#who's always wanted to be a really cool adventurer and also protect important artifacts. which fuckin sucks for the professor guy. but in

[sleepygaymerdisease]

i just really like the name henry. i have no reason for it or anything. im bad at picking names so id be like "ummm how about henry as a placeholder haha ^_^" and leave it at that because i just wanted a placeholder to easily think of a character concept. but it turns out that using placeholder names means that its gonna fuckin stick unless you replace it. this is how i have 2 guys named henry.

[luzene]

i've seen a bunch of people who don't really know about rostam, despite the fact that la signora's true identity (=crimson witch of flames) and therefore backstory has been revealed like. two years ago or something, so i think maybe i should repost this sort of essay i wrote about him, his friend arundolyn, and his relationship with both rosalyne and arundolyn. i just think that rosalyne/rostam/arundolyn lore is great (like. really crazy cool actually.) and more people should know about them!

Who are Arundolyn and Rostam from Genshin Impact?

Arundolyn and Rostam are two members of the Knights of Favonius who lived 500 years ago. They don’t appear in the game and are only mentioned in some artifacts and weapons, which explain that they aren’t really known.

Arundolyn was known as the Lion of Light and became Grand Master, while Rostam received the title of Wolf Pup at the age of 27 and was the right-hand man of Arundolyn. They both were very strong knights and played an important role: Arundolyn didn’t have a vision, but he had extraordinary strength and was able to fight with a sword and a claymore. Meanwhile, Rostam’s bladework had inspired the Favonius Bladework; and it is even said that no one has ever matched his ability.

They also were great leaders: the titles of Lion and Wolf are given to knights who have a great leadership potential and are destined to become Grand Master.

They fought on the land of Khaenri’ah to defend their homeland during the Cataclysm. And when the knights came back to Mondstadt, it was without Rostam who died. Since then, Arundolyn never fought again.

About their relationship:

(please remember that this is my own interpretation of their characters and their relationship, based on official informations)

At first, Arundolyn and Rostam were rivals, probably because both of them wanted to be knights. Later, they became childhood friends and shared their first adventures together.

The Brave Heart artifact set focuses on Arundolyn and his relationship with Rostam. I’ve read many times every artifact set and weapon centred on them, but Brave Heart owns a special place in my heart, because it shows how important Rostam was to Arundolyn.

Every artifact of this set is one of Arundolyn’s memories with his closest, dearest friend. He cared about Rostam more than anything else: remember, Mondstadt was menaced by Durin and needed his powerful Grand Master, but Rostam’s death has affected Arundolyn so much that he left his title and never fought again, even though his dream was to become a hero, even though his homeland needed him.

One of Brave Heart artifacts is the Crown of the Brave. It is a keepsake of a day he spent playing with Rostam. “Many years later, this wreath of flowers, though crudely made, would seem more precious still than the power a master of knights held…”: a crown of flowers that is more precious than the title of knight for a man who had always dreamed of heroism, if it’s not a proof that Rostam was more important than anything else, I don’t know what it is. And it’s one example among many others.

Rostam cares about Arundolyn as well. He dedicated his life to defend Mondstadt, as a knight but also in the dark: Rostam was a kind of Darknight Hero, doing the dirty job that couldn’t be done by a knight. But I read the Defender’s Will artifact set, and I personally believe that it is not Mondstadt he wanted to protect, but those he loved: Arundolyn and Rosalyne, with whom he was in love. Why? Because every time the defense of Mondstadt is mentioned in the Defender’s Will artifacts, Arundolyn and/or Rosalyne are mentioned. Mondstadt is seen by Rostam as the “land that his friend and superior loved” (Guardian's clock).

According to the canon, Rostam was in love with Rosalyne, and she loved him back. But I personally feel like Rostam was in love with Arundolyn as well.

Indeed, I find that there are some similarities between her and Arundolyn in their relationships with Rostam. One of them that is really interesting is the notion of time. Time is something that Rostam doesn’t have: “there was never enough time”. As I said, he dedicated his life to the protection of Mondstadt and the people he loved. He accomplished his duty as knight in the day, spent his nights doing what he couldn’t do in the daylight. “Only when he gazed on that maiden in the square, could he think upon things he had no time for. Only then could he think about his own future…”. What Rostam wanted and needed was time he could spend with those he loved. He gave hourglasses to Arundolyn and Rosalyne; which can't be referring to anything else than the time he wanted to spend with both of them.

So of course, we could imagine that Rostam was in love with Rosalyne and Rosalyne only, and that Arundolyn was just his dearest friend. But I feel like it's kind of obvious that Arundolyn was in love with Rostam, with the way he cared for him, and I love Arundolyn with my whole heart and don't want his love to be one-sided. Also I think that Rostam has two hands and we don't want any of them to get cold, so he got two people to hold them. Deserved, my king <3

[littlepikmins]

Character Development in the Kirby Series

I wanted to share some headcanons/speculative ideas about Meta Knight, King Dedede and Bandana Dee’s character progression throughout the Kirby series.

