#also if he could send me some quests that could ally me with the civil outlander faction that would be nice

[thosepoorsoulswhodwellinnight]

well if randy could remember that he could send me literally any other thing then mechs and too deep infestation

I have seen one pirate raid in like three years and that was a crashed shuttle quest randy come ON

[littlespacestars]

Shallura Fic Rec #3

Time for another Shallura fic rec list! (categorized to the best of my ability)

Shallura Rec List #1

Shallura Rec List #2

Mulitchapter/Long Fics

(I’m including fics that have been updated/concluded since the last fic rec list)

Into the Woods - (3/3) - @andtheblueberrymuffin

Something wet and cold splatters against Allura’s cheek.

A moment later, a second drop lands on her forehead, and she groans, raising a hand to rub at her face. She feels… groggy, as though she just woke from a long, deep sleep. The wetness on her face makes no sense. She cracks her eyes open and finds that she is staring up at a gray sky, full of storm clouds, heavy with rain.

This is not where she last remembers being.

Or: The one where Allura and Shiro end up lost in space.

Slow burn, hurt/comfort, plot, huddling for warmth, mystery, feelings, gore related to hunting

The Princess and the Pilot - (5/?)  - @ashesandhoney

In an alternate timeline, Shiro gets picked up by the Galra before the war starts and eventually ends up being given to the Princess of the Alteans as a joke or an attempt to start a war or as a mistake. Whatever their motive was for sending him, Allura is now left trying to figure out what to do with him.

Alternate universe, slow burn, prisoner Shiro

The Space Between Stars - (6/?) - wordswithdragons ( @shiroallura)

Stranded across the galaxy, Shiro and Keith must survive the cold blooded creatures that lurk upon the planet they crash landed on. Pidge, Hunk and Lance find themselves caught up on a Galra infested planet of winged aliens, while Allura and Coran face coming to terms with their greatest hope and sorrow: Altea. // A rewriting, fix-it fic of season two, featuring families, backstories, aliens, loss, and love. More info inside.

No Need To Say Goodbye - (1/1) - @smolsarcasticraspberry

The juniberry tree blossoms every seven years, and when it does, a gateway opens up to another world - a world that Shiro first explores as a child. There, he meets Allura. They do not speak the same language, but children do not need words to play. Every seven years, when the gateway opens again, Shiro steps through to visit the girl he knows on the other side. But the gateway only stays open as long as the juniberry flowers bloom...

AU, angst, childhood friends, reunion

Masks - (1/5) - @braincoins​

Shiro screws-up and Allura has to cover for him by pretending they're married. This means Shiro is now involved in the negotiations with an alien race rumored to have sent the Galra packing. They could be a great help to the Coalition, so long as they're not offended or insulted in some way. So it's Allura's job to convince them to sign on, and it's Shiro's job to be her consort. Neither of those should be that difficult... right?

Fake/pretend relationship, semi-au, Fluff & Politics, pining!Shiro, the other paladins & Coran are here too but not as much

When We Were Young - (8/8) - @ashesandhoney​

When they were young they had hidden under tables at embassy events and eaten stolen pieces of cake. They had climbed up onto the roof at school and made up stories about the teachers walking to their cars at the end of the day. They weren’t the same species but that had never stopped them before.

It’s been tens years since he last saw her.

Childhood friends, AU - canon divergence, marriage proposal, alien culture, no Voltron

Find Me In The Night - (2/2) - @smolsarcasticraspberry​

"Ah, yes. Charged particles from your local star interact with the magnetic field of the planet in areas where the magnetic field lines are close together."

Shiro laughs, in spite of himself. She's the nerdiest princess he's ever met. Not that he's met many, of course. Or any at all, before her.

"We call it an aurora. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

***

When aliens land on Earth looking for a mysterious weapon under the Arctic ice, Captain Shirogane of the Galaxy Garrison is tasked with accompanying an alien Princess in her quest.

Mature, Shallura Holidays Month 2017, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Earth AU, winter fic

Touch - (3/3) - @ashesandhoney​

The Sacred Alteans could bend quintessence to their whims but wielding that much power couldn't be consequence free.

Allura loses her sense of touch and has to learn to function without it.

A fic with scenes including: nearly bleeding to death, some angst over being the last of a species, fancy ballgowns and space pirates, tickling, sparring practice, Shiro being really into Allura wearing track pants, blow job jokes, quite a bit of pining, Allura glowing, some smut.

Explicit, mutual pining, fluff, mild hurt/comfort, AU - Canon Divergence, light angst

Of Small Talks and Forget-me-nots - (6/6) - Part 1 - Opl_Mor

Shiro has been chasing Allura since he was six and she stumbled into his land of make believe- his escape from the strain between his parents. A misfit pair with no one but each other try to navigate an often cruel and unforgiving world. Unfortunately, fate isn't always kind and sometimes pairs are pulled apart. This is a story of hardships and heartbreak, but more than that, it's about the power of mending those parts of life. This is about a modern princess saving a lonely boy in more ways than she could possibly know.

Childhood friends, friends to lovers, bullying, divorce, Shiro’s got a lisp, Allura is a ballerina black belt

Woman King - (20/20) - @juniperallura​

Queen Allura rules over the Altean court, in the company of her young cousin Lance. As the bloody war with the Galra drags on, she searches for unlikely allies- including a supposed defector dwelling on the edge of the palace village. A Shallura historical/fantasy AU (with side Klance).

AU - historical, AU - fantasy, side Klance, light angst, slow burn, pining, mutul pining, secret relationship

When the Sun Sets - (4/?) - rainingWolf

Out of everyone in the entire galaxy, Shiro just so happened to chance upon Allura on a starry night. Set in a zombie apocalypse AU.

Zombie apocalypse, Zombie AU, romance, drama, action/adventure, angst, Altea, alien planet

Across the Universe - (2/?) - saintgenevieve

Allura takes a deep breath. “Pidge…what is a soulmate?”

“What?”

“Shiro told Keith I was his ‘soulmate,’ but I don’t really understand what that word means.”

Mature, Pining, serious pining and angst, Allura’s relationship with the paladins, friendship, love confessions, true love, grieving, some Klance

Loving the Alien - (3/?) - hatandgoggles

The story takes place in 1954, in a town in New Mexico. Roughly seven years after a mysterious object crashed into the nearby desert, a woman Shiro met that night returns to his diner when he needs it the most. Or will she only drag him into an adventure he never asked for?

AU - 1950s

Let Go Darling - (1/?) - evelyn_hayes

Allura blinks. She's suddenly outside, the pale moon shining down on her and the old house behind her. There's a man gripping her hand. Tall and shrouded in a peculiar jacket. His hood shadows his face, but she makes out a scar across his nose and a patch of white hair dangling from the front of his head. She searches his face and sees-

Black eyes.

Witch!Allura, Hunter!Allura, Demon!Shiro, alchemy, magic, crossover, feat. the IMPALA BABY, but in white, guadian demon, self-harm, road trips, true names, vassal and liege, angst, klance fluff, Shiro has PTSD, protective Shiro, implied/referenced abuse/torture, businessman Lotor

There is Love in Your Body (But You Can’t Get it Out) - (1/1) - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

In the end, it doesn’t matter how exactly Shiro falls in love with Allura. He just does and it’s… Not a problem, exactly, but a consideration that lurks in the back of his thoughts. He doesn’t plan to do anything about it. They’re in the middle of a war. This isn’t the time for love. And even if it was, he is what he is and she is…. Beyond him.

Or: The one where mistakes were made and Shiro has to crash a wedding that shouldn't be happening in the first place.

Angst with happy ending, feelings, wedding crashing, emotional trauma is the real villain here

Duties of Heart - (1/1) - anglmukhii

They were both Jedi, but she was also a Queen. There were worlds of differences between them, yet they can only find peace and solace in each other. But between an Order that forbids it and her position that demands that if she marry, it must be for the good of her people: is there truly any hope for them?

AU - Star Wars Setting, break up, making up, angst, fluff, one fight scene, Jedi Shiro, Allura’s a Jedi too but she’s a queen as well, mentions of Keith, Shallura Secret Santa 2017

The Lost Kingdom (1/?) - littlewinterwonderland

"…in a single day and night of misfortune, the kingdom of Altea, perhaps the greatest civilization on earth, disappeared into the depths of the sea. It left behind only mystery, gloom and a boy with a heart made for the unknown"

Atlantis AU, Shiro is a nerd

Day to Day - (7/7) One-shot Collection - TKipani

Seven days when Shiro and Allura were a little more than paladin and princess. Series of drabbles/oneshots for Shallura Week 2016. These drabbles are sequential and connected.

Shallura Week 2016, sequential, the whole gang makes an appearance, drabbles and oneshots, connections, vague Klance if you squint

Lose It - (1/1) - viiisenya

Shiro is a decent enough hitman sometimes doubling as a thief, when the occasion (and payout) called for it. The last person he thinks would call for his services is influential businessman Alfor Altea of Voltron Inc., and what Shiro thought would be an easy job turned out to be a little more complicated thanks to one company heiress. He's usually the one that does the stealing but he didn't think he'd be the victim of a theft himself.

Hitman/thief AU, implied Klance, one-shot

We Were Young Once (We Are Young Again) - (1/1) - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

They win.

In the aftermath, Shiro can’t quite wrap his mind around it. The war consumed every thought he had and every bit of his energy for so long that its sudden absence leaves behind a gaping hole. He expects to wake up, to find that Zarkon and Haggar are still out there and that the victory was just some cruel trick executed by his mind.

Or: The one where Shiro and Allura learn how to live outside of the war that's defined their lives for so long.

Slow burn, mutual pining, domestic fluff, post-war, recovery, some angst, arguing, emotional glowing

Throughout the Ages - (11/11) - MinnieTheMoocherDA

Shallura modern au where they've known each other since kindergarten. A collection of various one-shots depicting events in their lives as they grow up.

AU - Modern Setting, AU - High School, Keith and Shiro are adopted brothers, Allura and Lance are cousins

Fluff

Snooze Button - @alteanrituals​ (thesoulsikeep)

Mornings are the worst, especially after a battle.

Fluff, cuddling and snuggling, lazy mornings, established Shiro/Allura

Have a Magical Day - nayanroo ( @teslatricity​)

The universe is mostly at peace again, and so it's time for its defenders to take a vacation. What better place to do that than Disney World?

Disney World & DisneyLand, established Shallura, minor background Klance, background Hunay, Allura doesn’t want any Mickey ears, she wants the right Mickey ears, and to kiss her boyfriend as much as possible

Compatible - thir13enth ( @ahumanintraining​)

"I wonder what marks you would have, if you were Altean."

