#and ancient war tactics lmao

[professionaljester]

realizing how many books im gonna have to read for the thing im writing

[ichayalovesyou]

Star Trek Captains but it’s their D&D Classes

Captain James T. Kirk: Bard, College of Valor/Swords

Dude’s primary information gathering and self defense tactic is to flirt with the unknown/enemy. He makes really dramatic speeches and is notoriously well read. He’s also got an estranged child which such a stereotypical bard thing to have lmao. Maybe he took a couple levels in Fighter to bolster his Bardic abilities, or maybe Monk because… Kirk-fu.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Wizard, School of Divination

No doubt about it. He’s got that archaeology and ancient history background, tends to Captain based strongly on his intelligence. His adventures tend to be cerebral and mindfucky and occasionally very dry when the writing is meh. His prevailing character motivation is curiousity, which can be said for all Star Trek captains but him especially.

Captain Benjamin Sisko: Cleric, War Domain

Of the Prophets, obviously, he’s got all that Emissary business going on and is seen as a religious figure by the majority of Bajor and the Prophets give him visions, ensured he would be born, and have a plan for him which he reluctantly follows. War domain because I mean… DS9 is a post-war/war drama and Sisko’s character and actions are irrevocably influenced by that fact.

Captain Katherine Janeway: Ranger, Horizon Walker

Her primary goal is to shepherd her crew through extremely alien and difficult territory, what could possibly be more Ranger-y than that? She equips herself and her ship with cobbled together alien technologies completely unknown to the rest of Starfleet and survives dangers equally foreign. Horizon Walkers guard and are influenced by the ley lines of the dimensional barriers they protect, Janeway is no different!

Captain Johnathan Archer: Fighter, Battle Master

The most textbook Fighter energy I have ever witnessed. This guy has so much just-some-guy energy (both affectionate and derogatory) that he makes everyone else incredibly exciting for being even a little different. This dude is the Soldier 76 of Star Trek, he’s trying really hard to be like, curious and progressive but falls back on his militaristic nature a bit too much at times. He’s just trying to hold this gaggle of geniuses and drama queens together and I can’t really fault him for that.

Captain Michael Burnham: Rogue, Inquisitor

Ferocious and curious with a bit of a morally complex volatility that makes her seem alone even when she’s in a crowd. Stereotypical dark/edgy backstory that ties her to a beloved character from the franchise. Principles are precious to her because she learned the cost of forsaking them the hard way. Which also makes her really good at piercing through bullshit even though she’s still working through a looooooot of her own. Love that for her.

Captain Christopher Pike: Paladin, Oath of Devotion

Absolutely overpowering Paladin vibes, he couldn’t possibly be anything else. This guy almost literally functions like a D&D Paladin within the narrative of Star Trek it’s kind of nuts! Even the default tenets of that Paladin oath are really close to Pike’s “service, sacrifice, compassion, and love” mantra! Part healer, charisma caster (aura of courage much??), part kickass combat class. Starfleet’s poster boy, principled lawful good occasionally to a fault.

[quietbluejay]

The Buried Dagger 3

Malcador is peak "hard man doing hard things"

and a significant number of the Imperium's evils can be directly laid at his feet but at least this guy actually feels intelligent oh so rubio somehow saw what malcador has planned for after horus is defeated and that's why ugh Garro pro-Imperium POV so, Malcador killed all the Sisters and now his powers aren't dampened any more It would have been nice if they hadn't been used as mere props for this book...

oh, so, Erebus messed with Rubio on Calth and turned him into a sleeper agent because Chaos told him he would be useful ok! sure! huh, malcs decided to fix his brain rather than kill him Rubio wakes up Malcador: the Sisters were programmed to kill me and you saved my life by killing all of them oh boy, rubio is going to become one of the first Grey Knights :/

mortarion:….i'll worry about that when it's an actual problem also don't worry, typhon! soon the emperor will show up and you'll have a whole galaxy to commit war crimes against!

i. really typhon???? typhon: hey you know how the overlords turn dead people into golems with dark magic? typhon: what about we turn ourselves into golem like creatures typhon: also if you asked it of people they totally would do it oh joy war crimes typhon: i captured this overlord let's experiment on him

...man

it was this far back

I smell emperor shenanigans

imperium warning! imperium warning!

mortarion 🤝 guilliman getting extremely angry and losing all sense of tactics and charging in and getting people killed oh boy the emperor appeared and everyone is Excite

the emperor actually has enough savoir faire to bring food to places???? mortarion is deeply sus

emps had very bad timing oh we get the meeting!

"im from the government, and i'm here to help"

man the emperor is actually being…halfway decent? except for the whole empire thing also "i came here looking for you" was the wronggg thing to say haha Wait, he's a telepath, right? That's one of his powers right? You'd think he'd be better at figuring out that he's making conversational missteps

mortarion: we don't need your glory or your charity emperor: we could do terraforming uwu mortarion: where have you been this whole time?? mortarion is also uninterested in his origins. he's a child of barbarus smh!!!! lmao oh no

well no one came out of this encounter looking like an angel but i am, obviously, more sympathetic to mortarion here and not just because he is blorbo ….and not just because Imperium Bad what kind of ultimatum is that????

wh okay the awful truth about wyntor malcador found a dying eldar in the webway and rescued him and somehow….put his soul in a human body so he could have someone on his level to talk to and confide in???? and he keeps killing himself (wyntor) and malcador keeps bringing him back this sure is a plot im reading all right

also this whole thing is interspersed with wyntor thinking about all the ways he could kill himself like this is a time when i really wish books had warnings

malcador literally made himself a person to use for emotional labour

This is messed up on a new and special level

wh???

wh?????? i cannot believe im saying this but i am so grateful to return to the plague ships in the warp

nice going, mort

mortarion: even i am tainted as someone with chronic illness this attitude makes me feel a bitter well of negative emotions and the fact that they're all gonna get bit in the ass for it does not actually act as consolation mortarion is exposed to chronic illnesss: the grimdark 40k version

Ok I have some missing bits for like...2 posts ago lol

“We will have peace once we’ve finished conquering the galaxy” “A task we started of our own initiative” I think it’s implied they did it to try and get rid of chaos Or at least that was a big reason

The more of the Horus Heresy I read the more I like the alt background for the emperor where he’s not the ancient dude but he’s the last remaining Man of Gold And a warlord from the age of strife so this is all he knows

back at it again mortarion is visiting typhon and yelling at him and uhhh not good

typhon: we're walking the same path im just ahead of you typhon: the whispers in the warp gossip about you

typhon: you will be assimilated mortarion attacks! typhon uses his turn to put down 3 cards and summon shadow daemons

ow and then mortarion realizes the typhon he knew is gone ;-;

unfortunately, nurgle UH OH TYPHON STABBED HIM WITH A KNIFE which a) has extra pain effect b) i think it's an evil knife Mortarion pulls out a pokeball from his belt "Daemon! I choose you!" he orders the daemon he had captive that promised to obey him to kill typhon and then uhhh

i gotta admit i did not expect this to happen daemon: yeah so my oath to nurgle supersedes any promises i made to you. lmao. and mortarion gets a front row seat to typhon's daemon ascension and it's very gross and also uncomfortable and painful

sorrow found me when i was young

sorrow waited sorrow won

yes i am associating Mortarion with The National based off of a one-liner about him having a deep voice, why do you ask

typhus: every step you've taken was planned to lead you here i'm starting to see the connection with the plot on terra because this book is about despair

going back through the godblight stuff rn and ow

i guess i'm going to have to finish the book but honestly im getting the impression there was basically zero way to get out of the situation once the navigators were killed or maybe even before that

time for more flashback

im waking up to ash and dust i wipe my brow and i sweat my rust im breathing in the-

in frustration, a hidden sniper shoots the radio

ngl this whole segment is a huge mood as i am finding a resemblance to various chronic illness-induced incidents

jumpscare

welp i really am wondering how we got from here to mortarion locking necare in his clock in 40k im guessing necare will team rocket blast off again oh hey emperor interrupt

to be continued...

[penelopwgarcia]

sometimes you can just ignore that they choose english as the Basic language for star wars for obvious reasons you can create a whole new universe but you gotta use a know language to tell the story that's obvious but I was watching the bad batch and they said "draconians tactic" and I end up losing it completely cause I can gasp the English as language but greek politian draco from ancient athens being known by citizens of the empire will never not be funny to me lmao

[fandomwarehouse]

The Empire with Clay Feet

I'm an out and proud Nilfgaard hater but Nilfgaard isn't nearly as invulnerable as the games portray. Here's why:

They've gobbled up too much too fast. The Northern Realms are a full third the size of the rest of Nilfgaard and riddled with mountains, swamps, and Northerners rivers. That means there's plenty of terrain that hinders Nilfgaardian legions and tactics. Like the Ancient Romans, they're a well-oiled machine but their advantages are nullified in wilderness. Loads of people just fucked off into the mountains until the Romans left lmao. (Good for them.) The law and order Nilfgaard is infamous for will be difficult to impose across the board when they're stretched that thin in a foreign land of people who hate them.

Logistics. Shit is going to be a nightmare. You have long supply trains winding through swaths of devastated enemy territory full of desperate people. Let's not forget the Red Death. (No, seriously, CDPR. You forgot the fucking Catriona Plague.) This is a disease named after a Nilfgaardian ship that brought it to the Northern Realms. Nothing inspires hate and fear like a plague. People will be suspicious, hostile, and ready to take advantage of weakness. Local support will be grudging, at best. The Nilfgaardians will lack local labor that they don't enslave, which will take more resources from them and deepen animosity and fear. You're very far from home, the land has been devastated, there aren't people to work it, and those that are present want nothing to do with you...for a span of land that's a third of your empire. Good fucking luck, soldier. The population hates and fears them. That means they won't assimilate very successfully. Nilfgaard violated, butchered, and enslaved its way through the Northern Realms three times. They're also viewed as having unleashed a disease of unparalleled virulence onto the North. They don't hide their views on Nordlings as inferior and barbaric. That leaves a mark. People remember. They'll be much more loyal to a local government than outsiders from the country that killed friends and family, took their land, and/or took their kin to be slaves. That persisting local identity, that narrative of freedom, is what ultimately breaks the backs of empires. Economics. The North represents a forever war. You have lots of angry disaffected people. A lot of soldiers turned to banditry or rebellion. Keeping the peace, or at least keeping the trouble outside of Nilfgaard, will cost money. It will keep costing money. It will cost people. It will keep costing people. The Guild didn't like it before Emhyr invaded and they'll like it even less when factions and splinter groups endlessly harry them within their own borders. (This was one of Rome's great weaknesses, too). As long as there's a history of The Struggle, there will always be dissent. That dissent is now internal. It won't just be rustic Nordlings against the legions. It will be partisans attacking Nilfgaardian citizenry. The Third Nilfgaardian War didn't end, it just changed faces. The power of example. Vernon Roche and his partisans were an effective and persistent problem. They were such an effective problem that Nilfgaard actually negotiated with them. Even with Radovid's assassination on the table, for an empire to condescend to make deals with partisans and then hold to those deals speaks of weakness on Nilfgaard's part. Temeria went from being a conquered state to a vassal. The rest of the North will see that. The blueprint is out. Nilfgaard likes to manipulate local rulers to do their bidding. That's going to be a lot harder when local rulers have more options.

