#fishman mage

[katyspersonal]

KATY!!!!

You muppet

Gimme your top 5 non-boss Bloodborne enemies 🔪🔪

Hahaha! This is a hard question, because, like... Do I judge the design? The concept? The (presumed) pleasure of fighting them? xD Or, maybe, how good they are from raw gameplay standpoint, without any of our Tumblr sentimental values added? ...so, in the end, I decided to judge on raw personal enjoyment. Here goes!

Five - Edgar, Choir Intelligencer!

Yeah, yeah, NPCs are a weird grey area since they're no regular enemies, blablabla. But, first, I wanted to include at least one Hunter NPC. Two - if I am choosing, it is DEFINITELY Edgar. I enjoyed fighting him on that moonlit bridge..... But, more importantly, I enjoy what this character entails. A player that was only yet to be educated would, soon enough, learn that Micolash has a friend. And then, some time later, the fandom would learn from official materials the character's name and get confirmation for his affiliation with the Choir! I just think that he is THE coolest NPC. Whereas others (looking at the no-dialogue ones in this) would be self-explanatory, with Edgar, there is a mystery that only people with imagination could solve! What else you could've asked for!

Also, I am totally weak for the fact that he does the 'Joy' gesture when he kills us. Way to kill the potential drama of "sparing us from the worse fate" and confirm that you are a simp insane, you lil shit! :pensive: Yet, despite saying less, it is saying more..... Anyways, onto the REAL enemies!

Four - Old Hunter enemy!

They are fuckin' SOMETHING ELSE in terms of aesthetic and behaviour, you know? The bastards have far too much of a healthbar, I will admit, but it is more about the lore... And the vibe. When they are attacking in unhinged, terrifying rage - the beasts (Beast Patient type) cover in fear, that leaves the whole "who is the REAL beast here?" message! They have various weapons and fighting styles. And they have yellow or red eyes variants, that helped me to resolve the mystery of what is under Chester's mask, since he is heavily implied to be from Yharnam and teleported by an Amygdala!

Three - Fishman Mage!

LOVE these guys! ...yes, despite the fact that they keep spamming me with DARN bolt spells and DARN purple homing skulls. But... At the same time, this is so BADASS. I can only speculate and bounce off ideas on why their magic has "wrong" colors; with this type of skulls normally being red and the bolt in Bloodborne normally being blue. But, I love the aesthetic and the cool magic nonetheless. Not to mention the Mystery TM of what is up with their "elongated" heads.

I thought of something akin Lumenweed but more coral-like instead of plant-like, since they seem to pray for other Great Ones to avenge Kos that they "failed" to protect (and since one of Fishmen variants has something similar anyways), but we just don't know! Could be a polyp, could be a fin, could be a Cool Hat...

Two - Clocktower Patient!

The amount of lore per pixel kills me! They have interesting VARIANTS - the regular, the naked, the completely tied-up one, the just-head one, the one behaving like a beast, the fuckin headless walking bodies... The HUGE one, that I fucking bet would be Pthumerians pushed into experiments too, all that.

And, although sometimes they can be frustrating to fight, ESPECIALLY when they come in a crowd, I just love how... "informative" they are? I have not learned more from any other enemy than from these people. They demand a keen eye to decipher no matter what. Like how it is easy to miss that their heads are covered so we can't know what is UNDER the fabric, or the tentacles... But yes, at the same time, the designs and the variations alone are pretty interesting AND scary!

One - Loran Cleric!

Fuckin'. BEST. Display of the fact that what Yharnam is going through already plagued Loran once. Fuckin' AWESOME design. Fuckin' EXTREMELY on-the-nose way to show the "history repeats itself" sentiment. They have ROBES, and they have horns. And they have PYROMANCY... Like other Pthumerians, some Vilebloods (Maria) and, interestingly, Laurence in his beast form, have.

I always found it hard to kill them, because I just could not have enough of their moveset and appearances. They are the enemies I tried to NOT kill for as long as I could afford. Their pyromancy staff gave me idea that Laurence would be using one as soon as he'd get his hands on it, probably in Byrgenwerth + early Church era. I also remember having killed one and spending good 20 minutes just taking pictures, including their cool twisted smiles! I also think that Blood-Possessed Soul is their final transformation form!

_________________

Honorable mention: Church Servants. Of course.

Thank you for the 'some things can only harm you if you are smart enough to PERCEIVE them' delivery, guys.

Thank you for the ask! It was insightful for me too! x)

[thescrapbookingscientist]

Bimonthly Media Roundup

- Blue Eye Samurai (TV) - Heard a lot of buzz around this and decided to check it out with my family, which in hindsight I do not recommend doing (Lots of sex). While I'm not sure I agree with everyone who put it on the top of their best of 2023 lists as it's currently incomplete story and slight tonal issues don't lend it to masterpiece status, I do see the hype - I quite liked it. The art direction was incredible and Mizu's character design and presentation were peak, It was engaging throughout with a lot of good dialogue and reveals, and the fight choreography was fire. I might do a rewatch sometime soon as I think it lends itself well to one.

- Pokemon Legends Arceus (Video Games) - Played while on vacation, mostly during the plane rides, in order to finish up some quests I had unknowingly forgot post game. It was fun to revisit, though I don't quite want to replay it anytime soon. Anyway I still really like a lot of the hisuain designs and animations even if the games visuals weren't exactly top notch.

- The Gray Man (Movie) - Vacation watch with my dad, mediocre action movie with a decent premise but lackluster end. Chris Evans was clearly having fun so good for him and I did like how often they switched locations but overall the movie was pretty predictable with not a lot of interesting characters or themes or anything. Still it was fine, nothing offense just nothing deep.

- The S classes that I Raised (Webcomic) - Yup yup.

- Cyberpunk Edgerunners (Anime) - Not much to say yet but I like the animation style and instrumentals so far.

- Delicious in Dungeon (Anime) - Lovely so far, makes me very hungry while watching and as a fellow monster lover Laois being an autistic boy with a monster hyper-fixation is great. I've been told the world-building here is really great and the story gets surprisingly complex so looking forward to that, though I like the simplicity and gradual details of these first episodes as well.

- Mage and Demon Queen (Webcomic) - Still reading, still cute.

- One Piece (Anime) - Going through a little bit slower thanks to a one week vacation to Arizona, but we've made it through the Time Skip and Fishman Island arc. I am excited to see the New World and everyone's new abilities, but I'm pretty disappointed in how almost all of the time skip designs are downgrades from the originals - why are they all so white?? Oh well at least they change outfits frequently. Fishman Island was fine, I think it dragged quite a bit and the villain was lame but I like Jinbe and getting more world lore and downtime with the straw hats.

- Genshin Impact (Video Game) - Was happy to see some Yanfei crumbs in the last event, looking forward to Lantern Rite.