Fluff, exploration of a headcanon, beautiful beautiful fluff and cute humor

De-Stress - TKipani

Politics and battles are difficult, but Allura finds ways to de-stress. And Shiro is happy to help.

One-shot, battle sequences, fighting sequences, the couple that kicks ass together stays together, takes place sometime within season 4, ignores clone theory

Ice Deck - @ebonynightwriter​

The Paladins awake to a chill in the Castleship – and a very different training deck.

Fun/Humor, ice skating, ship repairs, friendship, one-shot, canon universe, Shallura Month 2017

Just You and Me (Or Thank the Stars the Kids Aren’t Home) - thir13enth ( @ahumanintraining​)

Domestic fluff, actual parents Shiro and Allura, ft. starrycove’s shallura children!

A Matter of Time - nayanroo ( @teslatricity​)

The war's over, and the universe is starting to rebuild. As Allura leads the charge in forming new alliances, looking to the future, Shiro considers the kind of future he wants for them. But being a paladin means that your plans tend to go awry and your timing is never the greatest...

Shiro’s parents, engagement, Shiro is a bit of a disaster, he loves her so much y’all

“Shallura Fanfiction” - @clairelutra​

Mutual pining/feelings, humor

Something Sparkly - @pensversusswords​

“I’d love something sparkly,” Allura says.

Shiro is powerless when it comes to giving Allura what she wants.

First kiss, getting together, fluff, misunderstandings, Altean traditions

Contagion - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

Based on my week, have some Shallura + paladins fluff wherein all the earthlings come down with the space flu and are not great patients.

Learn By Heart - @braincoins​

It's Allura's first semester teaching, and she's prepared for anything ...except Takashi Shirogane.

Modern AU, Shallura Secret Santa 2017, College/University AU, hot for teacher, pining, fluff

Autumn Wishes - @juniperallura​

For prompt "hold my hand/shooting star"

Shiro & Allura spend a day at the farm

Fluff, fluff without plot, Earth AU, Modern AU, fall vibes

Shiro and Allura Both Can’t Sleep - mckinlily

It is a generally held assumption that Shiro and Allura, both being unable to sleep, met up in the quiet of the night, and over the course pouring out their hearts to each other, fell in love. And while it is true neither Shiro nor Allura is very good at sleeping and they have met up at god-forsaken hours in the Castle, the heart-wrenching conversations are more a fiction than reality. This is due to the fact that—despite all attempts to appear otherwise—Shiro and Allura are actually both very young adults and just as susceptible terrible 2am ideas as anyone.

They do fall in love though. But it goes like this:

OR How Shiro and Allura got a lifetime ban from Hunk's kitchen and other fun stories.

Caught in the Act - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

Established relationship, fic prompt, stuck in the elevator

Once Upon a December - RukiaG ( @rukia-g​)

One-shots for Shallura Holiday Month. Some may be AU, some post-canon.

Shallura Holiday Month 2017, AU - bodyguard, Protect AU, AU - modern setting, AU - fairy tale, post-canon

Lost in Your Light - Cyan ( @vehicroids​)

It hadn't been long at all since they found the blue lion, since they were all forced into an unknown part of the universe. Shiro struggled to sleep, thinking on it all. Thankfully, he wouldn't be alone that night.

Tooth-rotting fluff, fluff, traveling, post-canon, post-series, mutual pining, secret santa

Snow Angels - @bosstoaster​ (ChaoticReactions)

Advent Challenge, warm and fuzzy feelings, snow angels

Peace - @plumeriafairy14​

Many decades in the future after team Voltron defeated the evil plagues of the Galra Empire, Allura sits in the palace gazebo with her husband, Shiro. They go through the photo albums they have collected over the years and Allura savors the intimate moment as the former Black Paladin holds her in his embrace while narrating the memory of each photograph.

Allura basks in his love and takes what she can; her time is running out, after all.

Future fic, Illness, bittersweet ending, Shiro and Allura as emperor and empress, minor Klance, reminiscing

The Aftermath - Rosey_Vasilia

After a particularly rough attempt to rescue a planet from Galra occupation, Shiro decides to try and help Allura stop blaming herself.

Background Klance, literally Shallura being soft, short fluffy one-shot, a mission goes wrong so Shiro comforts Allura

Basorexia - 13Vivacious13

It was ridiculous. Completely, utterly, inexplicably ridiculous. No one should want to kiss the back of someone's neck as much as she wanted to right now.

Movie night, space family time, fluff, pining

In a Snap - KatherineKatie ( @kittykattykatherine​)

AU - Modern Setting, First dates, wingman, Keith means so well, snapchat, texting, light angst, flower shops, carnivals, humor, comedy, fluff

The Day Of - thir13enth ( @ahumanintraining​)

in which Shiro tries to propose, but Allura is too confused to figure it out.

Definitely fluffy, marriage proposal, AU, Shiro’s parents

Artist’s Block - befuddle

Allura's suffering from artist's block, and Shiro just wants to help.

Artist and model AU, Modern AU

Sparkles - Meli_writes (@meli-writes​)

Shiro wants to get out of the castle for a bit. When Allura agrees to go out with him he decides to get her something sparkly.

Space Mall, sparkly things, date, kisses, space dad, space mom, human vocab lesson, fluffy, cute, silly

Flight - littlespacestars (the shameless self-promo)

“Dad, I’m going to fly Blue!” A little girl speeds into the hangar with her arms out at her sides, triumphantly making a beeline towards the lions.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Shiro lifts his daughter away from the blue lion and props her on his hip, holding up a finger. “Just so we’re clear. I said Uncle Lance could fly Blue with you in his lap. This isn’t like you and me in Black.”

Lance strolls up behind them and leans against Blue, grinning from ear to ear.

“With a safety belt,” Shiro enunciates. “Lance.”

Tooth-rotting fluff, overprotective Space Dad, actual space parents, Uncle Klance, star babies, Shallura babies

Birthday - littlespacestars (the shameless self promo)

“Uh, Allura?” He doesn’t move an inch, only side glances at her and then back at the plump mouse standing upright on its hind legs. “There’s a giant—”

“Oh, don’t be alarmed, Shiro!” Allura sets aside her watering can and quickly scoops the stout mouse into her hands. She strokes the top of its head and gives it a fond smile. “This is just Platt, no need to worry.”

“Platt,” he repeats, still a little dumbfounded. “Okay, so it’s normal for you to have a yellow and green mouse. Noted.”

AU, minor angst, hurt/comfort, Shiro is human, Allura is still an alien, Shiro wants to celebrate her birthday, fluff, Shiro’s a dork, space mice, Shiro likes Lord of the Rings, Allura’s been stranded on Earth for six years now

Angst

Try Your Best (And Don’t Succeed) - mckinlily

Grief/mourning, Shiro has PTSD, Allura is a mess, Shiro is a mess, everyone is a mess but they’re trying the best they can, angst with a hopeful ending, set in season 2, gen or pre-slash, Allura-centric

Things Will Turn Out Fine - distinctive_pineapples (@obscure-sentimentalist​)

“Would you mind telling me a story?” he asks, brushing a hand against the back of his head as if embarrassed by the request. “Maybe an Altean folktale, or something about your family. I… I’d just like to have something to remember you by.”

And oh, does that make her want to weep.

Future fic, Shallurangst, inspired by another show, angst with a happy ending, hopeful ending

Past and Future - @ebonynightwriter​

During a Rebel training mission, Shiro and Allura are cut off from the group, and stranded on an unknown planet. Pushing to reunite with their team, they move forward, unaware of the dangerous forces around them…

Drama, tension, fighting, space battles, PTSD, psychological drama, mind control, mind games, developing relationship, feelings, one-shot, canon universe, season 4, Shallura Month 2017

S5 Shallurangst Drabbles - wordswithdragons ( @shiroallura​)

this is a series of shallurangst drabbles posted to my tumblr over at shiroallura. do not all follow the same timeline, although many of them do fit together, the bottom three each individual takes of different possibilities set after s5. enjoy and maybe have tissues if you're weepy like me

Protect AU: I Have a Princess (and she has me) - killashilla

After a royal Altean gala is violently interrupted, Princess Allura and her bodyguard Shiro wait out the chaos alone while testing the boundaries of their strict roles in each others lives.

Shallura Protect AU, AU - bodyguard, AU - Real World, angst with feels, pining, mutual pining, blood and injury, undressing, forbidden love

I Miss You - SirFangirl

The princess who lost everything managed to lose something once more.

Angst, spoilers for season five, Allura knows a fake Shiro when she sees one but won’t admit it, the white lion knows what’s up, Shiro misses his friends and doesn’t deserve to suffer like this

Home (It’s in Her Hands) - palladioaigis

She's the light at the end of the tunnel, his everything, his home, and his love for her transcends time and space.

[[ Written for the Shallura zine Stars Aligned, Issue Two: Onwards.]]

Shallura Zine, Shiro needs therapy or a hug dammit, reunion

Stay With Me - nachseon

It’s not fair. It never is.

Angst, heavy angst, emotional hurt/comfort, mutual pining

Checkmate - rainingWolf

Shallura, Klance, drama, angst, action, romance, remix, VLD Fanfiction Remix 2017

Kintsukuroi - 13Vivacious13

Shiro is still coming to terms with the past. Allura notices and tries to help the best she can.

Emotional hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending sorta, mentions of non-consensual body modifications, nothing too serious happens, I promise, mostly just reflecting on the past, established Allura/Shiro

Only Human - @bosstoaster​ (ChaoticReactions)

Collection of whump fics, tumblr prompt, leaning against walls to hide needing support, injury, hurt/comfort

Kuron/Clone Theory

Exchanges - thir13enth ( @ahumanintraining​)

no returns, no refunds.

Clone theory, some angst

The Return of the Real Shiro - Meli_writes ( @meli-writes​)

The real Shiro returns to the castle and finds a man with HIS face pretending to be HIM.

In his search to find a paladin he runs into Allura and he's so relieved because that last he heard from her she was screaming in pain.

Now, he has to explain that he is the real Shiro not that phony walking around the castle.

Shallura hugs, the real Shiro, Shiro returns, from wherever

Gravity - @braincoins​

He looked at the clone. Monster, he thought. You didn’t mean to be, didn’t even want to be, but that’s what you are. He couldn’t help thinking that perhaps he and this clone had more in common after all.

Shallura Month 2017, angst, emotional hurt/comfort

Clone - littlespacestars (shameless self-promo)

Kuron is aware he’s a clone. He tries deciding whether or not to come clean to Allura about it, or let it surface on its own.

