#I have entered a golden era. [request accepted]

[tommyinniter]

hello, wilbur kin here. i'd like some pogtopia crimeboys headcanons perhaps?

Pogtopia Crimeboys Headcanons for Anon!! Hope these are good!!!

tommy would drag wilbur outside at every opportunity, trying to get him some sunlight and fresh air when he wasn't looking after himself

wilbur was extremely worried about tommy leaving him, and would constantly ask him where he was going and how long he'd be gone for

tommy and wilbur both had a habit of overworking themselves until the other made them go to bed

wilbur would often sing tommy to sleep with his guitar

tommy would bring wilbur little trinkets from outside when wilbur didn't have the energy or time to go out himself

wilbur taught tommy how to sew so he could mend his own clothes

tommy tried to learn guitar and wilbur laughed at how bad he was at it

wilbur liked to write poetry by the fire at night, after everyone else had gone to sleep

wilbur liked more bitter tastes, while tommy would just straight up chew on sugarcane while he worked (and wilbur mocked him relentlessly for it, calling him a child)

[imagineabrighterworld]

Shigaraki with an Enforcer S/O

Shigaraki didn't know you were at the meeting until you appeared behind him

Shigaraki needed more men after the failure at the U.S.J. It did bring the League into light, but without the criminals in his arsenal as most were taken into custody or deemed useless, he knew he had to start searching for a new crew. This led him to Corellia, an area full of thieves, black market traders, and mercenaries for hire. You were the enforcer of the biggest mafia in the area, and you made sure he knew that.

Crossing the alleged “safe zone” of Corellia and heading into the Black Light District, Shigaraki motions to the nomu’s on each side of him to take the lead. Kurogiri and another sleeker nomu would take spot behind him. While he was capable of protecting himself, he was taking no chances. He was his greatest pawn in this game, to lose himself and be captured would be detrimental to his whole system.

Moving further into the district, he notes the amounts of bordered up shops and graffiti covered walls, but this all changes when he reaches the center of the district. From there the shops are all open and bustling with customers, the scenery was not the same bleak grey and black concrete walls. It was lively and without the normal trash that coagulated on the streets. What made this area different than that of the one fifteen feet away?

With little else to do than gawk at the juxtaposition, Shigaraki heads down the alleyways of Corellia and enters the underbelly where the black market resided. It was at a shop that he found the leader of the Black Teeth, a gang notorious for drug manufacturing. They dealt with quirk enhancement and blockages, something Shigaraki took interest in after the nomu came to being. His best nomu was beaten by All Might, which meant he would need more than what his scientists were capable of in order to strengthen them.

The boss of the crew was lounging in his chair, the third eye on his forehead closed while his striking white eyes were staring directly at the nomu accompanying Shigaraki.

The man grins. “Their construction is magnificent. Who did you get your hands on to make these?” He sits up, elbows resting on his knees as he scans them up and down.

Shigaraki scoffs. “That is need to know information, and you do not need to know it.”

“Aye, it was a simple question.” The man leans back, his joking demeanor melting into something more serious. “So, Shigaraki Tomura. What can I do for you?”

Shigaraki takes a seat across from the man, knowing he was safe with his posse of nomu. “I need your numbers. You have men to spare. I require them.”

The man hissed through his teeth, an amused glint in his eyes. “You want my men. Mi amigo, are you sure you know what you're asking for?”

While Shigaraki didn't know what was said, he knew for certain what he wanted. What he needed. He wouldn't let the U.S.J. failure happen again. “I am more than certain.”

“Muy bien. I'll give you one of my crew. You'll find they're all you need. Incredibly loyal that one.”

“Only one?” Shigaraki grits his teeth. “Is that a joke?”

A hand lands itself on Shigaraki’s shoulder, causing him to jump slightly in his seat, already reaching to turn them into dust.

A barrier keeps him from touching you, the air seemingly hardening and turning golden at the force of his touch.

You give him a small smirk. “Hey jefe.”

You were either very smart, or incredibly dumb

You didn't bargain for power, or for riches, two things the League could most definitely provide. He found this strange, as everyone wanted something. No one ever gave anything for free. And with your skills, you could ask for anything in return, so why didn't you?

After finalizing a contract with your boss about new arrangements, you leave Corellia with the small group of League affiliates. Still, Shigaraki couldn't understand you, and it was bugging him to no end.

He slowed his pace until he was beside you, his hands clenched into fists as he remembers how you blocked him from using his quirk. “Why are you joining us?”

You examine the face of your new employer, or more of examine the hand covering his face. Your own face was scarred after battles and fights with the police and other gangs. Your body was covered in burns, stab wounds, and gunshots. You've been through the wringer yet still worked in the mafia with gusto. What fueled you? What led you to wanting to aid the league?

“Heroes and villains are white and black. I prefer grey.” You crack your fingers, watching the bones as they pop and settle back into place, relishing in the relief. “Your fighting will bring to light how corrupt some heroes are. It will usher in a better era. If the people work hard enough to make it.”

“You sound like a damn hero.”

“It's all about perspective mi amigo.”

You managed to enter his own little mafia after that display of your skills

There was no denying you had talent, he needed your abilities. You would make for a great asset to his newly forming team.

Two weeks into joining the league, you’ve already proven your worth. With your barrier quirk that could accumulate damage and send it right back at the attacker, you were a perfect tank in his array of assets.

In a meeting gone astray, you defended your new boss and led him to a safe zone away from the villains that wanted to usurp him as the new leader of the League.

At least, you believed it was a safe spot.

“Shigaraki!” You scream at him, spotting a hero ready to pummel him into the ground with their hammer quirk. Rushing to his side, you push him out of the way and put up a hasty shield, grunting as the force drives you into the ground. Breaking the shield, you watch as the hero is thrown back twice as hard, their back hitting a steel pillar above them.

“Get them out of here!” Your new boss yells at Kurogiri as he decays one of the hero’s sidekicks, not batting an eye at the ash covering him from head to toe. He proceeds further into the warehouse in search of the villain that ratted them out to the Hero Agency, but you refused to let him go in alone.

Kurogiri’s smoke appears below you, but using your barrier as a foothold, you launch yourself in the air and run after Shigaraki. “Pendejo!” You shout out, hoping to catch the attention of the blue haired male. “Use your head!”

The lights cut out, and all you could do is focus on the senses you still had.

Maybe it wasn't your smartest idea, but you raise your voice again.

“Shigaraki!”

You run to what you assume is the center of the room but slip on what feels like piles of sand.

The lights turn on, and in the corner of the room you find Shigaraki with a gash just under his chin, nearly catching him on his jugular.

He huffs, the hand that was normally  covering his face no longer there, allowing you to see his annoyed yet soft expression. “I can handle myself too.”

An odd beat flutters in your chest.

“I know that idiota.”

You begin to grow on him /like a tumor/

He doesn't admit it, but after that incident, he begins to trust you more than he had before. You proved your loyalty, something he was inclined to ignore before. And you weren't afraid of his presence. The others in the league liked to have their own time away, they had separate goals and found the league as a place to enact them, but you didn't have that. So the fact that you stayed with him at the bar to just be there was quite nice.

You helped him with info gathering, and gathering in general

As his new enforcer with a knack of collecting data without being seen, you became extremely useful to him. And useful to the others as well.

“Oooh did you get the photos I asked for!” Toga chirps from her seat at the bar, spinning in a half circle as she watches you lift a heavy satchel and place it on the counter. The girl always had weird requests, but you caved in. She didn't ask for much anyway, not compared to what your old boss ordered you to do.

“Esperate chica, I have them.” You respond while pulling out a handful of polaroids. They were of several students of U.A., mostly of Izuku Midoriya, who you had yet to uncover why she was so obsessed with him. You pull your hand away just as she snatches them from your grip, remembering how she accidentally scratched you the last time you brought her photographs.

For Dabi you brought him information on Endeavor and his son, as you would see them occasionally on patrol. There wasn't much to tell, as the young boy didn't seem to like his father whatsoever. He rarely spoke, making him a poor source of info. But Dabi was sated either way.

“And what about for me?” Shigaraki hums from behind the counter, looking at you with carmine eyes. “You are my spider first and foremost. Don't forget it.”

With a grin from ear to ear, “I was thinking of you jefe.” You reach further into your satchel and pluck a collectable All Might action figure. “I thought you might like it.”

Needless to say, he decayed it right before storming off to his room.

But later that evening he opened his door to find a video game he had planned on buying.

With a small huff, he accepts the gift and returns to his nest.

You were his right hand alongside Kurogiri

Despite your rough beginning, you grew fond of your new boss. It was like having a friend, even if he could be somewhat of a man child, you learned how to deal with his moods. Which made Kurogiri’s life so much easier.

Shigaraki slams his hands on a table, turning it to dust. In fact, he was tossing everything out of his way, sending dust raining around the room. You stand at the door watching the sprays of ash like fireworks on New Year. It was always best to wait for his rage to ease before approaching him. This, you learned from Kurogiri.

But this time you needed him to calm down. You needed him to be a leader, not a temperamental child.

“Shigaraki.” You stand behind him, arms at your sides.

“How is it that he still gets all of the attention?! How, even after he retires, do we keep failing! One after another, our plans are turning into dust!” He slams a hand on another table, sending it crumbling to the ground.

“Shigaraki.” You repeat in a stern tone.

“What?!” His attention snaps to you, eyes crazed and bloodshot with rage.

“To win a battle is not to win a war.” You state calmly, keeping eye contact with the enraged leader. “Look at the bigger picture, and you will get the advantage you need.”

Something flickers in his eyes, giving you the shot of confidence you need in order to place a hand on his shoulder. He flinches at the contact but doesn't move from you.

“I believe in you cariño.”

He was incredibly antsy when Chisaki wanted you to join the yakuza, so you stepped up and said yes for him

Without knowing it, you had begun caring for the members of the League, something you weren't prepared for when you joined. At first it was just a side gig, a favor to your leader to work with the League. But now it wasn't just for your old boss or for the late Magne, it was for Shigaraki. You were doing this for him. Why? You didn't know. But you were caving for him.

“I’ll go.” You say from your spot beside him at the arm of  the sofa. You were used to meetings like this. The yakuza wasn't much different from the mafia, they were like twins. That's how you knew it was better to give in than to argue anymore on the terms. Anymore nitpicking and the meeting would turn into a bloodbath mixed with ash.

Shigaraki doesn't look at you, and for that you were glad. To show weakness in front of these people would only give them a bigger advantage. Did Shigaraki like you? You didn't know. But neither did the Yakuza.

“Your underling has more sense than you do.” Chisaki croons from his spot across from Shigaraki. “They know when it's better to just back down. I like that.”

Shigaraki clenches his fist.

Chisaki looks you over, nodding once to himself before waving dismissively. “You'll need a mask if you are going to be here. I don't need you contaminating the air with your germs.”

You feel your eye twitch, but you give no more than a nod as you walk out of the room, bidding Shigaraki goodbye with a single look.

The next time you see him is the day you realize just how much you missed him

Bloody and sore from fighting with the yakuza underbosses in order to get out, you were happy to regroup with Toga and Twice. You were split up from them during your stint as a yakuza, you assumed it was because you were seen as a tier higher than them. Chisaki was smart enough not to let you plan with them behind his back, but he wasn't smart enough to realize the plans were already made even before the fated meeting. 

“Shiggy!” Toga squeals from the back of the van as you all cruise on the empty highway with Chisaki strapped to the gurney. “I missed you guys so much! It was kinda fun being a yakuza! But they were so rude to us, weren't they Twice?”

“Yeah! They were dicks- The nicest people ever goddamnit! EW!”

You laugh at the two behind you, listening to them talk with Dabi, Spinner, and Mr. Compress about their little ‘vacation’.

“You're bleeding.”

Shigaraki’s voice drags you out of your thoughts. 

“Hm?”

“You're bleeding.” He repeats in the same monotone voice.

Looking at your injuries you shrug and lay back deeper into the seat cushions. “I’m home, that's all that matters.”

Your leader huffs.

“I missed you cariño.”

“...”

You smile.

“Welcome back.” 

[amenomiko]

Thank you for the request, @selenacosmic ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤! Hope you like it!

IkeSen Lords as Werewolves

Nobunaga

He ever proclaim that he is not what MC think he is, and that he possessed something that what makes him earned the title that he have now.

To MC, it was nothing but like of those men who want to boast something in them, knowing how arrogant and proud Nobunaga is.

...Until full moon came.

Here he is, jet black beast with crimson carnelian eyes, growling in front of her.

Legs froze in place, she could feel as if her soul has left her when he move towards her and yet..

There was warmth in his touch. He licked her cheek, to where her tears fall. Her heartbeat gradually calmed down, and she slowly accept and understand the whole situation.

So it wasn't just mere talk. She apologize for it.

Morning has arrived, and he return back to normal; sleeping comfortably in her arms, as if nothing ever happened.

"Hey Nobunaga? You ask me to warm your bed, right?"

"Why? You finally admit that you want to do it?"

"No, I was suggesting that you should do it yourself since your fur is thick."

Boldness at its best.

Masamune

He had tried his best to avoid her, to no avail.

Of course it intrigrued her curiosity. He, who is known to be flirty suddenly be all suspicious each and every end of the month; the time of full moon.

MC insists that she wanted to understand him better-- well-- the look in her eyes won his heart, as to him, her smile is more than anything, more than his deep secret.

And so he showed her. His form is of dark brown body with ocean orb, looking into her soul.

"...Those werewolf movies is a lie then."

What?

"Cause your fudoshi is shredded. If in those movies, no matter how big the creature is, their pants is still on."

She said oh-so-innocently, making its way to his heart for a good laughter.

"You are so interesting, Lass. I guess this is what makes you cute..!"

"Hey, want to know my other secret?"

He purrs, "We have mating season too."

Kenshin

Other than hating women, he have other reasons WHY he avoids them as well.

"He is known to be very furious every full moon, so do be extra wary of your surroundings."

MC tilts her head to the 'warning' from the head maid, yet questions after questions is inside her now.

"Why full moon though?"

Her head completely out from those questions and was too deep in her thoughts, she didn't look where she was walking at.

"What are you doing here?"

A grim voice froze her as she was met with a pair of mismatched orbs and beautiful golden yellow body of a wolf.

"I told you that NO ONE is allowed to enter into MY chamber!"

He growls, stepping closer towards her, showing like he's about to sink his teeth into his victim--

"No! Bad dog! Sit down!"

.......

What?

"What is that look for?? I said SIT! You are being mean! Sheesh I don't know what's going on in this era but if Kenshin wanted to keep a talking dog other than those bunny armies of his, he could've just say so! There's no need to be all secretive, goodness!"

And she walks away. Leaving bewildered Kenshin behind.

Shingen

Another one that tries so hard in hiding his secret from her.

However, due to his sickness, he can accidentally transform into his other self, but it is incomplete. It would happen even if it's not full moon phase yet.

Then it was revealed.

MC saw his coughing fit on that particular day, and about to chase after him to his room--

But she found nothing but a red-brownish dog in his room.

".....Muramasa (´・д・｀)?"

Uh--

"But wait-- if I'm not mistaken Muramasa is white and grey. Did he keep another dog? Wait-- Muramasa is a wolf--"

"Aah.. Goddess?"

"Σ(°д°ﾉ)ﾉ EEEK IT CAN TALK!!!"

It took... Almost an hour to talk to her, to calm her down, and to explain it to her. Not to mention the constant judging look she gave him.

"So.. Because of your sickness you can become like this?"

"Yes... Though I am more handsome once it is full moon, heh."

"(Clearly didn't bother about his previous words) So is it possible for you to change into Pomeranian ( ✧w✧)???"

Pomeran what now--

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.

- Tom Stoppard, Artist Descending a Staircase

Sir Anish Kapoor’s ArcelorMittal Orbit tower was completed in 2012 at a cost of £19 million ($27 million). It was intended to be a permanent lasting legacy of London's hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, assisting in the post-Olympics regeneration of the Stratford area. At 376 feet (114.5 metres) it became the UK’s tallest public artwork.

London Mayor Boris Johnson put into motion a design competition that was held in 2009 and it called for designs for an "Olympic tower". A 9 panel commission made of the great and the good was set up to recommend to both Johnson and the government. It received about 50 submissions. Boris Johnson had said that his early concept for the project was something more modest than Orbit, along the lines of "a kind of 21st-century Trajan's Column", but this was dropped when more daring ideas were received. Boris Johnson was believed to want something like the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty what he and the government settled on was something completely different with Turner-Prize winning artist Sir Anish Kapoor in partnership with Cecil Balmond of Arup Group, an engineering firm.

Kapoor said that one of the influences on his design was the Tower of Babel, the sense of "building the impossible" that "has something mythic about it", and that the form "straddles Eiffel and Tatlin". Balmond, working on the metaphor of an orbit, envisaged an electron cloud moving, to create a structure that appears unstable, propping itself up, "never centred, never quite vertical". Both believe that Orbit represents a new way of thinking, "a radical new piece of structure and architecture and art" that uses non-linearity – the use of "instabilities as stabilities." The spaces inside the structure, in between the twisting steel, are "cathedral like", according to Balmond, while according to Kapoor, the intention is that visitors will engage with the piece as they wind "up and up and in on oneself" on the spiral walkway.

The Independent described Orbit as "a continuously looping lattice ... made up of eight strands winding into each other and combined by rings like a jagged knot". The Guardian describes it as a "giant lattice tripod sporting a counterweight collar around its neck designed to offset the weight of its head, a two-storey dining and viewing gallery". According to the BBC, the design incorporates the five Olympic rings.

Upon its launch Johnson said "It would have boggled the minds of the Romans. It would have boggled Gustave Eiffel." Nicholas Serota, a member of the design panel, said that Orbit was a tower with an interesting twist, with "the energy you might traditionally associate with this type of structure but in a surprisingly female form.”

When Anish Kapoor’s commission for the Olympic Park in London was unveiled no one really noticed, as most viewers thought it was still under construction.

Orbit confused viewers for sometime, but when they realised that the twisted metal structure in place was indeed an artwork they were up in arms. It was soon slammed by critics and citizens alike.

Overall reception to Orbit was mixed, but mostly negative. With regard to its potential as a lasting visitor attraction, The Guardian's Mark Brown reflected on the mixed fortunes of other large symbolic London visitor attractions such as the popular, but loss-making, Thames Tunnel; the Skylon structure, dismantled on the orders of Winston Churchill; and the successful London Eye. When plans were first reported for an Olympic tower, the media pointed to a manifesto pledge of Johnson's to crack down on tall buildings, in order to preserve London's "precious" skyline.  The Times criticised the idea as a vanity project of Johnson's, with a design "matching his bravado", built to "seal his legacy", surmising it would be compared to other similar vanity projects such as the "wedding cake", the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II built in Rome, or the Neutrality Arch, a rotating golden statue erected by Turkmenistan's President Saparmurat Niyazov, while comparing Johnson to Ozymandias. Art critic Brian Sewell said "Our country is littered with public art of absolutely no merit. We are entering a new period of fascist gigantism. These are monuments to egos and you couldn't find a more monumental ego than Boris."

The Times reported the description of it being the "Godzilla of public art". In October 2012, ArcelorMittal Orbit was nominated and made the Building Design magazine shortlist for the Carbuncle Cup - an award for the worst British building completed in the past year, which was ultimately awarded to the Cutty Sark renovation.

Jay Merrick of The Independent said that "[Orbit's] sculptural power lies in its ability to suggest an unfinished form in the process of becoming something else", describing how its artistic riskiness elevated it above the banal artworks of the public art movement that have been built elsewhere in Britain's towns and cities. Merrick was of the opinion that it would be either loved or hated, being a design which is "beautifully fractious, and not quite knowable".

Jonathan Glancey of The Guardian described Orbit as "Olympian in ambition" and a "fusion between striking art and daring engineering", and said that, the Aquatics Centre apart, it represented the architecturally striking Joker in the pack, given that the rest of the landscaping and architecture for the Games "promises little to get excited about". He believed it would become a "genuine eyecatcher" for the Olympics television coverage, with its extraordinary form being a "strange and enticing marriage of sorts" between the Eiffel Tower and the un-built early Soviet era Tatlin's Tower, with the biblical Tower of Babel as "best man".

