#Version Based Restore Point

[tfatwsbarnes]

please, please, please | manny alvarez

summary: your situationship in salt lake city, with manny alvarez, had you begging him to prove you wrong.

pairing: manny alvarez x scientist fem!reader

word count: 5.5k

trigger warning: bad language, situationship, toxic relationship themes such as emotional manipulation, sexual themes (no smut), blood, tlou gore, violence, death and trauma. inaccuracies everywhere, y’know the gist.

a/n: manny is evil but he is so fine that he’s forgiven mwah. reader is a softy with him, thinks she can fix him by going back every time. also based off of my own experience of a situationship where i fell hard and ate off of the crumbs he was giving me.

gif credit: @optional

"Manny?" You raised your head, "Alvarez? Really?"

        That was something you had become accustomed to during your time in Salt Lake City, stationed at St. Mary's Hospital. You were a biomedical scientist in training and under the watchful eye of Dr. Anderson, you had earned a spot as one of his assistants with your fresh perspective on the clinical trials for the Cure.

        You hadn't just happened to stumble upon a treasure trove of likeminded people — no — you had heard through the grapevine of a congregation named the Fireflies that united on liberation and restoration of humanity as it once was. Unfortunate, but the remains of your family hadn't shared the same excitement when you brought the proposition of uprooting your lives for Salt Lake City; so you left with minimal baggage and a weakened heart from loss.

        It took months, and one broken ankle that hadn't healed properly, for you to arrive at the mouth of Salt Lake City. The city overrun by nature.

        The first person you had crossed paths with was Manny Alvarez. A soldier to the bone, he had been ordered to patrol the outskirts of the city for indication of FEDRA tracking their mucky paws through their station. Rifle end pointed strategically between your eyes, Manny threatened your life and you spent ten minutes convincing him otherwise.

        Manny adjusted the strap of his gun on his shoulder and looked ahead, "You think they'll just recruit you because you claim to be a scientist?"

        "Biomedical scientist." You affirmed, "That's the difference."

        He seemed somewhat approachable aside the trigger happiness. Shoulders bumped when you walked together back to speak with Marlene, the woman in charge of the operation. That's how he had sunk the metal teeth of the bear trap around your leg — metaphorically.

        You were softened at the core from the upset of abandoning your family, sieged by grief of people who weren't dead and Manny seemed to be a trustable character to flesh your heart out to. Always a good judgement of character, you believed your gut wouldn't steer you wrong.

        With a nudge of encouragement from Manny, you had convinced Marlene of your growing skills within the medical field and she had accepted you into the Fireflies on the condition that immediate research must come with conclusive evidence that you were going to be an asset to Dr. Anderson.

        Not a hindrance.

        And with that subtle threat, you dove headfirst into the clinical research, privy to confidential information on a girl that was immune to the Cordyceps Virus. It wasn't a simple feat, your days ended in a dull ache at the forefront of your head, mood soured by the drop of your energy levels from endless devotion to proving yourself.

        Feet always ended up subconsciously taking you to his door. Three knocks of a secret code you had created for each other over the months of growing a bond, Manny would swing the door open and usher you in with a hand to the small of your back.

        Manny hadn't been the idyllic version of what you had assumed on how a man would treat you. He was handsome — scratch that — extremely handsome, that it had caught you off guard when you first met. The closer you grew, the meaner he had gotten, but you saw it as a deserving punishment for your selfish departure back home.

        You weren't an idiot.

        The pressured niggle at the back of your mind, sending the correct waves of information that Manny Alvarez was bad for your kinder soul. You just hoped he wouldn't prove you right.

        "How was your day?" You asked him with enough care to listen to his woes despite your own.

        Manny scoffed, his back faced toward you, "Alright, I suppose." He turned to look at you, "Lost my sparring match three times to the same guy. It's fucked me off."

        "You won't always win." You shrugged.

        "Why are you here?" Manny retorted with enough venom that made your jaw slack. His nervous tendency showed as he bounced his leg with the ball of his foot.

        You blinked, "I always come here."

        A sense of belonging.

        "You've completed your daily round, doctor. You can leave now." He was purposely being mean to ease his own anger at his failure. Manny was simple-minded when it came to his ego, and you could tell it had been damaged severely over a meagre spar with another solider.

        "OK. And you've ticked off your daily task of being odious, bastard. Enjoy your night with your right hand." You stormed to his door as he called your name, swinging it open and throwing a middle finger behind you before it slammed shut on his voice.

       Nights like those weren't few and far between. A sizeable tension coated St. Mary's Hospital and it consumed both you and Manny. Dr. Anderson was close to a breakthrough on the Cure which meant all hands on deck for both clinical and soldiers. That is what you put it down to. Denial could be your middle name.

The days after were spent on the top floor of St. Mary's Hospital, where you had been pressing your studies on the extraction for the cure to Jerry Anderson and avoiding Manny Alvarez like the plague.

        You took your limited time to yourself to replenish your food levels before delving back deep into assisting his revisions.

        A roll of bread smacked against your forehead, a soft 'thunk' from the noise as you were reading over the statistics for the next dose of immunisations. Irritated, you looked up to see Manny sitting adjacent to you at the table, a smug smile on his features as his left cheek pocketed food. He leant back in his chair as he bit into the red apple in his hand, throwing a wink your way.

        Your eyes almost rolled to the back of your head.

        Nevertheless, you stood, collecting the files on the table before rounding it and taking seat next to Manny. He looked like the epitome of relaxed, legs spread open, arm resting against the top of his chair.

        "You could greet me by saying hello." You chastised, legs of your chair screeching as you tucked yourself in — files flipped open to resume your reading.

        "I did. You ignored me."

        "Or, I've gradually managed to tune your voice out for optimum concentration on what I came here to do in the first place." You pointed your pen at his face and he gently pushed it out of view, taking the opportunity to lean in close to you.

        "Everyone likes a side hustle." Fingertips subtly brushed your kneecaps, and Manny grinned at the flitting moment of embarrassment on your face.

        You quipped, "Reducing yourself to a side hustle is degrading."

        "I've heard you like it."

        You threw him a petulant look.

        Diving back into your files, you mumbled, the hotness in your stomach not going amiss, "I have some news to tell you."

        Manny attempted to feign interest, "Oh yeah?" He paused, "You're not pregnant are you?"

        "What? No—That's not—No." You looked around the room to see if anyone was eavesdropping, "Marlene called to speak to me."

        ". . .OK?"

        You tutted. "I think they're going to ask me to assist Dr. Anderson in the surgery with the 'Immune Girl'." You fingered quotation marks, awaiting the excitement on Manny's end — it never came. So, you continued, "If we get this cure secured, I can head up to Wyoming after."

Manny swallowed the chunk of mushed apple in his mouth. Brown eyes softened and grew wide enough to make your stomach flip thrice. His brows knitted together as he mulled your statement over.

"How would you get to Wyoming?" He looked as if he was playing a scene of your attempt at survival en route. "You can't even shoot a gun."

You gawked, "Yes I can."

"Baby—" He didn't have to do that. But he did as he laughed. "Last time I saw you shoot something, it was the ground after forgot to turn flick the safety on. You almost blew your foot to bits."

OK. He was right. You had been sent into the ranks of the Firefly soldiers, some amongst the likes of Abby Anderson, Nora Harris and, of course, Manny. It was on Marlene's orders, to have you certified on using a gun for your own protection if FEDRA or raiders, ransacked Salt Lake City and St. Mary's Hospital with it.

Abby was helpful, a friendly face and eased your anxieties as she helped you prep the gun given to you. Just prior to target practice, the gun was in hand as Manny goaded you about how he's never seen someone look so mousy holding a weapon. Ears hot with embarrassment from the eyes on you, fingers clenched around the gun without a thought of malice and all bodies within close proximity jumped with alarm as a bullet narrowly missed your pinky toe.

Quick to disarm you, you were sent upstairs to report back to Marlene and you were banned from weapon practice for a month.

You thought back on the memory, nose scrunched, "OK. Then teach me." He went to argue and you held up a finger, "My ban was up a week ago. So, I can practice."

"Fine." He agreed, "Meet me outside after your talk with Marlene." You nodded as he leant in for a chaste kiss, chair scraping as Manny took himself away.

"Really?" Mel's voice filtered through from across the Mess Hall. You stared at her, "Manny?"

—

You did as you were told. Rubble kicked beneath your boot, you rolled your neck to relieve the ache from being hunched over in your studies all day. Marlene had informed you just as you had suspected, and you would be a supporting role within the Surgery Room alongside Jerry Anderson. You were overjoyed that your hard work paid off, Marlene undeniably wincing at your excitement and decided Dr. Anderson could break the news on how you were retrieving a said 'cure'.

Practically bounding down the steps, you waited for Manny to resume your long awaited — for the better — target practice.

His presence announced with a clearing of his throat, you turned to see him with two rifles slung over his shoulder; a handsome grin on his features as he approached you. Manny leant down and kissed you as if you were committed to one and other, the strap of the rifle slipping off of his shoulder and into your hands.

"Safety is on." He mocked.

"Ha—Ha. Don't tempt me to take it off."

Manny hummed, "Oo. Don't threaten me with a good time." His hand smoothed down the curve of your backside, fingers grasped a handful, as he gently bit at the apple of your cheek. You pushed him off with ease and he added, "Alright. I'll set up a couple of cans on this bench. I have to be back up in an hour for a debrief."

"Plenty of time." You swelled your chest in hopeful confidence.

Once set up, Manny stood behind you with gentle guidance on hand and eye co-ordination, the proper way on how to aim at a target to maximise injury on the chances of them being a threat. A couple of misses and one lucky shot, you jumped with your arms in the air for celebration — Manny quick to grab the rifle off of you.

"How the fuck did you get to Utah without dying." It was rhetorical but you answered it all the same.

"I'm logical." You gestured to your head, "You're just aggressive."

        "When I need to be." He was smug in his words, cocksure that it had the effect he had hoped on you as you felt your ears grow hot under Manny's gaze.

        "You're a motherfucker."

        "Mm." Manny leaned in, "But you love it so much." Hand slipped behind, he pulled you in, chests pressed together as you fumbled into the kiss.

        Manny Alvarez was perplexing. One moment, he could be spitting fire at you as if you were the scum of the Earth, and in the next breath, he was gentle in his touch, tactile when you were close to him — even in front of his friends — and you felt like he had tipped over the edge of the hill he had been climbing to fall in love with you.

        Assured you definitely weren't complicated to love, but Manny took his sweet timings and you lapped it up every chance you got to see a snippet of a future with him. You couldn't believe the hormone high someone like Manny Alvarez could give you.

        You were tethered and salivating over it.

        Within each other's hold for a minute longer, you were the one to pull away from his wandering hands. Your ears picked up on an unfamiliar noise, rustling you could say, as the sky darkened; making it hard to differentiate the silhouettes from humans figures to debris.

        Manny heard it too.

        It was eerily silent. His index finger pressed to his mouth to hush you when you opened yours to speak. Your heart began to thump in your ears, as the noise of low-toned snarling could be heard from the abandoned bus just feet away from where you stood. Instinctively, your hand went to reach for Manny's and he silently swatted you away, grabbing his gun from his thigh-holster; one foot in front of the other.

        The bus coloured in green from grown ivy, shook a little from the movement inside. The skeleton of what it once was, exposed the shadowed figure, hunched and twitching as it bent back and let out a hair-raising growl. Within moments, Manny missed his shot and it came bounding out — you within its reach.

    You had stumbled back, head smacked against a pile of rubble, the Runner clambered on top of you. Fingers sunk into the rotted flesh with ease, the slack of its jaw from the skin decayed snapped at your face. It was the stuff of nightmares, up close and personal with a person who had fallen victim to the Cordyceps Virus, their eyes clouded white, desperate to savage your body apart.

          An attempt to reach for the knife strapped to your thigh, your mouth clenched shut as tears began to prick your waterline.

        A single bullet lodged into the Runners' head and silenced the moans elicited from its throat as it dropped deadweight onto you. Unable to hold back your panic, you burst into tears, chest spread with hot dread when the smell of death seeped into your nostrils.

