#overgrind

[the-ratronaut]

Today in Fallen London

Tyrant king of the depths who takes all those who die at zee under his control is revealed to be a big nerd who just loves his giant alien sea urchin wife so damn much.

[zekkopunks]

goodnight I never felt like an image applied to me much harder than this one

[ravenclaw-for-all-seasons]

His Soft Spot (Prologue) - Mattheo Riddle

A/N: A lovely anon asked how Mattheo and reader started out, so here is their backstory. I hope you enjoy!

-

You weren’t the type to fall for Slytherins.

As a Ravenclaw, you had your nose buried in dusty books, spent your weekends organizing enchanted study notes, and found comfort in the quiet hum of the library. You weren’t antisocial — in fact, many people found your presence captivating. You were kind, witty, effortlessly graceful in a way that made people pause.

But he was something else entirely.

Mattheo Riddle had a reputation that was even darker than the Black Lake. He was tall, sharp-jawed, dark-eyed danger personified. His smirk was the stuff of whispered dorm gossip. Son of Voldemort, future heir of the Dark Lord, some claimed — though no one dared say it to his face. Professors tolerated him because he was brilliant. Students tiptoed around him because he was terrifying.

But you? You didn’t seem impressed. And that’s what started it all.

———

Your first encounter happened during a shared O.W.L Potions class. You arrived early, as always, settling at your usual table with your notes already out and organized. The seat beside you was always vacant—no one dared sit there because you were known to correct your seat partner’s technique if they so much as stirred it clockwise instead of counter-clockwise.

But that day, Mattheo Riddle strolled in late, sleeves rolled, eyes heavy-lidded with arrogance—and dropped his bag right next to you.

You barely glanced at him.

“Just so you know,” you said without looking up, “you over-grind your lacewing flies. You’re destroying the compound.”

He raised a brow, amused. “That so?”

“I saw your Amortentia yesterday. Smelled like gunpowder and blood. Classic overgrind. Rookie mistake.”

He blinked.

Most girls would be fawning over him by now. But you had already gone back to annotating your textbook, like he was no more interesting than a cauldron manual.

It bothered him.

No one talked to him like that. Certainly no one corrected him. And definitely not someone as annoyingly beautiful as you.

He watched you out of the corner of his eye the entire lesson.

———

After that class, he started showing up wherever you were.

He’d pass behind your desk in the library and flick the ends of your parchment. He’d steal your quill and replace it with an obnoxiously large green feathered one. Sometimes he’d lean on the library shelves right where you were looking and say things like:

“Careful, love. You keep looking at me like that, and I’ll think you’re in love.”

You always rolled your eyes. “I’m trying to look past you.”

And yet… your heart beat just a little faster.

———

What he didn’t expect was that you saw him.

Not the version of himself that he projected: the Riddle name, the cold eyes, the untouchable snark. No — you saw when his hand trembled during Dueling Club. You saw how he lingered after class, sometimes staring at nothing. You noticed the circles under his eyes, the way his jaw clenched during mentions of “family.” You even caught him once in the library — reading Muggle poetry. Hidden inside a copy of Magical Theory and Practice, but still. Poetry.

“Byron?” you’d asked, sliding into the seat across from him.

He’d gone completely still.

“I won’t tell,” you promised, voice gentle. “I like Byron too.”

That was the moment. You felt it — a shift. A hesitation. A choice.

Instead of walking away, he stayed. Instead of shutting you out, he let the conversation continue.

“You always like the broken ones?” he’d asked that day, tone teasing but eyes dark with something real.

You shrugged. “Only the ones who try to rebuild.”

———

Weeks passed.

You became… a thing. No official labels. No public declarations. But you knew. Everyone knew. If someone even looked at you sideways in the corridor, Mattheo was there—silent, glaring, dangerous.

He never held your hand in the open. But he waited for you outside the library. He’d leave you enchanted paper cranes with notes like:

“Stop looking so pretty when I’m trying to focus in class. – M.”

He once punched a fourth-year Slytherin for calling you a “bookish tease.” You didn’t ask him to. He didn’t tell you he did. You just knew.

Then came the Astronomy Tower incident.

It was late. You’d both been working on your projects, and for once, you were exhausted. You leaned your head against his shoulder — and instead of pulling away or making a joke, he let you rest there.

And then, quietly, he whispered:

“I don’t like anyone. You know that, right?”

You nodded sleepily. “I know.”

“But I like you.”

You smiled, eyes still closed. “I know.”

———

You didn’t need a dramatic kiss or a grand gesture. You didn’t even need him to ask. It happened naturally — one day, he reached for your hand in the corridor, not caring who saw. The whispers spread like Fiendfyre.

“Ravenclaw girl? Mattheo Riddle’s girlfriend?”

But no one dared say a word to your face.

Because Mattheo wasn’t the cold-hearted monster they thought. Not with you.

He carried your bag when you hurt your wrist in Charms. He memorized your favorite tea order. He’d pull you onto his lap during study nights in the Slytherin common room and press kisses to your temple when no one was watching.

You got away with everything.

Once, you fell asleep in the restricted section of the library after a long night of research. Instead of waking you, Mattheo sat beside you for three hours, hexed anyone who came too close, and carried you back to your dorm when dawn broke.

Professor Snape caught him once and said, “Mr. Riddle, you know you’re not allowed in Ravenclaw Tower.”

To which Mattheo simply smirked and replied, “Then I suggest you give her a passcode to my room instead.”

———

Now?

He still scares people.

Still has that coiled, dark energy that promises ruin to anyone who crosses him.

But with you?

He softens. He folds. You’re the only one who can touch his heart without getting burned.

And he still can’t believe it.