Homeland. Resistances and rebellions are inevitable. Small groups of determined individuals, fighting for their homes, can wreak havoc on long stretched out supply lines. Guerillas can strike and disappear. They know the land better and they're ideologically motivated. Nilfgaard's own tactics of decimating villages ensured further hate, fear, alienation, and partisan recruits. It's much harder to infiltrate, co-opt, and/or bribe groups of hard-liners who'd die for their homeland's freedom.

Ethnic chauvinism. Nilfgaard is rigid and hierarchical in its social circles. Its society relies heavily on slavery and expansionism. There's only so much land left to conquer and that land will be harder and harder to hold. To their west is the ocean and to their east is a hugeass desert. If Nilfgaard doesn't expand, it will collapse. Since its legions are preoccupied at its borders, when one frontier collapses then enemy forces can flood in. Nilfgaard lacks any ability to compartmentalize such a catastrophe because those backwards barbarians could hardly manage it, right?

Unclear succession. The final death blow. Any kingdom, big or small, is in danger when there isn't a clear line of succession. Voorhis is the logical heir for the longest time, but then Ciri shows up. Both have a rightful claim to the throne. Ciri's is more immediate. If she accepts the throne, she's still a Northerner elevated above the most well-bred peerage of Nilfgaard. That will create strife. Especially with a much more socially acceptable replacement in the wings that they need not sully with Nordling blood. If Ciri rejects the throne, Emhyr loses face and his position is weakened. This also gives rise to turmoil in Cintra, whose loyalty to their sovereign no longer acts as a counterbalance to memories of the Slaughter.

In conclusion, fuck Nilfgaard and fuck those frilly little ruffs.

[kirnet]

i don't even play valkyria chronicles but i am so intrigued by this mind blind au 👁️ if you can elaborate please do

OK SO some background context that is important: there’s this ancient bloodline called the valkyrur. They’re pretty much all extinct, but some people still have valkyrur blood that activates when they are about to die, “awakening” them and turning them into incredibly powerful beings. They can use war magic, basically. (My shorthand is pretty much ment= valkyria lmao)

Other than that, there are a couple of different classes in the game, each with their own roles, strengths, and weaknesses. The game takes place in pretty much in a pre-ww2 scenario in a fictionalized fantasy Europe. So there’s tanks and guns and all that .

Also note: I actually haven’t read through mb in a verryyyy long time so this is a lot of remembering on my part

Nick: an awakened valkyrur, but also the tank commander of the squad. In the games, the squad commander always is in the tank and is always one of the main focus characters. I think that translates nicely to a command role that he has in the story.

Gray: also a valkyrur, maybe not yet awakened, and a lancer. Lancers are the anti-tank power hitters that carry these massive missiles that look like jousting lances. They kind of just stand there, but they’re extremely tough to kill because of their high armor and hp, which I think works for grays… whatever his power is called I forgot

Glitch: an engineer! They’re a support class with high movement and very low hp, responsible for fixing the tank when it gets damaged, rebuilding any cover that gets destroyed, and resupplying ammo. They could also work as the actual tank engineer who drives the tank, but I’m trying to cover all of my main playable class slots.

Rosy: ok full discretion I cannot fucking remember if rosy was a sniper or not. But there is a sniper class. They’re super useful, with the only downside being that they’re movement is absolute ass. Maybe they could work as a shocktrooper, but I’ll get into that at the end.

K: a scout! Pretty low hp but extremelyyyy high movement. It’s definitely a tactic in the game to just buff up one scout and run them all the way to the mission point without even engaging in the actual planned combat of the round. They’re quick, stealthy, and pretty useful in combat if they can get the jump on an enemy.

Sally: also a sniper, I would presume. Precognition is pretty much just being able to see your enemy coming from far away righ? Lmao. I’m not even sure she’d be a valkyrur bc there’s nothing that really lines up with her power, but I think she’d have a little skill that boosts her accuracy when she discovers an enemy’s sight lines. Again, she’s not moving a ton, which I think she’d appreciate.

Last but not least, stoja: I originally had her as a lancer bc of her constant desire to protect herself of mental would kind of culminate in a need to be able to counter nick’s tank. However how I think she works better as a shocktrooper! They’re pretty middle of the road, not specializing in anything, ok movement, better health. But they have big fucking machine guns and are pretty much designed to run right into a path of bullets to clear out the enemy. If that isn’t stoja then idk what is

[centipeeing]

firstly,your art is very cute,love your style. secondly,i need to know your list of most fucked up asutai and ranwan kinks/aus whatever......

you'r the only one who understand them on galaxy mind level. share your wisdom

uwaaa thank you for liking my art... ive been unconfident in my style lately so that means a lot!!

to be honest... I feel like I'm pretty vanilla when it comes to my own headcanons... despite being "problematic" or watever I think I'm pretty uncreative?!?!

also u kno ranwan and asutai are like the same dynamic the same pairing basically the same people!! its !! this conspiracy!! it drives me mad!!!!!!!

for ranwan I think it goes

baby trapping LMAO I THINK I LIKE THE IDEA OF CWN BABY TRAPPING MO RAN MORE SO THAN MO RAN DOING IT because I think mo ran would straight up just say he is going to pregante cwn's guzzy in the heat of the moment (and then actually shoot his load as deep as possible), while cwn would assume that mo ran has no interest in him as a partner and as a lover beyond physical touch so he would allow mo ran to take what he will until he is discarded and the moment that happens cwn will poke a damn hole in the condom (does sisheng peak have access to ancient chinese condoms) and take as many fertility medicines as possible to make the last lay count... then he would straight up never tell mo ran about it and just have a part of mo ran with him always even when he thinks mo ran wants nothing to do with him also i very specifically like this idea in mob boss txj AU.... did you read that mob boss fic where cwn owes txj 10mil yuan and hes like "if u get pregnant i might forgive your debt" that destroys my mental every time I think about it

age reversal with mo ran being the creepy predator shizun... EVEN IF IT ISNT NSFW FIC if someone writes shizun mo ran RESTRAINING HIMSELF from touching his PURE AND PERFECT DISCIPLE it makes me go sooooooo crazy... mo ran normalizing in cwn the idea of dating your extremely older shizun and it is totally normal to sleep in the same bed as your disciples yeah

did you read Cimmerian?? all of that... all of that is my ideal ranwan please read it. it changed my brain composition and made me crazy... I AM NOT EVEN INTO LIKE idk how to describe what that was... I guess "corruption" I am actually not a fan of corruption type AUs at all but it wasn't the typical type of corruption I JUST LOVE WHEN CWNS LOVE AND HIS NEED FOR LOVE AND AFFECTION AND VALIDATION FROM THE ONE PERSON HE CARES ABOUT OVERRIDES HIS MORALS AND EVERYTHING HE HAS WORKED FOR TO IMPROVE OTHERS LIVES LMAO. That is my favorite part of CWN... THE CWN WHO LOVES TAXIAN-JUN!! He forgives so much of what taxian-jun does because hes a bleeding heart despite being the great beidou immortal whom so many look to for safety and protection and i just became so obsessed with ranwan when he just decides that the one thing he wants in the world won't be taken from him again and he'd rather die with txj than to keep living to protect sisheng peak and the whole cultivation world??????????

SORRY THIS LIST IS KIND OF BORING!! IT ISNT DEGEN OR ULTRA PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IM TRULY A SHAM!!!!!!!!!

Ok for Asutai its kind of harder to think of what is my favorite kink or AU since its all scattered... and there are rarely any good fic that get me going?

I think i just really love shota Taishakuten AU the MOST.. THERE WAS THIS FIC where Asura kidnaps child Taishakuten and raises him on the battlefield instead of letting him live with his family. He teaches him war tactics and gives him love and affection because Asura wants to change the outcome of Taishakutens fate, thinking that taking him away from the poison that is the Deca and his shitty dad/brothers who hate him. but he basically grooms him and taishakuten falls in love with asura and they eventually fuck drunk but taishakuten like k-words himself in the end and the cycle continues because Asura was just using an illusion realm to torture himself for not being able to save taishakuten it hurt me so much

Ok me and my friend have this AU about asutai where Asura is a broke college student who cant pay for his own tuition. Taishakuten is a rich ass guy working for Deca corp or whatever you would call it... and he becomes so obsessed with Asura he offers to pay for his tuition and literally becomes his sugar daddy full time. Taishakuten probably wouldn't be happy with how often Asura has to be away from him and plus the deca dump a shit ton of work on him, also he probably sees Asura making friends at some point and gets insanely jealous of that and cannot allow it AT ALL!!!!!!!!!! So Taishakuten would burn down Asura's campus so there are no in person classes and all classes are moved remote but Asura doesn't have a laptop or a quiet area for it so hes forced to move in with Taishakuten so now Taishakuten has him all for himself. Ok not problematic but when I am feeling down I think about this AU and it brings a smile to my face

Just in general for both of them... I am into the unhealthy levels of jealousy they would have for the other when they see their babygirls interacting with anyone that isn't them. I have BPD so I gotta channel that amount of psychotic energy into mo ran or cwn or taishakuten (asura doesnt have the capacity to be jealous hes too good) because they 100% would try to ruin someones life WHETHER OR NOT IT IS INTENTIONAL just to get the others attention back ON THEM!!!

[shijiujun]

ANOTHER REC from the author who wrote The Wife is First 妻为上! I’ve actually read like six of her novels so far (will do a compilation soon heh) and 绿野千鹤 (the author) is very fond of transmigration, going back in time, reincarnation, revival and everything, and she’s also very fond of historical settings where men can marry men, in varying degrees, and this is one of them!!!! This is a very feel good novel, just like The Wife if First - considered a sweet, not complex novel. 

(And for those asking about reading difficulty levels, this is actually not very complicated, so if y’all wanna read in Chinese, you can actually try this!)

- Part of Min’s ‘Why You Should Read’ Series -

Summary:

At his deathbed in his 20s, emperor Yu Jin Tang tells his male empress Song Xiao to die with him right before he passes away from a severe injury sustained from war. Devastated and also willing to die with him, Song Xiao is about slit his own throat when Jin Ling, Jin Tang’s younger brother who’s next in line for the throne, reads out the imperial decree to have Song Xiao be given a wangye title and assist Jin Lin in his rule, a decree that Jin Tang made before he died, of course not expecting Song Xiao to die with him.