The Times writer Tom Dyckhoff, while calling it "a gift to the tabloids" and a "giant Mr. Messy", questioned whether the Olympic site needed another pointless icon, postulating whether it would stand the test of time like the London Eye and become a true icon to match the Eiffel Tower, or a hopeless white elephant. Suggesting the project had echoes of Tatlin's Monument to the Third International, and especially Constant Nieuwenhuys' utopian city New Babylon, he asked whether Orbit was just as revolutionary or possessed the same ideological purpose, or whether it was merely "a giant advert for one of the world’s biggest multinationals, sweetened with a bit of fun".

Rowan Moore of The Guardian questioned if it was going to be anything more than a folly, or whether it would be as eloquent as the Statue of Liberty. He speculated that the project might mark the time when society stops using large iconic projects as a tool for lifting areas out of deprivation. He questioned its ability to draw people's attention to Stratford after the Games, in a similar manner to the successes of the Angel of the North or the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. He also questioned the piece's ability to strike a chord like the Angel, which he believed had at least "created a feelgood factor and sense of pride" in Gateshead, or whether it would simply become one of the "many more unloved rotting wrecks that no one has the nerve to demolish". He postulated that the addition of stairs and a lift made Orbit less succinct than Kapoor's previous successful works, while ultimately he said "hard to see what the big idea is, beyond the idea of making something big".

Fellow Guardian writer John Graham-Cumming rejected comparisons to icons like the Eiffel Tower, which had itself not been intended to be a lasting monument, only persisting into public acceptance as art through being useful; he also pointed out the Colossus of Rhodes collapsed within a few decades, and the Tower of Babel was "constructed to glorify those that constructed it." He suggested that a future mayor should reconsider whether it should be pulled down. Questioning its corporate role, he believed that meant it looked less and less like a work of art and more like a vanity project.

Even Sir Anish Kapoor acknowledged the criticism and said of its clunky features,“It’s an object with all its elbows sticking out and it is slightly awkward, but I think I made it for that reason, I wanted it to be slightly awkward.”

After the 2012 Olympic Games, the Orbit tower was used as an observation tower, running at a loss of £520,000 ($884,000) in 2014–15, according to the BBC—or losing up to £10,000 ($17,000) a week in 2014, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Amidst the rising clamour of the costs matched only by the disdainful disinterest in the massive sculpture, something had to be done.

To appease Londoners, ex-London Mayor Boris Johnson brought in Carsten Höller to add a slide to the 376 feet tall artwork, making it the highest slide in Europe.

Kapoor later said he was pushed into the high profile collaboration by Johnson. Kapoor would later say that Johnson’s request “felt to me as if it was turning the whole thing in the wrong direction.”

“It was not always my thinking. The mayor foisted this on the project and there was a moment where I had to make a decision - do I go to battle with the mayor or is there a more elegant or astute way through this?,” he told the Guardian.

“I knew of Carsten’s work so I thought, well, who better than a fellow artist to join up with and make this a positive story rather than a negative… Luckily, and thankfully, Carsten was open to it, so we found a way round this,” Kapoor explained.

Judging by the unforgettable success of Höller’s slide installation at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, it’s easy to imagine what made Kapoor click and extend the invitation to the Belgian-born Stockholm-based artist.

“One makes artworks for other reasons than profit,” Kapoor told the Guardian. “I understand this is run as a so-called attraction, which I have problems with personally… I want it to be slightly more highbrow than that, without wanting to be pompous about it. There’s a difference between a fairground ride and art,” he added.

Höller, meanwhile, took a more lighthearted approach, urging people to embrace “the amusement side of it.”

“A child might be here purely for the slide, while the serious art lover might see this in purely formalistic terms. I personally like the confusion, that you don’t know what it is but it still creates a very unique experience,” he told the Guardian.

 The ArcelorMittal Orbit re-opened to the public on 5 April 2014. Since then it has done below average business in attracting people to come and visit it or try the slide.

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), which runs the park where the sculpture is located, released numbers revealing the sculpture’s sizeable debt and a steep drop in visitors. Steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal had provided a £9.2 million ($11.2 million) loan to help pay for the original construction of the sculpture, but this loan has ballooned to £13 million due to the accrual of interest.

Ticket sales to the observation platform and a tunnel slide designed by Carsten Höller were meant to help repay the loan, but low visitor attendance prompted a £58,000 ($70,000) loss in 2018/19 alone. Visitor numbers have dropped from a high of 193,000 in 2016/17, when Höller’s slide was introduced, to 155,000 in 2018/19.

It’s not just an artistic folly but a commercial one too.

It's not wholly fanciful that such artistic scuptural landmarks can help lift places. No one can put a figure on jobs created or investments made in Gateshead thanks to the Angel of the North, but it has at least created a feelgood factor and sense of pride. The Bilbao Guggenheim of 1996, still the archetype of such town-boosting, certainly placed a relatively obscure city at the centre of attention.

Buildings can't do it alone and if people find their attention has been drawn only to a wasteland, they will go away again. The Guggenheim worked because there were also dull practical things in Bilbao such as new transport infrastructure and business parks.

But the most important ingredient of a successful icon is that it works artistically. It has to strike a chord, sound the right note, catch a mood, win hearts and confound sceptics. In other words it has to be aesthetically pleasing because it’s good art made by equally by great craft and graft.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit has become an unloved rotting wreck that no one has the nerve to demolish.

[wolfpawn]

Hiding in Plain Sight, Chapter 5

Story Summary - Imagine coming from a line of nobility or royalty and being in an arranged marriage with Loki in an attempt to strengthen your kingdom / alliance with Asgard. You’re not entirely on board with the idea but figured that the best you could do was to get to know your fiancé. You form an agreement with Frigga for you to pose as Loki’s personal servant for a few months so you can get to know who Loki really is – beyond the veil of his responsibility to the Asgardian throne, behind all the masks he wears when facing the public, to really know who Loki is behind closed doors as you slowly fall for each other. How long will you keep up the ruse with the God of Lies?

Chapter Summary - Loki tries to set things straight with Raven but then Thor is thrown into the mix.

Previous Chapter

Tags - @peppermint-j  @alexakeyloveloki @cateyes315 @laserpente @bravotheroyalfool @teylacarter91 @heavenly1927

@myblissfulparadise - it won’t let me tag you.

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Raven could feel her heart pounding in her ears as Thor looked at her. He glanced at Loki for a moment who seemed to be studying him, curious as to why he was reacting as he was. “Looks like your soon-to-be wife isn’t the only Light Elf you need to get used to seeing.” Thor scoffed. “Like I was saying, I will deal with my situation when it comes to pass, you deal with yours now as it does.” “Get stuffed.” Loki snarled moving to the side to allow Raven passed him which she did in case Thor would say anything. “And don’t go sniffing around my maid. I don’t know why you seem so interested as you never thought them overly interesting as a race but you can cease such thoughts now.”

“I never even considered such but now that you mention it, she is quite pretty, don’t you think?” 

Loki’s response to his brother was to slam the door with his seidr into his face. He walked through the room and to the bathroom where he had watched Raven go out of the side of his eye after she had entered his rooms. “Branna, I...what in the realms are you doing?”

“Cleaning a wound I obtained when you threw an Aesir war prince onto me.”

“In my defence, I did not know you were there.” Loki winced on seeing the deep cut on her forearm. “I apologise but how is it so deep?” he walked over to one of the cabinets and got out a salve he used on occasion. “It was a smooth floor.” “The floor is gold plated, so yes, that was smooth. The armour plating on the behemoth of an Aesir you threw onto me was not.”

Loki grimaced. “I guess I owe you another apology then?”

“I’ll put it on your tab.” 

Loki paused and looked at her startled, surprised to see a playful smirk on her face that caused him to chuckle. “You have a sense of humour?” “Most elves do. You’d know that if you stopped assuming our demeanours based on some unfounded preconceived notion.”

“Your vernacular exceeds that of most women of court.”

“It is expected on Alfheim that you are able to converse with your employer on a multitude of subjects so you must be well learned and you must be able to hold a decent conversation with them. Allspeak is also required in case they have guests from the other realms, it’s common practise really.” Every word she spoke was the truth by Ljósáfar standard. 

“That’s a wise decision. Intelligent servants are not overly common here, ones you can converse with are even less so.”

“‘Pay peanuts and you get monkeys’ as the saying goes.” She cleaned the wound and applied the salve. “That looks better. Hopefully, if I ever marry, he won’t think me mutilated by it.”

Loki scoffed slightly. “He would want to have peculiar standards as to what is mutilated. But that statement on the monkeys?” “I spoke to a Vanir before who spent time on Midgard, it is a saying there. It translates to ‘if you pay badly, only the least qualified will apply’. Alfheim pays well and expects a lot for the money paid.”

“If it is so great, why come here? You stated to my mother you are homesick. You clearly are not overly pleased with your position, so why come?”

“My father wished for me to experience life elsewhere so I ended up here. My choice was made for me so I am making the best of it. It just so happened that my being in a certain place at a certain time meant I was chosen to cover for Tatiana. I guess the Allmother felt a maid with Ljósláfar training would suit you best in her stead.” Raven suggested. “Either that or she is trying to teach you humility before you break a young princess’s confidence or heart.”

“Her heart?” Loki thought that an odd thing to say. “She does not know me to have her heart broken by me?” “We can break a person’s heart without it being from love, you know?” Raven scoffed but Loki looked at her bewildered by such words. “She could come here thinking that she has the potential not even for the love of her life but of a life with happiness nonetheless. A husband that could converse with her at length about politics or even a man with hobbies similar to her own who she could find contentment with. Were she to come and see nothing short of contempt, then that would be acknowledging she could never even have that much. So many arranged marriages turn to caring but what I experienced here today, perhaps your mother wished to straighten out your behaviour in advance, the only issue being I am the one forced to endure it.”

Loki remained stoically in place for a moment thinking of what she said. “Could she have?” “Could she what?”

“My mother?”

“I cannot tell, she never told me anything only that I was to temporarily replace your other maid. No timeframe, no other information.”

“And the Princess, would she really…?” Raven cocked her head. “Earlier, you stated that she would wish to know if I had someone because she…”

“If you think that you alone have the right to other partners, then that is ridiculous.”

“But if she was to have another’s child as my wife…?”

“Well, good thing you’re not scheduled to become king.” Raven retorted before walking out of the bathing room and into the front area of Loki’s rooms and continued her earlier duties that she had abandoned in her anger. 

“That is unacceptable.” Loki followed after her. 

“So is having a mistress in this era.” Raven challenged. 

“You are very angry about a subject that does not concern you personally.” Loki folded his arms and watched her carefully. 

“I cannot stomach double standards.”

“You’re very opinionated for a woman of your position. I can’t see how many in a position of employment would see it as acceptable.”

“Do you find it acceptable?” “I find silent women unsettling. Your gender is as varied in personality as us men meaning there is no reason a woman should be forced to be silent when we commend men for speaking freely.” Loki stated. “I find my mother to be more intelligent than any man, I would be a hypocrite and a fool to think her the only possible intelligent woman.”

“My father always told me I should be more coy and quiet. That my attitude and sarcasm would get me in trouble.”

“That was solid advice.”

“But I cannot remain silent when I see injustice. I would rather be whipped and caned in a stock for speaking out than live in luxury for remaining silent.”

“That is a bold statement.” Loki could not help but be impressed by her conviction. “But if you believe so greatly in such, why did you not reveal the truth to my mother?”

“I don’t know, if I am honest. I ask myself the same thing.”

“Well, thank you all the same.” 

“It remains to be seen if that is a good idea.” She turned away from him and started to do more chores. In truth, having a moment to look at him and study features, Raven was startled at just how handsome he was. Aesir men tended to be burly and stocky but he was elegant and lithe. She had, of course, seen him on her arrival to the room but being in close proximity to him and studying him, she could not deny that he was incredibly attractive, distractingly so. 

She forced herself to concentrate on the work and not the arrogant yet handsome prince. For the rest of the evening, she did everything she needed to do for him. More than once she found herself confused as to what something in front of her was. It was not always easy but she was able to do what needed doing without looking as though she had no idea of what she was doing. Loki was busy dealing with different matters both in and out of his rooms. With him gone for the evening, Raven took her leave and went back to her rooms as quickly as she could muster through the labyrinth of servants stairs that hid in the walls of the great golden palace. On occasion, she saw another servant or maid who nodded in salute as they went about their own business and even once came across two youths of higher families hiding in an alcove kissing which caused her to smile and shake her head, remembering when she was that age and also her first kiss. It was a far more innocent time in her life when she knew nothing of the complexed world of politics that included arranged political marriages. It was in the corridor of rooms that housed royal servants that she realised that there was a maid donning a red belt standing outside her door. “Hello?” 

The maid turned to look at her with a polite smile on her face at seeing the Light Elf behind her. “Oh, thank goodness. I didn’t want to come back without you.”

“Come back?” Raven looked at the maid in concern. 

“Prince Thor asked that I retrieve you and bring you to his rooms to speak for a few moments,” The maid explained. 

“I…” Raven became worried but also knew that to refuse would arouse suspicion. “Can I just change my shoes, these ones are killing me?”

The maid looked down and grimace. “I hated wearing them. Definitely change. Prince Thor said he didn’t care if I came barefoot so long as I was comfortable when he saw me with them one day and bleeding blisters. He won’t mind.” 

Raven smiled at hearing the Aesir Crowned Prince had a heart. Odin was known to be a stickler for tradition but it was clear, some traditions were not overly comfortable for those having to adhere to them so for Thor to allow his maid to wear what appeared to be Midgardian sports shoes instead told her that he had some heart. “One moment.”

She rushed into the room and groaned. She knew what was to come, or at least, the general aspect of what was to come so she prepared herself. When she changed her shows to light comfortable ones, she walked out to meet the maid again who walked her to Thor’s rooms. Raven was frightened that they would walk through the hallway and be spotted by Loki who she knew would be less than pleased to see her going to Thor’s room but instead, when the maid, who remained silent and nameless throughout opened the door at the top of the stairwell, it led directly to Thor’s living area. Slightly startled, Raven looked around curiously. 

“Your Highness.” The maid bowed as she spoke causing Raven to focus of the burly blonde figure in front of her across the room. “Loki’s maid, as you requested.”

“Thank you, Hannah.” Thor gave a polite smile to his maid. “You can have the rest of the evening to yourself.”

The maid frowned. “But your nightcap?”

“I am forgoing it for this evening, I don’t plan to be here.”

“Of course, your highness. Have a pleasant evening and thank you.” She bowed again before nodding slightly to Raven and walking to the hidden door to the servants quarters again. 

For a moment after the maid left, Thor and Raven stood looking at one another analytically as though expecting the other to begin speaking first. 

“What is afoot here?” Thor asked. “The last time I saw the Light Elf princess was four hundred years ago on Vanaheim, she was not yet grown into many of her features but they were distinctive, you have them all, but in proportion. Her name is Raven, you are apparently Branna, the Dark Elf version of the name. I know many people think I am somewhat dim but I am anything but.” Thor stood as tall as he could. “What is afoot? Why are you, a princess who I know for a fact is not allowed to so much as sew because you had that argument with your mother in front of your brother and myself going around scrubbing my brother’s rooms when you are to marry him in a short time?”

[thebadgerclan]

Family Name

Pairing: Sirius Black x reader (Golden Era)

Requested by Anonymous

Summary: Being a Malfoy casts an impression, and not a very good one

The Malfoy name was like a brand on your skin, warning others to stay far away from you.  This was mostly thanks to your brother, Lucius, and the rest of your family. If there was such a thing as being the polar opposite of a Malfoy, you were it. You were the only Malfoy not to be sorted into Slytherin, you could care less about someone’s blood status, even your appearance was different, your hair a stark contrast to the bleach blond the rest of the family boasted.

When you were in school, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and James Potter were your only friends.  They saw past your name and accepted you for you, defending you from the cruel Slytherins who called you a disgrace to the Malfoy name.  After school, you became an Auror, further driving the wedge between you and the Malfoy name.

When you heard that the Order of The Phoenix was regrouping, you jumped at the chance to join.  Sirius’ home was warm when you entered, and Remus took your coat from you.  “It’s so good to see you Y/N!” he said, hugging you.  “Everyone’s in the kitchen, we’re about to start.”  You followed him into the kitchen, and all eyes fell on you.  

“What the hell is she doing here?”  “That’s Malfoy’s sister.”  “Draco’s aunt?”  “Yep, that’s the one.”  Eyes bore into your soul judgmentally.  This is why you avoided this until now, you knew this would happen.  “Y/N!”  Sirius entered the room, pulling you into an embrace.  The two of you had a fling 7th year, but it was never more than that.  There was tension between you two, and you hoped it wouldn’t get in the way.

“We’re really letting her in?  Rem, her brother’s a Death Eater!” a woman with pink hair said rather loudly.  “You’ll remember,” Sirius interjected.  “That the whole of my family were pureblood freaks.  All but me.  We can’t judge based on someone’s family.”  The pink haired woman rolled her eyes.  Just then, Mundungus Fletcher spoke from his seat in the corner.

“The little whore’s just here to spy,” he said, sounding bored.  Sirius’ face went red and he stalked over to him.  “If you ever,” he punched Fletcher in the nose.  “Speak ill of Y/N, again, you’ll be banned from the Order, understood?”  Mundungus nodded before pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing at the blood that was now running down his lip.

“Are you alright?” Sirius asked.  What came over you, you didn’t know, but you flung your arms around his neck and kissed him.  When you pulled away, Sirius was smiling.  “I’ve wanted to do that since we left school,” you said, blushing.  He kissed you again before taking his seat.  “Then you should have done it sooner,” he teased.  “I call this meeting of the Order of The Phoenix to order….”

[scvrllet]

congrats on 2k my love! 🦋 for umbrella academy and/or harry potter please! name is P and im short, brown hair, brown/black eyes, freckles. she/her and male preference for ship please! i'm a ravenclaw, wand is hazel wood with a unicorn hair core, 10 ½" and hard flexibility, irish wolfhound is my patronus and golden trio era please! i love baking, singing and writing! i really dislike carrots and ignorant people. i'm really loyal and ambitious and trustworthy and understanding. thank you!<3

I ship you with...

Ben Hargreeves

Let’s pretend he’s 18/19 for this headcanon’s sake

The two of you probably met while the Umbrella Academy was on a mission one day. He was covered in blood and looked miserable but he sparked your interest as the two of you locked eyes for a brief second

Little did the two of you know that you would both meet again later that night when Ben snuck out to go to the local diner for a donut and a milkshake

He saw you sitting a booth all alone and decided that you could use some company so he went over to your seat and said:“Hi could I sit here?”

“Oh uhm, yeah of course.” You said after your shock of seeing him stand in front of you wore off which was thankfully rather quickly 

You were pleasantly surprised when you found out that he wasn’t a cocky and ignorant child like many famous children were seen as

The night seemed to go by so quickly because before you knew it, your table was littered with many empty plates and mugs of hot chocolate and the diner owner was pushing you two out the door

Like the sweetheart he is, he offered to walk you home which was much farther from the Academy but he didn’t mind though it was terribly late by the time you both got there

“Why don’t you stay the night? It’s not safe out during this hour.” 

“P I’m a superhero, I’ll be fine. But I will stay if it makes you feel better.”

