#the Helios electric

[virgils-muse]

So y’all know my Primordial Forces CCCC AU? The Selene’s/Heart’s perspective will be written as a regular story from his perspective. You know this already. Buuuuuut, Helios’s/Mind’s perspective will be written in play format, and Eos’s/Soul’s perspective will be written as an epic poem!!!

Helios’s perspective is kicking my ass bc I’m like 4 pages in and have less than a thousand words. It’s so discouraging but WE PUSH THROUGH 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[partygilf]

Did you replace the desk in your office? You might want to do that tbh...

you guys are too funny 💀 i asked my dad after he… definitely didn’t confirm the allegations… he said he would have hypothetically replaced it before i got there if hypothetically the allegations had any basis in truth

[poppitron360]

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

But this fanfic was written in one! This is a continuation of this post that I made (suggest you read it first for context). Basically Jason and Leo had a baby through divine intervention and Piper is the surrogate. I literally started adding to it this time yesterday and now it’s over 3,000 words long. Whoops!

Credits to @xixovart for helping me with the Spanish, I also used google translate for some, so please forgive any mistakes that I made (there are probably loads).

Tagging also: @fictionalmenaremytype @lavenderfairiez @sleepyycapybara @puzzled-pegasus @im-always-lost-in-a-book @keefessketchbook @imnoturfriend-im-a-swiftie13 @hollow8007 @euryvices @ottpopfic @child-of-helios @ginnyluna

Summary: Lost Trio Baby is born, and it doesn’t go well.

Disclaimer: I get everything I know about childbirth from watching episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. I have no idea if this is accurate or not.

CW: The Miracle Of Birth™, Potential Major Character Death (Or maybe not! No spoilers!!)

Word Count: Approx. 3,870

The Birth

(…Part 1?)

"FASTERRRR!!!!!!" Piper screamed, straining against the seatbelt in the back of the car.

"I'm already pushing the speed limit!" Leo screamed back, his voice just as panicked as Piper's.

"Stay calm, everyone!!" Jason shouted.

"AAAAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Piper roared. Jason and Leo joined in the yelling as they barrelled down the highway.

Then Piper caught fire.

"Piper!" Leo yelped. He began to turn to check on her.

"WATCH THE ROAD!" Jason yelled, pushing Leo towards the steering wheel.

"But-"

"I'll check on her," Jason assured him. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned into the back. Piper's whole body was aflame- luckily Leo had fireproofed the leather seats of the car- she was writhing in agony, but she seemed unharmed by the fire.

"Piper, just breathe, okay? We're gonna get through this."

"Is she okay?" Leo yelled.

"She's fine!" Jason called back.

"No I'm not!" Piper screamed, "I've got an angry demigod baby trying to destroy my uterus!"

Jason slipped on a dragon-hide glove and reached out, gripping Piper's flaming hand. He felt a jolt of electricity shoot from Piper's grasp. “PUTAIN ÇA FAIT MAL!!” Piper shouted in French.

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" Leo shouted. The tires screached down the road. Jason let go of Piper's hand and sat back down, throwing his seatbelt on before the car skidded to a halt on the country path. Leo threw open the driver-side door and walked over to Piper. Jason did the same, and together they unbuckled her from the back and heaved her out. She wrapped her still-flaming arm around Leo's body- which was also starting to smoke. The three of them stumbled up half-blood hill, where Will Solace waited for them, alongside Kayla, Austin, Nico, and Chiron. They rushed them into the infirmary.

Jason watched through the window of the delivery room. The fire was getting dangerous now, so only Piper, Leo, and Will were allowed to be present. Will was wearing a full-body dragon hide suit and a welder’s mask to protect him from the flames. Leo was half of the problem. Every time Piper yelped and he became more agitated, fire crackled and spit around him. The flames were up to the ceiling now. Jason couldn't see what was happening exactly through the inferno. He paced outside the door.

“I should be in there,” He muttered, “I should be with them.”

Nico put a hand on his shoulder, “It’s okay, Jason. Will’s got this, he’s delivered babies before.”

“No but-“ He gestured towards the blaze in the delivery room. He continued pacing, running his hands through his hair, “What if Piper doesn’t make it? What if the baby gets hurt? What if-“

“Look, just stay calm, Jason,” Kayla soothed.

“I’m not helping anyone worrying out here! I should be in there-“

“Jason…” Chiron chided.

“It’s not safe,” Nico urged, “Piper has some sort of magic protecting her and the baby. Leo’s… Leo. Will has these fireproof potions from Hecate cabin, but still, he shouldn’t be in there, he has to-“

Suddenly, Leo rushed out the door, still aflame, breathless and panicky. The fire outside the window was swirling wildly, and Jason could sense strong winds circling around Piper.

"A storm..." He gasped, "Piper..."

"Is she okay?" Jason asked.

“I… I hope so.”

"Is Will okay?" Nico asked.

Leo looked back at the door.

"It's getting too dangerous in there," Chiron said. He threw open the door and entered the burning room.

Leo put his back against the wall and sank to the floor. Jason sat down next to him.

"It's not looking good, Jason."

"What? Is she-"

“Sh-She might not make it,” Leo said, shakily, “There’s a chance… but that magic around her isn’t strong enough. It’s meant to protect the baby, not her.”

Jason rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes in despair. He heard the inferno whirling inside the room behind them.

Nico walked over and punched him in the arm, "If Will gets hurt in there, Valdez, I'm gonna..." He trailed off when he saw Leo crying.

"It's my fault..." Leo whimpered, "It's because of me..."

"No, cariño, no..." Jason soothed.

"It's my power, Jason. It's my power that's killing her."

“That’s not true, Leo. It’s mine as much as yours, for one thing. Also, it’s not your fault. You didn’t choose-“

"This is what I did to my mom," Leo continued, "She must’ve went through all this giving birth to me. And she was mortal. And she was on her own- she couldn’t tell anyone… oh, gods, what did I put her through? What am I putting Piper through? And what about this baby? Am I cursing them to have the same miserable life as I did?”

“Leo…”

“I don’t what this kid to turn out like me, Jason. If they’re anything like me we’ll be going to their funeral sixteen years from now. But with this fire… I don’t want Piper to suffer the same fate my mom did. If something’s wrong with the birth-“

“She’ll be fine,” Kayla cut in. She walked over and sat by Leo, “Chiron will help. Will knows what he’s doing. We’ve got ambrosia and nectar on stand-by. And Piper’s strong. She’ll get through this.”

Jason wrapped his arms around him, "Happiest day of our lives, remember? Focus on the positives. Let’s review baby names.”

“No dead people,” Leo recited, “At least no-one who died young. Names have power.”

“That’s right,” Jason agreed, “If it's a girl..."

"Isabella. Or Daniella.”

"And if it's a boy?"

"Either Antonio, Benjamin, or Leo Jr-"

"I said no to that one."

"I think we should keep our options open."

Jason laughed, and Leo’s mood brightened a little. Jason could tell he was still terrified- they all were- but their hope kept them going.

“How about Jason Jr?” Jason suggested.

“I don’t know… I just think “Leonidas Valdez the Second” sounds badass,” Leo said.

“That’s if it’s a boy, though.”

“Leonidas could be a girl’s name,” Kayla pointed out.

“Gender is relative,” Austin added, joining Kayla on the floor next to them.

“And what will the baby call us?” Jason asked.

“You’re Dada, I’m Papa,” Leo recalled.

The fire in the room behind them increased in rage. Nico sat to the side of Jason, and closed his eyes in silent prayer. The four of them sat in silence, listening to the burning room behind them.

Then, suddenly, the door to the infirmary swung open, and Percy, Annabeth, Frank and Hazel rushed in.

“Is the baby born yet? Did we miss it?” Hazel asked, excitedly.

Leo looked down and stifled a sob.

Percy saw the blaze outside the window and rushed to take a closer look.

“What’s going on?” Annabeth asked, “Is Piper-“

“She’s got magic protecting her and the baby,” Austin explained, “But the exhaustion might be too much for her to take. And Will’s still in there- he’s got protection, but he’s-“

Without a word, Leo stood up, walked over to the other end of the room, and burst into flames.

“Chiron’s helping, though,” Jason continued, “And he’s immortal.”

“I’m going in,” Percy said, “I’m a little fireproof.”

“And I’m a big fireproof, and I couldn’t even go in there, with the storm,” Leo retorted, “That’s not a little fire. Percy-“

“Do you think a huge water-pipe bursting above their heads would hurt the baby?”

“Let’s not risk it,” Jason warned.

Hazel had walked over to Leo and was trying to soothe him. Frank was standing uncomfortably in the middle of the room, looking back and forth between the fire that was Piper, and the fire that was Leo.

“Wait- what’s happening?” Frank asked.

“Leo and Jason’s powers,” Kayla explained, “The baby has both of them. It’s currently trying to burn its way into the world at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, complete with atmospheric thunderclouds. It’s a spectacle fit for the likes of my father.”

