#debonair despot

[gangshuffle]

[GANGSHUFFLE]

The Mutinous Cabal

Marvel Capital's crew of self-proclaimed watchdogs. They keep an eye out on whatever's brewing on the city's notorious criminal underbelly- with a little cut of the pie, of course. Gotta keep their heads above water, after all.

Posing as their figurehead is the ever charming and mysterious DEBONAIR DESPOT, an ex-soldier turned vigilante. He's a quiet, dedicated man with the energy of a restless cat. Of course, when you have the ability to see the future, wouldn't that make you restless as well?

The real boss hiding behind the curtain is SCRUTINOUS SCOURGE, the visionary behind Marvel Capital's creation. He's madly in love with his city, and rumor has it he's made a deal with a Terror to secure her flourishing in exchange for his sight. God complex? Seems pretty simple to him!

With their intel guy, COGENT DEALER- a former Dersite agent- and medic turned heavy muscle, HARMONIC BASTION, the Cabal keep the shadows in line and out of the light of day. It's their city.

Team Ace

A gang of dishonorably discharged ex-coppers, teamed up with the goal of cleaning up Marvel Capital's dirty laundry. Little do they know, they've already passed their hero arc. Everyone else starts looking like a villain when you think you're the protagonist, after all.

Leading their rather suspicious charge from the shadows is the obstinate POLEMIC IMAGINEER. They say that cute face hides the wrath of God.

Functioning as the 'man in charge' is ACEPHALOUS DICTUM. But his friends, and his co-workers, and.. Well. Everyone calls him ACE DICK. Tired father of one girl and two grown-ass men.

And every ragtag group needs a poster boy, and for Team Ace that boy is the grown-ass man, PROSAIC STEWARD. He's. Uh. Been in a rough spot since a.. Particular even that happened before he was kicked from the Marvel Capital Police Department.

They seem at odds amongst themselves often with their goals- but when they pose as a threat? Shit just gets REAL.

The Flux

The top yakuza syndicate in the Marvel Capital. Having taken over during a vulnerable time for the city, they've had their claws dug deep into the corner of every block in every district. No gang seems stand a chance against them and their wide array of magical abilities- utlizing Shadow and Temporal magic alike.

The Flux use number based aliases, with their real names mainly unbeknownst to the public. But two in particular send shudders down the spine of even the most notorious oyabun in the city's underworld.

Number Six, DEOR. The big boss himself. A reclusive man who stands firm in his ideals, hellbent on sucking Marvel Capital dry before running it into the ground. Some say he's got a powerful Terror pact- other's claim he's a naturally gifted Green Sun mage. No one's lived long enough to determine for sure which one's true.

Number Seven, YUSHA. Deor's personal lapdog. He's never seen without a smile, nor without his Crowbar. People who know him say he's got an odd air to him, as if he doesn't even know what's going on around him. Regardless, that doesn't stop him from swiftly fulfilling his orders with great efficiency.

This rainbow of thugs will stop at nothing to claim Marvel Capital as their own. It's their land.

City Officials

Every city is only ever as good as the people in charge of it. Luckily for the Marvel Capital, capable hands work hard behind the scenes to keep the place livable for the average citizen- determined to keep the peace. Even if it means occasionally having to play by the Cabal's rules.

The former Mayor, WINDSWEPT VILLAGER, keeps a well trained eye on the city's archives. After an attempt on his life during that left him disabled, he's stepped down from his position. Nevertheless, he continues to work behind the scenes- playing as an informant and confidant for the current Mayor. PEACEKEEPING MAYOR is the current head honcho serving in office. Having been an ex-archagent like Villager, positions of great responsibility (and stress) are nothing new to her. She's a stubborn woman with a who will do anything for the city- going so far as to work with the Cabal to keep as eye on what goes on in the shadows. If the Mayor watches over the city, who watches the Mayor? That duty of course goes to ASSIDUOUS REGIMENT, the head of the City Council's security department. Having failed to protect Villager before, he's sworn to himself to not allow that to happen ever again. He's a stiff, stern figure, but below that tough exterior, he's got a good heart.

