – that's cool, right?"

(It was not, in fact, cool.)

As for why the 4E GSL really happened, there are a variety of opinions on that – a lot of it ultimately comes down to internal office politics, so there may never be a clear answer. As far as I've been able to gather, however, the problem is that the OGL had always served two masters. By all accounts, several of the OGL's principal architects genuinely believed in establishing a creative commons for D&D – but that's not how they sold the idea to the suits at the head office.

Internally, the pitch in favour of the OGL was that it would allow WotC to delegate the creation of D&D supplements and adventures to third parties, allowing WotC itself to focus on core book sales. (i.e., the PHB/DMG/MM trio and the main setting hardbacks.) Core books were always the more lucrative side of the coin, with supplements and adventures serving less as a profit-making enterprise in themselves, and more as long-tail support to drive further core book sales. The prospect of being able to get that long-tail support for free was very tempting, and is likely the main reason that corporate agreed to publish the Third Edition under the OGL in the first place.

The OGL accomplished that, to a degree, but it also resulted in a lot of publishers lifting D&D's rules text wholesale – remember, the OGL allows verbatim copying-and-pasting of rules text, which was its main draw from the perspective of third-party publishers – and stuffing it into their own standalone games. This sort of thing was fairly small-time prior to the Pathfinder debacle, but there was enough of it going on for WotC's new owner, Hasbro, to see it as a thorn in their side.

TL;DR version: in all likelihood, 4E's GSL was an effort by Hasbro to rein in the OGL and return it to the purpose for which it had initially been sold to WotC corporate: an instrument for outsourcing D&D's long-tail support to unpaid third parties while reaping the benefits of that support in core book sales.

(Of course, as outlined in the linked post, what was actually accomplished was to shrink D&D's third-party support practically to nothing while simultaneously creating its own largest competitor; it's a fair question how much of this was due to the GSL itself, and how much of it was due to all the other corporate incompetence and general fuckery attendant to 4E's rollout, but either way, the result was WotC and Hasbro pulling the plug on 4E early, and reverting to the OGL for 5E. It was a learning experience all around – though the present business with the OGL 1.1 leads one to suspect that they didn't learn the right lessons!)

[inaconstantstateofchange]

Hi!

I'm so glad i found your blog, your deep dives are making my brain tingle in the best of ways! It's so difficult to really find all the info your curious about with the many different editions and histories of everything so you are an absolute lifesaver for understanding all these intruiging lore aspects.

I've been very curious about Asmodeus for a while now but am kinda struggling finding out more about him, I know he's very strong and apparently a large snake?? But I was wondering if you at some point feel the motivation to if you could tell me some about him, he seems so interesting to me and I just wanna know more about who and what he is.

Again, you are so awesome and I vow to devour all your writing!

Asmodeus: An Origin

Thank you so much for the kind words - and for your patience as I worked on this one. If there's any question you had about him that feels like it's not wholly answered here, feel free to let me know! There's still a lot that I was not able to include.

As ever, these writeups will align with current 5e lore, and draw from 3.5e for additional supporting information. On rarer occasions – and always noted – I will reference 1e and 2e, but with the caveats that there is much more in those editions that is tonally dissonant with the modern conception of the Forgotten Realms, and thus generally less applicable.

You would be hard-pressed to find a more succinct introduction to Asmodeus himself than in the following passage, from 3e’s Book of Vile Darkness: 

Asmodeus the Archfiend, the overlord of all the dukes of hell, commands all devilkind and reigns as the undisputed master of the Nine Hells. Even the deities that call that plane home pay Asmodeus a great deal of respect.¹ 

As to his current position, 5e’s Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide features Asmodeus among the list of gods, naming him the “god of indulgence”, and crediting to him the domains of knowledge and trickery. His symbol is “three inverted triangles arranged in a long triangle”, as seen in the image below.² 

While his active circle of worshippers remains small, he is one of the gods habitually turned to by those in need, particularly those who have done something to earn them the displeasure of another god:

After transgressing against a god in some way, a person prays to Asmodeus for something to provide respite during the long wait. Asmodeus is known to grant people what they wish, and thus people pray for all the delights and distractions they desire most from life. Those who transgress in great ways often ask Asmodeus to hide their sins from the gods, and priests say that he will do so, but with a price after death.³

Asmodeus is particularly appealing to those who fear what awaits them after death, or have arrived to find the reality does not match their hopes. For these souls, even the hazards of Baator might be preferable to long centuries of solitary wandering on the Fugue Plane. 