        Boots kicking the Runner off of your shaking body, Manny yanked you up with force. His face hot with fury, whilst his eyes scanned for any teeth punctures in your exposed flesh.

    "What the fuck is wrong with you?" His voice cut through your skin, his stare was a blatant attempt at intimidation.

You swallowed, "I froze."

"Yeah. I saw that." He agreed with a scoff, "You fucking think you can survive to Wyoming on rainbows and dreams? You could've fucking died — actually — you almost deserved it."

That made you mad.

"You don't have to be so fucking cruel. I made a mistake, I didn't have a gun! You—" You pointed to his chest, "—Fucking missed it! Trained Firefly soldier, may I just remind you."

        Your hand reached to the back of your head to feel the warmth of blood seep from where the sharp rubble sliced you. There was a lack of energy to deal with Manny's outburst, so you turned on your heel to head back inside for some gauze to soak up your blood.

        What Manny said had you turn back.

        "You're not going to Wyoming."

        A laugh escaped, "What?"

        "You heard me. You're not going to Wyoming. You will stay here, with me until we move with the Fireflies." Manny was serious. There was no shred of comedic timing on his part, his lips exposed no smile. He never told you what to do as far as your life. It left you astounded.

        "You can't tell me what to do." You sneered, "I make my own choices. You just fuck me. That doesn't grant you permission to decide my own fate. . . I'll see you at dinner." Turned to the building once more, you muttered incoherently under your breath, "Motherfucker."

—

        You did not see Manny at dinner.

        In fact, you saw everybody aside from him. A gap left in his usual spot at the table in the Mess Hall with his closest friends. You stared between Abby Anderson and Owen Moore, fork stabbed into your food whilst you ran over the possibilities of where Manny could be. He never skipped food.

        Sensing eyes, Abby looked in your direction and offered you an awkward wave and you waved back, ears going hot again as she stood whispering to Owen before his eyes fell onto you.

        For fuck sake.

        Abby spoke your name when she planted her tray of food next to yours.

        "You don't happen to know where Manny is?" She asked in a tone that was suspicious. You side-eyed her before you shook your head. She shrugged, bringing the food on her fork to her mouth, "I haven't seen him since he went to target practice with you."

        "Neither." You added.

        Abby took a hard swallow, her bright eyes narrowed at your expression. She sympathised your situation. Everyone could see you were the equivalent to a lost, starved puppy around Manny.

        "Is everything OK?"

        "Hm?" Voice an octave higher than you had liked, you let out a nervous laugh, "Oh—Yeah. I'm just nervous about the surgery with your dad this week. It's a big deal."

        Abby patted your forearm, "You'll do great. Dad really believes in you." That was a nice compliment. She picked a piece of meat from her plate, "Anyway, if you see him. . . Tell him I need to talk to him."

“I’ll check on him just now.”

—

You blinked at the scene behind Manny. Another woman, tucked under blankets to maintain her dignity as she sat up, blonde hair standing as if she had been electrocuted. Eyes shifted to Manny, a sense of guilt creeping up on his features as you stood agape.

        "Hey—"

        "—Abby wanted to speak to you."

        "OK." Manny swallowed as you gave his room one last look before turning on your heel to exit. He scrambled to put on a shirt, muttering a 'Shit' beneath his breath, door slammed shut as he chased after you.

        Your ankle screamed at you as a result of the thunderous steps you took to wedge a big enough gap between your emotions and the unspoken ordeal you just walked into. Your chest felt as if it could collapse inward at any given moment.

        There was no suitable label that could be stuck and smoothed down on to describe the situation between Manny and you. In reality, it was a bond that flourished under the pressures of trauma, the finality of the world pushed your lives together and it worked for the time being. With time and blindness, you could've seen yourself falling in love with Manny Alvarez. Now? It felt like a silly school girl crush.

        You felt incredibly stupid. The Cordyceps Outbreak had hardened your heart, taught you that life had an expiration date that couldn't be reached by humanity. You had sworn to tunnel vision, find the Fireflies, help find a Cure; not cozy up with one of their soldiers.

        As you rounded the corner of the floor that Manny was staying on, you heard him before you saw him. Boots hitting the flooring, he rushed to you, fingertips on your forearm to catch you before you slipped from his grasp.

        "You have to listen." Manny spoke as he turned you despite your reluctance. "Please, just hear me out."

        "Manny—I, I don't care." There was a lie. The pounding blood in your ears told different.

        "You do. You do care. Let me explain."

        This had you rolling your eyes and turning away to continue your beeline to exit and return to the quarters of the Hospital you resided in. To mope really — not that Manny needed to have knowledge of this.

        "I was upset. OK?" He explained by your side and you threw him a look of vexation. "After our argument about you going to Wyoming—I wanted to try get over you."

        "By getting under someone?" You exasperated, hands thrown to the air, "Ever heard of a healthy coping mechanism like—like, fucking therapy?"

        Manny smiled, "So, you do care." This earned a disgusted note from your throat and he rushed to follow you up the stairs, "That was a joke. We don't have therapists here though. We could talk about it? Is that what you want?"

        You stopped on the step, "I don't want anything from you, Manny. You've made yourself so clear. Whatever our circumstances were, are over."

        "Right. Over." He shone his pretty brown eyes at you, a sadness in his lips as he frowned. This got you.

        You fucking hated being an empath.

        After you had set the ground rules on the stairs that day, you and Manny went your separate ways. And, by separate ways, that meant you were a biochemical scientist itching to find a way to harvest the cure from the precious cargo being sent your way, by morning and by night, you were at Manny's disposal. Both eager to continue what essence of a partnership you had despite the unspoken and unresolved hardship of it.

        He kissed you as if you were the most important part of his day. Palm at the small of your back as he breathed you in, the other hand entangled in the hair at the back of your head, fingers tugged to make you smile into the kiss. It was reckless, you loathed how breakable you were the moment he walked into a room, brown eyes catching yours with a smugness on his face that knew he had you wrapped around his finger.

        "Stop thinking so much." He would say every time he could feel you tense when he lowered you onto his mattress. Fervent kisses placed down the length of your neck and to your décolletage.

        "I'm a scientist, it's—"

        He interjected with a kiss to your lips, "—Your job, yadda yadda. Baby, just shut up and let me take care of you." He continued his travelling kisses south.

        Your heart fluttered, fingers grasped in the threads of his hair as you leant your head back into his pillow. You yearned for moments with Manny where his softness reached your ears with his entrancing words, albeit fleeting, he did have those moments.

        Let me take care of you. It replayed on loop, you were taking it out of context but it was impossible to keep yourself grounded when you were so incredibly drunk on him.

        You wanted it all. To maintain your highest of loyalty to finding the cure with the Fireflies, to restore humankind as it once were — if it could ever be restored — and to have your heart wrapped up and locked down by Manny Alvarez. Because, when it was just you two within the confines of his room when the sunset hit the horizon, he made you feel like it were a possibility.

        That's when the rampage of Joel Miller tore that ambition down with the barrel of his gun and a seething rage that mowed the population of the St. Mary's Hospital Fireflies down all for the girl that had the potential to cure humankind as they knew it.

        You had been ordered to assist Dr. Anderson with the extraction procedure on the patient Ellie Williams. This would be your first surgery, although finding it morally grey on your moral compass, you heeded order from Marlene despite the looming feeling that she too, didn't particularly agree with the outcome.

        Kari, the second surgical assistant, had helped you with prep for the surgery. Your hands shook as she tied your surgical gown, face hidden behind a surgical mask, the older woman could still feel the palpable anxiety through your eyes.

        "It's OK." She assured with a smile before tying a knot in her own gown. "You've got this."

        Short-lived, but you believed her.

        Stood above the unconscious immune girl, you swallowed the dryness in your throat. She was younger than you, by a handful of years. Wild brown hair, and a scar separating her brow hairs. She looked peaceful, naive to the world, a face that you thought shouldn't endure a death for the benefit of others.

        But, this would benefit humanity. Right?

        He came in quicker than anticipated. You heard the gunshots down the hallway and you looked to Jerry Anderson who halted his notion to start the extraction process. There was a flicker in the intimidating operating light and your skin felt cold, the hairs on your forearm standing on end before the door kicked down, revealing a man with an irate anger on his features.

        Low-browed, he aimed his gun, his eyes flickered to Ellie on the operating table.

        Your gloved hands went up in surrender. Sweat trickled from beneath your scrub cap, your teeth biting the flesh of your cheek.

         Dr. Anderson takes a step toward the male in question.

        "Doctor?" Kari muffled behind her mask.

        "What are you doing in here?" He picks up a scalpel and points it to the man, "I won't let you take her. Think of all the lives we'll save." The man takes a step forward and Jerry Anderson holds the scalpel up to threaten him, "Don't move any closer. I mean it!"

       If you blinked, you would've missed it.

       He grimaced before forcefully taking the scalpel from Jerry Anderson's hand and lodging it in the Doctor's throat. You watch as the lead surgeon collapses to the floor, stumbling back as Kari began to scream from horror.

        "No! You fucking animal!" She yelled and the male surgical assistant, you hadn't caught his name, seethed for her to shut her mouth.

        In an instant, Kari was shot dead and the bile rose in your throat when her brain matter smacked against your face. The male doctor dropped to the floor and cowered, begging for his life and for the man to take the girl if it so pleased.

        Your chest rose and fell, frozen in spot as the man ripped the tubes from the girl, muttering to her as he so — ironically — gently picked her up, cradling her like a babe against his chest. His eyes met with yours, a brief flickering of instant rage in his as he narrowed at your shaking frame. You attempted to hold what you could presume would be the last of your breath as he aimed the gun at your body.

        It would've been illogical to fight such a brute.

        For an unknown reason, he spared your life. Not without causing harm, as a bullet lodged into your left foot making you drop like a sack of potatoes, nose cracked against the floor. He exited, and you cradled your foot with a piercing scream.

        Thus entering the second time, Manny Alvarez succeeded in coming to the rescue.

        He came in, gun positioned for use if needed. His eyes dropped to Dr. Anderson who bled out on the floor, his mouth dropped into a frown when he saw Kari just feet away from you, eyes open as her body paled.

        "Shit! Owen, check Jerry!"

        Immediately, his knees were soaked in blood as his hands went to your body, hauling you up to rest against the cabinets. Eyes crazed from fear, he checked over your body for more bullet wounds other than the obvious one at your foot.

        Your head lolled as he dropped the bag from his shoulder, "Hey, you've been shot. OK? I need you to concentrate on me." His hand went to your foot and you pushed him with what energy you had left, blood smeared on your face as he grabbed it, "Hey—I've got to stop the bleeding."

You hummed in agony, the bullet lodged deep, Manny held down pressure with a gauze from his bag.

Owen stood from checking Jerry Anderson's pulse, his face moulded by shock. Manny looked back over his shoulder to him, desperate for an answer, he swore at Owen.

"He's dead."

"Fuck!" Manny looked back to you, contemplating his next question. "Can you stand?"

"I'm not going out there." You argued at the hint at where he was going with his question. Without a doubt, Manny was a Firefly solider first, and someone just murdered his best friend's dad for the immune girl. Your heart had raced quite at the idea of bumping into him outside the Surgery Room. The man with a scruff beard and dishevelled hair had terrified you more than you would like to admit. If you had swayed toward religion, he may have looked like the form of the Devil — your nightmares would remember his face.

Hand tight against your foot, Manny looked to the door where the man had escaped, "I have to find him."

"I know." Your vision spotted, feeling faint from the shock, and the addition of the bullet lodged in the meat of your foot. "Go. I know how to treat a wound — I'm in the best place for it."

The timing wasn't perfect, two bodies on the floor, Owen checking over the shaken doctor off to the side and you, shot in the foot. Your humour was misplaced but Manny still managed to scoff out a laugh.

Taking your limp hand, he replaced his own with yours over your foot, a grimace on his face when you let out a whine from the profound shooting pain that travelled from the wound site up your leg. Profanities flying from your mouth, Manny hesitated as Owen exited through the door that man had escaped from, gun raised and prepped for conflict.

Head hitting the cabinet behind you once more, you stared at Manny through hooded lids.

