#i mean my money is still on mage

[paragonrobits]

so one thing I’ve come to realize after watching a fair number of reactions to Hunter the Parenting by people who specifically not old school fans of the World of Darkness setting, or have only been introduced to it THROUGh HtP, is that every single fucking things Big D says and does is a MASSIVE flag that he is something extremely weird even by the standards of the setting

but

in order to actually know this, you need to have some fairly in-depth knowledge of the setting.

so I’m watching these reactions growing continuously baffled at how people don’t react that much to, say, Big D talking about how time is an odious concept, or randomly screaming that Louis Pasteur was a fascist, or that him knowing WHY werewolves are vulnerable to silver is actually a huge deal, and it took me a while to realize: Big D is always rambling and saying weird things, so to these viewers a lot of what he does and says is comedic non sequiters.

But here’s the thing; a lot of the stuff he says MIGHT be non sequiters, or him being accidentally correct about something he doesn’t know shit about... but the thing about it is that he sounds like someone who knows the horrible secrets in the world of darkness that you DON’T know, that you CAN’T know, unless you’re one of the strange things in the dark, or have done the impossible task of learning all about them and actually have accurate information.

So, for some context on my examples:

When Big D says time is a concept, he’s not speaking metaphorically. This is BIG TIME, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, REALITY-DEFINING MIND BREAKING SECRETS OF ALL COSMOS HERE. In the World of Darkness, reality is not objective. The laws of physics don’t really exist; reality is whatever the majority of people THINK exists, and the laws of science only apply specifically because scientific worldview is the norm among most of the world; because so many people believe that up is up, down is down, gravity keeps you on the ground and so on, that’s how it all works. BELIEF defines reality. Consequently, every aspect of existence is a concept, and when Big D says time is an odious concept, he’s not speaking metaphorically. This is an actual, inarguable truth of the setting.

In the same way, Louis Pasteur is likely a reference to the Technocracy, a secretive conspiracy founded by a number of mage guilds from Europe that banded together to further thier vision of an Enlightened world, but whom gradually succumbed to the evils of colonization, Eurocentric perspectives, abuse of power, and obsessively wanting to control all humantiy for its own good; through their work scientific reason has become the primary paradigm. In a lot of ways the mundane evils of the setting are at least implicitly their fault, and a lot of big names and historical figures are named as being part of the Technocracy; thus its not hard to assume Pasteur is thought to be one of these. (He was actually a vampire. He made himself a vampire with serums. It’s complicated, but the Technocracy assumption lines up with what Big D believes.) This also accounts for his apparent phobia of computers; while it MIGHT be him just being superstitious and weird, it also lines up extremely well with someone who knows the origin of advanced electronics as being literal magic.

And finally, werewolves. Everyone knows werewolves are vulnerable to silver, but not everyone knows why. Big D does; he outright tells Kitten it is because they have a compact with the moon. Put simply, THIS IS NOT COMMON KNOWLEDGE. AT ALL. Werewolves in general are tremendously secretive, though not as murderous about it as vampires are, and preventing humans from learning about them is important enough to be in their solemn oaths. To know about the nature of their bond with the moon requires you to ALSO know about the spirit world; that spirits are real, that werewolves are very heavily linked to the spirits, and THAT is why werewolves are vulnerable to silver. Again, this is not common knowledge, not even among those who are learned in the supernatural. (At least, I don’t think it is.)

So while Big D sounds like he’s yelling in gibberish, almost every single thing he says is massively loaded with context to the greater world of darkness, and it might be him being right on accident... or that he knows more than he’s telling, or IS something more than he seems to be.

[theygender]

I've got too many games I want to play and not enough free time 😭 I still need to finish my BG3 playthrough but since Endless Ocean: Luminous came out I've been playing a lot of that instead. Also just got back into Wizard101 last night. Started playing House Flipper again last weekend. Still need to finish BOTW so I can start a TOTK playthrough and finish Pokemon Shield so I can start on Pokemon Violet. I've been fighting off the urge to start up a new Skyrim playthrough for weeks. My brother just told me that Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is getting ported to the Switch. And now I'm suddenly feeling inspired to replay DAI... And throughout all of this I'm also playing the hell out of DragonVale on my phone. Someone just pay me to play video games all day please

[cherizzx]

Miles 42 Headcannons ( We got a man yall 🤭🤭

Miles 42x Black Reader

OK first off, THIS IS A 15/16 YEAR OLD CHILD HE BROKE AS HELL

Like he not broke broke but, hell shadow box for $5 and win ts. To me I feel he got a little money saved form how his dad taught his savings, and he got a back account because remember he's like a hitman he gets paid, but he's not like rich enough to the point he buys you like Rolex watches, Catier, Dior vintage bags from the 70's spring collection.

Next, I feel like to me evry says hes like some bad boy to me i just think hes troubled but, hes a good kid. In the first movie Miles acted the same way and in the second movie he's more mature I feel like Miles-42 matured faster since his dad died; he could never play with action figures when no action was taken to save his dad

It very sad how they describe him in fics as like a drug dealer bad kid when really, I think he's just a matured yet still goofy version of Miles like imagine Hobie attitude with miles it practically the same!

Also, more on the dating side of things Miles-42 I believe would not trust his s/o til 3 months later or even more. Miles-42 is a hitman, and he may have been taught people are going to burn your bridge when they have the chance so, Miles stays clear of really revealing his inner turmoil's til he can fully trust you.

But, when Miles does open up he's like a little flower all nice and smells good yet can still have you in the bed sick and tired if tried hard enough, I feel like his emotions would turn more gentler like he wasn't neglecting you but he kind of was condescending when you show a lot of affection and until you prove your real, hell just make the relationship picture worthy and not living worthy.

But an opinion I know people would say is true is that Miles both of them cannot flirt. Remember than most likely Miles-42 dad and Miles-1160 uncle died at or around the same time which means they both experienced the same ' I almost messed up my chances with this cool girl because my uncle/dad didn't teach me how to be a smooth criminal' but to me with how he put his hand on Miles-1160 shoulder..that man had one girlfriend in the 5th grade and he's been feelin himself since then.

