#mount alodiel

[jpdoingvp]

Mount Alodiel.

Pyre

[theroseandthebeast]

Yuletide 2022 Recs, Batch Five

17 recs for Master & Commander, Midsommar, Nope, Only Murders In The Building, Peacemaker, Persuasion, Point Break, Pyre, Ready or Not?, Severance, The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Transistor, and Under the Banner of Heaven

Cadential Motion

Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin - “I’ll be frank with you, Captain, it’s a relief to finally have you in my chair. I was beginning to worry that you didn’t trust my expertise.”

Aubrey and Maturin discover that their first impressions of one another were borne out of some misunderstandings.

Hasaeti 

Dani Ardor/Pelle - Dani learns about the ongoing responsibilities of the May Queen, deepens her relationship with the land - and finds her throne.

Beyond The Stars

Angel Torres, OJ Haywood - It'd been seven months since they last spoke, but who's counting?

Making wishes is a sucker’s game, but at least there’s cake

Mabel Mora & Oliver Putnam & Charles-Haden Savage - Mabel isn’t celebrating her birthday because she stopped doing that when she was 8 years old. Charles and Oliver find a way to be there for her anyway.

Portrait of the Artist

Theo Dimas/Mabel Mora, Mabel Mora & Oliver Putnam & Charles-Haden Savage - Winter brings back memories for Mabel, but also the opportunity to make new ones.

I'm Feeling This

Adrian Chase/Christopher Smith - Adrian doesn't have feelings but he does feel things. He feels a lot for Chris. More than for anyone else.

I Must Go Up From The Seas Again.

Anne Elliot/Frederick Wentworth - It sounds bitter to say that he's still not over his ex who wouldn't uproot her entire life, leave her entire support system behind, and go be a trailing spouse for five years in a place with no career prospects for herself.

Of Duty, and A Path Not Ridden

Anne Elliot/Frederick Wentworth - Two years after Miss Anne Elliot declined to marry Captain Frederick Wentworth of His Majesty's Navy, an opportunity arises for the captain to renew his suit.

come as you are

Bodhi/Johnny Utah - Johnny goes to Mexico, and there's one more Ex-President.

The Ultimate Ride

Bodhi/Johnny Utah - Even reeling from the shock that Johnny jumped out of the plane without a parachute to tackle him mid-air and point a gun at his head, Bodhi has never felt more connected to anyone.

Because Bodhi’s been chasing the ultimate ride his whole life and one look into Johnny’s eyes as they fall to earth together makes it crystal clear that Johnny is already there.

Constellations of the fall

Oralech/Volfred Sandalwood, Volfred Sandalwood/Tariq - Terrible starlight shines on Oralech as he lays dying on the northern slopes of Mount Alodiel. The same truth hangs over Volfred and Tariq, who are left to mourn. All they have is their memories and the warm embrace of failure.

A Smudge of Red

Daniel Le Domas/Grace Le Domas - "Funny story. Not really. But. Yeah. We were all adopted, Alex and Emilie and me, but I guess the old folks thought—rightly so—that baby me couldn't exactly play, uh, any board game. But Alex and Emilie were toddlers when their papers came through and they joined the family, so they did it, and I hadn't blown up yet by then, so. Yeah. Got left out of that one. A lot of goat sacrifices, though. To make up for it. Not fun. But, hey, I'm still in one piece. I guess."

"Great," is about all she can come up with. "I'm being asked some awkward questions, but glad I can blame it on your all being adopted and not on demons or whatever the fuck."

"Ah. The proper authorities." He grimaces."And hospital personnel, yeah." Her chair creaks. It's uncomfortable and noisy, and not making this conversation any easier.

all you are

Helena Eagan & Helly R. - In a dream, Helly meets Helena.

r/severed

gen - Welcome to r/severed! This is a subreddit to discuss the experience of severance and provide advice and support to fellow severed people (and friends and family).

Dear and Beloved

Tang Fan/Wang Zhi - Wang Zhi and Tang Fan are a lot more candid in their letters to each other than they are in person. One thing leads to another, until they have no choice but to admit what they really want.

i genuinely love to hear your thoughts

Mr. Nobody | Man Inside Transistor/Red - Red’s cheeks feel warmer than before. She’s never shared unfinished material with anybody—not even Sybil. She’d always thought it would cast a curse, doom the song to die before its first breath. If it dies, she thinks in the quiet of her lonely apartment, then let it be with him.

