#subterranean masters

[scorchrend]

[gutsby]

Joel Miller

Waiting Game (dbf!Joel)

Joel has mastered the art of self-control in all areas except one: not fucking his friend’s daughter. A cross-country road trip home from college takes a hard turn when he’s forced to share a motel room with you.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

One shots for the Waiting Game ‘verse

Homemade: While your dad’s watching a movie downstairs, you and his best friend decide to make one of your own.

Diehard: Joel tries Viagra for the very first time.

Ruined!: Joel is an old man who struggles to cum sometimes. You’ve got time to kill and a tight hole to fill.

Cabin Fever (Dark!Joel x Dark!Reader) [DEAD DOVE]

Joel saves your life, but help comes at a price.

Confines: Joel locks you up in a subterranean bunker.

Finders Keepers (bfd!Joel)

Something about the sun in Cabo San Lucas and your best friend’s father’s sweaty body makes you a horny mess. When you find an old shirt of his lying around, you can’t resist. When Mr. Miller finds you humping a pillow and moaning his name, neither can he.

Cry, Baby

Joel fucks you to the point of tears. That’s all.

Just Peachy [anal]

Joel’s got a jealous streak and a bold idea.

Bucky Barnes

Wedded Bliss (Mob!Bucky)

The marriage was arranged, and the sex is deranged. Bucky is so obsessed with your pussy that he almost forgets he’s meant to be faking this whole thing—and hating it, like sworn enemies are supposed to do.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Daryl Dixon

Dead Ringer

Weeks of separation and sexual frustration come to a head when Daryl pays you a visit in the middle of the night. Whether it's the product of your own sex-deprived subconscious or reality, you can't be sure—and couldn't care less. Daryl wants to fulfill the fantasy any way he can.

Easy Street

You steal a cop car and almost run Daryl over en route to the Sanctuary. You can’t decide if you want to fight him, fuck him, or bring him back to Negan. Lucky for you, Daryl is game for all three.

Nighthawk

You decide to bring Spencer to the neighborhood Halloween bash to take your mind off your breakup with Daryl. Your ex isn't so easily convinced of your intentions and decides there's no better place than his motorcycle to show you just how much he misses you.

Cherry Pie

You know virtually nothing about sex, and Daryl’s done it all. Together, you take on an impromptu anatomy lesson, and you learn that Daryl has a lot more to teach you than what’s covered in the textbooks.

Walker Bait

An unforeseen foray into a sex shop leaves you and Daryl trapped between a plastic cock and a hard place as a herd of walkers closes in. Angry sex ensues.

Grow a Uterus and We’ll Talk

Daryl has a bad case of baby fever, to put it lightly. You’re practically terrified of children. Rick lends you his kid for the night, and together, you come to learn that parenthood might not be the worst thing in the world. Even easier than baking muffins, one might say.

Honey Trap

You’ve been tasked with two simple jobs: infiltrate Alexandria’s community and bring intel back to your boss by any means necessary. When your entry point into the group takes the form of a familiar blue-eyed archer, you expect this to be your easiest gig yet—that is, until your prey decides to hunt you back.

Pregnant Pause

Babymaking is a bit trickier than anticipated, and months have passed with no sign of pregnancy. When your period finally doesn’t show up on time, you and Daryl act fast and head straight for the pharmacy—and get a little caught up along the way.

Mr. Dixon

Your efforts to seduce the DILF next door have all failed spectacularly, so you decide a wet hot car wash in front of his house is in order. Mr. Dixon is less than impressed with your antics and plans to teach you a lesson in good manners and ‘neighborliness.’

I’m a Good Girl, Officer!

Apparently flashing your tits to truckers on the freeway is frowned upon in small towns like yours. When three familiar King County cops take charge of the case, you learn they punish bad girls a little differently.

Playing Dangerous

Working undercover in a seedy part of town, homicide detective Daryl sees you in your skimpy club attire and mistakes you for a hooker. A wrongful arrest makes for a funny way to foreplay, but you’re still game.

Fake It Til You Make It (Or Drown)

Daryl finds out you faked an orgasm. Instead of getting mad, he decides to get even.

Best Served Cold

Since your fiancé can’t seem to keep his hands off of Lori, you decide Daryl is the perfect way to make him pay. Revenge sex has never felt so good.

Coming Soon:

Bite the Bullet

Back at the prison, new recruits have been showering you with gifts. One of these presents doesn’t sit quite right with Daryl, and he decides it’s time to let the men know just how he feels—and who you belong to.

Atlantic City

A very drunk Daryl meets a stripper in Jersey and wastes no time putting a ring on her finger. With the late, great Elvis Presley presiding, the two get hitched in a slipshod ceremony a couple weeks before the world descends into chaos. This marriage may be short-lived, but damn if the honeymoon won’t be one to remember.

Requests are open!

[charlietheepicwriter7]

Always a man, a city, and a lighthouse...

"Robin, Red Robin, stay back for a minute," Batman said as he dismissed everyone for patrol. "I have a new mission for you. Dozens of civilians have gone missing around the decommissioned Gotham City Lighthouse." A few clicks and the Batcomputer displayed a map of the Upper West Side, a highlight on the lighthouse. "I want you both to investigate the building. Everyone who's gone missing entered the lighthouse, but nothing has been found by the police. I suspect that the lighthouse is being used for gun smuggling, but we need more information.

"That's where you two come in."

Or, I've been reading too much of @virgamsysxvolumes 's Lucky Rush AU, and wanted a true Bioshock AU for dc x dp.

Underneath the city, in the vast and endless caverns beneith Gotham, lies the subterranean city of Amity. Amity was the pet project of the mad scientist couple, the Drs. Fenton, to investigate the effects of ectoplasm on humans, but with the help of their best friend, Vlad Masters, they transformed Amity into a Technocracy City filled with scientists, and completely lacking in morals.

Or at least, that's how it was ten years ago, before the creation of Plasm (the Adam replacement), a neon green goo that's basically meth that gives you superpowers. Everyone from the top scientists to the lower working class starting doping on Plasm, which gave people the ability to control fire, create hallucinogenic spores, summon bats, etc. Vlad, the mayor, was deposed in a cue let by the Fentons and the city descended into anarchy, with people from the surface getting lured down from the lighthouse so they can continue their experiments.

The Fentons are 100% not good people in this. Jack is in charge of all the technological advances in Amity, while Maddie has created human/ghost hybrids--the Little Sisters of the story--that can naturally harvest ectoplasm from dead bodies to use for experiments. Once everyone's hooked on Plasm, the Little Sisters are in danger from acting Splicers, so she creates Big Daddies to protect them.

Danny is the only Little Brother, and Jazz is the only Big Sister. Vlad turned them both into monsters as revenge against the Fentons for the cue, but the couple didn't really care, with Jack barely acknowledging he has children, and Maddie acting like they were never turned into monsters to begin with. Not sure about ages... Jazz is probably the same as her canon age, but if Danny is still 14, he looks 10, tiny and malnourished and pale.

Tim and Damian are trapped in Amity after an automatic system determines them as good test subjects. The AI filters out any cops, so that's why the police never found anything. The elavator brings them down into the city, showing a sweeping shot of neon in the darkness of the caves, and the boys figure out pretty quickly something is blocking their calls.

Tim gets super injured early on. I think, a Jack Fenton booby trap (that exclaims that it's a Jack Fenton Booby Trap moments before activating, which should be funny, but isn't when death lasers are being launched at him.). Damian gets captured, and that's when Tim is contacted by Vlad, who is our Atlas stand in for the game, only Tim immediately realizes that this man is sketchy af.

But unfortunately, in order to rescue Damian, Tim has to splice himself with Plasm. Maybe its for fire-wielding, or telekinesis but Tim can't get to wherever Damian is being held and, while torn, splices himself to save Damian.

Damian was kidnapped because his exposure to Lazirus Waters made a Big Daddy think he was a Little Sister, so it brought him back to the Casper Academy, which is where Little Sisters drop their harvests off in the care of William Lancer. Lancer looks after the girls because Maddie Fenton is too busy, but it's against his will despite him caring for them all. He's trapped in the building, can't leave or he dies. He's actually relieved to know that Vlad is still alive and trusts him, because to Lancer he was just a good mayor who was overthrown and the Fentons are the real bad guys, just look what they did to their kids!

This is where the batkids first learn about Danny and Jazz, although they don't meet them until a while after this. Danny actually ends up being the one leaving Plasm out for Tim every time he rescues a Little Sister. (Sidenote, they end up killing people while in Amity. While both do have death counts, the problem with Amity is that they have to use stronger and stronger levels of force to get people to go down, leading them to escalating and killing quite a few).

Lancer points them to communications to get their comms working again, and that area is run by Damon Grey.

