#but also in the sort of idea of them both as guardians of the forest and of what it means to be wild

[thealtoduck]

Headcanons for Children of minor Goddesses… (Part 2)

(Screwed over by Zeus Edition: Metis, Leto, Semele)

——

Metis (Oceanid/Titan Goddess of wisdom, wise counsel, deep thought and prudence)

If Metis was ever released from the inside of Zeus’s head and still thought having more kids seemed like a good idea I’d think her demigods would be something like this.

When they’re claimed a small blue figure of Metis appears over the demigods head, circling it before landing on their head, then disappearing in to thin air.

Their cabin would be pretty simple on the outside, with some standard decorations of Metis carved in to the walls.

The inside of their cabin is like 65% library, 20% desks, 10% comfort and 5% other stuff.

Their cabin has a small telephone booth, with a fountain and a set of golden drachmas on the inside. If the children of Metis ever need counsel from Metis or just wanna talk with their human parent.

They have a very natrual bond with children of Athena. Children of Athena get very giddy when showing children of Metis their new inventions, almost like a kid showing a parent their new toy.

In a similar vein they also get along well with children of Hephaestus, being a great source of advice for them and their inventions. Leo x Child of Metis!Reader, anyone? No?

I also feel they’d make good friends with children Hecate, no specific reason just vibes.

As for powers it’s quite simple:

They are incredibly intelligent wise and cunning, similar to Athena’s kids.

They have a good knowledge of magic and are good at making potions.

They know how to craft weapons and armour. They also craft simpler things that are still useful for quests like smoke bombs, grapplings hooks, etc…

They’re the ”go to cabin” when having an issue since their mom is the goddess of wise counsel, who better to ask?

Song I associate them with:

——

Leto (Titan Goddess of motherhood and demurity)

They’d probably be Leto’s first child in well over 2000 years.

Growing up they’d have two different babysitters to come guard them when their guardians were away, one blonde guy who’d play music and play with them, and one girl wearing a silver diadem, who’d take them on walks in a forest and introduce them to the wild animals.

When they’d be claimed both a sun and moon would appear over their head and the howling of a wolf and the crowing of a rooster would be heard in the distance.

A cabin would be constructed to look like the mix of a ancient greek palace and a inviting vacation home, it’d covered in Ivy, the rest of the outside would be very plain and simple.

On the inside there would be paintings of Leto’s travels while pregnant and the early years after Artemis and Apollo’s births.

It’d be considered one of the most welcoming and cozy cabins at camp.

Children of Leto would be known for their very sweet personality but also ferocious protectiveness of those they love. And especially protective of children as Leto is the protector of the young.

They’d be one of the only demigods that are actually loved by their godly siblings, Apollo and Artemis would adore them. (Even if they were a boy in Artemis’ case).

Same goes for the Apollo cabin, they’d act as a Child of Leto’s siblings, especially if they had no demigod siblings of their own and needed company.

The Hunters of Artemis would also have a certain respect for them (though maybe slightly less if they were a boy).

They have a bad relationship with reptiles because of Python and the Lycian peasants.

The powers they’re born with are:

High endurance.

Natrual talent for using a bow and arrow, it runs in the family.

Affinty for taking care of children.

They have the possibility to learn some light magic, not child Hecate or Circe levels but some smaller spells.

Wild animals are usually attracted to them (most likely a blessing from Artemis or her godly aura just kinda rubbed off on them).

Apollo usually blesses them with some sort of talent for the arts (painting, music, dancing).

They have good survival skills when out in the wild.

Song I associate with them:

——

Semele (Goddess of the bacchic frenzy)

Semele isn’t really the most motherly type but if a night of wild partying would end up leading to Semele getting pregnant with a demigod, she’d be happy welcoming them to the world.

Once they arrive at camp they wouldn’t even need to be claimed Dionysus would just know about them already.

Children of Semele along with possible children of Ariadne are some of the only demigods who’ve never had to stay in the Hermes cabin before claiming because Dionysus just sends them to his own cabin as he sees them as part of the family, even though they’re not his own.

Low-key Dionysus favourite siblings…

Dionysus’ cabin had to be soundproofed as a result of added demigods to the cabin.

Semele’s kids are party animals to the very core of their being.

They are known for their slighty brash and wild personality. They’re careless and free-spirited in a very delightful and refreshing way.

They can act refined and formal when they want to… they just never want to.

If you talk shit, they’ll knock your teeth out.

Children of Semele commonly get along well with Ares and Aphrodite’s cabins.

Though they probably clash with some (or most) of Athena’s kids.

They’re very helpful when planning and preparing a parties and events at Camp Half-Blood.

Their powers and traits are:

The can induce people with bacchic frenzy, pretty much making the target run around like headless chickens

They’re suprisingly strong, no explonation why, they just are…

They’re usually natrually good warriors but need to refine their technique as their fighting style is mostly based on brute force.

High endurance, especially for alcohol.

While they don’t have many more powers than that, Dionysus will always keep an eye on them and keep them safe even if they’re far away from him. It’s not uncommon a monster ends up strangled by grape vines after trying to attack a child of Semele.

(Side note: I personally just kinda imagine Semele looks like Festivia the Fun from Star vs The Forces of Evil, anyone else see the vision)

Song(s) I associate them with: (I’m sorry Semele’s kids got four but like they all just worked so well).

[ganondoodle]

totk cataclysm event wasnt just a great (but utterly missed) opportunity to change the map in techincally little ways that has drastic consequences both in stakes and in gameplay (like i mentioned before, flooding the gerudo desert would have meant devastating consequences for its ecosystem- like imagine little islands of sand still poking out, acting as a sort of last doomed refuge for sandseals- but also cahnged the entire gameplay of it, good chance to introduce some neat new ways to surf on water like a new ridable creature or an ice shield freezing a path while you surf on it, the gerudo being forced to save the city from drowing in various means or now living on the roofs, trying to adapt by building boats ect - also call back to older games?? since totk loves that so much ..-, vah naboris serving as the savest refuge being high above the water, even if non functional; similarly takign away ALL water from the zora region, gaving it all dry out would imemdiately turn into something way different and could mean death for the zora- forcing them to move to the lower parts of akkala for example- maybe vah ruta is still halfway functioning bc the faith the zora have to mipha, dorephan and sidon is, while not enough to keep it fully functional, but enough to generate some water so the most stubborn or brave zora set up around it like a last oasis; i know its somewhat done with death mountain but the gorons dont really suffer from it bc their only problem is a drugged rock that makes them mean and lazy ..- what about collapsing or exploding it, leaving a large crater that over the course of the game could start to grow with plant life since vulcanic earth is so fertile- some never seen before ones that was dormant in the lava and now that its cooled off is springing to life, which might seem good at first but for the area and its wildlife means loss of their habitat; the rito freezing over, but actually having to move, maybe into the tabantha canyon, building their new makeshift homes in between the walls of it- generally just switiching things around a bit would have done so much wihtout having to edit every last detail ((seriously tho, how did this game take so long given that botw took similar but they did that ENTIRE main map as detailed as it is AND made it all coherent with itself and its themes- im ranting again ..)

-but it ALSO would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce new weather types created by the sudden change in environment, somethign like a super strong wind that slows you when walking agaisnt and lets you jump much farther when with it- a darkness thing that clouds the world in utter darkness with only little light getting through anything that is caused by mushrooms from the udnerground invading the surface and their spores snuffs out all light (which could explain the weird darkness in the ruins from botw too!!), or just simply mist! making everything misty changes the entire feel of any environment drastically- you could make vertain enemies spawn only in certain weather conditions, lessening the repetive overuse of them; and that is only on the surface- what if the sky had sunbeams so strong it sets anything on fire if you dare to leave the shadows- to comabt it get a armor with a giant hat!! the underground could have been filled with different environments in the first place, but then of course thered be those dark spores of mushrooms, an entire forest you have to carefully travers other wise making them release their spores and make it all more difficult, glowy mushrooms, MORE glowy mushroms, theres so many weird ass shrooms IRL you could take inspo from!! maybe soemthing like a forest of kelp, long flowy plants obstructing view and making you anxious by any movement- there could be one thats a mimic or infected with miasma, slightly off color and its knobs are malice eyes that open only if it thinks you cant see it

(also for the idea of taking botws stuff and recontextualizing it, the guardians or shrines, now non fucntional, could be infected my miasma sometimes, maybe randomly to keep you guessing- an overgrown shrine suddenly lifting itself up with hands clawing at you when you get too close or do sth wrong to distrub it- similar with guardians tho the effect might be less since you know them as a threat already- or sth i mentioned in another post, a tower being used as a weapon by a gigatic miasma monster- the one in the gerudo region with the bottomless pit for example, perfect for an arena for you to run around in the spiral while its swinging at you etc etc)

JUST taking what botw had and mixing it up, expanding on it, even if technically little change, it could do so much but in the actual game death mountain and rito is the only ones that saw anything of a change like it, and it largely .. didnt change anything or was reversible easily, and had no actual consquences that meant anything, neither stakes nor environmental or narratively (the gerudo felt like it at first but its also largely reversible, its just kinda .. adding a bit of city)

i hhhhhhhhhhhhhh have so many thoughts still, i am just better at holding them back .... also dont wanna annoy lmao

[thefirstknife]

Is there anything in Destiny lore that supports the idea that Ghosts are, well, ghosts? You know, of people? (By which in this specific case I mean humans.)

To me it seems kind of like a given. Either the Traveller created millions of unique personalities that have a knowledge of human cultures and norms somehow (they even have genders! Why else would they have genders?), or they collected patterns of actual dead humans and populated in them into Ghosts. It's in the name!

And yet to my knowledge there's no suggestion of this of any kind in the lore. Or is there?

Not to my knowledge, nope!

The closest explanation is that they're all pieces of the Traveler and reflect all of the complex emotions and memories of the Traveler itself. From Sagira:

"The Traveler was… wounded when it created us. That pain echoes. Some of us make choices we shouldn't. Some of us are scared. The process isn't streamlined." "Flaws." Osiris shrinks against the forest's aphotic density. If there are flaws in the Light, then it could be corrupted. It is not indomitable, and so in time would be challenged. "We're pieces of a whole, but distinct. Unique. You're not Mr. Perfect yourself."

Ghosts basically mimic aspects of the Traveler. This also makes sense then with Hive Ghosts; Ghosts who had this really strong and innate draw to the Hive, possibly reflecting the Traveler's ancient need to help them too. The problem is... Ghosts don't really know either. All of them have some theories of their own.

I think that their knowledge of human cultures and norms is just a consequence of them living with us, so they learned. Because early Ghosts and Ghosts of the warlords did not act the same. When the norms were "kill or be killed" Ghosts acted that way too. So it's more likely to be nurture than nature. The same could also apply to genders! A similar thing is also reflected with names:

"I want a name." "Is this because of Sagira? She is a terrible influence on you." "She has a name. People don't just call her 'Ghost.' It's insulting being called 'Ghost.' I'm not a thing. I'm me."

This is obviously not a universal feeling which means that Ghosts are made as individuals of their own and all of them have to learn from the world around them, which includes learning the norms and cultures and everything else. Like for example this idea that they should have a name because other Ghosts get names.

Even if there was something more literal to this (that they are ghosts of dead people, perhaps given form by the Traveler), they would still be their own individuals who still had to learn and develop their personalities because otherwise they would have memories of who they were before. It's an interesting thought though. If this is true, then they would almost sort of parallel Guardians: they both used to be some people, they died, and now they're risen in the Light as something else and don't have any memories of their past lives.

Either way though, we don't really know for sure. I think any option is technically possible and it's probably one of those things that they prefer keeping mysterious for as long as possible. It's really interesting to think about though.

[sea-lanterns]

If Hoyo will not give us more dragon women, then perhaps we make our own?

May I push forward, Wind Dragon Jean, who stands guardian over Mondstadt, who oversees the Knights in training, and always comes running (flying), whenever someone is in need of her. Never accepting offerings, because her will is simply to assure the lives of the people that live in her city.

Earth Dragon Ningguang, glittering scales that shine like mora, and accepts offerings gifts of skilled artisan works in exchange for financial advice. Only few ever seeing the ferocity she's capable of when her harbor is under threat.

Storm Dragon Sara, who's each beat of her wings is said to carry the sound of thunder, and can breath lighting with pin point accuracy. Not known to accept most offerings, instead gaining favor with this wyrm requires sufficient faith to the Raiden Shogun.

Fire Dragon Dehya, who emerged from the sands in a fury upon learning the way desert dwellers were being treated by the forest people. Who's raging inferno was quelled by the Lesser Lord's words. Now she has made herself at home along the border between both, unwilling to leave her people, but waiting in case her new lord needs her.

And sadly I don't really have any ideas for Fontaine women, I just have had like no time to learn about them all too much!

Ohmygoodness I love all of these ideas :0

I’m especially in love with the idea of Dragon! Ningguang because I think she’d make such a sexy dragon woman. She’d be decked out in fancy jewelry and lavish looking scales, and she’d probably be super possessive over Reader, given by how dragons are possessive over their “valuables.”

I’d also like to add on the idea of Dragon! Kokomi, who is like a sea dragon of sorts! I just think she’d be really cool to see as a dragon, and me being a monster fucker would just have a field day letting her ravage me in her underwater cave…

Looking forward to more Dragon! Women ideas for the upcoming year… 👀

[familyvideowithsteve]

façade, pt. eight : the battle of hawkins - steve harrington x fem!reader

This material may not be copied, reproduced, displayed, modified. This is my work, do not steal it, do not republish it.

summary: Revelations are in order, a plan too. Urgently.

warnings: (reading the first series is highly recommended) /NSFW/, no use of Y/n, she/her pronouns with no physical description, violence, near death experiences, blood, weapons, angst, depiction of mental illnesses and psychological abuse (warnings for the entire series not the individual parts) + First Shadow (the play) spoilers (sort of)

a/n: bear with me. BEAR WITH ME PLS. also, a round of applause for my two ride or dies please @hollandweather @we-out-here-simping they've been handling my scheming and teasing like they're royalty.

word count: 8.8k

façade the first series | the sequel | spotify playlist | pt. nine

Do not forget to reblog and comment, I would love to know your thoughts, it's incredibly lonely being a writer!!

The Upside Down was strangely quiet, there was not a particular direction set for them, finding a good enough place to hide and rest was their only goal for now. 

The group of hunters didn’t follow them, they probably thought they were maniacs for going into the gates, which.., isn't wrong. 

Not a sound was shared within the group, they had all gained back consciousness to Will’s voice waking them, throbbing headaches, nausea, more bruises and scratches, only the common goal to find someplace safe enough to rest. 

They walked through the woods for a bit, without knowing how much time had passed or what time or day it was, lost in darkness with only the red lightning shooting through the dark sky, and lost in time as Hawkins was lost in 83’ and with no sunlight nor moonlight to guide them. 

Marching along demolished houses, Hopper’s guess was to keep going until they got close enough to Hawkins’ centre; the closer the buildings were to the edge of the forest, the safer they were. 

“I know someplace, not far from here, Bradley’s Big Guy, down Center Street, there’s food and bottled water, it’s safe,” Will paused, waiting for an answer as everyone had stopped and turned to look at him, confused at the piece of information. 

“If it’s not destroyed, I could—”

“No,” Hopper interrupted, frowning, stoic and quite uncomfortable that a teenager would provide for them, he was the adult, he had to be the guardian.. didn’t he? “No. No one goes out anywhere alone, and how do you know that, kid?”

Will repositioned his hand around Dustin’s waist to get a firmer grip, finding himself quite embarrassed, “It’s.. it’s how I survived the first time around..” he added in a low voice, watching Hopper’s face turn into shame.. The realisation felt like a slap on the face, those kids have been surviving for years, and as of lately, without him, those kids have been going through this for four years now, they weren’t helpless nor incapable. He ought to remember that.

“Right.. It’s a good idea Will. We’ll go later, we have enough food, we need to find somewhere to rest first.” 

They kept on walking the length of the street, until they found a house, they had a direct access to the forest as it was on the edge, and Bradley’s Big Guy was about one block away, the library and police station were about three blocks away, so they were pretty close to the centre without catching anyone or anything’s attention. 

The house was a perfectly fine place to crash given the situation, they ate in silence, and used baby wipes to try and clean themselves a little bit, they emptied the packs of baby wipes given their number, and silently said their farewell to having proper hygiene. 

They decided on who takes watch first, and quickly everyone walked upstairs except Steve and Nancy who both covered the front and back doors. 

