#Arcanum beings like to be exposed to their arcanum

[nukteross-al]

I have a headcanon that creatures can't receive damage from the arcanum they are connected... For example Sky beings loves storms and the thunder doesn't affect them; Moon beings can have Night vision; Sun can not be overheated by sun nor fire and Etcetera. In fact, they feel even better when things like that happens. That said, I would like to see Callum being hit by a lightning

[kradogsrats]

Sorry but I need to revisit the growth cycle of Wormvaros/Sir Sparklepuff

I know literally no one likes to think about this because it occupies that deeply weird niche where "visceral body horror" and "uncomfortable awareness that someone out there has this fetish" overlap but bear with me.

Back in the post-s3 days, I concluded that Wormvaros grows due to crossing into Xadia where magic is plentiful, basically absorbing magic and funneling it to Aaravos, which is why Aaravos has Viren go after powerful magic sources in the Sunforge and Zym. Then I just kind of never thought about it again.

But that's wasn't even accurate then: Wormvaros starts growing at a very specific point, and that point is somewhere between when Aaravos and Viren discuss visiting Lux Aurea and when the Sunforge is corrupted. Before that, it doesn't grow at all.

When Aaravos is pitching the plan to Trojan Horse into Lux Aurea, Wormvaros is his regular 2-inch or so Hot Topic earcuff size:

Then when it emerges at the Sunforge, it's suddenly like... a solid 2 feet long? I'll spare all of us the disgorgement shot, here it is crawling up Viren's arm for scale:

Now, the timeline of events in this series is... fuzzy, at best, but I don't think it's incorrect to interpret that the entire Lux Aurea business takes place in a single day. At the least, I think the Sunforge corruption and Viren walking back to the camp are the same day. By that point, Wormvaros has already grown into a jaunty scarf. By sometime mid-next day, it has attained its full drag show fabulous feather boa status.

Wormvaros grows exponentially within the 18-24 hours between the Sunforge and the final battle, presumably feeding/having fed on the massive source of corrupted magic that was formerly the Sun nexus. Except that's not quite right, either: Wormvaros has already had its first growth spurt before the Sunforge is corrupted.

Also just to quickly go over this scene in light of s5... Wormvaros bites Pharos, and the corruption then goes from Pharos to the Sun primal stone in the staff, and from there to the Sunforge itself. The artbook, of all places, notes that Pharos (there just "Sunfire High Priest") has a "direct connection to the Sun primal [that] helps him channel the incalculable power of the Sunforge."

The "direct connection to the Sun primal" bit is I think a bit misleading, since that should describe... every Sun primal mage, at minimum. Channeling the power of the Sunforge, however, explains the transmission of the corruption. It's not an accident of proximity that makes Wormvaros go for Pharos, it's that there has to be a transmission vector from Wormvaros to the Sunforge, and it's Pharos's arcanum during this ritual where the Sunforge's power is brought to bear.

But anyway, back to Wormvaros's growth. Viren is also exposed to the power of the Sunforge when he's tested in the throne room, though on a smaller scale. I bet that's when Wormvaros starts to feed.

I still think the magic has to be corrupted to be of use to Aaravos's specific purpose, here: neither the Sunforge nor the staff are diminished, so the power is either being replenished as fast as it's consumed or the corruption was itself the act of consumption. I feel like you could even say that the corruption of Sunforge power also happens in the throne room test ritual, in that whatever power from the Sunforge reaches Wormvaros where it's hiding inside Viren, it could easily have been filtered through and affected by Viren's own corruption.

On the one hand, all of this means that by whatever method Wormvaros... got inside Viren to Trojan Horse into Lux Aurea, it was still comfortably small at the time. On the other hand, it also means Wormvaros grew to like 10x its former size in the space of a few hours, while inside. Which... hhhnnnnnrrggh.

No, don't leave yet. I promise I have an additional point that's not just making everyone exquisitely uncomfortable about mpreg.

Wormvaros goes from a static, growthless state to a period of rapid maturing when exposed to the Sunforge. The Sun primal. The sun. After some time it returns to a similar hibernating state in the chrysalis. And then:

Hmmm.

[sleeplesssmoll]

Self-Image: How comfortable is the Timekeeper in her own skin?

This is purely speculative and more of a list of questions to consider. Food for thought!

Considerations

Scars

How does she feel about the scars on her back? (And scars in general cause I'm sure she has them but they aren't mentioned canonically unless they magicked them away with arcanum antics)

Is she self-conscious about her scars on her back or is it because she doesn't want to make feel people feel uncomfortable?

Is it one of the reasons she always wears long pants and long sleeves, or is that just a fashion choice?

Causal Nudity

This one seems silly but if you've lived with or stayed with other people, things happen. Someone walks into your room without knocking. You forgot to bring your towel. Your working on something and your clothes ride up, get torn, etc.

There are some people who could confidently strut around naked as the day they were born and others who lay awake at tonight 3 years later and get embarrassed by the memory of being walked in on. The there are also people who are apathetic to the whole thing and don't see to care. They won't leave the room undressed but they don't mind if someone walks in on them either.

I'll be honest, I can't see her in the first one and Sweetheart is probably a better example. For those who don't know her, these are some of her lines:

"Hmm... hah... a silk robe? Thank you, but I don't want it. Dress me up with Chanel No.5 (perfume). Only that is my nightwear." (Vertin trying to make her stop sleeping nude. It didn’t work.)

Now, you could say this is Vertin being uncomfortable with other people's nudity but it could also be her playing the part of Suitcase Dad and making sure the little ones (or anyone for that matter) aren't exposed to things they didn't sign up for. However, my question is more about Vertin herself. This exmaple is just to paint a picture.

In the second instance, Vertin would be very self-conscious. Is it shame/fear, and if so why (side-eyeing the Foundation rn)? Or perhaps she doesn't want to talk about the scars on her back/body? Maybe it has nothing to do with her but the way people react. She doesn't want to make people feel uncomfortable.

Or maybe she's just shy about stuff like that and and for once has nothing to do with her trauma 🥹

In the final case, Vertin doesn’t really care. Maybe it's because she grew up in a dormitory where it's common to change in front of other kids. Or she could be used to the medical exams and tests from the Foundation who didn't care about her privacy.

It could be a newer development. For example, Regulus barges in without knocking all the time. The kids scamper in on their own (the Twins, Erik, etc) The ghosts phase in and out of her room. She got used to it.

That being said, the person she's interacting with also plays a part. Levels of comfort are influenced by the other person in the situation. She might not flinch if it's one of the kids coming to her crying about a broken toy or what not. On the other hand, Tennant will be escorted out immediately by Sonetto and Dikke. I'm exaggerating of course, but I think it helps me explain what I'm trying to say. Nothing is all conclusive.

The Self

Unlike the others, this leans harder on perception. Who does Vertin see when she looks in the mirror? Is it someone she's proud of or someone she can't face? These things can warp your self-image and influence many things.

Self love, Self worth, and the extent to what you believe you "deserve". For example Do you deserve to be "loved"? If you don't believe that it might be hard to believe other people could love you either. Maybe you feel like you deserve suffering because you don't value your own worth.

(For anyone needing to hear this, everyone deserves happiness).

I'm curious to know other people's thoughts on this. Feel free to mention things I missed!

On a scale of 1 to 5, how comfortable is Vertin in her own skin? Heck Drop some hcs on me too if you'd like. I eat them up lol

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Okay, I caved and downloaded Romance Club😭😭 Does anyone have any good story recommendations? I'm still gonna be on Choices and post Choices content (and finish off the books on my reading list). I just feel like I need to stop relying on one storytelling app

Ugh, this is such a weird feeling! It reminds me of when I switched from Episode to Choices and I had to acclimate to the better quality of stories imao. I just wanna ✨expose myself✨ to more interactive apps and since Storyscape or wtvr doesn't exist anymore this is the closest I can get

And The Haze Will Take Us (UP TO DATE)

Kali: Flame of Samsara (UP TO DATE)

Astrea's Broken Heart (UP TO DATE)

Heaven's Secret: Requiem (UP TO DATE)

Chasing You 2 (UP TO DATE)

W: Time Catcher (UP TO DATE)

Love, Sin, and Evil Vol. 1 (UP TO DATE)

Garden of Eden (UP TO DATE)

Soulless (UP TO DATE)

7 Brothers (UP TO DATE)

Song of the Crimson Nile (UP TO DATE)

Legend of the Willow (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Heart of Trespia (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Psi (NEXT DIAMOND RUSH)

Chasing You (STARTED...)

Sails in the Fog (STARTED...)

Dracula: A Love Story (STARTED...)

Rage of the Titans (STARTED...)