Shallurangst, One-sided attraction, Kuron wishes he were the real Shiro, angst

Like Real People Do - (5/5) - @andtheblueberrymuffin​ (Part 1 of Like Real People Do)

“Shiro knows this is wrong. Everything is wrong. But they need him. Keith said so, and Shiro knows, he knows, that if they need him he has to help them. It’s what he would do. It’s what he does. (Everything is fine.)

Or: The one where something is very wrong with Shiro after his second escape from the Galra.”

Tragedy, Post-Season/Series 03, Speculation about Shiro post season 3, ‘Shiro’, Implied/Referenced mind control, mind control aftermath & recovery, clone Shiro, prepare your tissues and cry deeply

Survivor's Rites (3/3) - (Part 2 of Like Real People Do) - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

The Paladins have suffered losses before, but nothing quite like the one they're dealing with now. It's difficult to find the time to grieve when dealing with betrayals and Lotor's continued attacks. None of them are well-equipped to move on, in any case.

Or: the sequel to 'Like Real People Do.' Now with more misery.

Past character death, grief/mourning, post season 3, lion swapping, angst

Heartlines (8/8) - (Part 3 of Like Real People Do) - @andtheblueberrymuffin​

After months of searching, Shiro has finally found his way back to the Castle of Lions, but nothing is quite how he remembers it. Everyone looks at him like they're seeing a ghost, for one thing....

Or: the conclusion to the 'Like Real People Do' series, where the fallout from the Galra Empire's experiments with human cloning nearly destroys everything the team has worked so hard to build. Takes place directly after the end of 'Survivor's Rites.'

Angst, emotional hurt/comfort, normal hurt/comfort in later chapters, clones, lion swapping, trauma, grief/mourning, plot, slow build, post season 3, implied/referenced underage drinking, original character death(s), attempted sexual assault, DOES NOT GET FAR

NSFW

Unconventional Piloting Methods - Pixie_rings ( @materassassino​)

Flying a giant robot lion while having sex isn't the best idea.

Unsafe flight practices, do not attempt at home, vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, higher than the mile high club

Make You Feel Pure - sublimation ( @667-darkavenue​)

“After all he’d been through, it couldn’t be clearer that universal forces had bent themselves backwards to pull him into the orbit of someone who cared for him, who trusted him, and who needed his care and trust just as much...”

Pool sex, breast play, outercourse, oral sex, praise kink, attention kink, praise kink, body worship, existential crisis midsex, stumbling upon all the embarrassing kinks you’re into midsex, sex with your girlfriend so good it opens your third eye, soft dom Allura

Playlist - befuddle

“If there’s anyone to blame for cockblocking, blame your shitty taste in music!”

Domestic AU where Shiro tries to get his groove on, and Allura just isn't having it.

Sex in public, car sex, fluff

Infomercials - befuddle

“We need it! We can’t keep replacing my bedframe at the crack of a new quintant to avoid suspicion. This will solve all our problems!”

Not graphic, suggestive content, humor, Shiro and Allura keep breaking the bedframe, this is the Shallura discord’s fault, the Shallura discord’s legacy, shitpost

Incandescent - CalicoTomcat

Shiro and Allura share an intimate evening and morning together, savoring a peaceful moment on the Castle of Lions.

Established relationship, oral sex, vaginal sex, genital piercing, fluffy and adorkable

Belong To You Alone - sublimation ( @667-darkavenue​)

“Smile back, ask questions about him, go along with his suggestions. You’ve seen me do it.”

He thought it over. “Isn’t that… We have to leave in a day, with or without the army.”

“Oh, Shiro.” Allura smiled. “He’s not trying to ask for your hand, he just thinks you’re nice to look at. It’s harmless.”

“Well. I’ll give it a shot.”

When Shiro gave something a shot, he didn’t hold back.

Space politics, throwing Shiro under the bus as sexy leverage, blow jobs, frustration, jealousy, smut w/ plot, attention kink, praise kink, misunderstanding & miscommunication

Dirty Talk, Dirty Thoughts - Meli_writes ( @meli-writes​)

Allura has always wondered what The Paladins meant when they shouted things like: "Fuck you!" or "Suck my dick!" in the middle of a fight against Zarkon's army. One night she asks Shiro what it all means and he tries his best to explain. ;)

Funny, sexy, dirty talk, dirty thoughts, angst, smut, embarrassed Shiro, flirty Allura, sexy Shiro

Alien Anatomy Altean - FeyduBois

Shiro and Allura's first time does not go as planned due to differences in biology.

Alien sex, alien biology, anal fingering, crack, smut

Une Petite Mort Thermique - pixie_rings ( @materassassino​)

The one sexual taboo Altea had, and she is about to break it.

Anal sex, alien biology, kink meme

Just So I Can Feel Something - @smolsarcasticraspberry​

Sometimes you can't sleep and the only thing that helps is fucking your co-worker in the break room cos you haven't been kissed in 10,000 years.

OR: that time after Crystal Venom when Shiro and Allura hooked up on the sofas and tried to act like it didn't mean anything.

"Allura took a sip of her tea, hoping the hot steam would hide her blush, and leaned over to put her mug down on the coffee table. Her body shifted with the movement, and her hand drew away from Shiro's. To her surprise, his fingers tightened around her own. As if he didn't want to let go.

She glanced down at his hand where it gripped hers, and then up at his face.

"Sorry," he said. "I just… I haven't been touched in a long time. It's nice.""

Smut, fluff, flut, porn with feelings, post Crystal Venom, canon compliant

Reunited - bittergoldilocks

Before Shiro disappeared they had been at the beginning of a tentative relationship which had amounted to stolen kisses, secret meetings, hushed affections, and one adventurous encounter in a supply closet. When “Shiro”- the clone- had “returned”, Allura thought it was over. Not only did the meetings stop, eventually even the kind words did too. She had been devastated. And Shiro seemed to somehow understand this now.

Reunion sex, praise kink, crying, slight angst, Real Shiro, love confessions

Relinquish - @braincoins​

The Coalition's newest allies are annoying and picky and Allura's on the verge of losing her cool with them. Shiro steps in to give her a night away from responsibility and decision-making.

softdom!Shiro, oral sex, fingering, how to be sweet and loving while also fucking someone senseless, and also still be goofy dorks

She Still Pulls on Me - nayanroo ( @teslatricity​)

some nights, shiro can't sleep. on those nights, allura sets aside her crown.

Mention of nightmares, throne sex, shallura exchange

To the New Morning - babyfairy ( @babyfairybaekhyun​)

Morning showers are often Shiro’s favorite kind of showers.

PWP, smut, shower sex, fluff

Relaxing - head_and_heart

Shiro has an idea of how to help Allura relax after a long mission

Porn without plot, oral sex, vaginal fingering, sex, no excuse for this just smutty smut

Silk and Tongue - Meli_writes ( @meli-writes​)

“I have something in mind that I think you’ll enjoy, want to try it?,” he asked her again. She was flushed and her pink body marks glowed a little brighter from her arousal.

“What did you have in mind because I kind of like it here,” she said while she rocked her hips to grind against him.

He smirked and brought his hands to rest on her hips. “I like you there too, but I was thinking you might like doing that against my mouth,” he said.

Allura’s hips stopped, but Shiro noticed her breath quicken in excitement.

Pure smut, silk robes, hungry licks, porn without plot, Allura tries something new, shameless smut

Galaxies Collide - @smolsarcasticraspberry​

Shiro and Allura take a joyride in the Black Lion. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Mind Link AU, flut, smut, some plot, dom Shiro, not super dom, but like a lil bit, soft dom Shiro, they’re gonna bang in the Black lion okay, it was inevitable

.

.

.

Please support these lovely writers and give them some kudos and a comment! I actually discovered a lot of fics I haven’t gotten around to fully reading yet, so I need to go back and do the same! Thanks for the lovely fics, guys! <3

[overfedvenison]

Right, so... Up to Act 3

Upon reflection, I've heard Neverwinter Nights 2 described as "Slayers-Esque" and I can see that... The game is basically an incredibly generic fantasy plot played straight, with the emphasis placed on snarky characters and player choice.

Act 1 especially stands out as one of the blandist game segments until you get to Neverwinter, due to a lack of real choice, which is somewhat unfortunate. Once you get there, though, it really starts evolving into it's own thing. You get a lot more input and all the choices come back to effect your game, and at this point the game has enough characters to rely more on them. The comedy also starts coming in a lot more... The Thieves Guild sending a character to help you in the courtroom, the gnome you extort for money who loves paying protection money, Ribcrusher, Shandra... You can see this is the same studio that made Fallout New Vegas

Shandra especially gives act 2 a lot of personality, being a stressed-out farmer who you train into a fighter. She's had it with this quest immediately, and so responds to new quests with sort of exhausted acceptance. She's not... Snarky, per say, unlike a lot of characters. But she's fulfills a similar role of sort of making fun of situations, in a way that doesn't break immersion or come off as overly parodic.