Every time you sit in his lap, cup his jaw with your gentle hands, or tell him he’s not like his father — you remind him that maybe, just maybe, he’s worthy of something good.

And you?

You never expected to fall for the most dangerous boy in Hogwarts.

But here you are — adored, protected, chosen.

By Mattheo Riddle.

Taglist: @hisonlyobsession

[larluce]

Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU (SERIES 2)

FIRST PART (SERIES 1) >> PREVIOUS PART >> NEXT PART

(Sorry for the delay. College is killing me😔)

In Arthur's chambers.

Arthur: (putting the white lily in more spacious pot with prepared soil like a profesional gardener) There you go.

A knock on the door.

Arthur: Come in.

Morgana: (enters)

Arthur: (grinning, gesturing to the lily) Oh, Morgana. What do you think?

Morgana: (doesn't smile back) Is lovely.

Arthur: I thought about adding a ribbon, but that might be too corny. Don’t you... (notices Morgana is still looking at him with a serious expression) Is everything alright?

Morgana: (cold, direct) Is Merlin here?

Arthur: (thrown at the sudden question) No, he is with Gaius.

Morgana: So we are alone.

Arthur: (more confused) Yes.

Morgana: Good. (slaps Arthur hard in the face)

Meanwhile. In Gaius' Tower.

Merlin: (In his new uniform, humming, while stringing beads onto a thin cord)

Gaius: (while grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle, squints at Merlin’s craft) What is that?

Merlin: I'm doing a necklace for Arthur. 😊

Gaius: (his grip on the pestle tightens) Oh... (resumes pounding the herbs, his movements growing increasingly aggressive)

Merlin: Well, technically it’s a protection amulet. It will ward him of curses, enchantments, that sort of thing. But, truly, I just want to gift him something. He gave me so many court gifts already, I have a lot to catch up.

Gaius: (pounds the herbs harder)

Merlin: (thoughtful) And maybe that's why he's been so insecure lately. I thought I should-

Gaius: (A herb stem flies out of the mortar)

Merlin: Uh… I think you’re overgrinding it. Those leaves won’t have any potency left-

Gaius: (Slams the pestle down) Merlin, we need to talk.

Back with Arthur and Morgana.

Arthur: (with a hand on his cheek) What's wrong with you?!

Morgana: (furious) I should be asking you that! What on earth possessed you to make such a spectacle?

Arthur: (defensive, hand dropping from his face) If this is about what happened in the main square-

Morgana: Oh, it's about far more than your little performance. First, you ruined Merlin's plan to restore some of his reputation in the most shameful way. Then you picked up a fight with Gwaine publicly-

Arthur: (heated) He flirted with him!

Morgana:-making the entire court believe Merlin's been unfaithful! And then! (mocking flourish) The crowning glory! You kneel in the dirt like a lovesick squire before him!

Arthur: (stiffens)

Morgana: (steps closer, lowering voice) Did you consider what this does to him? Merlin isn't nobility. His standing depends entirely on being "the prince's lover." A position you keep undermining!

Arthur: (clenching his fists) I was claiming responsibility—

Morgana: You were marking territory like a dog! (leans in) Every time you lose your temper, Merlin pays the price! Don't you see that? (voice breaks slightly) And gods help him if Uther decides Merlin's at fault for this too. He nearly banished him last time.

Arthur: (fervent) I wont let him!

Morgana: Then start acting like a prince instead of a spoiled boy! (turns to leave, then pauses) I know what it's like. To be judged worthless until a man's favor grants you value. (over shoulder, icy) The difference? When my reputation suffers, I still have my name. My birthright... Merlin only has you.

Arthur: (struck down by her words)

Morgana: Think about that. (leaves)

In the silence, Arthur suddenly remembers Merlin's words "I know our relationship can't be formal or official in any way, but I want it to be at least taken seriously!"

And with what he's done. They'll never take Merlin seriously again.

Arthur sighs, he can't change the past, but he can do better. He will do better.

"Then Gwaine asked lady Merelyn if she was engaged" he remembers Lancelot told him reluctantly when he asked him for details of their conversation. "And he-well she said 'technically i'm not'"

He'll make everyone take Merlin seriously... starting with Merlin himself.

Back with Gaius and Merlin.

Gaius: (sitting infront of Merlin) Remember when I told you Arthur has been obsessed with you since you came to Camelot?

Merlin: (chuckles) Yeah, and I thought you were joking.

Gaius: Well, believe me now. Arthur is obsessed with you. And I'm not saying this as exaggeration. No, he's literally obsessed. And I'm worried.

Merlin: (confused)... What?

Gaius: (choosing his words carefully) When a man strikes in anger, that's one thing. But when he hurts others while calling it love… that's something far more dangerous.

Merlin:(defensive) If this is about Gwaine, Arthur lost his temper, he didn't mean-

Gaius: To almost choke him to death? Because he nearly crushed that man's windpipe. I'm not overstating it. Had you been there a second later, Gwaine wouldn't be telling the tale. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

Silence...

Merlin: (concedes) Arthur has... anger issues. We are working on that.

Gaius: (leaning forward, gentle but firm) This isn't some bad habit to be cured. You can't change what's been there from the start.

Merlin:(stubborn) He's never acted like this before!

Gaius: (raising an eyebrow) Really? Was he thinking clearly when he threw Lancelot in the dungeons? Or when he nearly started a civil war over you?

Merlin:(flushing) That was different! The rebellion was about justice and-

Gaius:(raises his voice) It was about you! Just like the dungeons were about you! Just like tomorrow's disaster will be about you!

Merlin: ...