"I'll be OK." You assured. It hadn't seemed to hit any vital arteries upon entry as otherwise, you'd be cold. "Just come back."

"I promise, I will."

Manny had kept his promise of return with the news that Marlene had also met her fate at the end of the barrel of the man's gun. It hadn't shocked you as much as you had hoped. She was the woman in the leadership role of the Fireflies, and by presumption, the man was on a path of destruction to end all that was known about the group.

It took a few days before the Fireflies confirmed their disbandment. Abby Anderson and a handful of her friends held a funeral for her father, and the Fireflies that lost their lives amongst the shootout before deciding that consequences must be held for the man named 'Joel'.

"You can't come with us?" Manny stood, his eyes drifted back to his friends waiting on him. He looked back to you.

You shook your head, "No. My heart is set on Wyoming. Heard there's a Commune there." You shifted uncomfortably on your feet. Still recovering from your gunshot wound, your left foot was as tender as ever, plus your dodgy ankle made to be quite the concoction for pain. You continued, "A commune means people. People need doctors, I suppose."

Manny nodded. Not pleased with your answer, but he wasn't about to get down on his knees and beg you to follow him like a dog.

Sure, there was an attachment there. You were something familiar, a reliable person he could turn to. You were a little more quirky than the other girls he had bedded, he considered it layers to your persona. He would hate to admit it — as would you — but, there was an uncharted love that could swallow you both whole if you allowed it.

Although, he would avoid that for the rest of his life. Manny Alvarez doesn't chase.

You continued to speak about the logistics of making it to Jackson Hole in one piece, knowing that would be a question thrown into the works as a reminder that you were not a lone survivalist. Most people were stunned that you had made it thus far from your home to Salt Lake without rendering a bite from an infected.

Manny didn't care. As he always did. You spoke too much about things that didn't concern him — his mind elsewhere.

He licked his lips, pulling you to him and silencing you with a brash kiss to the lips. Your tense body melted into goo, arms wrapped around his neck but he failed to return the tactile touch.

Pulled away, you stepped back awkwardly and picked your bag up.

"I wish you the best, Manny." Your heart ached but you wouldn't show him that. "Oh—And the safety is on.” You shook the gun in your hand.

Manny simply nodded with a meek smile and walked away.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1979 Pontiac Firebird

The 1979 Pontiac Firebird stands as a symbol of the late 1970s American muscle car era, a time when bold styling and performance were key selling points. The Firebird, produced by Pontiac from 1967 to 2002, had evolved significantly by the time it reached its 1979 iteration, marking one of its most memorable and iconic versions.

The 1979 Firebird came in several models, including the base Firebird, the luxurious Esprit, the sporty Formula, and the high-performance Trans Am. Each model had its unique appeal, but the Trans Am was undoubtedly the star of the lineup. Known for its aggressive styling, the Trans Am featured a distinctive "screaming chicken" hood decal, a hallmark that became synonymous with the Firebird brand. This large, flamboyant decal stretched across the hood, making an unmistakable statement about the car’s performance pedigree.

Under the hood, the 1979 Firebird offered a range of engine options. The base models came with a 3.8-liter V6 or a 4.9-liter V8, while the more performance-oriented Trans Am could be equipped with a 6.6-liter V8 engine, known as the "403" for its cubic inch displacement. This engine produced 185 horsepower, a respectable figure for the era, and provided the Trans Am with a powerful and throaty exhaust note that thrilled enthusiasts.

The interior of the 1979 Firebird was designed with both comfort and style in mind. The cockpit-style dashboard was driver-focused, with gauges and controls angled towards the driver for ease of use. Bucket seats, often upholstered in vinyl or optional cloth, provided a sporty feel, while the T-top roof, available on the Trans Am, allowed for an open-air driving experience that was perfect for cruising on sunny days.

In addition to its performance and styling, the 1979 Firebird also benefited from the popularity it gained through pop culture. The Firebird Trans Am was famously featured in the 1977 film "Smokey and the Bandit," starring Burt Reynolds. This movie immortalized the Trans Am as a symbol of rebellious spirit and high-speed chases, further cementing its status as a cultural icon.

Despite the challenges of the late 1970s, including increasing emissions regulations and the oil crisis, the 1979 Pontiac Firebird managed to uphold the spirit of the muscle car. Its blend of striking design, performance capabilities, and cultural significance make it a beloved classic among car enthusiasts. Today, well-preserved and restored Firebirds from 1979 are highly sought after by collectors, serving as a reminder of a bygone era of American automotive history where style and performance reigned supreme.

The legacy of the 1979 Pontiac Firebird continues to inspire car lovers, and its presence in the automotive world remains strong, a testament to its enduring appeal and the indelible mark it left on the muscle car landscape.

[littjara-mirrorlake]

From my in-progress homebrew D&D 5e supplement, Plane Shift: Mirrodin/New Phyrexia: playable Myr!

They've been beloved in playtesting, with no fewer than three myr PCs appearing in the party over the course of a 3-year campaign. They are one of two new playable races in Plane Shift: New Phyrexia, along with the core-born Phyrexian.

Constructed Resilience and Sentry's Rest are abilities that previously appeared on the Warforged in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and Regenerative Repair is a less restricting version of the ability Healing Machine from Astral Adventurer's Guide.

Text from the image under the cut!

Metallic, beak-headed myr inhabit Mirrodin, scampering at the feet of larger humanoids and largely considered below their attention. Few know of their true origin as creations of the mad wizard Memnarch, designed to be mechanized servants and his eyes across the plane. Following Memnarch’s fall, the myr found themselves with sapience and free will, though their core values of duty, community, and knowledge remain.

Myr Traits

Type. You are a Construct. You are also considered a myr for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a myr.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. As constructed creatures, myr don’t grow old in the traditional sense, and they are able to live indefinitely if well-maintained. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Size. Myr average about 3 feet tall. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision. Your constructed senses grant you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Constructed Resilience. You have resistance to poison damage and immunity to disease, and you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. You also don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Bonus Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in one skill and one tool of your choice. The tool you chose is integrated into your body and cannot be removed while you live.

Networked Minds. You can communicate telepathically with other myr within 120 feet of you.

Sentry’s Rest. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.

Regenerative Repair. If the mending spell is cast on you, you can expend a hit die, roll it, and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point). Spells such as cure wounds and spare the dying which restore hit points or preserve life, and normally don’t affect constructs, function as if you were a humanoid.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

[hotwaterandmilk]

Grabbed the latest issue of Sho-Comi because Mahou Shoujo Dandelion has been making waves on Twitter in advance of its release and I had to see how it actually turned out.

Mizuho Kaeru seemed a tad overwhelmed on socials about just how much anticipation the series was receiving based on concept and characters alone, but Mizuho should honestly be proud of how well they've lined up trending tropes in Dandelion.

You've got the nasty-cute monster dude (Shade) who would do anything for his bright ray of sunshine (Tanpopo). Throw in the nostalgic magical girl element and it's not hard to see why both Japanese and English-speaking fans have been anticipating this first chapter. So, does it live up to the hype?

I'd veture that yes, Dandelion is worthy of the excitement that has been building around it. It was good as a lunchtime read on my phone and while I'll probably have to re-read it to get everything I want from it, my initial impression is a positive one.

I'm not a fan of grumpy/sunshine type stuff but Tanpopo's strengths as a character really helped me enjoy what was on offer here. You can see why the Special Magic Warrior Management Organisation was interested in her, she's got a good heart and she's got gumption, even if Shade is the one who continually helps break her fall.

The complication here is of course that Shade, while obliging of Tanpopo in his own way, is also monstrous. He plays into this when he wants to, menacing Tanpopo herself at one point because he's A VILLAIN OK?? (Sure buddy.) With Tanpopo becoming Dandelion, how will their dynamic change? Can this uneasy relationship develop further when our leads are technically on opposite sides of a battle with life-altering stakes, despite a potential unspoken desire to present a united front?

What I like about Mizuho's approach in this first chapter is that the world these characters live in is already tinted with grey and what should be a black & white / good vs. evil situation is far more complex than this right out of the gate. The "monster of the week" that shows up here is grotesque and violent, hardly the sanitised version you'd see in childhood cartoons. However, the magic warrior org is quite willing to lop heads (literally) when they have to, showing that they are not all sparkles and rainbows either. Tanpopo and Shade are very much walking into unknown territory here and I'm interested to see how Mizuho handles things in chapter two.

I just have to add that I absolutely loved this moment where Dandelion, newly transformed, performs her first magical action -- restoring the umbrella she'd used defensively as Tanpopo. So much about her character expressed in this simple yet powerful action. LOVED ITTTTTT.

If the hype remains then I can see this one turning out to be a solid little series. There's definite potential here in both the characters and scenario. I highly recommend grabbing the magazine issue and supporting any other official releases that become available if you can. Mizuho is also happy for people to produce fan art, so maybe draw pic or share a tweet/post/etc. about it if you don't have the money to invest and help keep that hype train moving this way instead!

[alvfr]

you asked for it! im forcing you!

how about a scenario on that particular AU you have cooking around? between nightwing and a spiderperson that is marooned in the black and white gotham city

we love to see it

posting this like you haven't already read all of it >.< a/n: the funniest jokes are princess-marida's and she is a blessed saint that endures my long ramblings about wips, including this one. i know it says a scenario, but this turned into a longer project (shocker) so here's the first part of chapter 1 (eventual) paring: dick grayson/reader rating: m (swearing)/sfw cw: spider-woman!reader who never stops talking, no use of y/n, superhero violence summary: for years, you have been the one and only Spider-Woman of your world. However, after being recruited to the multiversal Spider-Society, you learn that there's a version of you in every other universe too.At least that's what you thought until something goes wrong and you end up in a world with plenty of superheroes, but no Spider-Man. You're stranded, alone and glitching. You need to find this world's Spider-Man and restore your link to the Spider-Verse before you disintegrate completely - easier said than done with both a local detective and a hot vigilante on your tail.

Out of the Spider-Verse (and into Gotham)

All right, guys. Let’s start at the beginning one last time. 

Your name is definitely not Peter Parker, but you were bitten by a radioactive spider, and for the last few years, you’ve been the one and only Spider-Woman. At least, you thought you were until another Spider-Woman showed up to recruit you to the multiversal Spider-Society and you realized you were one of many, many, many Spider-things from all kinds of universes. It was a sweet gig, getting you out and about some, meeting new people, doing team-ups and group work, and your leader was a decent enough guy. A little intense. Borderline scary. Easy on the eyes though. Really easy on the eyes.

And one day, you’re hanging out at the headquarters minding your own business, totally not gossipping about boss-man, when the order comes to capture one of your fellow Spider-Men. Next thing you know, you’re caught up in the whirlwind of Spider-Beings chasing after someone called Miles Morales, and somehow, in the chaos, you slip.

A fluke, really. You never slip. You’re Spider-Woman! You literally stick to walls and ceilings, and somehow, you lost your footing and took a tumble into darkness. 

Real darkness. Where bright flashing lights and psychedelic colors had accompanied you all the other times you hopped through dimensions, this time, you fell into a black pit of nothing. Reflexes had you shooting out webs, desperate to get an anchor point. They disappeared into the void with an embarrassing swish, and you did not even have time to scream before you smacked into something undeniably solid.

Concrete, probably, based on the cloud of debris and dust that rained over you as your body dug several feet into it, knocking every cubic inch of air from your lungs with an oof. Yup, you determined as you lifted your now gray arms to study them. Definitely concrete. You dropped your head back into the rubble and made a face under your mask. Concrete dust was a real bitch to get out of the suit, and you would be forced to cosplay as whitewashed Noir Spider-Man until you could get it dry-cleaned. 

Read more on AO3

[miss-multi45]

Death Warden

Eyeless Jack x Fem!Reader

cw: horror obvi, mentions of dead bodies, my attempt at suspense, masturbation in a way, reader has a cool dad (based off mine), gore mentions, graveyard, yurr. based off the mortuary assitant, the house is basically a yassified version of the one in the eyeless jack game on roblox. i will be contaminating this with british energy, but it's based in Canada. this is my take on ej with my headcanons.

When you woke up, Dad was already gone. He had left you a cup of tea and a note.