The Dust They Leave Behind

Jeb Pyre/Bill Taba - When to move on, and what to take with you.

[mezzopurrloin]

Day 31: Mount Alodiel (Pyre)

The Commonwealth is a proud nation formed from the ashes of a fallen empire. It is a place that you would love to return to, if you could. For you have been exiled to the Downside, a vast, inhospitable land where criminals are sent to spend the rest of their lives. However, there is one way to regain freedom... A set of ancient Rites, ordained by the stars above, offer you one chance. Such is the story of Pyre.

As the Reader of a triumvirate named the Nightwings, you and your companions seek the path to freedom. It eventually leads them to the sacred Mount Alodiel, the tallest point in the Downside. The first stop along the climb is the icy Sclorian Shore.

Then your wagon comes to the mountain trail itself. It is a beautiful place, adorned with statues of the Eight Scribes who once gave their freedom so the people of the Downside could reclaim theirs.

At the summit is the point where freedom becomes a possibility.

There are multiple paths leading up the mountain trail, and some your companions would like to visit for their own personal reasons. Taking a particular path may lead you to hidden items, or bonuses for certain teammates.

At the Scribesgate, you must declare your reasons for coming to the bard Celeste. She is satisfied, and together the Nightwings proceed to the celestial landmark at the Fall of Soliam.

Here, the Liberation Rite will commence. This is the chance to secure freedom... but only for one person. And it cannot be you, as you are a Reader and do not participate in the Rites directly.

My choice was the exile Kae. The Nightwings are opposed by the Tempers, who chose the exile Ignarius as their candidate.

The goal of the Rite is to extinguish the opposing triumvirate's Pyre by use of the Celestial Orb which falls from the sky. It can be considered similar to a game of basketball or soccer, with the Pyre serving as the goal. Each triumvirate must act as one, meaning that only one exile of the three can be controlled at a time. You can swap exiles (and pass the Orb, if you have it) at any time.

Exiles can strike one another with their Aura, and become temporarily banished should it hit. However, they have no Aura when holding the Orb. One option is to banish the entire opposing team, while another is to simply grab the Orb and make a run for it. You can either plunge into the Pyre directly, or throw the Orb into it. Should you choose the former option, that exile will stay banished for the next round.

The Tempers played well, and this Rite came down to the wire. Then with one final push, Ignarius launched himself forward, and extinguished the Nightwings' Pyre.

Kae was denied her freedom, and Ignarius was returned to the Commonwealth, all crimes pardoned. He entered the shimmer-pool and ascended into the air.

However, this was not the end of the story. The Nightwings retreated to a moonlit alcove on the opposite side of the mountain, awaiting the day when the stars would align once again, and the cycle of the Rites would commence once more.

The Liberation Rite is accompanied by the song Never to Return, a fitting theme as this is easily the most serious event in the game.

[fabledtactician]

‘The mountain’s energies were palpable. The sensation that we felt, indescribable. The lands we stood upon were closer to the stars than to the world we knew.’ --In the Words od Molten Milithe, the Wild Witch

huevember 14

[incorrectsupergiantquotes]

Rukey: I'm not one to complain, but can't the Blackwagon fly any higher?

Volfred: I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us all the way to Mount Alodiel?

[flyingshibainu]

So, what is Downside, exactly? And why is it connected to Commonwealth in particular? Is it the main place of civilization and the rest of the planet a barren waste? (Yes I know Battle Angel Alita, good manga) Is the Downside right under the Commonwealth? But how would they see the stars?

Maybe the Commonwealth is floating along with Highwings and other places. It doesn't make much sense... but things in Mount Alodiel are floating and this game is fantasy. Something like in Bastion?

Maybe the cliff between the rest of the planet and the Downside is just too big for anything to climb up, and going around the planet to appear in Commonwealth might be possible? But it would be a great distant with lots of oceans in between. Or maybe this cliff looks like a ring that goes 360 degrees around the planet.

