#ancient templar legacy

[danieldukeauthor]

Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure

Discover the intriguing tale of "Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure" as Daniel J. Duke, the great-great-grandson of the notorious outlaw, leads readers on a captivating journey through secret diaries, coded maps, and mysterious connections...

Unveiling History’s Enigma: ‘Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure‘ Secret Diaries, Coded Maps, and the Knights of the Golden Circle by Daniel J. Duke Discover the intriguing tale of “Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure” as Daniel J. Duke, the great-great-grandson of the notorious outlaw, leads readers on a captivating journey through secret diaries, coded maps, and the mysterious…

[kultofathena]

Legacy Arms is back in production!

Irish Hand and Half Sword

Roman Gladius Sword

Templar Knight Sword

[warhammergoose]

Every good space marine chapter needs some spiritual guidance, and to keep an eye out for chaos.. keeping the Kregan Bears in line is Reclusiarch Von-galen!

He's from the Indomitus box (9th Edition) and is one of my favourite models, his banner came from the blade guard ancient of that same box, with a tiny bit of modification so he wasn't silly tall!

One of the Kregan Bears most renowned battle brothers, carrying on the legacy of Sigismund for my black templars crusade fleet

Lets go 10th!

[agentgrange]

Shortlist of planned campaign settings I'd love to include in Delta Green Able Archer in no particular order:

Vietnam-Thailand-Cambodia Border (played as GRU-SV8 agents and their Vietnamese allies against the Khmer Rogue and Kuen-Yuin, 1980)

Ipswich / East Sussex (based on the Rendlesham Forest incident, possibly set in 1981 after the real world events of Christmas 1980.)

Mammoth Caves, Kentucky (general southern gothic and hollow earth shenanigans, player favorite.)

Fulda Gap, Germany (takes place during Able Archer 1983 crisis)

Hawizeh Marshes, Iran-Iraq Border (Height of the Iran-Iraq War, expect stargate hopping.)

Anchorage, Alaska (based loosely on the Robert Hansen case, where Agents will hunt the most dangerous game.)

Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan (an inversion of the Kali Ghati scenario where Delta Green agents will conduct an insurgency against GRU SV8.)

Lisbon, Portugal (unlock the secrets of the Knights Templar and their ancient, doomed war against the unnatural.)

Tokyo, Japan (Delta Green agents are forced to team up with Genyosha to investigate the rise of extreme film.)

Panama-Nicaragua Border (following the footsteps of Sub Rosa and the legacy of Delta Greens brutal history.)

Baltic States, USSR-ish (Closing the story with a last conflict between GRU-SV8 and Delta Green during the Baltic Chain protests.)

I can only do 10 of those 11 initial ideas, so I'd need to drop one. Most likely Lisbon or the Baltics campaign. The Portugal one because it can really be set in any era and I feel like it doesn't quite fit the theme of the other campaigns-- though I like it because it's different enough to be a refreshing break from the others like a nice Iberian vacation for your Agents. The one in the Baltics would tie a lot together in the end as a backdrop to a final showdown between old rivals that would be built up over the series, but the scope is big enough to make my head spin. Curious on others thoughts.

Along with these, some would have their own mini-scenarios with their own maps tacked on for oneshot "flashback" sessions to play out information revealed in-characters through some other means like reading an intelligence report or hidden tome. These are meant to be more experimental, for fun, and not meant to be fleshed out to a full campaign. That would include, potentially:

The Sino-Vietnamese border clash of 1979, playing as Kuen-Yien agents

Northern Ireland, playing as the Army of the Third Eye or

Ancient Wales playing as aspirant Knights of the Round Table (like ancient PISCES)

A Hollow Earth section in Agatha for Mammoth Caves

Land-Between-the-Lakes, Kentucky in 1955 responding to the Hopkinsville Goblin case

Kodiak Island as an Anchorage late game expansion

Playing as Knights Templar in medieval Antioch (for Portugal)

Teutonic Knights in medieval Riga (for the Baltics)

US Invasion of Grenada, 1983

Genyosha samurai uprising in Kyushu, 1887

This shits a lot, and it's going to take me a loooong time to cover it so any sourceguide drafts will be mostly outlining these settings assuming I stick with tackling all these overtime. But insight, encouragement, or especially suggestions is from fellow Agents and Handlers who listen to my rambling ass will be my bread and butter throwing this together so please, I encourage anyone to ask questions or give advice!

[barbiegirldream]

who are the main characters of assassins creed? like i know there is a modern day bit but who is the main assassin?

you have just asked my favorite question ever okay every game (mostly) focuses on different characters. i will put it under the cut for you !

The first Assassin's Creed follows Atlaïr a Syrian Assassin who lived during the 12th and 13th century. He was tasked with finding an apple of eden (ancient civilization weapon) but his hubris ended up getting his brothers (other creed members) in trouble. His rival Malik lost an arm and Malik's brother (by blood this time) died. the game follows Altaïr's redemption and the realization that their master set them up and is a templar (the bad guys who want to use the apples of eden to destroy the world)

The next few games follow who is really considered the staple of the franchise an assassin named Ezio Auditore. He was a Florentine nobleman alive during the height of the Italian Renaissance. He has like a lot of games. Lots of fun historical figures in his games.