At some point after comms are back on, the two learn that Red Hood actually came in after them after hours of no communication and has been captured by Maddie Fenton, who intends to turn him into a Big Daddy.

In late story, it's revealed that Jack Fenton was murdered before the cue even happened, and that the Jack Fenton they'd been communicating with the entire time was an AI assistant created by living Jack to keep his work going. The cue was actually retaliation from Maddie and the Jack AI for murdering Jack.

The story would eventually end with Tim, Damian, and Jason freeing all the Little Sisters along with Danny and Jazz.

[allmythologies]

roman mythology: pluto

pluto was god of the dead and lord of the underworld. a figure of enormous dread and terrible might, pluto dispensed luck and controlled the fates of all mortals. as commander of the subterranean realms, he was the master of ores, metals, and the precious stones found within them. for this reason, he was celebrated by many as the bringer of wealth. 

[lynxgriffin]

If Kris needs training with swordplay, then they should look no further than Kris Master and Battle’s Master on how to FIGHT and ACT during combat. By the by, what would an eldritch Jigsawry look like?

These little puzzle-skinned guys are basically subterranean rodent folk who run around in packs, attempting to create traps or mazes in the hopes of capturing a human for Spade King. They are definitely not strong fighters, and will try and avoid actual combat whenever possible.

[gachabastard]

Limbus Company Sinners as Fallen London Companions

Smashing my two hyperfixations together like dolls and making them kiss. What I'm seeking (lol) to do here is not to conflate the Sinners to existing Companions, but rather create Companions based off of them instead. If you know both things then this won't take any explaining.

For people who know Limbus Company but not Fallen London: Fallen London is a browser game made by Failbetter Studios. It is an alternate history of an 1800s London that has sunk deep below the earth into a subterranean cavern known as the Neath and is now overseen by the mysterious Masters of the Bazaar. You begin the game as a Surface-dweller who has recently descended into the Neath for certain reasons, which you are able to decide for yourself and act upon as you progress through the game. Companions are "equipment" of sorts that you can equip to increase (or lower) your character's stats. A full write-up of FL's mechanics could be another three separate posts on its own, so I recommend the wiki's Beginner's Guide and other resources therein to understand the mechanics I'll detail here. If you enjoy the writing in LCB you will most likely also love FL's writing. Please play it, it is awesome. (And lmk if you do, I'll add you as a friend and definitely not stab you in the back)

For people who know Fallen London but not Limbus Company: Limbus Company is a mobile game made by Project Moon. It is the third in a series of games, preceded by Lobotomy Corporation and Library of Ruina, which are both available for purchase on Steam, though Limbus Company can be played independently of these if you want; the player avatar is an amnesiac so things are generally explained as needed (though Lobcorp and LoR are also very good and I recommend them, but you do have to buy those, so). The game centers around a department of the titular Limbus Company, the Limbus Company Bus Team (often shortened to LCB), the twelve individuals referred to as Sinners who make up the team, and their amnesiac Manager named Dante as they brave the ruins of the old branches of Lobotomy Corporation to retrieve strange objects known as Golden Boughs. All of the major characters in LCB are based off of classic literature (for example, Dante is based off of Dante's Inferno). If you like FL's writing you may enjoy LCB, but it is a gacha game which turns a lot of people off. For character info you can visit the Fandom wiki (yeah I know, it's a Fandom wiki), and if you want to read the story so far without playing the game you can check out this github page which contains all of the story text.

And if you don't know either...I don't know why you're reading this, but I hope my explanations and provided resources are enough to help you understand it regardless.

Okay, wall of text out of the way, let's get into the actual point of the post. This isn't meant to be balanced or anything this is just for fun because I'm diseased. Also LIMBUS SPOILERS THRU CANTO VI sorry.

Starting off with Sinner #1, Yi Sang:

Mirror-Marred Litterateur In the Mirror's glass, he observed endless possibilities. One such possibility observed him back. Watchful +4, Glasswork +2, Bizarre +1

Reasoning: Honestly? I thought about Sang Yi chilling in Parabola and that colored my whole concept here. But for real the whole Mirror thing is too perfect. Yi Sang defines Glasswork.

Sinner #2, Faust

Hell-Touched Engineer She hasn't the eyes of a devil, but builds infernal machinery previously unseen outside of Hell. Claims to know all outcomes, but shares precious little. Dreaded +2, Artisan of the Red Science +2, Decreases Nightmare build up

Reasoning: Something something Faust something something Mephistopheles something something her base EGO heals SP.

Sinner #3, Don Quixote

Dreaming Knight The only weapon stronger than a dream is delusion. Dangerous +5, Mithridacy +2, Increases Scandal build up

Reasoning: DQ is so skilled in Mithridacy she's got herself convinced of untruths, man. She's also allowed little a Scandal. As a treat.

Sinner #4, Ryoshu

Bohemian Blademaster Her masterwork blade is her brush; her enemies, her canvas. Legend has it that even the Boatman respects her work. Dangerous +4, Dreaded +2, Monstrous Anatomy +1

Reasoning: I feel like this one's pretty self-explanatory. I added a point of MA since I feel like she'd want to be a bit knowledgeable in monster anatomy for Art Reasons

Sinner #5, Meursault

Chained Stranger "The Neath is a prison," he says matter-of-factly, "And I am here because I am meant to be." Despite this, one could swear they saw the sun reflecting off his eyes. Persuasive +2, Respectable +3, Reduces Scandal build up

Reasoning: Hehe did you see what I did there. I referenced the thing. Anyway aside from being pretty blunt, he's probably the best candidate out of the whole group for Respectable.

Sinner #6, Hong Lu

Bright-Eyed Debonair New to the Neath, from an affluent Surface family. The Neath's many delights confuse and excite him. Persuasive +2, Shadowy +1, Kataleptic Toxicology +1

Reasoning: I think Hong Lu being new to the Neath fits with him being sheltered in canon. Also +1 KA cuz you know that boy is hittin that Honey. The Honey-Dens of Veilgarden already know him by name.

Sinner #7, Heathcliff

Bereaved Ruffian He knows the backstreets of London like the scars on his hands. He remembers that which the world does not, and waits. Dangerous +8, Shadowy -3, Chthonosophy +1

Reasoning: Oops Canto VI colored the fuck out of this one oops oops oops. Happy Firmament Day btw have some Chthonosophy. :)

Sinner #8, Ishmael

Zeefaring Pathfinder She's hunted the most feared creatures known to the Zee, losing her way to chart a path for her mad captain. Her compass will see that she never loses sight of her path again. Zeefaring +2, Monstrous Anatomy +3, Increases Nightmares build up

Reasoning: Ishy-Fishy you were made to embody Zeefaring and MA.

Sinner #9, Rodion

Lacre-Drowned Cardshark Born in a run-down corner of London where the Lacre falls thickest at Sacksmas, she knows a thing or two about cards. She wouldn't mind teaching you...for a price. Persuasive +4, Watchful +6

Reasoning: Heart's Desire vibes. That's it.

Sinner #10, Dante

Timepiece Manager An infernal timepiece ticks away where a head should be. They have no memories of their own, but they can never forget again. Chthonosophy +2, Steward of the Discordance +1, Dangerous -5, Reduces Wounds build up

Reasoning: Congratulations Dante on being the only bitch to not have the Discordance because the Discordance isn't real. Ummm I went off vibes here but tbh I think Dante should decrease your Dangerous by way more actually. Hell, let's make then decrease Dreaded too. Let's make them a Weasel of Woe.

Sinner #11, Sinclair

Unrealized Prodigy Young and anxious, jumping at every shadow. His potential is very promising. Dangerous +6, Dreaded +1, Increases Wounds build up

Reasoning: Sinclair may be baby. But he is Scary Baby.

Sinner #12, Outis

Commanding Oneironaut She's led the forces of Parabola to victory more times than you could count. Don't ask her any questions. Dangerous +8, A Player of Chess +2, Glasswork +1

Reasoning: Everybody shut the fuck up Parabolan War General Outis is everything to me, you hear me. EVERYTHING. She favors the Chessboard, obviously, with that +2 to APoC.

Sinner #13, Gregor

Metamorphic Veteran A large insectoid pincer sits where a right arm should be. He'll talk about pretty much anything but the details around that. Seriously, be careful around that thing. Dangerous +5, Shapeling Arts +3, Bizarre +2

Reasoning: You had to know Gregor would be the only bitch to get Shapeling Arts. Look me in the eyes and tell me he wouldn't. I wanted to give him Persuasive due to his amicability but also he actually. Sucks at being persuasive like canonically, so. Dangerous it is.