The three of them work day and night trying to maintain the balance of the city- but everyday it grows clearer it was made to be less of a home and more of a playground.

[ontdah]

[Was It Worth It?]

Gangshuffle AU Comic

(tw: blood, censored depiction of body part loss)

Why don't we start we start from the beginning?

DD: I suppose there's no other way to start.

DD: I used to be a soldier during the war. I was entirely dedicated to Derse, I followed all my orders- but I ended up exiled regardless of my loyalty. DD: I was an empty husk for months. No purpose, no hope, no goal. DD: I was simply waiting to die.

I'm sorry to hear that. That must've been awful.

DD: I wouldn't wish that despair on anyone. DD: Though, it did lead me to meeting someone.

Oh?

DD: He made me feel alive again.

DD: Here was this man- a Prospitian who was young, and bright-eyed, and full of potential- exiled off to the same island as war criminals, and dissenters, and all manner of depressing lot. DD: His previously hopeful future had been thrown away, and he'd lost seemingly everything, and yet...

Yet?

DD: He was still hopeful. DD: He still had dreams. DD: He had so much determination in him, he was even willing to drag a stranger along to help achieve his goals. You.

DD: Indeed. He saved me from my despair. DD: He became my hopes and my dreams, and my goal. From the moment he pulled me onto the shores of the new island, I swore I'd follow him anywhere. DD: And so I did.

DD: Even when I shouldn't have.

DD: I tore myself apart for this man. DD: I did everything I could to serve him and his goals no matter how much it hurt.

Do you regret it?

DD: ... Some days.

Was it worth it?

DD: For him? DD: He was worth every last nerve ending.

[ervsfm]

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐆𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒, ginny weasley, maeve henry, daphne greengrass, isara "izzy" davies, hermione granger, harry potter, lyra malfoy, remus lupin !!! lennie, ida, zeppelin, dylan, you can find the checklist & please turn in your account within the next 24 hours or your roles will be re-opened !!!

ϟ — { luca hollestelle / cis woman / she / her } ♫ renaissance girl by alybob —— isn’t that GINNY WEASLEY walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 22 in FOURTH YEAR from GRYFFINDOR ? they’re ESTP which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being AFFABLE + DAUNTLESS but also IMPRUDENT + CHOLERIC. though when i see them i can’t help but think of winning the battle before stepping into the fight, a loopy smile and an honest laugh, long hair pulled into a braid, making fuck you gestures at authority, cherry flavoured lip gloss. with war looming they have chosen LIGHT. ( lennie )

ϟ — { madison bailey / cis woman / she / her } ♫ dandelions by ruth b —— isn’t that MAEVE HENRY walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 21 in MARAUDERS ERA from HUFFLEPUFF ? they’re ENFP which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being JOVIAL + RESILIENT but also DISPUTATIOUS + OBSTINATE. though when i see them i can’t help but think of laughter like sodapop, bouquets of baby's breath, dandelion wishes, knowing it’s better to love than hate, late nights in the library. with war looming they have chosen LIGHT. ( lennie )

ϟ — { benedetta porcaroli / cis woman / she / her } ♫ good graces by sabrina carpenter —— isn’t that DAPHNE GREENGRASS walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 23 in FIFTH YEAR from SLYTHERIN ? they’re INTJ which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being GENTLE + DEBONAIR but also MATERIALISTIC + HAUGHTY. though when i see them i can’t help but think of vanilla perfume clinging to silk sheets, breakfast in bed, bubblegum and cigarettes, girlhood forfeited in lieu of greatness, constellations drawn in notebooks. with war looming they have chosen NEUTRAL. ( lennie, 29, she/her, gmt+1 )

