#Oathbreakers Vow AU

[skizabaa]

Magma doodles, Eclipse!

[reduxulousoctopus]

DnDCAU Character Updates

Still occasionally plugging away at my Justice League animated series/D&D thing as I do more research, figured I'd update any of y'all who are interested.

Just to refresh, my two rules for picking species & classes for this AU are:

Focus on what a character "is" (their history, personality, thematic archetype, vibes, etc) rather than what they "do" (their specific powers & abilities). There are plenty of actual DC-inspired builds out there which do try to replicate the characters' specific powers, and those are great (and take a lot more knowledge of D&D than I have), but I wanted to put my own spin on things and haven't seen anyone come at it from this specific angle before.

Because it would be boring if half of the cast in a D&D setting were humans, canonically human characters can be reimagined as any of the "common" species, with exotic and monstrous lineages reserved for canonically alien/otherwise inhuman characters.

As always, suggestions are welcome. This got kinda long, so if you just want to know the League's races & classes, scroll down to the bottom for the TL;DR. Otherwise...

SUPERMAN

Clark is still an aasimar Paladin, and hasn't changed much from the original post. At the risk of taking the name "Small"-ville a bit too literally, Clark grew up in a village mostly populated by halflings, Ma and Pa included. As such, he pretty much always knew he was adopted, but assumed he was a normal human until his aasimar abilities began manifesting when he was a teenager, at which point his parents showed him the various celestial artifacts they found with him when he was a baby. In D&D terms, he has the Folk Hero background. He'd start out as your classic Truth, Justice, & the American Way-style Devotion Paladin, but after the events of the episode "Legacy" (or in this AU, the finale of his previous D&D campaign), his subclass changed to Oath of Redemption. I guess Darkseid would be replaced with... Bane? Maybe? I still don't know a whole lot about the D&D pantheons tbh, but he's the god of evil and tyranny and he wants to take over all the planes, which sounds pretty Darkseid-y. I briefly considered making Justice Lord Superman an Oathbreaker, but they seem more the type to revel in their own villainy, whereas Lord Clark unquestionably still thinks he's the hero. He's just completely lost hope that criminals can be redeemed, so instead they must be ruthlessly controlled and, if necessary, exterminated. Ergo, Oath of Vengeance.

--

BATMAN

Bruce is now a half-elf (inspired by various attempts in the comics to retcon Martha Wayne's ethnicity), and although I considered multi-classing monk to get all of his ninja stuff, I decided to stick with a pure Inquisitive Rogue build--he is the world's greatest detective, after all, so we gotta go all-in on the detective subclass. Besides, there's enough overlap between rogues and monks that you can say that he learned stealth and swordsmanship by training at a temple, anyway. Other than that, his backstory is what you'd expect from D&D Batman. I've seen builds that give him the Noble background and yeah, that makes sense, but who is the Faceless background for if not Batman? Born to wealth and privilege as the son of a nobleman, during a mugging gone wrong, he witnessed the murder of both his parents and thereafter vowed to avenge his family by preventing anyone else from losing their loved ones to criminal violence. He traveled across Faerun as a wandering adventurer, learning the skills that would help him on his crusade, before returning home to don a masked identity: the Bat-Man of... whatever city on the Sword Coast is the equivalent of Gotham. Oh god there's still so much research to do.

--

DIANA

As evidenced by the original post, it was a struggle picking Diana's species but I settled on earth genasi as a nod to her being sculpted from clay. She wasn't completely turned into a human in this version because this way is more fun. Hippolyta and the other Amazons are preexisting figures from Greek mythology who could therefore easily fit into the D&D universe, so I've decided that Themyscira is located somewhere in Arborea, the same Outer Plane as Mt. Olympus. Souls of women and girls who died at the hands of men, if claimed by the goddesses of Olympus, are reborn on Themyscira as Amazon warriors. Diana is a War Domain cleric and her patron deity is Athena. I was very tempted to go with Hera & Strength Domain, but alas, some of that subclass's bonus spells don't really fit and Hera's domain is officially listed as Trickery, which definitely doesn't fit. Athena makes sense, anyway, considering there's a big statue of her overlooking the altar where Diana gets her armor. That could also lead to a character arc where Diana starts out really good at the War Domain side of being Athena's champion but initially struggles with her goddess's other domain, Knowledge, reflecting her early naivete and hotheadedness, which eventually matures into genuine wisdom--symbolically represented by Diana unlocking her lasso's ability to compel the truth from people, since Truth is an aspect of Knowledge.

--

GREEN LANTERN

I've more or less worked out what the Green Lanterns are in this AU--basically, I saw that Lantern Archons are a thing and ran with it. In this AU, at some point in history, the Archons began granting magical abilities to select mortals who would be entrusted to enforce Law & Good on behalf of the Seven Heavens without being affiliated with any specific god. They send Lantern Archons out across the planes to select worthy mortals, and to act as their assistants if they agree to the terms of the Archons' boon. To avoid drawing too much attention to themselves, these agents started hiding their Archon assistants within special cases which resembled lanterns made of opaque green glass--for which they came to be known as the Green Lantern Brotherhood. John specifically is a variant human Battlemaster Fighter/Celestial Warlock multiclass (maybe ~5/15 level split?). That keeps him from the higher level Warlock stuff, but John didn't use many advanced constructs in the show anyway, so that kinda fits. As someone still figuring out how D&D even works, I was reluctant to multiclass any of the characters at the risk of making things even more complicated for myself. However, there was really no other way to fully represent John as a character, given that he has two such distinct "modes" in combat (the man/marine vs the Green Lantern) and how often the show explored that dichotomy. I still can't decide on his Pact Boon, though. On the one hand, Blade would make better use of his Fighter levels. On the other hand, Pact of the Chain could give him a homebrew Lantern Archon familiar, and *gestures to above paragraph* they're kind of important to this AU's version of the Green Lanterns.

--

SHAYERA

...Oh lord. See, in the first version of this, I said that Shayera was an avariel (aka, winged elf). That wasn't actually my first choice, though. Because if you're going to put Hawkgirl in a D&D setting, what are you even doing if you don't make her a literal Hawk Girl? Obviously she has to be an aarakocra, right? However, her romance with John is THE big emotional centerpiece of season two of the Animated Series and quite a lot of Unlimited. And I say this with all love to the bird furries out there (featheries?) but I can't take their romance seriously if she's a bird. It's not even the sex, it's specifically because of how stupid birds look from the front.

But again, hawk girl Hawkgirl! So I don't know. Maybe John's having a less tragic (but far more embarrassing) time romancing Wally instead, and John and Shayera are still best friends? Of course, none of this is even getting into how either the winged elves or aarakocra would end up in the role of the Thanagarians; neither of them are exactly world-conquering societies. Idk man, I'm losing my mind. Oh, she's a Berserker barbarian btw. I considered Ancestral Guardians, re-flavored as the Hawks' reincarnation thing--like her past lives are manifesting as spirit allies or something. Ultimately though, I stuck with your classic "screaming and hitting stuff" barb.

--

FLASH

I've changed Wally's species so many times, it's really getting out of hand. You ask me again tomorrow and I'll have probably changed it again. For now, though, he's a tiefling. I'd love to say it's because of some deep comic book lore (his dad was in a cult and got with a succubus!) or a clever reference to his first episode in the DCAU, "Speed Demons", or even just a stupid pun about him being a horny devil. Really, it's because I couldn't come up with a character design that was clearly recognizable as the Flash, so I just gave up and made him red with lightning-bolt shaped horns. Yep, I'm a hack. The one cool design element I came up with (by which I mean it's basically stolen from Karlach Baldursgate) is a glowing magical Lichtenberg figure scar on his chest, as a way to evoke his lightning-bolt symbol without being too obvious. Speaking of lightning, I originally had Wally as a Storm Sorcerer, but decided to save that subclass for characters like Static & Red Tornado. Instead, Wally is now a Wild Magic sorcerer, which suits him better as a comedic character while also reflecting the more dangerous side of the Speed Force and his fear of what his powers could do to himself/others. As for his backstory, this is breaking from DCAU canon (where he was given an origin more like Barry's), but Wally is a Celebrity Adventurer's Scion. He's a superhero nepo baby and I love him.