Gaius: (softer, reaching for Merlin's hands) My boy… I know you love him. I'm not asking you to leave him. Just… (squeezes his hands) be careful. Come to me if Arthur ever…

Merlin:(eyes widening in realisation) You think Arthur will hurt me?

Gaius: Merlin—

Merlin:(pulling away violently) No! That's ridiculous! Arthur wouldn't dare. (begins pacing)

Gaius: I'm not talking specifically about physical—

Merlin:(whirling around) He loves me! He wouldn't harm me in any way!

Gaius: (patient but firm) I don't doubt his love. But what about today's display in the square?

Merlin: (defensive but blushing) It was… excessive, I know. But he was apologizing! He knelt before me! (voice softens) He's never done that before… He was afraid of losing me. (blushes more) And it was kind of romantic if you think about it-

Gaius: Why?

Merlin: Why what?

Gaius: (leaning forward) Why was he so afraid of losing you?

Merlin: (shifting uncomfortably) Uhm... I... told him I wanted space. Two days. Because I was angry about the Gwaine incident and everything it caused.

Gaius: (face darkens with understanding) So you didn't threaten to leave or gave him any ultimatums. Didn't say you hated him or something of that sort. You just asked for two days... and Camelot saw its prince unravel like a madman.

Merlin: ...

Merlin: Well, if you say it like that-

Gaius: (stands up) What happens when it's not two days, Merlin? When it's forever? (grabs Merlin's wrist) You think that boy would let you go? (laughs bitterly) He'll chain you to his throne before he sees you walk away. And if he can't have you. I'm afraid-

Merlin: (wrenching free) STOP!

Gaius: -he'll kill you and then kill himself!

Merlin: Arthur is not like that! You're twisting everything!

Gaius: (quietly) I wish I was wrong. I held Arthur as a baby and watch him grow. Is not easy for me to accept this either. I always hoped he took after his mother. And in more than one aspect he does. But in matters of love? (sad smile) He's Uther's son through and through.

Merlin: (yells) ARTHUR IS NOTHING LIKE UTHER!

Gaius: ...

Merlin: What if I'm the mad one, Gaius? I've killed for him. Would kill again. Sometimes… (smiles strangely) Sometimes I dream of shrinking him down, keeping him safe in a little box where no one can ever hurt him.

Gaius: (pales)

Merlin: You don't have to worry about what Arthur might do if I leave him. I won't. I can't. (pauses) If he is really as insane as you are portraying him to be... (chuckles softly) then we are perfect for one another. (grabs his incomplete necklace) I'll finish this in my room. (leaves)

Time skip. The next day. In the throne room. Gwaine, Percival, and Lancelot stand before the raised dais where Uther, Arthur, and Morgana sit in solemn authority. Merlin and Gwen hover at their masters’ sides, silent but watchful.

Uther: Have you decided on your reward?

Percival: (bowing) Yes, Sire.

Arthur: (through gritted teeth, looking at Gwaine) Why is he still eligible for rewards?

Uther: (dismissive wave) He isn't. But his companion is. (eyes Percival) And it seems you wish to petition for both.

Percival: (diplomatic) We seek permanent positions in your household, my lord.

Merlin: (open his eyes wide in surprise)

Arthur: (his jaw tightens)

Gwaine: (smirks)

Uther: Is that so?

Percival: Any capacity you deem fit.

Uther: (turns to Lancelot) And you?

Lancelot: (glancing at Gwen) I hope to start a family soon. A steadier position would be… appreciated.

Gwen: (her cheeks flush crimson)

Merlin: (bites his lip to hide a grin)

Morgana: (smiles bittersweetly)

Arthur: (mock-thoughtful) Well, now that Lancelot is moving on, the stables could use another pair of hands. Gwaine did quite… impressively yesterday.

Gwaine: (his smirk falters)

Uther: (leaning back, fingers steepled, a glint in his eye) Actually, I had something more useful in mind. (gestures grandly) You'll be the personal guards of Prince Arthur's manservant!

Silence.

Arthur: (explodes) WHAT?! 😡

Merlin: (squeaking) Wait—MY guards?! 😨

Uther: (raising an eyebrow at Arthur) Didn’t you insist your manservant needed protection?

Merlin: (whisper yelling at Arthur) You did what?! 😠

Arthur: (to Uther) Yes, but-

Uther: Then is done. (To Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine) What are you waiting for? Bow to your new master.

Percival, Lancelot, Gwaine: (get out of their stupor and, in slightly delayed unison, bow deeply) My lord.

Merlin chokes on air. Arthur looks like he’s about to combust. Morgana’s composure cracks, a snort escaping.

Arthur: (through gritted teeth, to Uther) Father. A word.

Uther: (ignores him) That will be all. You start tomorrow.

Percival, Lancelot, Gwaine: (bow again and leave)

Gwaine turns, smirking like he’s won the lottery, only for Percival to smack the back of his head. Lancelot walks like a man to the gallows. Morgana finally loses it, laughter ringing off the vaulted ceilings. Gwen buries her face in her hands. Merlin is still too stunned in place to have a proper reaction.

And Arthur? Arthur looks moments away from declaring war on the entire room. Why is his father doing this?! He isn't naive enough to believe Uther Pendragon suddenly decided to grant his wish. Was this his way of punish him? Or just wanted to annoy him? No, something tells him there's more to it, but he can't tell what.

For now, he'll have to settle for the fact that at least Merlin's new guards genuinely care about him. One of them a bit more than he should.

Time skip. In Arthur's chambers. Merlin strips off his "monk uniform", tossing it over a chair with more force than necessary. Arthur watches, jaw tight, as Merlin rounds on him.

Merlin: (frustrated, arms wide) What made you think giving me guards was a good idea?