Anyways, act 3 thus far - Events happen at the start of the chapter that allows you to become one of the Neverwinter Nine (Though you can apparently be locked out of this, especially if you are a thief guild member like I was.) I had the option, but refused... I also tried to refuse to be a Knight of Neverwinter, but Nasher threatened to have me arrested if I refused. I'm neutral, and though I'm loyal to Neverwinter by now, being a knight is.. Questionable. - You have to gain allies and enhance your keep for the war with the King of Shadows. This means that you can choose the order of your missions or even ignore some entirely, and some of your past decisions can come back to help you... For instance, you can ally with the Thief Guild. - You are given a lot more sequences with just your MC. Presumably the plot-given spell-like abilities you gained in chapter 2 are there to help you if you suck at these sequences. My character is an unoptimized fighters and only capable, not excellent, at combat so I often survive these sequences through wit and item use... Such as using Dash to kite enemies around while my health regens and the like. - I encountered an Aasimar named Light of Heaven who spoke cryptically and wanted to fight me. She wears a similar armor to me - A bronze-coloured breastplate and blue cape to my umber hulk breastplate and purple cape - and uses a sword and crossbow, also like me. I'm sure it was coincidence, but this is some weird kismet. Interestingly, she has Smite Infidel instead of Smite Evil and our match would have been very close had I not the Soothing Light ability. I like her, she seems like a rival to my "neutral paladin..." Turns out she has a sister name Joy and is a holy warrior of Lathander. I fought her three times and recruited her. - Since I allied with the Shadow Thieves, I can do some unique content. In particular, one caravaner carrying illegal contraband was caught and I had the option of releasing him for some mad Chaotic Evil points. Since what I need is allies to defeat the shadow king, and do owe Axel, performing this action was fine by me. I left Uncus to deal with the people who will look into this, and hopefully he doesn't kill anyone. - I actually made an ally out of Axel, the leader of the thief guild, in exchange for killing Moire (Who had turned on him and, being an extremist, is assaulting people in Neverwinter during a refugee evacuation. Axel is reasonable and despite his ruthless tactics, values diplomacy and the state of Neverwinter so I like him.) Interestingly, you can seemingly kill everyone and wipe out the thief guild. - My peasant civility and greycloak civility are both low, but my weapons, armor and training are all very high which means this is a highly-patrolled and garrisoned fort that is generally ambivalent towards things like "laws" and mostly concerned with being effective at killing monsters and demons. I don't bother the surroundings lands with tithes and taxes, but refuse any villages on my land and am generally ambivalent to banditry. I built a wizard tower and have two evil wizards on my side, made friends with giant spiders, monks, shadow thieves, evil wizards, mercinaries, soldiers, dwarves, and lizardfolk... It's sort of a neutral, isolationist fort. - Apparently in development, you could make the church into a park and attract a druid, and turn your tower into a gambling den. As is, you can turn the church into a church or monestary, or the tower into a wizard's tower or Neverwinter Nine HQ... The Tower is a bit of a Good/Evil dichotomy, but the church is just two flavours of Law, you know? Gambling den seems like a bad idea, but I would have appreciated the Park as an option a lot, since I made my character a Devout Athiest. (Literally, I took the Devout background with no God selected. The tabletop counterpart of this character was all about human potential and skill over relying on divine boons, to the point that she cut off a group of saints offering to bless her for her demonslaying.) But, monastery is a good alternate option for me I suppose. - To recruit the dwarves, you have to get a mystic belt back from a fire giant king. I did this by having a dragon attack them, who then attacked us back... I like this dragon, she's like... Weirdly attractive? Like, she has sort of a dominant, vain, and attractive personality and was given this oddly sexy voice. Basically, prime waifu material.

...And yeah, that's about my thoughts and actions on chapter 3 so far.

Overall, chapter 3 is so far nonlinear, but doesn't offer a lot of deep choices and isn't quite as involved as chapter 2 in terms of your past decisions. Though it seems like my neutral playthrough has given me a lot of options, in effect it's only really given me the Lizardfolk and Thieves Guild... All your other allies and quests are basically just linear events that you'll do regardless of your past choices, assuming you aren't just doing a minimalist run. I've also been edging a bit too close to Chaotic Good than what I'd like.

I'd appreciate a few more binary choices, so I could mix and match my adventure, like they did with the Thief Guild and City Watch stuff. For instance, if you could refuse Knighthood and rule this fortress and an independent entity or "Bandit Queen," that might be cool without actually changing much and offer a few unique options. It's interesting how just a few quests and options later in the game really make your choices have made a difference... The Thief Guild could be entirely forgotten and it wouldn't change the plot, but one real extra quest per act and one NPC doing stuff for you is enough to sell me.

Iunno, this is all vague. I'm sure once I play more, I'll be able to sort out my thoughts on all this into something more coherent.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/biden-vows-end-of-national-darkness-in-convention-finale-us-world-news/

Biden vows end of national 'darkness' in convention finale | Us World News

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Joe Biden vowed to unite an America torn by crisis and contempt Thursday night, accepting the Democratic presidential nomination and achieving a pinnacle in an unfinished quest that has spanned three decades and been marred by personal tragedy, political stumbles and more dynamic rivals.

The past hurdles fell away as Biden addressed his fellow Democrats and millions of Americans at home who he hopes will send him to the White House to replace Donald Trump – though his triumphant moment was drained of immediate drama by the coronavirus pandemic, which left him speaking to a nearly empty arena rather than a to a joyously cheering crowd.

“Here and now I give you my word, if you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us not the worst,” Biden declared. “I’ll be an ally of the light, not our darkness.”

“And make no mistake, we’ll overcome this season of darkness in America”

The pandemic has shaken the nation and fundamentally altered the campaign. But Biden pointed to the public health emergency and the severe economic fallout to turn traits previously seen as vulnerabilities, notably a long career spent in elected office, into an advantage by presenting himself as a competent leader in a moment that Democrats say cries out for one in the White House.

The night’s keynote address was the speech of a lifetime for Biden, who at 77 would be the oldest president ever elected if he defeats Trump in November. But his convention leaned on a younger generation earlier in the night to help energize his sprawling coalition.

Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois senator who lost both legs in Iraq and is raising two young children, said Biden has “common decency.”

Cory Booker, only the ninth African American senator in U.S. history, said Biden believes in the dignity of all working Americans.

And Pete Buttigieg, a 38-year-old openly gay military veteran from Indiana, noted that Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage as vice president even before President Barack Obama did.

“Joe Biden is right, this is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans,” Buttigieg said. “It’s the struggle to call out what is good for every American.”

Above all, Biden was focusing on uniting the nation as Americans grapple with the long and fearful health crisis, the related economic devastation, a national awakening on racial justice — and Trump, who stirs heated emotions from all sides.

Biden’s positive focus Thursday night marked a break from the dire warnings offered by former President Obama and others the night before. The 44th president of the United States warned that American democracy itself could falter if Trump is reelected, while Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, the 55-year-old California senator and the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, addressed race problems in a way Biden could not.

Throughout their convention, the Democrats have summoned a collective urgency about the dangers of Trump as president. In 2016, they dismissed and sometimes trivialized him. In the days leading up to Biden’s acceptance speech, they cast him as an existential threat to the country.

Beyond Biden’s highly anticipated speech, Thursday’s program was designed to highlight the diversity of the Democratic Party and the nation he hopes to lead.

“We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four black children matter,” Lance Bottoms said. She spoke ahead of a tribute to the late John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and civil rights leader who devoted much of his life to ensuring African Americans are able to vote.

Biden’s Democratic Party has sought this week to put forward a cohesive vision of values and policy priorities, highlighting efforts to combat climate change, tighten gun laws and embrace a humane immigration policy. They have drawn a sharp contrast with Trump’s policies and personality, portraying him as cruel, self-centered and woefully unprepared to manage virtually any of the nation’s mounting crises and policy challenges.

Voting was a prime focus of the convention on Thursday as it has been all week. Democrats fear that the pandemic — and the Trump administration — may make it difficult for voters to cast ballots in person or by mail.

Comedian Sarah Cooper, a favorite of many Democrats for her videos lip syncing Trump’s speeches, put it bluntly: “Donald Trump doesn’t want any of us to vote because he knows he can’t win fair and square.”

Biden’s call for unity comes as some strategists worry that Democrats cannot retake the White House simply by tearing Trump down; Biden needs to give his sprawling coalition something to vote for. That’s easier said than done in a modern Democratic Party made up of disparate factions that span generation, race and ideology.

For that reason, Thursday’s program, like much of the convention, emphasized Biden’s personal values like decency, honesty and empathy more than any single policy proposal or achievement.

The pandemic has also forced Biden’s team to abandon the typical pageantry and rely instead on a highly-produced, all-virtual affair that has failed to draw the same television ratings as past conventions.

The silence was noticeable Wednesday night, for example, as Harris took the stage to make history in a cavernous hall inside the Chase Center in downtown Wilmington. She was flanked by American flags but no family, and her audience consisted of a few dozen reporters and photographers.

It’s Trump’s turn next. The Republican president, who abandoned plans to host his convention in North Carolina and in Florida, is expected to break tradition and accept his nomination from the White House lawn next week.

In the meantime, he’s seeking to take attention from Biden. Trump was continuing this week’s swing-state tour on Thursday with a stop near Biden’s birthplace of Scranton, Pennsylvani a. While he is trying to stay on offense, the president has faced a series distractions of his own this week, many of his own making.

Trump on Wednesday praised a conspiracy-theory group that believes the president’s political opponents support satanism and pedophilia. On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that prosecutors could access his long-hidden tax returns. Also Thursday, New York prosecutors announced the indictment of Steve Bannon, Trump’s former campaign manager and White House chief counsel, who was charged with fraud.

———

Peoples reported from New York.

[thisismrbrendanjay]

Nixon and MLK

People were marching in the streets.  The leaders were getting arrested.  Police brutality was coming to a head.  The country was divided over whether the protesters were heros or criminals.  And Eisenhower was president.  

It seems antiquated when we see how people spoke to each other then.  Rancor among sides.  Talk of “those criminals.”  Peaceful demonstrations turned to riots.  But there is something we can learn from Nixon and JFK beyond the new film “Selma.”

It’s a little telling that his first meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was in Vice President Richard Nixon’s Senate office--not the White House in 1957.  President Dwight David Eisenhower was avoiding King.  Just a few years before, Eisenhower had a name synonymous with freedom, after leading the allies throughout WWII.  But civil and racial unrest had gripped the country.  Eisenhower didn’t know how to play with racial questions.   In 1954 Brown V. Board of Education the Supreme Court ordered an end to segregation in schools.  “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Eisenhower handled it unbelievably poorly..  He suggested that they undo generations of unequal schooling starting with--no joke--graduate schools.

But the Vice President, Richard Nixon, was the lone voice in support of a Civil Rights Bill as part of their “domestic portfolio”--a high priority that would stabilize the country through democracy.

Miles away J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI began fanatically tracking King.  But on June 13, 1957 Richard Nixon invited him to his senate office for the first of several meetings.

King had recently given his famous “Justice without Violence” speech and Coretta Scott King was pregnant with the future Martin Luther King III.

“If the Negro succumbs to the temptation of using violence in his struggle for justice, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate life of bitterness, and his chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.”

Nixon’s notes from that afternoon survive.  Negro determined to gain dignity...This is part of a world problem--quest for human dignity all over the world.  They stayed for three hours.  But when he left, King told reporters that it was not a substitute for a meeting with Eisenhower.  It was only “a step in that direction.”

“He had one of the most magnetic personalities that I have ever confronted.” That is Martin Luther King--Martin Luther King--talking about the conservative Nixon. “I...feel that Nixon would have done much more to meet the present crisis in race relations than President Eisenhower has done,” he told reporters.  

Being in DC was difficult for King. As a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, he’d worked summers in Connecticut.  It always unsettled him--as he wrote in his biography--to leave the integrated North and have to switch to the segregated cars down South.  Because they moved him to the Jim Crow cars in D.C--his own nation’s capital.

The particular genius of Richard Nixon at the time was his ability to listen.  He was only Vice-President, the handy punchline to many jokes about being ineffectual.  But he had his eyes on the White House and saw that oppressed peoples were the quickest to turn towards his bigger enemy: Communism.

Prophetically, King mentioned that Nixon--who would later step down for deceiving the American people--should be watched.  “If Richard Nixon is not sincere, he is the most dangerous man in America.”

