#it was not hard to draw vox losing his shit

[dingbatsy]

🔥Red Hot Riding Hood Alastor🔥 (1/2)

✨️Collaboration with @lockwayarts!

Red Riding Hood Al by lockway!

Big Bad Wolf Vox by me!

[hellsbroadcaster]

There is a post going around on twitter talking about what Viv says about Alastor's smile. I am going to leave out everyone's talk about it being about Vox because that isn't my focus on this. Though, it does play a part. What got me was that she says its a 'very self enforced form of ego'

Meaning he does it to himself. He sees a frown as weakness, getting someone to lose their smile means the game is over. the jig is up. its serious now. That for Alastor is a win. And its fascinating to me that people just write it off as a 'oh Vox is a walking temper tantrum' for shits and giggles and yeah it can be, but the way there's so much more underneath it? That's the real juicy stuff for me. Both Alastor and Vox are in the entertainment industry. We all know how toxic that kind of lifestyle is. Everyone is all up in your business. You have to adhere to people's view of you.

Vox is fucking drained. The way he comes up from his evil lair, to his photo of him smiling but when the doors open he's frowning, before he's inhaling and putting on a smile like everything's fine. They are the lie we tell ourselves. How we appear composed when really we're fucking screaming on the inside.

When I think about Alastor stitches being his own doing? I'm fascinated by that. It means he refuses to let anyone get the best of him, they could never get under his skin if he physically cannot frown. It's why he's so indifferent, why he's so unbothered. He's always smiling. It doesn't matter what he's feeling on the inside because so long as no one can see, he still has the upper hand.

I keep thinking about how he and his mother had to deal with a lot of shit. The people in power, like to make those they think are beneath them feel strong. Oppression, violence, kicking them down when they are already on the floor. All I can hear is the phrase 'don't let them see you frown' and Alastor taking it personally. Alastor echoing it inside his head like a mantra. For every disgusting, racist comment. Don't let them see you frown. For every insult, don't let them see you frown. For every time they try and see you fail, don't let them see you frown. Because the second they do? They win. You give them power over you and that is something Alastor refuses to let anyone have over him.

People don't talk about how hard it is being a person of color, especially back then yes but I also relate to having to always be perfect. Growing up we get told to never draw attention to ourselves. Act like the white people. Keep your head low. This kind of thinking is why so many latinos are oddly republican because they get told to act like something aren't and then forget where they came from. It's pressure to perform, to be the best and doing it the right way so you aren't judged.

Can't do a bad thing ever because then it just proves that oooh all of us colored people are as bad as they say. I have this thought on things even if its not my fault? Like if I'm in a hurry and I don't open the door for the white people coming out. Or the way, the elevator the other day already had six people in it and three white ppl saw it and decided they were gonna squeeze themselves in anyway. but I swear you reverse it and someone would have said something. its having to watch what we say, having to not sound too much like where we come from. SMILE AND JUST PUSH THROUGH IT. When we really just want to fucking be angry.

This is why I think Alastor refuses for society to whip him into shape. Why he smiles, why he shoves all his anger down into the pit of his belly and only releases it when he's killing someone who probably fucking deserves it. I think Vox shows us the version of us when we're all depressed and searching for that dopamine hit, but the reality is we're all drained physically and mentally because of this persona we put on. Alastor is the twisted, darker side of that. the kind that wants to act on it. the repression, the internalized anger from not being able to express himself the way he should. alastor is a hypocrite himself. calling vox out for being fake, he is exactly the same way. he's just much better at hiding it.

[eternalwritess]

Could I have a hazbin hotel match up please!!!

My pronouns are she/they and I am demiromantic? I cut feelings/attachment when I get really upset at people. I don’t mind any characters really! It’s hard to describe my personality but I am bubbly, blunt, sensitive but also real, I have ADHD (the kind I have used to be called ADD) if that helps with personality as well.

Besides ADHD I have epilepsy and my vision is not the best in the slightest :,) I also have a bit of hearing issues. My fashion is all over the place but: bright colors (mainly pink) I wear bootcut/bell bottoms a lot, I love t-shirts (specifically old-school characters) and stripes. I crochet!! Like a lot!! Mainly small blankets or plushies but I’ve made 2 failed sweaters! I also do cozy gaming and drawing!

How I show love is gift giving, words of affirmation, and quality time! I love to talk and talk and talk so that’s what I count as quality time just having someone listen or hear me. Music is just about as random as clothes! If a song is good then I like it! But mainly pop, RnB (80s - now), musicals, and classical music! I wouldn’t say I have a dark sense of humor but I am able to find a joke in everything since that’s my coping mechanism though jokes are always a hit or miss depending on the mood.

My aesthetics are everywhere but I looooove cutesy things! Just adore them!!!

For myself in a relationship will I really don’t know! I don’t want to say I get obsessive but I definitely put my all into a person and I hope to receive the same back!!

Random: but I develop attachments to items quickly!

My pet peeves are definitely not listening to me when I ask a question, making repetitive loud noises, moving my things because I’ll lose it if it’s not where I said it was, talking over me. I those are it!