Listening To: Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall, How Did You Love by Shinedown, The Moon Will Sing by The Crane Wives, Bad Idea Right? by Olivia Rodrigo, Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift, Dial Drunk by Noah Kahan, All the Boys by Panic! at the Disco, Can’t Catch Me Now cover by Annapantsu, Better Than I Know Myself by Adam Lambert, As it Was cover by Reinaeiry

[homestuck-human-generator]

Name: Miss Nile Fishman Color: Fire Brick #B22222 Symbol: skull Strife Specibus: bookkind Handle: trickyCards Animal: uintathere Pronouns: hi/him/hir/himself Age: 22 Birthday: 113th day of the year Sexuality: bisexual Interests: baton twirling and flower growing Dream Moon: prospit Classpect: Mage of Heart Land: Land of Soap and Terror, an uninterested place, with borrish Ground snake consorts. It is a place full of hills and seas. Nyx wants to play. Instrument: pantaleon

[emperor-of-blood]

I FORGOT NAMI

Cat Burglar Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hat crew. She's one of the few crewmembers who qualifies as a "Normal person." She spent most of her life as a captive of Arlong, a Fishman who took over her village. He exploited her talent for map making in hopes that he would one day be able to rule the seas using them. The only way she got out of this was by working as a thief for him and steal enough money to buy back her village from Arlong. Nami tries to make her million dollars by stealing specifically from pirates, and upon meeting Luffy and Zoro, joins the crew in an attempt to rob them later once they have more money. When she does, the crew chases her down and defeats Arlong, saving the village and freeing Nami. From there she joins the crew as their 5th official member.

As a character Nami is mostly summed up as four things: 1. Girl, 2. Greedy, 3. Weak, & 4. Navigator. Other than that... she's kind of malicious? Or maybe spiteful is probably a better word for it. I mostly chalk it up to Oda's general sexism but it's still notable I suppose.

Mage Of Light

One who understands [Light]/gains knowledge from [Light]

The obvious pick is a Thief or Rogue right? Cuz she's a burglar? Fair enough I guess, but I think I have a good case for Mage. Also she doesn't really steal much outside of literal money so the Thief/Rogue class doesn't make a ton of sense. Mages gain understanding from their aspect, and I don't see this working the same way that it does for Sollux. Instead I think it's about being in the right place and time. Despite how terrible it was, Nami did gain a lot from being with Arlong. She drew hundreds of maps for him, which gave her the skills to be a navigator. She involved herself with the Straw Hats, which directly lead them to bringing down Arlong and adding her to their crew. Being on the crew let her take advantage of the strength of the other members, both in a "I'm a normal person in a world of monster pirates, please protect me," way, as well as a "Ussop make me a weapon strong enough that I can compete with these freaks," way. This continues throughout her journey, she makes the right friends and she gets crazy payoffs from them. This all eventually culminates in her getting the only actual damaging hit on Big Mom, a contender for strongest pirate alive. Also it fits thematically that she controls the weather/lightning if she understands Light.

In her session I image Nami just hiding behind the other members and jumping out every now and then to do something important.

NOW, I'm done with the Straw Hat ask.

[averagecontentenjoyer]

if the strawhats were dnd characters, their classes would be:

luffy- barbarian (berserker): while he does only fight with his hands, he goes through a bunch of transformations that increase with his anger/desperation and that have a negative effect on him post transformation, so this is kind of a no brainer

zoro- fighter (samurai): probably the most no brainer take on this list, vivi literally calls him “mr. bushido” easy, next

nami- rogue (mastermind): her title to the marines is “cat burglar”, she’s not too good at combat, but she’s all about that behind the scenes stuff, this is also pretty easy

ussop- ranger (hunter): ok this is where it gets kind of dicey and i might need to explain myself. i think this fits but ONLY if the guy playing ussop has no idea how dnd works and keeps on putting his asi’s into charisma instead of dexterity until the timeskip

sanji- monk (sun soul) (with the cook feat of course): it is at this point where it might become obvious that if the strawhats were a dnd party, they would be extremely unbalanced. i mean, 4 dps characters and one brains???. but, with sanji’s diable jambe and all his kicking stuff, i feel like it fits

chopper- artificer (alchemist): another no brainer, he heals with elixirs and tinctures, he’s a doctor, next.

robin- wizard (divination): ok this one might be the most controversial but hear me out. yes her devil fruit does only allow her to spawn arms in various places. do you know what other spell allows you to do that? mage hand. also, she’s the only human who can *divine* the meanings of the poneglyphs so i feel like this fits. she also acts like an intelligence build

franky- artificer (armorer): i mean, he’s a cyborg that does repairs on the ship, what else could possibly fit? once again, the straw hats are built terribly. two artificers and no clerics???

brook- bard (blades): i mean, he’s a musician that fights with a sword, what more do you need?

jinbe- paladin (ancients): he fights using the nature oriented “fishman karate”. also he’s the strongest AND most honor oriented of the crew. kind of a no brainer tbh

bonus:

vivi- ranger (beastmaster)

carrot- monk (four elements)

yamato- druid (moon)

whitebeard- paladin (devotion)

roger- fighter (champion)

shanks- fighter (battle master)

kaidō- not a pc, ancient blue dragon

big mom- not a pc, souped up über hag

blackbeard- not a pc, evil archmage/devil

ace/sabo- sorcerer (draconic)

law- cleric (light)

[theprodigypenguin]

The Revolutionary Army Plays D&D: Part 1

Dragon: Do we have to do this?

Ivankov: Yes, we have to. I told you, back when we were in Impel Down, this is how we passed a lot of the time. D&D is a really exciting table top game, and it'll be a great bonding exercise for everyone.

Dragon: [sighs] fine. Does everyone have their sheets?

Everyone: Yep.

Dragon: Alright. I'll be acting as the DM. Sabo, what's your class, race, and alignment?

Sabo: Human Paladin, and my alignment is Chaotic Evil.

Dragon: You want to be Chaotic Evil?

Sabo: Yeah.

Dragon: But you're a Paladin.

Sabo: I wanna kill guys.

Dragon: You know that makes you kind of bad?

Sabo: I mean, I still want friends though.

Dragon: Betraying them would be normal for a Chaotic Evil character.

Sabo: Nah I won't betray them.

Dragon: Then you're not- I'm gonna come back to you. Koala, what about you?

Koala: I'm a Fishman.

Dragon: There are no Fishmen in the game.

Koala: Why not?

Dragon: There just aren't. You need to pick a different race. What's your class and alignment?

Koala: Chaotic Good sounds right to me, and uh, I'll be a Mage.

Dragon: That's easy to follow at least. Hack?

Hack: I don't understand why there aren't Fishmen in this game.

Dragon: There just aren't, just- what's your character?

Hack: Fine. Orc, Cleric, Neutral Good.

Dragon: You want to have a Cleric Orc?

Hack: Yes.

Dragon: I- sure, yours is the most normal out of all of them so far, that's fine. Betty.

