#Evelina Dragon

[msb-lair]

Clutch #3545 - Evelina/Evel

Mated On: 2024-04-07 # of eggs: 2 Hatched On: 2024-04-12

Progeny:

Hatchling 9429 (Slayer) - Obelisk XXY Male, Eldritch iridescent/Eldritch Shimmer/Swamp Glimmer, Common - 15,000 on 2024-05-01

Hatchling 9430 - Obelisk XXY Female, Eldritch Harlequin/Eldritch Shimmer/Mantis Soap, Uncommon - 15 gems on 2024-04-12

Comments: 

[ladykailolu]

Evelina is the real monster here, not Ven.

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Background characters in dragon age 2 my beloved. Seamus the idealistic youth who longs to be part of a culture his father despises and wants to create cohesion between his world and theirs. Evelina the mage who fled the blight, rescued orphans and then when she turned herself into the templars was locked away while her family was left to starve; forcing her to do deals with demons to try and keep them safe. Feynriel, the boy who longs for a father he never had, and who cannot find a place in this world where his powers and his heritage mark him as so different, so he flees to Tevinter.  Maaras, the Tal-Vasoth who warns you about Qunari attacking travelers on the path ahead, and who becomes a mercenary in act 3 who hangs out in the hanged man and can be chatted too. It just makes the world feel so much bigger, that all these characters who have complicated inner worlds and stories exist alongside Hawke and co. Truly makes Kirkwall feel like a real city.

[ninja-muse]

Last month I clearly posted my wrap-up a day too early because I ended up DNFing a book that same day and therefore starting another. I don't think that'll happen again, but I'm making sure to schedule this for the first just to be sure.

Anyway, this was an all right month of reading—some greats, some simple okays—and a very good month for not acquiring books. Only one ARC came home with me, I offloaded three, and I'm almost certainly not going to buy any books in the last day of the month, but I still have 12 hours. That might change, in which case this post will also and you'll never know what I originally typed. Yeah, that worked well. Darn used bookstores!

You already know how much I liked The Briar Club. My other top reads were A Desolation Called Peace (anyone surprised?), Wandering Stars (outside my wheelhouse but good), and Nicked, which is also out in the summer and was my solo ARC haul of the month. If anyone thinks "gay medieval heist novel" sounds like a good time, they should pick that up. Also, anyone who likes cats and picture books needs to pick up Floof.

And my lows might as well start with my DNF from last month, I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons. I was really hoping it would pick up and I could push through, but it was just the wrong sort of silly for me. (I ended up going home without a book, then binging Most Ardently over the next couple days after my Libby hold came early.)

I also found The Deerfield Massacre to be odd—less rigorous than I'd have liked, a little wobbly on its thesis, doing a poor job of balancing "this must have sucked for the survivors" with Indigenous perspectives and an awareness that the Europeans were, in fact, colonizers. And A Letter to the Luminous Deep sounded so good, but I found it slow and couldn't quite connect to the characters or world.

I don't know how May is going to go, in terms of reading, so this book might end up being my review of the month, but I'm enjoying it so am going to rec it now: Evelina! Frances Burney was one of Austen's favourite authors and I can absolutely see why, and how she influenced her. If you like Austen's novels, you should 110% pick this up, because it's got romantic troubles, a highly embarrassing family, a number of awkward balls and parties, and all manner of drama. Why hasn't this been adapted? It should have been years ago.

Lastly in bookish and/or life news, my store's latest Indie Bookstore Day party was a rousing success and I don't think my legs have recovered yet from all the walking. My ability to socialize almost certainly hasn't. (It's been three days.) Thank goodness for book lovers and my fellow booksellers. Couldn't have done it without all of them.

Click through to see everything I read this month, in the rough order of how glad I was to have read them.

A Desolation Called Peace - Arkady Martine

The war with the aliens is not going well and Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass are called on to help. Which won’t be easy, but it’s harder because politics.

8.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (bisexual, sapphic), 🏳️‍🌈 author

library book

Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange

150 years in the life of a Cheyenne family, before and after the events of There, There.

8/10

largely Cheyenne cast, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (multisexual, nonbinary), Cheyenne-Arapaho author

warning: genocide, alcoholism, addiction, drug use, self-harm

library book

The Briar Club - Kate Quinn

A new boarder moves into Briarwood house in Washington, D.C. in 1950, upending the dull day-to-day. Four years later, someone dies. Out in July.

