#avalon exotic mission

[thefirstknife]

I like the fact that we're not telling Mithrax anything about Asher becuse this is much funnier.

[silence-of-autumn42]

I really hope that Season of the Deep doesn't use Battlegrounds for its seasonal activity. While I like the mini strikes in general, we've had a lot of them pretty much back to back since they were introduced. Chosen, Risen, Seraph and now Defiance have all had Battlegrounds as their activities, with pretty minimal variation between them. It'd be nice to get some more unique activities again, like Astral Alignment from Season of the Lost, or Override from Season of the Splicer.

I've also noticed that seasons which feature Battlegrounds don't seem to do the secondary 3 player activities other seasons do. Splicer had Expunge, Lost had Shattered Realm, Haunted had Sever and Plunder had the pirate hideouts and also the excavation thing. But none of the Battlegrounds seasons have anything similar. They do tend to have exotic missions (Pressage, Vox Obscura, Seraph Station and now Avalon), but they're not the same. I think it's time for Bungie to break the current trend of Battlegrounds seasons, and go with the more traditional, but also more variable, six player activity + 3 player mini dungeon season again. Not permanently, but just for a while.

[thetoxicgamer]

Destiny 2 Legend Difficulty Just Got a Whole Lot Easier, Finally

According to recent upgrades from Bungie, the Legendary difficulty of Destiny 2 has suddenly become noticeably easier. The adjustments were made as a result of player criticism that suggested the FPS game's attempt to make content more difficult for its Lightfall expansion went too far, making some tasks feel exceedingly difficult or, in one case, practically impossible while playing with a Destiny 2 fireteam. “We’ve been keeping an eye on community feedback on overall difficulty since Lightfall’s launch, and we have some changes in today’s update and future updates that retune certain experiences,” says the blog post, which is part of development team’s weekly This Week at Bungie (TWAB) series. “In today’s update, we’ve reduced Legend and Master enemy HP scalars for non-boss units, which we felt were a little higher than we liked: - Reduced the enemy HP scalar in all non-raid/dungeon Legend and Master activities by 10%. - Reduced the co-op enemy HP scalar in Legendary Avalon by 33% in a full fireteam.” These are welcome changes, as the game’s Legendary difficulty was frustrating to Destiny 2 Guardians of all skill sets, ranging from casuals to seasoned players. It’s notable that Bungie specifically addressed the game’s Avalon Mission, part of the Destiny 2 Vexcalibur Exotic glaive quest, and its difficulty scaling. While many people thought that the base difficulty of the mission was challenging enough, others noted that when they played on Legendary difficulty with a full fireteam, the experience became quite the slog. Apparently, Bungie agrees, as it reduced the Legendary mission damage scalar by a whopping one-third. Players who completed the game’s other activities on Legendary difficulty are sure to feel frustrated knowing that they could have saved themselves some pain and effort by waiting for Bungie to implement today’s hotfix. Regardless, the change is likely to improve the game’s overall health. Often when Bungie makes decisions around things such as difficulty scaling, it does so by looking at not only player feedback on forums like Reddit but also at player data. Therefore, the changes may have not only been in response to vocal feedback but also to high numbers of people either quitting these activities when attempting them on Legendary difficulty or simply choosing not to play them in the first place. These questions of difficulty impact player experiences regarding the game’s expansion, which has also received criticism for its perceived weak storyline and failure to answer questions about a mysterious object called The Veil in Destiny 2 Lightfall. Metacritic reviews for the expansion across platforms range between 66% and 70%. The TWAB also notes that the game has adjusted its Destiny 2 Commendations once again. Bungie reduced Hawthorne’s weekly challenge Commendations target from 20 to 5, removing objectives that required players to give Commendations to earn Guardian Ranks 7, 8, and 9 and lessening the number of Commendations for Rank 7, 8, and 9 to 100, 250, and 500 respectively. In the TWAB, senior design lead Chris Proctor also shared a preview of forthcoming weapon balancing changes. These changes will impact PvE primaries to make it easier to kill red bar enemies at Legendary and Heroic difficulty. Many players feel primaries have been weak overall for some time. The changes primarily impact auto rifles, pulse rifles, hand cannons, sidearms, and scout rifles. The team will also adjust Aggressive Frame SMGs, fusion rifles, trace rifles, and sniper rifles. The Final Warning sidearm will no longer be able to track targets through barricades, and the team will also make adjustments to Tarrabah and Revision Zero. Notably, Bungie will introduce reticle changes as of season 21. The TWAB offered a preview video of what to expect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I74mm8m5gyg These forthcoming changes should impact numerous weapons, including several weapons on the Destiny 2 Lightfall Exotics list. Visit our guide to learn how to obtain the multiplayer game‘s best new weapons, as Destiny 2 season 20 is quickly approaching its halfway point. Read the full article

[rockislandadultreads]

Dune Readalikes: Science Fiction, Space Operas, & Mysticism

Nova by Samuel R. Delany

These are [at least some of] the ways you can read NOVA: as a fast-action farflung interstellar adventure; as archetypal mystical/mythical allegory (in which the Tarot and the Grail both figure prominently); as modern myth told in the S-F idiom... the reader observes, recollects, or participates in a range of personal experience including violent pain and disfigurement, sensory deprivation and overload, man-machine communion, the drug experience, the creative experience - and inter-personal relationships which include incest and assassination, father-son, leader-follower, human-pet, and lots more! The balance of galactic power in the 31st century revolves around Illyrion, the most precious energy source in the universe. The varied and exotic crew who sign up with Captain Lorq van Ray know their mission is dangerous, and they soon learn that they are involved in a deadly race with the charismatic but vicious leader of an opposing space federation. But they have no idea of Lorq's secret obsession: to gather Illyrion at the source by flying through the very heart of an imploding star.

Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy. It was not his war. On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe started down a path that could only end in fire. The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives--even the Emperor himself--against Imperial orders. But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier. Fleeing his father and a future as a torturer, Hadrian finds himself stranded on a strange, backwater world. Forced to fight as a gladiator and into the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, he will find himself fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come....

The Abyss Beyond Dreams by Peter F. Hamilton

The year is 3326. Nigel Sheldon, one of the founders of the Commonwealth, receives a visit from the Raiel—self-appointed guardians of the Void, the enigmatic construct at the core of the galaxy that threatens the existence of all that lives. The Raiel convince Nigel to participate in a desperate scheme to infiltrate the Void. Once inside, Nigel discovers that humans are not the only life-forms to have been sucked into the Void, where the laws of physics are subtly different and mental powers indistinguishable from magic are commonplace. The humans trapped there are afflicted by an alien species of biological mimics—the Fallers—that are intelligent but merciless killers. Yet these same aliens may hold the key to destroying the threat of the Void forever—if Nigel can uncover their secrets. As the Fallers’ relentless attacks continue, and the fragile human society splinters into civil war, Nigel must uncover the secrets of the Fallers—before he is killed by the very people he has come to save.

[chroniclesofamber]

THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER & History Lessons II

The first two books of Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber — Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon — were written between 1967 and the early 1970s.  The Vietnam War cast a long shadow from the 1960s into the first years of the next decade.  In Nine Princes in Amber, for example, one of the most memorable episodes of action and conflict occurs in the seventh chapter:

“The sheets of light and heat flapped a steady, welling thunder as we ran, and the waves of warmth beat upon us, washed over us. Soon they were right there alongside us, and the trees blackened and the leaves flaked down, and some of the smaller trees began to sway.  For as far ahead as we could see, our way was an alley of fires…  We made it to the fork, though, beating out flames on our smoldering clothing, wiping ashes from our eyes…  We ran through burning grasses…  The interlocked branches of the trees overhead had become as the beams in a cathedral of fire…”

The Vietnam War was part of the nightly news back then.  Stories and images of napalm and agent orange falling upon the jungles of Southeast Asia were current at the time and the quote above would have resonated in the American consciousness.  But it was not just the horrors of war haunting America.  There was also civil unrest and a rebellious younger generation ready to take up arms against the old guard who had nourished the conflicts and tensions leading to the strife stretching from the ’60s into the ’70s.