Hell and Highwater (STARTED...)

Shadows of Saintfour

COMPLETED

Kali: Call of Darkness: 9/10; love the MC, the characters, the story progression, the Dozen lore, replayability, etc. but gets a point off for its problematic depiction of Indian culture and Hinduism) tbh it deserves an extra point or two off because I despise the way Remy clearly wrote from a Eurocentric perspective, but this is also the first RC book I read after the slew of mid Choices books so I got attached unfortunately

Theodora: 9.6/10; I got the ending where I was only able to save my soul and it made me sad 😭 the story was well written but there were parts where I was just a lil bored. At least, that’s how I felt initially before I became obsessed with the book. It's objectively amazing etc. but I feel kinda robbed from screentime with the OG characters if that makes sense? Either way the writer did a great job writing them into the plot in later seasons and the MC is so amazing I love her <3 it’s not easy to write the progression of multiple relationships already but to have a different set of likable LIs every season is incredible!

Arcanum: 9.8/10; THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD omg I love how the plot came full circle and the MC was interesting and well-written (her character design was also top tier). It's such a unique concept for a book I love it. I feel like S3 could have gone by a lil quicker (along with a couple of other nitpicky things) but that could just be because S2 was so full of action

Heaven's Secret: 9.9/10; I just started its sequel, but I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging this book was! I like the gradual progression from being a new student to slowly learning the truth behind your death and about the academy. The final battle scene was super cool, and I feel like everything had a logical explanation (ex. Shepha only having power over light). I also like the different pathways of being an Angel, Demon, or Harmony Bearer (which I was!) it was really fun and seems like a replayable book <3

The Desert Rose: [review pending, check later]

The One Volume 2: [review pending, check later]

Vying for Versailles: [review pending, check later]

Sins of London: [review pending, check later]

Heaven's Secret 2: [review pending, check later]

[gear-project]

I'm hoping for Chronus for the next season of Strive, I'd hope to get more insight on what the Conclave were doing, and in turn perhaps a littke bit of what the Original was up to? Chronus is still quite the mysterious sort, though, so perhaps he wouldn't divulge that much information regarding his past..

Obviously, the Original (in context) is referring to the history of Happy Chaos BEFORE he became such, and his battle with the Universal Will (including the aftermath involving I-No) is still a part of history that Humanity might not be fully aware of. Excluding his actions taking on the role of "That Man" in history, in place of Asuka R. Kreutz behind the scenes.

It was the Original Sage's actions that inspired men and women like Chronus, Axus, Libraria, and Bardius to form the organization that would later become the Sanctus Populi as members of the Senato/Conclave.

To some extent it has to do with the fact they ended up saving Human Civilization after the events of 1999, but they had their own goals in preserving Mankind that are somewhat dubious and not well-managed or even actions that they never consulted Humanity about before doing!

I can say, via info from Xrd, that Axus was the one responsible for creating the 666 Arcanum: a library of the world's documented Magic and spells after Magic was semi-researched after the discovery of the Backyard (roughly around the year 2010).

Now, most spells that Humanity has used come from the Arcanum, but things like the 6 Forbidden Magic spells, or the Scores that Dr. Paradigm researched are technically outside the realm of the 666 Arcanum's documentation. Izuna's Magic as well.

It has to do with the idea that they didn't want Humanity to fully grasp Magic as a concept, and so they kept many spells under confidential wraps, and even for new spells that Humans discovered (like Dr. Faust's Resurrection Magic), they went above and beyond to keep such Magic out of mainstream knowledge. Sol also makes a point to reveal (GG2 events) that the inner workings of most Magic were kept hidden from Humanity, only the external functions could be observed.

This wasn't the Original Sage's intention, of course, (and even Happy Chaos doesn't seem particularly interested in what Humanity were to know ABOUT the Backyard), but it was part of their goal in order to appease the Universal Will's corrupted desire to replace Humans with its own ideal.

The Original Sage simply didn't want Humanity to take full advantage of the Potential of the Tome of Origin, which had full control over the Backyard (and by extension, this Universe). Though it was that over-blown desire that distorted the beliefs and intentions of the Conclave later on.

The actual "past" of the main Conclave individuals probably heavily involves research IN Magic and IN the Backyard itself, along with trying to learn the true nature of the Universal Will itself (that is, before the Will became Ariels, a bonafide Humanoid Being).

They did some shady things, including Gear Conversion on Human victims, turning them in to bio weapons, and they also built War Relics to continue to perpetuate their influence on society from behind the Scenes (things Slayer's Original Assassins' Organization originally objected to).

Of course, if it weren't for the Conclave's involvement in so many things, the Sacred Order of Holy Knights and the Postwar Administration Bureau would never have been formed... for good or for bad. So in some small way, they are still partly responsible for saving Humans as often as they Condemned them.

For now at least, we can say that there are still some Humans who don't want other Humans to understand Magic or get ridiculously strong or dangerous... and that's fine, so long as it doesn't affect the lives of others in a bad way.

It's also why Ky and Illyria took over the primary functions of the Conclave after Ariels was exposed... so they won't make the same mistakes as before.

[ladyandherbooks]

Dragon Politics and the Monarchy: Zym's potentially controversial succession

With the second last episode of the season titled REX IGNEOUS we are obviously going to meet this powerful arch dragon before the season ends. However with the final episode being titled ESCAPE FROM UMBRA TOR it sounds like the gangs interaction with Rex Igneous is going to go poorly, leading them to having to run and escape his mountain home.

Why?

My guess is is politics, ambition and power.

In the latest sneak peek we learn that after Luna Tenebris' sudden death Queen Aditi was the one chosen to appoint the new dragon monarch. In this story we see that Rex Igneous is one of these candidates for the succession.

However Aditi disappeared (murdered by Aaravos) before a decision could be made. We don't know what lead to Avizandum becoming king but given Aaravos telling Viren that he (Avizandum) had been the most powerful being in Xadia and that he and Zubeia were guarding and monitoring Aaravos in his mirror prison at the Storm Spire my guess is that Avizandum stopped and captured Aaravos, which led to him being chosen as king.

And now we have Zym who succeeded his father the moment that he hatched from his egg.

And now we also have to consider the politics surrounding the succession to the throne. Based solely off the information that Zubeia has provided it appears that there may be no rules or rituals to determine a new dragon monarch. Aditi was chosen to choose a successor as it appears that the dragons could not come to a decision themselves, hence why we see 4 dragons surrounding Aditi in Zubeia's story.

Something we should also consider and take into account is that the last 3 dragon monarchs Avizandum, Luna Tenebris and Rex Igneous have all been dragons connected to an aerial or celestial arcanum (sky, moon and sun).

And that by the time Zym truly takes the throne we have not only had the members of 1 family rule for centuries but also only 1 type of dragon (if Zubeia is also a sky dragon) rule Xadia.

This inheritance of the throne and kingdom by Zym and even potentially Avizandum's succession could have created some bad blood between the royal family and some of the other arch dragon, in particular Rex Igneous.

Rex Igneous may have coveted the throne and with Aditi, a neutral party deciding who would rule he might have finally had a chance to do so. But then she disappeared and in the aftermath Aaravos was exposed, imprisoned and Avizandum became king. Rex Igneous may not have been pleased that his opportunity to become king was taken from him but perhaps accepted the result as Avizandum was powerful and another worthy candidate.

And then we fast forward 3 centuries and Avizandum dies and a new monarch must be crowned. That is until Zym turns up, alive and well and suddenly everyone is accepting him as his father's successor. Rex Igneous is angry and frustrated because dragon monarchs have been chosen not born and this precedent will ensure that neither he nor any other type of dragon will rule. It will only be Sky dragons. And with the last 3 monarchs being tied to the sky through their arcanums (sky, moon and sun) the terrestrial dragons, in this case earth and even ocean dragons will never get a chance to rule.

So when Zym and the rest of the gang come to see him Rex Igneous is angry, refuses to help them and decides to chase and try to capture them as they attempt to leave his home. Because seeing Zym reminds him of what he is being denied and this is the only way that he and any other dragons who wish to rule will ever get the opportunity to do so.

He will never bow to Zym. He might capture or kill him. Because this is the only way to ensure that he can become king.

And he may not be alone in this thinking. Zym and Zubeia may have to fight to prove that Zym is the rightful king. We might be in for a politically unstable and chaotic period in Xadia's history.