Now before you two started dating you have crushes, Miles didn't have many crushes to my idea. I feel like he didn't see it like he thought of kids as friends and if he did like smb it would be like quick and over with simply because he would try to be friends more.

Like imagine you tryna shoot your shot with him and he just asks you what your favorite power ranger...that what I mage would happen but he's 15/16 so instead it him saying ' cool but, not interested' like he's not rude about it but, you would feel he not messin with you,

Buttt if he does have like a real crush on you, I feel like he would try to get to know you by socials than irl, like asking Ganke can he ask for your socials and then following you and from there trying bag you by cheesy but smooth texts. He would ask about your day, what was the homework, what clubs you do ask a conversation starter but, if you feelin him hell asking about music because I feel like Miles-42 and Miles-1160 both have a music bone in them, and you know Miles-42 listens to good music (won't ever catch him listening to mf Lil Pump ass) I also feel like Miles would ask about pop culture opinions to see how you are as a person like do you watch any popular tv shows? Ohhhh your favorite is Greys Anatomy... so you have nothing to do in your time? That what hell thinks.

My last little head cannon is more of what he would do if Ms. Rio liked you, which because he respectful baddies she likes us quickly, so What would miles do if Rio likes us 🧐

First, Miles wouldn't tell but shell know simply because Miles never smiles at a text, it doesn't matter if he won $128302 million, he not smiling until he met our lovely baddie reader now, he is giggling and kicking his feet. To Ms. Rio that's not normal, it gives her a sense of his old self and she doesn't pry into his social like a helicopter parent but, she doesn't take a peek over his shoulder and when Miles does get the courage to tell her she just smiling acting like she aint know.

Miles seeing his mom like would take a big relief off his shoulders because he thought about the reddit stories where the mom is crazy and now, he thinks his momma gonna run us over with a truck and blame it on the next-door neighbor (true miles fashion)

His mom liking you also lets him know he picked the right one, mothers know best when it comes to fake people for some odd reason and if Rio didn't side-eye you when she met you then your good and he's inviting you to his house more often. I'm not going to talking about Uncle Aaron because I feel like they not as close like that but that a head cannon for a sad day.

But, at the end of the day Miles wants us bad 🤭🤭

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Ruggie Bucchi - Club Wear Voice Lines

Club Wear Ruggie does not have a vignette.

When Summoned: Even if you keep your eyes peeled, you might miss it. My plays are pretty tricky, y'know!

Summon Line: I'll show ya what the Disc Thief can really do. I'm gonna rob ya blind of your motivation, morale, and pride.

Groooovy!!: Whew, game's over! I got a gig to get to after this, so I was worryin' that we'd go into overtime!

Home: Time to stir things up.

Home Idle 1: My nickname "Disc Thief" is pretty well-known, so maybe I might get scouted by some pro team with their eye on me... Nah, that'd be too good to be true.

Home Idle 2: We can hear Leona's voice pretty good even when we got noisy spectators durin' a game. Guess lions just got a healthier roar to 'em.

Home Idle 3: It's a total pain whenever I get marked by Epel durin' a club scrimmage. His stamina doesn't drop even when we go into the second half of the game, the kid's persistent.

Home Idle - Login: My playstyle is basically where I make plays when they'll count and everywhere else, I slack... I mean, I rest to catch a breather.

Home Idle - Groovy: Even if you can't use magic, you can still join our club. We got a ton of stuff for a manager to get done!

Home Tap 1: Vargas's coachin' is all about buildin' muscle. It's tirin' and sucks, but he piles it on even more if you try to skip out on it...

Home Tap 2: Magical shift is a mage-only sport. It might be popular, but since there aren't many players, people are impressed by anyone who's got experience playin'.

Home Tap 3: This is a high-contact sport, so elbow and knee pads are a must. Not like I'm gonna be in any position to get hit by the other side, though.

Home Tap 4: When I was a kid, I randomly found a magical shift disc, polished it up and sold it on the streets. That was a pretty great find.

Home Tap 5: Don'tcha think they should give out prize money for our club competitions? Can't really get excited if all we get are trophies or certificates.

Home Tap - Groovy: If you're gonna come check out our practice, make sure you bring us refreshments! Like sports drinks, nutritional jelly drinks, or even doughnuts!

Duo: [RUGGIE]: Can I destroy 'em, Leona-san? [LEONA]: Heh, don't crush em too hard, Ruggie.

Requested by @kwaiibb.

[thekatebridgerton]

So this is another episode of stories I want to read and I don't have the energy to write because it's 2am and I still can't sleep: real enemies to lovers past life au

And I mean I want a real enemies to lovers Bridgerton au where the Bridgertons straight up killed their love interest in the most Brutal way possible because they were that bad. Maybe its a past life in a fantasy world where the Bridgertons were dark overlords and their enemies were a powerful band heroes trying to defeat them who were killed by them to maintain power. But when the heroes died, the Bridgertons realized that there was nothing woth conquering anymore without an arch enemy and pretty much destroyed the world

But then the reincarnation happens and it's 1800 regency England and the spouses immediately recognize the people who killed them in a past life and go like ' nope, I don't like people who murdered me in my past life 'while the Bridgertons themselves don't know why they feel drawn to these people who keep fighting/avoiding them.

Kate knows Anthony murdered her in her past life, she remembers and he doesn't, in her past life she was a powerful mage who saw her friends die one by one trying to eradicate the Bridgertons and faced off with Anthony in a brutal final battle, in this life she's trying to protect Edwina from the vultures of the ton and he's trying to get close to Kate, for someone unknown reason. she's going to shoot him one of these days and struggles with the knowledge that in this life he's done nothing to deserve it. he's all she ever trained to destroy in her past life, in this one, he's just a foolish man, how can she let go of old grudges if he keeps frustrating her so much and trying to get on her good side

Sophie was a saint with healing powers in her past life, she's a maid in this one, big deal she can get trough this. Her plan is to reach spinster age, hunt down Phillip or Simon and start her own medicine practice. Except that the guy who killed her in her past life somehow found her first, he's offering to help her get a job as a maid in his house ( serving his other 7 muder happy siblings? No thank you) she's trying to avoid him, found work with Lady Danbury, and he thinks they're soulmates just because she nursed him that one time. Seriously if she wasn't honor bound as a healer in her past life she would have left him to die!! Why wont he get away from her.