Steve had absolutely no desire nor the capability to fall asleep after the events of the previous days.

The Upside Down was uncharacteristically quiet, Steve had taken a barstool to take breaks standing up, watching through the windows, hidden by the curtain, there were no creatures, except Demobats he had seen fly after some time but it was very calm otherwise, which felt just worse. 

Moving a bit in the kitchen’s windows he saw the familiar shadowy form of the Mind Flayer’s head, far from there, it looked right in their direction but it was so stoic. 

Steve had goosebumps just observing it doing nothing but knowing he was watched, made him feel terrible. The powerlessness that came with that fact was like the weight of the sky on his shoulders. 

In need of a break he made his way to Nancy and discovered her in the living room, sitting on the sofa’s headrest, she turned her head when she heard him move, he sat down on the stairs’ first steps, sighing lightly. 

“Did you see anything?”

He shook his head, his fingers playing with the hem of his long sleeve shirt, “No, Demobats some time ago, and the Mind Flayer’s creepy head, but no, it’s.. It’s strangely quiet, don’t you think?” 

“It’s weird, yeah, we’re accustomed to more violence and attacks from the Upside Down, which only makes me wonder, how terrible is it gonna be when it comes?” 

He agreed, his head shaking, humming a little bit, giving thoughts to what she said, she was right, she had vocalised his worries, but Steve was quieter than usual, more.. kept together, which didn’t look like him to Nancy, and she couldn’t be more wrong. 

He absolutely wasn’t kept together, his train of thoughts had naturally derived to her and Eddie and he couldn’t stop worrying about them, “Do you think we’ll find them?” 

Now she could see through his worry, it’s almost like she didn’t recognise that side of him, he had changed so much, in the best way and she had failed to see that, but she stopped her thoughts from diving in dangerous territories and turned her body to face him. 

Steve’s lover’s name fell from her lips and his body had a visceral feeling, a longing so deep from his soul like he was lost without her, and he was, but Nancy continued, “She survived for a few days on her own without any knowledge of the Upside Down. I’m sure they’ll be okay, I’m only hoping we’ll find them quickly and soon.” 

His eyebrows furrowed, his frame turning more to her, “Do yo—,” he started but was cut off by screams echoing in the darkness, coming from one block away maximum, she turned around and Steve rushed to her side to try and catch a glance. 

The buildings and houses covered the entirety of it and they couldn’t see anything, the screams kept on going until Nancy gasped louder than she had intended to let out and Steve wanted to ask what until he saw. 

The Mind Flayer had gotten drastically closer to them, the swarm of Demobats left and the cries and screams quieted down, under their very frightened eyes and paralysed bodies by fear they watched as the Mind Flayer arrived closer and closer, with one singular, strident scream, the shadowy creature moved its two arms on the front and it being so gargantuan it moved at incredible speed to join the opposite side of town, overlooking the Upside Down once again. 

Steve and Nancy looked at each other, dumbstruck, unsure if they hallucinated what they just witnessed. 

They rushed to wake up everyone upstairs to explain what just happened only to find Will sitting on the floor, his head in his hands, the rest of the group around him. 

“What’s happening?,” 

“The Mind Flayer.. Those screams.. Please tell me I wasn’t hallucinating,” Will spoke directly to Nancy, his eyes red and wet, 

“You guys heard those too?” 

“‘T was pretty hard to miss. Will woke us up, saying that the Mind Flayer was coming, that he was hunting, he was.. he talked so fast, we couldn’t understand anything else,” Hopper calmly said, his eyes attentive to Will. 

Nancy explained them what they had witnessed, meanwhile Steve was deep in his thoughts, he had a feeling he knew who were attacked, he wanted to be wrong of course, but he couldn’t ignore his instinct, the voice behind the screams was so similar to him, “We have to go see if we can help whoever’s out there,” his voice broke through, everyone turned to him, either shocked or confused.

“We could get killed, are you insane?!” Jonathan was the first one to answer, he was equally as confused as everyone else but he grew tired of the situation, it seemed to be a never-ending situation where they continuously got hurt, followed, nearly killed.

Steve felt uneasy as soon as he heard him, and.. He was quite angry too, “We could get killed at any moment by being here, if it were you, wouldn’t you want to be given help if you were still alive? If it were Will? Nancy? We wouldn’t be talking about it, we would already be doing it, Jonathan,” Steve paused, he hadn’t felt so much anger towards Jonathan in years, and it seemed he was completely lashing out his anger.. And his truth. 

He hadn’t said anything to both Jonathan and Nancy when she had gone to him to be their own couple while they hadn’t officially put an end to their relationship, he felt cheated on but said nothing, and even having moved on from them, he hated it all. He hated still having to deal with this with them because Jonathan or Nancy would decide if something would have meaning or be accepted without a single thought back, while Steve has been considered the stupid and irresponsible one everywhere he stepped, he was immensely aware of that and he had enough. He took a step closer to Jonathan, who stood next to Nancy, 

“Your mother would be screaming both of your names without a care in the world that it would pinpoint all the creatures to us and we would be prey served on a silver platter, but you’re right, let’s not go help someone in need even if we’re in deep shit ourselves, let’s be so selfish we might stay here and rot and wait for either creatures to come find and kill us all. After all, you’ve always been one to disregard one’s feelings and trust your most selfish instinct isn’t that correct? You two are made for each other,” Steve finished, his words spitting venom that shocked everyone, but his head turned to Nancy, his glance never leaving hers’ with the most serious and warning look imprinted in his pupils. 

He left the room, leaving the room confused as to why would he lash out like that, and mostly, how it didn’t look like him at all, except Nancy, she felt like she was a deer caught by headlights, and she knew very well what he was referring to, Jonathan didn’t quite understand what it meant, he played it off as everyone was tired and irritable.

Indeed, being in such a large group and living a nightmarish situation, it was bound to create tension between tired, irritable and hurt people, but out of everyone, he didn’t expect Steve to be one of those as he always thought of him as.. small-minded and, well, idiotic. Jonathan’s opinion hadn’t changed from high-school which made him as narrow-minded as Steve believed him to be. 

They heard the front door closing shut and it sort of awaken everyone as they realised Steve had left, with a strangeness in their eyes, Hopper and Joyce left the floor and were quick on their feet to follow him, the kids copied the adults, the couple was left in the room, looking at each other, dumbfounded. 

Reluctantly, they followed the rest of the group until there was no one left. 

Steve was trying to pinpoint the exact location, upon the road he was only met with fractured asphalt and vines, the store was what he found first, he was about to step inside when he heard Hopper’s stopping him, asking him to wait for them, “We leave no one behind, got it?” 

He nodded, only half heartedly, Steve knew that he wouldn’t be much of a priority to anyone, and there was no point sugarcoating it, it was a fact and he was aware of it. His closest and best friend Robin was dead so he had no one close enough for it, except Eddie and her, if he managed to find them, and he had an intuition telling him he wasn’t far from them. That gave him enough of a motivation and will to act on it. 

Dustin was in between Mike and Will as they seemed to be his designated human crutches, but they didn’t mind; the three of them were somewhat content to have each other, Steve waited for them, and stepped after, not bothering to wait for Nancy and Joanthan from afar. 

They scavenged whatever they could find, whether it was food —Hopper didn’t trust canned food from the Upside Down, he wouldn’t be able to explain why, but he didn’t so they settled for packaged food in see through plastic— and absolutely anything that could be useful to make weapons or first aid kits. 

Leaving his aisle, small flashlight in hand —Hopper had given them when they had left his cabin, Steve had completely forgotten he had it as he had escaped death a million times before and using a flashlight didn’t seem smart— Steve had gone to the back of the aisle to search again until he found droplets of dried, marooned blood on the ground. 

His curiosity piqued, he followed it, it lead to the back, the workers’ only area, the clear glass doors intact and dirtied with numerous things including dried blood, it lead to a corridor with the back entrance and another room, no doors, it seemed to be used as a storage space and break room. 

He entered the latter as he followed the trail of blood, piles of clothes and cloths to make what seemed like a makeshift mattress, also bloodied, but it was fresher, it looked a bit sticky (coagulated) and didn’t look like the trail, or at least there were two different trails of blood. 

He sighed, he retraced his steps and decided on following down the corridor and exited through the back door, as he did so, Dustin had realised he had gone off and terribly wanted to follow him, he asked Mike to provide him with broomsticks and rubber, he fabricated crutches quickly and was able to follow Steve through the corridor, Mike and Will on his heels. 

They walked for only a few feet when they saw two people on the ground, one lying on his back, the other on the side, unfortunately, they could see who it was, at least Eddie’s hair was recognisable from that distance, they’ve all stopped in their tracks. 

Steve’s heart stopped, his legs were glued on the asphalt. His heartbeast suddenly grew louder in his ears, time had stopped. The world around him was crumbling down upon him and he was left powerless. 

  No. No. No, no no, no, no, no. It can’t be..

Please, for the love of God, No. 

Dustin’s voice broke him out from his paralysis, the poor teenager was next to Eddie, and for a second, it’s like they were reliving the same scene, days prior.

Dustin was crying out, hands tightly gripped to Eddie’s leather jacket, his cheeks and his eyes drowning in his tears, he was very vocal, just uncontrollable sob after another. 

He approached, cautiously as his knees were weakening, step after step it hit him more and more. 

Arriving at Dustin's level, his eyes first laid on Eddie, there was absolutely no doubt that he was dead, the amount of blood he had around him was.. deeply concerning. Pale lips, skin, the rigidness in his limbs, the emptiness in his eyes.. The pool of blood around him and on him..  it didn’t lie. 

His eyes fell upon her hands tightly intertwined in his, and from this moment it felt like an out of body experience. He crouched down next to Dustin, brought a trembling hand towards Eddie’s jaw, around where his jugular should be, an unsettling chill ran down his body when his fingertips touched coldness and rigid skin, he didn’t say anything, he only closed his eyes, his hand briefly touching his back to let him know he was there, and left Dustin to crouch next to her. 

Same trembling hand touched around her neck and he was shaken by a violent wave of hope, he could sense a fragile pulse, her skin was warmer and not as stiff, he lied her on her back, he was struck by the amount of blood she had on herself, some of it had to be Eddie’s, but he could see the difference between theirs, and immediately Steve tried looking for a wound, looking around her face, her neck, then his hands proceeded to lower his inspection, her cleavage then her arms, one side of her abdomen then the other and —Fuck! 

His eyes and brows widened in shock, fingertips soaked in blood, again, he didn’t know much, but he knew not to remove what was impaled in her lower abdomen. He completely fell on his knees, his eyes did double takes to her wound and her unresponsive face, he saw the faint rhythm of her stomach moving up and down, an immediate reaction of loyalty struck him and his hands grabbed her cheeks, moving her face so she was facing him. 

His finger pads inspected her hair line as he felt scabs and he sensed many, small cuts, he could feel the inflamed skin under the bruises, her name fell from his lips like a never ending spell, conjuring her to open her eyes and talk to him. He longed to see the colour of her eyes and the sound of her voice, to see a tiny smile appear around the corner of her lips, it would appease his mind, pacify his every anxious thoughts. 

To Hopper approaching it sounded like a solemn prayer, he couldn’t quite see who was with Dustin and Steve until he was closer and he stopped in his tracks, he knew the Munson kid from afar as the sheriff he had had encounters with him, he had never been so strongly opinionated as the rest of town since he knew Eddie’s background, always let him go with a warning as he was himself not so.. uninfluenced.

As for her.. he did know her family, but not that well, he remembers seeing her here and there in town, walking home from high-school, ignoring the cars full of her classmates making fun of her as they drove, he remembers that; he also remembers not doing anything about it. Watching it happen. 

Joyce approached Hopper, who got closer to Mike and Will, the four of them felt powerless, and completely out of it as they saw Dustin’s never ending sobs and Steve’s tentative of waking her up, even if most of them didn’t really know who she was. 

Steve was panicking upon the facts that a. They were in the Upside Down, b. Eddie was dead, c. he felt the most gut wrenching guilt to have been with her, having had an incredible month with her as a couple when he knew that trying to find love would lead to this situation, he felt responsible for it, and he hated himself for it, she shouldn’t have gotten involved, she didn’t deserve all the pain, injuries it inflicted her.

Hopper silently suggested that they bring her with them to a nearby house as they were too exposed, so he detached their fingers intertwined together and carried Eddie towards the woods, and tried his best to pay him the respect and rest he deserves, even in death. Steve insisted on carrying her even though his leg hurt from the additional weight he carried, it felt like he carried the remorse he felt, like he deserved it.

Mike had gone to Dustin to help him up, he gently walked him back to the group and they followed Steve to the house he was walking to. Will was fast to open the door and let everyone in, even if he wasn’t really sure what the plan was, but did anyone really know? 

Jonathan and Nancy had joined the group later and had discovered the scene, Steve’s arms circling around her knees and shoulders. Even if Jonathan had seen them holding hands as they arrived in Hawkins a few days prior, he could not stop thinking about how odd it was seeing them together. 

Nancy felt even more remorse over the entire situation, and over the fact that Jonathan had insinuated to abandon her when she was still alive and had a chance of surviving, even a small one, she felt like the worst friend ever. Jonathan recognised the mood change in her features and tried to hold her hand but she refused him, and with a glance he couldn’t recognise, she left ahead of him, catching up on the group, leaving him bereft.

Everyone followed Steve and Hopper as he walked straight for the living room, and lied her down to the closest couch, he didn’t really know what to do next, he wasn’t as skilled as her or Hopper, but he had watched her reanimate Eddie and tend to their wounds. 

Hopper saw the panic settled in in now knowing what to do and the what ifs, so he put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, “There’s not much we can do, apart from cleaning the wound and until she wakes, her best shot is getting out of this place, kid.” 

He silently agreed, nodded, then proceeded to do as advised with the best they had while Hopper instructed the others to find rooms to rest in as he and Joyce would take the first watch. 

Everyone scattered away, Hopper settled on the stairs, his eyes on both the front door and the living room, silently watching Steve clean the wound in silence. They had managed to find antiseptic soap, it was the best he could do as he got rid of all the dried blood around the wound to discover the skin around to be quite stiff and the tiniest bit warmer. It wasn’t good and he hoped he was wrong by assuming it was getting infected. 

Every now and then he would steal a glance toward her face to search for any signs that she was waking up or uncomfortable, in pain. He understood how she was still alive, she was losing blood in such a slow and steady rhythm she still had chances to survive.. for now. 

He observed her stomach rising and falling as she breathed, kneeled on the ground next to her, Hopper recognised that devotion, he sincerely hoped they would find a way quickly enough to get them both, as far as he knew, they deserved to get out and get their lives back far away from Hawkins, in them he saw younger Joyce and himself, back in high-school. 

Steve lowered his head, he hadn’t expected to be crying, the tears falling freely and soundlessly, the fear of losing her setting so deeply in his bones like never before, he couldn’t resist it, not stop it.

His hands held on hers’ tightly, intertwined their fingers. 

He brought the back of her hand to his lips, chaste pecks on her skin, closed eyes, tears getting caught on her knuckles. “You can’t leave me, please, please, wake up. I don’t know what I’m gonna do if you don’t.” 

Her name fell from his lips like a plea, like a prayer. His whispers were so low he was barely able to listen to himself. He kept pleading silently until he had no tears left to cry, under Hopper’s very discreet eyes. 

He keeped one of her hands as he used his backpacks like a pillow, their intertwined hand close to him as he fell asleep out of complete exhaustion, into pure darkness. 

A detail none has seen yet due to the important lack of light and the general sense of panic and survival, is that through her shut tight eyelids, one could see her eyes flutter endlessly under the lids, the same way Max had when Vecna was infiltrating her mind. 

She opened her eyes and she was surrounded by complete darkness, alone, so soundless it felt deeply unsettling. She looked around, it was just darkness beyond sight, not a sound, only some light where she stood and it seemed to follow her, she didn’t understand. 

Expecting pain as she walked but she didn’t feel any, so she looked down at her body, to her surprise, she looked as if she hadn’t gone through literal Hell. Not even a hint of blood, or inflamed and tugging skin around the bruises and wounds, she didn’t have the small piece of wood impaled in her abdomen, her clothes were intact. 

Her long sleeve shirt was in one piece, as if she didn’t have a thousand cuts all over her body from the running, falling and trying to survive to monsters. 

It didn’t match real life, so she wondered, quietly but in confusion, 

“Am I dead? Is this.. Is this what death looks like?” 

Thinking of death, “Eddie? Are you there?” 