“So does that mean-“

Suddenly, the fire inside the room died. The windows were blackened with soot, so they couldn’t see through. Everything was quiet. They were all still. Leo stood up and rushed into the room before Jason could stop him. Jason followed.

Will, covered head to toe in fireproof gear, stood, looking very shaken. He was holding something sticky with blood and covered in soot. It was wailing at the top of its lungs. A shrill, high-pitched sound. Piper was unconscious on the bed, but breathing.

“Let her get some rest,” Will said, nodding towards Piper, “She’s exhausted.”

“Is she gonna be okay?” Leo asked.

“I th-think she’ll be fine.”

Chiron carefully took the child from Will’s arms. “You need rest too, young man,” He ordered, “I will get the baby cleaned up.”

Will nodded, sleepily. He walked over to the door, but before he left, he turned to Jason and Leo. “It’s a girl, by the way,” he told them.

Jason walked over to Leo, and gave him a massive hug.

“Holy Hephaestus, I just had a baby,” Leo muttered.

“We just had a baby,” Jason agreed.

“We are parents to an actual human child…”

A few moments later, Chiron trotted back to them, and handed them a freshly de-sootified newborn baby.

“I give you three some time to get aquatinted,” he whispered, then he left.

Leo sank into a chair, the child cradled in his arms. The world was so quiet.

“A girl,” Leo whispered, “Mi bebita.”

Jason pulled up another chair next to the bed where Piper was asleep.

"Hi!" Leo cooed, "Hello! Aw, you caused quite a blaze there, didn't you? You take after Tu Papá."

The man who had been so tense merely seconds before softened so much when he held the child.

“Hola, mi estrella,” Jason said to her.

Leo looked up at him and smiled. The most joyous smile Jason had ever seen. “Mi vida, mi alma, mi hermoso fuego,” He whispered.

He rocked her in silence for a few seconds.

“She looks like my mom,” Leo said, “Don’t you think?”

“I-I never met her,” Jason reminded him.

“She looks like Mom.” Leo decided, “Her Abuela. But she’s got your eyes.”

Jason looked at the child. She did have piercing, ice-blue eyes, just like his own.

Leo passed the baby over to him. She was warm to the touch, cooling down from the oven. He stared at the tiny thing. Her beautiful face, her slightly pointed nose, her winning smile, her dark skin, all like Leo’s. But those eyes were Jason’s. He held her in his arms, his daughter. She was his, and she was Leo’s. She was made from their love and their partnership. He looked at Piper, his best friend, snoring quietly in her bed. He looked at Leo. The three of them had made this, together. They would always be together.

The four of them stayed there, in that ash-covered room, peacefully. And for once in their lives, everything was as it should be.

[…]

They stepped out, Piper with the baby, Jason and Leo either side of her, onto the porch of the big house, where a sea of campers and friends were waiting.

“Guys,” Leo announced, “Meet Isabella!”

The campers around them gasped.

Suddenly, Chiron’s knees buckled into a bow. The others began to kneel too.

“All hail Isabella Valdez,” He boomed, “Legacy of Jupiter, king of the Cosmos, Lord of the Sky, Bringer of Lightning, Ruler of the Gods. Legacy of Hephaestus, Bringer of Fire, God of Creation, Master of the Forge, King of Volcanoes. Hail Isabella Valdez, daughter of Jason and Leo Valdez.”

As they watched, two floating symbols appeared over the newborn’s head. A still image of glowing gold eagle mid-flight- and a glowing red, fiery hammer. Jason smiled, recalling the same hammer floating over Leo’s head all those years ago, and then just about remembering the eagle above his own head, when he was barely a toddler. The symbols hovered next to each other for a few seconds, then vanished.

Percy, Annabeth, Frank, and Hazel approached.

“So you’re okay?” Annabeth asked.

“Yeah…” Piper said, “They wheeled me into recovery, gave me ambrosia and nectar. Still a little sore from being on fire and summoning storms. Leo, how do you do it?”

Leo grinned, “I’m a special boy.”

Suddenly Jason was attacked by a hug. He turned.

“Thalia!” He cried, and hugged her again. Then, she pushed him off, and turned to the child in Leo’s arms.

“Is that my niece?” She demanded.

“Yup,” Leo said, holding Isabella up. Thalia came in close, and the baby reached up and grabbed her pinky finger with her whole fist. Jason watched his sister melt with pure joy.

“She’s got her auntie’s strength, I see,” Thalia said. Jason could tell she was fighting back happy tears.

Chiron trotted over. He nodded to Jason, Leo with the baby, and Piper.

“I’d like to speak to the three of you. Privately.”

The others nodded and left.

Chiron led them into the Big House, and gestured for them to sit down on the couch facing the fireplace. Piper took the armchair and began to breastfeed the baby. Leo and Jason respectfully turned away from her. The Centaur’s back legs compacted into his wheelchair, and he wheeled it towards the furniture, so they were sitting in a semicircle around the hearth.

“Wh-what is it, Chiron?” Jason asked.

The Centaur’s expression turned dark.

“This child…” Chiron said to the three of them, “She has power never before seen in this century… storm and fire…”

“What are you saying?” Piper asked, looking up from her task, “Is she-“

“We can’t know anything yet,” Chiron said, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to worry you, but-“

“Is she…” Leo began. The fire began to crackle more. Jason squeezed his husband’s hand, “Is she dangerous?”

“We… we can’t be certain of anything right now,” Chiron said, “But, considering how rare it is to inherit the godly powers of both parents- particularly of powerful demigods such as yourselves- this clouds the future somewhat.”

“What do you mean?” Jason asked.

“Well, usually the most powerful demigods only appear when something big is about to happen,” He looked directly at Leo when he said this, which caused the fire to spit violently, a spark narrowly missing the carpet and fizzling out on the stone hearth, “And I haven’t seen a legacy this powerful since… well, not for a long time.”

“Something big, you say? Something… bad?” Piper asked, tentatively.

“Well, knowing our luck, then… it’s quite probable,” Chiron said, “Her power might be linked to the fact that she was birthed by a third very powerful demigod. It could just be that, or-“

“But even then, I barely survived that delivery,” Piper said, “Chiron’s right, I don’t think this is just a random occurrence, I think-“

One of the logs in the fireplace burst from the heat, splintering the wood.

“Look, however my daughter turns out, I’m gonna love her,” Jason said.

Chiron put a hand on his shoulder, “I’m not saying that at all, Jason. I just think the future-“

“Yeah? Well, the future’s not now, is it?” Jason didn’t mean to snap, but he could see Leo was getting agitated. If the conversation continued much longer, the fireplace would explode, “Right now, I’m gonna focus on looking after my baby. We can worry about the future- about paying for college, about demigod life- we can worry about it all another time. I’ve spent my whole life worrying about saving the world. Can I please, for once, live normally? Can I put my baby down for a nap and watch vine compilations with my husband and my best friend- who both seem to know all the words to them for some reason? Can you hound me with the future tomorrow? Please?”

Chiron’s eyes twinkled with understanding. He nodded, “Of course, of course, I shouldn’t have put this on you right now. You can go.”

But of course, the future couldn’t wait forever.

The next day, Nico, Will, Percy, Annabeth, Frank, Hazel, Thalia, and Reyna, who had arrived that morning, plus Nyssa and Harley from Hephaestus cabin all crowded around Jason, Leo, and Piper with the baby. Several more onlookers began to approach the gaggle, including Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

“Aww, is that Isabella?” She asked, joining the circle of people around them.

Suddenly, she shuddered, and swooned. She collapsed, and Annabeth caught her. Several campers rushed to her side.

“What’s happening?” Hazel asked.

“A prophecy!” Percy gasped.

Rachel’s eyes began to glow. Green smoke poured out of her mouth. Will found a stool, and lowered her onto it. She sat upright, swaying slightly, like some sort of freaky zombie. Then she raised an arm, and pointed.

Directly at the baby.

She opened her jaw, and began to recite.

“To three of the seven a child is born,

Crest and laurel wreaths adorn

Turn and face Olympus’ might

In sixteen years, her final night”

Pandemonium ensued. Campers hurried around, some running to tell Chiron, some bringing Rachel water, some turning to face them. The world erupted with the sound of a billion questions. Jason began to feel light-headed. He felt Percy’s hand on his shoulder, “Are you-“

He stopped. Amidst the chaos, Leo had crumpled to the floor. He was crouched down with his hands wrapped around his head, rocking backwards and forwards. Jason hurriedly knelt down beside him. Percy rushed off to help Annabeth, who was escorting Piper and the baby out of the crowd.

Several campers formed a circle around Jason and Leo, asking a barrage of questions.

“Give them some space!” A voice yelled. It was Rachel. She got up off her stool, and waved her hands to disperse the congregation. She knelt down, and put a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

“Shoot- I’m so, so, so sorry you guys,” She said to them, “I didn’t mean- I know you don’t- I just-“

“Wha-What did that mean, her f-final night?” Jason stammered.

“I don’t know…” Rachel said, “Prophecies are tricky, it doesn’t necessarily mean… Look, I know that was NOT what you wanted to hear. At all. But we don’t know it was definitely about her!”