Penelope was killed in the least violent way, past life Colin was almost gentle when he killed her, so she's always had a soft spot for him. She was willing to let the past life lie and be his friend until he said he'd never court Penelope Featherington!. As if she would want him to! That idiot!. In her past life she was a paladin who never married and had her life cut short by Colin..She's going to save up her LW money, buy herself a husband and move far away from her former executioner... Wait a minute! He should take responsibility for that, she didn't even have a first kiss in her past life because of him! He should give her one! She's determined not to die a virgin in this life and she's going to make it Colin's problem if he keeps sniffing around her business!

[philaet0s]

I need to talk about the economic system in the Simon Snow series because I just get so intensely and irrationally frustrated whenever I think about it (which is more often than you think, I have issues)

I just wonder how the fuck it works, actually. Because Mages seem not to have their own money, which means they use pounds for everything they pay for

BUT THEN how does it work when Mages work in the World of Mages. like the teachers at Watford for example, they must get paid, and for that Watford has to exist as an institution because it needs to have money stored somewhere, and it needs to be something identifiable because otherwise you have sums of money equal to a salary being transferred randomly every month? That’s weird. I know in the books Simon has an excuse to say what Watford is to Normals, since he can’t talk about a magic school, so you would think that would apply and that Watford would be registered as some sort of private schools, but I don’t believe schools can just *exist* someone has to regulate them somehow, but Normals can’t even see the school, let alone come inside it, so how could any board of education inspect it?

+ Watford has to exist somehow in the Normal system because otherwise all the kids who go to school there would not be registered to any school, and that would cause Problems because schooling IS mandatory and their parents couldn’t just say they’re homeschooled because that’s supposed to be regulated too

(Watford is another thing I have Questions about okay?)

Even if we put Watford aside, many Mages seem to work Normal jobs, but there still are some that don’t. There are people who work for the Coven. The same questions applies, how do these people get their money? How is the Coven declared in the Normal world? As a private company maybe?

Having the same currency allows for too much interaction with the Normal world. I don’t like it.

But at the same time if they had their own currency and didn’t declare any income to the Normal government, wouldn’t that be suspicious?

I shouldn’t think about it. It’s insignificant. No one cares if Mages pay taxes or about the legitimacy of the existence of Mage institutions in the Normal world. BUT I DO.

I love the idea that Mages live in the Normal world and aren’t a completely separate entity with hardly any interactions with the Normal world, but trying to understand the way it would work in actuality makes my brain hurt.

[felixcloud6288]

*Ferdinand von Aegir and Lorenz Hellman Gloucester having tea together*

Lorenz: Aren't we just the pinnacle of nobility?

*Laughs Nobly*

Ferdinand: Indeed we are. Sitting and enjoying tea is truly a noble pastime.

*Nobly laughs*

Lorenz: Why just the other day, I declared new shipping routes be made so that we can import more varieties of tea.

*Laughs in Noble*

Ferdinand: And thanks to those increased imports, we were able to lower to cost of tea and other goods so all the commoners have better access to them.

*Laughs Nobly in Noble*

Lorenz: And of course, I increased the security of my lands so the commoners and the tea supply are safe from bandits.

*Nobly laughs in Noble*

Ferdinand: And since the roads are safer and living expenses are lower, the commoners can travel the land and enjoy tea in plenty of lovely settings.

*Nobles Nobly while laughing*

Lorenz: But still, I worry the commoners do not have the required understanding to enjoy tea like we do. Why just the other day, I saw someone pour honey into an apple blend.

*Ferdinand Nobly stops Nobling*

Ferdinand: That will not do at all. They should know honey goes best with chamomile. We have failed in our duties as nobles if our people don't know how to truly enjoy the tea we offer them.

*Lorenz Nobles*

Lorenz: You are right. We must provide our people with the best possible education so they can truly understand the wonders of tea.

*Ferdinand Nobles in Noble agreement*

Ferdinand: Indeed my noble friend. But forcing them to take time to learn could be detrimental. How can someone truly enjoy something they're forced to partake in? And then there is the matter of whether they can afford to take time from their work.

*Lorenz Nobly ponders Nobly*

Lorenz: Let us raise the wages of the commoners so they can keep their same standard of living while working fewer hours. And we should also lower their tax burdens while we're at it. We can always make up the difference by taxing the richer lords of our lands.

*Nobly sips his his tea in a nobly noble way*

Ferdinand: I understand what you mean. If the commoners need to work fewer hours to make a living, then they'll have time for an education. And by reducing their tax burden, that means they'll have more money to buy more tea to enjoy.

*Beams with Noble excitement*

Lorenz: Oh indeed. And of course we should make their education free and provide public transport to and from the schools as well as to and from the tea markets.

*Nobles in his Noble Nobleness*

Ferdinand: We can make these schools more enticing by making them a place where you can learn all walks of life. Imagine a school where you can learn how to be a scholar, a mage, a warrior, a craftsman, or a better farmer; and we can include lessons on how these different lifestyles make their tea.

*Nobles in the Noblest way*

Lorenz: I love that idea. And by giving our commoners these opportunities, they'll be able to choose the lifestyle and tea that they truly feel is their calling. No longer would the circumstances of their birth prevent them from achieving their dreams and enjoying their tea.

*Nobles Nobly while Nobling*

Ferdinand: Let us begin drawing plans immediately. If we succeed, more people will be able to enjoy tea just as much as we do.

*They Nobly Noble their Noble Nobles while Nobling Nobly on the Nobly Nobles with Nobly Nobling Noble Nobles, Nobly*

[torao-chan]

So going back and forth about Leander I was wondering how quick you caught on to his scheming. Because I first I didn’t like him but I didn’t really have a reason why I just didn’t. But upon rereading his dialogue I was like hmmmmm

Oh man, I clicked like. maybe three lines in.

I have what my friend affectionately dubs an 'evil-dar'. I may not be able to tell you exactly why someone's fucked up, but if I see them and I immediately like them- they fucked up.

Probably, I think the earliest sign for me, was the emphasis on performing.