She was answered with silence, only her own voice and its echo fading through the darkness. 

“I don’t understand. I’m not supposed to be stuck here, am I? What’s this?,” She thought out loud, and as she realised that she may be stuck here with no way out for eternity, she felt her heartbeat moving higher against her thorax, her hands turned into fists.

The panic in her body turned a dial up as she heard footsteps coming towards her, and turning around, she was met with eyes the same colour as hers’. 

Goosebumps travelled along her body as her eyes and brows widened in shock, she was stuck in her movements, paralysed like. 

The body moving to her had gotten closer, facing her completely, she looked at her own reflection, same height, same hair texture and colour, body type, clothes, except, her look alike had the appearance of someone who tried to survive the Upside Down for a couple of days.

Her hair was unravelled, some strands stuck in dirt and clumps of blood, her skin and clothes underwent the struggles of her misadventure, cuts through her legs, torso, arms and face. The small piece of wood or whatever it was, impaled in the low side of her abdomen, she couldn’t see them, but she knew where the bruises were and how tensed and pained her skin around those wounds were. This was—is— her. 

She stood in front of her reflection, but it wasn’t motionless, she had walked, she was blinking, looking at herself, a smirk pulling on her lips.

Minutes passed as she needed to compose herself, she wanted to flee so badly but she knew she couldn’t even though she didn’t understand what was happening. 

In one desperate move she looked down at her hands, the bottom of her jeans, it was then that she saw her misadventure in the Upside Down on herself, the cuts, on the skin, through the clothes, the aches in her body from all the running, the bruises, the pain came back like she was struck by lightning and when she looked up, her alter ego had disappeared, she was alone. 

She was in complete solitude, tiniest bit of light around her whenever she moved, with nothing but a disturbing silence as a companion. 

Steve was shaken awake by a strong pair of arms, accompanied by Hopper’s voice to summon him awake, he didn’t understand anything at first, his mind so groggy he felt like he was drunk, then, what Hopper told him jolted him awake, “She’s awake, kid.” 

He immediately sat up and turned to her, inspecting her in anticipation. She remained lying down on the couch he had put her in, blinking away her confusion, he was eager, desperate, to hear from her, he squeezed the hand intertwined with hers’, it got her attention and she turned her head to him, a frown appearing on her brows. 

Submerged by two existing identities —hers’ and the Mind Flayer— she struggled to recognise the place and the people surrounding her, and Steve seemed to understand it as the confusion didn’t part from her face, looking at the three faces in front of her, Hopper, Joyce and Steve’s. 

The two adults didn’t know her enough to know that it was unusual, maybe she had fallen on her head multiple times and she was concussed, or the multiple injuries plus the emotional struggle of it all could lead to some kind of amnesia but Steve knew better, or, suspected better, he chose to put it aside and not bring it up now. 

She asked where she was, what was happening, she didn’t seem to remember anything it’s only when Steve recalled the weeks past events’ she seemed to remember some, then it clicked for Joyce, this kind of amnesia, the hesitancy, the stress in remembering past and present events, she knows it well because she’s seen it in Will back at the lab, when the Mind Flayer launched an attack, using Will as a spy. 

The similarities were so strong, it felt like déjà-vu. 

From the deepest corners in her mind that the Mind Flayer has infiltrated she had access to everything the creature wanted her to see and know, instructing her with one task, but she didn’t know what it was. 

It felt like going into a room without knowing why she came there. 

Sat side by side on the sofa, Steve couldn’t stop keeping his eyes on her. He knew something was off, it didn’t feel like she was there, like she was distracted, evasive, it didn’t feel like her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joyce taking Hopper by the elbow to pull him aside, whispering things, he glanced once their way and he knew instantly they were talking about her. 

Hopper looked away as soon as he saw Steve catching him, frowning. 

He was about to stand up and join them when she sighed loudly, one glance back towards her and he saw her hands entangled deep in her scalp in frustration, almost pulling at the root, her back completely backrested, her eyes set on the ceiling covered in vines. 

Steve’s voice pulled her out of the spinning wheels turning in her brain, as she let go of the root of her hair, Steve’s hand met in the middle and caught it, intertwining their fingers together, his eyes widened the moment he touched her skin and realised she was cold.

He brought himself closer and took both her hands in his, his thumbs ran around her wrists, “Do you feel cold ?”

Her brows frowned furthermore, there was some kind of latence in her answer as she didn’t really know if she felt cold or not, “No, I— I feel..,” she paused, her throat was sore from all the screaming and shouting she had done. 

Trying to clear her throat, she continued, her voice weakened and a bit hoarse, ”I don’t feel cold or hot, I feel so.. eerie. Like I’m not even here. Like I’m.. dying on the inside.”  

Steve closed his eyes for a few seconds as he tried to process what she was saying, his suspicious were rising alarmingly high, but when he opened his eyes he saw she had her turned her head towards the windows, following her gaze, he saw the Mind Flayer stood at the complete opposite side of town, far away, but he kept looking back and forth between her and noticed that its’ head had moved towards them. 

Goosebumps and chills rose along his body, his gaze focused solely on her, one final glance to the creature when he saw its’ head moving back to the position it had, overlooking the city, then one glance at her, she had such a passive expression in her eyes that he couldn’t recognise. 

Almost in sync, as she closed her eyes the most intense, piercing guttural shriek echoed in town, eyes revulsed behind her eyelids, Steve began panicking, shaking her arms, strong grip on her shoulders, her body was stoic, and he had flashbacks of Max and Nancy going through the same episode. 

Talking loudly than he thought, he shouted her name, getting even closer, practically straddling her as her head fell back, and with two firm hands he held her cheeks and tried to get her to wake, with no success. 

The monstrous shriek and Steve practically shouting her name, it had woken up everyone sleeping and brought Hopper and Joyce as soon as they noticed Steve moving on the couch. Everyone’s attention filled the room with so much noise it created nourished the stress and panic deep beneath him, soonly the excruciating noise in the room was quieted down by more guttural shrieks coming from outside. 

The movement of panic grew stronger and finally, someone thought aloud that their best choice was to leave now or all their chances of surviving would be close to none —which was already the case. 

That made Steve’s muscles tense, he finished letting her head fall gently on the cushion, he turned around, his eyes darkened and his face looked so tense that no one knew what to expect.

Nancy hadn’t expected Jonathan to propose such a thing, her head turned to him, shock evident on her face.

Steve wasn’t so surprised, “Again with the leaving people behind? People that aren’t close enough to you, that is. Please go, be the first to be eaten, pulled apart, whatever they do with you, I don’t give a fuck.” 

“No, no one’s going anywhere, you listen to me? No one’s leaving anyone behind,” Hopper’s voice tried to be stern but everyone’s patience was running low, it allowed more recklessness too. 

“So what, we’re supposed to stay here and wait until she wakes up when we know that we are going to be dead staying here, I’m supposed to wait for her when I know that the more we wait, the more we are targets!”

“Jonathan, she deserves the same chances as us to survive, we’re not leaving her behind, this is insane.”

“Nancy, this is life or death, the choice is pretty simple, we’ve already lost so much time, we can’t allow ourselves to lose more.”

“I know this is life or death, should I remind you we’ve all been through this for years, I know that you’re scared, I am too, but punishing her when she could survive too is just not okay! She got involved mere weeks ago by getting pulled in by a Demobat’s tail, she survived on her own here without knowing anything and she found us when we got stuck too. She could have left then but she stayed and she fought Vecna with us, almost dying countless times, she’s helped Max and she fucking reanimated Eddie the first time around, she’s not getting anywhere without us! I owe it to her to not leave her behind like I did for Barb!” 

She could only listen to what was happening around her, it gave her a bitter sensation in the back of her throat, but experiencing such.. vulnerability and inaccessibility in her own body and not having full control, it was insanely uncomfortable. 

She remained stoic, not daring to move, listening to everything that happened, in the blink of an eye, she found herself to be plunged in complete darkness, then, after a few seconds, she heard footsteps, the lights above her started flickering and she realised she wasn't in complete darkness anymore. 

She found herself to be in some corridor, evidence of a previous fight on the bloodied walls and the cracked tiles. She turned her body to the sounds coming from a man walking towards her, his pace confident, arms behind his back, dirty blond hair and entirely dressed as someone that came out of an asylum or some lab. She didn't know who it was, but she had a strong suspicion about his identity.

She was too shocked and frightened to form a sentence, the man resembled nothing like the descriptions she’s had from her friends. 

The light above kept flickering which allowed their surroundings to move to a darker but lengthier space, darker tiles on the walls and on the ground, with turned off lights on a spherical shape on a corner, but she focused on him, straightening her body and planting her feet in the ground. 

It indicated to him she knew how he was, she was on the defensive, which didn't matter that much as he was already infiltrating her mind. 

“If you don't wake up you and your friends will die,” his voice wasn't at all like she expected, it was soft, it didn't hold any roughness or threats, it warned her though.

Frowning, she didn't understand the situation, she struggled to form words, so he continued, “The clock is ticking.” 

His head moved slightly, he looked at her up and down, his chin down to analyse her posture and a weakness point, then chin up, he tightened his arms behind his back, focusing on the task at hand, his only chance.

She noticed and followed his gaze, body still planted on the ground, hands curled in fists, being studied so closely confused her at first, for someone who had thought of every possible outcome, who had thought of his plan to invade Hawkins, he seemed rather clueless. Making up his plan as it went on. 

 “I understand your suspicion, but I could help you.” 

One of her eyebrows raised in surprise, but she kept her mouth shut, having not a clue what she was doing but still resisting, however she could.

 He started moving towards her, only to pace in circles around her, slowly, he stopped behind her, an arm’s length from her, he paused for quite some time, which almost made her turn around, “I do not understand.”

 His voice has gotten harsher, his patience has worn down, “You think you can resist me, or him?” 

 Confusion struck her, what the hell did he mean by him? What was this? Who was he referring to as him?

 He completed his circle and arrived by her eye level, their eyes connected, she could read determination on him, the wheels spinning behind those blue eyes. 

“He won't be as merciful, your only way out is with me.” 

She kept her eyes fixed on him, she could read so much on him now that she had struck a nerve being silent and resisting, which allowed her to make a wild guess, “You're on your own.” 

He tried to not let his surprise show but the frown that appeared on his face could not be missed, “Only people that are left mending for themselves can be so desperate and reckless.” 

The Mind Flayer, “He’s given up on you, and you're left mending for yourself. If you wanted to kill me you already would have done so. So what's your purpose in this?” 

He tilted his head, the frown he wore indicated to her that she was correct, and he wasn't just impatient now, but mad as hell to have been figured out.

 “I spared you–”

 “No, you can't kill me, you’ve resorted to gaslighting and tormenting. But why?” 

The façade slowly started melting off as he grew angrier, the white outfit swapped for his disfigured rotting body, his voice distorted. Their surroundings changed to a field of floating parts of a destroyed house, red mist swallowing the ground.

Moving forward, new parts of his body were revealed, newly burned off parts, gaping holes in his chest, how he was still alive was profoundly shocking to her.

“You're hiding,” only a whisper that escaped her lips as she studied their surroundings, “..and hurting.. you're..–” 

He tilted his head, and she switched her attention on his face closer to her, his eyes were the deepest shade of blue, like the deepest regions of an ocean, where the light can barely escape, darkness only reigns.

“You're dying, and you're left mending for yourself,” she paused, she had no idea where all this courage came from to reveal his truth, where all that clairvoyance came from, “So, you're stalling.” 

Out in the open, he couldn't fathom how she had understood, “You're left so weak you can't even kill me. Why would you stall if he’s abandoned you?” 

He wasn't as defenceless as she thought him to be, with a grunt she saw his eyes close, and unexpectedly complete darkness surrounded her, she couldn't see anything, as if she were blind. 

She felt deeply uneasy the more she stayed in complete darkness, wishing she had shut her mouth. If he was going to kill her, she hoped it would be quick.

Given the alarming number of roaming creatures outside and some questionable sounds coming from them– the fact that they couldn't recognise what those creatures were, sent shivers down their spine, it completely terrorised them, it could only mean that something new was outside– they decided to split up. 

The pressure kept rising and rising and Hopper ended the argument by agreeing to split up, even though it killed him because he hated that idea.

The thing is, the groups were heavily uneven, only Nancy chose to stay with Steve, Joyce was staying with Hopper, Will and El stayed with their parents, Mike followed El, and Dustin was too vulnerable on his own with the crutches to stay in a much smaller group.

Steve retreated back to her, sitting on the cushion sideways to her, he grabbed her hand, hoping it would help him calm down his anger. 

He completely ignored the sounds of them getting their equipment and Hopper calling Nancy to share some with her, more ammunition, pocket knives, lighters, and tiny bottles of liquor.

She watched them leave, guns and makeshift weapons in hands, Dustin in the middle of them to assure his safety, until they were completely out of her eyesight, then her head turned to Steve, his back to her.

Nancy feared his mood wouldn't help them develop a plan to get out, but they needed to elaborate one, quickly, so, trying to ignore the worrisome shrieks from outside, she cautiously stepped towards Steve.

She sat on the ground, facing him, her head levelling with Steve’s lover, quietly observing her face, how her eyes kept moving back and forth, witnessing she was somewhere they couldn't join. 

“She’s getting colder, I don't know what to do to rid her of him,” Steve let out quietly, like a secret he could finally let out.

Nancy’s head turned to him, frowning.

“I didn't want to bring it up because I didn't know how everyone would react to it, probably the same as what happened, but–,” he paused, a brief glance towards her, not yet sure if he could say it, but what would she do? Throw a tantrum? Too late for that.

“I’m almost sure she’s.. The Mind Flayer has her, the same way he had with Will. She was awake before we all heard that terrific shriek, she felt.. off, like she wasn't with us, she didn't feel how cold she is, and it may be my head but, I feel like she’s colder.” 

She nodded, and immediately her brain thought of a way to make it out, wheels spinning on end, until Steve’s voice broke it all up, “To be honest, I’m aware I’ve doomed us all, I didn't think anyone would second me I thought I would.. die alongside her.” 

Shock blew on her face, her eyes moved to his face, his head low, searching for his eyes she tilted her head to the side, “Steve..” 

Deep in his eyes was sadness, and desperation, nothing she would have expected from him, she was stunted, shocked. His eyes trailed back to her, his thumb mindlessly caressed her cold skin. 

Their plan was quite simple, Steve would carry her and Nancy would go first, gun in hand, and they would travel small location to small location, not more than a block away to make sure they could attempt to hear or see their enemies, try to, at least. 

Nancy made sure she had enough ammunition in the pockets of her jacket, along with a pocketknife, she gave one to Steve and hid one in the upper pocket of her jeans.

Out of curiosity, and because she hadn’t dared to previously, Nancy held her hands and realised how cold she was, she also realised she had never properly inspected her injuries, she hadn't acknowledged what had happened to her.

She could see the multiple cuts through the materials of her long sleeve shirt and her jeans, but the worst injury was the one on her abdomen, she hadn't realised it was that bad, of course she had seen but.. she hadn't paid attention given everything that happened.

She pulled up the shirt, she let out a gasp when she saw the rawness of her injury and Steve cleaned it the best he could, the skin around was inflamed, swollen, and mostly fresh blood around the piece of wood impaled, but it kept the blood loss controlled.

One thing she wasn't sure though, were the jet black veins exiting the wound, calmly she called for Steve, who had been in the kitchen looking for more supplies. You never know.

He was about to ask but he saw, and the answer to his doubts were there, she was taken by the Mind Flayer, it resembled everything they had seen in Will, another shriek echoed through the city.

 “We have to hurry,” Steve briefly whispered and hurried himself to put on his jacket, his backpack followed, Nancy copied him, taking off the security on her gun, she opened the door as silently as she could, stepping carefully outside.

One hand holding a flashlight, the other hand holding her gun, she stepped cautiously through the porch as Steve held her, one arm wrapped under her knees, the other under her back.

He followed her carefully, arriving first to the store they had scavenged, a ten minute break later –inspecting their surroundings and planning as soundlessly as they could.

They continued like this without any encounters, house after house after house until they heard human screams and more guttural shrieks.

It wasn't just human screams, pained screams and warnings to run off.

Nancy recognised Jonathan’s voice in the lot, paralysed on the spot she was caught between helping them or staying with Steve. She turned to him, and he knew immediately what she was about to do, he didn't even wait for her to speak, he walked towards the nearest house to hide.