BONUS! Vergilius

The Red Gaze The most feared Fixer in the Neath. Whatever could you have done to strike up an alliance with him? Watchful +30, Shadowy +30, Dangerous +30, Persuasive +30, Greatly reduces Nightmare build up

Reasoning: He's the Red Goat I ain't gotta explain shit.

anyway hope you enjoyed even though you definitely didn't. i have a headache now so i'm gonna go consume painkillers and caffeine and go run mirror dungeons in lcb for that limbus battle pass.

[the-ninjago-historian]

Ninjago: Into The Deep (Master Post, Summary, and Q and A!)

Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by! If you've been on my blog, you probably know about this upcoming project. But for those of you who don't, what is Ninjago: Into The Deep? I'll tell you! Ninjago: Into The Deep is a fully fleshed out Ninjago fan season inspired by legendary fantasy works such as Narnia, Lord of The Rings, and even classic Disney films and more modern adventure stories like Avatar: The Last Air Bender. Here's the summary!

Things are looking up for the Ninja since their battle with the Crystal King! Jay and Nya have gotten married, Lloyd is now training to become a sensei, and Ninjago City hasn't had a major disaster in over a month! (A new record!) Everything seems to be going well, until the team receives a mysterious letter from Queen Vania, requesting their presence.

Once they arrive, they discover an evil plot, orchestrated by former king Vangelis, to overthrow Vania and take the throne again! And having a taste of conquest while on the Crystal Council, the disgraced monarch has his sights set on the rest of Ninjago as well! Powered by a new energy source, Vangelis is now far too powerful for the Ninja to defeat with their current abilities. They must find a new way to defeat him!

This takes the Ninja on a quest to a new world! The magical and beautiful subterranean kingdom of The Deep Lands! There, they must find the Elemental Beasts. Seven creatures created by the FSM and imbued with elemental powers, to teach the first Elemental Masters how to use their abilities. And who control the very balance of nature itself! From these magical beings, the Ninja will learn new powers and skills that are beyond their wildest dreams, and take down Vangelis once and for all! So join us, as we meet new friends, experience new powers, and journey Into The Deep.🍃🌊🔥🪨❄️🐲⚡

So that's it! I also have some cool concept art that should be finished soon!

Now here's some Q and A to answer all your questions! Some are from one of followers, and others I added in just to give general information. 😁 If you don't see a question being answered that you would like to see answered, please feel free to send it in!

(Under the cut because this is LOOOOOONG.)

First some general info.

Q: How will the episodes be released?

A: Each episode is three chapters long. Therefore, split into three parts. (Kinda like how you would have two commercial breaks in a real episode of Ninjago!) One episode will be released every week! Via a released chapter every Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Q: How many episodes will there be?

A: 16-20. About as many a regular season of Ninjago would have!

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Q: What is this series rating?

A: G - PG! I don't do adult humor or gore. So it will be about as kid friendly as a usual Ninjago Season!

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Q: Will there be exclusive characters?

A: Yes! Several! Some including the Elemental Beasts, and even Cole's Grandfather Rocky! More will be released as the series goes on.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Q: Will the season ever be animated?

A: If I aquire the time, resources, and skills, absolutely!

Now, let's answer some questions from one of my followers and awesome friend @dexter-the-dog!

A: Probably the only thing that makes it an Alternate Universe is that Dragons Rising isn't canon to this story. Other than that, it should fit nicely with the canon.

A: YES! The Elemental Beasts! They are so cool! I can't even put it into words! Currently, there are six Elemental Beasts. One for Fire, Water, Earth, Ice, Lightning, and Air. The Air Beast will have a very important role to play in this story! I'm also partial to Cole's Grandfather Rocky, who will also be making an appearance! He's a very interesting guy. And super powerful too! After all, he fought the Serpentine and the Time Twins! So he has quite a few tricks up his sleeve!

A: As Doc would say, #NoSpoilers! Lol! But there is a really cool scene were Nya uses her powers in a new way! It should be EPIC. So cool in fact, I just might animate it!

A: Ah! I can answer both of these! Since Into The Deep is a fan season, it will try to fit into the canon as closely as possible. That being said, the characters are exactly as you would see them in the canon show. No backgrounds or roles changed. But whether they will gain new abilities or new roles? Well that I can't say without spoiling things.

A: It's definitely the Cole x Vania story I have planned. Lol. Yeah, I ship them. I think they're cute. And they'll have plenty of cute moments in this story!

A: Into The Deep happens about a month or two after Crystalized. :)

A: I've been waiting to answer this one! The Elemental Beasts take on a mentor role for each of their appointed ninja. They will help them learn new abilities and fight their inner demons to truly become their most powerful selves. They're also are basically Nature Spirits. Each one controls a certain element in nature from their base kingdoms in the Deep Lands. Because of this, they can never leave to go up to the surface, or the balance would be offset. This factor is important, so make sure you remember it while reading.

And that's all the questions I got! That was fun!

Before I end this post, I'm gonna tag a few people I remember being interested in this thing! (@rinkunokoisuru @shatteredhope123 @miraculous-stud @nocturnal-nexu @dexter-the-dog) Hope you guys enjoy all this info! And thank you for all your love and support. It's really kept me going.😁🫶

Well, that's all for now! Keep an eye out for updates! And I'll see you around! Bye! - ✒️🐉

[12pt-times-new-roman]

moon people? moon people.

This recap reminded me that Orym's deal with Morri didn't specify which return trip from the moon it applied to, nor how many. He just said "return from the moon alive."

The locals here are rotund and short, tree-trunk like limbs, and a short but elephantine nose; they have two smaller arms on their sternum that are more suited for delicate tasks. They appear fearful of the Emperium and its agents. They call Exandrians "dreamers" -- they themselves don't dream (or they "have been told" that they don't), but they share dreams with Exandrians, and learned common this way.

Ruidian natives are called Bormodo; at a young age, they bond with a seita, a kind of lizard-imp companion that has a symbiotic relationship with them.

Liam referencing "All Quiet on the Western Front" is definitely not inspiring confidence here--

Ruidus' capitol city (or the capitol of the Emperium) is called Kreviris.

Wuukors are those many-horned bison things. Avadons are the headless moon dogs, and were used for hunting before being used as war-mounts.

The "weave-minds" are the masters of the Emperium, and are what connects them, the Emperium, and apparently Ruidus itself to Predathos ("the One Who Sleeps"). They're also the ones who grant Bormodos the ability to share dreams with Exandrians.

Dono takes them to meet one of the elders of the town/outpost (Razora), Barthi. They immediately ask him about massive amounts of lore, so let's go!

The bormodos are taught that they don't dream, and to them it's as lonely as it is beautiful that their own life experiences are never reflected in the dreams they share. Exandria is a folktale for them, something they speak of in hushed voices around the campfire.

The Emperium has been on Ruidus for well over five hundred years.

As for the creation of Ruidus, the bormodo's creation myth is that they were carved from the rock of the moon by Predathos and then shaped in the image of their dreams. Any writings that existed have been destroyed by the weave-minds.

Up until the bridge was created, the bormodos saw Exandria as their afterlife, the place they would eventually go to after death; the creation of the bridge, which allowed dreamers to walk on Ruidus, has caused a crisis of faith. Their belief is that their dreams are promises of being able to step away from the harsh lands of Ruidus.

The Weave-Mind is a council of old and powerful reiloran mystics who act as a conduit to the One Who Sleeps. They're the ones who trigger the flares of Ruidus, who control the capitol city, who tell the Ruidians the designs they must follow and kill those who dissent. It's unclear whether the Weave-Mind came when the Emperium did, but it's likely.

Predathos is also known as "the beating heart," "the dream-keeper," "the one who sleeps," and other names, but no one is allowed to speak its true name aloud. It is said to sleep in the heart of Ruidus.

These outposts were once sovereign villages that were overtaken by the Emperium and now produce materials for them.

The reilorans are another native people of Ruidus, and have been here for as long as their history tells. There are many other people who live throughout the varying layers of Ruidus -- and it is a layered place, with people living in its crust. That's where most of the food comes from: subterranean fungal networks and mushroom farming. The only available entrances to the network are in the capitol; others were collapsed by the Emperium.

The Dominion of Cruth is the military division of the Emperium, and many reilorans are trained there. It has its own governance structure.

Basically everything around here has Emperial guard on watch, and escorts are required when traveling through the city. Anyone caught trespassing is thrown into prison or worse.

Ever since Ruidus got tethered to Exandria, all the weird stuff these guys have noticed involves things or people being brought through the beam. Also, Exandria ("the Blue Promise") has stopped turning. But that's....... it. And all this does is raise more questions for me about how and why and whence the absolute FUCK Ruidus' planet-equivalent gravity comes from.

Out on the plains, bane-worms are a problem.