Song Xiao slits his own throat anyway after killing the man who dealt his husband with the fatal blow, and wakes up in 16 year-old Song Xiao’s body in the modern world. He’s in the hospital after an accident, and is entirely confused with this world. He also wonders where Jin Tang is, if he also travelled to this world after his death, but Song Xiao first has to get used to the modern world, to his father, who is the CEO of an entertainment company, unofficial stepmother (who is an actress under the company and had an affair with Song Xiao’s father) and stepsister.

After recovery, Song Xiao gets to school and becomes tablemates with someone who looks exactly like Jin Tang, called Yu Tang, who is the heir to the wealthy Yu family.

Cue Yu Tang and Song Xiao trying to test each other out to see if they really transmigrated to this world and have memories of their past life, navigate their families and find other transmigrated people from that dynasty in their current timeline. Yu Tang and Song Xiao also reaffirm their love for each other after clearing up the misunderstanding that led Yu Jin Tang to go off to war suddenly that year, which inadvertently led to his death after.

Read:

Novel (Online) | Novel (Print) - Not Available | Novel Translations | Manhua 

Characters:

1. 宋箫 Song Xiao - In his past life he was a scholar who first met YJT at a palace feast, and YJT fell in love with him at first sight and was adamant on marrying him as his empress. The previous emperor caught wind of this and wanted to execute Song Xiao, but his grandfather begged the emperor to spare his grandson in exchange for his life. He loves YJT but in his past life was always carrying the burden of the empress title and was never close to YJT in public, and in private, he repeatedly refused to sleep with YJT because he was scared of the pain, but also did not tell YJT that this was the reason for his rejection, leading to YJT thinking that Song Xiao must really hate him/not love him. 

After he commits suicide and transmigrates to the modern world, he’s the 16-year old son of the CEO of a huge entertainment company, and lives with his father, stepmother and stepsister. Before he transmigrated, the current him was diagnosed with autism and he was non-verbal, until his stepmother/stepsister hurt him and led to him being in a coma. He wakes up from the coma having transmigrated after, and is so confused at all the nurses, plus he has all his ancient traditional habits - the way he talks, his hand gestures etc. He was caught calling his stepmother a concubine LMAO in public, and only has two months to get used to the modern world before he’s tossed into school, where he meets YJT again. And as expected he forgets himself frequently and ends up greeting people traditionally like this LOL:

Considered to be a real pretty boy HAHAHAHA as expected, but before he transmigrated he was often the subject of bullying. He ends up rooming with YJT, and they start second-guessing whether each other has transmigrated. It’s hilarious because even before confirming that he is indeed YJT, Song Xiao is so used to things like feeding YJT chicken wings, helping him with his clothes etc. from back in his days as empress, and YJT in modern world is also like used to it and then when they realize their actions they’re like ???? hold on, are you...

Totally doesn’t get Math (like all of us), but luckily he’s so smart and picks up all his academic material quickly. 

2. 虞锦堂/虞堂 Yu Jin Tang/Yu Tang - Went against laws and his father in his past life to marry Song Xiao, and really, really loves him. He always doubts that Song Xiao loves him back, however, because of the way he basically forced Song Xiao to marry him, and did not take in any concubines etc. in the year they spent together before he died. They argued over this, which led to him going to war in anger, and to his eventual death. On his deathbed, out of spite and anger at his impending demise, he asks Song Xiao to die with him, but does not mean it, having already planned Song Xiao’s future for him.

He wakes up in his new body as an 11 year-old named Yu Tang, 5 years before Song Xiao transmigrates despite their deaths being minutes apart. At some point he goes to read historical books and is furious and devastated when he reads that Song Xiao killed himself after he died, and wonders if it’s because Jin Lin didn’t tell Song Xiao about the decree.

He’s been waiting for Song Xiao to turn up, and when he does, Yu Tang finds himself testing Song Xiao to see if he really has his memories or not, and even plots for Song Xiao to room with him because Yu Tang gets pissed at the thought of someone else seeing Song Xiao’s body as he comes out of the bath everyday HAHAHA. 

In this modern world, he no longer has to deal with the burden of country etc., and one of the possible heirs to the Yu fortune and empire, he now only has to deal with greedy relatives and a grandfather who may oppose same-sex relationships, but smart Yu Tang knows what he’s doing and is more than familiar with fighting for the throne in his past life, and now in this life. Because he lost so much in the previous life, he’s now plotting to keep everything, including Song Xiao.

3. 虞锦麟 Yu Jin Lin - YJT’s younger brother, who also transmigrated to the modern world the year Song Xiao does, but in his past life he dies much later than his brother and Song Xiao did out of natural causes. He is reborn as Yu Tang’s baby brother, and this baby has ALL THEM MEMORIES.

4. 独孤暗 Du Gu An - Yu Tang’s current same-age bodyguard, was picked up from the streets by Yu Tang when they were both younger. He was the head of YJT’s secret army in his past life, who transmigrated over.

Other Things I Like in the Novel:

In private, Yu Tang and Song Xiao refer to each other frequently as emperor and empress, but they’re conscious to not say it in public because they know people will wonder if they’re insane hahaha

Yu Tang ran for President of the Student’s Club, won, and then changed all the names of the different committees in school (cleaning committee, disciplinary committee etc.) into historical ministry names like, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Justice etc. hahaha

They acknowledge each other quite early on in the book and it’s so sweet from then on! Technically even though they’re 16 year-olds here in spirit they’re like... they’ve lived another lifetime together, so Yu Tang refers to Song Xiao as his wife and empress, and keeps stealing kisses etc.

The man who killed YJT in his past life was reborn as Yu Tang’s literal dog in the modern world, and a lot of characters transmigrated/were reborn as well, including YJT’s eunuch gonggong, who is actually a high-ranking butler now in the main Yu family branch and who has also been waiting for YJT to turn up in the modern world. When Song Xiao first meets him, his eyes automatically go to the butler’s crotch LMAOOO

YJT’s sister was also reborn as his sister, and because he wasn’t able to protect her in his past life, he’s very thankful that he can do so now

It’s really cute because there’s even an overseas academic exchange part. Outside of school they also try to navigate their relationships with their families, and it’s impressive to see how Song Xiao and Yu Tang deal with their pesky relatives, work etc.

Song Xiao has to defend himself (with the help of Yu Tang) against his stepmother, and another woman that his Dad had another affair with etc., but all these tactics are elementary to him as he recalls how his siblings in his past life were much more merciless and scheming than this towards him LOL

[lavellander]

hello im feeling extra “touch the stove”-y today so. i was looking for any dialogue where solas just straight up lies and (of what i could find online/transcribed, obv) i didnt find anything that was 100% untrue. he’ll completely avoid the question, change the subject, give part of the truth, etc etc etc, but nothing was just Entirely A Lie

what really gets me is that there’s a handful of convos where someone infers something from what solas says, and he will even point out that he didn’t directly say that. like, he tells people how to see through his shit, lmao

here is an embarrassingly long ass list of examples, all sorted by what kind of not-lying he’s doing lol, just bc i am unhinged<3

*note that some of these are cut from longer bits of dialogue or have been split up from one conversation into different categories*

literally just Not Answering The Question lol

Dorian: How much “will” do they have? They’re amorphous constructs of the Fade. Solas: Hmm.

Dorian: Solas, have I offended you? Solas: If you have, why would it concern you?

Dorian: Solas, what is this whole look of yours about? Solas: I’m sorry? Dorian: No, that outfit is sorry. What are you supposed to be, some kind of woodsman? Dorian: Is it a Dalish thing? Don’t you dislike the Dalish? Or is it some kind of statement? Solas: No.

Dorian: Let me get this straight, Solas. Dorian: You’re an apostate – neither Dalish nor city elf – who lived alone in the woods studying spirits. Solas: Is that a problem for you?

Solas: [has a whole tactical moment about the red jennies lmao] Sera: Where d’you get all this, then? Solas: Do you wish to be unnerved by another tale of my explorations of the Fade? Or do you wish to learn something?

Vivienne: You must be pleased with what was revealed at the Temple of Mythal, Solas. Solas: Why should those ruins please me, Enchanter?

changing the subject before he backs himself into a corner

Gatt: I don’t see any tattoos, but you’re carrying a staff. Are you from a Chantry Circle? Solas: No. And I would prefer not to discuss it.

Solas: I find the fall of the dwarven lands confusing. Varric: What’s so confusing about endless darkspawn? Solas: A great deal, although that is a different matter.

giving the truth, but not the whole truth

Blackwall: Skyhold. How did you find it? Solas: I looked. Blackwall: Now you sound like Cole. You looked? Solas: This world is full of wonders for those who seek them.

Blackwall: You spoke of seeing death and destruction. Did you fight in a war? Solas: There are struggles across Thedas at any given time. I doubt you would have heard of it. Blackwall: An elven skirmish? Solas: In a manner of speaking, yes.

Cassandra: Solas, have you always lived alone? Out in the wilderness, as an apostate? Solas: For the most part.

Cassandra: Have you ever encountered templars before? Solas: Only at a distance. I am an apostate, after all. Cassandra: And they never caught you even once? Solas: I am a very careful apostate.

Dorian: We found elves, living ancient elves, at the Temple of Mythal. Does that bother you, Solas? If Inquisitor allied with the Sentinels: Solas: I am pleased we were not forced to kill them, if that’s what you mean.

Iron Bull: You’ve got an odd style, Solas. Your spells are a bit different from the Circle mages or the Vints. Solas: That comes from being self-taught. Solas: I discovered most of my magic on my own, or learned it from my journeys in the Fade.

Vivienne: So, an apostate? Solas: That is correct, Enchanter. I did not train in your Circle.

Solas: You are a man who made a choice... possibly the first of your life. Iron Bull: I’ve always liked fighting. What if I turn savage, like the other Tal-Vashoth? Solas: You have the Inquisition, you have the Inquisitor... and you have me.

from cutscene at beginning Inquisitor: [mentions the anchor closing a rift] Solas: Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake – and it seems I was correct.

from cutscene at beginning Solas: [to a Dalish Inq] You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here? Inquisitor: What do you know of the Dalish? Solas: I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion. Inquisitor: [Crossed paths? dialogue choice] Solas: I mean that I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition.

from “I’d like to know more about you” convo in Haven Inquisitor: What made you start studying the Fade? Solas: I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome.

actually telling the truth but no one picks up on the gravity of it

Solas: [...] I believe the elven gods existed, as did the old gods of Tevinter. But I do not think any of them were gods, unless you expand the definition of the word to the point of absurdity. I appreciate the idea of your Maker, a god that does not need to prove his power. I wish more such gods felt the same. Cassandra: You have seen much sadness in your journeys, Solas. Following the Maker might offer some hope. Solas: I have people, Seeker. The greatest triumphs and tragedies this world has known can all be traced to people.

Cole: No, inside. I don’t hear your hurt as much. Your song is softer, subtler, not silent but still. Solas: How small the pain of one man seems when weighted against the endless depths of memory, of feeling, of existence. That ocean carries everyone. And those of us who learn to see its currents move through life with their fewer ripples.

