#Brotherhood Workshop

[seanastinhopeunquenchable]

Sam expects Frodo to save him in this Lord of the Rings Lego parody from Brotherhood Workshop. 

[pennumbra]

Pin journey update! @xannerz and I were super happy with the response towards the Cass flame design I posted earlier, and we're thinking that it would actually be the best pin for our first project! With that said, here are some other designs we've also been playing around with- perhaps ones to revisit or follow up on in the future. ✨

The hand/moonstone design is the simplest, but it might be my favorite.

[ojacksonscohen]

lol - is Tom Austen wearing his bestie OJC’s favorite Issey Miyake suit :

https://www.instagram.com/stories/tommyae/3327288927599059490?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=Y2wxNjdwbmFkMjN3

i mean i don't think oliver is the only person to own a miyake suit...

françois also wore one to the surface premiere which kick started their boy mortal enemies phase so maybe we should loop him in on this one

[the-muppet-joker]

Since you changed your DNI to include men, are you allowed to interact with your own blog?

...I did not think of that. Ok. So. New rules:

Men may only interact if they are invited by a female or nonbinary member of the Brotherhood (Sisterhood? Unsure. Workshop later.)

These men must also be passionate supporters of womankind.

I fit both of these criteria so I am allowed in the Brotherhood.

Problem solved. As a Dark Feminist, I am destroying the patriarchy one brutal kick with my trained leg muscles at a time. Today I flipped off a man I saw at the grocery store when he made eye contact with me. Then I chuckled darkly and said, "That was for the Women." The female shopper to my left burst into grateful tears and thanked me profusely for my work. So. It stands to reason that I am doing a lot more Feminism that many of you even realize... I work in the shadows........

[sparkly-sediment]

Tf2 Mercs Weedequitte

Asks are open my little giggle biscuits!

Scout

He hands that joint back WET

Slobber dripping off the sides, the tips cold when you go to take a puff, and you can see the corner of his mouth glisten

If Scout ever got high he would have munchies and get scared. He would have to go outside and walk around, maybe even hug a tree for comfort

Coughing and gagging in the most annoying way possible. Like that one cat picture with its protruding tongue and watery eyes void of complex thought

Scout couldn’t handle a bong. Just couldn’t. Stick to a cold can of bang! He might try to make a bong outta a bang can, but he won’t figure it out

Soldier

Do not give him weed.

Do not give him anything.

Dont give him any drug hes insane nuts bonkers and, yes, even bananas

He took acid once by mistake. Ended up in Europe a year after the war ended

Soldier is borderline on a good day but king will spiral into a drug induced psychosis. There will be bugs, skin, and a whole lot of paperwork for Medic

Wouldn’t even smoke he’s a total fucking narc too

Says devils lettuce

Demoman

Uses every weed euphemism known to man

Mary J is his fav. Kush, grass, gas, doubie, all of them

Approaches Sniper while the poor bastard making his trek between camper and civilization. Demo does an insinuating chuckle and says, ‘let’s make love to that wee lass Mary J’

Sniper starts running

He prefers drinking but this guy smoked some grass back in the day. Doesn’t fuck around and can pass a blunt without falling out

In half baked, Demo is the guy who gets munchies and accidentally kills the horse

Will smoke with Sniper and always provides what he can or hits a curtesy role, but he doesn’t pursue weed much and if snipes didn’t share, probably wouldn’t smoke

It does help the pain from his missing eye!

Pyro

One time, he got wild.

Pyro burned down an entire pot grow and was absolutely spazzing off that za rolling his way down the mountain

They were on the astral plane the entire hike down. Pyro crashed through the trees, crawled, laughed hysterically, cried, and vomited. Pyro drank water from a creek thinking it was the fountain of immortality

Pyro befrinded a squirrle named Banabo Jo. He knew Jo and knew his people were wise and brave. Banabo Jo recognized Pyro’s mystical capabilities and ability to see beyond, thus creating a mutual respect and brotherhood.

Banabo Jo guided Pyro from the mountain top and into the Heart of the Valley. He watched over as Pyro awaited rescue and gave the sacred squirrel farewell through the van window

(hypersensitive to drug induced psychosis)

Heavy

Rolls a blunt on Medic’s back and smokes it while they fuck

Smokes weed but only pipes. Very rarely will roll with paper, typically in the aforementioned situation

He can do some of the smoke tricks like puffing out O’s. He cannot french inhale and tbh has a chronic stuffy nose 😏

Medic

Wholeheartedly believe in and support the usage of medical marijuana

Smoked a little weed in university, but his classmates were too scared of him to invite him to the smoke sesh

He kinda gives off narc vibes!! Completely chill though, unless he could gain from blackmailing you

Asks if Sniper wants to puff and Sniper is shocked! Medic uses pompous words like oder tho and not the German oder

Arches his back so Heavy can sprinkle some flower on him for the roll-hole ritual

Engineer

Scene in Top Gun, “we’re in the spirit world asshole!” HIM OKAY HIM

Builds intricate and sick as fuck bong structures, dab rigs, and some real crazy stoner shit.

He love getting blazed and tinker with something, but that did cost him the tip of his pinkie finger

He’s a lightweight and really just skims a hit or two and bounces

Totally hotboxes that fucking workshop

Spy

He’s a classy kind of smoker

No weed inside, at least not his house. Very discreet about it and even if he was just in the world’s foggiest hotbox, he would never snell like week

No weed smell ever it’s incredible

Mainly sticks to cigarettes but he will smoke with Sniper.

Smoking, whether it be weed or cigarettes, is a form of foreplay for them fr

He never has cotton mouth either

Sniper!!

Save the best for last bc he is a canon pothead

Sniper just tries to be a chill guy. Go to work, fire a gun, smoke some weed. Would he like more? Sure. But is he okay where he’s at? Good enough

The first to discover his gardening habit was Spy. The whole breaking and entering thing really gives away secrets

Sniper has SO MUCH TEA. Various team members come to him and smoke, which is cool with him. He prefers when they replenish his stash, though. Or at least give him something in return

When they smoke they also complain. Inhibitions are dropped and suddenly Sniper knows that Demo is pissed at Medic for not letting him drink rubbing alcohol, every though Demo knew it would kill him, because he and Pyro were trying to light a burp on fire

He only enjoys smoking with Spy and Ms. Pauling. Pauling is fun and they talk mad shit together, maybe do something stupid on a minor scale

Spy and Sniper venture into the bush if yk what im saying. Weed is just kinda a plus but Spy can get too zesty sometimes

[periprose]

Bedside Manner - Chapter One

The Ghoul x Reader

When it comes to job prospects in the Wasteland, being a nurse isn't all that lucrative. So you're Dom Pedro's assistant, where your nurse skills of administering drugs come in handy with sedating the Ghoul. (Not really following canon, just taking my own spin on stuff)

Genre: fluff, fallout angst (more in future chaps anyways), strangers to accomplices to ambivalent friends to lovers, heated moments of tension, probably eventual smut

Word count: 2.2k

Masterlist | Next Chapter

Holy fuck, does shoveling do a number on your back.

You groan as you roll back your shoulder, and throw the shovel behind you. 

Dom Pedro has been on your ass about this shift. You have to take the Ghoul to Dom’s workshop, where he’ll carve him up, when the sedatives have worn off and the pain will be ever-present and lingering. You figure Dom’s angry about something else– and what better outlet is there than torturing a ghoul?

It’s not something you like to do, carrying this extremely heavy, tall undead-man through Dom Pedro’s house by using a rope system and tugging, and then after Dom Pedro’s had his fun. re-administering drugs that will prevent the feral nature from taking him over, but it’s necessary and it pays well.

Pedro’s a little too elite to do this himself anyways. That’s why he hired you, a former nurse who used to work at a charitable hospital– one that was eventually claimed by the Brotherhood.

You try not to think too much about your former, much more fulfilling career.

