#hedge witch and the mercenary

[grogusmum]

FEBRUARY: In The Belly

A Hedge Witch and the Mercenary Story for Imbolc

PERO X F!READER (nicknamed reader)

WORD COUNT: 1700ish

RATED: M

SUMMARY: This is a one-shot for The Hedge Witch and the Mercenary series, though, I don't think you have to read the entire series to enjoy this fic. If you care to read the series here is a link to the series masterlist

Pero and his hedge witch, Mariposa are ready for Imbolc and for the babies conceived on last Beltane to arrive.

WARNINGS: pregnancy, beginnings of labor

A/N: Here is the February installment of The Wheel of the Year, my theme for @yearofcreation2023. Organized by the effervescent @oonajaeadira and @writeforfandoms February brings us the funny little holiday of Imbolc, living on today for non-pagans as Groundhog Day, Candlemas, and St Brigit's Day. Very like Groundhog Day it is all about the anticipation of spring- including prognosticating when spring will arrive. Included is a Gaelic proverb from Scotland.

Pero returned to the cottage, after stacking newly split wood under the shelter he built in the fall, arms full of firewood. He was proud of the structure, not only for its sturdiness but the idea- close to the home easy to get, even in poor weather. Keeping the crickets and other insects outside all the while keeping it dry.

“It is still light out,” he remarked, shutting the wind outside the door.

“So it is!” Your belly was full and round, the rite of Beltane having done its work. “Spring is truly on the way, husband.”

“The lambs will be here any day,” Pero grunted as he dumped the wood on the hearth. 

“This is good, we'll be able to milk the ewe and make cheese.” You said with a sigh, food stores were low and three feet of snow sat resolute on the ground. “We need to give an offering to Brigid at the well tonight, for tomorrow is Imbolc, my love.”

“I will do this, Mariposa. You, too, are due any day.”

You raised an eyebrow- 

“Pero you have cleared a path to the well, I can get there.”

Pero came to your rocking chair, placed a slow kiss on the top of your head then knelt before you. His hand found your belly and a kick from within responded. You both smiled looking down as if you could see the culprit. 

“Mi hermosa brujita, mother of my children,” Pero placed an open mouth lingering kiss on yours; it made you ache for more, “you are your own worst midwife, she has told you you must be in bed, not even in your chair, let alone at the well in the snow.” 

You rolled your eyes and let Pero help you up. You were big. You and the midwife both knew there was more than one child to be born, though no one would have guessed three. You laughed as you waddled to your cozy tick. Pero set you up so you could sit, wrapping a wool blanket around you and covering you in fur. Then he gave your belly a kiss and rested his head there, murmuring sweet nothings to the little ones in his native tongue. Then his dark eyes met yours -

“Do you have everything ready?”

“Aye,” you sighed, “All but the wash tub.”

“I will bring it in so we may start to fill it, Mariposa,” Pero smiled. “But you will stay right where you are.”  This was his favorite part of the Rites to Brigid. When you had told him that you would bathe each other, he was concerned that it was to be a sponge bath as it was on Beltane, the cottage was warm, but one finds every draft when standing undressed and wet, it would have to be rushed. But you assured him you would use the beautiful tub he had traded for in the fall. 

“Very well,” you smiled knowing Pero loved caring for you.

You finished weaving a straw Brigid’s cross and a dolly from the bed while Pero brought in the tub and snow to heat over the fire, it would take some time, but well worth it.

Pero listened carefully to all your directions, he took the basket full of items he would need to take outside, and tried not to show any nervousness about doing the rituals himself. Of course, you did your best to instill confidence, telling him you had complete faith in him. And if the faeries did not turn him into a boar already, they were not going to tonight. 

He began by hanging the cross over the door, and with a quick look back and a finger pointed at you to stay put, he set off. Needless to say, you snuck out of bed only a moment or two after he left, but only to move the heated water to the tub and place more melted snow on the hook arm in the fire. Then you set the cradle Pero had built next to the hearth and slipped back in bed. You picked up some of your handwork and waited.

Pero had very specific instructions. First, he laid a bundle of slit logs and sticks on his ax yard stump - an offering for Cailleach (kəˈlʲax) the crone who is nearing the end of her reign-

“For your hearth Cailleach, may you rest and allow for an early end to winter.”   

Pero approached the well, looking around as if to make sure he was alone. Then walked sunwise around it. The blessing he learned only a murmur at first but gained strength as he went-

“Thig an nathair as an toll

Là donn Brìde,

Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd

Air leac an làir.”

(The serpent will come from the hole

On the brown Day of Brigid,

Though there should be three feet of snow

On the flat surface of the ground.)

“Brigid, blazing in the darkness of winter,

keeper of the flame

We honor you, light bringer,

healer; exalted one.”

He set out the loaf of bread with honey and a cup of mead, then continued -

“Bless us now, hearth mother,

that we may be as fruitful as the very soil,

and our lives as abundant.”

Then Pero left the path, stepping up on the deep snow. He settled his weight finding the snow can hold him, only sinking a few inches. He walked over to the sleeping apple tree, one of the reasons you and Pero chose this spot for your home, and tied a strip of linen to a limb.

Then clasped his hands and said his own prayer.

“Please.” Pero began, his voice hitched slightly, “please keep my mariposa safe when she bares our babies. Brigid, Good Neighbors… God- whomever, all of you…”

Pero could feel his ire going up, transforming his fear into anger at whatever powers might be listening as if he could hear them making excuses not to grant his plea. But wisely, he ended his “prayer” quickly as he was close to giving them an ultimatum. Instead, he took a breath and gave his thanks for you, this life he never thought he deserved, and the babies that were to come. His last task was to hang up some clothes for blessing, but before he moved to hang them he heard the low of the pregnant ewe, not in the stable but by the well reaching with her mouth for the bread.

“Mama, what are you doing here?” Pero looked around, wondering how she could have gotten out there so suddenly, as he approached the sheep. After all, she was almost as wide as she was long. The sheep waited, her calm eyes on him. 

“This is no food for sheep, sí?” he admonished. 

She bleated her own admonishments in return. 

Pero looked around, thinking of all you had taught him of the old gods, of the fae, and he took a piece of the honeyed bread and gave it to her.

“There you are, mama. Now let's get you back where you can rest.” He led her back to the stable and added some straw to her bed before heading back to the house. He heard some voices and something moved in his periphery. He did his best not to smirk, but to his ears, they seemed pleased. 

Finally, he returned to the warmth of the house, and you- his home.

He swung open the door, sure he would catch you out of bed, but you looked at him innocently from the bedstead.

Pero made no mention of the water he could see had been moved, nor the stool with a pitcher, washcloth, and soap. The two lengths of linen from Beltane were now warming by the fire. He finished the job, filling the large tub with melted hot snow and adding more. 

After the water was ready he came to the bed. 

“Come, mi vida,” he said his voice low. He helped you out of bed and out of your shift, and you helped him out of his shirt and unlaced his britches. The firelight set a warm glow on your bodies, Pero wondered if he would ever stop being in awe of yours.

As you stepped into the tub, you let out a sigh, Pero settled you in before climbing in himself. His eyes on you were worshipful. He loved every change your body has gone through, your belly rounding like the moon, your breasts swelling with pre-milk to nourish your babies, his babies, our babies. He knew he would love your body after. He could not ever imagine not wanting his hands on you at all the time. Pero pulled you forward so he could tuck in behind you. 

You reached for the small pitcher and poured a thick liquid into the tub. As Pero reached for the washcloth and soap, he began washing your shoulders, neck, and back.

“What potion is that, Mariposa?”

“Ewe’s first milk, sacred to Brigid, good for purifying baths,” you said simply.

“That reminds me, the ewe was by the well.”

“Matilda? When?” making a small splash as you turned to look at him.

“Yes, she just appeared after I said the blessing,” Pero said with as much curiosity as one might have if they saw the baker outside his shop in the village. 

“Auspicious,” you mused, smiling.

“I gave her some bread,” Pero began washing your front, his arm wrapping around you. You could hear he was pleased with himself.

“Good,” you smiled, looking over your shoulder at him, “Brigid will be pleased.” Your kiss on his cheek was interrupted by a small moan as he paid special attention to your breasts. Circling gently as he knew they were tender at this point. He kissed your neck, and your moan turned to a groan. This sent a zing of excitement down his spine. His kiss turned to a bite, but you stiffened in a way that did not seem right. You were still a stone -

“Marimosa?” 

Your hands went to your belly, and Pero knew. You had talked to Pero, and so did Yedda, the midwife, assuring him that at the very start of labor, you had time for him to ride to Yedda’s village and back. He was sorry you did not have time to enjoy your bath, but he knew what to do. 

“I think it is time, Pero. You are soon to become a papa!” you smiled.

THANK YOU FOR READING! 💚 HAPPY IMBOLC!

If you enjoyed this, you can find more Pero and my writing in general on my masterlist and if you would like to be tagged in future work, please go to my taglist form.

[cavegirlpoems]

So. Mechanics for this game I'm working on.

Start with a roughly OSR-shaped set of expectations. Classes, levels, XP-for-treasure, hit dice, etc. That gives you a good skeleton for what's here. There's some key differences.

HP is divided into Flesh and Grit. Flesh is your meat points, Grit your not-getting-hit points. Lose Grit first, then flesh. Then when there's no flesh left, take horrible wounds that might disable or kill you.