Arthur: You attract as many assassination attempts as I do!

Merlin: Which I handle, because I'm perfectly capable of defending myself!

Arthur: With magic, which you can't always use openly.

Merlin: (throws up his hands) Oh, brilliant! So now how am I supposed to defend myself at all with three men watching me constantly?

Arthur: ...

Merlin: You didn't think of that, did you? 😒

Arthur: (sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face) … I’m sorry.

Merlin: (softens his expression and steps forward, one hand settling on Arthur's shoulder) I know you worry (cups Arthur's cheek, which makes Arthur lean into the touch, eyes closing briefly) But I'm not defenseless. I'm a very powerful sorcerer, remember?

Arthur: (eyes flickering open, pained) Being powerful didn’t stop you from- (cuts himself off)

Merlin: (frowns) From what?

Arthur: From getting into trouble more than once. (catches Merlin’s hand against his cheek, threading their fingers together) But you’re right. No more decisions about you… (Brushes his lips over Merlin’s knuckles) without you.

Merlin: (blushes) Alright, I forgive you. (Grins) Only because I actually LIKE my new guards.

Arthur: (scoffs, but his thumb still traces circles on Merlin’s wrist) I wish I could say the same. (Smirks) I can still try to reduce them to two.

Merlin: (poking Arthur’s chest) Nope. I want all three. (Sweetly vicious) Suck it up.

Arthur: (sighs, defeated. But then lifts Merlin's hand again, turning it over in his own like something precious) You know I love the shape of your hands?

Merlin: (chuckles) What a weird thing to say.

Arthur: You have calluses.

Merlin: From scrubbing your socks. 😒

Arthur: (thumb skating over his wrist) And they are always cold.

Merlin: (rolls his eyes, fond) I’ve always been cold.

Arthur: (pulls him closer, pressing Merlin’s palm flat over his heart) And yet, when you touch me… (leans in, forehead resting against Merlin’s) They always feel warm an soft.

They stay like that. Feeling each other's breath and heartbeats. Merlin closes his eyes and thinks that, sometimes, moments like this are even more intimate than any kiss would be. Just holding each other close, feeling.

Then Merlin feels the cool slide of metal against his finger and his eyes fly open.

Merlin: (startled, pulling back slightly) What-What is this?

Arthur: (not releasing his hand, soft but firm) My mother's ring.

Merlin: (staring at the royal heirloom now circling his finger) Why are you putting it on me?

Arthur: (smiling faintly) Isn't it obvious?

Merlin: (realises, voice rising in panic) No! You aren't actually giving it to me. You can't! (Tries to pull away but Arthur holds fast) This is supposed to belong to…(thinking) To your future queen. I know because Gwen had it in my other life. (says) Your mother's sigil is one thing. This is too much.

Arthur: (steadfast, stepping closer) I want you to have it. You are the only person I want by my side. Always.

A tear splashes onto their joined hands. Then another. Merlin's breath hitches before he crumples forward, his free hand fisting in Arthur's tunic as sobs wrack his frame.

Merlin: (laughter tangled with tears) You're so… infuriating! (Beats weakly at Arthur's chest) So sweet and cruel at the same time!

Arthur:(startled, catching Merlin's wrists) What do you mean?

Merlin: (looks up, eyes red-rimmed and voice breaking) We can't marry, Arthur. You know it's imposible, and you still- (His words dissolve into another sob, forehead dropping against Arthur's shoulder.) You still give me this like we could…

Arthur: (arms come around Merlin, one hand cradling the back of Merlin's neck. His lips brush Merlin's temple as he speaks) Then let this be my vow instead. (Pulls back to meet Merlin's gaze, thumb wiping his tears.) No ceremony. No kingdom's approval needed. (Brings Merlin's ringed hand to his lips.) To me… we are married.

Merlin stares at their joined hands. At the ring that shouldn't be his, but Arthur decided to give him to prove him, once more, he only loves him. That they only belong to each other. All the doubts he had left, his fear of not being enough, of Arthur's love being temporary, and, more recently, Gaius' warnings… they die in this very moment.

Arthur watches the realization dawn on Merlin's face with quiet satisfaction.

Arthur: So, the next time someone asks you if you are engaged (Serious look) you say yes.

Merlin: (gasps, shoving at Arthur's chest) Oh! So this is about what Gwaine told Lady Merelyn in the woods! (Hits his shoulder halfheartedly, grinning despite himself) I should have known!

Arthur: (catches Merlin's wrist, chuckling) Can't it be both? (Softens, brushing their noses together) A vow… and a reminder that you are not single.

Merlin: (rolls his eyes) I never said I was single. (looks at the ring) Uther will kill me if he sees me with this. I'll wear it as necklace. That big robe will hide it well- (suddenly his smile falters and looks down at their joined hands, hesitant)

Arthur: (tilts Merlin's chin up) What is it?

Merlin: (chewing his lip) Nothing. It's just… (gestures vaguely to the ring) I had a gift for you too. But it can't compare to-

Arthur: (lighting up like a child on Christmas morning) Give it to me!

Merlin: (flushing crimson, pulling away) I don't think I should now.

Arthur: (cornering him against the bedpost with predatory glee) Merlin. (Fingers find his ribs) Give. (Tickles mercilessly) Me! (Nips his jaw) My! (Lifts him onto the bed) Present!

Merlin: (squirming with laughter) Alright! Alright! (Catches his breath and gets off the bed, suddenly shy) Just… don't expect anything grand. (goes to his chambers)

Arthur: (perches on the edge of the bed, knees bouncing with barely-contained energy)

Merlin: (comes back, hands on his back) Close your eyes. (warns) Don't pick!