Betty: I'm a Half-Elf Fighter. Neutral Evil.

Dragon:

Dragon: Fine, whatever. Karasu.

Karasu: Halfling Ranger. Chaotic Neutral.

Dragon: Oka-

Karasu: When do I get my bird?

Dragon: I'm sorry?

Karasu: It says I get a bird companion if I'm a Ranger.

Dragon: No, that- I mean yes, at least you actually read the pamphlet. Your animal companion can be anything; bird, wolf, horse-

Karasu: I want a crow.

Dragon: You can't choose, I choose.

Karasu: I want a crow. When can I get a crow?

Dragon: You have to be a couple levels in, you can't just start out with one.

Karasu: How do I get levels?

Dragon: By shutting up and playing the game. Lindbergh?

Lindbergh: My character is a True Neutral Dwarf Bard.

Dragon: True Neutral- I guess that's normal for a Bard. Why?

Lindbergh: It means I don't have to do much right?

Dragon: What? That's not- what?

Lindbergh: I do way too much already, I want to just chill and play my harp.

Dragon: What if your party is in a fight?

Lindbergh: Betty's a fighter, she can take care of it.

Betty: Hey fuck you!

Dragon: Jesus. Consider changing your alignment.

Lindbergh: No. True Neutral. Not changing it.

Sabo: Me either.

Koala: You're sure I can't be a Fishman?

Dragon: Yes, I'm sure. Morley?

Morley: You're really sure?

Dragon: Yes I'm really sure!

Morley: Then I'll be a Gnome Druid, that sounds fun. And I'll be Chaotic Good.

Dragon: Good, fine, that's great, we got everyone. But Koala you need to choose a different race.

Koala: I'm telling you I want to be a Fishman.

Hack: If I can change mine I'd like to be one too.

Sabo: Can I be a Fishman?

Dragon: NO ONE GETS TO BE A FISHMAN!

[iamthespineofmybook]

One Piece OCs

As with many people who have watched/read One Piece, I have made my own crew for the world. Thing is, they’re not pirates (not even like the Straw Hats), even if a couple of them were one time or another.

I’ll break them down in the order they joined their crew. The captain was originally made for another setting, but her design is based on John Joseco’s humanized Princess Luna. Her name is Teleute, and in the world of One Piece, I made her family the descendants of a Sky Island with a special genetic quirk that makes their hair grow to look like the sky at the time of their birth (this is not the strangest thing in the setting, and anyone who has read or watched the series knows this). Teleute was born on a new moon midnight, so she has dark dark blue hair with sparkly spots like stars.

Teleute decided to set out to sea in search of true love, since all the girls on her home island were straight or taken. Her best friend, Shifter Dee, decided he would go with her to be her navigator, having learned the skill with his father, an ex-marine. Dee actually ate a Devil Fruit as a kid, an original creation (one of many) named the Shape Shape Fruit (Keijo Keijo no Mi), which allows him to manipulate and create the shapes of things, including his own body.

Not long into their journey, they encountered a trio of shipwrecked sailors from a failed pirate crew, two humans and a fishman. The fishman, a squid-type with multiple legs, but only two arms, by the name of Ula Mangeni is an amazing cook, with a dream of tasting everything the world has to offer. Their musician friend, Talib Kosi, wants to be a world-famous magician, and always wearing one of two masks: a plain white mask and one that looks exactly like it except for some lipstick. Because Kosi is genderfluid. The last of the trio is a doctor named Emeria Kamsa who wants to have at least one dear friend on every island.

While travelling their home sea of the West Blue, ferrying goods and people from one island to another to make money (like the crew of Serenity, but a good deal less illegal), they encounter their shipwright, Perbia Chase. Thirty years ago, he was experimenting with his new Devil Fruit, the Tempo Tempo Fruit, and accidentally slowed his tempo so much that he was thought to be a strange statue by an abandoned house in the woods by the people of the island. Chase is a self-described Mad Engineer (he hates it when people call him a mad scientist). Most of his creations explode, and some of them even on purpose. He wants to make a tool that can do anything. An omnitool if you will.

After Chase modified the ship, which I named The Weatherlight because I’m such a huge Magic: the Gathering nerd, so that it could fly, they flew over the Red Line to the South Blue, where they took on two more crewmates. Their purser, Lovelane D. Chrimon, user of the Life Life Fruit (Sei Sei no Mi), which made him effectively immortal outside of the water (he just wants to see something exciting, since he’s lived for ages), and the ship’s guard, Lisama a former Sky Island monk who was kicked out of his monastery when the other monks discovered he’d been born with a female body. He wants to find a Devil Fruit that can fix his body.

While on the Grand Line, they made it a point to collect as many Eternal Poses as possible so they could continue making a business out of ferrying people and cargo wherever they needed to be, even as they follow their dreams.

However, after reaching Sabaody, Teleute's hair gained the attention of a Celestial Dragon, who declared that she would be one of his concubines. Knowing the power of the World Nobles, she sullenly agreed. However, as this directly contradicted her reason for heading out to sea, as well as her orientation, her crew sort-of mutinied to rescue her from the Noble, earning their whole crew bounties and the following epithets:

"Night Sky" Teleute (Her hair)

"The Shaper" Shifter Dee (His power)

"The Immortal" Lovelane D. Chrimon (His power)

"Ceaseless Hunger" Ula Mangeni (He took a bite out of a guard)

"Reaper Man" Perbia Chase (He wears a black cloak and wields a scythe/rifle)

"Flayer" Emeria Kamsa (She dual-wields urumi)

"Faceless Mage" Talib Kosi (The masks and stage magic-illusions)

"Lord of Nightmares" Lisama (You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry)

The last member of the crew is also Teleute’s True Love, a New World Native from an island known as The Dune Sea, a place where water can’t exist except near special crystals, named Ashens Opal. Opal, however, has a rather darker dream than the rest of the crew: she wants vengeance on Blackbeard, who killed her father and the entire caravan he was travelling in.

And that’s my crew. I think this is one of the longest posts I’ve done. Not sure if I’ll ever get around to writing their adventures properly, though.

