#tanglethorn

[light-blooms]

the main characters of Warriors: Rise of the Moon! from left to right:

Blackflight, Warrior of ShadowClan (she/her) Moonfall, Stoneteller of WindClan (she/her) Brightfire, Warrior of SkyClan (she/her) Slatewatcher, Healer of RiverClan (she/her) Tanglethorn, Warrior of ThunderClan (he/him)

Rise of the Moon is a Warrior Cats TTRPG actual play!

[blizzardstarx]

drawing for @/light-blooms of her warrior cats TTRPG series, Rise of the Moon!!!

go check it out here!!! its amazing :D

[spiralofants01]

Catnip patrol!!

This is just a little animation I made cause I was bored. I should practice more actual movement but pshhh

[canonkiller]

Loving your D&D stuff.

thank you! however you are going to get a long answer because you have opened an opportunity for me to list things, which is my favorite

very few of the campaigns I'm in / have latched on to that my friends play are actually in D&D any more, for various reasons (primarily 1. WOTC sucks, 2. the system is not really designed for the kind of thing we like the most, which is "impactful character choices," and 3. "why play skyrim as a farming sim"). The games I've been a full player in are, aside from 5e:

Eberron / An Airship Is A Horse That Loves You is in Pathfinder 2e! We started in D&D 5e, which is why there are some semi-homebrewed imports, but it's a very similar system to 5e in gameplay PLUS Pathbuilder is a desktop and app program that will automatically put together character sheets for you, which is arguably the worst part of 5e. It's great, and I highly recommend considering it as an alternative to 5e if you're wanting something that still has the combat rolls and everything but also has more innate design for doing shit as a character. ALSO also there's a ton of included assistive devices, which range from normal stuff like wheelchairs and hearing aids to specifically magical stuff like my favorite: a wheelchair that has legs and can kill. Derien is my PC in this one, fresh out of the oven.

The only other actually active PC status I have had in this group was in an Eyes On The Prize oneshot! EOTP is a fake-marriage game (made by @iraprince !) with flexible setting / character guidelines that's played with a deck of cards, and I highly recommend it for shenanigans. My character was Moonlight Saidluck, a bug centaur fae who accidentally let a human into the fairy world and was pretending this newcomer was their partner and definitely not a human who had accidentally entered the fairy world. I played the one shot with two other couples, which did make it run overtime, but it was a delight. We also had very little trouble playing remotely, with one person in charge of cards and points tracking on an online draw-party style page.

The other games I'm more a spectator in, and then occasionally contribute ideas like fucked up boats or extended debates about magical darkness and the water cycle. That big list of alternative systems is ~

Persona: The Tabletop RPG (PersonaBS)

Quest (Luxknights)

Kids on Bikes (Streams of Consciousness)

Lancer

Beam Saber (AFI, but we haven't been calling it that)

Girl by Moonlight (MMM / Magical Girls)

Cyberpunk TTRPG

Numenera

Monster of the Week

aaand probably more that I'm forgetting because we're. Quite prolific about our play pretend time (and I've got a few concepts brewing that I still really want to nail down - Tanglethorn, the unnamed one about the sinkhole and Bad Hand may grace this list someday if I really buckle down to iron out the wrinkles)

I'm glad you're enjoying my little guys though! I just love a chance to get people into other TTRPG systems, especially when most of them are easier to learn and play than D&D and there's such a wide range of options.

Here's a little Moonlight png, as a reward for reading

[officialleehadan]

Morning Glory Breakfast

At the Sign of the Silver Rose

+++

Jax slept for about twelve hours and felt decidedly better about the world when he woke.

Given, he was still on the run from a particularly spiteful and murderous faerie who would almost certainly do terrible things to him if she caught him. Jax was very much aware of that, but he was also reasonably confident in the protection of the troll silo. After seeing what the protections did to Tanglethorn, he didn’t think Lydia would be in a hurry to try her luck, even if she managed to figure out where they were.

Grassy was confident she wouldn’t, and Jax wasn’t about to question her. She and Mucker built their home to protect their clan against worse than Lydia.

Breakfast was a noisy affair as the clan cooks, a pack of adult and nearly-adult trolls, took over the huge kitchen, made a truly staggering amount of food, and laid it all out along the long tables for the clan to devour. Despite the noise of nearly a hundred trolls all eager for breakfast, it was controlled chaos. The sprogs all ate first, with their parents or older siblings serving them up. As soon as they were fed, the adults took their share.

As a guest, Jax probably could have taken his share with the sprogs, but he waited anyway, pretending like it was taking longer than it did to get Tanglethorn settled. His faerie was still weak on his feet. Clearly the ordeal from yesterday took a steeper price than Jax realized, because he didn’t think Tanglethorn was enjoying his weakness, even if it meant he got to drape himself all over Jax.