Cole: You didn’t do it to be right. You did it to save them. Inquisitor: Solas, what is Cole talking about? Solas: A mistake. One of many made by a much younger elf who was certain he knew everything.

Solas: Empires rise and fall. Arlathan was no more “innocent” than your own Tevinter in its time. Solas: Your nostalgia for the ancient elves, however romanticized, is pointless.

Solas: Our people used to be here. Sera: Pfft, you say that everywhere. Solas: It is more true than you want to believe.

Vivienne: You must be pleased, apostate. With the Templars dissolved, your rebels will be most difficult to pacify. Solas: My rebels? Am I an agent for their cause, whispering poison into the Inquisition’s ears? Solas: How comforting. Vivienne: You enjoy seeing yourself as a villain? Solas: No more than any other clever man who wonders what he could do if pushed.

Vivienne: [about the Temple of Mythal] Now you know the elves were once a mighty nation. Solas: I always knew, Enchanter. The Temple of Mythal is just another reminder of what was lost.

(in the Emerald Graves): These forests have changed much since I was last here.

during the Fade!Haven cutscene Solas: It seems you hold the key to our salvation. You had sealed it with a gesture... and right then, I felt the whole world change. Inquisitor: [romance option] “Felt the whole world change?” Solas: A figure of speech. Inquisitor: I’m aware of the metaphor. I’m more interested in felt. Solas: You change... everything.

pointing out that people assume he means things he did not directly say

Cole: There is pain though, still within you. Solas: And I never said there was not.

Solas: You may well become fully human, after all. I never thought to see it. Cole: When did you see it before? Solas: I did not say that I had.

Iron Bull: We’ve got the alliance with my people. Given how much you love the Qun, I figured... Solas: I might scold you? Berate you for your decisions? Iron Bull: Hey. The Chargers died as heroes for the good of the mission. Solas: I never said otherwise.

Sera: Don’t you start. Solas: I’m reasonably certain I said nothing.

Vivienne: [talking shit about grey warden mages] Solas: I never claimed mages should be above the law, Enchanter. Vivienne: No, darling. You merely implied it, while offering no viable suggestions for improvement.

after infamous “side benefits” dialogue Warrior Inquisitor: You find my muscles enjoyable? Solas: I meant that you enjoyed having them, presumably. Warrior Inquisitor: Ah. Solas: But yes... since you asked.

diminishing things he does actually know by saying he he “believes” or “thinks,” or that things were vaguely “said” or “told”

Solas: I say what I believe to be true, even if it gives offense to those who prefer the lie.

Dorian: That orb Corypheus carries... are you certain it’s of elven origin, Solas? Solas: I believe so. Why do you ask?

Solas: It is said that we lived at a pace that sustained us for... ages.

making it sound like he’s talking about something/someone else, but it’s just him lmao

Cole: Do you know a lot about wolves? Solas: I know that they are intelligent, practical creatures that small-minded fools think of as terrible beasts.

Solas: No man can kill so many people without breaking inside. To survive... those you fight must become monsters. Iron Bull: The ones that kill innocent people, yeah. The rest... I don’t know. Solas: The mind does marvelous things to protect itself.

during In Hushed Whispers Inquisitor: I’m glad you understood what he just said because I’m not sure I did. Solas: You would think such understanding would stop me from making such terrible mistakes. You would be wrong.

misc

this one i wanted to include because it’s the only circumstance (that i came across) where someone directly asks solas to lie and he literally says he can’t

during the fucking crestwood breakup scene Inquisitor: [angry option] Tell me you don’t care. Solas: I can’t do that. Inquisitor: Tell me I was some casual dalliance so I can call you a cold-hearted son of a bitch and move on! Solas: I’m sorry.

*also note that most of these are banter transcriptions from the wiki; some are cutscene / other dialogue posted by either @/daitranscripts or u/karinini on reddit; it’s not all his cutscenes obv, but I’m not about to look up every single one individually sdlkfj*

[felassan]

Thoughts on Dark Fortress #2

(This post is under a cut due to spoilers.)

So late with this one! some stuff irl was keeping me really busy and hyper-distracting me lately, but it’s finally over now so I’m back on my bioware bullshit. :D

Overall there were a lot of beautiful or awe-inspiring scenes in this issue, and a lot of great, meaningful / poignant character interactions and moments between characters. It’s pretty impressive actually how much was able to be packed in. I posted some of my favorite panels here. also omg! the action sequences! the big reveal! the ending!! woww

cool scene-setting, panned out shot of Neromenian and behind it, the Dark Fortress, to immediately pull you back into the world and ‘where we left off’. the combination of ruined dead trees, red lights, lightning and fire/smoke is very atmospheric and hints at what’s ahead

“From this... city, if we can call it that” is a sick burn and reminds you that the Qunari are technologically more advanced than most of the rest of Thedas, from their cannons to their aqueducts

more individually distinct Qunari soldiers, sth I again appreciate

! last issue there were big ‘You haven’t seen the last of Tractus!’ vibes, naturally, but I didn’t expect him to escape by stabbing and killing the Qunari using a chair-leg..!!

the last panel on the first page of Karasten is really good. the way it’s colored, the way it’s lit, the light and shadow, the fiery backdrop, cinders floating, the details of his expression.. 👌 it also makes me think to the possible future, to DA4 when mainland Thedas may be continuing to face the entirety of the Antaam

in Vaea’s acrobatics scene on the bridge, I know rationally that she’ll be fine but couldn’t help but worry for her. again I like how they don’t shy away from showcasing Vaea’s specific abilities. also the attention to detail - you’d think some rocks are just some rocks, but it highlights the risk she’s undertaking that if she falls it’s into rough seas which could dash her against the jagged rocks :’S. Vaea, gooooo!

Fenris’ “Enterprising girl” line has big “Clever girl” meme energy :D

my heart can’t take Fran and Autumn leaning over the edge after Vaea in worry ;; or Aaron looking back in concern over his shoulder ;; or Fran’s tender reassurance ;; or Autumn’s Worried expression ;; the care and bonds which have grown between this group of characters ;;

notice Aaron starts drinking when Vaea’s away from them and they’re beginning to grow worried about her safety. the poor man’s nerves and stress levels

Fran touching the vegetation while she’s considering if she could use her magic to open the entrance from the outside is a nice touch

did Marius leap in front of Fenris and Fran there when the entrance opened?? damn, he’s quick. and the three of them look all scary and formidable here ready for combat. notice how the curve of the door and the spikes that go into the ground, and the composition of this panel, make it look like they’re standing in front of an opened dragon’s maw? ‘teeth’, a rumbling ‘roar’.. some nice foreshadowing here.

the reunion panels are so cute. Autumn’s lil tum as she jumps and Fran and Fenris’ lil smiles of relief and at Autumn’s reaction to seeing Vaea, then a rare happy beam from Aaron.. feel.. the love ;__;

red lighting in the tunnel sets a dangerous, dramatic build-up mood

👀 more info on Fenris’ past, on the specifics of the process which gave him his markings. in the panel where he says that it took a long time, his shadow on the wall behind him reminds me of the shadow of his past that has dogged him for so long :(

Fenris and Marius height difference

discussion of the process shows the power difference between blue and red lyrium. blue lyrium took a long time, red lyrium is almost instant

Autumn is such an intrepid little explorer and alert scout, tail and ears up, head forward. good girl!

“I just... worry about you, my girl”  ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚  I’ll be so sad if these are death flags for Aaron and he doesn’t make it out of here. also note Fran in this panel, who recently had to kill her own father and is still dealing with that, watching the strongly paternal moment between Aaron and Vaea :(

love Vaea’s faith in Aaron and her sense of humor. also I don’t know why, maybe it’s because Vaea met Sebastian, but her “Maker, no!”, although in a completely different and light-hearted context, reminds me of Sebastian’s “Maker nooo!” at the end of DA2 hh

the reference again to Hawke, who Fenris saw haunted by what they tried to do - save their mother - and couldn’t :’(. also with the shadow in this panel, here’s another person struggling with the shadow of his past qq. this is later emphasized again in Aaron when he continues to talk about his past and in the panel is a chain and manacle. smart visual metaphors, a must in the comic medium with limited space

mushroom skull 💀🍄

“It isn’t about what I’ve done. It isn’t about my failures. Or my choices. It’s about their impact” - he’s misty-eyed here as he thinks back to Ostagar.. does this line btw seem almost meta to anyone else btw? :D it feels like a meta reference to the experience of DA players and PCs, who are always having to deal with the impacts of their choices

I wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “I’m positive that in panel 2 here, it’s the exact moment when he sees Cailan die” ;;

So Aaron is also a veteran of the Battle of Denerim

reference to the Hero of Ferelden - “Those were someone else’s battles”. I’m being captain obvious here but I can’t help but [heart pitter-patter] at any and all references to the HoF

I like the.. parallel? is that the word? Aaron’s stories were him trying to inspire people to make a change, or him trying to convince himself of that. and now here’s Vaea, inspiring Aaron with her words in these panels. the little guys can make a difference! in the world of Thedas, you don’t need to be a big bombastic hero or a Player Character to have an impact 

lmao Fenris right on cue. the moments of humor/light-heartedness are nice because they break up the tension and are sprinkled throughout without derailing build-up or taking away from dramatic story impact. yknow?

yeah Aaron!! leave it behind. leave it to rot with mr mushroom skull (and hey the mushroom skull was there for a reason). again tho if this is a death flag i 

Fenris straight down to business with the tactics

its cute how close Autumn has been sticking to Fran

Tessa checking in on Fran again, as she did in issue 1

Could Vaea’s “Well, shit” be an homage to Varric? :D they have met

I also wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “My guess is that the thing Tractus shows Marquette and Nenealeus is probably a chained up dragon or similar”

the poor dragon :’( big dragon the Qunari had in Trespasser vibes

the sword has a really cool design, kind of reminds me of something a samurai might be depicted wielding

👀 lore-drop! so ancient elven arcane warriors used lyrium-infused swords. this seems to confirm the sarcophagus is an ancient elven artifact, no? makes sense, wasn’t it said that the sarcophagus’ design was based on the architecture/outfit-design type elements of a specific faction, and that this was done intentionally? it looks kinda ancient elfy in make, right? also about the lyrium-infused swords of the arcane warriors, well well well.. remember that the Evanuris and the ancient elves mined the bodies of Titans for lyrium, for power and to use as a resource. here’s an example of that use

as I read through this portion I became increasingly concerned for my boy Shirallas.. we really are in it now aren’t we 😭

the Qunari are launching STRAIGHT-UP ROCKETS ohhhh

pretty ‘lightshow’ over the wall in the “Let’s hope the fortress is as secure as Danarius boasted” panel hh

protective older brother Fenris, impish younger sister Vaea. love that dynamic, we love to see it. sheepish and exasperated Fenris is so cute

the Bone Pit dragon fight with Hawke and co reference!