King’s political genius was of course in leading his people to a place they couldn’t legislate.  It wouldn’t be over with integrated kindergartens.  It wouldn’t end with voting rights.  Equal pay.  King at his best and most applause-worthy lines speaks of a world above politics, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

When Nixon was photographed with King his fellow republicans thought it would ruin the party.  Shouldn’t he appeal to conservatives in the North and South?  Nixon rejected this idea.  If you want to see race divide the party: become a Democrat.

After the original--but weak by today’s standards--Civil Rights Bill passed, Nixon got a letter from Jackie Robinson: “I and many others will never forget the fight you made and what you stand for.”

King wrote, “I will long remember the rich fellowship which we shared together and the fruitful discussion that we had.”

But King didn’t come close to giving up there, “History has demonstrated that inadequate legislation supported by mass action can accomplish more than adequate legislation which remains unenforced for the lack of a determined mass movement.” King reminded Nixon that he still wanted an audience with the President.

Nixon replied, “My only regret is that I have been unable to do more than I have.  Progress is understandably slow in this field, but we are least can be sure that we are moving steadily and surely ahead.”  Although they didn’t agree on everything, Nixon and King agreed on a vision of a stronger America.

A year later MLK met with Eisenhower.  Segregation was crumbling, but desegregation not enforced.  The meeting solved nothing.  A stronger civil rights bill needed to pass.

THE PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL  

By 1960 the equally charismatic John F. Kennedy Jr. was up against Nixon for the Presidency.  Southerners didn’t trust Kennedy.  The evangelist Billy Graham had just returned from a convention in Rio with MLK and heard that King might support JFK.  “King was greatly impressed and just about sold.  I think if you could invite him for a brief conference it might swing him.”

This is where influence gets involved.  

MLK was arrested for violating probabation (What? Yes.  He’d gotten a ticket for “driving without a license.”)  King was arrested in chains in the back of a paddy wagon. With a police dog. Coretta Scott King appealed to both Nixon and the Kennedys.  Coretta was worried he might be killed or disappear in Georgia like other demonstrators had.

At the time, both Nixon and Kennedy had a lot to lose in the southern vote.  Among black voters they were equally split.  MLK leaned toward JFK, Jackie Robinson toward Nixon.

But the Kennedys went into high gear.  JFK telephoned Coretta.  JFK’s brother Robert telephoned the governor of Georgia, which freed MLK.

Nixon?  Uhm… there are rumors that he tried.  But “some hang-up occurred someplace.”  Still the Vice President, Nixon had more clout in the White House on the matter than the influential Kennedy and his brother.  But Nixon wanted to avoid using the matter for political “Grandstanding.”

Soon after the Kennedys printed up 2 million pamphlets entitled “‘No Comment’ Nixon Versus a Candidate with a Heart, Senator Kennedy.”

This is where we lose the young idealist Nixon.

Now for the really weird part: with the election all but over the California born Nixon went home to vote on election day.  When he suggested that he and his campaign aides get a drink they reminded Nixon that the bars were closed.  For Election Day.  So they--no joke--took an all day road trip to Tijuana.  Nixon wanted Margaritas and Mexican food.  

Yes, this is the day when a republican who turned his back on black leadership and turned to Mexican labor.  And it cost him the election.

They came back to the States that night to watch Nixon lose to Kennedy.

Years later in combing through the post-mortem of loss, it was discovered that the Justice Department had looked into how to free MLK, but sat on it.  They also found a very rousing statement drafted for Eisenhower in support of MLK, condemning the Georgia incident.

“I always felt that Nixon lost a real opportunity to express...support of something much larger than an individual,” King later said.  “He would call me frequently about things, getting, seeking my advice.  And yet, when this moment came it was like he had never heard of me, you see.  So this is why I considered him a moral coward.”

Three years later Nixon and MLK bumped into each other at the funeral of John F. Kennedy.  Nixon and JFK started in the Senate the same year.  They’d been opponents, yes, but also friends and colleagues.  There’s no record of King and Nixon speaking in the intervening years.

The vice president who brought us into an era of Civil Rights turned out to be Lyndon Johnson.  Who took over for Kennedy.  This is roughly where the movie “Selma” begins. In 1965 after King’s 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act that both Nixon and King wanted.  Over the dead body of their mutual friend JFK.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Nixon ran again for President in 1968.  For a while he looked like he would oppose Johnson. But then, four days after Johnson stepped out of the race, Martin Luther King was shot and killed.

Street demonstrations and violence followed.  Nixon, a viable candidate wondered if he should go to the funeral of his old friend King.  He worried that this close to election time it might seem like “Grandstanding.”  A friend reminded him that he had used that word in 1960 when it cost him the election.

But what should Nixon do?  Make phone calls?  Send flowers?

Instead he suspended his campaign, flew to Atlanta two days early to visit with the King family.  First he went to see Coretta.  And then to see MLK’s parents in Collier Heights, a prosperous Atlanta neighborhood.  There was no press coverage.  He left without taking photos.

But then he returned to Atlanta two days later for the funeral.*  He sat in Ebenezer Baptist Church.  But he didn’t join the three and a half mile march to Morehouse College--where Dr. King first discovered on a summer trip that the world and even his own country could be a better place.  

To join that march, for any candidate--Nixon decided--would have been grandstanding.  

What do we learn from Nixon?  What can our political establishment learn from the bloodshed and actions in recent months?  Can you be conservative about an event and still progressive about the future?  We learned a few things from Nixon and MLK.  We learn quite a bit about time.  Namely:

Listening to opposing factions, is different than joining the march.  There are incidences, there are people and there is government.

Inaction is action.  Deciding not to get involved with King in the White House was Eisenhower’s decision.  Meeting with King was Nixon’s.  Stepping in to King’s arrest in Georgia was a different kind of decision for Nixon than Kennedy

No one should wait for a former friend’s funeral to say or feel sorry.

*I’m debating the asterisk, but the funeral for Martin Luther King Jr will continue to be one of the strangest, but most notable events in history.  Notables alphabetically: Harry Belafonte, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Cosby, Bobby, Jackie and Ted Kennedy, Nelson Rockefeller and George Romney--Mitt’s father.

Suggestions for Further Reading:

If you want too much information on the subject check out Ike and Duck: Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage and the annotated letters to Nixon available in the King Papers Project.

[eternaleve]

I was away in Northumberland so this episode was also delayed. I’ll try to be more diligent in the future, but each of these posts does take a fair few hours of my time. Stupid garbage series.

‘Message to the Emperor’ William Compton dies of the “sweating sickness” at Compton Wynates, his house in Warwickshire. As King Henry VIII receives positive news of his war against Emperor Charles, the sickness spreads like a wildfire. Henry flees the palace and London, and starts having doubts about the future and his ability to rule the country. Both Anne Boleyn and Cardinal Wolsey are stricken with the disease, but recover. Wolsey sends agents to the exiled Pope asking for him to make a favorable decision on Henry’s ‘Great Matter’ but Clement instead sends his legate, Cardinal Campeggio, to make a final decision in England.

Sickness! Everyone is scared and dying! Plague imagery!

Straight Out of Warwickshire

This episode is focusing mainly on the 1528 outbreak of the Sweating Sickness. This is an unusual illness in that it occurred mainly in England from 1485 to 1551 and then vanished. No one is quite sure what it was (although there are researchers who think that it may be an unknown species of hantavirus) but it was pretty serious as sufferers did not gain immunity – you could catch it again and again until you sweated yourself to death. It was not a pleasant illness.

Anyway, William Compton is being punished for the GAY by being the first to catch the disease. In the middle of rural Warwickshire. Even though epicentres for outbreaks for the Sweat were in busy city centres.

Yeah, disease works that way.

The doctor cuts open William Compton’s back in a display of ‘Wow, medicine was so backwards and disgusting five hundred years ago! It was so stupid and people were so stupid because they believed in the theory of the four humours!’. Well, to that I say, you’re stupid actually. Medicine and doctors did not aim to cure sickness in the sixteenth century. That’s a modern perspective. A doctor is there to make a patient feel better – but the ultimate cure is dependant on the will of God. A Tudor doctor will make you feel better and comfortable, but if you’re trying to get him to prepare an actual cure to combat disease, you’re not asking the right guy.

Not surprisingly, seeing as he died in real life, Compton cops it. This random woman is his ‘common-law wife’ Mary Hastings.

That would actually be his second wife, Elizabeth Stonor, who was pregnant at the time of Compton’s death. He had been married before to Werburga Bereton and had three children. I guess they’re cutting out Peter Compton – his son – out of this to avoid pissing off the real Compton family.

William Compton’s family does still exist, by the way. They’re the Marquesses of Northampton, and they still live in the same home used by William Compton.

But Thomas Tallis has come to see what has happened to his lover. He passes by this ALREADY EXISTING MASS GRAVE BECAUSE LOOK IT’S ALREADY FULL OF SKELETONS –

And William’s body has just been thrown into a quick grave. Even though it wasn’t, and he was buried in the chapel. Which you can still go see.

Our romantic subplot never went anywhere yet the audience needs some kind of emotion…

ROCKE ANYDE ROLLE

Thomas is sad for about ten seconds while he writes a sad song for this lost beloved. Then he sleeps with one of the Fucking Sisters.

So much for the gay agenda, I suppose.

But she dies, so I guess that this epidemic is purely spread by Thomas Tallis sleeping with people. Either way, this whole subplot was meant to have some sort of emotional resonance but it merely annoys me for being needlessly designed to promote controversy and ‘naughtiness’.

I’m Henry VIII and I’m Mortally Terrified of Death

Henry doesn’t take news of this epidemic very well. That’s very much based on real life, as the real Henners was terrified of disease and illness. His brother had died young, and with Henry having no real male heirs, there was a high chance that the Tudor dynasty would come to a complete end or would result in another highly devastating English civil war.

A lot of Henry’s actions make much more sense when you realise he was on a constant knife edge of fear pretty much all the time.

Do you guys wanna buy some drugs?

Henry did really create and mix his own herbal remedies for conditions and to ward off illness. I have no idea whether they were effective or not (I’m saying probably not) but he didn’t die of the Sweat, so kudos.

Henry and Anne decide to frolic in the countryside with the new French ambassador, only to come back to London to find a rampaging zombie mob of sick people. Henry leaves Anne to the mob (what a guy) to make her own way home, orders Katherine to travel to Wales, and that he will stay in Whitehall by himself for… reasons.

In actuality, Henry left London. Like he did every summer, because he wasn’t stupid and knew that disease spreads in city centres and that it was most prevalent in the summer months. He may not have known about viruses and bacterium but IRL Henry knew enough to realise that staying in London in the middle of a really serious disease outbreak is just the worst thing you could do.