“Kind,” he said, too softly for anyone else to hear, but it made Jax uncomfortable anyway. He didn’t want the faerie to think kindly of him. They weren’t friends.

“Don’t’ start,” Jax replied, but he did make sure Tanglethorn was seated and comfortable before he eyed the line for breakfast. It was a scrum of trolls, and while they might be careful of their faerie guest, they might also forget their own strength with him. “Stay put. What do you want?”

“Fruit,” Tanglethorn said after a moment’s hesitation where he weighed his options and visibly decided to let Jax wait on him. “I don’t’ care what kind, but I think I saw fruit salad.”

“How hungry are you?”

“Very.”

Good enough. Jax left him chatting with Mucker and dove into the crowd of trolls. He got a few good-natured growls, but he wasn’t a small, or a fragile human, and he growled back, familiar enough with troll language to give as good as he got. Before long, he made it to the breakfast trays, which were quickly refilled whenever they went empty. He avoided the meat, which smelled more like something a troll would like, but took a generous helping of thick, fluffy waffles with a scoop of preserves on top, a large scoop of roasted red potatoes, and made free with a heaping bowl of fruit salad for Tanglethorn.

Bounty in hand, he returned to the table, presented Tanglethorn with his breakfast, and settled in to eat.

“She wants the Morning Glory Heart,” Tanglethorn was explaining to Grassy and Mucker, who listened closely as they ate. Jax remembered Lydia asking Tanglethorn about it, but he wasn’t sure what it actually was. “I’m sure you can imagine the problems that would arise if she gets it.”

“No wonder you ran to us,” Grassy said as she munched her way through what looked like home-made sausages. Jax reminded himself to ask her if they were human-safe, because they looked good enough to risk. “being how personal that little issue is to our kind.”

“Layers on layers. Pass the word among your people. She mustn’t find it.”

It was more serious than Jax thought Tanglethorn could be, outside of his Name, but this was clearly so important he was willing to risk his cousin’s wrath for it.

“What’s the Morning Glory Heart?” he asked, because he was involved in his whole drama now, and that meant he needed all the information. “An artifact, I assume.”

Grassy and Mucker exchanged long glances and Tanglethorn paused. That alone told Jax that it was bigger than he imagined, which didn’t speak well for how likely he was to survive it.

“The Morning Glory Heart is an artifact, as you imagine,” Tanglethorn said at last between dainty bites of cut melon ad bloody red strawberries. Even dressed in borrowed clothing, and almost entirely without art, he was heartbreakingly lovely. “It is made for the dominion over the minds of others. With it, Lydia could join the Seelie Court at Her Majesty’s side, but the damage she could- would- do on the way… there would be few who could keep their minds against her whims.”

The implications were horrifying. Jax knew Lydia. He had worked for her for years. He knew what she was like. Worse, he knew what she did to those who displeased her. Since he and Tanglethorn were currently on that list, the thought was concerning. She wasn’t his first bad enemy, but he wasn’t eager for her to get her hands on a powerful artifact.

“I assume you have it?” he asked Tanglethorn, who smiled faintly. “Hid it somewhere?”

“Something like that,” Tanglethorn said, intentionally vague. Jax didn’t blame him, and didn’t want him to say more. “You’ve done your duty to me, you know. Our deal is completed. You could leave.”

“We both know that isn’t true,” Jax said, which got matching, rueful chuckles form Gassy and Mucker. “Like it or not, you’re stuck with me, for now at least. So, why don’t you tell me the whole situation, and we’ll make a plan to deal with your murderous cousin.”

+++

At the Sign of the Silver Rose: (FULL COLLECTION)

Cold Iron Buckshot

Troll Market 

Strike a Pose  (Subscriber Only!)

For My Life  (Subscriber Only!)

Reach the Door (Subscriber Only!)

Iron Spike (Subscriber Only!)

West and South

Rowan, Holly, and Iron

Across Iron Bars

Clan Silo

Muddy Sprog (Subscriber Only!)

Concrete Kitchen 

Morning Glory Breakfast (NEW!)

+++

MASTERLIST

[rudi10001]

Tridentia: A History of the Planet of Sharkbirds Part 1: Colonization

0 YPE (Years Post Establishment)

On a soon to be colonize planet named Tridentia, a microorganism by the name of Tempubacter had made portals to this world, when the Trident-tooth Sandslinker was around, and this microorganism has transported, the Lichenic Novarthropleuras, Vortexicochlea minor, Yellowfin Sapperels, Coastal Kudzu Beetles, Sand Barrelbuds, Tanglethorn Spikehedges, Butterfly Apples, and the only vertebrate itself, the Trident-tooth Sandslinkers, and for the next 100 or so million years life would evolve and adapt on Tridentia.

