#King Hive Blight

[spiribia]

my animal jam antagonist OC, the scorned prince. once a phantom prince setting off to establish its own hive, it was incidentally razed in a rush of purification from mira's feather. most phantoms in the radius were obliterated on contact, but it somehow survived, though the 'blight' of the purification magic in its body divested it of the ability to transform into a phantom king. the prince has nursed bitterness toward the alphas ever since, and turned toward its penchant for technological invention to form its hive instead (the architecture of its lair, while similar to what you might find in other phantom hives, has its own flair to it). greely probably gets in trouble for doing what looks to be consorting amicably with the scorned prince but he wasnt turning traitor he was just having another famous greely moment.

[zalia]

The Continuing Adventures of a D2 Player in D1

I am partway through the Taken King expansion now! I have comitted Regicide, explored the Dreadnaught, and even bribed Shaxx to make me a sword. And I have more thoughts about it!

The Bad

Killing Oryx was... kind of anticlimactic tbh? I know the real death is in the raid, but it genuinely felt like just one more mission. There's no real feeling of completion like there is in D2's DLCs, at least partly because D1 is very sparse on cut scenes and character interactions. It feels like you kill Oryx and no-one gives a damn because there's so few character moments to round it off. 'Oh, killed a Hive god? Must be Tuesday.'

The trend of not explaining anything continues. Several of TTK missions leading up to killing Oryx involve Eris shouting at us repeatedly that 'you must become ascendant to follow Oryx!'. No, she will not be explaining what it means to be Ascendant or why it is so important (I mean, I know because it's been nearly 10 years and I have read the lore, but if I hadn't it would be utterly baffling)

There are these patrols you can randomly get where you pick up a mysterious signal. They have several steps and require you to do random things to progress them - the patrol text is (deliberately) glitched and resolves as you get closer. For example, I had one where one of the steps was to do an emote, another step was to kill hobgoblins etc. I love this idea, do not get me wrong! I like the idea of picking up this random signal. But as far as I can tell, these patrols don't lead anywhere. At the end, Ghost says 'At least we know what the message says, even if we don't know who its from'. AND THEN NEVER TELLS YOU WHAT THE MESSAGE SAYS. I have to wonder if this was something that was meant to lead to content that got cut, or was a hook left that could be used for something in future. Possibly something to do with the Nine would have worked, given the random nature of the messages.

*sob* Getting good armour is such a pain. And confusing.

The jump down to the area with the first secret chest in VoG is *horrendous* especially since you can't mantle. There's no ledge to jump from opposie the entrance. (I have not run the whole D1 VoG, but you can break in by doing certain things without having to do the plates).

Who the hell decided that the destination material for Mars, a planet which is predominantly a red-brown colour, should be a RED-BROWN ROCK?!

The Good

One of the missions in the lead up to killing Oryx involves you having to stealth through Crota's End raid area to steal a piece of his soul. The enemies have a red ring around them you need to avoid or you'll be seen. It's actually pretty cool! very atmospheric too, and nice to have a mission which isn't about brute forcing your way through enemies. I think the stealth system would need some tweaking to make it genuinely fun for more than a one-off thing, but it was a nice change of pace!

The Dreadnaught is a really awesome patrol area. It feels huge, there are lots of nooks and crannies to explore, hidden bridges you need Ghost to see, tunnels to crawl through. Plenty of secrets. Gloriously creepy. I am not even close to finishing exploring (at least partly because I keep getting lost - my sense of direction is garbage in games)

There are different Vanguard Strike playlists available: Legacy, Taken King, and SIVA crisis. Vanguard strikes are different depending on where you are in the story!!! I did not know this going in. There's one strike I've done a few times on the Legacy playlist, where a Fallen Archon escapes from the Prison of Elders. I got it yesterday on the Taken King playlist. Starts out the same, then partway through you go into a cave system. Previously, those caves have involved fighting Vex. Went in last night and it's full of Taken! That was a shock. And progressing, the rest of the strike is full of blights and when you reach the Archon fight, the Archon has been taken! It was a really cool thing to experience, especially going in without knowing beforehand. Doing something I thought I was familiar with and having it change up on me was great. Similarly, the Omnigul strike (the one the Disgraced strike is based off). The dialogue has changed up to kind of move the timeline and have it set after Oryx's fall, and the first room, which has previously contained only Eliksni... now you get ambushed by Hive too! I really love the idea of Vanguard strikes evolving with the storyline - it makes them feel more connected to the world state. I know we've had updates for Lake of Shadows and Arms Dealer in a similar way, but god i would love more!

The vault is split into sections so you can see just your armour, just your weapons, just your other assorted junk, instead of one 600 space mess.

I am getting so much practice using Golden Gun. In D2 I have used Blade Barrage almost exclusively, but since starting D1, where Blade Barrage does not exist, I've started using Deadshot in D2 as well and I'm having fun with it! I even got into a crucible match in D2 and got several golden gun kills which was nice!

I'm more willing now to use supers in D2 instead of always saving them for the boss XD It is a space magic game and I should use the space magic more.

Other Thoughts

I cannot decide how I feel about the currencies+destination materials On the one hand, I am constantly running out of glimmer. It's much more scarce and hard to get and the amount you can carry is much much lower (25K I believe) and you need it for levelling up weapons and armour just to get the perks. Collecting destination materials is necessary and can be kind of a slog (also you need different Ghost Shells to get the trackers for different materials). I know getting the exotic swords later is gonna be painful because you need to get a material that has a low drop rate. Legendary Marks are random drops from doing activities too, and you need them to buy any legendary gear. You can hold 200 of them at a time, and some of the stuff costs 175 Marks. On the other hand, it makes acquiring weapons and armour something a bit more special and valuable. In D2 I can just go to Banshee and buy whatever I want, and make that glimmer back in approximately ten seconds on any destination. I currently have max engrams with all the seasonal vendors, and a whole lot with the ritual vendors and I decode them just to junk whatever comes up a lot of the time. Destination materials... exist. And have no real use. I feel like the ease of acquiring weapons in D2 means I don't appreciate them. And I don't branch out and try new weapons much. I junk the majority of the random drops I get without even bothering to look. In D1 I end up trying out pretty much any purple weapon that comes my way because I don't have that many to choose from. Needing to acquire destination materials means that I spend more time exploring and poking into places I wouldn't normally bother to in D2. Will that side room on the dreadnaught have Hadium flakes for me? IDK, better check it out because I need them! So my rate of play feels more leisurely - wandering a patrol zone without any real purpose feels more rewarding, even when I'm returning to places like the Cosmodrome. So yeah, conflicted about this. We'll see how I feel later on when I have played many more hours of D1

y'know, I would love it if they brought the Dreadnaught back as a destination, maybe for Episode Heresy (the Hive one) after Final Shape. But not the Dreadnaught as it is in D1 - the Dreadnaught after 10 years of being derelict, picked over by scavengers, fought over by different Hive factions, slowly rotting after the death of its master. I think there's a lot that could be done with it - new Hive cults forming in the depths? Taken monstrosities? Some of the descriptions of areas on the Dreadnaught also talk about how Oryx kept specimens from conquered/destroyed species there, and tortured and experimented on them. Ghost at one point comments that there are things even the Hive fear and have yet to be able to weaponise. So... what else is still trapped on the Dreadnaught?