All souls wait on the Fugue Plane for a deity's pleasure, which determines where a soul will spend the rest of eternity. Those who lived their lives most in keeping with a deity's outlook are taken first. Others, who have transgressed in the eyes of their favored god or have not followed any particular ethos, might wait centuries before Kelemvor judges where they go. People who fear such a fate can pray to Asmodeus, his priests say, and in return a devil will grant a waiting soul some comfort.³

The worship of Asmodeus attracts staunch individualists, who desire a future unaligned with the domain of any of the other gods, and are willing to choose self-determination in any form that might approach them.

The faithful of Asmodeus acknowledge that devils offer their worshipers a path that's not for everyone — just as eternally basking in the light of Lathander or endlessly swinging a hammer in the mines of Moradin might not be for everyone. Those who serve Asmodeus in life hope to be summoned out of the moaning masses of the Fugue Plane after death. They yearn for the chance to master their own fates, with all of eternity to achieve their goals.³

Asmodeus achieved his current official status of godhood during the Spellplague, which lasted from 1385 to 1395 DR. After this, for reasons he has unsurprisingly chosen not to reveal, he performed a ritual to alter the metaphysical categorization of all existing tieflings, giving them features that highlighted this connection.

Due to this shift, tieflings are often perceived with wariness by those who believe that Asmodeus is able to exert control over these newly-determined “descendants” of his. While this is an unwarranted suspicion, as tieflings are no more bound to his will than any other individual of another race, the mistrust remains unfortunately pervasive.⁴ 

The true origins of Asmodeus, particularly from 3rd Edition on, are kept rather ambiguous, seemingly quite by design. This is both for Watsonian reasons – that a supreme being of evil such as Asmodeus would not carelessly leave information about his origins (and, potentially, weaknesses) floating around – as well as Doylist: it is a more elegant solution than eternal retcons, and leaves it up to the individual scholar or DM which explanation they ascribe the most veracity to.⁵ 

On the charge of Asmodeus’s true form being a giant serpent, we have Chris Pramas to thank for that bit of lore, stated in 2e’s 1999 Guide to Hell, but rarely mentioned - and not in any definitive manner - from 3e onward.⁶ 3e’s Manual of the Planes, published in 2001, does reference this account, but as a whispered and shadowy theory about the Archdevil Supreme, rather than objective truth.

Brutally repressed rumors suggest that there is more to Asmodeus than he admits. The story goes that the true form of Asmodeus actually resides in the deepest rift of Nessus called the Serpent’s Coil. The shape seen by all the other devils of the Nine Hells in the fortress of Malsheem is actually a highly advanced use of the project image spell or an avatar of some sort. ... From where fell Asmodeus? Was he once a greater deity cast down from Elysium or Celestia, or is he older yet, as the rumor hints? Perhaps he represents some fundamental entity whose mere existence pulls the multiverse into its current configuration. Nobody who tells the story of Asmodeus’s “true” form lives more than 24 hours after repeating it aloud. But dusty scrolls in hard-to-reach libraries (such as Demogorgon’s citadel in the Abyss) yet record this knowledge. Unless it is pure fancy, of course.⁷ 

One can see from the framing of the above excerpt that there is no attempt made at certainty. Perhaps it is mere conjecture, or perhaps a secret, hidden truth that few may know. It is impossible to say for certain. 

Another story of Asmodeus’s possible origin is found in 3e’s Fiendish Codex II. This text, again, does not frame the information given as universal truth, but rather takes pains to emphasize its ambiguity. 