He heard Nancy run off to where the screams came from, getting closer to the door he hoped to be able to touch the handle with her in his arms, but he didn't even have the time to, she started convulsing in his arms.

“No, no, no, no!,” not as silent as he hoped to be, but to be able to carry her inside he had to force his way in, not exactly subtle, but his only choice.

So he forced the door open with his leg and rushed inside, he hid upstairs, closed all the doors, because he knew that every creature around had heard him barge in and rush upstairs.

He tried his best to keep her on her side while she was convulsing, as silent as possible, he prayed to God they wouldn't be found, eyes closed, hands tightly holding her body, he hoped. 

When the darkness completely surrounded her, she knew something was coming but she hadn't expected to be tormented by sounds only in complete and utter nothingness.

He had pulled out everything that's been hurting her for the past couple of months, hearing it made the memories come back and reliving them was torture. He knew what he was doing. 

The bullying, gaslighting, the jealousy, self esteem at its lowest, the people pleasing, diminishing herself, how she’s been harming herself on all levels and coping in unhealthy ways.

Every voice that spat venom at her face resurfaced, making her try to scream above those voices to make it all stop.

Covering her ears with her hands wasn't working, she could still hear everything, seconds turned into minutes, into how long it had been.

On her knees, her forehead and her arms touching the ground with her hands tightly put around her ears, she has completely turned into herself. 

She hadn't realised that it had stopped, she could still hear it, feel those words as if they were snakes crawling their way in her brain.

She let out a breath of relief when she finally realised that silence surrounded her, the muscles in her arms aching, now all her body screamed for a chance to let go, that it’s had enough, and her mind agreed. 

She’s had enough.

She opened her eyes but her eyelids were heavy, when she looked around herself she didn't recognise where she was, her jeans and arms were wet from the grass, she was in the woods.

She completely sat down, turned her upper body around so she could take a glance at her surroundings, grass, trees, there was a form a few feet from her, but she could hardly see what it was.

She got up, holding onto a tree next to her as her vision got blurry, she closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath, when she felt capable enough she walked towards the ambiguous form.

It was a handmade wooden castle, “Welcome all friends” and “Castle Byers” written on the front in yellow. She passed through the tarp, and a gasp left her mouth as soon as she saw him.

“So, this is where you're hiding,” a voice that resembled hers said, but it hadn't come from her own mouth, turning around she saw her alter ego leave as quickly as she came in. Turning inside the makeshift castle, she looked one last time at a very weakened, rotten and rotting body of Vecna, seemingly taking his very last breaths until the scenery floated away like a candle’s flame blown off.

Steve waited, and waited, her body had stopped convulsing just moments ago, he had left her when he was sure she was still breathing.

Trying to be aware of every sound he could make, he opened the door to the bedroom he stayed in, pocket knife in hand, but he heard nothing.

He tried his luck and went back inside to carry her downstairs, cautious on the steps, he put her down on the sofa and rushed to the windows. He saw Demodogs and Demobats roaming around, but the screams had gone, and with Nancy not returning.. he would rather not think of that.

His only hope was resting on the couch and.. and she was waking up, he couldn't believe it. 

He rushed to her side, she was blinking away her confusion, he pulled up her shirt to look at the wound and the black veins were still there, they had retreated a bit though.

As he was about to rapidly explain what had gone and what they needed to do, a violent shake broke through the earth, followed by the sound of something exploding.

Just a turn towards the sound and they saw bombs exploding, falling down like rain.

He rushed her up, with a strong grip around her waist he ran off outside through the back door that led to the edge of the woods.

Together they sprinted off away, doing their best to avoid any bombs, he heard some creatures following them but they were killed off easily as the hive mind worked its way until he brutally realised that she was part of it too as she fell unconscious on the ground.

Until the very end he would stay with her.

He doesn't realise when he falls unconscious too, he only knows that he’s an arm’s length from her.. as long as he dies alongside her..

There was nothing around her, not a sound, not a weird looking ego, not Vecna to torment her.

Just, back at the starting point, with nothingness and an uncomfortable silence surrounding her. 

Her arms closed off, tight around her body to try and warm herself a bit, she kept walking around nothingness. 

She wondered if she was going to be stuck in there forever, does she want to go back to Steve? Does she want to go back at all? 

She truly didn’t know, she didn’t know if she had the choice, but if she had it, would she return back to Hawkins? 

She didn’t have time to ponder the question really, because she joined the darkness within, and shortly after, she was back in her unconscious body, lying on the ground, fire spreading as the US army was gaining ground in the Upside Down, with it, bombing kept going, as it’s the only weapon they possessed that would work. 

Eradicate it all with fire— were the final words left from Dr Owens’s lips as he too, joined nothingness after being tortured for what felt like eternity, he had given nothing, not a single thing about Eleven or anything that he knew, except how to kill it. 

Bodies defenceless, they could only hope they would either survive together or die together. 

Do not forget to reblog and comment, I would love to know your thoughts, it's incredibly lonely being a writer!!

-> pt. nine

tags (of the prequel and/or people who liked the masterlist) : if you’d like to be tagged, let me know in my inbox  @freezaz123 @ihavebecomesomething @aphetropy @sigh-mon-reads @madaboutjoe @mystic-writings @333starbride @seatnights @gabby123rocks @hauntors @ourprisma @hollandweather @we-out-here-simping @cupofjoekeery @seatnights

(mutuals that might be interested let me know if not): @strangerquinns @stiles-o-dylan24 @bffysummrs @teen--marvel @stevesxyellowxsweater

[pandemoniclucio]

The Arcana HC #17

Superhero MC - MC is basically like Batman in the sense that they are a billionaire phillanthropist at day and a superhero at night, but they have superpowers and are one of the strongest beings in the world.

MC has a very specific Zodiac tattoo on both shoulders, their hero suite hides that.

Asra - Cafe Owner

Nadia - Senator

Julian - Lead Biochemist At (L/N) Enterprise

Muriel - Hero

Portia - Celebrity Chef

Lucio - Mercenery

Asra, Muriel & Lucio have powers.

Asra is a witch that can use Tarot cards and some celestial magic.

Muriel is a Leshy - Forest Guardian Spirit from Slavick regions & Russia - so he can communicate with animals and has powers relating to the earth.

Lucio is like Danny Phantom - He has ghost powers.

None of the LI's know MC's secret identity or that they are a superhero at first.

Asra

You are one of the regulars at their cafe by day & Asra is somewhat of an informant to you every once in a while

Due to a cultist finally getting fed up with Asra's response to her cult, she decided to kidnap them, because she needs all magic using humans with her, so she manages to draw your attention.

Before you could return Asra to their shop, the leader manged to tell Asra who you were before they could complete the memory erase spell on her.

The next day you come for your morning drink theh discretely ask you to go to the back with them where they reveal that they know who you are.

They are now very nervous whenever you come around to the Cafe & gets more flustered when you tell them to relax.

They continue gathering information for you and decide that they should try to teach you some Celestial and Tarot Magic, you might eventually need it. After each magic lesson you both bond over some drinks.

They realise they like you but they don't want to make anything awkward between you both. They are pleasantly shocked when you admit to wanting to be more than friends.

You two have been caught by the press being lovey doevey which has increased customers for Asra, but that means you can only get any sort of peace is if you get out of down.

Nadia

Your company is global, so you have met her several times to discuss business ventures in Pakra. She occasionaly helps you come up with any projects.

Not a lot of people from Vesuvia like the idea of peace with other nations (*Cough*, Vulgura). One day at a peace meeting at your tower, Nadia was taken as a hostage. Luckily you have an easy way to quickly change and save Nadia.

Due to Vulgura destroying everything in her path Nadia did get injured, but you managed to get her to the emergency room of your tower, she found this suspisious.

She went through some video camera's with Natiqa and found out that you were the superhero that saved her. She decided to confront you about it and promised to keep your identity secret, & she felt a bit bad for pryining.

Knowing what she knows now, she realises that the signs were there & now she worries that she might accidently tell the rest of her family, she also gets Natiqa to promise you as well.

She decides that she will try to help you by coming up with any suggestions, critiques & stratagies that you could use when you're out saving the city or world. She also gets Natiqa, Nazali and Nahara to help since their her only siblings that aren't gossibs. Spending time with you has let you both become friends.

You both have gotten quite close in a short amount of time, so with the support (teasing) from Natiqa, she confesses.

You two eventually become an international sensation: Bilionaire Philantropist & Pakran Senator. This means you both have to try extremely hard to get away from people so you can have a normal date.

Julian

He is your lead biochemist, so he reports to you daily and since you both are close friends, you sometimes go drinking with Portia. He is also the one you bring any items you find on your mission to get him to analyse.

As a wealthy billionaire, it is pretty standard for people to want to rob you, this time villains, Vlastomil & Valdemar, try to steal a new formula Julian & crew are working on. Whuch meant he gets kidanpped again. Lucky you, for having security cameras to alert you.

You managed to beat up the two villains but because Valdemar used a secret weapon and stabbed your arm, your healing wasn't able to work fast enough, luckily Julian is qualified for this, but he had to take you to his lab and he saw your tattoo.

He decided to get you talking before he accidently reveals that he knows who you are.

This hasn't changed your relationshup, much. The only difference is that he worries about you more & tries to analyse whatever artifact you bring in. He has also informed Portia.

He decides that he will try to help you, by creating gear and designing a better outfit so that it doesn't tear easily. He also thinks it's fun hanging out more again in an unprofessional capacity.

After years of friendship and some teasing from Mazelinka & now Portia. You confess that you do indeed like each other after Portia spits it out that he loves you.

At night, when he's done with his actual job he helps you analyse any evidence or create and improve any tech you might need to make your "side-job" easier.

By morning, he and occasionally you get teased and congradulated by everyone for finally becoming a couple. They give some advice and warnings about office romances.

Muriel

He is the hero that you work with whenever you need to go into the forest. You are both on friendly terms but don't interact often, due to him being a reclusive Leshy.

It's near impossible to capture let alone find Muriel or any other nature spirits, but somehow a "Ghost Hunter" managed to capture him, which meant Innana got to drag you to the scene to save him.

You manged to save Muriel but because the Ghost Hunter was a pervert you lost the top of your suit and your mask started to crack, once you got Muriel back into the woods, your mask fell off.

He then awkwardly tells you that your mask fell off, he knew that you were a business mogal but thats about it. He then tells you not to worry about it since he's not much of a talker. Unfortunately this is a forest full of nature spirits but they won't snitch to any humans either.

His life continued relatively normaly, except now he was being bombarded with questions & teasings from the other spirits. He also now has to apologise whenever they come to harrass you whenever you have to work together.

He feels bad about knowing your identity but doesn't understand why you keep visiting him and the other forest spirits. You do manage to gather more infromation about any mythical nusances and as a bonus how to help improve the forest.

Sooner than later you both realise you have feelings for each other. The other forest spirits decide to help Muriel out by setting up romantic events, getting Inanna to help push him to confess and getting Khamagalai to tell you that he likes you if he doesn't do it himself.

Since, you both aren't very public super heroes, you don't have to worry much about anyone bothering you whne you decide to do something romantic.

Portia

She is one of your closest friends and often comes to the office to check on you and her brother and bring some treats for you both and some of your employees.

Since she is a celebrity, there are people who get possesive of her. One day a villain who stalks her decided to kidnap her and threaten to take revenge because she rejected their creepy advances. Since it was broadcast across Vesuvia, you quickly arrived.

Luckily you weren't seriously injured, but your some of your clothes were scathed, which revealed one of your tattooed shoulders to her before you left.

The next day she invites you over to her place for tea & biscuits to tell you that she knows about your secret identity and lectures you on how much danger you could've put yourself into.

Ever since she found out, she's had more serious cinversations with you and brought Julian in as well. Now when there is a crisis that you have to solve, she will cheer you on more but she will be slightly more worried.

She tries to help you with anything you need as long as it's not life-threatening. She mainly gathers information on other celebrities or aristocrats that you might need. Your frienship continues to grow and return to a sort of normal once more.

After a while your friendship turns into something more. You both realise that but you both don't know how to go about telling each other, luckily or unluckily Julian tells you that you both like each other romantically.

She tries her best to gather as much information as she can and joins Asra and Julian in helping guide you through missions.

When the sun rises, you and she are the celebrity couple of the weekly news, which does lead to a ton of ship video's of you both along with some discource but nothing you can't handle.

Lucio

Depending on who hired him, he can either be an obstacle or an asset to your missions. You are frenemies, but Lucio will always get out of dodge if he realises his client could be a serious issue.

He is a mercenary which means he has pissed off any rivals of his employers. One day a rival Mafia boss of his employer at the time decided to get revenge on him and kidnapped him by using a draining machine. Luckily, you happened to be another pest to this Mafia boss and decided to rescue him.

You managed to save him but at the cost of your energy being depleted and some of your suit being torn. He decides to kill the enemy and get you out of there and into his abode where he finally notices that your mask fell off.

When you finally woke up, you were greeted by Melchoir & Mercendes along with Lucio bringing you a meal and drink, before trying to explain the events that lead you here.

After the events, he has become careful of his clients and researches them a bit to see if they have any powerful enemies. He is also more weary of everything. He now gets flustered around you too.

He does try to help you more & will now give details about any client he thinks might be out of his pay cheque, he also doesn't want to go to jail. He doesn't avoid you forever though and tries to befriend you.

He can't deny and neither can you that you both have grown close so he decides to prepare a spot where it could be romantic if he succeeded but also had a place for him to cry if it didn't. Luckily he didn't need it.

You two become a vigilante power couple in most nights which is greaet for you considering he's helping you rid Vesuvia of criminals even if he is being paid by others to do half of it.

By day you both get bombarded with paparazzi & interviewed by the press. You both don't mind too much but sometimes in can get out of hand when it's ruining any time you want to spend together in a public area.

[nathantheauthor]

So how do the Jane’s feel about each other? Do they ever think it’s werid they’ve been trying to hunt down the same guy lol?

Well, I wouldn't say it's the same guy, because I do all actively have their own Jeff that's tied to them.

However a lot of their Dynamics are pretty interesting, cuz I mean, none of them are related, very few of them have met, so wouldn't you feel a certain way about people who share the same title?

The original Jane The Killer, Jane Richardson, due to being active in the '90s, she personally feels like her and Hodek's back and forth, and how it never actually ended, makes her responsible for the existence of the other Janes. Which is true, but only to an extent, as you can't blame yourself for a cult spawning that worships your former enemy.

Her personal feelings towards Arkensaw, the second Jane are quite mixed. On one hand she feels responsible and incredibly sympathetic towards the girl's plight, but on the other hand she cannot condone Arkensaw's actions. Because if we are using that version of jane, it is important to note that she's killing Jeff's victims before he can. There will be a confrontation.

She and Everlasting don't see eye to eye, as they have very different ideas of what "Jane The Killer" should be. Richardson thinks the title should fade away because it's dumb and stupid... Everlasting is going to go for a record, trying to outshine Jeff out of pure spite. She's getting a confrontation as well.

Richardson feels a sort of connection with Phoenix, they're both superpowered vigilantes, with the only difference what being she was government sanctioned / made and Phoenix wasn't. She feels incredibly bad about the things Jeffrey Forester did to her, and acts as sort of an older sibling towards Phoenix. They have especially gotten along after her return from death.

She IS Keaton's legal guardian, after the events of this world's version of JEFFREY'S DEAD: THE FINAL SLEEP, Jane stepped in and adopted Jane Keaton. She actively wanted to prevent the cycle from continuing, to prevent another Jane The Killer. But of course the now undead Jeffrey Keaton wouldn't let that slide and she feels responsible, and an even greater connection now that Jane Keaton has injected herself with the prototype of what made Richardson herself.

Now we'll flip it over to from Arkensaw's perspective, as I am doing it in order of activity. This one's going to be fun.

Arkansas thinks that Richardson doesn't go far enough, and actively hates her for letting her Jeff live, doodly hates her for Hodek still being around for Woods to draw inspiration from. She blames Richardson for her existence.

She and Everlasting get along a little too well, having only met a few times, but with the two being the most warped they immediately hit it off, and that is a bad sign for everyone.

She feels bad for phoenix, having heard how she was burned, but she also does detest how much she reminds her of Richardson. It's a thin line, but she definitely feels... A lot more sympathetic after the return, how could you not feel bad for somebody who's died at least 32 times?

Arkansas actively hates Keaton, for her blood relation to her Jeff, for her adopted family situation with Richardson, and for the vigilante path. Maybe it's her warped perception, but to her it comes off as Keaton saying she's better than her. That Keaton could put her life together again and that she can't.