For appearance I’d figured I’d give you the d(a)emon form which a butterfly (those I did give myself curly hair I can’t live without them!) Because they’re pretty, love daytime activities, and bad vision. Butterflies are beautiful and fragile and I’ve been described as that since I am very short and been called pretty a lot 😅

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙…

𝓥𝓮𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓽!

might be slightly inaccurate... but hear me out-

You both most likely met at some sort of thrift store of some kind. You were both most likely in the same section when she came up to you and asked if you needed a job

Since you were somewhat new to hell you agreed and she took you in from there

She doesn't mind you being blunt at all or just straight up telling her to stop. She most likely will with some anger but she will nonetheless

She is also quite all over the place so I feel like you would both get along in that area with her jumping around and finding all the latest trends and you following her around and doing the same

Since you have epilepsy she makes sure that you don't go near Valentino or his area, or even Vox sometimes (because of his tv face) sometimes even pushing you the opposite direction

"Yeah other way"

Since your vision isn't the best she made you glasses that look somewhat stylish and she makes you a shit ton of custom glasses. You also have contacts and she has eye color changing ones for you as well just in case you want them

As for hearing issues... she's quite loud so uh you won't have trouble hearing her-

No but she also makes you hearing aids and such that look somewhat stylish. She loves styling things for you and probably does your whole wardrobe

"I'd say I overdid it but damn do these look good"

She badly wants you to teach her how to crochet something about the style and such

Sometimes you'll make small things for her and she keeps it in her room even if she thinks its slightly childish. It's important to her and she just has a hard time admitting that

As for songs... she would totally have the same style of music as it being all over the place. She hears something nice or trendy and she'll blast it in her studio before getting bored of it

She'll come to you for suggestions too

"Do you like this song?... Yeah I agree it may be slightly overdone"

Even with your fashion being all over the place she doesn't really care as long as its in order. Although she will add her own spin on it and make it more trendy

She doesn't mind if your humor turns dark at times... actually sometimes she'll encourage it

She likes the fact that you find a joke in everything. Which is one of the reasons why she takes you to Vox just so that you two can make fun of him every now and then about his obsession with Alastor

She tries her best to give you stuff like you give her and try and make it special but sometimes she might forget something here and there with being busy

Sometimes she'll try to play it off but most times she'll apologize with gifts and trying to sweet talk you

"Listen I'm really sorry, it's just work y'know? Vox and fucking Valentino"

She tries her best to listen to you when you ask something but sometimes she'll zone out and apologize trying to answer it to the best of her ability. There might be a small rough patch there

She doesn't at all make loud repetitive noises. She finds it way too annoying also and will shout at anyone who does such

Hope you don't mind shouting cause she shouts... a lot

"GODDAMIT FUCKING VALENTINO! I WILL SHOVE THAT GUN UP YOUR ARSE!"

You are both a very stylish couple and most likely are one of Hell's most powerful ones

Overall you are both very hyper and fun to be around <3

[originemesis]

@hashtag-bitch xxx

"Oh, I'm sure they had such a hard time getting over all 2 micrometers of you." Oh, he was so easy to read and even easier to fuck with, why did they cower in fear over these sad fucks again? With the way things were shaping they wouldn't have to for much longer. "I think the O face they made was just an act of pity to make you feel better about yourself, dick master."

Although, she did like the fact that he was insinuating that she was the one that was able to keep her friend's heads out of their arses which was true. She loved Val and Vox but sometimes they could lose their shit and that was it. With Val it was easy as she could just get Vox to calm him down but with Alastor, back Vox was losing his shit quite easily as well and that's when she had to step up.. "Please, you think we're just going to keep playing the victim forever? You Angel cunts are in for a lovely surprise quite soon~"

His wings were holographic, but they gave a mighty swoosh when he swatted them back with the force of a cat drawing its ears back. "...y'know, just 'cause YOU'RE used to some-...ahaha, short disappointments doesn't mean it applies to everyone. Sounds like you just suck at pulling good dick." He added with crossed arms, fluffy sleeves flapping in the process as he reached up to pick at his ear with disinterest in her musings. Even if he had initiated some of them.

Though, he's not completely against shunning those that use his PREFERRED name. A grin wrinkles on his face as he gives her a a quick once over. "...a lovely surprise, huh? What, you fuckers gonna make my job easier and off yourselves? FUN-!"

[jayswritings13]

Hazbin: Overloads as Kindergarten teachers

Request: "Can I request headcanons of how the overlords would do as kindergarden teachers please? It sounds funny if on some random occasion they had to take care of little children and I kinda wanna know how they would do as teachers thnx" "From the one who asked about the overlords being kindergarten teachers headcanons if you can't do all of them it's okay to only do alastor , sir pentious , valentino anyways thank you I rally like your Fanfics by the way😁😊😊😊😊😊😊" by anon

Note: As someone who is around kids all the time, I can testify that most of this stuff happens for real.

Velvet

Velvet is just as chaotic, if not more so, than the kids.

She's not the best influence and often pushes the kids to do crazy shit.

Most of the time, there's this one sensible kid who has to stop Velvet and the rest of the class from doing something really dangerous.

"Ms. Velvet, can you help me with my jacket?"

"What are you? 5?"

"....yes..."

"Old enough to do it on your own."

Velvet is also well known for forgetting that she even has a classroom full of kids.

"Aren't you, y'know, teaching?" Valentino comment one day when Velvet visited him at work.

"They're watching each other. They don't need me." Velvet commented, shrugging.

Vox

Vox could care less about the kids.

It's not that he necessarily hates kids, but he just prefers older kids.