--

J'ONN

For a long time, I just kind of assumed J'onn should be a wizard. "But wait," you say, "Martians don't technically have superpowers. J'onn didn't learn how to shapeshift or fly or read minds by studying ancient tomes or whatever, that's just something innate to his species. You're focusing too much on what he can do, and not who he is! Doesn't that break one of the rules you established at the top of this very post?" Yes, yes it does. Also fuck you. They're my rules, I should be able to break them if I want. J'onn has to be a wizard! He was the one high INT character on the team! Who is going to solve the puzzles, now?! ...Alright, so J'onn isn't a wizard. What is he, then? I've got an idea, but let's figure out his species first and come back to it. My initial "vision" for the series had mind flayers standing in for the unnamed alien invaders from Secret Origins, with J'onn as an ancient gith from before they split into the githyanki and githzerai, who (through some kind of time magic or undying sleep or something) had survived to the present day. But that doesn't quite capture the vibe of the Martians or the tragedy of their genocide, so I came up with a real wildcard alternate option, depending on how willing I am to homebrew shit: J'onn is an original oortling, from before they were enslaved and genetically altered by the mind flayers. So rather than being completely wiped out, J'onn has to live with the knowledge that his people have been genetically altered into helpless livestock and fed upon by mind flayers for centuries. Like that's some fucking All Tomorrows type shit (and like All Tomorrows, it'd be clear by the end that there's still hope for the oortlings, not to return to what they once were but to become something new which still carries the spark of what came before). With all that in mind, Gloomstalker Ranger. Favored enemy: aberrations. The Martian Manhunter is now the Mind-Flayer Slayer.

TL;DR VERSION

Clark - aasimar Oath of Redemption Paladin

Bruce - half-elf Inquisitive Rogue

Diana - earth genasi War Domain Cleric of Athena

John - variant human Battlemaster Fighter/Celestial Warlock

Shayera - aarakocra(?) Berserker Barbarian

Wally - tiefling Wild Magic Sorcerer

J'onn - original oortling (homebrew race) Gloomstalker Ranger

[odrseasonone]

Cassius Montagu Season 1

CASSIUS MONTAGU

THE BASICS: 

Character’s name: Cassius Montagu

Role in story: "The Dragon" (in this case literally)/Nemesis/Antagonist/Antihero

Physical description: Richard Armitage ;D

Age: 36

MBTI: INTJ (the architect)

Enneagram: Type 1 (the reformer), 1w9, 163 or 164

Zodiac: Capricorn

TRAJECTORY:

Overall Arc: From someone trying to hold onto and execute an impossible dream via the arrogance of viewing himself as a 'necessary evil,' to someone sacrificing themselves bc the only thing that's really necessary is that we do everything we can: there is no one, true path to a better world or a better self. From seeing himself as the last bastion of a dying dream to realizing that his only true rule is to defend the innocent, whatever that takes. Remembering his vows. Remembering selflessness.

Season 1 Arc (Step 1 of 4): from someone holding up a mask to the world (i am the sword of the queen -- but im secretly still a rider i kept my oath to will etc) to someone stripped bare for all to see -- from someone who believes he can play both roles to someone who sees that he made a choice long ago -- and now believes there was never any turning back from it

Season 2 Arc (Step 2 of 4): from someone who believes he's trapped in a choice he made many years ago to someone cautiously optimistic that he can still help others, even from his current wretched position

Season 3 Arc (Step 3 of 4): from someone feeling increasingly hopeful that he can still wield his position as a force for good to someone who has lost all faith in themselves and in this world and believes himself cursed/forsworn/truly and utterly evil and irredeemable

Season 4 Arc (Step 4 of 4): from oathbreaker to oathkeeper, from someone whose lost all hope and belief in themselves and is just looking to make the most out of a hopeless situation to someone willing to fight for what they believe in

ENGINE OF CHANGE:

Internal goal/desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced, to be heroic

Why can’t they get it? Well, he's the watchdog for an evil empire, effectively...No, but in truth it stems largely from the fact that, no matter what he does, Cassius finds himself aligned with something he loathes. If he helps Rowena, he finds himself burning and harrassing the innocent masses he once swore to protect in the name of law and order. If, however, he abandons her, he also abandons both the dream of utopia he slaughtered all his brothers and sisters in the name of achieving, making their deaths all in vain, and secondly, he gives in to what he still believes was wrong with the dragonriders: their supposed intolerance (since he still believes atp that the lord commander was trying to destroy all magic users)

Interally-motivated external goal: To usher in an era of peace and prosperity for Aragoth, to give it the change it so needs. However, instead, he's an experiment in why the dragonriders should never get involved in politics: they have too much power.

Why can't they get it? Many reasons! For one, he's barring his own way by seeing the world in black in white: Rowena's side vs the rebel's side. (I'm realizing that there's an au somewhere in here where Cassius simply kills Rowena and names himself king, becoming an utter tyrant, himself, in the name of peace bc he ultimately does NOT know how to rule and his pov is so black/white that he could never rule w the necessary nuance, but anyway kdsjfkdsjf anyway this would ultimately be a v tragic au with him struggling in vain to be a good ruler and instead destroying everything he believes in once again, and i cry but anyway!) For another, his life force is bound to Rowena, who we all know is evil oops. Cassius also honestly doesn't know the first thing about ruling and, while Rowena probably could have been a great ruler if she hadn't gotten obsessed w dark magic etc, she isn't doing it, its really up to Cassius and he just...shouldn't be the de fact Hand of the Queen, to borrow a term from GRRM. Finally, he's a lil bit self-destructive and yeah. Just basically he and Rowena are a deeply toxic combination atp, both to themselves and to one another.

What are they afraid of: Part of Cassius believes -- has always believed -- that he is fundamentally flawed. He can never be good -- there's something dark coiled inside of him, ready to destroy. It takes and it takes and it burns everything he touches. He's seen now irrepressible truth that its true. How can he never escape the evil within but he'll fight hard to try.

How character views the world: Cassius believes that the world is a harsh, cruel place. Only the good of idealistic people can salvage it, if they all work together to make it the best it can be through constant vigilance and perseverence and a hardened will to stand up and do it no matter what (even if that means killing everyone you've ever known and cared about see: the purge).

How character views self: Cassius hates himself. He sees his one redeeming characteristic as his resolute nature, (yet it is his tenacious hold upon this single aspect that is actually dooming him as he will not relinquish the doomed hope that Rowena once held out to him). He believes that, bc of this, he can do the hard things that others cannot, he can bear the evil he does on his shoulders bc it is a necessary evil: carving out some good for those who deserve it in the future. He seems himself as a necessary evil, but as one that will have no place in the good world to come, so he genuinely hopes to die fighting for his cause, and leave behind some good for those who deserve it.

INTERNAL: THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER

What is his/her greatest fear?  Of being corrupt/evil, defective

Inner motivation: Want to be right, to strive higher and improve everything, to be consistent with his ideals, to justify himself, to be beyond criticism so as not to be condemned by anyone

Kryptonite: Recrimination

What is his/her misbelief about life (to be challenged ~this season)?  I can still be both! I can wield the queen's power while still being a true Rider!

Lesson he/she needs to learn (this season): He was doomed to be only the queen's from the instant he took up arms against his fellow dragonriders.

What is the best thing in his/her life?  His belief that he can still fix what's wrong with Aragoth! So, hope, however frail and misguided, given the way he's pursuing that goal, I suppose.

What is the worst thing in his/her life?  Recrimination -- mostly by himself and by Rowena. The other blows glance off of him: he's used to being maligned bc he grew up a beggar, but he knows he did wrong and his guilt is crippling -- and Rowena is and was #itscomplicated the woman he loves and hates most

What does she/he most often look down on people for?  Willful ignorance, bootlicking, dishonesty, a lack of empathy, selfishness, an unexamined life/shallowness, injustice and unfairness

What makes his/her heart feel alive?  Small, wholesome moments shared with people he cares about <3 Being trusted in and cared for by persons he believes in and loves

What makes him/her feel loved, and who was the last person to make them feel that way? Kindness, truth, idealism, someone who comes to him, an open heart, generosity. Def Guin!

Top three things he/she values most in life?  Integrity, his loved ones, hope

EXTERNAL: NOT NECESSARY, BUT GOOD TO KNOW AND SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER

What’s his/her favorite book, movie, and band? He would be a huuuuge fan of all things Tolkien and C. S. Lewis I'm ngl, total Ringer, this dude. His favorite band was def MCR back in the day lbr but now he's probs more into Hozier and The National, but he'll always have a soft spot for MCR.

Is there an object he/she can’t bear to part with and why? If Dragonriders have, like, a ring they wear or smth...it would 100% be that. His sword and at least one knife. Also the color black and brooding <3

Describe a typical outfit for him/her from top to bottom.  It's black. It's just pitch black. He's wearing black.