And that’s exactly what he did, expect instead of sleeping the two of you sat on your couch talking until you eventually passed out

When you finally woke up, it was the afternoon and you were sleeping alone on the couch with a blanket wrapped around you

Your place was quiet and you highly doubted that Ben was still here

On your coffee table you saw a note which read: Dad didn’t know I snuck out, I’ll see you again tomorrow. -Ben

So the next night, at the same time and place, you met with Ben again and the same thing happened: multiple plates and mugs on your table, the owner pushing you out the door, then walking back to your place where you would talk all night until you passed out

And each morning when you woke up there was always a note and day for when the next late night meet-ups would happen

This went on for nearly two months and every-time, he rarely spoke about his family though he didn’t avoid the topic completely. If you had nay questions or curiosities he was happy to answer them, he just felt as though mentioning his family was bragging in a way and he didn’t want to be that kind of person

So the shock you felt when you entered the diner to see the seats filled with the rest of his siblings was almost overwhelming

“P, these are my siblings. Guys this is P.” Ben introduced as you walked up to the booth and that was the first of many nights where the Hargreeves siblings would sneak out of bed every weekend their father was out of town to meet up with you. Ben still went every other Tuesday and Friday for some time just between the two of you though

and Cedric Diggory

Cedric was walking to the kitchens after Quidditch practice for a snack when the sweet smell of vanilla filled his senses and he could’ve sworn he heard someone singing

“Dinner might be good tonight.” He thought to himself as walked through the doors to the kitchens only to see it almost empty causing him to wonder where that smell came from if the House Elves weren’t making anything as of now

Shrugging the thought off, he walked towards the fridge only to freeze in his steps when he saw a student taking something out of the oven. They were humming a song and didn’t seem to sense his presence 

When they turned around, they almost dropped the tray of baked cookies and that was when Cedric realized who it was

“P, what are you doing here?” He asked after you placed the tray of cookies onto the counter-top

Hufflepuff shared quite a few classes with Ravenclaw so it wasn’t a surprise that you both knew each-other though you’ve never really spoken 

“I’m uh, baking.” For some reason it sounded like a lie despite it being the truth. The evidence was right there in front of you

Cedric mentally slapped himself for asking such a stupid question 

“Oh right.” 

It was very awkward silence between the two of you for a  few seconds until you offered him a cookie which he gladly accepted. He even offered to stay and help you clean up, suddenly forgetting his previous desires to get a quick snack than go to bed until dinner 

Of course, it was quite awkward as you two cleaned up the mess you had created and your small-talk turned into a conversation about your classes 

Mainly complaining about Snape 

The conversation sadly ended by the time you were finished in the kitchens and you both realized dinner was going to start soon. He walked you back to your Common Room - despite your many protests because “there’s a lot of stairs you know?” - and didn’t seem to complain the way up

Not expecting to talk to him again, you were surprised to see him walk up to you after class on Monday with a soft smile as he asked about your day

It was a short conversation but you appreciated the gesture

He would often walk into the kitchens in hopes of seeing you. Most of the time he does but other times it’s only the House Elves but when he does walk in on you baking, you usually don’t notice until he says something

“You have a beautiful singing voice you know?” 

Always manages to scare you by doing so causing you to glare at him for making you almost drop what you were holding

“If you do that again I’m not giving you any.” 

He’s just so sweet and spends most of his free time with you whether it be in the library, the kitchens, or an empty corridor. He doesn’t care where, as long as it’s with you

not my gifs

(SHIP REQUESTS ATE CLOSED)

join my sleepover event!

[ohshcscenerios]

“Ritsu x Haruhi, Lycanthropes (shape shifters), romance/smut, red eyes. I really like the idea of making Ritsu a kingly type while Haruhi is a lowly servant girl working in his castle. And can you make Ritsu a dragon.............and Haruhi is the last female dragon shape shifter.....and the way he finds out is from her eyes.......her red eyes...... Give me this fic daddy?”

I received this prompt request three days ago and I absolutely had to write it. I didn’t expect for it be take so long or for the story to be so long but as most writers know, sometimes stories demand to be written in a certain way. I hope you enjoy!

Golden sunlight filtered through an open window as a new day was born. Life beyond the castle’s stone walls was rising to greet the morning. Birds cheerfully chirped in the blooming sakura trees, families of rabbits emerged from their burrowed nests, and the fields of wild flowers cascading from the castle’s foundation opened their petals for the nourishing sunlight. Beyond the hills of wild tulips the townspeople began their busy daily routines in keeping their kingdom thriving, if not for themselves than to appease the king.

The king had earned his kingdom’s respect since the day of his noble birth for he stood as the last of his kind; a dragon shifter. His vivid red hair represented his strength as not only a dragon shifter but as a leader for the color red represented unmatchable power among his kind.

Or rather – among him.

King Ritsu Kasanoda groaned as blinding sunlight crashed against his tired eyes. He rolled over beneath his quilts and adjusted his feathered pillow before closing his eyes again, hoping he could steal a few more minutes of much needed sleep.

Last night his troubled mind wouldn’t grant him sleep. He tossed and turned but his mind wouldn’t surrender to his much needed rest. The haunting comments from yesterday’s council meeting plagued his mind, forcing him to live a nightmare until he could slip into his dreams.

He was forced to call a meeting among his most trusted advisors and councilmen to discuss the urgent matter of finding an heir to one day pass his throne to. He was unmarried and without children of his own which further complicated his situation.

The truth was, he could pass his throne down to anyone who he deemed fit. The next king wasn’t obligated to also be a dragon shifter. In terms of his kingdom’s success his throne was safe. It was the death of his own lineage that greatly troubled him.

His birth marked the beginning of a new era for it provided his parents hope for the continuation of their kind. However after his tenth birthday their future became drastically bleak. His parents were assassinated by a kingdom three days away who had been declaring war for the past three decades, wagering their land. They were poisoned by one of their maids who had betrayed them for money.

Since that dark day Ritsu wouldn’t dare eat anything unless one of his staff tasted the food first. Ten years later it had become a routine his maids were well accustomed to; all except for one.

A knock sounding on the wooden door immediately caught his attention. He groaned as he ran a heavy hand down his face, mourning his lost opportunity for more sleep.

“You may enter.” He called out.

A small maid slipped past the thick door with his breakfast on a metal tray; porridge with poached egg and fresh strawberries. She walk to his bedside and carefully placed the tray at the bed’s end.

Ritsu hadn’t seen this young maid before. Her appearance was almost uniformed to the rest of his maids; long dark hair, fair skin, and slim physique. However, when she turned to greet him he realized what set her apart. She had the most beautiful brown doe eyes.

“What is your name?” Ritsu asked.

The young maid corrected her posture and answered, “Haruhi. Haruhi Fujioka, your majesty.”

“I haven’t seen you before. Are you a new hire?” He sat up and propped himself against the headboard. His quilts fell into his lap, revealing his bare chest. Haruhi averted her eyes away for the sake of being modest.

“I’ve served in this castle for ten years. I was hired into the kitchen staff. I was asked to bring you your breakfast this morning after your personal maid fell ill.” She answered as she focused on the floor.

Ritsu nodded, her explanation having satisfied his curiosity, and waited for her to taste the porridge. Instead Haruhi curtsied and turned to leave.

Ritsu loudly cleared his throat, “Are you forgetting something?”

Haruhi stopped before she reached for the door and turned around to the scan the bedroom. Her eyes trailed her path, then the bed, then the king himself – instantly blushing upon seeing his nakedness.

“I was just told to deliver your breakfast, your majesty.” She responded, beginning to feel miffed.

She had been working in his castle for nearly ten years now and yet today was the first time she has properly met the king. She had to admit, he was quite handsome. His sharp features and toned chest made him appear very masculine and strong. She quickly dismissed her juvenile thoughts and quietly chastised her lapse in composure. She couldn’t allow herself to have such colluding thoughts about their honorable king.

Ritsu looked at the breakfast tray and cleared his throat again. Without moving, Haruhi followed his eyes and studied the food, wondering what it was she needed to consider. She remembered his silverware, a freshly ironed cloth napkin, and some mint leaves for afterwards.

Ritsu crossed his arms, “If it’s true that you’ve been working in my castle for a decade then you should know I need my food tasted before I can eat it.” He was beginning to sound angry which didn’t fair well with Haruhi. Her honest mistake didn’t deserve his darkening attitude.

She walked back to his bed with a frown, picked up the spoon, and brought a small dip of porridge past her lips. She used her apron to wipe the spoon clean after she swallowed.

“It appears to be fine.” She said, hoping to hide her rising agitation.

Ritsu waved her off, “Very well.”

He wanted to be left alone, to wallow in his frustration in privacy. He didn’t have much time before he needed to promise the throne to an heir and the crushing weight of his reality was slowly souring him.

Haruhi deepened her frown at his rudeness and turned away to leave however something caught his attention; something impossible. No quicker than a blink her eyes flashed a brilliant shade of red before returning to their subtle brown.

“Stop!” Ritsu yelled out as he threw his quilts to the side. He didn’t notice nor cared that his only clothing was slacks, he needed to make sure what he had just seen wasn’t an illusion of his plagued mind.

Just as he grabbed her arm he spun her around to face him and grabbed her shoulders.

“Your eyes… I saw them turn red…” He stammered, praying with as much faith as he could muster in that moment that he wasn’t hallucinating. “You’re a dragon shifter.”

Haruhi stilled in his grasp and stared at him in shock. She knew the king was a dragon shifter. She had known long before she began working in his castle. She didn’t realize he thought he was the only one.

“Yes, I am.” She said.

“You… Do you know what this means? Do you know what this means for our kind? My parents wasted years searching for another dragon shifter. I believed I was the only one…” Ritsu couldn’t control the words cascading off his tongue. The relief he momentarily felt gave way to a conflicting cocktail of emotions burden his chest. If she were truly a dragon shifter then what could that mean for him? Were there others like them who remained hidden throughout the world… or was fate cruel enough to have them stand as the last of their kind?

“Your parents… Where do your parents live?” Ritsu needed to see with his own eyes if there were more like him. It would make sense why Haruhi’s family was able to hide in the shadows for so long. His parents had sent a search party outside their kingdom but never thought to search within.

Haruhi’s irritated expression relaxed as she watched him carefully, “My parents have passed.”

Ritsu loosened his grip on her shoulders and let his hands fall to his side. Fate truly was cruel.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly, ashamed of his abrasive behavior.

“They were killed by poachers for their scales. I came to this castle as an orphan. I was given a job and a bed and for that I’ll serve under you until my last breath. I’ve been given a new life, a safe life, and for that I’m grateful.”

Haruhi wasn’t sure why she felt the need to present her gratitude. Perhaps she wanted to offer her thanks while she could freely speak to him or perhaps his disheveled state of mind frightened her. Either way, it somehow succeeded in calming him down.

Ritsu nodded and took a step back, “I’m glad my people have been good to you. However, there is something we need to discuss.”

.

.

“We can’t be the last ones,” Haruhi said quietly, “we just can’t be.” She tried to digest what Ritsu had just told her but she didn’t want to accept the harsh truth. If what he said were true, that his men failed in finding another dragon shifter, then that meant their kind was on the brink of extinction… if not already.

“Unfortunately we are… which leads us to a difficult decision.” Ritsu said regretfully. Now that he had met the last female dragon shifter it would appear their solution was standing right in front of him. However he wasn’t confident if Haruhi would feel compelled to do him this service, even for the sake of their kind. Although he was the king he also knew he was a stranger in her eyes; a stranger who she had just met that morning.

Haruhi watched him carefully for a moment, almost skeptically, “Which decision is that?”

Ritsu took a deep breath and took a moment to mentally prepare himself for the difficult conversation.

“Haruhi, because you are the last female dragon shifter and I am the last male dragon shifter… it could only mean one thing for us. It’s our responsibility to continue our kind.”

“You mean it’s my responsibility to bear your children.” Haruhi said sullenly. She was beginning to understand their situation and what would need to be done for the sake of their kind but she a part of her selfishly wanted to walk away.

Before her parent’s untimely death they taught her to love her special gift and honor the blessing they had been born with however they discouraged her from shifting. They warned her of poachers who didn’t see their second form as a gift of nature but rather a pile of gold. Their scales could be formed into beautiful swords and jewelry which put a hefty price on their bodies. They lived secluded from the main villages to protect their family but unfortunately two poachers caught wind of their humble cottage hidden deep in the wood and they came by night with axes. Haruhi only survived because her mother forced her to hide beneath the floor boards.

She understood Ritsu’s proposal in saving their kind but she couldn’t help but consider if their kind should continue. If they were successful in having children, would she want to raise them in this world? In a world where they’d fear for their lives?

“I understand your proposal, your majesty, but I’m afraid I’m not sure if I should.” She confessed.

Ritsu narrowed his eyes, “You’re not sure you should? Of course you should. If you don’t agree to this our kind will die with us. Dragon shifters will forever be lost to the world.”

“Would that be such a bad thing?” Haruhi barked back, “This world is cruel and unforgiving. Perhaps there is no longer a place for dragon shifters.”

Ritsu stepped forward as anger quickly distorted his expression, “You will let our kind die? You extinguish our gift?” He couldn’t control his rising voice as unpleasant rage began to consume him.

Haruhi stepped forward defensively, feeding off his anger, “We need to think about this thoroughly-.”

“We don’t need to!” He interrupted, “We have been blessed with this opportunity but you’d rather see this as a curse.” His hands tightened into fists, his chest heaved with labored breaths, and his voice echoed off the stone walls as he spoke.

Haruhi felt herself being provoked to her edge as anger welled inside her, sparking a strange sensation to spread throughout her body. Her muscles tensed while a scolding heat rushed through her veins, making her feel light headed. She had felt this way once before when she was a child but her mother quickly calmed her down before she could shift.

Unfortunately, her mother was no longer here.

Haruhi felt a white heat consume her body before her vision blurred, completely blinding her. It happened so fast yet she felt every second clash against her like an explosion.

Her vision slowly returned, allowing her to first see bright lights cast along shadows before more details came into focus. The bedroom was suddenly smaller, almost cramp, and her view drastically shifted to a higher perspective. Beyond her physical changes she also felt a charged energy coursing through her, almost encouraging her to test her strength.

“You’re beautiful.”

Haruhi looked down and was surprised to see her king appear so small. He stared at her in awe, nearly slack jawed.

Haruhi dared a glance behind her and was shocked to see a slim long body decorated in white scales. The morning sunlight reflected off her scales, making them shimmer like brilliant diamonds. She couldn’t form a single coherent thought as she stared at her new body, completely amazed.

She was beautiful.

A rushing wind brought her attention back to her king except what she found wasn’t the king, per say. He also shifted into his dragon form and now stood before her as a radiant creature. He was larger than her but that was to be expected when comparing a male to a female. His red scales also caught the morning sunlight but their shine was different. They didn’t simply reflect the light but seemed to consume it and project it back with a red hue.

She knew red was a powerful color among their kind and the king displayed that power brilliantly. He radiated the glory of their kind and it encouraged tears to her eyes.

They were the last of a marvelous breed… and she couldn’t allow them to disappear. Now that she stood face to face with her kind she couldn’t allow their species to die in the shadows.

Haruhi knew what she needed to do.

She bowed her head as she lowered her front legs, kneeling before Ritsu. She then lifted her tail, silently inviting Ritsu to proceed.

He lowly growled as he stepped around her kneeling body, mindful of his steps. He didn’t want to crush his furniture below his paws. It was a shame that she shifted in his bedroom considering their limited space but it did provide their much needed privacy.

Ritsu mounted her from behind and carefully situated himself above her hips. He leaned forward and snaked his ling neck around Haruhi’s, pressing his reassurance and gratitude into his gentle touches.

He positioned himself at her entrance and pushed himself into her. Haruhi instantly reacted to the pain, struggling beneath his grasp. He rubbed his head against hers as he growled, begging her to calm down. He didn’t dare to move until Haruhi whimpered, granting him her permission.

Ritsu slowly pumped himself into her, careful not to hurt her again. He nuzzled his head along her neck as he moved, hoping his caresses helped her relax. He was rapidly nearing his peak and after a few more guttural thrusts he expelled his seed into her. Haruhi lifted her hips as he pressed her into the floor.

.

.

Haruhi didn’t know when she fell asleep. She didn’t know if her exhaustion could be blamed on her first shifting or her first intimate experience. Either way, she never expected to wake up in a comfortable bed wrapped in warm quilts.

She slowly opened her eyes to find herself staring at a wooden ceiling, a rather strange sight. If she were in her personal cot in the maid quarters she should have been in a tightly knit stone room with one lamp and one nightstand beside her. Instead, the room she was residing in large and well adorned with antiques and priceless collections.

The window along the far wall proved it was now the late evening.

“You’re awake.” A deep voice said beside her.

Haruhi jerked to her left to see the kind lying beside her – naked. She lifted the quilts that covered her to peak underneath, dreading to know the truth.

She was also naked.

The memories of what had happened that morning flooded into the forefront her mind as she remembered her conversation with the king, discovering they were the last two of their kind, and then…

“You and I… we…” she stammered, mortified. She didn’t want to know what her king thought of her now; a young woman who willingly gave herself away to a man she had just met. She was a rational person by nature and yet she easily offered her innocence to her king.

“Something troubles you.” He commented, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He saw the confliction in her eyes as she watched him.

Haruhi nodded, “I apologize, your majesty. I’ve shamed myself in front of you. Forgive me.”

Ritsu smiled and shook his head, “No Haruhi, you did the right thing. Because of you our species can live.” He propped himself onto his side and looked down to her, reaching for her hand to lock their fingers together, “Because of you I can pass my throne down to a worthy heir.”

Haruhi arched an eyebrow, “What if we don’t conceive a son?”

“Then we’ll keep trying until we do.” He replied before pulling her close.

[lovehaswonangelnumbers]

New Post has been published on https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/333-in-the-month-of-december/

333 in the Month of December

333 in the Month of December

By  Gillian MacBeth-Louthan

  As the light lines up for this special holiday season, all aspects of stellar light seems to be a little brighter, a little more magical. The Spirit of love seems to be alive knocking upon the hearts of lots of closet scrooges. If you were given one day to live over what would it be? Would it be this very day that is the true presence? We are architects of our life and it can be no other way. Sometimes you are given a project to infuse with light, healing the land and people and then you are asked to release it like a fledgling eagle. Allowing it to be something else entirely, trusting the universe will take care of it.

The true meaning of Christmas makes its way forward as we enter the 12:12 energy of the Holy Mother. Ascension Day in some religions, Our Lady day in others. It is a portal of the Virgin Mary in her perfect stance and 12 strand DNA. (The number 12 means a complete cycle of experience. 12 precious stones in the oracle breastplate of the high priest, set in gold with God’s unidentified names. 12 apostles, 12 signs zodiac. The soul attracts that which it needs to learn. Reversal of negativity.)

The shortest day of the year 12/21/2019 (mirror image of 12:12) asks us to become the extra light that is needed to push through the dark night of the soul. To become that which we do not see in our lives. To become hope and faith and love starting with self and all life choices. To become a living light no matter what season it is.

The vibration and Holiness of the number 333 gifts forth of its teachings and miracles three times in the month of December. 333 has always been as seen as a golden key that unlocks Universal secrets. This vibration displays itself like a cosmic peacock on these upcoming power dates.

12-3-2019

12-12-2019

12-21-2019

For me personally these energies speak of the Holy Mother. I have celebrated 12:12 physically and energetically for many many years in churches and grottos all over the world, Allowing these holy light particles to land upon my heart. When you look at these dates on a calendar they line up like a pointer in time directing us to the end of a time period, an era. 2020 calls itself ‘the big reveal’ Lord only knows what that means!

I feel that time as we know it will dimensionally shift in 2020. We will no longer reside at the same Plateau, longitude, latitude, or even elevation. We are getting a new Celestial address energetically psychically and biologically. These power days come to display their wares and truths in a fashion that Humanity can receive. No matter what religion one is, the Holy Mother resides within their heart as the Silent Witness and Great Comforter. On this power, days move your awareness upward and out of this fifth-dimensional corral.