“To three of seven a child is born,” Jason recited, “Me, Leo, Piper. Three of the seven half bloods from that other prophecy. You started glowing green as soon as you saw her. You pointed at Isabella.”

“But that doesn’t mean it has anything to do with the last line! A couple Great Prophecies ago, there was this line- “A Hero’s soul cursed blade shall reap”- we all thought Percy was gonna die, but turns out a totally different guy died instead, so it’s fine!”

Leo began to sob.

“No- it’s okay, the guy that died was totally evil. He killed loads of people,” Rachel explained.

Jason wrapped his arms around Leo and cradled him, “Shh, Leo, mi cielo, it’s gonna be okay.”

The thing was, Jason didn’t know if it was gonna be okay. But no matter how terrified he felt, his first instinct was to always comfort Leo.

“Sixteen years…” Leo muttered, “That’s what she said. Sixteen. Just like… Oh Gods…”

“Leo, no-“

“I was right!” Leo cried, “I was right, wasn’t I, Jason? I was cursing her. I told you. I said “If she’s anything like me, in sixteen years we’ll be going to her funeral.” I told you, didn’t I?”

“Leo…”

“It’s all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, amorsito. I know that much. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that whatever happens, you’re not to blame.”

“Yeah, Leo, don’t think that,” Rachel agreed, “This isn’t because of you.”

“Except… I died at Sixteen. And if she’s like me… if she has my powers…”

“That doesn’t make it your fault,” Jason said.

“I don’t believe you,” Leo replied, simply.

“Leo-“

Suddenly, Piper came rushing over, breathless. “Annabeth is watching the baby,” She explained. She sat down next to Rachel. “What… happened? Was that really a prophecy?”

“Afraid so,” Rachel said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to land that on you guys like that. And Leo, it’s not your fault.”

Piper raised an eyebrow, “Is Leo blaming it all on himself, again?”

Jason nodded.

“What’s his excuse this time? “I should’ve preempted this and invented an anti-prophecy device!””

“No it’s “The baby has my powers and therefore will die at sixteen because I died at sixteen!” Which, I have to say, is less plausible than the machine thing,” He turned to Leo, “You don’t control genetics, hermoso. You couldn’t have had a say in what powers she got.”

“But still…”

Piper reached forward, and grabbed Leo’s hand, “This is not your fault, Leo. How many times do we have to tell you that before you start to listen?”

Leo sighed, and said “Okay.” But Jason could see in his eyes that he wasn’t buying it. He would still always believe it was his fault.

The seven of them, Nico, Reyna, Will, Thalia, and Rachel all gathered around the cot in Cabin One.

“So… what do we do?” Frank asked.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Rachel said, sadly, “Thwarting Prophecies is never a good idea.”

Leo glanced at Jason.

No, Jason said, with a glare, I know what you’re thinking, and no. It’s not your fault.

I thwarted a prophecy, Leo seemed to say back with his eyes, And now I’m facing the consequences.

Leo… Jason glanced back. Leo turned away, not wanting to have this conversation any more. Piper shot Jason a look, like she had read the discussion perfectly.

“We can wait, we can hope. And when the time arises…” Rachel trailed off.

“I will fight for my daughter,” Jason said, “Her fate is not set in stone, it never is. We still have choices to make. I don’t know what this prophecy means for my girl, but Gods help me if I don’t go to the ends of the earth to protect her.”

“Yeah!” Leo said, and Jason saw his face harden into a determined grin, “She may have a difficult future, but she has two dads who are both willing to do anything for her.”

“Not to mention her Auntie Piper,” Piper added, stepping forward.

“And me!” Frank said.

“Me too,” Hazel promised.

“We’re in,” Percy announced, his arm around Annabeth’s shoulder, “We’ll see to it that no harm comes to her.”

“Us too,” Nico spoke up, grabbing Will’s hand.

Reyna put a hand on Jason’s shoulder, “She has my full support, understand? I will lend her all of my strength if she needs it.”

“Aww, hell yeah, that’s my niece!” Thalia cried, punching her fist into her palm, “She’s got the most powerful demigods in the world protecting her. If some prophecy wants to hurt her, I’d like to see them try.”

“You guys…” Jason said, addressing the group, “This will be hard. There will be troubles ahead, things we’ve never had to face before…”

He looked around at his friends, all standing, ready to fight. He looked at Leo, the love of his life, who he’d do anything for. He looked at the little girl in the cot, staring up at the thunderclouds in the ceiling of the cabin.

“But with your support, we can make it through this. I can feel it. Things might arise that we might not be able to deal with, but Gods damn us if we don’t try.”

————

Guys...

Should I write a Part 2?

[jayoftheorb]

Had some thoughts about the bad kids class swap, so here's my headcanons about them all if they were bards (very rambly, I'm bad at writing)

Gorgug- when he was small he would play on the pots and pans like drums and his parents wanted to encourage his creativity. Has tried probably every instrument his parents could find or make, it's metalwork. Gets really into drums and some string instruments, can't play alot of brass cuz of tusks but trumpet is easier, French horn is even harder because of the delicate trigger mechanisms, gets really good at clarinet for some reason, so good that it's his secondary instrument in case he breaks all of his drumsticks (true percussionists have like ten spares, sticks break too easy)(and also fiddle, he can play fiddle really well)

Adaine- learned viola because her parents made her, ended up really liking it, switched to "violin" (plays fiddle, can't call it that in front of parents) think Lindsey Stirling, parents got mad when she became a Bard instead of wizard even though they pushed her to learn and get better, hits her dad w fiddle and kills him, her fiddle in s/j year is a gift from fabian and its practically indestructible(gold, made by telamine, theres a side quest where she kicks the devils ass at fiddle)

Fabian- Really likes sea shanties, starts out dancing with his pa, does alot of 2 and 4 steps, lotta linedancing before getting into elven dance, could be a real good master of ceremonies when he starts hip-hop dancing, is in the college of swords but its very piratey, learned fiddle for fun but actually really enjoys it especially the slower more classical melodies favorite spell is suggestion

Kristen- acoustic guitar. Can also play piano but doesn't want to lug around a keyboard. Has a lovely voice but prefers to let her guitar do most of the work, wanted to be a paladin(to helio) like her parents for a while but becomes a paladin of Cass in the nightmare forest, it's wild. When she meets tracker at the black pit they bond over only really knowing worship songs and tracker gives her a book w/ rock sheet music (classically trained) she steals an electric guitar from the black pit and stashes it at fabians house for a while till she moves in with track and jawbone

Riz- (most excited about this one) goblin music is chaos, idk alot about indigenous music, but I like it, riz does alot of throat singing and body drumming, alot of odd noises, his dad used to sing him to sleep, kinda sounds like Tibetan throat singing with alot of clicking and hissing and all that (need to do research) the other bks like it alot, when he gets more comfortable he starts doing more metal (kinda like korn) struggles alot with connecting to his heritage (personal hc; 3rd gen goblin imigrant, sklondas ma came to bastion city for a new life when the rangers moved in on the mountains of chaos, poks dad moved from the other side of spyre (idk) Pok lived in elmville for his whole life, moved to bastion to work for the government culture outreach program, met sklonda, moved back to elmville, had riz, got eaten by a dragon)

[niftukkun]

What's in a Name, a short Pokemon Mystery Dunegon: Explorers of Sky comic featuring team North Star!

an exploration on the power of a name, and a lampshade on how characters can tell the difference between two pokemon of the exact same species

(to be named is to be known. to be known is to be loved. to be loved is to be changed.)

~~

details!! :

reiji and circe are, as player character and partner respectively, named from the start.

that faded naming screenshot is from my actual playthrough of the game. heres a clearer version!!

(also the comic panels look like the in-game text boxes and that was very intentional)

naming easter eggs!!

>reiji was a misspelling - i forgot that the japanese for thunder was rai, not rei, so reiji ended up as reiji rather than something playing off being an electric type. a spikey design and feeling for the speech bubble to contrast circe. also thats a pecha scarf because i like not being poisoned. >circe, in mythology, is the daughter of the sun god helios. fire type, daughter of the sun, you get the idea. a more rounded and curly design and speech bubble to contrast reiji. i forgot if circe was wearing the band that increased attack or the one that increased special attack but she certainly is wearing one. >phosphor's name is taken from a game called Oneshot!! the lamp visible in the last page is inspired directly by the lamplighter guys lamp and their speechbubble features a lightbulb, a big plot-important object in Oneshot

>fey is a reference to maya fey from ace attorney!! a purple scrunchie to reference that maya is purple, a magatama both around feys neck and in her speech bubble because thats plot important. the chains in the speech bubble are also a reference to ace attorney and the magatama. the background silhouette is the hazakura temple gates because that case was sure memorable.

>basilisk is a reference to the common water basilisk! so hella water motif and an attempt to merge a wooper with a basilisk. hell yeah.

>rivulet!! rain world rivulet!!!! i gave rivus big ol eyes to a surskit and stuck their axolotl-esque whisker on top and put pink highlights to make a surskit design with a very obvious inspiration. i didnt want to go with a water motif cause basilisk already had that so i made the background silhouette rivulet the slugcat and gave the speech bubble a more wavey look for fun.