The next few games will focus on the Kenway Legacy. AC III focuses on Connor Kenway an Indigenous Man who fought in the American Revolution. If you ever hear a "where is charles lee" meme it's about Connor. You learn in the game Connor's father is a british templar named Haytham.

Okay and the next game AC IV is about Connor's grandfather and Haytham's father, Edward Kenway. A Welsh Pirate who kills an assassin, commits identity theft, and ends up becoming an assassin anyways.

In between here there is some shit ass game with this guy named Shay Cormac who was an assassin but thinks they kill to many people so he joins the templars and kills more people. it doesn't make any sense and Shay is my least favorite character ever. But he's like relevant or whatever.

Then from there we get the saddest and wettest of all assassin's, Arno Dorian. A French Nobleman who grows up to watch the French Revolution occur. Shay Cormac killed his dad as a boy and then he grew up with this other family and loved their daughter Elise. And Elise would grow up to be a templar. Arno would get thrown in the bastille with another assassin who would teach him to be an assassin. Arno ends up killing that dude for sucking. and also one of Arno's besties becomes Napoleon. Elise dies at the end and Arno stays sad and pathetic forever :(

Okay then! We have Assassin's Creed Syndicate. This game features two characters you can switch between Evie and Jacob Frye. Twins! Their father was an assassin who died shortly before the start of the game. Living in northern England they are freshly twenty years old and wish to prove themselves so they rush down to London to free the city from Templar Control. There is an assassin there from India Henry Green who was trained by their father as well. The three of them free the city. Evie falls in love with Henry. Jacob realizes he's bisexual. Evie moves to India. Jacob adopts and raises Jack the Ripper. You know how it goes.

Next is Origins which like as it sounds is about the Origins of the creed. Bayek is an Egyptian Medjay (warrior healer) during the Roman occupation of Eygpt. His son is murdered by a cult that will one day become the templars. He and his wife split off to seek revenge. They come together again to form this creed but their relationship tapers off.

Then it’s Odyssey and canon the protagonist is Kassandra but if you hate women you can play as her brother Alexios too. But basically Kassandra is Spartan and her dad goes all crazy and tries to kill Alexios as a baby. Kassandra tries to intervene and they get thrown down a mountain. She loses Alexios and he’s abducted by some crazy cult. Kassandra washes up on an island and is raised to be a mercenary. Later you find your whole family and the choices are up to you. You can kill your father but that closes off the later path of your step brother (his adopted son) accepting you as family. Then you find Alexios and try and bring him home your choices affect this outcome too. And then you find your mother and try and save her. You can have every member of your family or some combination or none. Depends on you 

Then we have Valhalla. You play as Eivor. Again girl or boy. It’s interesting gender dynamics because historically Eivor was biologically female but possessed by the spirit of Odin who is male. Anyways you as a child are attacked by a wolf it’s crazy your parents die. A neighboring tribal leader takes you in. You grow up next to your big brother Sigurd (possessed by Thor). Best part in the later game is when you get to cuck him and sleep with his wife Randvi. Basically you leave Norway for England and establish your home there that’s like it. But the two assassins there who you work with are named Basim and Hytham. Basim is possessed by Loki. 

The next game is going to be Mirage. Taking place 30 years earlier in Baghdad featuring Basim! It’ll be good to finally play an assassin again

[cippicat]

AC Odyssey and AC Valhalla

This is strictly my opinion

Ac Odyssey and Valhalla haven't been very appreciated by the large public because they aren't a real Assassin's creed games.

They revealed us the history of the ISU with a splash of the war between Assassins and Templars.

In AC Odyssey the Assassins, or the hidden ones, aren't even born yet. Yes, there is a conflict between Kassandra and the Order of Ancients but I didn't feel like I was playing an AC game. With the first DLC, "The legacy of the first blade", we have a strong connection with Origins. The DLC, The Fate of Atlantis, revealed us the real purpose of the protagonist that is always linked to the ISU (and to Loki's plan)

In AC Valhalla, the conflict between the hidden ones and the Order is almost on the background because the real purpose of the game, and DLC, is to tell us the history of the norse ISU clan, how they tried to survive the Toba's catastrophe (Spoiler they didn't succeed because the seventh method was incomplete) and, the great conflict between Havi and Loki (two sick bastards).

Let's be honest, AC Mirage also is about the ISU.

Then Ubisoft really fuxked because the choice of the sex of the main characters the most stupid thing to do, especially when it has been revealed that the main characters were females in both games.

[similar2views]

The Game

Assassin's Creed is a groundbreaking video game franchise developed by Ubisoft that has captivated gamers worldwide since its inception in 2007. Set in various historical periods, the series combines action-adventure gameplay with a rich narrative steeped in conspiracy, intrigue, and conflict. Within this expansive universe, players step into the shoes of skilled assassins tasked with unraveling complex plots and shaping the course of history. Let's delve deeper into the captivating world of Assassin's Creed.

