#how does the magic system work here?

[askblueandviolet]

What was your first position when you started working in the mayor's office? not as mayor but as a recent graduate

If your blood does not move through your veins like that of a human, how do your wounds heal? Magic?

MASTER POST

Asks Start 💙

Previous 💙

Next 💙 

[savrenim]

no because how can maki catch a bullet point blank and then be slower than... a punch

I mean she. she's a sorcerer. clearly some of what she's got going on is Sorcerer Rules Don't Abide By Normal Physics.

this is. about as much a gotcha. as going "well what the FUCK is QUANTUM TUNNELING then a BOWLING BALL can't just DECIDE THAT IT CAN TELEPORT THROUGH A WALL, BOWLING BALLS DON'T TELEPORT THROUGH WALLS TAKE THAT" well in the case that the bowling ball is the size of a proton it. uh. can bc quantum rules apply instead of classical rules, and it's where they interact at the boundaries that you get weird cool shit and fun technology and realize just how bullshit our world actually is

she's got some Sorcerer Stuff going on, the Sorcerer Physics applies there, whatever's happening can't be perfectly modeled by a classical understanding of the world, it's not that much weirder to catch a bullet and not a punch than for bowling balls to randomly teleport through walls

[andhumanslovedstories]

Technology really is magic. I know that’s said a lot but like I’m sitting here looking at one of those chargers that you put your phone on top to wirelessly charge. And today is the first time I’ve really looked at it and gone “truly how the fuck does this work”

Maybe we stress about fantasy worldbuilding too much. We’re like “oh we gotta know the rules of the magic system,” no you don’t. I don’t know the rules of our magic system. If Aragorn, son of Arathorn got hit by a truck that orcs and goblins were driving flintstone style, and he transmigrated into my living room, I would not be able to explain any of the technology around me. I have no idea how I’m making this post. Imagine the first caveman who was like “oh shit the wheel” and I’m nodding along with that cave man. I understand how the wheel can roll. This next sentence was supposed to be about how I can sort of grasp how landline telephones work, but then I thought about it and no I don’t. I am surrounded everyday by mystical forces.

Anyway I have to use this particular charger because this miracle machine’s charging port is fuckin broken again

[hxney-lemcn]

When You Nerd Out (Biology Edition) — Overblots x gn! reader

summery: the overblots find out you're more of a nerd than they realized...

tw: mentions of bugs (not really but I digress), mentions of arachnids (literally just the name of one lol), mentions of reptiles (idk maybe people are scared of them), mentions of snakes.

a/n: a reptile show is happening soon and I've been looking into so many reptiles/invertebrates/amphibians I had to get this out of my system somehow. What better way then to ramble to fictional characters? (Help me)

wc: 1.2k (~180 per character)

Master List

Riddle Roseheart

When Riddle first met you, you were downtrodden, having just been thrown into a new world filled with magic and flair that yours didn’t. Your grades weren’t the best (but far from the worst), and you always seemed tired no matter what. So when your eyes lit up when he showed you the flamingo and hedgehog cages/pens he was surprised at the amount of facts that spilled from your lips. From how flamingos get their color to how hedgehogs are carnivores. Or how you could even ramble on about flowers and plants, like how tea garden roses are the most short lived species. From then on, Riddle would come to you for even the smallest of things. Did you want to feed the animals with him? This rose bush is wilting, are there any tips to bring it back? Do you know the meaning behind the colors of roses? No particular reason for that last question…just don’t question the bouquet of white and red roses mixed with baby’s breath that show up on your doorstep the next day.

Leona Kingscholar

It was hard not to notice when you seemed to be on the brink of exploding. How you’d stare at awe in Leona’s presence, as you should. But your eyes would always wander to his ears, teeth, tail, nails. It got to a point that he felt like you were mentally dissecting him. It was his downfall to growl out a short “what”, as you started to pile on questions to the beastman prince. “Are your nails sharper than a humans?”, “How much better can you hear?”, “Does your tail help you balance?” All Leona could do was stare at you with boredom. Who knew his herbivore was a nerd? He supposes he could humor you for a little bit. Press his sharp nails lightly into your skin, a teasing smile as he asks if you’d like a test. Perhaps a nibble to show you how well his canines work? It all goes awry when you start taking interest in other beastmen, who cares about the cheetah or leopard bestmen when you have a lion prince right here?

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul never thought twice about where he’s come from. He’s seen many kinds of merpeople, many kinds of fish or crustaceans or sharks. But he knew land dwellers didn’t have that, which is why he has the giant aquarium in his lounge. He got used to the awed expressions as well, more focused on swindling the poor souls. So when your jaw dropped and how you clearly restrained yourself from running up to the giant aquarium, Azul felt giddy. He could offer you something most couldn’t. He’d watch as you’d point out a fish or ray that you saw and explain how much you loved the color or how magnificent it looked. When you brought up how smart you thought octopi are, it was over. His heart couldn’t take it. You know he was an octopus merperson right? You were basically complimenting him without realizing it. He couldn’t get over how you stared in wonder at the blue ringed octopus that was waving back at you. And oh sevens you were giggling at it? He wasn’t getting jealous over another octopus, no way…

Jamil Viper

Jamil noticed the excited look in your eyes when you learned his last name was Viper, but nothing had happened at the time. It wasn’t until Kalim had you rambling about animals did Jamil realize just how much you seemed to love snakes. How you named your favorite in a heartbeat to how you scrutinized the ones you looked into as pets. It wasn’t until Kalim started to offer to buy you all those snakes and more did he have to step in. Yet Jamil felt flustered when your gaze landed on him, your eyes that had been filled with fondness while rambling about snakes had only seemed to get brighter when looking at him. Reluctantly, Jamil let you drag him to a reptile show, something Kalim had pushed him to do. For his own sanity, Jamil ignored the giant pouch of money Kalim tried to stealthily hand you, instead, focusing on your awed expression at the variety of animals. He couldn’t help but watch the snakes in awe with you, and when you asked him if he wanted to help you set up an enclosure for one…who was he to say no?

Vil Schoenheit

Vil is a busy man. With photo and movie shoots to interviews to taking care of himself, there isn’t much time to stop and smell the roses. But with you, he tries to make time, and it's like a breath of fresh air every time. It was nice to sit outside and bask in the sun (with sunscreen of course) and talk with you. Something had clearly caught your eye when you dropped from the bench to scoop something off the ground. Vil thought he knew you well enough…apparently not. He hadn’t expected to see you shove a rolly polly, pill bug, potato bug, whatever you want to call them into his face…okay maybe he’s exaggerating. You held the little thing far enough away that it wasn’t all too startling. He swore he never saw you so excited about something, or how you rambled that they weren’t bugs, but crustaceans that live on land. The way you gently held the critter to how fondly you looked at the curled up thing made Vil’s heart flutter. You always seemed to find beauty in things most would shudder at. How odd.

Idia Shroud

Idia had no idea how you managed, but you had convinced him to get a plant. You had called it a zz plant, and thought it would be perfect to liven his room up as it didn’t need direct sunlight. He watched the plant as it sat next to a grow light, it needed something since he didn’t have any windows. The dark purple leaves were pretty, you were right. As much as he tried to keep up with watering, he would forget, but Ortho seemed to have it covered. When little leaves started sprouting, Idia felt proud, a weird feeling he wasn’t used to. When you came over and saw how well it was doing you beamed. That stupid fluttery feeling filled him as you praised him, not to mention it mixing with feeling proud. Not a good combo, as now he was thinking of asking you if there’s any other plant you may recommend, just to get you rambling once more about different plants that could thrive in his little cave of a room.

Malleus Draconia

Although Malleus loves to hear your voice, you always seem content to hear him ramble. The way your eyes watched intently, trying to find what he was pointing out on a gargoyle, or how you’d ask questions about the differences of a gargoyle and grotesque. At first, he was concerned when you gasped, had you gotten hurt somehow? Yet he found you excitedly pointing out a house gecko that stood near the gargoyle he was talking about. He watched you in awe as your eyes glittered, and how you were basically jumping up and down. Then you started going on about geckos, reptiles, and all sorts of odd things people keep as pets. The way you basically swooned at the thought of owning a crested gecko or a crocodile skink, Malleus was ready to hand you all the money you needed. He is the best and worst, as he’ll never tell you no and fund your hobby till your heart’s content. Just make sure to pay attention to him too, yeah? Unlike skinks or tarantula’s, he likes your affection. Plus, he’s the best reptile of them all, no? He’d gladly show you his dragon form.