I wonder how long the dragon has been captive here, and how Danarius/Tractus was able to capture it

lore-wise what are the implications here? when Fenris’ ritual was being undertaken, the sword and the sarcophagus were bombarded with magic, fire spells. in this one they aim to have the dragon bombard it with fire-breathing. is it just fire that makes it work/powers it, or is there magic in dragonfire, in dragons? it reminds me of “Your heart beats with the old blood, as well. Where do you think it comes from? It sings of a time when dragons ruled the skies. A time before the Veil, before the mysteries were forgotten. Can you hear it?”

purple color for the dragon’s growling sounds/typeset is a great idea

lets.. goooo!!!!

Marquette is such a nerd. later on when he activates the sarcophagus he has mad scientist vibes

the dramatic reunion face-offs begin!! as the prophecy foretold!!!!1

true to form, Marius DOES have nothing to say ahahaha, even at this, his personal climax. maybe Marius dies in the next issue, but Tessa lives and gets to go back to Charter

these Venatori look almost Star Wars

Shirallas my boyy.. nooo... don’t do it 😭

ah ah ah! try casting magic with no ARMS

Francesca a beacon of blue light and goodness

the splash combat page is masterful. everyone playing a part, so much going on, everything happening at once. a thing that sticks out to me about it is Aaron’s outstretched hand and alarm as he watches Fran fall 

Autumn with her lil hackles raised

“The Venatori have returned” dun dun dunn

goodbye Shirallas 😭😭😭

the composition of the second to last page with triangle/diamond-shaped panels and the framing of dragon wings is awesome

the Dread Wolf rises, “the Tevinter Imperium will rise again”.. on-point on-point cohesion

there he is, the red wraith

Super Saiyan Shirallas

what a note to end an issue on

wow wow wow!!

and separate to the above, some speculation based on the cover of Issue 3: the piece of metal looks like a broken collar coming off Shirallas, like the one there was on the cover of Issue 2 coming off the dragon. also he’s all bulky now with draconic talons/claws (reminds me of in-world legends of Reavers who dug too deep of their own power after drinking dragon blood and whose bodies consequently began to manifest subtle reptilian traits actually). I’ll be interested to see what results of this allusion between Shirallas and the dragon!!

[rayofsunas]

HAVING BIG OC IDEAS

Okay so I've been playing skyrim a lot recently, and now I'm having medieval, viking oc ideas.

I want a stronk woman, who can just pick up people and throw them lmao.

Idk if they gonna be a genshin oc, cause if they are they'll probably be hydro claymore. But how she meets the Traveler is that she was trapped in magical ice or something so she's probably like 300 years old but just didn't age.

So if you get her out of the ice she's super confused and stuff cause it's been so long and things have changed.

Probably gonna be a 5 star cause I want her weapon to be a unique claymore. More like a battleaxe? Or warhammer?

I was thinking about some heavy armor and war paint cause she's defiantly been in some wars. She's a lot more battle driven? Idk

She must of been in a old region or group. Like in her quest idk you find her mourning over her old city's ruins and all the people she's lost and beats herself down for not being able to protect them.

OOOO THIS IS SO COOL. she’s giving me beidou vibes! I like historical stuff so anything viking/medieval is up my alley. I have so many thoughts lol. (sticking with genshin oc)

hydro archons right hand: what if she was like a very strong warrior in her village or even was the hydro archons right hand/most trusted soldier back in the day... since you said she’s probably around 300 years old, I’m sure the hydro archon was around. she doesn’t necessarily follow every order given cause she prefers to be independent, but she doesn’t usually shy away from battle. probably the type to know when to fight and when not to, and she doesn’t just go in blindly or allow rage to consume her enough to control her ya know. but she’s definitely been in some shit.

myth: maybe she’s even a bit of a myth too or her vision/family comes from an ancient folklore that had special abilities (natural: known for their physical strength, or unnatural: given some sort of magical power) and what if visions weren’t that well known yet hence the reason people thought them to be a myth? I think it would be cool to imagine visions being pretty new/rare, and because of that the people in her village are wary of her. they keep her close enough to show they aren’t scared of her, but they are standoffish cause she’s “different”. eventually they all warm up to her, and she becomes a very important figure in the village, not just known for her skill during battle.

power/strength: I’m all here for a claymore user! maybe she even prefers her claymore over using her actual hydro abilities (when she uses her claymore she chooses not to use her hydro vision). not even because she thinks hydro is weak, mainly because of preference and she’s just so strong she doesn’t need the extra vision ya know, she has physical strength and tactic down. she’s a dirty fighter too- never overstepping boundaries or ignoring the rules in battle, but her tactics are sneaky so her opponents thing she’s cheating a lot lol.

quest idea 1: imagine if she had a backstory quest, where we see this usually strong warrior, breakdown because she comes face to face with her ancestors tomb. imagine, she had a child, s/o, friend, or somebody in her past life, and ofc they died because it’s been 300 or so years. but she stumbles upon her family’s tomb and sees her child(rens), grandchildren’s, etc. names on the tomb and she just breaks down because like damn, she’s missed out on EVERYTHING. and maybe, if she had a child (I imagine one, a daughter maybe lol), there’s a flashback of the child over the years bringing their own children to visit her where she’s frozen in the ice. she can’t communicate obviously, and she’s unconscious but the fact that they know about her and she could never communicate hurts a lot.

quest idea 2: another idea could be after she’s unfrozen, she runs into an ancestor of hers (great great grandchild or something lol) and they help her navigate through the new teyvat (if she’s still within that world) I can see them teaching her new languages, introducing her to new foods and all the neat shiny weapons! (she’s not used to such shiny armor/weapons because back then they weren’t made like the ones today due to lack of resources/material/skill; though she’d never give her own weapon up (maybe it was a heirloom or something that has saved her so many times she can’t part with it) but she honestly can’t help but ogle at the other weapons haha.

quest idea 3: not to turn her into a villain but what if she held a grudge against cryo users in the future (due to the fact that she was frozen; however that happened) and she despises them. even if it wasn’t a cryo user who put her in that predicament (she sees them as enemies just by association and the fact that they have an ice vision). like if you stick with the fact that she had loved ones and was taken away from them due to being frozen, I’d imagine she’d want to get some kind of revenge somehow. she probably wants to battle them on sight when she sees them and traveler just has to remind her that not everyone is her enemy lol. I think it would be interesting if she also had some sort of fear still of being frozen again, which is why she reacts the way she does and wants to battle them all the time. maybe it’s not just due to revenge, but she’s worried that she’ll be “locked” away again and taken away from the chance at a life AGAIN. like she’s just getting used to this new world and does not want to be taken away again. don’t wanna make her your typical oc or someone that constantly needs to be a victim, but I think it would make sense for her to have some sort of fear that drives her to want to fight them.

[zeravmeta]

Hey so i was inspired by some of those fanservant posts and made one for Optimus Prime since im on a TF kick lmao

Servant: Optimus Prime / Servant Class: Ruler

Origin: Transformers Universe / Region: Cybertron, Earth

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Aliases: Leader of the Autobots, Orion Pax, Last of the Primes, The Thirteenth

Parameters: STR (A+++++) / END (EX) / AGL (B) / MP (E) / LUK (E) / NP (EX)

Class Skills: Magic Resistance (EX) / Rank of Prime (EX)

Character Info: In a far-off universe, on a far-off planet, a race of sentient machines were born from the planet’s own life, an ancient being named Primus who had transformed himself into the planet Cybertron. A Golden Age of peace had emerged, but eventually the corrupt politics that had developed over time ended up splitting the population between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Great War was one so brutal that it had poisoned the planet itself, forcing both factions off-world in search of resources. In these dark times, a Prime would weild the Matrix of Leadership and ensure a peaceful future for all Cybertronians…

…Orion Pax was once just a clerk who worked in the Iacon Hall of Records, unaware of the great destiny that would await him.

Skills:

Matrix of Leadership A+: The very life of Primus shared with any bot who wields it, this skill works like a unique combination of Golden Rule, Imperial Privilege and Tactics. The Matrix chooses someone with natural leadership abilities and greatly boosts their parameters, and the affected bot can in turn inspire their allies even in their darkest hour. Such a connection to an ancient otherworldly being would mean that the chosen individual would qualify as Foreigner class (within the Fate Universe), but Optimus’ sheer willpower and belief in justice means he isn’t overtaken by Primus, not that the benevolent Primus would do so even if given the chance. Optimus’ own self-sacrifical nature, however, puts him in danger more often than not, having him take the blows intended for his allies.

[8->6 Turns][Increase NP Gain (20%-30%)(3 Turns), Increase Atk(20%-30%)(3 Turns) and Def(20%-30%)(3 Turns) and Restore HP(1500-2500), and Increase NP Strength (20%-30%)(3 Turns) for All Allies. After 3 turns, decreases Def(20%-30%)(3 Turns) and grants Taunt (1 Turn)(Demerit)]

Battle Continuation EX: Optimus is no stranger to death, unfortunately. His variable existence across the multiverse due to his status as Prime means he has died many times before, yet he always finds a way back to help his fellow Autobots.

[10->8 Turns][Grants Guts status (3 Times, 5 Turns, restores 1000-2000 HP)]

Cybertronian Warfare C+: Optimus has millions of years of military experience, and is equipped with an Ion Blaster and his trademark Energon Axe. However, his original status as a civilian bot lowers the rank. 

[7->5][(60%->90%) Chance to grant Evasion(1 Turn) and (60%->90%) Chance to Increase Atk(30%->50%)(1 Turn) for All Allies and (60%->90%) Change to decrease NP Strength(20%->30%)(3 Turns) for All Enemies]

Noble Phantasm:

Will Of the Primes - Optimus’ Resolve / Rank(EX)

Optimus Prime has an unyielding resolve that can never be shattered. With the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus can release an extremely powerful burst of Primus’ power that can eradicate any enemy. However, the true power of this pseudo Noble Phantasm is the large inspiration boost to his allies that can carry them through millions of years of warfare.

[Type: Arts][Increases Arts Card Effectiveness (40%->60%)(1 Turn) for All Allies and deals massive damage (800%->1200%) to All Enemies and (Overcharge Effect) Restores HP (1000->2000) for All Allies]

Bond Lines: 

Bond 1: ”Hmm…This world is certainly strange, however I do look forward to working with you.”

Bond 2: “I am…saddened. One as young as you working towards saving your universe, despite being so unprepared…Well, at your side you have many dependable allies. I can power down in peace knowing they have your back.”

Bond 3: “Hmm….’Master’ is such a weird thing to call you. How about I just call you by your name instead? [name]? A fine name. I’ve worked with humans before….What? No, my head doesn’t have a cockpit for you to ride.”

Bond 4: “…Did you know I used to work with Megatron? He and I used to be allies, before he succumbed to his own lust for power. We are arch enemies now…yet I can’t help but hope he changes for the better. Any living being has the capacity for change, even…even if they them self don’t believe it.”