The pain on Maria Doyle Kennedy’s face as Henry says he still loves her enough to save her and offers her a kiss is both beautiful and heart-breaking. Stop searching for emotional moments with ridiculous subplots, writers. This should be the emotional heart of the show.

Anne’s maid, however, catches and dies of the Sweat within a day and Anne catches the disease while nursing her. It’s said that’s how she actually got the Sweat, and it would make sense. The modern world’s view of the employer/servant dynamic is very much shaped by the Victorian ideals, with master being far, far, far above the lowly servant. It was different in the sixteenth century, with the boundaries being far more blurred and not as distant. Your servant was a reflection and part of you, in a way, and not subject to the whole ‘must be invisible and never seen around the house’. Servants were an integral part of the household, and in a society that did not hold individualisation as the philosophical ideal, it was pretty likely you’d be close with your personal servants. Most would even sleep in the same room as you, on a trunkle bed from beneath your own. They would be there to serve you and your body for nearly all of the day, and so, it makes sense why Anne should care so much for someone who should matter not at all to her personally.

There’s a lot of changes to our society that the Enlightenment made and we presume that they apply to all of history. How we treat those in service is one.

Henry sits down and eats a whole plate of salmon to himself, because he’s a big fat pig who can’t control himself. Or some other such clever observation. But it turns out that being on your own in a palace full of sick people is scary…

If… only I’d had time… to be more evil…

Even Cardinal Wolsey is sick so Henry must escape!

Are you in Northumberland? How the fuck did you get there?

Oh my god, I’m an orc!

Henry freaks out because he’s convinced he’s going to die, but he’s fine.

Anne gets better (although her brother-in-law, Mary’s husband, died in the outbreak, as well as countless others, including the wife and daughters of Thomas Cromwell), so it’s all fine.

Squishy, reunited true love.

This Isn’t a Great Matter, It’s Merely an Okay One

Despite all of this, Henry’s quest for an annulment continues on. England and France are now allied against the Emperor, all that war stuff behind them.

Henry’s annoyed that the Emperor hasn’t impregnated his underage daughter, but Wolsey is sending lawyers to the Pope that will smooth all this matter over shortly. After all, why should the Pope, a virtual prisoner to the Emperor, support the Emperor?

I have no idea.

Wolsey is a FUGLY BIATCH.

Katherine, meanwhile, has been communicating secretly with the Emperor and is assured that he won’t let the annulment happen.

In all honesty, the only real reason (in my opinion) why the annulment couldn’t happen is that of the influence of the Emperor Charles. There have been other kings who have received annulments in far worse circumstances – for instance, Louis XII of France annulled his marriage to his wife Joan in far seamier circumstances, alleging that her body was deformed and it was impossible to have sex with her. The timing of Henry’s annulment just sucked. If only he’d tried earlier, I’m fairly sure that the Pope would have granted it.

The Pope (Clement VII, to be clear, as his name is never actually said in show thus far) is not particularly warm to Henry’s case. He doesn’t think that Henry’s drive to marry Anne is a particularly good reason – and he’s not exactly in a position to piss off the Holy Roman Emperor. So he’s sending a Cardinal to hold a court with Wolsey to decide on the marriage.

I kind of low-key love Cardinal Campeggio. He is the definition of ‘over it’. He doesn’t want to go to England, he doesn’t want to be involved, he wants none of it. It’s going to go well, you can tell.

You Simply Must – Oh Holy God, Thomas

Thomas More gets pretty creepy in this episode. Firstly, he starts to act like an apocalypse cult leader towards his family when the Sweat is rampaging around London.

He then starts talking about the real disease that’s killing people. Do you know what the real disease is, family? Protestantism.

Thomas, people are dying.

  Thomas is against violence, but the only way to cure a disease is to kill all those with criticisms of the Catholic Church by burning them alive.

Thomas, you’ve got some issues.

Walk, Walk, Passion, Baby, Work It, Move that Bitch Crazy

Ugh.

That’s Da Vinci’s La Belle Ferronière. It’s from the 1490s. I am fed up of these shitty cheap pseduo-medieval gowns that have nothing to do with the 1520s but look like continental gowns from thirty years before. It shouldn’t be difficult to get it right! It would surely take more effort to get these specifically continental designs of medieval outfit than just asking for Tudor gowns from costumiers!

This! This is what your ladies need to be wearing! There’s such a huge difference and it makes me very angry and frustrated. The shapes, styles, fabrics, weights, and flow of fabric are so completely different!

And the characters don’t wear enough jewellery. There should be more jewellery.

Is that… is that an over-gown with padded shoulders? In the heraldic Tudor colours? I’m shocked. It’s almost great, apart from the long trousers.

Thomas More wants to burn people alive because you’re all dressed so badly.

This is actually Thomas More with his family. Who are dressed correctly and not in a cheap approximation of ‘YE OLDE ENGLANDE’.

An eighteenth century shawl on a cheap Primark medieval wench dress. Poor.

Okay, for a start, this lady is wearing a corset on the outside. Uh uh. But you know what I want to wear when I’m someone who spends my time cleaning and picking up after people? Flimsy, transparent, white sleeves that will instantly get dirty, damaged, and ruined when I do the slightest amount of work.

YAS Thomas Boleyn, YAS. Good outfit! And something halfway decent for Anne, for once.

No one cares about your cleavage, Henners, And don’t wear your leather jacket to the table.

Monogrammed royal boxer shorts. Uh, nope. Put on a nightshirt, love, no one wants to see that.

And that’s the end of the sweating sickness. Do you feel good that you survived? Come back next time for more bad history, questionable writing, and terrible clothes.

Unpicking the Tudors; S1 E7 I was away in Northumberland so this episode was also delayed. I'll try to be more diligent in the future, but each of these posts does take a fair few hours of my time.

[templardragonknight]

The Stormcloak Bible DEBUNKED PART 5 (Is Ulfric Racist? Plus Bonus Edition on Trade)

Ah shit, here we go again.

As if all the previous nonsense in his posts was not enough, in the fifth part of this “bible” (http://colonel-killa-bee.tumblr.com/post/69420668506/stormcloak-bible-part-5-final-is-ulfric-racist) the author tries to prove that Ulfric is not racist using some of the same superficial arguments that Stormcloak supporters like him always bring to the table. But before I go any further, I just want to make something clear: I think that the racism card is by far the worst and most ridiculous argument to criticize the Stormcloaks with and the fact many people only join the Empire only thanks to this makes me frustrated to say the least. “So you are racist as well?” No, I’m not. I think that the way Ulfric treats the dunmer and the argonians in Windhelm is frustrating to say the least and I would never support anything like that, but over time I realized that it is not a good argument when talking about the civil war itself. Think about it: Ulfric started the Civil war under a false premise, as he thought that it was the Emperor that ordered his arrest when it was only Jarl Hrolfdir that gave the order (as jarls are largely independent from the High King and do not answer to the emperor directly unlike the High King), and as the war progressed Ulfric ended up tearing Skyrim apart, weakening it in the process with countless able bodied sons and daughters of Skyrim killing each other each day (thus decreasing the amount of nords that could be used to fight the Dominion in the next Great War), attracting the attention of the Thalmor (as Alvor reveals the nords berely paid attention to the ban of Talos worship in one of his possible dialogues: “It’s from that treaty that ended the Great War, remember, when the Emperor was forced by the Thalmor to outlaw Talos worship. We didn’t pay much attention to it when I was a boy - everyone still had their little shrine to Talos. But then Ulfric and his ‘Sons of Skyrim’ started agitating about it, and sure enough the Emperor had to crack down. Dragging people off in the middle of the night… one of the main causes of this war, if you ask me.“) and all of this to the point of the Thalmor secretly using this war as means to keep Skyrim weakened (since it could be a great ally of Cyrodiil in the next Great War) to the point of it considering to help one side if it ends up being necessary to keep the war on... and among all of this mess your main reason is the racial segregation in Windhelm? I am sorry to tell you this but you may be just giving strength to the Stormcloaks.

Alright, with that said, lets get to The Stormcloak Guy’s post: first he tries to prove that the he is not racist by pointing a meaning of racism (the belief that a certain race is superior or inferior due to certain characteristics). Funny how he did not show any source for his claims there, because he only showed a single meaning of the word. In other words: he cherry picked what was convenient to him and threw away what would contradict him. According to Marriam-Webster (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism) one of the meanings of “racism” is simply “racial prejudice or discrimination”. Something similar is stated by Dictyonary.com (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism) and the Cambridge Dictionary (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/racism), so the Stormcloaks in Windhelm (again: in Windhelm) are racist if they mistreat individuals thanks to their race, they are just not as racist as actual racial supremacists, like the Thalmor. The Stormcloaks are segregationists, not supremacists, but still racist nonetheless.

 Then he says that everyone in Tamriel is technically racist because “ they believe certain races are good at certain things, and discriminate against them because of it.” Is this true? Well yes, but actually no. It is not true from the point that everyone in Tamriel knows what each race is known for, in other words what most individuals from that race are known to be, but not everyone in Tamriel thinks every single member of a certain race will be like the majority of that race. Now lets take a look at his list of points that are used by people who say Ulfric is racist.

He says that Ulfric does not have any hatred towards the khajiit by saying that the caravans are not allowed into the walls of any city (what is actually true) and by mentioning the khajiit encountered in Riften. Well, it seems he forgot what one can clearely hear while talking to Brunwulf Free-Winter (“Whenever a group of marauders attack a Nord village, Ulfric is the first to sound the horn and send the men. But a group of Dark Elf refugees gets ambushed? A group of Argonians, or a Khajiit caravan? No troops. No investigation. Nothing. There's a group of cutthroats out there right now that Ulfric doesn't lift a finger to bring to justice, as long as they don't threaten Nord land.”), once again trowing away what is not convenient for him. Also he seems to ironically lack knowledge of the nord tradition regarding how jarls rule, as there is a loading screen that reveals that the jarls are largely independent from the High King (which is why each hold tracks it’s bounties separately). This means that even if Ulfric was the High King (which he isn’t, at least not yet) he would not have full control over the other holds, just more influence than the other jarls. In other words what happens in Riften does not help with anything here, as Ulfric has only full control over Eastmarch.

 Now about the quote “Skyrim belongs to the nords”, the author caims that this is a dialogue for almost every nord in the game (what is indeed true), but did not even talk about racial segregation among the stormcloaks in this part of the post. I will talk about it in a while.