8.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 POV character (bisexual), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (sapphic), Black secondary and minor characters

warning: domestic abuse, murder, race riot

reading copy

Nicked - M.T. Anderson Brother Nicephorus accompanies the saint hunter Tyun and his piratical crew on a mission to, erm, liberate the bones of St. Nicholas. Out in July.

8.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (Achillean), major 🏳️‍🌈 character (Achillean), major Central Asian character, Muslim secondary characters

reading copy

Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook - Terry Pratchett with Stephen Briggs and Paul Kidby (illustrator)

A collection of Nanny Ogg’s recipes and thoughts.

7.5/10

gifted/off my TBR shelves

Most Ardently - Gabe Cole Novoa

Oliver Bennett yearns to live on his own terms, under his real name, and kiss boys. Unfortunately, the first boy in question, one Fitzwilliam Darcy, might like him as Oliver but hates his “other self”.

6.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main character (trans man), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay, bisexual women), 🏳️‍🌈 author

warning: deadnaming, misgendering

library ebook

Slippery Creatures - KJ Charles

When various threatening men appear in Will Darling’s bookshop seeking information he doesn’t have, Will turns to the first helpful person he meets—an aristocrat named Kim.

6.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonists (bisexual man, achillean), Black Welsh secondary character

library ebook

A Letter to the Luminous Deep - Sylvie Cathrall

In 1002, E. and Henerey begin a correspondence. In 1003, her sister and his brother begin to piece together what might have happened to them.

6.5/10

POV character with anxiety disorder, 🏳️‍🌈 POV characters (lesbian, bi man), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, achillean), brown-skinned secondary character

reading copy

Hansel and Gretel - Neil Gaiman with Lorenzo Mattotti (illustrator)

An illustrated retelling.

7/10

off my TBR shelves

The Deerfield Massacre - James L. Swanson

The story of an infamous raid in 1704 New England, and the way it’s been mythologized since.

5/10

warning: racism, violence, murder, murder of children

library book

Picture Books

The Pie Reports - Hayley Lowe

Noor and Granddad love pie, but there’s an ocean between them, so they meet every week to eat pie on video chat. Then one day, Granddad doesn’t log on—he’s having a blue day.

🇨🇦

Floof - Heidi McKinnon

A day in the life of Floof the cat.

DNF

I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons - Peter S. Beagle

Robert doesn’t want to be the country’s dragon exterminator on the best of days, but then Princess Cerise meets Prince Reginald. Out in May.

Currently reading

Evelina - Frances Burney

Evelina travels to London and learns that the only thing more distressing than suitors is her newly discovered family. Inspired Austen.

off my TBR shelves

The Demon of Unrest - Erik Larson

The story of the six months leading up to the American Civil War.

warning: racism, slavery

reading copy

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin

A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

Victorian detective stories

disabled POV character (limb injury), occasional Indian secondary characters

warning: racism, colonialism

Monthly total: 10 + 2 Yearly total: 42 Queer books: 5 Authors of colour: 2 Books by women: 4 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 0 Classics: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 2 Books hauled: 4 ARCs acquired: 1 ARCs unhauled: 4 DNFs: 1

January February March

[mabaris]

Ultimate Meow Meow Poll

However you define your poor little meow-meows, the Dragon Age series has plenty to choose from. But who is the saddest, wettest, cringefailiest, morally ambigu-est, crimes-against-godliest?

Preliminary voting will run for one week, and the top 2 from each poll will advance to the bracket. Once the tournament begins, each round will last for 24 hours.

Pick up your faves by the scruff of the neck and cast your votes!