The first installment, simply titled "Assassin's Creed," introduced players to the protagonist Desmond Miles, a modern-day bartender who discovers he is a descendant of a long line of Assassins. Using a machine called the Animus, Desmond is able to relive the memories of his ancestors. The game primarily takes place during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land, where players control Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a skilled Assassin tasked with eliminating key targets to thwart the plans of the Templars, the ancient enemies of the Assassins.

With its innovative blend of historical accuracy and fictional storytelling, "Assassin's Creed" received critical acclaim for its engaging gameplay mechanics and immersive open-world environment. The success of the first game paved the way for numerous sequels and spin-offs, each exploring different time periods and locations.

One of the most beloved entries in the series is "Assassin's Creed II," which transports players to Renaissance Italy during the 15th century. Players assume the role of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young nobleman who embarks on a quest for vengeance against those who betrayed his family. As Ezio, players navigate the bustling cities of Florence, Venice, and Rome, engaging in parkour-inspired free-running and engaging in intense combat against rival factions.

"Assassin's Creed II" expanded upon its predecessor with enhanced gameplay mechanics, including a deeper combat system, a variety of side quests, and a compelling storyline filled with political intrigue and personal drama. The game's attention to detail in recreating historical landmarks and events garnered widespread praise from critics and players alike, solidifying its place as a standout title in the series.

Subsequent entries in the franchise continued to push the boundaries of what an open-world action-adventure game could achieve. "Assassin's Creed III" transported players to the American Revolution, allowing them to experience pivotal moments in history through the eyes of Connor Kenway, a Native American Assassin fighting for freedom against the Templars and the British Empire.

"Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag" took players on a swashbuckling adventure set in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. As Edward Kenway, a pirate and privateer, players navigated the high seas, engaged in naval battles, and explored lush tropical islands in search of treasure and glory.

The series continued to evolve with entries such as "Assassin's Creed Unity," which introduced cooperative multiplayer gameplay set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and "Assassin's Creed Origins," which explored the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood in ancient Egypt.

With each new installment, the Assassin's Creed franchise continues to captivate audiences with its blend of historical fiction, engaging gameplay, and intricate storytelling. Whether exploring the streets of Renaissance Italy or sailing the high seas as a pirate, players are immersed in richly detailed worlds filled with adventure and intrigue. As the series continues to expand and innovate, the legacy of Assassin's Creed remains a testament to the enduring power of interactive storytelling in video games.

[didanawisgi]

🌟 Exciting News! Mysteries of the Knights Templar has officially launched on Gaia.com! Join Timothy Hogan, and forensic geologist Scott Wolter as they unravel the enigmatic legacy of the Knights Templar. Dive into ancient wisdom and discover the secrets they safeguard. https://bit.ly/th_knights-templar Subscribe now and enjoy a 7-day free trial on Gaia. See my dedicated Gaia page and watch a free episode here: https://www.gaia.com/timothy

#MysteriesOfTheKnightsTemplar #AncientWisdom #GaiaSeries @gaia

[alexconkleton]

The Many Faces in the Cellar

As we digitise and artifisicse, we dehumanise and desensitise ourselves to the world of life in which we resonate; what it really means, what is contains, what it can really be, what we are in the ether and the resonance of those around us now, before and in the future. We blind ourselves to the universe of existence, in which we exist and can only see through faith, belief and soul. All fades when you move away from them in.

I exist in that direction and move toward.

On a recent visit to Germany, I was in the ancient town Gorlitz and I went into a house built in 1721. A house that should remain anonymous to protect that which reside there and not to sensationalise truth that many can not or will not understand

With 320 years of history, in a town dating back to the Roman via Regia, in a street frequented by Templars and a place with a secret ancient hidden church and secret legacy, this house has stories or life.

The house is very large and spacious. As you enter you first see a coat of arms that symbolises a secret society or cult that may focus on the occult (I'm currently researching this).

We started our tour on the ground floor and then went down to the cellar. This route was preferred because the cellar is the most unusual I've ever seen.

You enter down a flight of stone steps into a rather regular 18th century German stone floor and walled cellar, with rooms leading off a central corridor. Then through an arch at the end the wonder begins down a flight of stone steps into a support free, square chamber on 10m squared or more and a 5m high ceiling.

A single door in and a single door out, down to another similar sized chamber, although in here the floor is earthen and soft. It's challenging to image why these large cellar chambers are built in this way or for what they were used over the 320 years, several wars, the atrocities and a secret society local legacy.

As we left the lower cellar, I was last out, pondering the purpose. As we left the upper chamber I felt a sudden urge that I should be taking images of such an unusual and intriguing place. The urge was unusual because we were considering a purchase of the property and I can remember the basic required for this and wondered when we would ever look back at the image of a basement. However, I stopped, turned and took an image of the entry point to the upper chamber.

We continued the tour to every floor of this incredible and interesting property. The viewing was a success to ignite interest.

As many of you will know I enjoy posting images to Instagram and Twitter and when I'm on holiday i have time to post more, working through my camera line image by image when I have a spare moment.