 The author goes on to try to debunk the claim that the Stormcloaks hate all elves. While this is factually false as not all of those who call themselves Stormcloaks hate all elves (Laila Law-Giver’s court, for example), some of the arguments Colonel-KillaBee used were, to say the least, pathetic. Like when he says “Firstly, there is a difference between racism and prejudice” as if racism by itself was not a form of prejudice, as we can see here http://www.dictionary.com/browse/prejudice and here https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/prejudice. Prejudice is about preconceived positions, forming opinions beforehand, without enough knowledge and evidence. This is exactly what racism is about, as it is based on the preconceived assumption that someone is despisable or harmful thanks to the individual’s race). He then says “If the Stormcloaks truly hated all elves, why are there not one, not two, not three, but four Altmer npcs in the city who are not only not in the grey quarters, but are merchants?”, showing that he does not realize that these Altmer live on parts of the city that are majorly populated by nords, which means Ulfric probably does not even know they exist. He mentions one of the altmer claming the dunmer for not having what it takes to conquer the nords’ respect. This elf is Niranye and using her as an argument for this is foolish because what she actually says is  "It was difficult at first. The Nords of this city are, at best, suspicious of outsiders. But in time, I made the right friends and proved myself useful enough that they don't give me trouble anymore. The dark elves are too proud and naive to understand the way things truly are, and so they continue to dwell in that slum." notice she said that she got the right friends, which means she was lucky. As if all that was not enough, it is revealed in one of the Thieves Guild’s side quests, more specifically the Summerset Shadows quest, that Niranye worked for the Thieves Guild before she became a merchant, so a good part of what she got may not have been trough honest means.

Oh, and that dunmer that owns a farm, Belyn Hlaalu, lives like any other dunmer in Windhelm: in the falling apart slum that is the Gray Quarter, an part of the City that is not populated by nords and that Ulfric treats like trash... and there is no evidence that the Stormcloaks know about his farm, since dialogues suggest they do not know about Faryl Atheron, another dunmer resident of the Gray Quarter, working for Bolfrida Brandy-Mug, a nord woman. You see, while working there we can hear some interesting comments about his situation, such as "Of course working for Bolfrida isn't my first choice. But what else can a Dunmer do out here?", or even "Bolfrida is certainly grating, but she pays well. Thankfully nobody from the city can see me out here." At this point we can see that Faryl is a very tough and hard working individual, but where does Faryl live? You guessed it: in the Gray Quarter (sources: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Faryl_Atheron https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Faryl_Atheron). Another evidence pointing towards the Stormcloaks not knowing about Belyn’s farm is the fact that Belyn's employee, a nord farmer called Adilsa, actually LIVES in the farm while the actual owner lives in the Gray Quarter (sources: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Belyn_Hlaalu https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Belyn_Hlaalu). Such a thing would not happen in Belyn was not trying to hide the fact that he owns a farm. Would Faryl and Belyn do what they do if the Stormcloaks of Windhelm were okay with dunmer owning farms or working for nords? The fact that these dunmer were refugees that lost everything thanks to the eruption of the Red Mountain must not be forgotten either, because naturally there would not be much they could do on these conditions.

 Next he tries to prove that Ulfric is not racist towards the dunmer by citating the Decree of Monument (https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Decree_of_Monument http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Decree_of_Monument), but he clearely failed to consider a specific aspect: it says “no compensation TO Skyrim…” It is funny how he conveniently ignored  what came right after it. Lets take a closer look: “with no compensation to Skyrim or the Empire except as writ in the Armistice of old wheresoever those might still apply”.  In case you do not know what the Armstice was, here it is https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Armistice. It gave Morrowind more independence than the other provinces ruled by Tiber Septim, but the Empire was still allowed to send troops to the province and protect it (remember how the dunmer became angry at the Empire for taking their forces from Morrowind to help defend Cyrodiil during the Oblivion Crisis?), so If Ulfric does not aid the Gray Quarter it is because Ulfric does not want to.

 He tries to justify Ulfric’s segregation againt the argonians by saying that it is known the argonians may get suddently overtaken by the Hist, but the question is: did Ulfric have this in mind? The answer is “we don’t know”, so this is not a good argument. The Stormcloak guy then claims Ulfric is doing it for the safety of nords, dunmer and argonians because these races are known to not get along well... sure: he left them to freeze in the docks, with barely having a roof to confort them and barely having what to eat, for their own safety. Logic is overrated, am I right? “Then what about how Brunwulf states that it is also for their own safety” there is a great difference between a ruler banishing a certain group because he is prejudiced towards the group and a ruler who chooses to keep such group separated because the folk in his lands  show bigotry (and maybe even violence) towards such group. Comparing Ulfric with Brunwulf in this aspect is a false analogy.

 The best part of this? If the return of the argonians to Windhelm would put them in danger, it would show how innefective Windhelm’s governemnt and defences are. Of course, that could be explained by how the war has basically been draining Windhelm’s resources, as it is revealed by Brunwulf himself if he becomes the jarl, but that would only show how ULFRIC’S government was innefective, because the Civil War was Ulfric’s fault in the first place.

 Well, about the trade issue: Ulfric would obviously not trade directly with Cyrodiil because he sees them as enemies. Trading with the East Empire Company is no good argument either, as they have business in pretty much all of the provinces of Tamriel, even in the Aldmeri Dominion. And it is funny how he says that “ both are dependent on resources from eachother, and both need to rebuild, especially the Empire.” yeah sure Colonel-Killa-Bee, especially the Empire. Lets just ignore how Tullius reveals that Cyrodiil is managing to keep the Dominion’s army at bay simply by gathering most of the Imperial Legion in the southern border with the Aldmeri Dominion, all while a Stormcloak Skyrim would have just been torn apart by Ulfric’s civil war, weakened and partially devastated, without any chances of receiving any resources from Cyrodiil, unlike an empire supporting Skyrim as Sybille Stentor’s dialogue reveals.

[ciathyzareposts]

Star Control II: Summary and Rating

For the box art, the developers seem to be paying homage to L. Ron Hubbard.

           Star Control II: The Ur-Quan Masters

United States

Toys for Bob (developer); Accolade (publisher)

Released in 1992 for DOS, 1994 for the 3DO console; later fan ports to other platforms

Date Started: 23 March 2019

Date Finished: 14 May 2019

Total Hours: 47 Difficulty: Moderate (3/5) Final Rating: (to come later) Ranking at time of posting: (to come later)

       Summary:

Star Control II takes the ship-by-ship action combat of the original Star Control and places it solidly within an adventure game of epic proportions. In a galaxy of more than 500 stars and 3,000 planets, a captain must build alliances, find artifacts, mine minerals, and coerce information from alien races so that he can ultimately throw off the yoke of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy and free Earth and its allies from slavery. Gameplay comes with a lot of lore and plot-twists, but every so often it reveals its origins and requires the player to defeat enemy ships with selects from his own armada, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities. Although the sense of an open world and a nonlinear plot both end up being somewhat illusory, the game is still fun and memorable.

****

         In the comments for my winning entry, several readers have offered descriptions and text that occurs when you try some of the game’s alternate strategies, such as surrendering to the Ur-Quan, provoking the Orz, or selling your own crewmembers to the Druuge. Most of them are either dead-ends or offer such harsh consequences that you’d best not do them in the first place.

One thing I was curious to check out is what happens if you wait out the game’s time limit. The Melnorme originally told me that the Earth would be destroyed in January or February of 2159, but my actions in the game managed to delay the apocalypse by almost two years. As I sat in hyperspace and watched, nothing much happened until November 2159, when the Supox and Utwig returned to their original systems, much diminished. 

           No one remains but the Ur-Quan.

          Around the end of 2159, the Kor-Ah won the civil war and started to circle the galaxy, destroying each sentient race in turn. Some of their ships reached Earth in April, but they weren’t here to destroy Earth just yet. I fought a few dreadnoughts and the horde moved on. The Arilou, Umgah, and Zoq-Fot-Pik were all gone by June 2160, the Supox and Utwig a month later. By October 2160, the Ur-Quan fleet had reached the “southern” end of the galaxy and destroyed the Yehat. Finally, in November, I received a broadcast from the Ur-Quan notifying me of Earth’s destruction, and the game was over. My ship was parked right next to Earth at the time, and I was hoping I’d see a bunch of dreadnoughts approaching it, but alas, it wasn’t quite that detailed.

              The “bad” ending, unless you’re a big Ur-Quan fan.

           If I hadn’t cheated a bit during the game by reloading when an expedition proved a waste of time, I probably would have run into issues with the time limit. Watching the slow destruction of every race, along with the intelligence that they possessed, would have been mildly horrifying. But apparently you can still win the game at any time during this process, with nothing altered in the endgame sequence.

I confess that the last bit bothers me a little because it’s indicative of the approach taken by the game as a whole. When I started playing Star Control II, it gave the impression of an open-world game with multiple narrative possibilities. But it turns out you have to follow a few paths in a relatively specific order, and most of the choices turn out to be illusory. Oh, it certainly does better than the typical RPG of the period, I hasten to add. It was just a bit disappointing to find that open exploration isn’t really rewarded. If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a key location amidst all the planets in the vast galaxy, you probably won’t be able to do anything because you haven’t bought an important piece of information from the Melnorme first.

I have similarly mixed feelings about the game’s approach to the alien races and racial characterizations. On the one hand, I enjoyed the variety. When you’re making a game (as opposed to shooting a film or television show), you have the freedom to make some interesting races without worrying about the CGI budget. I appreciated that there were no “bumpy forehead” aliens except perhaps for the Syreen.

            I could have done with less of this.

          I also don’t fault the game for broad characterizations. It’s a longstanding trope of science fiction and fantasy to paint races with a broad brush: the wise elves, the logical Vulcans, the proud Klingons, the evil orcs, and so forth. You rarely have time to explore the detailed characteristics of an entire culture. It’s perfectly acceptable that Star Control II decided to highlight one major attribute of each race, such as cowardice, depression, loneliness, and greed. When it did go into more detail, such as in the case of the Ur-Quan and the Syreen, the detail was generally good, and it was rewarding to unlock those stories. I also appreciated the consistency of characterization. The Spathi locking themselves under their own slave shield amused me to no end because it was perfectly in keeping with the Spathi personality–and, in hindsight, 100% foreseeable. 

But I also felt there were too many moments of outright goofiness and parody among the racial interactions. The Orz, the Pkunk, the VUX, the Umgah, and the Utwig mostly just exhausted my patience. I couldn’t help but think how the same races with similar characteristics might be handled with less silliness. We don’t have to look very far to find an example. Starflight and Starflight II had some of the same broad racial characterizations, but rarely crossed the line into outright slapstick. I felt the stories and plot twists of those games were much better, too.