The Weave-Mind sent the Will-master Admuda to exert their influence over this village; she's essentially a reiloran captain of the guard, and works in the Dominion of Cruth. They did this because the Weave-Mind is gearing up for some kind of big event, and they needed the villages to start tripling their output of food, supplies, armor, and materials.

They also did it to suppress the Volition: a generational resistance force that's fighting against the Emperium, who have been more frequently launching attacks on and under the capitol. Barthi gives them the name of a reformed shrike, Zesh, who works with the resistance, who should be passing through soon hidden within an Emperium caravan.

Barthi has seen Ludinus and Otohan, but hasn't talked to them; they came through during the initial wave of dreamers who came through, when the beam first appeared. He hasn't seen Ira, though.

Bormodos see Catha as a silver twin to Ruidus -- some see it as where the good dreams go to live, others as where the bad dreams turn to dust, and others as what might happen if they stray too far.

Ruidian flares are considered "beats" of the heart of the One Who Sleeps. The entire landscape alights with a blinding red hue, and a euphoric dream washes over everyone there: it's not experiential, but spiritual. Like connection, all loneliness cast away for a moment. Not connection to a specific thing or person, just connection as a concept -- connection as a delusion.

Confirmed: bormodos do indeed have sex.

They do not, however, communicate with the gods. They've seen the symbols and such in dreams, but to them, "[Exandrian] interpretation of miracles is beautiful" -- Exandrian religion is the mythology of the dreamers.

As one gets closer to the Weave-Mind, who are based in the capitol, it gets "more difficult to deceive."

Bormodos don't have innate psychic abilities, which creates a massive power imbalance between them and an authoritarian government that does have innate them. the implications of being ruled by an oppressive government that has psychic powers while you yourself can do nothing to prevent or avoid that psychic link is, frankly, a terrifying thought and I will be chewing on it for a while

Just as the Bells Hells are debating whether or not to join the caravan or take off into the plains, said caravan (of Emperium dragging materials from the bridge landing site to the capitol, which contains Zesh the Volition Spy) arrives at the outskirts of the village.

HEY! sending works on the moon! Imogen sends a message to Zesh, and because they are beyond the leylines, it works. "I do not know who you are, or what you want with Barthi. I'm just here to do some business."

Shortly afterward, Will-master Admuda arrives at the door-- and to break!

They try to stealth and miserably fail. Chetney found the door to the basement, but Admuda does notice them, and -- on a successful save against FCG's fast friends spell -- we enter initiative.

"I didn't ask how close they were, I said I cast fireball!" Uh oh

After the fireball from Laudna, some of the Ruby Vanguard members attacking them run away -- but one, young, no more than 16 years old, becomes exalted in the middle of this battle.

Laudna: "did I do a bad?" everyone, simultaneously: "noooo!" the fucking hypocrisy--

As the boy (because he is. he is a boy. he is sixteen.) becomes exalted and casts telekinesis. Both Fearne and Imogen feel his exaltation, and feels that he "comes online" in this network of Ruidisborn.

Ashton update: As a reaction, Ashton can use erratic revenge, causing a random (1d4) effect to occur when they take damage. One of these things is space run, which reduces the amount of damage they take. Another of these things is presumably the thing that causes the attacker to make another attack against themself.

(possible Ashton update? Talisein mentioned "taking a defensive stance" at the end of Ashton's turn, when they hadn't used their bonus action yet. It's possible that path of chaos barbarians get the defense action as a bonus action like monks do.)

On the Will-master's turn, his eyes turn white, and every resident of the village's eyes do the same.

Ashton rage build update: When the gravity build is active, Ashton can't be pushed, pulled, or moved by force.

When hit with an attack, Amuda can use a reaction to use the "human shield" ability to cause one of the villagers around him to take the hit instead. This should tell you everything you need to know about how the Emperium operates. (It's not a reaction; as long as there are "human shields" within range of Athuda, he can roll against a DC, and if he succeeds they will take the blow for him.)

Orym's eyes go a deep, deep green color, almost like druidcraft, and he casts hex on Amuda -- which confirms that he did indeed get 2 feats from the latest levelup, and took the fey-touched feat. However, Orym is dealing nonlethal damage, so when Amuda uses another human shield that nonlethal damage applies to them.

Some Vanguard members also have the mind blur ability, which causes them to vanish from the sight of an attacker.

Ashton is a full-on Street Fighter protagonist as they knock Amuda unconscious and away 15 feet.

Possible thralls of the Will-master: *confused now that their leader is unconscious.* Imogen, immediately: "Kill them!"

When Fearne's fire emperor shard is active, she gets some amount of fire damage added to all damage she deals.

FCG update: FCG has a secondary spellcasting method, which uses a different ability score than WIS to cast. (??)

The commotion caused a stampede among the herd animals, and Ashton picks up a handful of locals and uses themself as a literal fucking meat shield (Talisein literally said this) to prevent villagers from getting hurt in the fray.

But Fearne is out here sniping the fleeing Vanguard members.

(For the record, Imogen has been completely out of commission for this entire fight. As a cloud, she sees that there are people running toward the village, trying to either join or report on the skirmish.)

FCG, alongside another reiloran figure from whom they may have just garnered loyalty, uses stone shape to conjure a ramp to shield both themself and the dude from the stampede. Orym does something similar, to knock another opponent unconscious -- and combat ends.

Everyone in danger is either situated in a safe space or is out of the way. The cattle rush through, but everyone dodges out of the way as they run through.

This is still a very intense moment, as they're waiting for something to happen. Barthi asks what they need to do to help clean up -- Fearne starts dragging bodies into the basement, into a hidey-hole -- they agree that the chaos was caused not by them but by a stampede. They pull the bodies back into the domain of the Elder, and we end the episode.

[ashenmind]

It’s old news to be sure, but subterranean animism’s set up is still so funny to me.

Like, you’ve got an Oni as 3rd boss and the master of the underworld as a 4th boss, which is just s little odd.

The rest? A weird cat, a double bird, and some girl. Nobody’s heard of any of them before today, but damn are they here to fight.

[docgold13]

Batman: The Animated Series - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Ra's al Ghul

Born sometime in the 14th century, the man who would go on to become known as Ra's al Ghul discovered an ancient, naturally occurring substance that he called 'Lazarus.' This substance existed in subterranean pools and bathing in it had the capacity to rejuvenate the body, extending life and healing injuries.  Use of these Lazarus Pits enabled Ra’s to live for hundreds of years.

Living for so long, Ra’s grew to become a master planner, a shrewd tactician and incredible combatant.  He additionally accrued a massive fortune.  He saw himself as a steward of the planet, destined to guide mankind away from ecological destruction.  A luddite of the highest order, Ra’s believed that technology would bring about the planet’s demise and needed to be stymied in all its forms.  

To this end, Ra’s formed a secretive organization known as The Society of Shadows.  He took on the name ‘Ra’s al Ghul’ which roughly translates to ‘the demon’s head’ and his followers obeyed his every command as though it was a decree from a godly force.  

In the modern era, Ra’s saw a number of his operations hindered by The Batman.  Having faced so many unworthy foes, it was actually refreshing to Ra’s to encounter an opponent who offered a true challenge.  Above all of Batman’s attributes, Ra’s was most impressed by his skills of deduction and he took to referring to Batman merely as ‘The Detective.’  This admiration aside, Ra’s underestimated Batman and the Dark Knight succeed in thwarting many of Ra’s schemes.  

After several hundred years, the rejuvenating powers of the Lazarus Pit was becoming less effective.  Comprehending his eventual demise, Ra’s attempted to cajole Batman into taking over his mission as the new leader of Society of Shadows, as well as husband to his beautiful daughter Talia.  Batman rejected this offer and hence Ra’s felt compelled to find new means of extending his life so to continue his mission.

The brilliant actor David Warner provided the voice for Ra’s al Ghul, with the villain first appearing in the forty-fourth episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series, ‘Off Balance.’

[brucenorris007]

Scrap

Summary: Scrap, verb: to discard, retire or remove from service. Metal Sonic discovers—partially through force, partially via coaxing—that perhaps it's time that it scraps a few hardwired notions. Else it will be stuck in the same loop indefinitely.

1801 words (Chapter 1)

“Egghead dipped, base is about to blow, and you still wanna scrap.”

Every fight had the same premise:

Bones versus bearings, blood versus oil, feet versus engines.

“I respect that, Metal; let’s take this outside!”

The outcome should have been obvious, and yet…

Clang.

Braak.

Thok.

Much like the premise, every fight had the same result.

Metal raced Sonic through falling detritus and collapsing supports amid blaring alarms; it clashed with the hedgehog whenever possible, attempting to knock him off his stride and prevent his escape. Sonic wove around the debris while still giving as good as he got; no number of bruises ever slowed him down.

Another explosion rocked the foundations of the subterranean structure; pressure building from rapidly rising heat and fire from below began propelling metal and concrete up as well as down.