Cole/Connor/Fenris/Keran/Jowan/Tamlen

Anders/Cullen/Carver/Maric/Nathaniel/Velanna

Alain/Bethany/Blackwall/Feynriel/Merrill/Mhairi

Ariane/Calpernia/Daveth/Fiona/Isabela/Zevran

Leandra/Leliana/Maferath/Sera/Tallis/Teagan

Bartrand/Florianne/Gamlen/Oghren/Threnn/Worthy

Bianca/Cauthrien/Leske/Shale/Taliesen/Zathrian

Evelina/Imshael/Javaris/Minaeve/Pol/Sandal

Fairbanks/Karl/Ketojan/Mouse/Soris/Saemus

Corypheus/Jarvia/the Mother/Petrice/Uldred/Viddasala

Andraste/Clarel/Orsino/Solas/Swiftrunner/Varania

The Architect/Branka/Maddox/Morrigan/Samson/Stroud

Dagna/Finn/Krem/Renn/Shianni/Varric

Alistair/Dorian/Duncan/Sebastian/Sigrun/Xenon

Alexius/Briala/Gaspard/Loghain/Meredith/Lady of the Forest

Anora/Genitivi/Iron Bull/Malcolm/Valta/Vivienne

The tournament will be under the tag #meow meow poll if you want to follow it!

[dragonagekeeper]

Disclaimer: The keep does not record whether or not your Hawke lets Emile sleep with Nella.

DA2 Act 3 Polls

Dragon Age 2 Polls

See quest and choice descriptions from Dragon Age Wiki/Keep below

Emile de Launcet is the fifth son of Guillaume de Launcet and Dulci de Launcet, two minor nobles from Orlais. Emile was born in Kirkwall, but was discovered to be a mage at the age of six and taken to the Gallows in Kirkwall.

Meredith requests that Hawke track down 3 dangerous apostates (Huon, Evelina, and Emile de Launcet) and bring them back dead or alive.

If Hawke returns Emile to the Circle:

If Hawke sides with the Circle of Magi in The Last Straw, Emile is present in the Gallows just before the final battle starts as well as during the first stage of the final battle. Attempting to speak with him will have him say that he regrets not being able to say goodbye to his mother, his cluelessness in helping due to his lack of skills as a mage, Meredith being a pretty woman despite wanting kill him, how he regrets coming back and blaming Hawke for his predicament, and (if Hawke allowed him to sleep with Nella) him stating that they are all going to die, but he is glad he was able to have some fun with Nella.

Returned Emile to the Circle, after allowing him to sleep with Nella

Before returning him to the Circle, Hawke can allow Emile to sleep with Nella. If so, she will later show up at the Comte's estate claiming to be pregnant with Emile's child. If Isabela is in the party, Hawke can also propose that she sleeps with Emile. She refuses, saying that she can whore herself without help (this is possible even if Isabela is in a romance with Hawke).

At some point during the party at Chateau Haine, Emile's sister Babette wrote him a letter telling him of the excitement at the party and of seeing a laborer crushed to death when he rolled down with a barrel of wine.[2].

If Hawke let Emile sleep with Nella and he speaks to Dulci at the party, Dulci will bemoan to Hawke about the fact that they weren't able to stop him from doing so, claiming that they would have rather handled blood magic rather than Emile's scandal.

2. Returned Emile to the Circle, but not allowing him to sleep with Nella

I did not find anything specific about what happens if you do not let him sleep with Nella other than the obvious outcome that she does claim to be pregnant with Emile's child.

3. Allowed Emile to go free

If Hawke allows Emile to leave:

Emile leaves Kirkwall. His mother sends Hawke gold along with a thank you letter. When reporting to Meredith, Hawke can either tell the truth or tell the Knight-Commander that Emile is dead. If Hawke tells Meredith the truth, Meredith will simply state that they will track him down soon enough. If Fenris is in the party and not a friend or a full rival, he reveals Hawke's lie. Meredith then says that her templars will pursue Emile.

[ravenclaw-craftsgirl]

Into the Deep Pt. 1

A challenge by the ever entertaining @slytherincursebreaker to see how we write our characters! This time, we go into the Black Lake to complete our tasks!

And since it’s a jaunt underwater...  Some BioShock!

Also some Harp Music. Hehe

Lilian had only just barely survived the dragon challenge when Professor Dumbledore proceeded to announce the two remaining champions.  She turned, confused and saw Nathaniel nursing a broken arm as Evelina sat beside him in the stands. He wore a perturbed smile, having had to exit the competition but glad his friend could continue on.  “What happened, Nathaniel?” Lilian asked after running up to the stands where he, Evelina and Lilian’s friends sat.  “Ah, well I had completed my task... Unfortunately the egg had shattered upon impact alongside my arm.” He said before waving his good hand beneath the sling.  “So, I decided Brevity is the greater part of Bravery and forfeit the competition.”  “I wouldn’t forgive you if you hurt yourself more. Glory is good, but life is better.” Evelina said, half sass and half concern.  Nathaniel chuckled as his girlfriend fretted over him, suddenly making Lilian all too aware that her own girlfriend was glaring daggers at her.  “Ehehehe... Merula, Mon Amore, I... I can expla-” “Stuff it, Le’Reau. ‘Sides, I already saw everything. I can’t fault you this time, but you’d better damned well make a better plan than ‘Falling’ next time your broom goes under.” She commanded with a slight huff.  Lilian sighed, and held Merula’s hand where she stood outside of the stands. 