ϟ — { davika hoorne  / cis woman / she/her } ♫ like a girl by reya —— isn’t that ISARA ‘IZZY’ DAVIES walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 25 in SEVENTH YEAR from RAVENCLAW ? they’re INTJ which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being COLLECTED & PERSISTENT but also ARROGANT & RESERVED. though when i see them i can’t help but think of gracefully dancing on the fine line between a hard mind and a soft heart / the late nights in the library with stacks of books and a cup of coffee / the keen gaze observing everyone and everything while hiding on the edges of a crowd / she might look like a fragile flower but her stem is made of steel & some people like to see the best in people, she likes to see the truth. with war looming they have chosen NEUTRAL. ( ida, 27, she/her, gmt +3 )

ϟ — { ashley moore / cisfemale / she/her } ♫ her eyes the stars by LUCHS—— isn’t that HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 23 in FIFTH from GRYFFINDOR? they’re INTJ which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being BENEVELENT and SAGACIOUS but also OBSTINATE and DESPOTIC. though when i see them i can’t help but think of A LINGERING SCENTS OF FRESH PARCHMENT PAPER AND AMBER AS SHE WANDERS PAST , A WARMING EMRACE ON YOUR DARKEST DAYS , NEATLY STACKED PILES OF OLD HISTORIC BOOKS AND ARTIFACTS CLUTTER A ROOM FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH BRILLIANT MAROONS AND GOLDS , AN UNWAVERED AND EFFERESCENT LOVE FOR HISTORY , A THICK ORANGE BUNDLE OF FUR SITTING BESIDE HER WITH A GENTLE PURR AS SHE STUDIES FOR FUN. with war looming they have chosen LIGHT . ( zeppelin , 28, she/her , est )

ϟ — { logan lerman / non-binary / he/they } ♫ little lion man by mumford and sons —— isn’t that HARRY JAMES POTTER walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 23 in FIFTH from HOGWARTS ? they’re ISFJ which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being DARING & CHARISMATIC but also RELENTLESS AND TEMPERAMENTAL. though when i see them i can’t help but think of A SCAR THAT'S BEEN SEARING WITH PAIN EXTRA AS OF LATE, RAVEN CURLS THAT FLOP ATOP OF HIS HEAD, GLASSES THAT ARE ALL TOO EASY TO FOG, CHEEKS THAT ARE ALL TOO EASY TO BLUSH, BAGS UNDER EYES THAT INDICATE NO SLEEP THANKS TO NIGHTMARES. with war looming they have chosen LIGHT . ( dylan )

ϟ — { thomas weatherall / non-binary / he/they } ♫ hopeless wanderer by mumford and sons —— isn’t that REMUS LUPIN walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 22 in MARAUDERS ERA FIFTH YEAR from GRYFFINDOR ? they’re INFJ which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being EMPATHETIC & CARING but also OVERTLY TRUSTING AND NAIVE. though when i see them i can’t help but think of A BODY LITTERED WITH SCARS, EYE CRINKLES AND SHY SMILES, NOSE BURIED IN THE CONFINES OF A BOOK, NERVOUS LAUGHS, EYES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE AND WARM. with war looming they have chosen LIGHT . ( dylan )

ϟ — { josefine frida pettersen / non-binary / she/they } ♫ delta by mumford and sons —— isn’t that LYRA MALFOY walking down the corridor ? aren’t they 21 in THIRD YEAR from HUFFLEPUFF ? they’re ENFP which makes sense as they’re notoriously known for being TALENTED & CREATIVE but also STUBBORN AND RELENTLESS. though when i see them i can’t help but think of PLATINUM BLONDE LOCKS, RUBY RED LIPS, PORCELAIN SKIN, A CAMERA ALWAYS IN HAND, TAKING CARE OF VARIOUS MAGICAL CREATURES. with war looming they have chosen NEUTRAL. ( dylan, 31, she/they, est )

[sofarfarout]

2024 is the year of edgekino

"...you bow."

Behold, Equestria. Your one true ruler.