Shaxx has a line when you bring him Oryx's sword Shaxx: That sword shard you carry... is that the dreaded Willbreaker, Sword of Oryx? I have not seen such a blade in many years, Guardians.' I know it doubtless means 'hey, I was on the moon during the Great Disaster. I saw some shit', but the way it's phrased is so specific that it's a great jumping off point for fic ideas XD

[bookofmac]

New Dragon Age show was good! it was a good little romp and i liked the varrity in faces and noses in the characters. more spoilery thoughts below

Roland/Lacklon had such a nice build up??? i did think for a hot second they were baiting me because of how all the dwarf men in the series have been so far, so it's very cool to have an mlm dwarf canonised!! (i am a da dwarf stan first)

Mirim was a great character i though, i think her story line was handled well given the time constraints, i LOVE that she never really gave in to any of Rezaren's bullshit, I like that her realtionship with Hira had some nuance/you can tell they care about each other and can see eachothers points, especially the idea that Teventer should probably have a revolt happen. that said, the 'i planned all this to go wrong from the start' thing felt a little clunky but i think thats more of a pacing/time allowance thing.

I do wish that they maybe had another two episodes, it did feel very fast paced and it would have been nice to get a bit more team bonding before Fairbanks karked it (rip rebel king, i knew you weren't the traitor).

Rezaren seems to be being put into those draco leather pant's as i kind of expected so I'm going to avoid that part of the tag, but it's telling that he's reanimating the body of his dead 'brother' as a body guard, in such a way that i dont think Tassia knew that he was dead. the guy only knows how to express 'love' through control. it's all very interseting

Also intersting that Mirim is kind of a character foil to Leliana, both considered to be 'left hands', both betrayed by those they care for most, both rogues. there's something more there I'm sure, but it's still too fresh in my brain to think of more

not sure how i feel about the Meridith reveil, it sort of makes sense in that, because Red Lyrim is blighted and the blight has a hive mind kind of energy that she's still somehow alive, it's not quite as bad as looting Corypheus' body and him coming back in DA:I, but still i can imagine this leaving a bit of a sour taste for the series.

ANYWAY, i would like to see more of the main four, would love some backstory for Lacklon, Roland, and Qwydion moving forward, would be cool to see them show up in DA:D

[fideidefenswhore]

So, why is Anne of Cleves hated??? Like, what did she do??? Maybe some Mary I fans hate her bc during Mary's reign there was talk of her being arrested, or being part of a plot? Please, could you elaborate? I think it would be cool 😘

Well, I did say low-key-hated. but...

My impression is that both the C/OA and JS hive are green about the gills over her, for different reasons.

How the annulment went with Anne demonstrates that Catherine had a much easier path available to her that she chose not to take. It also demonstrates that the motto of humility that C/oA chose is much more applicable to AofCleves. This grates on their respective martyr complexes/affinity with her. They like to say a lot (and Mary/I stans too) that they could have been martyrs and came very close. But ultimately neither of them did; for the first, because she was endowed with privilege and status the other, actual martyrs of the Reformation were not, not only indelibly royal but also technically not an English subject (if she wasn't Henry's wife...but she insisted she was... CoA engaged in a lot of circular arguments, she managed to argue that she should be permitted Maundy bcus Margaret Beaufort as a royal widow did as well...except she insisted she was not a royal widow bcus her marriage with Arthur was annulled by dispensation, that that dispensation was valid...etc...she also said she would never leave England because it would be the same as conceding her case, 1533-, yet she also demanded the case be remanded to Rome, and ostensibly would have come there for her case to be heard if she was called, 1530-...?) , for the second, because she did ultimately reject her mother's previous advice, which was to "obey the King, your father, in everything, save only that you will not offend God and lose your own soul".

This stings, or has to, if the way they talk about Jane Grey, or, perhaps more applicably, Protestant martyrs, is any indication.

Also, there's a contemporary source that Anne of Cleves was 'more pitied in her case' (annulment, that is) than C/ oA was. That blights their narrative that Catherine was the Queen most beloved by the English people (altho, tbf, there are many contemporary reports in Catherine's time as Queen that would suggest that... but you'd think they'd be less sensitive about that single narrative-contradictory quote, considering).

For the JS hive, it stings that a) none of the contemporary praise of their fave can really be divorced of the implication of denigration of her predecessor (contemporary praise of Queens can often be attributed to political expedience, tbf, but none so much as when the context is the immediate previous being convicted of treason), b) that none of the contemporary praise of Jane comes from women, not even her own relatives have any contemporary statements that suggest an affection or attachment towards her (unless you count her stepdaughter's letters, but the abject submission and formality of their tone means that I, personally, do not). For Jane, there was no "so good and gentle to serve and please", no "none to do me help except the Queen, to whom I am much bound".

And there was a lot of contemporary praise of Anne of Cleves; and because there was no motivation to denigrate her immediate predecessor, it's generally, fairly, regarded as more authentic praise.

[scriptores]

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄 : asteria amell , dragon age: origins

overview: in the world of thedas, the darkspawn are orc-like creatures who dwell in an underground network of tunnels known as the deep roads. every few centuries, they rise to the surface in a hive-mind attack led by an archdemon. these apocalyptic scourges are known as the blight. out of the darkspawn's tainted essence, enhanced warriors known as the grey wardens were created to kill the archdemon and put a stop to the blight no matter the cost. it has been over 400 years since the last blight, but the fifth blight finally takes root in the country of ferelden. asteria is a newly initiated mage who was conscripted into the order at the eve of the first battle against the blight. political treachery lost them the battle and killed the king of ferelden, as well as nearly all the grey wardens. only asteria and alistair survived. with ferelden's borders closed and political ambitions still taking precedence, these two rookies and their motley crew of unlikely companions are thedas' last hope to stop the blight before it spreads beyond control.

CANON VERSES.

✧ origins : the events of the first game unfold and ultimately end with asteria being the warden who kills the archdemon. she survives the ordeal albeit changed, having incidentally absorbed the archdemon's soul unto her own, a fact that is evident to anyone who sees her violet eyes (as further explained here). [ alt. companion verse ] asteria can be picked up (or snuck out) during the circle tower crisis and join the warden's party. afterwards, she'd either live as an apostate mage or request to join the wardens as a new recruit during awakening. [ full bio ]

✧ awakening / da: 2 : asteria becomes the new warden commander of ferelden tasked with rebuilding the order. however, tensions are high as her survival and rumors of her absorbing the archdemon's soul brew resentment among the ranks. after she vanquishes the darkspawn threat in amaranthine, tensions begin to smooth over. she establishes the silver order and comes the new arlessa of amaranthine (although actively seeking a means to separate the two roles). when the mage-templar war starts, asteria receives an influx of mage and templar refugees alike seeking to join the order. she sets out looking for a cure for the taint so that those who chose this path in desperation could someday reverse it. ( a good crossover verse, since asta's search can take her to all sorts of places even outside of thedas )

✧ inquisition : my default is that asteria gave up her search for the cure and went straight to skyhold upon learning of the breach from a wisp in the fade. this happens sometime after warden commander clarel and the wardens of orlais are killed. after adamant, she becomes the temporary warden commander for the surviving orlesians and leads them in tandem with ferelden's warden forces against corypheus, should the inquisitor accept their aid.

AU VERSES.

✧ greek myth : asteria is the titan goddess of fallen stars and nocturnal oracles. she was a commander leading her father's northern celestial forces during the titanomachy, but was spared from being locked away in tartarus by her daughter, hekate's appeal. after being pursued by zeus, asteria fled to the underworld, and has been nyx's ward ever since. [ full bio ]

✧ dnd / critical role : asteria is the matron of ravens who presides over fate, winter, memories, and death. she was a mortal mage during the age of arcana, but ascended into her position after killing the previous death god. her name and her story has been wiped from historical memory. any remaining legends about her are varied and conflicting, but the one thing that is certain is that she has a disdain for orcus, the demon prince of undeath (or koschei if we decide to integrate his au here too). she actively seeks champions to defeat his undead forces and cult followers.