So, placing him in a room of tiny rugrats is the quickest way to have him lose his temper.

He likes to sneak advertisements into their bags for their parents to see.

"Don't you think that's a little cheap, Vox?"

"I call it utilizing my assets," Vox commented, with a big grin.

Vox's solution to any fight or any issue is to shove a tablet into their hands.

He doesn't care that he'd not supposed to give the kids tablets all the time, he'd gonna do it anyway.

He draws the fucking line at listening to any obnoxious songs.

"Here," Vox said, tossing a pair of headphones onto the student's table. "As long as I can't hear it, I don't care."

Valentino

Valentino could really care less about what the kids do

As long as they don't bother him when he's on a work call.

The kids learned that lesson the hard way.

"Uhhhh.....no. No. No. I don't do that." Valentino said, eying the small child and the mess of food and such beside them.

The kids learn fast what Val will and will not do, but that doesn't stop them from bugging him anyway.

Sure, Valentino gets mad and yells, but he usually also then just turns on a movie.

Which is a whole issue within itself.

Valentino's taste in movies and media is a lot different than the kids'.

He's learned that it's just easier to let the kids watch whatever, while he watches what he wants on his phone.

As long as none of them are obnoxious and loud, he really doesn't give a shit what they do.

Rosie

Rosie actually doesn't mind kids.

Mostly because she doesn't have to deal with them after a few hours, as they then go home.

Although, Rosie doesn't hide the fact that she has favorites and will bluntly state them out if asked.

She may like the kids enough to be around them, but she has no filter.

Sometimes the kids like this, as they appreciate how honest she is.

But a lot of the time, it usually ends in tears and other loud yelling that Rosie hates.

"If you didn't want an honest answer, why did you ask it then?" Rosie stated, retreating to her desk, ignoring the wails from the students.

Ever since then, the kids learned never to ask Rosie what they thought about their drawings.

Rosie is fine with songs and movies and such, as long as it isn't the same song/movie over and over.

"Play a little variety!"

Alastor

Alastor is not a fan of kids.

He is always the first to complain whenever a baby cries too loud or something like that.

Although, Alastor is also not one to turn off performing, which the kids can't seem to get enough of.

"If you thought that was impressive, this oughta dazzle you."

It's the one thing that they can agree on.

Even if they play music and such through their phones.

He also likes cooking, and doesn't mind making small treats for the kids.

Plus, if they're too busy eating, they won't bother him as much.

Or at least, that's what Alastor is hoping.

It usually never works out that way, but one quick look towards the groups of kids and they learn fast how not to push his buttons.

Lucifer & Lilith

Lucifer is on the floor, eye-level with the kiddos, reading for any type of game they are about to play.

He's been missing these days ever since Charlie grew out of them.

He has way too much energy than he should and is more than happy to drain all of it out of him by playing with a group of 5-year-olds.

He is not above beating the kids at every single game imaginable, even if it means that he has to do damage control when they start to get upset.

"HA! I win!" Lucifer grinned, "Ha! You all are a bunch of---Wait! Hold on!" He scrambled to find another game. "Let's play this one. I'm not feeling so lucky about this one."

Lilith is not so much.

While she doesn't hate them and finds a lot of their comments to be particularly entertaining and hilarious, she's not about to get on the floor, like her husband.

She's much happier sitting in her adult chair, watching or talking quietly to one of the kids, thank you very much.

Lucifer tried to get Lilith to join him, but does not push any further when she tells him no for the third time.

That's fine. It just means that Lucifer is gonna cream all these kids in a game without her.

Sir Pentious

Sir Pentious does not have the patience needed to be in a room full of hyped-up kids.

But he does have multiple egg minions, who are willing to help.

They're pretty much the same thing, right?

Speaking of the egg bois, Sir Pentious makes sure to bring them along.

Mostly as a buffer, between him and the kids.

It worked for a while and Sir Pentious was about to call this a success until the kids turned them on him.

Soon both the egg bois and the kids were demanding for candy and a movie and other things that Sir Pentious was defiantly not paying enough attention to.

He didn't mind when the kids were asking about him or about some of his inventions/previous plans.

But, he didn't take it so well when the kids started telling him things he didn't want to hear.

"I don't remember asking for your opinions," Sir Pentious pouted, glaring at the small clump of 5-year-old demons in front of him. "Now, did I?"

[otonymous]

We all know all the MLQC guys radiate BDE (big dick energy lmao). Ranked from the otome games you played, top 5 BIGGEST BDE? LOL

First of all, a giant thank you to @lin-ful​! 💖 I know I can always count on you to ask the really important questions in life 🙌🏼🤣This somehow turned out to be a lot longer than I intended, but I guess that’s what happens when the thirst is real LOL.

To start, let’s delve into an exploration of what Big Dick Energy (BDE) actually is.  According to an article in Vox*, BDE is “the self-confidence to know that a colossal endowment isn’t a measurement of one’s value…(it may) stem from having a literal BD, but it’s not dependent upon any sort of genitalia.  And in fact, perhaps the epitome of BDE is the complete security of not needing other people’s benchmarks — wealth, intelligence, beauty, or a BD — to know one’s own worth.  Any suspicion of try hard vibes kills BDE, as does the kind of cockiness that speaks of insecurity: the true BDE-haver is respectful to those around them, but with swagger….”