Bond 5: “Ha! You can certainly hold your own. I can see I’m gonna be needed here for awhile, so I swear to you on my spark that I’ll stay as long as I’m needed. You are the hope for this universe, and trust me when I tell you I can understand the weight of that burden, especially on one so young. So…if you’re ever feel sad or lonely [name]…I’ll make sure to take you on a peaceful drive.”

Voice Lines:

(1): “A catchphrase? Well, I do have a battle cry…you wanna hear it? Well then, ahem: ‘Autobots! Transform and Roll Out!’…How was that?”

(2): “Is there any natural energon in this universe?…What? Magic? Well, wouldn’t be the first time I’ve dealt with it…”

(3): “You wish to know about my people? Well…Let’s just say the list goes on and on…Though I do hope you can meet the other Autobots I’ve worked with one day.”

Likes: “What I like? Easy. Peace. I would wish that this world enters it’s own Golden Age similar to my own.”

Dislikes: “…Violence. I’ve had far too much fighting for one spark, much less all the other times I’ve needed to come back.”

Event: “[name], I’m sensing a distress signal. Let’s go!”

About The Holy Grail: “A wish granting device? Be careful with those, they only lead to trouble.”

Summon Quote: “My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. I recieved a distress beacon….A human? Um, where am I, exactly? This doesn’t look like my Earth…”

Happy Birthday: “Happy birthday, [name]. Cybertronians live for a very long time, so we make sure to celebrate the lives of smaller organics.” 

(Mash Kyrielite(Pre-LB1)): “Hello there, young warrior. Do you wish to train today?…Haha, perfect! We’ll make sure you can leave a bigger dent in me than last time!”

(Mash Kyrielite(Post-LB1)): “Don’t lose heart, young one. I’m sure your powers will come back in time….Hm? A robot suit that lets you fight? You’re sounding more and more like an Autobot every day.”

(Babbage/Danzou/Mecha Eli-chan/Xiang Yu/Qin Shi Huang):”Ha! You’re Autobot material, all right!”

(Emiya/Emiya(Assasin)): “Sacrificing yourself for the cause is noble…but you’ve let yourself be consumed. I hope you can one day let yourself feel hope again. No matter the past, anyone can change.”

(Artoria Pendragon(Any Alt)): “I’m not sure why…but I feel a strange affinity with them….Hm? King Arthur? Excalibur? Wait, you can’t be serious…”

(Leonardo DaVinci/Nikola Tesla/Thomas Edison): “[name]…Please help me. They seem intent on…studying me.”

(Sherlock Holmes/James Moriarty): “[name], be careful. That shady individual has been following you for awhile now…Hm? A friend? If you say so…”

(Hijikata Toshizo): “…You are sick. I don’t think I’ve ever been as disgusted by an organic being as you.”

(Kiara Sessyoin/BB(Any Alt)): “[name], I advise caution. She feels…strange. I’m feeling a signature similar to Unicron from her.”

(Avenger Class Servants): “…You’ve been consumed by your righteous anger and grief…I just have this to say: Any living being has the capacity for change. I hope you can find peace with yourself.”

[divinesoldier]

                                                  “And so you wear their fear like a bridal veil”.

&&. ( sanem aydın ) was just spotted in amsterdam. rumor has it ( she ) is a ( 1,779 / appears 28 ) year old ( angel of light ) who resembles ( melisa pamuk ). ( she ) has been said to be ( devoted & intelligent ) but also quite ( ruthless & unrepentant ).with all the chaos surrounding the magical underworld, ( she ) has chosen to align with ( the angels of light ). ( she ) is currently serving as ( a warrior angel / soldier ). hopefully the city doesn’t devour them whole. 

Hey there, angels! It’s Jay, resident gay boi here with my daughter Sanem! As always you can pop into my dms here or on discord @ megan thee stallion’s right boot #3410 for plotting and being cute!

Name: Sanem Demir

Age: Twenty-eight (1,779 but who’s counting?)

Allegiance: Angels of Light

Sexuality: Homosexual

Occupation: Warrior Angel / Soldier

Gender: Cisgender woman

Theme song: I Am Shell I Am Bone - Gazelle Twin

                                                                      † In Depth.

She had been crafted by careful and capable hands, in the same divine cosmic energy that which made her invincible. She appeared in the fading gloss of eternity, a creature molded entirely from a vision within a mind beyond both mortal and immortal comprehension. In her ears came the sweet croonings of her blessed siblings, each of them rubbing soft circles onto the back of fledgling wings. You will be the bringer of peace, an agent of prosperity, a servant. It is in your care that the weak shall find solace. The poor, bewildered creature had been given an eternal task before even being given a name, though she would later come to know herself as Sanem. Let it be known that her role in eternity It isn’t something that should be taken lightly, and she definitely doesn’t take it lightly. Her creation may have been nothing of great importance, but she was destined to do great things for her maker, for her kind.

She thrived in the center of holy light, the glow of everlasting love and devotion carving sacred insignias into the depths of her mind, forever cementing her allegiance. Every challenge that presented itself before Sanem had been swiftly defeated; every opportunity for advancement, taken. She grew into her strength both mentally and physically until every new threat seemed more minute than the last. Sanem rapidly excelled beneath the trusted tutelage of her elders and bore her duties quietly as all servants of greater powers must. It was not in her nature to defy or to question the will of her maker, and so she didn’t, and she was praised for not doing so. Of course, Sanem was never a creature spoiled, as there is no room for divine favorites drunk on privilege in the empyrean, but in her isolation, she revelled in their endless admiration of her. And so every kind word that had been placed at her feet for her diamond wit or her immeasurable strength further fueled the raging flame of pride within her; a fatal flaw that should have been eradicated.

When the time came to choose two representatives to serve the Light on Earth, Sanem’s name was, painfully, regretfully, absent. Surely an angel as strong and accomplished as she would be the first candidate to serve the greatest of purposes on the Earth, and yet she had been forced to stand quietly on the side whilst Laurent and Melody were awarded titles and duties that should have been hers by right (a true test of her piety and a subtle way to dismantle her growing pride she was sure). They were but glass panes easily shattered next to her, impenetrable bedrock. After the decision was made, the almighty revealed that there was a plan in place for her. Sanem was to become a warrior.

See, Sanem had been beautiful, cunning, and ruthless in the same ways as Lucifer, but there was one defining difference between them. Where Lucifer’s pride overshadowed his duty to his maker, Sanem’s didn’t. The sole purpose of her birth was to serve and so when her new role had draped across her shoulders, she accepted it with steely grace even though the title she desired above all else had been granted to another. And It is here that Sanem became less of an angel and more of a sword; a weapon used to neutralize an enemy, a weapon that swung at the command of something greater than herself. Throughout several centuries, Sanem put down rebellions in the name of the Lord, punishing souls that dare to defy the word of the maker. Each victory is met with yet another task, and she bows to the maker’s demands quietly, willingly.

The perfect soldier, the warrior of Heaven in all of her ancient and sage wisdom knew very little of the concept of love. Yes, Sanem loved her maker and her cause, for it was her purpose that drove her to please. Though it was only when beside her only true friend, Melanie, that Sanem could ever feel anything remotely close to true love. The younger angel was all sugar spun curls, sweetness, and light. If Sanem was the cold, unrelenting gaze, then Melanie was the warm and reassuring smile that completed their very own masterpiece. But of course, her chance at love had also been cruelly snatched away from her the moment that Melanie bonded her soul to another. Once again, Sanem was forced to watch something that she could have sworn was rightfully hers be given to someone less than her, someone terribly weak and stupid. This time, she wouldn’t stand on the side in envy. This time, she would take what belonged to her.

Those who waver in their devotion are easy prey, Melanie’s mate being the easiest. Sanem watched him from afar, spending her time away from the war torn front lines observing him like any predator might do with their prey. Just as she suspected, Melanie’s mate could be easily distracted by a pretty face; a pretty human face at that. It took but a few tactical measures to situate them in the right place at the right time, and just like that, he fell into her trap. At the news of the falling of her dear friend’s mate, Sanem offered her shoulder and placed soft kisses atop Melanie’s cheek with a dangerous kind of satisfaction hidden beneath them. Never again would Sanem be denied her golden prize. Make no mistake, this… weakling’s decision to marry Melanie was taken as an act of war, and what a pretty little war trophy did Melanie make in the end.

When Laurent and Melody were slaughtered at the hands of lesser beings, Sanem felt nothing. Their end had been spelled out the very moment that they were given positions they were unfit to fill. Sanem had worked her way up to commanding armies, cutting down threat after threat with brutal and calculated methods, meanwhile Laurent and Melody ruled with the ideas that brave words would be enough to put an end to a rebellion. The Earth had been perverted by flawed humans, (creatures that need to be protected at all costs, even from themselves) vampires, and fallen angels who were high on demon blood and filled with silly, juvenile notions of independence. Sanem would put an end to them all, forever wiping the slate clean for future generations. She had been destined to bring about peace and she would do so through punishment.

                                                            † Summary

TL;DR: Gay angel takes her purpose in life very seriously and is willing to step on anyone to fulfill it lmao.

                                                           † Connections

TBA!

[emsartwork]

Major Villains part 2!! The Wizards of the Black Circle, Valtor(baltor?), and Darkar/The Shadow Pheonix.

again, I changed a lot. I changed the Wizards’ signature color to green because i got SO TIRED of red and black villain color schemes. Also Valtor’s original outfit and hair was like. so bad. dont @ me you know im right.

The Wizards of the Black Circle are earthen born, and really really old, like crypt keeper old, older than Morgana, maybe as old as Faragonda. The reason they still look young is that they’ve retained use of their magic when the rest of the earth hasn’t, and they eat fairy wings. Wings are the outward manifestation of a fairy’s magic and form a sort of battery loop with the fairy’s natural magic production, sustaining and boosting for as long as the transformation is held. When ripped off, the loop is broken unnaturally and severely damages the fairy physically and mentally, usually they can’t transform again for a week to a month. The wings retain a large portion of magic, and by consuming them, the wizards supercharge their abilities and prolong their lives, if they had kept doing this eventually they would become faded like the ancestral witches in my other post, but it would take a while.