On death, you have the chance to come back as Undead. Take a level of Creeping Damnation, and switch your nature out to being undead. So long as body and soul are more or less intact, death is a choice to let go, not automatic. It has costs, though - that Damnation.

Speaking Of, Damnation. Creeping Damnation accumulates point-by-point as your soul is eroded. Each point reduces your Grit by 1. Extremely bad news when you've got no Grit left.

The Plague is a thing. It's extremely bad news. Reduce your healing each night (losing HP rather than gaining if its too bad), and your lost HP counts towards your encumbrance. Don't catch the plague, dumbass.

There's a system to track your reputation with various factions in the world. There's a system to track how much of a bounty the Beast's Empire have put on your head. These can fuck you over if you let them get too bad.

You get XP for rescuing people and for killing named, hated enemies. You get XP for treasure, and claiming bounties for capturing/rescuing people.

It's expected that you'll start hiring followers - mercenaries and servants - to accompany you and work for you. What else are you gonna do with all that cash? Long-term, you'll probably invest in building a stronghold somewhere. There's mechanics for pitched battles, for when those soldiers you've hired have to defend that stronghold.

True Names are a thing. Knowing somebody's True Name gives you power over them. In particular, a lot of magic requires the victim's True Name to work, or doesn't let them save to resist it if you use their True Name. You can also invoke it to make magically binding pacts with each other.

While only clerics can create observable miracles, anybody can try praying. A successful prayer does nothing in the game fiction, but can have useful results on the meta-game level, such as nudging random encounter results.

Magic comes in six schools of six spells - Necromancy (dead and undead things), Hypnotism (the mind), Goetia (true names and binding), Transmigration (the soul and the abyss), Alchemy (the elements and materials) and Hermeticism (raw magic and Wizard Shit). Other uncategorised spells are Hedge Magic.

A lot of mechanics - encumbrance, saving throws, shopping, memorising spells, encounters - are present but dramatically streamlined.

Technically it's race + class, but we're ditching the term 'race' and replacing it with 'nature'; it's about your spiritual nature (mortal, demon, undead, etc) rather than your ancestry. Twelve Natures (mortal human, petty demon, mimic, purified one, lycanthrope, ghoul, homunculus, wormwood grotesque, revenant, ghost, soulless waif, vampire). Eight classes (Cleric, Doctor, Knight, Libertine, Outlaw, Professional, Witch, Zealot). Mix and match and add equipment to create characters.

Anyway, I know visuals sell, so have some visuals.

[skunts-own-truth]

Trying to think of what I should add to my little Burning Wheel fantasy setting that I’ll be using as my house-game with the wife and roommate. Here’s some concepts that are set in stone for it:

Feudal society with knights and kings and shit, on a misty and dangerous set of 15 large islands with a whole lot of tiny rocky islands around them. Lot of small kingdoms, with two large kingdoms that are currently at war with each other over a shared familial claim over the other’s realm.

The islands are a closed system with no one really getting in or out, a storm has surrounded them for generations. The outside world is hardly considered by anyone other than scholars and wizards, some claim there isn’t a realm outside the misty islands.

Orcs are not a natural species, but are folks affected by a particularly nasty curse. Anyone consumed by hatred that comes in contact with the curse can become an orc, with elves being the easiest to corrupt due to how deep elf emotions run.

Population of the islands is pretty well mixed, with humans being only 20% of the folk around with Roden (Skaven) being another 20%, and elves, dwarves, orcs, dark elves, and trolls making up everything else.

Elves are often the royalty and nobility of the various kingdoms, but there are some human, roden, dwarf, and orc royalty out there too.

Mercenaries are kinda like rockstars. Tales get told of their exploits, and the more deeds under their belt the more a kingdom is willing to pay for their services- with most kingdoms saving their actual warriors for wars, mercenaries are used often for dealing with monsters and petty disputes between lords.

There was a great and terrible dark lord a while back, but he’s long dead. The army of monsters, orcs, and demons he once commanded is now scattered with some old generals attempting to rally them and destroy the dark throne under their own banner.

Necromancy is very illegal, given that Death himself wanders the land and frowns on people trying to break the cycle of life and death.

No guns or black powder weapons just yet.

Lesser curses charged with intense emotion cause unique instances of suffering and horror. The Orc curse is a powerful one, a curse that spreads and lasts indefinitely, but a singular curse that turns a man into a giant centipede with bloated human fingers for legs- that’s a unique lesser curse.

There are many forms of magic, and a lot of mixed feelings towards it. There is a magic college in one of the larger kingdom, but hedge witches and wizards are the more common practitioners, with some unique forms of magic cropping up as individuals uncover different ways to manipulate reality.

The party consists of a grave digger who spent so much time with the dead he began to hear the whispers of dead gods and now worships them as their priest, and a necromancer who was born gifted and studied at the college of magic before breaking off and hiding as a street performer to travel and steal forbidden tomes. They have formed a little mercenary band, the two of them and a big dumb goon NPC who joined in with the promise of coin.

I have the first adventure pretty much written, but I think the setting needs just that extra push to really make it bloom.

[rythebluealien]

OC MASTERLIST:

Ezekiel: he/they, agender, 10y old, aroace, escaped from a sect, Æssian's student.

Æssian: he/him, cis guy, in his 30's, asexual, straight, retired spy. Ezekiel's mentor.

Hestia: she/her, cishet girl, 20 something, hedge witch, friends with Freyja, Scarlet and Æssian.

Freyja: she/they, demigirl, bi, 28, acrobat, dating Scarlet, friends with Hestia, circus performer.

Scarlet: she/her, trans, lesbian, 30, baneful witch, dating Freyja, friends with Hestia.

Himeros: any, genderfluid, pansexual, unknown age, dealmaker, friends with Bug and Evander.

Bug: he/they, non binary, gay, 19, mercenary, dating Evander, kind of fucked up.

Evander: he/him, trans, gay, 18, mercenary, dating Bug, as fucked up as Bug but introverted.

Marlene: she/they, non binary, lesbian, 108, punk, fairy, plays bass, dating Ewilan

Ewilan: she/her, demigirl, lesbian, 112, cottagecore, fairy, owns a cafe, dating Marlene

Campbell: any, unlabeled, 11, preparing to go to war, chaotic mess but overall very sweet.

Venus: she/he, gay, 25, cisgender men, drag queen, fashion diva, dancer, performer.

+ 3 unnamed babies.

[leslie-lyman]

Some Pero fics to add the the rec list for the Anon

Innocence need not tremble @brandyllyn

The Hedge Witch and the Mercenary @grogusmum

Suited @clydesducktape

Ohhhhh yes anon these are FANTASTIC Pero recs!!

I remember reading @brandyllyn’s Innocence Need Not Tremble and feeling like I got punched in the face in the way only really amazing writing and plot twists can.

HOLY SHIT HOW COULD I FORGET THE HEDGE WITCH AND THE MERCENARY BY @grogusmum??? See I knew as I was putting together that list I was inevitably gonna miss some gorgeous writing by some of my favorite people. Forgive me, Hazel!!!

And oh hell yes to Suited by @clydesducktape - I am ALWAYS here for more alpha!Pero, and I know Suited isn’t the only amazing a/b/o fic on Thia’s masterlist.

[oonajaeadira]

For the Love of Fic: Feb. 13

Gonna change up my weekly fic rec format!!! The Sunday Seven was a way for me to read more fic and support my fellow writers. It did what it was designed to do and now I can’t stop reading fic.... But instead of any particular format, I’m just going to continue on supporting writers by just posting a list of what I liked that week. Maybe it’s just one. Maybe it’s twenty. Maybe it’s all one trope. Maybe it’s all one character. Maybe it will reveal my spicy needs of the week. Heck, this week was certainly a Pero vortex. Whatevs. I read it, I like it, I post it. The end.

PERO TOVAR

The Hedge Witch and the Mercenary, part 2 Bothered by @grogusmum (Pero x f!reader) The second installment of Hazel’s Hedge Witch series sees Mariposa treated poorly by the town, better by Pero, and maybe a little too well by the fair folk...

Innocence Need Not Tremble by @brandyllyn (Pero x f!reader) It’s a “first time” fic with Pero who cannot believe he deserves such things. What’s not to love? The ending line is...surprising. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Sage and Walnut by @littlemisspascal (Pero x f!reader) If you’re not reading Rae’s beautiful AU The Fox, The Mage, and the Cupboard and you love a good magic village fic full of Pedro characters, then you need to get on this. No lie, I seriously want to live in this fic. While The Fox refers to Javi G, we do get to learn about others in the Mage’s town, and this installment focuses on the local woodworking enchanter.

Stranger at My Gate Chapter 8 by @leslie-lyman (Pero x OC) Leslie’s an amazingly talented writer and her modern magical family is really gorgeous. Bringing Pero to the modern world and watching him take in its wonders is great, but I’m to beg Leslie to let him stay. And I was screaming that one word over and over while reading this chapter....

JACK DANIELS

Fondly I Watched Her by @writeforfandoms (Jack x f!reader) She Moves Through the Fair is one of my favorite of Jen’s fics and this is the same story, but from Jack’s POV. It’s so lovely to revisit this first accidental date and see how quickly and thoroughly he falls for her...