A few days later and I opened the image from the basement and found one of the greatest images I've ever taken. Genuine, unfiltered, random and real; an unparaleled image of paranormal activity. The like of which I have never seen in comparison.

My experience immediately picked out the interest of three orbs and I zoomed in for a closer look; first at the orb in the center of the image:

I see a face with wide open mouth, hollow eyes and a button nose, with the centre of the orb light in the centre of the skull.

I zoomed in on the second orb to the right and before I centred the image I saw:

A hand, back facing the camera, holding the post.

I centred to the orb and knew then that I have captured a remarkable image:

A clear face, with a deliberate look of intent from a detailed eye. The more I see this image the more I see the powerful manifestation it is:

The detail and intensity of the right side eye and the additional face within the surround of the left eye.

Whilst studying the image I realised that the face an hand are likely and well positioned to be one manifestation:

This realisation in isolation is an indication of a spirit of incredible power, a correlation of visual manifest from one being, clearly observing my presence. Every time I look at this image I feel the presence and my skin crawls, I'm drawn to eye contact and thought attachment.

Every time I view it I move on quicker, as it feels as though it reaches through to me. I see sometimes an inquisitive look, sometimes a deliberate stare and on my last view just now I see the mouth opened wide in a scream with sharp teeth in the upper and lower, squared jaw.

From this I had to study the image in detail and I found image on image to support the immense spiritual activity that exists in that basement.

A close up on the second, smaller orb reveals another face, up turned and mouth agape. The sharpest of the light orb shining from the centre of the head, above wide hollow eye sockets.

Above the foreground wall lamp, a large cranial head with black eyes narrowing into a small grimacing mouth. The centre of the right side eye holds a spark of light.

A screaming face in the edge of where the floor meets the wall:

A concentrated look from the wall with large hollow eyes and a downturned mouth:

A face looking up from the floor, with fleshy features and a small, pursed mouth:

To equal the power of the gate post face I noted the face of a spirit behind the gate. Strands of hair cascade over the left side eye above clear lips and a flash of teeth:

It was later that I realised that light shapes at the base of the gate look like lower legs:

This are proportionately placed to the face above and a midway light like hand; a whole standing spirit:

Wide, lizard like, Demon eyes in the floor from an upside down face:

A face in the gate, with horns, small round ear and an upturned nose:

Above the figure behind the gate is what may be a white mist manifestation:

This may be from the main figure or the sheer power of multiple manifestations of sprit face, at least three faces appear within the mist. Here's three forming, particularly in the lower right corner with a human, demon blending.

There is a wide variety of states of manifestation, some are more subtle, although may also be blends of different spirits, making each viewing of the piece of the image different and enabling the viewing of multiple faces.

This view was clearer of a the side of a skull like face.

This face has a broad smile.

Some are forming from ethereal mists.

This myriad of manifestation across the image are juxtaposed and perhaps all connected to the energy forming the clear demon face, arm and hand with other stronger images like the spirit rising itself from where the floor meets the wall.

This discovery, the incredible spiritual activity and that face haunt me with intrigue to understand and learn more.

[bakumatsu-assassin]

Journal Entry: May 7, 1859

The sea stretches endlessly before me as the ship sails toward the distant shores of Japan. The winds carry the scent of adventure, uncertainty, and duty, blending into a heady mix that fills my senses. My name is Léopold Lafleche, born into a long lineage of Assassins, and now, I find myself on a journey of great significance.

As the son of an esteemed Assassin father from Cherbourg, I was raised with the knowledge that my life's purpose was intertwined with the Brotherhood's legacy. From a young age, I was trained in the art of stealth, combat, and the Creed's philosophy. My father, a stern yet wise mentor, instilled in me the values that had been passed down through generations of our family. But as I embark on this mission to Japan, doubt gnaws at the edges of my resolve.

The Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed between the United States and Japan in 1858, has brought winds of change to the isolated nation. Other Western powers, including the British Templar Order, eagerly seek to establish their foothold in Japan, exploiting the opportunities presented by the open ports and trade. Yet, the Parisian Assassin Council has recognized the threat this poses to Japan's sovereignty and has chosen me to support the Tokugawa Shogunate.

I stand on the deck of the ship, gazing out at the vast expanse of water that separates me from my destination. The horizon seems like an infinite canvas, painted with hope and uncertainty. My heart is torn between duty and introspection. Will I be able to carry out this duty with the same conviction as my ancestors? Will I stand unwavering against the Templars' schemes?

My thoughts drift back to my father's teachings, to the stories he shared about our family's history and the pivotal role Assassins have played in shaping the course of history. It is not just my legacy but the legacy of generations of Assassins that rests upon my shoulders. I feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me, urging me to uphold the Creed with unwavering dedication.

The ship's timbers creak and groan, mirroring the uncertainty I feel within my heart. Each creak is a reminder of the challenges that lie ahead, the trials I will face in a land unknown to me. The ocean's vastness reminds me that this journey is not just physical; it is an odyssey of the mind and soul. I must anchor myself in the Creed, in the teachings of my father and those before him.