Like, Arkensaw has ISSUES.

Everlasting very much clashes with Richardson every meeting, one of the vigilante and the other wants to be a BETTER Jeff for her vengeance. Needless to say they fight often, with Richardson trying to pull her off the path. She hates Richardson, can't help but view her as self-righteous and can't even see her own faults.

Her and Arkansas get along like two peas in a pot, as both of their methods of vengeance towards Woods and Dove make some just as bad as the Church of Smiles, actively working like the Jeffs. They need to be permanently separated, preferably impacted cells and therapy.

Her in Phoenix don't get along, in fact she's scared of the girl after their last encounter, where Phoenix nearly burned her alive, carrying on Richardson's vigilante justice. Although she can't help but feel bad, she remembers the headlines... The statements made when she came back to life. Her feelings towards Phoenix are complicated.

She and Keaton are frenemies, if they're not trying to kill each other, they're sharing music and childhood stories. She can't fully hate the girl, and a lot of that stems from knowing Keaton's history. Her blood relations make being friends easy, sympathy is a powerful tool.

Phoenix's turn, and boy is this one going to be fun!

She and Richardson are pretty much family at this point, getting along like actual siblings. In fact it is her research and knowledge of the original Jane that kept Phoenix from going down the darker path. Richardson is her hero, somebody she looks up to.

She feels no sympathy for Arkensaw, only a bit of pity. The reason for this being she very much views Arkansas as somebody who's made their choice, somebody who's made their bed and now needs to lay in it. Sure, she does recognize the tragedy, but it's what she did afterwards that matters to Phoenix.

She absolutely despises Everlasting, viewing her as no better than Jeffrey Forester, another monster that needs put in her place. So yeah, she has tormented everlasting, come close to burning her to death.

She and Keaton get along VERY well, she pretty much acts as the fun aunt, Austin helping Keaton get into trouble and hide it from Richardson, or even helping pull pranks on Richardson and Mary. A lot of this is to help Keaton maintain a sense of normalcy, a tiny sliver of a normal life. She knows the story, all that Keaton has been through... And she knows when somebody just needs a friend.

And it's finally time for Keaton.

I stated, her and Richardson are family, and for a while she had a very mixed feeling about this. But nowadays, she has no hesitation in calling the original Jane "mom", same case goes for Mary, they have become her family after everything, and they mean so much more to her than her blood family. Sometimes such bonds aren't decided by blood.

She actively dislikes Arkensaw, both for her actions and methods, and also for how much she's deemed the woman self entitled. She recognizes that she's had it better than the other James for the most part, however, that doesn't didn't give Arkensaw the right to act the way she does. She thinks Arkensaw could have had it better if she actually did something worthwhile about her life.

Her frenemy relationship with Everlasting is one that very much spawned from the latter catching her listening to Pierce The Veil, and legend they have the same taste in music. So instead of fighting that night, they ended up talking about music and other interests. They refuse to actually kill each other, but they do fight and try to take the other one off the board in some way. There might be hope for Everlasting after all.

She and Phoenix are pretty much the best of friends, she gets along very well with her aunt, and recognizes the grief involved in Phoenix's story. Ultimately, maybe it's both of them that needed this friend, that needed this connection. She shares her music, hobbies and gets into trouble with phoenix, she'd say it's a good life. .

That should be an insight to some of the stuff with the Janes, I did drop some huge things in this.

[talesfromtheunknowable]

hey! question: how did Anuli come to be?

HIi! Thank you so much for the question.

ANnnnddd... whoooo boi, this is a long and convoluted history of the 'many drafts of the land of the fallen fairies'.

Grab some popcorn, there will be plot twists.

First came up with the 'Land of the Fallen Fairies' idea when I was around... ten-ish. I saw this book called 'the land of forgotten girls,' (just the cover, never read it) and I had watched the movie 'Fern Gully' in school, and had also learned of trees being able to communicate with each other from magic school bus. And thus, ten-year-old me decided to write a story about it, in the way you might imagine a ten-year-old writing a story.

Very overdramatic. No plot.

Basically it was about 'the last tree on the planet' and its fairy. They both lived next to a factory and no one on the plantet knew of thier existence. (Wow, spooky.)

The fairy (faer name was 'Oak'... which was very creative of me.) got stolen by some humans, who were children, but one of them worked for a scientist for some reason? They kept Oak in a jar where fae met the other fairy named Meadow (who was 'Oak's... mother? Or smth.). Oak eventually broke out and went to this 'hidden land' in the Bermuda triangle for reasons. (wow, spooky)

And I stopped at around there because I wasn't feeling nice while writing it anymore.

There are definitely iterations that I don't remember anymore, this is a seven-ish-year long project at this point after all, but here are the major ones.

The Floa and Naegi backstory.

I made these two dolls (that I don't have anymore). Floa was a redwood and Naegi was an evergreen. It was pretty much an 'enemies to best friends/platonic lovers / opposite attracts' sort of thing taking place in that Bermuda triangle island. They both watched the sunset together so yea.

Bloom

Insert the lychee tree that lives in a cave and made a bunch of doohickeys to survive and killed off faer younger 'siblings' accidently with... fire magic? At one point Bloom was a lychee tree and the whole 'fire magic' thing came from Mediterranean cypress's being immune to fire. I also made a doll for this one that started off as this tall and lanky and kind of scary crow-looking thing with long arms and burnt hands. Then it changed to a small deer thing, (Mediterranean cypresses are immune to deer too.) and it's legs kept breaking off.

The black fairy and Squioo

Another scrapped duo! The black fairy is based off the pando tree (and the only one so far that uses he/him pronouns) and the Pando tree is one large tree that looks like a lot of little ones in a huge forest. (It's a real thing! You can look it up.) And I think I had this whole thing where Squioo is another mediterranean cypress and fae died or something? I think at this point the land of the fallen fairies was more of a 'protective group' and fallen fairies were fairies that lost their tree, so they were almost 'apathetic zombies that could be dangerous if provoked'.

the houseplant

This is the iteration where it starts getting to where tLotFF starts looking how it does now. The scale isn't 'across the world' anymore and there is more of a focus on themes and always a protective guardian.

Although for this one the mc was called 'Amaris' and they started off in a houseplant store where everyone else shared memories. There wasn't really anything wrong with this one, I just didn't enjoy writing it.

Guardian territory

This is the previous version, and is also where you get Anuli. I just wanted something that would be easy for me to write, so I had Anuli use story metaphors for everything and be very contemplative, to the point of not knowing what is going on around faer. Fae isn't... 100% Anuli yet, but fae has the bones. In this version, it starts off with Kamari, Anuli and the sibling Maidoe (who got scrapped because fae had no purpose but may come up again later) leaving the 'bad place' to go to the guardian territory. I rewrote that version so many times and got super stressed out every time I wrote it because it had to be PERFECT.

The 'snippet version'

I changed my writing process to be what works for me and started from scratch, and so, after all that, we get to your question.

I wanted to write something that felt nice, that felt like my truth, especially since my life started feeling... monochromatic, and if I had to live for one thing and one thing only, that that thing better make me feel better.

(I just needed an outlet otherwise I would explode.)

And I always loved those 'metaphorical journeys with a very obvious message but it is told in a whimsical way' sort of stories, and I also wanted to tell my younger self to stop driving themself crazy looking for answers on how to make themselves 'better' in order to regain their lost childhood wonder, because 'better' was burning them out.

Also this video -

I wanted so hard to find that thing called 'happiness', to find that happy ending that I didn't let my story play out.

Anywho, I mention this because the writing process I follow is very 'theme based' and I wanted for my story to explore a theme more than anything else. (Think 'Little Prince' vibes mixed with a slice-of-life-children's show so I could be as dark as I wanted to).

Some of my earliest (for this version) planning pages! (I modified the 'Story Genuis' method to work better with my iterative, and impulsive self. Nowadays I write a 'scene' by exploring a sub-concept of my overall point, and writing out all the thoughts surrounding it, in five different pages at once.)

I needed Anuli to represent all of the aspects of myself that were 'too slow for society' and molded them around a bit to fit who Anuli wanted to be (fae wasn't as overdramatic and silly and metaphorical before.)

And as if this post wasn't long enough already, here are some extra things about where Anuli's traits come from <3

Anuli likes morbid stories because my parents didn't like how 'dark' my stories were, and where thinking of something happier and more 'inspirational for kids, new york times best seller', whereas I just wanted to explore this weird thing called existence. I didn't even think that version was so dark.

So I let Anuli tell the darkest possible things that fae can.

---

The Land of the Fallen Fairies slowly changed moreso to a more 'pixie-based-concept' on who is and isn't 'good enough to be part of society' rather than a 'zombie fairy'. I don't fully know what the criteria is for a fairy to be a fallen fairy, for now it's just 'can't keep up with regular society'.

----

Part of the reason Anuli's POV 'style' is the way it is, is because I wanted something that would be easier for me to write. There's very little scene description or character actions, 90% of it is thoughts and metaphors, and it's nice that the 'shortcut' that I put for myself so I could actually write something also works for the character I am writing.

---

For both Anuli and Kamari, both their names come from the origin of the tree. Anuli, the fiddle leaf fig, originates from Africa, and faer name means 'joy'

Kamari, who comes from... northern Africa and surrounding areas if I remember correctly, means 'moon'.

----

The land of the fallen fairies takes place in my backyard. So I don't really want to move (again... apparently the moving unspoken feelings I didn't know I had got expressed though the LotFF) because all the characters are outside. We got a magnolia, and I have a fiddle leaf inside my house for Anuli.

---

I knew I didn't want to have Anuli describe any feeling, not even tired-ness with a word. Fae has an internal world filled with sensations and emotions fae does not understand and uses faer stories to create faer own 'shorthand' for how to describe them. I really really like this aspect of faer, because it makes communication that much harder for faer, but that much easier (hopefully, I've been told that no one understands what I write.) to understand what fae is thinking. Fae has built up quite the shorthand over the course of the backstory, none of faer thoughts are understandable without context.

----

Anuli ended up liking sunflowers completely on accident. I needed to have something for Kamari to notice and prompt Anuli to tell stories about, and there was a small sunflower patch near the magnolia.

---

Character design is a whole other thing. Before I made the doll, I drew a bunch of sketches based off all the character design videos I could find.

(The ones with the horns were designs for the 'Amaris' previous iteration.)

Oh wait! I remember this iteration. Anuli read the memories of dead pollywiggins for some reason before everyone else told faer that was bad and creepy.

These are some of my favorite Anuli drawings. I made a sticker out of the 'Responsibility' one.

Anuli had a hoodie for some reason, I don't think most fairies wear clothes other than for accessorizing or practical purposes. I may have Anuli wear a cloak when fae comes out of the archives because the weather is changing to fall now and @imjusthereforeternity happens in real time, and Anuil is not meant for cold weather.

getting closer.

Last sketch is from @mylee-sketches for Maidoe. This was around - I think - the time I started making Anuli the doll, which was impulsive as I did not have some of the materials I wanted (it worked out in the end) and I did not plan out sizes.

Anuli the doll took three long months and fae is MASSIVE. (I ran out of the color for faer face and had to improvise with other colors to make faer body match). Fae is around the size of a newborn/1year old CHILD. I can hold faer while I'm writing stuff and fae can stand in my lap and be up to my chin in height. The biggest thing I will ever make and I do not think I'll be doing something of that caliber again for AWHILE at least.

I got a desk recently and fae stands on that now.

Fae also sits nicely on a bookshelf.

... I think that's it. As far as progression from idea to now over the past seven-ish years, this is about everything.

Thank you so much for the ask! And for reading this LONG post!

[freshlybakedspiderbread]

Reisen for the ask game!

General opinion/How much I care about them: aaaaah! Even though she's a 'classic' touhou, i feel like it was only in the last several years (though with my warped sense of time, this could be be anywhere up to a decade) where she really dug out a special place in my heart as one of my favs (which is maybe a bit of a crowded category admitedly n_n) She's always been super cool/cute/funny and her backstory and development i think really nicely summarises a lot of themes from both th8 and gensokyo as a whole

A ship I love: there's a bunch but there's two i want to mention together because its really funny to contrast. one is reisen/kaguya (himeudon), which is on surface just cute and sweet, with the devoted bunny servant to the enigmatic princess who finds her cute. As the years pass, I don't think Reisen would ever stop seeing Kaguya in a majestic light, buuuut i do think she definitely becomes more wiser to when Kaguya is actually being wise and when she's instead just being quirky (but Reisen may still be happy to indulge her whims).

In contrast, i think reisen/mokou is really funny because their first meeting definitely has to be something like a horrified Reisen coming across Mokou killing Kaguya before anyone had a chance to explain to Reisen their particular pastime, so Reisen spent a while either panicking or attacking Mokou on sight until it all gradually became normal. And the idea of going from that to now when they're happy to hang out with one another in the bamboo forest or in the village. All in all its basically just another version of the cute bunny and the noble(ish) immortal who finds her cute.

A non-romantic relationship that I love: I've always prefered to think of Reisen's apprenticeship under Eirin has a sort of guardian or parental dynamic that neither ever actually had in their formers lives. I think its a really nice how Reisen's continued learning under her reflects on both characters developmenet.

One might ask what is the 'point' to Eirin bestowing Reisen with her knowledge since you may think Reisen isnt likely to ever want to distance herself from eientei to strike out on her own, and also since Eirin and crew will outlive Reisen, it doesnt seem like a matter of passing on something to the next 'generation', right? But even if there may always be some version of them that might always exist in the future, the Eirin right now with her dear Udongein is only here now and so every thing they (and all the eientei crew) do is important for one another n_n

The NOTP: I think there's a really fun dynamic to be had with Reisen and Tewi when combining the facts that Reisen didnt realise at first that Tew was essentially all of their landlord, and that Reisen wants to be acknowledged as an earth rabbit which Tewi attempts to accomodate sometimes even if Reisen's always a little weird. But there's no version of this where I can envision it turning romantic from either side...

My biggest headcanon about them:

She's not wearing that blazer anymore. That is Not a headcanon That is a Rule and if zun himself ever puts it back on her I will kill the planet!!!!!

that aside, I think she's on a variety of medication. 👩‍⚕️ Eirin's personal perscription of course for perhaps her eyes aaand a bunch of other stuff, but Reisen is the ever eager learner so she often cooks up her own concoctions too (which she asks Mokou to help test).

the doctor thing combined with the lunatic eyes makes me imagine she would partake in recreational psychotropics but its only really worth it if she can do it with someone else (and probably the only ones who would accept are mokou, maybe marisa... kaguya would but i dont think reisen would ask her)

An idea for a fanfiction I would like to write/read about them: i do want to write At Least one more reisen-starring story in the future about most of the things i described above, specifically her apprenticeship under eirin...

Something that makes me thing of them: This is really only something that happens in fanart and only because she's got bunny ears and associated with the colour pink, but i truly Feel like the colourful gyaru aesthetics fit her or would be how she'd next choose to dress if she felt more comfortable or even experimental. like the street fashion looks of long pink sleeves or socks,animal or carrot stickers on a handbag (that carries her firearm). zun take notes when you put her in the next game please along with aya please.

[elliewiltarwyn]

FFXIV Write 2023 | Prompt #1: Envoy

first time trying #ffxivwrite. fingers crossed.

Envoy (970 words)

When Elilgeim turns and glances over her shoulder, the white-robed and horned woman is there on the other side of the railing lining the airship quay, with a gentle soothing smile and a glint in her eye that belies her youthful appearance. Before a few moons ago, Elilgeim wouldn’t have expected such wisdom and forethought and experience…and exhaustion to come from one with a face so childlike.

Of course, a few moons ago, she had been entirely comatose, and would not have awoken at all had it not been for a similar-looking Padjali girl. She wonders, not for the first time, if the red-haired girl who had watched over her in her eight-moon-long slumber and Kan-E-Senna know each other; given the rarity of Padjali in the first place and both of their connections to the elementals of Gridania, they had to, right? But every time she had asked someone, even Kan-E-Senna herself, if they knew the name Raya-O, her only answer had been an annoyingly knowing smile. What weren’t people telling her?

She knows, at the very least, the two Padjali she had met are most likely far older than appearances implied, but not quite what they must have been through to bear these expressions of world-weary hope. …Though these headaches that let me see into their pasts is beginning to give me an idea. Though she towered above them both, their presences had been so overwhelmingly strong that she had felt smaller than a lalafell toddler. What else, she thinks, could she do but follow the path they are laying out for her?