“I promised you that I wouldn’t get hurt again, Merula. I intend to keep that promise.”  As Merula gently squeezed Lilian’s hand, the rest of the gang gathered around to compliment Lilian on her success, congratulate and sulk over Lilian getting to ride a dragon (Tonks and Charlie were particularly vocal about that) and generally state their relief that she hadn’t been hurt.  Lilian turned to see Professor Dumbledore prepare another announcement.  “Within the coming days, our final challenge shall take place in the Black Lake. The next challenge’s task shall be revealed on the day of, so I recommend the challengers prepare for everything. Until then, I wish a speedy recovery to Nathaniel Chevalier and good luck to our remaining champions Lilian and Tsukiko.”  Lilian could feel a physical dread at the mention of the Black Lake. She’d heard so many stories about that lake, including many a lost student being found in it’s waters. While she was mostly certain that those were false stories, she had also been helping her cousin discover the Cursed Vaults, which had previously been a similar legend. “Lil, I think this calls for a celebration!” Tonks cheered as she gathered Charlie and Ben into headlocks beneath each arm. “Butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks! Ah, and you three should come with! Madam Rosemerta makes the best butter beer ever and it’d be a shame for new friends not to have a gaff!”

Evelina looked at Nathaniel and smiled while Caleb chuckled nervously.  “You sure you want me to tag along? I kinda lost the first challenge.”  “Non, you are a friend. You should have more confidence in yourself Caleb. I doubt the goblet would have selected you if you weren’t worthy.” Lilian stated.  “Why, I didn’t even put my own name in. Someone had the brilliant idea to nominate me.”  Everyone turned to Tonks, who feigned ignorance with a rather terrible attempt at whistling.  “Well... Thanks for that. Maybe you’re right, Lilian. I’m glad, if nothing else, I got to compete against some right proper chums.” Caleb said, brightening up from his previously dour mood.  “Though I suppose, the only question left for all of us is her choice in swimwear.”  Hubei said with a malicious but playful grin.  Tonight was going to be a long night for Lilian, especially with all of the questions that there would inevitably be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The day of the contest had arrived, Lilian wearing a a towel over the lower half of her wetsuit. She took a deep breath before taking off her glasses and affixing goggles. Was she nervous? Of course.  Lilian turned over to Tsukiko who wore a one piece swimming suit patterned with cherry blossoms. To say Lilian felt under dressed was an understatement compared to someone like Tsukiko. Why was she even doing this again? She didn’t want to stand out anymore than she already did.  “LILIAN!”  Lilian turned around to see Merula with a determined look on her face and a grin. “You’re the smartest woman I know, You’ve got this!”  Lilian smiled to Merula and nodded to her friends who all stood behind her girlfriend. Just as she turned away, Professor Dumbledore stood between the final two contestants.  “For the final task, A race to the finish. A specially marked area within the Black Lake has been sequestered for this task. It is up to the contestants to both figure out and find the finish line and to complete it. For this task, you will be allocated one full day, twenty four hours. I hope that you find your quarry before then! Good luck, the both of you. Witches, ready yourselves!”  Lilian dropped her towel, showing off her legs while Tsukiko rolled her eyes and sneered at the french woman. The two both readied their wands while Tsukiko held a small green lump in her hand.  “Begin!”  No sooner had Professor Dumbledore said that had Tsukiko taken a leaping dive into the water, swallowing the strange green object in the process. Lilian, quickly chanting the Bubble-Head charm before plunging into the frigid waters. Thankfully, she had cast the charm correctly and didn’t swallow a mouthful of water when the breath inevitably left her lungs from the cold shock.  Lilian could easily see her opponent swimming away as fast as possible, potentially hoping to gain an advantage. Lilian sighed, slowly drifting to the bottom of the lake, swimming enough so that she didn’t waste any energy while she searched.  Thinking, Lilian wanted to find whatever clues she could to where the finish line was. But she couldn’t. Lilian growled in frustration, stopping as she floated in the water while thinking. She then looked up to see the sun shining through the water, beautiful shimmers of light highlighting a school of trout that swam overhead.  That’s right, she’d only been thinking about how fastest to resolve each challenge. She’d forgotten what she’d set herself to when she first started the contest: To Have Fun and not focus too much on the challenge.  So what if she came in second, or had dropped out in the first challenge. That wasn’t her problem!  Lilian took a slow breath to calm herself before laughing.  Continuing for the next three hours, Lilian would occasionally see Tsukiko race overhead as Lilian would calmly swim through the beautiful and intriguing environ. In her time here, she’d seen so many beautiful magical creatures and fish, a Hippocampus even allowing itself to be petted by her. Lilian would have gladly let the Tadfoal be, but the young creature was enamored by the strange new thing in it’s home and instantly took a liking to Lilian.  With that small skirmish past, Lilian continued forward through a veritable forest of Kelp and Seaweed when she’d heard a strange tune sounding nearby. Continuing further within, the flora parted into a large stone clearing where sat a golden harp and a Mermaid nearby playing it. Her angular face, framed by algae looking hair, depicted a person who could be beautiful yet was just slightly off due to some unknown adjustment. Lilian swam closer, making sure to be out of distance but within sight of the mermaid. She eventually wound up sitting a small distance away from her performer, listening to the music before raising her voice.  “Come oh traveler, Knighted in snow. Raise your head and off we go.