Credit to @tribbetherium, @Sharoviman-Seed-world-Specevo, Sheather888, and The Pikamence for their creatures and plants.

[elxgantcaptain]

I don't know if I'm gonna do more than this any time soon cause theres so much and I'm lazy xD But here are some of my HCs/ideas based on the locations on Neverland!

Most of Neverland is covered in thick jungle and forest land (the blank spaces of the map included) The rest of Neverland consists of hills, mountains and valleys with some open plains and magical areas that seem to come and go off the map as the island wishes it.

Most of the names the places on the map have were named by children and or Peter Pan, which is why a lot of them are silly/fun. The magic on the island always tries to make the areas it has more fun and beautiful to lure children into staying there.

To the NorthWest of the island are a lot of rocks and rivers, consisting of Shipwreck rock, pirates plunge, dead man's cave and Birdbath Bluff. I think Shipwreck rock got its name from the light from the never star reflecting through the Bluff's gyzer blinded Pirates and sailors and had them crash agains the rocks. This area is also used in Return to Neverland, as there are waterfalls and rivers that act like slides and fun rides down into deeper waters, its there where Pan hid Hook's treasure in Dead Man's cave and where Jane found it later. In the jungles below this area, Hook's treasure cave is located.

To the NorthEast of the island is both Hangman's tree (Pan's hideout) and the more 'spooky' parts of the island. Its up to the furtherest northeastern part of the island where locations like Tanglethorn marsh and batwing bog is located, a darker and more treacherous part of Neverland where more nocturnal creatures live, wolves on midnight hill, bats in the bog etc. Hook doesn't like this part of the island with the only exception being that of Skull Rock, his favourite place to drown and torture those who are traitorous against him.

The East of the island is where Mermaid lagoon is located and below that, a series of waterbound caves that run through the edge of the island, where secret grottos and shipwrecks reside. There is also the crystal caves and the valley of roses. Its a very alluring, 'pretty' part of the island with exceptions such as Snake Forest where some of the biggest snakes in Neverland live.

The South of the Island is where Hook spends most his time in Cannibal cove/Pirate cove. There is some speculation as to what this cove is called, in further adaptations after the 1st movie, the cannibal aspect of it was gone. I HC that once, long ago, adults/children who could not survive on the island ended up eating one another to survive and this all changed when Pirates like Hook began to reside in these waters and soon the name was changed to pirate cove. Apart from this feature, the majority of the North of the island is, again, consisting of jungle and trees, there IS the big beach that spreads across Neverland, as well as Crocodile creek that leads up to rainbow falls and into the mountains.

To the SouthWest of the island there are more plains and open fields, it still has plenty of jungle, but it is here where there lives most the bugs in Neverland and where the magic has made them unreasonably large, such as giant beetles and butterflies. This area can be dangerous if not careful, plants such as snap-dragons that literally bite and eat people are also found close to here, as well as the cave of Golden Twilight, where the fireflies reside.

At the West of the Island is the Indian encampment, the people there washed upon the shores of Neverland many, many years ago and today their descendants are now what you would call the human natives of Neverland. They live with the island and have learnt to live with its magics, they mostly stay close to the encampment and jungles to the west of the island. Part of the jungles this side of the island is where the Tiki Forest resides, a cluster of living trees that speak and dance.

The Never Mountains, the very centre of the island is where the most secrets are hidden and where most of the many valleys are. The Neverpeak is the highest mountain in the whole of the island, at the very top its mostly snowy and where the Neverbird lives. There is an icy part of the mountain where theres a frozen valley, there are also places like Nowhere and Somewhere valley, deep dark valley and a few canyons, such as echo canyon and cannonball canyon. Belch mountain is the volcano that lies dormant on Neverland, it seems to smoke a lot of the time and the rumblings from below make it sound like burping, the gas that travels from this mountain make the crystals from pipe organ plain rise and fall. It is also deep within the middle of Neverland where Pixie Hollow is and where no human can reach. There is also the source of all the magic in Neverland, the Forever tree deep within the Neverpeak which is protected by both fairies and Pan alike.

Islands/isles surrounding Neverland are very small and are mostly uninhabitable, fun places to hide treasure of go for games. Places further from the shores are islands like the Coral castle and Skybird Island, there are also many others that are dotted amongst the Neverseas as well as dangerous and gentle sea creatures alike.

[hinterland-clans]

I think I'm going to change some character names, some of them don't fit the characters very well or don't really interest me as much as they did when I first wrote them down, and I don't like using canon names or reusing suffixes for too many cats at one time, so it's renaming time!