The best way to understand devils and their ways is to listen to the stories they tell about themselves. The most famous of these tales have propagated as myths throughout all the worlds of the Material Plane, becoming familiar to mortals of all sorts. But as is often the case with legends, contradictions abound. For example, the tale of the Pact Primeval is the accepted version of the multiverse’s creation. But an alternate story claims Asmodeus as the fallen creator of the universe.  Countless cultures have their own versions of the Pact Primeval legend. The names of the deities featured in it change depending on where it is told, but the names of the devils are always the same. Perhaps this fact is what inspired Philogestes, the accursed philosopher of evil, to pen his famous proverb: “The gods exist in multiplicity, but Asmodeus is unique.” As is the case with any myth worthy of the name, the following tale is true — whether or not it actually happened.⁸ 

In this account, Asmodeus began as a celestial embodiment of law, formed from the concept itself to fight against the embodiment of chaos — demons.⁹ Over time, as he and his followers became more akin to the enemies they were facing, those celestial beings not engaged in the fight grew leery of what they were becoming, and took him to trial, to account for himself. The god of valor spoke first, laying out the concerns of those gathered against Asmodeus. In response: 

Asmodeus smiled, and the smoke of a thousand battlefields rose from his lips. “As Lord of Battle,” he pointed out, “you should know better than any that war is a dirty business. We have blackened ourselves so that you can remain golden. We have upheld the laws, not broken them. Therefore, you may not cast us out.”⁸

Despite their efforts, the gods were able to find no laws that Asmodeus had broken. Unsurprisingly, as he himself had helped write them. This conflict between Asmodeus and his host and the remainder of the unsullied gods continued on, with the gods unable to get rid of him, and free themselves of the constant reminder of the Blood War.

With time, the concepts of “good” and “evil” entered the world alongside law and chaos, and Asmodeus was able to argue for dominion over those souls that chose evil. The gods loathed the reminders of this fact, however, and when Asmodeus volunteered to move to the empty plain of Baator, they enthusiastically agreed. It was only years later, when the number of souls arriving at their own planes after death began to sharply decrease, that they thought to travel to Baator themselves, where they found a robust operation based around encouraging mortal souls to take to the path of evil. 

“You have granted us the power to harvest souls,” replied Asmodeus. “To build our Hell and gird our might for the task set before us, we naturally had to find ways to improve our yield.” The war deity drew forth his longsword of crackling lightning. “It is your job to punish transgressions, not to encourage them!” he cried.  Asmodeus smiled, and a venomous moth flew out from between his sharpened teeth. “Read the fine print,” he replied.⁸ 

While the recorded story implies a simple act of one-upmanship, a later section of the Fiendish Codex tells us that Asmodeus’s split from the other celestial deities was not so amicable. 

Once he had committed himself to residing in Baator, the deities physically cast him out of the upper realms, and he fell — and fell, and fell. Upon reaching the plain of Baator, he plunged through the nascent layers he had begun to shape. (In some versions, his fall created the layers, breaking the formerly featureless plain into nine pieces, which then arranged themselves into floating tiers.) At last he hit solid ground but continued to fall, spiraling through rock and soil. The protesting earth of Baator tore at his flesh, opening scores of gaping wounds. Still he fell, until he could fall no farther. The point where he finally stopped was the deepest part of Baator — the Pit.  The wounds that Asmodeus suffered in his dramatic fall have never healed. Though he manages to appear blithely unperturbed by his injuries, they still weep blood every day, and he has been wracked by constant pain for millennia.¹⁰ 

This casting down and its associated injuries is corroborated in other texts as well, including 3e’s Manual of the Planes. 

5e’s Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes seemingly follows on from the Fiendish Codex’s account, sharing one conception of the fallout of Asmodeus’s stratagem, positioned as an in-universe account penned by the aasimar bard Anodius in a work titled “The Trial of Asmodeus”.

At some point after Asmodeus broke from Celestia to rule Baator, he was brought up on trial for unspecified crimes and trespasses. Asmodeus claimed the right to speak in his own defense, and a court was gathered, arbitrated by Primus, a being intrinsically aligned with Neutrality and Law. From Asmodeus’s recorded arguments in his own defense, we can surmise that those on Celestia had accused him of acting outside of the law in actively working to turn mortals to evil. 

The case stretched on, with neither side ceding ground, for weeks, until finally Primus declared his judgment. While Asmodeus could not be convicted of any true crime – for he had acted within the law in all things – he was to take an artifact, the Ruby Rod that is synonymous with his position, which would “guarantee his adherence to law”.¹¹ A quote from Anodius’s in-universe text is helpfully provided by Mordenkainen: 

“I literally sit beneath eight tiers of scheming, ambitious entities that represent primal law suffused with evil. The path from this realm leads to an infinite pit of chaos and evil. Now, tell me again how you and your ilk are the victims in this eternal struggle.” – Asmodeus addresses the celestial jury, from The Trial of Asmodeus¹¹

In a manner similar to his contested origin, Asmodeus’s appearance is described in several varying ways — a fact that seems in line for a principal schemer such as himself. This seeming discrepancy could also speak to varying uses of aspects or projection spells.