'At work, be back late, love you. Dad xx.'

Good thing you had a busy day, otherwise you'd just be sat around doing nothing. Starting with a shower while you sipped your tea, making sure not to get any soapy water in the tea.

Afterwards, you tucked a corner of the towel under the fabric on your chest, emptying a load of washing in the machine. You leaned over the washer, enjoying the scent of the amber and spiced pear laundry detergent you had bought after telling your Dad you wouldn't.

It was only close to the end of the cycle you noticed how conveniently your crotch was placed, right against the corner of the machine. It couldn't hurt, especially since it was practically calling you.

You almost flinched at the feeling of the rough vibrations against your clit, slowly grinding your hips on the edge of it. Even through a towel, the jumps and trembles of the washing machine was making your breath hitch. Soon, your orgasm had come. A small wet patch on the towel that could easily be fixed.

You got dressed, throwing on a cardigan for good measure since the temperature was unpredictable this time of year. Hopefully it would be warmer, considering cleaning headstones in the rain wasn't going to help with the lichen scraping.

A few commissions had popped into your email overnight, people sending you requests to fix up their deceased relatives' graves'. A bit of backstory and a name, so you knew the story of the person who's headstone you would be restoring, and an address of the cemetery.

After texting Dad and letting him know your schedule, you were on your way with the necessary cleaning supplies and the name of the cemetery in mind. It was a nice area of land, despite being riddled with graves and stone statues of weeping angels with quotes of love and sorrow engraved on the plaques below.

You set up at the grave, carefully placing the solutions, brushes, and hard plastic scrapers beside the headstone instead of on the land in front of it.

Ida Ernston

Beloved Mother and Wife

1895 - 1956

Or atleast from what you could read. From your point of view, it looked like it said she was born in 1395 rather than 1895. There was lichen over the latter half of the name on the headstone, so it read 'Ida Er on'.

You got started, scraping off the muck and clumps of moss from the stone, then using your hard bristled brush you got the tougher excess dirt off and rinsed the plaque with a special chemical solvent that wouldn't damage the stone.

After picking out the mud from the numbers and letters carved into the headstone, you gave it one final rinse before standing back to look at your handiwork. Now the grave was clean, the once brown and mossy stone was now back to grey.

There weren't many other plots to restore, and you ended your day early with a heft paycheck since your last cleaning site was a grave with an angel on the stone, the plot belonged to a dead police officer. Apparently known for his grit and perseverance, which meant you got more money than usual.

-

It was still light when you got home, and the weather had been on your side. The sun was out, so a book in the back garden was your reward for spending your day in cemeteries.

Halfway through your chapter, you felt your phone buzz. But the sound of the ping was drowned out by incoming rumbling of Dad's motorbike. He rolled into the car port, kicking the little metal rod that balanced his bike down, flicking the kill switch and coming over to give you a peck on the cheek.

"Good day?" You asked, watching him hang his jacket up and store his helmet on the kitchen table.

"Good as it gets, Julie's nephew just turned four." He replied, sticking the kettle on and grabbing a mug and a decaf tea bag. There wasn't much to his job, as a grave cleaner you felt the two of you had similar occupations.

"Matthew?" You remembered, as Julie's brother was one of your past graves to fix. Matthew was a sweet little thing, at least from the videos you'd seen.

"That's the one." Dad called from inside the kitchen, "Wanted to see a picture of the bike."

Dad was probably the coolest morgue worker ever, riding around on a motorbike with his tacky solar system braces keeping his oddly casual denim trousers in place.

"How were the graves? Any ghosts come to thank you?" The sound of the kettle hissing as the hot water touched the equally hot metal made you give up reading, bookmarking where you'd gotten to and putting the book down.

You laughed, "Not today, but I got a little extra money for cleaning a headstone." His 'ooh' was code for 'do tell'.

"Micheal DeVito. A police officer with a weeping angel on his grave. I had to clean that up, too." Dad sat down on the chair across from you, watching the magpies mingle as he drunk his tea.

"Oh, yeah. I worked on his body when he died." He replied, his tone conveying that there was something memorable about it other than his name. The reality of being a grave cleaner and having a coroner Dad was that you would eventually clean headstones of the people he'd worked on.

"Sad, he was killed not too long after being appointed to a cult case." The way you and Dad talked about these things was the way anyone else would talk about dinner plans. "Poor guy," You muttered, "How'd he die?"

Dad squinted, racking his brains to recall the COD. "Blunt force trauma to the head, the murderer was never determined but it's possible he was a cult killing."

You pressed your lips together, shaking your head. "Damn. Is the cult still around?" Even though it was highly unlikely that you would be encountering them, it would help to know if they were still in action.

"Oh, god no. Some of the members are serving life in prison." He could tell you were a little paranoid, and was relived when the expression on your face loosened up. "The rest were killed."

-

The next morning, you got up just before Dad left for work. You made him a cup of tea in a flask, before sending him off with a hug. Since you had taken a shower yesterday, you decided to put a plait in to keep it neat and tidy.

Checking your new emails, there were three new commissions. An Albert Johnson, a June Adams, and a Jack Nyras. June and Albert were buried in the same cemetery, and Jack was in a countryside looking graveyard.

It was sunny as well today, with a lovely fresh breeze weaving through the trees in the cemetery. Albert's grave was first, and the most difficult to clean. A lot of lichen, and the muck in the birth and death date carvings almost snapped your bamboo sticks with how stubborn it was.

However, Jane's was just muddy. Only needing a bit of scrubbing and water to get it back to its original state. She seemed have been well-liked, as her headstone had a quote engraved into it. Not everyone got that privilege.

Finally, Jack Nyras. His was the cleanest, he even had a small bunch of daisies and forget-me-nots on his plot. It didn't really look like it needed cleaning, but his death was the most recent, so it was probably a way to honour him and keep his memory alive. He died young, only 23, barely making it past college.

Jack Nyras

Beloved Son and Boyfriend

1994 - 2017

It was his mother who had requested for his grave to be cleaned, and even though it was an email, she sounded melancholic. He was an only child, so she likely felt robbed after his death.

You always sent a reply to the people who commissioned you, letting them know it had been cleaned and thanking them for their email. But this time, you added a little extra to the reply, giving her your condolences and telling her that you liked the flowers she chose.

-

When Dad got home, you were refilling the small tanks of solvent and water the you used to rinse the headstones.

"Good day, pet?" He asked, giving you a squeeze and a peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, not many graves but the first one was a piece of work." You hummed, putting the portable hoses of water and solution back in the back of your 1965 Mustang.

"Hm, would I know who it is?" He plopped the bags of shopping on the kitchen counter, putting everything in its place.

"Unless you were born in the eighteenth century, I highly doubt it." You grabbed a tray of grapes, washing and drying them before sitting outside with them. "There is one you might know, Jack Nyras?"

Dad perked up, nodding solemnly as if it was too upsetting to even mention. "Worked on him, poor kid." That caught your attention.

"What?" You said, turning to look at him. "Why? What happened?" Dad finished unloading the shopping, sitting outside and sharing the grapes with you.

He paused before speaking, his tone low as if someone was listening. "He was the main victim of the cult." You brought your hand up to your mouth, a sudden understanding of why the email from his mother sounded so pitiful.

"Oh, god." You mumbled, thankful that you added a gentle compliment and condolences in the reply you send back to her. "His grave was the cleanest, and his mother put flowers next to it."

Dad smiled, happy to hear his memory was still alive. "He was a sweet kid, from what I heard. Like you, kept to himself. A medical student, wanted to be a surgeon."

You nodded, remembering that from the brief backstory his mother gave you. "Apparently he had a girlfriend, Jenny." Dad winced at the mention of her, which was a mistake since it made you nosy.

"Poor girl went missing a little after he died. Well, I say a little after. It was the same day, but the investigators were so focused on Jack, they forgot about the rest of the people involved." This kid had a hard life, her boyfriend was murdered and right after, she went missing? God, the poor thing.

"Her blood was found at the crime scene, but not enough to be considered horrific and it didn't trail off anywhere." Dad went on, but something about his statement caught your ear.

"Wait, why was everyone so focused on Jack? How bad of a murder was it to be the center of attention?" The look on Dad's face told you it wasn't pleasant, but he told you anyway.

"There was tar found in his eyes and mouth, probably to blind and stop him from screaming." You felt sick, what kind of cruel monster would do that to someone so young?

He quickly moved on, seeing how visceral your reaction was. "The cult was a bunch of college kids, the cops went through one of their notebooks and found out they were trying to sacrifice him to a thing called 'Chernobog'."

You thought back to last night, when he mentioned the cult with members of it murdered. "Were the cultists found dead?"

"Some of them, they had been ripped apart. They still don't know what happened, but the ones that weren't were in shock and covered in blood, admitted to prison psychiatric hospitals." You were thankful you weren't a coroner, at least cleaning graves didn't give you the gory details.

"That's good." Popping a grape in your mouth, Dad changed subjects and eventually it was time for bed.

-

While checking your new requests, you noticed one of the plots was in the same graveyard as Jack's grave. It was the furthest cemetery from home, so you went to that one last.

While you were restoring the last grave, you noticed a person standing in front of Jack's headstone, just stood staring down at it. It was a man, quite tall and broad, dressed in jeans and a black hoodie. It could be his father, visiting his son and thinking about him in silence.

You turned back to the grave you were cleaning, noticing that the man had seen the headstone looked freshly cleaned. He probably heard the scrubbing of your brush against the stone, because you could see out of the corner of your eye the man watching you, but getting up and leaving before it got creepy.

You discreetly watched him leave, noting how strangely large he was. Definitely over the 6-foot mark, and quite muscular. He could be a college friend of Jack's, as even though you didn't see his face he looked too young to be a father.

Over the next few days, you decided to do some research about it. Even though Dad had given you a lot of info already, you wanted to know the rest. Unfortunately, the websites didn't have much new knowledge. And it wasn't like you could just ask one of the people involved, right?

....

...Right?

[scribblue]

@acksolotel618 Got inspired by this post and ended up using it as a writing prompt for a short scene with Zane and Garmadon!!

You can read it on Ao3 here , or after the cut

❆ A Lesson In Humanity ❆

Zane speaks to Garmadon about their shared history of being manipulated emperors.

{ 940 words, no major warnings }

"I was once like you."

The words landed heavily on Garmadon's shoulders, yet with further consideration he refused to believe they carried any real weight. Merely a vapid placation, or worse, outright mocking. He furrowed his brow. "You couldn't possibly understand me, metal man."

Zane stared back evenly. His eye contact was unwavering, unnatural. It felt as though he could see through Garmadon's very chemical makeup, and was intent on dissecting him down to his barest components like a hunk of biological technology. The nindroid stood on the catwalk connecting their underground base of operations to the elevator up to the monastery. The rest of the ninja had left to take a break, following a particularly intense—and unsuccessful— training session between Lloyd and Garmadon. Garmadon had to admit his surprise, if only internally, at the company he now found himself forcibly entertaining; Zane had never made an effort to speak to him one-on-one, and the cold shoulder was reciprocated.

"You are free to believe that, if a sense of individuality brings you comfort,” Zane said. “However, it is an inaccurate assessment."

Garmadon rolled his eyes. "Thank you for reminding me why we never spoke. You may leave now,” he said, waving a hand to dismiss him. 

Zane remained. An unsurprising development, and an aggravating one. "Do you not wish to know of our similarities?”

A frown crossed Garmadon’s face, and curiosity clouded his thoughts. He was quick to disperse it with a shake of his head; Zane was clearly trying to get under his skin, force his guard down so that he would ease up on Lloyd. It would never work. Mastering Oni form took an iron fist, not a distracted mind. He turned away and clasped both sets of hands behind his back, pretending to focus on the computers for a long moment.

Not long enough, evidently, as Zane made his continued presence known. “I am going to tell you anyway.”

“Great,” Garmadon muttered.

“When I was trapped in the Never Realm, I was manipulated into becoming the Ice Emperor: a cold and ruthless entity who spared no one in his quest for retaining power. My true self was hidden from me for sixty years, until Lloyd helped me restore it,” Zane said, a waver of emotion in his robotic voice. “It has been some time since it happened, yet I still feel the effects of this event to this day.”