The mildly disturbing scent of a living corpse hits you as you open up the casket. The Ghoul isn’t the worst ghoul you’ve ever had to look at, but he’s still a little creepy, and you stare at him as he lies there.

Is he awake? Pretending to be asleep so you’ll be caught off guard, and his gun will fire rapidly, making a bloody mess out of you?

You’re well aware of the risks. You just have to hope that today’s chemical cocktail IVs are correct, and enough is administered inside him so that he’s truly, really, fast asleep.

You carefully tie around his wrists and legs– you feel, somehow, the slightest bit of warmth, something that could suggest a pulse from the veins of his wrists– but you know that’s ridiculous and continue on.

/

Dragging him to the workshop makes you feel a little guilty. His face sometimes smacks onto the wooden floors of this cabin if you’re not careful, and you always whisper a hushed “Sorry!” Even though he’s not human.

You don’t want to be on his bad side, even if he can’t hear you. 

“Why the fuck isn’t there a more moral way to make caps?” You exhale, a common complaint you always have.

You tie him to the torture-chair, wrapping rope around his torso and arms and legs, so he can’t break free, adjusting his hat so it stays on, and because– despite the Ghoul’s reputation as a bounty hunter, you feel like he deserves a little respect with his belongings– and now you’re waiting for Dom Pedro to come and cut him up.

You don’t know why Dom Pedro does this. Is there some sort of use for ghoul skin and blood that you don’t know about? Or is it just purely torture, since Dom Pedro’s kept the Ghoul alive for so long, even giving him the false kindness of anti-feral ghoul drugs so he’ll be entirely aware of every inch Dom Pedro’s knife cuts into him?

You don’t know. And it’s not exactly like you’re important enough to know that information, anyways.  

/

The Ghoul stirs awake. He blinks– he’s back in the workshop, yet again.

He’s only half aware of how he gets here. He knows there’s definitely a woman involved– someone soft, with pliant fingers and hesitant motions that suggest she doesn’t want him to get hurt as she drags him from sleep to being butchered– he only vaguely remembers seeing her back, just once, maybe a few months ago.

He turns to the side, ready for Dom Pedro to be seething in the corner over whatever their beef was and brandishing that scary, rusted axe. 

He’s not there.

Oh. The Ghoul blinks again, his eyes clearing up as he does.

It’s you. You’re the woman, the nurse that Dom Pedro uses to administer all these drugs into him. 

It’s almost a little shocking, a little tantalizing to him to actually see you. Two-hundred years of memories doesn’t exactly give him the most clear of minds, but he knows you’re the one who’s always just hazy, on the edge of his peripheral vision after being tortured, in his dreams after you sedate him.

“Hey, nurse…” He can hardly talk, but you jolt in your spot, and turn to him. 

“Uh–” You stare at him, entirely flabbergasted. “You’re not supposed to be awake!”

“Well, I am. What’re you gonna do about it?” He yawns, still ever so slightly woozy from the drugs. 

The Ghoul notices a knife on the table. He tips his head toward it.

“Cut me free.”

“Are you fucking crazy?!” You shake your head immediately. “Dom Pedro will kill me.”

“Dom Pedro’s a bitch if he’s killing someone willing to do the hard work for what, a couple hundred caps?” The Ghoul raises his non-existent eyebrows, and you swallow. “You don’t know how rare that is nowadays.”

“And I’m supposed to just trust you? The Ghoul, the most terrifying, ruthless, brutal killer I’ve ever known?” You narrow your eyes at him, with every adjective tossed out of your hissing mouth, coming closer and closer to him.   

“I like how you describe me, keep going.” He jokes, looking up at you, but he snarls suddenly and you flinch.

The Ghoul grins in satisfaction, white pearly teeth, very square and rigid in their appearance, something that should look handsome on the right person and instead, is a little unnerving right now.

Still attractive, though, and you question yourself.  

“Let me go, sweetheart, and I promise your death won’t be as half as painful as he could make it.” He drawls, and you swallow but shake your head.

“I’m not interested in being a mercy kill.” You state, and he sucks on his teeth. 

“That’s a mistake.” He leans closer to you, somehow straining against your carefully tied knots to do so. “I’d be doing you a favour.”

“Well, I’m a coward. I’m not all rough and tough and shooting every single person I see, unlike you and Dom Pedro. I’m not gonna die in glorious battle, and I don’t want to die anyways.” You’re glum. “I only took this job because being associated with him protects me.”

The Ghoul is silent for a moment.

“And what if you were associated with me?” He asks, not actually intending anything serious, but he feels an urge to tease you ever so slightly. “That’s protection, isn’t it?”

“What?” You glance back at him. “Why would you do that?”

“Dunno.” He shrugs. “Maybe because I’m trying to bargain my way out of here, maybe because you’re the one who’s been kind enough to make sure I’m not chafing with how you tie these fucking ropes– and I’m assuming you drug me, right, sweetheart? You dull the sick pains he gives me.”

“Uh… yeah, I do.” You pause. “Stop trying to sweet talk me, Ghoul.”

“Nah, nurse. It’s funny and I wonder what Dom Pedro will do when he sees you talking to me.” The Ghoul says, another shit-eating grin upon his face.

Oh.

That’s actually quite bad, you think. The Ghoul hasn’t just been trying to coax you with compliments so you’d help him escape– the longer he’s kept you in this conversation, the closer you’ve gotten to his Plan B: Dom Pedro’s wrath.

“I’m guessing a smart lady like you would be more afraid of him.” The Ghoul keeps prodding, and you glare at him. “Rather than me.” 

You know he’s right. Your eyes give away what you’re thinking as you ever so slightly glance to the table.

There’s a syringe of chems there, meant to send him to sleep after Dom Pedro has done his worst. Usually Dom Pedro takes the initiative to do that himself, because as he tells you, he likes being the only one who can send the Ghoul to sleep, the closest Dom Pedro will let him ever get to death. And then you’re stuck with dragging his comatose body back to the grave that awaits him.

Maybe you can just put a stop to the Ghoul’s philandering right now, and get yourself out of here before things get bad. Dom Pedro wouldn’t even notice– the Ghoul would seem as out of it as he was supposed to be at this time.

It’s only a second of you looking over there, but the Ghoul is quick– too quick, immediately understanding what you intend to do– and he somehow pushes his chair forward, at you, aiming his foot to kick at you with what limited motion he has in his restraints.

You get shoved back with a grunt, and you see him edge towards the knife on the table– but you knock him backwards with a shove, and the chair tips back, only stopping on it’s back legs due to the ropes extending from them, tethered to the back wall and through the gear and pulley systems that are ever present in this workshop. 

The Ghoul’s kept his grip around your wrist, though, from where his hands are tied on the armchairs, and you fall back with him, balancing on your tippie toes and your hands on the top of the chair. Your hair brushes against his face as you lean forward, and you attempt to move away, but he won’t let go of you, instead sighing with gratification as he looks up at you from here.

“Huh. This is a compromising position, isn’t it?” The Ghoul licks his teeth as he keeps pulling you towards him, and you hear the wooden floor creak under you as the chair wavers in the air.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, c’mon, cut the bullshit.” He scoffs, still trying to get you to budge into helping him. “You really think Ol’ Dom Pedro won’t think you’re conspiring with me now, after it looks like you’ve taken a lover–”

There’s a sudden sound at the porch of the cabin. You and the Ghoul both turn to look out the window– and it’s definitely one very drunk Dom Pedro struggling to open the door.

You duck, out of fear that he’ll see you through the window, in the delicate moonlight, and the Ghoul tuts as your face comes near his jaw.

“What’s it gonna be, sweetheart?” He looks at your trembling face nonchalantly, as you try to make a decision. “Free me, and we’ll escape together. Use the drugs, and you’ll be stuck under Dom Pedro’s grubby fingers making exceedingly meagre wages.”