✧ fae verse : asteria is a faerie from the unseelie court and/or winter court. lots of flexibility here, but my default is affiliated with maeinade's unseelie queen, whom asteria assisted in usurping the previous monarch. she also has a proclivity for sorcery outside of faerie magic that she doesn't frequently employ in fear that it could raise suspicions that she isn't fully fae. [alt. acotar verse] also flexible. default is that asteria is illyrian, secretly a witch, and was one of the girls who joined the ranks in book 3. she fights in the battle against hybern, and uses her magic to save some but unfortunately not all of the illyrians who were caught in the cauldron blast.

DOSSIER

name. asteria amell diminutives. asta pronouns. she/her titles. champion of redcliffe, hero of ferelden, warden-commander of ferelden, arlessa of amaranthine (verse dependent) age. 19 (during origins), 31 (during da:i) origin. free marcher (w/avvar roots), identifies as ferelden etymology. human mage, spirit medium (spirit of command incarnate)* sexuality. bisexual alignment. chaotic good / neutral

relations. revka amell ( mother, presumed dead ), aerick ( biological father, presumed dead ), ethan amell ( father, deceased ), leticia amell ( half-sister, deceased ), diana amell ( half-sister, deceased ), apollonius amell ( half-brother, deceased ), hawke (cousin, alive)

height. 5'7" build. athletic & mesomorph hair. black & smooth as a river stone, usually kept back in a long braid. eyes. originally blue; now an unnatural violet scars. multiple faint scars, but the most prominent one is from the arrow she took at the tower of ishal. it sits right on her left shoulder, just below her collarbone, about the size of a coin and shaped like a gnarled silver star. there's an identical one on her left shoulder blade where the arrow pierced through. scents. rosemary, deathroot blossoms, & bergamot. 

abilities / skillset .

entropy & necromancy specialization.  the school of entropy deals with spells that attack the life force of an enemy and includes: creating death clouds to drain life energy (which can be absorbed to heal herself & companions), drawing residual spirit energy from the surrounding dead to replenish mana, paralyzing, disorienting, spirit bombing etc. necromancy allows her to call on and bind spirits from the fade to dead corpses and command them to attack on her behalf.

spirit medium . not a specialization that can be learned, but one she was born with. mages can interact with spirits and demons in the fade in their dreams, by physically summoning them with spells, or through their possessed vehicles, but spirit mediums are mages who have one foot in each of the two worlds. they can see through the veil and communicate with the beings on the other side at any given moment. 

grey warden abilities . wardens undergo a ritual (the joining) where they infuse darkspawn blood (the taint) with their own. this grants them: enhanced strength, durability, immunity to blighted illness, ability to sense when darkspawn are near, a connection to the darkspawn hivemind controlled by archdemons during a blight. typically, the archdemon can be seen & heard through dreams

archdemon soul absorption . after absorbing the archdemon's soul in the final boss battle, asteria essentially became an archmage, with an increased capacity for mana storage. she refuses to tap into that extra powerbank for a variety of reasons

restrictions .

other schools of magic . asteria was one of the top students of her class in the circle, and had to learn all the schools of magic at some capacity, but in the years since she's become a warden, she's been out of practice, and relies almost exclusively on entropy & necromancy if not her weapons.

high risk of possession. as a spirit medium, she can see through the veil in the waking word, but likewise those entities can see her. demons are often drawn to mediums like magnets and chisel away at their peace until their will is weak enough for a possession.

the calling . while the joining grants wardens increased abilities, it does not come without consequence. the taint is a poison which corrupts and overtime her mind will become more darkspawn than warden. this process is known as the calling. eventually through delusions it draws a warden to the deeproads where they are sure to meet their death or worse. it usually takes up to 30 years after a joining to hear the calling, but wardens, like asteria, who are active during a blight have this process accelerated, bringing it closer to 10 years.

archdemon soul absorption: although asteria has an increased mana powerbank to draw from, she still has a human body and to tap into that powerbank will take a massive toll on her physically. to draw on it completely might actually kill her.

themes. battle cry, imagine dragons / ezio's family, assassin's creed / to the stars, tyler bates / female robbery, the neighbourhood

[nightmarist]

Extended, informal list of OCs for worldbuilding projects & fandom.

Name, Species, Occupation, Pronoun, Age. A little bit about the overall story each section, a couple with brief descriptions.

I really gotta start drawing more of my blorbos lmao

Dragon Age —

Warden Manivhen, Circle Mage Elf, Shapeshifter, Blood Mage, She/Her. 23.

Fawlren Hawke, Spirit Healer Mage. He/Him, 37.

Darren Hawke, Two-Handed Reaver. He/Him. 34.

Amalia Hawke, Daggers Shadow Rogue, She/Her, 28.

Dirthadin, (Sketch) Dalish Elf Necromancer, He/Him. 43.

Aribas, Tal-Vashoth Spear-thrower, Inquisitor. She/Her. 32.

Saarkadan, Tal-Vashoth Assassin. He/Him. 32.

Kasakos, Tal-Vashoth Saarebas Rift Mage, Herald. He/Him. 27.

Camille de la Rouge, Orlesean Elf Mage-Rogue. He/Him. 38.

Philomené, Orlesean Assassin. She/Her. Why would you ask a lady her age *stabs you*

Ser Tadgh Conchobhar, Ferelden Knight-Commander. He/Him. 57.

Nuvenal, Circle Mage Elf, Grand Cleric. He/Him. 51.

Dungeons & Dragons —

Nymé, drow Wild Sorcerer. Harlequin Pirate by trade. NG. He/Him, 32.

Whisper, pink Tiefling. Grave Domain Cleric. LE. She/Her, 28.

Mantra, red Tiefling. Whisper’s Brother. Redemption Paladin. LG. He/Him, 30.

Vazven, drow wizard/rogue. Troll campaigns only. CE, He/Him, 22.

Lots of NPCs.......

Old Soil from the Grave (Original) —

A vaquero who can see ghosts uses bounty hunting as a ruse to give peace to the dead. A pair of faith-bound vampire brothers have noticed serial killings in a most gruesome manner, and conscript the cowboy to help them solve the horrors.

Jacob Carlson, necromancer "witchblood" cowboy. He/Him, 53.

Franscesco Flores, vampire priest, sin-eater. He/Him, 231.

Esteban Ruiz Flores, vampire holy knight. He/Him. 132.

Médice. masked doctor. They/Them. Unknown age.

Insulated Insect (Original) —

A pair of aliens land on a new planet in a binary star system when their ship was thrown by the gravity. They met their end quickly, being torn apart and used as scrap to frankenstein new beings into the Hive. One of these beings was not fully integrated into the Hive, and exiled himself, floating through space until landing on Earth. Torn between two worlds where neither he can belong, he learns his best to be himself. However, the Hive still yearns for More.

Thomas Ivanov, alien. He/She. 2 years old (adult).

Gustav Ivanov, human. He/Him, 27 years old.

Maria Dahlgard, human. She/Her, 87 years old.

Ramón Luis, human. He/Him, 64 years old.

X08, alien and Thomas’ twin. It/Its. 2 years old (adult).

The Mother, alien “queen”, It/She. Eternal. Always.

The Hive, the singular mind of the aliens, It/They. Eternal. Always.

The Ichor, a parasite that created the hive. It/They. Eternal. Always.

Necromantic (Original) —

A priest of old seeks to resurrect long-dead gods even if it costs the world. He befriends adventurers in hopes of using them as vessels for his plan, cultivating a cruel betrayal in process. Meanwhile, a blight called god-sickness infects the lands, the very same one that killed the old gods.