Or they're on the opposite side of the planet, separated by oceans that can destroy any ships if you dare pass through? And who knows what creatures are in the oceans in a world as scary as Pyre. In that case the rivers would be horizontally, or an arc like a rainbow, and extremely strong.

Or maybe they're under as in, the gravity is inverted? (You don't dig the hole to China, you dig it to the Commonwealth! But then going up to the Commonwealth wouldn't make sense so nope)

Is the Downside actually an orbital planet? Maybe that's why it's such a strange place with monsters and radioactive energy turning humans into mutants known as demons. How would Soliam Murr even travel though, so, nope.

I myself imagine something like a giant crater, but no don't ask me how the ecosystem in the Downside would work. Technology will happen eventually and it might allow the Downside to be travelled back and forth? Unless the magic of the Titans prevent them from escaping, or whatever Pyre climate has in store. Who knows, but Manley wouldn't be alive long enough to use that technology probably.

Last theory I have is that the Downside acts like Dante's Inferno. Downside has many parallels to hell. It has the reputation of being inescapable. The regions are nine circles of hell basically. Mount Alodiel is made from Archbeast Sung-Gries' remains. I think this Titan can be compared to Lucifer or something. You climb it, then bam. Out of hell!

But physically I'll think of Downside as half a cliff and half a crater, however that might work.

[laughingpinecone]

Volfred 3sentence challenge

bunch of Volfred-centric fills for the 3sentence challenge over on Dreamwidth!

any, any, i wish i could go back to when i was 13 i used to know everything then (&Erisa)

“Thirteen-years-old C. Volfred Sandalwood the wonder sapling, I can picture it – wait, hold up, run that implication by me again, you don’t believe you know everything now?” “The difference being, when faced with the rare exception to the rule,” he said, meeting her jab half way, and there’s no more perfect deadpan than a face made of wood, “there were books to tell me.” “It was a very long time ago, wasn’t it, old man… well, I don’t think there’d be a book that’d tell me what I need, anyway, so let’s face it, I’m good right where I am.”

Any, any, last requests (/Oralech)

They did the right thing until the end, the final choice should be the Reader’s, so theirs it was, so of course it was Volfred, because that’s what the right thing looked like, that ‘greater good’ that kept flickering out of reach, even as Oralech ached down to his hooves. As the red waters of the Fall enveloped his old love, somber and radiant, silent for once, Oralech met his gaze for one last time and saw him mouth a simple plea: live.

Oralech considered it, and-

any, any, all we love is sunlight (& Manley)

The sun would rise in ten minutes and shine for the better part of an hour before being covered by heavy clouds for the rest of the day as they began to cross the lower slopes of Mount Alodiel, had said Tariq, who (as one might expect) had an impeccable instinct for these things.

Hearing that, Volfred, who had barely managed to keep his food down after the tense meetings of the previous day and felt irritable enough to catch fire just by by staring intensely at a matchstick, dragged his twigs toward the only nearby clearing in the Wakingwood to try and unwind with some old-fashioned photosynthesis – only to find Tinderstauf already deeply rooted in place, raiments half undone, humming an obnoxious little tune to himself as he awaited the coveted sun rays.

Volfred bit his lip, took a deep breath and considered pros and cons of a quick itemized list of 1.trickery 2.subterfuge 3.blackmail 4.bribery 5.hexes (by proxy) 6.deceit 7.mind control to shove him out of there before surrendering to the fact that he could not in any way take the risk of Tinderstauf seeing him, and so he left, slowly, drowsily making his way back to the Blackwagon, learning once again that there’s no rest in a revolution lest it turns on without you.

any, any, a strange compulsion (x)

In the stories, it goes like this: there is a philosopher, a scholar, a free thinker, who sees a new society burst from the seams of the rotten present and as they are just and wise they put their life in the service of this vision and give it shape through decades of thankless studies, alliances, fragile connections. The story is never theirs and as dawn comes at last carrying the first glimpse of a new world, they are struck down and bleed out on the floor as an afterthought on the stage of history, expendable, even inconvenient once the job is done (it is the protagonists, the new generation, who will see it through). Oh, Volfred knows the stories, there are daggers at his back, yet he pushes on, and on, and on, for the sake of that new dawn, and then...