“How do I know you won’t just abandon me as soon as you want to kill a bounty?” You whisper, and he rolls his eyes. 

“You don’t. But I always repay my debts.” He says, and you don’t really believe him at all, but the more time passes by, the more you know that he won’t even seem appropriately sedated for Dom Pedro’s wishes– so you wordlessly nod.

The Ghoul won’t let go of you, so you’re left careening to the side as his arms hold you to him. He’s keeping such a tight grip to ensure that you scrabble for the knife– and you do.

“No sneaky bullshit.” He spits out, and you, despite being of the Wasteland, had no mind to kill him. No, that would’ve certainly looked bad as well. 

Dom Pedro’s favourite lap dog, dead? His bounty killer, who does it for the love of the game? His favourite ghoul to torture? The one who did something so bad it’s basically unspeakable, and Dom Pedro would be livid if he wasn’t ultimately the one to kill him in the end?

You could say goodbye to your head if you killed the Ghoul. You know your place– even if you get paid to administer drugs to him, you’re no better than a dealer, a sweet face providing a nice bedside manner.  

You make quick work of the ropes restraining him, and the Ghoul stands up before ducking behind a table, putting his finger against his lips, shushing you.

You’re very careful now. Dom Pedro is coming down the hallway, and any second now, he’s going to check to see if you brought the Ghoul here.. Luckily, Dom Pedro’s so drunk, he’s taking his time, stumbling and groaning.

After mulling over it in your mind, you decide to take the full syringe on the table. Less evidence, and you figure maybe Dom Pedro will be so drunk he’ll forget you were supposed to be here anyways.

And after second-guessing it– you think fuck it, and take the entire briefcase of drugs with you.

The Ghoul whistles very slightly at the sight of that. “You’re committing.”

You resist the urge to ask him what other choice you have, since running out on Dom Pedro is a great way to have a bunch of bounty hunters after you– you’re relying on selling some drugs, and bribing the Ghoul with some so he’d have to continue protecting you after he inevitably says he’s completed his debt by helping you escape.

“Let’s go.” You mouth, and he nods.

He’s not one to care about personal space at all, though– and he lifts you up over the ledge of the other window, pushing up on your thighs, away from the hallway where Dom Pedro is finally coming in– and you feel your face turn hot at the close contact, halfway over the ledge into the outside, with his hands on your waist as he hoists you away.

You don’t even have time to think about it as you land lightly on the ground together, because he’s right behind you, hands still on your waist for a moment, and then he lets go, and together you move quickly.

[ultrakeencollectionbreadfan]

Chronological List of Batman Elseworlds (1986-2011)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986-retcon)

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (1989)

Batman: Digital Justice (1990)

Batman: Master of the Future (1991)

Batman & Dracula: Red Rain (1991)

Batman: The Blue, the Grey, and the Bat (1992)

Batman/Dark Joker: The Wild (1993)

Batman/Houdini: The Devil’s Workshop (1993)

Robin 3000 (1993)

Batman: Bloodstorm (1994)

Batman: Castle of the Bat (1994)

Batman: In Darkest Knight (1994)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #4 (1994)

Detective Comics Annual #7 (1994)

Batman Annual #18 (1994)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #2 (1994)

Catwoman Vol. 2 Annual #1 (1994)

Robin Vol. 2 Annual #3 (1994)

Batman: Brotherhood of the Bat (1995)

Batman: Man-Bat (1995)

Superman & Batman: Doom Link (1995)

Batman: KnightGallery (1996)

Batman: Dark Allegiances (1996)

Batman: Scar of the Bat (1996)

Batman Annual #20 (1996)

Detective Comics Annual #9 (1996)

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #6 (1996)

Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #4 (1996)

Robin Annual #5 (1996)

Catwoman Annual #3 (1996)

Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty (1997)

Batman: Masque (1997)

Elseworld’s Finest (1997)

Batgirl and Robin: Thrillkiller (1997)

The Batman Chronicles #11 (1997)

Batman: Crimson Mist (1998)

Elseworld’s Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl (1998)

Batgirl and Batman: Thrillkiller ’62 (1998)

Batman: Two Faces (1998)

Batman: I, Joker (1998)

Batman: Reign of Terror (1998)

Superman & Batman: Generations (1998–1999)

Batman: Nosferatu (1999)

Batman: Book of the Dead (1999)

Catwoman: Guardian of Gotham (1999)

Superman and Batman: World’s Funnest (2000)

Realworlds: Batman (2000)

Batman/Lobo (2000)

The Batman of Arkham (2000)

Batman/Demon: A Tragedy (2000)

Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (2000)

Batman: Haunted Gotham (2000)

The Batman Chronicles #21 (2000)

Batman: Gotham Noir (2001)

Batman: Hollywood Knight (2001)

Batman: League of Batmen (2001)

Superman & Batman: Generations II (2001)

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001-2002)

Batman: Nine Lives (2002)

Batman: Detective No. 27 (2003)

Batman: The Golden Streets of Gotham (2003)

Batman: Nevermore (2003)

Superman & Batman: Generations III (2003)

Batman: The Order of Beasts (2004)

Batman: Year 100 (2006)

Batman Annual #27 (2009)

Detective Comics Annual #11 (2009)

[sixpillarsofgenesis]

A Thought on Lies of P

So, I have recently - kicking and screaming, mind - gotten into Lies of P, and there's some things that bother me about the primary driver of conflict. I'm going to put this under a spoiler, so... sorry anyone who isn't expecting what's underneath.

Spoilers under the cut for the reading material, gameplay, and mini cutscenes in Lies of P.

How did Carlo die?

This entire plot point is the driving force behind how the plot in Lies of P starts, narratively, and it's also the core reason for the Real Boy ending. The reason I ask this is because common fandom concensus is that Carlo died during the Rose Estate Incident, where an outbreak of Petrification Disease killed a good chunk of the staff, including Carlo, Romeo, (allegedly) and Sophia's father.

But when you explicitly come across the memory of Carlo's death near the end of the game, it looks like he was cut in half given the Famed Stalker was apologising to him - which is further supported by the Nameless Puppet's body being entirely puppet material from about hips down.

But it also begs the question - what killed him? We never really get an answer on what, who, or even why he was killed. Carlo's death wouldn't have been a boon for anyone involved - Geppetto cut ties with the Alchemists to some degree about this in particular, and Geppetto's assistance would have been well worth keeping Carlo alive.

Given that the famous Stalker apparently rejected Carlo from training, we could infer that perhaps he wasn't up to the regular skill level she was famous for. But Romeo's message - and all of the remaining details in the game - paint Carlo as a much more competent potential Stalker than what would have been anticipated. While our Player Character is also apparently very much his own person, the fight with the Black Rabbit Brotherhood implies that Carlo learned enough of the Famed Stalker's combat by observation alone to have had it affect his combat style and capability significantly. Romeo also specifically makes note that Carlo was relentlessly stubborn and that him demolishing the puppets he sent out as an envoy to try and tell the Player Character the truth was pretty much what Romeo expected of him.

All of that marks him as very competent and capable indeed, to say nothing of the Nameless Puppet, if the puppet itself had anything of Carlo left in it, or whatever pressures Carlo might have faced as the famous Union Workshop President's son.

It's also implied that there was at least a year or two since Carlo's death. If we assume Carlo was old enough to read the original La Storia di un Burattino (The Story of a Marionette) in 1881 aka what would be the published novel of Pinnochio in 1883, then Carlo could be enrolled in the French Education as young as three years old and likely old enough to read La Storia di un Burattino as an actual book around five.

(Yes, I am aware Carlo Geppetto is Italian. For the best accuracy to match both the Belle Epoque and the Italian history, I have placed Krat near the seaside a few kilometres from the Italian Border to account for the culture blending we see in Lies of P. So sue me don't.)