Chances of escape came out to approximately two percent.

ZOOM.

Two percent was all that Metal’s nemesis had ever needed.

Groaning and creaking, the roof of the base cracked; daylight peeked through at the end of the flames. Metal’s turbines spun at a droning hum, and it shot outside milliseconds after Sonic did. They briefly hung in the air over the glacial mountain Metal’s master had been operating out of; Metal calculated trajectory, engaged its afterburners and careened down to cross the distance to its doppelganger. Sonic was never truly helpless, but in the scant moments before his feet touched the ground again, it might

The hush over the mountain shattered with a thunderous BOOM.

Sonic’s eyes went wide.

He opened his mouth.

Metal raised its clawed hands.

Loud whooshing sliced through the cold air.

A crash.

Impact.

Something quietly went

Crack.

Disconnection.

Stillness.

Then, motion; all-at-once, too-much motion. Metric tons of red-hot metal flashed across a backdrop of blue sky and white snow. Tumbling and crashing, sliding and barreling through the air without discernible direction or any sort of control.

Noise.

Just… noise.

Simultaneous. Overwhelming. Constant.

Until it wasn’t.

Stillness. Again.

The violent spinning stopped as abruptly as it started.

Soft reboot.

Metal came back online.

A rendering of what had occurred formulated in the space between processors.

The conclusive explosion of the base had expelled a jagged portion of a support beam; its ballistic path intersected–at terminal velocity–with Metal’s frame.

SYSTEM OPERATING ON RESERVE BATTERY POWER

And consequently, it lay half-buried in ice and snow; alerts identifying multiple instances of severe non-function cropped up, cumulatively depicting a less-than-optimal state.

“Metal, you okay?”

Sonic characteristically chose the worst moment to reappear, skidding to a stop in the snow.

“That was a gnarly ride down.”

Internal alarms blared at his measured approach; Metal had experience with being at another’s mercy while in a state of disrepair.

But Sonic was not its master.

It bypassed several advisories against re-engaging combat capability, despite that its reserve battery was not designed to support that. Metal attempted to propel back onto its feet.

Something popped. Loudly.

Hissing and heat followed.

“That… didn’t sound good.” Sonic said.

Metal ignored the derision; occupied with suppressing panic and trying to force fluidity out of limbs locking up courtesy of uncooperative hydraulics.

“Doesn’t look good, either.”

The hedgehog paused just within striking range. Metal’s motherboard ran countless calculations of all the data points illustrating how severely disadvantageous the situation was; of how many weaknesses Sonic could exploit to inflict damage.

“Here, let me”

He reached out. Anticipating an attack, Metal’s own hand snatched the hedgehog’s wrist. Threw itself forward in a spastic lunge.

“Hey!”

Sonic spun to one side, leaving Metal to crash into the snow again. Expecting retaliation, it snatched its hand back.

None came for several moments. Sonic stared at it. Metal glared back, chills that had nothing to do with the temperature permeating its core.

“Okay then.”

Sonic turned around and ran, circling the base of the mountain; a thunderclap seconds later let Metal know he’d broken the sound barrier and was, within a minute, long gone.

Metal attempted again to right itself; renewed alerts made the task more trouble than it was worth. It switched off its optics to preserve power.

WARNING: PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO LOW TEMPERATURES MAY AFFECT BATTERY EFFICIENCY.

RESERVE POWER: 83.6%

—————

Kvhroon.

By Metal’s internal clock, just shy of an hour had passed when it next registered another presence.

“Do you see him, Omega?”

“NEGATIVE.”

The new arrivals were only marginally less-than-welcome. The cronch of snow and ice coupled with the faint, smooth whirring of moving mechanical parts preceded the last of its master’s E-series announcing:

“I HAVE LOCATED HIM.”

Metal kept its optics offline. Perhaps if it ignored them, they would go away. It willfully disregarded how unlikely it was they were searching for it when it happened to be injured.

“Is he on standby mode?”

“NO. HE IS JUST BEING A LITTLE BITCH.”

Metal’s optics flared back to life for the express purpose of glowering at Omega.

“CALLED IT.”

Shadow leaned into view.

“Metal? Can you move?”

“HE CANNOT.”

“I wasn’t asking you.”

“YET I AM CORRECT.”

Metal raised one arm defiantly, a particular titanium finger elevated.

“MUCH IMPRESS. SUCH WOW.”

An internal fan briefly spun harder than usual; Omega might have been programmed without inflection in his voice box, but Metal did possess sarcasm receptors. Shadow sighed.

“All right,” he said; he knelt in the snow. “Let’s just move him.”

Metal’s systems overclocked on seeing Shadow’s outstretched hand; for the barest moment, the incinerating barrier of its Overdrive function enveloped its body. Shadow yanked his hand back. Steam from instantly evaporated ice surrounded Metal.

RESERVE POWER: 50.2%

“Or not.” Shadow said after a beat.

Metal shut off optics again; after that half-a-second engagement of its most powerful offensive maneuver, conserving energy was an even higher priority. It cast about for incoming satellite signals until it pinged off Shadow’s phone. The work of a couple minutes allowed it to interact with the device.

Did Sonic send you?

A beat. The sound of Shadow’s fingers tapping and a phone unlocking. Two simultaneous verbal responses.

“No.”

“YES.”

“Not helping.”

“IT IS THE TRUTH.”

Any help from him is unacceptable

“FINE,” Omega said. “LET YOUR CIRCUITS FRY AND FREEZE BEYOND REPAIR. YOU MIGHT SUCCEED IN HURTING HIS FEELINGS.”

Sarcasm receptors blared again.

“Thank you, Omega.” Shadow said; Metal didn’t have much data for comparison, but the hedgehog’s voice sounded a little strained.

The cronch of Omega’s footsteps indicated he’d momentarily stepped away.

A beat passed.

“Why?” Shadow asked.

What

“I haven’t seen you accept help from anyone before; why take such exception to any that he offers?”

He is the Enemy

“The feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual.”

False

“What are you basing that on?”

Metal’s processors stalled. Sonic, nemesis, the threat that required every preparation and observation to combat; the nemesis who still won, mercilessly heedless of all the data Metal painstakingly had compiled within its CPU. If Sonic, who consistently exceeded that data, didn’t feel as invested in their conflict as Metal, then for what reason had it gathered all that information? Metal could not provide any more complete an answer than:

He is the Enemy

RESERVE POWER: 48.9%

—————

Inexplicably, both of them remained with Metal, despite the arctic climate and the temperature falling with the waning afternoon.

“Is the hatred truly yours if it’s just part of your programming?” Shadow asked.

Were you not programmed–created–to be a protector?

“That’s one of the purposes for which I was made, yes.”

I was created for a sole purpose; eliminating Sonic the Hedgehog

“AND YOU’RE NOT EVEN GOOD AT THAT.”

Metal elected to ignore the more bombastic robot.

That he is the Enemy is just a motive for pursuing his end

Shadow didn’t immediately respond.

“The primary purpose assigned to me on my creation,” he said. “Was to preserve–protect–humanity and the planet. Yet few, if any, have come as close as I did to destroying both.”

That you failed only proves it is not what you were programmed for

Shadow huffed.

“By that logic, failing to eliminate Sonic means that’s not your purpose, either.”

Metal didn’t have a satisfactory reply to that. Rather than frustrated or angry, it experienced more… confusion. Pensiveness.

Uncertainty.

RESERVE POWER: 39.4%

—————

You do not need to remain here

“What do you mean?”

Robotnik will return to collect me in due time

“Will he?”

Metal didn’t understand Shadow’s apparent desire to challenge its every assertion in gentle tones.

“I’ve never known the doctor to spare a second glance at anything he’s left behind him,” Shadow said; almost as if thinking aloud. He paused. “Not unless whatever has captured his myopic attention requires it.”

Omega’s persisting presence was conspicuous by his deafening silence; the lack of any barbing interjections despite his well-documented contempt for Metal’s master.

“I suppose that’s the primary factor he gave you,” Shadow said. “That single-minded focus; though, is Sonic really your enemy, or his?”

There is no distinction

“Maybe not,” Shadow conceded. “But maybe there should be. I may not have destroyed the planet, but I have been–I am–much more than just a protector. I see no reason why you couldn’t similarly evolve.”

Metal once again failed to formulate a response.

“Sonic doesn’t have to be your enemy,” Shadow said. “If you want, you don’t ever have to fight again.”

RESERVE POWER: 27.7%

—————

You have not attempted to move me again

“Do you want to be moved?”