[heavenlyraindrops]

World Building Checklist

Have you ever started writing a story and realized your world has a bunch of unexplained shit and you have to fill in the gaps as you go? Me too, buddy. Me too. Here’s a checklist so that you can fully flesh out your world to the max. (I’m dying)

How does Time work? (Minutes, hours, days, the daylight cycle, years, ect.)

Species (if Fantasy. Will probably make another post on this.)

Countries, Nations, Tribes, ect. (nationalities/ races. Will probably make another post on this.)

The geography of the world (draw a map. Doesnt have to be good. Just for a general idea.)

Rivalries between races (includes prejudice, racism, ect.)

Religions

Technology

The Magic system. (Will probably make a whole other post on this.)

animals, plants, ect.

The sky: Sun, Moon(s), Stars, Constellation, Are there rings? (If the planet has rings)

Educations system

Government system

Politics

Methods of transport (Vehicles)

Medicine

Can’t really think of anything else. If you have more to add then reblog and add to the list! :) bye bee

[boopshoops]

KJNGDSKJGNSDKJGNSDKJ ITS FINALLY FINISHED!! ITS DONE!! AFTER 57 HOURS OF WORK!!!!

I am so so so so so happy with how this turned out. This is the official teaser comic for my fanfic, The Creation of a Villain, available to read on my AO3.

I have so much planned, and I'm gradually restoring a healthy relationship with my writing, and I'm very excited to share it.

For those who are interested, I've got a few more teasers on what I have planned in store. (Marked with * if it contains mild spoilers for TCOAV)

-Adding onto the established magic system.

-Adding onto established classes/lessons.

-*MC happens to be just as horrible of a person as most of the students here, resulting in some gradual changes to the canon that become more and more noticeable as time passes.

-It's an aged up AU where NRC is an actual college, so characters get mild additions to backstories (as well as some height changes).

-*Lots of possible headcanons for Royal Sword Academy, including a B/side plot with another MC that is a student there.

-Inclusion of canon events, as well as some I create on my own.

-I love exploring character development, so there's gonna be more of that :>

-*She does, indeed, get attached.

-A lot more!!!

Thank you so so so so so so SO much for reading. It means a lot to me. If you have the time, I would REALLY appreciate a reblog given this took so much time to make. If not, that's alright too. I appreciate y'all either way <3

Expect more of this Yuu in the future! An official introduction post for her is planned and will soon be in the works.

[theplotmage]

How to Get Started with Worldbuilding for Fantasy Writers

Hey fellow writers!

Worldbuilding can feel like a Herculean task, but it’s one of the most rewarding parts of creating a fantasy novel. If you're getting stuck, Here are some tips that have helped me, and I hope they’ll help you too!

Start with the Basics

Geography

- Map out the physical layout of your world. Think about continents, countries, cities, and natural features like mountains, rivers, and forests.

Climate and Ecosystems

- What are the climate zones and ecosystems like? How do they shape the lives of your inhabitants?

Create a History

Origins

- Dive into how your world came into existence. Are there creation myths or ancient civilizations that set the stage?

Major Events

- Outline key historical events. Wars, alliances, discoveries, and disasters can add so much depth.

Develop Cultures and Societies

Cultures

- Craft diverse cultures with unique customs, traditions, and values. What do they wear? What do they eat? How do they express themselves through art?

Social Structure

- Define the social hierarchy. Who holds power? What are the roles of different classes or groups?

Establish Magic and Technology

Magic System

- Set the rules and limitations of magic. Who can use it? How does it work? What are its costs and consequences?

Technology

- Decide on the level of technological advancement. Is your world medieval with swords and castles, or does it have steampunk elements?

Design Political and Economic Systems

Governments

- Create various forms of government. Are there kingdoms, republics, or empires? How do they interact?

Economy

- Define the economic systems. What are the main industries and trade routes? How do people earn a living?

Build Religions and Beliefs

Religions

- Develop religions and belief systems. Who are the gods or deities? What are the rituals and holy sites?

Myths and Legends

- Craft myths and legends that influence the culture and behavior of your characters.

Craft Unique Flora and Fauna

Creatures

- Invent unique creatures that inhabit your world. Consider their habitats, behaviors, and interactions with humans.

Plants

- Design plants with special properties. Are there magical herbs or dangerous plants?

Incorporate Conflict and Tension

Internal Conflicts

- Think about internal conflicts within societies, such as class struggles, political intrigue, or religious disputes.

External Conflicts

- Consider external threats like invading armies, natural disasters, or magical catastrophes.

Use Maps and Visual Aids

Maps

- Create maps to visualize your world. This helps you keep track of locations and distances.

Visual References

- Use images or sketches to inspire and flesh out your world.

Stay Consistent

Consistency

- Keep track of the details to maintain consistency. Use a worldbuilding bible or document to record important information.

Feedback

- Share your world with others and get feedback. Sometimes fresh eyes can spot inconsistencies or offer new ideas.

Let Your Characters Explore

Character Perspective

- Develop your world through the eyes of your characters. How do they interact with their environment? What do they know or believe about their world?

Be Flexible

Adapt and Evolve

- Be open to changing aspects of your world as your story develops. Sometimes the best ideas come during the writing process.

Worldbuilding is an ongoing journey, and it’s okay to refine and expand your world as you go. If you’re stuck or need specific advice, drop a comment or message me. Happy worldbuilding! 🌍✨

Feel free to share your own tips and experiences below. Let’s build some amazing worlds together! 💫

By the way, if you’re looking for a tool to help you keep track of all your worldbuilding details, check out my worldbuilding bible on Etsy! It’s designed to help you organize every aspect of your world, from geography and cultures to magic systems and conflicts.

I poured my heart into creating this, and I hope it inspires you as much as it has inspired me. Writing is such a beautiful journey, and having a structured way to keep your ideas organized can make all the difference. So go ahead, dive deep into your imagination, and let your creativity flow. You’ve got this! 💖📝

Happy writing, friends!

[naughtyjjk]

cockwarming nanami kento

characters: nanami x fem reader warnings: 18+, smut, cock warming, dirty talk, orgasm delay/denial, teasing, creampie, use of aphrodisiacs  notes: this is a companion fic to testing nanami's self control where nanami gets his revenge on the reader, but you don't need to read that one first if you don't want to!

it’s getting late, almost midnight, and both you and nanami are feeling horny—it’s been a stressful week of work, resulting in the need to release all the tension that’s built up. this is how the two of you decide to each eat one of the small chocolate aphrodisiacs that you’ve been saving for a special occasion.

you don’t know what it’s going to do, exactly, other than the fact that it’ll help you get even more in the mood and possibly spice up your sex life. while it works its magic in your system, you lean against nanami on the bed, feeling comfort in being wrapped up in his arms. there’s a movie playing on the tv in front of you, a random film that you chose on a whim to pass time. so far, nothing noteworthy has happened.

though maybe you spoke too soon, too naïve about what even the smallest bite of an aphrodisiac is capable of. half an hour later, your body feels warm, getting warmer by the second. a certain, familiar sensation is stirring between your legs. and you can tell that nanami must be feeling the same way when a light pressure on your neck pulls you out of the immersion.

you turn your head to see nanami leaning in, sucking on your skin, trailing kisses up to your mouth. automatically, without any hesitation, you meet him halfway and let yourself relish in the feeling of nanami’s lips against yours. the kiss is different than usual, like it’s a need that your body requires. you need him.

soon, it turns heated and you’re fully making out. the movie blurs into the background and your head swims as you feel nanami’s hands roaming your body, sliding up your shirt to brush his fingers against your breasts.

god, you think. those chocolates must really be working.

“i want to tease you,” nanami murmurs as he trails kisses down your neck. it’s impossible to resist him when he gets like this. “i want to watch you come apart and have you begging to be fucked. would you like that?”

“fuck, yeah, that sounds hot,” you admit. his words go straight to your pussy, arousal growing, and you’re dangerously close to letting out a moan from just hearing what nanami plans to do to you.