Given Pinnochio is canonically Carlo's favourite childhood story, we need to look at the next landmark in the games - The Wizard of Oz. (Did you know that The Wizard of Oz was officially released in 1900?) Carlo could then have been born in 1878, placing him at 22 (or would have been) at the time of Lies of P. Around this time, it was more common to have apprenticeships around age 14-18, which would have likely been when Carlo approached the Famous Stalker to apprentice under her. As we don't know when the Rose Estate Incident took place, Carlo could have been there to complete his lycée (French secondary Education akin to high school) or baccalauréat, colloquially known as le bac.

(The reason I place Krat in France is for this reason, as Italy had a much more difficult time encouraging parents and children to attend formal education - elementary, middle, and high school, more specifically - than France, and the baccalauréat is actually pretty similar to the Stalkers, Alchemists, and Workshop Union as it is presented in canon. The entire premise of the original Pinnochio was quite literally C.Collodi's attempt to convince children to learn their basic education.)

Now, the game does not say how long either the Petrification Disease or the Puppet Frenzy lasted - but I'm still playing the game, though I did watch a walkthrough to try and get all the juicy bits - but given how fresh the bodies are, I would think that the Frenzy was definitely more recent. I would think that - for the purpose of this attempt to make sense of the Lies of P canon - in this case, the Puppet Frenzy was the most recent part, with Simon Manus causing the Rose Estate Incident when Carlo was somewhere between 16-17. Old enough that he could have graduated to become an Apprentice Stalker, but still young enough to not have anywhere to go (as he certainly didn't want to spend any time with his Father, and it was unlikely that Geppetto would have allowed Carlo to live with him anyways.)

All of these things allow for a few specific, unanswered plot points to be addressed - the apparent transformation of Gemini from Stalker to Sophia's Monad Lamp, The time Geppetto would have needed to create at least three P-Organ Prototypes and do whatever tf he did to his hand if that wasn't there already, and for him to additionally steal the Arm of God - as the only transport the Alchemists had would not have accepted Geppetto.

(This would also allow Geppetto to hold Carlo's funeral, attempt Nameless Puppet one, fail, and attempt making the Player Character/Pinocchio/P however you call him, fail again, and then kick the Puppet Frenzy into high gear.)

Outside of how Gemini was put into the Player Character's care, this timeline accounts for everything up until the reveal of Dorothy, who, if she is the person based on the 1900 novel, could have travelled to Krat to escape the fame the novel The Wizard of Oz and the subsequent sequels would have cast on her, as the original novel was so popular as to spawn around 13+ sequels.

Of course, since I am posting this here, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If there's a better, more comprehensive timeline, I'd love to get a chance to look at it.

Some additional thoughts:

Why three P-Organs? Three because the one Romeo uses in the play is pretty close to what we see on the menu screen - I could see it being perhaps his conceptual design or prototype copy that, once the first real P-Organ was made, was left for future reference.

Why make a big deal out of Dorothy? Because Dorothy and subsequently, The Wizard of Oz would be released during the Belle Epoque (1890-1914) timeframe which this setting takes place. Given the Endgame Credits Scene, this makes considering Dorothy's appearance in Krat at the very least somewhat relevant.

A fun thought I had was the idea of Dorothy being the Famed Stalker, but that person in particular is implied to have been so much beyond the Stalkers that she superseded their hierarchy and had her own place at the top without belonging to any particular faction.

Another interesting thought was the idea of Carlo having been a Listener - as Listeners were often hunted down and experimented on, it seemed like a fun idea to play around with, but in this case, it's not certain one way or another.

[ideas-on-paper]

Geppetto's dialogue about the Workshop train

I've discovered yet another dialogue that I wasn't aware of in my NG+ run!

If you've been to Krat Central Station a second time and found Geppetto's secret workshop in the train where you woke up (destroy the barrier behind the chair, then go into the room and pick up the letter), he actually has something to say about it:

[Spoilers for Lies of P!]

Now, this dialogue makes a lot of things very interesting.

For starters, it almost sounds like Geppetto knew that the letter was there - note how he says "the letter", not "a letter". (Of course, it might just be the English translation, but it's noteworthy.)

With full knowledge of the story, the contents of the letter are also very intriguing. Simon says that without Pinocchio, he never would've found the Workshop train, and that "unfortunately for Geppetto", he has the ability to read memories.

However, reading someone's mind and predicting the future are two different things - what made Simon so sure P would return to the Workshop train? And was it truly P's(/Carlo's) memory that he read? You can lie to Simon at the Grand Exhibition and after you defeat him at the top of Arche Abbey, so if he can read Pino's mind, why wouldn't he be able to tell Pino is lying in these moments? Though maybe, Simon isn't reading P's memories directly, but through Sophia - when Sophia warns P after the fight against the Walker of Illusions that the hotel is under attack, Simon suddenly chimes in, calling communication through Ergo "an interesting parlor trick". So, has Simon been watching each and every of our steps from the beginning, through Sophia's eyes?

At the very least, Simon has been watching P since Malum District, as we learn from the letter. He says he had a "hunch" which ultimately turned out to be correct, and also says that "they" followed Pino because "they" believed that it would lead them to the relic Geppetto stole. The "relic" is undoubtedly the Arm of God, and I suspect that with "they", he most likely means the Black Rabbit Brotherhood. The Black Rabbit Brotherhood's ledger confirms they were working for the Alchemists, and the "old broker man" who supposedly consumes Ergo might even be Simon himself. So, they knew that Geppetto was in possession of the Arm of God, and going by the letter, they must've stolen it back from him shortly before kidnapping him.

Speaking of which, during my very first Lies of P playthrough, I already had the suspicion that the "kidnapping" of Geppetto was more of an escorted free ride, and the "attack" of the Stalkers was an inside job. They were supposed to make just enough of a ruckus to make it look like a kidnapping, but what they actually did was giving Geppetto a lift to the Isle of Alchemists. I suspected that when Geppetto arrived there, he and Simon would just give each other a clap on the back and say "hey, long time no see" before proceeding with whatever they had planned.

The last page of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood's ledger mentions a "tempting proposal from the Alchemists", so that at least seems to confirm the part about the Stalkers. However, given that Geppetto and Simon kinda hate each other, it might not have been completely voluntary on Geppetto's part. Still, he was probably playing along for the time being, secretly waiting for his "beloved son" to come to his rescue. So, while these old men were scheming against each other, the Stalkers were really just a tool - in the second fight with the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, the Battle Maniac even mentions they're just baits to buy time, so it seems they were aware they got the short end of the deal.

One thing that's for certain is that Simon definitely wanted something from Geppetto - otherwise, he wouldn't have brought him to the Isle. Geppetto's dialogue might actually give us a hint about what that might have been: If it's true that Simon is obsessed with P-Organs, I wonder if this is the reason why he brought Geppetto to the Isle - more specifically, I wonder if it was because he wanted Geppetto to build a new body for Sophia.

Simon probably knew that Sophia's body was on the verge of breaking, so I could imagine he ordered Geppetto to construct a puppet body and a P-Organ for her that he could transfer Sophia's Ergo into. (Sophia's body during the Rise of P ending comes a bit out of nowhere, so this would at least provide a plausible explanation why it's there.)

At the same time, this would suggest Simon sees Sophia as something more than just his tool. He constantly talks about "purifying" and "improving" humans with the Petrification Disease and Ergo, but it would appear that Sophia is so special to him that he wants to save her and preserve her personality as it is. Perhaps Simon really did love Sophia, in his own twisted way. (Interestingly, this makes for a few parallels between Simon and Geppetto, who also wants to revive Carlo at any cost. Meanwhile, it would make Sophia similar to Carlo, being kept alive against her will.)

[rueitae]

Tell me more about your Quirin Raises Eugene AU 👀 (please 🙏🏻)

I would love to.