Full Name: Lord Black Vallis

Aliases: Black Vallis the Absolute-King of All(self-given cognomen), Black Vallis the Devourer/Serpent(cognomens given by others)

Pronouns: He/Him

Greatest Strength: skilled manipulator, sorcerer and ruler

Weaknesses: unquenchable lust for power and knowledge

Likes: tart apples, gothic architecture, reading, studying magic, fine arts, having complete control, spell crafting, snakes, making would be rebels break

Dislikes: children, bleeding hearts, arrogance, suppression of knowledge, secrets, cake, lies, naivety

Personality: commanding, honest, meticulous, refined, cordial, intimidating, suave, romantic, manipulative, intelligent, sadistic

Age: 51

Birthday: October 30th

Birth Place: Isle of Mane

Species: Equestrian Alicorn, ascended, biologically a unicorn

Gender: cis male

Relationship Status: single, uninterested in a committed relationship, has a small harem he changes frequently

Orientation: heterosexual

Height: 12.5 hh at the withers

Mane Color: jet black, waves slightly with his raw magical power, composed of the raw magical essence of those that dared stand against him, ghostly wails can be heard faintly

Eye Color: vivid burgundy with stark white irises, no visible pupils

Coat Color: smoky ebony with jet black shadowy feathering on his hind legs, wings and horn are tipped with maroon

Alignment: Lawful Evil

A tall, dark and debonair despot, Lord Black Vallis is a wicked alicorn stallion driven by an insatiable hunger for power, power he feels he is entitled to. He is equally merciless and poised, sadistic and charismatic, wise and wicked. His voice is enthralling and smooth but dripping in venom. He's unflappable in the face of opposition but not confident to the point of foolhardiness. He respects those that can stand hoof to hoof with his power and faces opponents cordially and with honor. Lord Black Vallis possesses knowledge of magic thought lost to time, terrible magic that even Starswirl the Bearded would not dare touch. He has one goal: complete and total domination of Equestria. He believes Twilight Sparkle to be an unworthy successor to Celestia, a deluded, naive child that is unfit to rule. So, naturally, as a seasoned, wise stallion with access to knowledge others do not, Black Vallis seeks to remind her that she is no ruler and friendship and hugs do not maintain a kingdom.

"Equestria will experience a new golden age under my rule. An age of prosperity. An age of enlightenment! The honeyed words of children are sweet today, but a pony cannot survive on sugar. Friendship alone does not unify a kingdom. A kingdom is only as powerful as its ruler, and I will be the strength Equestria deserves!"

I say this a lot but I really went off here lol this guy looks sick as fuuuuuck

used a wing base by floralisole and Celestia base by selenaede

[terrence-silver]

Lets say Twig and beloved forced into an arranged marriage by both of their parents as a type of business transaction, how would their wedding go? Would he come to love them?

Depends what kind of person beloved is.

If they're a calculative, deeply, vapid, disingenuous, materialistic person themselves (ironically, like the whole upper crust society Terry was born into and the very same thing he himself will later become), then they probably have something of an open, Lavender marriage where both of them do whatever they want outside of the vestiges of this mutually advantageous arrangement of a tactical business-matrimony. Means that the marriage is treated like a deeply micromanaged merger of two huge, global companies (which it, at its core, is) rather than a match of a couple. They might not even live together outside of basic formalities. Might not even be on the same continent or see each other at all. They're merely legally connected like two entities with a certain net worth might be. Then again, this manner of individual doesn't exactly classify as beloved. They're merely a link connecting two conglomerates, so we won't count that. At best, they're allies who understand exactly why this was necessary and how they profited off of it. They undoubtedly both have each their own beloved. Or even multiple. They know of each other’s proclivities and approve of it. That, or they flat out don’t care what the other does.

If the beloved is understanding and a genuinely kind individual that has a certain empathy, tenderness and debonair nature that might appeal to a skinny, probably shy pre-war Twig and a traumatized, shaken post-war Twig, then I do think he'd fall for them and a business arrangement transforms into a love match immensely quickly because Terry starts viewing them, in a very literal sense, as his. His property. Something he owns. He latches unto them because they ease the hurt he brought back from the army. They're his lawfully wedded spouse, yes, but they belong to him, because his parents made this union happen and in his eyes, it is as if they gave beloved to him as an actual human gift. It might very well be phrased in that sense too. They're Terry's present for returning from Vietnam alive and they're his 'adapting to society' welcoming badge. He treats it a such. Heck, his own partners might treat it as such to get Twig to warm up to the idea by buttering him up! He becomes needy, possessive and territorial, starts expecting marital duties to be preformed regularly.