After the baptism of fire experienced by narrator and main character Corwin — which concludes with the provident arrival of riflemen trained and led by him to defend Amber and position him as the kingdom’s effective ruler — he finds himself at the top of a society struggling with an uneasy and temporary peace.  Powerful foes have been unleashed upon the immortal city, and it looks like it may have been an inside job.  In fact, it may even be that Corwin himself has provided unintended assistance to the enemy.  This self-reflective attitude of examining one’s own role in the evils plaguing the world belonged very much to the troubling era which began with the assassination of President Kennedy and ended with the resignation of President Nixon.

SIGN OF THE UNICORN (1975)

History:  The longest gap between the publication of any of the books of The Chronicles of Amber:  three years.  An air of defeat hangs over America, as well as over places beyond.  The Club of Rome puts out its report “The Limits to Growth” and in 1974 the world population reaches four billion.  The Apollo 13 failure of 1970 has left its mark, followed by a decline in support for the program dooming the final three missions to cancellation.  Apollo 17 therefore sees the last men on the Moon in December of 1972, when one of the most popular photographs ever is taken — the iconic “Blue Marble” image of a nearly full Earth — and soon becomes an emblem of the environmental movement.  In contrast to the “Blue Marble,” in the summer of ’72 the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Napalm girl” photograph makes headlines, and less than a year later the last U.S. soldier leaves Vietnam subsequent to the Paris Peace Accords.  The war is over and the U.S. did not win it.

The war may be over, but deep problems remain — a description of the years during which Zelazny wrote Sign of the Unicorn, but also a description of the contents of the book itself.  “The Troubles” — as the conflict in Northern Ireland comes to be called — of the United Kingdom undergo a rapid escalation:  the British Army shoots dead 14 unarmed marchers on terrible Bloody Sunday; the British embassy in Dublin is burned down during rioting all over Ireland; bombs detonate in Whitehall and the Old Bailey; car bombs set by the Ulster Volunteer Force in Dublin and Monaghan kill 33 civilians and injure 300 others.

Meanwhile, a story just as big unfolds on the other side of the Atlantic:  Five White House operatives are arrested for the burglary of the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate Hotel.  Nixon orders special prosecutor Archibald Cox to be fired over his subpoena of recordings of incriminating White House conversations, but is eventually compelled by the Supreme Court to release the tapes.  Impeachment proceedings underway, the public and even members of the Republican Party against him, Nixon resigns in August of 1974 and the unelected Vice President, Gerald Ford, becomes President.  Likewise, Eric falls and Corwin steps in as the interim regent of an Amber reeling from war and internal strife, a state of affairs closely matching the condition of America as offered in Nixon’s resignation speech.

Lesson:  Corwin finds himself the target of an attempt to frame him for the murder of Caine, his brother Gérard pummels him in a fight and dangles him over a cliff, he is nearly stabbed to death in his suite only hours after Brand is knifed in similar fashion, in the misty city of ghosts known as Tir-na Nog’th he is attacked and comes perilously close to plummeting to his death.  In this context, the cautions of his sister Fiona regarding the dangers of wearing for too long the ultimate artifact of power, the Jewel of Judgment, take on new meaning.  She warns it can kill him.  The information possibly saves his life, as it persuades him to remove the Jewel when at the brink of death.  The lesson is bigger than that, however.  Corwin learns that power without knowledge or wisdom is dangerous and can be fatal, something which his brother Eric, as king, did not discover in time.

Journey:  It all begins with Corwin’s discovery of a crime and a corpse, which leads straight to his learning of Random’s attempt to rescue Brand from his tower.  And it ends with Corwin and Random, along with Ganelon, looking down upon the damaged Pattern (also the result of a crime, though they do not know that yet), just a day after Corwin’s meeting with a freshly rescued and recovered Brand.  Crimes call out for investigation and from the first pages of the first book Corwin has played the detective.  In the opening scene, Corwin has questions for Random and in the final scene he finally has some answers.  Now he knows from his interview with Brand that there was a conspiracy by the red-haired faction to seize Amber’s throne, that Dara is descended from Chaos and intended for that throne, that a game has been in progress where he has been but a useful knight and where the broken Pattern before him is the board upon which it has been played.

Watergate, Painful Endings...

...and Perhaps Resurrections — the Mid-’70s

“The sun was that great orb of molten gold we had seen earlier.  The sky was a deeper blue than that of Amber, and there were no clouds in it.  That sea was a matching blue, unspecked by sail or island.  I saw no birds, and I heard no sounds other than our own.  An enormous silence lay upon this place, this day.  In the bowl of my suddenly clear vision, the Pattern at last achieved its disposition upon the surface below.  I thought at first that it was inscribed in the rock, but as we drew nearer I saw that it was contained within it—gold-pink swirls, like veining in an exotic marble, natural-seeming despite the obvious purpose to the design… A dark, rough-edged smudge had obliterated an area of the section immediately beneath us, running from its outer rim to the center.”

Dark times are depicted in Sign of the Unicorn amidst the darkest days of the Seventies.  OPEC launches its oil embargo, soon doubling the price of crude, all just after the dollar has been devalued 10%.  A recession affecting most of the world ensues, and the oil crisis does not wind down until 1974.  Cults, destructive to themselves and often to others, appear in newspapers and on television.  The Manson Family is sentenced, the Symbionese Liberation Army abducts and brainwashes heiress Patty Hearst, the Heaven’s Gate UFO cult is founded near San Diego.

Violent groups on the radical left, however, are increasingly foiled and contained:  the Baader-Meinhof Red Army Faction is arrested; the Japanese Red Army, in decline after the Lod Airport attack, is defunct as an independent organization within a year of the attack; the Angry Brigade ends its run in a British courtroom. 

At the same time, the political left makes gains:  Labour’s Harold Wilson returns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Helmut Schmidt of the Social Democratic Party becomes Chancellor of West Germany after a spy scandal brings down his predecessor; centrist Valéry Giscard d’Estaing succeeds Pompidou as President of France; the Carnation Revolution overthrows Portugal’s dictatorship and restores democracy; the Democratic Party logs historic victories in the House, Senate and state Governorships.  The Old Bailey sees the first woman serve as a judge, the U.S. Congress sends the ERA to the states for ratification, women are finally admitted to Dartmouth College, the FBI hires women as agents for the first time, equal pay for women is mandated in Australia — liberal politics enjoys a resurgence during this period.

Whether intentional or not, the revolutionary red-haired cabal of Amber mirrors the restless idealists of the times, violent and otherwise, hoping to institute change.  The overreach by forces on the right, responsible for the deaths of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr., at last seems to come full circle with the resignation of Nixon and a national rejection of the authoritarian wielding of autocratic power.  As already suggested, the hubris Eric demonstrates (like Nixon) in crowning himself king and regularly resorting to the most dramatic powers of the Jewel of Judgment brings him to his death on the slopes of Kolvir.