[cartoontees]

i’ve been recently exposed to the “callum’s biological father was an elf” theory and while i have to begrudgingly admit that in the current context of the show’s magic system, it makes the most sense for why callum is the only human who can do magic, i must also say, i hope the show doesn’t go down this route lmao.

callum being half human/half elf will i feel cheapen very much of his character and his story. it’s supposed to be amazing and unrivalled that he learned the sky arcanum despite being just human! although i do hope this gets expanded upon in the next few seasons i.e. how a human can do natural magic. maybe humans have the same innate magical abilities/connections as elves but there’s a mental block because they’re convinced they can’t, or maybe long ago they were punished with a magic curse or something, idk. but i am hoping for an explanation.

rayla/callum were also the very first elf/human couple in the show, and i know that callum (as of beginning of season 4) still thinks he’s fully human so this wouldn’t have an effect on their romance arc from seasons 1 through 3, but...... if it gets revealed that callum is half elf later on, it will recontectualize their entire relationship in the light of “oh, callum was able to form a deep connection with rayla and understand her on a very personal level because he is part elf.” and i think the true beauty of their relationship is that rayla is 100% elf (and acts like it) and callum is 100% human (and acts like it), yet despite that they bonded with each other and were able to truly connect. so i am of the opinion that callum should be totally and completely human. but, if the show can tell a good story about sarai and callum’s hypothetical elf father, keeping with the themes of the show and making sure callum’s character stays true despite the revelation, i’ll be okay with it.

[phantomsilva]

No, but hear me out

After the eternal night, the changelings were exposed.

I'm considering my fanon "changelings don't die in the sun"

So, maybe a bunch of humans suddenly turned to trolls in the middle of the city. That would explain why metrocity police didn't bat an eye for Aargh at the police station but screamed when a cat started speaking.

So changelings are not easy to capture, so they go into hiding. They know Arcadia base has fallen, but they don't know if anyone survived.

Meanwhile, Strickler is helping Barbara with the babies, and probably using his resources from the Janus Order to help with it. While in the Janus Order, he sees movement in some kind of vigilant device. He realize his changelings siblings are still alive

He contacts Nomura who is in her way to New Jersey, cause before he tries to do something by himself he can't just leave Barbara alone. Dr has too much on her plate.

So Nomura and him agree it would be a good idea to help whoever they find. She leaves Jim's team to go look for changelings. This would explain her absence in wizards, aside from probably budget cuts.

But changelings are not easy to find... Because they don't know each other's face. She needs to rely on habits and cultures of them to differentiate between the changelings and the trolls (supposing that changelings would successfully infiltrate a troll community and we know they would). Nomura however is probably good at tracking and finding people. Just because she gives me a bounty hunter vibe.

First times she finds a changeling don't work well though. She is good at finding people but terrible at talking to them. They think she went there to finish Gunmar's job or whatever. Changelings are not great in trust.

That is when Walt needs to come in. She start sending their locations to him and when he has some free time between the babies and dating and engaging Barbara, he takes a day or two to go talk to his old colleagues.

Barbara is totally on board with that, she likes seeing him taking care of a community because Strickler's dad vibes.

Some of the changelings are convinced to join Jim in New Jersey, some decide to go to arcadia since everyone there knows their secret and they had the greatest base there. But the base is now full of babies. And this ended up being useful.

There are too many babies for Walt and Barbara to take care of or even to help with adoption. So the changelings help with the bureaucracy of adoption system, finding families for several babies. They probably still have some form of glamour to look like humans, althought they don't feel that safe using it because it is just a disguise. Strickler tell us in season 3 a changeling goes "from troll to human" so losing that and replacing it with only imagery illusion leaves the changelings insecure about being among humans. So they would probably use it as long as they need to help with the cover up for the babies and even themselves. Considering there are other changelings as Otto, that would totally be a plus into creating this new changeling-troll-network

Back to the babies, other changelings get attached to them. I see mostly very young changelings getting like that or very old ones. I think that because Not-Enrique seems to be a bit fond of Enrique even before they take Enrique out of the dark lands. We also know a changeling has a bond to their familiars, Not-E could see Enrique whenever he wishes, so I think new changelings would maybe be softer towards them. As for old changelings, they are already too old to give a fuck.

That helps a lot in releasing the weight from Barbara and Walt's shoulders. And I really like to think about a changeling society being created in arcadia.

I also have a hc that this could have been used to talk the Arcanum Order out of the "MURDER EVERYONE" mindset. Which I will be using in a future fic.

[mostlymobilegames]

I wonder how relationships will develop in Arcanum, because unlike other stories, you can't really have the romances in a linear way, since you have to just start over every time.

Will it be a case of just being able to romance the characters naturally, as the story progresses, with the only commitment eventually made being Selena's attachment to one of them until the very end?

Because even if we were to be with someone exclusively, there's still the fact that it all might lead up to nothing, just for the LI to not remember anything.

Is the Tarot Reader gonna give the LI a recap in each new world? He's not

He could actually, but I can't imagine him doing that, especially because Selena having to see her friends (??) completely look at her differently while she knows them in one way is a really cruel punishment on its own.

Also how would he even do that? The characters already have their stories made when Selena gets to their world, they have their backstories, their relationships with others, their positions in society. She's the outsider (in a way, Lilith does have an actual life, a story, but Selena is very much a stranger). If he exposed himself in that way it would ruin the game, even if he is a part of the world (well, he was in Totspel anyway, and even there he wasn't really involved with the characters, he was mostly a tormentor to the MC and someone the others knew vaguely, he wasn't actively in the middle of that mess)

So I don't think there will be a clear relationship status, at least not until things are building up to an ending, just because everything would, I assume, be erased when that stage is over, with Selena being the only still remembering, which might make her more interested in one person specifically.

I do think we can have someone by the end anyway, just because it seems like the worlds are connected, like it's one huge story that got fragmented into tiny ones, so I think that once the full picture is clear, probably after experiencing every flavor of hell it will make sense to pick someone then.

[czechforrain]

Critical Role Episode 103: Are the Mighty Nein Gutless Cowards? The differences between them and the more Brash Vox Machina.

So we have just came off another episode where the mighty nein spent a lot of time deliberating and possibly trying to delay their fight with Vokodo. Trying to stack the deck as much as possible and get 3 tribal guardians, a few werebears and even a lesser diety to fight alongside them while also finding out if there was any weaknesses or exploitable backsides to this supposed god. 

And of course this leads to the same recurring topics being brought up again.

“The mighty nein are cowards.”

“ They try to run away from fights whenever possible.”

“They underestimate the hell out of themselves.”

“They draw out conflicts as long as possible going over several plans instead of making decisive moves and sticking towards them.” 

And the common reasoning for their super cautious play-style is the death of Mollymauk Tealeaf. After Fjord, Jester and Yasha got captured by the Iron Shepards, the rest of the Mighty Nein set out to ambush the party and this ended in disaster. Matt gave them several hints that this battle would be a lot tougher than they first thought but everyone was 100% in on ambush and combined with some less than stellar tactical decisions and bad rolls, we had our first campaign death 26 Chapters into the campaign. 

And then again in Episode 69 we had the Mighty Nein defeat Obann but after he died, the laughing hand did a number on everybody and fjord almost died after being grabbed by the laughing hand and everyone was beat to complete crap. 

Now these factors absolutely play a part on team morale and it informs their decisions to be more careful but I’d argue the real difference between the campaign so far is stakes. More specifically the consequences of running and hiding vs standing and fighting. 

THE STAKES

In comparison to Vox Machina, the mighty nein are less traditional heroes. Since the start of the campaign they balanced a decent relationship with the Authorities and Power structures with being involved in illegal practices such as helping the knights of requital to elevate one of their leaders to public office, working for a crime boss, providing Vigilante Justice and later stealing a boat and becoming pirates. Then after starting their quest to save Nott’s Husband they switched that balancing act to a more traditional play both sides mentality. The only difference of course being that there endgame was altruistic. They wanted to stop a war and they had to convince each side that they wanted something mutually beneficial while not appearing too friendly to the other side. 

Compare this to Vox Machina’s Four Major Arcs

K’varn

Threat: The influence of an ancient artifact is starting to get closer to reaching the surface and if unchecked could lead to major problems for the city. 

Personal: Beloved NPC Allura Vysoren’s friend (at the time) has basically been taken captive and they need to save her before she dies and she won’t go back until her dream quest journey is complete. 

Briarwoods

Threat: The Briarwoods sent gaseous assassins to kill their hostage chauffeur revealing that their influence could still reach the M9.  King Uriel had placed them under house arrest / city arrest while under investigation and their freedom was curtailed until they remove the charm on him by presumably killing the briarwoods.

Personal: The villains killed Percy’s family and took control of is city and home. Percy’s family is hinted to be alive in some manner and the reputation of the team is tarnished.