Come with me, Come with me; Knight of snow

Seek the queen who holds ye’r heart

Deep in waters below.  Come to me, Come to me o’ Knight in Snow Seek my home, where hearth fire glows Come near morning Hear their warning Watch the lake to which you go.” Lilian suddenly noticed an absence of music, opening her eyes to see the Selkie face to face with her. Her hair sat, floating around the both of them as Lilian blushed profusely.  “My apologies, I... It was just so beautiful that I couldn’t help but sing along. I hope I wasn’t a bother.”  Lilian turned back to see the Selkie had swam back a little, enough to allow Lilian room to move but still visible as she began making motions with her hands.  Lilian was confused at first, before remembering how the Slytherin Common room had visible access to the Black Lake and how often Students would communicate via Sign Language.  “<No bother. It was quite pleasant actually. May I know your name?>” Lilian smiled back, using sign language herself.  “<My name is Lilian.>” The mermaid pondered this for a moment and then a large, toothy grin spread across her face.  “<Well, I am Water Lily. It is pleasant to meet you, Lilian. But I am confused why you are down here.>” Lilian nodded before answering. “<I am here searching for Albus Dumbledore’s ‘Finish line’ for his goblet of fire contest. Though I was pleasantly distracted by your wonderful playing.>”  Water Lily smiled, then frowned. “<I do not wish to be rid of you so quickly, and I know you humans tend to do the exact opposite of the sensible choice, but I do not think you should go to the Sunken Tower.>”  Lilian frowned, swimming after Water Lily as she continued.  “<It is a magical place with dangerous spells, Turns your fears to life.>”  Lilian frowned then realization dawned on her. The headmaster had used the now cleared vault for his own uses. He’d taken a previously dangerous location and was now using it for his contest?!  “<Water Lily, do the Selkie have guards around the vault?>”  Water Lily stared at Lilian and nodded.  “<Our chieftain made sure such a place was secure, though if your Headmaster has given you permission to embark within, I believe our chieftain will relent his decision. Perhaps->”  Before Water Lily could finish, a shadow swam overhead, in the direction of the Merpeople town and the Cursed Vault.  “No! Tsukiko wait!” Lilian shouted towards the eavesdropping contestant.  Lilian could only watch helplessly with Water Lily as the young Japanese girl sought one of Hogwarts's most dangerous secrets.