Eric has died, yet while Corwin and Brand both tread recklessly close to death they instead return bearing valuable new information — and, in one case, an enchanted mechanical arm — introducing the theme of resurrection and restoration.  The Vietnam War at last is over, the crisis of the Nixon presidency has ended; the world is nowhere near out of the woods, but these events provide scope for respite and relief, and perhaps…hope?  Vietnam and Watergate have together represented a perpetual storm cloud over America, a weight upon the world.  The oil crisis has been harrowing, but soon leads directly to alternative energy R&D and long-needed improvements in automobiles.  The world is still beset with sweeping, deep-seated problems, and the clouds have not truly cleared, but rays of hope are breaking through to shine on both beautiful inspirations and stark realities, much as the brilliant sun of the real Amber illuminates the broken Pattern in the final scene of Sign of the Unicorn.

“‘Then—looking for congruence—that would be about where our own Pattern lies,’ [Random said as we regarded the oval area of smooth, level rock].

‘Yes,’ I said again.

‘And that blotted area is to the south, from whence comes the black road.’

I nodded slowly as the understanding arrived and forged itself into a certainty.

‘What does it mean?’ he asked.  ‘It seems to correspond to the true state of affairs, but beyond that I do not understand its significance.  Why have we been brought here and shown this thing?’

‘It does not correspond to the true state of affairs,’ I said.  ‘It is the true state of affairs.’”

[...to be continued in a future post...]

[madaboutmerlin]

Merlin Writer Month: Round Up

Hello Merlin fans! It’s hard to believe, but here we are again at the end of another week! Thank you to all who participated during this third one! There have been some really great recs! We hope you’ve enjoyed recommending and/or reading and connecting with others who love this great fandom! 

As a friendly reminder, please make sure to use the tag #MerlinWriterMonth2018 when tagging your posts for this month.

This post, as per the usual, will go from largest quantity rec’d to the smallest, so as to make it more tidy. 

Without further ado, here we go!

MERTHUR:

1.  Footballers Don’t Dance by Tari_Sue

Summary: What else is a footballer supposed to do at the end of his career other than enter Strictly?

Words: 47,531

2.  No Strings Attached by leahholmes12

Summary: Who knew it would be so comfortable hiding in the closet while your boyfriend fights with his wife, wearing his boxers and smelling like sex? In Merlin’s defense, Arthur hadn’t been wearing his wedding band that night at the bar. But sex isn’t the only reason why Arthur’s seeing Merlin… One of Dr. Arthur Pendragon’s secrets will change Merlin’s life forever. Rated for infidelity, drug abuse, and explicit sex.

Words: 17,560

3.  Making Other Plans by digthewriter

Summary: Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.

Words: 12,920

4.  You Only Live Twice by storyforsomeone

Summary: Agent Arthur Pendragon is the best double-0 the agency has ever seen, trained and honed to be MI6’s finest weapon.He does not need a voice in his ear telling him how to do his job. He does not listen to stubborn geniuses who apparently had no sense of self-preservation and enjoyed baiting professional killers.He certainly does not fall in love with quartermasters with haunting blue-gold eyes and an irritating habit of saving his life.(Or the one where Arthur is 007, Merlin is Q, and they’re both still idiots.)

Words: 226K

5.  A Question of Honour by schweet_heart

Summary: It took a few seconds for this to sink in. When it did, Merlin felt as if he’d been repeatedly hit over the head by a blunt object, and had to clutch at Arthur’s shoulder for support. “Are you telling me you’re a virgin?!” He squeaked, his voice reaching a pitch that was probably only audible to bats and a handful of dogs.OR: Arthur is getting married, and there are certain things he wants to know before his wedding night. Apparently, Merlin is the only one he can ask.

Words: 10K

6.  The Catalyst by Val_Creative

Summary: Merlin will never die. Time has withered him to a standoffish, hollow mimicry of what he has once been. The boy who wore his smiles with pride and genuine feeling.The worst part is he never truly lives, not until destiny spits Arthur Pendragon back out.

Words: 218,982

7.  Mr & Mr Smith by Detochkina

Summary: Merlin Emrys is used to living life on the go. As an agent for the Agency of Magic, Merlin’s days are consumed by travel, exotic locations, and battling a faceless rival – an officer from the competing Bureau of Corrections, who is always hot on his heels and ready to one-up him. When Merlin is sent on a mission to Las Vegas to secure a powerful artifact, he allows himself one night off. Just one, because he bloody deserves it. Drinks and foreplay lead to a bet with a hot financial advisor he just met. Merlin ends up as a newlywed. Oops. 

Words: 101,837

8.  Merlin’s Just A Fast Learner by a_fuck_it_kind_of_lifestyle

Summary:  A mysterious sorcerer saved the army of Camelot at Camlann, but more than that, he saved Arthur Pendragon. Upon returning home, Arthur discovers the errors of his ways, and vows to correct his father’s wrongs. He starts by lifting the ban on magic. But he realizes to fully understand the new world, he needs a court sorcerer. So he asks his most trusted friend to learn magic. Merlin, being an idiot, said yes. He quickly finds out that hiding his knowledge of magic while doing magic is almost as hard as hiding his deep unending love for Arthur. Arthur is still an oblivious idiot in every aspect of his life besides Uther, and doesn’t realize that he’s in love with his obvious sorcerer friend Merlin.

Words: 12K

9.  Fire and Filigree by CreamMoon

Summary: For ten years Arthur is the youngest son of Sir Ector and Lady Evaine. When the lady of the household dies in childbirth that all ends, and he becomes an indentured servant to work off his debt of “ten years of care”. Ten years later he’s at his wit’s end catering to the household’s demands. But then a series of events set in motion by an aggravating Fae, a well meaning Knight, and an annoying stranger turn his world upside down.

Words: 20,688

10.  Two Halves of the Whole by Fiery_archer_lav3nder_p1x1e

Summary: In a world where Alphas and Omegas are seen as sub-human, treated like animals, and isolated from the world, two boys find each other. The world may not see them as anything, but to each other, and the rest of their kind, they’re a beacon of hope. They’ve survived years in a system that looks only to obliterate those with their special capabilities, but once they find each other, they take their lives back…. together. Who knows what this could mean for the world.

Words: 82,171

11. The Dragon of Avalon by darklydreamingdoctor 

When Merlin is wounded at Camlann instead of Arthur, the two journey to Avalon in a final attempt to save the sorcerer's life. Once there they receive help from an unexpected source... with unexpected consequences. 

Words: 26,474

12. It’s a Safeguarding Issue by Guessimaclotpole 

Arthur Pendragon is a 23-year-old NQT preparing for his first year of teaching Music to international students at Durham University; and he is all kinds of stressed and nervous. So, when cocky northerner Emrys ends up dumped in his class, his first year of teaching becomes anything other than what he’d expected.

Emrys Smith is a 20-year-old talented local student who has applied for the music course at Durham University with a full scholarship, and with pressure from his Mother. He was the only local student to pass the entry requirements and on his first day he is thrown in with the international students. There he meets his lecturer, Arthur Pendragon, and fresh meat is always the easiest target.

After a horrible event takes place, Arthur and Emrys form a bond which they can’t allow to become anything more than a standard Teacher/Student relationship- but Arthur learns of Emrys’ dark background and can’t help but feel tenderly for him.

Only after Arthur pushes Emrys away does he realise he’s head over heels for his student.

Words: 48,871

13. down came the lightning on me by ladililn 

Plot twist: it turns out Arthur doesn't have any problem with Merlin kissing guys if it's Arthur he's kissing.

Words: 11,731

14. Knight of the Temple by rotrude 

When Edessa, a city and county conquered during the first crusade, falls to Atabeg Zengi, Pope Eugene II pleads for the start of a new expedition. Meanwhile Norman knight Arthur Pendragon is faced with the prospect of an arranged marriage. The only way out for him is joining the brethren of the Temple. It's in the Holy Land he meets the mysterious Merlin.