That being said, here are my top 5 picks for the biggest radiators of BDE, in no particular order (please take this with a grain of salt, seeing as I’m really only playing four otome games at the moment LOL):

n.b. SPOILERS - SO PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

[* “How Big Dick Energy explains modern masculinity” by Alex Abad-Santos and Constance Grady (Jun 27, 2018 @ vox.com)]

OTONYMOUS’ BIG DICK ENERGY LIST 🍆

1. Oda Nobunaga (Ikemen Sengoku)

It doesn’t matter whose route I'm playing, as soon as Nobubu hits the screen, a bitch is weak, and as unscientific as it is, that physical reaction is one of the ways by which I assess BDE.  I mean, just look at this face:

This is the face of one who exudes confidence, a man who finds himself in life-threatening situations and has the gall to laugh because he sees them as opportunities to dispose of yet another obstacle in the way of realizing Tenka Fubu — unification by force of arms.  Call him the “Fool of Owari” all you want, he truly believes he will have the last laugh.

Strong with a sword but stronger in mind, Nobunaga is actually the smartest character in the game, outranking even Mitsuhide imho in being able to keep two steps ahead of everyone else.  That’s why this guy remains cool as a cucumber even when Hideyoshi is losing his shit and everyone is weary of his left-hand man plotting some nefarious scheme.  Nobu is an impeccable judge of character.  He has confidence in his ability to find the diamonds in the rough and this, in turn, earns him the loyalty of others.

Plus, y’all can’t tell me you weren’t biting your lips when he basically worked out the mechanics of wormholes in his head when MC told him she came from the future.

2. Akechi Mitsuhide (Ikemen Sengoku) - *SPOILERS*

This bad boy of Azuchi has BDE for days in that he gives zero fucks about what anyone thinks of him, friend or foe — be it about his intentions or his humble origins, both of which others have tried to use against him.  But the sexiest thing about Mitsuhide is the fact that he isn’t a blind follower.  This man thinks for himself and is loyal to his own ideals, not any given head of a clan, per se.

BDE also abounds in the way he carries himself: this guy is the ultimate Slick Rick in how he can mess you up in the worst of ways without even drawing his sword (or loading his rifle).  This kitsune is adept at verbal runarounds and capable of snuffing out uprisings with humiliation alone.

3. Lucien (MLQC) - *SPOILERS*

Now I know you're gonna think I’m biased here, but I’m being completely real when I tell you that Lucien exudes not just BDE, but GARGANTUAN DICK ENERGY.  I’ve been a hot mess for this man ever since he kabedoned me in his office and whispered “trust your instincts” in my ear.  But don’t take my word for it, just ask Hades.  This man is so desperate to align himself with Ares that one couldn’t help but feel secondhand embarrassment on his behalf during this little exchange:

Lucien is brilliant and he knows it.  Highly intelligent, self-aware and powerful, he likely has faith in his self-sufficiency when it comes to carrying out his plans.  At the same time, he is very subtle about his abilities except when that confidence comes out like the crack of a whip to exert his will on those who would deter him, whether they’re the Black Swan minions sent to capture MC or the mysterious head honcho who injures his eye as punishment:

This comes after Ares has the chutzpah to chastise the man for being hasty.  And he even smiles while being blinded.  Clearly, this is a man for whom the usual fear tactics fail.  The only thing he fears is losing his girl.  And if that isn’t an example of colossal dick energy, I don’t know what is. 🤷🏻‍♀️

4. Luke Foster (Kissed By The Baddest Bidder)

Ok, ok, just hear me out on this one.  The source of Luke Foster’s BDE stems from the fact that he literally doesn’t give a fuck about what people think about him aside from his MC.  Others could call him every name under the sun, poke fun at his unusual ways, and it would just be in one ear and out the other for the good doctor.  There have been several instances where he’s walked away from Eisuke mid-lecture, and he is the only bidder that I know of who can get Eisuke to do his bidding (haha!).  Case in point:

5. Le Comte de Saint-Germaine (Ikemen Vampire)

Am I still stuck on my second route in IkeVamp?  Yes. Do I know much about le Comte as a character?  No. Do I still have an intense need for this beautiful, classy man to radiate that BDE?  HELL YES. So please…please…just let me have this one. 🙏🏻😆

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights: Critical Role Episode 111

Guests are Liam O’Brien and Matt Mercer. Full video on Project Alpha!

Brian: “Hello, welcome to Talks Machina. I am... dressed for success.” Liam: “You are very cute today.” Matt: “I call this look Saturday Darin De Paul.”

Matt is doing much better than he was on Thursday.

Digital copy of the Critical Role comic is out!

There’s now a Talks Machina shirt in the store.

Episode 111 is tied for the most natural ones in an episode.

The show has now surpassed 10,000 d20 rolls. Brian suggests buying @critrolestats​ a yacht for keeping track of all this.

The comic takes place before the game. At the first session, because it was meant to be a one-shot, Matt just had everyone assume they all knew each other and were used to working together as a party. The comic explores how they actually met and started working together as an adventuring party.

Moments they’d like to see from the pre-stream game if the comic continues: meeting Gilmore, finding Percy in Jorenn Village, going after Grog’s dad, the birth of Burt Reynolds, early interactions with the Clasp, the one time Pike and Vax had a solo adventure together. Brian: “Do you think we would have to get rights from Burt Reynolds’ estate to... oh, wait, he’s still alive.”