“come here.” nanami breaks away to guide you onto his lap. a hand snakes around to reach between your legs, rubbing you between your legs, making you wetter each time he does it. the action draws out a groan, you hissing as he palms at you between your legs, over your pants, skillfully moving his fingers back and forth.

behind you, nanami’s own erection is filling out, pressed against your lower back. you’re both still fully clothed, but arousal stirs hungrily inside you by how much it turns you on to know that nanami is already half hard. you start to move your hips, grinding your ass up and down the tent in nanami’s pants, seeking more stimulation. you hear a sharp intake of breath and have to suppress a shudder of your own.

“did you get this horny just from watching a movie? from the aphrodisiac?” nanami’s mouth is dangerously close to your ear, occasionally licking with his tongue. “couldn’t even hold it in for an hour?”

you swallow thickly, eyes fluttering shut. you buck your hips shamelessly in search of more friction. “you—you started it.”

“but i’m not the one rutting against my hand. look at you.” nanami pulls down the zipper of your pants, undoes the button, and removes the rest of your clothing swiftly. your panties are damp with your desire and it only makes nanami smirk. “look at how wet you are already.”

gasping, you throw your head back when he pulls your panties to the side, tracing a finger down the center of your pussy. he spreads your wetness and it makes you breaks off into a whine, before he removes it completely. “kento, i—ohh, i need—”

“need what?” nanami pauses long enough to take off his own clothes as well and bucks into you without warning, grinding filthily on your pussy. he drags his length up and down, brushing past your entrance each time.

“y-your cock,” you choke out. “need your cock in me.”

“do you, now?” nanami feigns disinterest, though he never once stops his movements. “but what if i said that i still want to watch the movie?”

arousal mixes with the effects of the aphrodisiac inside you and you don’t even bother trying to hide how eager you are now. “who cares about that? let’s just—ah—let’s get on with it.”

“i care.” he pulls away. “mm, no. you’re distracting me.” when you try to swivel your hips some more, nanami holds you tighter in place. “god, you’re so desperate already. alright, i have an idea. why don’t you keep my cock warm for me while we finish the rest of the movie?”

you barely have time to consider that proposal before nanami is grabbing the lube from the nightstand and probing a slick finger by your entrance. he pushes in to the first knuckle, further, then draws back out, repeating the motion to pump into you a couple of times. a second finger breaches joins soon after, stretching you open even more.

“ngh—want you, kento,” you say, panting. “w-want you in me.”

turning back, you see that nanami is using his other hand to wrap around his own cock, bringing himself to full hardness and coating the entire length with lube. the sight alone is enough to have desire building inside you. you’re unable to look away, gaze following every action nanami takes as he strokes himself, working himself up. his hand rolls over the cockhead, face contorting with pleasure, and it seems to take conscious effort for him to let go of his cock.

“think you’re ready for me, baby?” the fingers inside you are still moving back and forth. you nod, impatient, and feel him slowly start to pull out completely.

nanami lines up his cock by your pussy, at first simply rubbing the tip at your entrance and teasing your sensitive folds. the tension drags on and you think you’re going to lose your mind from the sheer anticipation of it. you’re shaking a bit, trembling with need, pussy aching and wet and so fucking turned on. but all nanami does is wait, hands held firmly on your hips, telling you to be patient.

a whimper catches in your throat and you have to bite your lip in order to stop yourself from begging. fuck, you groan. nanami is right there, hard cock rubbing teasingly against you, and you really will go crazy if he doesn’t push inside you within the next second—

“ah!” you gasp, finally feeling the head of nanami’s cock penetrating you. but it doesn’t stop there; he continues to push himself in, taking his time to make sure that you feel the slow drag of it against your walls, until you’re sinking down on him all the way, enveloping him fully.

“fuck, you’re still so tight. so hot inside,” nanami murmurs, leaning in to suck on the juncture between your neck and shoulder. “now—stay still and don’t move. got it?”

you nod vehemently, barely even registering the words. you think you’d agree to pretty much anything he tells you at this point, given just how turned on you are.

a low, pleased sound rumbles by your ear before nanami is whispering directly into it. “good. if you can wait until the movie is over, i’ll fuck you properly like how you deserve.”

the sweet promise of a reward has you shuddering with your whole body. you breathe in, slow and shaky, arousal shooting between your legs. “i-i can do that.”

“of course you can. look at you, taking me so well,” nanami murmurs, fingers teasing at the outside of your pussy where he has you stretched around his cock. “already this worked up, hm? sure you’ll be able to last?”

you whimper, unable to deny how you’re burning with arousal, but still, you let out a breathy yes.

chuckling, nanami indulges you. “alright. just remember—no moving.”

the first few minutes are the worst. even though you’re both sitting still, there’s no way you can just ignore the fact that nanami’s cock is currently buried deep inside you. you can feel how hard he is, how you’re being filled in the best way. every once in a while, nanami will throb within you, and your pussy aches in response.

you can’t tell how much of it is your own arousal and how much of it is the aphrodisiac amplifying your desires. but either way, it’s torture. it’s heaven. you never knew it was possible to be this fucking horny.

soon, you start to relax a bit as you get used to the sensation. you direct your focus back to the shifting images flashing on screen and almost manage to forget the lust and need coursing through his body. but that’s when nanami’s hands begin to roam—his strong arms circle around your waist, sliding up your stomach to your chest.

he grabs both of your breasts in his palms, massaging them. gentle fingers latch onto sensitive nipples, pinching lightly. you shudder at the contact, instinctively leaning into his touch. he plays with your nipples mercilessly: rolling them between his fingers, flicking them, anything to get your more riled up.

one hand makes its way back down, lower, lower. the first touch on your clit makes you gasp, and as much as you want to pretend that you’re calm and collected, your body doesn’t lie. nanami continues with barely-there touches on your clit, grazing his fingers past the sensitive nub, light as a feather. you curse him in your head, resisting the urge to buck up and chase after the stimulation. you just know that nanami is getting off to tormenting you like this, driving you slowly insane in the best way.

in attempt to distract yourself, you try your best to think about something else, anything else. it works for about half a second before nanami touches a particularly sensitive area on your body and your brain unhelpfully supplies you with nothing but fantasies of nanami finally fucking you, dragging his cock in and out, pushing deep enough to make you feel it for days after. nanami rubbing your clit in tight circles, going fast, hard, until your thighs shake and you’re coming from his hand, unable to stop your release even if you wanted to…

a moan escapes you just thinking about how good it would feel. you’re so fucking wet and your pussy is throbbing from nanami’s skilled fingers. more noises slip past your lips as a sense of desperation unfurls inside you. fuck, you could have already reached your orgasm by now if nanami wasn’t so cruel, so turned on by denying both of you of what you clearly want.

at some point, you’re hardly able to hear the movie over the sound of your own moans. but you can’t help it—it’s so unfair, so frustrating, entirely not enough. you want nanami to stimulate your clit more, want nanami to thrust his cock into you like he fucking means it until you’re squirming helplessly in his grasp. you want to come, and shit, that’s when you know you’re already too far gone.

somewhere through the haze in your mind, you hear nanami whispering against your neck, “shh, you’re being so loud. i’m trying to pay attention.”

nanami is putting on an act of indifference, seemingly entranced by the movie. he might be in a better state than you are, but it’s obvious that he isn’t as composed as he pretends to be, not with the way his cock is twitching every so often inside you. he also took the aphrodisiac, after all. it must be affecting him as much as it’s affecting you.

“come on, you want it too, don’t you?” you turn your head back to kiss the corner of his mouth. you spread your legs wider, trying to invite nanami to touch you more. “stop resisting, kento. i know you want to feel me clenching around you as you fuck into me… how tight I am for you...”

it’s a pretty compelling argument if you say so yourself, and for a moment, you think you’ve actually managed to convince him. visibly, nanami falters, breath hitching and eyes fluttering shut to hide how much his composure has fallen. but then he growls, looking at you intensely.