[queerfandommiscellany]

Only Time

Every one of the Nightwings has changed with the years after their return to the Commonwealth, but now that you’re back in the Downside, the Reader somehow looks more different than any of you. It is not the fact that they are a demon now, though their bare feet have grown hooves about the soles and four bone-white horns spiral from their head. It is not the way they move, though their crippled leg and aching bones seem stiffer than they ever used to be even on the slopes of Mount Alodiel. When the Reader walks toward you, their progress is slow and painstaking, even with the help of the beautifully carved and painted cane in their hands. No, the greatest difference is in their face. Exhaustion under their eyes, a peaceful sadness in the curve of their smile.

You place a hand on the skin of their cheek. The reader’s brand on their face has faded since you last saw it, but it still feels rough where you touch it. The Reader does not move. “You look… tired,” you say. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite this tired. What happened?”  

“Time,” the Reader says softly, and their head bows under the weight of those great, curling horns. “Only time.”

[raksha-the-demon]

First trip up Mount Alodiel: Wow this feels really cool and imposing. The extra time it takes to get to the Rite helps sell the idea that this one is more significant that the others. It really sells the idea that this Rite is Important, and that this is the culmination of everything my team has worked for. A+ game design, I love it.

Third trip up Mount Alodiel: i’m not ready to say goodbye again

[tieflng]

for any pyre fans out there, i made a pyre-specific discord server you can find here-- it’s a lowkey space so far but i wanted to see something catered specifically towards this game, since it feels like it often gets drowned out in general sgg spaces! stop on by, we promise not to throw you off mount alodiel.

[hino-of-the-dawn]

Supergiant Secret Santa

Surprise @jodaaariel , I was your Secret Santa for this year! You asked for a fic about the Archjustice post-exile and the Reader doing some Rites together, and I did my best to deliver.

- The blackwagon is far quieter without a good handful of the Nightwings, but the Reader doesn't find the silence unsettling. In fact it's a comfort; each moment of precious time spent without sound a sign that their friends have made it home, back to the Commonwealth where the revolution has taken place, and the new Sahrian Empire has come into power.

"Honestly Reader, how can you stand such cramped quarters?"

Well it's quieter, but not silent. The Reader sets down the book they're tending to and slowly gets to their feet, feeling their aching bones protest as they shuffle from their chair to the sleeping quarters. There stands the Archjustice- Former Archjustice, seeing as he'd been stripped of all his titles by Volfred in the revolution before being cast downriver. He looks quite different outside of his golden robe and mask, with short blonde hair and a patchwork jumpsuit that does not suit him at all.

Calmly, the Reader comments that the quarters are not cramped, and that Brighton (a name they stress much to the annoyance of the man) must be too stuck up and pampered to deal with 'commoner quarters', relishing in the irritation that Brighton wears.

He crosses his arms. "That is not the issue," he says, although it is. Being cast down twice does not do the body any favours, and the corruption that the Downside brings to Nomads and Moontouched seems to have come back in full force, greeting Brighton with slightly sharper nails and the beginning of horns in little less than two months. "There's just too many beds packed together."

It is not the first time Brighton has stayed in the wagon, the Reader reminds him, clambering into their own little bed. There's enough room for them and for a shelf of knick-knacks left behind by their fellow Nightwings. They continue, explaining that in time, he will have to get used to such small spaces.

"It's undignified," Brighton complains. The reader informs Brighton that his mother is undignified, much to the surprise of the man.

"I'll have you know that your father is undignified, Reader!" he shouts back for lack of a better insult. The Reader has kept their name under lock and key, and it seems with the amount of Exiles the Commonwealth was turning out, Brighton has forgotten theirs. They like to use it to their advantage.

Before their argument can go any further, the blackwagon lurches to a halt. Brighton groans, having only just settled down in his quarters. "Are we there already?"

It seems so, the Reader says as they hop to their feet. It's not a smooth action, but it happens. They say they're going to feed the Imps, and go look for Barker. Brighton merely hums in acknowledgement.