Words: 33,435

15. King & Lionheart by Bohemia

For someone with so many secrets, Merlin doesn't think he's very good at lying. So agreeing to discuss his friendship with the Prince of Wales at University as part of a televised documentary is probably not a good idea. Juggling magic, Royal protocol, suave (and persistent) Dukes, a Princess with attitude, and a serious amount of coursework was only the start. Oh and then there was Arthur himself. Yeah, probably shouldn't mention much about that...

Words: 263,877

16. We Need to Talk by schweet_heart

Arthur and Merlin work together. They also used to sleep together. That was a long time ago - but now Arthur wants Merlin back.

Words: 23,400

17. As the Tide Comes Tumbling In by Polomonkey 

Merlin never thought that being a politician's husband would make him a target. But then he's kidnapped by two men looking for Arthur's attention and finds himself trapped in a living nightmare.

Words: 4,540

18. Song of Runes by Plutonia 

When Arthur confronts Morgana in the throne room, hearing the name 'Emrys' for the first time in years has his mind reeling. He gave up on finding his soulmate long ago. Now he's supposed to believe that not only is it an old man, but also a sorcerer?

Words: 10,938

19. Rebuilding a Stone Circle by TheLadyCassandra 

After Merlin reveals his magic in an ambush. Arthur's choices and Merlin's fierce loyalty mean that the way ahead will not be easy.

Words: 19,849

20. The Cold Light of Morning by Clea2011 

Uther had plans for Arthur.  They didn't involve him choosing his own omega. They certainly didn't involve him choosing a servant for that role.

Words: 26,598

21. Modern Merlin AU by V_L_G_4200 

Inspired by tumblr posts by 'katiemcgrath'

"Almost got arrested." "What?? Why?" "Punched the Prince of Wales." "Was he angry?" "I don’t know. Gave me his number." "You going to call him?" "Nah, gonna post it on Twitter."

Words: 6,720

22. A Song of Life by fancyh 

Canon divergence from episode 5x03: The Death Song of Uther Pendragon. What would have happened if Arthur overheard Merlin and Uther, if he found out about Merlin's magic then?

Words: 8,224

23. You wanted to get lost in the woods by Miledh

Arthur cuenta los días esperando que sea el momento de regresar, pero antes de poder reunirse con el joven mago, el legendario rey deberá demostrar una vez más lo que hay en su corazón.

Ávalon es una tierra de magia y mitos, y el bosque es profundo más allá de los árboles.

« I found you, and it was magical. Then you wandered off into the woods and never come back. I tried yo find you again, but you didn't want to be found. I looked everywhere, but you walked away and I lost you. »

Kayden Lomahan

Words: 10,665

24. Little Talks KnownAsEmrys 

Merlin lost the three most important people to him and unsurprisingly he has a hard time adjusting to it. He loses his job and he no longer has anywhere to go when his apartment building gets torn down. Luckily, Arthur, the man he's only met twice, and who is adored by their mutual friends, has a spare room.   Or,

In which Merlin needs a place to stay and his friends decide to move him in with the rich workaholic he barely knows.

Words: 57,893

25. and we'll be glowing in the dark by destroyerofhearts 

Every Christmas throughout his childhood until he moved out of home, his father had always set up his Christmas themed model train and town set. A wave of nostalgia rushed through Arthur as he admired the little building that held many fond memories of Christmas with his family growing up. Rifling through the box next to the first one he’d open, he revealed the train and its tracks, buried underneath several Christmas lights. And it was in that moment that inspiration struck. 

In which Merlin is the grinch, Arthur is a real Christmas enthusiast, and Christmas light competitions are most definitely a thing.

Words: 2,246

26. More Than A Feeling by staymagical 

P.I. Arthur Pendragon has always considered himself good at his job, relying more on his gut instincts and intuition than his mediocre skills at spell casting and half-assed illusions. But it's enough and he gets the job done, more or less. A woman asking for his aid in tracking down her missing daughter, a familiar no less, is just another case in his books. Until it isn't.

Merlin Emrys hasn't known much in life, happiness perhaps as a child, then the dark shades of society and cruelty bled through as he got older. At 25, he's used it by now. It comes with being a familiar in a witch dominated world. And in the dark underbelly of the city where he resides, he has little choice in how he wants to live. Only whether he survives.

Purely by chance, they stumble upon each other and together, end up discovering the sinister secrets of the city's underbelly.

Words: 6,311

GEN:

1. Rend and Rebuild by PeaceHeather 

One wrong move in the heat of battle changes everything. Merlin is a sorcerer, and Arthur has stabbed him.

Words: 103,598

2. Do You Feel Like a Young God? by onceandfuturewarlock 

When Merlin's magic is discovered by the last person he ever would have expected, he soon finds himself a pawn in the most twisted, dangerous game he's ever played, no way to win, and no way out - unless, of course, he changes the rules.

Words: 22,038

3. Stronger Than by NotNecessarilyInThatOrder 

“I said I was dying.” Arthur sighed.“I don’t have time for this.” “Would you have had time to retrieve my corpse?” Merlin thought, then nearly smacked himself when Arthur’s expression made him realize he’d spoken out loud. Could Merlin have told the truth if Arthur had been willing to listen that morning? What would that mean for their future? For Morgana's?

Words: 38,034

4. The Siege Perilous by CarverTwain

Druids came for Hunith's son long ago. Years later, a man named Emrys and his apprentice are captured as Druids in Camelot. But Emrys strikes a deal with Uther: as long as the King allows Emrys to live as a political prisoner in the dungeons, the Druids will stay far away from Camelot. Uther agrees. Hated and feared, Emrys works to gain the trust of his jailers.

Words: 26,781

5. A Sea and Four Centuries by MDJensen 

In which Lancelot and Aramis wake up in the wrong beds-- and the wrong countries, and the wrong centuries.

Words: 13,613

6. Knowledge does not mean Understanding by Selene467 

In a time when Merlin's magic is outed and accepted -something he never thought possible months ago- Arthur is shown that despite knowing how strong Merlin is, he doesn't fully understand -comprehend- just how powerful he truly is. A dangerous conflict in which Merlin all but sacrifices himself to save everyone else, shows Arthur that there is far more to Merlin than he thought possible. Gaius wasn't kidding when he told Arthur that Merlin was the strongest sorcerer ever to have lived.

Words: 13,147

7. A Criminal's Burial by gecko818 

Upon awakening in a strange castle with no memory of the last week, Arthur learned that not only had he been recovering from poison, but that Merlin was responsible for the betrayal. Unfortunately, the boy was reportedly killed by Arthur's own sword and left to rot. Little does he know, the story is a mere ruse to conquer Camelot.

Words: 34,761

8. The Right Thing by AithuzahFic

Merlin jumped when Arthur spoke.

“He didn’t deny it,” he said, his voice low and cool.

“I’m sorry?”

“He said he loved her and would never hurt her, but he never said it wasn’t true.”

Words: 3,734

9. Silence Cuts Loudest Through the Chaos by 1917farmgirl

Kidnapped by a mad king, Arthur and Merlin must rely on each other like never before. While Arthur struggles with choices that put his heart and duty at odds, Merlin struggles just to stay alive after being stripped of his magic and freedom. With impossible choices and heavy secrets weighing them down, can they manage to escape before all is lost?