[matrotas-muse-hub]

List of Muses

Fandomless OCs (Fantasy)

[Arixia Brightwing] - A benevolent dragon-blooded elf

[Elias Cage] - A villanous revolutionary with draconic magic and a hatred for nobility

[Freja Aldhomr] - A lost and memory-impaired woman with elemental ice magic

[Jericho Asteria] - A sorcerer’s ghost possessing a failed noble’s body

[Julian Lannast] - An undying paladin sworn to eradicate evil

[Morph Astrum] - A humble blacksmith with sealed magical potential

[Shirka Balazarr] - A narcissistic desert exile with the power of illusions and muscle

[Yrsa Gunnhildr] - A wandering monk seeking the enlightenment she once grasped, if only for a moment

[Zephyr] - An elven assassin specializing in stealth and infiltration

Fandomless OCs (Modern):

[Evelina Graf] - An ex-assassin forced out of retirement by an old acquaintance

[radbanditgooplight]

On the Loose: Huon and Evelina

Huon

Elsa: “Huon is an elf. He was apprehended in the alienage ten years ago. His wife, Nyssa, works for a dressmaker in Lowtown.”

Elsa: “Huon was taken many years ago. Most of the alienage’s inhabitants do not even know him.”

Nyssa: “I used to dream of him returning. But not like this. He’s changed, and I don’t know him anymore. I sent him away.”

Nyssa: “Huon didn’t leave me. He was taken away.”

Nyssa: “When the templars found out he was a mage they chained him and dragged him from the alienage. In front of everyone.”

Nyssa: “If he had been himself, I would have taken him back gladly!”

Nyssa: “Now I’m trapped in this... this sham. Married, but with no husband, and no future.”

Evelina

Elsa: “Evelina was trained for eight years in the Circle in Ferelden. She was last seen in her former residence among the refugee community in Darktown.”

Elsa: “Our files indicate she petitioned Meredith for financial support of numerous other pre-adolescent Blight survivors.”

Walter: “This is our home as much as it is hers. Evelina shared everything she had with us.”

Walter: “I’m not Evelina. I’m Walter. Evelina was our... friend. She was our mother.”

Walter: “Evelina found us when the darkspawn came, when our parents died. She made sure we got to Kirkwall safely.”

Walter: “She didn’t want us to be stuck in Darktown. She wanted to give us a real life.”

Walter: “But when she went to join the Circle here, they called her apostate for leaving the tower in Ferelden. They locked her up.”

Walter: “Everyone died in the Blight. Evelina kept picking us up, new children every day, every one she could save.”

Walter: “She thought the Circle would help her. But they just locked her away.”

Conclusion

Hawke: “The blame for everything these mages did can be laid at your feet.”

Hawke: “Look at the way you treat them. Is it any wonder they’re so desperate?”

Anders: “Maybe if you never took Huon from his wife she wouldn’t be dead!”

Anders: “Evelina could be alive and with the children she risked everything to save.”

[evesbeve]

Sleepless Nights (Ninjago Secret Santa 2019)

@ninjacinnabuns I was your Secret Santa!!!! Merry Christmas, and may you be filled with the joy of our stupid lego ninja.

Thanks to @coco-jaguar for hosting this!

___

Title: Sleepless Nights

Summary: After the Overlord's defeat, Lloyd is having a hard time coping with his friend's death. It's a good thing his father is there to help him.

(Read on AO3 + FFN)

___

Sometimes, Lloyd would lie on his bed and think of all the things that could go wrong.

Then he’d remember they did, when Zane died.

He desperately tried to close his eyes, to focus on something else, anything else, but he couldn’t. Everything reminded him of Zane, of all of his family, the family he wanted to forget for once—

The sound of the floor creaking cut him off his thoughts.

There was something comforting about the floorboards creaking in his father’s Monastery. Lloyd couldn’t quite put it into words, but the sound brought him a sense of coziness that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since the Overlord’s defeat. Not since Zane—

The door to his room opened, and Lloyd shut his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. He could feel his father’s gaze on him, but he didn’t budge.

“Your silence speaks volumes, son.”

Lloyd opened one of his eyes and stared back at his dad. “How did you know I was awake?”

The old sensei chuckled. “Next time you pretend to be asleep, try breathing a little bit.”

Lloyd sighed, and sat up on his bed. He took his pillow in his lap and started fidgeting with its corner, avoiding his dad’s gaze.

“There’s something bothering you,” he observed.

Lloyd didn’t respond.

“You know,” he took a seat next to him. “When I was your age, years after I had been bitten by the Great Devourer, I had a lot of trouble keeping my feelings in check.”