>(in hindsight basilisks (walks on water) and rivulets (axolotl) names should have been swapped. that wouldve fit better. but oh well it is what it is and i dont wanna change it)

[boymanmaletheshequel]

Crystals for Apollo

Hello tumblr witches, wizards, Druids, and magical beings! I’m starting a new series today entitled “crystals of the gods”. I am a geologist and have been collecting minerals and gems for over 15 years, and seeing as how intrinsically connected to divinity and magick crystals are, I thought I’d look into what crystals are representative of the many gods and goddesses across the worlds pantheons. For my first post, I want to try and represent a god that although I do not personally worship yet, I am in awe of: Apollo/Apollon. Let’s begin!

• Citrine

Citrine is a gemstone of wealth and positivity, and nobody meets that standard in my eyes like Apollo does! They are full of joy and character, and shine like a beacon of yellow light that citrine encompasses so well.

• Brucite

A bit of a lesser known, but gorgeous mineral, brucites Scalenohedral crystal habit reminds me of the radiance of the sun! And it’s unbeatable bright yellow color is emblematic of Apollo’s connection to the lemon like color it holds, which facilitates much joy and pride in oneself.

• Pyrite

A mineral of subtle, but positive arrogance, and a touch of pride, pyrite might be called fools gold, but it’s not foolish at all! It’s incredible natural geometry is full of the character that Apollo radiates, and it’s literal reflective properties are a perfect metaphor for how the god represents hubris, but also character and personality that makes him so unique and adored!

• Muscovite

This powerfully flashy gem, a variety of Mica, is emblematic of Apollo’s more sensitive side that is often portrayed so beautifully, and often encompassed in acts of homosexuality. Muscovite is soft, only a 2-2.5 on the MOHS scale, but that’s not a negative thing! it’s color, and it’s personality, is among the strongest gold there is!

• Scapolite

Sharp and shiny, scapolite is the perfect stone for a glossy, muscular god like Apollo. It’s yellow hues are bold and sharp, and represent his strength in battle.

• Heliodor

Named after the archetypal god of whom he is a cultural descendant of, Helios, heliodor is the definite stone of the sun, and an ancient symbol of Apollo. Beryl was prized as a luxury to the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians, and heliodor was quite rare, this is an extravagant gift that he will surely be in awe of!

• Sunstone

This should be a no-brainer, but sunstone, a species of plagioclase feldspar, is somehow even more sunny than heliodor. It’s iridescent flakes of color remind one of the divinity of the sun, and it’s epithet, Apollo. Every Apollo devotee should offer the god some sunstone if they can get their hands on it!

• Amber

Warm and joyous, amber is perfect for Apollo. It’s honey like appearance, and beautiful deep warmth evokes Apollos radiance and pride. It is ancient, like they themself, and is a perfect idol of a god of sun!

• Topaz

Orange or imperial topaz, mined in the deserts of Utah and northern Mexico under a constant sun, is the domain of Apollo! It’s juicy colors are bold and rich, and remind one of Apollo’s intense personality.

• Peridot

Beloved by Cleopatra, mistaken by her for emeralds, peridot is like the spicier, more masculine version of emerald culturally. Often found in metamorphic rock around historically active volcanic sites, it’s no wonder that Apollo is attributed to its hot and spicy nature.

• Pyromorphite

In Greek mythology, Apollo was the slayer of Python, a massive serpent whom he dispatched of in a show of strength in Delphi. Pyromorphite, with its hopper like crystal structure resembling that of snake skin, paired with its serpentine color, is a great symbol of this historic accomplishment of the great Apollo!

• Tremolite

Similarly to pyromorphite, tremolites electric green color brings serpentine energy to a shrine dedicated to Apollo, and its a rare stone that feels like a perfect symbol to his awesome strength and power!

Well, there’s a good place to start! What crystals do YOU associated with Apollo?

[spineless-lobster]

Song 4: Mutiny

Oh eurylochus is sooooooo done

SAY SOMETHING!!!!!! I CAN’T!!!!!

ELECTRIC GUITARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGGGGGGG

EURYLOCHUS EURYLOCHUS ODYSSEUS ODYSSEUS

YOU RELIED ON WIT AND WE DIED ON IT WHOAOAO

THE CHOIRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

HELIOS ISLAND!!!! MOOO!!!!!!!

HORSE AND THE INFANT TUNE AGAIN!!!!!

THIS IS THE HOME OF THE WIND SUN GOD

I’m living for these callbacks AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

HOW MUCH LONGER ODYSSEUS???????

I’M JUST A MAN!!!!!!

OH FUUUUUUCCCKKKKKKKKK OH MY GODDDD OH FUCK OH SHIT OH MY LORD

THE VOICE ACTINGGGGGGG

FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!!!!!

[flnpushy]

Helios: A New Era Story 1

A little shorter then my usual stories, but this is a taste of whats to come for the Helios series.

It had been 6 months since Kara’s triumphant experimental birth. She was rewarded by becoming Dr. Karens Vice president. Kara was now finished with initial training, and the renovations to the Helios Birthing Center were complete. There were now 2500 birthing women in the facility, 20 new gardens along with 10 new birth pools added. Kara played a huge part in designing the new gardens and facilities. She was now a full fledged member of the Helios Society and was now to begin experimentation as well as assisting birthing mothers at the site. 

Helios A New Era: Kara’s first birth assist. 

It was early morning in Kara’s office located in the north tower of Helios birthing facility. The office was similar to the labs below it. Very sterile, white, and mostly featureless. Kara was writing some new experimental birth agendas when a call came in from Helios Security. 

“Security too Kara.” The device said.

“Go ahead.” Kara said.

“Please respond to garden 15R upper level. We have a mother struggling to birth.” security said. 

“On my way up.” Kara said.

Kara gathered her to-go bag of supplies and headed out the door. Once out of the office Kara boarded an electric scooter and made her way down the corridor to the Central Halls. The central halls were the eating place as well as the center hub of the entire facility. It was common to house 500-750 women at any given time. Kara made her way down the scooter path passing walking women and staff members. She then hung a right turn to go towards gardens 7-15 corridor. A 1/4 mile later she arrived at garden 15. She entered the garden, so lush and resembling the Amazon rain forest, a trickle of stream water could be heard nearby. She boarded a clear see-through elevator up to the 15R block of the garden facility. Garden 15 was a new remodel that Kara had taken part in designing. She was very proud of it, and happy to see mothers using it to birth. 

“Kara to security” Kara com linked. 

“Go ahead.” Security said. 

“Which section of 15R?” Kara asked. 

“Go to the far block, section 10.” Security replied. 

“10-4, mothers name?” Kara responded. 

“Felicity” Security said 

Kara walked to the far back corner of the 15R Jungle section. It was near a small water fall and pond. She arrived at a birthing station. The modern birthing station designed by Kara herself contained many elements for a birthing mother. It was equipped with a bed, bidet for washing, birth stool, squat bar, lubrication and pad station, and so much more. Also like any other place in the facility the entire floor was a self cleaning membrane, so mothers could birth anywhere freely. Their lying on the bed, on her side, was Felicity, the mother in question. 

Felicity was a young red head girl, she was 19 and new to the facility. She was bigger boned an had wider hips. Kara walked up as she was mid-push. Felicity was side laying, with one leg pulled up. Kara could hear felicity grunting hard through a tough push. She could also see a liver of the babies head visible in her vaginal opening. She was in full birth mode, but apparently struggling. 

“Hello!” Kara said as she walked up. 

Felicity turned her head to look, she smiled as she saw Kara. 

“Oh I’m glad you're here!” She said. “I need help.”

“Ok, let's see where you are at.” Kara said Grabbing her portable device.

Kara scanned Felicity’s arm tag. All mothers at Helios had an implanted arm tag to monitor health and track cycles. 

Kara received the tag info:

Person ID: Felicity

Age: 19

Status: Pregnant- in birth 

Time in labor: 168 hours (1 week)

Pushing time: 96 hours (4 days)

Child weight: Unknown, probe needed.

Child number: 1st baby 

Kara grabbed her probe next. She inserted the end into Felicity’s vagina. 

“Ok push for me.” Kara said 

Felicity tried a hard push, Now lying on her back, she pulled back her legs to push. Kara noticed she curled her little toes as she struggled to push. Felicity’s belly tensed and her belly button protruded out during the struggle. 

Kara got the data: 

Weight: 21 pounds 

Gender: Male

Semen type: 52C EXP 

Position: Posterior 

“Good girl, nice push!” Kara said. Felicity moaned as the push ended. “The little head is just inside you. Looks like 21 pounds and a first time mommy, this is a stuck little boy!” 

“Ive been pushing for 4 days and i just cant get it out!” Felicity said. 

“Well first time mommy and a 21 pound baby….” Kara said. “Plus little man is a type 52C so his head is a bit larger. Makes for a tough birth.” 

“So why am I pregnant with a larger baby for the first one?” Felicity asked. 