Main —

Sigurd Helvega. necromancer priest. He/Him, 1-2 thousand years old.

Razvra Zhiat, elf mercenary from Stillas. He/Him, 34.

Eloise Acier, kingdsguard soldier from Stillas. She/Her, 67.

Asa Oad, elf huntress in training from Brislat, She/Her, 28.

Alimah Gan, mercenary from Dauthas, She/Her, 23.

Leivina Matrinagi, temple guardswoman from Himagri

Supporting —

Phairen Yugwai, king of mires. He/Him. 143.

Tuong Anthan, arcanist and chancellor of mires. He/They, 122.

Aiden Sullibahn, king of the shining plains. He/Him, unknown age.

Morain, exiled twin of Aiden. He/Him, unknown age.

Mishala, empress of everdawn. She/Her, unknown age.

Lorrain, prince of everdawn. He/Him, unknown age, but a child.

Adham, former emperor of everdawn. He/Him, unknown age.

Nasir Rah, royal advisor of everdawn. Any pronouns. too old to count.

*Unknown ages are nowhere near as old as Sigurd. Maybe between 300-500.

Minor Roles but Major Haunts —

Galdramadur, dragon god of magic, fire, and passion.

Morthara, raven god of death, cycles, and medicine.

Ranmaya, fish god of water, storms, and fertility.

Demaodi, elk god of plants, agriculture, and home.

Karamir, scorpion god of wealth, survival, and law.

Ghost of a Ghost (Original) —

Very, very unpolished story idea. Young man enticed by a new experimental military branch created to include earth-born non-humans, meta humans, and aliens offers to pay for expenses, gets conscripted and becomes a super-weapon with a cybernetic black box that can sense his thoughts and warns him or mutes him if he has “thought crimes” against the branch or government. It will explode if attempted removal without upper clearance. When he dies, the black box is recovered and he is cloned, though usually the final 5-30 minutes are tampered with or deleted. Even and especially when he kills himself.

Vigil Song. Regretful super soldier. He/Him. 23.

Archive 01. Vigil’s personal rogue library AI. She/Her. 6 months.

Veronika. Hacktivist, anarchist, tech-genius. She/Her, 43.

Cringy/Self Indulgent DC —

Re-El, aka Rei Luther, aka Supernova. Future clone of Superman and Luther decades after Superboy. Black hair, blue eyes, but thin and frail, heart palpitations that prevent him from full access to his powers. He/Him. 23.

Alex Luther (Jr.). "Twin" to Rei. Red hair, blue eyes, muscular and super strength, but subdued abilities. He/Him. 23.

Trojan. Experimental genome creation to guard Re-El and Alex. White hair, red eyes, muscular. Super-healing, and apparent immortality. 23.

Abraxas. "Twin" to Trojan. Thin and sinewy. 23.

Aron, aka Spiderlily. Attempted clone of Nora Fries (without Victor's knowledge) by Ivy and Luther, but Luther had other plans. Aron is part plant, and she can stretch parts of her body and transform herself into plant material. She/Her. 28.

Shining Nikki —

Vita Tres aka 333, Fresh & Cool styles, Ruin Island, Biomedical engineer. He/Him. 33.

Eva Nomaly aka Eve, aka 343, Sexy, Sweet, & Fresh styles, Ruin Island. Environmental conservationist. She/Her.

[davidkeane17]

100 Cartoon Villains Of All Time

The Evil Queen Skeletor Scar Shredder Joker Jafar Ursula Cruella De Vil Gaston Mr Burns Plankton Elmer Fudd Maleficent Shan Yu Lex Luthor Hades Queen Of Hearts Magneto Claude Frollo Captain Hook Lady Tremaine Riddler Venom Sideshow Bob Mojo JoJo Him Chernabog Marvin the Martian Zira Sid Doctor Facilier Zim Vector Jessie And James Yzma Shredder 2012 Lots-o'-Huggin Bear Hans Angelica Kingpin Prowder Madam Mim Gothel Drizella Doctor Doofenshmirtz Doctor Doom Feathers McGraw Vegeta Doctor Octopus El Macho Tai Lung Smee Lord Shen Kai Anastasia Bill Cypher Ice King Slade Wilson The Lich Bane Cound Dooku Yellow Diamond Vitani Screenslaver Queen Beryl Ratigan Shenzi, Banzai & Ed Ra's Al Ghul Riddler Taskmaster Cell Light Yagami Fire Lord Ozai Darth Vader Maul Cad Bane Yosemite Sam Loki Frieza Eric Cartman The Giant Chicken Lust Rize Kamlshlro Scott Tenorman Trigon Azula Terrence Syndrome Princess Morbucks Green Goblin Will E. Ckyote Lord Farquaad Mongol Penguin Harley Quinn Poison Ivy Catwoman Vandal Savage Skullmaster Joker 2010 Riddler 2004 Sabretooth Lady Deathstroke Omega Red Deadpool Black Manta Ultron Modok Man Ray Cthulhu Stewie Griffin Ren Dr Lorre Grand Inquisitor Deadshot Charles Muntz Fairy Godmother Randall Boggs Mr Freeze Electro Ernesto De La Cruz Emperor Zurg The Father Mandark Kang And Kodos Thanos Skrulls Red Skull Baron Zemo Galactus Kraven Krang Kang The Conqueror Enchantress Mystique Magneto Yost Universe Sinister Six Red X Injustice League Kuvira Woodland Critters Delightful Children Viper Snowball Boggis, Bunce & Bean Rasputin Mom Robot Devil Jenner Doomsday Red Hood Hexxus Soto Vexus Sakharine Apocalypse Blackfire The Brain Brother Blood Robot Santa Larr Fat Tony Springfield Mafia Professor Chaos Sedusa Evil Morty Galactic Empire Galactic Federation Clayton Darth Sidious Queen La Hive Five Brotherhood Of Evil Gideon Blendin Blandin Masters Of Evil Juggernaut Abomination Giffany Frank Grimes Mister Ruckus Sir Crocodile The Major Envy Nagato Uzumakl Yohan Liebert DIO Alzen Vicious Uncle Ruckus Colonel H. Stinkmeaner Tom Cruise Barbra Streisand Krombopulos Michael Tammy Guetermann Lucius Needful Council Of Ricks Diane Simmons James Woods Evil Stewie Snake Jailbird Hank Scorpio Black Cat Count Vertigo Asajj Ventress The Monarch Phantom Limb The Son Barriss Offee Embo Bossk Savage Opress Darth Bane Inquisitorius Thrawn Van Kleiss Tiger Claw Bebop & Rocksteady Cheshire Suicide Squad Killer Croc Victor Quartermaine Winter Soldier The Hunter Black Cat Stinky Pet Darla Sherman Mad Mod Control Freak Terra Mumbo Fabrication Machine Klarion The Witch Boy Granny Goodness Sportsmaster Queen Bee Lobo Ocean Master Icicle Atomic Skull Black Beatle Prison Berry Duchess Nemesis Bendy Amoeba Boys Lenny Baxter Gangreen Gang Rowdyruff Boys Inque Shriek Blight Talia al Ghul Yubaba Lady Eboshi Colonel Muska Kushana Lord Darkar Valtor Trix Sebastian Saga Terrence Lewis Helga Von Guggen Nelson Muntz Terwilliger Family Shredder 2003 Grand Admiral Tarkin Carter Pewterschmidt Bertram Stickybeard Mr Boss Knightbrace Rob Miss Simian Zach Watterson Beatrice Horseman Doodlebob Bubble Bass Dennis Flying Dutchman Flats The Flounder Dirty Bubble Tattletale Strangler Saddam Hussein The Devil Scott The Dick Crab People Manbearpig Bill Donohue Trent Beyett Super Skrull Hydra Amos Slade The Bear Kent Mansley Rothbart Darla Dimple Dave The Octopus Makunga Squilliam Fancyson Hobgoblin Gabby Gabby Sabor Olivia Octopus Black Mask Parasite Clayface Killer Frost Bizarro Shade Giganta Sinestro Anti Monitor Atrocitus Larfleeze Ultra Humanite The Leader Annihilus Mole Man Red Ghost Frightful Four Terrax Klaw Maximus Ronan The Accuser Captain Boomerang Professor Zoom The Rogues Captain Cold Livewire Silver Banchee Aurra Sing Nightsisters Mother Talzin Pre Vizsla Death Watch Gar Saxon Jabba The Hutt Roberto Nudar Zapp Brannigan Walt. Larry And Igner Richard Nixon Donbot Flexo

[scapedgrace]

TOP FIVE SONG ASSOCIATIONS. share the top songs in your playlist that most inspire / represent your muse the most. bonus points if you include lyrics that go along with it.

i. king, florence + the machine.