“Five minutes remain! All aboard!” the captain of the airship bellows, his voice ringing through the clear forest air. “Passengers, please have your tickets or passes ready!” Elilgeim lays a careful hand over her breast pocket, where her fresh new airship pass sits comfortably, given to her by the very woman still standing at the railing. A scraggly-bearded hyur in white scale mail approaches her side, but his gaze is also trained on Elilgeim upon the airship deck; when Miounne, the elezen woman with a motherly aura, steps into view on the other side, she looks the same way. When she catches Elilgeim’s eye, she smiles and gives a little wave, and Elilgeim sheepishly returns the gesture.

These are not unimportant people, she thinks. The head of the Gridanian branch of the Adventurers’ Guild, watching over neophyte adventurers like herself; the Keeper of the Entwined Serpents, the right-hand man of the Elder Seedseer. That those three (and more, she’s mortified to discover, watching other people actually beginning to push their way through the crowds) are gathering here on the quay, watching her in particular, to see her off...it beggars belief.

Who was she, anyroad, to catch the eye of these sorts of people? She frowns, reeling her mind back from past indignities and failures she isn’t willing to process at the moment. But she can’t wholly keep herself from feeling the heavy weight of expectation—a weight she has buckled and collapsed under before. What’s really changed from then to now—what makes them think I’m a worthy envoy to carry their hopes forward?

“Ticket, ma’am.” She jumps and blinks rapidly at the airship captain, whose genial smile is disarming and bright. Hoping her face isn’t visibly aflame like it feels, she digs into her pocket and pulls the pass out to display; his eyes light up as he reads the name and then nods, indicating that she can put it away.

“Elilgeim Wiltarwyn, none other,” he murmurs, writing on his notepad. “Protector of the Guardian Tree, eh? S’an honor to have you aboard, ma’am.”

She blinks again, ice coursing through her veins, and she doesn’t know how to respond, other than with a brief, shaky nod. Fortunately, that seems to be enough; he smiles back up at her, flips the sheet on his notepad over, and moves on to the passenger behind her.

…Stupid question, really. Of course much has changed; she’s older, a little more experienced, a little more on the watch for the sorts of things that kicked her feet out from under her and made her collapse the first time. And that isn’t even taking into account the whole reason she has this pass, the event the kind captain had brought up: her defense, her stratagem, the cornerstone around which the Wood Wailers and the Gods’ Quiver centered their efforts as she channeled the aether of the elementals, brought to bear everything she had learned over her tenure at the Conjurers’ Guild, to not only shield the Guardian Tree from harm but thoroughly and completely repel the Ixali assault. And, unbeknownst to all except the mysterious blonde pugilist and her erudite lalafell thaumaturge friend, to save the region from the further machinations of the masked mage that had attacked her afterwards.

For all her anxiety, her worry, her concerns, the panging desire to shrivel away into the shadows and hide from the gaze of all these important people—she has proven herself already. Perhaps, she thinks with a small curl of the corner of her lip, she should trust experienced veterans like Lewin or Miounne or the Keeper or Kan-E-Senna herself when they place their trust in her, to bear forth Gridania’s message as Kan-E-Senna’s envoy.

As the airship jolts and its sails unfurl, catching the wind, Elilgeim’s gaze locks with Kan-E-Senna’s upon the quay once more, and the Elder Seedseer nods at her with a warm smile. You shan’t let me nor anyone down, she seems to say with the simple motion. We all have faith you shall go far, Elilgeim.

Elilgeim raises her hand and gives a slight smile herself as the airship trundles forth into the sky. I’ll do my best, she promises there and then. ‘Tis the least I can do.

[gryffindorhealer]

This seems a worthy idea. Particularly since I am rather pants at self promotion. I thought about organizing them in "my" story timeline order, and decided nah, just the order I posted them. Some of these are also on FFN and SIYE, I use the same name there.

War & Peace, Volume No. One

On the first Christmas after Ginny finishes Hogwarts, Harry has to work.

Meanwhile, Back At the Burrow

War leaves scars. Sometimes they are visible. Sometimes not.

When Ginny and Harry Eloped … Sort Of

It's a press and paparazzi feeding frenzy when one of Wizarding Great Britain's most famous couples announce their engagement. (There’s more in this summary…)

Animagii

It's an Alternate Universe. With, you know, Alternate Events. (There’s more…)

Happy 39th Birthday, Harry

Wherein Harry, attempting to be considerate, discovers it may not be wise to thwart his wife’s plans. Even if he doesn’t know she’s planning something. (Posted on 31 July, 2019)

Molly’s Nightmares

Wherein Harry learns more about being a dutiful son-in-law-law.

Excellence

We don't always know where we're going. Sometimes we've got a plan, though not necessarily. And often we don't remember where we've been, or what effect that has on others. Until we're reminded.

Echoes

A moment between generations.

(Another one I had fun writing, using an old Japanese poem format.)

Nexus

After Harry faces Voldemort in the Forest, he doesn't go to his mental construct of King's Cross Statio.? Rather he finds himself on the shore of the Black Lake in a host of Guardian Angels (one a little odd, another disturbingly familiar looking), and a tall, hooded black-robed figure. On a white horse. Named Binky... (AU, obviously, with some crossover characters)

Proposals

Three. Because it's a nice, prime number. And, the third time is the charm.

Dreaming a Life

Ginny has a Quantum Leap moment… (the actual synopsis is a bit longer… It’s an AU and not an AU, with a host of Guest Star Characters; Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s 2020 Incognito Elf Exchange)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28311546

Prank and Be Pranked

Revenge is a dish best served cold...

(Written for @velvethopewrites as a natal anniversary gift)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31858642

Honeymooners

What could possibly go wrong on one's honeymoon? (Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s 2021 Birthday Challenge. The Telly had to be in the fic, and all of us received a twist from another writer, which we all needed to include. Oh, and more Guest Star Characters.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32594851

Portrait

During the week between their wedding and their honeymoon, Ginny and Harry fail to notice some changes happening at Grimmauld Place. (Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s 2021 Incognito Elf Exchange)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35907376

Vignettes

In the set of people writing fanfiction, there is a subset of people writing about Live Celebrities. Also, while the Wizarding World may not (yet) generally access the Interwebz, they do have fanzines… (Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s 2021 Incognito Elf Exchange)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/35919973

Year of the Kneazle

Two households, both alike in dignity,In fair Verona where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,A pair of star-cross'd lovers…

But wait, forsooth, a diff’rent scene we’ll see!Not fair Verona; grudges none I fear,But households two alike in dignityIndeed, and star-cross'd lovers also here...

(I had fun writing this one.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36899512

Service

What is lighter than air, heavier than mountains, more valuable than gold, and brighter than stars? (Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s Minor Character Challenge, featuring one of my favorite minor characters.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/37995115

Thursday, 1 September, 2022

Sweet dreams are made of cheeseWho am I to dis a brie?It’s Camembert world and Edam seas -Everybody’s looking for Port Salut

(Written for the Harry & Ginny Discord’s Hogwarts Express Challenge. The word limit, 750 words. When I finished the first draft and did a word count, 749. I kept that number during edits.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/41760039

[kimsgoeun]

muses i wouldn’t mind using with some plot ideas. but always up for something different with any of them.  

some have tags and some don’t 🤷‍♀️some plots work better with some changes that can be discussed. gender roles do not matter plot wise (i just copy/pasted stuff)

camilla donnelly | appears 35 | demon | fc: amanda seyfried | tag

info: cynical. apathetic. prone to violence. manipulative. finds humanity a drab for the most part. but also used to be human, but can’t remember it. 

plot ideas: ▶   demon x human plot ▶   demon x angel plot ▶   You are a student with the least amount of magic potential ever recorded at the Academy and it’s the day of the familiar summoning test. A misplaced rune or word results in an arch demon/ess becoming bound as your familiar. ▶   Instead of having a guardian angel, you have a guardian Demon. His methods are often much more violent. But much more straightforward.

carmen stratten | 29 | unemployed (former event planner) | fc: kylie bunbury | tag

info: got married too young to someone she didn’t really love. pretty much let her mother run her life. only tried to live how she wanted to recently (burned lots of bridges and got divorced). was rather rebellious in her teen years. is kind of lost now that she’s starting over.

plot ideas: ▶   *whispers* a f/f thread where they’re two best friends, coworkers, whatever. who are both single and decide to spend valentine’s day together watching movies, eating snacks and drinking wine as gal pals but at some point of the night they’re singing to their favorite song because FUCK YEAH they sooo don’t need a man and slow dancing and there’s too much wine in their system and it’s all too unintentionally romantic that they start kissing and oh…..   ▶   we broke up right before a giant road trip our friends planned and we don’t want to bail on everyone and ruin the trip so yay, looks like we get to spend a five hour drive and a weekend in a cottage together. ▶   we’ve lived in this tiny ass town where everyone knows everyone because no one leaves and when we were young we would sit up at night on your roof and i’d listen to you talk about how you were actually going to do it one day and you did but you never knew i’ve had a crush on you ever since back then so when you send me postcards from all these different cities with bright lights it makes my heart hurt and here we are several years later and i’m finally starting to move on but oh wait you’re back and my heart’s beating like crazy well fuck au

cora hong | 29 | supernatural podcast host | fc: kim go eun | tag

info: curious. adventurous. can talk for hours about supernaturals. can have a one-tracked mind. slightly reckless. wants to prove supernaturals are real.

plot ideas: ▶   but a cute supernatural-y sort of plot where one muse is a regular person who is trying desperately to prove that the supernatural exist - phone recording everything, going out late at night into their small town’s too-big forest, pulling all-nighters for research, maybe going so far as dabbling in blood rituals - and the other muse is some supernatural creature trying desperately to keep them safe. they’ve known each other for a short while - a ran into b in that forest after they fed, perhaps ? - and a has clung to them since. and the more a whacks the hornet’s nest with their big stick ( so to speak ), catching the attention and aggravation of much more powerful beings, b is now caught up in feelings ( romantic or platonic, either way ! ) for this hyperfixating, overexcited, terribly emotional human who is so driven to prove there’s more out there that they’re willing to risk never seeing it all to show it. ▶   i’m a werewolf, whom you find wounded on the side of the road (as a wolf) and take in/nurse back to health – i can’t shift back into human form because it’ll freak you the fuck out. you share your secrets and hopes and dreams with me, and i fall in love with you, so, when you’re away from home, i shift back into a man and try to get you to fall in love with me too. ▶   muse a needs a change of scenery after a traumatic event has them running from their home town. they find a town in the mountains, secluded and intimate, where nobody knows their name. they move into the only available house in town, an ancient victorian style home that seems to be covered in dust… except for the master bedroom. muse a spends the first week cleaning up the entire house from top to bottom, and finds themselves taking a bubble bath sunday night…. only to find muse b, a supernatural being, looming over them, demanding to know why they were in their home. ▶   muse a is a typical student working at a dead end minimum wage job, on their way home from work when they realize they’re being followed. they try to outrun the thugs, but are quickly cornered by them in an alleyway deep in the dark side of town. things seem bleak, but not for long when muse b steps into the alleyway and makes quick work of her enemies… by eating them. muse b is a ghoul. muse a is able to make eye contact with their bloodied face once before passing out cold, surprising muse b. well, they were just going to eat them all, but with muse a’s stunning looks and soft behavior, they found themselves taking muse a back to their home, to figure out just what to do with this human.

daria yang | 25 | pawn shop employee | fc: jessie mei li | tag

info: charismatic when they want to be. otherwise kind of an asshole. independent. doesn’t mind taking short cuts to get what they need/want. doesn’t have any real ambitions in their life. 

plot ideas: ▶   pls give me “we’re exes who ended on kind of shitty terms but are trying to ‘stay friends’ anyway, and we occasionally sabotage each other’s dates, get drunk and fuck, scream and fight until four in the morning and still refuse to acknowledge maybe we’re not quite as over each other as we like to think we are.” ▶   so I need a ‘you’re a person of high wealth/status and I legally married you at a courthouse the night before your wedding because you found out your fiancé is trying to dupe you and your family out of money/ruin your reputation as a revenge plot because of an old family rivalry and they’re not legally entitled to your assets if you’re already legally married to someone else and you agreed to pay me a high sum of money for this and I have a lot of debt so I didn’t pass up the deal but then your ex hits back at you in the media and we have to keep up the charade of being married and you agree to keep paying me money for it but oops I think I might be enjoying more than just the money and oops you’re starting to grow fond of me and this wasn’t part of the deal shit fuck’ plot please and thank you

declan finch | 38 | actor | fc: adam brody

info: a little too self-centered. a flirt. can be a jerk. doesn’t have the best reputation. doesn’t really let people see the real him. 

plot ideas: ▶   i just want a i have a famous boyfriend but i cannot tell anyone plot cause cute like going out at night and dressing him up so that people won’t recognize him, secret meetings at the closet and FUCKING inside the bus   ▶   “You’re the sibling of a celebrity and hate your sibling’s celebrity bestie because their cocky and annoying, but oops the bestie falls for you and now is trying to win your attention/affection by sending you gifts and talking about you in interviews and maybe you don’t totally hate the attention after all.” ▶   a plot where a male celebrity has gotten a really bad reputation for sleeping around with his costars and just being an awful boyfriend in general and his management decides to set him up with an up and coming star to not only help her career but his as well, and while the entire world is loving their new relationship and they have quickly become everyone’s favorite celebrity couple, the pair cannot stand each other

eden lohr | 28 | princess | fc: willa fitzgerald | tag

info: can either be super sweet or a bitch. super studious. isn’t afraid to speak her mind. goes for what she wants. seems super nice tho based on appearances. uses her attractiveness to her advantage. can get jealous. isn’t the most open about her personal life.

plot ideas: ▶   "we met in the woods while riding early in the morning and had an intense fuck session but opps turns out you are actually my brother's betrothed since birth and your marriage will end up a centuries long dispute between our kingdoms" ▶   muse a is a knight—it’s all they have ever wanted to be. muse b is a prince/princess, and muse a is assigned to personally protect them. this could go one of two ways—they could be fond of each other and eventually fall for one another, even though muse b is meant to marry into a noble family; OR they could both dislike each other but honor dictates that muse a must put up with muse a, and it’s more like an enemies-to-lovers sort of deal. ▶   a good old arranged marriage plot—muse a and muse b are engaged to be married by their parents, in hopes to make both of their houses stronger. one way this could go is if the muses couldn’t really stand one another—their personalities are opposites and they initially completely balk at the suggestion of their marriage. or they could start out nervous but willing to give it a shot, so they’re all awkward and antsy around one another since they’ve never met before but they’re expected to be married.

elizabeth zhu | 38 | lawyer | fc: gemma chan | tag

info: had a shitty upbringing. made all the bad decisions as a teenager. is very unhappy with her current life. recovering addict. can be socially reserved. uses physical intimacy to avoid emotional connections. has a hard time being vulnerable and asking for help.

plot ideas: ▶   pray tell, who is going to give me the vanilla asf (LEGAL!!!) age gap plot of my dreams.... ft an emotionally repressed older muse a who fucked off to this tiny town in the mountains YEARS ago for whatever reason and they’re just trying to live a semi-functioning life in relative peace until muse b waltzes into town.... maybe to escape their past.... for a fresh start... who is to say..... and muse a is so enraptured by them bc muse b is just this wonderful breath of fresh air n muse a hasn’t had that in years n they click so painfully well.... two ppl learning to heal and become each other’s light... but ALSO the drama of “i’m too old for you” and “i don’t think i can be what you need” and “you can’t keep shutting me out” like please i am beyond desperate. i Can and Will give you my left kidney for this ▶   plot about muse a and muse b who were two high school sweethearts who had a really bad break-up but are always kind of on each other’s minds even as the years pass and then one day muse a moves into an apartment complex miles away from their hometown because of a job and their neighbor is constantly having sex and it’s just getting really annoying so one night they they go knock on the door to say ‘HEY CAN YOU STOP BANGING ALL THE TIME I’M TRYING TO SLEE–’ and then whoops it’s muse b. surprise!!

ezmeray suvari | 28 | subtitle translator | fc: demet özdemir | tag

info: absolute sweetheart. believes in the best of people. can be a little naïve because of it. loves learning languages and traveling. has horrible judgement when it comes to romantic partners. 