Make a conscious effort to hold the Holiness of this Christmas month in the form of 333 for it will never come again. Love deeply as if your life depended on it.

~~~~~~~~~

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[garywonghc]

An Introduction To Buddhism (1 of 2)

by Chogye Trichen Rinpoche

This is a teaching about the importance of cultivating positive emotions such as loving kindness and compassion, and how this will promote well being, not only in ourselves, but also in the greater world we all share.

[A Buddhist Aeon] In order to put the Buddhist tradition into context and understand how a fully enlightened one appears in this world, it is important to know about kalpas, the aeons or cycles of time. Within a given cycle of time, there is always the formation of a physical environment of the 'outer elements', and this environment will be inhabited by sentient beings such as ourselves. A kalpa time cycle is divided according to three phases: First, there is the process of coming into being or 'creation'; next, the time span during which the environment and beings abide; and finally, the phase of cessation, where that cosmos and the beings within it disappear. A kalpa or aeon in which a fully enlightened one appears is called an aeon of light, or 'fortunate' aeon. It is fortunate because a fully enlightened one appears in the world and bestows the light of spiritual intelligence upon the beings there. In contrast, there are the dark aeons, those cycles of creation in which no enlightened being will appear. It is also said that the dark aeons are more numerous than the aeons of light.

[A Fortunate Aeon] The particular cycle in which we now live is of a very special type, known as a 'fortunate' aeon. At the beginning of this fortunate aeon, there was a Chakravartin, a universal monarch of great power known as Tsibkyi Mugyu, or Arenemi. As ruler at an early stage in the formation of that aeon, King Arenemi enjoyed a reign of great prosperity, harmony, and well being. This was true not only for the realm of the gods, but also for the human worlds. Although officially King Arenemi may not have had many queens, still it is said that as a great universal regent, he had thousands of queens. We are also told that these queens bore him more than one thousand princes. Due to his vast merit, merely by gesturing to one of these women and calling her his queen, she was able to bear him a son. King Arenemi gave rise to the wish that each of his sons could share among themselves the rule of his kingdom.

In those times, there lived a Buddha, the historical Buddha of that era, just as the historical Buddha of our era is Shakyamuni. These are fully enlightened Buddhas who display the twelve great deeds of an enlightened one. The Buddha of that era was known as Mahavairochana. The king approached Buddha Mahavairochana, saying that he had fathered more than one thousand sons, and asking how he might bless each son to enjoy a worthy and meaningful reign as king. The king asked if he might offer the services of these princes to Buddha Mahavairochana, in order that his sons might bear even greater fruits of virtue. The Buddha accepted King Arenemi's request, taking the princes as his disciples. The king offered his sons to the Buddha with great aspirations, wondering in his heart when they would become equal to the Buddha himself. He asked Mahavairochana, 'When will they be like you?' The Buddha reassured the king that all of the princes, as his disciples, would one day certainly become fully enlightened ones. Over the progression of the cycles of time, it is said that an aeon of light is generally followed by a dark aeon. This particular aeon in which we dwell is known as a Bhadrakalpa, an 'extremely auspicious aeon'. At the beginning of the formation of this aeon, it is said that in the middle of the universal ocean there blossomed a one-thousand petalled golden lotus flower. This wondrous lotus sprung up with such force that it reached to the heights of the realms of the gods or devas. The appearance of the golden lotus caused the gods to exclaim, "What a wonder it is to witness the blooming of the thousand petalled golden lotus! It is an auspicious omen, signifying the coming of one thousand Buddhas in this aeon." Thus the blossoming of the lotus foretold the birth of the thousand princes destined to Buddhahood.

[Previous Buddhas] Delighted by Mahavairochana’s prediction, the king further wondered in what order his sons would become enlightened. He requested the Buddha to reveal this to him. Mahavairochana ordered that the name of each prince be written out, and the names were gathered in a cloth and placed in a vase. Then the Buddha drew names, one by one, unfolding the sequence in which each of the princes would reach Buddhahood. The first name selected, the one who would become the first Buddha of our fortunate aeon, was the one we know as Buddha Krakuchandra. The second name drawn was the one who became Buddha Kanakamuni, the second Buddha of our kalpa. The third name drawn was the prince who would be born as the Buddha Kashyapa, the third Buddha of our fortunate aeon. The fourth was the name of the prince who was to become the enlightened one of our present era, Buddha Shakyamuni. Hence Shakyamuni is known as the fourth great emancipator, or liberating one. The fifth name drawn was the one to appear as our next Buddha, Lord Maitreya. The sixth will come as Buddha Simhanada. In this way the names of each of the more than one thousand princes were drawn. It was further prophesied by the Buddha that the prince whose name was drawn last, upon taking birth as the final Buddha of this fortunate aeon, was to be an extraordinary enlightened one. This Buddha would embody all the realisation, qualities and activities of all the previous Buddhas united within himself. Our present era is that of the fourth prince, known to us as Buddha Shakyamuni.

[The Coming of the Buddha of this Age] Prior to Shakyamuni's descent into our world, he reigned in the realm of the gods known as Tushita. Whoever ruled in the Tushita heaven assumed the name of Svetakirti, and so this was Shakyamuni's name while he dwelt there. During his reign in the Tushita heaven, Svetakirti received many requests from gods as well as humans, beseeching him that he might appear in our world and manifest the twelve deeds of a supremely enlightened one. In response, he made five careful and specific observations regarding the circumstances of his future birth. These included the place in our world in which he would be born, at what time and on what date, as well as whose child he would be, and so forth. From these five careful observations, Svetakirti determined that he would appear in this world as a prince, the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. The remains of Kapilavastu are found in southern Nepal, not far from the border with India.

[Lumbini Garden] Just to the east of Kapilavastu there was in those ancient times a small kingdom whose capital was known as Devadaha. The two kingdoms enjoyed prosperous matrimonial bonds, with frequent marriages occurring between them. In those days, the woman who was to be the grandmother of Shakyamuni Buddha, whose name was Lumbini, dwelt in Devadaha. While Lumbini, a queen, was dwelling in the capital city of Devadaha, she used to visit a very beautiful garden nearby, which was owned by a wealthy family. As she went there frequently, she grew to wish that she be given the garden as her own. Her husband, the king, told her, "Although I may be the lord of this land, it would not be right for me to claim someone else's garden for you. Still, if you so wish, I shall build for you just such a garden." And so it was that the king built a most unique and splendid garden in the countryside between the two cities. He named the garden in honour of his queen, and that place is known to this day as Lumbini. Queen Lumbini became the mother of two beautiful princesses. As was the custom in those times, she consulted the astrologers and soothsayers, so that she might know what future best suited her daughters the princesses. The seers unanimously predicted that both girls had the great merit to marry either a powerful ruler, or to become the mother of a mighty being who would become a supreme enlightened one. In the light of these predictions, her husband Suprabuddha, the king of Devadaha, wished to form a bond of marriage with the king of Kapilavastu, a man of great fame and reputation. As it happened, the king of Kapilavastu harboured a similar wish. Thus Queen Lumbini’s eldest daughter, Mayadevi, was chosen to marry Shuddodhana, the prince of Kapilavastu. The marriage between Mayadevi and Shuddhodana was a grand celebration.

[Birth of Shakyamuni] In due course, the future Buddha Shakyamuni entered into this world. It is said that Queen Mayadevi conceived her son on the full moon night of the sixth lunar month in the earth sheep year. Then, in the fourth lunar month of the following year, the year of the iron monkey, on the seventh day of the month, she gave birth to a son. The normal period of growth in the womb is nine months, yet it is said that she carried her child for almost ten months. This is the account of the gestation and birth of the Buddha as it is given in the traditional histories. After Mayadevi found herself heavy with child, she remained for the most part in confinement, away from the social activities of the royal court. But, as the time to give birth grew near, she wished to withdraw to somewhere more peaceful. When asked what place she would find more pleasing, Mayadevi proposed a visit to her mother’s garden, Lumbini, to relax and take rest. As she strolled in the Lumbini grove, the time for Buddha’s birth suddenly came upon her. Just as Queen Mayadevi reached out to grasp the branch of a plaksha tree, the Buddha miraculously issued forth from her. Causing Mayadevi neither pain nor injury, Buddha was born from under her right arm. The legends of the Buddha’s birth tell us that from the day he entered Mayadevi’s womb, all the devas and gods from the golden celestial realms watched over and protected him. It is even said that Buddha emerged from the ribs of Mayadevi’s right side in the form of shimmering, scintillating golden light. Thus his appearance in this world was not by means of an ordinary birth, but was accompanied by miraculous events. We are also told how, immediately upon emerging from Queen Mayadevi, the Buddha walked seven steps in each of the four directions. Taking those steps, Buddha uttered four profound statements. The translation of these four statements is wonderful in the Tibetan language, where they reflect a play on the words for east, south, west, and north. As the Buddha took his first steps, in the eastern direction, he said, 'From here I arrive to attain nirvana, enlightenment.' The word for east in Tibetan also means 'to arrive'. Stepping to the south, the Buddha said, 'I will be in harmony with worldly understanding.' As he moved to the west, the direction of the setting sun, he said, ' This is my final birth.' And, with seven steps to the north, Buddha said, 'I have purified all my deeds in samsara, worldly existence...' playing on the word for north which also means 'purify'. Naturally, a child born in the ordinary way would never be able to walk and speak with such eloquence and dignity. Yet at his birth the Buddha strode forth in each of the four directions, heralding the event of his birth to all the world as he fearlessly proclaimed, 'I am unexcelled by anyone ever to appear in this world.' The child was raised as prince Siddhartha, and all people held great hopes for him as the future leader of the Shakya clan.

[Marriage] When his time of maturity had come, two fair princesses were proposed who might serve as his future queens. They were called Yasodhara and Gopaka. Both princesses belonged to highly respected and wealthy families, and there were many princes in the surrounding kingdoms who eagerly sought their hands in marriage. And so a competition was arranged, and all their suitors had to display their skills and sportsmanship, in hopes of winning such widely coveted brides. Prince Siddhartha defeated every rival and had the honour of claiming both princesses as his Queens. In this way, Siddhartha prepared to succeed his father as ruler of the kingdom of the Shakyas. Having married, Siddhartha reigned as prince of the Shakya kingdom. One day, he went on his first excursion outside of the palace and into the city of Kapilavastu. On this journey, the prince witnessed four events that would change him forever. These events brought Siddhartha face to face for the first time with human suffering, from which he had so far been carefully shielded by his father the king. Having never in his life seen such conditions, Siddhartha immediately understood that all living beings are subject to the inevitable sufferings of illness, old age, and death. As the full force of this understanding struck his mind, Siddhartha wondered how any one could pretend that all was fine in the world and carry on as if such suffering did not exist! This experience quickly caused Prince Siddhartha to give rise to a powerful sense of renunciation, and it forced him to recognise the futile nature of this world. All the activities of this life were ultimately meaningless, since all who inhabit this world must one day experience the same pains and pass away, leaving the experiences of this world to fade away like a dream. Having come to this realisation, Siddhartha resolved to leave the palace life and wander in search of the truth. He sought to extract from life its essential meaning.

[Leaving the Palace] The young prince had a faithful attendant known as Chanda, and he had a most excellent horse known as Kanthaka. Siddhartha summoned his attendant and ordered him to prepare his mount. Bidding his wife and infant son farewell as they lay asleep, he stole from the palace in secrecy, under cover of night, lest his subjects learn of his departure. Prince Siddhartha ordered his attendant to grasp the tail of his horse Kanthaka, who then miraculously bound over the walls of the palace compound and into the city. It is said that the four great guardian deities of the directions offered their service to Siddhartha, each lifting one hoof of the horse and spiriting them off through the air, until at last they brought them to the place known as Vishuddha stupa, the ‘stupa of great purity’. It was there that the prince formally abandoned the life of a householder and adopted the life of a total renunciate. Seizing a blade, he cut off the length of his hair, as a sign that he had parted from all attachment to this world. Siddhartha discarded his princely garb, his gown and ornaments. It is said that hosts of gods and devas magically appeared all about him, offering him the robes of a spiritual mendicant. Donning these garments, bestowed upon him by the gods themselves, he declared, ‘I have renounced worldly life in order to seek the path to enlightenment.’

[Early Asceticism] Now Siddhartha pondered carefully the nature of the path he sought. He understood that all the Buddhas of the past had reached enlightenment through ascetic practice. He knew with certainty that there was no way for him but to follow the same path. Siddhartha resolved to practice the ascetic way, making a solemn vow of fasting, and abstained from all food for six years. He further determined to remain motionless in meditation, and so it was that he sat continuously for six years without moving. This period of Siddhartha Gautama's life has come to be known as the six years of asceticism, of unbroken, solitary meditation practice. This is how penances led him to the threshold of enlightenment, on the banks of the river Niranjana. During these six years of fasting, Siddhartha also kept a vow of noble silence. He did not speak to anyone, but remained absorbed in the silence of meditation. Once, as he sat motionless and speechless, some local cowherds came upon him, and wondered if he was a human being or a statue. They went so far as to poke burning irons into his ears, but Siddhartha showed not the slightest reaction. In this way he demonstrated the greatest determination to succeed in his meditation and austerities.

[Enlightenment] Now Siddhartha Gautama's mother had passed away seven days after giving birth to him, and she had been reborn in the land of the gods known as the 'realm of the thirty-three.' As a deva of this realm, she possessed some limited clairvoyance, and was able to see that her son from her previous life, Gautama, was undergoing great hardships. As this goddess, the former Mayadevi, wept for Siddhartha, her tears fell miraculously from the celestial world, forming a small pool in front of the meditating Buddha. In response to this, the great meditator Gautama broke his silence, just one week before he was to attain enlightenment. He spoke out reassuringly to his mother, saying, 'Although I have gone through these ascetic practices of unimaginable difficulty, yet I still have not reached my goal. I have only one week before I will gain enlightenment. Then I will repay your kindness, and will come to teach you in the near future.' In this way, his mother was the first person for whom Gautama broke his vow of silence, just prior to attaining enlightenment. Completing his six years of meditation, Siddhartha arose from that place, setting out on foot for what would come to be known as Bodhgaya, the diamond seat. Thus he came to arrive before the great Bodhi tree there. He knew that this was indeed the very place where all the past Buddhas, such as Krakuchandra, Kanakamuni, and Kashyapa, had attained enlightenment, on the very seat he himself now approached. In deepest reverence, Gautama bowed before the vajra seat and then took his place upon it, leaning his back against the Bodhi tree. Upon that very throne of enlightenment of the Buddhas of the past, Siddhartha repeated the greatest act of all of history, achieving complete enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya. Gautama had spent six years meditating on the banks of the Niranjana, and had come to the diamond seat of Bodhgaya to finish his meditation training. He entered again into seated meditation at dusk on the full moon night. Terrifying hosts of mara-devils and evil beings swarmed around him in a jealous frenzy. They threatened him with fearsome apparitions, brandishing terrible weapons and hurling them at him in rage and envy. These demons had great power and were able to destroy whatever they set themselves upon. Yet, due to the invincible power of meditation, compassion, and loving kindness emanating from Siddhartha, they could not defeat him. Now only hours from gaining enlightenment, in a meditation of unassailable stability, he transformed all that was flung at him into celestial flowers. He suffered not the slightest harm. Thus conquering and subduing all the mara-devils during the period of dusk on that night, then continuing on through the middle watch of the night he remained in the deep Samadhi of meditation. Finally, in the early dawn that followed the full moon night, he gained complete and perfect enlightenment, samyak sambuddha. Having attained enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama, now the Buddha, entered into the most sublime and indescribable state of bliss and emptiness that is the enlightened state. In this profound condition he gave rise to a great wish, thinking, 'How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings could share in this realisation which is now my own.'

[tenseiseraph]

Chapter 2: Heading to the temporary shop

Morning Near The Ruins Of Tobok Forgotten Forest

Adeen and Shawn are walking north of their hometown Noriah,  both of them noticed the previously desert area now a green bountiful land.

They started heading up the hill and found nothing but as soon as they were on top of the hill.

Adeen spotted a city in ruin and Sphinx patrolling the outer area of the city.

Adeen smiled as if she knows the person leading the Sphinx.

Adeen and Shawn went down the hill and one of the Sphinx spotted the two.

So she went to intercept them, she ran quickly like the wind and in just two minutes.

She blocked them so Adeen told her husband.

Adeen:" I told you about this place but if she tries anything that is horny, I will punish her."

But the Sphinx just ignored Adeen's threat and focused her attention on Shawn.

The Sphinx cast a curse on Shawn, the curse of the Sphinx.

She started asking him 3 questions.

Sphinx:" Who is the leader of these ruins?"

Shawn: " Queen Barbara."

The curse came back off him and hit the Sphinx, she started panting lustfully at him.

Sphinx:" How was the city turned into ruins?"

Shawn:" 1900 years due to the primordial demons being summoned to fight monsters of the area."

Again the curse is redirected and it caused the Sphinx to strip down to her lower garments.

With one question left, Adeen got up and came next to Shawn ready for battle.

Sphinx: "How many people live here during the golden era?"

Shawn:" 2 million people total."

With all of the questions answered correctly then she tries to offer herself to him.

Adeen sighed a sigh of relief.

Shawn:" Maybe another time but could you help us meet with your leader."

The Sphinx accepted the request and turned around, leading them to the throne room.

*Meow*

They went down and the other Sphinx's ignored the two cause one of their own seem to have captured them.

So they went through the city and they arrived at a checkpoint guarded by Anubis.

The leader of the Anubis came forward and looked at the two but noticed no curse on the man but the cat.

Anubis:" Salamander, please state your name?"

Adeen:" I am Adeen, I use to live here 900 years prior."

So the Anubis gave way along with her comrades, they walked deeper into the ruins and they are noticing humans along with Sphinx's repairing the city.

Adeen now knew her old friend is now awake, she know she is no lager at work.

Adeen waved cheerfully more than usual at the locals and Shawn felt a bit at ease with two monster girls by his side.

They entered the market area and Adeen approached the vendor.

Adeen:" How much for those Amon Dangos."

Vendor: " They are one copper per one."

She happily took 30 copper out of her 2000 copper coins then gave them to the vendor.

The vendor gave her 30 Amon Dangos.

Shawn in his mind.

'He sure is friendly but words were nobody lives here and it's supposed to be desert.'

Due to him seeming in his world, Adeen punched him in the gut.

So he came back to reality and had nothing much to talk about, he focused on following the Sphinx.

Humans along with Sphinx's that appear to be coupled along with an Anubis and Humans appear to be together.

Each couple appears to be happy together and some appear to be entering a building for some alone time.

After 8 blocks, they arrive at a palace and proceeded straight ahead.

They are before the Pharaoh, she noticed the two then she said command to them.

Pharaoh:" State your names."

The power from her is so great that Shawn and Adeen replied without intending on doing so.

Shawn:" I am Shawn."

Adeen:" I am Adeen, I was a resident of this great nation as an envoy for 50 years."

Barbara:" It is nice to see you here again, but I need to rebuild this city and prepare to fight the 2nd seat that invaded  here."

Adeen held her sword tightly as possible but she knows a Primordial gave her a name but it was  Zhongli.

Adeen stepped forward and asked.

" Who were these people?"

Barbara:" I am planning on sending an envoy to China to get information on the ones that rejected Zhongli's plans for the future."