The ladder to the Imps is rickety and narrow, but the Reader manages just fine. They have a small bag of feed to give them, and as they reach for it, Brighton enters the common area.

They call out to him, asking what he's doing. Above them the Imps are getting impatient, so they make sure to dish out some food while also trying to keep their attention on Brighton.

He doesn't answer them. Instead he stands by the Beyonder Orb, his hand set atop it. Whatever conversation he's having is quiet, enough so that even the Reader can't hear it, nor can they sense anything that Sandra is radiating.

As they finish feeding the Imps, Brighton finishes his conversation. "She's just as bitter as ever," he grumbles as the Reader passes them by, looking for their Raiments. Ever since the Rites had finished for good and Barker had started up his own mockery, the Reader had taken every chance they could to participate. They weren't good at it by any stretch of the word, but their attempts earned cheers from the spectators.

Pulling the Raiments off the wall, they turn to Brighton and ask if he will be participating.

Brighton scoffs. "Of course," he answers, taking another set from the wall and holding them close. "I was a champion back in my time. Earned my own freedom, even without the help of..." he trails off, the words heavy on his tongue.

As the Reader dons their robes, they look to Brighton and ask a question they have had for a long time. Did he see it happen? Did he see Erisa push Oralech from the Shimmer-pool.

He slips the robes over his head and doesn't answer, covering his face with the mask of a Nomad as he steps out into the dusty plains of the Jomuer Valley. After a moment, the Reader follows after him.

The heat that usually assaulted the valley is gone under the moonlight, but the humid, thick air is still present. Despite it, there's a decent crowd around the Cairn of Ha'ub as chairs are filled and empty spaces are taken up by those who prefer to stand. Blackwagons are parked around the area, with some exiles choosing to sit atop them for a better view of the field.

The Reader wonders what Tariq and Celeste would think of their commodification of a once-sacred place. This particular site doesn't mean much to the Reader, but they do not enjoy playing on the Ridge of Gol, nor atop Mount Alodiel.

"I can't believe that Barker defiled such a place," Brighton grumbles, startling the Reader. He's right beside them now, having somehow appeared without a sound. "Anyway Reader, I suppose we must find a third for our team, and mayhaps a Reader. Although, considering the name you chose, you might be our best fit."

It's a surprise, so much so that the Reader laughs. They state their surprise at Brighton permitting them to read for him, which makes Brighton sigh. "You were an excellent Reader, one I had thought to be my successor. If someone has to boss me around, I would prefer it be you."

That's oddly flattering of him. It's the closest thing the Reader will get to a compliment anyway. They don't say that aloud however, and instead motion for Brighton to join them as they look for two more to join their Triumvirate. There are still some Nightwings in the Downside, but they have their own lives to attend to, and the Reader doesn't try to bring them to these False Rites unless they're asked.

Finding two others for their Triumvirate is easy enough. There's a small handful of hopefuls who attend the False Rites as backup players, ready to make a team if nobody shows up, or to fill a space if someone is lacking players, much like the Nightwings are.

Soon enough, Brighton finds himself with a Wyrm and a Cur on his team. They won't be big scorers on their own, but their speed might make up for that, he supposes. "Surprised you didn't opt for a Demon, Reader."

Looking over their copy of the Book of Rites, the Reader quips that Brighton's build still falls into that of a Nomad. Just a very slow one.

He bristles at the comment. "That's rude."

The Reader raises an eyebrow, face not obscured by a mask. They say that hypocrisy isn't smiled upon in the Downside, and Brighton sighs but doesn't answer.

Their conversation has no time to continue as Barker's voice rings out over the masses. He stands atop one of Shax Six-Shoulder's many ribs, looking down on the field. "Alright kids, we're ready to go! Our teams tonight are veterans, so lemme hear you all howl!"

A cacophonous sound rises up, startling Brighton. The Reader bites their lip to hold back a laugh.

"With the blue pyre, we have our Nightwings!" Barker motioned to the pyre; a hoop with blue streamers that danced in the air, reaching up towards the Sahrian Union. Brighton stood front and center, with his two new comrades at his side. The Reader stood on one side of the field, giving them a nod of encouragement.