The Fiendish Codex II in one instance paints him as “a horned, red-skinned humanoid with a tall, lithe frame” who “dresses in splendid robes and understated but elegant accoutrements.”¹⁰ A later section in the Codex corresponds to this description given in the Book of Vile Darkness: 

Asmodeus stands just over 13 feet tall, with lustrous dark skin and dark hair. He is handsome in the same way that a thunderstorm is beautiful. His red eyes shine with the power of hell, and his head is crowned with a pair of small, dark red horns. He dresses in finery of red and black; a single garment of his might cost what an entire nation spends in a year. Of course, he is never without his Ruby Rod, an ornate piece of unparalleled jeweled finery and vast magical power.¹ 

Regarding his personality, he is most often described as “a soft-spoken, articulate, chillingly reasonable fellow who is confident in his status as one of the multiverse’s most powerful entities. Even when surprised, he reacts with supreme poise, as if he were already three steps ahead of his adversaries.”¹⁰ The Book of Vile Darkness notes correspondingly that: 

The actions of Asmodeus are often mysterious to outside observers, but that is due to the short-sighted and dim-witted view most beings have. Asmodeus’s manipulations are labyrinthine and insidious. They work on a grand scale, although when it suits his needs he is willing to focus his attention even on the status of a lowly mortal soul.¹

¹ Book of Vile Darkness. 2002. p. 165-6.

² Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. 2015. p. 21.

³ Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. 2015. p. 24.

⁴ Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. 2015. p. 118. 

⁵ “Watsonian vs. Doylist”. Fanlore.org. 

⁶ In general, I try to stay in-universe with these lore writeups, but in this case it did feel like some out-of-universe context was necessary. 

⁷ Manual of the Planes. 2001. p. 123.

⁸ Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. 2006. p. 4-5.

⁹ While the description of these events found within the Fiendish Codex is too long to transcribe here in its entirety, I highly encourage you to read the full account for yourself. 

¹⁰ Fiendish Codex II. 2006. p. 73-4.

¹¹ Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. 2018. p. 9-10.

[thydungeongal]

You've inspired me to make my own megadungeon (or at least run one), are there any good examples you know of? Since you did once mention current megadungeons doing things wrong.

I also want to say your blog and those like yours have been a major inspiration and make me want to create stuff! And have a great evening :)

Oh, I think the person who you want is @maximumzombiecreator, she's the one who's talked about modern megadungeons doing things wrong! (I think the one she was talking about was some megadungeon for Pathfinder 2e?) Oh, there was a time when @tenleaguesbeneath and @imsobadatnicknames2 vagued about one particularly catastrophic attempt by one blogger to make a D&D 5e megadungeon that never amounted to much. But yeah, I've reblogged those posts in question, and now I've summoned them so they may articulate their thoughts on the matter better.

I don't want to speak over anyone, but if I recall correctly: MZC's criticism of that PF2e megadungeon hinged on it lacking procedures for random encounters and restocking, two important things for making the megadungeon feel alive and reinforce the idea that it can't actually be meaningfully cleared, whereas the criticism of that 5e megadungeon was based on the idea that it was like. A dungeon shaped succession of linear D&D 5e adventure days. I think it was characterized as a "megadungeon-themed theme park ride," which feels very apt.

Personally, I'm a fan of the megadungeon on a conceptual level but have not had a chance to run one, but of the ones I have looked at I have a few that have stuck out to me:

Highfell is a megadungeon plus mini sandbox setting centered around a dungeon on a flying island. So, besides the dungeon itself, it immediately presents the party with the question of HOW THE HELL DO WE GET UP ON THAT FLYING ISLAND?

Rappan Athuk, originally released for 3e but having since been converted to almost every retroclone as well as Pathfinder and 5e, is pretty dang huge. I haven't delved deep into it (ha!) but it also features a whole sandbox surrounding the central dungeon, so there's potentially years worth of content in there.