So the three bowed before she and Barbara noticed one of her own wanted to follow the outsider, Adeen is with.

Barbara:" Please take good care of her and don't abuse her."

Shawn: " I swear upon my ancestors that served this forest for generation after generation, I will uphold your request."

The four parted ways and waved goodbye to each other then they went through all of the previous areas then they headed southwest cause they are noticing a lake east of the city.

Adeen, Shawn, and the Sphinx happily went up the hill and they stopped and made another camp.

The Sphinx used area detection and noticed a volcano just 20 kilometers from where they at.

Sphinx turned then approached Shawn and told him.

" We are near to an area that seems to be a volcano."

Adeen replied: " That's our destination."

So they started making camp and Shawn started setting up the tent-like he usually does while Adeen started making the Sleeping bed.

It took them longer than usual to make every day and Adeen started cooking with what he brought.

Midday Noah Hills Forgotten Forest

Adeen started sharing the food, she smiled as if she made something special.

She gave her husband the food and the Sphinx.

Adeen:" Your name is Amia."

With the name, the sphinx is close to her in terms of power.

Adeen turned to her husband and waited on his optimal food.

Shawn noticed this and said.

" It is  great, where did you learn to make it?"

Adeen:" The queen taught me and  treated us as her children cause she made us protect this world."

After they are done eating, they continued on traveling.

[tommyinniter]

Pinned Post

HI IT'S ME. THE REQUEST BOY.

All the info you'll need to request things from this blog is in my about page! The link for mobile users should be in my blog description!

And below the cut is all the different tags you can search by!!

I've got a stomach full of battery acid and a creative mind. [doodles]

I will get married in rage. [bouquets]

I love making people cry. [headcanons]

Why do I look so damn good? [moodboards]

I want to enjoy throwing rocks in the sea. [positivity]

Well. Guess I'm a normal gamer. [name suggestions]

I think we're onto a bit of a girlboss here. [neopronouns]

I'm so damn mindful I can see through the damn walls. [carekits]

I'm a man of many men. [kin assigns]

Good news: I got you a woman. Bad news: she's American. [canoncalls]

I have entered a golden era. [request accepted]

I think I'm about to hit rock bottom. [request denied]

We're really just chilling fellas. [request completed]

I've got some moss in my mouth. [just chatting]

[pureimagineering]

The Audio from the Jungle Cruise's Queue

I'm obsessed with it, but even after working there for a year, I wasn't able to catch everything that Albert AWOL says. So here's a complete transcript.

This post will be TL;DR for most. If you're a freak like me, it will be a delightful read. Either way, sorry!

"Here Comes My Ball and Chain," by the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks

This is Skipper Albert AWOL, the Voice of the Jungle, broadcasting on the DBC to all points unknown! If you’re within the sound of my voice, you are listening to AWOL Airwaves on the DBC.

And now, here’s today’s river tip from Skipper Bill of the Congo Connie. Bill says, “If it rains in the jungle, who cares? That’s why they call it a rainforest!” Thanks, Bill.

Any travelers who may need to exchange foreign currency during their voyage needn’t worry. There are banks all along our rivers.

In addition to beautiful Malaysia, Burma, Siam, and Cambodia, Lotus Tours offers two new destinations: Boston and French Lick, Indiana!

...that can’t be right...!

Uh, correction: that’s "Borneo" and "French Indochina." Bookings may be made at any travel office within a thousand miles of this jungle outpost.

Attention, Skippers! If you’re looking for some variety and need to log extra time at the wheel, another group of...uh...“volunteers” is being shanghaied for nighttime excursions down the Congo. These fascinating cruises through total darkness can be both exhilarating and unpredictable!

All Skippers should take note of the following changes along the Jungle Cruise rivers.

First, it is no longer considered sporty to hold small children over the edge of the boat while traveling through the hippo pool. Contrary to popular belief, this does not stop their ears from wiggling! (That’s the hippos of course, not the children.)

Second, due to the fact that a boatload of passengers onboard Zambesi Zelda entered a Cambodian ruin and failed to come out, any and all temple ruins are now off limits to your cruise!

And finally, passengers requesting extended tours should be referred directly to the Booking Office where they will receive immediate medical treatment.

"With Plenty of Money and You," by Dick Powell

All Skippers-in-Training are required to wear a leopard hatband, so travelers at dockside will know not to board your boats.

We know that communicating on the jungle rivers can be difficult at times, so we’re always glad to pass along warm personal greetings from one Skipper to another! Here’s one now from the Skipper of the Senegal Sal to the Skipper of Irrawaddy Irma: "If you can’t drive, stay off the river." Isn’t that nice?

Attention, Skippers: don’t forget to submit your entries for the “Maim the Croc…” Eh, correction, that’s “NAME the Crocodile” contest. The winner will receive a one-week, all-expenses-paid cruise for one on the jungle river of his choice!

"Jeepers, Creepers" by Louis Armstrong

For safety reasons, all passengers are asked not to feed any animals that may approach your vessel before, during, or after the Jungle Cruise, including the ravenous guides working at the Unload Dock. Thank you.

Friday night’s Jungle River Movie--Tarzan and Me--has been canceled due to the fact that those pesky gorillas have once again borrowed our projector. Any Skipper interested in retrieving the projector will receive a free day’s ration of Banana Bits: the dried fruit of choice among all Jungle Cruise Skippers!

Equatorial Expeditions presents: the Route of the Lost Queen! Two- and three-week journeys are available on a "first come, you must go" basis. Interested parties should contact I.L. Befair at the Office of the Interior.

Mating season has begun at the African elephant staging grounds. All boats are cautioned to use extreme care when traveling through this part of the jungle.

Attention, all Skippers! Tomorrow night’s bachelor party for Skipper Carl--originally scheduled for the African elephant staging grounds--will now be held at the Indian elephant pool. Proper swimwear is mandatory.

"Yes, Yes" by Ambrose with Sam Brown and the Carlyle Cousins

Instructions on how to dock a half-sunken boat will be given this Tuesday morning at Loading Dock Number One. Due to reasons that are more than obvious, these maneuvers will not be open to the public.

Skippers, we have yet to receive any entries for our “Name the Crocodile” contest. Besides a one-week, all-expenses-paid cruise for one on the jungle river of your choice, you will also now receive one slightly used pygmy war canoe! Enter today. Please.

Attention, Skippers: please urge your passengers to disembark on the starboard side of the boat. That’s the side closest to the dock...IF you pull in bow-first.

Attention, passengers: please urge your Skippers to pull into the dock bow-first.

Last week, the River Pilot’s License Test was given to thirty Jungle Cruise Skippers. Congratulations to all those who passed! The remaining twenty-nine pilots may take the test again next month.

May I have your attention, please? If anyone has located a large uncut diamond--weighing approximately sixteen carats--will you please return it to the Lost and Found area? (Pfft, right.)

"Song of India" by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra

Roam the plains of Africa, India, Ceylon, and Persia with experienced expeditioners! See the rare and unusual from the perch of a pachyderm! Join the Elephant Safari Company as they search for lions, tigers, and bears! (Oh, my!)

Due to capacity limitations on the Jungle Cruise boats, parties of thirty-three should consider dividing their group into two groups of sixteen-and-a-half each.

Here’s today’s Jungle Trivia Questions! One, "What is the correct response when confronted by a crazed charging elephant?" and Two, "How many gorillas does it take to destroy a base camp?" Stay tuned!

Attention, all Skippers! Due to an increase in piranha activity along the rivers, you are now required to update the "Missing Persons" board at the end of each cruise.

Attention, all travelers! If your name is added to the "Missing Persons" list at the end of your cruise, please accept in advance our most sincere apologies! Thank you.

"It’s the Girl" by the Boswell Sisters

Jungle Skippers: don’t forget to keep extra oars handy on your ship! That way you won’t find yourself stranded up the river without a paddle!

For safety reasons, individuals are not allowed to take home pets which have been collected while on the Jungle Cruise.

And now today’s survival tip: when confronted by a charging rhino, head for the nearest tree and climb fast! Failure to follow these instructions may result in pointed confrontations.

Congratulations to our dockside crew, who won their first cricket match of the season. We understand it was an overwhelming victory!

(A what? A forfeit?)

And next week--when the opposing team shows up--I am sure they'll do just as well!

"Rhythm King" by the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks

Come drift into an era of kings and golden idols! Discover what you would have never missed if you had never seen it in the first place! It’s another amazing Amazonian river fantasy from the Jungle Navigation Company!

Listen up, Skippers! Your chance to enter the “Name the Crocodile” contest is just about over. Come on, fellas! Not only will you win a one-week, all-expenses-paid cruise for one on the jungle river of your choice, and one slightly used pygmy war canoe, but you’ll also now get--absolutely free--a full volume set of “Teach Yourself Swahili” just for entering!

Remember, “Wasio na hofu” is Swahili for “They who have no fear.” And “Matoi mbuzi katikka nyumba um teea katikka kebanda chakke” means “Take the goat out of the house and put it in its shed.”

All boat captains, please be advised that there have been several reports of aggressive butterflies along the inner banks of the Amazon River. Three guests have reported minor confrontations. To minimize the chance of future injuries, Butterfly Repellent is strongly recommended!

Attention, all passengers! Attention, all passengers! A rather large leopard has recently been seen in the vicinity! The animal can be identified by its razor-sharp teeth, long menacing claws, and a loud ferocious growl. If spotted, please contact the local authorities immediately.

The leopard snarls in the background.

Oh, dear. Uhh, never mind. We seem to have found him!

The leopard roars.

...nice pussycat...!

"Love is Good for Anything That Ails You" by Ida Sue McCune

And now, here are the answers to our Jungle Trivia Questions! The correct response to a crazed charging elephant is, “Auuugh! Auuuuugh!” and it takes an average of eight minutes for a family of gorillas to destroy a typical base camp.

Will the owner of a blue jeep, license number...uh, well, it doesn’t have a license plate. At least, not anymore! Will the owner please contact the office of the Minister of Transportation immediately? Your vehicle has...turned up at a nearby base camp.

This is Skipper Albert AWOL, the Voice of the Jungle, broadcasting on the DBC to all points unknown! If you’re within the sound of my voice, you are listening to AWOL Airwaves on the DBC.

"Harlem River Quiver" by Duke Ellington

The DBC is proud--and financially pleased--to welcome a new sponsor to the AWOL Airwaves! It’s Aero Casablanca! As an introductory offer, all Jungle Cruise personnel will receive discounted fares on Aero Casablanca’s Belgian Congo River tour. All flights must be booked at least two minutes in advance of takeoff and stays in the Congo region must be for a minimum of twenty-five years. Fly the skies of Aero Casablanca: the airline no one comes back on!

All travelers should be aware that herds of elephants have been seen bathing in several regions of the Mekong River. Since these animals have been known to spray water at passing boats, you are advised to wear the appropriate attire. Or bring an umbrella.

Recent reports of giant pythons have been greatly exaggerated! These reptiles cannot digest children weighing over sixty pounds in a single bite! The largest child they can consume at any one time would have to weigh less than forty-five pounds.

Attention! Will the Skipper of the Nile Nellie please move your vessel? You’re docked in a No-Floating Zone.

The previously announced "Name the Crocodile" contest has been suspended due to an acute shortage of entries. If anyone has any ideas about naming our pet croc, please drop them off at the Office Depot! Not to worry; you won’t have to accept any of the prizes.

Now available: one full volume set of “Teach Yourself Swahili!” Yours, just for the asking, at the Office Depot!

"What a Girl, What a Night" by the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks

Due to local monsoons, the demonstration on how to waterproof your vessel has been rained out.

Here’s a message from Sir Henry Morton Stanley to...I...I can’t quite make out this name. It’s “Dr. Livingston,” I presume? Please meet Sir Stanley at the falls.

This week’s Special Guest Skipper is Admiral Bartholomew Wrongway! Admiral Wrongway will be piloting several excursions into the deepest, most dangerous regions of the Congo! Since the Admiral is new to the area--and as such, quite unfamiliar with our waterways--it is recommended that you steer clear of his vessel.

In keeping with jungle tradition, all guests now waiting in line to board Jungle Cruise boats are urged to raise their hands high above their heads and imitate the sounds of their favorite jungle animals!

Will Colonel Williamso--

AWOL coughs.

Excuse me. Uh-hem. I seem to have something in my throat!

AWOL clears his throat until it culminates in a Tarzan yell.

Much better! Will Colonel Williamson please report to the Minister General’s office? Thank you.

"Diga Diga Doo" by Duke Ellington

Rivers of the Pharaohs: excursions to the land that time forgot...and so will you. Sign up today for the adventure of someone else’s lifetime.

We’d like to thank the headmaster at the Library of Lost American Melodies in Minous for supplying us with this fine assortment of music for our dockside entertainment.

The Docking Zone is for loading and unloading only.

The Loading Zone is for docking purposes only.

The Unloading Zone is for purposes unlike those of the Loading and Docking Zones.

Any passengers with experience in piloting a riverboat should give their name to the Skipper upon boarding. (Just in case.)

In the world of science, recent research has uncovered the fact that certain species of crocodiles are repelled by brightly colored clothing!

As a reminder: passengers traveling on the Nile should consider wearing brightly colored clothing during their cruise.

"Anything Goes Selections" by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Ramona Healy, and Hauser Laurence

Fishing from the sides of the Jungle Cruise boats is strictly prohibited. (Unless of course you happen to be fishing a relative out of the crocodile-infested waters of the Nile River.)

If your vessel needs repairs, please see our mechanic, located at the Boat Storage area. It is not proper to remove parts from other Skippers’ boats. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Doctor Hugo Squirtum’s popular pachyderm lecture series will continue on Saturday night at the Jungle Trading Post. This week's lecture, “Elephant Trunks: Part Drinking Straw, Part Water Pistol,” will focus on the many ways elephants use their flexible appendage for nourishment, skin care, and friendly contact!

"Let's Misbehave" by Irving Aaronson and His Commanders

Those individuals waiting in line for the Annual Platypus Sightseeing Expedition should check in with the Booking Office immediately! Someone made a rather nasty mistake on your vacation destination. Sorry!

Attention, children: please be advised that there are reports of wild adults roaming the area! Thank you.

Skippers: only animals--not guests--are permitted to graze while in the rainforest.

Will the Jungle Cruise Skipper in khaki fatigues please report to the boat storage area? I’m sorry, let me clarify that: the Jungle Cruise Skipper in khaki fatigues working on the dock wearing the neat-looking hat and black walking shoes, answering to “Hey, You!” please report to the boat storage area.

"Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" by the Jack Hylton Orchestra

Here’s a helpful hint for all would-be jungle explorers! When observing wildlife in this region, it is important to blend in with the natural surroundings. That means remaining still while trying to look as green as possible.

If anyone sees the Skipper of the Orinoco Ida, please tell him that his last group of passengers has just returned to the dock with his boat.

Will the individual who left a box of small furry things by the Purser’s Office please come to reclaim them? They seem to be quite hungry.

The winning entrée from this month’s cooking competition is bamboo stew with shredded vine stems. Skipper Doug--our floating gourmet--recently tried this unusual dish and told us, “It tastes like chicken!” He was quick to add however, “So does everything else we cook around here.” Thanks, Doug.

"The Mooche" by Duke Ellington

Attention, navigators! Revised maps of the jungle areas have been completed, and should arrive the day after tomorrow, if the courier can find his way here.

Will world famous paleontologist, Dr. Cornelius Bifocal, please return the dinosaur coloring book--and crayons--he borrowed from the Dispatch Office?

Due to a recent outpouring of rain in our area, the Nile River is extremely wet today. Please drive slowly!

Guests arriving at dockside for the Jungle Cruise must check their baggage with the dockmaster. This includes all wild animals and children under the age of five.

Passengers returning from the jungle are advised to hold their baggage claim tickets until all belongs have been secured. Guests not returning needn’t worry about it.

Attention, all Skippers: several well-known photojournalists will be boarding our boats today for photographic studies of the region. However, in order to minimize any disruption of our tours, they will be disguised as local tourists. If you should happen to spot one, please do not ask for autographs.

"The King's Horses and the King's Men" by the Jack Hylton Orchestra

Individuals taking excursions into the Congo should provide their own drinking water and rations, since snacks will not be served.

Since our weekly shipment of tea has been delayed, papaya juice will now be served at the four o'clock hour. As always, day-old crumpets will still be available!

All crew members should secure a spot in the bunkhouse as soon as possible! And remember, if you walk in your sleep, don’t forget to don your bathing cap before retiring this evening.

For sale: late model war canoe. Hand-carved wood interior, dual paddles, and naturally air-conditioned! Interested parties should respond through the grapevine.

[imagine-nerd]

may fate decree we meet again

@mooguriklaine-art i was ur ygo secret santa! I hope u like ur present!! have a happy holidays and a wonderful new year :3

So it had not been a good idea to hold the grand unveiling of his new system in center square. The press had all the available options to cut him off on his escape and that extra security team he had hired had been the worst service he had ever received. When the time came for him to leave, it was getting both Mokuba and him out through the crowd of press together or getting Mokuba out of there safe whilst trying to fend off the press on his own. The later option was what currently had him hiding through the streets of Domino city.

He’d done stupider things before. He wasn’t worried about getting away, he’d escaped from higher stakes before and this would be nothing compared to then.

Ducking his head back into the current alley he was stopped in at the sound of nearby reporters he noticed someone in the corner of his eye. Someone stood on his other side near the back of the dead end alley. Someone with golden skin and eyes like dusk. He quirked an eyebrow at the stranger who had not been here when he had first entered the alley. The stranger looked just as surprised to see him as he was to see them. The reporters yelled somewhere in the distance, why were they so persistent?

“If you’re looking for a place to hide, I think I know a place they will never find.” the stranger’s voice was alluring as if beckoning him just like the stranger was currently. Well it was this or the press and he’d rather die a pretty death. He followed the stranger through a doorway hidden away down a small alcove, one he was sure was not there earlier.

“You’re a magician.”

The stranger chuckled, “and you’re an observationist.”

Behind them the opening to the alley closed and they were now walking down a dimly lit corridor. One that he was almost entirely sure was simply made of magic itself. He watched the stranger with a curious eye, “I thought all the magicians were dead.”

The stranger turned over their shoulder to look at him. A curious eye caught his own before they turned back around, “No, not all of us.”

“Then why hide?”

“You of all people should know the answer to that question Seto Kaiba.” The stranger didn’t offer anything else but that.

They walked in silence for a while. Eventually the corridor opened up into a bustling street. The stranger pulled the purple shawl from around their neck and handed it to him. This was the open market, a place where he could escape without being noticed with that shawl wrapped around him. They were off to a small alcove with the market just barely in view, all he had to do now was leave. Mokuba would be worried about him if he didn’t return soon.

The stranger held the shawl out and sighed, “Well are you going to take it or not?”

Accepting the shawl, he took in the stranger’s golden bangs and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He could see the tied tips of faded iris and maroon. A small, golden eye rested on a chain around the stranger’s neck. That meant....

“I have something to ask of you.” He didn’t want to ask for help. But if anyone could do it, it would be this person. He had no other choice

“Oh? I helped you and yet you still request something of me?” The stranger was unimpressed, maybe even offended. But he didn’t have any other options

“Please teach my brother how to control his magic.” That golden eye, this stranger had ties the millennium school of magic. If anyone could help his brother it would be them. He had spent so long searching for anyone, any magician with some level of magic skill to teach his brother but so far he had nothing.

The stranger stared at him in surprise, “That’s some request coming from you, but I will have to decline.”

“You didn’t even think about it.” No. No, they had to agree.

“I have other matters to attend to.” With that the stranger turned to head back into the magic corridor, leaving him just as surprised as he had first been in the alley. There was hesitation in their step as the wall closed up behind them. A soft breeze of magic left him with the stranger’s final words, “If fate so decrees it Kaiba, if fate so decrees.”