The pacing of this arc was always going to be different, since it’s epic-level stuff and many of the character-centric arcs have been closed; it’s a lot harder to draw in character backstory the way the previous arcs could. The time-crunch aspect of this particular plot (the villain is actively moving through his to-do list whether or not Vox Machina intervenes) is a careful balance to make sure the players don’t feel too rushed but can still maintain that sense of urgency. Liam: “I am consistently surprised and shocked by everything that’s happened, so no complaints from me.”

If it were just Liam’s decision, he’d want everyone to take a long rest before facing Vecna. He thinks losing Vasselheim might be the cost of actually having a slim chance of defeating Vecna.

Matt’s been slowly been building this last dungeon over the last six months. It’s right up there with Opash’s necromantic lair as his favorite dungeon he’s made. Liam wants to see the dungeon mapped out and described in PDF format at some point, and Matt mentions that, depending on what state it’s in at the end of this campaign, it might be a location in a future Issylra campaign guide.

Matt and Liam talk about how early adventuring in D&D is generally a selfish endeavor, and then later on there are considerably higher stakes. Matt mentions that even in high-level D&D, you want to include obstacles in a dungeon that characters can bypass easily as a reward for quick thinking or just being awesome at high levels. The dungeon is also fundamentally a power-sink where you have to prioritize where you put your resources before the final battle you know is coming.

GIF of the week. Matt: “It’s funny the effect painkillers have on running a D&D game...”

Once the oven had closed, once a round, everyone in the room would’ve taken 1d6 fire damage, then 2d6, then 3d6, and so on. Solving it was meant to be a little more high-stakes, but the party avoided getting trapped in the room themselves.

Matt had half a page of information, a voice, and a name prepared for the nothic that Vax just annihilated. Could’ve ended up being a small encounter or a temporary alliance with a Gollum-type character or an uneasy alliance that could’ve gone wrong. Matt: “What you did was quintessential D&D, and I loved it.”

Liam recently ran a D&D game for his whole family in which his son rolled a d20 on opening a door he wasn’t supposed to go through, forcing him to improvise.

Matt’s been working with Travis to build his next character, and he keeps having to remind him that most characters only have a movement speed of 25 or 30 feet.

Brian: “Like Matt and I, you too can be not in terrible debt and situationally famous without going to college!” Matt: “I cannot support any of these statements at all.”

Vax would be willing to sacrifice even Emon or Whitestone if it meant stopping Vecna, because the alternative is Vecna reigning supreme over the Material Plane... or the Divine Gate coming down and armageddon ensuing.

Fanart of the week.

In-universe flashbulb memory of the campaign: Chroma Conclave attack. Liam: “The goldfish dive will be remembered for millennia.” Matt: “Young druids will be taught from a very young age...”

Matt gave the party the ring to give them a level of comfort in a near-impossible situation, but the risk of fucking it up is what makes it fun.

Liam: “Matthew Mercer is one of the sweetest men I’ve met in my life, but I know within the boundaries of this game that you have this really devilish streak, like an inclination to fuck with us... fucking rakshasa.”

Vax has made peace with everything, but he thinks about the Tomb all the time, especially since the Raven Queen is the goddess of fate. Liam: “As Liam, I loved every dumbfuck thing that I chose to do in this game, ‘cause I’m sitting with my best friends making each other laugh every week, we love each other, we get a fucking kick out of each other every week, and the mistakes are some of the greatest memories of all time.”

Liam’s top priority even way back in the home game has always been that Vax will do whatever it takes to keep Vex alive; Vax still thinks that the Raven Queen will only keep her side of the deal if he does as well. It’s made things extremely complicated, but that’s the fundamental backbone of his character and he isn’t going to mess with that.

Matt has never had players embrace the sibling aspect of their characters to the extent that Laura and Liam have. Matt: “It’s been a gift from a storyteller’s standpoint to play in that space.”

Matt thinks Sam did a fantastic job on his one-shot, and encourages other new DMs to just commit and jump in and see how well it turns out. Liam: “It’s not a religion and it’s not appellate court, it’s just the world’s best game. Just fuckin’ have fun with it.”

Matt was expecting the undead titan reveal to happen in early or mid-July, but it just worked out to happen at Gen Con. Stressful as it was, Matt was excited that he could have such a big reveal at the live show.

Liam wasn’t worried about Simon because he knew it would take more than fire to destroy a magical item.

If the game had continued as a home game, Matt probably would’ve truncated elements of the narrative because they got to play so seldom. Both he and Liam agree that getting to play weekly was the best part of starting to stream the game.

Vax’s "this could be the last time” moments this week had less to do with his imminent death and more to do with Liam processing that in the next few weeks they’re going to be ending this game that they’ve been playing together for four years.

Brian is very sad about the end of the game as a fan of the show; he remembers Ashley coming home after the home game and giving him multi-hour summaries of everything that had happened. The game started around the same time as he and Ashley started their relationship, and he’s really delighted by how close they’ve all gotten since then. Brian: “I mean, we’re practically... I plan on sleeping with both of you on After Dark.” Liam: “I’m open to it.”

Talks Machina After Dark: Liam hosts for the first time!

Liam: “The only reason I agreed to do this Dungeons and Dragons show is so I could sit here, now, and I have you both right where I want you. Undress.”

If Matt could forget everything he knew and join VM as one of his NPCs for the final fight, from a personality standpoint, he’d want to play as Allura or Gilmore, but from a functionally helpful standpoint, probably Kima.