[libraryofbooks]

Books on my shelf I have yet to read: Nonfiction

A Gift of Music by Betty Carlson and Jane S Smith

Aspects of Wagner by Bryan Magee

Beethoven by William Kinderman

Chanting by Robert Gass

Classic and Romantic Music by Friedrich Blume

Folk and Traditional Music of the Western Continents by Bruno Nettl

Gregorian Chant by Will Apel

History of Music by John Russell

If It Ain’t Baroque by David W. Barber

Leonard Bernstein by Humphrey Burton

Ludwig van Beethoven ed. by Joseph Schmidt-Görg and Hans Schmidt

Music A Living Language by Tom Manoff

Music, The Brain, and Ecstasy by Robert Jourdain

Musics of Many Cultures by Elizabeth May

Night Music by Theodore Adorno

Talking of Music by Neville Cardus

The Age of Mozart and Beethoven by Giorgio Pestelli

The Inextinguishable Symphony by Martin Goldsmith

The Music Lover’s Handbook ed. by Elie Sigmeister

The Music Within You by Shelley Katsh and Carol Merle-Fishman

To The Stars by George Takei

What Makes Music Work by Allan B. Novick, Paul Harmon, and Philip C. Seyer

What to Listen for In Music by Aaron Copand

Who’s Afraid of Classical Music by Michael Walsh

[andersunmenschlich]

Slayers CD Set Booklet (6)

The next two pages from this booklet:

スレイヤーズ

１９９５年４月７日〜９月２９ / 日テレビ東京系列

Slayers

Apr 7 – Sep 29 1995 / TV Tokyo series

通称『無印』。原作小説の第１巻『スレイヤーズ！』と第３巻『サイラーグの妖魔』をベースにしつつ、赤法師レゾの体内に眠る赤眼の魔王シャブラニグドゥの死闘が前半のクライマックス。後半は魔獣ザナッファーと同化したコピーレゾがリナたちの前に立ちふさがる。原作に登場しないゲストキャラも個性豊かで、シーズン中盤には１話完結のギャグ回が挟み込まれるなど、原作を知らないお茶の間の視聴者も多いに楽しませてくれる作りで、『スレイヤーズ』のファンを爆発的に増やした記念すべきテレビシリーズ第１作である。

Commonly known as "Unlabeled." Based on the first and third original light novels, "Slayers!" and "The Apparition of Sairaag," a life-and-death struggle with the Red-Eyed Demon Lord Shabranigdo sleeping within Red Priest Rezo's body was the climax of the first half. In the last half, a Copy Rezo assimilated with the Demon Beast Zanaffar stands in the way of Lina and her companions. Even guest characters who don't appear in the original work have great individuality, a gag reel was inserted at the end of episode one, and so on—things like this caused even viewers unfamiliar with the original work to enjoy themselves greatly: "Slayers" fans suddenly and dramatically increased due to this commemoration-worthy TV series first season.

caption one 「悪人に人権はない！」をモットーに、盗賊からお宝をいただくのがリナの趣味。 With the motto, "Villains have no rights!" taking treasure from bandits is Lina's hobby.

caption two まさにドラゴンがまたいで通った場画。「ドラまた」の二つ名に偽りはない。 In this scene a dragon really does step over/around. There's no lie in the nickname "Doramata."

caption three ザナッファーの力を宿したコピーレゾをめがけて、リナの祝福の剣（ブレス・ブレード）が貫く！ Aiming at Copy Rezo, who houses the power of Zanaffar, Lina's Bless Blade penetrates!

Key Characters

ヌンサ Noonsa

レゾの手下で魚人。リナにキスを迫ったり、焼き魚になってみんなに食べられてしまったりなどの名場面で、「スレイヤーズ」きっての人気キャラとなった。

A fishman underling of Rezo's. With famous scenes such as pressing Lina for a kiss, becoming grilled fish and being eaten by everyone, etc., became a popular character in "Slayers."

フィル王子 Prince Phil

アメリアの実父で、セイルーンの第一王位継承者。ドワーフと見間違えるほどのいかついおっさん、だが、娘と同じく正義を愛する「正真正銘の王子様」である。

Amelia's biological father and Seiruun's first heir to the throne. A middle-aged man so tough-looking he's often mistaken for a dwarf but, loving justice just like his daughter, is a "true prince."

ザングルス Zangulus

ガウリイを（勝手に）ライバルとつけ狙う賞金稼ぎ。魔剣ハウリング・ソードの使い手で凄腕の剣士だが、どこか抜けているところもある。「NEXT」でも活躍。

A bounty hunter who (arbitrarily) prowls after Gourry as a rival. A remarkably skilled swordsman who uses the cursed blade Howling Sword, but has some stupid aspects as well. Even plays a role in "Next."

ヴルムグン Vrumugun

ザングルスとコンビを組み、リナたちを追う魔道士。強力な魔法でリナを窮地に追い込むが、実はコピー人間で、さらに頭部がちょっと淋しいことも判明する。

A mage who, paired with Zangulus, pursues Lina and company. Drives Lina into difficulties with powerful magic, but is really a copy human and, furthermore, it's established that his head is a little bit empty.

エリス Eris

レゾの忠実な部下で、彼を深く愛していた魔道士。レゾが死んだことを受け入れられず、彼のコピーを作り上げ、世界を崩壊に導く原因を作り出す。

Rezo's devoted subordinate, a mage who loved him deeply. Unable to accept the fact of Rezo's death, created his copy and a cause of the world being led toward collapse.

コピーレゾ Copy Rezo

エリスのコピー能力によって誕生したレゾの複製人間。ザナッファーと同化して世界を滅ぼそうとする。その深層意識にはレゾに対するコンプレックスがあった。

A duplicate of Rezo created by Eris's copy ability. Assimilates with Zanaffar and nearly destroys the world. Within that subconscious there was a Rezo complex.

[pervasivescariness]

Mounts and Minions Meme

Meet Gyoshin...

Neither mount nor minion, this portly fellow is Bee's self-proclaimed steward and unwanted student.

Having found himself wishing for a more fulfilling purpose in his life, Gyoshin had left the safety of his home and set out upon his own adventure. Unfortunately for this portly fellow, luck was not on his side and he soon found himself stumbling upon a small encampment full of  bandits who had not seen a proper meal in many moons. The sight of a rather round catfish walking right into their camp just as they were settling in for supper was nothing short of a blessing in their eyes and they wasted no time in capturing the poor thing and stringing him up by the fire. Before he could resign himself to his delicious fate, however, his prayers for help were answered in the form of a hail of aether swords from the sky.

As it would happen, Bee had been passing by on unrelated business when she had mistaken his cries for that of a distressed child. Rushing to his rescue, it was not until after she had sent the bandits scattering that she realized she had rescued a curious fishman instead. Grateful for her help and quite taken with her magical prowess, Gyoshin decided then and there that his destiny was to become just as she; a powerful mage. He insisted she take him in as a student, pledging himself to her and offering his help in exchange for her knowledge. Declining both offers, Bee sent him along his way and continued along hers.

Gyoshin was not to be deterred so easily, however, and spent the next three moons quietly following her about her business. When it came time for her to depart, he managed to sneak aboard the ship that bore her back to Limsa. Halfway through the journey back to Limsa Gyoshin's luck again soured and he was discovered in the hold, stuffed comfortably into a barrel, half asleep. The crew, not knowing what to make of the strange talking fish, sought to toss him overboard and return him to the sea to ensure no ill omens followed them to port. Recognizing the struggling mass of fin and whiskers, Bee claimed him as an escaped pet and bargained for his release back into her custody, once more rescuing the namazu from a terrible fate. In debt to her twice over, Gyoshin insisted once more that she allow him to at least repay this debt. Knowing that it would take far too much time and effort to send him back at this point, and quite amused by his tenacity and determination, Bee finally relented and agreed to allow him to come live with her for a time.