He's happy. He's skipping around. He's beaming.

Something that was supposed to be a sordid, unavoidable duty at first imposed by his family suddenly becomes like a holiday and he's like a boy who's adopted a cute puppy for Christmas. It is unbelievable how fast he'd slip into the role of a husband and how much he strives to overcompensate by overdoing things. He goes out of his way to control beloved purely because he couldn't control the fact that he's been placed into an arranged marriage. Doesn't mean there isn't a certain bitterness there that bleeds into sexual frustration and want. In a contradictory sense, he's also akin to a teenager having a flustered first date (which is valid, because he's young and he would've missed a great many developmental markers due to his time in the war) as much as he is on the verge of becoming a despotic, oddly puppy-eyed, domineering spouse with a worryingly long list of strict 'to do's' he wants he his new partner to complete for him and with him (which is to be expected, because his family name comes with the expectations of turning into a tyrant and living up to a peculiar standard of behaviour). So, to summarize; beloved is his 'welcome back from the war' gift. He loves them. This is the best present he's ever received. He's almost too happy with this situation.

Terry was literally just presented with a fully fledged individual.

That is all his.

What's not to like?

[whyeverr]

Chapter 2 — The Welcome Wagon

After two years of hard work and solitude, Johannes and Sara’s plans take a sharp turn when newcomers arrive on their island—not just to meet the infamous modern-day Adam and Eve but to stake a claim to their own little slice of Eden. Klaus and Greta Wieger have decided to move to Sulani for their son Tobias’ health. They chose Mua Pel’am in particular to be close to Doctor Roder, so that he can be available for the birth of Greta’s first baby. After a bizarre attempt at a good first impression, Johannes sets the family up with a roof over their heads: an old pirate cave as far from his homestead as possible—not expecting them to be so happy with the dreary accommodations. Later, attempts at neighborly relations sour at an Erntedankfest gathering when Johannes learns of their expectations for his assistance with Greta’s pregnancy. After politely gifting their hosts a couple chickens, the Wiegers resolve to handle things on their own from here on out.

Just as the Wiegers begin to settle into their new home, yet another party of newcomers makes their appearance at postbox island with a different vision for island life. The Countess Evelyn Von Aigner and her retinue have traveled from Champ les Sims to build a luxurious hotel for a wealthy, globe-trotting clientele. Klaus arrives to explain the situation and deliver a suspiciously pre-handled parcel of mail to Johannes and Sara shortly before the Countess and one of her debonair young companions, the engineer Alfred Lehmann, arrive. The Countess quickly makes a lasting impression, extolling the virtues of her grand hotel plan and inviting herself inside for tea to wait for the rest of her party: Robert Petersen, introduced by the Countess as her architect and “husband”, and their hired guide, Manuel de Valdivielso. By the time of their arrival, it is past dark, and the Countess extends her own invitation to stay the night, putting on display some rather odd behavior: subservience, dominance, tension, and picky eating. After the rest of the party falls asleep, Manuel warms up to Sara and Johannes, sharing how he came to work for the "hotel company” as well as some of his own misgivings about the trio.

After their departure, Sara can’t shake the feeling that no good will come of the Countess’ presence on the island. Johannes thinks she’s giving her far too much credit and just wants to get back to work—which they do, for a time. The Countess’ party gets to work as well, breaking ground on the hotel while also making time to enjoy island life, despite the rainy season weather. Relationships between the Countess’ party and the Wiegers quickly sour over a dispute regarding a supply of rice—with Klaus accusing the Countess of stealing rice he had already purchased and attempting to sell it back to him. This doesn’t stop Johannes from striking up an ongoing trade deal with the Countess, exchanging seeds and gardening supplies for a regular supply of fish—just for fertilizer, of course. On top of the conflict with the Wiegers, not all is well within the Countess’ camp, either. Desperate for an escape, Alfred divulges the despotic conditions at the hotel to Sara. More pieces of the hotel company’s facade begin to slip away as Alfred abashedly reveals that he is not, in fact, an engineer—and has no real option but to stick it out with the Countess.