But a woman is a changeling, always shifting shape. Just when you think you have it figured out, something new begins to take. What strange claws are these, scratching at my skin? I never knew my killer would be coming from within. I am no mother. I am no bride. I am king. I need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing. I need my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology. 'Cause I am no mother. I am no bride. I am king.

ii. everybody loves me, onerepublic.

Don't need my health, got my name and got my wealth. I stare at the sun just for kicks all by myself. I lose track of time so I might be past my prime but I'm feelin', oh, so good, yeah. Oh my, feels just like I don't try, looks so good I might die. All I know is everybody loves me. Head down, swingin' to my own sound, flashes in my face now. All I know is everybody loves me.

iii. whatever it takes, imagine dragons.

Always had a fear of being typical, looking at my body feeling miserable. always hanging on to the visual. I wanna be invisible. Looking at my years like a martyrdom. Everybody needs to be a part of 'em. Never be enough, I'm the prodigal son. I was born to run, I was born for this. Break me down and build me up. Whatever it takes, 'cause I love the adrenaline in my veins. I do whatever it takes 'cause I love how it feels when I break the chains. Yeah, take me to the top, I'm ready for whatever it takes 'cause I love the adrenaline in my veins.

iv. tales of dominica, lil nas x.

Oh, finally grown, ain't nothing like I hoped it would be. Out on my own, I'm floating in an ocean-less sea. Could I be wrong? Was everybody right about me? Scary things in my head, I can't dream and I just—woke up on the floor. Oh, this plastic bed don't blow up no more. In this broken home, everyone becomes predictable. Oh, sometimes you're angry, sometimes you're hurting, sometimes you're all alone. Sometimes I'm anxious, sometimes it makes me feel like there's only now. I've been living in my lowest, it's safe to say. Hope my little bit of hope don't fade away. I've been living on an island made from fate. Can't go running back to home, I can't face her face.

v. age of the dragon, miracle of sound.

Just a lowly refugee, your Champion arrived. Brown shores of Ferelden fade to Kirkwall's buzzing hive. Rose above the poverty and rose above the pain. My friend became the saviour of the white city of chains. Fight for your values and fight for your friends. Fight through this Blight, find the light at the end. Through the age of the Dragon the people will talk of the day they were saved by a hero named Hawke.

tagged by: @fenhara tagging: whoever wants to!

[silverspoonfedbraggart]

Historical Men

blighted king haranguing

left hanging

suspended

tamed the ferocity

let it die unnamed

 his hive mind

let dragonfly

           up        

                       and

                                   up

                                               join him

                                                           hypnotic swinging in the sky

 As we kneel

vassal states

swear fealty

           legitimacy vouched

earthy thighs expelled

you

announced

hysterian

new world

open womb

cesarian

open wound

[the-raven-of-highever]

so 👉🏻👈🏻 that au based on the night king's theme, I need to know 👁👁

Oh I am very happy to share a bit of that AU @palepinkycat! I don’t have a proper title but it is titled the Lara God AU in my notes.

So remember the dark future Corypheus causes during In Hushed Whispers? Demon army, the fall of Orlais and all that good stuff? From Dorian and the Inquisitor’s perspective they stop that future, but time is not so forgetful. That timeline still exists, those two have simply left it for a better one. That is where my AU takes place, in the timeline that the Inquisitor and Dorian abandoned.

Without the Inquisition, the fall of Orlais and Ferelden failing to stop the Venatori, the south of Thedas is all but under Cory’s control. There are small pockets of rebels but no organized resistance.

Meanwhile, the north of Thedas is in chaos. Without any unifying figure, the nations are all fending for themselves against Cory, his armies and agents. And they are losing.

That is when Lara Cousland emerges from the Deep Roads along with her horde of awakened darkspawn. Thanks to her connection to the taint / blight, Lara is able to use the darkspawn hive mind to direct them in battle. She doesn’t control them exactly but gives orders through the taint and her horde then moves in perfect coordination. It is rather terrifying seeing the massive horde move not as a mass of uncoordinated darkspawn but in perfect sync with each other.

Lara and her horde begin their own war against Cory with Awakened Darkspawn and their dark Queen of Laurels fighting against the Elder One, his demons, red templars and venatori. For most normal people in the north of Thedas it seems like the end of days with monsters fighting monsters.

I have pages of additional details but haven’t even begun to write this lol. Some random bits that I want to happen though include

Lara and her horde were able to save one of the Old Gods before Cory’s demon army could destroy them. She eventually gains the power of Razikale for her fight against Cory

Lara making alliances with some of northern Thedas and even some Tevinter mages like Maevaris and Calpernia (Tevinter civil war)

Lara losing in her first face to face encounter with Cory. Her body is destroyed but because of her connection to the taint, she is ‘reborn’ in one of her chosen darkspawn followers (The Chosen being a select few awakened darkspawn that are prepared to sacrifice their own bodies should Lara fall in battle)

Lara being summoned by a Titan and being given a magical orb of her own (which until proven otherwise I still think are Titan hearts)

Lara entering the black city and sitting on the empty throne, becoming a god herself in order to bring peace and stability to the world (lol I’ve basically made Lara a kind of DA version of Kerrigan from Star Craft)

[theherosreturn]

Bradley, holding one that he subdued: Looking at this mouth of sorts, that alone is proof enough…though I can only imagine it’s worse than just pain. *Stabs the Headcrab with a spear* So…how many are there here?

(The answer would not be pleasant…least Emir was nearby to help)

???: Help...Help!...It hurts so much!!...*They soon turned around and saw the answer just how many there were down the hill (At least 15 in counting)...And Bradley's imagination would be given an answer in the form of The Xeno Hive's very own zombies*

Jackrow: Yeah...Those guys "aren't" dead...They're just forcefully mutated by these creatures to become their puppets/meatshields...And the scariest thing about these things...King Xeno Blight did not even include that feature on them, they were just naturally born with the ability of turning their hosts into these Nightmares...Their very existence is just absolute torture for them.

[weeping-gospels]

Morally's steps are small and cautious as she curiously eyes the broken city, illuminated by the soft moonlight that gives it an ethereal feeling. It has been days of traveling through the darkness, avoiding humans and wild animals, before she finds herself in Ubersreik. She finds it beautiful, in a way, always drawn to destruction and chaos and the beauty they hold. Scattered debris, dried blood and old bones adorn the old town. Something sparkles in the corner of her vision-- the light is reflected by a dark gem mindlessly thrown onto the ground, its golden chain broken into pieces. Just as she reaches for the jewel, however, she feels a cold shiver run down her spine. Amber eyes instantly turn to the direction of sudden dread, yet there's nothing there. No, there's someone there, she can feel them but she can't see them.