The sea breeze caresses my face, and the salty scent fills my lungs. The rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the hull soothes my restless mind.

As the ship sails on, carrying me closer to the ancient land of Japan, I cannot help but feel a mixture of trepidation and excitement. The shores of this enigmatic country beckon, and with every passing day, I grow closer to a destiny that awaits me.

[lothrilzul]

My First Dragon Age world state protags.

Emmie - Neutral Good

Nature of the Beast: Brokered piece

Paragon of her Kind: Defeated Branka, destroyed anvil, Bhelen Rules

Broken Circle: Supported Mages, denied Cullen’s request, Irving died

The Urn of Sacred Ashes: not defiled

Redcliffe: Connor alive, not possessed, Isolde sacrificed herself

Awakening: Keep and Amaranthine both protected, killed Architect, every warden recruited, alive and well

Warden’s keep: Slayed Sophia, allowed Avernus ethical research

Landsmeet: Anora rules

Alma - Chaotic Idiot Good

Sent Feynriel to the Dalish, he left to Tevinter

Defended Ketojan from the Qunari

Didn’t side with Petrice

Isabela left, Alma killed Arishok

Let Varric lie to the Templars about the Starkhaven mages

Keran rejoined Templars

Bartrand lives, Varric didn’t keep idol

Killed dragon at bone pit

Fenris killed his sister

Sided with mages, Sebastian left

Legacy: Sided with Larius, found Malcolm’s will

Tünde - True Neutral

Champion of the Just: Sided with Templars, recruited as full allies

Here lies the Abyss: Wardens rebuilt, Hawke down

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts: Celene Rules, alone

What Pride Had Wrought: Talked Calpernia down, Spared ancient elves, Morrigan drank from the well

Doom Upon all the World: Cassandra became Divine

Judgments: was a merciful judge

Disbanded the Inquisition

Attempt to redeem Solas

Imshael killed with passion

Bull remained loyal, Chargers were saved

Told Cullen not to use lyrium

Leliana steeled

Blackwall redeems himself

Cole returned to the Fade

[weichen-sun]

Istanbul under Utopia and Anti-Utopia : Conflict between urban thematic cultures and multicultural ecologies

Culture is the ideas, concepts, behaviours, customs, habits and representatives of a group (which may be a country, a nation, an enterprise or a family), and all the activities reflected in the group's overall consciousness, developed over a period of time

Utopia: The ideal city for multiculturalism

Anti-Utopia: Cultural expressions of a single urban theme resulting from policy and cultural prescriptions

We need give istanbul a more humanist care from the city level.

Actually, I rally like story of the city, if you want to learn a city, You must read the story behind the city, for example, Istanbul. It has a lot of story, it can be traced back as far as 6,000 years, so it has lived through many dynasties and cultures.

So This has also resulted in cultural diversity and confusion. 

Migrations have shaped Istanbul's demographic structure throughout history, enriched the cultural heritage and created a unique nature. However, individuals and communities who migrated for different reasons represent an unequal spatial distribution throughout Istanbul. This situation causes problems such as social segregation and the weakening of the solidarity culture. Furthermore, the invisibility of different social groups in public spaces limits interaction and living together.

This raises many questions for us, How to maintain a balance for different culture, how to enable all social and cultural group to live together with their unique Identities.

For a large and diverse city like Istanbul, We must be narrators so that each culture can stand alone and not be sidelined.

We have to speak good story for each background of culture in city.

Actually, It is most difficult to maintain a balance between the construction of urban cultural themes and the maintenance of the city in a diverse context.

On the one hand, the construction of a city's thematic culture has shaped the city's unique cultural brand and image, avoiding the 'homogenisation trap' in the process of urbanisation; but on the other hand, the strong involvement in the city's cultural ecosystem through specific policies and cultural planning has led to the homogenisation and linearisation of the city's cultural ecology.

Here are some figures on the cultural diversity of Istanbul：

From Open-AI

We can experience the conflict between social utopia and anti-utopia in different periods from games and books：

《Assassin's Creed: Revelations》

The vast majority of the game's ancient storyline takes place in Constantinople. In Constantinople, at the heart of the whirlwind of time, the Templars are hatching a plot to unleash a new bloodbath on the new capital of the Ottoman Empire. And as he hides the Golden Apple, Aigio Oditore da Fiorentina travels to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, on a quest for the truth, following in the footsteps of Athaire, the famous assassin of Maciaf.

These games are all set in Istanbul

《Europa Universalis IV》

《Crusader Kings II》

Legacy of Rome

16/10/2012

How to play：Unique to the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Emperor will be able to revive the Roman Empire and heal the religious divide by recovering lost territories: uniting the Catholic and Orthodox religions into one.