Shortly after Christmas, Greta goes into labor. After making a tremendous effort to manage on their own, it becomes clear that Greta will need Johannes’ assistance if she and the baby are to survive. With some pressure, Johannes capitulates and, after some tropical medical malpractice, their baby is born. Johannes is repaid for his services in tinned pork—just for the chickens to eat. Johannes is surprised at how ably he returned to performing surgery, and how darkly exhilarating it was to do so without anesthetic (gross)—a skill that will continue to prove valuable in the future.

[birchbritches]

Unsold Cellar Hole

Despite being drenched, he was debonair, held the horse and had a Trojan scare,

tackle tainted, he was aware - the despot might invest a cache of men, anticipate interest in the then hatched scheme. But a taken rook can not be kept, the keep not took until epoxy ponies up the bricks.

- B B Pine

[flauntpage]

How The ‘Butcher of Bilbao’ Almost Ended Diego Maradona’s Career

In the late seventies and early eighties, Catalonia and the Basque Country had much in common. Only a few years after the death of Francisco Franco and the reintroduction of democracy to Spain, both still smarted from the sting of despotism and the repression of their language, culture and political freedoms over the course of several decades. Singled out for their separatist movements, socialist elements and resistance to Francoism, they had suffered some of the worst excesses of his dictatorship, and had formed a bond of mutual respect and solidarity as a result. That did not extend to the football pitch, however, where two of their biggest clubs were escalating a bitter and acrimonious rivalry which would come to define an iconic era of La Liga.

During the seventies, football in Spain was dominated by the two Madrid sides, Real and Atletico. The former were favourites of Franco during his reign and were, to him, a symbol of a centralised, homogenous, Castilian country, or at least that is how competitors in other regions sought to explain their incredible success. Los Blancos claimed five league titles in the seventies and also won the Copa del Rey on three occasions, while Atletico – formerly favoured by the regime but rapidly positioning themselves as the antithesis of their cross-town rivals – also boasted an imperious side which won two titles and two cup finals. Towards the end of the decade, though, two regional clubs began to reassert themselves, namely Catalan giants Barcelona and one of the biggest clubs in the Basque Country, Athletic Bilbao.

Though another Basque club, Real Sociedad, won two titles at the dawn of the eighties, Barca and Bilbao found themselves 2nd and 4th respectively come the end of the 1981-82 season. This was when the touchpaper to their combustible mutual enmity was ignited, not only by their competition for European places but also by an incident involving Bernd Schuster and the man they called 'Goiko'. His full name was in fact Andoni Goikoetxea Olaskoaga, and he was a lumbering, muscular defender from Alonsotegi, a red-tiled hill town in the green and verdant mountains of Biscay. With a face like smashed rubble and an expression of almost permanent menace, he was a formidable figure in the middle of the Bilbao defence, and from his senior debut in 1975 onwards he became known for his brutal tackling and seeming relish for demolishing opponents by any means.

Schuster, who had already won the European Championships at this point and was one of Barca's most influential players, found this out to his cost during a league fixture against Bilbao early on in the campaign. While attempting to dribble through the Rojiblancos' back line, he was brought down by a thunderous tackle by Goiko, who managed to plant his studs right on the most vulnerable part of the German's knee. The tackle severed Schuster's cruciate ligament, and saw him miss the rest of the season with a miserable nine-month lay off. Barcelona fans were furious, especially when they went on to miss out on the title by a mere two points to Sociedad, with many accusing the Basque defender of deliberately sabotaging their team.