Here's a list of characters who are up for name changes! I might not change all of these, but I at least want to get some ideas down to decide whether I really want to or not. These are a f ew of my ideas for each character, and I am also very open to suggestions!

Rainwhisker > Rainmist, Rainpetal, Raintail, Rainbloom

Echorain > Echoleap, Echoheart, Echopool

Thrushfeather > Thrushflight, Thrushsong

Brackenleaf > Brackenstem, Brackenpatch, Brackendust

Blazeflower > Blazedawn, Blazepetal

Tangleflower > Tanglevine, Tanglethorn? I want to change either Blaze or Tangle's suffix but I'm really attached to both of them >w<

Tumblefeather > Tumbleflight, Tumblepath

Swiftsky > Swiftclaw, Swiftleap

Darkwillow > Darkstrike, Darkthorn, Darkstreak

Chervilstep > Cragleap, Stonewhisker, Chervilwhisker, idk I just don't really think the chervil prefix fits him for some reason

Minksnout > ??? No ideas I just know I want to change it

[light-blooms]

The trailer for Book II: The Found of Warriors: Rise of the Moon, a TTRPG actual play! Book II is out now, and they are soon actually about to begin Book III: The Darkness! Catch up here!

View the trailer on YouTube! Originally published on 11/28/2024.

[empressofthelibrary]

Vladimir & Vespera, pt 2

Pt 1 - (x)

Tagging @kittynannygaming because they specifically asked!

--

Wild, joyful screaming filled the courtyard of Blackbane Keep, accompanied by the clack and clatter of wood on wood.  At the edge of the practice ring, Vivienne watched her stepdaughter and her liege’s heiress with a careful, practiced eye.

“Alright, girls, that’s enough.  Break it up, it’s time for lunch.”  She stepped forward into the ring, clapping her hands.  Mistaking it for a call, the hellhound pup beside her dropped the bone she’d been gnawing on and sprang to her feet, forked tail wagging wildly.

Rosemary reached down to help Vespera up off the ground.  Both of them were bruised, battered, and grinning like only slightly-feral ten-year-old girls can.

“I won the last bout,” Rosemary said proudly.  “I’m getting better!”

“I still won the first two times,” Vespera shot back.  “So I won overall.”

“The second bout was a draw,” Rosemary argued.  “And I’m still not sure you didn’t use magic the first time.”

“Not on purpose!  Besides, Aunt Vivie didn’t say it was against the rules!”  She turned to her hound, scratching behind the beast’s pointed ears.  “Did you hear her say anything about magic, Princess?  Huh?”

“That’s an admission,” Rosemary shouted triumphantly, grinning.  “You heard it, Ma, didn’t you?  Magic!  That’s cheating!”

Vespera pointed her practice blade at her friend’s chest, throwing her shoulders back dramatically.  “Oho, so you formally accuse me?  Another round in the ring, then!  I’ll prove my victory!”

“Rarrk,” Princess agreed, bowing and bounding around the ring.

Vivienne sighed and clapped both girls on the back.  “Come on, to the kitchens.  You can settle this argument tomorrow morning.  If I don’t get you fed before your afternoon lessons, I’ll get in trouble with His Eminence and Violet.  And I’m not sure which I’d rather face.”

“I’m gonna go see if Papa wants to have lunch with us,” Vespera said, still grinning.  “I’ll meet you in the kitchens, I won’t be more than a minute.”  Without waiting for an answer, Vespera turned and hurried off in the direction of the throne room, Princess at her heels.  She paid no heed to Vivienne’s protesting call.

She wasn’t more than a few steps away from the heavy darkwood door, just barely ajar, when she registered the raised voices.

“You want me to teach the girl magic?!  Your Eminence, with all due respect, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Ezra, she needs a teacher.”  Her father’s voice was only barely audible, but it was the closest Vespera had ever heard to him yelling.  “You’ve seen what she can do.  For the Sisters’ sakes, she nearly set the library table on fire last week.”

Vespera cringed at the memory.  That stupid fly had just kept buzzing around her head while she was working through a particularly dense history book.  It had gotten so irritating, she’d completely lost her temper.  After things had settled, the book was at least much lighter.

“I won’t do it,” Ezra continued.  “Bad enough Vivienne is training her to swordfight.  I will not join you in this farce!  This place, what we’ve built here over generations -- it’s too important to gamble like this.”

“Ezra.”  Vladimir’s voice was iron -- cold and unyielding.  “Vespera is too important to gamble with.  She needs to learn about her magic, and as my Court Wizard --”

“As your Court Wizard,” Ezra hissed, “I refuse to give the girl more ways to kill you!”

Vespera took a step back, shocked.  Killing Papa?  What... What were they talking about?

“We don’t know that that’s what the prophecy meant,” Vladimir growled.  “All it said was that she would end my reign.  There’s nothing about how.”