Ogron is from early Scotland, he was the one who forged the black circle out of iron. Iron is a notoriously difficult metal to enchant (the specialists ships and weapon bases are made of enchanted iron and are hard to destroy with magic). He practiced for years before successfully storing his magic in the black circle. He was always power hungry and calculated, he knew he wouldn’t be able to conquer the world without help, and began to seek out fellow wizards while spreading anti-fairy sentiments. It took him awhile to find people who were able to use the Circle with him, and went through a couple other Wizards before setting on the three others. He first found Gantlos in the Americas, the Anagan in Africa, and finally Duman in Southeast Asia. They all use the Black Circle as a magic vessel, and begin to actively hunt down fairies and other magic users or creatures. Morgana had only just taken the throne when they started, and as a young ruler, mistakenly believed these four posed no great threat and wouldn’t dare question her rule. However, the Wizards attacked Tir Nan Og and it’s sister island Neverland. They purposefully didn’t fully destroy everything, wanting to keep any magical artifacts intact for their own use, but did strike a serious blow to the benevolent magic users. Fear mongering lead to fewer people pursuing magic in hopes of not becoming a target. One of the Wizards’ only large scale attack was on Tir Nan Og, usually they prefered to lay traps and pick off solitary fairies. Eventually people began to shun magic users in common society, and many fled to the injured Tir Nan Og to avoid being attacked or killed. Morgana and all the fairies on Tir Nan Og placed a barrier around the island, and created the white circles out of glass and moonlight as keys. When the Wizards attacked the island again, they couldn’t break through the barrier with out completely draining the black circle, so instead they returned to their guerilla tactics, and attacked all the fairies bringing other people onto the island for safety. After they believed all the keys to be destroyed, they began to hunt down any fairies that might have escaped, using spells to track and locate sources of fairy magic all over earth. They eventually raised their power levels enough that they were able to surround Tir Nan Og’s barrier with one of their own, trapping the fairies in their own haven. They then spent the rest their time keeping an eye on the any potential magic users, placing more black circles around other sources of magic so it would be directly funneled into their reserves,  and manipulating governments and societies to their own will. They started several wars and were the cause of some natural disasters for the fun of it. Sometimes they take a break from ruling dull stupid humanity and will spend several decades sequestered away on an island or something. They also need break from each other and will go off on their own occasionally. They each have iron gall ink tattoos that keep them connected to the Black Circle.

Fun facts about the wizards because they’re like almost my fav villains. Ogron refuses to say whether his obnoxiously bright hair is dyed or not. Orgon usually prefers kilts, but tbh its hard to get a hold of one now-a-days unless you know how to use the internet. Orgons skirt is a shitty faux leather one from forever 21. Anagan is actually the most popular with the ladies~~ Gantlos is actually the oldest, and is potentially from before the Mayan civilization’s era. Duman is from Thailand and his skirt is technically a Sarung(which i think were used in Thailand but correct me if im wrong). Duman likes to change his hair color every couple years or so. Duman actually convinced Gantlos to dye his hair once but messed up the bleaching spell and oops now Gantlos is permanently blonde(and duman has one less rib) Anagan shaves his head every 20 years. The last time they were all involved in society was the 60s and they’re clothing reflects the mod/punk fashion at that time. Anagan and Duman barely tolerate each other in day to day situation, but their fighting styles actually complement each other pretty well. Ogron is a total narcissist and considers Gantlos the closest thing to an equal in the group. Gantlos spend the most time with duman so long as he’s not being too annoying(duman is basically the obnoxious little brother of all of them lmao)

Valtor isn’t “human” even in a loose sense of the word. He’s more like a homunculi created by the Ancestrals. As such he doesn’t need to eat or drink, tho he can enjoy both. He doesn’t necessarily have a “true form” as he can use his magic to mold and change his body as needed. His heart is a spark of the dragon flame and the shadow flame encased in the ancestrals magic. He was originally intended to be a servant, going out and physically searching for the dragon flame while the witches researched where the dragon could be hiding. He briefly took a young starstruck Ms Griffin on as an apprentice, but it didn’t last very long. After the witches were defeated he was still able to use remnants of their magic leaving him still very powerful, and connecting him to their spirits. He was defeated by Faragonda and the Company of Light, but being a homunculi powered by the dragon and shadow flame he couldn’t really be killed, so was banished to the frozen planet Omega as punishment. Valtor stores and channels his magic through his body, making him a sorcerer instead of a wizard. He resembles Dominians but this is thought to be because of his connection to the dragon flame.

Lord Darkar isn’t an ancient entity, but he does possess one. The Shadow Fire is the ying to the Dragon Fire’s Yang, and originally both were considered neutral, keeping the light and dark in balance. Domino’s royal bloodline passed both the Dragon and the Shadow from one generation to another, but a young prince sought to possess both of the flames and summon the ultimate power. He killed and stole the Shadow Flame from it’s bearer, tainting it with blood and violence. His murder was found out and defeated by the holder of the Dragon Flame, and thrown into the then newly formed Obsidian as an execution. While it was hoped he would die in Obsidian and the Shadow flame would pass to a more worthy bearer, Obsidian turned out to be a pocket dimension instead of a death sentence, and he emerged again, was defeated again, emerged yet again, decided to be a little smarter, and found the Ancestral Witches to do his bidding. However, the witches eventually betrayed him, and sought to possess the Dragon flame for themselves, they created Valtor with sparks of both so he would, hopefully, be protected to both powers. Darkar’s time in Obsidian tied him to the pocket dimension, so every time he’s defeated he gets sent back there lmao. Due to the “equal-opposite” rule, When Obsidian was formed was also when the Relix was created, it holds the only power strong enough(theoretically) to destroy Obsidian in the power crystal, but using it is more than likely to destroy you in the process so it was sealed away with the codex. After the Winx defeat him he’s not destroyed, just sent back to Obsidian. The only way to kill him would be to separate the Shadow Flame from his body, or use the water stars on him.

[dwarven-beard-spores]

How about 43 and/or 49, War and Crowley :o ?

Friend I adored this prompt and I hope you like the resulting fic :D this one also turned out way longer than expected lmao

43. “you’re lucky you’re cute” and 49. “I’m too sober for this”

Crowley was used to the atmosphere in a bar souring as soon as he walked in. Mishaps, pettiness, cruelty, tiny incidents that humans escalated all by themselves and a thin layer of tarnish for all involved. It was as natural as breathing[1].

[1. Which Crowley had spent a good century mastering, back in the day, and now only occasionally got wrong.]

Tonight, though, he was trying not to meddle. He honestly just wanted a drink and to lose himself among a very gay cross-section of humanity. His nerves were still shot a year after the apocalypse hadn’t happened, and while being alive was infinitely better than being caught in an eternal battle, or dead, or both at once, sometimes he just wanted to get drunk and pretend he was human. That he didn’t keep waking up wondering how many days till The End, that he could relax in Aziraphale’s bookshop without smelling phantom smoke, that he wasn’t afraid of messing the world around and equally afraid of what he would do with himself after 6,000 years at the same job. 

So he didn’t pay attention to the clamor immediately, but sometime after his first drink he became aware of raised voices and breaking glass and general scuffling sounds. He glanced over his shoulder, wracking his brains to figure out what he could have done by accident.

That was when the breathtakingly gorgeous being slipped onto the stool beside him. As Crowley watched, their appearance seemed to change slightly, as though they were a video game character and someone was scrolling through customization options. The general takeaways were long legs, silky red hair cut androgynously short, a smirk that could cut glass, the smell of blood, and an overwhelming sense of danger.

Crowley stood to leave.

“Crowley,” the person-shaped-being said, their voice a low purr.

Crowley sat down again with a shiver. “War,” he said, aiming for casual and failing.

“Carmine, please. There’s no need to stand on formality. Neither of us are on duty, are we?”

In Crowley’s opinion, there was every reason to stand on formality. His leg bounced against his stool, and he almost thought he could feel his teeth involuntarily turning into fangs just from War’s ancient, instigating presence. “What’re you doing here?” he asked.

“I was in the area and I thought we could catch up.” 

Crowley’s stomach plummeted; he dreaded finding out what War had been doing. She was the sort of… she wasn’t even a co-worker, really. She and the other horsepeople were like experts from another department who took one look at what you’d done and decided it needed to be escalated about 500%. He hated it, and he really ought to say something, except that impulse was definitely her doing and he squashed it down for his own self-preservation.

“I’m too sssober for this,” he said.

War laughed and raised a hand to the bartenders, who immediately began squabbling amongst themselves as to who would serve her. At least half of them were gay men, but, well, Crowley supposed she was walking the twink/butch line to good effect.

Nobody seemed likely to come out on top, so Crowley filled his own glass and took a long drink. Then he filled it again. “What do you want with me?”[2]

[2. Usually the horsepeople only wanted to thank him for things he hadn’t intended on doing, at least not the way they said. Sometimes they wanted to “collaborate” and Crowley was hard-pressed to say no. Once Famine and Pestilence had gotten in some sort of row and he’d wound up passing passive-aggressive messages back and forth for about seventy years.]

War looked him over and grinned, like she was about to eat him. She said, “you’ve got spunk.”

“And you hate spunk…?” It didn’t sound right, but Crowley had spent too many nights watching Mary Tyler Moore reruns to respond with anything else.

“Nah, I love it.” Somewhere in the distance came the clatter of an overturned table. “I’ll be honest with you. I wanted the whole place to go up. We’ve had this, but destruction on an apocalyptic scale would have been awesome.” Her eyes flashed. Crowley winced. “But, eh. I can wait a couple thousand more years or whatever for the big blowup.”

“Not if we sstop it again!” Crowley burst out. “Er. That is. Not if someone stops it again.” Shitshitshit he hadn’t meant to say that.

“Here’s the thing,” War said, leaning closer. “Those children outmaneuvered us, but we stuck around to see how it all played out. I saw what you and that angel did.”

“Well—” said Crowley.

“A tire iron?” said War.

“Ngk,” said Crowley. 

“See, that’s what I like about you. Tactically unsound, but I can respect going for blood for a lost cause.”

“I had to,” Crowley said.

“I know,” War said. “I could feel it coming off you. You would have done anything. I see it all the time, but mostly it’s a town or a country or a narrow cause or something. You? You picked the whole damned world.”

“What’s your point?” Crowley demanded.

“You don’t look like a fighter, but you are,” War said. “So if Hell keeps sweeping you aside and you’re looking for work, you know where to find me.” She clapped a hand on his shoulder, and he shuddered with the heat of it.

“Actually,” he managed. “I’m retiring.” He hadn’t meant to say that, but as soon as he did he knew it was true. “I’m not helping downstairs, I’m not helping you, I’m going to… get a house somewhere and retire.” He downed the last of whatever-number-drink this was and waited for the consequences.

The final, victorious bartender came up at that moment, plunked another glass in front of Crowley, and slid War a Bloody Mary. Then she passed out behind the counter.

“So… do you take those with actual blood in them?” Crowley asked, partly because he was morbidly curious, partly in an attempt to change the subject.

War shrugged and sipped at her drink. “You,” she said to Crowley, “are lucky you’re cute. Don’t throw out my number, but have a thrilling retirement.” She stood up, taking the glass with her, and waked out.

The doors closed, and the chaos in the bar slowly faded as people started coming to their senses. Crowley let out last shudder that released some of the angry tension in his back sipped at his last drink. He needed to get out of here and, before his nerve ran out, he needed to talk to Aziraphale.

[beowulfs-booty-call]

Lore Dump!