MARCUS PIKE / MAXWELL LORD /  MULTI / LOOK IT’S COMPLICATED 

The Infinity Cube part 15 by @littlemisspascal (overall Marcus Pike x f!reader, chapter Maxwell Lord x f!reader) Listen. If you know, you know. Rae found a way to write so many Pedros and make it an adventure and a mystery and so so so so good and every chapter is such a surprise. There’s a clever, DELIGHTFUL surprise here that just makes me very happy.

[littlemisspascal]

New Writers added to The Pedro Library 🐼

@babydarkstar @reysflyboy @imabeautifulbutterfly

New Works Added ✨

@grogusmum Pero  The Hedge Witch & The Mercenary

@blueeyesatnight Din  Glimpsed

@heartsofbeskar Javier  Smoke and Blood

@littlepadika Max P  Max’s Little Pretends to be a Vampire

@anaaaispunk Marcus M  Growing Up

@quica-quica-quica Javier  Sick Day

@oonajaeadira Ezra  Had It Coming

@yespolkadotkitty​ Dave  Writer Wednesday

Many fics aren’t appearing in the tags when searching. If I miss yours, please let me know 💗 Or add me to your taglist cuz I love being tagged 😊

As always, if you would like me to remove your work from the rec list, please let me know and I’ll remove them asap 😊

[rithalie-sideblog]

The daughters of Dracula

When Vlad Dracula first hears the prophecy he laughs and bellows with a voice that shakes his castle to the bone. 

Him? Falling in love with a mortal woman? Inconceivable, unheard of, simply a figment of an old man's scribbling imagination.

But then Vlad Dracula starts to think. And wonder. Because for all of his wealth and goods he managed to accumulate he was born a beggar and a thinker, as such happens when one learns life on the streets.

Prophecies have power.

So Vlad Dracula devises a plan. To make sure, he won't fall for the novelty that is a mortal woman, much less give her a son to fulfil the damned prophecy.

The first step he takes, he scours the village for his prey.

Mortal women, of all height and weight, from the plump daughter of the baker to the muscled heiress of the mercenary group. He kidnaps them from ungrateful families and bargains for them and soon his castle is filled with women's voices, their whimpers and terrified sobs. 

He avoids the young ones, as pretty as they might appear because Vlad Dracula might be a monster, but even he had rules by which to live his immortal life.

He never harms the women, despite their hostility and suspicion towards him. He leaves them be for the longest of times and watches as they slowly make the castle their home.

The women clean the spider webs, dust the old forgotten rooms and chambers. 

As they slowly grow more bold, they begin to take down the most horrid paintings from the walls, wash their clothes in the well in the middle of the cursed garden, stringing lines of laundry between the sculptures of demons and gargoyles.

Vlad watches it all happen from his tower, curiosity taking over him as he waits. Observes. Studies.

Finally, one woman seeks him out.

A pretty one, with her hair the color of honey, tangled way past her knees with her unable to cut it without any sharp object.

She demands a knife with a trembling voice and desperation laced with fear.

"Give it back soon." Says Dracula in his velvet voice as he gives her a dagger.

The woman never takes her eyes off of him as she backs away from the room, weapon held tightly in her hand.

By the end of the next week, most women have their hair cut, or braided into something new.

The honey-colored woman comes back with the dagger, placing it delicately in Vlad's outstretched hand. 

And she stays to talk.

A few years pass before most of the women warm up to Dracula, even if for him, it hadn't been much more than a blink.

They smile at him when he passes the corridors of his once gloomy castle, some wave to him, kneeled over the freshly planted potatoes in the gardens that once hosted the most exquisite of Louvre's hedges.

They come to him for his judgement, they trust him with their pleas and for his part, Dracula does his best to judge fairly. Years after Dracula's decision, the first woman wishes for more. He does not chase her away, even if his dark heart remains unchanged, curiosity driving him dangerously close to the edge of destiny's sword.

Vlad wonders if he should kill the woman before she can give birth to his descendant. If she were to bear a boy, the prophecy would come true and everything Dracula had done would have been for naught.

"It's a girl." announces one of the women as she comes out of the birth chamber, hands covered in blood up to her elbows. Vlad tries to not stare at them much as the relief washes over him.

A daughter, no son to slay him, no vengeance to come forth from his mother's mistreatment.

His plan is saved.

There are two more births that follow, and with each child being born a female Vlad grows more confident. Convinced he managed to beat the prophecy, he once again disappears into his tower.

He meets his daughters sometimes.

Pretty creatures, not a flaw to be seen on them. With hair the color of honey, mahogany and obsidian, they look at him with eyes of crimson and sunlight and moonlight, their sharpened ears uncovered proudly in the safety of his home, his vast galleries and libraries.

Dracula goes down deep into the guts of his castle and brings up the jewelry, old dress materials and sewing kits for them to use. He does not care what they do with the gift, but something like pride flashes in his eyes as he catches a glimpse of them covered in gold and silk.

As they grow, they get more and more bold, coming to his tower and asking questions about the world and life outside their castle.

Their Inquiries rarely go unanswered.

Dracula begins to let the mortal women go, the youngest of them past the age of her prime now. Some of them leave, but some of them stay, unwilling to uproot their lives again and comfortable with what they learned. Dracula begins to travel, living his years free of the burden of the prophecy, confident that his fate has finally been changed.

So when an angry woman shows up at the door of the castle, a three-year-old with crimson eyes' hand, gripped in hers, it comes as quite a surprise.

Dracula kills the woman, for she was not one of his, one of them, despite the claim she made upon Dracula's paternal role in the child's life. 

The daughters that greeted her warmly once she arrived had not known such violence before. They lick their lips and wrangle their hands at the sight of blood before them, and when Dracula sees that he gives them the woman's body to feast upon.

The boy is spared, if only for the foolishness of one of the women who rushes him outside when the carnage begins. 

He runs and when Vlad finds out about it, he flies after him in hot pursuit, but the boy is nowhere to be found. The prophecy protects him and fate is on his side and no matter where Dracula looks he cannot find him.

No harm befalls the woman who helped him, but upon hearing about the prophecy she weeps, for she did not know what calamity she brought upon her host. She leaves the castle in shame.

Three daughters of the Dracula grow hungry for blood, their beauty shining in its ethereal light brighter than before. Vlad feeds them and begins to teach them. Slowly but steadily he allows them entrance upon his dark and shrunken heart. They become his confidants as Dracula admits his defeat against the prophecy, preparing for the final act of the play. 

If his daughters showed promise even unattended, they shine with brilliance under his attention. Soon the castle is alive with the sound of magic, verbal disputes and turned pages.

When the child, now a man fully grown, comes back, bearing the Alucard title, Dracula steps forward to battle his destiny. He makes his daughters swear not to join him, and stay far away from the fight, for he had made arrangements for his knowledge to live on in them were he to fail.

Alucard is strong, but not as strong as his father.

He is quick, but not as quick as Dracula.

He is vengeful and drunk on the prophecy's promises, but not quite as desperate as Vlad is.

And yet, what finally brings The almighty Dracula to his knees is the fact that Alucard isn't quite as honorable as him.

When the edge of Alucard's blade rests against the honey-haired daughter of the Dracula he stops fighting.

After many years of undead existence, his daughters became his legacy, and he refuses to lose even a slight part of it.

Dracula's pause gives Alucard a chance to defeat him, and as he does that, all three daughters cry out in anguish.

Dracula's body caves in itself and turns to ash, and as Alucard lifts his fist in triumph, ready to claim the castle and all of its wealth as he was promised, he is met not with the radiant smiles of the saved woman but with weeping and sneers. The woman may have hardly loved the monster who kidnapped them, but his presence meant safety. It meant freedom to pursue what they desired, no mortal husband or any kin present to dictate their lives.

Three daughters of the Dracula weep the loudest, and through their tears they growl and hiss, blind in their rage. They chase Alucard out of the castle, the man unable to defend himself against their fury.

The brown and dark-haired ones stay on the stairs of the castle, but the honey-colored one chases Alucard to the edge of the woods, red droplets of blood flying from the spot where he threatened her. She almost gets him, her claws marking the tree, behind which he ducked with three deep lines.

And when the dust finally settles and the castle stops trembling with the sobs of the grieving women, they all come together to plan.

The rumors grow, ones of an imposing castle deep in the woods, that one day disappeared from all maps. 

Some say it's still there, just concealed with the magic of a really powerful witch, no matter what the church claims about having burned them all.

Others think it crumbled to the ground, unable to stand any more without its master there to keep it together. 

The Vatican claims to have destroyed it in the name of God, the village men grow bold enough to boast about the treasure they supposedly stole from there.

Alucard's tale grows, even as the man shrinks into itself, once his prophecy has been fulfilled and his sole reason to exist finally slayed. 

Very few remember Vlad Dracula's daughters, but there are traces of them left in the history.

Hushed female voices telling each other stories over the fire. Tales of the place where husbands' heavy hand won't ever reach. 

Rumors of libraries and workshops where all the knowledge is at your fingertips, your fate finally yours to choose.

Whispered clues to find the farthest tree on the south of the main road, its bark marked with three fine lines in the shape of the hand, and to march three hundred steps north of it.

And finally, three names to call forth when you reach the clearing, given to their daughters by the desperate mothers who wish for a better life to happen upon them.

Do you know the names? 

Did you ever have to call for them, deep in the night, three hundred steps away from the tree where a daughter almost avenged her father's death?