What names or nicknames has he/she been called throughout their life?  sdlkjflkjdf omg imagine someone calling him cassie im DYING but honestly 'the queen's dog' is probably as close as he gets to a nickname

What is his/her method of manipulation? Reasoned arguments, stoic grandstanding 'we draw the line here' over, like, moral issues...not really manipulative but everyone is a touch ig??? idk he's mostly just like 'this is the way' and then he does the thing and if you want to help him, great. if not, he'll do this himself alkjsfjksf he's pr independent

Describe their daily routine.  It's brood-o'clock somewhere! Jk, jk, but do assume constant brooding. Anyway, starts his day in his super tiny, spartan cell (this is 100% his choice btw Rowena would gladly give him some lavish suite but he's like 'no. i want a cot.' alksjdfjsf anyway). He wakes up, splashes his face with cold water, puts on his clothes etc (including his sword! another item he goes nowhere without <333 this is part of why you become a murder suspect in s2, babe alsjdfj gonna add that). He eats a small repast while reading up a missive on anything going on. He gets up, further investigates whatever's up (he doesn't fully trust whoever wrote up that missive bc he aint trust like that) which generally includes soaring around w severax and probs terrifying some poor peasants. he carries out the queen's/rider's justice anywhere he feels its needed and hunts around for eggs while he's at it. ig he eats somewhere in here asjlfslkf ngl he probs forgets abt doing that until he's in an even fouler mood than usual and pr miserable alksjdff when he returns to the castle, he reports to the queen. on council days, he then convenes the council. he then carries out any tasks that need doing garenered by that and, atp, honestly its probs dinner time. he retires to his cell. His life is utterly joyless <3

Their go-to cure for a bad day? A chat w Guinevere shhhh

CURRENT CHARACTER GOALS:

How is your character dissatisfied with their life? Well, in the beginning he's trying to walk two paths that literally are diametrically opposed so that's fun! He's also effectively running an evil empire which he is neither qualified to do nor believes is any good, but just feels like 'someone's gotta do this' which, like...ig ~some structure is better than none?????? frankly the whole thing is a no-win situation

What does your character believe will bring them true happiness or contentment? Dying to serve the greater good! Founding a just and good empire etc. Actually, tho, its just redemption...which does lead him to dying to serve the greater good, that brings him peace. Not the death itself. The more you know ig.

What definitive step could they take to turn their dream into a reality? He ~thinks motivating Rowena to rule, herself, is the thing. He sees himself as just holding things together until she comes back to save the world and, sure, they did some v bad things to get where they are, but they didn't have a choice!!!! and ultimately the ends justify the means, right? right?????? But the real deal would be dismantling this whole situation and rebuilding w cooperation and going back to protecting the innocent rather than tryna rule etc

How has their fear kept them from taking this action already? Cassius honestly doesn't think he's capable of saving the world, himself! he believes he's too inherently evil to ever bring good: all he's good for is fighting evil! so he just needs to give Rowena time to do it bc he certainly can't! Honestly if he were emotionally healtier, he'd be reaching out to Alex as soon as he gets ther elike 'dude! this is so broken, let's work together to fix it!' but he doesn't even see that as an option

How does your protagonist feel they can accomplish their goal while still steering clear of the thing they are afraid of? What he's doing now! If he just holds things together and holds the course, eventually Rowena will finally swoop in and do everything they talked about!!!! I mean sure its been fifteen years but that'll happen any time now, right?

THE BACKSTORY SCENES THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

moment #1: the death of his little sister

What does your character go into the backstory scene believing and how are they surprised by the outcome? A hero will come! His sister will be spared, just like in the stories!

How does your character struggle to hold onto their old beliefs? Well, no one does arrive. She dies. He even tried to be the hero but she still died, just a tiny thing, cold and scared and hungry, dying in his arms and there wasn't a damn thing he could do for her. He blames himself forever.

What is their conclusion/new belief? There is no hope but that which we make, but we need power to do it. Without that, we've got nothing. The only way to create a righteous world is to forge it -- even if all the world fights you. No one is coming to save you. This event effectively shaped his worldview, listed above.

moment #2: meeting will and becoming a dragonrider

What does your character go into the backstory scene believing and how are they surprised by the outcome? The above worldview, basically! But...Will really was a hero. He just came too late, but when he did, it saved all his siblings -- even if they later become lost to Cassius bc of it.

How does your character struggle to hold onto their old beliefs? Since this taps into an even older belief (idealism), it sort of forms this strange dichotomy in his mind about power and truth and sort of leads to this black and white pov that later so hinders him.

What is their conclusion/new belief? Now he has power. Now he can work with the Riders to create a wonderful new world! No one will ever have to suffer like his sister did, again!

moment #3: overhearing the lord commander, himself, threaten rowena for having magic

What does your character go into the backstory scene believing and how are they surprised by the outcome? Belief in dragonriders...crushed! Belief first conjured w the death of his sister reignited! Until this time he'd been defending the riders to Rowena, but now? Now he sees she was right all along!

How does your character struggle to hold onto their old beliefs? At first, he can't accept it! He d oesn't ~want to believe it, but the lord commander won't talk to him abt it! And when he tries to convince the others that there's corruption here, even Will turns his back on him.

What is their conclusion/new belief? You're on your own, kid. You always have been. No, but honestly,he's like 'i have the power. i have the will. its time to do what i was born to do: fight against evil so that the world can be saved.' But now the evil is the dragonriders.

moment #4: the purge and its aftermath

What does your character go into the backstory scene believing and how are they surprised by the outcome? He's doing the right thing and he's the only one ~willing to do it! This is what the gods fashioned him for.

How does your character struggle to hold onto their old beliefs? He still tries to persuade everyone he can! He still tries to bring them to his side, his way of thinking, his perceived truth!

What is their conclusion/new belief? He is alone. Utterly alone and, when he returns, he sees what Rowena has done, but she throws his actions in his face. Now, he's faced with reconciling it all to himself. Can it be done? What really was right? As long as he holds true to his oath to Will however, he has his honor. He has that. He is a Dragonrider still.

[defjux]

100 of my favorite modern metal releases, from 2010 to now. i stuck to death, black, doom, post, blackgaze, stoner, sludge, etc for this just to make it easier but there’s a few i threw on here just because it felt like they fit. i did make another one of these lists recently for the more punk/hardcore influenced stuff though which you can find here if you’re interested. i’ve also listed all of the albums below. Chart with album names included Spotify Playlist

1. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I 2. Panopticon - Autumn Eternal 3. Krallice - Years Past Matter 4. Blood Incantation - Hidden History Of The Human Race 5. Alcest - Écailles de lune 6. Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit 7. Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction 8. Mgła - Exercises in futility 9. Imperial Triumphant - Vile Luxury 10. Deafheaven - New Bermuda 11. Vektor - Terminal Redux 12. NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM - Éons 13. Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still 14. Gorguts - Colored Sands 15. Thou - Summit 16. Deathspell Omega - Paracletus 17. YOB - Clearing the Path to Ascend 18. Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä 19. Kayo Dot - Hubardo 20. Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury 21. Hell - Hell III 22. Oathbreaker - Rheia 23. Batushka - Litourgiya 24. Cult of Luna - Vertikal 25. Saor - Aura 26. Serpent Column - Kathodos 27. Mare Cognitum - Solar Paroxysm 28. Ethereal Shroud - Trisagion 29. Warforged - I: Voice 30. Rivers of Nihil - Monarchy 31. Zeal & Ardor - Devil Is Fine 32. White Ward - Futility Report 33. Leviathan - Scar Sighted 34. Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper 35. Thou - Magus 36. Sleep - The Sciences 37. Panopticon - Kentucky 38. The Ruins of Beverast - Exuvia 39. Amenra - Mass VI 40. Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel 41. Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner 42. Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden 43. Primitive Man - Caustic 44. Blood Incantation - Starspawn 45. growth - The Smothering Arms of Mercy 46. Yellow Eyes - Immersion Trench Reverie 47. Baroness - Purple 48. Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville 49. Misþyrming - Söngvar elds og óreiðu 50. Wake - Devouring Ruin 51. Ştiu Nu Ştiu - Fake End 52. Wolves in the Throne Room - Thrice Woven 53. SubRosa - More Constant Than The Gods 54. Tómarúm - Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons 55. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun 56. Cult of Fire - Ascetic Meditation Of Death 57. Elder - Dead Roots Stirring 58. Rosetta - A Determinism of Morality 59. Howls of Ebb - Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows 60. Portal - ION 61. Spectral Lore - III 62. Paysage d'Hiver - Im Wald 63. Alcest - Les voyages de l'Âme 64. Behemoth - The Satanist 65. Deafheaven - Sunbather 66. Messa - Close 67. Spectral Lore & Mare Cognitum - Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine 68. Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction 69. VRTRA - My Bones Hold A Stillness 70. Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi 71. Ash Borer - Ash Borer 72. Ferriterium - Calvaire 73. The Sword - Warp Riders 74. Morbus Chron - Sweven 75. Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage 76. Mare Cognitum - Luminiferous Aether 77. Darkspace - Dark Space III I 78. Bestia Arcana - Holókauston 79. Woods of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason 80. Cormorant - Diaspora 81. Serpent Column - Mirror in Darkness 82. The Ocean - Pelagial 83. Meshuggah - Koloss 84. Krallice - Diotima 85. SPECTRAL WOUND - Infernal Decadence 86. EX EYE - Ex Eye 87. Akhlys - The Dreaming I 88. Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance 89. Artificial Brain - Infrared Horizon 90. Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows 91. Gris - À l'Âme Enflammée, l'Äme Constellée... 92. Tchornobog - Tchornobog 93. Murmuüre - Murmuüre 94. Sumac - Love In Shadow 95. Funereal Presence - Achatius 96. Flourishing - The Sum of All Fossils 97. papangu - Holoceno 98. Ophis - Spew Forth Odium 99. Blut aus Nord - Hallucinogen 100. Kaatayra - Só Quem Viu o Relâmpago à Sua Direita Sabe