“Hmm.” Garmadon pressed a couple buttons on the keyboard in an attempt to make his distraction look convincing. “I fail to see how that relates to me.”

He heard Zane take a small step forward. “When you became Emperor of Ninjago, that emperorship was predicated on lies and manipulation by Harumi. She encouraged you to reject your humanity, just as my advisor Vex did to me. And I am willing to bet you have also suffered lasting effects.”

Garmadon scoffed. “Please,” he said, turning a tight-lipped scowl towards Zane. “I am an oni, I never had humanity to reject…that is, until Vinny of NGTV news took me under his council. And even so, such humanity would not benefit me here. Lloyd needs to learn to release his oni form, and I can assure you I am in the perfect condition to do so—no ‘lasting effects’ as you say.”

“Perhaps that is true. Or perhaps you only wish it to be.” Zane’s pointed stare finally wavered, drifting to some far-off corner of the room. “I have spent much of my own spare time wrestling with the reality of my situation, versus what I wish to believe… It is difficult to grapple with the truth that I have hurt innocent people while under another’s influence. It sometimes holds me back from being the best version of myself that I can be, for fear of hurting others again.”

That did sound familiar, not that Garmadon was willing to admit it out loud. He was often plagued with memories of his short-lived reign over Ninjago, and the atrocities committed under his hand. He was loath to say he regretted any of them, in fact he wasn’t sure he was even capable of regret– nonetheless, the flashbacks were bothersome, and the more he attempted to embody “goodness”, the more frequent they became. “So…what? You believe I am compromised in some way? I can assure you I’m not.”

“I believe you have begun the process of betterment, without addressing the root of the issue.”

“...And what might that be?”

“Your relationship with Lloyd. You hurt Lloyd during your time as Emperor. Now, your beliefs and goals are changing, but you have not mended the rift that has grown between the two of you, or attempted to grapple with the effects your actions have on both yourself and others… you cannot expect to find success in the present, until you face your past,” Zane said. His even tone and matter-of-fact delivery did nothing to lessen the blow of his words. “You may not believe it, but Lloyd is your humanity. As he was mine, when I needed it most. Do not forget that he needs you too.”

Something twinged in Garmadon’s chest. He had half a mind to blame it on his incomplete resurrection, and perhaps that truly was the case; complicated emotions could simply be a byproduct of his botched vessel. He averted his gaze and said nothing. 

Zane didn’t attempt to break the silence, either. He lingered for just a moment longer, before turning heel and wordlessly leaving the room, where Garmadon remained alone with his thoughts. 

“…I won’t,” he said, knowing there was nobody there to hear him.

[mwthesims3]

The Wainwright Residence

Over the years, many restoration attempts were done to this old, crippling mansion that once belonged to one of Freslock's oldest families. Some locals say the several tenants mysteriously vanished, but maybe the fixer-upper was just not worth the effort.

I started building this house live on the Purple Website on October 26, 2024, originally intended for Simblreen. Well, just now I managed to finish this lot and post it here!

This house is based on a floor plan I found on Instagram back in 2022 of a 1890s Victorian house from South Bend, Indiana (US), rather than some house from the same period in California.

Anyways, this is a residential lot and was built on 4 Defact Street, Freslock Bay (a 20x50 lot) in @potato-ballad-sims' Point Ouerbacker.

Requires some EPs (World Adventures, Ambitions, Late Night, Pets, Showtime, Supernatural, Seasons and University Life). No SPs. For the Store Content, requires the Now and Then set and the Roaring Heights world (I used a decrappified version though). Some CC required, specifially the ones included in Point Ouerbacker's d°wnload file and @aroundthesims' Decrepitude Set.

D0WNL0AD HERE

[sepublic]

Alright, let's talk about some details from the TOH pitch bible;

A lot of the stuff is what we've already seen and/or in line with the show. What's interesting is that King WAS a former King of Demons at one point, and we would've had an episode where he runs into his old gang and chooses Luz and Eda over them. It makes me wonder if he even had a connection to the Titan in earlier drafts, if he wasn't recognized as one back in the day because he just wasn't big enough, etc. Eda makes a deal to help remove the collar, which IS the source of King's woes, placed by a 'mysterious wizard', I wouldn't be surprised if it was Obron AKA Proto-Belos.

What gets me is that Tibbles originally started off as a friend to the protagonists, while Bump was an antagonist! Coupled with Tibbles being re-elected as mayor after Bump is deposed for corruption. I like the detail of Bump being a parasite controlling a body from the head, because it carried over into his final design with Frewin, and before we got confirmation Frewin was a separate entity, I loved the joke theory that the imp on Bump's head was the REAL Bump!!! Seems that was always the implied story of the design, I love it. Tibbles being the demon fan of human stuff would eventually become Gus instead, so this is technically Proto-Gus too…?

Interesting how Bump and Tibbles' alignments switch completely with one another, and it makes sense that with Lilith no longer the principal in the final draft, it goes to Bump, who ends up being really chill and a subversion in his own right! Interesting, but I do prefer the final Bump we got, and that's fine by me, because when the concepts aren't as interesting as the final product, it means we got the best possible version.

I've already discussed Obron and William in a separate post, and Pupa is someone we've been told about in a previous livestream. Lilith would've been both head of all covens (and not just the Emperor's Coven) AND principal at the same time, and she seems much more of a jerk to Eda in general; She has no qualms with cursing Eda because of a direct order from Obron.

Apparently the curse would've been an AGING spell, which settles my questions on how it would've been portrayed in earlier drafts! This goes along with Eda's older look. Likewise, there would've been a subplot of Eda considering Luz's sacrifice as a way to restore her youth, which likely goes hand in hand with Obron's orders to bring Luz to her, etc. The 'Bloom of Eternal Youth' quest, which Eda and Lilith go through together as their sisterly relationship is explored, feels like a carryover from this past idea.

I think I prefer the final draft; I like that the curse isn't just aging Eda, but also takes away her magic, makes her turn into a beast, etc. I like Lilith being a lot more complicated in her relationship with Eda, instead of just hating her and cursing her without hesitation. The redefining of the curse makes it less about age, and more a chronic illness metaphor, and I like how Eda in the final draft is upfront about having to learn to live with it, deal with it, on her own terms. She isn't trying to find a cure (although Lilith being promised one by Obron feels like a carryover of Eda's moral dilemma with Luz), and that adds another nice dimension to her conflict with Lilith, as well as Gwen. It's pretty frank in its own right about normalizing disability, and those who play an antagonistic role (however brief) are the real weirdoes for making such a fuss about it.

The Bat Queen would've had more of a recurring role based on the description, which saddens me; I always got the vibe she was planned for more, but between all of the other stuff the show had to juggle, plus the shortening, she ended up getting shafted despite being one of the earlier characters. Sashley, Pasha, and Bruno are also interesting, with Pasha in particular giving me freaking Philip Wittebane vibes with his grossness, beard, and anti-demon attitude; He even starts off as a potential friend to Luz because fellow human, only for his true bigotry to show. Makes me wonder if Philip ended up incorporating Pasha, we also have bodily transformation because of consuming magical stuff... P-names.

(Also, I like how in the drawing of typical Demon Realm denizens, I can see an eye demon who resembles a past drawing of Dana's!!!)

Eda was actually a late bloomer, which creates a parallel with Luz in one way, and their relationship is referred to as sisterly (in the final draft it’s explicitly maternal). So Eda wouldn't have been the talented youth, in fact things may have switched between her and Lilith; Lilith's disdain may have partially come from Eda not being as innately talented as her.

Luz and Amity's dynamic seems like it would've had Amity retain a lot of her more stand-offish, pragmatic personality even as a friend with Luz, and this would've come up more; So basically, she'd remain more like S1 Amity. That, or this part of their relationship would've lasted longer, and then we would've seen character development as Amity unlearns a lot of the issues her parents passed on. I also wonder if the Willow who cameos in the pilot was originally supposed to just be an extra separate from ‘Paulina’, but then they combined the two together.

The themes are exactly as I expected, glad to see they're still there, nothing changed! Luz becoming a witch and defying all odds to do so, putting in real work and passion. Celebrating individuality amidst conformity, plus Luz trying to impose her own fictional tropes onto the world, only to have to put that aside... Just like Wing it like Witches. It seems Amity would've had more involvement with Luz's journey to become a witch, though we still do have a carryover of that disconnect with her rant near the end of Covention.

I love the Demon Realm being situated BELOW the Human Realm, way to be subtle about being Hell you guys lol... Apparently portals to the human world are a lot rarer to find and use, which makes me wonder if the pilot's 'dimension port' doesn't have access to the human world; Meaning Amity is Luz's only way back, so her improved relationship with her is linked to getting back home. There's a gag about the Knee having service with the human world, but I can see how that didn't make the cut, for dramatic purposes; It seems like the premise for a S1 episode or at least a B-plot. Would Luz have struggled to communicate with Camila through this, or would her search for wi-fi be for mundane reasons?

Apparently Luz's magic would've required a lot more steps to complete, and I see why the show simplified things down to just glyphs. I wonder if there was always going to be the connection of glyphs as a gift from the Titan, or if the Titan and her story was going to be less intertwined in the overall narrative. There also don't seem to be nine main covens, just the many, many covens, some of which are pretty ridiculous, and Covention's sub-covens seem a callback to that.

Luz's first spell would've been levitation, and THEN she would've infiltrated Hexside, with Amity being a lot subtler about exposing Luz, though in the final draft she does figure that out as the way to go in I was a Teenage Abomination. Yeah, I prefer Light being her original spell, feels so much more symbolic and personal, etc. I wonder if the Titan is even as much of a character in early drafts, and if there's still the whole connection/relationship with the land and learning to respect it aspect. Some of these hypothetical episodes push the idea of Amity as a more episodic, typical popular kid antagonist, though in the final draft, the show goes through her character development and explores Amity's romantic relationship with Luz and its complications.

It seems the idea of the Mirror Ghost was split into Adegast and Vee, with Adegast being the one who offers the easier narrative for Luz to believe in about becoming a witch (only to be a fraud who uses uncanny puppets), and Vee being a doppelganger whom Luz communicates through with mirrors. Interesting how Yesterday's Lie was born from this. We saw the test animation from Spencer Wan for TOH, so I guess we know what Luz's puppet-doppelganger is called! And we can safely call her Proto-Vee. I wonder if she also would've been a sympathetic character, I always thought she reminded me of Lake from Infinity Train (and speculated her to be as such since Enchanting Grom Fright), and now the similarities are even MORE apparent!

Alas, The Good Witch Azura, or 'The Unassuming Princess' seems like it'd have been a lot less dear to Luz's heart, as the pilot also reflects; In the end, it turns out the author is just Eda's ex using her adventures as basis, and including private information. I remember when I once speculated that Raine, before we saw their face, would've been just like this as the author of Azura... Again, I think I prefer Azura as being a lot less mean-spirited in the final draft, and instead a celebration of who Luz is as a person, her relationship with fantasy and fiction, etc. We also would've had a Luz birthday party, the Quincenera we've been hoping for since S1...! In the final draft (and episode) we still get that Human-Demon Realm disconnect, though by that point, Luz is much more attuned and chill with the isles.

There’s definitely more of an episodic, sitcom feel to this pitch bible, especially when you compare Proto-Yesterday’s Lie to its final version. Makes sense, Dana is pitching this to Disney executives, though her statement on Understanding Willow feeling truly like her show makes me wonder if she always intended to push TOH in that more serious, emotional route we got.

[anim-ttrpgs]

I heard y'all got elf kissing rules

Well, we’ve got elves in the form of the Fairy Monster Trait, and technically we have the tiniest little mechanic for determining if a curse placed by a fairy or witch can break a curse. That’s a pretty rare occurrence though. For kissing rules that are more likely to come up, a Comfort Skill check or Seduce Skill check could also involve a little kiss.

And I’m gonna use this as a jumping off point to talk about how Skill checks work in Eureka, something i know that @vixensdungeon will appreciate, hahaha.