plot ideas: ▶   ok but someone give me that cute bartender storyline though? like this guy tends bar at a restaurant or a pub or something and always sees this cute girl hanging out there, but she’s always either with friends or with some guy so he never really gets the time to talk to her BUT ONE DAY she walks into the place alone and orders so many drinks until she’s so bloody drunk, screaming about how her boyfriend cheated on her, that the bartender had to bring her home himself. she wakes up with a horrible hangover, stumbles out the room to find the bartender cooking breakfast and rolling his eyes, laughing. “first of all, you’re an idiot. second, we didn’t have sex if that’s what you’re wondering. third, breakfast will be ready soon. sit.” and fluff commences HELP PLZ   ▶   okay  but  hear  me  out  ,  a  plot  loosely  based  on  jim  &  pam  in  the  office  ???  where  these  two  co-workers  are  crushing  at  each  other  but  one  of  them  is  taken  but  still  this  doesn’t  mean  they  can’t  lightly  flirt  at  work  .  .  .  and  then  one  day  at  a  happy  hour  or  something  they  end  up  hooking  up  and  oh  my  god  how  awkward  are  things  gonna  be  now

florence fitzgerald | 31 | gang leader & owner of casino | fc: brianne howey | tag

info: badass boss bitch. fiercely loyal. family oriented. can be spiteful/vengeful. doesn’t do second chances. took over her family’s business. 

plot ideas: ▶   head of the mafia starts dating someone who doesn’t know what they do, just simply thinks they’re this rich businessperson, but after dating for a few months and falling head over heels, they find out what’s really going on and cue ALL of the angst ▶   boss and right hand man/woman have a thing ▶  rival family gang  ▶ i really want a beauty and the beast inspired au where the ‘beast’ isn’t an actual beast, but someone like a gang leader, someone who everyone views as a monster. ‘belle’ is a small town, family oriented book nerd with a big heart. when her father (or any family member, really   brother, sister, even a friend) gets themselves into trouble, she makes a deal with the ‘beast’ to save them. for their freedom, she gives up hers. he’s cruel, short-tempered   she’s scared, withdrawn. overtime, ‘belle’ finds herself warming up to the ‘beast.’ his cold exterior has melted. he’s kind, sweet to her. he finds himself protective over her, surprising her with little gifts. and before they know it, they’ve fallen in love.

hanna bok | 28 | actuary | fc: seol in-ah

is not relationship oriented. likes to be honest. loyal friend. enjoys her independence. can come off cold/uncaring. 

plot ideas: ▶   muse A is trying to get over an ex and muse B is known to prefer casual hookups rather than dating so muse A approaches them for rebound sex.  as expected,  they say yes.  however,  muse B has secretly been harboring feelings for them. ▶   I love girl/girl relationships where one is just constantly grumpy and the other is this cheerful happy go lucky person who is always amused by their gruffy mcgruff gruff girlfriend ▶   basic plot idea where my muse is kind of cold and unaffectionate with anyone, but is friends with your muse who recently went through a bad breakup. my muse suggests or agrees to fake being in a relationship with your muse to make their ex jealous. but then my muse starts to like the fake relationship a little too much and falls for yours

hui liyang | 32 | con artist | fc: ni ni | tag

info: burned by her family. uses people to get what she wants. doesn’t trust people easily (or at all tbh). has lots of walls up. lies about herself all the time. deeply insecure.

plot ideas: ▶   but what about “your ex hired me to make you fall in love with me then break your heart but oops i think i fell in love and now i’m conflicted what the fuck is happening i’m supposed to hurt you ow what am i sUPPOSED TO DO” that’d be rad   ▶   a rough around the edges, con artist girl is doing dirty work for her shitty boyfriend and they decide to target a rich, wealthy, cocky sort of young socialite male who feels like his life is a bit empty and redundant, and she may seem like she’s in this con artist game for the money (and she is, partly, because she grew up really poor and knows how it feels to starve) but she also has an unhealthy attachment to the boyfriend even though he treats her like crap and uses her to attract rich males, and then, on the night where she has dressed up and come up with a fake name and is about to make her move on the rich young man she realizes oh, he’s actually extremely attractive and cute and not like the other creepy old men she preys on? and oh, he’s actually extremely charismatic and witty and charming and kind of a dick, but not to her? and oh, now they’re kind of going out on multiple really amazing dates and spending tons of time together and she’s supposed to be digging for his deepest secrets and finding out numbers to his safes and stealing jewelry pieces he probably won’t miss and then one night, her wallet falls out of her bag and… OH, why is her name not the name that she said it was on her drivers license and why are his personal, private cartier bracelets engraved with his initials in there too and who the fuck is calling her phone ?????? ▶   Y’all. I need an ‘I’ve got no where to live, so I went to a fancy hotel pretending I’m rich & fancy AF, and pretended to be your wife in order to get the key to your room. But please don’t yell and kick me out when you see me laying in your bed with your robe on while watching pay per view on the TV and eating the mini bar snacks. But wait, this works out in your favor? Now I have to actually pretend to be your wife so your crazy mother will get off your back about marriage? As long as I get to keep all the clothes you buy me’ plot.

im ye-jun | 28 | pro-gamer | fc: song kang | tag

info: gaming nerd. hasn’t really cared about being in a relationship or finding romance. isn’t always the best with social cues. considers himself kind of boring. very kindhearted and tries to help others. comes off rather aloof. more on the reserved side. 

plot ideas: ▶     a plot where both muses are hardcore gamers ( possible twitch streamers or youtube creators ) & they get invited to an event which is where they meet and from then on, they became inseparable. they live very far away from each other but always bond over playing games together & facetime before bed. until eventually they decide to invest and move in together. they take things slow due to them both being busy & it’s just very cute and full of fluff & “I miss you” phone calls ▶     give me a plot based off of ‘my love story with yamada-kun at lv999′; after muse a’s bf dumps them for someone they met online in a game, muse a decides to show up to a game event in the hopes of getting their ex to regret their decision. muse b is a well-known gamer online but doesn’t have much interest in the real world. the pair happen to meet in person after realizing they know of each other through one of the games muse b plays. muse a, spotting their ex and their new gf, convinces muse b to pretend to be in a relationship with them just to save face.

jang soo-min | 25 | athletic trainer | fc: park yoo-na

info: very work-oriented; sarcastic; more of a tomboy; reactive; likes to host parties; social

plot ideas: ▶    muse  a  was  invited  to  spend  the  summer  at  their  best  friends  beach  house  with  their  entire  family  ,    including  the  older  brother  /  sister  (  muse  b )  that  they’ve  had  a  small    (  but  hopeless  )    crush  on  since  middle  school  .    despite  all  the  years  they’ve  known  each  other  ,    they’ve  never  spent  this  much  time  around  each  other  and  it’s  hard  to  keep  their  eyes  off  of  one  another  ,    especially  when  the  hot  summer  sun  is  involved  .   ▶  i just need a “hey, i know you’re dating my brother but he’s an asshole and just playing with you but me, i’m in love with you since 3rd grade” plot?   ▶   Oh your parents planned a surprise visit and now you’re having that awkward ‘Where is your life going? We’re low key disappointed in you.’ conversation in a ridiculously public place? Here let me pretend to be the reason you’ve been staring at your phone this whole time. “Hey baby, sorry I’m late.”   ▶   athletic trainer x athlete

jasper o’hara | 26 | financial analyst | fc: alex fitzalan (can be changed)

info: a little impulsive; was a major screw-up growing up (still is a little bit now); tends to avoid relationships; a smart-ass; has a strained relationship with his family; doesn’t really believe he’s capable of much

plot ideas:   ▶  “academic rivals to lovers but she’s the only one who hates him and he’s been in love with her since the day they met” ▶  pls gimme a cliche ass plot with two best friends where muse a is an asshole who fucks everything with a pulse & doesn’t care about anyone but gets super protective etc about their best friend muse b at all times!!   ▶   “i had to be ur fake boyfriend/girlfriend bc some creep was hitting on you and it was making you uncomfortable and now i have busted knuckles and a cut lip but hey are u okay” au  

jia park | 27 | unemployed | fc: han so-hee | tag

impulsive. can be petty. has ambitions but no follow-through. lives off of her family’s money for the most part. wears her heart on her sleeve if she cares. can be childish and brash at times. also can be defensive. secretly insecure and puts on a very tough front. 

plot ideas: ▶   give me a “i’ve been in love with my best friend forever but they’ve never noticed, so i decided to start something up with best friend’s enemy/rival in the hopes of making them jealous.” ▶   anyone wanna do a modern romeo/juliet plot?? where their parents are the heads of rival companies or are huge celebrities who have been in a known feud for years and they meet and try to sneak around in secret but there’s paparazzi and tabloids and all that someone please do this with me

min moon-ji | 31 | art teacher | fc: shin hye-sun

info: soft spoken; takes her a while to warm up to people; invisible middle child; doesn’t like asking for help

plot ideas: ▶    “Muse A is well-mannered, polite, quiet, and shy, and Muse B didn’t even know they existed until they tap on Muse B’s shoulder and asks them out super awkwardly/nervously. Muse B, feeling bad for them, agrees and ends up having a rather awkward and weird first date with them. Despite this, Muse A asks them out a second time, and while Muse B doesn’t exactly think it’s a good idea, finds themselves agreeing again. Of course the second time around, Muse A goes in for a kiss and it ends up not being chaste, sweet, or awkward like Muse B expects, but instead it’s rough and passionate and oops, now Muse B is a little more interested to see where things lead.”   ▶   we’ve been best friends since we were kids, and people always see us as practically siblings, and we do everything together, but one night we had a ~ moment ~ and things have been weird ever since. now you’re making out with someone else right in front of me, and i don’t know why it makes me so upset, you’ve had bfs/gfs before and it wasn’t a problem.   ▶  teacher x teacher ships

phoebe keller | 27 | jewelry maker | fc: adeline rudolph

info: is not the golden child of her family. has a strained relationship with her family in general. tries to accomplish a lot of things to compensate. craves a sense of belonging. can be a little bitter. sweet and sassy. sarcastic. always has a million projects going on. 

plot ideas: ▶   a plot where the muses are best friends with obvious sexual tension but they’ve never done anything about it until one night they’re watching movies together like they always do and their hands accidentally touch and muse a just so happens to notice that it makes muse b blush and of course they start being cocky and teasing muse b endlessly like “really THAT’S enough to make you blush wow” and then it becomes a personal goal of muse a’s to see what else makes muse b blush and so muse a puts a hand on muse b’s leg like “does this make you blush” and muse b keeps ignoring them so it gradually gets worse and muse a starts kissing their neck and maybe even slips a hand between muse b’s thighs like “what about this” and it’s just ! lots of tension and teasing and :~) ▶   “you broke my little sisters heart so i’m going to make your sister fall in love with me and do the same” ▶   give me a plot of “i’m your father’s mistress && and was nearly caught sneaking out early one morning but you saved the day by introducing me as your girlfriend && now your mother invited me to spend the summer at your vacation home so we have to spend the entire summer pretending to be in love.” 

samantha pérez | 35 | writer & criminal | fc: ana de armas | tag

info: very vindictive. has a loose view on morality/good vs. bad. claims to be a writer but is an awful writer. loves to learn about anything poisonous. will enact revenge against you if you’ve wronged her in some way aka has killed someone. likes to be considered smart/clever. always put 110% into everything she does. 

plot ideas:  ▶   not going to lie i 100% want a plot where muse a is an assassin that has been dating muse b for over a year and has managed to keep their career a secret until they get called in for a new assignment and find out that muse b is their next target. it would be so full of angst and drama and yes just give it to me please. ▶   i stole your car and the police aren’t doing anything so you decided to track me down yourself and you found me, but whatcha gonna do, i went through your stuff so i know all your secrets. ▶   your dad is my biggest enemy in the crime world and you’re a straight-up rebel, so to piss him off you decide to sleep with me and wow, it was fucking amazing, but now your dad is out to kill me so what now. ▶ ok but a plot where one is a criminal that’s on the run from the police, and they stumble across this practically empty motel that’s in the middle of nowhere, and they think, hey, perfect place to hide out for a few weeks until the manhunt dies down. the motel is run by a married couple, and their sheltered, somewhat naive child – well, actually they’re an adult by now, but they’ve never left their small town, had a job outside the motel, or been anywhere, and their parents still treat them like a kid. the criminal checks in, of course not mentioning why they’re here, and the owners’ kid is fascinated by their guest – they hardly ever get guests for more than a night at a time, let alone guests who seem to have so many interesting stories and secrets….

sebastian pierce-waldorf | 25 | brand marketing assistant | fc: felix mallard

info: arrogant and a little condescending; tries to please his parents even if he hates the life they want for him; kind of a stick in the mud; high-strung; leads a semi-double life to let off steam; occasionally does underground ring fights; too emotionally unavailable to be in relationships

plot ideas: ▶  enemies to lovers // enemies with benefits ▶  “We’re fake-dating and I’m supposed to publicly break up with you but you’ve been irritating me lately so instead of dumping you I publicly proposed to mess up your plan and now we’re getting married, fuck” au ▶ childhood friends where you’re about the only person i can stand being around and i’m really protective over you

sun-hee “sunny” park  | 29 | script supervisor | fc: lee sung-kyung | tag

info: likes to be work-oriented. has bad taste in romantic prospects. desperate to find love though. sarcasm is her defense mechanism. gets easily annoyed by stupid people at work. 

plot ideas: ▶   ‘we promised we were going to write a tv show one day but we never did it because we grew apart but wait – didn’t i just hear these kids on the bus talking about a tv show that sounds a lot like our idea? wait, you are the one writing it? you do realize that story was half mine, right? i wANT MY MONEY’ au ▶   we used to be friends but then you become famous and left our town to travel the world but not once you texted me back. now you’re back and you wanna go back to the way we were? ha no not happening ▶   What about a plot of a personal assistant and a celeb? One where she’s been working for him since he had gotten famous. He can’t go anywhere without her and brings her everywhere he goes. They are more like best friend than boss and assistant. The media jokes about how they act like a married couple. And he can’t help but mention her during interviews. Sometimes they even sleep in the same hotel room when she’s working late. BUT NO IT’S TOTALLY PLATONIC!! That cuddling they did the other night?? Completely what friends do!

winona renwick | 31 | vampire | transcriptionist | fc: poppy drayton

info: likes to be alone since being turned. tries not to mingle with humans. kind of a grump. hates being a vampire. hesitant to make any kind of connection with others. 

plot ideas: ▶  “i’m a vampire and we met when you were still human and we fell in love and planned out our whole eternal life together but on the night i turned you i freaked out over the commitment and abandoned you in the middle of the night & now it’s over a century later and we’re only just seeing each other again for the first time since and there’s so much hatred in your eyes when you look at me but fuck you still look just as hot and make my heart race as much as you did back then and i think i made the biggest mistake of my life in leaving” au ▶   okay but a dracula untold style plot where vampire vlad has been alive for centuries loving one soul over and over again as he finds her again. he finds her again in the twenty first century, his mina, shes all bright hair and those same old eyes, there’s only one problem, she just so happens to be the daughter of a hunter and has been trained to kill creatures like him all her life. ▶  vampire x vampire plot

[okdeedee]

i wonder how close is wompy with the other r1 members? like, are they hanging out together when cassian isn't in the base or something lol

i love them sm :""D

i love this ask anon!!! i've been rotating it in my brain on and off the last couple days and i'm sitting in rehearsal with nothing to do so here are some headcanons. of course the second i typed that they said "oh can we go back to the beginning of this scene" and i was needed.

first of all for a rogue one everyone lives no one dies thing: i don't think all of that group would necessarily formally join the rebellion. I think Baze and Chirrut would be more freelancers a la ghost crew from rebels. almost like contractors. doing force related stuff. i think they meet ahsoka and shit down the line, you know? anyway.

jyn? miss girl was radicalised. absolutely she's in. bodhi? yuh.

so with that preface done;; here we go. this got very long because the possibilities excited me. 725 words. thanks anon!!!!! ily!!

_

I reckon bodhi rook and wompy (still laughing at the nickname. can't believe we're using it. wtf.) become quite good friends. Bodhi's a cargo pilot, has mechanical skills -- either he stays a pilot or joins mech crew. we only met bodhi when he was on a life-or-death mission so it's a little hard to tell what he'd be like day to day, but i just have this feeling he'd be a soothing presence despite how anxious he is. he's quite good in a crisis, incredibly strong-willed, and also friendly. he'd take to being in such a chaotic, interpersonal group like the rebellion; worlds away from the clinical and impersonal empire. I think in a perfect world, cassian could have introduced the two of you or mentioned him in passing, and then it's just a gradual friendship. a lot of shared silences working on things together, or being a little stressed together if cass and/or jyn are away on missions.

i think after the events of rogue one in a world where no one dies, bodhi maybe gets a bit spiritual, force-wise. i'd love to see him spend hours in a forest meditating, and i'd love to see wompy join him sometimes - either joining in, or just enjoying the peace and scenery.