Whether or not there was any merit to these conspiratorial whispers, Goiko soon came to represent a style of football inimical to Barca. The Catalan side was fast becoming one of the most watchable in La Liga, down in no small part to the management of first Udo Lattek and then, come March 1983, Cesar Luis Menotti, the man who had led Argentina to World Cup triumph in 1978. With the likes of Quini, Tente, Francisco Carrasco and Victor Munoz, the Blaugrana boasted a Spanish and Catalan core furnished with both resilience and flair, and once Bernd Schuster regained his fitness he put the final touches to a sophisticated midfield. Then there was the small matter of Diego Maradona, the Argentine sensation signed from Boca Juniors in 1982, who had thrived under Menotti's debonair management at the FIFA World Youth Championship three years before.

Known as El Flaco ('The Thin One') in Argentina, Menotti was a huge influence on Maradona during his time as coach of the national team, with his protégé later stating: "Every time El Flaco spoke I went deathly quiet inside. That was because El Flaco was God." Menotti had a reputation for non-conformity and creative football, and he tried to mould Barcelona in this image with Maradona at the heart of their efforts. Meanwhile, while Athletic Bilbao were anything but unimaginative, their approach was considerably less romantic and far more rooted in a workmanlike ethic, not to mention the individual exploits of their talismanic forwards, Dani and Manu Sarabia. With Goiko at the centre of their defence, they earned a reputation for ruthlessness and cynicism as well as excellent football, and so there came to be a fundamental contrast between their style of play and the expressive and philosophical outlook at Camp Nou, or that's how Barcelona supporters saw it, anyway.

This, combined with Schuster's injury, only fanned the flames of their burgeoning rivalry. As the two teams began vying directly for silverware, Barca fans maintained that their side endeavoured to play the better football, while their Basque counterparts saw this as a sign of infuriating pretension from the Catalans. The early eighties were also marked by increasing tension between the two regions, with ETA – the left-wing revolutionary group at the centre of the Basque conflict, then engaged armed struggle against the Spanish government and a sustained national bombing campaign – stepping up their violent activities and alienating an increasing number of people. It was to this backdrop that Barca and Bilbao went head to head, competing for the league title and, separatist sentiment aside, the right to call themselves the best team in Spain.

In the end, things weren't quite so clear cut, even after several seasons of relentless excitement. Though Barcelona would beat Bilbao twice over the course of the 1982-83 campaign and win the cup, knocking Bilbao out in the quarters, it was the Basque side which triumphed in La Liga, nabbing the title and ending six points ahead of the Catalans who somehow ended up finishing fourth. It was at the beginning of the next season, in which Bilbao would once again win the title despite another two defeats to Barca and a single point between them in the final standings, that the most memorable incident of the season took place. It involved the two contrasting club icons, Maradona and Goiko, as well as one of the most notorious tackles in the history of the game.

On 24 September 1983, Barcelona hosted Bilbao at the Camp Nou and comprehensively dismantled their rivals. Menotti and Bilbao coach Javier Clemente had exchanged numerous barbs in the build-up, each man expressing his disdain for the football of the other, which contributed to a fiery atmosphere even as Barca stormed to an early lead. With the home side three goals to the good midway through the second half, Goiko lost his head after Maradona, who had already provided two assists, picked up the ball in Bilbao's final third and looked to initiate yet another attack. The Bilbao defender launched himself into a vicious tackle from behind, crunching into Maradona's leg and leaving the Argentine screaming in agony, his ankle badly broken.

It is no exaggeration to say that this tackle could have ended things for Maradona. The man who would go on to win the World Cup and become one of the world's greatest footballers with Napoli was now faced with a long spell on the sidelines, with months of rehabilitation needed before he would be able to play again. Menotti was enraged by the incident, stating afterwards that Goiko was part of a race of "anti-footballers" and that he should be banned for life. Just as he had torpedoed Barca's 1981-82 season with his foul on Bernd Schuster, Goiko had once again seriously injured the Blaugrana's best player, and this time it was Athletic Bilbao who would pip them to the title. It was this tackle which earned Goiko the nickname 'The Butcher of Bilbao', a moniker coined by British journalist Edward Owen after he witnessed the foul which left Maradona in such excruciating pain.