A pair of gilded boots stride across the tabletop. "Seriously, you dogs? Again?" Scattered laughter and cheers rise from the audience. I drag my eyes upwards... a well-dressed man stand on the table in front of me, his broad shoulder framed by the thick lapels of a trench coat. "This really is the last time, alright?" This time, when he speaks, the audience falls silent, as though bewitched by his magnetic presence or rich, low voice. But nothing is as captivating as his smile. He beams at the crowd around him, a performer on his makeshift stage. "Don't blink, or you'll miss it."

These were the bits the immediately drew me in, the bolded bits. And it's the bolded, italicized bits that immediately made me go 'he's hiding something, and it's horrific, and I want to know more.'

Gilded boots in a downtown pub; carefully designed, likely expensive in taste, and yet he's in the slums- the place where people pull a face when you mention going there. It doesn't say cheaply gilded, or with a fancy design- it's just gilded. It's intentionally not giving us much, but telling us something important- this is a man who is conscious of his appearance. Of how he looks, how he presents, right down to the design on his boot. And he cares enough to throw money at it. If it was just from his upbringing, he wouldn't maintain them, wouldn't still have them today. We don't have a word describing how put together the boots are, how well maintained, but we do immediately get told that he's a performer. It's highly likely that they are chosen and maintained intentionally.

"This really is the last time, alright?" is tasty tasty to me. How will this be inflected, when voiced properly? Is this an establishment of boundaries, from a man placating his pack of puppies? A certain firmness there, that indicates that his word is law here; he's not joking this time? Or is it a man caving to the pleads of his people, throwing them another bone to keep them satisfied in between working on other schemes? Either way, this is a man who has power and is prone to indulging people; and indulging them in a way that indicates he is above them. Whether intentionally or not, consciously or not, this is the stance it takes- to me, at least.

The audience is bewitched by him, the mage. His charisma is high, he's generally liked and adored, and that means he's a man who can get away with a lot of shit. He can work a crowd, appeal to masses and individuals as one, and makes them all feel special- whether they're all together or by themselves. This gets emphasized a lot later, too, and in a lot of his profiles and lil details, but this is when I knew that. He knows how to work a person, and that usually comes from trauma or social ambition, and either way- I'm interested and hungry.

The fact that they outright state he's "a performer on his makeshift stage" makes me so ravenous alksjgldsjgl. The table is his stage, the pub is his stage, heck! The whole town is his stage and he's performing nonstop the entire time we interact with him. Fake or real, undecided- but performing nonetheless. A performance doesn't have to be dishonest, but it is intentional. And intentional means that there's a goal to be achieved- grand or otherwise.

And then there's the warning.

Three lines in (damn, I was right- literally three lines of dialogue from him).

"Don't blink, or you'll miss it."

Such an enticing statement, always. It's so easy to miss, his flashes of soul under the performance. The moment in the pub, later, when he's content to leave the chaos to reign until the player turns to him for help (and then he sighs, like he didn't want to, wasn't planning to, but who was he to let down a new audience member?). The moment of flat on his face, when you refuse his hand, and he grabs you anyway, determined to pull you into his web, into his puppet show. You could be a valuable piece- a fresh pawn off the woodcarver's table, and unblemished, yet, by the rest of the city. The moment when he looses his composure slightly, unaware to what extent Kuras had seen you during your examination.

There's so much there that sold him to me immediately as a favourite, as a schemer, as someone to watch out for because they've always got a knife three inches from your back, and that is super attractive, but man.

Yea, three lines of dialogue in, and I knew.

As my friend said, I have an 'evil-dar'. asdlkjlgsjg if I like the character, she knows 9/10 times, they're definitely fucked up in some way aslkjdklgsdg

[cielsosinfel]

Deeply obsessed with Rolan which means I'm also deeply obsessed with all the little details in his room (which honestly there aren't that many details, there isn't that much willful characterization happening here probably on the parts of the devs, but I'll read into the simultaneous mess and sparseness anyway)

Also still kind of dying that he has one of Lorroakan's rejected autobio manuscripts... I wonder if he got handed a copy by Lorroakan the first day he was there, Lorroakan completely unaware the rejection note was still in it.

What I'm most curious about right now is why he has that note with a riddle leading to the Annals of Karsus, because I struggle to believe Lorroakan would have shared anything about the secret rooms of the vault with him... or maybe would have bragged about possessing such powerful, illustrious tomes but actually showing him how to GET to those tomes...?? But it does say "In the Hand of Ramazith" so perhaps Rolan found the note while cleaning up around the tower, and was trying to decipher it...? idk idk.

EDIT: OK I FOUND OUT WHY HE PROBABLY HAD THAT NOTE. I was flipping through the Descent Into Avernus adventure book again, to see what was mentioned about Ramazith's Tower, and it has a whole section that goes into Lorroakan:

"Lorroakan's ever-pressing need for money has led the mage to begin looking for hired hands who might be willing to venture into the long-shuttered heights of Ramazith's tower and uncover the secret of the late wizard's wealth. That Ramazith's secret may have brought him to an untimely end, and that Lorroakan is himself no more skilled--and perhaps significantly less--than the tower's previous master does not seem to concern him."

OK my reading of this: Lorroakan knows there is untold wealth of magical artifacts hidden in the tower. He also knows the tower's defenses are extensive, the artefacts that are likely fatal high in number, and there is every possibility Ramazith got killed by something in his own tower. So what better way for Lorroakan, unskilled hack and fraud that he is, to uncover the treasure trove he's laid claim to without harm to himself, than hiring eager apprentices with enough magical skill to possibly power through the protective spells and traps and wards... And if they can't and they die, it's no skin off his back.

I guess this is headcanon territory lol but I've sold myself on it, I'll just believe the note was found among Ramazith's various affects by Lorroakan, and handed off to Rolan to figure out, to eventually send Rolan off to possibly die trying to dig up the key to Ramazith's wealth.

Also also, the amount of paper scattered across the desk the riddle-note is found on, and across the floor around it... Wondering how much of that is Rolan desperately trying to work out riddles Lorroakan gives him. the rest of his room is pretty clean in comparison, it's just all the paper around that desk.

[prince-kallisto]

Cause of Overblots, Rollo, and CROWLEY

My brain cells are trying so hard…but thinking about it, the Glorious Masquerade may have more significance than meets the eye (even if the canonicity of it is dubious).