Arthur: (eyes snap shut)

Merlin: (puts the handmade necklace in his hands) There. Don't... don't laugh.

Arthur: (opens his eyes and looks the necklace in awe)

The necklace is made of cords and beads woven into an intricate pendant. The Pendragon dragon rendered in tiny, painstaking stitches of cobalt-blue thread. A faint golden glow pulses at its core.

Merlin: It's a protection amulet. So you don't get... cursed and all.

Arthur: (breathless, tracing the embroidery with trembling fingers) You… made this? When did you even-

Merlin: When helping Gaius, though I wasn't exactly helping him. (Points to faint needle marks on his fingertips.) Hence the… extra calluses.

Arthur turns the amulet over. On the reverse, hidden from casual view, stitched in Merlin's messy hand: "Dollophead."

Arthur: (chokes on a laugh that sounds suspiciously wet)

Merlin: (watching Arthur's face anxiously) You… like it?

Arthur: Like it? (Crushing Merlin against him, the amulet pressed between their hearts.) I LOVE IT, you absolute— (kisses his temple) —dollophead of a sorcerer!

Arthur: (holding the pendant as proof) It seems that now it's mine.

Merlin: (muffled into Arthur's shoulder, indignant) That’s my word! (but he smiles into Arthur's clothes, so happy Arthur liked it)

Merlin: (huffs but then says softly) It'll glow if there's magic meaning to harm you. (Swallows hard.) And it should stop at least one killing curse. (Looks up, eyes vulnerable.) But mostly I just... wanted you to have a bit of my magic... always with you.

Arthur:(his expression does something complicated and then says, hoarse) Put it on me.

Merlin's fingers shake as he puts the necklace over Arthur's head.

Arthur: (touching it reverently) Now we both have something to hide under our clothes. (Grins, wicked) Though I do wonder (traces Merlin's collarbone where the ring will rest) How will you look wearing your necklace... and nothing else.

Merlin: (suddenly very hot and smirks) I think I have an extra cord in my room.

Meanwhile. In Uther's chambers.

Percival, Gwaine and Lancelot: (enter an bow)

Lancelot: (formal, guarded) Did you call for us, sire?

Gwaine: (frowning, arms crossed) I thought our job started tomorrow.

Uther: (leaning back in his throne-like chair, eyes sharp) Officially, yes. (Steeples his fingers.) But your true purpose requires… discretion.

Silence. The newly hired guards exchange glances. Percival shifts uncomfortably.

Percival: (careful) Is there something… specific about Merlin's protection we should know?

Uther: (lips curls into a thin smile) Oh, you won’t be protecting the boy. (Pauses) Not really.

Another silence. Lancelot goes very, very still.

Uther: (leaning forward, voice dropping to a whisper) Your true task… is to spy on him.

FIRST PART (SERIES 1) >> PREVIOUS PART >> NEXT PART

....

This was a bit of a filler part, but not totally. Will Lancelot, Percival and Gwaine betray Merlin? What will they do? We know Arthur later gives his mother's ring to Morgana, but, if Arthur gave Merlin the ring here, what do you think happened in between for Morgana to have it?

Tagging @aceauthorcatqueen , @fallenxjas , @smileytrinity , @lucifertookmyshoe @an-entity-i-think , @thecornerofbelu , @griffonskies , @odinjm , @cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu , @thelady-mary , @bennedict , @nightninjaboy , @st8-of-grace , @starrieisdelusional , @error-username-not-available , @dogberryrowan , @jamieweasley13 , @tansyuduri , @tercais , @robynnemrys , @evadne01 , @serasvictoria02 , @hairdryerducks , @curiously-lazy , @harriettesthings , @andrealux16 , @wacko-weirdo , @greatdonutenemy , @yougottobekittenme , @anxiousosaurus , @kinkforwings , @someweirdassnamee , @impracticalantlers , @miyriu , @hobipabo , @whitemaskcd , @bogslob , @braziiis , @rubinaitoart , @thebigoblin , @toomanyfanficsbruh , @farmboyprince , @nonsensefunsense , @slightly-psycho-multifan , @jxmimac , @anarchelsworld , @beepbeep-yeah , @faithiikins , @the-moons-undying-light , @atlasflower , @chaosofbelievers , (tagging the rest in the comments cause apparently you can't tag that many people)

[aeondeug]

i find it so irritating when i see that 'oh i don't use status changing spells' post about rpgs. play smt and get back to me. hell play a lot of rpgs without overgrinding and get back to me.

[hazelplaysgames]

i definitely overgrinded in retaliation, i should've tried things at 85 first. whole thing smacks of doing stuff sleep deprived. hard to be terribly thrilled about some cool things happening like this, but at least i didn't go all the way too 100.

i guess i should at least comment on Wheelidae learning Protect, an important move for a Magcargo in any doubles format. both here and in Colosseum, she's just too juicy a target to go untargeted!

[the-foley-knoll-horror]

How feasible is a bug only party in Pokemon without crazy overgrinding to simply stat smash everything

[henglihong]

🎯 Struggling with surface quality issues? You might be using the wrong deburring media!

In industries like electronics, automotive, and aerospace—where surface perfection is non-negotiable—deburring can make or break your product quality. Traditional manual or metal polishing? 😩 Slow, costly, and often damages the part. Today, more and more quality managers are switching to a smarter solution:

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🚀 Real-world results: What the electronics industry says

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🔄 Way better than traditional deburring

👎 Manual polishing = high labor cost, low consistency, risk of overgrinding 👍 Nylon media + automated blasting = high efficiency, low defect rate, and fully programmable process 👍 It’s non-conductive, heat-resistant, and perfect for both metal and plastic components

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💬 Dealing with burrs in your production line? Drop a comment below and let’s talk about the right solution for your parts!