Chroma Conclave

Threat: Four Ancient Dragons controlling the continent of Tal’dorei and crushing anyone who would dare to threaten their newly seized dominion. Their current home is in the backyard of the leader of this conclave and their friend’s newly liberated hometown is also under threat. 

Personal: The head of the villains killed Vax and Vex’s parents. Tiberious was later killed by the threat and the instrumental figure in crafting the alliance betrayed and caused the death of many of the Fire Ashari.

Vecna

Threat: An old mage from the days of the age of Arcanum is planning to complete a seeding ritual to make himself a god and take over the world. 

Personal: Scanlan implores them that this is a very important quest and essentially returns for this reason. Lady Briarwood is serving the Whispered one which puts all of VM at unease. Vecna personally disintegrates one of Vox Machina. 

These arcs, along with Keyleth’s overall quest being something that she had to face despite her constant self doubts and idealism anxiety, were stuff that Vox Machina couldn’t run from. They couldn’t ignore the issues because the threats were present, personal and there were negative consequences to ignoring the call to action. 

Now compare that to the Mighty Nein who exist in a grayer campaign where the right path isn’t always easily identifiable and every action might have negative and positive consequences. 

And paralleling their journey it’s easy to see the differences.

Episodes 1-33

Episode 1-4 had them as complete strangers mainly fighting Kyrie, the devil toad to prove their innocence after the circus gets blamed for the results of the show. Then they take a job to rescue missing townsfolk from gnollish marauders. Once they arrive in Zadash, they sympathize with the Knights of Requital who desperately wants to replace High-Richter Prucine with their leader Dolan and they offer to help for some coin but the entire plan was supposed to be a series of heists, only turning violent when said the High-Richter returned and Ulog in a moment of rage killed himself and her in one go. 

They then end up whilst trying to get heat off themselves for the murder working for the gentleman who gives them tasks which he promises a healthy amount of coin for that mainly involve getting rid of monsters that are getting in the way of his business and also removing a gang / providing safe passage for one of his associates. Then unexpectedly Molly dies, and the group mentions running would be the smart thing to do but because Fjord, Jester and Yasha are still enslaved the group presses on with a strong resolve to save their missing comrades and avenge molly. 

Episodes 34-49

After this they take a trip to Jester’s hometown and they help her mom out by attacking and mutilating a customer of hers who is acting abusive and controlling in regards to his companionship with her. They end up stealing a boat because they’re not sure how to explain what happened to the guards because they essentially got into a fight for no reason. 

They sail around on fjord’s quest with Avantika for a while despite being quite unnerved by her fanaticism and her end goal to free Uka’Toa. They try to get dirt on her in which to frame her and succeed but her companion has locate object and just before the mighty nein are exposed Caleb recognizes this is a crucial moment and launches the first attack. 

They do run against a young blue dragon but it’s a situation where they all don’t have any need to beat the blue dragon and are just trying to get out. But regardless this is the first winnable encounter they actually end up running from.

Now it’s not unusual up until this point but so far most of their encounters have been quests, stuff that they are paid to get rid of, they’re told about this thing and they kill it for the most part. They’ve felt pretty generally confident about whatever springs up

Episodes 50-87

Now once we get into the Angel’s Irons section things start to change. They go into Xhorhas close up the portal and retrieve evidence to earn a favor from the bright queen before that turns into them being closely watched heroes. They smartly negotiate a truce with the giants instead of wiping them out as they were originally paid to do and free their home of the demonic incursions. They fight Obann the first time and chase after him as they try to get to the bottom of this portals business and eventually things end in heartbreaking failure. 

This kicks off to the Ancient White Dragon Iceflex heist. In this situation them not running would be catastrophic and  it’s completely understandable that they ran. However this episode did get some criticism because they had a long repeating running gag with Yeti’s undercover business that led to about an hour of planning and really slowed down the pace. 

Then a few episodes later they scry on yasha and receive knowledge that she is going to the Lotusden Greenwood to find the heart of the inevitable end. After a stroke of luck with charm person where they take the hand out of the situation they sneak up on Obann and fail at stopping him with Nott’s mage hand. This reluctance to fight here seemed a bit off to people because they already killed Obann but it’s understandable if they didnt want to engage directly though this could be classified as a winnable fight if they played their cards right. There was a hostile tree but incite greed kind of removed it from the fight vs Obann.

We then go to the Happy Fun Ball where a Golem like entity essentially hunts them through many rooms until they get to a point where they can no longer run from it and use machinery in the workshop to help destroy the thing. They probably could have kept running but the continuance of this threat eventually got them so annoyed that they chose to fight it then and there. 

Then we get the whole round 3 vs Obann where to save Yasha, there is no way that they can run away from this fight. When the fight in the cathedral ended, even if the MIX felt fine leaving him alone, Nott got charmed into following them beneath to act as a vessel to break the seal. That and obviously they wanted to give this creep who messed with Yasha what was coming to him and prevent his shenanigans from returning to cause them trouble. 

Episodes 88+

The cupcake moment was brilliant and an excellent subversion of a Hag Fight. Jester bet on herself and for the time being it worked out masterfully giving Veth a free out of her curse. 

Similiarly with Caduceus’ Family they couldn’t just leave the gorgon roam free and not revive his family when they had the chance so they stood their ground and fought it. 

Contrast this with the Dragon Turtle encounter where it’s a threat to them sure but they’re under no obligation to defeat it. Why fight for no good reason and risk death when you can just turn it into a sea slug and bounce?

Why fight Vokodo now when they can greater restoration each other and bring more allies and possibly even the traveler himself to their side? 

The main reason why the Mighty Nein have constantly ran from encounters is that there hasn’t been enough reason for them to stay and fight. When there is a reason they are pretty cautious to not go in under-prepared and thus have moments where they over plan. 

A possible problem that can come from this risk averse approach though just made itself clear in this last episode though. There ship was destroyed because they didn’t defeat the turtle or keep the ship hidden away or sailing where the turtle couldn’t reach it. 

Because they didn’t go straight at Vokodo, either the first time or at a later day from the jump where they had a solid plan they are gonna be down spell slots if they do indeed end up not reaching caduceus in time. If they do end up reaching him in time that might mean they have to burn even more spells and will have to try again some other time. Despite there existing some benefits to playing it safe, there are also negatives and I feel like Matt has been stressing that more and more lately

Vox Machina couldn’t afford to rest when it came to the Briarwoods or the Chroma Conclave and I think if the MIX were in a similiar situation they would also step u to the plate it’s just so far they’ve been generally fine with avoiding dangerous situations when possible but it looks like things may be changing in the future. And when people they care about or places they care about are threatened by such outside sources I think we’ll see a lot of the same gumption from the MIX as we did with Vox Machina. It’s just based on there start as a secret grungy kind of illegal group that preferred to stay out of the limelight and experiences with rushing into trouble that it’s taken them longer then Vox Machina to get to this place.

TLDR; I wouldnt say they are cowards but their experiences when combined with lower stakes if they bail out of fights means that unless they feel like they cannot run away due to personal connections or a sense of duty, they probably will run if the threat looks somewhat fierce. That has helped them some risks but it also can possibly lead to more in the future. But I do feel that the story is moving towards a place where they are gonna have reasons to stand firm and fight and become heroes in their own special way.

[randbwrite]

La Comtesse Chronicles Chapter 1 Part 2

Words: 1907

TW: Blood, graphic violence, death

CW: War, attempted assassination, vampires

B: Near silent footsteps didn’t announce Derrick’s presence so much as the scampering of a happy stoat pattering across the stone ahead of him did. The man was massive, how on earth he could move so quietly was a mystery Rapscallion wanted to solve one day. Whenever he got around to it. 

“They’re waiting for you upstairs.” With his bland tone of voice, Derrick could’ve been discussing the weather.

For all that Rap could be seen to care, they might as well have been. “I know.”

“It’s inadvisable to make them wait.”

“So?” Indifferent shrug.

“There’s a difference between cute and stupid. You crossed a line earlier, and you’re going to drag your feet now?”

“Yep.”

“They want me to drag you if necessary.” Both of them knew how that would end. 

“Aww, I knew you cared!” 

“Never tried to hide it, unlike some people.” 

“Oh stop it, you’ll make me blush.” Rap’s devil may care smirk nearly brought one to Derrick’s expression, but he had to be serious!

“Palavering isn’t going to change the situation...”

“Yeah, but!! If they’re annoyed enough, they’ll give the orders without the imperious preamble and pomp. Here’s your orders and off you go! Works like a charm.”

“Right.” Massive arms were crossed over an equally broad chest, the quirk in his eyebrows reminding Rap his friend really will carry him off if need be. 