Merely an observation

One that Metal couldn’t comprehend. They’d come in place of Sonic to assist, yet a single defensive act deterred them. Despite that, Metal knew from the vaguely song-like echo of chaos energy that Shadow hadn’t strayed off, and though Omega occasionally stomped up and down in the snow, he offered not a word of complaint. They accomplished nothing of any discernible value that Metal could grasp by doing so.

Even the way Shadow phrased the question caused a stutter in Metal’s motherboard.

“We’re not going to do anything you don’t want us to do.”

That word again: want.

‘Are you ready’ or ‘There’s no rush’ Metal could have understood; an implication that their help was imminent, or that they were waiting until it lacked the power to retaliate. Never mind that Metal’s battery had long since depleted past the point of being able to utilize Overdrive again, regardless of whether they had any way of knowing that.

No. Instead, Shadow asked what it wanted.

“CONSENT IS ESSENTIAL.”

Metal had ample experience receiving repairs or… improvements, heedless of its state of consciousness.

Yet Shadow and Omega were not its master.

RESERVE POWER: 15.8%

—————

What would I be without my programming?

“Everyone in the world would give you a different answer; the only conclusion that matters is the one you carve out for yourself.”

—————

Take me to the fox

please

RESERVE POWER: 2.0%

Kvhroon.

[scorchrend]

brought back the old ass au literally just for this

[slashmagpie]

Blood & Snow

Pt. II

Directory: {Pt. I} {Pt. III} {Pt. IV} {Pt. V} {Pt. VI} {Pt. VII} {AO3}

Day two for @hermithorrorweek! TWs for this chapter include: minor gore, body horror*, temporary character death

II. ENVIRONMENT

Scar and Tango make an odd pair.

Catching them together is a study in contrasts: Scar’s light against Tango’s dark, Scar’s loud against Tango’s quiet, Scar’s whimsy against Tango’s sarcasm. The theme park owner brightly welcoming you to the happiest place on Hermitcraft, and the dungeon master presiding over a subterranean labyrinth of fear and pain. Scar’s hunger for diamonds, and Tango’s dismissal of them. Scar’s tendency to distraction, and Tango’s unwavering focus that had led him to spend the better part of thirteen months in a cave, despite all of Scar’s attempts to drag him out of it.

And Scar had tried! He’d even succeeded, a few times. More often, he would just hang around and bother Tango while he worked, rambling about Star Wars or Disney or trains or updates or whatever while Tango coated his frosty fingers with redstone and made the occasional comment. And whilst to an outside observer, Scar would come across as an annoyance as he gushed about flowers and Tango rolled his eyes and pulled faces, he knows that they were both enjoying themselves. As different as Scar and Tango seem, they’re still friends.

And as different as they both are, they still have one thing in common: their love for atmosphere.

Because it’s one thing to make a build: it’s another to make an environment. It’s all about movement, and sound, and all the little additions that make a static picture of blocks come alive. And Tango has truly and utterly knocked it out of the park this season—Decked Out is the most alive build Scar has ever seen.

…It’s, uh. Not usually quite as alive as this though.

That’s the only way Scar can think to describe it, as he pushes himself back against the wall, heart pounding in his chest louder and faster than the dungeon’s heartbeat echoes around the walls. Just out of sight, a ravager grumbles, having lost its snack, and Scar heaves as he attempts to catch his breath. His fingers are sticky with berry juice as he presses another to his mouth, grimacing at the sweet taste as it mingles with the blood in his mouth. 

Behind him, the stone wall seems to quiver as he presses himself into it, not quite as solid as it should be. I’m imagining things, he tells himself, reaching back with a red-stained hand to feel the rough ridges of deepslate beneath his fingers. He lets out a shaky breath and draws himself up. Right. Back to work. His artefact should be just around this corner.

He glances back towards where he’d left the ravager, ahead to where his compass is pointing, and takes off running towards it.

His lungs burn, and his legs ache, and his head spins as he dives forwards, but he manages to, by some miracle, avoid the ire of the ravager and make it to the alcove where his compass begins to spin wildly around. “Compass skills, perfect compass skills,” he mutters to himself, dropping the compass and hearing the click of a dispenser as it vanishes and an artefact appears in its place. Hypnotic Bandanna. “Oh, come on,” he cries as he picks it up. “Don’t you think I deserve more than that? Did you see my ravager skills? I could have died! And I didn’t! Tango!”

And then the dungeon does something it’s never done before: it laughs.

The sound startles Scar out of his skin, and he clutches the bandanna to his chest in panic as around him the walls shake, stone grating against stone and lava popping and bubbling and water splashing and the ravagers all groaning in time to create a cacophony that some way, somehow, sounds just like Tango’s laugh. 

Scar stands frozen until the sound dies down, staring with wide eyes. His mouth is dry. He swipes his tongue around his lips, clears his throat.

“Uh, Tango…?” he calls. “I think there’s something wrong with your dungeon.”

The dungeon sighs.

Its breath tickles the back of Scar’s neck, makes all his hairs stand on end. Nope! No thank you. Scar needs to get out of here. He needs to—

He takes off running, back the way he came, ducking past the ravager and surviving the resulting blow by the skin of his teeth and half a heart. He gasps for breath, shoving more berries into his mouth as he leaps over moving chains and makes a beeline for the stairs back up to level one. He makes it and takes a moment to stop and breathe, the soft light of the skulk twinkling around him.

“It’s fine,” he tells himself as he finishes the last of the berries. “You’re fine! It’s just—the dungeon. Same as normal. It’s just a normal—normal run, you’re gonna get out, it’ll be fine…”

The stairwell is, for a moment, eerily silent. Scar feels more acutely than usual that he is being watched. He draws in a breath—

“STUMBLE,” the dungeon announces.

—and lets out a squeak.

Okay. Probably a sign that he should get going. He can do this!

He presses the button at the top of the stairs and creeps out into the throne room of level one. Luckily, there are no ravagers here. Unluckily, the hazard door is closed. Okay, the long way it is.

His legs are cramping something awful as he races down the stairs. He takes a left out of the crypt and stops for a moment in the tunnel, breath rattling in his throat, reaching down to rub at the aching muscles. Normally, the fun of Decked Out outweighs the pain he knows it will cause him, but right now his fear is outweighing the fun and the pain is something awful. He needs to get out. Once he’s out, his wheelchair is waiting for him upstairs, and he won’t have to get up for the rest of the day—

He’s so focused on the pain that he doesn’t notice the ravager until it’s too late.

He falls, face-first, into powdered snow, letting out a strangled cry. It’s instinct more than anything else that pushes him up, that digs his fingers into the snow as he tries to escape—

As he blinks snow from his eyes he sees, where his hands have cleared the snow, revealing the ground beneath them, something pink and red. It shudders and pulses beneath his fingers, cold like ice, yet undeniably alive. Scar, without thinking, digs his fingers into the flesh.

The dungeon screams.

The stone and ice around him shakes, snow falls from the ceiling above him, and behind him the ravager lets out an agonised wail before stomping a heavy hoof down onto his back.

Scar screams too as his spine shatters and he sits straight up in bed, several hundred blocks above his own head.

[thecreaturecodex]

Rakshasa Immortal, Korittunni

“The Mouse King” © deviantArt user MalakiaLaGatta, accessed at her gallery here

[”The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by ETA Hoffmann is much darker and weirder than the more famous ballet it inspired. It’s mostly to do with the machinations between rival magical kingdoms and the Mouse King’s extortion racket for Christmas presents. As opposed to the ballet, which is fully half plotless dances based on ethnic stereotypes. I do enjoy Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, but let’s be honest. The Mouse King in the story is much more monstrous, having seven heads. For practical reasons, this is usually dropped from adaptations. A Soviet animated version compromised with three heads, and designs with that number are much more common than the full set.

The character has no name in the original story, just a title. We do get his mother’s name: Mouserinks. She’s the one who cursed the prince into being a nutcracker in the first place, and the Mouse King is hunting him to prevent him from turning back. My name for the character is derived from a Tamil word meaning rat or mouse. Since I’m making him a rakshasa, and different adaptations vary in what species he’s supposed to be, I figured that it was appropriate. The flavor text may draw some inspiration from the recent OGL unpleasantness.]

Rakshasa Immortal, Korittunni The Mouse King, The Rat King Concerns greed, gluttony, rodents Domains Animal, Evil, Law, Trickery Subdomains Fear, Fur, Greed, Tyranny Worshipers evil ratfolk, extortionists, misers, wererats Minions rakshasas, rat kings, swarms Unholy Symbol seven crowns stacked in a triangle Favored Weapon rapier Obedience gorge yourself on fine food and drink for 1 hour. Despoil any leftovers so no one else may benefit from them. Gain a +4 profane bonus on saves against disease Boons 1: summon swarm 2/day; 2: hunger for flesh 2/day; 3: heroes’ feast 2/day

Rakshasa Immortal, Korittunni CR 21 LE Outsider (native) This humanoid stands smaller than a human and has seven rodent heads, arrayed facing in all directions. They are clad in a fancy military dress uniform, carry a fine saber, and wear a crown on each of their heads.