There’s some exceptions, such as sometimes with Skills in the Knowledge category, but for the most part, if a character is going to do something in Eureka, they just do it, and it that thing they’re trying to do is something that would be difficult to accomplish, that’s when the most relevant Skill is rolled. The habit of doing it the other way around is one of those things from the D&D5e Oral Tradition that you have to unlearn to play Eureka right.

It still isn’t an absolute rule, though, and this is addressed in the rulebook too. Sometimes when we play Eureka, we play it a bit more by ear. For instance, one of my characters, Yvette Preux, has almost all really bad negatives in her Skills for the Interpersonal category. If I know that a Charm, Comfort, Manipulate, etc. roll is probably coming up, sometimes I’ll go ahead and roll the dice first, then determine how out-of-pocket what she says is based on how badly the dice roll went. Other times, she’ll just start talking and Interpersonal Skill checks just come as they come.

So anyway if a kiss is just a kiss, there’s probably no roll, but if a kiss is intended to cheer up a character and restore some of their Composure, then there would be a Comfort Skill check along with it. If a kiss is intended to get the recipient to come home with the character or otherwise leverage sexual attraction, then there would be a Seduce Skill check. (This reminds me of a time in a Eureka adventure where Yvette and Benedetta were trying to get this meathead guy, who was also a high-ranking member of an organization they were investigating, to take them home from a bar so they could search his house. A Seduce roll wasn’t necessary because everyone around the table agreed that there’s no world in which this guy would pass up two beautiful women trying to go home with him, no matter how weak their game. We rolled the dice anyway just because it was funny and of course they both would have failed if it had actually counted.)

If a kiss is meant to wake someone from an eternal slumber or turn a frog back into a human, that’s not a regular Skill check it’s just a 1D6 roll with modifiers added based on a few factors.

Ironically, Yvette would probably have the best possible chance to break a curse this way because she’s a woman of actual historical noble birth, and she has a lot of love in her cold, unbeating heart.

Elegantly designed and thoroughly playtested, Eureka represents the culmination of three years of near-daily work from our team, as well as a lot of our own money. If you’re just now reading this and learning about Eureka for the first time, you missed the crowdfunding window unfortunately, but you can still check out the public beta on itch.io to learn more about what Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy actually is, as that is where we have all the fancy art assets, the animated trailer, links to video reviews by podcasts and youtubers, etc.!

You can also follow updates on our Kickstarter page where we post regular updates on the status of our progress finishing the game and getting it ready for final release.

Beta Copies through the Patreon

If you want more, you can download regularly updated playable beta versions of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy earlier, plus extra content such as adventure modules by subscribing to our Patreon at the $5 tier or higher. Subscribing to our patreon also grants you access to our patreon discord server where you can talk to us directly and offer valuable feedback on our progress and projects.

The A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club

If you would like to meet the A.N.I.M. team and even have a chance to play Eureka with us, you can join the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club discord server. It’s also just a great place to talk and discuss TTRPGs, so there is no schedule obligation, but the main purpose of it is to nominate, vote on, then read, discuss, and play different indie TTRPGs. We put playgroups together based on scheduling compatibility, so it’s all extremely flexible. This is a free discord server, separate from our patreon exclusive one. https://discord.gg/7jdP8FBPes

Other Stuff

We also have a ko-fi and merchandise if you just wanna give us more money for any reason.

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[dis-plus-fanfic-reblog-writes]

Healing factor:

Wade versus Logan (Deadpool v. Wolverine)

L

My husband and I were talking about this. He made good points:

Logan has a healing factor

Wade had a restorative factor

(Spoilers for movies below)

Wade—

Wade sought out his mutant ability to stop his cancer, right? Well, his power is to restore him to the same physical state he was at the time his mutant ability activated. That’s why he can regenerate his body.

Sinister tried to replicate or clone Wade and couldn’t. His power went nuts without the cancer to balance it out. His power is linked to his cancer. His cancer is never gone as a mutant and this aspect has been shown so many times.

Logan—

Logan, as far as the comics, tv shows, and movies show, can only heal. He cannot regenerate body parts. I mean, there is that one version that’s missing an eye, okay? He only heals.

His body literally pushes out bullets the direction they entered into his body. He can drown. He can be stabbed. He can be poisoned ((Old Man) Logan, movie). It takes a lot to kill Logan.

Aging—

As far as I understand, the aging aspect of Wade and Logan is different too.

Logan can age. His mutant powers functioning are based on his age. His enhanced senses, strength, claws, and such are influenced with his age. His reflexes are slower due to his age [and poisoning in (Old Man) Logan (movie)].

The exception is if he is “killed”, like in X-men Future Days Past (movie). He was drowned, and when everything changed and he was found, he was the same age as when he died. There’s loopholes. This could be a movie thing and not a mutant thing.

I don’t know if that’s the same in the comics since I haven’t kept up with xmen in a while in the comics.

Wade, due to his restorative healing, cannot age (in theory).

In the comics due to his romance with Death and Thanos’ jealousy, he makes Deadpool immortal so he can never be with Death. I don’t think that truly worked but you get the point. If he wasn’t basically immortal before, he was at one point.

[genshin-impact-updates]

"The Rainbow Destined to Burn" Version 5.1 Update Details

Dear Traveler,

Below are the details of the Version 5.1 update "The Rainbow Destined to Burn" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems per hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/10/09 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 5.1.

Issue Fix Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/10/09 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please log in and claim your compensation before 2024/10/12 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2024/10/09 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Character

5-Star Character "Ardent Flames Forge the Soul" Xilonen (Geo)

◇ Vision: Geo

◇ Weapon: Sword

◇ A Name Engraver of the Nanatzcayan, she is especially skilled at finding a good balance between the heavy responsibilities of her job and living well.

◆ Elemental Skill: Yohual's Scratch

◇ Source Samples: Xilonen has 3 Geo Samplers with her that can generate different Soundscapes based on her other party members' Elemental Types (Pyro/Hydro/Cryo/Electro). Different Soundscapes can result in Elemental Skills and Bursts to produce various effects, and decrease nearby opponents' corresponding Elemental RES while active.

◇ After unleashing her Elemental Skill, Xilonen will enter the Nightsoul's Blessing state and switch to the Blade Roller mode. While in this mode, Xilonen's Normal Attacks will allow her to perform consecutive kicks using her roller blades. She can also engage in swift movement and climbing, and activate her Geo Samplers. After unlocking the Talent "Netotiliztli's Echoes," different Soundscapes will enhance Xilonen's Normal and Plunging Attacks: either by gaining Nightsoul points upon hitting enemies or by increasing the DMG dealt by Normal and Plunging Attacks. When Nightsoul points reach the maximum, all Samplers will be activated.

◆ Elemental Burst: Ocelotlicue Point!

◇ Deals AoE Geo DMG to opponents and based on different Soundscapes: Restores HP for nearby active characters or deals additional AoE Geo DMG.

II. New Equipment

1. New Weapons (Examples based on Refinement Rank 1)

Peak Patrol Song (5-Star Sword)

Gain "Ode to Flowers" after Normal or Plunging Attacks hit an opponent: DEF increases by 8% and gain a 10% All Elemental DMG Bonus for 6s. Max 2 stacks. Can trigger once per 0.1s. When this effect reaches 2 stacks or the 2nd stack's duration is refreshed, increase all nearby party members' All Elemental DMG Bonus by 8% for every 1,000 DEF the equipping character has, up to a maximum of 25.6%, for 15s.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Peak Patrol Song (Sword) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Sturdy Bone (4-Star Sword)

Sprint or Alternate Sprint Stamina Consumption decreased by 15%. Additionally, after using Sprint or Alternate Sprint, Normal Attack DMG is increased by 16% of ATK. This effect expires after triggering 18 times or 7s.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 4-star weapon Sturdy Bone (Sword) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Mountain-Bracing Bolt (4-Star Polearm)

Decreases Climbing Stamina Consumption by 15% and increases Elemental Skill DMG by 12%. Also, after other nearby party members use Elemental Skills, the equipping character's Elemental Skill DMG will also increase by 12% for 8s.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 4-star weapon Mountain-Bracing Bolt (Polearm) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Fruitful Hook (4-Star Claymore)

Increase Plunging Attack CRIT Rate by 16%; After a Plunging Attack hits an opponent, Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG increased by 16% for 10s.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 4-star weapon Fruitful Hook (Claymore) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

III. New Main Story

1. New Archon Quests

Archon Quest Chapter V: Act III "Beyond the Smoke and Mirrors"

Permanently available after the Version 5.1 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 28 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act II "Black Stone Under a White Stone"

• The "Focused Experience Mode" function is available for this quest.

Archon Quest Chapter V: Act IV "The Rainbow Destined to Burn"

Permanently available after the Version 5.1 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 28 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act III "Beyond the Smoke and Mirrors"

• The "Focused Experience Mode" function is available for this quest.

2. New Tribal Chronicle Quest

A Prayer for Blessings, Told to Crested Peaks

Act III of "A Prayer for Blessings, Told to Crested Peaks" will be permanently available after the Version 5.1 update

◆ Act III Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 28 or above

• Complete "A Fuel Named 'Fate'" in the Archon Quest "The Rainbow Destined to Burn"

• Complete Act I and Act II of the Tribal Chronicles Quest "A Prayer for Blessings, Told to Crested Peaks"

You can use the "Quick Start" function to accept and progress through Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" while maintaining your current progress in the existing Archon Quests. After using the "Quick Start" function to complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I, you can continue to accept and complete the subsequent Acts of Chapter V until you unlock the latest Archon Quest or Tribal Chronicles introduced in the current version update.

IV. New Enemies

Secret Source Automaton: Configuration Device

◇ A machine with terrifying destructive capabilities.

When characters enter and maintain the Nightsoul's Blessing state, the Secret Source Automaton: Configuration Device will start progressing through its Adaptive Countermeasures. Once those are complete, the Configuration Device will start preparing its Boltsphere Cannon. During this time, the Configuration Device will start up its Accretion Mechanism to dig into Solid Phlogiston and collect phlogiston. The Accretion Mechanism will generate an energy field. If you wish to destroy the Mechanism and interrupt the charging of the Boltsphere Cannon, you must first climb the Solid Phlogiston and enter the energy field.

Located at Toyac Springs.

Tenebrous Mimiflora

◇ An Abyssal monster that has descended to this world from the deep, dark depths of a twisted and alien world, the Tenebrous Mimiflora can mimic various phenomena.

The Tenebrous Mimiflora can deploy a Void Ward in combat. Some of its attacks can cause stackable Attrition that, after a time, will cause your active character to lose HP. Use a specific number of Elemental attacks to destroy this creature's Ward. Nightsoul-aligned Elemental attacks can break through its defenses more effectively.

V. Other Update Details

New Recipes:

○ Cipac (Natlan NPC): BBQ Beef Heart Skewers

○ Natlan's Zakan's Street Bites: Xocoatl

New Character Specialty Dish:

○ Xilonen's specialty: Fruit-Flavored Milk Candies

Adds new Achievements to the "Wonders of the World" category.

Adds Set 35 of "Paimon's Paintings" chat emojis.

New Namecards:

"Xilonen: Cue Point": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Xilonen

"Travel Notes: Sabzeruz": Reward obtained via the BP system

"Genius Invokation TCG" Gameplay Update:

New Character Card: Chiori and her corresponding Talent card. Corresponding invitation duel and guest challenges have been added to the Player List.

New Character Cards: Eremite Floral Ring-Dancer, Abyss Lector: Violet Lightning, and their corresponding Talent cards. Their Tavern Challenges have also been added.

New Action Cards: "Portable Power Saw," "Conductor's Top Hat," "Tepetlisaurus," "Stage Tepetl," "Eremite Teatime," and "Saurus Crackers" can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail.

The Forge Realm's Temper is once again available. The theme of this edition is "The Forge Realm's Temper: Clever Stratagems":

1. During The Forge Realm's Temper: Clever Stratagems, you can select the parameters for each stage. Parameters that may be set include: stage difficulty, enemy health, and the round limit for the match.

2. After completing the challenge, points will be obtained based on the difficulty completed for each parameter. The best score obtained for each stage will be recorded, and will allow you to claim rewards that correspond to certain scores.