A lot of fics that I read when I first came to enjoy the fandom naturally ended up Varian centric or a rewrite of season 2 just because of the flavor of fic that I was interested in at the time. And a lot of those hit on this idea or rather strangeness to the fact that Quirin seems to just abandon the Brotherhood altogether, where at least Hector and Edmond were still guarding the Moonstone and Adira was looking for a legit solution in the Sundrop. So the question I started to ask myself was why. Why did he choose to be a farmer as far away from the Dark Kingdom as possible? Certainly a desire to just be done with the entire ordeal and forget OR more reasonably that it was simply Quirin’s strategy to keep his portion of the Demanitus scroll safe, it seems like what maybe canon was going for, but then I thought, as all AUs start out, what if…

What if Quirin was *ordered* to do this? By Edmond. What if he was charged with taking his portion of the Demanitus scroll and getting as far as humanly possible away from the Dark Kingdom WITH the baby prince. To Corona. Edmond would have left his son in the protection of someone he trusted with his own life and maybe if the conditions were right, eventually share the true lineage with the boy, but ultimately live a quiet happy life in the knowledge that he was never abandoned. After all, in canon, Eugene grows up in an orphanage awfully close to Corona. So I would say that as a headcanon, Eugene’s actual caretakers lost him in some way, shape, or form SO close to their goal, but had the same intent to perhaps remain in close proximity to Quirin while raising Eugene.

So the AU skips the middleman and just says that Edmond ordered Quirin to take the baby and get as far away from the moonstone as possible and to live as a family. Quirin goes to Corona and sets up his farm, raises the prince as his own. Eventually meets Varian’s mom. Alchemy boy comes along and now we’ve got a brothers AU (this is where most of my fun would be in for this AU).

The parts I really wrestle with this is how much this would change Eugene’s life motivation. I think Varian is a good testament that Eugene would get into the Flynn Rider books at some point anyway because they’re fun overall books, but Eugene wouldn’t have the motivation or need to *become* Flynn Rider. He’s got a family. He has that security, and Quirin would absolutely let Eugene follow his interests. Perhaps he feels a need to provide more for his family? This needs a lot more workshopping (this is a cry for suggestions and thoughts).

But it would be a fun way to add series lore into the movie events, which is a thought exercise that I do enjoy.

[foursthemagicknumber]

Something has been in the works for a while now and i’m proud to introduce a sneak peek at MONKEY MECHS

credits to @kis5ki5skai for beta reading

Dollar rush! The best convenience store in the world!

MK ignored the loud advertisement as he ran across the upper roofs of Megoplis. He was so high up that the air was almost clean… almost. 

He jumped for the next building, but instead of aiming for the roof, MK grabbed onto a drain and jumped. He slowly slid down to the next floor, crossing over the fire escape. 

For a second he paused and looked out over the neon city. Lights bright enough to drown out details. Lights bright enough to drown out the start of a sunset. 

He ran down the fire escape level by level. 

“Hi Mr. Sandy!”He shouted at the big blue covered man sitting on his own fire escape.

“Hey Mk! Don’t work yourself to death, okay?” the friendly blue giant shouted back

“No promises!”Mk shouted before sliding down the ladder the rest of the way. 

His feet hit cracked concrete and he looked around the empty plot as he jogged over to Pigsy’s noodles. 

“Coming in!”He shouted as he dashed through the kitchen. He grabbed the bag of delivery’s before turning to head out the door. 

“EH EH EH!”Pigsy shouted. 

“Sorry!”Mk stepped back over and hugged his dad. 

“Alright now scram! Can’t have any dick heads complain’ about cold food!” 

Mk was back out the door just like that. Running from address to address. Delivered each package of delicious noodles and when it came to his last delivery of the day he came in through the window. 

“Hey Piff!” He smiled at the woman who was working away at her commission of jewelry,”DB!” He gave the large man a high five as he passed. He tried to ignore the tattoo he knew was cover up of the Brotherhoods sigil, but his eyes still darted towards it for a second to long. 

“She’s in the garage.” Piff nodded in the direction of it. 

“Thanks!”Mk headed out the door and ran down a flight of stairs and into an open sided work space. 

There were a few cars in the process of being fixed. That’s what Red’s work was officially. But if you crossed into the back of the workshop you could see where she did most of his work . 

“Yo Red!”He called out into the work shop. 

“With a patient!”He shouted back. 

Mk navigated the cluttered workshop to the back and stared for a moment as Red worked. 

Her patient was definitely one of his less savory clients. 

“I got you your noodles,”He set the cup of noodle on the desk and pulled up a chair next to him. 

The clients eyes looked directly at him. It would have been a perfectly normal look except for his right eye. A deep scar ran along his face and instead of a regular eye. It was purple and mechanical. It seemed to study him. 

“Hi?”

“Hello,”The man said coldly. 

“Oh stop talking you’re gonna get burned!”Red pressed some sort of stick at one of the man’s cybernetic ears… One of his six ears. 

It occurred to Mk exactly who it was that lay before him. The infamous six eared Macaque. 

Macaque grinned like he knew exactly what thought was running through Mk’s head. 

Mk quickly left the area to wait in the front. He tapped his toe repeatedly and resisted the urge to pull out his holo screen and start scrolling. 

After what felt like eternity the six eared Macaque entered the area,”Hey kid.” 

“Hi,”Mk squeaked, praying he wouldn’t die today.

”You friends with the Doc?” 

“Yep.” 

“Good. Best to have smart friends,”The macaque left with a wave of his tail. 

“Sorry about that,”Red came up next to him wiping her hands with a towel,”I know you don’t like meeting my patients.”

“What? Nooooo!”Mk’s voice pitched up several octaves. 

Red rose an eyebrow. 

“Ok yeah fine, but it’s not like it’s a big deal! You’re not exactly…on the radar. Where else are they gonna go?” 

“Fabulous question,”Red grabbed the bowl of noodles from his tail and popped apart some chopsticks. 

Mk watched as he ate,”Dude how?” 

“It’s good!” 

“You get special ordered extra spicy of the spiciest thing on the menu!”He shouted. 

>save…

“Champagne?”A waiter asked. 

Nezha wordlessly took a drink off the platter in front of him. 

His father waited until the woman was gone until he began talking again,”Either way, we’ll need to increase the rent of the our properties if we want to keep up the quota for this year.” 

“Yes father,”Nezha spoke numbly. He scanned the other people at the party. The room was filled with wealthy members of the upper class. Thus they tended to be exceedingly boring to be a part of. One girl however stood out in the crowd. She had bright green stripes of hair, and seemed just as bored as him staring up at the lights. A felling of almost kinship blossomed in his chest.

“That girl,”His father followed his gaze,”One of the dragons, Shes not much younger than you.” 

“How old?”Nezha asked because to his father age really was just a number. 

“A good 22 I think.” 

Nezha didn’t have it in him to explain seven years was not a small age gap. 

“She’s got a powerful family. Marrying into it would be a wise choice.” 

“I’m not marrying a girl I haven’t even met,”He did not want to add that he didn’t want to marry anyone at all let alone a woman.

“Maybe if you did, I’d forgive you.” his father said with a frigid tone.

A memory of… The incident flashed in Nezha’s head. 

He sighed,”Yes, of course, Father.” Nezha muttered, bowing his head.

He crossed the party to approach the girl, his father’s sharp and cold eyes following him.

Nezha stopped in front of the girl awkwardly standing infront of her for a bit before clearing his throat.

She startled before her face shifted into a pleasant abit shaky smile “Oh hi.”

“Hello,”He tried to give her a smile,”My name is Nezha.” 

“Ok,”The girl seemed uncomfortable. 

“I love your hair,”At least he was telling the truth,”It’s very vibrant, reminds me of leaves.” 

“Oh, uh, thanks”,She gave him a strained smile,”Look I got to go find my mom sorry.” the girl quickly exited the situation and walked over to her mom. 

“What are you doing?”Her mother questioned with highly arched brows.

“Uh, leaving an awkward conversation,”She said as she rolled her eyes.

“That man was clearly interested in you,”She hissed,”You need a husband!” 