This is how Gyoshin came to live in La Noscea.

Eager to prove himself to his self appointed master, Gyoshin has taken on the mantle of steward. He does what he can to help Bee out around the house, taking care of small tasks such as watering plants, fetching things,  answering the door and bringing Bee mail (much to the eternal chagrin of the postmoogles).

( Once he decided to rearrange all the books in her study by color. Gyoshin got halfway through his task before falling asleep and it took Bee two full days to restore order to her study thereafter... )

He is very friendly, a bit dim, but well meaning. Gyoshin tends to be very literal and is seemingly incapable of lying, especially when a few cups into his tea. After a certain tea-realated incident, however, Bee has made it a rule that he is not to be given any tea without her direct supervision. This has not stopped the dear thing from attempting to convince her otherwise, however. Gyoshin is often times more a hindrance than a help, yet Bee has developed quite a soft spot for the little guy. While she is unable to teach him magic, due to him not having a single magical bone in his tiny body, she has taken more time recently to help him learn how to properly do other things so the can legitimately help her out as she has found him to be a welcome presence in her life.

So, if you happen to be friends with Bee or do business with her, you may just see this little fellow! Please be kind and do not give him any tea, no matter what he tells you.

[ So at this point in time, Bee does not have any IC mounts or minions, really. She doesn’t have a lot of time for pets and has no idea how to take care of a chocobo or anything of the sort, so at the moment, Gyoshin is really all that could be considered anything close. ]

Tagged by: @jinjucoffeecatte​ <3 Thank you for making this meme! It’s so cute! :3c

Taggging: @artlessmeat​ @tajlana​ @ivaan-ffxiv​ @fiddle021​ @gyrin​ @shirtlesslizard​ @valde-draesia​ @nightmaze​ @geisterfuchs​ @jateshi​ @thorcatte​ and anyone/everyone else who wants to do this! <3

[autumnalsunrises]

Rodger fact sheet (my OC)

Quick Facts on Rodger

Height 5’8

Age-24

Hair-white with dip-dye red ends ( his hair is naturally this color).

Favorite food-anything bacon, kale noodles, strawberry milkshakes, lavender almond milk iced coffee, white chocolate cider and extra dark stout.

Personality-tends to be out of focus and thinks with his heart  instead of his  head. Yet, he is very kind and sincere. Rodger is also extremely loyal to his friends, and is willing to go to great lengths to help them.

Profession- He was originally an entertainment mage in the Phoenix Four ( a magician performance group) with Erik, Remy and Whitney. When the group later disband because one of Erik’s magic mess-ups.  He joined the Golden Bean Guild as a training mage. He also works on a temporary basis as a waiter at the Bacon Diner

Family- Raised by a single mom and overprotective older sister.

Hobbies-archery, going out to eat,dance parties at Sunset Beach,spending time with Whitney, and crossword puzzles.

Magic-rodger can run up to 50 miles per hour and jump 20 feet in the air.  Rodger also uses a bow and arrow for combat. His quiver contains several magical arrows.

Relationship-Dating Whitney.  His current best friend  is George ( P-mage at Golden Bean Guild).

Quick background ( More will be explained in the story)

Rodger grew up in a small apartment  near the beach in Sunset Beach City with his mom and sister

His mom worked long hours at  the Seahorse Diner. During these long hours, a young fishman watched him and his sister. The fishman would often teach them magic spells.

Since his Mother thought traditional magic was dangerous, Rodger decided to pursue magic for entertainment purposes.

He later formed the Phoenix Four with Erik, Remy and Whitney. The group had small success performing for various parties and conventions. Unfortunately, Erik caused the group to disband when he wreck the Dragon Festival parade by combining fire magic with entertainment magic.

A year later Rodger joined the Golden Bean Guild along with Whitney and Remy.

*Please let me know, if you want to learn more about this character or questions about him*

[wisepowderposts]

WoW Classic Brings The Community Back To World Of Warcraft

World of Warcraft Classic is teeming with life. Traders shout out their wares, offering much-needed magical items and equipment at reasonable prices. Adventurers form parties for protection against dangerous low-level foes. Earlier today a stranger came up to my mage and asked if I could conjure him water. I can’t remember the last time a random player asked me for anything in World of Warcraft. It’s nice to feel needed again.To get more news about buy WoW Classic gold, you can visit lootwowgold official website.

Blizzard’s spent the past decade and change stripping away the need for players to directly interact with each other in the non-classic version of World of Warcraft. The difficulty of the game’s core questing content has been significantly reduced from where it was at launch, making it easy for players of all skill levels to chew through content quickly by their lonesome. Features like the dungeon finder, which automatically forms parties of random players for multiplayer content, made dungeon crawling much more efficient but impersonal at the same time. Unless I decided to start raiding or engaging in hardcore player-versus-player content, there’s just no reason for me to rely on other people in modern World of Warcraft.

Oh god do I need other people in World of Warcraft Classic. Old-school Azeroth is not friendly to solo players at all. I’ve died a dozen or more times in Westfall, the level 10-20 zone outside of Stormwind, trying to play a 2004 online role-playing game as a player accustomed to life in 2019. There are enemies everywhere, wandering the landscape and packed into crowded camps. They hit hard and are hard to kill. Taking on an even-leveled creature eats most of my mage’s mana, forcing me to rest between every kill. Taking on two even-leveled creatures is risky. I’ve had to use my mage’s Sheep spell, temporarily turning an enemy into a harmless critter, for the first time in years. Taking on three or more even-leveled creatures is suicide.

I’d died four times at the murloc camp off the coast of Westfall, trying to take on too many of the fishman monsters at once, before a random player invited me to join their group. We gleefully stomped those aquatic bastards, rolling up and down the coastline casting spells and swinging swords. Players would join and leave our ramshackle party. Our roving band of murloc murderers was the first taste I had of real camaraderie in World of Warcraft in a long time.