Don't you know the heart of greed and entitled desires? Have you ever heard of self-fulfilled prophecies? Didn't you see the hate in the eyes of the people?

Don't let them know.

Whisper the daughters names in the night, gain their strength. 

And don't let the world know where we are.

[rosecorcoranwrites]

Klaus, El Dorado, and The Liar Revealed

Mediocrity vs. Cliches

Around this time last year, when we were young, innocent, and oblivious of the horrors of 2020, people in internet circles were loosing their minds over a movie called Klaus. You have probably never heard of it, but if you had, it would have been by stumbling across it on Netflix or from hearing a YouTube reviewer singing it's praises.

The main reason people loved it was that it was traditionally animated. In fact, it's director, Sergio Pablos, worked on several Disney Renaissance films, and it shows. The animation is gorgeous. The character designs are stylized and unique. What I found the most pleasing was the color palette, which I would describe as pastel watercolor. The film is set in the Far North, and the dour scenes feel cold and depressing while the heartfelt scenes look warm and cozy. The film was a visual delight.

The story? Eh, it was ok.

The reviewers I watched tended to focus on the beautiful return-to-form animation that we rarely see in the days of 3-D animated films while not noticing, or ignoring, that the story was kind of blah. It was a typical "rich-kid-layabout will get cutoff if he doesn't prove himself", with a heaping helping of "The Liar Revealed", which is one of the most annoying tropes in the history of narrative, but we'll get to that later. There's also a subplot that's basically the Hatfields and McCoys, and a randomly villainous matriarch who decides to keep being the villain because... conflict, I guess? Sure, there were a few original ideas—mostly involving Klaus's wife and the couple's struggle with having children—but overall nothing to write home about. The "feelsy" moments were unearned; I felt nothing.

Now, you'll notice that in the previous paragraph, I described many cliches, but I would not describe Klaus as cliche. I would describe it as mediocre. As I said, it was an ok story, but only ok. The problem was that it took its cliches and painted by numbers, which is why it could never rise above mediocrity. A film that knows how to play with cliches—not even necessarily subverting them, but just getting creative with them—can rise to greater heights.

Cliches as Genre: Road to El Dorado

Let's look at another gorgeously 2-D animated film: The Road to El Dorado. This film, too, is rife with cliches: Europeans being mistaken for gods by a non-western civilization, a witch doctor (basically), going native, the Leyenda Negra, and so on. It also features the cliche of two scoundrels going on what is basically a buddy-comedy adventure. The thing about many of these cliches is that they are part of the genre. That genre is as general as "Adventure fiction", where it's not unusual to encounter witch doctors and native tribes and such, and as precise as "Road to" comedies of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, which El Dorado is unarguably a pastiche of. Simply read the "running gags" section about these films on Wikipedia and you have a blueprint for El Dorado.

And that's the point. El Dorado follows a number of cliches because those are staples of its genre. Cliches, contrary to popular opinion, are not only not an automatic flaw in, but are often essential to, a work, especially when those cliches are what make a story a recognizable example of the genre in question.

El Dorado, however, plays with it's cliches. Most notably, it portrays the natives as normal human beings, which, lets be honest, a lot of old-timey adventure fiction didn't do. Miguel, one of the two main characters, sees the beauty of the culture he and Tulio, the other lead, find themselves in. The "white men mistaken for gods" trope is also played with in that the chief of the tribe figures out rather quickly (or possibly always knew) that Miguel and Tulio are just normal men like himself.

Thankfully, the film never strays into noble-savage territory, which lesser stories stumble into in their attempt to make up for the racism of the past. The natives have personalities, flaws, and vices. Chel, the female lead, is a floozy and a thief who happily joins the con that Miguel and Tulio are pulling, which she sees through immediately. Tzekel-Kan, a priest of a human-sacrifice-loving religion, is not only a zealot, but also a murderer, in that he sacrifices his own assistant to summon up a Jaguar spirit to hunt down the two false gods (yeah, that happens. Seriously, if you haven't seen this movie, you're missing out!). The characters, both white and POC, are fleshed out and three dimensional.

Finally, there is the story itself, and it's conclusion. Let's compare it to Klaus.

Conclusions

For those who never saw it, Klaus ends with a Liar Revealed scene where the scheme of the main character, Jesper, is revealed, and all his friends frown at him despite him obviously having changed by that point. Then a chase scene happens so Jesper can prove he's really changed, then a reveal that there was no good reason for the chase scene to have happened, then the main character is forgiven for his honestly-not-that-bad previous lies.

The whole story boils down to rich-kid learns a lesson and opens his heart, giving up his richness for the true treasure of generosity. Unfortunately, a lot of that was derailed by the weird Hatfields-McCoys subplot, which felt cartoonish next to the heartfelt-ness the rest of the film was trying (and maybe failing...) to achieve. It felt forced, in that the film needed that subplot so the chase could happen, and they only needed that so the Liar Revealed could make up for his Revealed Lies. Bleh.

El Dorado was more organic. Miguel and Tulio, by the last third of the film, have grudgingly decided to go their separate ways, with Miguel deciding to stay in El Dorado (the city), which he has fallen in love with, and Tulio and Chel going off with a shipful of gold that they presumably sail back to Spain ("And buy Spain!"). These are not happy conclusions, as it means a break in their inseparable friendship.

But then, Cortez, the Big Bad, shows up! Note, unlike the Hatfield-McCoys in Klaus, he is introduced in the beginning of the film as an actual threat, and has an understandable goal: conquest and gold. Miguel and Tulio, knowing this, decide he has to be stopped. That's when Tulio—the objectively more greedy, in-it-for-himself, not-gone-native of the pair—realizes that the only way to save the city is to crash his boat into the columns at the city entrance. It's a good plan, but will mean that he has to sacrifice what he wants: gold. But he makes the sacrifice, because he has become more that just a guy lying about being a god for money.

But then the boat isn't going to make it fast enough because the sail is stuck! It's gonna crash, and not in the way they wanted! Miguel, who had fallen in love with El Dorado and was willing to part ways with his friend and treasure to stay there, as to ride out on his horse and jump onto the mast to unfurl the sail. He knows the ship will then whoosh towards the columns and the only entrance to his beloved city with be destroyed, stopping Cortez, but also blocking him from the city forever. But he makes the sacrifice, because he cares enough about the people in El Dorado to let them go, and enough about his friend to not let him smack into the columns and die.

The Liar Revealed: Why It's Bad

Those were the conclusions to each movie, but not the conclusion to this blog. We still haven't discussed why the liar revealed is so lame, and how to fix it.

First, what is it? Basically, Main Character lies about something—his motives, his identity, etc.—for a large chunk of the story, then somewhere around the third act, his lie is revealed! Usually, this means that all the other characters turn their back on him, literally and figuratively, because they can't imagine how he could do something so terrible. Then, he does something to prove his mettle and his heart, and then everyone forgives him.

And I hate it. I hate it for three particular reasons.

First, it is just a different version of the thing that happens in romcoms where the main couple should declare their love for each other, but because the writer wouldn't know what to do at that point, they introduce a stupid misunderstanding that could be cleared up in two seconds if the leads talked like grown-ups. The Liar Revealed is that stupid, tired trope, but for kids.

Second, the lie is sometimes understandable, or not even that bad. In Klaus, Jesper claimed to be trying to spread hope and good cheer by sending kids presents, but in reality, he was trying to rack up the number of packages/letters he sent to prove to his dad he wasn't a useless layabout. How... despicable? Is it though? And can't he do both? He literally did, and he could have said so, except that the movie pulled a romcom and he got seperated from his friends before being able to explain that it started out mercenary and then quickly grew into the real deal. Even if it hadn't, though, like... is wanting to prove that your not a gutless layabout a bad thing? I don't get it.

Third is when the lie might be bad, but it's too late to care. In A Bug's Life, the colony learns that the so called warriors that Flik brought them are actually circus performers, so they have a reason to be miffed. Then again, they learn this on the eave of the day the grasshoppers will come to murder them all, and as Flik says, his bird doohickey will work. Not only does the colony have no reason to doubt this, they have no better options. Get all frowny and turn your backs on him after you lose the battle tomorrow, cause you have no time for such romcom drama tonight.

The Liar Revealed: When It's Good

Now, just because the Liar Revealed is awful doesn't mean that we can't keep having liars who eventually prove that they've changed in our fiction. But we don't have to follow the same tired trope.

For example, Over the Hedge has the Liar of RJ the Raccoon be Revealed, but saves the fallout between him and the other animals for a later action sequence, with hilarious results. Watch Schaffrillas Productions's video “Why Over the Hedge is Surprisingly Good” for a more detailed explanation of how this trope is dealt with in this film.

Or we have Tangled, where Eugene, by rights, should follow the Liar Revealed trajectory. He starts off scruffy and selfish, then slowly falls for Rapunzel and her good and pure outlook on life. He goes to give the Stabbington brothers the swiped crown that he no longer desires, but gets conked on the head by Gothel, who tells Rapunzel that he left with it cause he was just using her. We have a misunderstanding; we have a Rapunzel sadly walking away from the "liar"; we have the trappings of the last act of a romcom. But then, the real liar is revealed: Mother Gothel! And as soon as Rapunzel knows this, she never doubts Eugene, because that would be boring and nonsensical.