[thedunesea]

Neutron Star Collision

Chapter 15: Oathbreaker is up!

Neutron star collision (E)

Summary:

When two neutron stars orbit each other closely, they spiral inward as time passes due to gravitational radiation. When the two neutron stars meet, their merger leads to the formation of either a more massive neutron star, or a black hole. 

In the aftermath of Order 66, Anakin Skywalker's miraculous survival after his confrontation with the new Sith Apprentice Darth Vader ignites a sparkle of hope in the remaining Jedi, in the fledgling rebellion and, above all, in his former Master, who thought he had lost everything to darkness. But darkness is generous, and it is patient.

Pairing: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader/Obi-Wan Kenobi

Tags: Pre-Mustafar ROTS AU | Starts as canon Anakin Skywalker/Padmé Amidala | Slow burn

Click here for chapter 1

Chapter 15 preview under the cut

“It’s not me I’m worrying about!” Anakin was almost screaming now. “I can’t let you die!”

“Anakin, I will not leave you!” Obi-Wan shouted back, his fury flashing stark and bright across their bond. “You made me break my vows to show you I wasn’t going to leave you, and now you’re asking me to do exactly that? Well, let me tell you something.” There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes that said I will not be denied. “When I took you as my Padawan I vowed to protect you. I swear it on my life and on the Force, Anakin, this is the one oath I am not going to break. For good or ill, we are in this together. My fate will be the same as yours.”

“Master—”

“Go and come back, Anakin.” Obi-Wan must have seen the implicit plea in Anakin’s eyes. He lifted his hand again to the back of Anakin’s neck, fingers curling against his skin to pull him down into a fleeting kiss, Obi-Wan’s lips opening soft and warm against Anakin’s mouth for a moment. The contact was gentle, but Anakin shuddered with the tangled feelings he could sense lingering beneath. “Come back.” To me, Obi-Wan did not say, but Anakin heard it through the Force all the same.

[tacitwhisky]

Feeling the blues now Game of Thrones has wrapped as a series? Don’t worry, I’ve got your jonsa recovery fic list right here. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the great fic out there, just the best of the best I’ve read. If there are any other fic you think should be on this list that I missed reblog and tag them.

Season 8 Fix Its (Pt 1 / Pt 2)

In Love and Death We Don’t Decide [Link] | @pardonmymannerssir | Her siblings arrive like leaves carried on a sudden breeze, alighting upon the placidity of her life and casting wide ripples before being swept away again. Their movements are cyclic, changing and shifting like the seasons, but one thing will never change: Winterfell is home.

Come out of hiding (i'm right here beside you) [Link] | @noqueenbutthequeeninthenorth​ | After the death of Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow goes to live beyond the Wall, while Sansa Stark, the newly-named Queen in the North, marries a Dornish prince. Three years later, when Jon finally gathers the courage to return to Winterfell, he finds that while many things have changed, one hasn't: he's still in love with Sansa.

We are buried in broken dreams [Link] | @snowsinthenorth​ | Prompt: Sansa and Jon sleeping together before he goes to Dragonstone and when he comes back he finds out she is pregnant. A full on s8 fix-it fic at this point.

Essential Reading

The Cold Inside Our Bones [Link] | @xylodemon | 1,904 | The Wall is no place for a woman, but Jon looks at Sansa's gaunt cheeks and hollow eyes and knows he will not send her away.

At a Funeral [Link] | @justadram | 5,231 | There's something about the funeral that makes Sansa need Jon more than ever. Too bad she threw it all away.

What a Disappointment [Link] | @justadram | 7,836 | Sansa Stark and Jon Targaryen are married and neither of them is pleased about it. Set in a world where Rhaegar lives and Jon was raised in King's Landing as a legitimized bastard.

Tree of Hearts [Link] | @uchihabat​ | 7,239 | It was a secret, shameful thing. The more he denied it, the more unruly it had become within him: a sleeping dragon, around which he tread carefully. There was nothing good about his half-sister, he told himself, but her beauty. "I am not beautiful anymore," she told him through teeth clenched. "It is ugly inside my heart. I am ruined."

Subject: La Bamba [Link] | @ghost-of-bambi | 16,441 | Trust Margaery Tyrell to turn Sansa Stark's 21st birthday party into an exercise in matchmaking.

More fics under the cut.

Canon Divergent

From the fire we rise [Link] | TheEagleGirl | 2,367 | In another world, perhaps Jon would have been the heir to the throne. In this world, his father died on the trident, his mother in childbirth, no witnesses to their union. In this world, Jon is just the bastard prince, and in this world he still wants more.

Brine on the Tongue [Link] | @orangeflavoryawp​ | They pause, afternoon light shifting in through her window like an accusation – a slant of clarity against their panting forms. “Then leave.” (He doesn’t.) - Jon and Sansa. What breeds in a house of wolves.

Found In Forbidden Nights [Link] | @alienor-woods | 16,777 | In which Robb Stark still refuses to trade Jaime Lannister for his sisters, but Jon Snow decides if being an oathbreaker means he can tell strategy and politics to fuck off, then it's worth it to take matters into his own hands.

Jon of the Kingsguard [Link] | @tacitwhisky | Jon goes to Kingslanding instead of the Wall, there’s no war, and he becomes a knight of the kingsguard even as Joffrey marries Sansa. As Joffrey’s true colors inevitably show Jon is forced to choose between the vows of a knight and the duty of a Stark.

Southern Wolves [Link] | @tacitwhisky | Jon leaves the Wall to save Sansa from Joffrey. Together they wander the war ravaged Riverlands to try and return home.

Missing Scenes

A Cartography of Vulnerability [Link] | @subjunctivemood​ | 1,720 | Jon is the only one Sansa trusts to do this for her.

Stitch Up All Your Hopes [Link] | @subjunctivemood | Sansa is sick, but she refuses to rest.

'Cause I know that it's delicate [Part1 / Part2] | @noqueenbutthequeeninthenorth | 4,865 | Set during "Book of the Stranger," immediately after Sansa arrives at the Wall. Jon goes to build the fire back up, and for a few minutes he stays silent, kneeling at the hearth, not looking at her. Finally he clears his throat. “I know,” he begins, “it’s not exactly what you’re used to.”

We can brave the dark [Link] | @thatgirlnevershutsup | 2,320 | When Arya dares Sansa to spend the night in the crypts, it’s Jon who comes to her rescue.

Modern AU - Short

Caught [Link] | @jonnsansa | 4,055 | The first time they sleep together, she's on a break from Joffrey and they're both a little drunk.

Like real people do [Link] | @thatgirlnevershutsup | 2,749 | For the Twelve Days of Christmas project, have an AU Sansa Stark and Jon Snow doing one of those “first kiss” videos.

Beans [Part1 / Part2 / Part3] | @justadram​ | Jon and Sansa never seem to be on the same page about their relationship.

Never knew I had it all [Link] | TheEagleGirl | 3,130 | Sansa feels bewitched. She’s never noticed Jon before last month. He was Robb’s silent shadow, outshined by Robb himself, or his friends Theon and Dacey.