Lloyd stopped playing with the pillow case. “What does this have to do with—”

“But there were things that helped,” his father interrupted. “One day, a kitten appeared in the Monastery. Your uncle and I had no idea where it came from, but Father allowed us to take care of it, and we did.”

“I still don’t—”

“It stuck around. Visited every morning, waiting for a bowl of milk. It became part of our family. In the end, it was as if it was taking care of us.” He paused for a second, supposedly recalling a distant memory. “When I lost control, it was like it knew, because minutes later it’d appear, on my lap, asking to be pet. And as unlikely as it sounds, it helped.”

“So you had a pet,” Lloyd said. “What about it?”

“No,” his father said and shook his head kindly. “No, I had a friend.”

Lloyd felt his heart tighten: it was at that moment he realised he didn’t actually have any friends left. Kai had gotten into wrestling, Jay had his own show, Cole was working in the woods, Nya was off to who-knows-where… And none of them were speaking to each other, and they weren’t ever going to speak to each other, because their brother was gone, Zane was gone, gone forever, never to come back—

“You have more people in your family than you’re aware of, son.”

And then it hit him.

Lloyd stood up, slipping on his slippers, and rushing out the Monastery after grabbing a jacket on his way out. Just a few steps away, his four-headed friend was lying on the ground, enjoying the peace and quiet of the night.

“Hey, buddy,” Lloyd said, reaching out for one of its heads.

The Ultra Dragon let go of a satisfied rumbling sound.

Lloyd chuckled. “Big day for you too, huh?”

From inside the house, Garmadon couldn’t help but smile as he watched his son snuggle closer to his dragon companion.

[jamdrawers]

I redrew the rest of the party now that they’re level 14.  

Merle the human rogue got some fancier duds, including a nice hat from Nyssi. Holding the Antirapier, a matter-disintegrating weapon he nicked from a vampire, and still wearing the Robes of Holding that he keeps random garbage in. Grown a few inches too!

Kalanel the aasimar cleric-flavoured-sorcerer picked up a Robe of Stars, a magic healing staff, and is currently undergoing Apotheosis. Being able to hear prayers took some getting used to, and that was *before* the wings sprouted from his back. Looking forward to when I can bust a load of Lore all over him.

Naqax the dragonborn sorcerer respec-ed into a paladin of Glory in order to better simp for his dragon mistress, and because sorcerer-paladin is really OP. Also picked up a sentient sword. Not pictured are his wings, which he keeps hidden with a magic spell (prior to this, I decided he kept them tucked away in his coat, which I retconned because that was fucking stupid of me.)

Nyssi the mousefolk alchemist built a big stone golem to ride around in like a mech with blueprints she got from the ancient Krooni archives, and just has a lot of extra bits and doo-dads on her person (a custom crossbowrifle, blunderbuss blessed by a fell god, trophies, magic items and bling, etc).

Tukket the ratfolk monk got his glaive disintegrated when he drew from a Deck of Many Things along with most of his other posessions (except for Hwa’jung, the Shadowfang, another sentient sword that he’s got on his hip.) Since then, he picked up a magic fire-lightsaber that’s currently in whip-shape, and during his adventures, he’s grown floofier to adjust to the cold climate in the Forgotten Wood, and is also sort-of-kinda-a-little-bit-touched-by-undeath.

Also Evelina says hi!

Getting toward the end of a 3 year campaign. Really looking forward to finishing so I never have to run 5e ever again, and can just play with pf2e til the end of time.

[msb-lair]

Dragon: Evelina - Obelisk XXY Female

Purchased For: 322,500 treasure Hatched On: 2024-03-13 ID: 93600315

Parentage: Elante/Elderien Flight: Earth

Primary: Eldritch Harlequin Secondary: Eldritch Jester Tertiary: Cyan Soap Eyes: Uncommon

Comments: Decided I wanted a new dragon pair with harlequin-jester-soap in the mix, and loved the colours of this one, so I've now put together yet another XXY of eldritch pair.

Evelina is the name she came with.