A huff lifted a pesky lock off his forehead momentarily, exposing the brilliant emerald orbs beneath. “I’m going, I’m going! I’ll catch ya later. Or not.”

Derrick shook his head, one scarred hand messing up the extraordinarily unkempt rusty mop Rap called hair. He knew what was meant. They couldn’t promise anything, nor really ask, but the unspoken request every time was to take care. Try and survive, eh? Wouldn’t be quite so exciting without the other around. They should probably wonder about how much nonverbal communication went on between them, but such was life. Full of the oddities that made it...so alive.

.....

The board of impassive faces that met Rap would be unreadable to most. Decades of training had refined their poker faces, but everyone has their tells. Tiny twitches, the way certain coifs had been fixed endlessly before he arrived, notebooks, bracelets, rings all adjusted to the nth degree...they should really watch their perfection of accoutrements more carefully. It all but telegraphed their mood. Course they’d never asked him. 

Uhhh...okay, wait. They all had that same creepy dead look in their eyes except one. Dude off to the left, madness gleaming usually signaling blood lust. Did he do anything to tick that one off recently? ...No, not that he could remember...few times over the years, sure. The last prank hadn’t been his, but he took the blame for it. The crazy stunt had gotten a larger contingent of the assassins caught up in it and made them all want to kill him for a few weeks. That wasn’t too much of a deviation from the norm however. With a bit of time they’d all drop it, move on to the next frustration or take it out on their targets. They’re not allowed to kill one of their own anyway. 

Missions were usually handed out by one person. Not a tribunal. Must be another meeting taking place, killing two birds with one stone. This wasn’t set up as a retribution either or he’d sense more of his fellow assassins in the shadows. That’s a delayed relief and he knew it, but hey! He’ll take what he can get.

“So! Whatcha got for me? Who’s incurred the wrath of the great and powerful Assassin’s League? Besides me of course.” 

A minuscule draw to the head assassins’ brows was his reward, but the gleam in the other’s traveled from his eyes to a wide, manic smile. It was also he from whom the instructions came, a mission that per the norm wouldn’t allow for denial in accepting.

“Your target is la Comtesse Arcanum. She will be taking part in a battle between the French army and the German forces. Shoo now. Off with you.”

A noble. Right! That should be easy enough. So why was that gleam now being shared among most of his peers? He almost preferred when they all were content to be blasé about everything to...this. Esh.

Rap was on his way quick enough. It only involved avoiding the booby trap someone had set for him in the hallway to his storeroom. Place didn’t so much count as a bedroom as he rarely bothered to sleep there: gathering up an array of...necessary supplies and hopping a horse he’d leave in the nearest town to the battlefield; he was good to go.

Mission was simple, least to his mind. These commanders tended to do their leading from behind, strategizing based off of reports and keeping themselves safe in a tent far removed from those who gave and lost their lives for whatever ideal or land being quibbled over. Surrounded by soldiers, they thought themselves to be safe. Protected. Untouchable. Heh. People assume in order to be an assassin you have to melt into the shadows. Not true. Humans jump at shadows! They distrust their own even. Disappear into the mundane though...no one will look twice. 

Think about it. Your water boy scurrying to keep the retreat horses fresh? What about the cook’s kid running rations, a medic’s assistant supplying fresh bandages, even an officer with the bearing and urgency demanding he not be stopped for anything or anyone, ducking into the command tent. It was always some variation and pretending to be in a hurry was the only steady requirement. When he got to this battlefield however, he couldn’t stop the swear word from being muttered.

“What the—? Lemon juice.”

No bustle to a central command tent. No commander in that one large, ostentatious tent either. A map, little flags which could surely help anyone intending to spy on their contingency plans, but no female commander. He was going to have to go into the fight himself, and he was beginning to see why they’d thought this would be such great fun. Fun for them.

A survey of the map showed him the general lay of the land, an idea of the commander’s intentions, how she had spread her troops, and where he might lure her to take her out. It wouldn’t be easy as she had plenty of people who were going to be trying to kill her. An entire army as a matter of fact. But if they sent him out there, the army wasn’t going to be enough to take her out.

Something about how the pattern was laid out was bugging him: only when he discerned she wasn’t the singular high ranking officer on the field did he understand. Sort of. Who fought with their own vanguard rather than dividing forces? There must be a purpose for it... He was going to need a vantage of the battle before he went out to join it.

Donning a uniform of the French army, he fished out a spyglass and took a cursory view of the battlefield, suppositions holding true. A maelstrom of blood and chaos was the field, soldiers and grass on fire, blades flashing, one of the soldiers fighting seeming to be made of fire and still plowing on. It was a mess. Rap shrugged and put away his tool. He’d picked out a spot to lead la Comtesse and his target to distract her with, which just so happened to be the second most dangerous force on the field to contend with. Who was on fire. According to the excited rumors in camp, that was the man he was looking for all the same. His own eyes confirmed it from the way the two moved in concert as well, even if logically what he was seeing was defying rationale.

By the time his traps were laid, set for both his target and those who may get between them, the battle had become more of a slaughter than an even fight. It was a matter of time before the opposing commander sounded the retreat; with the lack of officers on the field of battle it seemed surrender wasn’t to be the intention.

Anyone approaching the man on fire had been incinerated, disturbing visions of boiled metal and bent airwaves lending credence to the notion that whatever was actually happening over there and however the frak it worked, it wouldn’t be a bright idea to get anywhere close. Instead, Rap took advantage of the pile of discarded corpses surrounding the indefatigable duo and...played dead. The winds were probably changing soon, based on the way the clouds were moving. He was gambling on the hope this fire man wouldn’t want to risk accidentally burning his commander or allies, never mind the fact Rap had NO IDEA how in the name of insane bonfires anyone could survive being in the middle of those high temperatures, let alone send them off. 

It worked. It worked!! Fire man moved with the wind, using it to carry his incendiary discharges towards his enemies rather than risk his own. A useful breeze, the coat that surely served to project further fear in his enemies and protect the backs of his legs lifted. Just enough. A series of tainted projectiles fired in quick succession, more than half hitting the small target that was the back of fire man’s knee. Good thing Rap had gone with his metal options rather than the more innocuous wooden ones. Easier to hide the evidence afterward, but they wouldn’t have survived the heat. Then again, usually his targets weren’t walking infernos. A notion for further consideration later. Much later. 

It didn’t take long, though fire man must’ve had an elephant’s metabolism to not have dropped immediately, but in under a minute he was finally down on one knee. It would continue to work through his system; the flames guttering along with his strength. The delay gave Rap enough time to move into position though. He would lure the commander to his choice in battlegrounds. Not far from where they were, but just enough that his traps would remain untouched by the unwitting and unintentioned. He held his blow gun aloft, a short sword in his other hand. France’s coat of arms emblazoned on his chest and a very unsoldierly smirk on his lips completed the visage. 

Make her feel rage. Take away her calm. Peel back the strategy and finesse that made her a terror in her element. Force her to step into his world, one without rules of combat, and that would be the only chance he had to take her out. Then again...something made it seem like all his efforts wouldn’t matter. As if she would step just as easily from her realm into his and beat him at his own game. He would not, should not consider defeat. That would mean accepting death, and this had only just begun!

The cocksure rise of lips and brow would not betray fear’s frigid grip trailing sweat down his spine nor the faint tremor of nerves knowing this time, among all the others, the League had no intention that he should come back alive. They might just be right. But he’d never willingly give them the satisfaction.

Standing stock still in the open went against every single instinct in him, nearly all the training he’d received and the adrenaline screaming he move! Fight or flee, pick one!! But for this to work, she had to come to him. A few steps were all it would take and the first of his traps would be sprung...

[sleeplesssmoll]

Not gonna lie, this could be a weird question. I'm still unfamiliar with some lore, story and even events but, I'm curious of the character's life sometimes, such as, where do archanists live because of how the storm will affect them? Is the storm just something that will happen sometimes or forever? I don't know much, and I'm sorry if these questions are dumb, (you don't have to reply to me) thank you 😭

Don't worry about, it anon! It's better to ask than flail around wondering what's going on. We've all asked “dumb” questions. I know I do it all the time 😎. I will do my best to answer! But, I also think I'll share some of my notes in a post soon that might be more helpful.

The short answer is arcanists take shelter with either the Foundation, Manus Vindictae, or as of recently, Vertin.

The Storm is not public knowledge and the Foundation tries to cover it up while Manus Vindictae tries to expose it. The Foundation has special buildings immune to the Storm. They can keep both humans and arcanists safe, but arcanists are forced into serving humanity's best interests and must conform to the status quo. They are not treated as equals but rather as something dangerous that must be kept on a leash.