Korittunni the Mouse King is one of the least of the rakshasa immortals, but that does not make him any less dangerous or destructive. He is obsessed with things: taking them from other people and destroying them if he cannot take them. No object is below his acquisitiveness; he enjoys stealing toys and candy from children as much as he does jewels or magical items from the wealthy and powerful. He rarely works alone, and surrounds himself with sycophantic ratfolk, ver, wererats and other rodent-like humanoids. Most of his elite agents are other rakshasas, typically with rodent features in their natural form.

Korittunni often is the one to initiate hostilities, but if he can take what he wants through intimidation, trickery or mind-controlling magic, he does so before fighting. His teeth are strong and powerful, but he usually fights with a dueling sword. He is a master of bardic magic, weaving spells and magical dance together in order to augment his own abilities and those of any of his minions. Korittunni often leaves his victims alive but humiliated, cursed or polymorphed, as a warning to others who would cross him.

The Mouse King’s kingdom is a vast subterranean city, from which he plots robbery and extortion. Many criminal gangs pay him protection money, and in turn he helps to supply them with tools and talent from his own reserves. And doesn’t just wipe them out and steal from them. Korittunni is a dangerous partner, however, as he will often make the terms and conditions of his deals more and more restrictive, until his allies are little more than slaves. He can be charming when he wants to, but his default mode of expression is to threaten and bully. He is something of a mama’s boy and speaks fondly of his own mother, although whether she actually literally existed as he describes, or is a composite character based on dozens of reincarnations, is mysterious.

Korittunni is only two feet tall, but no less dangerous for his size. He always carries a magic rapier capable of stealing magical defenses and a rod of splendor.

Korittunni           CR 21 XP 409,600 LE Small outsider (native, rakshasa) Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +29, scent Defense AC 38, touch 22, flat-footed 27 (+1 size, +10 Dex, +1 dodge, +14 natural) hp 420 (29d10+261) Fort +17, Ref +26, Will +22 DR 20/epic and piercing; Immune death effects, disease, petrifaction, poison, polymorph; Resist acid 20, cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20, sonic 20; SR 36 Defensive Abilities all-around vision, evasion Offense Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee +3 spellstealing rapier +43/+38/+33/+28 (1d4+9/15-20), 7 bites +35 (1d4+3) or 7 bites +40 (1d4+6) Special Attacks bardic performance (59 rounds/day, swift action, countersong, deadly performance, dirge of doom, distraction, fascinate, frightening tune, inspire competence +6, inspire courage +4, inspire greatness, inspire heroics, soothing performance, suggestion), detect thoughts (DC 35), voracious Spell-like Abilities CL 20th, concentration +31 (+35 casting defensively) At will—bestow curse (DC 25), contagion (DC 25) 3/day—greater command (DC 26), greater teleport, nightmare (DC 26), quickened phobia (DC 27), ravenous rodents 1/day—demand (DC 29), mass hunger for flesh (DC 28), polymorph any object (DC 29), prediction of failure (DC 29) Spells CL 20th, concentration +31 (+35 casting defensively) 6th (7/day)—mass cat’s grace, mass cure moderate wounds (DC 27), greater scrying (DC 27), irresistible dance (DC 29), pied piping (DC 29) 5th (7/day)—cloak of dreams (DC 28), greater dispel magic, mind fog (DC 28), nightmare (DC 28), seeming (DC 26) 4th (7/day)—dominate person (DC 27), freedom of movement, hold monster (DC 27), legend lore, pessimism (DC 27), sleepwalking suggestion (DC 27) 3rd (7/day)—cure serious wounds (DC 24), fear (DC 24), glibness, haste, mass feather step, sculpt sound 2nd (8/day)—blur, gallant inspiration, heroism, invisibility, quick change, silence (DC 22) 1st (8/day)— charm person (DC 24), comprehend languages, cure light wounds (DC 22), identify, saving finale, undetectable alignment 0th—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 21), light, lullaby (DC 23), prestidigitation, read magic Statistics Str 23, Dex 31, Con 28, Int 25, Wis 22, Cha 32 Base Atk +29; CMB +34; CMD 55 Feats Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Extra Performance, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Improved Critical (rapier), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Quicken SLA (phobia), Spell Focus (enchantment), Spring Attack, Step Up, Whirlwind Attack Skills Acrobatics +31, Appraise +25, Bluff +36, Climb +32, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +40, Escape Artist +31, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (arcana, engineering, dungeoneering, local) +25,  Knowledge (planes) +27, Perception +29, Perform (act, dance) +32, Sense Motive +27, Spellcraft +25, Stealth +35, Swim +24, Use Magic Device +29; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +8 Disguise, +2 Perception Languages Common, Goblin, Infernal, Senzar, telepathy 300 ft. SQ change shape (humanoid or rodent, polymorph), rakshasa lord traits Ecology Environment urban and underground Organization unique Treasure triple standard (rod of splendor, +3 spellstealing rapier, other treasure) Special Abilities Bardic Performance (Su/Sp) Korittunni can use bardic performances as a 20th level bard. Rakshasa Immortal Trait (Ex/Su) Korittunni is a rakshasa immortal, a powerful unique outsider capable of granting spells. This also grants him the following abilities

Immunity to death effects, disease and poison

Resist acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic 20

DR/epic

Telepathy 300 ft.

Korittunni’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as epic, lawful and evil for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Ravenous Rodents (Sp) This spell functions as a creeping doom spell, except that the swarms summoned appear as rats and mice. The swarms have the animal type instead of the vermin type, and do not have the poison special attack. Instead, they gain the voracious ability (see below) and deal damage to unattended objects in their area as well. This is the equivalent of a 7th level spell. Spells Korittunni casts spells as a 20th level bard. Voracious (Ex) Korittunni’s bite attacks deal double damage to creatures with the plant subtype, and to objects made out of plant materials such as paper, wood and most cloth.

[sexyinaratkindaway]

Day 6: Temperature Play

Pairing: Jimmy/Tango

Jimmy is lucky. He knows that. He has great friends, a beautiful city to take care of, a husband.

A loving, doting, hot, funny, smart, caring husband.

An insanely powerful husband who is the master of an ancient, cursed citadel of frost haunted by terrible monsters and vengeful spirits.

It's kind-of-really super hot.

It's hotter still when his husband that he hasn’t seen in months gives him a private, comprehensive, exclusive tour of Decked Out that he knows none of the other Hermits have gotten to have just yet.

"You won't be here when it opens!" Tango said. "I want you to experience the Citadel!"

Experience it, Jimmy does. It's cold and dark and damp and scary—"Just wait 'till I get the ravagers in here!"—and he has a blast.

It's all laughter and stumbling together through the dungeon and Jimmy getting spooked by the shriekers going off even though they’re not hooked up to anything. It's a great time. Tango shows him the frozen caverns; the subterranean forest, covered in snow, and the river running through it; the abandoned river deck, and the frozen crypt, the catacombs, the hidden library deep underground. Tango holds his hand throughout it all, skin cooler than all the ice around them, but Jimmy doesn’t care particularly about his hand going numb, because they’re together and he’s the happiest he’s ever been, just letting Tango drag him here, and there, and there. He actually can’t bear to ever be too far from Tango, following him close, like a shadow, trying to drape himself on him and never let him go.

Tango laughs, Jim’s kisses tickle on his delicate nape, the barest brush of stubble against cool skin, and drags him through the cold halls, trying his hardest to ignore the wandering hands looking for ways under his robe.

“I missed you,” Jimmy murmurs in his ear, and his giddy delight makes butterflies soar in Tango’s belly.

“I missed you too.” He says, and then he pulls him in the little alcove the campfire is in to tumble together on the threadbare sleeping bag, in a tangle of laughter and limbs and finally, they get to kiss.

Jimmy’s lips are so warm, his mouth is scorching hot, Tango keens when it travels to his throat, and then he starts pulling on his vest and his shirt out of his jeans, and every time he touches bare skin, Jimmy hisses and twitches and buries his face deeper under Tango’s chin.

“Sorry,” Tango mutters, “I, uh, can try to run a little warmer for you if you want.”

“Nah. This is fine. I missed you too much to care.”

They leave it at that, because Tango is shoving the vest off—the badge pinned to it clinks against the ice floor—and pulling at the flimsy cotton of the shirt until the buttons pop, because now he’s laying down and Jimmy is kneeling over him and, wow, he’s hard as a rock under his jeans, is he not?

It’s fine. Tango’s hard too, under his robes.