“Mom-“

“Nope! Go back over there and at least talk to him,”He mother whispered,”I’m not dying without grandchildren!”

Mei walked right back over to Nezha and smiled,”Hi, sorry about that. Where were we?” 

“Uh we met and then…” Nezha looked awkward as hell. 

“OH!”,she exclaimed,”My bad, I never introduced myself,”

She stuck out her hand,”Names Mei!” she smiled,”Well here’s to meeting!”She clinked her glass against his. 

“Right…” 

“This is awkward isn’t it?”She asked. 

“Very… I’m sorry I should-“ 

“Wait,”Mei sighed,”Hand me your holo screen.”

Nezha handed her his unlocked holo screen. He was way too trusting, she thought as she put her number into the device,”Call me?”

“Sure, of course!”Nezha mumbled. After that they small talked like there was no tomorrow. By the end of the party Nezha knew nothing new about the girl and her of him. He sighed as he walked through the streets. He knew it would be wiser to catch a car to his home, But walking helped clear his head. He stoped by a railing and watched as cars flew by. If he focused hard enough he could see the floor of the earth at the bottom. 

A man leaned against the rail next to him,”Ya like the sights?” 

Nezha gave a small nod. 

“You got a light?”He pulled out a cigarette. 

Nezha held up his lighter and flicked the flame. 

The man leaned forward and light the cigarette,”So what’s a sweet little boy like you doing all alone.” 

Nezha didn’t answer. The man gently took his chin and turned his face to look at him,”I could help with that loneliness, 400, that’s all I ask.”

Nezha studied the prostitute and sighed,”Deal.”

[petrolstationflowers]

New Simfornia Republic Army not for you? Why not try the Brotherhood of Simtanium instead, a Sims 3 flavoured version of Fallout: New Vegas' Brotherhood of Steel!

This is available from YA - Elder and can be joined via the Science Lab. You will start out in a general branch, which then splits at the Level 5 promotion point, where you can choose either the Paladin or Scribe branch.

No opportunities, uniforms, or books, and no carpool, so make sure to send your sims to work manually!

Please note if you want to use this, you must have Nraas Careers installed for it to show up!

Each branch has custom tones and skills, which I will list under the cut:

Base branch, levels 1 - 5:

Tones:

Tinker With Spare Parts (Inventing): There’s always scraps lying around. Why not see what you can come up with?

Catalogue Findings (Future Tech): Gadgets and gizmos are forever being dug out of the sand and brought back to base, and it’s very important to know how it works, what it does, and most importantly, how to turn it on.

Repair Equipment (Handiness): Yes, your job is to haul back technology, but you also need to keep order. Make sure your weapons and gear are all up to date.

Levels:

Aspirant - 10 simoleans p/h, 10:00 - 16:00, M-F

Description: Life isn’t the most fun in the wastes. Most of your days can be spent harvesting the least mutated tatos from the community gardens or sweeping giant cockroaches out from your house. On the weekends, you like to poke around the junkyard for something interesting to take apart, and that might be just what the Brotherhood of Simtanium is looking for…

Initiate - 30 simoleans p/h, 08:00 - 17:00, M-F

Description: Who knew that turning up at the local chapter’s bunker and refusing to leave would net you a job? You’re only training at the moment, but you’re one step closer to where you want to be, even if your daily routine consists of patrols of the town square and brewing coffee.

Squire - 37 simoleans p/h, 08:00 - 17:00, M-F

Description: It might only be a baby step, but it’s a step up nonetheless. You’ve been assigned to squire for one of the knights, which isn’t as romantic as the stories make it sound. You’ll need to get good at cleaning weapons, polishing Power Armour, all the while studying to make sure you’ll actually qualify for the knights when the time comes. Best get studying.

Knight - 45 simoleans p/h - 08:00 - 18:00, M-F

Description: Finally, a knight in gloriously chrome armour! Though you’ll be seeing some combat, what you’ll mostly be doing is making weapons for the troops and repairing the ones they break. You’ll need a steady hand and a little imagination before they’ll let you get your hands on the fun toys.

Journeyman Knight - 55 simoleans p/h - 08:00 - 18:00, M-F

Description: You’re finally taking your first tentative steps into the field, taking on more dangerous patrols and venturing further out in search of more interesting gadgets and gizmos. Still, at least the long walks give you time to think, because you’ll soon need to specialise – choose wisely!

Paladin branch:

Tones:

Attend Combat Training (Athletic): Your instructors run various workshops on different combat styles; keep yourself sharp by turning up every once in a while.

Maintain Gear (Handiness): It’s a harsh wasteland out there and a jammed gun or rusted chestplate could mean the end of you. Make sure your gear works properly before setting out!

Practise with Energy Weapons (Laser Rhythm-a-con): A strictly classified gun, known only as the laser harp to avoid civilian panic. You’ll need to perfect your “harp playing.”

Levels:

Paladin - 64 simoleans p/h, 09:00 - 19:00, S,U,W,T

Description: A Paladin is the Brotherhood of Simtanium’s shining star, someone civilians look up to and kids want to be when they grow up. Now that you’re done with your training you’ll finally be taught how to use Power Armour, and more importantly, the laser harp! Uh, rifle. Definitely a rifle.

Star Paladin - 85 simoleans p/h, 09:00 - 16:00, S,U,W,T

Description: Now you’re actually a big deal, and the higher ups are content to let you out alone and actually argue with them when you’re given a stupid assignment. Sure, it’s a little boring guarding Simberty Prime or casing warehouses in Lunar Lakes, but it sure beats making parts on a factory line!

Senior Paladin - 100 simoleans p/h, 10:00 - 17:00, S,U,W,T

Description: You’ve impressed your superiors enough to rise beyond the rank of Star; you’re shooting for the moon, maybe the whole universe! Keep working at it and you’ll be in line for Head Paladin soon enough; that is, if you’re up to the challenge.

Head Paladin - 150 simoleans p/h, 10:00 - 17:00, S,U,W,T

Description: You’re top of the food chain – at least, in the Paladin chapter. You’re in charge of the green recruits, making sure their training is up to scratch and who is to follow in your footsteps. You’ll need patience, and a lot of it.

Elder - 250 simoleans p/h, 11:00 - 18:00, M,W,F

Description: You finally get to have a say in how your local chapter is run; whether they like it or not, the Brotherhood of Simtanium has to answer to you. Be sure to wield your new power wisely, because while you might be a brotherhood, your rivals won’t care about family.

Scribe branch:

Tones:

Transcribe Manuals (Writing): What’s better than finding a shiny new piece of tech? Finding the manuals that come with it. Copy them up for posterity and ensure they don’t get lost to time.

Analyse Findings (Science): The knights drop reports off and it’s your job to try and work out what they say. Read the notes, pull out the facts, and put together a hypothesis as to whether you’ve found a microwave or a time machine.

Preserve Art (Painting): Entertainment is sparse in the wasteland; art from the old world is something to keep safe. Painstakingly restore, preserve, and replicate anything from ancient comics to portraits of royalty; all of it is valuable.

Levels:

Scribe Initiate - 40 simoleans p/h - 09:00 - 18:00 - M-F

Description: The path of scribe is one of blistered, ink-stained fingers, and eyestrain; truly, you’d need to be dedicated to make this the rest of your life. Shadow your coworkers and decide if this is truly what you want to do; otherwise, EverFresh Supermarket is always hiring…

Scribe - 50 simoleans p/h - 09:00 - 18:00 - M-F

Description: You’ve chosen your path and donned the robe; welcome to the role of Scribe! Instead of venturing outside, you’ll be tasked with preserving arts and literature of the old world – and yes, that includes Don Lothario’s badly written smut novels.

Senior Scribe - 75 simoleans p/h - 09:00 - 18:00 - M,T,W,U

Description: Less smut, more essays on ancient Shang Simlan plays! You’ve reached the rank of Senior Scribe, tasked with preserving the more delicate works previously thought lost to time. Historical accounts, festival records, political scandals, all must be kept for future generations lest war break out again.