Nonetheless, I understand why Star Control II is regarded as the better game: it’s all about the combat. I wasn’t any good at it, but I can see why people like it. Until I played it, I wouldn’t have thought that a single choice–what ship to pilot–could have so many tactical implications. There are 14 ships that can join the New Alliance and 13 potential enemy ships, resulting in 182 potential battle combinations, and each has completely different tactical considerations. (With the Super Melee application, you can fight any of the ships against any of the others, for 625 possible combinations.) Slowly mastering the strengths of your ships and learning the weaknesses of the enemy ships is a huge and rewarding part of gameplay. Later in the game, when you have to fight multiple ships in a row, there are strategic implications for what ships you send into combat first and which you reserve for later in the battle.

             The typical outcome of my combats.

           Still, the nature of combat, plus the lack of “character development,” really makes this a non-RPG, which means it might not do so well on the GIMLET as an RPG. I played it as an exception. I don’t want to hear any future comments along the lines of, “Well, you played Star Control II, so to be consistent, you should also play This Game.” The point of exceptions is that I don’t have to be consistent with them.

As to the GIMLET:

1. Game World. Star Control II manages to check most of the boxes in this category. It has a rich, detailed backstory, an open world, a clear place for the character and his quest, and an evolving game state that responds to the player’s actions. (I particularly like how the starmap continually updates to show the dispositions of the various races.) The plot and its twists are original and interesting. The only fault I can find is that there isn’t much to see or do in the open universe. I wish the creators had seeded more planets with optional encounters and finds, perhaps replacing the system but which you purchase all your technology upgrades from the Melnorme. Score: 8.

2. Character Creation and Development. Alas, there is none of either except for the ability to name your own captain. Even if you regard the ship as a “character,” it doesn’t get innately better so much as it gains better equipment. Score: 0.

3. NPC Interaction. Another strong point. I’ve given my thoughts about the NPC personalities, but I should add that even goofy personalities are better than we get from the typical RPG of the period, which is no personality (or even NPCs) at all. I wish there had been more honest variety in dialogue options instead of one that’s obvious, two that are stupid, and one that’s evil. The Starflight games did a better job giving the player real “options” when talking to different alien races even though they came in the form of “stances” rather than specific dialogue choices. 

I should also note that most NPCs aren’t individuals but rather representatives of their races who somehow know the previous conversations the player has had with other representatives. But the game otherwise hits most of the criteria for a high score hear, including a plot that advances based on NPC interaction. Score: 7.

             My thoughts exactly.

              4. Encounters and Foes. The game has an original slate of foes (ships) that require you to learn their individual strengths and weaknesses. There are otherwise no real “encounters” in the game that aren’t also NPC dialogues. Score: 6.

5. Magic and Combat. I can’t give a high score here because my scale is about RPG-style combat and the various tactics and strategies that draw from attributes, skills, and the player’s intelligence rather than his dexterity. Still, as I discussed above, the choice of ship and the way you plot long combats create some important tactical and strategic decisions. I just wish combat has always been about ship versus ship. The planets, which show up suddenly as you switch screens, were unwelcome guests. Score: 3.

           The asteroids, on the other hand, I didn’t mind so much.

         6. Equipment. All of the “equipment” in the game is ship-related rather than character-related, and it all applies to the flagship, which a good player arguably does not rely on. I wish there had been opportunities to upgrade the other ships in the fleet. It would have been tough to offer meaningful options with so many of them, but even just generic attack or defense improvements would have been nice. Beyond that, it’s fun to figure out how to best make use of the limited modular space on the flagship, particularly as new options come along regularly. Score: 3.

7. Economy. There are really two economies in the game: the “resource unit” economy that lets you build a fleet and equip your flagship, and the Melnorme “information” economy that depends on bio data and Rainbow World identifications. I found both rewarding enough for about two-thirds of the game. Score: 7.

8. Quests. The game has one main quest with a few options (though, as I mentioned before, a lot of the options are illusory) and side-quests. There’s only one ending. Score: 4.

9. Graphics, Sound, and Inputs. I don’t have many complaints in this category. The graphics are perfectly fine for the scope and nature of the game; the sound effects are fun and evocative throughout; and it’s hard to complain about the interface of a game that supports both joystick and keyboard inputs and lets you customize the keyboard. I had problems in combat despite these advantages, but I don’t think I can blame the game.

I do have one major issue, or several related issues, that fits into this category. The dialogue is delivered one line at a time in a huge font. You can hit the SPACE bar after each bit of dialogue to see a transcription in a smaller font that you can barely read. Either way, if you don’t make your own transcriptions or screen shots (which must have been tough for an era player), the dialogue is lost once you leave the screen. In most cases, you can’t prompt the NPC to speak the same lines again, and there’s no databank in which to retrieve it as there was in Star Control II. Thankfully, I took copious screenshots, but they’re a cumbersome way to review previous dialogue and I think the game should have offered a better system. Score: 6.

             This text is better than nothing, but it’s still not very easy to read.

          10. Gameplay. I give half-credit for non-linearity. The game is more linear than it seems when you start, but you still have a lot of choices about the order of your activities. I also give half-credit for replayability. As I mentioned earlier, many of the “options” seem illusory, and a replaying player might find himself swiftly on familiar paths, but there is at least some variety for a replay. The hourly total is just about right for this content, and while I had difficulty in combat, I still managed to win with an acceptable number of reloads, so I can’t fault the difficulty. Score: 7.

That gives us a final score of 51, surprisingly close to the 53 I gave both Starflight and Starflight II, which had actual characters and character development. But reviewing those games, I’m reminded how awful combat was, and how many issues I had with the interface. I’m thus comfortable with the rating. 

              The ad makes it seem like the game’s enemies are the Umgah.

          There are plenty of players, however, who would consider a 51 an insult. Star Control II still continues to make “best games ever” lists compiled by various publications. In a March 1993 preview in Computer Gaming World, Stanley Trevena liked the game enough to put it on his “top ten list of all time.” “It is not often,” he says, “that such a perfect balance is struck between role-playing, adventure, and action/arcade.” In the November 1993 issue, they gave it “Game of the Year” in the adventure category (or, at least, it tied with Eric the Unready). Dragon gave it 5 out of 5 stars. It’s rare to find an English review out of the 90s, though for some reason European reviews tended to put it lower, in the 70s.

The 3DO version from 1994 has some significant differences from the DOS version. It has an animated, narrated introduction and cut scenes plus voiced dialogue for the conversations. (My understanding is that the open-source Ur-Quan Masters would use some of this voiced dialogue but re-record others.) Some readers encouraged me to play this version specifically because of the voices. I’m not sure I would have liked it better. There’s really just too much dialogue overall. Some of the voices are good: I appreciate the Vaderesque bass of the Ur-Quan, the lispy enthusiasm of the Pik, and the weird Scottish accent the creators gave to the Yehat. For some reason, they decided the Shofixti was a bad English translator of a 1970s Japanese kung-fu movie; the Orz, Spathi, and Utwig are just annoying; and the Umgah is the stuff of nightmares. The Talking Pet is the worst, with some ridiculous southern “Joe Sixpack” accent. I was also disappointed by the Syreen, who sounds like Doris Day rather than . . . well, honestly, I’m not sure what would have done justice to the Syreen. How do you blend a fierce Amazonian and a seductive vixen in a single voice?

Star Control II left a satisfying number of mysteries, such as the fate of the Precursors and why they seemed (to the Slylandro) to be nervously searching for something. We never learned about the Rainbow Worlds or why they (apparently) form an arrow pointing to the “northeast” of the galaxy. We never learned what the Orz did to the Androsynth, what the Orz really are, and how they relate to the Arilou. I was disappointed that we never found out why the Ur-Quan destroyed historical structures of humanity, including some places we weren’t even aware of. I was disappointed to find that most of these questions are unanswered in Star Control 3 (1996), although we do apparently learn that the Precursors genetically modified themselves so they would have the intelligence of cows, thus protecting themselves from a race that periodically harvests the energies of sentient races. I think the creators missed an opportunity by not making the Precursors actual cows. There could have been a Gary Larson tie-in and everything.

           The creepy cover to the game’s sequel.

          The direction of Star Control 3 reveals some of the background drama between developer Toys for Bob (authors Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford) and publisher Accolade. According to Reiche and Ford, Accolade gave the developer such a limited budget that they had to essentially work for free for half a year to create a quality game. Accolade would not increase the budget for the sequel, so the original creators refused to develop it, and the job went to Legend Entertainment instead.

In 2002, authors Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford made the source code available for free, and some fans used it to create The Ur-Quan Masters for Windows, with multiple releases starting in 2005. It has since been ported to multiple additional platforms. The effort also led to the creation of the Ultronomicon, a Star Control II wiki.

The Star Control trademark passed to Infogrames when it purchased Accolade in 1999; Infogrames soon rebranded itself as Atari. When Atari filed for bankruptcy in 2013, its assets were sold. Stardock Corporation managed to acquire the Star Control license and produce Star Control: Origins (2018). Set 26 years before the original Star Control, the game would seem to retcon when Earth first encountered alien life. During development, Stardock claimed to be in contact with Reiche and Ford, and were developing the game along their vision, although they couldn’t technically participate because of their Activation contract. If this relationship was ever friendly and cooperative, it soon became otherwise when Reiche and Ford announced they would be creating Star Control: Ghosts of the Precursors and Stardock started selling the first three Star Control games on Steam. Both parties counter-sued each other for copyright and intellectual property violations, and Steam removed the Star Control titles (including Origins, at least temporarily) after receiving DCMA takedown notices from Reiche and Ford. As far as I can tell, the litigation is still ongoing.

            Combat in Origins has improved graphics but seems to adhere to original principles.

        Toys for Bob still lives as a subsidiary of Activision, and Reiche and Ford still continue to direct the development of its games. I don’t think we’ll see them again, however, as none of their titles are RPGs. (For more on Reiche and Ford, see Jimmy Maher’s excellent coverage of Star Control II from this past December. My favorite part is when Reiche gets fired from TSR for questioning the purchase of a Porsche as an executive’s company car.)

I am often dismissive of calls for remakes, usually considering them to be the products of dull, dilettante gamers who can’t handle any graphics more than 5 years old. But I would like to see, if not a remake, a modern game that has the basic approach of Star Control II (and, for that matter, Starflight)–perhaps even one that realizes it better by offering truly alternate plot paths. We have plenty of games (although, in my opinion, not enough) that allow us to explore open worlds; have any so far allowed us to explore an open universe? Perhaps that’s what we’ll get from Bethesda’s forthcoming Starfield.

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/star-control-ii-summary-and-rating/