While Barcelona would get their revenge eventually, winning the league in 1985 as Bilbao limped to a distant third, there would be more suffering to come for the Catalan side and its Argentine maestro. Maradona made it back in time for the second league match against Goiko and friends, scoring two goals in a 2-1 win at San Mames, before he took part in the 1984 Copa del Rey final, in which Barca and Bilbao would face each other in a fraught and feverish game. The match itself was a Bilbao masterclass, with a goal after 14 minutes from Endika Guarrotxena allowing the Basque side to close ranks, marshalled by the looming form of Goiko at centre-back. The score remained unchanged at the final whistle, before the season finale descended into mayhem.

Having received a nasty gash on his leg after another robust tackle from Goiko as well as deafening taunts from the crowd, Maradona showed that he too had a violent side when Miguel Sola attempted to goad him at the end of the match. Initiating what is possibly still the most extreme fight in a major domestic tournament, Maradona kneed Sola in the head – knocking him out cold – before launching himself with a flurry of kicks into a group of Bilbao players. In the whirlwind of kung-fu moves and punches which followed Goiko managed one last swipe at Maradona, connecting with a flying kick of his own as his nemesis found himself at the centre of the maelstrom. Given the tension between the two clubs, it was a miracle that a riot didn't erupt on the terraces, though there were scuffles between supporters as swathes of the pitchside fencing was torn down.

Maradona wouldn't stick around for Barcelona's title win the following season, with the bust-up against Bilbao the main factor in his move to Naples. King Juan Carlos of Spain had been in attendance at the final while it was estimated that half the population had watched on television, and with dozens of people injured in the subsequent melee neither Barcelona nor Maradona were willing to ride the wave of sensationalist press. Meanwhile, the man who had caused so much of the enmity between Barca and Bilbao had a modest end to his career, leaving Bilbao in 1987 and spending three years at Atletico Madrid before retiring. For his part he had already apologised profusely, claiming he had never intended to injure Maradona. This might have been believable, was 'The Butcher' not reported to have kept the boots he wore that day preserved at home in a glass display case.

@W_F_Magee

How The ‘Butcher of Bilbao’ Almost Ended Diego Maradona’s Career published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[ontdah]

Scrutinous Scourge & Debonair Despot

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SS: hey

SS: hey des

DD: Yes, sir?

SS: go wrangle up the boys

SS: lets go fuck shit up

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SCRUTINOUS SCOURGE: The visionary who build Marvel Capital from the ground up. Blinded after making a Contract with a mysterious entity, he leaves the title of leader to his right hand man- but all his boys know who's the real boss. A carefree spirit- don't let that fool you into thinking he's an idiot, however. There's a reason Scourge had a grip on the city's underworld before the Flux showed up.

DEBONAIR DESPOT: Publicly known as the head of the Mutinous Cabal. A former Dersite soldier who now fights to keep Marvel Capital a city the average man can sleep sound at night in. He's ferociously loyal to Scourge- having made a Contract with a strange creature of his own just like his boss. Let it be known he's a man who knows exactly the prices that oughta be paid for peace.

[gangshuffle]

Muwutinowous Cabal.

[ontdah]

[G A N G S H U F F L E]

The Mutinous Cabal, a rogue group of vigilantes who are the sworn watchdogs for Marvel Capital

Their "Leader", Debonair Despot

Their true Leader, Scrutinous Scourge

The intel guy, Cogent Dealer

And the muscular medic, Harmonious Bastion

Team Dick Ace, a ragtag gang of ex-coppers trying to redeem themselves by cleaning up crime in the city- who may or may not be part of the crime themselves..

Their brains, Polemic Imagineer

Their brawn, Acephalous Dictum

And their beauty, Prosaic Steward

And the Flux (only a few pictured here), the mighty top-dog crime syndicate that rules over Marvel Capital with an iron grip

No one seems to know the names of any of their members, knowing them only by number.

Except of course, the fearsome Deor (6)

and his loyal little dog, Yusha (7)

————

Hohoho!! I have made an AU! GANGSHUFFLE!!

There is MUCH for me to blurb about them later but.. for now.. heres some of the main boys.. Hehe

Look out for more info on the AU later ;P