“You were selected because of your wider hips, it was determined you could likely birth a larger baby.” Kara said. 

“Well I’m starting to think that I cant get him out of me, he’s just to big!” Felicity said.

“Oh he’ll come out.” Kara said. “He’s just being a bit stubborn in there.”

“I want him out!!” Felicity yelped as a strong contraction overtook her. She pulled back her legs and made a large push. Kara noticed that she was opening up, the little head was making an appearance. As felicity pushed Kara opened felicity’s vagina up a bit more with her hands. 

“Ohh he’s wiggling around in there! He’s moving his little head back and forth trying to stretch you!” Kara said.

“Good, wiggle out! “ Felicity said. “Can he wiggle out on his own?” 

“No silly, he can try but he needs mommy to push him out. He’s too big to wiggle outta there!” Kara said.

Felicity pushed again. This time the babies head came a bit more into view. Inevitably however the head slowly retracted back inside after the push.

“Good girl, he loves mommies belly, doesn’t wanna come out of there!” Kara said. 

“Come out!” Felicity yelled. 

“Relax, he will come.” Kara said. 

“Lets check him again.” Kara said.

Kara pulled out her probe and placed it inside Felicity’s vagina. The probe tapped the babies head. 

“All is well in your belly.” Kara said. 

Kara reached over and grabbed some lube from the station. She liberally applied it around Felicity’s opening and inside around the babies head. 

“Lets get you lubed up and help him slide out.” Kara said. 

Other hour of pushing went by, felicity tried side laying, squatting, and even the birth stool. The baby in her belly just wasn’t moving. However the head was now staying down. Felicity’s vagina opening was now opened up in a tear drop shape around the babies head. Felicity continued to push for 2 more hours like this with no progress. A little meconium was starting to come out of felicity’s opening around the babies head. 

“Lets get you cleaned up hun.” Kara said. 

Kara assisted Felicity over to the bidet. Felicity sat down and Kara grabbed the shower head attachment. Warm water began to flow over Felicity’s opening as Kara washed. The warm water felt good for felicity as she began to moan. Kara used her hand to wipe down Felicity. She also cleaned the babies head as it was poking out ever so slightly. The wash finished and Felicity returned to the bed to lay down. 

“Felicity, there is trick we need to try. Here at helios we cannot do c-sections, they are too risky for mother and baby. So we need to figure out how to get the baby to progress.” Kara mentioned.

“I want you to pleasure yourself and orgasm. It will help advance the baby, and help you relax.”

Kara pulled a small vibrator from her pocket.

“You know what to do.” She smiled.

Felicity applied the device to her clit area and began working toward orgasm. About 10 minutes passed.

“Im getting it! Getting it” Felicity yelped. 

“Ok mommy, let it go, and push hard at the same time.” Kara said.

“Ahhhhhh! mmmmmm! ahhhhhhuuuuggg!” Felicity mumbled. 

The orgasm began and felicity pushed. Her belly contracted heavily as she pulled back on her legs, delivering a massive push. The babies head contracted in and out with the strong contractions. As it did, it slowly advanced. 

“Push Push Push!” Kara yelped.

Felicity continued to push until her orgasm ended. The babies head had progressed to crown. Her vagina was stretched very far, farther than even Kara thought it would.

Felicity settled after the orgasm, her baby stuck fast at full crown. 

“Dont relax too much hun, he could slip back in!” Kara warned.

Felicity kept a steady push.

“I can feel him wiggling!” Felicity said.

“Yeah, he’s trying to get out of there!” Kara said. 

Kara felt around the crowning head.

“Wow that’s one stuck little guy there, Very tight!” Kara said. 

Felicity made another big push. To their amazement the head popped out! 

“Oh my, didn’t think he was going to come that easy!” Kara said. “Hey there big guy.” Kara said as she touched the now birthed head. 

“The shoulders could take, minutes, hour, or even days, depending upon size and position. I think this baby just has a big head, he should come out fine now.” Kara mentioned.

Felicity pushed for another hour. The baby slowly rotated and made its way out. Kara was right, the rest of the baby was much easier. This birth was over, But Kara was now called to another interesting mission. 

[magicae-est-realis]

In tribute to Jorge's amazing new Wisdom Saga (from Epic: The Musical) which I've been listening to on loop for the last hour, the newest Fablehaven Beastiary addition had to be Sun Cattle.

Fablehaven never alluded to any gods or religions, so creative liberties have been taken, since neither Apollo nor Helios exist. But I think they're adorable so I had to add them.

The cattle contain mini suns held between their horns- several preserves keep them for energy sources. They're long-lived (several centuries at least) and cows normally only have two separate calves in their lifetime, though twins and triplets aren't uncommon. They're born teeny tiny, without horns or suns for better camouflage. Their colour slightly undoes this, but the cattle live in preserves now so haven't evolved a smarter approach.

As their horns grow, their suns begin to form, brighter and brighter as their horns complete a single loop. A broken horn will extinguish their sun, and as their suns give them their longevity, injured cattle will live the rest of their lives the same length as a regular dairy cow.

Their horns are magical. Kinda have to be to contain a sun. Horn poaching was an issue before preserves and the cattle nearly went extinct, an issue that heavily influenced the decision to create preserves at all. They have since recovered. The magic in their horns hold their sun in place and prevents it from burning anything. Touching the suns isn't recommended but it won't kill you due to their horns' magic. You will, however, likely have to visit the ER for a severe electrical shock from the magic and burns from the proximity to the sun (this heat is only an issue for any bare skin within a 10cm radius of the sun itself.)

The cattle are varying shades of glowing gold- excellent nightlights, but not if you're trying to sleep. Very gentle unless you mess with a calf. Known for regularly giving electric shocks to anyone who tries to pet them, though their fur is rather short to avoid being singed by their sun. They are immune to fire and heat and run warmer than any other mammal, though not by much. Enough you'd want cow cuddles on a cold day.

[dink-n-co]

What does everyone think about stripes ..

that’s a lot of people—but you may as well get to know them all!

DINKO

she/her + it/its

ageless (minor)

a sentient wooden toy, having some semblance to that of a ladybug. she was found near one of the closed circuses. enjoys being friends with everyone!

MAULO

he/him + ve/vir

43

an overgrown scorpionfly, and one of globe’s most (and only) reliable deliverybug. some say he’s delightful, others think he’s intimidating. guess you’ll have to form your own opinion on vir down the line!

CASS

(aka casserale)

he/him

ageless (adult)

a blunt, but very knowledgeable worm, equipped with an eggshell for a helmet and a traffic light for a tail. his honesty and straightforwardness may come across as rude, but he means well.

(he’s also stripes’ canonical partner)

MERCY

she/her + they/them

23

a human who grew overnight as the self proclaimed “ultimate gamer” of globe. they’re hot tempered, but very cocky of her own career and takes gaming very seriously. she’ll always win—no matter the cost.

RASTER

any pronouns

ageless (adult)

this hyperactive ball of volts miraculously channeled itself from a heart-shaped flash drive, which got hit with a stray thunderbolt. loves hugs and high fives, but their electric body can sting! unfortunately, raster tends to forget the latter part a lot.

HELIO

any pronouns

ageless (???)

a stray party balloon. it showed up to one of Hoppo’s birthday parties and they’ve been around in the background since. they can change the decal on their face to anything—most frequently playing lighthearted tricks by mimicking the faces of other bugs.

That’s everyone for now—hope this cleared up the air a bit! Feel free to send more questions for anybody!

🔴🔶🟨

🟩🔷🟣

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High Junior Year Ep 8

Enter the Vultureverse

Welcome back to the Report Card where we are having a mini recap because my schedule has been off the wall bonkers! Luckily, this week we can split the episode pretty neatly into two sections: research and fighting. We’ll go more in depth on the research than the fighting because those are the bits that will be more long term plot relevant though I’m sure the fighting will be long term relevant to Gorgug and the therapist I hope he has because yikes gang!

First things first, we resolve stress tokens which the party has to use to nerf themselves and take disadvantage on the skills they choose. They are as follows: 

Fig: Insight and Religion. 

Gorgug: Initiative, Insight, Deception, and Charisma Saves. 

Adaine: Initiative, Intimidation and Persuasion. 

Fabian: Tool Proficiencies, History, Investigation, and Perception. 

Kristen: Initiative, Wisdom Saves, and Medicine

Riz: Perception, Survival, Athletics, and Deception.

When we left, Lydia had dropped off all the info from her old party mates and the Bad Kids were surprised to see that it was all written not in Infernal but in Giant. The whole gang (except Gorgug who’s still at home) circles up in Adaine’s tower to help and she casts Comprehend Languages so she can read the texts. Fig tosses Adaine a bardic to juice her History roll which prompts Brennan to have Siobhan roll on a d100. On a 91, Adaine’s stomach gurgles and a cloud of dust mites fly into her eyes, causing her to knock her head and pass out. 