[ballmillforsale]

Essential Guide to Rod Mills in Mining

Rod mills, equipped with steel rods as their grinding medium, are extensively utilized across various industrial sectors such as cement clinker production, dressing plant coarse grinding, and quartz scrubbing. They are favored for their ability to produce uniformly sized particles and minimize overgrinding. While rod mills can sometimes substitute for ball mills, this is not always feasible due…

[tamarakkoarchive]

Shin Megami Tensei III livetweet thread (1/3)

👀

lol chiaki sounds exactly the same as asahi... lack of diverse VAs aside i wasn't expecting her voice to be this squeaky

...ok chiaki annoyed me enough so i'm playing with no voices LOL

damn bro if it's indeed the same VA as asahi it's so funny... the frickin same reason i preferred to play with no voices in both games

~

wasn't pixie supposed to be so small she could fit in your hand iirc... she's so huge in nocturne

~

i was already like ‘whaaat, smt4 was harder than this’ but then amala network happened

okay fuck me, I didn’t know pixie was gonna get rid of dia when I let her change her skills, now I only have one (1) demon able to heal

~

LOL i took hrs to realize kagutsuchi is the word they use for moon cycle

me a gazillion yrs ago playing soul hackers: i wonder what mag stands for nocturne: this

and the first thing i noticed in smt3 was the lack of the mag system yet ironically the game themes ARE centered in mag itself so??¿¿

~

my gamer food (it's cashew soda)

~

smt3 is giving me p3 flashbacks of the game having -such- an atmospheric mood it makes you sleepy as hell

~

does demifiend learn almighty skills? im thinking of a magic build but I’m unsure so for now I’m only giving him lots of agility lol

he has such a physical attacker vibe tho... i just love seeing him punch the lights out of a jack frost

~

lmao shit here he comes

~

i find nekomata cringe as hell when they make her walk on all fours but when she's on two feet i'm like oh yeah... she's actually cool

~

losing one hour of grinding because a mf used last resort

~

spent so much time going back and forth this place his shorts must smell awful

i've seen plenty of nsfw of demifiend but none that depicts his dick. has someone ever attempted to draw how his tattoo looks down there

i have like a gazillion demifiend doujins and they're all good but none showed his demon balls. a shame

~

BE NICE TO HIM

~

i nicknamed demifiend nao from naoki and i keep thinking about naoya from p1 because i nicknamed him nao too... nao duo

~

nocturne has this thing where to get the actual treasure from chests instead of trash you have to walk in circles like an idiot until the moon cycle is full and this turns into the reason for a big part of my deaths because you end up having to fight enemies a lot

~

i could say a million things about why demifiend's design works so damn well to the point of being peak protag look but i'll keep things simple by saying i just love characters with shitty bangs

✔️ simplicity ✔️ shows forehead ✔️ half naked ✔️✔️✔️ who the FUCK cut their hair

~

me: the last boss wasn’t that hard, maybe i overgrinded or something haha raidou: 🔫

i have no words

you wanna fuck me so bad don't you

~

it would've been cool if there was some perceptible difference gameplay-wise in demifiend "calling" for his demon allies as an equal instead of "summoning" like a traditional summoner

~

look how sexy he is in the darkness... glow stick boi

~

first matador, then raidou, now this bullshit

i'll definitely cheat if i have to get this goddamn magatama again but wtf... NOT ONLY THEY ARE AWFULLY HARD BUT THEY'RE SO MANY IN A ROW

i'm lit letting the switch on sleep mode all the time, turn it on just to solve a few of these and then back to sleep mode so i can recover from my baldness

god i was already mentally prepared to be given some incredibly shitty reward but fine. we good. geis rights

get the fuck outta my face before i give you a flick in the head

"oh come on these puzzles couldn't have taken that long to-"

i was playing the whole game so far solely thru a wide tv screen but for these last ghoulish 17hrs is when i convinced myself to play on handheld mode for less mental damage

~

our thong catboy

i used to sleep on his design for years but now i get it. espe after finding out his butt is exposed

NOOOOOOOOO IT WAS COVERED IN NOCTURNE

who's the fucking furry that made him buttnaked in dx2

~

me with persona: sigh okay there's the option to bang your teacher… whatever me with nocturne: aw demifiend totally wants to bang his teacher 🥺 u a teacher boi aint u???

~

i have no idea which route i'm going lol i'm just choosing whatever option fits the mood of the scene and compared to SJ or smt4, here the things are a bit less... obvious i guess

~

> paralyzed status doesn't go away even after battle > dis-stun is like 450macca, have to save money for magatamas > gets fed up, goes searching for a kelpie with paraladi > keeps getting paralyzed by setantas nonstop while the fucking kelpie never shows up

[ladala99]

If I Were In Charge of Overhauling the Altador Cup

Well, I spent six hours of this beautiful August Saturday playing fake sports on my computer and fighting a Captcha bot detection program that really doesn't think a human should be sending hundreds of scores a day. And I kind of agree with it on that.

But I'm still in the having-fun stage. We'll see how long that lasts.

This event has serious problems that just are inherent to its format. If TNT just magically gave me the mantle and said "hey random user, fix this," this is what I'd suggest.

Considerations

No change will make everyone happy. There is always going to be a foundational disagreement between players who feel the grind is the point and players who have limited time/disabilities and still want top prizes. Every year, the requirements for All-Star and the plays-per-day limits have shrunk, and I feel that it is because TNT are trying to find a good medium.

I don't think there is a good medium in this format. I am going to choose, and I am going to choose the non-grindy approach. At least, for personal achievements. More on that later.