[uglyducklingpresse]

17 Years of 6x6 Poets

#1. Edmund Berrigan, Filip Marinovich, Sheila E. Murphy, Julien Poirier, Lev Rubinstein (tr. Matvei Yankelevich), Kathrine Sowerby   #2. John M. Bennett, Joel Dailey, Arkadii Dragomoshchenko (tr. Evgeny Pavlov with Benjamin Friedlander), Michael Ford, R. Cole Heinowitz, Genya Turovskaya   #3. John Coletti, Nathaniel Farrell, Eugene Ostashevsky, Elizabeth Reddin, Cedar Sigo, Samantha Visdaate   #4. Brandon Downing, W.B. Keckler, Anna Moschovakis, Dmitri Prigov (tr. Christopher Mattison), Aaron Tieger, Sam Truitt   #5. Micah Ballard, Mariana Ruiz Firmat, Frank Lima, Beth Murray, Philip Nikolayev, Keith Waldrop   #6. Carlos Blackburn, Joe Elliot, Arielle Greenberg, Mark Lamoreux, Alicia Rabins, Lewis Warsh   #7.David Cameron, Steve Dalachinsky, Joanna Fuhrman, Jason Lynn, Tomaž Šalamun (tr. Joshua Beckman), Jacqueline Waters   #8. Nicole Andonov, Jenna Cardinale, Arielle Guy, Yuko Otomo, Guillermo Juan Parra, Karen Weiser   #9. Jon Cone, Phil Cordelli, Dorothea Lasky, Julie Ritter, Laura Sims, Erica Weitzman   #10. Ilya Bernstein, Geoffrey Detrani, Paul Killebrew, Laura Solomon, Viktor Vida (tr. Ana Božičević), Dana Ward   #11. Sue Carnahan, C.S. Carrier, Christina Clark, a collaboration by Aaron McNally and Friedrich Kerksiek, Rick Snyder, James Wagner   #12. Guy R. Beining, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, Sawako Nakayasu, Cynthia Nelson, John Surowiecki, Novica Tadić (tr. Maja Teref & Steven Teref)   #13. Matthew Gavin Frank, George Kalamaras, Ann Lauterbach, Matthew Rohrer, Evan Willner, Lynn Xu   #14. Corina Copp, Randall Leigh Kaplan, Douglas Rothschild, Fred Schmalz, Lori Shine, Prabhakar Vasan   #15. Lawrence Giffin, David Goldstein, Anne Heide, Will Hubbard, Mikhail Lermontov (tr. Jerome Rothenberg and Milos Sovak), Emma Rossi   #16. Heather Christle, Amanda Deutch, Ossian Foley, John High, Anthony Madrid, Gretchen Primack   #17. James Copeland, Lucy Ives, Megan Kaminski, Mary Millsap, Zachary Schomburg & Mathias Svalina, Kevin Varrone   #18. Guy Bennett, Rebecca Guyon, Paul Hoover, Srečko Kosovel (tr. Ana Jelnikar and Barbara Siegel Carlson), Deborah Wardlaw Pattillo, Maureen Thorson   #19. Emily Carr, Julia Cohen, Natalie Lyalin, Lee Norton, Dan Rosenberg, G.C. Waldrep   #20. Emily Anicich, Billy Cancel, Michael Nicoloff, Frances Richard, Elizabeth Robinson, M. A. Vizsolyi   #21. Michael Barron, Julie Carr, Marosa di Giorgio (tr. Jeannine Marie Pitas), Farid Matuk, Amanda Nadelberg, Sara Wintz   #22. Lily Brown, George Eklund, Chris Hosea, Aaron McCollough, Ryan Murphy, Jennifer Nelson   #23. Miloš Djurdjević (tr. Tomislav Kuzmanović), James Hart III, Geoffrey Hilsabeck, Noelle Kocot, Aeron Kopriva, Maged Zaher   #24. Bill Cassidy, Helen Dimos, Pär Hansson (tr. Jennifer Hayashida & Tim Dinan), Aaron Kunin, Kyle Schlesinger, Rebecca Wolff   #25. Sherman Alexie, Noah Eli Gordon, Marina Kaganova, Karen Lepri, Fani Papageorgiou, Roger Williams   #26. Abraham Adams, Dot Devota, William Minor, Levi Rubeck, Martha Ronk, Steve Muhs   #27. Eric Amling, Antonio Gamoneda (tr. Sara Gilmore), Gracie Leavitt. Thibault Raoult, Marthe Reed, Judah Rubin   #28. Jon Curley, Katie Fowley, Dmitry Golynko, Dan Ivec, Alejandra Pizarnik (tr. Yvette Siegert), Matt Reeck   #29. Stephanie Anderson, Kate Colby, Steffi Drewes, Hugo Margenat (tr. by Vero González), Masin Persina, Adam Tobin   #30. Jon Boisvert, Ana Martins Marques (tr. Elisa Wouk Almino), Jeffrey Joe Nelson, Denise Newman, Anzhelina Polonskaya (tr. Andrew Wachtel), Hirato Renkichi (tr. Sho Sugita)   #31. Shane Anderson, Lewis Freedman, francine j harris, Carl Schlachte, Stacy Szymaszek, Sarah Anne Wallen   #32. James D. Fuson, Lyn Hejinian, Barbara Henning, Tony Iantosca, Uroš Kotlajić (tr. Ainsley Morse), Morgan Parker   #33. Amanda Berenguer (tr. Gillian Brassil & Alex Verdolini), Jeremy Hoevenaar, Krystal Languell, Holly Melgard, Marc Paltrineri, Cat Tyc   #34. Alex Cuff, Kristen Gallagher, s. howe, Aisha Sasha John, Claudia La Rocco, Grzegorz Wróblewski (tr. Piotr Gwiazda)   #35. Ted Dodson, Judith Goldman, Anna Gurton-Wachter, Kim Hunter, Katy Lederer, Bridget Talone   #36. Anselm Berrigan, Chia-Lun Chang, Cheryl Clarke, Lisa Fishman, Vasilisk Gnedov (tr. Emilia Loseva & Danny Winkler), Sarah Wang.

[subbyp]

"Send me a ship" Good old Otasune

ah!! Otasune!! love it

Werewolf/hunter: There’s a look a werewolf gets when it’s vicious. There’s a different look it gets when it’s desperate and terrified. The silver wolf shivering at Dave’s doorstep is definitely giving him the second one.

Merfolk/fisherman: That’s not a fishman, that is a damn SHARKMAN, poking his head over the side of Hal’s sailboat and asking him if he’s seen a blond sharkman that looks very much like him and by the way can he have some of that mackerel? No? Just thought he’d ask, and Hal is really regretting deciding to isolate himself as much as possible to complete his thesis.

Mage/familiar: Magitechnicians usually don’t get familiars. Hal certainly didn’t summon one. Why is this Burmese python claiming that they are magically bonded? Something about another life? Swearing to be together in every lifetime, every universe? At least the python is an agreeable sort–Hal would hate to be magically bonded to some sort of jackass fifteen-foot-long monster snake.

Barista/coffee addict: Dave thought that opening a coffee shop would be a nice quiet change after all he’s been through, but his best regular is only quiet in terms of volume level.

Professor/TA: Dr. Emmerich said he didn’t need a TA this term, that he was cutting back his class load to focus on his nonprofit work, but if nothing else he seems to need Dave to remind him to do things that aren’t work, like, y’know, eat. 

Knight/prince: (Now with 70% more Ravenloft!) Dave often feels like he puts the “err” in “knight errant,” but he and his squire Raiden seem to be the only ones in the entire Demiplane of Dread willing–or able–to smuggle Hal and Emma out from under the nose of their Darklord of a father.