Words: 73,213

10. The Truth of Who We Are by Marie_Iliea 

Set into the wall, a brazier evenly spaced between them, were words, each with the imprint of a hand below it, and a pair of footprints set into the floor below that.   Loyalty, Strength, Courage, Servitude, Magic, Nobility, Humility, Authority, and Discipline.  Merlin recognized the riddle right away, having met the dwarf during Arthur’s quest. He knew three of the names, three of the matches — and it terrified him. What would the others make of him being Magic? He shivered, a thrill of fear running down his spine.

Or: When Arthur and the knights go hunting, but events take a predictably unusual turn that exposes Merlin's magic to them all -- and then it all goes, quite literally, to the Otherworld.

Words: 6,501

11. Some Things Are Meant to Be by 1917farmgirl

For Merlin, having the world fall apart around him was nothing new, but having someone there to help him pick up the pieces afterwards unfortunately was. Until it happened twice, with two very special people who appeared in his life when he most needed saving.

Words: 6,720

12. Conversation with a Goldsmith by Signal27

Arthur has commissioned rings for his new knights that helped him take back Camelot from Morgause, Morgana, and the immortal army. Along with the rings, he learns a history that his father never told him...about a dragonlord that helped put his father on the throne. Balinor. Post season 3. Arthur figures a few thing out, but keeps it secret.

Words: 46,594 

ARWEN:

1. The Three Guineveres by CyberQueens

It probably was too much to expect, that a royal wedding in Camelot could ever go on without trouble, doppelgangers, ghosts and an attempted assassination. And only about half of it was Merlin’s fault this time.

Words: 93,517

2. The Peasant King (and His Noble Queen) by CyberQueens

Arthur, long-lost illegitimate son of Uther Pendragon, enjoys the simple peasant’s life, in a simple village, as he worries about simple things. That is, until the day Merlin comes to make him king. Elsewhere, Guinevere, descended from a great and noble family of equally great and noble standing, mourns her father, and the fact that he left his crown to her brother.

With peace and stability in Albion resting on an alliance between their kingdoms, the two of them are a match made in heaven – in everyone’s opinion but their own, of course.

Words: 37,168

3. A Matter of Pride by WoodlandGoddess1

Arthur gazed down at the photograph of his uncle for another moment and then looked out at his wife once more. He let her blatant bisexual pride flood through him and fill the cavern of his chest. He raised his chin and squared his shoulders as he made a decision that could change his life as he knew it:

He was going to the pride festival.

Words: 34,555

4.  Living with Merlin by rubberglue

Gwen needs a place to live and Merlin needs a house mate. It's (almost) perfect.

Words: 21,937

5.  Not Your Everyday Arthurian Fantasy by  sophielou21

Gwen gives Arthur the shock of a lifetime when she tells him she is pregnant. Deciding to keep the child, they embark on the difficult task of telling their friends and family members the news - and leave a path of chaos in their wake.

[Originally posted on LiveJournal in 2010, under the title 'One Morning On Wednesday' following a prompt on the then-Arthur/Gwen community Camelot_Love, posted by a friend. This is a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of BBC Merlin's Camelot set in a modern alternative version of Britain - or Albion - today.]

Words:15026

6. Above The Law by  JustineofQueens

Arthur and Morgana Pendragon are Albion's finest brother and sister detectives who work alongside attorneys Elyan and Guinevere of Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Firm, putting away Albion's worst criminals. But one criminal has eluded them thus far. Myron Crook.

Words: 112,149

7. The Other Princess by  Funny.Bonez

When Morgana runs away after finding out she is to be married to the prince of Camelot, it is up to Gwen to step in and take her place. But with all the twist and turns that life has to offer, can Gwen really handle marrying Arthur? Or will she run to? AU

Words: 79,355

8. Marriage by Agreement by  sportyshuie

Arthur’s a womaniser and wants Gwen in his bed by all means, including marrying her through cheat and gamble. Gwen loathes Arthur yet succumbs to the loveless marriage for her father. But destiny mentions Arthur’s first wife will die and only his second will bring him happiness. And Elena is waiting in the wings. Read as the drama unfolds … will Gwen die or will she live?

Words: 165,122

9. Forbidden by Thepinkhouseowner

He’s a world-famous actor, she’s just a simple costume designer for the film he’s starring in. He likes blondes, fake boobs and good times. She is gentle, genuine and quietly beautiful. Not even a one night stand could ever happen… could it?

Words: 71,612

10. Desperate Measures by niklovr

Speculation fic. Guinevere fears that Morgana's enchantment has affected her fertility. So she considers magic to help her produce an heir. Meanwhile, Arthur's investigation into sorcery will lead him to question his greatest ally. Will include Merlin, Gaius, the Knights, & maybe Morgana. Spoilers: 5x06, 5x07, 5x08, and 5x09.

Words: 56,706

11. The Wife by tudor-rose445

As the wife of the prince Gwen knows that she is destined to one day rule beside him. Yet the road to the throne will not be simple. The second entry in "The Once and Future" series.

Words: 45,843

MERWAINE:

1. The Price of Eight For One by dancingpenss 

The soulmate words were seemingly the one form of magic Uther Pendragon could not best. Merlin has never wanted hers; they are sure to be a great deal of trouble on top of being a warlock. After all, soulmarks are a type of magic, and she has eight.

Words: 45,877

2. the one where everybody finds out by nanwashbrad 

A series of shorts about how the people of Camelot found out about Gwaine and Merlin.

Words: 3,598

3. If I Had a Heart I Could Love You by SolarMaga 

Given Merlin’s track record he felt himself quite justified in his brutal crushing of any romantic feelings, no matter how vague. Besides, Merlin had a destiny. He had to keep a close watch on Arthur, how could he do that if he was too busy being in love?

Compared to Merlin, Gwaine opened his heart wholly to anyone willing to peek within, that didn’t mean though that any one person held his heart. No, Gwaine left himself open to any but never let anyone in long enough to take root.

Merlin refusing to accept that he might possibly have romantic feelings for anyone. Gwaine can't quite figure out why he keeps thinking kissing his best friend until he does. Poor Lancelot is left shaking his head at the two of them. So what if the Perfect Knight tries to push his friends into each others arms? Someone had to do it.

Words: 11,792

4. Endless by MumblePhantomFox 

Although Merlin would've liked to have thrown in the towel, what he wanted to be an end was only yet another beginning. And with new royalty making waves, magical threats continuing to surface, and a new generation to protect, Albion has no intention of letting him disappear anytime soon.

Words: 5,641

5. A New Day by Hershey_chan 

"Loving Arthur was, without a doubt, the most painful thing Merlin had ever endured...

As Merlin stood in front of an applauding crowd, wearing fine robes to match the new title of Court Sorcerer that Arthur had bestowed upon him with Queen Guinevere at his side, Merlin wondered why he was still alive.  He had completed his destiny, hadn’t he?  Now he had no purpose.  For some reason, it seemed natural to Merlin that people died because they had finished what they were placed on this world to achieve.  Why else would it be fair that all of Merlin’s loved ones had died saving other people, which they must have been destined to do?

But Merlin was not dying.  He felt in perfect health, and thanks to his protection spells surrounding the castle and the whole of Camelot, he would not be killed in some kind of attack.  Merlin looked first at Arthur’s beaming face, then at Gwen’s, then turned to survey the room of happy people.  He felt sick."

With his destiny completed, countless loved ones dead, and his love for Arthur unrequited, Merlin finds himself lacking the will to live.  Gwaine tries to give him a purpose again.

Words: 19,557

6. The Traveler and The Servant by MagicLovesStrength

 Gwaine met Merlin months ago, but never expected to see him again captured in Cenred's dungeon, bound to the floor with chains.  He knows they have to get out, before Cenred can harm them both, or kill them.