Finally, not one I have actually read but that I am looking at hungrily, Halls of Arden-Vul. Everyone says it's basically a masterclass of megadungeon design, and I believe them, but also the complete version of that dungeon costs like a hundred bucks. Which is understandable since it was originally released in five volumes. But yeah, it has appeared in Bundles of Holding in the past for as little as twenty smackaroos, so I'm waiting for it to come back.

Anyway, of course a lot of classic TSR modules pretty much fit the megadungeon description these days: Temple of Elemental Evil and Undermountain I feel definitely count, and those two seem to appear on every "greatest D&D adventures ever" list. I've only skimmed through the former, but if you happen to find it floating around somewhere, maybe check it out for ideas!

[rayshippouuchiha]

I have not even watched AssClassroom and still ur watch Wednesday has me hooked! I know snippets and about the ending (unfortunately) from YouTube shorts and Tumblr but ahhhhh!!!!

No spoilers about the ending though don't worry.

I have been contemplating a question though...

If an Izuku who had ranaway from Chisaki's lair with Eri in tow had been in Ass Class... How would have things gone???

Like Izuku is 'Saving' embodiment. So usually i would see his presence as a natural counter to Koro sensei or really anyone he cares about actually dying. He kind of just...breathes life into those around them. But there would be no way Pre U.A Izuku would be able to make much difference to canon, not when he still is naive about much of how the world works. Wouldn't question things he doesn't understand but has been conditioned since he was born as to be normal. Doesn't realise yet that heroes can be wrong. That heroes are humans, and that villains are people too. So what if things were spiced up?

Pre U.A Izuku has a nasty habit of suppressing his hurt and anger when it comes to himself. Can't even think of fighting back and winning. And has been hurt so much. Has been failed and abandoned by everyone around him since he was four and failed to manifest a quirk.

And then there is Eri. Who has never known kindness, has always been tired. But still finds it in herself to help the boy who breathes but looks dead, who was brought here after her, but has carried a weight of grief years in the making.

And then something changes. The moon gets destroyed, everyone panics, Izuku possessed by some unholy force seizes his chance, takes eri and gets the fuck out of dodge.

No where is safe. Hassakai is hunting them for sports, and one too many missed calls with the gang members have convinced Izuku that they are on borrowed time. They can't go to Heroes or police, one too many bribes and gazes that look through them but not at them, and the hero commission with their child soldiers (Izuku knows. Chisaki likes to rant) has them scrambling.

Except. There is an octopus. And there is a reward. There is an opportunity. There is a threat.

Izuku has never been able to fight back when it comes to himself. Can't think of hurting someone, bringing them the pain he was put through. Has always been too kind.

But.

Izuku also has a little sister now. A sister who for some reason sees him as a hero. A sister who saved him. A sister who wants him, who cries out at night, not from what Chisaki did to her, but out of fear that her Zuku-nii would leave her.

Like her mother did. Like her father did.

And Izuku who doesn't remember his father's face, but remembers his kindness. His love. Remember the sting and betrayal of screaming for him, not a hero but DAD. Understands.

Izuku doesn't like hurting others. Doesn't understand those who can kill others and laugh and live with themselves. But looking at the sleeping face of his baby sister cradled against him. He knows bone deep and heart deep that he is willing to cross lines he never would have imagined for her sake.

That he is willing to play the long con and sully his own dreams if it means his sister can be safe. If it means his sister can live. If it means he can be selfish enough to stay with the only family he has left.

His rage always suppressed comes surging forward like a tide. Filling him until he is nothing but a puppet dancing along to the strings of his grief, rage and hurt. Desperation incarnated in his endeavour to not lose anymore family, to keep his sister safe, to never be hurt again, to crush and incinerate those who dare to look down on him and hurt them, to watch people squirm and writhe and gasp under his blank gaze. He who no longer wants to be a hero, he who is dreamless, he who desires and needs control in his life. He who unknowingly resembles his father. He who is the child of the devil.

It's better than being a dekunobu with no limbs.

So now he is heading off to 3E, hiding in plain danger, a place where no one would expect him to be. He is going to cash in favors, make deals, learn... assassination.

And then after the octopus is dead, he is going to come for Chisaki.

Except. Things start to go awry.