Kristen rushes to her aid (with a medicine check rather than spells since she’s currently out) to stabilize her. Brennan asks if she rolled less than an 8 and even though she didn’t, her stomach also gurgles and she sees a vision of the food court: a flash of red, a familiar scream (not Cass), and then silence. In Adaine’s eyes, she sees splattered blood reflected. Ominous!

Everyone is freaked and they’re getting major shrimp vibes. Fig declares herself cursed and submits to arcana checks from everyone. With his angel-spy necktie, Riz casts Detect Good and Evil and finds a fiendish aura around her that’s different than her natural one. She is for sure cursed.

While this is going on, Gorgug is at home, watching Frostyfaire stuff get set up. His parents allude to some ~mysterious machines~ under tarps and promise not to embarrass him. That’s not oddly specific at all and it certainly won’t come back to bite him in this very same episode. He gets the text from the group that Adaine passed out and goes to meet up with them but, as he leaves, he sees electricity running through one of his parents many gadgets and has a moment of inspiration about how the pulse of the electricity and the pulse of his blood and heart when he’s raging might have some kind of synchronicity. He makes a note and saves it for later. 

OK! Now let’s round up all the new info the party learns from the notes Lydia provided:

There’s a record of Ruvina (Lucy’s god) giving Cass a wedding gift: a Bridle of Frost that would allow her to command a team of fiery horses. The fact that Cass was married is new info and Riz speculates whether she was being married to a giant/giant god.

Apparently, Cass, Galicaea (her sister), and Sol (her brother) were traveling together in the Mountains of Chaos.

(As an aside, we learn that Cass is more aligned with fae and Galicaea is with the elves–we knew that second part already. We also learn that Helio’s mom was a mortal woman.)

We learn of a law of magic called Obliviati Mori by Clerics and the Law of Theothanatic Silence by wizards. It basically means that even though gods can remember dead gods, they’re not allowed to revive them via worship by speaking their name and reminding mortals of them. Adaine gets the sense that if this is a law then it can be broken somehow and Brennan says yes, but there are likely hefty arcane penalties. 

Fabian wonders if Cass’s, “I thought you were dead” was referring to this dead god who is maybe her ex. Riz wonders if Lucy was possessed by a god and that’s how she was able to write down the name of the dead god–something that should have been impossible since no mortals know their name and no gods are allowed to speak or write it. 

Fig thinks the Ratgrinders are being mighty suspicious in their seeming lack of mourning for Lucy and especially in Ivy’s not shocked reaction to seeing her disguised as Lucy. 

(These next pieces of info we don’t get until after a short interlude but I’m gonna put it here to keep it neat.)

Riz thinks that it’s suspicious that Tracker’s church would suddenly be blowing up right when this dead god is coming back and wonders if there might be some shenanigans going on where their worship is somehow being siphoned off to power this other god (something gods are specifically not supposed to do). 

In one of the books, Kristen sees an illuminated page (illuminated as in illustrated–think Book of Kells) that is unfinished. It has an empty arch wreathed in flames and a design of red 24 point stars with sharp rays that are very similar looking to the shatter stars they encountered in the mall fight.

Fig wonders if a union of Doubt and Rage (Cass and this unknown god) was maybe too powerful so their marriage was sabotaged by another god.

After all the research, it’s almost time to go to Frostyfaire, but before they do, Kristen takes a leap of faith and (1) texts Tracker to see if they can meet up since her god is relevant to the investigation and (2) texts her parents to ask if they want to get coffee. Tracker says she’s busy the next few days but she’s free starting on Monday. Kristen's parents don’t text her back but her brother Bucky does and lets her know that her parents are debating it but it feels like they’re gonna say yes. Sibling loyalty! 

Adaine does a Detect Magic on the token Kristen’s teacher gave her and determines that it’s basically a deity-less Holy Symbol so she’s got something to tide her over while she works on getting Cass back. 

Fig, who you’ll recall is dabbling in paladin classes, decides to pray for the first time and attunes to a moment of doubt that’s sacred to her: when her horns first started growing in and it changed her whole life, ultimately for the better. The shards from Cass in Kristen’s pocket glows indigo and she decides to pray with Fig as well, gaining a 6th level spell slot back in the process. 

On to the fair!

When they arrive, Gorgug’s parents welcome them–incluing Fig’s alter-emo Wanda since she’s in disguise to mess with Ruben/hopefully get some info. Riz and Kristen are thinking that all the crunchy, granola kids here from Aguefort are a substantial voting block but, before they can do anything about that, an old druid shows up and offers them a toke of his pipe. 

Fool the Bad Kids once, shame on you, but they’re NOT getting trapped in a net like Max. They all immediately roll to check if something’s up and Adaine crits, clocking the druid as an illusion. Riz casually says, “No thanks Oisin,” as Adaine casts Dispel Magic, revealing not the Ratgrinder’s wizard but their bard, Ruben who sneers at them and then gets into an argument with Gorgug about whether he (Ruben) shits or not. Very normal teenager conversations. Fig has dipped at this point because she wants to debut as Wanda to Ruben at a strategic moment but she secretly hits him with a Hex to his Int to help guard against any rolls he might make to clock her disguise later. She also notices how mad Gorgug is getting at Ruben’s nonsense and texts Porter a list of things that piss Gorgug off, trying to help him out. 

Ruben’s band, My Clerical Gnomance (of course), of which Fabian is a big fan (sure) head to the stage and start playing their set but then, all of a sudden, thunder rumbles and a surge of electricity makes the stage lights go weird. In a flash, Grix appears, hovering above the crowd! He assesses the crowd and finds it full of rulebreakers and felonies so he decides to do his part in restoring “Perfect Order” by CASTING DISINTEGRATE ON RUBEN. Why is he even here? This is so outside of his jurisdiction! He says the school experience is best optimized by being omnipresent but COME ON man! This can’t be legal, even in Spyre!

Anyway, initiative! 

Like I said, we’re really gonna breeze through this fight because it’s mostly non-plot relevant but there are a few things I want to highlight:

Adaine right away burns a portent roll to save Ruben from the Disintegrate. I wonder if, in Ruben’s mind, that’s worth being a little softer towards the Bad Kids in the future. 

Grix uses a spell or ability to awaken all the nearby machines to fight by his side but…uh…the Thistlesprings were busy during the four months of night and they decided to retrofit some of their random appliances into very elaborate sex toys. Both Zac and Gorgug are mortified. 

Ruben curiously doesn’t just ditch when the going gets rough like you might expect someone who only grinds rats to do. He stays and does what you’d hope a bard would do: plays with this band to distribute bardics to everyone. Of course some of that is probably to impress “Wanda” who he spots in the crowd but you have to wonder how much his personal adventuring philosophy aligns with his party’s. Maybe not everything he’s done is logged on the official record. Also, he seems horrified by the situation so either (1) the RG’s aren’t somehow collaborating with Grix, (2) they are but only certain RG’s are in on it, or (3) he’s a great actor which he could be as a bard but I think that’s least likely. 

We learn that Gorgug in addition to his homunculus, Cloaca, now has a steel defender: a gecko named Clobica (a Battle Smith class feature). It’s kinda like a familiar that can attack.

The fight gets hairy fast with multiple Bad Kids getting stunned and Adaine going down. Kristen uses her one spell slot to cast Mass Cure Wounds but that still leaves Adaine, a squishy wizard, surrounded by enemies and a bunch of party members stunned and failing to snap out of it. 

Grix mentions that he was warned to expect tomfoolery in general but especially from the Bad Kids which of course begs the question, “By who?”

Grix is successfully able to cast Dominate Monster on Riz by appealing to his sense of order and visions of Lord Salazar Edge's College of Lone Adventurers dance in his head. He turns his attention to Adaine next (which makes me wonder if he was just consulting a dossier on the Bad Kids in that moment because Riz and Adaine are for sure the ones you’d target with this pitch). 

Now, this episode might be known as the one where they had to fight a sex toy lawnmower except for what happens next. Because, much like in the first fight this season, there is a vulture on this battle set. And our intrepid heroes noticed it immediately. So, back against the wall, party in dire straits, and out of spell slots, Kristen decides to interact with the vulture as the rest of the table give thumbs up, supporting the bit. 

She prays to Cass, asking for help in connecting with the vulture and then gives a now very familiar, “Heyyyyyy girlie.”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?” the vulture says to the surprise of the full table. Feathers whip around the dome and a graphic appears: YOU ARE ENTERING THE VULTURE DIMENSION. A new set is brought out. Everyone is losing their minds. I didn’t take a hit from Ruben's pipe but I feel high. And that’s where we end our episode!

No extras this week because I’m crunched for time but, don’t worry, I’ll roll that all into next recap since the fight continues in the next ep. Can’t wait to figure out what the hell the vulture dimension is tonight! 