Proctor - 100 simoleans p/h - 10:00 - 18:00 - M,W,F

Description: - Now you finally get to choose what you’re studying; the perfect time to cash in on your niche interests! Whether it’s nectar making manuals from Champs Le Sims or a dedicated archive of every film ever shown at the Wilsonoff Community Theatre, there’s no one to tell you otherwise. Hopefully there won’t be a revolt on your hands.

Head Scribe - 200 simoleans p/h - 10:00 - 18:00 - M,W,F

Description: You’ve mastered Sword, Shield, and Quill, you’ve picked the next Proctors; life is pretty good at the top. There’s a lot of meetings to be had and opinions to be swayed, but you get first dibs on any artefacts that come in and get to build your own private library for a little bit of peace and quiet!

Translations: I've included the English Strings in the file; if anyone is talented enough to translate, I would be incredibly grateful, so please let me know in the comments!

With thanks: To MissyHissy's career building tutorial! and the very kind folks over on MissyHissy's Job Centre Discord server for their patience and help.

[teecupangel]

I know there's been a lot of stuff about the Assassins getting sent into the past, but what if they all got yeeted into the far off future? Yes, Desmond too. Imagine all of them suddenly finding themselves in Cyberpunk or something like that. Desmond might have the best luck at processing everything, but the rest? Oh boy...

That or Desmond in Cyberpunk with the assassins as engrams, which might be easier. It'd be pretty funny if they were all corporeal as well though

I was wondering if this was meant to be a general cyberpunk setting or if you meant Cyberpunk 2077 but then I read the engrams part and I’m gonna assume you meant a Cyberpunk 2077 AU.

You know what would be fun?

If this was a ‘failed’ attempt to resurrect Desmond.

We’ll set it in a highly advanced city ala Night City but not exactly Night City because we want our city to be under the control of Abstergo. We’re going for full cyberpunk dystopia here with Abstergo ruling the city in a mix of Cyberpunk 2077 + watch_dog Legion.

The city itself is kept under heavy guard so escape is high nigh impossible.

To twist the knife on the wound, the name of the city is New Monteriggioni.

That’s right. Abstergo has taken over Monteriggioni and has turned it into a bustling city.

And a high tech prison.

Now, we can go for either the ‘crimes and illegal activities are around the corner if you know where to look’ setup like Cyberpunk or the “the people have been indoctrinated by Templar propaganda” dystopia like in Captain Laserhawk, pick your poison.

The main point is that Desmond and the other Assassins wake up underneath Monteriggioni, in the Auditore crypt.

It’s no longer a crypt, though.

It’s been transformed into some kind of lab and workshop rolled into one.

And the first ones to wake up are Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton.

They wake up sitting on chairs that looked like a new version of the Animus, with the headset slowly sliding off. They are all sitting around an empty space with the Assassin insignia carved on the floor. Behind them are more chairs with other people seemingly sleeping while sitting with the headset covering half their faces.

The moment the headset completely slides off, a hologram appeared in the middle, showing an old man wearing white.

The man introduced himself as Elijah (no last name), a ‘benefactor’ of the Assassins. He gives them a brief background of the current situation:

The city is under Templar control, calling themselves Abstergo

Centuries have passed since their death

Their consciousness is based on the recovered DNA from their remains or something that held their DNA. The DNA sample was incomplete due to the age so Sample 17 and the data compiled by the Assassins were used to complete them so that each one of them would have memories up to their death.

Their bodies are called ‘dolls’ but they have been upgraded as well with an assistance module to help them understand the world around them without overloading their new ‘brain’. This assistance module shows up as a UI that only they can see with an access to the Brotherhood’s digital library (called a database) that can show them information if they request it using their mind.

“The Assassins have lost.” The hologram stated as he slowly paced around, waving his hand towards their direction as he continued, “This is their final Hail Mary.”

Their assistance module shows the info of what Hail Mary means in this context while the hologram stopped in the middle of the room, “They made a deal with me. In exchange for bringing you back, I was given complete control over the Brotherhood.”

“The three of you are the first ones to be awakened.” The old man stopped for a moment before correcting himself, “No. You will be the only ones to awaken. There’s no longer enough energy left in this place to wake the others.”

“That will be your mission.” The old man continued, “The assistance module will explain in details what kind of energy is necessary and where you can find it.”

“Your priority though…” The old man stepped to the side and another hologram appeared, showing a young man sleeping in some kind of… sarcophagus with a glass top?

“This is Desmond Miles.”

Ezio froze.

“At least…” The old man placed a hand on the glass, “This is Desmond Miles’ body, recreated by the Templars to control the city. This city’s security system is powered by POEs in different Abstergo facilities. Abstergo uses this body to control those POEs continuously.”

The hologram of Desmond disappears and the old man walked further to the side as the circle around the Assassin insignia on the floor slid open.

Another chair slowly ascended until it replaced the open hole left by the insignia as the old man continued, “Even if you get the energy and installed it here, they will not wake until this facility comes under Desmond Miles’ control. This is… my final security protocol.”

He stared at the chair as he continued, “Steal the body Abstergo is using and place it on that chair. That chair will upload all of Desmond Miles’ memories.”

“Only then will you be able to wake the others.”

He turned to face the Assassins once more as he said, “Once Desmond Miles has all his memories, he will know what to do.”

“Good luck.”

[blackrabbxt]

THE BLACK RABBIT BROTHERHOOD AND THEIR ACCOUNTANT S/O

The Eldest, with his strong and silent type personality, is always waiting for you when he returns to their hideout. He leans his Greatsword against the wall, slowly walks over to you, and kneel before your chair- resting his head on your lap so you can rub his great, tired shoulders. He doesn’t speak much, even to you, but he doesn’t have to. He trusts you completely and that’s all he needs. If the others giggle at his soft side, they’ll get first an earful from you, then a fist in the gut from him.

The Battle Maniac (who often complains that the workshop is defunct and can’t get more good rabbit masks) likes to talk business. Even if his title makes you sometimes think that he’s a fighter first and a thinker second, he’s a man of deadly smarts. That’s why he sometimes leans over your shoulder as you edit the ledger, not doing anything at all; just resting his chin on your shoulder. If you ask him what he’s doing, he says he’s “just checking your work”…but you know he just wants to be near you.

The Eccentric always enjoys toying with his weapons, sitting with his boots up on the table beside you as he rambles about electric shock and the correct manner of handling spears against puppets…and even though you know what those mean, you just like to sit and listen. He does offer to help you learn how to at least defend yourself (“it’s improper, having our banker not even able to use a weapon!”) , but you’d much rather stick to your pen and paper.

The Youngest is always brimming with energy whenever she returns from a heist or a battle, babbling about how acrobatic she had been or how cool her compatriots were. You couldn’t handle a weapon if it came with instructions, but you didn’t need to- not when you had her backing you up and bringing you all sorts of cute things that she found. She loves to play cards, dance, sing, and occasionally puts on a number for the whole Brotherhood- but she’s only looking at you.

[danses-with-dogmeat]

🦀 👑 I was worried something happened to you with Paladin Danse and female sole please?

And congrats on the 1.5 k🥰

Well, this is darn precious, isn't it?

Poor Danse always worrying about Sole when they're gone is literally canon, and I'm here to exploit that fact.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

This turned out longer than expected, but... 🤷‍♀️

"Gonna start another irrigation system with the hole you're wearing in the ground there, pal."

Sturges' voice sounded out from where he was seated on the old stump outside the workshop house in Sanctuary, the sound hardly reaching Danse's ears as he wound around to pace in the opposite direction once again.

"Really," The voice continued, insisting, yet gentle at the same time as it managed to reach him through his thoughtful stupor. "I'm sure she's alright. She's got Preston with her, you know? And it's only been half a day past when they said they'd be back."