Finally, we have Road to El Dorado, with two liars, Miguel and Tulio, who are pretending to be gods to get wealth and adventure. They change over the course of the film to care about something more. They prove this change in a climactic scene We have all of the Liar Revealed, except for the reveal. There is no scene where everyone in the city frown and turns their backs, because that's not needed. The story isn't about the characters earning the forgiveness of the community like in Klaus, or proving themselves like in A Bug's Life. It's about two dudes who are scoundrelly friends going on an adventure, becoming a little less scoundrelly, and remaining friends. In the end, they both gave up what they wanted, but that's ok, because they have each other. Is it cliche? You bet! But that's way better than being mediocre.

[vagrantblvrd]

This is so ~Evil witch/queen/witch queen??? I cannot.

Lindsay in her ~evil castle atop a mountain shrouded in mist and a magical storm that never ends creating the first obstacle of many to any who dare seek her out?

Plot twistn in that she just doesn’t like soliciters and also isn’t ~technically Evil(TM), just misunderstood?

Also/or early attempts at magic went horribly wrong - accidental tranfigurations and such and she just noped out of there real fast because oops and yikes and well this is going to be awkward to explain? after fixing things and doesn’t realize for the longest time she’s earned a reputations as a scourge upon the land?

But when she does she’s like “Badass,” and turns her cute little mountaintop cottage in its clearing by a mountain stream-fed pool into the aforeentioned castle with the neverending storm andwhatnot.

Those who have come seeking to end her ~Reign of Terror(TM) include Michael, a warrior (secretly a werebear), Gavin, a knight (family cursed to turn into the things they hated most, i.e. dragons at the full moon or some other dramatic shit like that and he’s the last of their bloodline who’s learned to embrace that side of him so like magically induced weredragon???), and mercenary/assassin Meg (totally human, and totally badass, but like, sekrit weakness is kitties, of which Lindsay has roughly a shit ton of wandering about her castle.)

(Also, they may or may not be in a relationship because look,  these things just happen sometimes, okay? But also the ~battles beore hand that got weird because Lindsay’s saying things like “Oh, no, he’s hot” and “Oh no, she’s hot,” and other such things while battling that are like “uh, what?”while the previous challengers are on the sidelines like, dude, yeah, he/she so is, and betting on the outcome of said battle. Smooch or no smooch after being pinned becasue Lindsay? and so on.)

Also, Ryan who went looking for his business partner Meg after she went missing saying she was looking for this dumbass knight who also went missing and now he gets paid to come up with new and interesting obstacles for any daring trespass in Lindsay’s domain?

(Matt’s there too, journeyman wizard who got lost and ended up at Lindsay’s castle and helps Ryan with the obstacles/death traps and upkeep of magical stuff like living hedges shaped like animals and suchlike beause why not, really.)

Trevor and Alfredo work for King Geoff and his ~consort Jack next kingdom over and often come by to deliver messages, have a cup of tea and warn about some new batch of ~heroes about to challenge Lindsay usually escorted by guard/knight Jeremy?

Fiona is totally one of those heroes, and sticks around when Lindsay offers to teach her magic and the whatnot?

And then, idk, I lost the thread again, but yes???

They’re all harmless for the most part, but when actual baddies show up they’re faced with terrifyingly powerful witch/queen/witch queen??? Lindsay, a werebear, weredragon, pair of mercs/assassings, a couple of magc users and other manner of people/enchanted creations and scuh and regret their life choices pretty much immediately because wow, yes.

Also, Geoff is just So Tired when some idiot warns him of Lindsay’s boundless treachery and the whatnot when she sends gifts to his court, such as enchanted shrubbery - it’s a good doggo that’s saved his life from assassination attempts at least twice - and whispered rumors that she’s planning to have him killed and take his kingdom for her own, because like. Along with shubbery doggo she sends delicious baked goods and pops by - magical portals and whatnot - for chats and the like a couple of times a week and if they only knew, you know?

(Also, Geoff is just So Tired in general, so yeah.)

[unhowl]

🖤 pinned post time! for the sake of mobile users, an abridged version of my rules & a complete copy/paste of my muse roster is beneath the cut! if you could use more information, it’s on my blog when you’re next at a desktop.

RULES

— about: bard - 26 - they/he - white - spoonie - various brainworms — all warnings and triggers are tagged appropriately including not safe for work — don’t be weird, racist or otherwise awful; also, no minors please — i love memes! send me memes! encourage me to send you memes! — i don’t care how you format but i don’t use small text and rarely use icons

MUSE ROSTER

please note: not all muses have faceclaims, or use their canon faceclaims. none of these muses are straight and a good chunk of them are trans. i canon diverge fairly often but that doesn’t really matter until we plot.

CINEMA

CINEMA

leerie, jack - mary poppins returns - fc: lin-manuel miranda he/him | biromantic, ace-spec | human | lamplighter, lightly magic bartolomei, mambrú - a perfect day fc: benicio del toro he/him | bisexual | human | aid worker cromwell, luke - chokeslam - fc: michael eklund he/him | bisexual | human | freelance graphic designer gillick, alejandro - sicario - he/him - fc: benicio del toro he/him | bisexual (not openly) | human | mercenary, assassin, disrupter lane, mike - magic mike - fc: tba he/him | bisexual | human | carpenter and part time dancer rockatansky, max - mad max - fc: tba he/him | bisexual | human | former road warrior, drifter

GAMES

arainai, zevran - dragon age - fc: in-game he/him | bisexual | elf | spy/assassin anders - dragon age ii - he/him - fc: in-game he/him | bisexual | human | former warden; on the run attano, corvo - dishonored - fc: in-game he/him | bisexual | human |  bull, the iron - dragon age: inquisition - fc: jason momoa he/him | bisexual | qunari | mercenary carver - la by night - fc: taliesin jaffe he/him | gay | vampire | spy, anarchist de rolo, percy - critical role - fc: tba he/him | bisexual | human | lord of whitestone gascoigne - bloodborne - fc: in-game he/him | bisexual | human, sort of | beast hunter, infected miller, joel - the last of us - fc: john cho he/him | bisexual | human | just trying to survive porter bridges, sam - info - death stranding - fc: norman reedus he/him | gay, demisexual | human with DOOMS | delivery man regis, emiel - the witcher 3 & books - fc: in-game he/they | bisexual | vampire | barber, herbalist sol, pumat - critical role - fc: tba he/him | gay | firbolg | shop keeper, wizard strife, cloud - final fantasy 7- fc: in-game he/him | gay | human | mercenary tealeaf, mollymauk - critical role - fc: hale appleman he/they | bisexual | tiefling | circus performer, swindler, mercenary

LITERATURE

black, sirius - harry potter - fc: hale appleman he/they | gay | human | unemployed, wizard deschain, roland - the dark tower - fc: idris elba he/him | bisexual | human | gunslinger everdeen, katniss - the hunger games - fc: tba she/her | gay | human | rebel, hunter graham, will - red dragon - fc: andre holland he/him | bisexual (not openly) | human | former fbi, boat mechanic kadmin, dimitri - altered carbon - fc: various they/them | bisexual | augmented human | assassin for hire wicker, julia - the magicians trilogy - fc: tba she/her | bisexual | human | hedge witch, goddess-y

OTHER

bautista, lincoln - original character - fc: alfonso herrera he/him | gay | human, immortal | witch cavendish, laszlo - dracula but an oc - fc: tba he/him | gay | vampire | property developer darkfeather, marilou - original character - fc: jason momoa he/they | bisexual | vampire | drifter earp, wyatt - info - historical/fantasy - fc: anson mount he/him | bisexual | hollow | beast hunter wildgrube, fenrir - mythology/fantasy - fc: michael eklund he/him | bisexual | monstrous wolf | that fenrir zidane, dihya - original character - fc: sophia boutella she/they | bisexual | human | artist

TELEVISION 

alderson, elliot - mr robot - fc: rami malek he/him | bisexual | human | hacker, currently unemployed castle, frank - the punisher - he/him - fc: jon bernthal he/him | bisexual | human | he's the punisher coldwater, quentin - the magicians - he/him - fc: jason ralph he/him | bisexual | human | teacher, magician dipierro, dominique - mr robot - fc: grace grummer she/her | gay | fbi agent earp, willa - wynonna earp - fc: tba they/she | bisexual | unemployed, tired earp, wynonna - wynonna earp - fc: tba she/her | bisexual (not openly) | black badge-ish, demon hunter flint, james - black sails - fc: toby stephens he/him | bisexual |  hale, derek - teen wolf - fc: tyler hoechlin he/him | bisexual | werewolf (beta) | he does not have a "job" hobbs, abigail - hannibal - fc: kacey rohl she/her | bisexual | human | college student, bartender house, gregory - house, md - fc: hugh laurie he/him | gay | human | doctor keane, marcus - the exorcist - fc: ben daniels he/him | bisexual | human | (former) exorcist lightwood, alec - shadowhunters - he/him - fc: david castañeda he/him | gay |  luther, john - luther - fc: idris elba he/him | bisexual | human | (former) police macy, rick - in the flesh - fc: david walmsley he/him | gay | risen human (zombie) | army veteran madani, dinah - the punisher - fc: golshifteh farahani she/her | bisexual | human | agent for dhs monroe, simon - in the flesh - fc: emmett scanlan he/him | gay | risen human (zombie) | antiques shop staff mccall, scott - info - teen wolf - fc: tyler posey he/him | bisexual | werewolf (alpha) | community college poe - altered carbon - fc: chris conner he/it | gay | artificial intelligence | hotel and hotelier scofield, michael - info - prison break - fc: wentworth miller he/him | bisexual | human | volakis, amber - house, md - fc: anne dudek she/her | bisexual | human | doctor

VOICETESTING

alexopoulos, justice - original character - fc: tba deet - the dark crystal: age of resistance (tv) - fc: in-show/nathalie emmanuel karev, alex - grey's anatomy (tv) - fc: justin chambers scythia, andromache of - the old guard (movie) - fc: charlize theron spencer, eliot - leverage (tv) - fc: tba vance, eleanor - the haunting of hill house (book) - fc: isabelle adjani

[bedlamgames]

Q&A #106

Today we’ve got humans masquerading as dwarves, learning to dance, bimbos, girly goblins not being girly enough, an extended digression on titles, and more.