Vespera stumbled back another step, shaking her head.  Papa wasn’t denying it.  Prophecy?  About her?  Her chest felt tight.  Her eyes burned.  She couldn’t-- She needed--  This wasn’t--

Turning on her heel, Vespera fled down the hall and out one of the side-doors, running for the forest behind the castle.

Tanglethorn Wood was a misty forest of pine and evergreen; the only deciduous trees there seemed long-dormant, for they never grew a single leaf.  It was the kind of forest you hear about in childrens’ tales: Dark, deep, and easy to get lost in.  Vespera ran, uncaring as thorns and low branches caught at her tunic and trousers.  She ran and ran, not paying attention to the turns and twists she chose on a whim, until at last her legs ached and her lungs burned.

Falling down onto a convenient stone, she pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her arms.  There was a prophecy that said she would kill her own father?  It was too much to believe, but Papa had all but confirmed it.  She could feel the tears burning behind her eyelids.  If this was her fate, running from it would only make it certain -- she’d read enough histories about prophecised heroes and fools to know that much.  So she couldn’t run away, but she couldn’t go home either.  What other option was there?

A twig cracked behind her.  Vespera whirled, hand reaching to her hip for her beltknife -- the beltknife that sat on her nightstand at home.

The young man standing before her wasn’t much of a threat, Vespera decided -- his armor was still fairly new, catching what little light the Tanglethorn allowed and reflecting it back in gold.  He couldn’t be more than sixteen, with long, lanky limbs and a mop of bright ginger curls that fell into gray-blue eyes.  A well-placed bite or elbow could buy her enough time to run away if she needed to.

“Um,” the youth started.  “Hello.  I wasn’t expecting to find anyone else in these woods.”

“Well,” Vespera sniffled, rubbing her sleeve over her face, “I wasn’t expecting to be found.”

The youth grinned.  “Fair enough.  My name’s Lee.  I’m looking for -- Wait, no, I’m doing this all wrong.  Let me start over.”

Vespera tilted her head, confused, as Lee dropped to one knee in front of her, his head bowed.

“My name is Sir Leander Valoris, of Gildomere.  I seek Blackbane Keep and its Lord, Vladimir Blightbringer -- Fair maiden, I beg you, do you know the way?”

Vespera blinked, confused, and nodded slowly.  It wasn’t the first time someone had come looking for the Keep after all.  A few years back, two young women had sought shelter, and were now happily working as part of the staff, wearing their wedding rings openly.  Just a month ago, a young man had come to swear fealty, and three days later the tailor had a lovely young apprentice named Elspeth.  Papa had told her that sometimes, people came looking for Blackbane Keep when they needed to be themselves.  Maybe Lee needed the same kind of help.

Lee’s casual naming of Gildomere made Vespera wary, but she pushed the though out of her head.  She had no reason to believe he was here to fight her father, after all.  Maybe he didn’t even know about that Baron Whatshisname who had come and gone two months ago.

“I can show you the way,” Vespera said, standing up.  “My name’s Vespera.  I’m sure my Papa will be able to help you.”

I’ll guide him there, Vespera thought to herself.  Then I’ll pack up and leave.  I can hide in the woods until I figure out what to do.  Her back to the young knight, she bit her lip to keep from crying again.  Papa will understand.  He has to.

The Tanglethorn Wood was easy to get lost in, yes -- but it bowed to its young mistress the same as it would have to its master.  Now that Vespera didn’t want to hide, it was a much shorter path to exit than it was to enter.

Princess waited at the edge of the woods for her mistress, lying miserably at the edge of the path.  Seeing Vespera approach, the hellhound leapt to her feet and barked happily, excited sparks flying from her mouth.

Vespera took a step towards the dog, only for Lee to leap in the way, sword drawn.

“Don’t worry, my lady -- I’ll protect you!”

Confused, Princess hunkered down and made a noise that wasn’t quite a growl and wasn’t quite a whine.  Hearing it was enough to break Vespera’s heart and push her from confused irritation to full anger.

Vespera grabbed Lee’s arm and yanked sharply, turning him away from her pet.  “Protect me from what, my own hound?  What is wrong with you -- Princess is just a baby!  She’s happy to see me!”

“Your hound?!”  Leander stared at Vespera in confusion.  “My lady, that thing is a hellhound -- They’re dangerous beasts!  They spew acid and fire from their mouths!  They eat children!  They have no sense of love or loyalty!”

Vespera had already run past Lee to wrap her arms around Princess’ neck, and made her best effort not to flinch as the pup’s sulfurous tongue licked at her face in apology.  “Princess is a sweet puppy, and you would know that if you’d taken thirty seconds to get to know her instead of deciding to kill her straight away,” Vespera spat.  Seeing Lee lower his blade, she sat back on her heels and pulled the hound into her lap.