Through the main story of TWST, we’ve all reasoned that the Overblots happened because they did all go through different forms of trauma, years of bottled up emotions, and sometimes overuse of magic. It makes sense, yet at the same time it doesn’t. As Idia stated in Book 6, in the past 100 years, NRC overblots never even reached the double digits, yet 5 (now 7) happen in the span of 6 months. No matter the trauma the students went through, it’s still incredibly unusual for this to happen.

Now let’s look at Rollo, the short king (in my imagination) of Noble Bell College. Let’s see, he: witnessed the traumatic death of his brother who was burned alive, no one could save him, blames it on magic despite being a mage himself, his own Unique Magic is a manifestation of his trauma and is literally powered by negative emotions, and has carried about a decade of extreme guilt and hatred due to his trauma that led him to lash out at others.

Of course, I never like to compare the backstories of the other Overblotters, but looking at the other backstories, Rollo had a VERY valid reason to Overblot considering the patterns we’ve seen. “Arguably,” Rollo’s backstory is worse than some of the Overblots (but again, they all experienced trauma in their own ways, no comparisons!)

And yet, he never Overblotted or showed signs of blot, despite meeting and surpassing literally all the criteria for an Overblot. Coincidentally, Rollo is NOT at NRC.

And isn’t that weird?

It’s just proof that despite all the bottled up emotions and overuse of magic DOES NOT automatically mean Overblot. NRC presents it in a way that feels organic and ‘normal,’ but it clearly isn’t. So many people go through awful things and life and bottle up their emotions, but never to the point of Overblot.

Since I don’t think anyone could have the ability to manipulate the Overblotter’s backstories (again, not the automatic reason for an Overblot), I think what Idia suggests in Book 6 is right on the money. Both of the things he mentions has merit.

Powerful curses- The Shroud family and Grim have their curses manifest through the blue flame, but as far as I know, it isn’t the only indicator of a curse. Vil has shown that items can easily be cursed as well, without anything looking out of place. As usual, I will be blaming Crowley for this haha. But think about it, he is the one who unlocks the gates and presents the Magestones to every student. What if he cursed specific magic pens that take up an absurd amount of blot? Because even though us, the player, can see the blot puddles getting bigger, it doesn’t darken the magestones until right before Overblot.

Edit: want to add that about how Crowley gives the magestones. In game, although he was planning to throw Grim out, he still had a custom-made magestones collar for Grim. In the novel, it’s described like the magestone collar appeared out of thin air from Crowley’s magic. Does he make the magic pens himself some how?? If so, doubly sus

Sealed Phantoms- I find it very interesting how all the Overblot phantoms from the NRC students have taken the form of the Great Seven. NRC clearly respects the Great Seven, from the dorms to the statues to the paintings in Crowley’s office. It’s to the point that in one of his voice lines, Crowley says he cleans the Great Seven portraits every single day. So what if he managed to seal phantoms that look exactly like the Great Seven (or blot) until they could “attach” themselves to the students that meet their image?

I think it’s plausible, because remember in Book 5, NO ONE, even Malleus, knew that Vil Overblotted because of the magic barrier in the colosseum. I don’t know about you, but why would the faculty make such a powerful barrier for an arena that used for student exams and sports events? Overblot magic is extremely powerful, yet it didn’t break the barrier.

Edit: In the Heartslabyul manga, Crowley made a barrier to protect the students 👀 coincidence? I think not!

If such a barrier is possible, it is reasonable that even STYX wouldn’t have known about hidden blot or phantoms.

Who knows, it could even be both reasons combined. Perhaps Crowley cursed the magestones to attract specific phantoms or blot, slowly infecting the students until they Overblot. Why??

I have no idea lmaoo. But I think Idia was on a strong track to figuring it out, and Glorious Masquerade is proof that the NRC Overblots are indeed purposeful

[sacrificecage]

Yo! I dunno what this “OC Tournament” thing is, but it’s letting me bypass ☆particular☆ laws of reality to send you mail. Neat!

Alright, here goes! Dear Mr. Mapobas,

What’s with everyone’s names over there? Why are they so fancy and long? What do they mean? Are they merit-based or are you guys just born with them? I’m super curious! ∩^ω^∩

Sincerely,

Someone from a distant time and space ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

"....Distant time and space? How... Odd. Extradimensional-temporal travel wasn't on my bingo list, today.

...Though this does mean my fanbase goes on for many years, across time and space. Amazing! I wonder who you are, my dear fan..?

Regardless! Your question!"

"Jambandran names have either two or three components, depending on your family heritage. A name, an indicator, and sometimes, a lineage name. For instance, my forename is Mapobas, the indicator is the normal Dejasce, and my lineage name is Novavunora."

Name, or forename, is the given name. It is chosen by the parents upon birth on the child- Ah, most of the time. I chose my own name, at.. Ah, sixteen? Seventeen? Regardless.

The names are fusions of existing words. Two, usually. And it does have to be existing words, ones that appear in the royal dictionary. The evolution of Jambandran as a language is... Stilted, as a result. It's- A long history, I assure you. Mine is Mapop and Bastion, of course. Hope of Heart.

Indicator is just the word Dejasce. So, ah... "Of the lineage of"? This is just to denote that you are of important lineage. Most individuals just use "Nedejascela", the common indicator.

And the lineage name! This is your family's name. Usually gifted to individuals who performed great actions, but the origins of many have been lost to centuries of nobility- Ah, most lineage names are nobles. The sort of actions that gift you a lineage name usually also grant you a lot of money, or power, or both.

My name, however, I know the origins of. My great-grandfather, Jamagoja, was a mage advisor, like myself, to the emperor of his time. The planet's vicinity to an Another Dimension gateway has been a source of trouble for many years for freak weather and some temporal accidents every few decades, but... This time, the gateway spat out a star.

Well, not a star. Rather, the energies of a star, recently exploded, still hot and trying to reform. Such an incident would have annihilated Jambandra with the remnant energies after the reformation. My grandfather used his spells to absorb half of the star remnant, and used the new magic to dispel the rest away from the planet, keeping us safe.

...Or something like that. I was told the story a lot as a young child, but I.. Have not heard it for a long time.