Manus Vindictae uses Masks to give Storm Immunity, but the story lets us know that's not the full picture. They mention true Immunity only being guaranteed at “Sanctuary” but it only comes up once in the story so far. Also, Manus Vindictae followers sometimes turn into monsters like the ones we fight throughout the game. Vertin witnesses this first hand. Manus Vindictae has not shown us the full extent of their power and they do lie, so we need to be extra critical of lore around what they claim.

Finally, there are the arcanists who live inside Vertin's Suitcase. They have the most freedom compared to the other two options. How the pocket dimension inside the Suitcase works is a whole other can of Carbuncles that we don't have information on, but it's nice there. Vertin doesn’t need to pay for electricity and stuff like that (TTT voice lines) so it's a really cool haven for her crew.

For the second question, it seems like the Storm will keep reversing time. While Human tech is lost, Arcanum thrives and progresses. Manus Vindictae really wants this to happen until they can have a world where arcanists rule instead of humanity while the Foundation seems to be more focused on damage control.

However, there is another secret organization that is trying to find out the truth of the Storm. Institution Lorenz: This is the organization X invited Regulus to join. They consider themselves independent of the other factions.

I hope this helps! Will post my noted soon because there is a lot going on here. I wouldn't blame anyone for being confused, especially with some of the clunky translations.

[ask-runaan-anything]

Hello Runaan. I was wondering... you explained once that you knew excluding Rayla from the mission could result in her being ghosted. As I understand your character, her survival is above everything else in your eyes, right ? But did you expect Ethari reacting the way he did ? (And also, any explanation from your daughter about the super skilled Bait ? *asking without asking _ it’s not as if it was a vital matter... who am I fooling ? I need to know)

I just woke up and trained for two hours and this ask is a full English breakfast.

Moonshadows are what we are. There were risks in every choice I made the night of the mission to Katolis. Sending Rayla home wasn’t handing her a free pass. It was giving her a chance. That’s all I could give her--a chance to survive. Everything else was so far out of my hands that I just had to trust Ethari to catch her on the other end. I know he loves her, and he’ll do anything for her, just like i would. 

I know my husband’s inclinations. I know his strengths and his weaknesses. I know his heart, because I carry it. But I can’t choose his path for him, just as he can’t choose mine for me. I trust him with my life, and I have for years and years. And from that comes certain expectations. Whether the Silvergrove ghosted Rayla or not wasn’t as important to me as knowing Ethari would do everything he could for her either way.

Rayla’s survival is critical to me. I attempted to make my last act in life one that would ensure that she escaped the castle safely so she could make her way home to Ethari. I prefer to go out on a high note, if I get the choice. But if you’re nosing about for a what-if ranking of my familial priorities, I’m going to keep that Moonshadow. One doesn’t expose weaknesses unless absolutely necessary. 

Also, no, I haven’t heard from Rayla on how Bait sneaked her moonberry juice. I don’t think she wants to talk about it. @thebestmoonshadowassassin, it’s my fault. I didn’t train you to fend off Sun-arcanum glow toads, and that’s on me.

[kneebleed]

Moon; Chapter 2 (Dan)

Previous Chapter

AO3

Masterpost

Commissions

Note: only posting this for the sake of the twitter au

The fact that his family was part of the Venatores was something obvious. Dan doesn’t know if there’s a specific reason why he decided to ignore those red flags printed on his family’s name; clearly, something wasn’t right; he knew that. There wasn’t a place where he could escape to, and when his aunt that vanished years ago called him, he knew that it was time to get out of that place.

His aunt told him what he needed to do, so he followed her instructions, and he arrived at a strange town hidden in the woods. Why was his aunt living here? He doesn’t know, and he’s scared to ask. Dan doesn’t want to connect the dots that lead to his family; clearly, the Venatores were the ones that caused destruction, and his family was part of that group, and even if Dan wants to eradicate his connection to them, he can't do that so easily.

When Dan arrived at Arcanum, something seemed off; it was like the air itself had a strange aura that made him feel weird. He doesn’t know how to explain it entirely, but something wasn’t right; he knows that the war pushed magical creatures to secure themselves in places where they could be safe and more comfortable with who they were, but for some reason, everyone looked like they weren’t free. Do they feel trapped living in a place like this? Probably, but then again, Dan doesn’t know the correct answer, and he doesn’t feel brave enough to ask.

Even the name of the town itself seemed a little off; why would someone call a place “Arcanum”? It sounds like Latin, but Dan isn’t well educated on that to know about it, but he guesses that it has something to do with the history of the magical creatures, which brings him back to his first question: why was his aunt living in this town?

On his way to his aunt Veronica’s house, Dan saw a shop that was selling potions, and for him, that seemed to be a scam. Maybe, living in a place where he didn't have to see stuff like this besides those souvenirs that he saw once as a kid, made him sceptical about these things, but Dan has to remember himself that he’s on Arcanum now. Anything labelled as “magic” could be real.

Dan didn’t get the chance to ask the owner of the shop how much that weird looking red liquid (that somehow seemed to be appealing for him) cost. Something was pulling him towards a column that was close to where he was standing; it was like his entire being was trembling in anticipation of something; Dan couldn’t find the strength to fight that need, so he just went there.

When he saw the man that was standing behind the column, he felt the need to remove all the worries of the man’s being to try and make him happy. Dan doesn’t understand where that came from, but he couldn’t fight it for some reason.

Dan forced himself to stay at a decent distance from the man, and maybe his attempt of showing that he wanted to start a conversation didn’t work out, since when he found the opportunity to run away from Dan, he just did it; somehow, that made Dan feel sad, from where did that feeling come? Dan couldn’t understand what was happening around him, and he hadn't arrived at his aunt’s house yet.

Still feeling a little bit weird, Dan arrived at Veronica’s, he knocked at the door and a woman of not more than 20 years appeared at the doorway, and when Dan was about to ask if his aunt was at home, the woman hugged him with a strength that could break his body.

“Dan, oh my God I’m so glad to meet you finally,” the lady said, and if Dan felt lost before, it couldn’t compare to how confused he was feeling right now, “I thought that we could never meet, Annie told me that you didn’t want to fight when I visited her on a dream, and I knew that we should meet sometime.”

“Aunt Veronica?”

“The very same, but you can call me just Veronica if you want to,” said the lady once she let Dan go, but then she held his hand, “come in, Knigya is making tea.”

When they got in, Dan felt mesmerised by the number of herbs that were on the shelves of the cottage; it seemed like he was inside of the forest that he saw before passing the barrier.

Veronica guided Dan to the living room decorated with herbs and pictures of Veronica and someone else. They seemed to be happy, it was like the war wasn’t happening in that picture, and Dan guessed that those pictures were before the war started, but they didn’t seem to be that much old, since Veronica looked just as young as she did in that specific picture that Dan was looking at.

Dan thought about the date that the war started. He doesn’t know the exact day that Veronica ran away. Still, it couldn’t be more than 40 years. His aunt Annie was 16 at the time, and now she was 56, and Veronica shouldn’t look younger than her sister, she was six years older than aunt Annie. None of this was making any sense, and Dan felt so tired from walking for a long time, that he didn’t make an effort to formulate the question that his head was begging him to ask. He was still thinking of that man that he saw before arriving there.

Surely Dan looked so lost that when his aunt Veronica arrived with that person from the pictures to the living room, both of them stopped their hushed conversation and looked at Dan with concern.

“Are you alright?” the person in the pictures asked, “Sorry, hi, I’m Knigya, are you okay.”

“Yes, I’m-- I’m alright, it’s just that-”

Veronica looked at where Dan was looking before, that picture of Knigya and her. She looked over at Knigya, and it looked like they were sharing a private conversation with their eyes, or maybe something beyond that. Veronica returned her eyes at Dan, smiling softly.

“You are wondering how I look so young, aren’t you?” she was looking directly at Dan’s eyes, and he felt exposed.

“Maybe.”

“I know, I’m 62 years old, a person of this age isn’t supposed to look like this. I don’t know what your family told you, but you have to know that I look like this because I wanted, if I didn’t give Knigya my full consent with this, they wouldn’t have agreed at all.”

She looked angry, and Dan didn’t understand why she was looking like this; obviously, it has a connection to why she ran away from the family and why she’s living right there, in a cottage that seemed to belong to a fairytale in a town called Arcanum, living with an elf.

“What Veronica is trying to say here, Dan,” said Knigya after a few seconds of silence, “is that she took a decision 40 years ago that made her young as long as the spell will last, nobody else made her take that decision.”

“It was mine; nobody convinced me to do anything.”