“Poor baby, did the stranger scare you?  Don’t worry, you’re okay.  You’re a good girl, yes you are,” Vespera cooed, patting the beast’s scaled flanks and running rough fingers through the thick fur that ran down her spine.  “Your mane is all full of burrs -- Did you try to follow me into the woods?  Of course you did, poor thing!  And when you couldn’t find me, you sat right here and waited!  Oh, you sweet, sweet girl!  Who’s a good puppy?  Is it you?  Is it you?”

Princess barked excitedly, tail thumping the ground and clawed forepaws scrambling for purchase as she wriggled in her mistress’ arms.

Leander stared at the tableau in front of him in complete bafflement.  Here was this young maiden who had been lost and crying alone in the woods not ten minutes ago -- the epitome of a damsel in distress  -- now clutching a monstrous beast like it was a unicorn fawn.  This was not at all what he’d been trained to expect.

But maybe living so close to Blackbane Keep had an effect on the locals.

Sighing in defeat, he sheathed his blade.  “My lady, I still don’t trust this beast -- But I’ll not bring harm to her, if it would distress you so.  However, if she threatens you or I, make no mistake, I will retaliate.”

Vespera glared at Lee, scooping the dog up in her arms.  “You have a lot to learn about the Keep if Papa’s gonna help you,”  She spun on her heel and marched three steps, before turning back over her shoulder.  “But I guess everyone starts somewhere.  Follow me.”

[spiralofants01]

I love school work doodles!!!!

[sentimental-bottlesnake]

@deadpool-scar-bro​ @hikayelastoria​ @cornsnoot-fr​ @redlion-fr @mushroomdraggo​ @murdoch-fr​ @tales-around-sornieth​ @frxemriss​ @rainhearts-hatchery​ @rexcaliburr-fr​ @starry-ampelope​ @plainstriderbard​ @reanimatedfr​ @ally-fr​ @golden-lionsnake​ @rookfern​ @griminal-rising​ (let me know if you’d like to be added to the lore pinglist)

The High Clerics

For each god there is an order of clerics and to their order is a leader: Azrael, Tyberion, Relic, Shai, Spayar, Cardamom, Layali, Clayton

Alshain's head cleric

great patron of the arts

doesn't do much art himself but insists all his clerics must be in some way artistic

all money brought into the temple goes directly into commissioning artists for music, paintings, sculpture, or other various artistic endeavors after the necessities have been paid for

His temple is the most decorated and adorned in all of Eagle and looks like he spends frivolously but he only does what his goddess desires, which is to see more art made into the world

he and all his priests wear extravagant clothing bc of their patronage to those who make clothes and allow them to run wild with what they wish to create

finds those who stifle creativity to be the greatest sin someone can have

Every year he gives all the clothes and art away to families across Eagle. Anyone in Eagle can apply to the lottery to win an art piece or clothing from the Alshain temple and the temple must rebuild itself into splendor

Head cleric for Tso Ke

spends most of his time outside of the temple out in the ruins of Tso Ke digging up bodies and laying them to rest

has a skin condition that made metal graft itself to his skin but saw it as a blessing from Tso Ke and doesn't allow himself to be 'treated'

Often will take parts of the metal off his body to lay as bloody offering for Tso Ke

Found himself, sort of accidentally, in a relationship with the Greenhouse Mistress' daughter but he wouldn't change it for the world. Is deeply in love with her and wants their son to carry on in his footsteps.

Has a horrible temper if you talk smack about his fiance, defile his sacred graveyard, or disrespect Tso Ke in any way. He's got a shovel and ready to dig it into your throat if you mess with him.

Deneb's head cleric

Acts as a ranger in his capital of Tanglethorn as well as high holy man

very gay

wishes Deneb picked him to be priest but isn't resentful of Vex; mostly bc he NEVER SEES HER

Is one of the few who even knows where Vex is, and always knows where she is somehow, despite her hermit ways

Level headed and cool under pressure

really WAY too cool for you tbh. Like just the epitome of chill

might smoke w33d

Head cleric of Aquilae

Extremely devoted to her goddess

Without a proper temple, Shai and her clerics wander from town to town in Aquilae

Welcomes all and always trying to get her clerics into the order

Most of the clerics call her 'Mother' bc she's so motherly and kind to them

Is originally from Tso Ke and left bc she was deeply hurt by an old lover and ended up killing him. Ran south to the desert to escape a price on her head and changed her life completely into the one she has now.