TNT do not have the resources to make new and better games. Most everyone agrees that they don't like the games. The more fun ones are not mobile-friendly and it's just repetitive. For this exercise, though, I am going to assume that while I have the full force of TNT's programmers for any format changes, I don't have any access to artists and thus cannot overhaul the games.

Problems to Fix

It's Not Meaningfully Competitive. The big draw of the Altador Cup over other events on the site is joining your favorite team and helping them win. But unless you're part of an organized effort, you're probably not actually doing much. And in fact, if you're spending your time efficiently grinding personal points, you're sending minimal scores that are bringing your team's average down, especially in games like Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise.

Top Trophy =/= Top Prizes. This is probably the easiest thing to fix, honestly, but it's something that has bothered me since they started making personal effort trophies. Like: these should match up. I recall getting All-Star and being unable to afford the Yooyu. That's not right! All-Star should guarantee your pick of the shop at least. This is also a problem with this year's - All-Star will get you a little over the cost of the most expensive stamp, but you'll need to get a little under four times that in order to afford exactly one pair of Yooyu Eyes.

The Current Format Encourages Overgrinding. Between the scores-sent caps that are reachable enough to feel like a goal and the aforementioned needing an excessive number of points to afford the top prizes, people are really overexerting themselves for this event, even to the point of injury. While part of this is on the individual, there is a constant sense of FOMO about this event that implicitly encourages this behavior.

Bots. There are always going to be groups that try to rig the cup, some through legitimate means and others through illegitimate. TNT has been fighting the latter for years. I don't know if my ideas would exactly stop them, but I'd be going at it from a different angle than the Captcha stuff that hurts legitimate players.

My Plan - Signups

My first change would be that you are no longer guaranteed a spot on your team of choice. This might alienate a lot of players but I feel this is necessary to make the games competitive.

Signups would include ranking the teams. You can rank as many or as few as you want, but if you don't make the teams you gave numbers to, you'll be placed on whatever team you didn't rank that needs you the most.

Once signups close, an algorithm would go through the list assigning people teams. Its goal would be to take the average of the high scores on each game for each player and try to evenly balance each team's score while also putting players in a team as high on their personal list as possible. It would do this by finding the total scores earned by the playerbase who signed up and dividing it by the number of teams. The algorithm would stop assigning players to a particular team once the point threshold has been reached or exceeded.

Players whose top choice is the team they played on the previous year have first priority for that team, and if there's a ton of really good players on one team then number of Altador Cups on that team serves as a tiebreaker, followed by RNG if still tied.

Next pass would consider Neofriends that have the same team up top to try to keep them together.

Then it would be everyone else who has played the Altador Cup before.

Finally, the players for whom this is their first Altador Cup would be distributed evenly throughout the teams.

The Goal: Each team would ultimately end up with similar skill levels. Bot groups would be unable to reliably get all their accounts on the same team.

My Plan - Personal Scores

First, there would be a point-per-day total that covers all four games, instead of it being assigned on a per-game basis. That way mobile players and players who cannot physically play certain games are not at a big disadvantage.

Second, this point-per-day total for prize points and trophy rank would be very low. Like, 100 at most. Still a little grindy, but not multiple hours.

All-Star would really be All-Star as well - in order to reach it you would have to max nearly every day. I'll give a two-day leeway just to be generous.

Personal points would also be obtainable on bye days.

But that's not all the point opportunities.

My Plan - Team Scores

Your contribution to the team is only one score per game per day, but it is the highest score you achieve that day. So players can grind out to get the best score possible from motivation to help the team.

This is why players are sorted based on their personal high scores in each game and not by trophy tier or point total. During this season, the average score for each player will be recorded by the site so that the sorting algorithm can use that instead of the highest score next year.

My Plan - Bonus Points

Players may also earn bonus points throughout the cup by two methods:

By their team winning in a match-up in a game, or

Being in the top X% (let's say 10%) of scores on their team in a match their team didn't win.

For example, say a player is on Faerieland. Faerieland manages a win in Slushie Slinger, so all Faerieland players get +5 or whatever points. The team lost the other three games, but the player rocked at Make Some Noise and got in Faerieland's top 10%, so they get an additional +5 points. They didn't make the top percentage in the other two games, but if they had, they could have had up to another +10 points.

This rewards good teams and good players stuck on bad teams, encouraging everyone to send as high of a score as possible.

I know a lot of the top percent slots would probably be bots, but it'd also boost each team's score evenly enough the real players should be able to make a difference in who wins, making everyone on that team win.

My Plan - Prize Shop

Any player that barely reached All-Star would have enough points to buy two of the most expensive prize. Everything else would be priced accordingly as it basically is now.

Conclusion

I know this plan wouldn't satisfy everyone and would probably cause complaining on the boards, but what wouldn't? It's all wishful thinking, anyway. (But TNT you are absolutely allowed to steal all or part of this without credit.)

I feel like this would be an Altador Cup I could fully participate in and feel good no matter what I did. And it would hopefully restore some of the competition for regular players.

[icharchivist]

So you're trying to get the Blue skin?

Do you wanna do breathing exercises with Siete too?

it's definitely something i keep in mind when i'm grinding yeah! (tho more for the cool skin than for Siete LMAO)

you need 40 Revenant weapons per 50 Revenant Fragments, and you need 50 revenants fragment to uncap their level 120, and 50 rev fragment to unlock their solo blue skin's missions. And now you also need to take 20 Fragments to uncap the Celestials (so 16 more Revenant weapons)

so when i'm aiming for the token boxes and can't change a lot of them i know i want about 96 weapons for each Eternals.