Gloved hands reach for the sword sheathed on the side of her waist.

"Come out~ Let us play."

Ubersreik — the shelter for the deceased, not so deceased, abnormal, and wicked. Only the strongest could walk amongst the cracked pavement of dried blood and fresh kill and only the iron - gutted could mark the dreary location as their permanent settlement. For within the catacombs of death and decay can lie a beauty where botany has reclaimed the tumbled construction — vines tangling along busted pipes, flowers nestling into animal skulls, and grass swallowing whole the bones of the perished. A cacophony of wails in the far distance intertwining with the whistling of wind through the ruffling trees, masking the dark history unfolding before one’s very eyes.

Do not be fooled. In spite of how tranquil the forests may appear, within these palaces lie the great knights and warriors waiting to behead. If a traveler were to perch upon a desolate tree and allow their sunburnt eyes to close for even a minute, then they may find themselves in a not so favorable place when they rise again — if they wake up at all.

Riddled with vermin that sought out flesh and blood, the mutated rat packs collided underground and under the noses of whatever sorry soul still survived on the surface. Perennially monitoring whatever stalked the lands they’d rightfully take back, the rodents were the boogeymen of the night. Farm life would vanish, corpses drained and half eaten, bones licked clean and gnawed upon, faces grotesquely torn, carcasses rotten and hung as a warning, displays of dominance and power and a dare for anyone to stand in their way. Clans from all over would travel amongst the endless labyrinth of gaping tunnels, a hive mind spiraling with only the perspective of preparation for domination and a futuristic time where they are kings of the surface. Ubersreik was home to Clan Fester — a dying breed of Pestilens’ so called ‘brothers’ that had been infected with a nasty case of Brood Blight and manipulated into making Grey Seer Rasknitt their commander, won over by persuasion of sugar coated words of a remedy for the abrupt halt in offspring. Globadiers, stormvermin, gutter runners, gas rats…

A single Dhampir. Fawning over the literal burnt - in marking of Clan Fester on her wrist, Betty let out a pleased hum before rolling her draping sleeve back up, content with following Ubersreik’s newest play toy. Curious eyes blinked back toward the woman whence she spoke out, bringing the half undead back to reality with a mischievous grin,

“ Da? Little ol’ me? What are we playing, blue bird? I like games ~ . “

[salvucci91]

Oryx, the Taken King

[captainimprobable]

Part 3 of that thing I’ve been posting.  This is a first draft, once it’s edited I’ll put it on Ao3.  There will be five parts! Part1  Part 2  ~~

Amity has a plan.

She knows her girlfriend likes meaningful gestures, especially when it’s about something important.  So as she signs her name at the bottom of the pink paper, she wills herself not to be nervous.  She’s doing everything right, she knows, and besides, it’s Luz.  Luz is understanding and generous.  She’ll love this. 

(Amity hopes.)

Walking to school the next day is torture, and she’s brought back to a similar morning a few months ago, when she was clutching paper from the same notebook she used today.  She didn’t go through with it then, but everything is different now.  Luz will say yes.

So why can’t she stop shaking?

She walks into the building and immediately spots Luz.  Her stomach flips itself over, as usual, and she nervously walks over to her girlfriend.   

“Amity! I missed you!”  Luz sees her and runs over, catching her up in a hug.  Amity tries not to swoon.  

“Luz, I saw you yesterday,” Amity says, smiling as she’s picked up and swayed a little.  

Luz pouts as she puts Amity down.  “Yeah, but that was a long time ago,” she mumbles.  She looks down at the ground, and her eyebrows scrunch together.

“Oh wait,” she says, stooping down and picking something up.  “You dropped this.”

It’s the pink paper.  Amity wants to die.  “WAIT,” she says loudly, startling a couple of other kids down the hall, “DON’T LOOK AT THAT.”

She grabs the paper and then stops.  Wait.  Things are different now. 

“Actually,” she says, with as much composure as she can muster after an outburst like that, “this is for you.”

She holds out the pink paper. And Luz. Takes it.

If Luz recognizes the type of paper the note is written on, she doesn’t mention it.  Amity is shaking as Luz opens the note, inspecting every single change in Luz’s face, anticipating a possible rejection. 

But instead, Luz’s face morphs into a huge smile, and she turns the paper over so Amity can see the words she’s written.

“Luz, will you go on a date with me?”  

 There’s color high in Luz’s cheeks as she asks “Really?”

“Of course really,” Amity scoffs, her entire body relaxing at Luz’s reaction. 

“Ohmygosh of course I will!!!!!  Where are we going? What are we doing? Can we-”

Amity holds up a hand to stop Luz’s train of thought.  “I have it all planned out,” she says proudly.  “All you have to do is show up.”

 Luz smiles, the crinkles at the corners of her eyes getting deeper as she does.  “Of course you do,” she says.  “I’ll be there!”

~

Amity had thought she was nervous yesterday, but that’s nothing compared to today.

 Edric and Emira are trying to help calm her down, but they’re somehow making it worse.  “I’m sure she’s gonna have a great time,” Ed says sincerely, nodding to himself.  “Unless….she doesn’t,” he adds.  

 Emira hits her twin on the arm.  “Ed, not helping,” she scolds, and puts her hands on Amity’s shoulders.  “First dates are scary, but this is Luz.  You could take her to the dump and she’d thank you.”

 “I’m terrified,” Amity confesses to her sister.  

 “Don’t be!”

 “Thanks, Em, suddenly I’m totally fine.”

 “Glad I could help,” Emira winks.  “Now go get your girl.”

~

It’s time for her date with Luz.  Well, actually, it’s an hour before her date with Luz, but she’s leaving now anyway because she likes to be punctual.  

 As it turns out, she doesn’t have a lot of time to be nervous, because when she opens the door to leave Blight Manor, Luz is standing there with flowers.

 “Hi,” Luz says excitedly, laughing a little at the look on Amity’s face.  “These are for you.  I got you purple ones because they match your hair!”

 “You’re early,” is all Amity manages to say.  She takes the flowers from Luz and their fingers touch.  Normally, this wouldn’t be such a big deal anymore, but knowing they’re about to go on an actual date makes everything feel a little different.  Amity tries not to jump.

 “Yeah,” Luz says, hands behind her back.  “But I know you, and I knew you’d be early, so here I am!”

 Suddenly Amity feels like crying.  Being known isn’t something she ever thought she would get to experience.  Being known this well was never even a thought.  She is so, so lucky.

 She blinks the tears away and manages to direct a smile at her girlfriend.  “Thanks,” she says.  “I love them.”

 Luz beams.  Amity still marvels over the way Luz’s expressions are so open and extreme.  She’s smiling with her entire body, somehow, exuding so much happiness just because Amity liked the flowers.  

 “So you have an idea?” Luz asks.  

 “Oh, yeah!” Amity says.  “I have the perfect plan.”

~

Amity watches Luz’s face stealthily out of the corner of her eye the entire way through Bonesborough.  They’re holding hands, and it feels like magic, but Amity is so nervous that Luz won’t enjoy what she’s planned that she can barely appreciate it.  Luz looks unbothered, though, swinging their hands between them happily as she chatters on about something King did earlier in the day.  Normally, Amity would be paying rapt attention, but today she’s a little too wound up.

 “Okay, here we are” Amity says nervously, watching  Luz’s face carefully for any sign of rejection.

 Luz looks up and gasps.  “A bookstore?????? I didn’t even know there was a bookstore here!”