Matt once LARPed World of Darkness and had a very stressful experience where he was thrown into the midst of an extremely political game with no knowledge of what was going on.

Matt’s never had to ban particular items or spells, but there are aspects of the game that require discussion. In a primarily good/neutral campaign, he won’t ban evil characters per se, but he’ll require a discussion to figure out how not to ruin the experience for the rest of the characters. Liam points out that Jayne (an evil character) could easily have killed Clothesline in Sam’s oneshot, but he decided against it because it’d make Ashly’s game less fun and would mess with Sam’s having established that they all survived. It turned out to be more fun having to come up with a reason for that.

Worst possible person for Vax to face as part of Vecna’s undead army: his mother. Liam: “That would fuck his shit up.” Or Vex, if she were killed and then immediately brought back by Vecna.

On the theoretical possibility of a new campaign starting in a post-apocalyptic Tal’Dorei if Vecna wins, Brian: “It would be hard to Transport via Plants.” Matt thinks it’s an exciting prospect, and he has things in his mind if it goes that direction, but he thinks it would be really sad to culminate a five-year campaign with a loss, although planting seeds for the next story could make it retroactively pretty hopeful. 

Liam: “Story-wise, I know that everything’s gonna hurt and everything’s gonna be amazing, and I also trust you to flip my expectations somehow. We just love discovering the story together.”

[sparxwrites]

Re all my my many dark Vox Machina asks- I still like the idea of Pike starting it, and while Grog will follow her to the ends of the earth, it's Percy who encourages her, fuels the dark hollow anger? Pike has always been safe, for Percy, but darkness has also felt safe for years who when Pike goes dark, it feels right to Percy? Almost like coming home? Oh boy, Pike has never been any sort of innocent, that was ruined before Wilhand got to her, and Percy craves pain? Like, he needs to feel /pt1

Pt2/ something and pain is familiar, constant. So like, I like to think in canon Pike's general thing is "hurt but not harm" when she does stuff like that, but that's out the window here. It's too rough, to harsh, blood sharp and metallic in their mouths and Pike's fingers digging into Percy's sides and her teeth sharp on his neck as she slides down onto him? Or maybe she doesn't, because he hasn't earned that yet, and in canon it would be a scene, he'd be able to call it off, but here he /pt 2

Pt3/ doesn't have a safe word and he loves every second of it. I like to think he can't get off without pain, anymore, and fucking Pike only reinforces that? This is a mess, but like her goading him on, trying to make him lose control, partially because she's Into It and also because she can? Maybe it's before the Briarwood arc so Orthax still sits in his mind? Idk, maybe not bc Percy doesn't need a demon telling him to do cruel and horrible things, he's got Pike for that.

On the dark Pike and Percy asks I just sent- I thought I was done but I'm not. Like, it's not even just rough sex, that's nothing, but actively hurting each other and getting off on it? They both enjoy it, even when they're in pain and begging the other to stop, but the hand between their legs proves their pleas empty? It's totally fucked up, and even when Pike leans too hard on his throat and he can't breathe for too long, his vision starting to go black, he still can't get off any other /pt1

Pt2/ way and neither can she? Idk, their bodies slick with sweat and blood, their orgasms almost competitive? Until she made it a competition, Percy was content to let her do whatever the fuck she wanted with him, but he can never back down from a challenge so he's nearly as aggressive as her? Maybe not as much of a top, but more into pain and when he pushes a blade a little too deep, drawing blood but it's too much, she won't cure it until she's on the edge of passing out, reveling in it?

holy shit, anon

[tanoraqui]

can i has more cr sense8 au percy pls? (if your up for it of course)

*slams 2,000 words on your desk five months later* MY HOBBIES INCLUDE PROCRASTINATING FOR FINALS BY WRITING SCENES FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE HYPOTHETICAL PLOT OF NICHE CROSSOVERS WITHOUT GIVING YOU ANY CONTEXT SAVE A COUPLE OLD POSTS OF BULLET POINTS (posts here. Take this fic as the inter-seasons holiday special, basically.)

“I’mstill not certain we should be doing this.“

Itwas a meaningless statement even before he said it. With her arm in his, withthe warmth of her against his side and the tinkle of her laugh fading in theair, Percy thought he would trust Vex to lead him down any icy path through thewoods, with any blindfold on or off, even if he had never known her moreintimately than he knew himself. Even if they had just met, somehow, one day,and she had smiled and beckoned, he would have followed.

Exaggeratedgagging noises broke into his thoughts—Vax, visiting as almost always, makingVex laugh in the cold Northern darkness. The drugs all but gone from his veins,Percy could feel him again, that knife’s edge of sarcasm prickling overdevotion deep enough to fill the sea.

Two(one? three?) months of isolation was turning him poetic. It was horrifying.

“It’llbe fine,” said Vex, tugging him forward. “Turn right—”

Percyfollowed her instructions obediently. “I don’t know where you get theconfidence that she won’t be looking, just this one night. It’s not like theholidays have stopped them before.”

“Becauseshe’s loony, Freddie,” Vax said with overwhelming fondness.

“BecauseI don’t care!” Vex proclaimed, and Percy felt her toss her hair within herselfbefore it smacked him on the cheek. “We’re taking Christmas back. What they didto your family was horrible, yes, and we willkill them for it, I promise—”

Theothers nodded in agreement, the heroin finally losing its grip.