Except Koro sensei cares.

Except Koro sensei learns, almost too late that there is a threat bigger than himself lurking around the edges, watching and waiting in amusement as his blood walks the same path as him.

OH Oh this is too good and I want to read it

[geostatonary]

What's the relationship between CMWGE, Nobilis, and Glitch? The bits of understanding I think I've picked up so far are that they're all (diceless?) ttrpgs and are in vaguely the same setting but at least one's setting is an AU of another one's? They sound really cool, but really confusing, but really cool despite and/or because of the really confusing, and continuing to just pick up the random bits that tumbl my way is Not Enough. Help?

Okay!

Let's talk a bit about publishing for background

In 1999, Jenna Moran (formerly R. Sean Borgstrom) published the first edition of Nobilis through Pharos Press, resulting in what is often called the "Little Pink Book". This was a small run, and it proved successful/interesting enough to get picked up by Hogshead Publishing in 2002, resulting in the second edition of Nobilis, which is often called the "Great White Book". This is the one a lot of people think about when they think "Nobilis", and really put it on the map in the tabletop gamer consciousness. In 2011, the third edition of Nobilis was released through EOS Press. There was a lot of drama involving the publishers and distributors for the last two editions but that's not relevant to your question. Also, a fourth edition is in the works.

Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine (CMWGE) was released in 2015 after a successful kickstarter, initially through EOS Press and then through Jenna's own efforts and the support of a generous benefactor due to her separating from EOS for some of the aforementioned publisher drama. Its technically a multimedia project that also has two associated novels, The Fable of the Swan (2012) and The Night-Bird's Feather (2022).

Finally, Glitch: A Story of the Not was self published in 2022 after another successful kickstarter. This is the most recent of her games within the collective game line, sometimes referred to as "gluubilis" or "the Ash Tree Engine".

Why'd you tell me all that?

So you'd have context for this.

Mechanically, each of these games represents a development on the preceeding works; every later game iterates and develops on the previous games and concepts. This looks something like this

1e/2e Nobilis > 3e Nobilis > CMWGE > Glitch/4e

in terms of major mechanical divisions and advancements.

All the systems are diceless and there's a lot we could say here, but probably the biggest single innovation would be the introduction of Arcs and Quests starting in CMWGE, providing a strong narrative xp framework for all the future games to engage with and be built around.

In terms of the setting, all the games except CMWGE take place on the Ash-Tree Earth in which the universe is a big tree in a cup of fire that's presently at war with the forces of the Void. Nobilis explores play as the Nobilis, individuals empowered by the rulers of Creation to defend it against the Excrucians, the representatives of the Void. Glitch flips this around and has you play as one of those Void beings who used to fight in the war, but is now abstaining from it for any number of reasons.

CMWGE takes place in a world that was drowned in a sort of ontological uncertainty called the Outside. It's set in a possible future where the war of Nobilis and Glitch doesn't reach a conclusive end, but rather the world was cast into an interregnum during which any number of things are possible and also you can have slice of life adventures and shit. None of that background is actually necessary to know to play CMWGE, but I think it's enriching and also it'll help explain some of the various otherwise insane things we the players and fans will say about it. Again, though, nothing actually like. Holds you to that if you wanna do something of your own. CMWGE is notable for being the most customizable of these systems by far.

What's next?

A couple recommendations!

First, I'd recommend reading some of these games! Glitch and Nobilis 3e are imo the most accessible of the game books + they're ones still in use, but CMWGE is also absolutely worth checking out; just be aware that it's handing you a toolbox, so there's a lot more big chunks of mechanics to work through. Honestly, don't be afraid to skip around these books and look at whatever catches your interest. They're very rewarding reads! If you want to read fiction, The Fable of the Swan and The Night-Bird's Feather are both also really good starting points.

Next, talk with people about them! The scene is kinda scattered, but you can still find people on tumblr, Twitter, and cohost at the very least who're talking about this stuff. There's also an official discord and an older fan discord (you can ask me for an invite to that one) where people are pretty active.

Also, just, try playing the games! A lot of the apparent complications are a lot easier to parse and understand when you actually see them in play, and they're fun games.

Finally, don't be afraid to keep asking questions! Given the chance, a lot of us won't shut up about these games, myself included.