Anyway, ah... Other names can be granted on top of lineage names. I knew a fellow with a double barrel last name, in university. It happens sometimes in marriage, and adoption, or also performing another worthy action alongside your lineage's already existing one.

The exceptions are monarchy and religion. The Emperor always is called "Dejasce Jam", and the head priest is always "Dejasce Ultanileshora". That's all.

[kilda]

how to make a xiao notice you 101-part two (headcanons for a xiao x gn! reader)

author's notes: heyy! this is the second post I'm making..I did NOT expect the first one to get so many notes...WHEDJNW *author malfunctioning noises* anyways, I still have exams up-and-coming, but oh well. lowercase is intended!

stuff: some fluff, some slight pining from the reader, mentions of a injury, idk anything else

word count: around 750, i’m pretty sure. i can’t force myself to recount-

extra stuff: this may be the last part, but who knows? i do have exams to study for, but we don't care about the fact that they'll determine whether i live or not while i'm still working on this (i should do fine on them anyways, lol. i'm at the top of my class anyways). and as always, enjoy reading!

O•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••O

when you very reluctantly woke up the next day, the first thought on your groggy mind was the fine, muscular adeptus.

you (very slowly) managed to get out of your precious, comfy bed and began to get ready for the new day ahead of you.

after you finished, you ate a light breakfast with the adeptus still on your mind. you left the house making sure the door was locked and then set off on your way to get and complete your daily commissions.

once you arrived at the guild, kathleen warmly greeted you with a quick 'good morning, how are you on this fine day?' and then proceeded to tell you your commissions for the day, not letting you respond.

you deadpanned at her, not exactly sure why she would ask you the question if she wasn't going to let you respond, but you shrugged it off. it was typical of kathleen in the mornings, anyways.

after you received a piece of paper with kathleen's neat handwriting stating your commissions for the day on it, you muttered a quick but audible 'alright thanks, i'll see you later, kathleen' to her, you quickly scanned your paper.

you had four commissions today; they were overall fairly easy. you decided to go get the lady in springvale some apples first, since that one was the closest and the perfect way to warm up for the rest of the day.

you finish up the rest of your commissions fairly quickly; in just around 3 or 4 hours, you had so far cleared out a hilichurl camp, gave some apples to a nice lady that owned a bakery that gave you some of her delicious apple pie as her way of saying thanks, and caught a teen’s horse that had apparently ran away. pretty good. you just had one more commission to do before you could go take a break; and that was to clear out another hilichurl camp that was in liyue.

the commission looked pretty hard, since the person who requested it said that they had seen around 10 hilichurls, 2 abyss mages, and 2 mitachurls there. you seriously thought about not doing it and doing a different one instead, but the amount of mora the person was willing to pay for the camp near their house to be cleared was quite a lot- 30,000 mora, to be specific.

and so, since you needed the money to pay off some old bills and you could go shopping later, you decided to accept the commission. i mean, why not? you’re getting paid a good deal for a fight and a around 6 mile walk.

after you fought with the thoughts in your head, you got up to find the trail to liyue.

once you found the trail, you hiked on it for a while until you arrived at the place.

safe to say, by the time you had finished hiking, you were completely exhausted like crap.

however, you still needed to fight a whole dang army, so you took a quick break and ate a quick lunch consisting of a sandwich, water, and a granola bar.

after you finished up, you got back into finding the camp. the paper said that the camp was supposed to be in dihua marsh.

you marched on into dihua marsh and looked around like a madman for the camp.

you did find it!…after an hour of intense running, searching, gliding, jumping, and speed walking when you ran out of breath.

turns out, it was in the middle of the island. you being you decided to search on the sides of the island…

well, whatever. you’ve found the camp now.

you quietly sneaked up on the camp and then threw a grenade into the centre of the camp. (to make this a lot easier, let’s just pretend grenades existed)

the grenade simply went boom, exploded half of the hilichurls, and alerted the rest that an enemy was near.

half of the camp was on fire and more than half of the mob, too.

you then charged in and started slashing, deflecting, and jabbing at the mob like a pro well, you were a pro anyways, but oh well.

you were so focused on blocking and attacking the ones in front of you that you forgot that you’d don’t have eyes on the back of your head..

simply put, you got stabbed in the back.

you groaned in pain, and then you suddenly remembered about the pretty adeptus, xiao.

you called out his name in a whisper, since it kinda hurt to talk at the moment.

he very much poofed out in front of you like the first time and then noticed the amount of monsters around y’all.

xiao just took his primordial jade winged spear out and just killed them in under 2 minutes, not even breaking a sweat.

O•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••O

a/n: i’m sorry i left y’all like that on this one..i promised myself i’d post a post today and my mom wanted me to get back to studying…but I’ll post edit this tomorrow and add onto it. thanks for reading!

[greentrickster]

So something good that started in my life last December was that I stumbled into a bit of luck and now have a deal with a nearby geek culture shop to sell plush mages I make. This was extremely fortuitous, because I created the design and concept back in 2017, had made about ten before forcing myself to stop, and, other than gifting one to a friend, still had them all, and was planning to find a holiday donation bin for a charity that accepted handmade stuff, because I was tired of them taking up space in my room. Like literally the only reason I still had them was because life was hectic and I kept forgetting to go check for where any local donation bins were.

This is very exciting, the owner's super nice and helped me set some stuff up so I'm selling on consignment, which means I only get paid when someone actually buys one, but I get a bigger cut of the money when they do.

My dudes, I have an income again.

It's teeny-weeny and irregular, but I have one, and, almost more importantly, a bunch of them sold during and right after the holiday rush, so I get to make more, and it's giving me something to actually do besides working on my mental issues and trying to fill my time while I gain the mental health and stability to get, you know. An actual job. I'm currently making a few more to put in the store, then I'm going to focus on making extra stock to have available for when the local anime convention (and it's stale, stale vendor's hall) arrives this spring.

Not only that, it means that I can make as many of these things as I want for now! And while it takes about a day to make one mage, I'm flexing hard on my status as a professional ADHD haver by having three or four on the go at once, but in different stages of completion. So if I feel like sewing I can one on this one, but if I want to do some pinning I can work on that one, and the third one's ready to finish stuffing and assembling whenever I feel like it, now I want to take a break to watch anime, oooo~ sewing mood again-!