Vexput her hands to his face—cold, calloused, but the kindest Percy had felt—andpushed up his blindfold.

“Buttonight,” she whispered, wild and soft and fey in the moonlight, “let’s justnot be afraid.”

Theplace she’d led him was beautiful. Vex was beautiful, already shrugging off herbag and dropping down to swap her boots for skates, lithesome and lively as theswaying trees and stars above. They shone down on the iced-over pond, in the centerof the ancient forest, just as they must have in Jerusalem two thousand yearsago. There wasn’t another human being for miles, Percy knew without asking.

“Doyou even know how to skate?” he asked, amused, watching her fumble with thestraps.

“No.”She grinned up at him, entirely impish. “But you do. And Scanlan, I think.”

“Ido,” the man himself confirmed with a smile, making hot chocolate in his LosAngeles apartment.

“Ifyou’re getting gross, I’m leaving,” Vax announced, and vanished—as if thatmeant anything, as if they couldn’t all feel him and see him as well in hiscell in Osaka, or Los Angeles or the Outback or wherever Percy and Vex were.(He didn’t know and she wasn’t telling, and that was how they were safe.)

“Allright!” Pike chirped to her choir straggling into line in her little woodenchurch at the eaves of the Amazon, so newly rebuilt it still dripped tar. “Youready?”

“Let’sdo this!” said Scanlan, bringing two frothing mugs into the living room, whereKaylee was doing her best to scowl at the bright tree and heap of presents.Tary echoed it, squaring his shoulders for a much less amicable familybreakfast, and Grog smashed a beer bottle as he shouted, because it was aChristian holiday but fuck it, it was a holiday, and the peace was still goingand the dirty thugs and criminals of Ankara were going to have a fuckin’ party.

Asfar as possible from any gritty urban party, and more importantly any evilbrain surgeon, Keyleth sat by her campfire and took out her guitar, andlaunched into an offkey rendition of “Jingle Bells” on the warm Australianevening. Across the fire, Kashaw stared at her like she had to be kidding, butwithin a verse she’d smiled enough to draw out his surprisingly rich tenor.

Scanlanblew them both out of the water, of course, and Kaylee didn’t blink as she toreinto a box that she would soon find contained mostly just increasingly smallerboxes, because Scanlan singing was like the sun shining. It just happened. Halfwayaround the world, Turkish pop music blasted out of the bar and down the street,and Grog jumped up and down with Zanror and Worra, mostly on the beat.Tremulous voices strengthening as the sun slipped through the high window andthe rest of Puentamáre’s congregation filed in, swelled by all those coming tovisit the “little angel,” Pike’s choir sang the day in, and Vox Machina stoodand sang with them.

Theydanced in the bar in Turkey, bright lights and pop music pounding against theancient sandstone walls. They laughed over brunch in New York, until Lydiaasked if something was the matter and Mary-Anne kicked Tary under the table,and both his parents shot him dirty looks. They clambered over rocks in theOutback and Tary squealed in fear at a giant spider as Vax laughed and held itup to his face.

Theyjust managed to hold onto the iPhone to film Kaylee furiously flinging sevenlayers of boxes and wrapping paper at their heads, in retaliation for spendingten minutes unwrapping a single guitar shop gift card. But she was laughing,too, so it was okay. Turning state’s witness earned Vax a couple extraprivileges; he spent one on a phone call to Zahra, left bear-sitting, and Vexcried on Percy’s shoulder while they all made kissy noises at the phone andassured a confusedly lowing Trinket that his mama would be home as soon as shecould, and she loved him very much. Percy hadn’t ice-skated since he wassixteen, years before That Night, but they did waltz steps and figure-eights ona moonlit frozen pond somewhere in Siberia, and held each other tight. It wasChristmas and Vox Machina laughed and sang and cried, and held each othertight.

“Whata lovely way to spend the holiday.”

Percyslipped before she finished speaking, eyes clenched shut; he didn’t know whenthe ice was coming until his hands hit, hard, and the spray his face.

“Percy?”Vex.

“Really,Percival,” Ripley said, “You don’t have to so childish about this. I’m not hereto hunt you down, tonight.”

“She’shere,” he gasped, pulling himself across the ice. Eyes shut, don’t even look.Don’t even think. “Vex, she’s here,you have to– get the–”

“Shit!”Vex fumbled for her bag, still on the shore. “Fuck, fuck! Fuck her!”

Ripleyclicked her tongue in disapproval. She stalked silently across the ice, inlight boots rather than heavy winter skates—but then, she wasn’t really there.

“Ithought you might like to go on a trip, actually.”

Andthen they were standing in a corridor, and Percy was the one mis-dressed forthe occasion, bundled up for the frigid wilderness. He had half a foot inheight on Ripley, and he’d worked to keep his machine shop muscles while pentup in…wherever he and Vex were. None of it did anything to ease the way hisstomach turned as Ripley eyed him up and down, judging him for the failedscience experiment he didn’t need to be in her head to know she deemed him. Shelooked almost identical to how she’d been that week starting eight years agotoday, staring down at him. A few more streaks of grey in her bun, but the sameslim glasses, the same purse to her lips, the same damn style of lab coat,sleeves stained red at the end of each day as she peeled him apart. He knew whyshe’d done it, now. It didn’t help.