[ Anonymous said:] Bug for NH 0.912: The Female Fallen Dwarf portrait shows the Female Fallen Human portrait when selecting your slaver. I downloaded the 3 times and checked it is was on a fresh start or just because of quick restart, but it always appears this way.

- That’s because there currently isn’t one for that combo so the current fallen lady human portrait is needing to work overtime. Do have some good news on that front. I’ve been trying to work out for ages what I was going to do with the portaits that need all these variants as it’s a lot of content needed. However I think I’ve found someone now though who might be up for taking on the challenge and they’ve started work on their first set of portrait+variations. 

[ Anonymous said:]  [no haven 0.912] so I have the harmony trait, and just had a start with 3 normal humans and 1 centaur, I thought harmony was supposed to make the field of starting slavers broader?

- It does increase the variation however humans are still relatively common so you’re still going to see more of them than many of the other races. 

[ Anonymous said:] [no haven 0.912] would it be possible to make the strict supervision(sub) and its dom counterpart able to assign slavers to the MC? I kinda want to just have slavers as my personal subby bitches for dual assignments etc., also a bug seems to still exist where I enslave and sell the owner of a draki maid, but she still stays flagged as owned and spawns her "former" own in as a new slaver or slave occassionally and takes them on assignments with them causing the influence of that "ghosts" traits. (There were several more follow ups as things got more and more broken)

- You can do that right now without needing the aspect if you assign them to be your bedwarmer. Other one should be fix for this update. 

[ Anonymous said:]  [no haven 0.912] I kinda forgot if there is an assignment where the MC slaver can get the dancer perk, was there one or am I confused?

- Imperial Muses currently. Sure there will be others in future. It’s also possible to get it through corruption so theoretically you could get it from any assignment result that can apply corruption. Not something to be  counted than though as corruption.  

[ Anonymous said:]  [no haven 0.912] would it be possible to get bimboborn as a crit result from advanced bimbo training if other requirements (like exquisite fellatrix etc) are met as well? kinda annoying that I can't get myself a bimboborn stack anymore cause corruptions almost never trigger it

- Given the mystical element to the way the aspect works I’d prefer to keep Bimboborn as a rare corruption result. Saying that review of the training results is doing well in the current patreon direction polling so if that wins I’ll see about giving that an additional reward that will hopefully be just as appealing. 

[ Anonymous said:]  [no haven 0.912] so I remember you saying that once you get the golem from tyrannical legacy the quest shouldn't trigger again, well, it did, and I'm currently attempting to get a 2nd copy imgur /QoSPzHE

- Will check. Thank you!

[ Anonymous said:]  Ground forced encounters for an hour with five max-gold slavers, one of which was a Dominator. Couldn't get puppet leader to fire. Think it's still busted.

- You’re right. Is fixed for the upcoming update. 

[ Anonymous said:] Is there any reason that the "Trade Prince" portrait for male goblin can't take feminine, or is that just an oversight?

-  Was indeed an oversight. I’ve made that available for him and some others for the update. 

[ Anonymous said:]  Any chance to add potion or something to cure Cum Addict? Sometimes Orc slavers tend to go hard on single slave that you may want to promote, and there is still a problem with slavers joining with that thing on (may or may not be related with them appearing during/at the end of Orc Cum Addict, or maybe I am getting really unlucky rolls...)

- Not outright cure it once having been through the full training however likely sure when I do potions properly for the increasing levels of cum thirst. In the update there’s also a encampment upgrade which can help (or possibly hurt) with that. 

[ Anonymous said: ] "Outfit: Wrought Extra-padded Iron Mercenary Wear (Decorated with Lots of Lace, Greaves, Reinforced Spike-heeled Boots, Shiny Stockings, Cloak with Hood - quality) +46" Bugged description, does not show type of quality

- Thanks for the spot. 

[ From the Discord:]  Idea: Since XP stops being useful for Supreme-level slavers, maybe every 1000 additional XP or so, they could get a temporary crit buff for a few days? Could call it "experience insight" or something.

-  I'm still thinking about doing that level above with the super aspects

[ From the Discord:]  hey, quick question, how does one get a mystic troll slaver? (which spun out into a discussion about those titles)

- yeah the idea was to give alternate more thematic titles to slavers  on generation other than well slaver to give a quick hey this is what this slaver is good at prompt. 

Any with a * won't apply to those races which would always have those traits:

Terrifying* - Chosen

Were - Lycanthrope

Flying* - Skybreaker

Trainer - Master/Mistress

(M:Co) - Warlock / Fel-Mistress (Succubi) 

(M: Na) - Hedge-Wizard / Hedge-Witch 

(M:Bt) - Blightomancer 

(M:Ar) - Mage 

(M:Il) - Trickster 

(M:Bi) - Shaper 

(M:Su) - Spirit Singer 

Monster* -  Vanquisher (Golem) / Goliath / Hellion 

(E:Ea)/(E:Wa) - Mystic 

(E:Li) - Spark Thief 

(E:Fi) - Pyromancer 

(E:Ai) - Wind Twister 

Dominator - Thrall Binder 

Hypnotic - Entrancer 

Healer - Acolyte 

Psionic - Psion 

Tracker+Trapper - Hunter 

Tracker - Tracker (Such an obscure out there choice) 

Fleet - Outrider 

Loner+Seductive - Agent 

Beastmaster - Beastmaster (Again so obscure) 

Thug - Mook 

Bimbo - Bimbo (Which could mean anything really) 

Fel Tainted+Tentacles - Abomination 

There's also all the uniques who tend to have their own alternatives to Slaver

[stumblingsbalderdash]

“Cassandra Pentaghast has always walked the righteous path, never waving from her duties. Bound and determined, she must find answers for the Divine's death, she needed to find justification for the horrors of the conclave. The Valo-kas must be responsible, their eclectic group must have harbored a terrorist. Like most mercenary groups, the Valo-kas made up of criminals ,vagabonds, pirates, and venal characters. Cassandra never trusted mercenaries, they were uncouth and distasteful and should shackled in iron. Until she interrogates a coquettish Tevinter rogue with a coy smile.”

                                               Chapter One: 

                                        Maker, Forgive Them.

There was a weight upon the Seeker, descending to the dark dungeons below Haven’s chantry. The Divine was dead, the conclave shattered, the burden of rectification fell to her and few others. Cassandra wore her pride like a cloak; which had become heavy with the weight of obligation.

Determination, as well as focus, were requisite for her duties. She had worked her way through several interrogations, each as unfruitful and frustrating as the one before. The dark-haired warrior nodded to the guards snapping to attention as she neared the cell that would be the place of her next interrogation. Even outside the reinforced door, she could hear the dragging of heavy chains and muffled yelling. She inhaled sharply, narrowed her hazel eyes, then signaled the guards to open the door.

The sounds thrown into sharp relief as the second the door opened, rising to a crescendo before cutting off completely as all the occupants eyes fell on Cassandra. The prisoner, bound and kneeling on the cold stone floor, stilled for a moment, her body was coiled and tense. Her full lips drew back over her bared teeth. Cassandra had been witness to many hunts, of humans, animals and even things beyond; she was familiar with the sight of a cornered animal. Unpredictable, dangerous and wild. The bound prisoner’s appearance was similar to an enraged cobra, coiled, tense, waiting to strike.

“Ferocity means little once you are chained to the floor,Tevinter.” Cassandra began to pace, hands clasped tightly behind her back.

“Vishante kaffas!” The prisoner spat over the rasping of chains, “Again and again I am plagued by ignorance! Tell me, my lovely incompetent one, are there any other charges keeping me in your gracious hospitality? If not, I shall spare both our time and dignity and take my leave. I am not a magister.” Cassandra circled in upon the prisoner, hands fisting at her sides spurred on by exhaustion and frustration.

“Lies! You are the daughter of Magister Victoria Aurelius! You were involved with the ruination of the conclave…or is it just a coincidence that Tevinter nobility has a front row seat to the Divine’s assassination?” Cassandra’s words were met with a short silence, then a dark chuckle. The woman rolled her neck around slowly, eliciting several muffled cracks before looking up into Cassandra’s face just inches away from her own.The prisoner held her flaxen gaze just a moment too long, supple lips parted in a deliberate smirk. The change in her demeanor was so sudden that even steadfast Cassandra was thrown. The warrior wrenched herself back, and turned from the prisoner in order to change her interrogation tactics. Perhaps Cassandra imagined the second low, dark laugh that erupted from the tawny woman.