Like, this is in no way I can turn this into an actual career, just because, like I said, it takes about a day to make one from scratch, going at a pace that's both productive and physically healthy for me and also, given that they're about twenty inches tall, made of primarily minky fabric, and being done by hand, that means that I am selling them for nowhere near what they're worth, because people wouldn't be willing to pay that much. Like, the minimum wage where I currently live is (a ridiculous) $7.50 an hour. If I made one of these guys in six hours, that would mean they'd need to cost $45 just to cover my time, never mind materials and the fact that this is skilled labour, and that is not the price on the tag, let alone my cut. They look deceptively simple for all the tricks and techniques that go into one (never mind the fact that minky is expensive fabric, the craft safety eyes I use are special-ordered and very good quality, and, oh yes, these little fellows are machine washable). I literally cannot make a livelihood doing this.

But, like I also said, it's giving me something creative to do that isn't just more reading, writing, and gaming. I love doing all those things, but this is a kind of physical activity that I've needed in my life, and making something physical is so different than writing, with the wonderful bonus that minky fabric is one of my favorite textures! As long as I'm strategic about my acquisition of materials, I'm not going to be losing money on this, and while it's something I think is going to end up paying dividends more in my mental health than in my wallet, I will be earning money for this. I'm getting paid to make plushies to my heart's content (or until I run out of materials for the moment) while watching anime/youtube and working on my mental health, and, for now, that's not only enough, it feels really good!

[nightimedreamersworld]

Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks for the tags today, friends @letraspal @artsyunderstudy @j-nipper-95 @hushed-chorus @iamamythologicalcreature @larkral @forabeatofadrum @confused-bi-queer love to see what you guys are working on!

So, the good news is: my vacation is finally here!! Which means lots of free time to write and read and relax. Whoo!

The even better news is: I've fully shifted into CORB mode. You guys, I lucked out. I get to work with not one but two absolutely amazing artists for this fest, and it's been so fun to come up with ideas with them both.

I've got a general outline + some words for both of these wips and I'm so excited. Have a snippet for each:

#Wip 1, Baz pov: a list.

1. The Mage is my captor. He sent numpties, of all creatures, and told them to lock me up in a coffin.

2. He doesn't want me dead, just locked up. There must be a reason, and I'm going to find out what it is. Soon.

3. Simon Snow isn't coming to my rescue—hell, he might as well be in on this, following orders from his mentor. He's probably guarding the damn bridge, waiting with his sword at the ready in case I try to escape.

4. (I know it probably isn't true—I'd be able to smell him a mile away—but still, the thought sticks, rotting in my mind.)

5. No one is coming to my aid—I've heard the numpties talking about a ramson. If my family pays, that would be like admitting defeat. Maybe it's what the Mage really wants: to wring out as much money and resources as he can using me.

6. Despite knowing all those facts, I won't stay here. I'm tired of the dark.

7. I don't need to be saved. I'll take matters into my own hands.

And #Wip 2 (also Baz):

I grew up underneath the Cirque's lights.

My first memories belong to the stage, watching my mother dance with flames like they were part of her. Like she was made of fire.

She was the star of the circus. Natasha the Great, they called her. They might as well have named an entire show after her.

I'd like to say I learned everything I know from her. I would have, if I'd had the chance.

But I learned it, anyway. Fiona likes to tell everyone that I used to do handstands before I even learned how to walk. Which is a gross exaggeration, but not far from the truth.

I suppose I do fare better upside down.

“It's the blood rushing to your head," Snow poked me once. “Makes you even more of a prick."

So there you have it. These both feel very tentative and drafty, but it's a start. I can't wait to tell you more about them!

Tagging a few friends for Wednesday: @cutestkilla @bookish-bogwitch @captain-aralias @rimeswithpurple @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @ivelovedhimthroughworse @whatevertheweather @fatalfangirl @aristocratic-otter @blackberrysummerblog @prettygoododds @palimpsessed @valeffelees @facewithoutheart and anyone who'd like to share!

[fragmentofmemories]

I'm adding another drpg to my to do list woo. Also this is actually a really old post.

Unhinged, unedited thoughts about Operation Babel (PC port btw) because I'm too lazy to make up a coherent post. But also I want to talk about its mechanics (i like 'em and there's a ton of 'em).

Emphasis on unedited...

-Game features two modes for character creation. Basic and Classic Mode.

Basic Mode lets you choose from 45 portraits made by different artists (each one with 5 color options). Some portraits are neat, others not so much. Don't like fanservice much tbh...

Classic Mode instead is a full on character generator, letting you choose the character's facial features, hair color, voice and so on. They may look weird at first but they grow on you. The equipment given to Classic Mode characters is actually reflected in their design, which is an amazing detail. (I picked this mode though this is purely a cosmetic choice, and you don't lose anything by picking one over the other. wish i could say the same for other games...).

-The music in this game omg-

-"Blood Codes" are the classes in this game. They are based on mythical heroes (again by different artists), which are then assigned to each character.

-There's 20 codes in total, 2 of them each representing a specific role (Warrior, Mage, Thief and so on) and giving both skills and a small stat boost. Unlike other DRPGs, though, there is no reclassing. Rather, you can swap between codes while maintaining their level. However, you cannot transfer learned skills from one code to the other.

-Oh hey item crafting/upgrading is here. It's as fun as a mechanic as it's been in other DRPGs, so nothing new to say here.

-Permadeath is more forgiving, as any money a character has is brought back to the headquarters (town), and you don't have to bring any backup team to where the original died. Instead you can simply pay at the clinic for a rescue squad to bring them back, although it has a chance of failure.

-As always, though, you can just reset if this all feels too intimidating.

-Saving while in dungeons is still possible, but at a cost. You need an item which is both limited and costly, and it's consumable meaning you can only use it once before it breaks.