Thebarest hint of a smile curled up her lips as they both remembered. Then sheturned and strode down the corridor, calling over her shoulder, “Come along.”

Percyfollowed, scanning the hallway for clues as to Ripley’s location. He wasn’tsurprised to find none. The walls were stainless steel and the white-and-blacktile floors were sanitation-clean. It was another Vecna facility, but god onlyknew where in the world.

“Ireally thought you’d be doing better at this, Percival,” Ripley chided, withoutgiving him so much as a backwards glance. “I’ve gotten so much informationabout you and your little group, and you’re just lagging behind.”

“Whatdo you want, Anna.”

Hewas lagging behind, as they walked, but not so far that she’d think he wasn’tplaying along. Every extra second here bought more time for Vex to get theneedle and knock him out.

“I’mgoing to share a secret with you,” she said, with a much younger woman’s senseof mischief. “Just to liven up this little game.”

Theyreached a door at the end of the hallway, steel and locked with a keypad.Ripley smiled at him as she entered the number, sickly sweet. “After all, it’sthe holidays—it’s only right that you be with family.”

Fora long, horrible moment as she swung open the heavy door, Percy thought he wasgoing to see corpses, or worse. A freezer of strung-out piles of tissue andorgans. Eight brains in tanks, still with electrodes attached. He’d seen, onthe opposite side of the laboratory, what they’d been starting to do to hisfamily.

Itwas a teenage girl’s room. The walls were unpainted, but they were decoratedwith posters, of scientific infographics and famous historical women and acouple people Percy vaguely recognized as famous actors. There was a carpet, anelegant shag thing, and a pair of stuffed bookcases, a desk with a very nicecomputer, and a bed with at least two dozen stuffed animals, all of which Percycould name. At least one of them had been his. The girl on the bed, lying onher stomach and reading a book with her legs kicked in the air, was even morefamiliar.

“Cassandra.”

She’dlooked up when the door opened, polite coolness chasing annoyance chasingwariness from her eyes.

“Dr.Ripley. What do you want?”

“Iwas in this wing and I thought I would check on you, my dear.” Despite theendearment, Ripley’s tone had reverted to the crisp professionalism she seemedto show everyone but Percy.

Cassandraclearly didn’t buy either façade. But she rolled to a sitting position withonly a faint sigh, and held out her left arm. There was something attached toit, a cuff with a small screen that flashed first her blood pressure then, asRipley pressed the buttons on the side, several other measurements—BPM, neuralconductivity, and things Percy didn’t recognize. A slim wire ran up from it toa handful of electrodes attached, clearly permanently, to the side of hertemple.

“I’llkill you. I’ll kill you.” His voiceshook.

“Ihaven’t noticed anything unusual,” Cassandra said as Ripley checked thereadings. A bored patient answering unasked questions by rote.  “The new anxiety meds are doing fine.”

Ripleymade a non-committal noise. “Look at me.”

Cassandramet her eyes obediently.

“Leaveher alone. What are you doing?” Percytried to put himself between them, but there wasn’t room. And he couldn’t touchhis sister, couldn’t touch either of them—couldn’t drag Ripley away andcouldn’t take Cass in his arms and just run.(Like that had worked so well, last time.)

“Doyou feel anything unusual right now?” Ripley asked, still holding Cassandra’sgaze. “Physically or emotionally. Really search.”

Awrinkle appeared between Cassandra’s eyes as she frowned. There was a widestreak of white in her hair, family to Percy’s complete bleach. That hadn’tbeen there before. When he’d last seen her, when she was bleeding in the snowfrom bullet wounds as he ran— She was 23 now, the spitting image of Vesper whenshe’d died, except for that streak. The room was still decorated for a teenagerbut Percy’s youngest sister was an exasperated 23.

“Cass.”

Ripley’seyes sparkled at his anguish, but Cassandra remained impartial.

“Nothing.Should I?”

“Youknow better than to ask questions that could influence an experiment,” Ripleysaid. But she stepped back, letting Cassandra’s gaze fall. It returned to herbook.

“Don’tforget,” Ripley added as she re-opened the door, which had automatically lockedbehind them. “The Briarwoods will be expecting you for Christmas dinner.”

IfPercy had thought Cassandra’s expression polite before, when she looked up asecond time it was utterly impassive.

“Ilook forward to it. Was there anything else?”

“Oh,no.” Ripley smiled thinly at them both. “I think everything I need will bearriving soon enough—”

AndPercy was back on the bank, in the snow, in the woods, and everything but Vexfaded as she thrust the needle into his arm and released, the familiar,dizzying haze of cheap heroin washing him clean. Ripley disappeared. Cassandradisappeared. Keyleth, Vax, Grog, Pike, Tary, Scanlan disappeared. Safe. Percystayed as freezing and alone as eight years ago, running from his sisterbleeding out in the snow, assuming she was dead.

“Percy?Percy, are you alright? Is she gone?”

Vex’swarm hands tugged at him and he rolled over obediently, and opened his eyes.She was still beautiful, bright and concerned and fierce. The moon above wasalmost as lovely. Percy lifted a hand to her cheek and caught his breath whenshe held it—no, choked on a sob. That was what his body was doing, now.

“Cass.She– they– I don’t know. She’s alive.” His whole body shook, drugs and cold and every ounce of adrenaline racing through his veins. “They have mysister.”