Imaginarium Theater

After the Version 5.1 update, the new season of "Imaginarium Theater" will be available on November 1.

Required Elemental Types: Pyro, Electro, and Dendro

Opening Characters: Klee, Xinyan, Yae Miko, Dori, Tighnari, and Kirara

When Imaginarium Theater is open, the corresponding Opening Characters will obtain Fantastical Blessings.

Special Guest Stars: Xilonen, Chiori, Xingqiu, and Layla

After the first season of Imaginarium Theater begins, the characters Kaedehara Kazuha, Eula, Gorou, and Candace will each gain a new "Thespian Trick" that can be exchanged from the NPC Wolfy.

Envisaged Echoes Gameplay Update:

After the version update, new challenge stages and Echo cosmetics for Zhongli and Keqing will be added.

Spiral Abyss

○ The content for the first phase (updated on October 16) is as follows:

◆ Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members gain a 75% Geo DMG Bonus.

◆ Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

◆ Blessing of the Abyssal Moon:

Rugged Moon

After a character uses an Elemental Skill, said character's DEF increases by 60% for 9s.

○ The content for the second phase (updated on November 16) is as follows:

◆ Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members gain a 60% Geo DMG Bonus.

• All party members gain a 60% Pyro DMG Bonus.

◆ Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

◆ Blessing of the Abyssal Moon:

Vigorous Moon

After the current active character's Charged Attack hits an opponent, said character's ATK increases by 20% for 8s. Max 4 stacks, each stack has an independent duration.

Due to recording arrangements, some content in Version 5.1 does not have English voice-overs. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Enemies

Adjusts the damage judgment timing of the skill "Rock Swings" unleashed by the enemy "Eroding Avatar of Lava" to better match its animation.

Adjusts the position of the related special effects when the enemy "Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant" triggers a Burning reaction.

● Settings

Other than the "Settings/Others" interface, you can now also set whether to "Allow Auto Adding of 5-Star Artifacts as Enhancement Materials" in the "Input Settings" on the Artifact enhancement interface.

Other than the "Settings/Others" interface, you can now also set whether to "Auto-Lock 4-Star Weapons" in the "Inventory > Weapons" interface.

● Spiral Abyss

When opening the "Spiral Abyss" interface, if you have completed the "Abyss Corridor" (i.e., Floors 1–8 of the Spiral Abyss) with full stars, the "Abyssal Moon Spire" interface will open directly (i.e., Floors 9–12).

Adds the Spiral Abyss skip function. After the Spiral Abyss update on October 16:

a. If you have completed Floor 11 in the previous Cycle of the Spiral Abyss at full stars, then after the Spiral Abyss update, you can claim the full star rewards for Floor 9 of the current Spiral Abyss.

b. After completing Floor 12 of the Spiral Abyss with full stars, you can claim the full star rewards for Floor 9 and Floor 10 of the current Spiral Abyss.

*You can claim all Chamber Bounties for the skipped floors directly via the review pop-up. However, the Primogem rewards from Star's Bounty will still need to be claimed manually.

● Enhancement and Forging-related

The "Source" for character ascension materials, character and weapon enhancement materials, character talent materials, and weapon ascension materials will now display the quantity that can be crafted.

The "Crafting" interface now allows you to filter the required materials based on the character. After selecting a character, you can further filter by their skills, ascension level, and the weapons they are equipped with.

When clicking on Stardust Exchange for the "Source" of high-rarity character and weapon enhancement materials, if the currently available materials of the same rarity have been completely exchanged, it will automatically switch to similar materials of a lower rarity.

Optimizes the interactive experience in the Crafting, Forge, and Creation/Furnishings interfaces:

a. After performing the relevant crafting operation, the icon position of the selected crafted item will no longer change.

b. After performing the relevant crafting operation, the refresh effect for the item list will no longer play.

● Other Systems

Optimizes the layout and user experience of the pop-up interface for Character Talent Materials and Weapon Ascension Materials in the relevant bundles for "Battle Pass" and "Bundles."

Adjusts the design of the "Character > Level Up Talent" pop-up, and increases the animation speed to optimize the experience when upgrading talents.

Adjusts the order of "Adventurer Handbook > Domain > Trounce Domain": the "Trounce Domain" tab will now be arranged based on "new to old" and "unlocked and locked" status.

Adjusts the default page of the "Adventurer Handbook": if you have completed the content on the "Experience" tab, while the "Commissions" or "Guide" tab still has incomplete content, the first time you log in and open the "Adventurer Handbook," it will open the "Commissions" or "Guide" page.

"Character > Artifact" Interface Function Optimizations:

a. Records the Artifact set filters and affixes sorting that you set for a specific character, and when entering the interface again, the Artifacts will be displayed based on the previous filter and sorting settings.

b. Adds a new button at the bottom of the Artifacts list in this interface to switch between set filtering and non-set filtering states.

c. The selected Artifact affix sorting option will now be displayed directly at the bottom of the interface.

● Audio

Removes audio resources from earlier versions. After the Version 5.1 update, the audio files will occupy less space compared to Version 5.0.

Optimizes the interactive sound effects of certain system interfaces and fixes issues with missing sound effects for some open world objects.

Adjusts the volume of music in certain areas in Natlan.

Optimizes the sound attenuation effect when the enemy "Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant" is in flight.

● Other

Adds support for opening multiple "Domain Reliquaries" simultaneously in batches.

Updates the blocking strategy for certain spam and advertising behaviors.

Adjusts the appearance and position of special effects when triggering "Brilliant Blessings" in "Imaginarium Theater" battles.

Adjusts the effect descriptions of some "Brilliant Blessings" in "Imaginarium Theater" (the actual effect remains the same).

When selecting events in "Imaginarium Theater," you can now switch to other events by clicking on either side of the screen or using the controller buttons.

Updates the tutorial for "Saurian Indwelling" to include explanations regarding how to disengage from the "indwelling" state.

Adjusts certain dialogue text in the Commission Quest "Tending to a Tepetlisaurus."

Due to the unclear completion status of Monetoo-related graffiti in the Sulfurous Veins area of Natlan, the special effects of this graffiti will be optimized after the version update to: the related graffiti will be removed after completing the gameplay.

Improves the issue whereby Mualani's attacks would miss during the preparation for the Sharky's Surging Bite due to changes in enemy positioning. The developers will continue to monitor this character's performance in battle and we welcome feedback from Travelers.

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Quests

Fixes an issue whereby there is a chance that the character would become stuck and unable to be controlled when leaving the quest area while completing the objective "Collect Contending Sparks" of the Archon Quest "Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame" under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby defeating the relevant enemies during the World Quest "Blackcliff Woes" for the objective "Patrol the Chasm's perimeter" would prevent subsequent objectives from being completed.

Fixes an issue in related World Quests whereby the scarf on the Saurian companion's tail was missing animation effects.

Fixes an issue in the the World Quest "Revelations from the Past" whereby scenes or special effects would be appear to be abnormal when switching to Little One's point of view (little Tepetlisaurus) or switching back to the character's point of view under certain circumstances.

● Enemies

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby the enemy "Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant" would appear in an abnormal position when entering combat under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby the enemy "Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant" would abnormally disappear under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the character could be stuck in the Plunging Attack state for a long time if the character was pushed to the barrier at the edge of the battlefield by the enemy while challenging the opponent "Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant" (After the fix, the duration of the Plunging Attack state will be greatly reduced when the character is pushed against the barrier at the edge of the battlefield by the enemy).

Fixes an issue whereby the achievement "Love and Non-Communication" could not be completed when repeatedly challenging the enemy "Thunder Manifestation" under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby some characters' skill effects may not appear normally or disappear when the enemy "Ichcahuipilli's Aegis" exiles the character to the "Land of Decision."

● Characters

Fixes an issue whereby the special effects would flicker and shake abnormally at the edge of the camera when Furina used her Elemental Burst in Natlan.

Fixes an issue whereby the low-altitude and high-altitude landing impact effects would both appear simultaneously when Navia performed a Plunging Attack and hits the ground.

Fixes an issue whereby the special movement duration of Mualani or Kachina in their Nightsoul's Blessing state would be abnormal under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby there was a chance that Mualani would abnormally take fall damage when performing Sharky's Bite in the Nightsoul's Blessing state under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby when Kinich had less than 1 second remaining in the Nightsoul's Blessing state and used the "Scalespiker Cannon," the cooldown time displayed for the Elemental Skill button would become abnormal after the Nightsoul's Blessing state ended.

Fixes an issue whereby the relevant weather animation effect will end earlier before the skill ends when holding Kinich's Elemental Skill, "Scalespiker Cannon".

Fixes an issue whereby when Kinich uses his Elemental Skill to swing in mid-air and simultaneously executes a Normal Attack, it can result in an abnormal vertical jump.

The developers will continue to monitor other actions that may cause this character to perform abnormal vertical jumps. If there are any subsequent plans for adjustments and corrections, we will notify Travelers via announcements.

● System

Fixes an issue whereby completing Act 8 in "Imaginarium Theater" in Visionary Mode and finishing the finalization did not allow the corresponding Battle Pass mission to be completed.

Fixes an issue whereby in the "Forge" interface, the daily crafting quantity would still be deducted even if forging weapon enhancement materials failed due to insufficient required materials under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue under certain circumstances whereby the challenge interface would not record the "Best Score" even if you had completed the "Rock Hopping" challenge in the Natlan region.

Fixes an issue whereby the game would not pause when tracking enemies from the "Adventurer Handbook > Enemies" tab or jumping to the "Map" from material sources in Single-Player Mode.

Fixes an issue resulting in the food "Strength Tonic" not being displayed in "Archive > Materials/Food and Potions."

Fixes an issue whereby the filter applied to the "Food" tab in the "Inventory" interface also took effect for the "Food" tab of the "Parametric Transformer."

● Audio

Fixes an issue whereby the volume of certain movement sound effects for characters was abnormal after the Version 5.0 update.

Fixes text and voice-over errors in Chinese and Korean regarding the "Long-Necked Rhino" in the Archon Quest "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" (the Japanese and English voice-over will be fixed in subsequent versions).

Fixes an issue whereby there were errors with the Chinese voice-overs during some quests.

Fixes an issue whereby the relevant voice lines would not trigger correctly when obtaining Gaming for the first time through a wish.

Fixes an issue whereby the English voice-over of Kinich and Ajaw's interaction does not synchronize with the idle animation.

● Other

Fixes an issue with the visual effects of the Wildlife "Pyro Crystalfly" and "Coral Butterfly" appearing abnormally.

Fixes an issue whereby certain wildlife like the "Flying Squirrel" could not be captured.

Fixes an issue on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 whereby the pre-discount price of some currency for "Gnostic Chorus" was displayed incorrectly (the post-discount actual price and the amount deducted were not affected).

Adjusts the names of some "shield" effects to "Ward" in the "Tutorial" menu and other interfaces in languages other than Simplified Chinese (this issue was fixed for Simplified Chinese in Version 5.0).

Fixes an issue whereby after indwelling a Koholasaur, it would not consume Phlogiston when performing a Aquadash under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby after collecting "Flamegranates" while indwelling and controlling a Yumkasaur, the Yumkasaur could continuously leap upward in the air under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the effect "Surprise: Explosive Excitement" from "Mystery Caches" in "Imaginarium Theater" did not activate correctly under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the game would experience an abnormal black screen and become unresponsive after the character teleported to the Obsidian Totem Pole: "Children of Echoes" when playing on certain PC devices.

Fixes an issue whereby the character's shadow effects would display abnormally in Natlan when playing on certain Android devices.

Fixes an issue on certain Android devices whereby when controlling and indwelling Saurians in Natlan, there is a chance that the Saurian's model would display abnormally when the camera zoomed in on it.

Fixes an issue whereby the treasure chest would not appear correctly after picking up the "Apple" and investigating the related location near a Teleport Waypoint in Natlan under certain circumstances.

Fixes some text errors in certain languages and optimizes text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

◆ Optimizes inconsistencies between certain voice-overs and the corresponding lines.

◆ Optimizes certain English translations.

〓Genius Invokation TCG Balance Adjustment〓

Redesigns the Character Card "Eremite Scorching Loremaster" (Travelers can visit the official notice "Version 5.1 Genius Invokation TCG Update Details" or log into the game after the version update to see the changes).