“bad girl. so fucking naughty.” the next time nanami speaks, his voice is stern but also slightly strained. as much as you would like to push him further, you know a warning when you hear one, groaning in frustration when he makes it clear that he plans to see this through to the end. “stay still.”

fine, you think. you may be turned on beyond return and growing more desperate by the minute, digging your nails into your thighs to prevent yourself from bouncing on the deliciously hard cock inside you, but you’ll play this game if that’s what nanami wants. you’ll play this game and win. the confidence you feel all of a sudden is admittedly unfounded considering how you were more than ready to give in to your own arousal a few seconds ago, but you’re determined now.

that is, until a few minutes pass and you jolt when you feel nanami moving under you unexpectedly.

you gasp as his cock pushes deeper into you for half a second before it settles back down. there’s no sign of acknowledgement at all from nanami when you glance over at him, so you exhale, and eventually force yourself to relax. but then—

it happens again. a full thrust this time, deliberate and intentional. every nerve ending in you ignites at once and you catch the slightest hint of a smirk making its way onto nanami’s otherwise impassive expression.

you have to bite back a moan, body arching on instinct. you’re trying not to move, fuck, you’re trying, but it’s near impossible when you can feel everything so clearly—nanami bucking into you, cock throbbing against your walls. and just when you think that it’s over, nanami will prove exactly how merciless he can be.

“a-ah—!” the next thrust is a filthy grind that makes you twist helplessly as nanami manages to brush against your g-spot before retreating. almost immediately after, it’s followed by another delicious roll of the hips, leaving you so damn wet and desperate, delirious for his cock. you want to be fucked so bad.

nanami’s hand wraps around you again, rubbing your inner thighs and hums, refusing to give any stimulation to where you need it most. “something wrong, darling?”

“y-you asshole,” you manage to choke out once you realize that nanami is probably enjoying this far too much. he’s so cruel and you hate that you’re finding the whole situation hot. “just—ngh—just fuck me already. please.”

“i will,” nanami says, a growl directly into your ear. it has absolutely no right sounding as sexy as it does, sending shivers down your entire spine. “if you’re good for me.”

shit, you let out a broken a moan. it’s hard to hide just how much those words affect you. you have to clench your hands around the bedsheets, going against every instinct in your body to grind back down against nanami’s hard, tempting cock. your body burns. your muscles are tense, fighting to hold yourself back, to follow the orders you’d been given. through it all, you feel high-strung, nerves alight, so sensitive to every touch like a livewire. it’s utterly maddening how nanami’s cock is right there, but you aren’t allowed to take what you want.

how long has it been now? twenty minutes? thirty? you don’t know but it feels like hours.

the next time nanami not-so-subtlety thrusts into you again, you break. something inside of you snaps. it’s like you’ve completely lost control as you start rambling, obscene moans falling uncontrollably from your lips in stuttering breaths. you tremble on the spot, thighs quivering, desperate and begging for some relief, anything.

“k-ken—kento, fuck, i-i can’t take it anymore, i need you—please just—fuck me, kento, fuck me—”

“god,” nanami curses, fingers digging into your hips like he’s on the edge too, trying his best to hold back as well. “i love hearing you beg. it’s so fucking hot, you have no idea. who would’ve thought that you’d get this horny just by having a cock stuffed inside you, hm?”

you barely manage to keep it together when you feel nanami smooth his hands up your spine, along the planes of your back. the way he rubs circles there isn’t even inherently sexual, but you can’t help but shudder, entire body visibly tense in effort to hold yourself still. to deny yourself of what you so badly want.

a single finger circles around your clit again, and you shudder with anticipation, thinking that he might finally be giving up on this stupid challenge. “yes, fuck, yes—more—”

but that’s all you get, and nanami’s hand moves away, taunting you from a distance. “there are only a few minutes left,” he murmurs, and you had forgotten all about the movie. “you can hold out a little longer, can’t you? be a good girl for me.”

you whimper, swallowing a protest that rises up in your throat. fuck, you want to be good, you really do, but you’ve been pushed to the limit, and you don’t know how much longer you can stand it.

after that, nanami stops playing dirty; there are no more thrusts, both of you too close to the edge now to take any more risks. but even if he doesn’t move, you can still feel him inside, hard and aching, just shy of grazing against your sweet spot. it’s agonizing torture, and you’ve long since given up on trying to control your breathing as your chest heaves. you’re so far gone that you think you only need one more thrust, one single touch of a hand on your throbbing clit, and it would be enough to make you come.

fuck, you want to come so fucking bad.

the rest of the movie goes by in a blur. you have no idea what’s happening on the screen anymore, hardly even remember what it is that you’re watching in the first place. all you know is that you’ve been brought to the edge and teetering on the brink for so long now that you can’t even think straight anymore.

by the time the credits finally roll across the screen, you’re absolutely wrecked. your eyes are half-lidded, pussy spasming around nanami’s cock, and your body is begging for release. you resist the urge to buck up into nothing, and you just about lose it as you feel nanami twitching inside you again.

“shit, look at you.” nanami’s voice sounds strained, giving away just how much this has affected him too. “good girl. you did so well. i didn’t think you would last the whole time.”

“k-kento… please…”

“i know, i know,” he murmurs reassuringly. “fuck, you’re so good for me, baby. you’ve earned your reward.”

fresh arousal washes over you upon hearing those words. you allow yourself to be flipped over so that you’re lying on your back, sinking into the mattress as your lips meet nanami’s for a kiss. it’s almost enough to distract you from what he does next.

inch by inch, nanami pulls himself out until the tip of his cock catches at your entrance, before thrusting back inside with full force. you nearly scream when he does it again and again, moaning into his mouth, arching forward. it’s the first time tonight that you truly feel the thick drag of nanami’s hard cock inside you, finally, finally fucking you with proper intent and it’s so good you think you’re going to lose your mind.

there’s no more teasing now. the pace gradually increases, both of you worked up beyond control, impatient and desperate for release. you let out an obscene whine before gasping when nanami manages to hit your g-spot head on.

“o-oh, fuck!” your hips move in rhythm with his, purely on instinct now. “oh, holy shit, kento—right there—”

“yeah—hah—you like that?” nanami grunts when he feels you clench around him, snapping his hips into you over and over, hand reaching down to find your clit as well. “you don’t have to hold back anymore. let me hear you.”

and you moan, loud and unfiltered. the deep thrusts combined with the frantic pace nanami has built up drives you crazy, makes all of your thoughts dissolve away in an instant. heat pools in your lower stomach when nanami aims for your spot once more, causing your entire body to jerk forward, arching beautifully off the bed. needy sounds spill from your mouth. the hand on your clit speeds up and you know you won’t last. it won’t be long now.

“i-i’m—ah—hng—i can’t—oh my god, kento, i’m s-so—so close—”

“s-shit—” nanami stutters, but his pace doesn’t falter, each thrust going deeper than the last. “that’s it—ngh—you feel so good around me. taking me so fucking well. i wanna—wanna see you come apart.”

that’s when you make the mistake of looking down, eyes fixated on where your bodies connect, watching as nanami’s cock disappears into you over and over again. the sight is so obscene, so filthy, so unbelievably hot. and when you feel him thrusting into your harder, you can’t help but gasp aloud. “h-hah—! kento, oh god, fuck, i-i’m—i can’t hold—i’m gonna—”

“then come,” nanami whispers a low breath right next to your ear. the words send tingles all the way up your spine, thighs shaking at the command. “be a good girl and come for me.”

“ngh, f-fuck, oh, fuck—” you spasm with the force of your orgasm, finding yourself completely at his mercy. it’s entirely unfair that nanami knows exactly where to aim, how to break you. your pussy aches, clit pulsing, and suddenly you’re coming so hard that your vision blurs. your hips bucks forward, mouth falling open to let out a guttural moan.

you hardly even register nanami following with his own release soon after, a couple more thrusts and spilling deep inside you, head thrown back to ride out his orgasm. the shape of your name forms around his lips along with a low groan as he stills, breathing heavily.

hissing, nanami pulls out and falls onto the bed next to you. your eyes are closed, head still spinning with the aftershocks of pleasure. and holy shit, you think. the orgasm is fucking worth it, after making yourself wait so long. it’s almost unreal. you turn your head to take in the sight of nanami beside you, looking like how you feel, all fucked out and in a state of bliss. his cock gives one last twitch. between your legs, you can feel his come dripping out of you.

once you catch your breath, you frown and say, “i can’t believe you made me sit through the entire movie like that. you’re evil.”

a slow smirk spreads across nanami’s face and he’s so fucking handsome it’s not fair. “i love it when you beg for me. but you know i'd never do anything that you don’t like.”

it’s true, and that’s the hardest thing for you to admit: that you like the challenge, you like cock warming him, you like being pushed to your limits until you break. you can’t really complain, not when he made it up to you by giving you one of the best orgasms of your life.