Words: 2,537

BALINOR/HUNITH:

1. The Merman and the Maiden by LittensTinyMittens

Hunith Faber is Uther Pendragon's Personal Assistant. She hates her job, but the pay is decent, at least until she can find another one. Due to their office being under repairs, he is working from his massive mansion, and she is joining him.

She never expected to find a merman in his huge aquarium.

Words: 6,729

MERWEN:

1. love takes you in by queervampire 

"It wasn’t my fault!" Merlin defended, while Gwen just pointed to him and said, "It was his idea!"

The baby in her arms gurgled with amusement.

(The one where Merlin and Gwen become co-parents, Morgana plays matchmaker, Arthur is clueless, and magic druid babies make everything better.)

Words: 10,501

FREYLIN:

1. stolen moments by daisy_chains

It is on rare occasions, when the sun burns brightly and magic thrums melodically in the air, that Freya manages to slip away from her watery grave to join her lover for a few stolen moments.

Words: 5,436

LEON/PERCIVAL:

1. You're My Home by ThexBrokenxMirror

Nothing is as it seems to be in Camelot. People are starting to get sick with what they are calling the 'Illness'. Soon they are going to learn that Morgana isn't the only one they have to fear. Especially when this enemy is something they've never seen before.

Words: 15,907

MERLIN/LANCELOT:

1. Starting the End by Uniasus

When Arthur and the knights walk out of the Lake of Avalon, Merlin's not sure what to think. He's seen some awful things, but Arthur's arrival hints that what's to come could be worse. Sadly, Merlin has no clue what it is.

And on top of that, they no longer work as a unit. Merlin's relationships with them all have shifted, partly because they all now know he has magic, partly because in the modern world he's a million more times successful (and has the cash to prove it), and partly because in the roughly two thousand years he's been walking the Earth he's spent lifetimes with the individual knights, come to love each and every one, and they don't remember.

Words: 26,265

MULTIPLE:

1. Let Them Go And Fade Into Light by Lion_owl 

After the victory at Camlann and the death of Morgana, Queen Guinevere has lifted the ban on magic and Camelot is thriving – but with a new threat looming on the horizon, Arthur and the other fallen knights must return considerably sooner than Merlin anticipated; and they have a surprising ally by their side

Words: 3,347

[artistiquereader]

Merlin Writer Month: Faves Week

So, I’ve been really looking forward to this week and I have a ton of recommendations. Hope I provide you with something new and that you enjoy it! This are in no particular order, they are just works that I love in equal measure for different reasons and that I feel everyone should read because they are amazing. Also, this is going to be long, so sorry (but not really) about that, so you’ll find everything after the cut.

Also, if the fic has a “*” beside it, it means it is a restricted work on AO3, so you’ll need to be logged in to read it.

The thing is, I need to start this list by putting my absolute favorite at the very beggining. After it, as I wrote above, they’re all equally beloved to me, but this first one is just it for me for various reasons.

The Sidewalks of New York by emmbrancsxx0 Lenght: 161,191 Summary:  New York City, 1925. Jazz, flappers, parties, and violence. In the midst of Prohibition, crime boss Arthur Pendragon and his gang, the Knights of the Round Table, arrive from London to open a speakeasy in Chelsea. Fearing they’ll lose their hold on Manhattan’s West Side, the Black Kings send Merlin Emrys to spy on the Knights. The two gangs quickly become rivals, and there is no place for love in war.

Comment: This fic is just absolutely brilliant in every sense. It picked my interest because of the time it is set in (which is my favorite time in history). I’ve always had a fascination with New York 1910-1930 and the whole Prohibition and gangs aspect of it. This is just so well balanced in every aspect that it offers: the romance, the betrayals, the rivalries between gangs, the characters and their personalitites and motivations are just fantastic. Arthur as a crime boss is just delightful as is Merlin as the charismatic bartender of the speakeasy (even tho he is so much more than that). It’s tense, it’s violent, it’s romantic and it has a happy ending, what more could I ask for? This author writes so freaking amazing and I love everything she’s written so if you like this one, you should totally check out all her other stuff because it’s just as amazing. Also, Arthur is known as the “Golden Knight” and for some reason that just made me love it even more. Arthur and Merlin are brilliant and she just gets the point across so well of how much they love and get each other and that’s one of the reaons why I love it so much, it’s just... they belong together and I love the journey (the hearthache and the love and everything in between) until they get to the point of actual happiness and understanding. 

1. True North by Kroki_Refur * Lenght: 6,752 Summary: Arthur is given a compass that is unable to tell north from south, but always points him to where Merlin is.

Comment: Oh, this fic. It follows Arthur and Melrin throughout the centuries, with Arthur always finding his way to Merlin. Soulmate-y of sorts and just lovely in the way this gets the point across that they belong together and that they’ll always find each other.  

2. The Reincarnation Situation by orphan_account Lenght: 16,591 Summary: My series finale gift to the Merlin fandom. Reincarnation. Merlin and Arthur only remember their past lives for one night a year - New Year's Eve. This is a quick tour (and it's not cracky like the title suggests, I swear). Merlin still thinks that perhaps the dragon was right and one day Arthur will return as a king destined to save the people of Albion, but that day has not yet come. Arthur has not missed a single moment of life since Merlin laid him to rest in the waters of Avalon but the lives he has lived have not been for his people or for the greater good, they have been just for Merlin.

Comment: SO, SO, SO much love for this one. Again, anothe bitter-sweet read but so worth it, it tugs at your heart but comforts you in the knowledge that they’ll always have each other. Fantastic narrative and I love each of the reincarnations shown. It also has a lovely podfic. Soulmates is something I’ve always been a sucker for and this fic is amazing in how it portrays them througout time and the intensity of remembering for one night, who they really are.

3. Tulips Are Better; Dragons Are Best by sweetiejelly Lenght: 58,627 Summary: Arthur loses a bet with Morgana and ends up on The Bachelor. As he identifies as bisexual, the pool of candidates is quite diverse and includes one Merlin Emrys, his ex. Arthur thinks it's fate. Merlin thinks it's bollocks. Thus begins (again) their courtship.

Comment: So delightful and fun and angsty. Arthur’s complete dismissal of anyone that isn’t Merlin is just so fun to read, how he wants to just send everyone home as soon as he realizes Merlin is there is just hilarious and shows how gone he is. A Modern AU with magic with boths sides wanting each other but with issues that need talking over and mending before they get together and Merlin’s magic being as in love with Arthur as he is, is just one of the things that make me love this as much as I do. Stupid and stubborn boys make my heart melt with their longing. The art is so lovely and adds so much to it. Read it, it’s fantastic. 

4. You bring music to my silent world by Balthamos  Lenght: 49,818 Summary:  Arthur and Merlin are thrown together as children when Merlin’s mother moves into the Pendragon Manor as the new housekeeper, bringing her deaf son Merlin with her. Arthur is a loud and obnoxious child, whereas Merlin is quiet but not as shy as everyone thinks. The two children become fast friends, but as they grow up together things begin to change, due to the pressure of wanting to be normal, and the growing lack of communication between the pair. Growing up is never easy and the graceful friendship they had as children gets lost as they reach their teenage years, but through their difficulties they develop a deeper, stronger relationship, one far more permanent.

Comment: I love, love, love, love this one. Like anything by this author is amazing, so you should totally check them out if you haven’t, but this one, gosh, it’s so lovely it hurts. 