(Block Long post so it doesn’t kill you! I’ll be adding more to this tomorrow when I’m not about to fall asleep LMAO) Background on the summons / characters so far:

Ifrit

Secret power bottom who comes off as a Dom top.

He’s the fire elemental and has been Demi’s “First” demon contract as well as... His source of income. While Demi seldom doesn’t speak about the prejudices of his job, Ifrit, head of the original Wrath district as the demon general later “moved” to Eros because he secretly enjoys the way Persephone built it up as an overall balanced District, as well as to fund the incubus who’s somehow managed to charm him as both a dancer and as a summoner.

His demon form is considered to be very similar to this unfinished concept art I once had where Demi was envisioned as a dancing summoner here:

He is extremely muscular and bulky simply because that’s his preferred form. He finds the human body too “weak” and wishes to be as large as he is because his true persona relishes in pride (This unfortunately leads him to be stubborn in some regards, especially when things don’t go his way, he doesn’t like to opt out.) He can be smaller if he so chooses, but as the former general of a District where war and anger are his tools, he much rather likes intimidating.

Ifrit’s main outfit is a dark navy pinstripe suit and a white undershirt. When summoned, however, his horns appear and the flames burn through all he wears save for what shreds remain / a skimpy thong he insists is meant for combat efficient. (Basically, we have his default favorite as a purple chain thong, a leopard print thong, and your all around barbarian esque fur underwear / rags)

Ifrit means well, though his money is essentially “dirty” money. He’s not above certain tactics being a god of war and essentially one of the few elementals to have fought with Persephone in ages past. As a “sugar daddy”, Ifrit tends to lord his money as though they aren’t much to worry on. For example: He is the funder of Demi’s wardrobe as both his summoner and his “protege” as he puts it, and his clothes are well kept and custom made. Despite this, and his supposed “greed”, Ifrit uses this as a coping mechanism for his time in the wars where capital were short and his followers starved. Now he spends his frivolous amounts of currency towards things he believes worth it. He’s most often then not an anonymous donor to starving artists and the needy because he can “see the fire in their eyes”, but you’ll never see him admit it. He quite enjoys the idea that he’s a snobbish jerk if it means he’s left to his own devices most of the time, unless it’s around Demi.

As an elemental, he knows some very close individuals such as “Ramuh” and of course, Hades, but there is still much he has not revealed, whether because of his hedonism clouding his judgement, or his wanting of keeping his protege in the dark is unclear.

He is currently in a long standing rivalry with pop sensation and body positivity icon: Venus, though in the public eye they are known to grin and bear it, out of the public scene, it is not uncommon to see the two butting heads over their differences and their own ideas of what’s best for the incubus. While he does relent on certain stances he has for Demi’s best (I.E, allowing him time to work due to being under Persephone’s rule and not his.), Ifrit is possessive and wants Venus out of his hair, believing her to be a bad influence on his summoner. On the other hand, Venus believes Ifrit’s and Persephone’s grip on Demi, who was once a fellow human, is outright tyrannical.  This said, it’s not uncommon for Ifrit’s hard-headedness to lead him into saying something that will later bring him to Venus’ feet or fists. Even as a human, Venus has the uncanny ability to masquerade herself (very badly) as others to get close and absolutely beat Ifrit down such as “Afroooo-Dieeee-teeee, Ukrainian swimsuit cover girl, multi ranged diva, and DESTROYER of flames.” To others, though, he has a very adept insight towards their true motivations, and Demi’s is the real reason he has decided to take him in as a protege and summoner.

Ifrit, while the main cause of comedy, actually does care deeply for his summoner, as he sees in Demi the “ghost” of a man he knew long ago in his prime who also was his summoner. During the “Great War” that eventually created the Districts, this summoner died in battle destroying their contract and wishing Ifrit to find peace in life as they both could not in his. Ifrit, driven into rage by this, completely eradicated the enemy presence and encased himself in flames before being petrified by an unknown force and was later thrown into the Districts when the war was over. When he awakened, he was in a land of war, his beloved summoner no where to be found, and his heart empty save for one thing: Revenge and to fill that empty space in his coal-engraved heart. 

Ifrit had many lovers back in his time, but even so, who they are is so far unknown, he claims to live in the present, though, and talks of love do not concern him anymore because of his past. He sees love as a fleeting thing, and something that has left him broken and hungry for the very thing his friend didn’t want: Pain.

Ramuh:

The thunder elemental and “newest” summon so far, a hulking glasses wearing man who’s known to be the sage of lightning and knowledge.

Once worshipped as a god, Ramuh has been in existence long before any of the other elementals (as he puts it) and can remember a distinct mortal existence before becoming “one” with his element. 

This mortal life, was where Ramuh was once a man who lived and studied life as a philosopher, before carelessly tossing it all away when life began to lose its glory in his eyes.

In his words, the ancient war broke out and the mortal he once was, was in view of “The Great Ones” who proceeded to transform him into what he is now, from what was once a man who wished to understand life and its wonders, to a god who was now immortal to study all that he wished for.

His staff, Indrajit, was in his hands when he came to, and with it he can both bring down righteous thunder, as well as mend wounds of the body and the mind.

 Ramuh has himself a fantastical library, filled with ancient writings, scrolls, and books of all natures that he himself has written and copied from ages past. Legend is foretold that he is the divine writer and for every person who has ever written a work, Ramuh has a copy in his library for the hungry to read.

It is also stated, to read from this library, one must offer up knowledge to Ramuh in the form of a skill or an item that they can give to his library, lest they too become a new experiment.

As an elemental, Ramuh is thoroughly convinced his existence overwrote his “previous” self, his personality being starkly different from his darker and cynical past self. He is far more cheerful and guiding, though when overcome with emotion, he is known to stew in his own juices and isolate himself to clear his head.

He is greatly fond of children and young adults (And extremely protective of them as well), claiming they have the most potential of all and is no stranger to blessing any of those who pray to him, whether out of fear or out of need. His favorite question to ask these young minds are their dreams, for it is the one aspect of knowledge he does not have filled yet, and as time goes by and so do creativity and imagination, it has quickly become a mark on his list.

His relationship to Demi is actually based upon my writing of what my interpretation of Ramuh was to Terra in Final Fantasy 6 (Before my hard drive failed and it erased it all). As a demon with roots of humanity still left within him, Demi finds himself frustrated at his existence at one point and flees into a storm and into the dark seas surrounding the Districts hoping to be carried away in the cover of night. Instead, he is called out to by a mysterious voice, and finds himself ashore to a distant, murky but somehow livelier island across the sea to Ramuh’s study.  Ramuh, who felt his presence and empathized with him, welcomed him with open arms as both a fragile mind in need of stability, but also as a foundation of an existence that was never meant to be (He doesn't reveal he knows this to Demi yet.) Taking him in, Ramuh teaches Demi about magic, and how he can use it to the best of his potential under the alias of “Brahma” and a pen name of “Lugh” in his writings. (He reveals down the road that he takes many names, and that Ramuh is considered the name people have given him over the years and it’s become a bit of an attachment.) Later, when his training is complete, and Demi is ready to find his way home, Ramuh explains to Demi that his humanity is not a cause of weakness, nor should he be afraid of who he is, and rather, embrace it. He also is the one to explain what the “Rifts” are, curious portals that are a rip in the space time continuum that allows those who traverse it into other rips into space and potentially time. (This will also be expanded upon, with the inclusion of a Bara Healer I did...!)

As an elemental, Ramuh knows of Ifrit, and is playfully his rival in terms of how opposite the two are. Ramuh is a nurturer, Ifrit is the destroyer, Ramuh studies, while Ifrit takes things at first glance. He also has interacted with Persephone, on a professional level, but likes to believe that they are long over due for another cup of tea together.

Ramuh is very sweet and fatherly, and he spends his time cultivating cacti and small plants as well as having various pets and tamed beasts. Some, such as the Fantastical Demon Anaconda is famed for its dangerous name, but in reality the snake is quite friendly and does not wish to do harm. Ramuh claims this is out of spite for those who condemn his work as a researcher, but the truth is that he enjoys being the root of knowledge, he can bend these things to his will after all.  Also under his fingertips is his talent for Bestiary keeping. Amongst them is some of the most feared monsters like The Art Block and The Fear of Failure.

Persephone:

Queen of Eros and transwoman, she is the proud wife of Hades (Resident jock goth who loves her very dearly) and runs Eros as best as she can and as humanly as possible.

She deeply loves her husband and dresses in the finest outfits she creates on her own, as well as being the most fashion forward of the District.

She was the one who turned Demi into an incubus as he stumbled into Eros, a lone human who was one the verge of turning into a will-o-wisp as most humans do. Bestowing upon him a sacred opal, her gemstones allowed those who wear them to show allegiance to her “Court” and become a powerful demon in their own right. Demi, a special case, retained his humanity and with no memories of his previous life, quickly take up his role as a dancer in Persephone’s nightclub,La Fleur de Grenade.

She is not a demon, and is implied to have once been a human, but now, she is queen of demons and those who accept her rule are considered her children; Having taken the role of District ruler from Hades, she wishes to model the District based on her desires of above ground society. 

She wishes to bring the Underground above ground so the demons could live amongst humans as she does with Hades and so that she can finally feel the sun on her face like she did as a child.

Hades “kidnapped” her before she transitioned after she met him masquerading as a human above ground and became close to him. She doesn’t like to speak on it, but her family situation was not the most healthiest. However, Hades, who understood her, offered her his help and the two held their hands together as they took the fall to his home where she blossomed into who she is now. She does not regret it one bit, nor does she ever regret that Hades allowed her to become who she is today with his support, and with his help. Overtime she’s grown her own magic herself, but she keeps it bottled so as not to initiate war and instead works for peace in Eros, using her nightclub as one of the key ways to ease off the District’s lust effect on its inhabitants. (Stronger demons resist a District’s influence, most however not.)

Her tactics and work method comes off as back breaking and rather excessive, but this is due to her taking up Demi as her pseudo messenger and agent. Humans who have wandered into Eros (Because it is the most “human” of districts and because it’s far too easy to end up somewhere like a huge Traverse Town) need to be taken out of the District before they degenerate into Will-o-wisps and Demi has quickly surmounted himself as a human “rescuer”. But where these humans go after being dropped off to Persephone’s grip, is still yet unknown.

It’s later to be revealed that Persephone, in her wish to bring the Underground above, is essentially using “human” energy to cause the Underground to rise up. Demons and the gods only exist because they have believers to spread their influence like the “God” who threw them down there. So, the more who interact with Demi and Eros, the more belief is given and the closer it is to reality. She means well, and only seeks the best for the demons, but to bring the Underground above... would destroy those above her, and she doesn’t know that (Yet!)

Persephone’s appearance changes almost every time she gets a chance, her style and fashion is most like a drag queen, always revolving around a theme, but her favorite hair style is a sort of curly pixie cut.