Trust & Control [Link] | @jonnsansa | 4,444 | Sansa first sees him at the Tyrell fundraising gala. In a sea of drunk, happy people, he is the singular solemn one, standing as still as a statue against the far wall with a glass of untouched champagne in hand. Or: the 50 Shades AU no one asked for.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside [Link] | Tate | It starts at one of Robb's Christmas parties, with Harry Hardyng and a kiss Sansa's avoiding. The two that follow are another story altogether.

Modern AU - Long

Happiness throws a shower of sparks [Link] | @pardonmymannerssir​ | 14,115 | “I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” Sansa Stark says through a swollen, bloody lip, a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose that don’t completely hide a black eye.

Battlefield [Link] | @uchihabat | 17,264 | “God, we might as well just start a family together,” she blusters, half-joking but of course not joking at all. “We both want kids and we both don’t care how. We’re both single. We’ve known each other all our lives. It’s like a movie.”

I'm Feeling Younger, Every Time That I'm Alone With You [Link] | Tate | 19,872 | Jon's got a crush on Sansa, Sansa's got no idea; it's kind of about a production of "Florian and Jonquil" but it's also just kind of about Jon and Sansa.

Tipsy in a Red Push Up Bra [Link] | @tacitwhisky | 21,320 | Of course the first time Sansa Stark sees Jon Snow in God knows how long, the first time since they lost the house and she’d come to live with her aunt Lysa, it would have to be at a house party where she’s already tipsy on schnapps. And of course it would have to be the one time she’s wearing the ridiculous red push up bra Margaery talked her into buying.

Alternate Universe - Crossover AUs

The Seasons of My Love [Link] | @noqueenbutthequeeninthenorth | 48,275 | Months after Ned and Robb are murdered, Sansa returns to Hogwarts for her final year of school. Far from home, she finds she must rely on family friend Jon Snow, now an Auror, to help keep her family together -- and perhaps to help solve the mystery of her father and brother's deaths.

Put a spell on me [Link] | TheEagleGirl | 2,346 | Somewhere along the line, this became less about release and more about him. Or, a Hogwarts au with lots of making out, saving the world from the Dark Lord, and feelings

Saskatoon Berry Pie [Link] | @justadram | 23,179 | When Sansa loses her family in a rail accident, she makes her way to Saskatchewan in search of sanctuary with her cousin, Jon Snow.

As Long As We're Going Down [Link] | @alienor-woods | 37,096 | Four years after Stannis Baratheon wins the Battle of the Blackwater, Sansa Stark finds herself summoned back to King's Landing to serve as a bridesmaid at Crown Princess Shireen's wedding. When King Stannis tries to marry Sansa off to his illegitimate nephew, Edric, she thinks quick and tells him she's already married-- to her bodyguard, Jon Snow.

Post Series

With the Wild Wolves Around You [Link] | @redbelles | 3,782 | Jon finds Sansa at the Vale after his Targaryen lineage is revealed.

And the Geese Are Headed North Again [Link] | @yekoc | 13,316 | In the dark and honest part of her that Sansa is no longer afraid of, she had thought that Jon would die, and she was no sadder than she was relieved. Seeing him now, she notes the absence of the relief and joy that marked her first glimpse of him at Castle Black. Instead, she feels a too-familiar grief: my brother is gone.

The world is still round, my compass is true; each step is a step back to you [Part1 / Part2] | @dialux | 3,655 | Endgame fic, where Jon goes south and he returns to Sansa only after the Long Night. Trust isn’t easily built after all that’s happened, but Jon and Sansa manage it well enough.

Jonsa Fic Lists:

Season 6 Fics  |  Season 8 Fix-It Fics (Pt 1 / Pt 2)  |  Jon in the South AUs  |  Kink Fics  |  Flash Fics  |  Bastard Sansa  | Crossover AUs  |  Married  |  Jon/Val

Follow me @tacitwhisky for jonsa fic recs, meta, and fanfic. I swear I’m good at at least two of those.

[ddagent]

For a prompt, would you consider writing another installment of your Mr. and Mrs. Smith AU, where they're each fighting each other at tourneys and don't know it?

I most surely can! I hope you enjoy, Anon. Just an FYI, this does become NSFW.

Lady Lannister, the former Maid of Tarth, entered the small inn she and her husband were residing in while he conducted some business at Silverhill. The innkeeper simply nodded at her arrival: he did not stare, or laugh, or make some comment as to the nature of her height or the failings of her face. She was a lioness, now, and lions bit back. It was one of the few joys of her current situation. 

“Lady Lannister,” he greeted. “Pleasant business?”

“Very.” The tournament at Silverhill was small, but she’d earned every single one of those five hundred gold dragons. “Would it be possible to have a bath brought to my room?”

“Of course, my Lady.” 

Brienne pressed five gold dragons into his hand in thanks, and another to the servant who brought the tub. She undressed quickly and sunk into the steaming water. Her muscles ached; a fresh bruise blooming across her shoulder. But it had been worth it, for the thrill of victory if not the winnings themselves. She had no need for money, of course; the House she had married into was the wealthiest in the kingdoms. But it wasn’t her money. Nothing about her new life was hers: not her dresses, not her books, not even her husband.

Just her armour and the sword she kept hidden in her trunk. 

She had just begun to scrub herself with a cloth and a bar of lye soap when the doors to her room opened. Her husband entered with no invitation; a scowl etched into the thin line of his mouth. He faltered, briefly, when he saw her in the tub. Brienne sunk beneath the waterline, as if he had not seen her breasts and more besides. 

Her husband, the Kingslayer, laughed. “My Lady. Did you enjoy your visit with Lady—”

“—Stafford, my Lord, and yes, I did.” There was no House Stafford, but she had guessed correctly that the Lannisters did not concern themselves with minor houses from the Stormlands. It was a simple enough deception to allow her to compete. “And you, my Lord? Was your business successful?”

“No,” he huffed, reaching for the decanter of wine and pouring himself a goblet. “No, it was not.” 

Ser Jaime was an inexperienced Lord; he knew little of how to run a household, let alone a kingdom. Brienne helped where she could, as she had been trained to run Tarth since the day she could walk. But she feared providing unsolicited advice. Although both their fathers had been desperate for a match, Brienne was under no illusions she would be set aside if Tywin Lannister believed her to be an unworthy wife. Brienne knew her place. So Ser Jaime would struggle, and she would take advantage of his distraction to do something for her. 

While her husband ruminated in the corner, Brienne continued scrubbing herself clean of the mud and grime from the melee field. She only stopped when she felt her husband’s fingertips brush her shoulder; his calloused palm pressing against the length of her neck. 

“There are worse things to return to than my wife all wet.” 

Brienne shivered; a flash of arousal running through. “Are there, my Lord?”

“Come to bed, wife.” 

She felt the absence of Jaime’s touch immediately. Brienne cast a glance over her shoulder to see her husband stripping himself of coat and tunic. After the awkwardness of their wedding night, they had become quite adept at this act. In fact, it was the only aspect of their marriage where they seemed in sync. Brienne rose to her feet, towelled herself dry, and joined her husband by the bed. Cock straining the front of his breeches, his hand clasped the back of her neck and reeled her in for a bruising kiss. 

Brienne had heard the maids whisper about Ser Jaime’s business; his trips outside Casterly Rock and away from his wife. They whispered about the brothels he visited, the whores he fucked. The highborn maidens he seduced. Brienne would have thought them all true had Jaime, more often than not, returned from his business with a hunger only fucking his wife could satisfy. She understood that need: after a victory – especially after a defeat – the adrenalin still pulsed through her system needing a release. 

“Brienne.” Jaime gasped against her mouth; the only time he would ever say her name was when they were in bed. He whined as she palmed his cock through the material of his breeches. “I want—”

“—I know.” It was satisfaction her husband craved rather than her, but for being an oathbreaker, Brienne could not claim he had broken the vows he’d made to her on their wedding day. “I want, too.” 

He grinned; teeth toying with his bottom lip. “Lie on the bed.” 

“No.” 

He raised a single eyebrow. “No?”

Emboldened by her win on the tourney field, Brienne shook her head. Just for tonight, she would have more than what she was given. She would take what she wanted. “No.” Her palms pressed against her husband’s chest and pushed him against the mattress. “You lie on the bed.” 