5. Where the Hurt Is by undersomestairs Lenght: 12,349 Summary: For this Kink Me! Merlin prompt: They were childhood/teenage sweethearts but Arthur's family moved away (because Uther detested Merlin but Arthur doesn't know this) and they promise to write. After Uther's death Arthur finds all the letters from Merlin he never received. All the time he thought Merlin had forgotten him. Arthur seeks him out.   

Comment: Oh my god, this one made me cry. It takes your heart and stomps on it and then mends is back but not before it kind of destroys you. How you see Merlin losing hope, Arthur’s feelings after he realized Merlin didn’t forget him but that it was Uther and then his sorrow over what he thinks lost. Read it, it’s just beautiful. 

6. License to Thrill by lady_ragnell  Lenght: 14,174 Summary:  Merlin's employees bet him the recipe for the most addictive cocoa in the world that he can't find out what the hot blond who comes into his chocolate shop does for a living within the month. He ends up getting far more than he bargained for.

Comment: Arthur as James Bond (kind of) and Merlin as the chocolatier who steals his heart via his sweet tooth and shameless flirting from Arthur’s part because Merlin is lovely. So incredibly good and it has a podfic by wildwildwoods which is also incredibly lovely. Read/listen to it, you’lll feel better after.

7. Remember, Remember by winterstorrm Lenght: 16,480 Summary: Prince Arthur gives up the person he loves to do his duty, but Merlin's impossible to forget.

Comment: So, anything by this author is amazing (please, check out all of their other stories because they’re fantastic), but this one just breaks my heart. Arthur’s longing and regret is so palpable through every word. His love for Merlin is just so big and I always love to read something where I get to see how much Arthur feels for Merlin, how much Merlin means to him, how much he loves and needs Merlin. 

8. Mr. & Mr. Smith Series by Detochkina * Lenght: 101,837 Summary: Merlin Emrys is used to living life on the go. As an agent for the Agency of Magic, Merlin’s days are consumed by travel, exotic locations, and battling a faceless rival -- an officer from the competing Bureau of Corrections, who is always hot on his heels and ready to one-up him. When Merlin is sent on a mission to Las Vegas to secure a powerful artifact, he allows himself one night off. Just one, because he bloody deserves it. Drinks and foreplay lead to a bet with a hot financial advisor he just met. Merlin ends up as a newlywed. Oops.

Comment: This series has a special place in my heart because apart from being so bloody good it made my head spin and has me (still because it’s a WIP) on the edge of my seat, I was actually in Vegas and stayed in the hotel in which Arthur and Merlin are in the first two installments. Being able to read while on the locations described in it, made me feel an even bigger connection with the world. This is an absolutely addicting read that before you know it you’ll have read the 5 available works and will be eagerly awaiting the next.

9. So Are They All, All Honourable Men by seperis Lenght: 18,199 Summary: Considering Arthur's future wife will be chosen less for compatibility than for her political value, Merlin may be the only marriage he'll have that won't end in bloodshed or a great deal of fortifying wine.

Comment: Lovely, so very, very, lovely. SO many great lines and the old married couple dynamic and them being so in love is just brilliant. Canon Era, Magic Reveal and lots of love and pinining and getting together. Please do yourself a favor and read it if you haven’t, and if you have, do it again because it’s just amazing. There are moments here in which their love and worry is so palpable it hurts, I love it so much.

10. Oscilliate Wildly by suntipped Lenght: 11,246 Summary: Fucking Arthur, he thinks, pushing his head against the seat. It’s not so much that he’s breaking promises left and right by bringing up that thing between them in public again; it's just his ever-irritating sense of entitlement. It’s Arthur being a prick and thinking he can go around doing anything he wants sometimes, because obviously, obviously the entire world exists only to amuse him.

Comment: This is just one of my all time favorite fics ever. Oblivious, pining boys in love are my favorites. Also, pet-names. A lovely Modern AU with stupid boys who won’t talk to each other. I read this at least 3 times a year, yes, I love it that much.

11. These Feathered Breaths (a Handfasting remix) by Emjayelle Lenght: 3,580 Summary: There was at least a dozen reasons why Arthur, Prince of Wales, couldn't marry Merlin, bird-whisperer, but it didn't stop him from thinking it was the best idea in the world.

Comment: This is one of the most romantic, heart-wrenching and loved filled reads I’ve ever encountered. It’s so insanely beautiful and it tugs on my heartstrings because of the absolute love, devotion and longing that fills each word. The knights as little robins is one of the most adorable concepts ever and if there’s something I love is seeing Arthur not being able to cope with how much he loves Merlin and this conveys it in such a way that it puts fairytales to shame.

12. We Pull These Jobs To Make A Little Money (No One Gets Hurt If They Don’t Act Funny) by leashy_babes Lenght: 48,918 Summary: Arthur and his friends have been making their money this way for years. It's all they know and they're good enough to get away with it. Merlin grudgingly works in a bank, wishing his days away. Their worlds collide and everything changes.AKA: Bank robbers of the round table.

Comment: Arthur is so smitten with Merlin he almost forgets what he actually was there to do. If you haven’t noticied, besotted!Arthur is one of my most favorite things ever and this nails it. I love the concept and the development is fantastic, please read it if you haven’t it’s such an entertaining and lovely read and I love it a lot. 

[thefirstknife]

I'm here to distract people from the sadness because there's some super WILD shit going on with Avalon and Asher's discoveries within the Vex Network.

So when you find all three secrets (not chests, extra three secrets that involve destroying the three Vex type pyramids with Vexcalibur in each section), you get an extra section to teleport to where Mithrax shows a simulation of what Asher has been working on. He simulated... well. The Veil.

This is exactly the same as the one from concept art, aka where we can see the full thing. The stuff on the left? People theorised egregore, but it didn't look like egregore to me, but also I never figured what else it might be. And here we can see what it is. It's the Tree of Silver Wings.

My other post with pictures of the Tree, both the one Io (which this one is identical to) and the one from the raid (which is more evolved so to say).

This feel like some sort of a joined manifestation of both Light and Dark. Perhaps some primordial entity. Or as the artist put it: "physical manifestation of incomprehensible cosmic energy. Window into the mind and memory of the universe." Something from Before(TM)? From the original Garden or from the beginning of the universe? Something from the Witness' "first victims" as Nezarec put it, but who were they? The Garden itself? I am losing my mind.

The garden grows in both directions. Ulan-Tan's symmetry. Etc etc.

Video with Mithrax's dialogue.

[catalinachamber]

A Guide to Exploring the Exotic Catalina Island Backcountry

Can I tell you secret?

Most people who visit Catalina Island miss out on the real magic of our Southern California destination.

Even though the charming seaside village is just a tiny portion of the island, most visitors never venture beyond Avalon, which means they never get to experience the compelling confluence of isolated wilderness and spectacular scenery that is the Catalina backcountry.

Thanks to the non-profit Catalina Island Conservancy, which owns nearly 90 percent of the island, the rest of the island is in stark contrast to the Southern California mainland. Rather than traffic-clogged freeways traversing endless strip malls and subdivisions, Santa Catalina Island sports fascinating creatures, spectacular vistas and unspoiled wilderness. Isolated from the mainland – and protected from its rampant development — the island is a beacon for those looking to shake off the bounds of urban sprawl and truly reconnect with the wild places, where nature still rules and humans can be just a part of the landscape.

Catalina’s nearly 76 square miles and 50+ miles of coastline harbor dramatic cliffs and peaceful meadows, unique wildlife and iconic creatures, as well as remote beaches where the only footprints will be your own.

Ready to check it out for yourself?

Here are three great Catalina Island hikes to get you started.