“... Then we will surely meet again.” Sighing, he wrapped the shawl around his head and headed out into the market. There was someone he would need to contact after years of silence. Maybe they would have answers for him.

“So you’re saying that you don’t know where this magician is?” His office was a mess, plans for his mana system were strewn everywhere. There was a large stack of reports to his right and an even larger stack of documents he had yet to touch to his left. But what held all his current attention was the man in front of him, Yugi Mutou.

“Nope, not a clue. I haven’t seen him in years Kaiba, I didn’t even know he was alive.” Yugi was a magician himself. One of the reasons Kaiba had been able to develop the mana system. But most of the magic Yugi could once do was impossible for him now. He never bothered to ask why, it didn’t concern him and he could really couldn’t care less about it. After all, both of them had lost something to magic.

“And you’re positive that you can’t teach Mokuba?”

“Yes, I am completely sure that if I tried to teach him it would not end well. We have completely different types of magic and he has a far greater amount than I do.”

Rubbing his forehead, he tried to fight his oncoming headache, “Damn it all. It won’t be long til someone figures it out and comes for him. He does not need any other reason to not be a normal kid.”

Yugi laughed, “Aside from being your genius little brother?”

He glared over his desk and stacks of papers, “I didn’t invite you here to sass me Yugi.”

“Well if fate -”

“-decrees, yes I know. Why do you magicians keep saying that? All of you, all the time. Is that your immediate answer the second you don’t know the answer?”

“Well yes, I, that’s what we're taught on. The fates have granted us this gift and in turn they guide us with it.”

“Well, I think these fates are complete bullshit.”

“Kaiba…” Yugi meet his gaze, it looked as if he wanted to say something more. But he had enough of digging up those memories on his own time. He would not share his weakness with anyone.

“I think it’s time you left Yugi.”

Yugi frowned, but got up from his chair anyway. He hesitated in the doorway of the office, “At least try and give it a chance.”

“I already have, and it failed.”

Time passed. It wasn’t long after that the new technology mana grid was implemented around the world. The lacking of magic users had left the mana once used for everyday life and tasks unusable. The new Kaiba Corp system took all that mana once used to power humanity that had now been forgotten along with the magicians and made it accessible again. The second renaissance was in motion as humanity reclaimed the advances it had to set aside to survive in the lack of magic users that had come to be.

At the center of it, he was bringing in the new era single-handedly. Yet his brother was a magic user, an untrained magician, and there was no one left to teach him. He had been out of options when that stranger appeared. If anyone found out Mokuba was a magic user, they would hunt for him. A magic user, even untrained, could do so much more than any normal person possibly could dream of doing. But there were three types of magic and if he trained for a type that did not match his own then it would kill him.

He didn’t even know what type of magic Mokuba had. They had no way for him to safely use it yet with the level of power he had. If he could just see the color of his brother’s magic he would know which of the three types he had, but for now there was nothing he could do. Nothing but wait for fate. What a joke. His brother needed help. Which meant he was going to find that magician whether fate wanted him to or not.

He searched everywhere for the magician. He would always think he spotted them in the corner of his eye, just out of reach before they would vanish again. If fate really did exist well then fate was a major asshole.

Then one day it happened. When he was looking for his answer, Mokuba was taken right out from underneath him. His whole world just taken like it was nothing.

There was a ransom of course and now he was running out of time. They had found out about Mokuba’s magic. All because of those damn rumors, that he couldn’t have created a system that re-purposed mana unless he had a magician to help him. They were right more or less, he had magicians help him, but magic was not that simple. They were baseless rumors and now he was paying the price for them. He had no idea where to find him and now his whole world would be gone.

There was a knock at his office door. It opened before he could respond and in waltzed Jounouchi Katsuya with the whole dweeb patrol right behind him. He all but screamed, what the hell did they want at a time like this!

“What -”

“Are ya doing here yada yada yada, we heard your brothers in trouble and an old friend requested we help ya out.”

“Unless you know where he is you have no reason to be here.” He turned his back towards the group, he did not have time for this.

“We don’t know but an old friend does, the one you've been looking for.” That got his attention.

“…” He turned to face the group. Yugi, his annoying friends, and the dog. They couldn’t possibly mean…

“Well are gonna wallow in the room all day or are you coming with to get him?” Jounouchi held out a hand. One he ignored when he brushed past the group and out the door.

“We're leaving.”

The dead men who had taken Mokuba were holed up in an old house near the outskirts of the city. They had left the car a block away so they wouldn’t give away their position. Approaching the house, Kaiba recognized the silhouette of the magician he’d spent the past months searching for.

“You have a lot of nerve to show up now.”

“And you’re quite rude to someone who found your brother.”

“My brother is still in that house with the thugs that did this, have you found where yet?”

“Second floor, top right bedroom, the one right in front of us actually that has a view of the street. Probably so they can watch and see who is coming.”

“All that attitude isn’t just bark and no bite. Good, now are we going inside or are we just playing stakeout?”

“We need to make sure they don’t try and just run, we need a plan to go in, what are you -”

“Screw that, my brother is in trouble and I’ll be damned if I lose anyone again.”

Standing up, he walked up to the side window on the first floor and pulled the wooden boards off it. They were rotting and falling of the nails they had been attached to so it wasn’t hard. Jumping through the window, he took a look around the first floor. It was also rotting and falling apart. But there wasn’t any sign of life down here. Which meant that the group of thugs was upstairs. Judging from the sound of the creaking floor, there were about four of them. Good, he’d had some pent up anger recently, it would be great to get it all out.

He was halfway up the stairs when someone caught his left wrist. Whipping around he glared at the magician. For the love of, what now! Hadn’t he wasted enough time already? Mokuba was up there, alone, for hours with these assholes. He was right there and now he was being pulled back?

“What now!” Hissing, he tried to yank his arm from the magician’s grasp but they held tight.

“Magic, a lot of it, whoever took your brother has some means of magic.” the magician whispered, looking up towards the top of the stairs as if waiting for something.

“You idiot, that’s probably my brother! Why do you think I asked you to teach him?” He wretched his wrist from the magician’s grasp and charged up the stairs. If anything or anyone had put even a scratch on his brother there would be hell to pay.

Approaching the bedroom, he reeled back in shock as the door burst open and four large men came barreling out of it squealing like pigs. A bright blue light came from the bedroom. Creation magic, just like hers. No, he couldn’t lose Mokuba too.

Running into the room he was nearly knocked off his feet be the sheer force of the magic emanating from his brother. His brother who had glowing blue eyes and was completely encased in his magic. No, no, no! It would kill him!

“Blue… creation magic… the same as my own.” The magician walked into the room, eyes in awe as their hair whipped around in the force of the magic.

“Please you have to save him!” He yelled over the magic, hoping the magician could do it. “Please I can’t lose him too!”

The magician said nothing. They simply stood there. For a moment, he thought it was foolish of him to rely on someone else to save what he cared about. But the force of the magic simply vanished. The light died down as the magician moved closer to Mokuba. They were saying something but he couldn’t hear it. Just like that the magic vanished and the air in the room returned to normal.

“Mokuba!” He rushed forward and grabbed his little brother. He hurriedly inspected him and was relieved to find him unharmed.

“If his magic is that powerful, it would be unwise to leave him untrained.” the magician approached, but did not come closer to where he held his brother. They laughed, “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other now.”

“This whole thing could’ve been avoided if you had just said yes the first time I asked.” He was not impressed, all this trouble could’ve just been avoided if they had just done as he asked.

“Maybe, maybe not.” The magician shrugged.

“Your cryptic speech habits better not rub off on my brother.” Hoisting his brother into his arms, he went to leave. Only stopping to turn back to the magician.

“They shouldn’t, but if they do you’ll just have to become better at understanding the way I talk.”  the magician turned to face away from him towards the window, “When he is ready, all you have to do is call.”

“And who exactly am I supposed to call to find you when you drop off the face of the earth now?” What was with all the dramatics? What was the magician going to do? Simply vanish into thin air and return when he’s called?

The magician smiled at him, before a blue light engulfed him and he vanished. A small blue butterfly came to land on his shoulder. With a soft whisper it spoke, “Just call my name, Atem.”

“Atem huh?” shaking his head, he left the bedroom. “And I thought I was dramatic.”

[norskies]

Every single thing I noticed and felt while watching Taylor’s LWYMMD music video

By now I think it’s a fair assumption to make that you have already seen @taylorswift ‘s new video for Look What You Made Me Do (it had over 39 million views in the first 24 hours). If you’re like me you may have rewatched it about 13 million times trying to decipher all the hidden meanings. If you’re not (cool) like me, you may have just watched it once and wondered: “what on earth did I just see??”.

Lucky for you I’ve decided to document my entire emotional journey through the 4:15 video. Disclaimer 1: many of these theories are my own opinions or theories I’ve read from other fans. I do not pretend to understand the entire genius of T-Swift. Disclaimer 2: I am a 100% biased Taylor Swift fan and therefore this analysis is 100% biased with my love for Tay. 

HERE WE GO

Ok, opening scene. Spooky. Fits the soft but slightly creepy lullaby intro. Honestly thought we might be stepping into Hogwarts.

Here is one of the first of many “TS” we will see throughout the video.

For anyone who has been following Taylor the past year, this is a pretty clear reference to the online hate Taylor received after being “exposed” by Kim Kardashian (note: she was in no way exposed). Trolls began to fill social media with “RIP Taylor’s career” and “Taylor Swift Is Over Party”. It is a fitting place to begin the video.

Does that dress look familiar to anyone? It appears to be the same dress Taylor wore in the Out Of The Woods music video (the last video from the 1989 era...symbolic right?).

What is that on the tombstone behind Taylor? Nils Sjoberg. This was the alias name Taylor used when she helped write Calvin Harris’ “This Is What You Came For” (he later appeared to be less than happy once Taylor started receiving credit for the song). 

We now see the old Taylor that Zombie Taylor is burying. This Taylor is dressed the same as when Taylor attended the Met Gala in 2014 (marking the beginning of the 1989 era). Here we literally see post-1989 Taylor burying pre-1989 Taylor. *tears*

Taylor transforms from the graveyard into this beautiful scene. Several things to point out here. Taylor is almost literally drowning in jewels. Perhaps alluding to the media’s perception of Taylor being money obsessed? If you look closely, we also see a single dollar bill lying in the bathtub with her. Most likely referencing the symbolic 1 dollar Taylor requested in her countersuit against a former radio DJ who sexually assaulted her (Taylor won this case). Finally, and this may be a stretch but notice on the floor to the left of the bathtub what looks like a heart shaped locket? It’s possible this is the same locket that Calvin Harris gave Taylor for their 1 year anniversary. Wow. Brilliant. 

ENTER SNAKES. We now get all the snake references we could ever need (also clearing up the snake video clues Taylor teased just a few days before releasing LWYMMD). The snakes themselves are a reference to the hate Taylor received after the Kim/Kanye blow up. Haters filled her Instagram and Twitter with snake emojis implying that Taylor herself was a snake. Looks like the joke is on them now. Also notice the subtle, “et tu brute” on the chair? We see this several times in this scene, of course referring to the betrayal Taylor has felt from people she thought were her friends. 

And Snakes! Check out Taylor sipping on her tea that she now gets to serve up. It’s her time to tell the story and she’s doing it with this BA Salazar Slytherin look. 

The golden car crash. This is an interesting scene because it has many interpretations. My gut reaction was Katy Perry. The feud is well known and Katy added fuel to the fire by releasing her song “Swish Swish” that was meant to be a dig at Tay. I think she looks very much like Katy here with the sunglasses and the short blonde hair. Notice she is even holding a single Grammy (something that Katy Perry does not have). However, it’s also been pointed out that this may also be a Kim Kardashian reference (which I will discuss later).

A further analysis of the car crash shows the paparazzi taking pictures after Taylor crashes. Perhaps symbolically saying that the media loves to see Taylor suffer and fail? 

Two things to note here. 1) Jaguar? Your guess is as good as mine. 2) The cute little guy is wearing a golden 13. 

Next, we find Taylor in what looks like a giant bird cage. Wearing orange to perhaps symbolize that she feels like a prisoner at times? We also see a snake tattoo on her right leg. 

At this point in the song, Taylor says “and threw a feast”. This could be a reference to KP’s song Bon Appetit. But it is unclear. Also, notice the rat on the table? Yeup just thought I’d point him out. 

Now, this is a fun scene. Tay is robbing a currently undisclosed location. The cat masks could be a cute play at Taylor’s love for cats. Or could be another hit at Katy. Either way, it’s a great scene. Her sweatshirt reads “blind for love” as we know Taylor frequently referred to herself as a hopeless romantic. 

We are now introduced to biker chick Taylor. It might seem a little out of place at first. But remember when Taylor got hate for her Bad Blood video apparently ripping off of Britney Spear’s Toxic? This very well may be alluding to that. 

Absolutely love this part. We now see what Taylor was robbing. A streaming company. Of course. After the backlash, she got from leaving Spotify and writing her letter to Apple this scene makes perfect sense. Side note: absolutely adored Taylor’s letter to Apple. You go girl. 

What is Taylor doing dictating what looks like an army of life size barbies? This is a reference to the “squad” and the comments Taylor received that her friendship circle was more like a cult of freakishly perfect looking women as opposed to a genuine group of friends. 

Which of course leads us to the falling out of the squad the media claimed happened but didn’t. 

Taylor enters the mansion. As soon as she enters the room the men immediately step up to do her bidding. As if Taylor is their commander and they must obey. 

This is our first glimpse of the mysterious airplane Taylor. We only see short glimpses of her but she seems to serve an important role. She perhaps represents the real Taylor that neither the media nor the fans truly get to see or understand fully. 

The boys are back. 8 of them all in line (apparently something only Beyonce is allowed to do if you ask Twitter). She could be representing her past relationships and the scorn she received for each one. Fun fact: it’s Taylor’s back up dancers from the 1989 world tour! 

The I <3 TS shirt. Tom Hiddleston wore an I <3 TS shirt while dating Taylor. He got mocked and Taylor got called manipulative for “forcing him to wear it”. Taking a wild guess here, but pretty sure Tom makes his own wardrobe choices.

This is our first real glimpse at the “Reputation” era Taylor. She’s dark. Her hair is slicked back. And she looks like she is 100% done apologizing. She is standing on top of a mound of the “old Taylors”. 

Shoutout to Fearless era Taylor with the iconic 13 on her hand. What a gem. 

This is one of the best shots in the video. A look at the past decade of Taylor. How many Taylor’s can you spot? 

More snakes. Side note: You can actually buy this snake ring on Taylor’s merch store. Taylor now reveals to us the most anticipated line of the song. “I’m sorry the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cuz she’s dead.” This line brings the entire song together as well as the symbolism of Taylor wiping her social media a week prior to LWYMMD release. The old Taylor is dead. The haters have killed her. 

Taylor breaks it down with her backup dancers to some pretty great choreography. I like to think of this as shade to all the people who made fun of Taylor’s dancing abilities. Our girl can dance.

Annnnnnnnd boom! Our Jaguar friend is back. Still unsure what he represents but he’s pretty cute. 

SNAKES 

Let’s pause to appreciate the adorable wink Tay gives us here. Reputation may be a darker album than we are used to but Taylor is still the light-hearted girl we’ve always known. 

Wow, she’s like Super Woman. 

This is one of the best views we get of the mysterious airplane Taylor. Who are you??? 

We finally come to the last and most important scene. 15 Taylors. 14 lined out in front and one back on the airplane. There just so happens to be 15 songs on the new album reputation...coincidence?? Also, notice TS6 written on the end of the plane? Subtle genius. 

You Belong With Me Taylor is precious. She’s so happy and genuinely surprised that she has accomplished all that she has. But everyone hates her for that and will drag her down until she no longer will show that much genuine and pure happiness at an award show again. Also, recognize that shirt from the YBWM music video? Only now it’s slightly different. This time it has real names of Taylor’s real friends you might recognize. Like Selena, Ed, and Jack. 

As the scene continues we see Shake It Off Taylor mock YBWM Taylor for being surprised all the time. Mansion Taylor calls Zombie Taylor/SIO Taylor a b**ch and Zombie Talyor responds with “don’t call me that!” Alluding to Kanye calling Taylor this in his song “Famous”. In real life, Taylor responded by making a very strong statement against Kanye’s words during her Album of the Year acceptance speech at the Grammys later that year. 

A particularly heart-wrenching scene. Fearless Taylor tries to calm everyone down but gets shut down by We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Tour) Taylor, calling her a fake. We see the young innocent Taylor begin to cry. The young sweet girl who got stomped on by the world for making music about love. It is sure to elicit a few tears. 

“There she goes playing the victim again”. Taylor is literally beating the haters to the punch. 

Met Gala Taylor Asks Katy/Kim Taylor what she’s doing and she responds with “getting receipts...gonna edit this later.” This could be interpreted in two ways. If this is meant to be Katy, it could be referencing the song “Swish Swish” where Katy claims that “karma keeps receipts”. Or if it is Kim, it would be naturally referencing the snapchat videos Kim perhaps “edited” of Kanye and Taylor’s phone conversation. Side note: it is illegal to record people without their consent in certain states, Kim. 

Finally, we see 2009 VMA Taylor who had been interrupted by Kanye West while she was accepting her award for Best Female Music Video of the Year. She quotes 2016 Taylor by saying “I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative”. Which all the other Taylor’s and symbolically the world respond with... 

“SHUT UP”. Here Taylor is telling us that no matter what she does or doesn’t do, she will be judged. It isn’t fair but it is something she has accepted. She will no longer be providing any explanation. There will just be reputation.

[darkelfshadow]

Session Summary - 34

AKA “Trials and Tribulations”

Adventures in Taggeriell

Session 34 (Date: 4th November 2017)

Players Present:

- Rob (Known as “Oloma”) Human Female.

- Bob (Known as “Sir Krondor”) Dwarf Male.

- Sean (Known as “Seanicus”) Elf Male.

- Paul (Known as “Labarett”) Elf Male.

- Phil (Known as “Nac”) Half-elf Male.

- Arthur (Known as “Gim”) Dwarf Male.

Absent Players

- Travis (Known as “Trenchant”) Human Male. <Played by Paul>

NPC

- (Known as “Naillae”) Elf Female. <Controlled by DM>

Summary

- Wealday, 10th of Kuthona in the year 814 (Second Era). Winter.

- The party begin this session, in the large gladiator stadium of the city of Earthcloak. The game has just ended, with victory going to a Dragonborn gladiator.

- Nac and Gim wander around the open stadium, tired, injured but still conscious, looking up into the upper stadium and the two thousand faces of the shouting fans. They look around the stadium floor and see the injured and unconscious bodies of Sir Krondor and Labarett, along with the unconscious bodies of the downed gladiators, being placed onto canvas and wood litters and carried into a side area that appears to be a healing station. Various attendants are looking over and applying healing ointments and bandages to wounds.

- Nac tries to follow the Dragonborn victor but he walks into a seperate side door and the door closes with a loud bang and a click, indicating it is locked.

- Trenchant and Naillae are not visible, as they have sat down again in the stands and the people in front of them are standing and cheering wildly.

- Oloma is standing alone in another side room, with two angry gladiators berating her for having cheated in the games by using magic. Seanicus is still waiting outside, looking through the entry gate into the lower stadium.

- Six Halflings dressed in leather armour and with a brown shoulder cape going over one shoulder, with a symbol of a sailing boat over a geometric pattern, the crest of Earthcloak, enter the room. These six Halflings are Constables of Earthcloak and the lead officer, a Halfling by the name of Lomi, informs Oloma she is under arrest for magic use.

- Oloma can see that the Halflings Constables are very nervous and scared of a magic user, their voices are shaky and their foreheads are sweating (Successful Insight check). Oloma lowers her weapon and calmly talks to the Constables.

- The conversation goes back and forth. Oloma is very apologetic and accepts that what she did was wrong. This seems to surprise the Constables, who act like Oloma might turn into a demon or beast at any moment, and seem unwilling to even approach the wielder of magic.