The crowd cheered for the Nightwings, falling silent as Barker continued his announcement. "On the other side with the pink flame, we have The Chastity!"

Once again the crowd came to life as The Chastity appeared. Their team consisted of a Nomad, a Sap, and a Harp. They played without a Reader, which in most cases meant they had a Reader on their team.

Brighton gave the opposing team a once-over, turning his gaze to the Reader a moment later. He would trust their judgment and gave them a nod, signifying that fact.

"Are we ready to go? When the Orb hits the ground, we're on!"

A cur standing on the sidelines opposite the Reader readied the Orb; a glass orb purchased from the store Bertrude had once operated, which meant it was almost impossible to shatter. The cur looked to both teams carefully before tossing it into the field.

All eyes fell on the orb as it fell in a perfect arc, hitting the dusty ground with a thump. Barker howled, and the Reader raised their voice, ready to shout their commands.

As it turns out, Brighton is rather good at the Rites. The Reader's word is law in the Rites, but without the forceful guiding of the Reader overriding the free will of the Exiles, some of the moves Brighton makes precede the Reader's own decisions.

The Nightwing's Cur passes the ball to Brighton, who catches it without any effort. His motions are fluid as he dodges the thick weighted ribbons thrown at him to represent a cast aura, and the hoops attached to the Exiles which represent presence. It's like a dance, and the Reader finds themselves invested in each of his steps.

They call out for Brighton to plunge into the flame, but before the core of their sentence can get there, he casts the orb into their Pyre, netting them twenty points. "The Nightwings score first! Just like the old days, hey boys?" Barker's voice rings out over the field and the remaining members of the Dissidents all howl in glee.

With the ball in the hoop, the Chastity and Nightwings return to their respective sides, and the Reader waves Brighton over. As he approaches, they raise their voice to shout over the howling and hollering of Barker's crew, explaining that Brighton should have leapt into the Pyre.

"What, and leave us disadvantaged for the next turn? They weren't even close!" Brighton answers with crossed arms. The Reader shakes their head, explaining that the Chastity's Sap had a Sapling nearby, and that it could have taken him out if he wasn't careful. Brighton removes his mask. "But I was careful. I'm not a bumbling idiot like your Nightwings."

Irritated, the Reader covers their face. Brighton should behave, they say, which makes Brighton scowl. "You should make better decisions with your Triumvirate," he says forcefully. "Maybe then they wouldn't feel Banishment Sickness as much as they did."

Taken aback by his bluntness, the Reader states that Brighton agreed to let them read for him, and Brighton laughs. "You didn't tell me you could play with a Reader in the team, did you?" His gaze is critical, but the Reader does not flinch under it. "Maybe if you did-"

"Excuse me mates."

Barker appears beside them, causing the Reader and Brighton to put their arguments on hold. "As much as I like a good fight, we got some Rites here t'conclude. If you wanna throw hands after, then you'd better tell me and I'll have payouts ready." There's a smile that shows Barker is genuine, which makes the Reader and Brighton sigh.

"We'll talk about this later," Brighton says, sliding his mask back on. "Don't make any stupid decisions."

The Reader nods, and kindly informs Brighton that every decision he makes is stupid, so surely hearing their advice is a step in the right direction.

Barker snickers and trots off to find his betting table.

[jpdoingvp]

Mount Alodiel.

Pyre, Supergiant Games.

Captured on PS5.

[runicmagitek]

Like the Stars Chase the Sun (Pyre)

((mostly a gen fic with super heavily implied Tariq/Celeste))

An endless wind tore through the path carved into Mount Alodiel. Not a star glimmered above, the heavens thick with storm clouds. Still, the Nightwings advanced, certain of the way—thanks to their Reader. Even then, Xhri credited the drive-imps for traveling to the group’s destination.

The Blackwagon creaked and groaned up the slushy slopes. Xhri stretched, flexing and rubbing their hands together. Damn cold would get the best of them. It already had, in a way. Green eyes glanced over the wooden prosthetic replacing their right calf and foot. A phantom chill left them burrowing further into a heap of blankets.

It can’t be that much further, Xhri mused.