Trans-Catalina Trail

This 38-mile trek along the spine of the island has earned a reputation as one of the most beautiful – and challenging – hikes in Southern California. Tackling the entire trail will take several days and is best undertaken when the weather is cooler. Plan on dramatic elevation changes and expect to be rewarded with awe-inspiring vistas that will become life-long memories.

Garden to Sky Hike

Starting at the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden, this 1.2-mile hike should take just about an hour for most hikers. While it does have an elevation gain of 679 feet, this hike takes you along a dirt road and is moderately difficult. You’ll reach the summit and be rewarded with spectacular views. Have more time? Add the Garden to Sky Loop or the Lone Tree Spur, which allows you to see the Palisades, dramatic cliffs on the windward side of the island.

Airport Loop Trail

Catalina’s Airport in the Sky, with its charming shop, delicious restaurant and interpretive displays, will be your base for this 2.2-mile loop. Plan on about an hour for this moderate hike that allows you to experience the soapstone quarry that native islanders used for generations to create both utilitarian implements and decorative items. The views aren’t too shabby either. Transportation from Avalon is available via the Wildlands Express Shuttle Service.

Those Catalina hikes – and many more – are part of the extensive trail system currently being maintained and expanded by the Catalina Island Conservancy. Known as Trekking Catalina, the Conservancy’s 165 miles of trails offer visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the island, experiencing the wonder of the natural world and surrounding themselves with the spectacle of land meeting sea.

Hiking on Catalina Island should be undertaken with preparation. Hikers are required to secure a free hiking permit from the Catalina Island Conservancy before venturing out into the interior. Wildlife, including North American bison, should only be observed from a respectful distance. Trail maps and more information are available from the Catalina Island Conservancy.

Catalina’s rugged wilderness has also become a beacon to mountain bikers, eager to challenge themselves on the island’s steep roads and jagged terrain. Mountain biking on Catalina Island requires a Freewheeler Bike Pass which is available at the Catalina Island Conservancy and includes a membership to the conservation organization. Riders can bring their own bikes to the island, arrange to rent a bike on Catalina through Browns Bikes or have a guided trail experience with BikeCatalina.

If the allure of the island’s interior has you longing for more than just a hike, camping on Catalina Island is just a reservation away. The island offers several options, ranging from tent cabins in Avalon and at Two Harbors to more primitive options at Blackjack, high up in the island’s upper peaks, and at Little Harbor, a wide sand beach and meadow on the island’s windward side.

Even more isolated Catalina camping is available on Catalina’s protected leeward coast. Dotted along the shore are a series of secluded coves and beaches that host primitive campsites accessible only by boat. These campsites can be reserved through the Catalina Island Company and – if you don’t have your own boat – can be reached via kayak.

Catalina camping is available year round and reservations can be made online.

No matter how you choose to enjoy Catalina’s interior, a little trail support is always appreciated, whether that means a bit of local advice or someone to set up camp before you arrive after a long day of hiking. Catalina Backcountry’s mission is showcasing the island’s interior to visitors with trail support, gear haul and naturalist-led hikes as well as advice, gear rental and custom itineraries.

Legendary outfitter REI began offering guided expeditions on the TransCatalina Trail in 2017. Provided in concert with the Catalina Island Conservancy, these multi-day adventures include trail support, meals and transportation. For details on upcoming REI Catalina trips, sign up to receive the Conservancy’s newsletter.

What are you waiting for? Catalina’s backcountry secret is just waiting to be discovered.

The post A Guide to Exploring the Exotic Catalina Island Backcountry appeared first on Catalina Island.

from Catalina Island http://ift.tt/2x9zLwx via IFTTT

[thefirstknife]

There's an exotic mission lads. Spoilers under the cut if you haven't played. Seriously don't click if you haven't played, it's a really nice surprise to go in blind. If you don't want to know anything, you can start the mission by going to the Gulch in the EDZ and look around for Vex cubes. That's all I'm saying:

The mission is SUPER COOL Vex Network stuff with ASHER. I mean, he doesn't speak or anything, but his holograms show up and he is the one calling us in there. Absolutely lost my mind.

Mithrax narrates the mission as well!

Final boss is a version of Brakion and the whole arena is very reminiscent of the Brakion strike.

And we can finally see the lake!!!

And yes, the lake was always in the ceiling! The lore for the exotic weapon, which is a void glaive, starts with the same line last Asher's lore tab in Duress and Egress ends:

The man reached up to the lake with his metal arm. He then reached with his arm of flesh.

He reached with both, and he brought the lake down.

Glaive, called Vexcalibur, full lore tab:

The number of results on the Pyramids.... Man. Our man is in the Vex Network fighting for his life to find us information. And he's not doing so great!

Wow! Thanks! *bursts into tears*

[thefirstknife]

Is there anywhere we can find the different lines and such from the seasonal exotic mission? It's not something I'll probably ever complete once (too challenging to be fun for my skill level, that's okay it happens) much less more than once but I wanna know more about our man Asher and what he's been up to in that network

Destiny Lore Vault has a playlist for the whole mission and variations between visits. Definitely check this out, I think this includes all possible lines from all clears.

[thefirstknife]

Any tips for the new exotic mission? Last time I tried it it took me a few hours to get like 2/3 through and then I got booted to orbit for no good reason so I'm wary of trying to do it again after all that :(

Might've been some error or something that booted you. Genuinely I don't have any significant tips other than finding a loadout you're comfortable with and making sure you have survivability. The mission can be very frustrating.

The Vexcalibur glaive itself can be helpful with the shield it provides, but that's obviously out of the question if you haven't finished it a single time. I'd recommend checking out some guides on youtube just to get the hang of how the mission plays and what might be recommended to try it out with. For me personally, survivability is really important. Healing (or invis) of some kind is highly recommended, health regen on picking up orbs (and a mod to make orbs) is also really good. Definitely invest in chest piece resist mods (particularly for void resistance but also solar, if you can put multiple).

Note that bosses don't have checkpoints. If you fail, you'll be starting from the beginning. This can be particularly annoying for the final boss. So definitely take your time rather than rushing. You shouldn't be booted to orbit normally, what happened was probably some sort of temporary issue.

[thefirstknife]

How's the difficulty on this season's exotic mission vs last season's? Especially for solo runs?

I think it's a little bit easier if anything then for being shorter. Some people might have an issue with it being timed; you only get 10 minutes and if you don't do it, you go to orbit which means doing the Deep Dive again (though you don't have to do the hard version of the Deep Dive).

Avalon was a lot because it took so long and it could become exhausting especially on the final boss where there were no checkpoints. The whole thing was a lot of stuff to do so I think that was a bit harder. There were also points in that mission where the combat would become quite overwhelming, especially on legend difficulty.

This mission is also overwhelming and this week's modifiers are tough (chill touch which means that if you're touched by any melee ability, you get slowed by stasis + no radar). Next week it might be easier modifiers though! Also since it's only 10 minutes (+ around 10 minutes of Deep Dive), you won't ever lose more than 20 minutes on an attempt. The problem is that the boss has a lot of health and it can seem super demoralising when you run out of time and the boss isn't even half health. I highly recommend running Divinity and machine guns (if you're in a group).

I haven't tried this one solo yet. It might actually be harder in solo because of the health pool of the boss, since you're limited by time. It mostly means that it will take more dps phases which increases the chances of running out of time or getting killed. Both returns you to orbit. I'd recommend running it with at least two people, but if you really don't have anyone, you can give it a go solo and check online for what builds might be helpful for soloing. I think it needs far less overall endurance to solo a shorter mission, even if it takes more attempts, but that will depend on a personal preference. Give it a try for sure.