-Enemy reinforcements. Exactly as it sounds; Once you finish an encounter you may immediately be put in another fight. Very SMT1~

-...Wait this is the sequel why am I playing this one first--

[solomiracle]

Do you have any ideas about Levi and the no-brothers party? That idea is so cute I can't resist asking more

Like Dark/Red/White Magic, cleric, rouge, tabaxi or stuff like that?

context: here and here

gonna admit that most of my rpg-esque/fantasy ideas come from anime, gacha games, and turn-based RPGs so my ideas probably won't align with yours anon >n<

this is gonna be pretty long oh boy BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT quick shoutout to these two posts i saw a while ago!! they're ideas for the brothers' dnd classes :D (im scared too scared to play dnd)

ANYWAYS RAMBLING BELOW

Not-Lucifers

Roles/Classes: Mainly DPS (Black Mage, Warrior, etc) with some survivability for themselves, and maybe their teammates. If they're more support oriented, they give opponents many debuffs. And while very uncommon, some Not-Lucifers are summoners (Not-Lucifers always have magic on some level, even if they don't use it themselves)

Races: Out of all the Not-Brothers, Not-Lucifers have the most variety in races. Humans, demons, angels, elves, mermaids; basically every one you can think of, there's a Not-Lucifer variant

Ranges: All (Short, Mid, Long)

-

Almost always immortal

Not uncommon for them to be under some curse (sometimes the cause of their immortality), esp if it makes them broody and depressed

As you said anon, half of the time they're villains (with backstories that tug on Levi's heartstrings and he ends up crying at his PC over them)

A lot of Not-Lucifers have family trauma, some of them are even the cause of it (and either want to atone or further themselves into despair, hopefully the player can help the latter ones out)

Not-Mammons

Roles/Classes: THIEVES!!!!!!!!!!!! also Rogues, Archers, and Gunslingers (sometimes magic ones!). A mix of DPS and support, mainly focuses on buffs/debuffs

Races: Often humans, sometimes small animal-based beastmen (rabbits, weasels, etc) or halflings short kings

Ranges: All

-

Sillies who are at the mercy of the RNG gods :) they roll nat 1's 50 times in a row

Hell most Not-Mammons are actually kind of ass as units but Levi loves them for their personalities and he gets very very upset if people (both characters and players) trash talk them

Backstories often about families (having a lack of one and going out to find their own, being looked down in theirs and leaving to prove everyone that they're strong like some shounen protag, maybe just stealing to earn some money for their families) and/or getting into trouble (a couple Not-Mammons are just dudes running from debt collectors)

If the game has some sort of expedition mechanic, if sent out, they bring back extra money

Okay this isn't that related but I just imagined Mammon in a turn-based RPG with a cute little crow on his shoulder that's in his attack animations awawawa cries

Not-Satans

Roles/Classes: Mages, Alchemists, Warriors and even Bards thrown in here and there for flavor (and Beastmasters of course). Not-Satans are mainly supports with buffs, debuffs, and shields, who are still capable of dealing some damage

Races: Elves, humans, vampires, occasionally demons or beastmen or angels

Ranges: Short, Mid

-

Many Not-Satans are scholars, a couple of them being members/in charge of magic schools

There "softer" Not-Satans (Bards, buff oriented mages and alchemists) are sometimes romantics; a few of them are even married!

Some of them are similar to Not-Lucifers in a couple of ways... some are villains, some are suffering from curses, some have family trauma... (a couple of them have bitter feelings for their father/older sibling...)

For the DPS oriented ones, some of them have the "more damage dealt/less HP = becomes stronger" mechanic, esp for the villains and bosses

dante from granblue fantasy i mean what

Not-Asmos

Roles/Classes: Has the widest range out of the Not-Brothers! Full healers, full supports, full DPS, the Not-Asmos have everyone! But to keep things simple, let's say buff/debuff oriented Mages.

Races: Mainly vampires and demons (specifically incubi/succubi), but there's a lot of elves, mermaids, humans, and cute animal beastmen too

Ranges: All

-

You know how Asmo will put on his cute little damsel in distress act? Some Not-Asmos will do this then one-shot most opponents without breaking a sweat. Sillies <3

More than a couple of them are villains, plenty with taunt/charm mechanics and "gross monster disguises themselves as something cute" stories

A small amount of Not-Asmos are closer to his more genuine and insecure side, clearly hiding their fears with fake smiles and hype. Levi adores them and wishes he could help him them out...

POISON DAMAGE. SCORPION... so much goddamn posion damage

Not-Beels

Roles/Classes: DPS, tanks, and defense!! Warriors, Knights, Beserkers/Barbarians. Those guys with the BIGGGGG weapons. Giant axes, hammers, shields... the more depressed/creepy ones will just pull a Goldlewis and hit you with a coffin

Races: Often beastmen (bulls, carnivores like wild dogs and big cats), sometimes humans, occasionally orcs, rarely dwarves and angels

Ranges: Short

-

WILL consume all of your items. Ally or opponent. Get used to it

Not-Beels with light-hearted backstories often have them surrounded by food all their life (think living in a family bakery) or being renowned fighters or beast hunters. Not-Beels with sadder backstories however...

FAMILY TRAUMA!!!!!! OFTEN WITH SURVIVORS GUILT!!!!!!!! Some Not-Beels are the last members of a species, the final remnants of a noble house, people who couldn't save their loved ones or even were forced to kill them... Not-Lucifers can't even begin to compare to the level of atonement some Not-Beels are going through

But if they have the sad backstories and still have loved ones, Not-Beels are extremely protective of them

Not-Belphies

Roles/Classes: Mages centered on debuffs and damage, along with those rude healers who roll their eyes when you're on 1 HP and begging for help

Races: Same kinds of beastmen as Not-Beels and Not-Mammons, along with elves, demons, vampires, and humans

Ranges: Long

-

They'll fall asleep mid-battle and then get mad at opponents (and allies) who wake them up. Opponents will then be crushed by falling stars, allies might get stardust in their hair

Unsurprisingly a few of them are villains... the fans either adore them or watch videos on their fights just so they can replay the moment they die over and over again

A couple of Not-Belphies are nobles or even royalty, which comes with a special flavor of family trauma! Plenty have left their families, by their own choice or not

Debuffs will be mixed in with damage. Opponents falling asleep will get hurt, opponents waking up will get hurt, opponents getting their head filled with false dreams and illusions will get hurt, opponents getting hit by meteors will get hurt

They're all so eepy :3