“do we have more of those chocolates?” you ask, referring to the aphrodisiacs, and you can tell that nanami is thinking the same thing. they really are magic, and this is definitely something that you’ll revisit again later.

.

tag list: @megumisdivinedogs @urlilwhore @l0rdgeosupport3rr @purple-obsidian @l0rdgeosupport3rr @minni-creations @fos-tis-zois @the-reas0n-is-y0u @cantfeelherface @rxmbzzz @lysaray @zelzablues @str4wbrrycandy @that-goth-bisexual @simping4u @iminlovewqr0w @sharks31 @pseudowho @jisoonunn @outkasti @anathemaspeaks @fushigur0slut4 @barryatsumu @d0nk3y-k0ng @shasaaa15

(comment to be added)

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard info compilation Post 4

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [another post]

Post is under a cut due to length.

There is a lot of information coming out right now about DA:TV from many different sources. This post is just an effort to compile as much as I can in one place, in case that helps anyone. Sources for where the information came from have been included. Where I am linking to a social media user’s post, the person is either a dev, a Dragon Age community council member or other person who has had a sneak peek at and played the game. nb, this post is more of a ‘info that came out in snippets from articles and social media posts’ collection rather than a ‘regurgitating the information on the official website or writing out what happened in the trailer/gameplay reveal’ post. The post is broken down into headings on various topics. A few points are repeated under multiple headings where relevant. Where I am speculating without a source, I have clearly demarcated this. if you notice any mistakes in this post, please tell me.

Character Creation

BioWare confirmed that even if you make your Rook a short king, the team has done work to ensure animations fit any character build [source]

"Dragon Age's character creator has seen a massive glow-up" [source]. "The volume of choices you get here are frankly insane. As Epler noted, “you could spend forever here,” and he’s not kidding." [source] The art and graphics teams spent a lot of time trying to make hair look amazing [source: the Discord]

In CC we can customise our "bulge size" [source]

Some more detail on the new lighting options to see how Rook looks like in CC when you make them: you can view them in "blazing forest sunshine versus the glare of an underground temple" [source]

"newly mobile, extra-hairy hair" [source]

Faction choice has statistical boons. For example, Shadow Dragon Rook deals extra damage to Venatori blood cultists [source]

Faction choice basically determines why Rook has been called to help in the fight against Solas [source]

All pre-determined character models in CC can be adjusted [source]

You can make a really tall dwarf if you want [source]

"Setting your previous world state is fully integrated into the character creator for Veilguard" [source: the Discord]

Inquisitor appearance will be re-created, there is no way to carry their appearance from DA:I into the game [source: the Discord]

Classes for Rook are not restricted in the sense that you can play any almost class, lineage and faction combination that you want. For example, a mage Rook can be a Crow [source: the Discord] (Fel note: it sounded like Rook cannot be a magic-wielding dwarf, even though the exception of Harding now exists) (Fel note: there is a mage Crow in one of the books)

Story and lore

Here is another article which refers to Rook as "the Rook" [source]

The story is set "9-10 years from DA:I and about 8 years from Trespasser" [source: the Discord]

They have been tracking Solas for "a while. Something else you’re gonna learn about…" [source]

The game does not use the Keep [source]

Shadow Dragon is the faction background with the most in-game reactivity (e.g. from other characters' dialogue) during the prologue section of the game, due to the fact that the prologue is in Minrathous and the Shadow Dragons are a Tevinter-based faction [source]

"I also saw a big moment after the gameplay trailer ends that I can't talk about" [source]

During the more narrative-heavy dialogue choices, "the game will also give a bit of context on what you're about to choose, but doesn't go as far as explaining the exact consequences or precisely what will happen thereafter" [source] "the game shows you how you’ll go about the choice, but it doesn’t tell you the consequence of that choice". [source]

"The game is bringing back Dragon Age 2s dialogue system, which was tone-based and resulted in its protagonist Hawke falling into one of three different personality states. You have three general tones in a conversation: kind, humorous, or aggressive, with slight variations depending on the situation" [source]

"Venatori blood cultists" [source]

"The whole game has the makings of another Suicide Mission [ME2], given that you are up against a god with the ability to collapse dimensions" [source]

"Choices and consequences". "Now, it seems you can see the effects of your choices like never before, and this time, they marry that choice with incredible visuals" [source]

In the bar when you're trying to get information in the opening, if you choose to fight it out and the barbrawl ensues, you then have to run from the pursuers in the bar [source]

A key concern of the developers when creating the environments was to make “a world worth saving" [source]

The prologue is quite linear but there are additional paths you can follow to find additional loot [source]

In the opening section of the game there is a dock which has been attacked and the soldiers that were there have been killed, "but rather than seeing this passively, we walked through the aftermath and had to interact with the scene to piece it all together" [source]

The tone of the gameplay video is a good indicator of the tone of the rest of the game [source]. On the tone: "dark fantasy" [source]. horror & gore is back along with DA's classic dark elements [source]

Tevinter Nights is a better tone indicator for the game than the original reveal/character trailer. Ghil Dirthalen: "Tevinter Nights has felt the most 'DAV' to me" [source]. The gameplay reveal video is the best indicator for the tone of the game (vs the character one) [source]. there is still messy dark shit in the game [source]

Tonally the game is closest to Tevinter Nights and DA:O [source]

Ghil Dirthalen: "[as] one of those unfortunate souls who has latched onto a media world so hard: This game is for me. For the hardcore DA lore nerds, I've been secretly screaming about things I saw for MONTHS now" [source]

The game is true to the DA stories we know and love [source]

Characters, companions, romance

You can choose to engage in companions' own storylines as you progress or ignore them entirely [source]

You will often have to make dialogue choices that will affect how your various companions treat you [source]

Neve is quick-witted [source], measured and elegant [source]

In the opening, you interact with the companions as you move through Minrathous. "your choices during these interactions will determine who goes on portions of the mission with you, along with how “pleased” they are with the answers." [source]

On Varric and Harding: "Instantly the two felt like they’d never been away and avoided the trap of being parodies or fanfiction versions of themselves" [source]

Solas' eyes were always purple hh [source] (yes!)

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc

Some enemies have additional shields that are weak to ranged attacks [source]

When asked about if the war table from DA:I returned, John Epler said "There is a table. Now, whether it works the same way as the table in the previous game..." [source]

Once you get passed a certain point in the game, it opens up dramatically, however it is not an openworld game and they wanted to make sure that all the content mattered and was a more structured, sculpted experience for the player. There is some exploration, some opportunities to get off the beaten path, and some spaces that are fairly wide [source]

The button to press to bring up the skill wheel is RB or R1 (depending on what controller you're using) [source]

"You'll also have access to two skills or spells for each of your two companions that you can command. For a more seamless, uninterrupted combat experience, you can also assign these skills to shortcuts (such as holding the left trigger and hitting the X button) to quickly use them" [source]

"The game is bringing back Dragon Age 2s dialogue system, which was tone-based and resulted in its protagonist Hawke falling into one of three different personality states. You have three general tones in a conversation: kind, humorous, or aggressive, with slight variations depending on the situation" [source]

"booting Fade demons into pits" [source]

"BioWare have revised Dragon Age's art direction to make character models a little more consistent with the series' lovely Tarot-inspired menu art. Flesh is ruddy to the point of painterly; facial features and bodily proportions are thicker and more striking, as though the characters had been cut from clay" [source]

The 3 specs for Warrior are Reaper (has lifesteal/stealing health from enemies, and other freaky powers, does big damage), Slayer (can wield the biggest blade, big swords, big damage) or Champion, which is tanky, shield-using and Paladin like [source] [source]

There are quick-recover prompts [source]

You can roll through puddles of incoming AOE [source]