“That’s why you ran away? Because they- because they are Venatores?” Dan doesn’t know what made him ask that question, but it was burning in his scalp since he received that call three days ago, it was about time that he asked it.

“Yes,” Veronica said; she and Knigya took a seat on the couch in front of Dan. “I never wanted to be part of that group of people, just like you, and when Knigya and I met, I just knew that I belonged anywhere else; I took my things then we just-” she looked at Knigya, their eyes with a special glow on their eyes “we just got here and started a new life.”

They kept talking for a few more minutes. Dan got to know more about both of them and the relationship that they had. Knigya seemed to be a nice person. He doesn’t blame Veronica for leaving everything behind for them, especially when the ones that she left behind were a group of Venatores; looking at them, Dan knew that there has to be hope for him in this town, maybe even with that man that he saw earlier.

Next Chapter

[therealvagabird]

Some D&D characters!

I made this adventuring party a little while ago, inspired by the idea of an “all-monster” play on the traditional D&D party. Mainly just a fun exercise in character design. I even played as one of them solo.

I might write some excerpts of various adventures of this fictional band, but no promises. They do have something of a vague story-arc to them, though.

Name: Brute

Race: Bugbear

Class: Fighter

Appearance: Very large and burly bugbear, with almost ankle-length arms. Medium grey skin, thick black fur coat with prominent beard. Gold eyes. Features strong but weathered. Has many scars.

Usually wears a sturdy breastplate with simple, dark-colored underclothes in a soldiery style – sometimes with barbute helm. Attire is overall simple, crude, and military, favoring convenience over flair.

Specialties: Polearm defence, medium armor, military discipline, mercenary attitude.

Bio: It was after the landed Lord Francis of Aquila slew a tribe of feral bugbears on a hunting trip that he decided to take one orphaned youth as a personal slave, believing it would make for an intimidating warrior. Though given the sanctified name of “Barba Molossus” (or “Hairy Dog”) in accordance with religious rites, the bugbear was most often known as simply “Brute”. Brute was trained to be a loyal soldier and personal guard of the Aquilan noble family, and steadfastly served despite the constant derision directed at him. When Castle Aquila was ultimately overrun by a rival house, Brute fled into the wilds, eking out a living before coming across a large goblinoid tribe. Once again an outcast for his human rearing, Brute learned that ultimately his brutality would earn him the respect of most greenskins regardless.

Brute is a dour and bitter man, having been exposed to the worst aspects of many different environments and cultures. He has a reputation for savagery and ruthlessness that strikes fear into the hearts of many, even if they deride him as a simple dog. Despite this reputation, Brute is actually quite disciplined and reserved, only exposing his wrath when pushed, and being an otherwise very effective mercenary most of the time.

—

Name: Wu Jinn, “White-Eyes”, “The Clever”, “The Spider” (pejorative)

Race: Hobgoblin

Class: Wizard

Appearance: Shorter hobgoblin, long limbed but average build. Very dark, burgundy skin. Almost elven features, with blunted nose. Wavy black hair with white strands, close on sides but gathered up into long, braided nest on head to be wrapped in turban. Facial hair wispy – if left unshaved will grow slight Fu Manchu, goatee, and sideburns. Black irises.

Sharp-cut purple underclothes in Eastern style. Black, hooded over-robe. Beige leather lamellar armor offers simple protection with flexibility. Black, stiff mantle on shoulders. Pointed shoes. Tight, beige turban on head. Many pouches and arcane tools carefully sorted about person.

Specialties: Magical manipulation and lore, history and general knowledge. Carries enchanted whip and sword.

Bio: There was a time when the hobgoblin mage covens of the dark East were sought after fiercely by warchiefs looking to secure magical power and sage council. Now, the respect allotted to the goblin mages has severely diminished. Wu Jinn trained in the hidden arcanums, perused the libraries of many great kingdoms, and became a learned scholar at a very young age. Now, he is stuck as the disregarded councilor to an orc chief, usually relegated to distributing medicine and conjuring fireballs when he has the knowledge of the past and future at his disposal.

Wu Jinn is a highly analytical hobgoblin, but was drawn to magic over simple scholarship due to the inherent mystery of the arcane. All knowledge is of interest to him, though this has not come without cost. Wu Jinn is aware of what terrible forces are at work in the universe, and it only heightens his frustration with people. He’s not terribly concerned with issues of power or politics, and regards most beings, even himself, as very insignificant in a cosmic sense. Regardless, he can never understand why so many would-be governors concern themselves with such things if they could just listen to him and organize everything so much more conveniently.

—

Name: Mary, “Nightingale”

Race: Tiefling

Class: Sorcerer

Appearance: Tiefling woman with almost black skin and fiery red eyes. Hair is black, straight, and usually kept around jaw length, though held back by nomad-style bandana. Rather tall, lithe but with powerful stature if not slouching. Horns have been completely filed off and hidden with bandana. Facial features strong and very beautiful, though haggard. Fangs, claw-like nails, barbed tail, and forked tongue kept hidden.

Usually dresses in light leather garb with comfortable underclothes and many bandanas. Loose, dark blue linens with tattered black hooded longcoat. Outfit always arranged to disguise infernal features. Prefers as much jewelry as she can wear without being conspicuous.

Specialties: Shadow magic, deception, psychological attacks, stealth, theft, assassination

Bio: Mary was born as the result of a dark ritual by cultists of the Lower Planes, believing she would be the Agrat bat Mahlat, or “Gift of Desolation”, destined to lead a fiendish conquest of the world. An attack against the cult and secret rescue of Mary by a kindly cleric disrupted that plan, however. Mary was placed in an orphanage when the cleric could no longer guard her, and given her current name. A rough childhood and many caretakers later, Mary took to the streets to become a rogue known as “Nightingale”, an enemy of the cruel and powerful, all while running from the remaining members of the old cult that wished to return her to her destiny.

Mary has the misfortune that evil runs very strongly in her blood. Her magical power can only be used to bring pain, confusion, and destruction even when carefully applied. For this reason, she has made it her mission to only target evil and tyrannical enemies, taking them down either directly or with careful manipulation in the hopes that good might fill the void. Nightingale prefers to remain out of sight and out of mind, disguising her infernal heritage in public and attempting to get in and out without a trace when on a mission. She is naturally attracted to many vices, and may have sudden bouts of rage or bitterness, but most of the time tries to retain a peaceful attitude in the hopes that goodness might one day come naturally to her.

—

Name: Batul Grimhand, “Hacksaw”

Race: Half-Orc

Class: Cleric

Appearance: Tall female half-orc with dark olive-green skin. Older, with sturdy figure and many minor scars. Kinky hair shaved into short tight stripe. Broad features, dark brown eyes, prominent but well-kept tusks.

Outfit includes knee-length white undercoat and clothes tucked into sturdy boots, and long leather gloves. Dark blue pants. Solid breastplate covered in all manner of medical pouches protects torso. More accessories affixed to leather belt and faulds. Keeps white bandana around neck to cover face if needed. Will don long leather cloak for bad weather.

Specialties: Field medicine, general healing, shock stabilization, combat support

Bio: Though it has been many centuries since orcs and goblins were defined as lawless and endlessly cruel raiders, the reality of the greenskin strongholds can still be exceptionally brutal in the modern day. To be born a half-breed, and a rare female at that, lead to a tough upbringing for Batul. Service in the warhost and later as a mercenary soldier abroad gave discipline and protection for Batul when there was none. She trained as a medic, seeing the violent realities of the world and wanting to make a difference. However, her clerical training only did so much, and most of the time she was only allotted the time and resources to get the injured back on their feet so that they could die fighting. Trauma and bitterness soon seeped in, and by the time she was an experienced medic, she was also a surly and iron-hard orc. Now, Batul has the respect she always wanted, at the cost of her enthusiasm and optimism. Though there are still the occasional jeers, most know not to mess with Hacksaw if you know what’s good for you.

Batul carries a genuine desire to help people within her scarred and hardened exterior. She is often the voice of pessimism and caution, always expecting the worst and never much trusting in anyone but herself. Years of belittlement and wartime shock have given her a grim disposition that earned her few friends but also few enemies. Her strength is in getting severely injured people back in fighting shape in short order, though she can’t do much more. Given time and resources, she could perhaps do a great many things, heal people body and mind, but she doesn’t hope for such high ideals anymore. Despite her negativity, she is always ready to suggest that a situation might be more than it seems – that enemies might be misunderstood, that what others call “weakness” might not be so reprehensible, and that killing and death are not so noble. Of course, if it comes down to letting a patient die or taking up her axe, she will swiftly choose the latter.