Jaime swallowed but did as he was bid. Grinning, Brienne unlaced his breeches and eased the material from his long, muscular legs. Tossing the breeches aside, she crawled over her husband until she was straddling his thighs. Her hands brushed his arms, a tender bruise on his bicep, before encircling his wrists. Brienne pinned them above his head, like she had to Goldensword, another mystery knight, only hours before. She held her husband in place while she lowered herself onto his cock.

“Fuck.”

Her husband swore, and moaned her name as she rocked against him; occasionally lifting herself up only to bring herself down even harder. Jaime remained pinned in place so Brienne could take her pleasure from him; her husband’s eyes wide and hazy, his mouth open and a litany of groans falling from his lips. He tried to match her stroke for stroke; thrusting his hips upward as she rode him. Eventually, pleasure overwhelmed Brienne; her husband spilling inside her soon after. 

Releasing her grip on Jaime’s wrists, Brienne collapsed to the sheets beside her husband. Silence quickly resumed. It was to be expected. After all, other than the act of fucking, what exactly did they share? 

[asoiafdrabbles]

II.26

Jon being trueborn does not just create succession issues for the Iron Throne. 

Gen (GoT AU)

Daenerys smirked at Sansa as she was brought into the throne room. She looked exhausted, even though she held herself well she could not hide the bags under her eyes, the sallowness of her skin.

"I am told that, in the North, a vow before a weirwood is considered sacred." Sansa flinched. "What should happen to someone who breaks one? Banishment? Execution?" There was nothing but satisfaction as Sansa grew paler and paler.

"Your grace, I am the rightful Lady of Winterfell, surely you--"

"Ah, but you aren't, are you? Didn't you want everyone to know that my dear nephew is a trueborn child of your dear Aunt Lyanna? And that brings up such a question, doesn't it? You might come before him in the succession, or...well, it's really up to the Lords, isn't it?"

Sansa's mask was cracking. "My father was a man and the older sibling, I would be before Lyanna, it's--I'm--"

"An oathbreaker. And for the goal of...what, exactly, Lady Stark? To help another becoming a Queenslayer, perhaps?"

"The North deserves to be Independent! And Jon will not--"

"Prince Aegon will, of course, keep the North as part of my kingdoms." Daenerys wished her ancestor had made the Iron Throne more comfortable, so that she might sprawl across it in satisfaction. "The North could not survive independence. You have very few fighting men left, many of your houses are without heads, and your winter stores have been devastated by Boltons and battle."

Varys had been useless with information against the Starks, even before he'd betrayed her, but many of their servants had assumed that Daenerys' did not know Common and revealed much in front of them.

"The Lords--"

"If they are truly dissatisfied, they can wait until your sister returns from her journey and have her as Lady of Winterfell. But a Warden is appointed by the monarch, and Aegon shall be Warden."

It was the least she owed Jon. If he had not flown South with her, Euron Greyjoy's attempt at a surprise attack might have been successful. Daenerys could only imagine what she might have lost, then. And he'd been by her side, loyal, in the weeks since. She only wished she could make him her consort, but he must marry another to ensure the survival of their family.

"What...what will you do with me?"

Sansa was looking around, now. She'd been so focused on Daenerys that it seemed she hadn't paid attention to the crowd. Most were Dornish, though Iron Born were present, as well. No one who Sansa would find as an ally. Even Lord Dayne, who was close to her sister, felt honor-bound to Jon, first.

"I have been told that all you have ever desired is to be a Queen. But there are only two Queens in Westeros and you will never be one of them. Nor will you be a Lady. The Silent Sisters have no such titles."

She shuddered, eyes wide. "Please, I could--"

"No, there is nothing you could do. Nothing you could offer. You have nothing, Sansa. You are nothing. But perhaps, if you learn, you can still prove yourself useful."

Sansa was screaming by the time the Unsullied guards dragged her from the throne room and Daenerys bit back a chuckle. She dismissed court for the day and hurried along to the Dragonpit, where Jon brooded beside Rhaegal.

"It's done, then?"

"It's done, Lord of Winterfell." He flinched and she tutted, cuddling up beside him, leaning back on her son. "You did not want to stay in King's Landing, this was the best option."

"When I was a child, any time I even hinted at wanting that title, I was reminded that I was a bastard, that it would be usurping my trueborn siblings...."

"You are trueborn, Jon. And with...whatever Brandon is, you are the last trueborn male of Stark descent."

He sighed. "Yet my children will be Targaryens."

"No, whichever becomes heir to Winterfell may take the Stark name." He made a surprised noise. "I'm not completely against your...other family. Just the ones I've met."

Giving a soft smile, Jon pushed off Rhaegal and held out his arm to her. "I suppose it doesn't really mean much, the distance between us, when we have dragons."

"And I may end up spending quite a bit of time in the Vale and Riverlands, trying to get those situations worked out."

"I don't envy you that."

"You are my heir, still, I could force you to do all the work."

Jon rolled his eyes and followed along as she guided him back to the Keep. "I'll trade you the Vale lords for the Northmen once they find out everything that happened."

"Poor nephew." She kissed his cheek and stroked his arm, mocking and comforting. "But you didn't even mention, yet, what they'll be like once they remember you're unwed." His exaggerated groan made the slight ache of her heart worth it.

They had years, perhaps decades, of work ahead of them to get Westeros back to some semblance of peace and prosperity. But she knew they could do it, together in spirit even if they could not be in any other way.

[wackygoofball]

Moodboard: Jaime x Brienne - Film Noir AU

“You have a new client.”

“I didn’t even have my drink yet, wench!”

“It’s still in the morning.”

“And yet I had no drink, wench! How am I supposed to solve crime like this? What did I hire you for?”

“You did not hire me. I agreed to work for you.”

“Same difference. Back to my drink…”

“I will send him in now.”

“Don’t forget the drink!”

“Don’t forget to do your job, so I may do mine, Mr. Lannister. We have an agreement and you ought to stick to it. Or do I have to remind you of the Truce?”

“Ugh. Let’s just get over with it.”

Private detective Jaime Lannister never saw himself running a shabby investigation bureau down Cobbler’s Square, having to put up with mislaid purses and clients wanting to have proof for their cheating spouses.

Though there is a great many things he did not see becoming part of his life.

For instance, he never saw himself being bossed around by his own secretary. Ms. Brienne of Tarth made it clear ever since he hired her, pardon, ever since she agreed to work for him, that the woman is none of those smiley girls who nod their pretty heads at everyone and everything. Not only does Brienne lack the looks for it but the woman from the Sapphire Isle never made it a secret that she only ever took the job because she wanted the experience and did not much care about the money.

And that was the primary reason why Jaime employed her.

The secondary reasons of keeping her ever since have piled up quickly, much to his own surprise. The woman manages Jaime’s life when he knows it’s gone all to a dark, very dark place ever since he shot Aerys Targaryen in the back, in those days when he still wore a badge and uniform, was addressed as Commander Lannister and never would have thought about having a drink before breakfast.

These days he debates with himself whether to have breakfast or just a drink.

Not that he ever wins that argument, or gets to have it in the first place, because that is when Brienne will force him to eat something to “stay productive.”

After all, Brienne of Tarth seems to understand her responsibilities of maintaining the office not stopping short before her boss’s health or wellbeing. Rather, she seems to be of the opinion that it is her duty to somehow keep the man going even when Jaime feels like staying in bed for the rest of his days.

Not so with Brienne of Tarth, of course. He would have to die before she would let him slack off his duties like that.

The clients fly in and out of the office until Jaime finds a case worth his time. Thus, he is quick to grab his trench coat and bag to stride up to the tall woman’s desk outside his office to announce: “We are heading out, Miss Tarth!”

“At last!” she sighs, grabbing her coat as well to join.

Some time back, Jaime never would have considered leaving the office with the tall, blonde woman refusing heels and red lipstick when he goes off to investigate, but even an oathbreaker like him will keep some vows.

After all, the woman had it written in the contract. Explicitly.

Brienne signed up because she wanted to be “close to crime,” and in the dark world they live in, women, no matter how mannish in looks they may be, are not considered to be of the stuff it takes to work this kind of job.

Not that she signed up because she particularly liked Jaime, of course. Quite on the contrary, Brienne of Tarth was less than pleased having to talk to the Kingslayer of all people to get a job at an investigation bureau.

“Frankly, Mr. Lannister, I don’t know whether there is just a shred of honor in you. And under most other circumstances I would refuse to even speak to you, but… I want to serve the people of King’s Landing. I want to keep crime off the streets where the police won’t bother. You say that the police office is corrupt? I start to have the same notion. Which is why I think it is high time that another force comes into play, so some of that corruption may be stopped,” she told him during the interview, as bluntly as a butter knife, and yet, cutting deeper than Jaime Lannister ever believed possible.