“We could do this all night, if you so choose,” she purred her lips curling, “and I couldn’t tell you how many times I've been detained upon my mother’s merit. But, as I've told you before, you vexatious bitch,” despite her words her tone remained honeyed, until her face contorted angrily; her next words were an insistent yell, “I AM NOT A MAGE!” She pulled against her chains once more as if to hurl herself at the Seeker.

Cassandra rounded upon her once more, this time grabbing the woman’s soft leather jerkin and hoisted her roughly up until the bindings stopped her short. The warrior ignored the foreign curses and shouts of protest.

“Stop lying! Why are you so far down south!? What purpose did the Divine’s assassination serve the magistrate!” Cassandra patience wore thin, her face flushed with anger.

“Cassandra, Stop! This is going nowhere.” Cassandra’s head whipped around to see the spymaster, Leliana, had silently slipped into the dark room. She acknowledged the new arrival with a curt nod. Leliana advanced, holding up a letter with a broken seal. “She isn't lying, she is a chemist from The University of Orlais.” Leliana cautiously approached the prisoner, stepping past Cassandra who grunted disbelievingly. The prisoner remained silent, her golden eyes flicked restlessly between the Seeker and Spymaster. “Your name is Belvantia Aurelius of Minrathous…correct?”

“Oh, how well informed you are,” Belvantia said sardonically, “you managed to dig up the same thing I've been yelling at these southern dogs for the better part of an hour.” Leliana ignored her as the guards shifted uncomfortably around them.

“Your mother is wanted criminal in Tevinter, Seheron, and Orlais. It's an odd coincidence her daughter is present during the Divine’s assassination,” she pressed softly eyebrow hitching as she looked expectantly at Belvantia.

“I haven’t seen my bitch of mother in almost a decade. If she was involved, I wouldn't know!” Her eyes flicked disdainfully over Leliana. “I'd say your incompetence as an informer surprises me, but from what I've seen that seems to be the standard for the south.” her glare flicked back towards the Nevarran warrior. Cassandra, tiring of the gentle new tactic, rushed past Leliana, grabbing Belvantia roughly by the shoulder. The woman’s laden necklace clanked loudly under Cassandra’s attention.

“Watch. Your. Tongue,” she snarled, earning a halfhearted sneer from their captive.

“My tongue?” Belvantia asked mockingly, eyes lighting up, her eyebrows quirked with mischief. Cassandra eyed her warily, hand loosening her hold on the tawny shoulder.

“Cassandra, is it? You have such strong hands, Cassandra,” she seductively purred. Cassandra’s hand twitched off Belvantia’s shoulder in surprise as she felt a flush crawl up her neck. Belvantia leaned forward, heavy jewelry clinking against her full bust. “You can do a lot of things with hands like those.” The heat rose from Cassandra’s neck, creeping around the sides of her face. Momentarily stymied, the warrior scoffed, turning away to hide her embarrassment until she could regain composure. Leliana handed the Seeker a report, which she scanned quickly before resuming her interrogation.

“This says you are traveling with the Qunari,” Cassandra said curtly, carefully keeping her eyes on the paper and away from the dark woman ,whose eyes she knew were still intent upon her. “Why is that?”

“I work for her! They needed a chemist!” Belvantia spat, settling back on her tucked legs. “They needed someone who researches and experiments with the properties of chemical substances.” An edge of pride entered into her speech. “I am Theoretical chemist, I explore scientific ideas and theories in an attempt to more fully explain chemical reactions.”

“Is that what happened at the conclave? A chemical explosion, science!” Cassandra exclaimed, raising her hand for a moment as if to strike Belvantia.

“No, you uneducated zealot! Chemistry is used to create potions that emulate magic, It isn’t sufficient enough to blow up the fucking sky!” She hissed, craning away from the Seeker. Leliana broke her quiet observance to duck between them, firmly halting Cassandra's advance.

“Cassandra stop. This isn't helping. You should check on the qunari apostate. She has regained consciousness, and is prepped for interrogation.”

Cassandra stood for a moment in frustrated indecision before storming towards the door. “ I will check in with Solas, perhaps he has more answers,” She grunted, wrenching the wooden door shut behind her. Belvantia’s eyes lingered on the door before turning back to Leliana.

“I only need to confirm a few things,” Leliana began, crouching down to her eye level. The spy brushed the woman’s dark hair aside. “You are not what I expected.” She examined the Tevinter carefully. Belvantia, suddenly overcome by exhaustion, gave her a begrudging shrug.

“The Dalish apostate and warrior also belong to your mercenary group?” Belvantia regarded her with apprehension before giving her a curt nod.

“Yes. Soli is a hedge-witch from Rivian and Mani is from a clan in Southern Ferelden, but we all travel together.” Belvantia squared her shoulders, though both her and the spymaster knew any attempt at intimidation on her part would fail.

“If you're hurting them, I swear I'll use your pretty face for target practice, you-“

“We just need to confirm their identification,” Leliana cut her off gently. There was a heavy silence between them before Belvantia spoke.

“Is Herah- is the Qunari apostate going to live?” The spymaster was quiet for a few moments, measuring up her prisoner before sighing wearily.

“We don’t know.” She shook her head, and pushed herself back up before heading to the door. “I can't promise anything, but I will try to keep you updated.” She pulled the heavy door shut behind her.

                                                   I will update shortly lovelies <3 

[eng2100]

blog 04 - avatar (the one with the blue people not the last airbender)

preface

I went into this with absolutely no feelings about this movie beyond the absurdity of how many sequels it’s apparently going to get. As an artist, I find the visual effects extremely impressive even to this day, but as a storyteller, I thought this story was almost so inoffensive that it’s offensive. 

However, I think that engaging with things in good faith is a good way to find ways to expand your horizons and thoughts, and I like to enjoy things despite my dad’s insistence that I like to not enjoy things. (It’s not that I like to not like things, it’s that it’s easier to entertain people when it’s a bad review. Tough crowd.) I’m a firm believer in the idea that cerebral analysis of media adds to the joy of consumption rather than takes away from it, so let’s dive right in.

I like structure, so we’re gonna layer it like a delicious theme cake. 

1. the elephant in the room

Everyone has seen Pocohontas. Everyone has seen Dancing With Wolves. I’m not really here to rehash arguments, but I think getting into this movie without addressing what first comes to everyone’s mind when they think about it is pretty much impossible. The “White Savior” trope is more or less a narrative cliche in which a noble white person will take a stand against the Bad White People on the side of a sympathetic oppressed people-- Native Americans see this plotline probably the most, but black people still see it today every now and then (Green Book got nominated for a lot of Oscars, after all. The hunger is there for easily digestible feel-good race relation drama.) Wikipedia sums up the White Savior trope better than I could, so here it is:

“At the cinema, the white savior narrative occupies a psychological niche for most white people, as an expression of their latent desire for interracial goodwill and reconciliation. By presenting stories of racial redemption, involving black people and white people professing to reach across racial barriers, Hollywood is catering to a mostly white audience who believe themselves unfairly victimized by non-white ethnic groups, because they are culturally exhausted with the unfinished national discourse about race and ethnicity in the society of the United States. Hence, films featuring the narrative trope of the white savior have notably similar storylines, which present an ostensibly nobler approach to race relations, but offer psychological refuge and escapism for white Americans seeking to avoid substantive conversations about race, racism, and racial identity. In this way, the narrative trope of the white savior is an important cultural artifact, a device to realize the desire to repair the social and cultural damage wrought by the myths of white supremacy and paternalism, regardless of the inherently racist overtones of the white-savior narrative trope.“

Native Americans factor into this most significantly in the case of Avatar-- aliens in movies are hardly ever just aliens. Whether they represent an oppressed underclass (District 9), childhood innocence (E.T.), or fear of foreign invasion (War of the Worlds), aliens are an easy vessel to carry almost any idea you want them to. So if the Na’vi are more or less an ideological stand-in for Native Americans during the conquest of America, our protagonist Jake is the future space cowboy to the Cowboys and Indians In Space.

Both Jake and Grace sort of fall in and out of the White Savior space-- ultimately Grace condescends to the Na’vi a little more and she has a more complete character arc that ends with her transcending this trope, but Jake is whole hog in it. He’s like, the legendary prophecy warrior. He’s The Guy. 

(Pictured above: The Guy)

James Cameron grapples pretty hard with the White Savior trope-- he never truly goes one way or another about it and the concept of Avatars-- as in the Na’vi bodies that Jake and company jump into-- significantly...well, complicates the idea of race relations in this movie. There are certainly some uncomfortable ideas about identity wrapped up in the concept of body swaps (if this idea interests you, Altered Carbon is a really good read), but re: the readings and lectures, the concept kind of works towards what is ultimately the broad takeaway of the movie.

In summary: no, we’re not doing this whole review about White Guilt in Space. Now that that’s out of the way...

2. james cameron predicted late stage capitalism

Imperialism

"The policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies."

Avatar is about imperialism. This is as broad and pointed a theme as you can get from a movie that draws such heavy inspiration from Native American and Aboriginal cultures. Interestingly enough, the movie’s futuristic setting goes hand in hand with the commentary about the military and Western Imperialism. 