The Blackwagon trembled to a halt, the structure of the vehicle sighing as it eased into the ground for rest. Xhri peeked out the window; a veil of snow blurred the entirety of the Downside. Somewhere past the blizzard awaited their next Rite. Another member selected, another liberated. Dread gnawed at their mind until it flooded their hollow heart.

The cry of drive-imps snapped them back to reality. Ti’zo squawked back at his kin, something about who dared to steal his leftover fish. Xhri chuckled; a vague recollection of Rhae tossing said fish out with the garbage surfaced to mind. Their lips were sealed when a blur of orange zipped by and landed in their lap.

“Kraah-haaaah,” Ti’zo sighed out.

“Awww, it’s okay, Ti’zo,” Xhri said, scritching the top of his head. “We’ll find some fish next time.”

His eyes drifted elsewhere. “Hraa-hoom….”

“There will be a next time.” They scooped him up and poked his nose. “I promise.”

Read more: [AO3] [FFN]

[under-snow-vixen]

Yuletide Letter

hi author! i’m vixen - UnderSnowVixen on Ao3. this’ll be my first yuletide :0

i like worldbuilding, especially around religion, government, and language; religion in general; change in government over time; character studies; explorations of close relationships; post-canon settings; canon divergence; crossovers, especially characters from one canon visiting or joining another canon; gender weirdness and exploration; POV outsider, especially with OC POV; Epistolary fics, especially through paperwork or (transcripts of) broadcast media; unusual formats in general; paperwork in general; political or legal comedy; fluff and comfort; temporary death/revival; travel, especially vagrancy or space travel; finding home in another; hope in the face of doom, be it futile or successful; complicated politesse; memory and its fallibility; storytelling; immortality and all that come with it, especially the gender of immortals; ensemble pieces; growing apart and fighting or accepting that; place-as-character; haunted, wrong, or angry places; liminal spaces; play and joy in terrible times; exploration of inhumanity, real or perceived; what it means to be a “good person” and worries over that; morality; conversations about music and art; prairies, forests, and lakes; things that live in those places, be it human, animal, or other; explorations of advancements in technology and how that affects personal lives; color and light; fables and fairytales, especially those that aren’t as well known; being trapped by snow or other weather; beauty in imperfection; existentialism; and what death means in different cultures

you can write your fic in french if you’d prefer!

DNW for all canons: works that would be tagged Explicit for any reason (mature is fine); references to COVID (other illnesses or even pandemics, even real, are fine); human, no power, highschool, or modern AUs; gender bending without trans readings; crossovers with RPF fandoms; bad endings; or podfic

Kino no Tabi | Kino's Journey - Keiichi Sigsawa (Kino & Hermes) : i love this canon for two big reasons: one is the exploration of cultures or individuals from an outsider’s point of view, and the other is the exploration of gender and identity through various cultures or personal lives. this is also a very existentialist canon, which i adore.

Kino no Tabi lends itself well to two of my favorite things: crossover - i’d pretty much read any crossover with it, even if i’d never even heard of the other fandom! - and outsider POV. Kino is a perfect outsider POV character, but often an outsider’s perspective on Kino can be more interesting. what does your favorite world think of vagrancy? what would Kino think of that world in turn? alternatively, make up an entirely new country for them to visit. a lot of canon countries are based on fables or psychology or philosophy problems, but they can be based on pretty much anything! as long as it’s something different for Kino to see i’ll be happy with it!

Kino is often read as nonbinary and i personally headcanon Hermes to be nonbinary too, but Kino and Hermes have never come across another nonbinary person in their travels. What would their time in a country that explicitly recognizes nonbinary people be like?

any pronouns are fine for Kino, play up the confusion! please do not use it/its pronouns for Hermes though, even from characters who wouldn’t know better. anything else is fine. no ships with Kino, please, Kino is transient. ships without Kino are fine, but of course shouldn’t be the focus.