—

Name: Tash, “Tashi”

Race: Goblin

Class: Monk

Appearance: Very thin goblin, shorter than average, with skinny face, impish features, large ears, and huge yellow-green cat eyes. Pale grey-green skin. Messy mop of warm black hair. Would almost be cute for a goblin if he wasn’t covered in all manner of injuries and other old maladies.

Ragged cream sleeveless gi, and dark blue pants, with dark over-cloak and a faded burgundy belt/sash. Wears dark jika-tabi style footwear. Hands and other parts of body usually wrapped in bandages. Has many satchels for trinkets, as goblins like to have.

Specialties: Sword-and-hand fighting, danger sense, survival, dodging.

Bio: Though the greenskin stronghold Tash was born into was far from the worst around, it is still a hard life to be one of the mine-dregs. Despite being very sickly, scrawny, and cowardly by goblin standards, Tash worked in the mines until he sustained enough injuries to earn him a discharge for menial work. The misfortunes heaped upon him would have crippled or driven other goblins mad, but somehow Tash survived. Eventually his survival rate earned him a place in the Dregs’ Union, the goblin racket that allowed successful menials a chance at higher privilege. Though he earned few friends for his paranoid and self-loathing demeanor, he was taken under the wing of Master Maka, an old goblin warrior. Maka was far past his prime, but recognized Tash as “lucky” and so gifted him with the secrets of his Sword and Fist style. The martial secrets were enough to put Tash on the path from survival to possible success.

Tash is an extremely paranoid and mentally degraded goblin. Oftentimes he feels as though he was born into the wrong species. Weak, sickly, and fearful of many things even goblins would have no problem with, Tash tends to underestimate his hidden fortitude. While often the voice of fear and worry, he has proven to be adept at surviving even when thrust into the middle of battle, his fight and flight instincts somehow giving him incredible speed and clarity when they balance out. He is also very intuitive, and while often derided as stupid he has a keen eye for detail. Tash’s greatest obstacle is overcoming the pain and fear of his life to realize just how noble he could be.

—

Name: Baako, “Bomber”, “Batty”, “Blossom”

Race: Goblin

Class: Ranger

Appearance: Hale and lanky goblin with forest green skin, fiery eyes, a wide grin, large batlike ears and a batlike nose. Wide face with sharp features, and long black dreadlocks usually kept back in a ponytail.

Wears tan, sleeveless tunic and baggy tan pants tucked into tall black boots. Black leather cuirass in the style of apron overalls. Black archer’s gloves. Tattered, dark ranger cloak. Green belt sash. Many leather straps and harnesses all over body holding component pouches.

Specialties: Subterfuge, traps, ranged combat, tracking

Bio: Baako is a highly eccentric goblin whose erratic behavior has earned him equal parts distain, fear, and camaraderie from his peers. Born into the foragers, his energetic nature saw him advance quickly before joining the Union and becoming a ranger. He now runs as a scout, warrior, and hunter, wielding numerous traps and diversions to protect his stronghold’s borders. Baako is also a big fan of pranks and debauchery, however, and his constant petty theft and disruptions to his comrades and superiors has earned him as many enemies as his outgoing and driven nature have earned him allies.

Nobody knows for sure if Baako is just theatrical or suffers from some sort of split personality. He will often slip into different “personas” depending on the task at hand or even just swings of his mood. Common nicknames for himself include “Bomber” when he’s hoping to cause mayhem, “Batty” when acting as a ranger, or “Blossom” when he wants to feel cute. Most just leave him be, as for all his oddities he’s proven to be a highly competent goblin. Focused and indefatigable so long as he’s kept occupied, it’s only when Baako gets bored that trouble starts.

[starlitelf]

My Favorite Constellation

Tonight Aaravos had taken you out on a little date, suggesting a picnic at sunset to enjoy the warming weather of spring and to see the stars under the clear sky. You loved getting outside again to enjoy the gentle spring sun, and were thrilled when he had suggested this little outing. You were sitting side by side on a picnic blanket in a meadow, basking in the evening sun before sunset.

As you enjoyed your meal and company, laughing and talking for hours as sunset turned to dusk and the stars began to reveal themselves, your love was looking more and more beautiful by the second as the darkness made him shine brighter, like the stars above.

You knew you were supposed to be enjoying the night sky, but although the stars above you are beautiful, they aren’t as beautiful as your midnight star sitting next to you. He shines so brightly out here, being at his most powerful when under the stars at midnight, connecting to his Arcanum fully. 

Feeling your gaze on him, he turns to you and murmurs. “My shooting star, you know the stars are up there right?”

You blush lightly being so brazenly caught admiring him, but who can blame you? He is the cosmos in a being, and you could map him out like the stars…which gives you an idea, actually.

You clear your throat. "Yes, but they don’t compare to you,” you reply swiftly, starting to trace from star to star on his exposed skin, making your own constellations on his arm. 

Aaravos smiles, relaxing under your fingertips. “Now as much as I love the attention, you’re supposed to be enjoying the stars.”

Oh you hope to, you think smugly, but make no comment, and trace a path in stars from his shoulder down his arm. When you get to his wrist, you place a soft kiss there, and another to his palm, before moving to his other arm to do the same. Eventually your touches turn from tracing from star to star with your fingers to brushing his skin with your lips, giving little pecks on each big cluster of stars or galaxy. 

Slowly his breath starts to quicken, and you smile to yourself-happy your tender ministrations are having an effect on him. When you reach his other wrist again you give a kiss there and to his palm, and then shuffle to sit between his legs, before meeting his curious gaze. 

You don't say anything quite yet, but lean forward to kiss him softly, slow and light. He gasps into your mouth, happily accepting your kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist to hold you close. Eventually you have to break apart for air, but you stay close, breath brushing each other’s faces as you rest your foreheads against one another. 

Smiling softly, he whispers, "Whatever inspired this, my shooting star?"

There were many times when you'd kiss his stars. Often you would give him little quick pecks across his face on each star until he was giggling and happy, your goal always to cheer him up.

But today you wanted to take it slow, to show him how much you love and cherish him, to move tenderly across his body...to map every inch of him with your lips. You smile, looking down at his hands now resting on your thighs. "Your soul is made of stardust, and you're my favorite constellation," you murmur, taking one of his hands in yours, kissing his knuckles gently. "I just want to show you," you breathe softly, now looking into his eyes. "Let me show you." 

He nods briefly before surging forward to kiss you again, one hand coming to caress your cheek. His tongue swipes over your lips and into your mouth, kiss turning from sweet to passionate and hungry. It feels like you kiss forever, breath taken away. 

Eventually you break away from the kiss to kiss the diamonds under his eyes, delighted to see his eyes half lidded and his soft smile. You then move lower to kiss and suck on his jaw, following his jawline until you reach his neck. He tilts his head to give you better access with a breathy exhale, a flush dusting his cheeks and making his stars glow brighter as you kiss and mouth down his neck, stopping to suck lightly in places leaving faintly glowing marks. You give little nips here and there before salving over them with your tongue, hands sliding down his chest and abs.

You give one last kiss where his shoulder meets his neck, unfortunately meeting clothing blocking your path, and lean back to push his shirt off his shoulders, exposing the rest of his star-clad chest. His body is speckled with glittering stars. His shoulders are broad, and your eyes follow the shape of his body, down his toned stomach, his smooth waist, to the dip of his hips. Although you loved the feeling of him pliant under you, your goal tonight was not to make him beg, you just wanted to worship him. You move to gently push him onto his back on the picnic blanket and straddle him, hands splayed flat on his chest, reveling in the way he heats under your touch, going from cold to a furious hot blaze. He groans feeling you on top of him, and moves to run his hands from your thighs to hips.

You stop him, pinning his arms to his sides. “No, none of that,” you say, determined to give attention to every inch of him tonight. “No touching,” you whisper brushing his lips with your own, a promise of what’s to come. “Yet.”

His mouth quirks up in a small affectionate smile. It's unlike him to be quite so easily complacent, but you ignore that for now in favor of continuing your exploration. He keeps his hands down as you begin your tender ministrations again, moving slowly down his chest, taking your time as you kiss his stars. 

As you kiss lower and lower you settle between his legs, ghosting your hands over his waistband, never going below it to tease. You place a tender kiss on his right hip bone making him gasp before moving upwards with the warm, wet stripe of your tongue tracing up his abs, his back arching lightly towards you as he groans softly.

“Stars, (y/n), you are an absolute menace tonight.”

Breath ghosting over his stomach, you look up, smirking. His lips are parted, and he has the most beautiful flush from your attention and teasing. From tender to mischievous, you climb up his body to lick the shell of his ear, eliciting another shudder and groan from him. “About enjoying the stars,” you purr into his ear, “I intend to.”

You begin to slide downward.