There are ziplines between some levels levels [source] (Fel note: just like in As We Fly... )

There are also slidey hills to slide down between some sections [source]

There are still some Hinterland-type areas designed for exploration [source]

We can do some home base management to our home base [source] (Fel note: this refers to The Lighthouse, detail in a previous post)

Camera placement is quite zoomed out [source]

Where Rogues have 'momentum', Warriors have 'rage' and Mages 'mana'. When a warrior spends rage in the ability wheel it triggers more powerful attacks. this has been referred to as a build-and-spend mechanic. this system resource gates your use of more powerful skills and is built by getting stuck in [source]. Momentum for Rogues is built by landing hits without taking any [source]

There are big glowing environmental cues for picking up loot or replenishing health potions [source]

"Epler noted that The Veilguard will not be an open-world experience like Inquisition, and instead will have large spaces to explore with quests littered throughout. This allayed my early concerns that they would course correct too hard from the oft-maligned open areas of Inquisition" [source]

Melee and ranged attacks can be charged up [source]

It sounds like there is an option to have greater guidance on when enemies are attacking [source]

The community council gave a lot of notes on the game's art direction to BioWare (gave feedback to the devs) that they were told and shown were changed from the first reveal/character trailer, these made it into the gameplay trailer [source]

The community council asked about having an arachnophobia mode, though they can't guarantee this was implemented [source]

"You’re encouraged to explore and grind for stronger weapons and gear, so your stats and cosmetics improve the further you get into the game" (in the sense that you’ll be rewarded for hard work) [source, two]

Follower information such as cooldowns and health will be visible on the HUD [source: the Discord]

There is a "quick cast" option if you prefer not to use the wheel, should be a chorded action using a controller [source: the Discord]

On PC you can play with keyboard and mouse or controller [source: the Discord]

An accessibility option is the ability to make auto-targeting stronger or weaker depending on your preference [source: the Discord]

The game will have DLSS support at launch [source: the Discord]

Re: hard drives, the game can be played using an HDD, they would recommend an SSD though for the optimal experience [source: the Discord]

There are lots of different interface options you can play with, e.g. combat text size, opacity, when to display health bars [source: the Discord]

Other

The leak from last year or whenever it was (the one that leaked screenshots and a gif from the game) was mainly a lot of outdated stuff and didn't really represent even the early version some community council members had played [source, two]. It was not leaked by a member of the community council, but by a member of another focus group [source]

The community council were given the chance to play the game twice, once in Fall 2022 and a year later in 2023 [source]

There is no information as yet regarding when pre-orders will be open [source: the Discord]

BioWare are hoping to at the very least have the very "best of" the Discord dev Q&A featured on social media and potentially in a blog [source: the Discord]

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

[remxedmoon]

What are your thoughts on ISAT's magic system?

AUTISM BLAST

okay long rambly post incoming. for the record like 90% of this is pure unfiltered headcanon. and almost all of this is about colors. sorry if this is hard to follow!!! i need to get this all out of my system.

oh also! a lot of this is based on a really good post by @/chronologically-challenged that shows off the differences between each character’s craft style! go check that out it’s really good

okay!! so!!! colors. this is just my own thing, but i personally like to color code the different types of craft!

don’t worry about those middle tones yet just put a pin in those

there’s still a little bit of color variety within craft types (for flavor), but generally, rock is blue, paper is yellow, and scissors is red. i’m not going to lie to you i only did this because the splatoon testfire had these colors. it’s also why my triplets designs are colored like that!

i think these colors also just fit the descriptions of these crafts? red feels like a more aggressive and active color, which matches how piercing craft is generally more focused on dealing damage, blue tends to be calmer, which matches protective craft being more supportive , that kinda thing. something something children’s hospital. yellow is a bit of a wildcard here lol, it just looks nice with the other two.

putting aside the colors for a mo! don’t worry those’ll come back soon. i’ve also been thinking a lot about how dual craft types work, though this is a little more speculative. i’m entirely basing this on how mira works. basically, one craft type seems to be more ‘dominant’ over the other. while mira is both paper and scissors, she’s still weak to rock, her basic attack is scissors, and her scissors skill (jolly round rondo) does much more damage than her paper skill (artsy silent burst). she behaves more like a scissors type, with an extra affinity for paper. which i think is interesting!!!

in terms of colors, i think this would manifest as mira’s craft being tinted orange, as a mix of both her craft type’s colors! this is partially what those uncategorized colors are for. while her scissors attacks are only slightly tinted, her paper attacks would be a lot closer to orange! and this would apply to other dual crafts as well. a rock/paper type would have more greenish attacks, a rock/scissors type would have more purply ones, etc etc.

i think this color mixing would also apply to single craft types trying to use a craft type that isn’t their own, though it’d prolly become less pronounced the more a person ‘gets used’ to using that craft type, so to speak. in a while rockodile would be pretty solidly purple, while rock bottom is more of an indigo color, and odile’s craft skills probably only slightly tinted as well.

ok!!! that was a lot about colors. i’m really fucking normal about colors. onto craft styles!! this is still kinda about colors tho sorry. also, again, go check out @/chronologically-challenged’s post if you haven’t already, it’ll prolly explain this better than i will

for a tl;dr on that post, each country has a different way of using craft. the forgotten island has lightless craft that tends to manifest as stars and zigzags, vaugarde has big, rounded bursts of grey craft (with smaller circles around it), and ka bue’s craft is more diamond shaped/triangular and tends to be on the lighter side.

this is also the part i’m a little less sure about. i haven’t drawn these out in my normal style!! so a lot of this is subject to change. sorry about that!

anyways. i wanted to preserve the island’s lightless craft while still making it colorful, so i decided to give it a sort of. halo effect? i guess? i wanted it to vaguely resemble the ring of light around a black hole or a solar eclipse, but that is a lot harder to do with the zigzag shape of the craft + my color limitations. and as i’ve recently learned, glow effects look really weird with my pixelly art. so this is all just flat colors 😓

shhh don’t mind the art here i’ve totally posted it before 🩶

vaugarde is pretty simple comparatively!! the craft is a sort of midshade ingame, so i just made the main color the normal craft colors. not much to say here!

and ka bue is in a similar boat! i did kinda draw it in my odile sprite redraw, but i didn’t really look at references so it’s kinda boring looking there. not much to say here either!!

and!! as we can see from the king’s special attack art, craft styles can kinda mix together. king’s style follows the general shape of vaugardian craft, but keeps the shade and stars from the forgotten island! i think it’d be fun to play with that a little more teehee. i imagine these are a lot more variable depending on how engrossed someone is in a culture, hence why odile’s craft doesn’t borrow from vaugarde’s style. unless she does? it’s not like we see other ka buans using craft in game. who knows.

also because i forgot, some extra bonus doodles of that craft color mixing i mentioned earlier! yipee!

and that’s it!!! there’s probably some other stuff that i am. currently forgetting. but this post is absurdly long enough!!! thank you so much for the ask i’m so sorry for autism blasting you about isat and color theory. am i still cool. here’s all of my craft doodles as compensation for reading this giant infodump. i’m so so sorry.

[greenglowinspooks]

(DCxDP) The obligations of a rogue versus those of a parent (pt. 2)

—

Tw: N/A

Will be crossposted to AO3 eventually

(Pt. 1 here) - (Pt. 3 here)

(Masterlist/subscription post)

—

It was a beautiful morning. Somehow, against all odds, the sun was shining through the thick smog perpetually covering Gotham.

And Danny hated it.

He was in pain, he was exhausted, he was grieving, and all he wanted to do was sleep for at least a week.

In an act of celestial mockery, the sun shone regardless.

After around twenty minutes of tossing and turning in bed, trying to get back to sleep, Danny gave up and pried himself out of bed.

He stumbled through the hallway and into the living room, staring openly at every splash of color he saw in the small apartment. He hadn’t forgotten what color looked like in the time he was in the lab, but it was comforting to see.

Someone cleared their throat. Danny whipped his head around, eyes falling on a scrawny, gangly man sitting down in a worn armchair, hunched over a laptop. He was looking at him with a dull, bored expression.

Right. Scarecrow.

His escape.

The chase.

His mom.