Adjusts the effects of the Character Card "Guardian of Apep's Oasis"'s Passive Skill: The number of Awaken, My Kindred generated at the start of the match has been reduced from 6 to 5; the shield generated after summoning 4 Proliferated Organisms has been reduced from 2 points to 1 point.

Adjusts the effect of the Character Card "Lisa"'s Normal Attacks: Normal Attacks now apply Conductive to the enemy's active character (no longer requires a Charged Attack).

Adjusts the effect of the Character Card "Lisa"'s "Conductive" status: Now, "when the character attached with Conductive takes DMG from Violet Arc or Lightning Rose," it will trigger "Remove this status and DMG +1 for each stack of Conductive" (previously, this effect could only be triggered by Violet Arc damage).

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[demigodofhoolemere]

Oh my gosh, I just had such a good dream and I’m so mad it wasn’t real.

It was supposed to be the new Doctor Who episode with Ruby back. It starts with Fifteen and Belinda ending up in this church (tucked away somewhere in the woods, and while there was a road to it it wasn’t easily accessible either) where you’re always getting lost, there’s no way out and time is going faster outside the building, so you’re seeing very frequent sunrises and sunsets out the windows, which only serves to drive you madder because you know you’re losing days and days inside this place. They had split up for one reason or another, but because you get lost in here, they couldn’t find each other again. Belinda, who was sometimes also me, was really losing it and ended up hiding, rocking back and forth and repeating over and over again how there’s no way out.

Eventually it turns out that Ruby is in this place, too, having heard of people going in and never coming out and wanting to investigate these disappearances. She and Belinda end up working together, trying to figure out what to do.

I don’t know if there was just a time cut here or if there’s something I’ve forgotten, but time had passed, and now Belinda and I were separate people and I was my own third companion, except I was also kind of partly Belinda still, even though she’s standing right there. We were in some room that doesn’t exist in a church building, and it seems like there were maybe some kind of creatures outside the door that we were hiding in there from. Apparently I got knocked unconscious at some point because I was supposed to be asleep for this part. Then, who suddenly comes along? The Third Doctor! But he’s not there to get us out — he came with a specific mission. He had some big box with him, and inside was some kind of device that taps into memories or something. Apparently, I (but also somehow Belinda a bit) had traveled with the Doctor in the past (still Fifteen, not Three) but forgotten in some way or another. In my head as I’m watching the dream I was thinking that this makes sense why Belinda seems to know things she shouldn’t. Fifteen had also forgotten her/me, and I was thinking how it also made sense now who this mysterious person is that Fifteen mentioned having said Belinda’s name to him like it was important — it was Three, of course! (None of this should have made sense when I’m also my own person simultaneously, but sure, whatever). Seemingly, before Fifteen lost his memory of her/me, he’d sent out a message to any other version of himself to find her/me and restore her/my memory, and it was Three who got the message and came, and who will also then say the name in a message to past Fifteen so he goes and finds her/me again in the first place so that she/I would be traveling with the Doctor again for Three to be able to come find her/me in the church and restore the memories. As he explained all this, Ruby and Belinda trusted him implicitly, as one does when faced with Jon Pertwee.

I don’t remember my character waking up and having memories back, but eventually we were all out of the building and reunited with Fifteen. Three had vanished already, not wanting to cross his own timeline by meeting his future self. Ruby was explaining what happened, and it cuts to flashbacks of Three being absolutely epic and breaking into some secret hidden base as she told about all he had to do to get here. There was something with Liz initially helping him get in, and then a bit later for a moment there were two Threes as if he had to travel back to help himself complete this (good luck when his TARDIS is broken!), and then there was this whole montage of Three (singular, lol) sneaking around this base (that looked more Aztec than anything) and shooting things with the blaster he had in Day of the Daleks and flipping people over and all the good stuff. I think when he got to the center of this place, somehow the time shifted and he was able to access the church, which was actually in this location in the future. Then there was something with him leaving and ending up back in the 70s version of this place, and I caught a glimpse of the Brigadier and Yates, seemingly having arrived to do clean-up after Three took down all these bad people. This whole sequence also had my sister and I watching this as if it were the episode and we were the viewers, getting EXTREMELY emotional and crying over Three in New Who and also seeing the others for a couple moments.

I don’t know if Fifteen got his memory of me/Belinda back or if this was one-sided lol. But everything was okay in the end generally.

As of writing this I have not yet seen Lucky Day and I fear it cannot live up to this. 😔

[galactic-glamour-girl-posts]

So, let's talk about this:

Many have pointed out that Super Radiant Peach bares a striking resemblance to Rosalina and/or her mother. Could this be a hint towards a possible familial connection?

Keep in mind, Super Mario Galaxy is old enough that the kids who grew up with it are old enough to work for Nintendo. Therefore there is a not so small chance that the implications of Super Radiant Peach are intentional.

Firstly, I want to mention the similar theming. Super Radiant Peach is themed around the idea of shining light (radiant, she can fire sparkle beams, etc.). Meanwhile, Rosalina's character heavily revolves around the stars - celestial bodies that produce light. Both Super Radiant Peach and Rosalina have an association with light.

Some of Super Radiant Peach's abilities could also be seen as upgraded versions of Peach's usual abilities. Rather than just floating, SRP can fly (and might I add, literally looks like a "shooting star" from afar whilst doing so).

SRP also has the power to fully restore the entire Sparkle Theatre in seconds, whereas Peach can restore people's health, but usually only a few people at a time at most.

The only ability SRP has that's unrelated to her usual abilities is her ability to summon Sparkle beams.

It almost seems like the Theets (the little guys Peach saves during the course of the game) lending her their Sparkle power allowed Peach to tap into her hidden potential...

You see, stars in the Mario universe are often depicted as a source of incredible power, or incredibly powerful beings (Luma, Star Spirits, etc.), and Peach has established connections to the stars. For example, the reason Peach has many innate magical abilities is because she has wish power, which is based on the concept of wishing upon a star:

That's not the only instance of Peach having an established connection to the stars. Her castle, like Rosalina's Comet Observatory, runs on Star Power:

She's also one of the seven star children:

(Yes, there's only six pictured here - the seventh is Yoshi a "surprise".)

It's explained that a star child is a child with a star resting inside their heart. Each baby is said to "possess an extraordinary amount of power".

But neither of these latter two examples mean much, right?

It's not uncommon for something in the Mario universe run on Star Power via the Power Stars - lots of things do. They're a popular energy source. And it's never established that star children are chosen. The seven stars that fell from the sky could've ended up in the hearts of the star children accidently, or maybe it was done by some higher being on purpose, we don't know.

However...there is one more connection Peach has to the Stars that is undeniably notable.

In Paper Mario it’s revealed that one of Peach's ancestors was given a treasure chest by the Star Spirits which was passed down at Mushroom Castle through the ages.

Sure, this is established in PAPER Mario, but according to Miyamoto, every Mario is the same Mario. Paper Mario (the series) does take place in a book, but who's to say it's lore doesn't apply to the main series? The Star Spirits are in Mario Party 5 after all, implying they exist in the main series too.

There's also Goomboss/Goomba King who debuted in Paper Mario but appeared in Super Mario 64 DS, a mainline game.

Point is, if Paper Peach's family has had a connection to the stars for generations, then this is likely the case for main series Peach too.

Now let's look at Rosalina's family:

Her father owned a telescope and would take her stargazing. This might have just been a hobby of his and nothing more, but let's also consider...

Rosalina had a Star Bunny stuffed toy as a child.

Rosalina had a plush...of an alien species.

Star Bunnies can't be found on Earth (before the end of Galaxy 1, at least). Meaning most people hundreds of years ago would not have known of their existence, implying it's a homemade stuffed animal, implying that Rosalina's family knew of an alien species. How?

Well...what do you think that rusted spaceship was doing near Rosalina's home?

Maybe Rosalina is from a family of royal explorers, and they used it to travel through space. Along the way, they might have found Star Bunnies, and maybe even...

Star Haven, home of the Star Spirits.

Maybe an ancestor (or even parent) of Rosalina's and the ancestor of Peach's that received that chest from the Star Spirits are one in the same.

Alternatively, as the mother of the Lumas, there's a chance Rosalina may have encountered the Star Spirits at one point, so maybe she was the ancestor to receive the treasure chest, and for whatever reason, during one of her centennial visits to Earth, Rosalina gave it to the current ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, and it was passed down in the family ever since then (this part's basically a fanfic well, all of this is really, but it's a fun idea).

Perhaps Peach inherited her wish power from her ancestors (either as a result of her family's connection to the stars, or perhaps their abilities are WHY they formed a connection to the stars), but because Peach is their great (plus or minus however many more or less greats should be there) descendant it's essentially a watered-down version of Rosalina's star power (which, via Baby Rosalina, is implied to be something she's had since birth, it just became amplified after adopting the Lumas) but with the help of Stella and the Theets, she was able to tap into her full potential, hence the resemblance to Rosalina's mother.

Or perhaps I'm taking what almost definitely destined to be a one-off super form too seriously.

[lair-master]

6 Magic Items for D&D

I wrote these as presents for PCs in my weekly D&D campaign (text versions under the cut).

*** Dancing Boots Wondrous item, uncommon These boots have 4 charges and regain 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. While you wear these boots, you can use a bonus action to expend 1 charge and move up to half your speed. Until you stop moving, you have a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. For every 5 feet you move, you restore 2 hit points to yourself or another creature of your choice within 30 feet of you. Minor Property: Graceful. The bearer has advantage on ability checks to dance. *** Dragonfire Bow Weapon (longbow), uncommon When you attack with this magic weapon and speak its command word, the ammunition creates a streak of fire in a line between you and the target that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line except the target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The attack deals an extra 3d8 fire damage to the target on a hit, or half that on a miss. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Creator: Dracolich. The item is made of dragon bone. A special gemstone on it contains the spirit of a dragon. *** Knightbreaker Weapon (warhammer), uncommon You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.  Creator: Necromancer. Death magic burns an ill mark into this shadow-veiled weapon whenever it deals a killing blow. History: Disgraced. A fallen crusader wielded this weapon against a pious chivalric order. Minor Property: Scary. When its bearer makes a Charisma (Intimidation) check, the bearer can expend one ill mark to add 3 to the roll. Quirk: Incendiary. The item’s bearer feels compelled to play with fire. *** Orb of Twofold Vigor Wondrous item, uncommon Two fiendish eyes smolder from within this arcane focus. The orb has 2 charges, and regains all expended charges daily at dawn. Whenever you gain temporary hit points, you can expend 1 charge to regain the same number of actual hit points, or grant a creature within 30 feet of you the same number of temporary hit points. Quirk: Unblinking. The item doesn't allow its bearer to blink. *** Shell of Sliding Armor (shield), uncommon (requires attunement by a tortle) This magic shield is made from a turtle shell. When you use your shell defense trait, you can move 40 feet in a straight line as part of the same action. You move through the space of any creature in the line, ignoring difficult terrain, without provoking opportunity attacks. When you enter a creature’s space, it must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 bludgeoning damage. A creature takes this damage only once per turn. If you hit a wall, you bounce off it in a random direction. Until you emerge from your shell, you repeat this movement on each of your turns. *** Very Big Fork Weapon (trident), uncommon Using this magic fork, you can eat any nonmagical object that fits in your mouth. You can use a bonus action to speak the fork’s command word and become very big. For 1 minute, you are Large, and you add 1d4 to Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and Strength-based damage rolls. This property can’t be used again until the next dawn. History: Notorious. This item was used to both eat and kill at the infamous Backstabbers Feast, where it inspired the goblin proverb, “The bigger they are, the bigger their fork.”

[syndrossi]

In Restoration will Jon ever find out that his little brothers are a older version of him and a younger version of his biological father?

I feel like Rhaegar would want him told at some point, because his original counterpart's son should get to know the truth about some version of his father. Though I expect he'll feel the same about it as Resonant!Jon does aka "that's my reincarnated brother-dad and I'll kill anyone who tries to touch him." (While occasionally trying to tease out what his father would have been like based on Rhaegar's personality.)