《The Lost Mystery》

For Pamuk, Istanbul has always been a city full of imperial relics. The city's characteristic 'hue and cry' had already seeped into the young Pamuk's body and soul. With his unique sense of history and his outstanding talent for description, Pamuk revisits the veins of Istanbul and collages the picture of its life. [6]

Finding his creative material in Islamic classics and Sufi fables, [1] Pamuk took Chinese, Indian and Persian fables and made them take place in contemporary Istanbul, piling them all together like a collage, and this is how The Black Book was created

[annalyticall]

4, 6, 7, and/or 40 for the inquisitor ask game? :)

4. How did they feel about being called “the Herald of Andraste”?

Aravena is uneasy about the title at best and hates it at worst. She trained her whole life to become a keeper for her Dalish clan and doesn't want to be remembered as a herald for a god she doesn't believe in. But, being an elf, she also doesn't feel like she can afford to turn down the title, in case it allows her to better her people's standing with the chantry.

6. What is their opinion on the mage/templar war?

Aravena was at the conclave due to the threat the war posed to her clan, but she personally always favored the side of the mages, being one herself. While she wasn't quite as versed on the injustices of the circle or the templar order, she trusted the mages could control their magic just as she could, with or without a circle.

7. Who is your inquisitor’s best friend?

Dorian. While they don't always see eye to eye, they bonded over a shared love of ancient history and a dream of establishing a better legacy for their homeland while keeping an open mind to other cultures.

40. Do they enjoy being the Inquisitor?

Similar to how she feels as Herald, Aravena would have rather not been the head of an imposing, powerful division of the chantry or have to make sacrifices for the good of Thedas, but still accepts the responsibility so she can help the mages and Dalsih elves live better lives under the chantry as best she can. She calls off the Inquisition as soon as she is able to once Leliana is Divine, however.

Inquisitor Ask Game

[aricazorel]

tagged by @noire-pandora & @raflesia65 Thank you!!!

This is the last WIP I'm going to be able to post for Anchor: Ripples. This excerpt comes from the final chapter as the Inquisition hands over Skyhold to Ferelden. Anyssa waits with Rylen for the formalities be concluded, knowing that very soon the next phase of their lives will begin. The doesn't prevent the former Knight-Captain from teasing the historian while they wait.

[the final chapter #80 will be posted this weekend; while I'm done with this story I'm not done with Cullen and Anyssa; I'm working on more stories featuring them and hope to post later in the coming months; thank you for reading!]

Read Ripples from the beginning here on AO3

Read the complete Anchor series here on AO3

~ ~ ~

“What ya writing there, lass?” Rylen asked as he came to stand beside her.

Anyssa glanced up with a shrug. “I’m toying with an introduction to a book…or it may just end up being an essay I publish later about the Inquisition. I’m not sure yet.”

“Care if I have a read?” the former Knight-Captain asked as he motioned to the paper. “It’s boring waiting for them to turn over the fortress to Ferelden…All pomp and circumstance as Cullen would say. Poor bugger’s probably bored out of his mind.”

The historian laughed as she nodded her agreement as she handed him the paper. Today was the last day she would probably ever see Skyhold, the place she had called home for nearly three years. Just like Haven and Earth, it would become a memory. Each place would hold a special place in her heart, but Skyhold would be the most meaningful she thought. It’s where she had truly rediscovered herself and come into her own. Now it would just be a memory…

“Hey, lass?” Rylen called, shaking her from her thoughts. “You just started working on this while they were up there doin’ all that fancy talkin’ and making us wait down here?”

Anyssa shrugged as she glanced up at the ancient fortress that was no longer her home. “Yes, well I suppose I was inspired a bit…”

She added with a grin as she turned back to Cullen’s former second, “Or I’m incredibly bored and see no sense in all this decorum concerning the turning over of a fortress which Ferelden will most likely leave empty.”

“Aye, I agree,” he said as he crossed his arms after handing back the paper. “Just the nobility’s way of sayin’ I told ya so for the Inquisition ending.”

McBride made a face. “It doesn’t matter in the long run. What we did, we did because it was right. Not because it was politically convenient. They can have their ‘told you so’ moment, but in the end, everyone knows it was the Inquisition which ended the chaos and restored order. Not one nation or people but a combined force because they believed. That’s our legacy because we ended it on our terms not theirs.”

Rylen chuckled. “You’ve been listening to Cullen there, lass. That’s almost the exact same speech he gave me and Cassie.”

“Well, it’s true,” she said indignantly.

The former Templar let out a loud laugh as he shrugged, “I agree, lass. It’s true. But you are as the Commander says—adorable when you’re flustered. Reminds me of Cassie a might bit.”

Anyssa let out a growl as she turned her attention back to the paper she’d been writing on.

Rylen tilted his head with a smirk as he said, “And that reminds me of Cullen.”