“You look a lot less terrifying without the mask,” Danny blurted out, slapping his hand over his mouth. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t call my normal appearance frightening,” Scarecrow hummed, focusing his attention back onto the laptop, “that’s what the costume is for, after all.”

“Oh.”

After a brief moment of excruciating silence, Scarecrow spoke.

“You any good with computers, Danny? Hacking, and all that?”

Danny jolted. Scarecrow needed his help with something! This was great! Now, he’d have more of a reason not to get rid of him!

“Oh, uh, yeah! Not as good as my friend Tucker, but I think I’m pretty good.”

“And you’re familiar with the GiW’s systems specifically,” Scarecrow continued, beckoning him over. Danny complied, shuffling over awkwardly. “Right?”

“Well, I guess? My friends and I got into their stuff a couple of times before they…”

“Wonderful,” Scarecrow said, standing up with a stretch. He shoved the laptop into Danny’s hands and gestured for him to sit down on the couch. “Then you can hack into their system and extract whatever files you can find.”

Danny stared at the man like he’d lost his mind. He looked back at him expectantly.

Danny sat down.

“Yeah, I-I can do that. Tuck and I built a back door into their system ages ago,” he said, checking the screen. It was clear that for all the skills that Scarecrow had, hacking was definitely not one of them. “But, uh, don’t you have someone else that usually does this sort of thing for you? Not that I’m complaining!”

Scarecrow scowled, and Danny felt his heart fall into his ass.

“Usually, I do,” Scarecrow huffed, “but I chose to leave my most recent job with the Penguin early, so now there’s no way that he or Eddie will help me with anything until I make it up to them somehow.”

“Oh,” Danny said.

He had no clue whatsoever who Eddie was.

Danny got to work quickly, hoping that if he ignored the gangly man, he would leave him be. Luckily, he did just that, leaving to go work on something in another room.

Danny checked the laptop’s security before continuing Scarecrow’s progress, making sure that the GiW wouldn’t be able to grab their location.

It was…threateningly good. Whoever Eddie was, he had somehow crammed the functionality of a top-of-the-line PC into a tiny, beat-up old laptop. It almost reminded Danny of Tucker and his terrifying competence with his PDA.

Tucker.

Amity park.

Home.

Danny snapped himself out of his thoughts, tabbing back into the application Scarecrow had up and began to work his magic.

He had near full access to the entire GiW database within half an hour.

Mumbling out a quick thank-you to Tucker, he called Scarecrow over to appraise his work.

“Fixed up some food for you while you worked,” the rogue said, handing him a bowl of oatmeal, taking the laptop into his lap as he did so, “didn’t know how well you could eat, considering you’re recovering from… surgery, so I decided to stay on the safe side.”

Danny had no clue what this guy’s deal was.

He definitely did not tear up at the first genuine thoughtfulness he encountered in weeks, and he did not look away as he ate so that Scarecrow couldn’t see his face.

At least Scarecrow was too focused on the laptop to notice or care.

Or, maybe, he was just mercifully ignoring him.

Either way, Danny ate slowly, not wanting to make himself sick. He allowed himself to absentmindedly look around the room for the first time, taking everything in.

It was strangely homey. The space was filled with warm browns and yellows, a few splashes of color on the wall in the form of (obviously gifted) paintings. There was a beat-up bookshelf against the wall, clearly second-hand, filled to the brim with psychology books. On every available surface there was a different colored candle, all at different stages of use, clearly collected over the course of years.

Danny knew that the man next to him was a crazed, murderous criminal, but his home was oddly reminiscent of Jazz.

He was not about to cry.

“Danny,” Scarecrow hummed, snapping him out of his spiraling, “can you explain this to me?”

He looked over. The rogue was pointing to a new report, seemingly posted only a few hours ago.

Nodding, he took the computer into his lap, pouring over the contents.

He read the report again.

And again.

And again.

Danny swore loudly, crumpling like a wet paper bag, head in his hands.

“What?”

“It’s…” he swore again, glancing back at the laptop, “they…since you became liminal from synthetic ectoplasm, when we’re within about 500 meters of one another, our ectoplasm signatures resonate, and they can’t track us with any of their technology.”

“How is that a bad thing?”

“If we’re not that close to each other, they can track us down from anywhere in the world.”

Scarecrow went dead quiet. After what felt like the single longest minute of Danny’s life, he let out a truly exasperated sigh, slumping over in his seat.

“Yeah, me too,” Danny mumbled, utterly miserable.

“…I’ll have to move my plans back a little,” Scarecrow sighed, “I can’t drag an injured child with me when I attack the Gotham GiW base, you’ll just get in the way.”

“Oh come on,” Danny whined, “I can take care of myself just fine. Besides, Batman brings kids with him to do dangerous stuff all the time, and he’s fine!”

“Might I remind you that the second Robin died violently,” Scarecrow snapped, “and that Batman most likely has more traumatic brain injuries than all of the Gotham rogues combined. That really isn’t the winning argument you think it is.”

Danny paused, trying to think up some way to win the argument. Then, he realized what he had ignored before.

“Wait, Scarecrow, you’re gonna attack the GiW?”

“That’s the plan,” he nodded, “and call me Dr. Crane. I’m only Scarecrow when I’m in the mask.”

But,” Danny sputtered, “Sca—uh, Dr. Crane—that’s insane! The weapons they’ve got- they’ll rip you apart!”

“Not my first time,” Crane said, making Danny wince. “Besides, I have plenty of experience avoiding gunfire. I’ll live.”

“You…” Danny was silent for a while, trying to think of something to say, “fine, but you have to take me with you wherever you go. As soon as they see either of us on their radars, they’ll hunt us down.”

Dr. Crane sighed.

“…Fine. I need some time to plan anyways. Now, you’re going to help me download these files, properly format them, and send them out.”

“…Why?”

“Well, some of the other rogues might appreciate the heads up, and I’d quite like them to be indebted to me. Besides, I still need to pay back the Penguin for ditching him, and he loves knowing things that other people don’t.”

Danny paused.

“That’s an awful idea, no offense. If any of the rogues know our weaknesses, they—”

“Danny, we’re censoring everything. The only things they need to know about are the GiW specifically, and any sort of laws surrounding them.”

Danny snorted.

“You care about laws now?”

“Yes, because if we get taken to Arkham, they’ll hand us off to the GiW the moment they ask, and it’ll be completely legal.”

Oh. Danny had honestly forgotten that Arkham was an option.

“…Ok. I’ll help you. Who are we telling?”

“I don’t think you really need to know,” Dr. Crane said, the faintest shadow of an amused look on his face, “but I’ll humor you for now. We’re sending the files out to the Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy via Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Red Hood.”

Danny nodded. He could live with that.

“Alright, then let’s get to work.”

—

[tiredcowboyy]

The treasures of my future

I cant stop thinking ab the idea of merlin one day post s5, where they all survived, becoming really secretive and protective of his room and not telling anyone at all whats inside. Not even gaius. He even gets a lock installed and whenever anybody asks he brushes it off with jokes like “its to stop arthur from finding me” or smth.

he also unrelatedly really hates any talk of destiny, going to war, and anytime morgana mentions her fear of her magic turning her merlin slightly freaks out.

That is until one day gaius manages to catch merlin off guard while hes rushing between the main room and his bedroom and walks in.

Only to see a whole bunch of stuff that hes never seen before.

Merlin freaks out, tries to play it off as some weird experiments and stuff hes been collecting but gaius can feel it, somethings different about these items, not wrong but not right. Not really magic either.

It takes 3 weeks of gaius pestering him before merlin breaks and explains to him that he IS A TIME TRAVELER. after the battle of camlan as we know it that lead to arthurs death, merlin did wait, he really did, but in the year 2020 when arthur didnt return for yet another global crisis, merlin broke and did spell upon spell until he figured out how throw himself back in time.

And holy shit did it work well. He managed to come back just at the perfect time to change everything that needed to be done to assure that everyone lives happily and safely, and when he realises hes done it, he decides to stay in this time. See his friends and family grow old as they should have. See arthur rule as he should have. Live the life he has been craving to go back to for centuries now.

Until a month in he realises how old everything is. Sure merlin can survive without his phone and stuff but theres a few things he really misses. Like his slippers, his potato peeler, his favourite hoodie, and especially his favourite tea flavours.