Teacher/single parent: I can’t picture Sunny as being raised by only one of them. It just isn’t happening.

Writer/editor: Hal makes hard sci-fi compelling and accessible like nobody else in his generation, but every writer needs a rein-in, and Dave is the only guy who can direct Hal back out of his more Victor Hugo-esque worldbuilding digressions without destroying the cores of his ideas.

[williamkenedy]

The Great City

I have spent a week exploring the expansive city, and yet I have only just begun to scratch the surface of its mysteries.  The city is called Ravnica, the City of Guilds.  I have climbed  to the tops of the highest spires I could find, but the city continues beyond the horizon.  Many of the denizens of this city are affiliated with one of ten guilds, with each group affiliated with two of the five colors of mana.  Their cluestones mark the walls of Ravnica, each extending the invitation to join the ranks of the various guilds.  In my search for answers, I have encountered many of these guilds.  

The first guild I was unfortunate enough to encounter was the Gruul.  After the street brawl, I had decided to lay low in a ruined section of the city, as my garb was markedly different than the other citizens of the city and I had no wish to be identified as a participant. I was still enwrapped in trying to understand my newfound strength.  The spell I had cast during my confrontation with the ogre was far beyond anything I even thought was possible.  I have never manifested a capacity to wield either black or white mana, and this overwhelming use of force was shocking for me. I was lost in thought, and I did not notice the burning bush insignia that marked my entry into Gruul territory.  As I turned the corner of a ruined tower, I was met by a small group of raiders. They were a diverse group, comprised of two lizard men, known as Viashino, another ogre, and several humans. Their armor and weapons were crude, and each was adorned with their guild’s symbol, either sewn haphazardly onto their clothing or tattooed on their exposed flesh. The ogre recognized me, exclaiming, “Oye! That's the bastard who killed my cousin! Let’s pick ‘im clean and the stick his body on a pike!” I could not see the family resemblance, but there was no time to discuss this point.  His comrades gave a rousing cry of agreement, and they all charged me. I felt the magic surge forward again. However, I was unwilling to risk another attempt at spellcasting, given the horrific outcome of my first attempt.  Instead, I drew the silver swords that I had carried in the service of Avacyn and stood my ground.  The first of the group to reach me was the ogre.  He swung a broad axe in powerful wide arc, but he was slow and uncoordinated.  I easily sidestepped his blow, and relieved him of his head.  His companions fought in a similar brutal yet uncivilized style.  I was able to dispatch them without great exertion, but I must admit I was impressed with their loyalty and bravery.  however, that admiration did not inspire me to remain in this area, and I began to move back towards the more populated areas of the city.  

As I reentered the more populated areas of the city, I looked for places that might hold records or other sources of information that could help me figure out how I had come to this city and the source of my newfound powers.  As I wandered through the streets of Ravnica, I noticed a group of men who reminded me of the reclusive alchemists of Innistrad.  They carried a blue and green sigil showing a tree bent in the shape of a cresting wave.  I followed them at a distance, hoping that they would lead me to someone who could explain my situation.  The group passed through a gate marked with their symbol, and I paused, unsure if I would be allowed entrance to this district, especially after the reception I received from the Gruul.  As I stood wavering at the gate, one of the members of this guild approached me. He asked me, “what business do you have with the Simic? Do you seek knowledge of the ways of nature and the evolution of life?”.  I replied that I sought answers regarding a change within myself, explaining the events that had brought me to Ravnica.  The man invited me through the gate, promising to deliver the answers I sought after he conducted some tests.  As we walked through the Simic district, I was amazed by the sheer amount of experimentation going on around me.  bubbling vats steamed, macabre fusions of different creatures being examined by various guild members, and great libraries where scholars eagerly researched their projects.  My guide led me through many different chambers, finally bringing me into a large open hall.  There, I met a man who looked as though he had been combined with a fish.  He introduced himself as Vorel, and after a short conversation with the man who had brought me before him, the fishman turned to me. He asked me to recount the events that brought me to Ravnica. After I had told him of my experiences in the void, he asked if I could demonstrate these powers I had gained. He bid an attendant bring him small tube, from which a humanlike ooze emerged.  Vorel bid me use my power against this thing, assuring me that I would not do any lasting damage. He stated, “This is Experiment One. It was designed to to test all future experiments.  It will easily regenerate from any woulds you might inflict on it”.  I nodded, then reached within to summon the same strength.  As I willingly summoned the mana I needed to cast the same spell I had cast during the street brawl, I was more aware of the influences that my change had wrought on me.  I could distinctly feel the influences of both Avacyn and Griselbrand as I drew the white and black mana to me, as well as the blue mana that I had always been adept in wielding.  The black mana brought temptation to destroy all that was around me, and reveling in the power of the demon who had instilled me with this power.  This influence conflicted with the white mana that Avacyn had infused me with during my imprisonment in the Helvault, which urged me towards more noble use of my power, granting Avacyn’s protection to this creature.  The two colors of mana both attempted to exert their will, each promoting the desires of the one who had granted me their power.  I called upon a great reserve of blue mana in order to protect my own mind from these influences, finally gaining enough mental clarity to cast the spell I desired.  Again the bolts of black, blue, and white mana streamed from my hands towards the experiment. Though the spell carried the same destructive potential that it had during the brawl, the experiment was able to survive this onslaught of holy and demonic power, and even resisted being banished into the void.  Vorel’s face, however, betrayed a great deal of concern for the power I had shown.  He asked where I had learned to wield such spells, stating, “You strike with the fury of a Boros angel, the sadism of a Rakdos demon, and the cunning of a Dimir agent.  I have never seen such a spell”.  His words disheartened me, and I felt as though none would be able to give me the answers that I needed.  Then he paused in thought, pacing the chamber.  He then turned to me and said, “I know of another mage who I have seen with your capacity for spellcraft.  His name is Ral Zarek, of the Izzit. I find him and his kind to be too unsystematic and crazed in their pursuit of knowledge.  You can find them on the other side of the city.  Perhaps He may have stumbled across the answer you seek”. I thanked Vorel, and returned to the streets of Ravnica to follow this new lead.

I set out to find the red and blue dragon that symbolize the Izzit, among whom I hoped to find the mage Ral Zarek.  In order to reach the Izzit laboratories, I had to cross the entire city, weaving my way through the territory of the other guilds.  I narrowly avoided armed conflict while passing a Boros checkpoint, where my distinctive difference in appearance and dress set me apart from the average citizen.  Their fanaticism outpaced even the most devout priests of Avacyn, and their quick tempers made them always ready for a fight.  However, they let me passed as soon as I mentioned my service to Avacyn.  It seems they are also lead by an angel, though she seems to have a far greater love of battle than the angel I had served.  I hope to never face either them or their angelic leaders, for they appear to be capable warriors, and I know all too well the strength of angels from my imprisonment with Avacyn.  The white mana I find myself wielding is the mark of her battle with the imprisoned demons during my time in the Helvault.  I would caution any against incurring the wrath of an angel, especially if those of the Boros Legion.  