Apparel: 

Accent: Ruins Protector

Marigold Flowerfall

Golden Hoard

Illuminated Runescroll

Brightshine Raiments

Orange Umbrella

Familiar: Cursed Die

Progeny Testing: 

[Test] Evel

Broods: 

Nested with Evel on 2024-04-07, 2 eggs [Clutch]

Clutched with Evel on 2024-07-06, 1 egg [Clutch]

[schmooplesboop]

[bitter-like-coffee]

well. i realized i’ll probably be posting here a lot, purely to share Sad Strahdborne Art that only like. 5 people understand.

for context, @neonchapel is running a dnd game that VERY loosely takes elements from curse of strahd that is primarily based around bloodborne boss mechanics (fighting Big Boy Bosses, several of which who have multiple phases, etc). our first session was the 4 of us fighting strahd and his minion as level 10 characters, who barely failed to slay strahd. (the party consisted of ilya sorokov, mith’s swashbuckler/battlemaster drow; strixx,sandr’s shadar-kai devotion paladin of the raven queen; evelina auranesi, wayan’s watcher paladin, and celia’s older sister; and cyrus the tinkerer, my leonin gunslinger/rogue).

after they perished, the annual black friday free-for-all to send people into the mist to destroy strahd and keep the mists from advancing happened, and our party ventured into the mist, whether for a pardon from petty crime, or pilgrimage, or revenge.

the current party consists of @mithryl-ninja‘s changeling glamour bard puck merlowe (we love one bastardman w a hurdy gurdy); @thefandomcassandra‘s shadar-kai raven-queen idolozing zealot barbarian/lycan bloodhunter facet (she craves death, in the gay way, and to recover her comrade’s body from strahd); @wayanayaw‘s aberrant mind sorcerer/hexblade warlock, celia auranesi (she wants to avenge her sister and the two additional hands gifted by her patron want to tuch); and my drow peace cleric of ilmater, pasha dal relmyr (he’s just a nice but sad dude who had no idea what was being asked of his charge. he didn’t want to hurt anyone. keyword: didn’t.)

also in the party was pasha’s...ward, his informally adopted daughter, and his junior acolyte of ilmater, pakron patina, half-drow half-elf. they’d been tasked to go through the mists together for a pilgrimage to a specific barovian church of ilmater. neonchapel himself intended for pakron to die immediatley, as a classless npc w 6 hp. somehow, when hostile npcs tried to kill her, they didn’t manage to one-shot her. from there, everyone protected and supported her in becoming a light cleric of ilmater. this poor traumatized kid learned how to fight from the barbarian and after we found a baby dragon, was going to class into cavelier w it because they were both scared orphans. the fight where she was oneshot by a mummy, she would have had enough levels gained to be cavelier.

everyone in the party is p fucked up about it. the same bastard that dusted my baby inflicted facet with mummy rot and none of us know so she’ll almost guaranteed die next bossfight and be replaced with sandr’s hexblood shepherd druid, Friend.

[bioticwastelander]

can you tell i’m replaying dao and lowkey in love with my cousland warden yet

[evelinawood]

Paradox

Within me lies two archetypes who are constantly battling each other.

I am an Ice Queen at first glance. Cold, blunt and seemingly without warmth. Head held high, focused and unapproachable. Some might even call me a bitch.

Layers of ice have formed a fortress around my heart and soul. Around a tiny ember that was buried underneath the ruin and ashes of who I was. Each wall erected from a painful lesson I had to learn about being too much, and for always wearing my heart on my sleeve...

Insecurities, doubts and anxiety began to quickly fuse together, molding themselves into bricks of cold and ice around that tiny little spark. The Ice Queen quickly came to power and erected those walls to shield and to protect what was left of my heart, what was left of me.

Underneath the cold exterior, deep within the ice fortress lies the Phoenix. She is my heart and soul. The tiny spark that the Ice Queen saved.

The Phoenix is full of fire, passion and courage. A badass who slays her dragons and rises again and again no matter the challenge. The Phoenix now burns so bright that nothing but the Ice Queen stands in her way.

The Phoenix is my fierce love, loyalty and devotion. The Ice Queen is my self-preservation, ego and pride.

The Ice Queen refuses to let even a few of the layers of emotional cold and ice melt away, lest she risk losing it all once again.

The Phoenix fights to break loose every single day, to fully come into herself. Yet, her full warmth and power remain stunted and trapped until the Ice Queen decrees that she is truly enough to be released from her icy cage.

It is all or nothing; it is always ice or fire that I feel. I long for both to find a balance....

© Evelina Wood 2021