[starlight-lesbians]

oh my god i love this idea so much let me go mental with it

gb: ares (you’re so right)

dinah: demeter (you just know she loves fresh produce - i considered hestia bc she’s baking and cooking but she didn’t have kids)

rusty: eros (loser lover boy)

momma: athena (momma’s wise you know)

electra: zeus (i mean duh, electricity)

porter: hephaestus (just vibes innit)

lumber: also hephaestus (vibes again)

slick: hermes (god of mischief… i mean)

belle: hypnos (sleep ofc)

pearl: aphrodite (she cute)

tassita: apollo (i just think it’s funny when quiet kids are in the god of music’s cabin, also… gay)

hydra: dionysus (loves a good time)

orange flash: nike (she likes racing so… sports)

blue lightning: zeus (again… lightning…has to be surely)

silver bullet: selene (silver = moon)

green arrow: apollo (archery)

golden eagle: helios (gold = sun)

joule: ares (dynamite truck, she likes explosives)

volta: hermes (who knows anything about volta lbr)

killerwatt: ares (bit of a meathead)

wrench: hephaestus (repair truck ofc)

CHEERING SO LOUD FOR THIS

rusty bein an eros kid is soooo on brand

this also makes some fun sibling relationships tbh, like porter, lumber, and wrench? hilarious trio (tass n green arrow too like omg)

i need to write hcs about these honestly, my lil brain is yelling abt it

[amoremagnificentbastard]

Rules: Pick a song for each letter of your URL and tag that many people.

You're a sweetheart, @ghouliar0berts. Thanks for the tag.

I've done a similar challenge before, but last time I really tried to pick songs I felt related to Astarion in some way. This time I'll branch out.

My URL has so many letters, which is part of the reason it took me so long to actually complete the challenge. Apologies in advance.

Edit: @lyzelky also tagged me for this! Hi, Lyzel! You're sweet!

A - "Astral Body," Michel Mondrain

M - "Monaco," Jude York

O - "One Thing Leads To Another," The Fixx

R - "Record Player," Daisy the Great and AJR

E - "Everybody Breaks," Ivan & Alyosha

M - "Moment," Yael Naim

A - "Ain't Misbehavin'," Fats Waller

G - "Get Back (ASAP)," Alexandra Stan

N - "Nothing," Bruno Major

I - "I'll Probably Never Be Somebody," Vlad Holiday

F - "Friends," Chase Atlantic

I - "In the Attic," J.M. Lyon

C - "Chamber of Reflection," Mac DeMarco

E - "Echoes," Austin and the Powers

N - "Nothing It Can," Helios

T - "The Mountain Song," Tophouse

B - "Born to Be Alive," Patrick Hernandez

A - "Água de Beber," Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum

S - "Sanctuary," Andrew Gialanella

T - "This Year," The Mountain Goats

A - "A House in Nebraska," Ethel Cain

R - "Rockaria! - Live at Wembley Stadium," Electric Light Orchestra

D - "Dance Again," Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull

Now I have to tag 23 people. Hoo boy. I'm trying so hard to avoid double tags, so please excuse me if you've already been tagged for this.

@pinkberrytea @brain-rot-central @astarionfreak @astarionancuntnin @bardic-inspo @locallegume @paulblartlolcop2 @florallychaotic @gilded-glitter @ghostfire @preciouslittle-bhaalbabe @caspercryptid @charmandabear @rainbowslinkyy @raccooncrimes @audacityinblack @nyx-knox @allymcfee @cinnamontails-ff @simon-says-nothing @the-neon-pineapple @brabblesblog @foccaccia

[thisisnotthenerd]

Happy New Year @shakespearestolemyurl !! I have the other half of your 2023 @d20exchange gift: Songs of the Celestine verses for the Bad Kids!

Group Verses

On occasion, an adventuring party will receive a set of verses that encompasses the group as a whole—these verses are sung together as opposed to individually. Often, these are written by a bard within the group, taking the form to detail the exploits of their own adventuring party.

This set of written verses regards the Solesian adventuring party known as the Bad Kids, who defeated Kalvaxus and the Nightmare King during their first two years at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy. The author of these verses is technically unknown, but it is believed that Fabian Seacaster, during his early bardic education, composed these verses for his friends using the form learned from his pirate father, William Seacaster, after he joined the College of Swords during the Bad Kids' quest to retrieve the Crown of the Nightmare King. 1

______________________________

Adaine Abernant-O’Shaughnessy:

A wizard born

To endless scorn

Who chose the face the fighting storm

Upon her word

That she has sworn

The elven oracle

She’s stolen books

And taken looks

At futures she has now forsook

From tiny nooks

She found the hooks

Now categorical

With arcane hands

She made her stand

A mage come far from foreign lands

And as she scanned

She made her plans

And broke her manacles

For now she is

Second to none

The oracle for everyone

And free at last

She’ll have her fun

Adaine the oracle

______________________________

Kristen Applebees:

The cleric chosen

For devotion

Her heart in ever-changing motion

Questions Couldn’t

Remain unspoken

The Prophet now come free

So determined she

Can’t be deterred

She tried to fly with a Ribbon dancer

Oh she stands sure

Even though her

Dex is negative three

From Helio

To Yes? Or no

She understands what can’t be known

In philosophy

She seeks to grow

Cassandra’s only priest

A cleric’s light

Within the night

Guides darkened paths with clear sight

She walks alight

And fears no fright

Saint Kristen Applebees

______________________________

Figueroth Faeth:

The rebel bard

Cannot be charred

Flamboyant in her disregard

With warlock spells

She will safeguard

Fig the InFaethable

She changes face

In every space

And plays with skill electric bass

She’ll catch your soul

And take your place

While playing rock’n’roll

She gave request

For Aguefort’s best

But something she could not have guessed

Was to the west

And in her nest

Writing wizard’s scrolls

She’ll drink some gin

No fear of sin

Her secrets kept behind her grin

But when you’re friends

She’ll let you in

Fig the InFaethable

______________________________

Gorgug Thistlespring:

Barbarian bound

To hear the sound

Of metal music all around

He oft confounds

And breaks the ground

Gorgug Thistlespring

He looked for meaning

In the gloam

For heritage to call him home

Child of orc

And man and gnome

he is now the crab king

He fuels with fear

an endless rage

He came from deathly forest aged

Who is his dad

He cannot gauge

Insight is not his thing

He wields his axe

And hammer too

He’ll call across the world to you

He fixed his phone

Made sending stones

it’s Gorgug keep going

______________________________

Riz “The Ball” Gukgak:

The roguish goblin

Killed a dragon

With deepest passion he was gobbling

He’s hidden when

He gets his shots in

Riz Gukgak? Nay, “the Ball”

With arquebus

And sword to choose

The briefcase where he keeps his clues

Or healer’s kit

And clue tattoos

He makes good use of them all

The little shrimp

Of the bad kids

When seeking clues do as he bids

While counting fingers

He shot Biz

He’ll commit assault

Though self-contained

With party in reins

He thinks at night with buzzing brain

He’ll ne’er refrain

And fears no pain

The fury of the small

______________________________

Fabian Seacaster:

The bardic fighter

Sheet igniter

Hellish motorcycle rider

With dance and fire

He will reach higher

Fabian Seacaster

Born to pirate

Legacy and

Elvish smiths and fighters free

He made his way

From land to sea

And faced disaster

The warlocks slain

‘Twas only him

And erstwhile friend, Chungledown Bim

And on a whim

From battle grim

He fled and fell even faster

And from that moment

He was changed

His skill in elvish dance now trained

With sword and sheet

And crossbow ranged

Fabian Seacaster

1 Given the personal nature of these verses, there are a few deviations from how the song is typically sung for pirate heroes. While titles and epithets commonly feature in the Songs, this rendition features continual references to titles endowed upon the Bad Kids, formal or otherwise, save Seacaster's own verses. These include: the Elven Oracle [Adaine Abernant-O'Shaughnessy], the InFaethable [Figueroth Faeth], the Blessed Saint [Kristen Applebees], the Crab King [Gorgug Thistlespring], and The Ball [Riz Gukgak].