The company in Avatar, and all the almost comedically evil military men, are very brazen about their lack of ideological purpose. They are on Pandora for money. They are being paid to go to Pandora to take its resources-- the delightfully named “Unobtanium” in specific. As mentioned in the reading, Unobtanium is valuable for its properties as a superconductor, and I’m not a STEM kid, so I’ll leave it at that for simplicity’s sake. 

That the mercenary force on Pandora is so open about their exploitative intentions draws an interesting parallel to the world of today that’s maybe a touch haunting, considering that Avatar came out some years ago. In politics, at least up until now, you notice the use of a few common euphemisms as smokescreens for more extreme ideas-- for example, the Right’s: “protecting American jobs”. 

Protecting American jobs is a euphemism for racism against Mexicans-- it was the most common smokescreen reasoning for the border wall pre-Trumpian politics. Trump and company have since dropped the euphemism all together. The death of a euphemism usually means that the euphemism is no longer culturally or socially required-- you can just come out and say whatever horrible thing you mean. In Avatar’s universe, it’s clear that the political-economic climate has come to a point where they can just say that they’re there to steal the Na’vi’s resources whether they like it or not.

The movie and the lecture both draw specific attention to the parallels the film draws explicitly between military tactics used in the movie, and real-world events. “Shock and Awe”, a tactic coined by the Bush era, is referenced in exact terms-- it being a display of overwhelming force intended to break the fighting spirit of the enemy. The commander character whose name I just read but I can’t remember now says that he is a veteran of both Venezuela and Nigeria-- both real world locations in which the U.S. has invaded and destabilized for material interests under the guise of American ideology. 

In Avatar, we see the thin veneer of “freedom and democracy” as the driving forces of U.S. intervention stripped away explicitly. The opening narration of Jake’s arrival to Pandora has him say that “on Earth, these men were soldiers fighting for freedom...but here, they’re mercenaries”, however, the line between a supposed freedom fighter and a mercenary is borderline nonexistent. 

3. western scientific objectivism sucks

Another current running through Avatar is the juxtaposition of what is “real” with what is “unreal-- aka Western objectivity science versus belief systems. This is embodied in the character of Grace, a scientist and anthropologist who has been researching Na’vi culture for some time. The reading characterizes her as “the happy face of liberalism” that tries to put a nice coat of paint over the same imperialist ideas that the more blunt military types embody-- she is kinder to the Na’vi and sees their culture and planet as worth preserving, but she is ultimately dismissive of their beliefs and of Eywa (”pagan voodoo”) the same as the other mercenaries.

We’re gonna put on tinfoil hats for a little bit here to make a relation between Western culture (imperialism and colonialism) and capitalism and paganism. Are you ready?

Okay.

So you know how they burned witches at the stake at the onset of the Industrial Age in America and the pagan practices of “hedge magic” were pretty much obliterated? I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Capitalism is a system that can only operate materialistically-- people aren’t “people” but “workers”, and the concept of magic and belief exists in terms that capitalism can’t define, and more importantly, can’t exploit. So witches were burned and women were placed with great reinforcement back into domesticity, where their function in capitalism was to give birth to and rear new workers.

You can see this dichotomy between the science of objectivity (what is “real”) and belief systems (what is “unprovable”, “unobservable”) in the way Grace uses scientific terms to justify the Na’vi’s spirituality. A very powerful through-line can be seen in the way that imperialism, capitalism, materialism, and objective science intersect. Their interconnected natural collective consciousness is like the raw function of a brain to her, likened to a network. It isn’t until Grace is mortally wounded and experiences the Na’vi’s healing ceremony that she is able to transcend the capitalistic, materialistic terms for definition for Eywa to have a spiritual experience, and to become one with Eywa herself (”she’s real.”)

In a plot that hinges on the material (Unobtainium) interests of a capitalist mercenary force, the ultimate refutation of this is the Na’vi’s spiritual values.

4. avatar: endgame

So what is this all working towards? Well, the idea of an interconnected spirituality like Eywa. The idea takes root in geomantic ideas, more commonly known as “feng shui”-- it’s sort of the concept of an earthly energy, a flow that moves through and connects the Earth and its people and creatures. The strange braid cord things that allow the Na’vi to interface with certain points and other creatures is a very straightforward metaphor for that concept of feng shui and geomancy.

Here we come back around to the concept of Jake as the White Savior/chosen one/The Guy. It’s kind of obtuse, but the general theory is that Eywa chose Jake as a sign that all peoples must needs transcend their boundaries and become one with the larger concept that Eywa represents. This of course comes packaged with an urgent environmental message-- our life is that of the planet, and to exploit and sacrifice one is to sacrifice the other.

Pandora, Eywa, and the Na’vi represent the polar opposite of everything that capitalist imperialism is. Thus, James Cameron, ironically, used a huge budget Hollywood endeavor to refute everything that Hollywood is. Now he’s making Alita: Battle Angel. 

Funny how that works. Oh, I made myself sad.

[oonajaeadira]

Sunday Seven: September 19

In an effort to read more fic and support more fic and get through my massive to-read list, I wanted to do a post once a week to hype some stuff I’m liking.

And, because I like a theme and want to love up all my boys, each Sunday will list one fic featuring each of my favorite boys--Din, Ez, Pero, Jack, Javi, and Frankie. I know there are amazing fics out there featuring other characters, (which is why I’ll keep the seventh spot open for wild card), these are just the boys I love reading the most and occupying the most real estate on my to-read list.

💖indicates love for soft 🔥indicates spicy stuff

DIN: The Diner by @nolanell 💖 Well this got me right in the soft spots. Modern AU with sheriff!Din and officer!Vanth and it is sweet as the pie I'm sure they serve at this diner.

EZRA: Sacellum by @insomniamamma 💖 Five things. There's a moment of pure anxiety in this that is just brilliant. Protective!Ezra comes with his own warning. Sharing a pod at night with Ezra and Cee is kind of my idea of heaven. The end moment is kind of my favorite thing this week. And J, as always, is a very very good writer.

PERO: The Hedge Witch and the Mercenary by @grogusmum 💖 I love a good soft Tovar fic. Oh to be a hedge witch in a little village selling tinctures and herbs and be followed home by a curious mercenary. To smile your way into his heart. To fill his sleep with pretty songs.

JACK: Crimson Rose by @brandyllyn 💖 I love a good soulmate AU, and this is a good soulmate AU. In this instance, you're marked whenever your soulmate is harmed. The marks manifest as flowers and when your soulmate's a Stateman...well, you're bound to be covered in a few.

JAVI: Tracing the Route by @clan-djarin 💖 This is gorgeous. Soft, mutual pining, Javi being his doe-eyed self, not being able to leave you...it's just pretty. And written heartbeat by heartbeat, visual by way of the want. I love this.

FRANKIE: What’s Left When All That’s Left Is You? by @imtryingmybeskar  This is a real amazing kick in the gut. This is Frankie on a bad day, dealing poorly with his addiction, which is his way of dealing poorly with his PTSD. It's hard to see him hurt this way. But the writing is so brilliant. It's worth the hurt to want better for him and wonder if it will ever really come..

WILD CARD - MAX PHILLIPS: Airport by @honestly-shite  So when Max says he loves you with a sticky note...that's totally a Max move. But then. Maia takes this cheesy ass dude and a cheesy ass premise AND MAKES IT ANYTHING BUT. She just made me yearn for this brat and I don't think I'm ever ever going to forgive her. Just beautifully done.

[the-inkwell-variable]

🌙 🍂

🌙 moon: do any of your OCs have dark backstories or secrets they’re trying to keep?

Oh but of course!

Tiatha was once sleighted to become a Priestess of the Solstice Moon, the highest ranking a female Drow could get. They were opposed to the Order of the Topaz Star in almost every way, though they do have a tentative alliance and peace treaty. When her magic was revealed, her family was NOT very happy and did what they could to either hide her magic or remove it by force. Now, she tells everyone she joined the Order willingly, though that could not be farther from the truth.

Kia, before she became an uneasy ally/informant of the Batfam, was in a gang. Her father was killed by Two-Face in a bank robbery gone wrong, so she was adopted by Dad's friend...who happens to be pretty high up in that gang's hierarchy. Her brother's near-death gave her reason to go solo, and Batman all but forced her to dull her mercenary work down to 'get information and save people', which she'll never admit she finds a bit...boring at times.

Kira was, for the sake of that RP, slated to be the Ycaean Lionness, a title that would have all of the Shoterra Dynasty after her head. Being a hedge witch, she's already pretty skilled at hiding, so this is just another thing she can never talk about. Hard to hide these things from a demon though.

🍂 leaves: what does your editing process look like? how does your wip typically change as you work on it?

If it's a bigger piece, or one that doesn't require me to have it out quickly, I try to set it aside for a few weeks/months. It gives me distance to it so I don't feel like I'm overly attached to everything, and it keeps me from being like "i've already read all this" and skimming it all. I usually reread the piece in full, jotting down notes (with page numbers) on the side so I can keep in mind what I want to change. From those notes, I go through it again and again, three or four more times. Just want to make sure that I'm ready to go with another draft. Getting that second draft done is usually where my motivation dies though lol! It's a flaw that I'm working on.

If it's a smaller piece, or something that needs to get out fast, I try to edit as I go. I'll throw it through Hemingway and Grammarly, since those force me to go through it step by step and reread to make sure that the changes the sites suggest stay faithful to the context.