 “Yeah,” Amity says shyly.  “I just thought...well, the first thing we really bonded over was Azura, so I figured maybe we could wander and…” She trails off.

 Luz is jumping up and down on the balls of her feet.  “Yes! I’ve always wanted to go on a bookstore date! I wonder what kind of weirdness a Boiling Isles bookstore has! Unless it’s just, like, a normal bookstore.  Which would be disappointing but still cool!”  She grins and pulls on Amity’s hand.  “Cmon, let’s go!”

~

It’s going well, she thinks.  Luz looks like she’s having fun as she pulls book after book off the shelf, commenting on them each before putting them back.

 “I’ve been wondering about the Azura books,” Luz says at one point.  “Like, how come we get them in the human realm and the Boiling Isles? How is that possible?”  Luz scratches her head.  “Maybe the author is from here and somehow managed to get their books to my realm? Maybe they’ve got a really good publicist? Or maybe they’re human and their books accidentally made it here somehow, like, maybe Eda brought one back one day and someone bought it and-”  Luz stops.  “Oh my gosh, Amity, do you think Eda is responsible for the circulation of the Azura books on the Boiling Isles???”

 Amity considers that.  

 “You know, I haven’t really met any other people who like these books,” she says.  “I always wondered why they weren’t more popular.”  Her eyes widen, realization dawning.  “What if I’m the only one? What if Eda sold them to the bookstore and I bought them and-”

 “Woah,” Luz says.  “That is some crazy coincidence.”

 “Well,” Amity says bravely.  “Guess it just means we were always meant to be.”

 She gets a bright red Luz as a reward for her nerve, and she smirks.  It’s fun to make Luz nervous.  Knowing she has that effect on her makes her so happy.  

 Luz doesn’t say anything, just reaches out a hand for Amity’s.  Amity gets it.  Sometimes holding Luz’s hand is the only thing that makes sense.

 “Oh no way,” comes a voice from behind them.  Amity’s heart sinks.  Oh no, not now, why now, why here, why-

 They turn around and Boscha comes into view, scrutinizing their linked hands.  “You’re actually dating the human.  Wow.  I thought that was a rumor, like, one so ridiculous it couldn’t even be true.”  She smirks.  “And yet here you are.”

 Amity can feel Luz stiffen next to her, and she’s suddenly filled with rage.  Luz escaped her world to avoid being made fun of, she shouldn’t have to deal with that here, too.

 Amity raises her chin and looks Boscha in the eye.  “Aw, what’s wrong, Boscha, jealous that nobody wants to hang out with you?”  She looks around pointedly.  “Looks like you’re alone, huh?  Has everyone finally realized what a monster you are?”

 Boscha’s face turns a shade of pink darker than her hair.  “I’m not alone,” she spits.  “I came here by myself on purpose.  It’s exhausting, having followers all the time.”

 “Sure,” Amity says, turning to leave.  “Come on Luz, let’s-”

 “Can’t believe she went and got a girlfriend from another species,” Amity hears Boscha mutter under her breath.  And then, a little louder, clearly intending to be heard- “Guess shopping at the bottom of the barrel is easier than finding someone normal.”

 Amity stops.  She’s gripping Luz’s hand so hard it’s probably starting to hurt a little, but she can’t help it.  Luz seems to sense the storm coming, and she scrambles to stop it.  “Amity, it’s okay, let’s just go-”

 But Amity is done.  Done with Boscha and her stupid games, done with everyone making fun of Luz for things she can’t control, done with her girlfriend being treated lesser than because she wasn’t born a witch.

 She releases Luz’s hand, whirls around, and says, quiet as the dead, “Say that again.”

 Boscha seems to realize she went a little too far this time, but she’s not one to back down.  “What are you gonna do, Amity? Hex me? You don’t have the-”

 Before she can finish her sentence, Amity’s fingers are twirling in circles and Boscha is on the ground, angry hives crawling up and down her body.

 A security guard comes over, looking bored.  He gives Boscha a glance, unimpressed.  “Miss,” he says to Amity.  “I’m gonna have to ask you to go.”

 “Don’t worry about it,” Amity says.  “We were just leaving.”

~

Amity thinks her hands might be clenched permanently, now.  The anger (coiling, rampant, hot to the touch) she’s feeling isn’t new, but it’s somehow louder now, a line of static in her ears so loud that she doesn’t hear Luz calling her name until the third time.

 “Amity!”

Amity blinks herself out of her stupor and remembers, suddenly: she’s supposed to be on a date.  A date with her cute girlfriend.  A date that she messed up by getting them kicked out of a store.

 She knew she’d mess this up somehow.

 “Amity, are you okay?”

 Luz is looking at her with concern in her eyes, and Amity doesn’t deserve it.  She doesn’t deserve any of this.  She’s ruined everything.

 “I’m sorry,” she mumbles, not looking Luz in the eye.  She’d understand if Luz dumped her over this.

 “For what?” Luz asks sincerely, and Amity looks up in confusion.  “Um, for ruining our date?”

 Luz raises her eyebrows.  “How exactly did you ruin it?”

 “I hexed Bosca, I got us kicked out of the bookstore, I-”

 “What I’m hearing,” Luz says, taking Amity’s hand again, “Is that you got angry on my behalf and defended me from a bully”

 “But I got us kicked out of the store!” Amity insists.  She feels like she owes it to Luz to admit what a screw up she is, but Luz isn’t having it.

 “No, Boscha got us kicked out of the store.  Besides, it’s no big deal, we were basically done anyway.”

 This isn’t right.  She knows she should be happy that Luz isn’t blaming her, but something inside her insists that Luz needs to know, that Luz needs to understand that Amity messed up and will probably mess up again, that she had everything planned out perfectly and it went nothing like it was supposed to and Luz should probably break up with her and-

 “Break up with you?????” Luz sounds scandalized, and Amity realizes: she said everything out loud.  

 “You think I would break up with you over this?”

 “I..I don’t know,” Amity says, closing her eyes as though that will make her disappear.  “Maybe.”

 “Amity, I-I don’t like you because you’re perfect.  You’re only human- I mean, you’re a person, and people make mistakes, and that’s okay! I make mistakes all the time! Just today I missed a step and fell down the stairs.  It happens!”

 She takes Amity’s other hand and looks her in the eyes.  “You’re perfect to me.  But not because you never mess up.  Because you’re kind, and funny, and beautiful, and you do things like hex bullies because they make fun of me.  I don’t need the perfect date, Amity.  I just need you.”

 Amity is speechless.  Nobody has ever said anything like that to her.  She remembers what she told Hunter in that cave all those months ago: I grew up thinking everything was an opportunity to justify existing.  But there are people out there who won’t make you feel worthless.  You just have to let yourself meet them.

 It’s time she took her own advice.

 “Thank you,” she says quietly, smiling shyly.  “You’re the best girlfriend a girl could ask for.”

 “No, you are!” Luz says earnestly, and Amity realizes that, if she had the courage, she could kiss Luz right then and there.

 She doesn’t, of course, but now that it’s in her head, she’s not going to forget about it anytime soon.

[ixieko]

So I didn’t kill the Architect this time, and learned (from the irritated Mother) that apparently it was he who started the Fifth Blight by trying his method of “curing” darkspawn on Urthemiel, which obviously didn’t work as intended. Also he was the hight priest of Urthemiel, and one of the 7 high priests that went to the Black City. Only, unlike Corypheus, he lost all his memories. (Does that mean that there are 5 more of these guys wandering somewhere, with remains of their ceremonial clothes and headgear embedded in their bodies? Brrr.)

Also, I now have a Shrodinger’s Architect: I killed him the first time and let him live this time so he’s both dead and not-dead.