- A few minutes later however, the Constables faces suddenly show relief when four more Halflings suddenly arrive. These new Halfings show no fear and confidently walk into the room. They wear bright silver mithril chainmail with a blue tabard hanging over it. On the tabard is a pair of crossed silver swords. Hanging off the sides of these Halflings are a pair of gleaming silver mithril shortswords.

- The lead Constable, Lomi speaks, “Thank Yondalla. The Templars are here. She’s all yours!”

- Behind the Templars walks in the tall and dark muscular form of Awamir who runs the Gladiator stadium, “There she is, like I said. I have fully cooperated with your requests. I don’t want any trouble with the Templars of Arvoreen.”

- At the same time Nac, Gim, and the now somewhat healed and conscious Sir Krondor and Labarett, enter into the room with Oloma from the stadium side. Some of the party recognise the silver crossed swords on the tabard of the Templars, the symbol of the Halfing god Arvoreen, the god of protection, vigilance and war.

- The lead Templar walks forward, “In the name of Lord Conlan of Earthcloak and by the authority given to me by the Lord Protector of Earthcloak, Sir Gonad, I hereby place you under arrest for the use of prohibited magic.”

- A laugh erupts out of Sir Krondor, “Yep, that’ll teach you!”

- Oloma calmly replies, “Yes of course, I am most sorry. I panicked. I was hurt and confused and I lashed out at a friend when I should not have. Forgive me Labarett, I was wrong. I’m glad you’re up again.”

- Labarett simply nods, “What is done is done. Being on the great circle, we make mistakes, we learn, we grow and we become better than we were before.”

- The Elf Barbarian shakes the hand of Oloma and she nods back without speaking.

- The lead Templar speaks, “Enough of this. You are under arrest and coming with us now.”

- Oloma turns back to the Templar, “I am very sorry, would it help to make a public apology to the crowd?”

- The Templar pulls out a pair of silver manacles with an engraving of a pair of crossed swords on them, “No. You can explain yourself to Sir Gonad, it is he who will judge you.”

- Oloma does not resist the Templar when he places the manacles on her. As the manacles click Oloma feels something, like a pressure, move over her. The Templar explains that they will take her to the nearby wall fort, the Harbourwatch Castle. The party arrange with Awamir to collect their belongings, including Oloma’s equipment, which the Templars do not object to.

- Sir Krondor claps his hands and speaks, “Well, looks like we’re not needed here. Let’s get our gear and go.”

- Nac, Labarett, Gim and Sir Krondor turn and walk away. Oloma looks at their retreating backs with a sigh, wishing she had chosen a different course of action.

- After the four companions collect all the gear from the secured room of the gladiators, they exit the stadium, passing through the crowds of people at the main gate and look around for Seanicus. They are unable to find him as he is not there. Not knowing where the Warlock has gotten to, they make the decision to continue on their way to the White Wolf Tavern.

***

- Seanicus stands by the front main gate of the stadium, crowds of people pushing against him. The Warlock had seen the end of the game through the entry tunnel and saw the Dragonborn gladiator waving his sword in triumph. The Warlock whispered, “That guy would be 200 gold coins richer right now. Be a shame if someone was to robbed him.”

- Looking keenly at the Dragonborn gladiator the Warlock saw the tall figure walk into a far side room and door closed behind him. With nothing else to do, Seanicus stood by the main gate and waited. He was unaware of what was transpiring to his companions inside the stadium. After a few minutes he noticed a tall figure wearing a hooded cloak, coming out from a nearby side door in the stadium and walk away into a crowd of people outside. A cold wind blew the side of the hood aside for a second and Seanicus saw the flash of light playing on scales on the face, a Dragonborn.

- Seanicus smiled, “What are the chances that could be the gladiator? Follow him.”

- As the Warlock speaks those final two words a dark shadow appeared, visible only to the Warlock, a hound of pure darkness appeared silently at the feet of Seanicus. It immediately moved, unseen between the crowd and arrived at the tall hooded figure. The dark hound slipped into the shadow of the hooded figure, always following now, and alerting Seanicus to where the figure was at all times provided Seanicus did not fall too far behind.

- Seanicus followed behind the tall hooded figure, out of sight, but thanks to the shadow hound that now followed with the figure’s shadow, always aware of exactly where the man went. Through the crowded street the Warlock followed and then through a series of empty bending, winding and intersection smaller alleyways with tall buildings towering over him until Seanicus had no idea where the he was or which way was north.

- His shadow hound indicated the figure had stopped. Coming around a bend Seanicus saw that this alleyway ended at a dead end about 60’ away. A few closed doors lined the alleyway and windows above, shuttered closed, were visible. The tall hooded figure was standing near one door, slightly open, and appeared to be talking to someone inside. The alleyway was deserted of anyone else.

- Abandoning caution to the wind, Seanicus walked down the alleyway and neared the figure. As he finally got closer, the figure turned and looked at the Warlock, removing the hood, “What the fuck do you want?”

- Now that Seanicus could see the face and build of the figure up close he realised that this could not be the gladiator. The frame and shoulders were too narrow and this Dragonborn was lacking the large muscles he saw on the Dragonborn gladiator. Cursing his bad luck, the Warlock stopped and said, “I’m lost. I thought this was the way to main road. Could you direct me to where that is?”

- The Dragonborn laughed with a bark, “Fucking foreigners! Go back that way, turn right, right, second left, then third right and keep going.”

- Seanicus turned and walked away, whispering under his breath, “Come” and unseen to anyone but Seanicus the dark shape of the shadow hound left the Dragonborn and returned to the Warlock.

- Trying to follow the many bends and intersections and keep in mind what the Dragonborn told him, Seanicus did not at first see the three dark figures, leaning against the wall of one building. As he got nearer the three figures walked out to block the alleyway. The figures were short of height but wide. He couldn’t see there faces as there hoods covered them but he could see long beards protruding out; Dwarves. Warm breath blew out from each hood in the cold air.

- Seanicus turned his head to look behind as the sound of more footsteps alerted him to four more hooded figures now at his rear. The Warlock removed his golden war hammer and whispered to it in Dwarvish, “Tell these Dwarves I am the rightful wielder of you and I am worthy.”

- Seanicus held the war hammer up in the air, the dim light from the cloudy day, glinting off it. A deep voice came from the war hammer, in Dwarvish, “Fellow Dwarves! Honour this man, he is worthy and chosen by me to wield …”

- But one of the hooded figures shouted out, “That’s it! He’s the one the boss told us about. Get the hammer!”

- Seanicus lowered the war hammer, which had now stopped talking. The Warlock walked towards the closest hooded figure, “Oh you want this. Take it,” extending the hammer to within arms reach of the figure handle first.

- The hooded figure reached out with two hands, as another figure from the rear shouted too late, “Don’t grab it you fool!”

- But the warning was too late as the Dwarf did indeed grab the golden hammer and instantly fell over backwards with a thud as lightning arced around his body.

- Seanicus raises both his empty hands and with a spoken word two eldritch beams of energy burst forth towards the hooded Dwarves. Unfortunately for the Warlock, the Dwarves ran towards him and all started to grab at him. Thick, strong Dwarven arms wrapped around Seanicus waist, arms and neck. The warlock looked at two of the figures, and curled his finger to point at them, speaking a word, sending more eldritch beams to shoot forth.

- “Cover his mouth you fools!” shouted a deep voice.

- A dirty hand, smelling of brandy, came from behind the Warlock to cover his mouth. Then two Dwarves came to the front of him and started punching him to the face and stomach, nearly knocking him out.

- The Dwarf on the ground finally managed to release the war hammer (Successful Strength check) and it dropped to the ground. One Dwarf used a long pair of blacksmith tongs to pick it up and place it into a sack held by another Dwarf.

- Seanicus, his eye bloody from a punch to the head, looked up at his attackers. He could see under their dark outer cloaks they wore a white wolf cloak over a chainmail shirts.

- One of the Dwarves spoke, “What do we do with him now?”

- Another voice spoke, “The boss didn’t say to kill him.”

- “Yeah,” replied another voice, “But she didn’t say to not kill him either.”

- The group all burst out laughing now and a single voice says, “Slit his throat and leave him here.”

- Seanicus looked around the Dwarves, unable to do anything to stop this. Just then from down a nearby side alleyway a loud female voice shouted, “City Watch! You’re all under arrest! Stay where you are!”

- The group of Dwarves started to bolt and run down another alleyway, punching Seanicus to the ground as they left.

- As Seanicus hit the ground hard, he turned his head towards some of the fleeing Dwarves and spoke with a mouth filled with blood, “Follow!”

- Again a dark form of shadow appeared, and started to run towards the closest Dwarf, to merge into the figures shadow.

- Slowly the Warlock pushed himself up from the ground and began to jog towards where his shadow beast told him the Dwarves where headed. His head was throbbing and his side ached from the assault he had suffered. Seanicus was finding it difficult to maintain a fast enough pass to follow. Through gritted teeth the Warlock pushed himself, “Must keep up, else I’ll lose the connection.”

- Further and further behind the Warlock was getting, as the Dwarves purposely kept taking alternating paths and bends, until eventually the Warlock stopped to catch his breath, unable to sense the location of his shadow hound anymore.

- Hearing footsteps coming up behind him he quickly turned, expecting to see one of the hooded Dwarves back again to finish the job in killing him, when he saw a female Dwarf with striking orange hair moving towards him looking all around. She wore a brown travelling clock over studded leather armour. Two light throwing hammers hung from her side.

- Approaching the injured Warlock she asks, “Are you ok? You look hurt.”

- Seanicus recognises the voice as same one that called out about the City Watch. He looks her over, “Are you really with the city watch?”

- Again the female Dwarf looks around, “No I just said that to get the Dwarves to flee, but with you casting spells like that around here, you’ve likely attracted the attention of the Templars. Their Habourwatch Castle on the west wall is not far from here. We need to get out of here now if we’re to avoid them and do not use any more magic. Let me take you back to your companions at Rosee’s Inn.”

- “No, I need to follow those Dwarves. If I can get closer I will sense their location,” replied Seanicus wiping blood off his face.

- The female Dwarf replied, looking around, “No need, those Dwarves are the Jagged Blade Gang. I know where they hang out. You can sort them out later but we really need to get out of here before the Templars get here. Quick this way back to Rosee’s”

- Seanicus, with no idea where the Dwarves went, or which way it was to anywhere reluctantly starts to follow her, calling back his Shadow Hound which reappears with his own shadow. Seanicus snaps, “Wait. Wait! How did you know I was staying at Rosee’s and who exactly are you.”

- Without stopping, the female replied, “I’m Kirgrire, a Harper, and I think we need to both do some talking but first let’s get to Rosee’s and out of here.”

- Seanicus looks at her, not quite sure what a Harper is but before he can ask, the sound of running footsteps sound behind them and Kirgrire quickens her pace, “Templars! Run now! Talk later!”

- The pair run off through the alleyways and manage to avoid the Templars, making their way to Rosee’s Inn.

***

- Naillae and Trenchant have been sitting in the upper seats in the gladiator stadium, waiting and looking for the party to return to them. After half an hour Nailae looks over at Trenchant, “They have forgotten about us, haven’t they.”

- Trenchant sighs, “Yep. Let’s go and see if they’re outside. Maybe they’re waiting for us.”

- Naillae looks over at the Bard as they get up to leave the stadium, pushing through the crowds, “You don’t really believe that?”

- “Not for a second,” replies the Bard coldly.

***

- Oloma is taken by the Templars and led via another corridor to come to exit the stadium via a private side door. The four Templars and six Constables form a group around her. The Templars are not overly rough with her and in fact, behalf in a professional and fair manner.

- Oloma speaks to them along the short journey and learns a little of what is happening. She is taken to a large fort built into the west city wall, over looking the harbour entry, the Harbourwatch Castle. In the front of the castle has been built a large monument. There are twenty one life size statues of children, playing and looking happy. A small silver plaque is visible just under the monument but it is too small for Oloma to read as she walks past. She turns to one of the Templars, “What is that monument?”

- The Templar looks at the children and bows his head as he passes, as do all the Templars, “That my lady is why we Templars exist. Never again shall the children of Earthcloak be taken away from us by the evil doing of magic users.”

- But before she can ask anymore questions she is lead into the great fort and down a series of corridors until she finds herself in a large hall. There are many Templars around the Keep, performing various activities or training in weapons.  Standing at attention, on guard, are six more Templars within the hall. The other four Templars that brought Oloma here direct her to a wooden chair and get her to sit down. She waits for a few minutes looking around. On a hunch, she tries to call forth a minor psionic power but nothing happens except for the manacles getting slightly warm.

- Soon a new group arrives at the hall. The two front templars, dressed in mithril chain and gold detail, lead the way for another figure. He too is wearing mithril chain, a grey cloak and dark green pants tucked into thick leather boots. Strapped to his back is a long mithril sword, much larger than what would be expected a Halfling could wield. His face is scared. The symbol of Earthcloak is engraved on his shoulder pauldrons.

- The new figure speaks, “Why is she bleeding?”

- One of the Templars speaks, “She was in the Gladiator games my lord.”

- The figure commands, “Get her a drink and remove the manacles. She is no threat in here with all of us.”

- One of the Templars unlocks the silver manacles whilst another moves over with a mug of water. Oloma takes it and drinks it, “Thank you.”

- The figure speaks, “I am the Lord Protector of Earthcloak, Sir Gonad Jahner, Knight Of The Order Of Arvoreen. You have been charged with using magic in the city of Earthcloak, which is prohibited. How do you plead?”

- Oloma looks up, “I am guilty my Lord, may I offer my sincerest apologies for my momentary loss of judgement and control during the games. I have dishonoured your city, your people, and my travelling companions, though that was never my intention.”

- Sir Gonad nods, “Very good. The Templars tell me you surrendered immediately and did not resist arrest. For that, and as this is your first offence as a visitor to our city, I shall give you the lowest punishment. You shall pay 50 gold coins and spend the day in the public stockade.”

- Oloma speaks, “My lord, I am Oloma Of The Living Blade, a visitor to both this city and these lands. My travelling companions and I are travelling through here on important business for the alliance of the Harpers, Order Of The Gauntlet, Emerald Enclave, and Lord’s Alliance. My Lord, within our group are Wardens Of Tyriba and we have been tasked with an important quest to stop the Dragon Cult from bringing Tiamat back into this world. Time is of the essence.”

- Sir Gonad turns to one of the Templars dressed in mithril and gold, “Does she speak the truth?”

- The Templar nods, “She does my lord, her words are true.”

- Sir Gonad continues, “We had heard the rumours of the Cult raising in the south and of the mercenary armies to the west lead by great Dragon Vorgansharax but we did not believe them. How credible is this threat? Do you believe it is possible that they can bring Tiamat back into this World?”

- Oloma replies, “Yes, from what I have seen and learnt, unless we can stop their plans I believe they will succeed in bringing the Dragon Queen back into our world.”

- Sir Gonad turns to the Templar, “She speaks the truth my lord.”

- “In that case, Oloma Of The Living Blade,” begins Sir Gonad, “Far be it for me to delay you and place our world in peril. I shall release you forthwith, and not subject you to a day in the stockade but I shall insist you still pay the fine of 50 gold coins. All men and women must obey the law, no matter their station.”

- Oloma thanks the Lord Protector for his mercy and then asks him about the monument of children outside this castle. She learns that the Templars of Arvoreen were created after a tragic incident about 150 years ago, in the 664th year of the second era, when 21 children went missing from Earthcloak, including the grand daughter of the Lord of Earthcloak at that time. The Constables of Earthcloak searched the city and eventually found a hidden lair of a wizard in the basement of one of the buildings within the city grounds. There they found the 21 children all dead and drained of their life, the result of vile and twisted acts. The looks on the children’s faces, and the injuries visible on their bodies, showed their final hours were not pleasant. As they searched the lair, a Halfing wizard appeared, the one who had abducted and killed the children. A fight broke out but the Constables were powerless against his great magic. He killed many Constables, laughing as he did so, and destroyed many buildings that day. The wizard fled the city, to where he went no one knowns. Little is known about the wizard except that he was called Yarash and had the accent of someone from the eastern lands of Tikoran. Since that day the Office of Lord Protector of Earthcloak and The Order of Templars Of Arvoreen were created and trained to deal with magic users. All magic has been banned from the city since that day.

- Oloma thanks the Lord for his time and leaves the Habourwatch Castle. There is no one waiting for her outside and she has no idea where anyone is. She decides to walk back to Rosee’s Inn, which will take her past the Gladiator stadium again.

***

- Naillae and Trenchant have now been standing outside the Gladiator stadium for ten minutes.

- Trenchant speaks, “We’ve waited long enough, we’re headed back to Rosee’s Inn.”

- Naillae quickly speaks, “We’re alone. In a strange city. We could go exploring, just you and me. We could have some lunch and then maybe a drink or two, and ….”

- Just then Oloma’s voice calls out, interrupting Naillae, “Hey, over here. Wait up!”

- Trenchant looks relieved to have a third person join them and enthusiastically waves Oloma to join them.

- Oloma comes jogging up to the pair, “I’m not interrupting you too?”

- Naillae says, “Yes” at the same time Trenchant says, “No, please join us.”

- Oloma fills them in what happened at the stadium. All three decide to head back together to Rosee’s Inn as no one is sure where the others are.

***

- At Rosee’s Inn, Seanicus and Kirgrire are seated at a table near the fireplace. The Inn is busy but Geneegin seems to be giving them special treatment, in particular Kirgrire. Kirgrire is trying to get Seanicus to speak to her but is not getting very far as the Warlock is not very talkative.

- The front door to Inn opens, with a blast of cold air, and in walks Trenchant, Naillae and Oloma. They see Seanicus and his new female Dwarf friend and join them at the table. Seanicus updates the new comers as to what happened to him outside the stadium and how he has now lost his war hammer to the Jagged Blade Gang. He introduces Kirgrire to the three.

- Trenchant puts out his hand to Kirgrire to shake and says, “My lady, I am Trenchant Kincaid, the Bearer Of Winfley, Warden Of Tyriba.”

- Kirgrire shakes his hand, and the pair exchange a secret hand signal, each now knowing that the other is also a Harper.

- “And it would appear you have another title as well?” asks Kirgrire looking at Trenchant with a raised eyebrow.

- “Trenchant, Harpshadow of the Harpers,” replies the Bard in a low voice.

- “Well meet Trenchant, I am Kirgrire, Harpshadow of the Harpers,” replies Kirgrire in a low voice and then in a louder voice, “It’s a shame I did not know your identity before. Would have saved me following your group all yesterday, and last night in the cold and today. I’ve been following your group since you visited the stock yards.”

- They learn that Kirgrire is a spy for the Harpers. She has been keeping the Red Scale Transport Company in the stockyards under watch for the last three weeks as there has been a lot of suspicious activities going on. She sent a messenger bird to update the Harper network three weeks ago but due to the very cold weather, there has not been an opportunity to receive a message back yet. Trenchant updates her on the status of the Harpers and alliance and how they have been tasked to join the wagon train and follow it to somewhere called Naerytar which no one knows what or where it is. Kirgrire states she has never heard of it either.

- As Geneegin comes over with more drinks, Kirgrire speaks, “If you ever need me ask Geneegin here. He’s an ex-Harper and was my superior and mentor in the network. Would still be my partner too if you hadn’t fallen in love you dam fool!” though Kirgrire says this with a light hearted smile.

- Geneegin smiles back, “Well, I had to choose between the life of a harper with you, always on the road, eating when I can, or settle down with my love Rosee and help her start up her dream to run an Inn. Which meant always sleeping in a warm bed, good meals and of course, waking up to her face every morning.”

- Geneegin looks back behind him at the bar and at his wife, Rosee standing there, and says warmly, “I made the right decision. I’ve done my part for the realm, it’s time for others now to step up now. Younger others.”

- The conversation moves on to the stolen war hammer of Seanicus, which the Warlock informs the group that he needs to get back or else he will start to lose his powers. They learn from Kirgrire that the Jagged Blade Gang uses one of the ware houses in the south docking district as their head quarters and they also hang out and drink at the White Wolf Tavern which is just around the block from the ware house.

- Seanicus slams the table, anger in his eyes, “The thing I want to know is, how did this gang find out about my war hammer!”

- Trenchant speaks, “Yes that is intriguing. I would also like to know where the rest of our party is.”