No one knows about her past

Head cleric of Tarazed

Very secretive and mysterious

often braves the land of the Cloud Banks to explore its putrid depths

is a REAL bamf and is well known around the south for killing creatures from beyond the Cloud Bank for discovering what makes they exist and why they exist

Literally the only person other than a priest who would dare enter the Cloud Banks and the clerics and his husband are always SO STRESSED about him returning home safe

Has a daughter with one of his fellow clerics out of duty more than anything tho he does love his daughter and his baby momma who is always patching him up after a venture into the Cloud Banks

Head cleric of Thalimain and completely zealous about her devotion to the god

tries really hard to be happy for her sister being chosen by the god but does have some deep, secret, resentments for her

Feels like she should have been the one chosen for priesthood

was always compared to her naturally talented sister so became a cleric to just get out of her shadow and rose up to become Thalimain's head cleric bc of her understanding of what Thalimain really wanted

shortly after she became head cleric Sage appeared saying she was Thalimain's priest

Keeps away from her sister most of the time

despite Sage's status recognizes that Thalimain still needs her by the fact that he will come to her, and not his priest, when he needs something done

As part of her duty she monitors all movement of non star celestial bodies viewable only by magical telescopes Thalimain gave over to her for the exact purpose

[officialleehadan]

Across Iron Bars

The Silver Rose

+++

In a way, it would have been easier if Tanglethorn could scream as he took his first pained step across the anti-faerie borders of Mucker’s land.

The gasps, edged with a barely-there whine were worse. As if he was in so much pain he couldn’t even get the air to scream. As if his mind was slipping away under the assault his body was under. Tears ran down his cheeks, unheeded as he walked forward, helpless under the demand of his True Name in Jax’s grasp.

“Don’t make me do this more than once,” he had said, and since that was the only mercy Jax could give him, he would do his best to give it.

“Tserafel, come to me,” he said again, over and over as he stepped back just as Tanglethorn reached him, but before he could escape the hold of his Name. “Tserafel, come to me.”

Step by agonizing step, Jax ignored the shallow, panting gasps of the faerie before him and dragged him across the wards. By the fourth step, Tanglethorn was staggering, drunk with pain. By the seventh, Jax had to fight with himself not to try and help. He couldn’t. If he let Tanglethorn actually reach him, the spell of his Name would break, and they would have to try the whole, horrific process again.

They barely made it over the final step, across the thick bars of iron that crossed over the first fourteen paces of Mucker’s road, before Tanglethorn collapsed.  Jax barely caught him in time and dragged him the final step, hoping and praying that it was far enough that if Tanglethorn did try to bolt on him, he would do it from inside the wards.

He needn’t have worried. As soon as they crossed the final bars of iron, Tanglethorn collapsed to the ground and curled in on himself, sobbing helplessly into the dirt.

Jax might not like him very much, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave Tanglethorn. Not now. Not after the horror of what had just happened to him.

“I got you,” he said and pulled Tanglethorn into a hug so the faerie could cry into his shoulder, rather than the dusty soil. Tanglethorn struggled a little, weakly, until he figured out what Jax was doing and went boneless again. For once, he was utterly artless, struggling against the pain that still wracked him. “Take as long as you need. We’re done. You’re done.”

Jax wasn’t sure how long they sat there on the dusty road, but it was long enough for Mucker to drive Jax’s car inside the property lines, and then to lumber back for his tractor. The plow that dragged behind it cut deep furrows through the rows already cut and left deep crosses in its wake.

“Meet me at the house,” he said when he paused beside them, visibly uncomfortable with the way Tanglethorn seemed a shadow of himself, halfway bundled inside Jax’s heavy leather coat, still sobbing. “I’ll come back and finish the cross-plow. Either way, nothing’s coming inside after you. Not through that.”

“Thanks,” Jax said, and carefully wiped the dust-red dirt from Tanglethorn’s skin before the iron shavings could begin to burn him. He never wanted such a clear, painful demonstration of Mucker’s defenses, but he couldn’t deny their effectiveness. Not after seeing what it did to his faerie, who knew how bad it would be and chose to face it anyway. Lydia would never trust anyone enough to permit the same. “Might be a while.”

“That’s fine. Look after him. He means more to more people than you can imagine.”

With that cryptic statement, Mucker left his tractor ready to finish crossplowing the road, and headed off towards the farmhouse Jax could just barely see through stands of fruit trees, and sprawling gardens surrounded by thick-planted fields.

By the time Tanglethorn’s tears began to fade, the sun was starting to set. The whole road glittered with iron shavings, old and new. The air was starting to cool, and Jax’s legs were going to sleep from sitting in the same position for so long.

“Come on,” he said quietly. Tanglethorn made a small inquisitive noise but didn’t move. “We gotta get to the house. Think you can walk?”

“Probably not,” Tanglethorn said through a hoarse, painful-sounding throat. “You did well. With my Name.”