“I don’t trust you. But your records as a commander who led many investigations during his time… are simply outstanding. You solved more crimes than anyone at the King’s Landing department. If only half of that skill will remain after you drank away the rest, you will still surpass any other detective I have spoken to ever since I moved to King’s Landing in the hopes of finding a job at a bureau of that sort. Which means I don’t have to trust you. I only have to trust your skill.”

“And what is there about you that I could trust, Miss Tarth?”

“That I will keep each and every promise I ever make and will go about this job with all that I have. I will keep the office clean, I will manage your business dealings, see about bills, handle clients, and be of support for your investigations to the best of my abilities. I will see to it that this bureau will have the best possible results. I will support you to the best of my abilities so you may do what you seem to have a natural gift for, granted that you don’t throw it all away for some scotch. For all of that, you have my word, Mr. Lannister. And I don’t promise easily.”

“I bet you don’t. But then again, I don’t know how far your promises will take you once you see the reality of things. You may grow tired and irritated of the job as well as my methods. Can I trust you to live with that?”

“You will have to.”

“And so will you.”

“It appears so.”

And so, not just a contract was signed that day but also a silent agreement made: They don’t trust anyone, not even each other. They don’t have to be friends to work together. They fulfill their parts of the contract and the unspoken agreement the best they can. And thus far, no one broke the oath just yet.

The Truce was born – and it’s kicking to this day.

Against all the many odds they have against them, their small investigation bureau is held in high regard as cases continue to be solved thanks to their cooperation inside and outside the office between the detective and his most curious secretary who has a surprisingly good eye for detail.

Just like she has the most astonishing eyes…

Their odd peace is disturbed when they investigate a murder case that soon leads them down a rabbit hole of no return, a web of crime, all leading to one person more dangerous and vicious than anyone they ever encountered as private detectives.

And that person may actually be not just one step ahead in the game but also just one step behind them with a gun to their backs.

Confronted with the dangers waiting in the darkness of the city of King’s Landing, the weary private detective and his determined secretary have to face not only crime and murder, though, but also their very own demons, buried in the past or at the bottom of some many glasses of scotch.

Because a lack of trust always begins with an injury, a deep cut, that made it impossible to rely, to hold on, even though, deep down, this may be the one thing you are seeking.

And it may be that they are each other’s remedy, a way out of the darkness, back into the light.

Yet, darkness may prevail since tender feelings can easily be crushed, corrupted, shot and buried someplace no one will ever find in the darkness.

And so, the game of shadows continues…

[thekingweasley]

Ok but hear me out on a Harry Potter D&D AU

Harry could be a sorcerer with loads of internal magic, who is hunted by another of equal power who sees him as a threat.

Hermione would clearly be a wizard, given her thirst for knowledge.

Ron would be a fighter or paladin, duel wielding two long swords who acts as a tank on the battlefield because to his size.

Let Ginny be a rouge who infiltrates and punishes corrupt individuals.

The twins are bards who enchant people with their music and use their charm to manipulate.

Forge Cleric Bill who uses his control of metal for curse breaking.

Percy and Draco as warlocks, who made a deal with a higher power to assist them in their goals, but didn’t exactly understand the price that had to be paid.

Charlie is a ranger, loving the good creatures and keeping the bad ones out.

Meanwhile, Luna and Hagrid are druids because of their love for all magical creatures.

A monk Neville who never needs a weapon, is quiet as a mouse, and somehow never takes falling damage.

Give me a Sirius who disappointed his family and became a bard instead of a fighter because he wanted to spread joy.

A bloodhunter Remus who took a vow to protect the people from uncontrolled werewolves after he was bit by Greyback.

Peter as an oathbreaker paladin after betrayed James and Lily.

Cleric Lily and James.

Everyone thinks Dumbledore is just an old wizard but he actually multiclasses in inquisitive rogue

The possibilities are endless.

[silkygoldmilkweed]

I am yours and you are mine

OK. So. The episode of Game of Thrones that follows the fabulous weird intimate-as-fuck emo melodrama of “Blackwater” is “Valar Morghulis.” And in this episode, which follows the epic SanSan intimacy of “I’ll keep you safe. Do you want to go home? etc etc” there are not one, not two, but three couples basically making commitments and pledging to each other.

I THINK THE SHOW IS TELLING US SOMETHING ABOUT SANSAN AND MARRIAGE GENERALLY THROUGH THESE COUPLES ALL OF WHOM ARE DOOOOOOOOOMED in different ways. (Five of the six people involved have since been murdered.)

I’ll circle back to the couples in a minute, but first I must quote problematic Cat Stark from this ep, because I think if there is a message here, rather than some broken models of what not to do, she’s the one delivering it.

Cat to Robb about his feelings for Talisa and their agreement with the Freys: 

“Your father didn’t love me when we married. He hardly knew me. Or I him. Love didn’t just happen to us. We built it slowly. Stone by stone, over the years. For you, your brothers and sisters, for all of us. It’s not as exciting as secret passion in the woods, but it is stronger. It lasts longer... You agreed to it. Treat your oaths recklessly and your people will do the same. If your father lived his life for one thing...”

(1) I gotta appreciate the “over the years” in this because god knows that SanSan has been years in the making. 

They’ve been completely apart for many of those years, but dear god the personal growth! She’s a wolf now; he’s no longer an emotionally crippled thug with a serious drinking problem.

If they are cosmically linked soulmates who have been bound by some inexplicable tie for a long time, they have used the intervening years relatively well. Sansa learned how to survive and make her own justice, and Sandor built a very strong relationship with the only other surviving true-born Stark (by my account Bran is dead) and went to rehab and therapy, etc.

Mistakes were made, to be sure, but they are both better, healthier and stronger people after the fact.

Source: http://devilsbastion.tumblr.com/image/168855312743

(2) “It’s not as exciting as secret passion in the woods, but it is stronger. It lasts longer.” 

This line makes me feel like the writers have read all the Blackwater AUs where Sansa and Sandor run off together and despite best-laid plans end up fucking inside a month. In fanfic they usually end up happily ever after (usually), but in George’s world, Sansa probably ends up married to a Frey, Sandor ends up dying at the hand of god knows who, and without the Hound, Arya ends up raped and dead in a ditch and certainly not the killer she is today.

(Of course, Robb and Talisa do go the forbidden love route and we all know how that turns out.)

(3) “You agreed to it. Treat your oaths recklessly and your people will do the same. If your father lived his life for one thing...” 

I will say this: Sansa tried valiantly to keep her promises and the promises her family made. She agreed to marry Joffrey, arranged thought it was, and she keeps to that agreement.

In the same episode, Theon is whining: “Yes my captors were so very kind to me...Do you know what it’s like to be told how lucky you are to be someone’s prisoner?” but at this point in the story, Sansa is being held prisoner by awful people and being beaten and stripped and threatened with rape at every turn.  So Theon can just shut up. 

And in re Robb, Sansa was bound to marry a much worse prospective spouse than a Frey girl, and yet she stuck with it, even if out of sheer cluelessness. She was offered a “get out of jail free” card by Sandor Clegane, and she refused it. 

As horrible as it is, and as patriarchal and un-woke, Westeros custom says that Sansa was Joffrey’s—to torment or treat any way he saw fit. And, for better or worse, Sansa and Sandor have both internalized the patriarchy in a way that Arya never does.

In season four, Arya asks the Hound, “Didn’t you steal anything from Joffrey before you left?” He says no, he’s not a thief, and then says “a man’s got to have a code.” 

Arya’s talking about gold or other treasure but in the same conversation he calls Arya “the only thing of value I’ve got in the world,” which tells us as clear as day what really matters to him—even though he wants us and Arya to believe the issue is her exchange value in gold.

Sansa is the only thing Sandor wanted to steal, but she belonged to the king and if she didn’t want to go of her own volition—if she didn’t think she needed to be rescued—he wasn’t going to abduct her. 

He probably should have, for her sake, but I suspect he was too hurt when she turned him down to face her fighting him and being disappointed and teary. Sansa’s recrimination and distress was not something he was equipped to cope with at that point. Now Arya he could manhandle, but Sansa, for reasons (SEX REASONS PEOPLE), he could not, would not and did not.

ANYWAY MARRIAGE

He cloaked her in the throne room. She accepted the cloak. 

Did it mean something to them? Did it mean something to the gods? 

We have no idea. It has never been addressed.