_

i think at the very beginning jyn erso is intimidating. i mean like,.,, wow this woman is intense. like admiration and also a healthy bit of fear. new life purpose and ideology aside, she's still going to have the same personality for the most part. she's not particularly trusting, and rightly so. she can be cold. but, she has this sort of two-feral-cats-that-have-trauma-bonded thing + dynamic espionage duo thing with cassian so I think she's somewhat open to this person because they're important in cassian's life. with her rebellion fervour, i reckon she's away quite often. I think the friendship starts as mutual understanding, knowing that they both care a lot about cassian. then merging into sharing little stories about childhood, about family, maybe wompy talking about losing her brother and teo. jyn shares about losing her family, being abandoned by saw.

i love the idea that their friendship is one that is founded with laughter and joy. wompy says slightly strange things that shock jyn into laughter, and jyn's dry comments make wompy snort in serious situations. a friendship like that would be really good for the both of them.

i also think greda and jyn would get along famously. they're both ice-cold bitches that aren't actually ice-cold bitches. yeah i have an agenda behind saying that. they should date.

_

i fucking love chirrut îmwe and i think a) he and bodhi spend time together on base. by extension i think wompy spends time with them a bit. both chirrut and baze are sort of like the cool mentor uncle figures that wompy thinks are very cool. b) I reckon he tells lots of stories with baze about being guardians of the whills and wompy just laps them up because it's so cool, and so different to their life.

right after the events of rogue one they were looking for a ship and i reckon cassian sent baze and chirrut to wompy to see what the rebellion had around. so wompy has both of their trust, and they're their favourite mechanic.

_

baze malbus isn't particularly personable and i'm not sure he ever will be. but he does have awesome dialogue and an inherent cool vibe. so i wholeheartedly believe he'll sometimes walk by, chime into a story chirrut is telling and add a super cool detail and wompy and co will just be like what the fuck!!! and baze walks away because baze is so cool.

one day wompy worked up the courage to ask baze about his massive blaster backpack thing and that was the most animated they'd seen him speak.

a couple times when womp has been especially worried about cass on a mission, chirrut has said something supportive, spiritual and cryptic, and then baze said something backhanded but complimentary about how clever cassian is and how he'll be fine.

_

and otherwise we know how womp gets along with k-2 and melshi. so there's that sort of mammoth of a headcanon.

[thefirstknife]

Hey Bel, I was wondering if you or one of your followers might be able to give me a rundown on the Nine, specifically as related to Prophecy; I just recently read the Ishtar entry on Eris and Drifter’s dialogue that (used to I guess) play throughout, and I’m pretty lost as to how Orin became the Emissary, how Eris knew her, why the Nine made her their Emissary, what their answer to the questions posed by us might mean now that we know so much more about Light and Darkness, that sort of thing? You’ve probably answered something like this before so feel free to kick me in that direction if so lol. Thanks for all you do for the community! 🩷🩷

No problem!

You can still get all dialogues in Prophecy! You get some at the start, and ofc at the end, but when you return to the big deserted area after defeating the second encounter, you can get dialogues. However, you have to find the little copy of the Emissary just floating around on each of the areas.

So, "the wasteland" (the big desert area) has 5 locations that are from the planets that were taken by the Pyramids at the end of Arrivals (for some reason, two for Mercury). When you get back to this area after the cube encounter, the Emissary will spawn in a specific order. It's always Titan first; if you don't go there first, you won't see her on other areas. After Titan, it's Mercury (Infinite Forest gate), then Io and then Mars. You can watch them all here: there's several per location. Alternatively, if you have the time and patience in-game, you can listen to them once, then kill yourself before you proceed to the next encounter. That will wipe you and restart you in the area and you'll be able to listen to them again. Sometimes you'll get repeating lines, but sometimes new ones will play.

Orin's story is detailed in her lore book, Ecdysis! In short, she was one of the passengers on the Yang Liwei, so the original Awoken in the Distributary. She was friends with Sjur! After leaving the Distributary, she left to Earth where she ends up dying and becoming a Guardian (Titan). Later down the line, after Mara met her again (this time as a Guardian), Mara tasked her with helping figure out how Sjur died. This is the start of her connection to the Nine.

Sjur "died" mysteriously and only a strange coin was found on her body. A strange coin is the little relic that is associated with Xur and therefore the Nine. In her search, Orin found Xur (and got terrified, resulting in breaking his back with her hammer; this is why Xur is standing that way, his back is broken). Her meeting with Xur left her somewhat changed and she started experiencing weird things that were pulling her to the Nine. Over time, she also met the Drifter and after realising that he lied to her about his identity, she snapped and went to look for the Nine full-time. She found them and became the Emissary.

I don't think it's ever specified how she and Eris knew each other, but it is most likely through Mara (if there's any piece of lore that explains this, feel free to share). But yeah Drifter confirmed they were friends "back in the day."

The whole conclusion to Prophecy is really interesting for us now because it shows that it was essentially... well. A prophecy. The Nine used it to tell us that the Light and Darkness are not some sort of moral opposing forces (confirmed now) and that they're both just tools that can be used in different ways, for both good and bad (also confirmed). This idea is also present in the mechanics as well, as we have to utilise both light and dark to progress and get things done.

It's a really cool dungeon! Though a lot of the context is now missing. It came out in Arrivals as a sort of precursor to the planets leaving, which is why there's a lot of imagery about them, especially the wasteland. It was also a sort of an intro into how we'll eventually need to use stasis, by showing us that Light and Darkness are tools we can use and that we shouldn't be rejecting the Darkness on the idea that it's inherently something bad (or that the Light is inherently good).

[lucky-roll-ttrpgs]

Isles of Bathala: Makiling Valley and the Divinity Dian Masalanta

This valley is home to the Divinity Dian Masalanta (she/her) and her people. This area is the most geographically defended, being completely surrounded by mountains. Makiling Valley separates Sugbo and Palomar. In addition to the mountainous terrain, Dian Masalanta has a magical field cast on her lands that restrict those with violent intent. For this reason, Makiling Valley has served as a third-party location for the other Divinities to hash things out to avoid war breaking out. This land is plentiful as the people have come up with numerous ideas and innovations to keep the land and their people healthy.

While being the Divinity of her land, she chooses to place her trust in the people and runs her kingdom with a court. Dian Masalanta and her wife, who is one that is not of divine blood, lead the court in discussions on how best to manage the kingdom. With the people at the forefront of her mind, she has created systems to protect them from all sorts of dangers, both natural and divine. The other Divinities look down upon her for taking on a non-divine lover. While she is the least powerful of the Divinities, her ingenuity and love for her people have fostered the safest and most culturally rich kingdom on the continent. In addition, she is known to work as an intermediary and as a neutral third party and location when disputes occur between the other kingdoms.

Those who share her ambitions and mindset are blessed with powers relating to protection and healing.

Real World Inspiration

Mount Makiling is a mountain that is located between Laguna and Quezon in the Philippines. There is a legend of a spirit or deity named Maria Makiling who roamed the mountain. Some note that before Spanish colonization, she was known as Dian Masalanta. She was called upon to protect against natural disasters and was also known to heal the forest flora and fauna.

There are many stories that have been passed down surrounding Dian Masalanta. These stories show her caring for surrounding villages, falling in and out of love with mortals, and cursing men who could not take rejection in love. With all these stories, she is venerated as the patron deity of lovers. People also prayed for her protection of newborns, making her one of the deities of childbirth.

Dian Masalanta is the child of Dumakulem, the guardian of the mountains, and Anagolay, the goddess of lost things. She also has a brother, the sun god Apolaki.

Links

https://filipiknow.net/philippine-mythology-gods-and-goddesses/

https://www.aswangproject.com/diwata/

https://thepinaywriter.com/dayang-masalanta-goddess-of-love-childbirth-and-destruction/

https://thephilippinestoday.com/dian-masalanta/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Makiling

https://www.puertoparrot.com/articles/philippine-folklore-maria-makiling-of-mount-makiling

https://www.philippinesinsider.com/myths-folklore-superstition/the-myth-on-the-gracious-maria-makiling/

[fernrisulfr]

Griel Clovermoss

Griel Clovermoss (Barbarian 10/Paladin 3) Barbarian (Wild Soul) - Outlander- Firbolg - Chaotic/Good -

Once belonged to a clan of peaceful Firbolg living in seclusion deep within the forest. One morning a creeping red moss was found at the edge of the village. With time it slowly spread across the village, not only across the trees and huts, but the people. It drove the Firbolgs afflicted by it into a state of madness and rage, until they quite literally tore the village and themselves to pieces. Was hidden by a parental figure by locking them in a storage cellar. Was able to watch the massacre happen through a gap in the cellar door. Was eventually infected by the mold as well and broke out of the cellar, only to find everyone else in the village already dead either by the hands of another, or succumbing to their wounds. Being too young and weak to cause much harm, but old enough to take care of himself (at least without dying), eventually acclimated to the moss enough to keep from a constant state of blind rage. Has several red markings that at first glance appear to be tattoos or warpaint, but are in fact the moss still growing on his body. Moss begins glowing whenever he enters a rage. Moss seems to have disrupted the natural magics of his feyblood causing them to become unstable. Stands at 7'4 to 7'7, covered in a sort of mold coloured grey-green fur, darkish not quite black hair, brown/amber eyes, kinda on the gaungly side at first glance but is actually lean/wirey muscle. Wears an assembly of leather straps over his torso, and a furred kilt.

Backstory Used: Born in deep within the Forgotten Forest, in the secluded Firbolg village of Autumnbreeze, Griel had what would be considered a fairly normal childhoood; until about the end of his first decade when the moss came. The villagers barely noticed it at first, an odd red moss growing upon the trees and stones at the edges of the village. Given time however, it spread to the buildings, and inevitably the people. That was when the nights of red started. The village bellowed with rage, it's people consumed by a frenzied madness. It wasn't long before they tore themselves apart...quite literally. Griel only survived because his mother locked him tight within the cellar when the violence began. Being locked away didn't prevent him from hearing the carnage however, nor prevent the moss from reaching him as well. Just a child, by the time he broke free from his confines...it was over. Nothing but bloody bodies and moss for miles. Old enough to survive, but not old enough to leave, and tormented by the madness of the moss, Griel remained in Autumnbreeze for years. With time, as the moss spread over his body, Griel grew accustomed to the rage, learned to channel it, use it for his own ends. Often he spoke with the moss, not that it was capable of replying. He didn't know where it came from, or what it really was, but in that time, it was his only friend.

Party Backstory:

"The three of you were brought together by the murder of the lord of the city state of Iraebor by an assassin. You spent almost a year tracking this assassin and just recently captured the villain and returned them to Iraebor for justice. Unfortunately, you also learned that this villain was a member of an imfamous band of halfling assassins called the "Skywatch Assassins". These assassins are responsible for many of the most gruesome murders across Faerun, but are difficult to track because they have a hideout in some sort of flying castle (allegedly).  Worse yet their leader, one Arissa Skywatch evidently has access to some sort of powerful magic that enables the assassins to travel through any mirror like it was a teleportation circle.  Its even rumored the leader enslaved a dragon and uses it as both a guardian and to eliminate any rivals. You set out immediately to end these assassins reign of terror (even if Fray claimed the cookie crumbs indicated it wasn't a good idea...).  Your parties other wizard, Alexa, while annoying is very good at what she does, and discovered a way to make use of this mirror portal to gain entry into the heart of the enemy's stronghold.  So you set off to strike a decisive blow and end these assassins! Unfortunately that's when it all started going wrong.  When you arrived instead of finding bands of blood thirsty assassins you found a strangely twitchy gentle looking scholar with a dwarf apprentice who was practicing casting cantrips.  Nearby you saw some sort of well dressed simpleton making stacks of books (some of which were impressively tall). Suspecting a trap you decide to take these people captive to get more information on what was happening here, but unfortunately Alexa (your wizard) picked that moment to trip over a bucket in the hallway...  Your prey fled, and obviously were very familiar with the castle because they were quite hard to follow.  Eventually you chased them onto the rooftop battlements where they were trapped (but somewhere along the way the simple one who had been stacking books disappeared).   Unfortunately they didn't want to talk.... The scholar transformed right before your eyes into some strange manlike rat beast (lycanthrope) and the dwarf apprentice begin throwing a seemingly unending number of simple (and very weak) fire bolt cantrips at you. Needless to say the fight was laughable if not short.  You got a couple of scrapes and minor burns but nothing like what you had expected from a band of world class assassins. It was gonna be easy to finish these amateurs off, but just before you finish subduing them (your gnome cleric was literally in the process of tying up the unconscious dwarf lady and the lycanthrope was already very dead...) you heard the beating of great wings and then a terrifying roar. Out of the mists of the clouds a great emerald dragon emerged. 6 seconds later your entire party is either dead or dying (or at least feeling like they are dying) as the dragons poison breath covers the battlements.  Even the bravest of you is filled with terror.  The dragon landed right atop your gnome cleric and new prisoner turning them both to a bloody smear under its giant claw.  Then as suddenly as it appeared the dragon flew away - leaving you coughing and retching on the ceiling. Stunned and badily inured you search for survivors - your cleric is clearly gone, as is the dwarf lady and the lycanthrope.  You ranger is just gone (you saw his dead body being tossed off the flying castle by the torando like winds from the dragons great wings as it took off).  There is nothing but a puddle of greyish goo where your wizard had been standing. (you all start on the flying castle battlements at 1/2 your health) - and that's where you'll meet the others. "

Died to a sudden Green Dragon attack. Fray cast Darkness. Unclear what happened following. Ranger attempted to abandon the group. Went over the edge, Wizard, Ranger, Cleric died.

Possible Multi-Class Options: - Fighter (Battle Master) - Monk (Mercy or Shadow) - Paladin (Ancients or Redemption)

Previous Party Composition (For backstory): Griel - Firbolg - Barbarian - Path of Wild Magic Fray - Assimar - Sorcerer - Shadow Soul Tobara - Paladin (of Selune) - Oath of Devotion Alex - Wizard - Human Breelin - Cleric - Gnome Guy - Ranger - Half-Elf

Current Party Composition: Griel - Barbarian - Path of Wild Magic Fray - Sorcerer - Shadow Soul Tobara - Paladin - Devotion

Personalty Trait - - VERY low standards when it comes to if food tastes good. - Prone to be incredibly brutal when killing. - Will unfalteringly try to sacrifice himself in someone's place if a sacrifice is unavoidable. 

Likes - - Rain - Quiet Places - Nature at peace - Things made of wood Dislikes - - Doesn't like large crowds (10+ people). - Anyone who'd harm those he cares about - Those that try to remove the mold - People who under value their loved ones Habits - - Uncomfortable around wealth. - Talks to mold. - More to polite to plants than people - Uses Anger Management Techniques - Does something along the lines of "meditation" in the morning. - Sensitive to noises. - Responds to Beasts by acting like a Beast back. Misc - - Griel knows how to preserve food - Mixed feelings on the mold - Mold glows Red when he Rages, as do his eyes. Spores float over the patch. - Child-level understandings of the basics of things. - Protective of the mold - Doesn't understand religion. - Afraid of Sunflowers because they look like Phaerimm. (But has killed one.) - Has made peace with the death of his people. - "The past is like a wood carving. It may fade, even rot if you let it, but you can't change it. If you try, you just end up with a scratched up piece of wood. An insult to the memory of those carved."

Appearance: 7′4, 252 lbs, Brown Hair and Eyes. His had the sort of white-green colour mold has, but on his shoulder, down part of his bicep, and down-across his left pec was this vivid red mold. Whenever he raged his eyes would turn red, the red mold starting to glow and releasing glowing red spores. Despite seeming like such a large man, he was actually pretty gangly for someone so tall. He had a beard but no mustache, with long hair that was an absolute mess. Definitely one of the more Bovine looking Firbolg, but with a touch of the more classic variety. Wore fur boots and a kilt, and eventually pants. Was sort of iffy if he wore one of those leather barbarian harnesses. Wielded a massive greataxe.  He was another of the ones I tried to make in HeroForge forever ago (and this was the game that started with Dorlen Undertow) but the options were more limited back then so it was never quite right.