“Wish it hadn’t come to that,” Jax said honestly. H might not like Tanglethorn very much, but nobody deserved that. He wasn’t sure how exactly Tanglethorn planned to manage getting across it again when they had to leave. “Get your arms around my neck. I’m gonna carry you.”

Tanglethorn made another noise, this one of vague agreement, and did his best, which still wan’t very good. Jax hot his arms under his faerie charge and stood, grateful again that he was a tall black man, and that Tanglethorn was barely an armful even limp with exhaustion.

“Try to stay awake long enough to get to the house, and get clean,” he said once Tanglethorn was settled into the car, already starting to doze. “Those robes of yours are good for dancing, but you won’t have a good night if you try to sleep covered in iron dust.”

“Been through worse and walked away,” Tanglethorn muttered, but he did do his best to rouse himself. “Don’t worry about Mucker’s clan. They might seem intimidating, but they’re the best people I’ve ever known. Certainly better friends than I deserve.”

“We’ll let them be the judge of that,” Jax said and got them moving down the bumpy dirt road towards safety. “Just hang on a little longer. We’re almost to home base.”

+++

At the Sign of the Silver Rose:

Cold Iron Buckshot

Troll Market 

Strike a Pose  (Subscriber Only!)

For My Life  (Subscriber Only!)

Reach the Door (Subscriber Only!)

Iron Spike (Subscriber Only!)

West and South

Rowan, Holly, and Iron

Across Iron Bars (New!)

+++

MASTERLIST

[officialleehadan]

@if-we-re-talking-stories

+++

Jax stuffed cartridges into his shot gun and gave Lydia the side-eye.

“So let me get this straight,” he complained while he worked. “You hired a world-class hitman to do what- chase a fairy?”

“Fae.”

“Whatever.”

Lydia leaned forward and pushed her black hair over her shoulder. Her necklace was something gold and heavy with gems. Her clothing was too expensive for her smile, and her nails were too silver to be polish.

She never wore anything but grey, and her voice always sounded like a scream.

Jax tired not to notice that sort of thing. That was where trouble waited. His job was to kill people, and bring Lydia proof.

“So this fairy?”

“Fae.”

“Right, Fae. You want him dead I assume?”

“For the moment I want him found,” Lydia said, and took a sip that painted her lips red. “What happens after that depends on what he says after that.”

This sounded like the worst parts of a snipe hunt and an ambush. Jax could smell a trap a mile off and this one stank of trouble.

He hated jobs like this.

“And if he takes exception to being found?” Jax finished with the gun and went to his Stacy of weapons. Despite his needling, he knew what it took to bring in a Fae. They were hard to catch and harder to kill. “This is gonna cost you.”

“Favors, money, secrets, or a kiss?”

The last brought him up short and he looked at Lydia cautiously. She had never offered a kiss before.

With the way her red lips curled, that was a trap too.

“Half in money half in secrets, the same as always.”

Jax took the safe road. Lydia was dangerous in her own right and he walked a thin line working for her.

“The money is already in your account,” she laughed. “Think on the secrets you want and I will find out answers. Do you accept the contract?”

“Yes, I accept.”

She was funny about contracts too. That was alright. She wasn’t the weirdest he worked for.

Silver-edged knife. Powdered iron. Darts with barbed tips that were made to break off in the wound. Iron cable with a quick-lock, because there was no way Lydia wanted someone found and didn’t want them captured too.

“He goes by Tanglethorn in most circles,” she told him as he armed up and selected a gun loaded with iron-tipped bullets. “His true name is Tserafel. Find him. Whether he comes to me or dies will depend upon his next decisions.”

A true name was serious business for a Fae. That Lydia knew this one meant it was worse than business- it was political.

Why could it never be easy? Fae political issues- which this probably was, with his luck- were nasty. Changes in power were fueled by deaths. How many depended on how big the change was.

He gave her a wary glance. She stared back with eyes that were never the same color twice.

“Alright Lyds,”he agreed again and strapped his guns to his hips. “Where do I start?”

A glyph shimmered into existence on his wrist, blue against his dark skin.

Lydia smiled like a crack in reality.

“Start at the Troll Market. Look for the Silver Rose.”

+++

Faeries

Cold Iron Buckshot

Faerie Ring

Glitter Poo

Skitter

Wine-Dark

Seal Coat

+++

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“Oh, he’s a fey, not a fairy.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Fairies will help you.  Fey will kill you.”

“That would have been nice to know before you sent me to catch him…”

[light-blooms]

when you’re only two moons old and some big dude from thunderclan asks you about The Lore

[light-blooms]

one thing is inevitable about any TTRPG, even if it's Warrior Cats: someone will make a weed joke