But...the line in the Westerosi marriage vows is “You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection.” And within weeks he’s saving her from being gang raped (and he’s secretly pretty fucking pleased with himself), and he risks beheading (or much much worse) by attempting to smuggle away Tywin’s prize hostage and get her through the entire war-torn country to Winterfell. 

If that’s not protection, I don’t know what is.

Tyrion’s speech at the Blackwater (after the Hound has already deserted) about defending Your City rings false for the Hound because he literally cares only about one thing in the whole place (maybe two if you count Stranger). Hound figures why not take the girl out of the city rather than trying to save the whole shit city to protect her?

But it doesn’t work, and Sansa and Sandor break up.

Next episode. Sandor does not appear. Sansa does. And three separate couples—all doomed in different ways—make promises.

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #1: JOFFREY BARATHEON TO MARGERY TYRELL

Joffrey: “It would be an honor to return your love. But I am promised to another. A king must keep his word...I took a holy vow.”

Pycelle: “The gods do indeed hold betrothal solemn.”

Joff: “The gods are good. I am free to heed my heart...you will be my queen, and I will love you from this day until my last day.”

OK so mostly this is foreshadowing for Robb getting whacked and Joffrey getting poisoned at his wedding. But it’s also amazing extra-level bullshit. Every single person in the scene is lying through his or her teeth and putting on a show for the court, except for Sansa who is genuinely delighted to be relieved of Joffrey. 

Well, the situation also thrills Littlefinger who pounces on her literally moments after Joff sets her aside. If the Hound had waited maybe one more day he and Sansa would have been so much freer to figure themselves out together--but then it wouldn’t be a heartbreaking romantic separation would it?

But there are a couple of lines I want to highlight as possibly important for SanSan.

“The gods do indeed hold betrothal solemn.”

What if this is true on some level and the gods have considered SanSan to be pledged to one another in some spiritual way? Could the gods actually have been intervening in their favor in some way? Probably not but...maybe.

“I am free to heed my heart.”

So so so few people in Westeros are free to heed their hearts. That’s why the freefolk call themselves that—they aren’t bound by the feudal system and the arranged marriages and the taxes and high-maintenance castles and all that. 

But come season eight, guess who is free as hell to heed her heart? Sansa Stark. She’s even finally rid of Littlefinger. Nobody except maybe Jon Snow can tell her what to do, and I feel strongly that he DGAF who she marries so long as he’s a good man. 

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #2: SHAE DA FUNNY HOAR TO TYRION LANNISTER

Tyrion: “I’m a monster, as well as a dwarf. You should charge me double.”

Shae: “You think I’m here for money?”

Tyrion: “That was the arrangement we made. I pay you and you lie to me.”

Shae: “You have a shit memory. I am yours and you are mine.”

I don’t understand these two. I think Tyrion did love her, but “I pay you and you lie to me” was the truth of it. Their relationship was built on a shaky foundation of business and lies.

In the end she testified at his trial for capital crimes and he strangled her to death. So...as the Hound said to Tyrion in the series premiere, “It’s not hunting if you pay for it.”

You can buy a wife with an army or gold, or you can buy the girlfriend experience from a prostitute, but you can’t buy a healthy, happy and loving marriage, not for any price.

I am a crazy person, admittedly, but I think George’s endgame is two well-deserved happy marriages: Jon & Dany, and Sansa & Sandor. (I wouldn’t mind Brienne & Jaime, Missandei & Grey Worm, and Sam & Gilly also living happily ever after but WE WILL SEE.)

MARRIAGE PLEDGE #3: ROBB STARK AND TALISA MAEGYR

Secret love in the woods!

The theme to this scene is “I Am Yours and You Are Mine,” a lushly romantic love theme by Ramin Djawdi. These are good people, and they are madly in love, and they are doomed as fuck.

As a wise man once said, “What is honor compared to a woman's love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms...or the memory of a brother’s smile?”

I wish I could tell you that the series is consistent about punishing oathbreakers, but I can’t. The best I can offer is that the story does seem to treat marriage (and the children of marriage, i.e. trueborns versus bastards) as a special and very important kind of oath. 

The camera focuses on Lady Oleanna Tyrell at Joffrey and Marge’s wedding just as the High Septon says, “...one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder.” And of course, House Tyrell is eventually exterminated. 

George, if not the gods, does seem to value fidelity in marriage and not running around “stabbing” girls you don’t plan to marry. Ned Stark is a saint who never cheated. Cersei and Bobby are both unfaithful, but Cersei went a step further and aborted all of her trueborns and cuckholded Bobby with Jaime’s bastards. Stannis is a cheater. Renly is a cheater--he’s married to Marge but sexes up Loras. Rhaegar was a bigamist maybe--timeline unclear but undoubtably problematic. Ramsay Snow was fucking Myranda while married to Sansa. Theon is a jackass for whoring and banging captain’s daughters whereas Jon Snow doesn’t want to make bastards on Ros. Daario wants to come to Westeros as Dany’s fuckboi even if she’s going to marry someone else but Dany is all “hard pass” because Dany ain’t like that. Brandon Stark (Ned’s murdered brother) was a bit of a fuckboi. Littlefinger gets married and murders his wife within the space of a...day? No bueno!

Tyrion gives Shae a heartbreaking speech when he’s breaking up with her for her own safety about “you are not fit to bear my children, and Sansa is.” Bastards! So much talk about legitimacy or not and what that equips you for, or not, in Westeros. Blah blah thousand-year dynasty.

These are not always our contemporary morals, at least in popular media, but they do seem pretty solidly founded in Westeros: 

Marriage matters. Fidelity matters. 

I do think it is important that we never ever see Sandor interact with other women on the show besides Sansa and Arya (and the farmer’s daughter Sally). 

Not Cersei. Not Myrcella. Not Melisandre. Not whores. He isn’t even shown talking to Dany after she saves him on Drogon. Sansa is his woman. Period. 

Sansa takes marriage very seriously, but she is never in a position to choose her husband or control the circumstances of her marriage. Marriage to Sansa is suggested or arranged, canonically, to Joffrey Baratheon, Tyrion Lannister, Littlefinger, Robin Arryn and Ramsay Snow, and that’s not even including all the fan-made pairings like Sansa-Marge, Sansa-Tywin, Sansa-Stannis, Sansa-Edd, Sansa-Jon, Sansa-Pod, Sansa-Bronn, etc. 

Tyrion is by far the best of the lot of Sansa’s canonical consorts, a list that includes two psychopaths, one sociopath and one disabled child. 

By Ned Stark’s standard of “brave, gentle and strong,” again, Tyrion might qualify as brave and gentle, but the other four fail to have even one of those qualities. Ugh. Sandor is all three, to my mind, although the show de-emphasizes “gentle” in favor of sassy, but we all know that he’s a very different kind of brute from Joffrey or Ramsay.

Three more tidbits and then shutting up. 

** The episode ends with Dany’s vision in the House of the Undying. Drogo says: “Or maybe it is a dream. My dream, your dream. I do not know. These are questions for wise men with skinny arms. You are the moon of my life and if this is a dream, I will kill the man who tries to wake me.”

If Sansa’s dreams are as important as I think they will turn out to be, this line may feel more evocative of SanSan in the future. I mean, LOL, “These are questions for wise men with skinny arms” is a total Sandor POV thing to say, although Sandor does have a rough-hewn wisdom of his own.

** The next episode is the season three premiere, “Valar Dohaeris (All Men Must Serve)” and in that we get:

Littlefinger telling Sansa that “stealing you is treason”

Sansa telling Shae that it’s better to use your imagination and dream than think about the truth, because “the truth is always terrible or boring.”

Ros telling Shae that Sansa is a very important person and reminding us of her connection to Winterfell

And Marge telling little kids that knights “protect the weak and uphold the good”

** And then finally, in the second episode of season three, Sandor reappears and it’s clear that he’s been drunk non-stop since he left Sansa behind. He gets captured while unconscious and when he comes to, the first thing he sees is Arya (he recognizes her instantly) and the first words of out his mouth are “What in seven hells are you doing with the Stark bitch?” It’s clear to me that he determines on the spot to watch over her. He has not been granted the status of protector of Sansa, but Arya is fair game.

Was it divine justice or the hand of the gods, putting Sandor together with his wife’s little sister who needs to be protected? We shall see. We shall see.

“In winter, we must protect ourselves.” “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” “I miss him.” “Me too.”

[skizabaa]

Learned a new editing program recently! Heres the Oathbreakers Vow AU Eclipse, as a test :D