I continued on through the city without further incident, reaching the gates of the Izzit Guild.  My first impression of the guild was a large explosion on one of the upper floors, which sent several goblins flying out of the windows in various directions.  This incident was quickly followed by a loud cheer from within the building, as though this explosion was marked some kind of success.  Seconds later, there was another, even larger explosion, which was apparently not as welcome as the first.  It was not followed by cheers, but by a burst of loud swearing and frenzied action.  I shook my head, wondering what kind of answers I could possibly find here.  I approached the nearest person that I could find, a small man with bronze plated armor covered with tubes and specked with glowing blue lights.  He was so deep in thought that he did not notice me until I touched his arm. He jumped violently, and a bolt of lightning burst from a tube attached to gauntlet, Reflexively, I reached out with a burst of blue mana and counteracted the bolt before any damage could be done.  Before, this counterspell would have required a great amount of concentration to cast, but now it required no more than a casual thought.  My increased ability to wield mana still continues to amaze me.  After a brief explanation of my reason for coming here, the man agreed to take me to see Ral Zarek.   After navigating a maze of boiler rooms and laboratories and narrowly avoiding several more explosions, I entered a large laboratory which contained a several metallic spikes, each topped with a sphere.  Lightning jumped between the different balls at irregular intervals, At the center of the room stood a man with a large brass cylinder on his hip that glowed as though it contained the same lightning that was sparking through the air.  He reached up towards the arcing lightning, and suddenly, all of the towers emitted great bolts of energy.  The mage caught the lightning in his outstretched hand, channeling the energy through a large gauntlet that was connected to the cylinder on his hip.  This man was Ral Zarek, the Izzet mastermind. As soon as the lightning ceased, he turned to me and asked what he could do for me.  As I recounted my adventures, Ral listened with greater and greater interest.  As I finished my tale, he smiled and rose to shake my hand.  He said, “Congratulations, Kerym! You are a planeswalker”.  He went on to explain the complex reality of the Multiverse, and my newfound place within it as a so called “planeswalker”.  He told me of many different worlds, separated by the void known as the Blind Eternities, through which I had passed on my journey to Ravnica.  I sat there stunned. The immensity of the revelation was too much for me to process. Though the Izzet planeswalker had answered many of my questions, there were still many things I needed to understand. He knew nothing of the demonic and angelic influences that still haunted me.  I stood silently, contemplating what I should do next.  Ral waited for me to respond for some time before offering to show me what he meant. I took hold of his outstretched hand, and for the first time stepped into The Blind Eternities, and gazed around at the myriad worlds that were waiting for me to explore.  Perhaps one of these planes might hold the answers I seek.  An instant later, I was standing back in Ral’s laboratory, with the Izzet mage smiling broadly.  He said a few more words about the finer details of moving between planes.  Then he asked if I would lend him a hand in obtaining a relic from another of the guilds.  It seemed that one of the Izzet initiates had bargained with the Orzhov Church in order to obtain materials needed for his research, but did not know the power of the gem he offered in trade.  Ral Zarek stated that this gemstone should be able to amplify the lightning spell he was working on at least tenfold, if his calculations are to be believed.  I agreed, thinking that any holy society would be amiable to repairing the actions of a young and unaware soul. I set off at once, my sights set on the towering basilica that marked the center of the Orzhov district.  

As I entered the Church of Deals, as it is known, I found that I was completely mistaken. This was not holy place, but a fiendish market where anything could be bought, for a price, and all debts would be repaid. As I gazed around, I found that many were bound as slaves to their creditors, some who had long since forsaken their natural lives.  Though I was grieved by the suffering I saw around me, I remained focused on my task, I approached an attendant and stated my business. He led me into a chamber where an Orzhov cleric sat behind a desk, After a short conversation, he produced the stone that I sought. He also named the price that went with it: A year’s servitude to the Orzhov.  As he delineated the finer points of the contract he wished me to sign, my anger grew.  How could these Heathens use the veneer of a holy order to amass power for themselves.  Their selfishness stood in mockery of the Church of Avacyn that I had sacrificed so much for.  I could contain my frustration no longer, and I released a silent tendril of blue mana that pulled the unsuspecting cleric into the Blind Eternities. I then picked up the stone and quickly departed, hoping that no one would discover the missing man until I was far away.  However, it appears I was being watched since I had entered the Church, as a band of zombified guards rushed to detain me as I exited the side chamber. In an instant I drew my blades and began to hack through the undead forces.  From various balconies around the cathedral different clerics and mages began to cast spells that exploded all around me.  Their aggression and greed only further inflamed my wrath, and I felt the power of Avacyn grow within me.  In a moment of blindly righteous fury, I embraced the massive influx of white mana.  I rose from the cathedral floor, surrounded by a protective aura.  Angelic wings sprouted from my back and burst through my armor, and my swords glowed with holy energy.  The spells of the Orzhov mages disintegrated as they neared me.  Non-Orzhov patrons fled the cathedral in terror at the sight of my new angelic form.  I hovered in the center of the cathedral, the aura of white mana pulsating and shining brilliantly in the gloom.  As I overlooked this vile farce of religion, I felt compelled to cleanse it of the evil and leave it a lifeless husk where no others might become slaves to the Orzhov.  When I could contain the mana no longer, it erupted in a thousand rays of piercing light,  annihilating everything it came in contact with.  Nothing was left unscathed, and when the light dimmed, only I remained.  I descended to the cathedral floor, drained by the massive exertion.  The angelic wings faded, receding back into my shoulders.  My armor still showed the place where they had burst forth.  I slowly stood back up, collected the stone from the floor, and departed, quickly blending back into the bustling crowds of Ravnica as Azerious lawmages descended on the desolated church to investigate. I left behind the mutilated corpses of the Orzhov Clergy, destroyed by the holy wrath of Avacyn. However, innocents had perished as well, and they far outnumbered the wicked.  The indiscriminate desolation shocked me, as I had always thought of Avacyn as a protector of the innocent, and that the power she had blessed me with would also spare those who did not deserve death.  They should not have been harmed by the white mana, but they were killed alongside the Orzhov.  There was obviously much I had left to learn about the powers I had gained from my time in the Helvault.  I also realized that one day I would have to come to terms with the black mana of Griselbrand, and that his power also pulsed through my body.  I dreaded the day that I would have to give in to the demonic influences, and yet was curious as to how it might affect me.  Would I grow the wings of a demon, just as I had grown angelic wings during this great influx of white mana? I turned all these things over in my mind as I returned to Ral Zarek and completed my mission.  His face lit up, and he immediately went about re-engineering his experiment, talking to himself about how this would truly be an “epic experiment”. I left him to his work, and for the first time I stepped willingly into the Blind Eternities to see what adventures lay before me.