So once in a while he allowed himself to go back to the modern day and bring one thing back. He started with a scented candle, because candles exist in camelot and having one here shouldn’t mess up time right? Then moved onto a herbal tea that he knows if he traveled past the boarders he may be able to find similar ingredients.

Then he brings a new release of his favourite book series because he cant help it and realises small things like that dont change time.

And so thats what he’s been hiding away in his room, all of his modern day stuff. Ranging from trinkets hes collected over his life to his favourite scarf to his stuffed lion that he won at a fair in the 80s. He doesn’t go back often, only when his tea runs out or he really needs something, he tries to limit it he really does.

It takes gaius another 4 weeks to wrap his head around it all. Another 2 weeks after that to touch merlins stuffed lion thinking it may attack him at any moment.

He makes gaius promise to not tell a soul, offering him tea bags as payment. They have a nice system from then on, gaius would try a new flavour of tea everytime merlin returned, once in a while he would also bring a modern day snack (gaius yelled when he first tried salt and vinegar crisps).

A yell which led to leon finding out. And so a cycle began.

[grey-sorcery]

New to witchcraft? Awesome! Here's some things you should pursue.

An understanding of sympathetic magic: Correspondences, their metaphysical and theoretical framework, and their derivation.

Magical systems that incorporate the entire gender spectrum.

Energy work that isn't based on visualization.

The means of manifestation: How, where, and when spells affect physical change. The physical mechanisms through which witchcraft manifests beyond just willpower/intent/wishes/etc.

The history and subsequent influences of, and on, popular contemporary practices like Hermeticism, "Ceremonial Magick"/Golden Dawn, Wicca, and New Age/New Thought/LOA/Reiki.

How to approach and practice magic with critical thinking skills.

Influence of consumerism on contemporary practices.

Divination as systems: all methods of divination beyond tarot, their statistical applications, and their different methods of use.

The anthropology of medieval Arabia, Europe, Near East, and Asia relative to the magical or occult publications of the era. What is purely religious, parareligious, or syncretist and what does that mean for the interpretation of the text?

The genuine limits of our knowledge of the ancient world, what's possible for us to know and what can't we know?

Conversations with practitioners of closed or semi-closed practices and perspectives of POC when it comes to what the western world would label as "witchcraft".

The differences and similarities between superstition and the practice of witchcraft.

An understanding of the influence of colonialism on modern witchcraft and the language used to discuss magic.

Critical Race Theory (CRT), Queer Theory, and systems of oppression.

Botany and herbology: An understanding of the physical and medical properties of plants.

Building a personal lexicon for modern and/or colloquial terms used in and by the witchcraft community to describe and discuss practices.

Spell design: What makes a spell a spell? What is the smallest or slightest action that can be considered a spell and why? What are the most important and influential elements of the design and application of a spell?

Altars: Their use, design, and potential; whether or not an altar would benefit your practice or goals for practice.

A critical approach to spirit work and astral projection, being able to discern between personal narratives and probable experiences.

A safe and solid community to become a part of. One that does not allow the influence of personal narratives (Without addressing them as such), doesn't allow for the mixing of adults and minors, and with established and enforced logical and reasonable rules.

Collect and cross-reference correspondences from as many sources as possible, then start to create your own.

Try to find a STEM subject that interests you and study it through any non-dogmatic avenues available to you.

The items highlighted in blue are things I highly recommend!

Here is a list of things to avoid.

This is, of course, not an end-all-be-all list of possible responsible and healthy pursuits.

You can learn more about me, find my master-post, check out my Patreon, and suggest content here.

[traegorn]

When you vote for Biden, you sign off on what he does. When you don't vote for Biden, you don't sign off on what Trump does, magically, poof! Just like sorcery. No. That's not how reality works. Not voting for either doesn't sign off on what either candidate does. I'm voting third party, as per usual - they win if you vote for them <3

Nope!

Statistically, voting third party is throwing your vote away in the American system. Like literally the math doesn't work out. We haven't had a viable third party since the Whig's fell apart -- and by the next election, two parties resolidified. Unless something like ranked choice voting goes into place, there will never be a viable third party in America.

And in a narrow election, voting third party is effectively a vote for Trump. Third party candidates were the margin in 2016. That's how we got the first Trump presidency.

I'm begging you to please think of things beyond your own personal squicks. Human lives are on the line both here at home and internationally. More people will die in a second Trump administration, and he could solidify the current make up of the Supreme Court. This election has not just the next four years on the line, but the next fifty.

Like literally everything happening with the Supreme Court right now? It wouldn't have if the 2016 election had gone differently.

There is no living in an imperial power without blood on your hands, and you're going to have to get over that. It's your responsibility to make sure as little harm happens going forward -- and you best take it seriously.

Because if you don't, it's something you'll lose. And you won't get it back.

[onlycosmere]

Magic Systems

Brandon Sanderson:

Interesting conversations here. I strongly agree with the top comment here as of my posting, which points out that soft magic isn't any worse than hard magic. Both are tools for storytelling, and are used in different situations.

I also thought I should point something out. At least by my definitions, a magic is not soft or hard based on its adherence to external logic. A hard magic system is a reliable magic system, capable of being used by the characters to produce consistent results. A soft magic system is one that exists in an uncontrollable space by the viewpoint characters, with consequences that cannot be anticipated.

Therefore, the One Ring is a hard magic. Gandalf is a soft magic. Because the primary viewpoint protagonists (and the reader) can anticipate what the One Ring can do, and what the consequences will be. They cannot (by design) anticipate the same for Gandalf, at least within the confines of the Lord of the Rings books themselves.

Internal Logic (whether something is consistent) is the foundation of hard magic systems. Adding External Logic (i.e. scientific reasons why the magic works from an outsider perspective, or rationale as to how everything is powered) can make a magic easier to understand for a reader--but isn't needed for the system to he hard.

The OP is mistaking these two. An "electricity" system that is consistent and always works, and can be used by the main characters, is a hard magic--whether or not the External Logic (explaining things like where the power comes from) is sound does not influence this.

I literally have a magic system where an electricity-like substance comes from the sky, and it's considered one of the harder magic systems on the market today.

Remember most of all--such definitions are tools to use or discard as you try to achieve a specific kind of story. The distinctions are only relevant as to their ability to help you worldbuild as you wish, and are not hardfast. There are no rules you need to follow as a storyteller or worldbuilder, only suggestions from those who have come before--with explanations as to why these definitions have helped us achieve our narrative goals.

[markrosewater]

I feel like the "testing every possible combo" discourse distracts people from the actual issue: Wizards prints cards like Nadu all the time, and you always use a plethora of safeguards to prevent it from going broken (limiting to spells only, to opponent targetting only, to one time per turn, etc). It's the fact that Nadu ignores all of these that's the issue in my view. I think your team does a great job and mistakes happen, but there's no denying this one is extra egregious.

No one is denying it was a mistake, or even a big mistake. There’s two points I’m trying to make:

1) No matter what system we set up, we are not going to eliminate all mistakes. We can lessen them, and we are constantly evolving processes to get better at catching them, but “don’t let mistakes happen” is not practical advice. Making and balancing Magic cards is inherently complex.

2) What is obvious in hindsight is not always obvious in the moment. There is a famous video where you are told to count how many times a juggler tosses a ball in the air. Then, at the end of the video, it reveals a gorilla walked through the background. Many viewers don’t see the gorilla. Why? Because they were focusing on the juggler. Magic design involves paying attention to a huge variety of factors. Sometimes you’re so intent on making sure you get the juggler correct, you miss the gorilla.

On Twitter yesterday, I gave a stat that is relevant here. With every set we make, on average, between 30 to 50 changes in the last week, things that can’t be playtested because we’re out of time and making final fixes. Those changes are based on not just months of working on this set, but years of working on other sets.

We tend to make a card so egregious that it gets banned, again on average, about once every three to four years. Our hit rate on last minutes changes is very good. The game is better for us doing it. The game would have considerable more problems if we didn’t.

But it’s not perfect. We will still make mistakes. We constantly improve our processes to lessen that percentage, but it will never be 0%. And some of those mistakes, hopefully a minuscule amount, are gorillas (aka things that seem egregious that we missed).