[thevoidofwinter]

this is SUPER late bc its been A Time lately and i also kinda forgot for a while oops. BUT. a little bit of rambling about my cccc/hms designs + interpretation as requested by @keruukat :]

so first off, all three of them in my "main" designs for them are incredibly creature coded. this is literally just because i wanted to and enjoy that type of theme. mind is dragon themed, heart is... bird creature thing. themed. and soul is cockatrice themed which was actually not my idea and a big brain suggestion my friend @atticustimestwo came up with (thank you forever atticus btw. probably never would have thought of that myself sLJFKSL) !!! as a result of this, they're all incredibly instinct driven and highly reactionary. yes mind hates this.

side note, i also have different names i like using for them! mind is helios, heart is lunaris, and soul is anularis. this was mostly just to separate them when doing rps with friends but i've come to really enjoy these names :]

but with that out of the way! i'll start with my mind design bc i'm biased towards blue and dragons oops.

originally, he started out being the least creature coded of the three, both in terms how i was messing around with design and actually in how i read the "timeline" of the album, as it were. in character wise, he absolutely hated being "inferior" to the other two. he didn't have any claws to speak of, no scales, no feathers. he was the most human looking and he didnt like that. so what does he do? oh yknow.

design wise, i realized i liked leaning more into the robotic theming like a lot of people do bc idk! it's fun. why not. and then my dragon bias hit when i heard that One Line in RoE while drawing one day and the gears started turning. i still haven't ironed it out 100% drawing wise, but here's what i have so far:

a good part of the left side of his face is a screen! its default is just an eye, though it can be just about anything. it definitely turns to a clock during RoE and i do imagine it becoming super animated during TME. also glitchy from Be Born into TME as well.

his floating crown is a hologram he keeps up at most times, but the sun halo is just kind of. always there.

there's a lot of metal. like. a LOT. his neck is plated + his modulator is built into that. his entire spine is reinforced with metal. metal arms, probably some metal patches elsewhere too. and yknow the robotic dragon tail

he glows ominously in the dark. you can see that here- just kind of an aura type thing along with the glowy robotic bits on him.

he has irises and pupils, though most of the time they aren't visible bc he is. Tired. they snap into visibility when he's focused or angry though. (i have a very vivid mental image of them snapping into focus during the intro of TME)

he has mechanical wings! they're retractable and mostly are just there because, again, he couldn't bear to be "inferior" to heart and soul, who both also have wings. he can fly with them, though most of the time they're literally just for threat display. also yes, there are slits in the back of his jacket for the wings i just forget to draw them lol

he has an innate need to Be The Tallest. they're literally all the same height but this bitch wears heeled boots with metal on the soles to make himself taller.

the sun patch on his right jacket sleeve was put there by heart; the crown on the left he did himself.

he kinda??? has electricity abilities that he gained over the process of turning himself more robotic. this is important to note for a later note with soul :)

...that's all i can think of for now but i'm sure there's more i'm forgetting. its fine! onto heart :D

heart has always been the most creature coded to me, as the representation of emotion. and yknow. emotions can be pretty damn innate, instinctual, and visceral. or maybe that's just my take on it cause mine sure are lfsdkjhdfjk

i couldn't choose between black and white wings so his are both! a gradient from white into black with white speckles and purple heart-shaped markings on a few of the primary feathers :] he also has a lot of feathers in other places, such as covering his ears, his neck, chest, arms, legs, and of course tail.

his eyes aren't actually physically damaged! his near-blindness and extreme light sensitivity are actually a result of mind glowing blindingly bright (something something don't stare at the sun) after the shot, and then later the harsh red glow of soul's trident when he got the scars on his face.

his halo is a crescent moon most of the time, though it can change to different phases either on command or in reaction to his emotions. i haven't quite decided which phase stands for what yet, i'll figure it out eventually...

he loves loves loves putting patches on things, especially different textured ones. the heart patch on his hoodie sleeve is soft!

his blindfold has the phases of the moon on it! they weren't initially there as the blindfold was given to him by soul, but mind later embroidered the phases onto it during a concord loop.

his tail is actually kinda prehensile and really strong- he can totally use it to hang onto stuff and even hang off a branch upside down.

he used to be able to fly easily, but after getting his wings broken one too many times in scuffles, it's a lot more difficult to do so now. theoretically he still could with enough adrenaline, though.

he slouches a lot because of his wings, so he usually appears to be the shortest of the group. he can and will stand up straight for threat displays, though.

guy really doesn't like wearing shoes most of the time. socks it is.

aaand i think that's all i have for heart atm!

soooo, soul moment :] soul is such an intriguing guy to me. we really don't see (or hear, ig) a lot of him for a good part of the album, so tbh even to me he's still kinda an enigma. i do adore him a lot though. this guy is SO tired and done with heart and mind's shit, please let him have one (1) nap.

i went back and forth on this guy's design a whole lot before atticus suggested the cockatrice idea, and even a little bit after that i debated it for a while. should he be the most human, or appear so far disconnected that he's barely recognizable? WELL. turns out i went kinda midline with that lmao.

he has both scales and feathers to mirror heart and mind's respective features. i love a symbolism

he has a mane of feathers going down his spine, though it's usually only visible on his tail cause. yknow. clothes.

his wings are summonable, and he doesn't usually have them out cause they're HEAVY. they're a mix of draconic and feathered wings as well. he can also fly with them, though it's usually too much effort for him to even consider.

he has four red diamond-shaped lights hovering above his head at all times, like heart and mind have their respective permanent halos.

when under extreme stress/emotions, he has three light horns that manifest, reminiscent of his trident. he also glitches the fuck out

^ the visual glitching is actually a result of mind. what happened during the shot was that heart shot at mind (and missed, but the fact that heart even tried was the problem) -> when he finds out, soul unintentionally snaps and freaks the fuck out, attacking heart and mind -> mind panics and absolutely electrocutes soul, causing his form to glitch and go black and white -> ever since then, extreme emotions causes him to start glitching again!

the shadow half of him is also reactive to his emotions, though is there more often and easier than the glitching. it's pretty much his default, especially during cacophony. (i have a pretty vivid mental image of it fading into view during dream)

the back of his jacket has a trident, crown, and heart embroidered on it, something that all three of them worked on together :]

this is literally just for comedy reasons, but soul's shirt is usually a basic t-shirt, but sometimes it has text on it and the text can change at will

also have a few misc notes that i think are fun :]

while i do adore these creature-esque designs, i also want to do more abstract designs (that they're probably liable to shift to under extreme stress/it being their "true" forms), as well as closer to human designs :]

same thing with clothing designs. i'm so indecisive help. i think im gonna do all of one or two color designs, and then some alt designs where they mix and match colors some!

i do like to imagine heart is physically the strongest out of the three, mind mentally the strongest, and soul the strongest overall. just in relation to each other, of course.

...and i think that's all! at least all that i can remember right now lol, i'm likely to come back and edit this or reblog with additions when i think of more things. it's kinda intimidating to finally be posting this bc im usually so quiet on this front, but i hope whoever manages to read this giant wall of text enjoys! :D

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

Here we are...In honor of Indycar racing in Toronto this weekend. This is another installment of racing tunes. Enjoy 😊

Helio Castoneves (10th May 1975) - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night

Takuma Sato (28th January 1977) - James Brown - Bodyheat

Katherine Legge (12th July 1980) - New Musik - Sanctuary

Scott Dixon (22nd July 1980) - The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue

Ryan Hunter-Reay (17th December 1980) - Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Walk Away

Will Power (1st March 1981) - The Stray Cats - Rock This Town

Ed Carpenter (3rd March 1981) - Slade - We'll Bring The House Down

Romain Grosjean (17th April 1986) - Eartha Kitt - This Is My Life

Marco Andretti (13th March 1987) - Marilyn Monroe - When I Fall In Love

Colin Braun (22nd September 1988) - Spear Of Destiny - So In Love With You

Graham Rahal (4th January 1989) - A-ha - You Are The One

Tristian Vautier (22nd August 1989) - Wendy & Lisa - Satisfaction

Agustin Canapino (19th January 1990) - Seven - Inside Love

Marcus Ericsson (2nd September 1990) - The Farm - Groovy Train

Josef Newgarden (22nd December 1990) - Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby

Alexander Rossi (25th September 1991) - Rozalla - Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)

Felix Rosenqvist (7th November 1991) - Amy Grant - That's What Love Is For

Conor Daly (15th December 1991) - Pet Shop Boys - Was It Worth It?

Kyle Larson (31st July 1992) - Roxette - How Do You Do

Jack Harvey (15th April 1993) - Madonna - Fever

Scott McLaughlin (10th June 1993) - Spin Doctors - Two Princes

Tom Blomqvist (30th November 1993) - Wet Wet Wet - Shed A Tear

Luca Ghiotto (24th February 1995) - Zhane - Shame

Toby Sowery (30th June 1995) - Celine Dion - Only One Road

Pietro Fittipaldi (25th June 1996) - Deuce - No Surrender

Alex Palou (1st April 1997) - 3T ft Herbie - Gotta Be You

Santino Ferrucci (31st May 1998) - Aqua - Turn Back Time

Kyle Kirkwood (19th October 1998) - Fog - Been A Long Time

Callum Ilott (11th November 1998) - Tatyana Ali ft Will Smith - Daydreamin'

Linus Lundqvist (26th March 1999) - Kele Le Roc - My Love

Pato O'Ward (6th May 1999) - Martine McCutcheon - Perfect Moment

Hunter McElrea (21st November 1999) - Westlife - Flying Without Wings

Colton Herta (30th March 2000) - Will Smith - Freakin' It

Christian Rasmussen (29th June 2000) - Britney Spears - Oops! I Did It Again

Marcus Armstrong (29th July 2000) - Darude - Sandstorm

Rinus Veekay (11th September 2000) - Storm - Time To Burn

Christian Lundgaard (23rd July 2001) - Cast - Desert Drought

Sting Ray Robb (3rd September 2001) - Faith Hill - There You'll Be

David Malukas (27th September 2001) - Sisqo - Dance For Me

Theo Pourchaire (20th August 2003) - Mark Owen - Four Minute Warning

Kyffin Simpson (9th October 2004) - Ashlee Simpson - Pieces Of Me

Nolan Siegel (8th November 2004) - Jay Sean - Stolen

All added to this playlist 😊