[ricmlm]

In addition to the terraces with unique views over the city, on the first floor of the palace, the neo-Gothic chapel is the main highlight. This room, marked by the strong colors of the stained glass windows, distinguishes paintings by the Frenchman Paul Baudry on the ceiling and is strongly linked to the legacy left by the Knights Templar in Sintra. Still within the theme of spirituality, on the lower floor of the Biester there is a division that is surprising for being inside such a luxurious building: the Initiatic Chamber. This small corner built entirely of stone and inspired by the shrines of the ancient city of Jerusalem - which inspired modesty - contrasts with the richness of the Templar chapel. Outside, there is a long way to go in the nature of Sintra between greenhouses, lakes, waterfalls, a tea house, a viewpoint and the Gruta da Pena. The beauty of the palace "extends from the inside out", with a natural park that complements the architecture of the place, "in the heart of Sintra's nature". Parque Biester, designed by landscaper François Nogré, is arranged on a slope and has different levels that offer privileged views of the Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira and the city of Sintra, always having the palace as a backdrop. The park also has a wide variety of exotic species: "Camel trees from China and Japan, green and red beeches from Central Europe, Acacias from Australia and North American firs". https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWQcCljCFw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[alethiometry]

thinkin about an alternate take on odyssey’s cult of kosmos storyline that may culminate in a blatant ripoff of valhalla but bear with me here lmao

instead of deimos continually antagonizing you the entire game as you try desperately to convince them that the cult is simply using them, deimos is actively trying to recruit you to fight alongside them. you are both demigods descended from sparta’s greatest hero, two sides of the same coin, etc. etc. as you go around killing cultists you get those cutscenes where each cultist gets to have one final say (just like all the other ac games) and while many joined and profited from the war for selfish reasons, there are enough of those who had lofty ideals that maybe you start to see that the two warring nations are both truly broken beyond repair. people are suffering because of the war, and for every callous profiteer that joined the cult to make a quick buck there’s also someone who joined just to survive, or because if you can’t beat em, join em -- at the least, they could then maybe stand a chance at protecting the people they love, even if it means others will have to pay that price. that’s just the way the world works, right?

and so after the battle of amphipolis and after killing the rest of the cult, you return to the cave of gaia in delphi and find not only deimos but also the ghost of kosmos down there, in front of the pyramid. deimos is still nursing his wounds from where kleon shot him, and the ghost finally unveils herself. both get their villain-y monologues about how it’s all for the greater good, everyone who died along the way was sacrificing themselves for a better world and the world will remember what they did -- but that will only happen if you join them. if you’re there to make sure they mattered. and the pyramid with its weird little artifacts still draws you in like it did that first night you infiltrated their meeting, and you and deimos and the ghost all touch it and you all get teleported via videogame magic or isu technology or whatever the fuck who cares it’s just a stupid scifi game let me live to...

atlantis?

it’s the exact same look and feel as the dlc: humans and gods living in (apparent) harmony, people are happy, families are together, there’s laughter and music and plenty of food and leisure. the buildings are gorgeous, there’s like fountains and gardens and aquariums and other cool shit, and if not for the weird isu tech all over the place you’d almost think it was elysium. but it’s not elysium, because you’re not dead. deimos isn’t dead. and you’ve never felt more at peace. the ghost tells you that this is all perfectly achievable, if only you join them in helping construct this world from the ashes of the old. deimos tells you that they’ve seen this in their dreams; the world was truly like this once, and it could be again.

there’s no war to be fought here; no pain or suffering or loss. deimos sheathes their sword and tells you that they cannot just go back to being family in the real world, not after everything that has happened and all the suffering you both have experienced -- out in the real world, you were both doomed to be nothing more than shattered bones and streaks of gore at the foot of sparta’s sacred mountain. you don’t matter out there, and you never did, and they know you are tired of trying to prove that you do, because they’re tired too. but in here, in this world, you could be together. you could be the siblings you never got the chance to be. this is what they were fighting for all along. they gave their name, and their life, and their innocence and their pain -- all to achieve this. and with your help they can finally stop calling themself deimos and reclaim their old name. or the two of you could find new names. you could be gods. you could slaughter the old gods, the ones whose prophecies doomed you both to die at the foot of mount taygetos (deimos still doesn’t know the cult orchestrated that lmao listen the brainwashing runs deep). you could be anyone you want here.

all of this feels so real. you feel like you could stay here forever.

deimos extends their hand. you reach out to take it. to join them.

and something tumbles out of your pouch.

it’s a little wooden eagle, a child’s toy, battered and all scratched up with most of its defining features worn away. you know it well. you know every contour of it because a little girl gave it to you when you left the island where you and she once lived, to go make a name for yourself in a war that never seemed to end, until suddenly it did. you know this toy eagle because you folded that little girl’s cold, dead, still-bloody fingers around it one terrible night in athens. you were told, later, that the eagle burned with her on the pyre your friends constructed for her. and so the only reason this eagle is here now, the only reason you can run your hands along its outstretched wings and trace the whorls of the woodgrain with your fingertips and feel the slight weight of it in your palm is because none of this is real.

what is real is this: the cult existed, and phoibe died. leonidas died. perikles died. brasidas died. and you cannot live in a world where the very act of dying for the world they didn’t know they were helping to shape is the one thing that becomes the defining feature of their legacies. where their lives become nothing more than some kind of grotesque buttressing to prop up the very people who got them all killed.

there’s some kind of bossfight against deimos, who, despite their appeals to you to join them as a battlefield companion and true siblings after too many years lost between you, still doesn’t hesitate to turn against you as they always have the moment things do not go their way. because that’s the way it is between the two of you: they push, and you push back.