Jimmy only grumbles a little bit at the tinkling noise of buttons clattering to the ground, and together they manage to wrestle his belt and jeans off, too, and, woof, isn’t he the prettiest of sights, sat on Tango’s lap, blushed cold-pink and hard and naked, save for his boots and his hat?

“Can you ride, cowboy?” Tango asks, a smirk on his face, and Jimmy doesn’t really answer, because too-cold hands are running up his sides and making goosebumps stand, and back down his sides to caress his hips and grab at his thighs and–

“Jesus, Tango,” he gasps. Tango’s hand is wrapped around his cock, achingly hard and burning hot in the cold air of the caves and his lover’s cold skin. “Don’t stop.”

“Wasn’t plannin’ on it.”

In fact, another cold hand reaches around his hip, to tickle a finger against his hole, and Jimmy bucks into the stimulation almost by instinct. 

Tango laughs, delighted. “Oh, so the cowboy can ride!”

“Tango,” Jim mutters, an edge in his voice that is totally overpowered by the fact that his cock is weeping. “Stop teasing me.”

He bucks into Tango’s fist, and Tango lets him do it. Not much they can do, right here and now, on a threadbare sleeping bag, with no lube or condoms or anything. He’s content to just watch Jimmy chase his pleasure, long and slender above him, eyes scrunched closed in concentration. He’s so pretty, and prettier still when he shivers because Tango’s running a finger up his spine, when his nipples are pebbled and hard and flushed pink from the cold and looking so delicious that Tango can’t help but pinch one, and his little yelp and the splurt of pleasure that dribbles on Tango’s thumb make him salivate.

“You’re doing good, baby,” he says, “c’mon, let me see you come. We have so much time, I can’t wait to ruin you like you deserve, but for now I just wanna see you fall apart.”

He twists his wrist around Jimmy, leans forward just the little bit he needs to breath a gust of cool air on his cockhead.

Then Jimmy cries out the most beautiful of noises, a trill and a groan and an excited clicking, and there’s something wet and hot on Tango’s chin, like blood, or lava, but it’s just Jimmy’s pleasure, musky and thick and perfect, his warm hands under his hood to pull on his hair as he bucks wildly into his hand, chases the last edge of his pleasure.

They collapse together.

Jim is shivering, naked in the frost.

Tango lends him his cloak while they get back up. It’s thick, and heavy, but cold.

Jimmy feels home.

[talonabraxas]

The Golden Sun Disc of Mu Talon Abraxas

Held by ropes of pure gold in a shrine in the greatest Temple of Divine Light of the Motherland of Mu was the gigantic Golden Disc of the Sun. Before it, on an altar, which was a pillar carved out of solid stone, there blazed the eternal white Light of the crystalline Maxin Flame, the Divine Limitless Light of Creation. About 30,000 B.C. the Maxin Light went out on the Altar because of the evil of some of the priest-scientists of Great Mu. The Sun Disc remained in its shrine, however, until the time of the final destruction and submergence of 10-12,000 B.C.

As we said before, this Disc was not merely used as an object of adoration, nor was it the symbolic representation of our Solar Sun. It was also a scientific instrument, and the secret of its power came originally out of the dim past in the time of the Elder Race. In part, it was an object of adoration because it served in ritualistic temple services as a focus or point of concentration for those meditating. It also served as a symbolic representation of the Great Central, or Cosmic Sun, which, in turn, symbolizes the Creator. As a scientific instrument it was used in connection with a complex system of mirrors of pure gold, reflectors and lenses to produce healing in the bodies of those who were inside the Temple of Light. Indeed, that is why it was called Temple of Divine Light. Besides all these functions, the Sun Disc was a focal point for concentration of a dimensional quality. When the Disc was struck by a priest-scientist, who understood its operation, it would set certain vibratory conditions which could even bring about great earthquakes and, if continued long enough, might bring about a change in the rotation of the Earth itself. When attuned to a person’s particular frequency pattern it could transport this person wherever he wished to go merely by the mental picture he created. It was, therefore, an object of transportation.

The Golden Sun Disc of Mu was not made of ordinary gold, but was transmuted gold, and unusual in its qualities in that it was a translucent metal similar, evidently, to the “metal you can almost look through” of the UFOs.

Lord Muru brought this Disc with him when he journeyed to Lake Titicaca, and it was placed in a subterranean temple at the Monastery of the Brotherhood of the Seven Rays. Here, it was used not only by the students of life daily, but also by the Masters and Saints from the Mystery Schools throughout the world so that they might be teleported back and forth to sit in Council or to partake of some Transmission Ceremony.

When the Incas came to Peru, and come they did, for they were not native Quechua Indians, but came from a land across the Pacific, they established a highly spiritual society on top of the ruins of the great culture that had belonged to the Colonial Empire of Lemuria. The High Priests of the Sun of Tawantinsuyo–the name of the Inca Empire–built their Coricancha or Temple of the Sun exactly on top of an older structure dating from very remote times. From ancient records in their homeland across the Pacific they learned of the Golden Sun Disc of Mu and they knew it had been removed from the doomed continent and taken to a new land where Lord Muru had founded an Inner Retreat or Sanctuary.

Once in Peru, the Incan High Priests searched long for the Disc but were never able to locate it. However, when they had reached the place on the Spiritual Pathway where they could use the Disc to the benefit of all their people–the native, indigenous tribes they had amalgamated into an empire–as it had been used on Mu, then it was presented to them for their daily use in their Temple of the Sun at Cuzco.

The Inca Emperor at the time was a Divine Mystic or Saint, and he made a pilgrimage to the Monastery at Lake Titicaca, and there Aramu-Muru, as Spiritual Head or Abbot of the Brotherhood, gave the Disc to the Emperor. Several Brothers from the lake were directed to journey with him to the capital of the empire, Cuzco. Here the Disc was placed in a shrine that had been prepared for it, and it was secured with golden ropes as it had been held in ancient Lemuria. Even today, the holes through which these ropes passed can be seen at the Convent of Santo Domingo in Cuzco which is built on top of the Pre-Inca and Inca Sun Temple.

The Incas called their Temple of the Sun Coricancha, which means Place of Gold or Garden of Gold. This was because of the magnificent, solid gold, life-sized figures of men, animals, plants and flowers that were placed in a real Garden of Gold adjacent to the Sun Temple. But the priest-scientists called the Temple Amarucancha. On some of the stones at Santo Domingo today you can still see carved serpents (amarus) and that is the reason, they say, that some knew the Temple as Amarucancha, or, Place of the Serpents. However, that is not the real reason. Amaru is a form of Aramu, which is one of the names of Lord Maru. There are large snakes in the Andes which are still called amarus. Lord Maru’s name concerns a snake because his title is similar to that of another world teacher, Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. Therefore, the Temple of the Sun at Cuzco was named for Aramu-Muru, head of the Monastery at Lake Titicaca, for it was he who enabled them to have, at last, the Golden Disc in their Sun Temple. Within this greater Temple there were smaller temples or shrines dedicated to the Moon, the Twelve Planets (Stars), and to the Seven Rays.

The Brotherhood of the Seven Rays became the leading force in the spiritual life of the Incas, and they learned the use of the Disc from ancient records left by the wise Pre-Incas who were Lemurian colonists. The Disc remained in the Coricancha at Cuzco until word reached the priests that Don Francisco Pizarro had landed in Peru. Knowing full well what was going to take place, sorrowfully they removed the Disc from the Cuzco shrine and returned it to its place in the subterranean temple at the Monastery. The Spanish conquerors never saw it.

On January 21, 1956, Beloved Archangel Michael of the Sun gave an address at His Retreat at Banff, in the Canadian Rockies. The following is an excerpt:

Many of the Temples used on Atlantis and Lemuria have been raised into the etheric realms. Some day they will be lowered again when man is spiritually ready to receive them. It has happened that one or more of the precious stones used in the construction of these Temples have been put in the hands of a High Priest or Head of a Spiritual Order where they form a connection with the Celestial Hierarchy. There are several dozens of the stones from My own Temple in the possession of individuals at various points on the Earth’s surface today…

The Golden Sun Disc of Mu is one of the precious stones referred to by Lord Michael. And it was put in the hands of the Head of the Brotherhood of the Seven Rays, Aramu-Muru. The Disc will remain at Lake Titicaca until that day ‘when man is spiritually ready’ to receive it and to use it once again. On that day the Golden Disc will be taken out of its subterranean chamber and placed high above the Monastery of the Brotherhood. For many miles the pilgrims of the New Dawn will see it once again reflecting the glorious rays of the Sun. Coming from it will be an undeniable tone of purest harmony that will bring many followers of light up the foot-worn path to the ancient gate of the Brotherhood of the Seven Rays, and they shall enter the Valley of the Blue Moon for fellowship in the Father.

Excerpt from Secret Of The Andes