The words of comfort were lost on him, as Danse continued his pacing, bootfalls heavy with each step he took, scattering dust in the dry air, his mind occupied with every unpleasant sort of thought, every instance that could mean his partner's demise, or her maiming, the possibility of her blue suit never shimmering into focus on the sunlit horizon ahead of him.

Danse tried to swallow back these thoughts, these ruinous concerns, this unproductive way his mind held firm to its own habitual and cataclysmic over-analyzation of his partner's unexpected absence. But as usual, it would not leave him be. Wouldn't let him rest or see reason.

It would only keep plaguing him.

If I'd only been able to go with her, if I knew, for certain why her return was taking longer than anticipated, then...

But he'd known from the start that going with her wasn't an option.

Too close to the airport, within the line of sight of those aboard the Prydwen.

Too dangerous.

He knows he would've been a liability now, that he was keeping her safer by not going along with her and her Lieutenant, but still... Danse felt as though he were letting her down, that he was being lazy or cowardly or just plain neglectful.

"You listening to a word I'm sayin', Danse?"

Finally, the ex-paladin paused his movements, amber eyes trained on the soft, orange glow of the near-setting sun.

He sighed.

"Look, pal-- can I call you pal? Can't remember if I asked you about it at all before." A gloved hand fell heavy on the ex-paladin's shoulder as Sturges' voice grew near to him.

The handy-man's eyes were trained on the man beside him, waiting for a nod, a 'yes,' a something, but Danse's attention was still focused elsewhere.

"This ain't the first time they haven't been on time, right?" His hand gave Danse's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You been on missions that haven't ended just the way you thought, and you turned out alright, right? This don't mean something's wrong, necessarily."

"We won't know until they return." Danse said somberly, his voice almost a croak from it's misuse over the past couple days.

He'd never imagined feeling this kind of closeness with someone again. His bond with Sole was stronger still than it had been with Cutler, with Krieg, with Haylen. With even the Brotherhood as a whole.

She was everything to him, and though it scared the shit out of him, though he knew it wasn't healthy or fair, he felt utterly lost without her by his side.

The sun set and the moon rose, Sturges sat beside him as long as he could bare before sleep called his name from across the street, and he set off home.

Danse remained.

Synths don't really need sleep. He told himself firmly.

I can go without. This is too important.

By the time the stars were in full formation, Danse was pacing again, wrestling with the idea of going out after them. He could face those on the Prydwen if he couldn't hide from them, he could re-trace Sole's steps, try to track her and Preston, ask around the settlement they were going to, the settlements they passed on the way. It would be easy.

Easier than sitting here in a cold sweat with stomach cramps that felt like crawling mirelurk hatchlings burrowing in his guts.

"Sole, come on." He whispered to the wind. "Where are you." His fist pounded on the edge of the nearby fencepost, and the wood creaked in mild protest at the affront.

As Danse hung his head, as his teeth ached with the pressure of his set jaw, he heard a twig snap in the darkness.

His head shot up, bright amber eyes alert as he studied the dim space around him.

"... Sole?" He ventured, probably naively.

An animal, maybe. Or the wind. Don't become too optimistic, it'll only make it more of a blow when you--

His thoughts stopped hard in their tracks as movement caught his eye. A pair of bodies, moving slowly, not over the bridge, but through the woods at the other edge of town.

He was running towards them before his mind could properly register the movement.

"Sole!" He shouted as their familiar outline grew more defined.

Danse's heart was in his throat as he grew closer, as he noticed the way Sole was-- No, the way that Preston was leaning against her, one arm around her shoulder, and another holding a walking stick as he limped beside her.

"Danse?" Sole's voice sounded, and the ex-soldier swears he'd never heard something so sweet. "What are you doing up? It's the middle of the night!"

"Are you hurt?" He came to a hard stop in front of the pair, eyes scanning over his partner's form rapidly as he caught his breath.

"No, Danse I'm fine." She smiled as she answered him, her expression confirming the honesty of her words for him.

"And I'm alright too." Preston added with a soft huff, "No need to worry about me."

"Then...?" Danse's expression made him look lost, even in the dim of the night, his eyes shone with continuing worry.

"Preston sprained his ankle after we took out the raiders, and we had to change course and rest on the way back. The whole thing was actually kind of funny--"

"Not sure if I agree with that part, General." The minuteman chimed in with a tired grin of his own, and Danse only nodded, his expression still unsure as he fell in step on Preston's other side to help support him.

The group moved slowly, but eventually made it to Preston's Sanctuary home and left him to rest his sore ankle. With her Lieutenant taken care of, Sole and Danse made their way out, heading to their own shared home down the street.

"I'm sorry we weren't back on time. I know that it's not easy for you..." Sole's voice was small, her eyes glued down to her feet as though she'd done something wrong.

Danse stopped walking suddenly, and she halted a few steps ahead of him.

"Danse?"

His eyes met hers as she turned to face him, and in the next moment, Sole found herself wrapped tightly against her partner's chest.

"I don't blame you for being unable to inform me of your change of circumstance." He told her, his voice gentle, but still holding that commanding firmness he never quite seemed to shake, "I'm just... I'm glad you're alright. I was worried something had happened... I..." Danse's voice seemed to give out before he could finish, and Sole wrapped her arms tightly around him, returning his embrace with the same such desperation she felt pouring through him.

"I know, love. You don't have to say it."

A warmth caressed her heart as Sole felt Danse's head lean against her own, as his embrace redoubled in its comforting intensity.

"I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

[burlveneer-music]

Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra - L’Inter Communal and Le Musichien, Souffle Continu Records reissues of albums from 1978 and 1983

The Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra was created in 1971 by an “old hand” of French free jazz, François Tusques. Free Jazz, was also the name of the recording made by the pianist and other like-minded Frenchmen (Michel Portal, François Jeanneau, Bernard Vitet, Beb Guérin and Charles Saudrais) in 1965. But, six years later Tusques had had his fill of free jazz. After having wondered, together with Barney Wilen (Le Nouveau Jazz) or even solo (Piano Dazibao and Dazibao N°2), if free jazz wasn’t a bit of a dead end, Tusques formed the Inter Communal, an association under the banner of which the different communities of the country would come together and compose, quite simply. If at first the structure was made up of professional musicians from the jazz scene it would rapidly seek out talent in the lively world of the MPF (Musique Populaire Française).{French Popular Music, ndlt} Compiled of extracts from concerts given between 1976 and 1978, L’Inter Communal is not the first album from the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. But it is the one which shows with the most exuberance the “social function” which inhabited free jazz and popular music at the time. All the more so as, to head up the project, the group (made up of wind instruments: Michel Marre, Jo Maka, Adolf Winkler and Jean Méreu) called upon Spanish singer Carlos Andreu. Andreu, claimed Tusques, was a griot “who created of new genre of popular song improvised with our music, based on events going on at the time”. As with L’Inter Communal a few years earlier, Le Musichien follows on from the group of varying musicians that Tusques had conceived as a “people’s jazz workshop”. In 1981, at the then famous Paris address, 28 rue Dunois, the pianist sang with his partner Carlos Andreu an “afro-Catalan tale”. Over a slow bass line (exceptional work from Jean-Jacques Avenel) backed by percussion from Kilikus, saxophones (Sylvain Kassap and Yebga Likoba) and trombone (Ramadolf) which presented a myriad of constellations. The sky has no limits, let’s make the most of it. The following year, at the ‘Tombées de la Nuit’ festival in Rennes, bassist Tanguy Le Doré would weave with Tusques the fabric on which would evolve an explosive “brotherhood of breath”: Bernard Vitet on trumpet, Danièle Dumas and Sylvain Kassap on saxophones, Jean-Louis Le Vallegant and Philippe Le Strat on… bombards. With hints of modal jazz inspired by Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders, the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra is an ecumenical project which speaks to the whole world.