Dr Cataclysm (Webcomic) (Agrippa & Melon) : if youre here for a different canon and haven’t read this... do so. its pretty short and its free. it’s also by the guy who made Off if that’s a drawing point. find it here.

give me some wholesome found family slice of life and i’ll love you forever. agrippa and melon need a break!! give them a nice dinner or something!! i don’t super ship but tossing in some agrippa/crocodile could be fun. or everyone!! just have agrippa and melon host everyone for a nice dinner. janos can be there as long as he’s chill.

alternatively... that last issue sure is somethin huh. what do you think happened? a where-are-they-now would be fun. i have my ideas, but what are yours?

if the crocodile girl shows up, don’t hurt her!!! she’s just a sick little girl she doesn’t need more stress :(

Moon Knight (Comics) (Marc Spector) : marc :( i love him but hes had such a hard time! (especially lately!!!) you could give him a nice day :) he’s honestly pretty chill despite all the uh... divine annoyances and mercenary tendencies, i’m sure there’s a few people he could just hang out and enjoy company with.

orrrr you could... make his day worse? :))) so many people hate this man, half the time he’s on a team he’s belittled constantly. what’s that like? i love ensemble pieces, if you stick him on a team or with a couple loners and explore their relationship that would be fun. what do people marc works with think of Khonshu? i’m a big fan of suprise revivals, and marc dies... so often.

marc is also really fun to shove into crossovers, and has a built-in excuse for it with Khonshu! part of his whole deal is he 1. is adaptable and 2. just Does Not Give Up. this means he will survive in any world you stick him in or die trying. and then get up and keep trying.

my favorite runs are v2 (1985) and v5 (2015-16) (the first half of v5 is really good), as well as his time with the WCA and the Secret Avengers. i also really liked contagion and conan serpent war despite their... debatable canon. i don’t really know what’s going on with the most recent avengers run.

don’t be weird about his mental illnesses. if you write Khonshu, i like Khonshu-as-God 10000% more than Khonshu-as-delusion and he should be an asshole, but in a lot of the more recent comics he’s just cruel which is :(. please keep to the asshole god side of things as opposed to a cruel god. the 2019 annual and conan serpent war have my favorite Khonshu characterizations. My Explicit-rating ban is lifted for this canon, but only for extreme violence and death.

Nuclear Throne (Video Game) (Yung Venus) : what’s his deal?? he’s a really comical character and probably has the least Bad Stuff going on with him in canon, but he’s still a god of money of all things. what does that mean in a world where currency is extinct? what does being a gun god mean when everyone has guns? is he revered or ignored? i’d love a more serious exploration of YV-as-god, or of his relationships with the rest of those around the campfire.

pretty much anything goes for this canon. mind the general DNWs. My Explicit-rating ban is lifted for this canon, but only for extreme violence and death.

Pyre (Video Game) (any) : while i love the characters of Pyre, what i love more is the world. what were the Scribes like, and what do people think of them now? we know that the Triumvirates were only a tiny portion of the Downside population, what are the rest of them like?

If you’re more partial to the characters, great! i love them all! (or at least all of those who were nominated this year!!) slice of life or post-canon political comedy is the way to go. give me a missing scene from the time spent on Mount Alodiel, or show me how the new government is handling things. depending on who made it up, they either have a lot of experience or none at all!

please feel free to play around with end conditions, but one i’m fond of (and the one i got my first time through) is to liberate Hedwyn, Jodariel, Rukey, Fae, Ti'zo, Pametha, and Oralech, while sir Gilman, Volfred, Bertrude, all non-Nightwings, and the Reader(+Sandra) remain. i tend to use Fae, Mae, or Gae for the moontouched girl but any name is good! i also tend to not give my Readers names, but if you’d like to go right ahead :)

please nothing with Manley, Lendel, or Brighton unless it’s an ensemble piece. no jodariel/ignarius.

thank you !!!!

[hino-has-fiction]

made up fic-title! "In a Week"

send me a made-up fic title and i’ll tell you what i would write to go with it 

“Alright Team,” you said to your Nightwings, “We don’t know who will ascend next, or when.” They all understood this as well as you. “But while we’re here, let’s clear our Downside bucket lists; let’s do the things you can only do here.”

Hedwyn raised a hand. “Like what?”

You smiled. “Go Skydiving from Mount Alodiel.”

[imagymnasia]

I always chose to listen to Hedwyn’s prayers on the way up Mount Alodiel and let me tell you they are heartbreaking.