and the more you fight, the more atlantis crumbles. the others don’t seem to notice; they simply sit there and laugh and sip wine and dance and sing as stone after stone falls from the vast turrets and crushes first their companions, then them, into blood and bone and gristle. there’s a gate up on the highest tower of the city, and you know instinctively that without it you’ll be stuck here in this strange dream-limbo, fighting your sibling for eternity as both worlds, dream and real, carry on with or without you. and as you make your way to it (maybe there’s some sweet parkour opportunities here with like falling debris and such) deimos gives chase and as you draw closer to the gate you start to see that it’s not empty at all, but full of people crowing in to take a peek at all the commotion.

there’s sokrates and hippokrates and aristophanes. alkibiades looking uncharacteristically worried, and [insert any npc lieutentants you’ve recruited like roxana or odessa]. xenia is there, and so is anthousa. kyra and/or thaletas, too (depending on the outcome of the mykonos questline). and a gang of plucky little kids, all cheering you on: khloe, the girl with the clay friends; arsenios, the tour-guide-turned-con-artist; ardos and his caretaker. (and i guess nikolaos and stentor if they’re still alive lmao) (maybe pythagoras is allowed too but he’s on thin fucking ice)

and, of course, myrrine. standing at the forefront, shoulder to shoulder with barnabas and herodotos. all three of them -- alongside everyone else you’ve ever allied with, fought beside, or helped out -- everyone who loves you, everyone you’ve ever loved -- they’re beckoning you home. back to the real world, where they matter. where you matter.

where you have always mattered.

you’re so close to taking your mother’s hand, you can feel the warmth of her fingertips -- and then you hear a scream below you.

it’s deimos, and they’re falling. maybe they tripped in their haste to catch you. maybe some of the falling rubble knocked them off-balance. it doesn’t matter. the only thing that matters is that your sibling is falling to their doom. again. and there’s nothing you can do about it.

except this time there definitely is.

so you leap from the ledge with all the strength you have, the roaring in your ears drowning out myrrine’s shouts. you’ve fallen from greater heights, after all, and lived to tell the tale. this is nothing. and this time you’ll catch your sibling, because this is your dream, too. and in your dream, you can do whatever the fuck you want.

you catch deimos, the both of you still falling, the ground rushing up to meet you -- and you both wake in the cave of gaia with a jolt. each of you still have a hand on the pyramid, and you make eye contact. they give you the slightest of nods, as if to say i’m okay. i’m awake.

the ghost is still asleep, head bowed, eyes flitting to and fro behind closed eyelids, both hands still on the pyramid.

you destroy the pyramid with your grandfather’s spear. this wakes the ghost. she’s furious, and tells you that you’ve made a terrible mistake. the cult of kosmos may be extinguished, but the ideals she worked toward are not. (basically this kind of mirrors the whole spiel about the philosopher-king or whatever tf the ghost said at the end of the actual in-game storyline that foreshadowed the order of ancients and eventually the templars)

deimos looks to you and mutters that it’s your choice what to do next. the ghost tries to appeal to them but they’ve run out of fucks to give. they leave.

[kill the ghost] what it says on the label. you get a nice little ac-esque assassination cutscene and it’s actually got some emotional weight to the decision/scene, unlike the game.

[walk away] leave the ghost in the cave. the pyramid is gone, the cult is dead, your sibling is free. the ghost will live the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, knowing that the grandchildren of leonidas have seen her for what she is. knowing that whatever she does next, they’ll be watching closely.

when you leave the cave, you see deimos, pacing as they overlook the view of phokis from mount parnassos. it’s high noon and the sun glints brilliantly off their gilded armor. they glance at the temple of apollo and remark how strange it is to be standing here together, so close to the place where both your fates were sealed with just a few words from a puppet pythia a lifetime ago.

you ask what they’re going to do, now that the cult is gone.

the peace of nicias isn’t going to hold, they tell you. the war will start again soon enough, and when that happens both athens and sparta will be looking for champions to fight for their side.

dialogue choices:

[i’ll see you on the battlefield] you and your sibling part ways. subsequent conquest battles have a chance of spawning a bossfight against deimos who is fighting for the other side -- neither of you can perma-kill the other so you can encounter/fight them over and over again. at the end of the conquest battle, no matter who wins, you can see them walking up and down the battlefield and you can have some silly little sibling banter, which changes depending on who wins/loses the battle

[join me, fight with me] deimos joins your crew just like in the game. unlike the game, you can interact with them at any time while they’re walking up and down your ship and have sibling banter because i just want some decent fucking sibling banter in this game

no matter which option you pick, the first time you return to sparta after finishing this storyline you’ll have the option of entering your old family home and triggering the family dinner cutscene with all the surviving members of your family because goddammit even after all this wishful revisionism i still love that silly little family dinner

anyway in conclusion this is what i want out of odyssey, thanks for coming to my TED talk, don’t forget to smash that like&subscribe the way the eagle bearer definitely smashed brasidas’ fine spartan ass offscreen bc ubisoft were too smoothbrained to give us the romance we deserved