- Oloma adds, “Yes and once they get back here we can start planning getting your war hammer back Seanicus. This jagged Blade Gang has picked the wrong group to mess with.”

***

- Meanwhile, over at the White Wolf Tavern, Nac, Gim, Labarett and Sir Krondor have arrived. They enter the tavern and take up a table, The tavern is busy with about a dozen Dwarves seated around tables or at the long bar. There is a lot of drinking going on and some gambling.

- Torroc, the Inn Keep, comes over to the new group and in Dwarvish speaks, “What can I get for you.”

- Nac replies in Common, “I don’t speak Dwarvish. We want drinks. What do you have?”

- Torroc replies in Common, though it is obvious he finds it distasteful to do so, “We have ale for four coppers or brandy for two silvers. No wine, this isn’t some bloody Elvish bar.”

- Labarett the Elvish Barbarian looks at Torroc, “What about Dwarvish brandy? You have any of that?”

- Torroc laughs, “Aye, I’ve got that for ten gold a glass. But I don’t think you could handle that one laddy.”

- Gim immediately says, “Bring a bottle of Dwarvish brandy!”

- Nac adds, “And four glasses!”

- Sir Krondor begins, “I don’t know about this. One of us shouldn’t drink in case we need our wits about us.”

- Nac taunts the Dwarf Knight, “Come on now Krondor, what about your Dwarven pride. The other Dwarves will think you’re weak if you don’t.”

- Sir Krondor looks around the room with concern, “Really? Ok count me in!” putting ten gold coins onto the table.

- Torroc looks at Sir Krondor, “It’s you again Sir Knight. Any more stories you want to tell us. I liked the one you told the fellows here yesterday about the golden war hammer of Sir Krafulim Longshield being found by an Elf.”

- Labarett slams ten gold coins down too, “Me too! I’ll show you an Elf can handle Dwarven sodding brandy!”

- Torroc takes ten gold coins from each of the four and then pours the thick brown liquid into each of their small glasses. The distinctive rich smell of the liquor fills the room and the eyes of the other Dwarves look over.

- All four drink their brandy in one gulp and then place the glass onto the table. Labarett’s and Gim’s faces turn red and each of them starts to sway slightly (Failed Constitution save). Labarett starts blinking his eyes and the room is slowly spinning around.

- Nac and Sir Krondor lick their lips and smile. They have a pleasant warm glow about them (Successful Constitution save - will now have advantage on cold checks for the rest of the day).

- Nac speaks, “Smooth. Another round Torroc! Four more glasses!”

- Sir Krondor speaks, “Wait, I’m not paying for that!”

- Nac puts forty gold coins onto the table, “My shout boys! Drink up!”

- Torroc smiles and starts pouring, “Oh this I’ve got to see!”

- Whilst the Inn Keep is pouring the brandy some of the other Dwarves have moved closer, taking an interest in the drinking and starting to place bets down on who will survive the next round. Nac notices one particular Dwarf, who had been seated by himself in the back, wearing a white wolf cloak, get up quickly and leave in a hurry (Successful Perception check). In Nac’s happy warm state he decides to not worry about it.

- Labarett pushes his refilled glass away, “No thank you. One is my limit.”

- This makes some of the Dwarves around the tavern burst out laughing. Some Dwarvish names and words are spoken, which Labarett can guess are not of the friendly type.

- Gim, still slowly spinning from his first drink, goes to grab for his glass, which takes three attempts as the glass seems to be not where Gim thinks it is.

- Nac smiles at Gim and then grabs his glass, along with Sir Krondor who grabs his glass too.

- Some of the Dwarves throw a handful of gold coins down onto the table and make bets that they won’t make the second round. Nac throws an equal number of coins onto the table to match and takes their bet.

- Nac, Gim and Sir Krondor each drink their glass in one gulp and put it back down onto the table. Nac turns to look at Gim, who is smiling and with his eyes still wide open, slowly starts to fall sideways. Gim falls onto the floor with a heavy thud.

- Nac smirks, “Never could handle his drink that Dwarf” and then grabs all the gold coins on the table, as he has won the bet (Won 9 gp).

- There is still one filled glass of Dwarvish brandy on the table, as Labarett did not drink his.

- Nac turns to Sir Krondor, “Come on, you going to let that drink go to waste? You want these Dwarves to think you’re chicken, or you can’t handle a drink?”

- Sir Krondor picks up the last glass and raises it, “For Fanur!”

- All the Dwarves shout out, “Fanur!”

- Sir Krondor drinks his third Dwarvish brandy and puts the glass down. He looks around the room smiling at the cheers of the other Dwarves for his remarkable feat of fortitude. (All up Sir Krondor rolled 16, 26 and 23 for his Constitution saves).

- As Gim is now unconscious and Labarett is very unbalanced, the group decides to stay in the tavern for some time until they can at least get Gim onto his feet. After an hour, and with the help of a bucket of cold water thrown onto the Dwarf, they wake Gim up. They head out of the Inn and start to make their way back to Rosee’s Inn on the other side of town, having to help Gim walk most of the way.

- Any thoughts about the strange Dwarf in the white wolf cloak that quickly left the Inn earlier are completely forgotten from Nac’s intoxicated mind.

***

- At mid afternoon, the four of them finally arrive back at Rosee’s Inn and rejoin with the rest of the party and meet with the new comer, Kirgrire.

- The companions exchange stories of what they have been up to and all are now up to speed with the outcome of Oloma’s arrest, Seanicus’s war hammer being stolen and finding the Harper contact.

- Sir Krondor speaks in an embarrassed tone, “Seanicus I have an apology to make. I was bragging about your war hammer to the Dwarves in the White Wolf Tavern yesterday. If they hang around there, as Kirgrire says they do, they would have heard about it then. I’m sorry.”

- Seanicus angrily replies, “Your apology won’t bring my war hammer back! Without that hex weapon I will lose my powers!”

- Sir Krondor, emboldened by the three Dwarvish brandies in him, stands and places a hand on his heart, “You’re right! All hear this oath I take now.”

- Trenchant starts, “Bloody hell, let’s not rush …”

- But Sir Krondor cuts him off, “I, Sir Krondor, Knight of The Anvil, Knight of the Gauntlet, Warden of Tyriba, swear on my life to retrieve your war hammer and return it to you. This I make my personal quest.”

- The Knight sits down smiling as the others in the group look around, now committed to attacking the gang.

- Now that the decision to take action against the gang is done, the party decide to eat a meal and then get some sleep to make a midnight raid on the warehouse of the Jagged Blade Gang. Sir Krondor asks Kirgrire if she knows of any Knights Of The Gauntlet in Earthcloak and the Harper advises that the Sherif in town is Captain Kison, and is a member of Gauntlet.

- Sir Krondor excuses himself and heads over to the Sheriff’s Office, which is only a couple of blocks away from Rosee’s Inn. The Dwarf Knight arrives at the solid and well secured building and enters it, asking some of the occupants to see Captain Kison.

- Captain Kison is happy to meet another Gauntlet member and the halfling, who wears a well maintained suit of splint mail with a flail hanging off his side from his belt, leads Sir Krondor into his private office.

- Captain Kison offers Sir Krondor a drink of brandy but the Dwarf Knight, with three brandies down for the day already, turns it down. Sir Krondor informs the Captain what has happened regarding the theft of the legendary war hammer of Sir Krafulim Longshield by the Jagged Blade Gang. Sir Krondor is disappointed to learn the Captain Kison can not take any action unless he has proof, which Sir Krondor does not have.

- Sir Krondor presses Captain Kison for any aid he can give, “I am not asking as a citizen and I am not asking you in your capacity as Sherif of Earthcloak but I am asking you as a fellow member of the Gauntlet, please any help in this matter would make a difference!”

- Captain Kison agrees to pull all the Watch patrols from that area, so that they party will be free to use magic if needed without fear of being arrested. He also informs Sir Krondor that the last Templar patrol on that side of the city will be at 10pm and no more Templar patrols will start until sun rise. Captain Kison also gives some simple floor plans of the warehouse that the Jagged Blade Gang is using, a two story building with an attic and side shed.

- Captain Kison also gives some information on the gang make up, “It comprises about twenty five gang members that we know of. Their leader, Grussebella Bloodchin is a nasty piece of work. She will happily gut you alive and pull your innards whilst you watch, and she’ll laugh the whole time she’s doing it. She’s psychotic. Be careful too, we believe she has an enchanted weapon, not too sure what it is though. And don’t underestimate her. She runs that gang with an iron fist. Those gang members obey her every command without question.”

- Sir Krondor asks, “And if these gang members were to meet an untimely death tonight in our attempt to retrieve the war hammer?”

- Captain Kison replies, “You and I are men of battle Sir Krondor and we each know that in battle there are always casualties. The watch will not care or investigate the deaths of gang members. Earthcloak has many gangs and they are fighting with each other constantly. One less gang is of no concern of mine, in fact, you would be doing me a favour.”

- With this information Sir Krondor returns to Rosee’s Inn and rejoins the party. They all head up to their rooms to get a long sleep in before the coming midnight raid.

***

- The party and Kirgrire awake just before midnight and prepare for the cold night raid. As they leave Rosee’s Inn they look up to see the large blue moon, Athair is nearly full, and the smaller grey moon, Harell, is almost half full. There is plenty of light to see out tonight.

- Gim looks up, “Athair is nearly full tonight, that’s a good omen! Bless us tonight father, let my axe taste blood!” (Athair is Dwarvish for “father”).

- Labarett looks up too, “Yes, let’s hope that the influence of Harell is not strong tonight.” (Harell is Elvish for “The Deceiver”)

- Naillae scoffs, “Bloody superstitious lot! We’ll succeed or fail tonight based on whether you all pull your weight and don’t do anything stupid. We need to sneak in undetected. If it was just me it would be easy but you lot make so much noise I can hear you walking a mile off. Follow my lead and don’t do anything rash!”

- The party walk the long distance to the south of the city. The night is very cold. Kirgrire leads the party to the south dock district and points out the ware house where the gang is. She points out the front door, side shed door, one lit ground floor window and an attic window which though in darkness she tells the party it can almost be guaranteed to have a look out watching the street. The Dwarf Harper can not aid in the raid as her involvement can not be known, as it will compromise her duties as a spy, so she leaves the party and fades into the dark night.

- The party decide to go around the block and approach the warehouse from the far west side as the positioning of the side shed there will help stay out of sight of anyone watching from the from the attic window.

- Trenchant and Naillae sneak forward to the side shed, Naillae using her skills as a trained rogue of the Lington Thief’s Guild to move from shadow to shadow, silently. Whilst Trenchant pulls up the hood of his Elven cloak to make the enchanted cloak change colours to match his surrounding, making it almost impossible to see him.

- They move up to a metal portcullis that has a large padlock on it. Oloma uses her telepathy to pass messages to and from the lead pair and the rest of the party.

- Trenchant and Naillae advise the rest of the party that the side shed has six horses in it and there is an internal side door that leads into the warehouse, that has light coming from the door frame. They can hear a loud group of people inside gambling.

- Labarett moves forward slowly. Whilst waiting for Naillae to unlock the large pad lock, Labarett performs a silent ritual that allows him to talk to animals. He then tells the horses to be silent and not be alarmed by them coming inside. One of the horse replies, “Yes, new friends. Other smaller masters inside.”

- The rest of the party move up into the shed, trying to keep quite, which judging by the sour expression on Naillae’s face, the party did not move as quietly as she would like. Naillae whispers, “Thank your bloody moons the morons inside are playing cards loudly else they would have heard the lot of you!”

- Labarett asks the horse, “Where are most of the small masters?”

- One of the horses bows his head low, “Down. Down. Under.”

- Naillae whispers, “The plans didn’t have anything on it about a basement.”

- Oloma whispers, “Seanicus can you sense you war hammer?”

- Seanicus answers back in a low whisper, “Only if it is near.” The Warlock closes his eyes for a moment and then opens them, pointing a finger downwards, it’s somewhere below us. There must be a basement beneath us.”

- Sir Krondor suggests having himself and Naillae creep forward to the front door and have her unlock that whilst she comes back to unlock the side door and have the party attack the warehouse from two fronts. Nac advises against that in case the two doors open into different rooms, as the building plan they obtained from Captain Kison did not have any details about the internal layout.

- Once Naillae unlocks the side door, she steps aside to let Oloma open the door. The Mystic opens the door slowly to reveal one large open area that covers the entire ground floor. A staircase directly ahead goes up to the second level and a large wooden trap door, with an iron ring handle, is visible near the stairs. To the far left, about 60’ away, is a fireplace and some tables, one of which has six Dwarves, each wearing a white wolf cloak, seated around it playing cards. Most of the light in the large open area is around the Dwarves with the rest of the area, including where the party is, is only dimly lit.

- Nac moves into the door way and casts a Silence spell at the far Dwarves, immediately the loud sound of their talk, laughter and metal mugs thudding against the table cease. The Dwarves turn around and see the open side door with Nac and Oloma in view.

- Combat starts. The party need to quickly take out these Dwarves and do so making as little noise as possible so as not to alert any more Dwarves in the rest of the warehouse.

- The party move in but rather than rush in to attack the Dwarves within the circle of magical silence they make a tactical mistake and instead Trenchant, Oloma and Nac rush in to take of positions of cover behind a nearby table and attack via ranged means whilst Gim moves of to the side and uses his crossbow to attack from afar. Naillae moves to the bottom of the stairs and readies her daggers in case anyone else comes to join the fight. Only Sir Krondor attempts to rush forward towards the foes but his short Dwarven legs can’t get him to the reach them before all six Dwarves pick up their shields and battleaxes and move forward. Most of the Dwarves now out of the area of silence.

- Two of the Dwarf gang members rush towards Sir Krondor and engage him, their weapons silently striking as they are within the magical circle of silence. Two Dwarf gangs members rush towards the three of the party crouching near the table and block them away from the last two members of the gang that are running to get help. One runs towards the stairs at full speed, obviously trying to get help from upstairs and the other moves over to the wooden trap door and begins to lift it up. As Oloma gets hit by two of the gang members she takes one blow before teleporting behind the pair to appear standing on the trap door, her weight now preventing it from being opened.

- Seanicus and Labarett, who are still moving into the warehouse, move in. Seanicus moves off to the side and starts shooting eldritch beams of energy at the gang whilst Labarett rushes in and charges towards the gang member trying to open the trap door. The Elf barbarian hacks at the Dwarf in a Barbaric rage.

- In the confusion of battle Gim misfires his crossbow and nearly breaks it but instead jams the mechanism needing him to spend some time to fix it (Fumble attack roll, that he re-rolled because he used his Inspiration and he again rolled a Fumble). Instead his takes out his great axe and moves towards the gang members and engage them in close combat, joining Oloma and Labarett. The sounds of the battle, metal against metal, and shouts of pain and anger, are loud now as most of the combat is outside of the circle of silence.

- Sir Krondor is battling two of the gang members single handedly and the combat is frantic, with the Dwarf Knight nearly taking a deadly blow to his neck by one of the gang member’s battleaxes but the Knight manages to duck just in time (Critical Hit, forced re-rolled by Sir Krondor using his Inspiration, and turned into a miss).

- The gang member on the trap door doesn’t last long with Labarett and Oloma attacking him in close melee (Oloma cut his tendon reducing his speed with a Critical Hit) and with Seanicus sending Eldritch beams of energy to blast at him.

- Trenchant and Nac remain behind a table using it for cover whilst throwing spells and crossbow bolts at the gang members. Trenchant casts a Sleep spell at three of the gang members and one of them drops to the ground snoring loudly. In response, one of the gang members comes rushing towards the pair crouching at the table and forces them back as the gang member’s battleaxe swings at them. Labarett quickly charges over to help Trenchant and Nac.

- One of the gang members makes a run towards the stairs, running past Gim he swings his great axe into his back as he passed. With a gapping back wound, the gang member sprinted on, past Naillae who was guarding the bottom of the stairs and the Elf Rogue stabs a dagger into the Dwarfs leg, as he ran past up the stairs but Naillae quickly threw two of her daggers into the back of the gang member, killing him. The heavy body of the Dwarf, in armour, falls backwards and rolls down the stairs with a loud crash, his battleaxe and shield clattering down the stairs too.

- Naillae shouts to the party, “Expect company! I can hear footsteps coming from above!” as she starts to move away from the bottom of the stairs and take a position near Seanicus.

- Seeing the sleeping gang member Gim moves over and lifts his great axe high over his head and brings it down with his full force into the sleeping foe’s neck. The blade cuts throw the neck and hits hard against the wooden floor boards, killing the gang member instantly (Critical Hit - Triple Damage).

- Sir Krondor swings into one of the two gang members on him and cuts open the foe’s stomach, killing him. Oloma rushes over to help the Dwarf Knight finish off the remaining foe.

- Gim, Labarett and Nac have surrounded one gang member and Oloma and Sir Krondor are attacking the other remaining gang member,

- From the second level, comes the heavy sound of foot steps running, as four more Dwarf gang members start to run down the stairs. Seanicus and Naillae who had been waiting and covering the stairs to start to hurl eldritch beams and daggers at the new comers.

- Trenchant concentrates on a spell and from around the head of the Dwarf gang member who is leading the charge down the stairs appears a twisted crown of jagged iron. The eyes of the Dwarf are now glowing and his expression appears like a madman. This Dwarf, now under the control of Trenchant, stops running down the stairs, turns around and begins to attack his companion behind him.

- Naillae and Seanicus are attacking the other Dwarves on the upper section of the stairs whilst the bottom two Dwarves on the stairs are now locked in combat with each other. Naillae’s throw is wide and the Dwarf gang member easily knocks it aside and taunts her (Fumble attack - Taunt disadvantage next turn).

- With the last two remaining gang members on the ground floor slain the party are now free to attack the other gang members on the stairs and turn their attention to them. Meanwhile the Dwarves on the stairs, who can’t get down as they are blocked by the possessed gang member attacking them, thanks to Trenchant now controlling him, so they are forced to hurl light throwing hammers down at the party.

- Sir Krondor moves over to the trap door and guards it in case any foes come from below. Gim starts throwing hand axes up at the gang members on the stairs which causes one of them to cower behind the stair railing in terror (Critical Hit - terrify foe). Labarett moves up to the stairs and from the below uses his javelin to poke the gang members through the stair railing.

- Seanicus is hurling Eldritch beams at the foes on the stairs and likewise Naillae is throwing her daggers.

- Gim gets another good throw with one of his hand axes and strikes one of the foes in the groin causing him to bend over in agony (Critical Hit - low blow - miss one turn).

- Sir Krondor moves away from the trap door and takes out his bow to start firing at the foes on the stairs too.

- Oloma, who had gotten up onto a table during the combat below, is also using her mind against the foes on the stairs, forcing one of the Dwarves to question his own mental identity (ID insinuation psionic ability to force disadvantage on their attack rolls).

- Gim throws another well aimed hand axe and inflicts a grievous wound on one of them (Critical Hit - double damage). Not to be outdone by the display of Gim and his deadly hand axes, Nac casts his Chill Touch with such force that it strikes all four gang members on the stairs with deadly force (Spell Critical).

- The gang member under the control of Trenchant kills his companion and them moves up the stairs to engage another of his companions.

- The Dwarves on the stairs, throwing down light hammers, do not last long under this intense barrage from the party. Gim throws another deadly hand axe (Critical Hit giving double damage and allowing another attack against another target). Sir Krondor fumbles his bow and drops an arrow as he lets the string go too early but luckily does not break his bow string (Fumble).

- Eventually only the last remaining gang member, still under the control of Trenchant, is left. Trenchant makes the Dwarf drop his weapon and shield move down the stairs into the centre of the party and lay face down. The party then execute the Dwarf in a simultaneous attack.

<And as the party catch their breath after that hectic battle, having succeeded in entering the hide out of the Jagged Blade Gang Dwarves, that is the end of the session.>

XP Allocation

Group - Combined (This is equally divided by the number of players who were involved)

Quests (Only quests that are completed or rendered undoable, during this session, are shown here)

- Enter the Jagged Blade Hideout undetected = 250 XP

Creatures Overcome

- Jagged Blade Dwarves = 7000

Individual (This is only given to that person and is not divided amongst all players)

Special Bonus (Outstanding Role Playing)

Nil

XP Levels and Player Allocations

Player : Start +  Received = Total  (Notes)

Phil : 25419 + 906 = 26325

Rob : 32217 + 906 = 33123

Arthur : 22121 + 906 = 23027 (Level up to Level 7)

Bob : 21367 + 906 = 22273

Travis : 19383 + 680 = 20063

Paul : 17140 + 1132 = 18272

Sean : 16875 + 906 = 17781

NPC (Naillae) : + (453)