(taking into account that i already have uncapped everyone's 5*, so i'm not including the 44 weapons needed to recruit them + uncap them to 5*)

so for any weapon i decide to farm, i keep in mind that ideally my goal is to have 96 solo weapons // 24 fully uncapped Revenants weapons per Eternals.

I have everything i need for Tien and Seox for instance bc i overgrinded some prev gw, and now i'm just trying to get as many weapons for Eternals i don't have many weapons for, so then i can complete my collections with the DreBarra tickets.

So while Blue skins aren't my priority and i'll privilegize Transcendence over Blue Skin, I collect them one weapon at a time so i have in mind that ideally i should collect enough weapons to cover Transcendence + Blue Skin + Celestial Weapons.

.....

the moral of the story is, don't be like me, this is not a healthy way to live, save yourself,

[6ad6ro]

i hate soulslikes. i'm done. i got into em for the art direction, and because i was desperate for anything that could fill the void after castlevania died. but they're ALL terrible by design. the game equivalency of an abusive relationship. everything good is compromised by the bad. idk why i lasted as long as i did when i genuinely believed miyazaki is the single worst thing to happen to gaming ever.

i might keep givin blasphemous 2 a chance (1 is garbage tho), because it's so close to being a good castlevania clone. much like hollow knight and dead cells, which are pretty hard, but ultimately amazing games. but anything like sekiro or lies of p, no. i'm fuckin over it. i don't need more misery in my life.

even elden ring. i wanna adore that game. i've tried to claim that it's one of the best games ever made. but it's still a compromise unless you're willing to overgrind. i guess i could keep playing the once-in-every-five-or-so-years open world fromsoft game, as long as they keep moving in the direction of elden ring. but besides those very few exceptions to the rule, i gotta stop for good. for my own sanity. for my own happiness. fuck these miserable, shitty games.

[arunarura]

Effortless Grinding with the Ultra Bigg+ 2.5L Table Top Grinder

The Ultra Bigg+ 2.5 Litre Table Top Wet Grinder 2.5 L is a premium kitchen appliance that offers a perfect solution for traditional Indian cooking needs. Designed to simplify the process of grinding and blending various ingredients, this wet grinder has gained immense popularity among home chefs and professionals alike. In this article, we will delve into the features, benefits, and why this appliance is a must-have in your kitchen.

Key Features:

Capacity: The Ultra Bigg+ boasts an impressive 2.5-liter capacity, making it one of the largest table-top wet grinders available. This capacity is perfect for large families or those who frequently prepare meals for a significant number of people.

Conical Stones: The appliance is equipped with high-quality conical grinding stones that are designed to ensure consistent and efficient grinding of various ingredients. These stones are known for their durability and ability to maintain the natural flavors and aromas of the ingredients.

Powerful Motor: The wet grinder is powered by a robust 150W motor that effortlessly handles the toughest of grinding tasks. Whether you're making idli batter, dosa batter, or any other culinary creation, this motor ensures a smooth and efficient process.

AISI 304 Stainless Steel Drum: The 2.5-liter drum is made from high-quality AISI 304 stainless steel, which is both corrosion-resistant and easy to clean. It ensures that the ground materials remain pure and uncontaminated, maintaining the integrity of your dishes.

Digital Timer: A useful feature of the Ultra Bigg+ is its digital timer, which allows you to set and monitor the grinding time. This ensures precise results and allows you to attend to other tasks without worrying about overgrinding.

Compact Design: The compact and space-saving design of this table-top wet grinder makes it a great addition to any kitchen, even if you have limited countertop space.

Benefits:

Time-Saving: The Ultra Bigg+ simplifies the grinding process and reduces the time and effort required for preparing various recipes. It can quickly grind rice, lentils, and other ingredients, saving you valuable cooking time.

Enhanced Flavor: The conical stones and stainless steel drum work together to preserve the natural flavors and aromas of the ingredients. This ensures that your dishes have the authentic taste they are meant to have.

Durability: Built with high-quality materials and a sturdy motor, this wet grinder is designed to withstand regular use and last for years, making it a cost-effective investment in your kitchen.

Versatility: The Ultra Bigg+ can be used to prepare a wide range of dishes, from traditional South Indian delicacies like idli and dosa to various chutneys, sauces, and even cake batter.

Easy Maintenance: The stainless steel drum is easy to clean and maintain, ensuring hygiene in your kitchen. It also minimizes the risk of rust or corrosion.

In Conclusion:

The Ultra Bigg+ 2.5 Litre Table Top Wet Grinder 2.5 L is a top-notch kitchen appliance that streamlines the grinding process and makes it more efficient and enjoyable. With its large capacity, powerful motor, and durable construction, it's an excellent addition to any kitchen. Whether you're a home chef who loves traditional Indian cooking or a professional looking for a reliable tool, this wet grinder offers both convenience and quality. Upgrade your kitchen with the Ultra Bigg+ and experience the joy of cooking without the hassle of traditional grinding methods.

Buy the Latest Ultra Bigg + 2.5 Litre Table Top Wet Grinder 2.5 L Online @ Best Offers from Poorvika!Click here: https://www.poorvika.com/ultra-bigg-2-5-litre-table-top-wet-grinder-2-5-litre/p

[sandycookie]

sigh....vietnamese iced coffee is so frustrating. yesterday i undergrinded the beans, and today i overgrinded...i swear, i will get that perfect ground eventually...just you wait....

[nebuvoid]

sorry was busy reaming seymour flux's ass with my overgrinded party and cheese strategy. that was fun i like when i can do that.

what a feeling to finally beat that clown after 15 years obvosidbvoidb also i think back then i only watched the actual ending online? because i dont recall seeing any of whats coming after. the fayth wall is fucking creepy man