Also, I wonder if children of Thedas have countdown rhymes like:

Seven Old Gods trapped underground; Dumat dug out and wandered around. The Darkspawn ate a million people, and made a lot more sick, 'Til the Grey Wardens came and then there was only six. Six Old Gods trapped underground; Zazikel dug out and wandered around. The Darkspawn ran over Anderfels and turned it into their hive, 'Til the Grey Wardens came and then there was only five. Five Old Gods trapped underground; Toth dug out and wandered around. The Darkspawn swarmed in Tevinter and Orlais in huge hordes, 'Til the Grey Wardens came and then there was only four. Four Old Gods trapped underground; Andoral dug out and wandered around. He led Darkspawn to the north and there they roamed free 'Til the Grey Wardens came and then there was only three. Three Old Gods trapped underground; Urthemiel dug out and wandered around. The Darkspawn killed the king and their invasion grew and grew 'Til the Grey Wardens came and then there was only two. Two Old Gods trapped underground; Which one will dig up next and go wandering around?

(I suck at poetry in general and poetry in foreign languages in particular, sorry)

[blooddrop-palace]

DMC-OC-Week Day 4

(No images this time. I ran out!)

Seraphina Valkyrie

Something she likes:

“There’s so much I couldn’t believe I missed during my twenty-something years being lost in Hell. It’s strange to think that during that time, Vergil was also suffering in a similar way… often not himself, broken, desperate, and searching. Since coming back, I’ve had so much worry on my mind. On the first opportunity back in Fortuna where I could afford a little peace, I didn’t know how I was going to go forward with either Nero or Vergil. But then Kyrie, blessed little Kyrie who was barely a year old last I had seen her, made her mother’s tiramisu recipe for us all. 

“It was one of my favorite desserts back when her parents invited me over for dinner. And I had shared some of this dessert with Vergil once before. To know that Nero also has a fondness for it, especially since it’s from Kyrie, makes me feel that everything is going to be okay. We will have more shared experiences to bridge off of this. Maybe I wouldn’t have to choose between Nero’s comfort or Vergil’s feelings. Maybe I’ll be able to have them both in my life, and bring them closer, too. We won’t make the most fairytale of families, and that’s okay. I simply wish to give them the love that they deserve.”

Something she dislikes:

“There’s no one singular way to describe this dislike of mine… but perhaps it’s simple to say that I loathe injustice. The problem with justice, however, is that it can often be a personal view. 

“But I’ve suffered injustice. Nero has suffered similar injustice. Vergil, too, has suffered injustice. Would I be able to flay Sanctus alive, or to also go up against Mundus, I would not hesitate. People who will make others suffer just to make themselves feel better or bigger are a blight upon mankind. I have no sympathy for the fool that scorns love and promotes pain. And I am not above spilling the blood of villains.”

Kassandra King

Something she likes: 

“It’s a bit cheap for me to say this, since this is somewhat of a family trait ingrained into our bloodline, but I like children. We all eventually become parental. 

“That said, it’s one of the reasons why there are usually a lot of children in this family. We thrive as a family and as our own little community. And children are an absolute blessing, even when they are at their worst. To care for them and teach them how to become their own individual person is something that satisfies the Hive blood within us, because family is everything.”

Something she dislikes:

“This might sound odd from someone like me, who knows how to seduce and works at a strip club for fun… but when it comes down to more than that, I don’t do well with the whole ‘no strings attached’ thing. 

“I feel guilty every time. I guess I just… crave a meaningful connection.”

Arabella

Something she likes:

“Oh, I’ve always liked peace and quiet… but I don’t think that’s the question here. I suppose I could count seafood as something I like. Does it provide much sustenance for a devil like me? Not as much as blood and red orbs. But seafood and the way humans might prepare it is not something we have in Hell. Fortuna being an island city was a good thing for me, even centuries after Sparda had left. I would mingle among the populace like a wraith, working part time here and there to earn the money just to enjoy human food and even check out what new establishments are built over time. The simple joys were like lovely little dreams… and devils seldom dream for enjoyment.”

Something she dislikes:

“The greatest dislike I have is when others take from me without my permission. I am, after all, very territorial and possessive. I can tolerate the human concept of borrowing, but in the end I am still a devil. Still, there is much I have learnt from humans. I can tolerate a little trespassing here and there while I’m in the human world. I would rather my children be able to live happily here, than to struggle for their survival in the Underworld.”

Snow

Something she likes:

“Oh there are a lot of things I like! Alfredo pasta, stuffed crust pizza, peach cobblers with French vanilla ice cream… okay, those are all pretty boring answers. Here’s something I really like and I’m really good at: music rhythm games. DDR, Band Hero, or any other number of music arcade games? I will high score and perfect-combo all of them! My name is on top of the charts for all of the local arcades, and yes, I’m proud of myself. Devil Hunter’s gotta have some fun, after all!”

Something she dislikes:

“Look. When I first brought this up, a number of people found this amusing and laughable… specifically the people from the, uh, Devil May Cry side of things. 

“But olives suck, okay? And you know what I don’t understand? How is olive oil so amazing, but olives suck so hard? Olive oil is this lovely soft but fragrant taste but the stupid olive itself has a flavor that stings my senses!

“I think dad has the right idea. Olives can go to hell.”

Noel

Something she likes:

“Something I like? Uh…I like pasta, I guess?

“I should give more specific or in-depth examples? I don’t know… I try not to want too much. I guess I like fruits. Strawberries are good. I mean… okay so I guess I like sweets?

“This is tough. I don’t think too much about what I like. If I think too much about what makes me feel good right now, all that comes to mind is the… the rush from fighting demons. 

“And I don’t like that. I don’t want to relish it. It feels… wrong.”

Something she dislikes:

“I don’t want to be alone. Don’t like not belonging. I guess that’s about it. There’s too much that I could really dig in about, but I have so little left that I can’t be worrying about what I dislike. I need to grasp what I do like and never let go. That’s what I need to do.”

Anthony and Caesar:

Something Tony likes: 

“Eh? Sure. Plenty. I like pizza. But who doesn’t like pizza? I like rock and punk and metal and grunge. Nothing wrong with that, right? Alright I like to jam, too. I like to wrestle with dad… could add Uncle V to the list, too. Caesar doesn’t like to do a lot of fighting and stuff, but I hope he’ll like the idea of maybe us two challenging Dad and Uncle V to a fight at some point. I also like video games. Caesar also studies all that fancy programming stuff so I get to playtest. It’s pretty great.”

Something Caesar likes: 

“You’d be surprised to know that I’m only lukewarm about books. Literature isn’t really my thing. Technology is a more fascinating avenue for me. There’s a lot of potential and a lot to look forward to in the future for the advancement of technology. I do a bit of hacking work but it’s not really my main thing. Still, if I don’t keep an eye on the security around the house, we’d have problems other than demons in our house. What, fighting? I don’t hate it. But I guess the difference between me and my older twin is that he’s the sporty one and I’m the more academic one. Don’t treat me like a pushover, though. I’m far from it. If Tony needs me at his back, I’m there, and I’m no slouch.”

Something Tony dislikes:

“Fuck olives. And also fuck any demon critter that is too fast for my axe. But I guess that’s why I deal with the heavyweights and Caesar can deal with the critters.”

Something Caesar dislikes:

“I tend to dislike…lack of effort. What I mean is… if something is preventable, why not make sure to take care of it? Inefficiency just takes away from the long run. Hefty things with too much excess weighing it down… both literally and metaphorically, I’m not fond of it. But I suppose that’s why I handle the details and the intricate problems, and I can always trust Tony to handle the clunkier things.”