Disclaimer: Some speculation in this post relies on Super Star and Super Star Ultra taking place at the same time in the timeline, and Ultra only adding more details about events. So chronologically this post assumes Ultra takes place between Kirby Dreamland 2 and 3 like the original Super Star. Also I haven’t played all the games referenced in this post recently so if I remember something wrong or forgot something I apologize in advance.

Kirby’s Adventure I’ll be starting with Kirby’s Adventure. In Adventure King Dedede breaks the Star Rod into multiple pieces to stop Nightmare and gives those pieces to denizens of Dream Land he deems his friends. These friends include the following characters: Whispy Woods Paint Roller Mr. Bright and Mr. Shine Kracko Heavy Mole Meta Knight This is the first game that Meta Knight appears in and already we learn King Dedede considers him a trust worthy friend. My headcanon on this is that Meta Knight works under King Dedede as his knight and Dedede is fond of him for reasons discussed below. Dedede has been stated to be a self-proclaimed king. Based on this he probably just showed up one day and declared himself king and Dream Land’s citizens went with it. I like to think his reasoning for this is because Dedede had an idea in his head about what kings are like and wanted to be one. It supports a lot of his early greedy tendencies if he had a glorified idea in his head about powerful worshiped kings based on their portrayal in storybooks.

Usually storybook kings have knights. Meta Knight’s past is really too mysterious for me to get into (and I’m okay with that, it’s part of his charm) so for now we’ll just assume one day he showed up at Dedede’s castle. Dedede, having this vision of what it meant to be a king, decides to ask this cool mysterious swordsman to be his knight. Meta Knight was probably like: “Sure, why not?” Assuming he had some reason to stick around Dream Land and staying in the Castle of Dream Land’s supposed King was convenient for him.

In Adventure even though Dedede obviously trusts Meta Knight enough to give him a piece of the Star Rod, Meta Knight assists Kirby throughout his journey to collect them all. Technically Dream Land was unable to sleep with the Star Rod broken, so Meta Knight most likely wanted to assist the person who was actually going to get rid of the problem. I think it’s safe to assume that Meta Knight doesn’t respect Dedede as much as Dedede respects him at this point in time. Dedede is a self-proclaimed King after all and Meta Knight may be skeptical of his rule, especially since while Dedede did stop Nightmare temporarily, he didn’t actually try to completely get rid of him.

Super Star Ultra

I think Meta Knight being skeptical of Dedede’s rule becomes clear in Super Star/Ultra especially. In Revenge of Meta Knight he states he wants to end Dream Land’s “lazy lifestyle.” My personal headcanon for why he does this is because he wants Dream Land to be less disorderly and believes this would be possible if Dream Land had a more capable ruler. Kirby shows up and makes quick work of Meta Knight’s plans though. Revenge of the King presumably happens around the same time and it should be noted in this instance of a fight with Dedede he copies Meta Knight’s fair fighting style by offering Kirby a hammer before their fight begins. He also dons a mask and fights with a more advanced hammer. My idea on this is that Meta Knight explicitly said to Dedede before Revenge of Meta Knight that he was unfit to rule and explained why. King Dedede was upset by this and in order to prove himself fit to be Dream Land’s King he believes he needs to defeat Kirby, which leads to the events of Revenge of the King. He also emulates Meta Knight’s act of giving Kirby a weapon at the beginning of the fight to make it even, wanting to show he is playing fair. In the end Kirby beats him.

Bandana Dee and 64 Waddle Dee

Since I’m discussing Super Star Ultra I wanna talk about Bandana Dee here. I know there’s the headcanon that Bandana Dee and 64 Waddle Dee are the same Waddle Dee. I do like this idea but Kirby’s timeline makes that confusing if the games are meant to be chronological.

Either way I do think a certain Waddle Dee stood out to King Dedede, possibly for his courage, which eventually lead him to giving him a bandana to distinguish him from the other Waddle Dees. After Bandana Dee’s fight with Kirby in Revenge of the King he then begins training to become stronger.

Post Super Star Ultra

Dreamland 3, 64, and Amazing Mirror, happen after this point. Meta Knight and Bandana Dee aren’t around in Dreamland 3 and Dedede gets possessed by Zero. In 64 King Dedede works with Kirby for the first time to collect the Crystal Shards. In Amazing Mirror, Meta Knight fails to save the Mirror World so it’s up to Kirby to find the pieces of the mirror and save him. I want to point out two things here: First, Meta Knight already knows about the Dimension Mirror which implies he could have knowledge on some artifacts presumably created by the ancients. Second, Kirby stopped Meta Knight’s ambitions in Super Star not too long ago and now Meta Knight fails to defeat the Dark version of himself and needs Kirby’s help. This makes Meta Knight begin to realize he may not be as capable as he initially thought.

Squeak Squad

This is where I get more into headcanons I have that might not have too much evidence behind them, but they’re still fun to think about.

In Squeak Squad someone steals a slice of cake from Kirby. Kirby thinks Dedede has to be the culprit and goes to his castle to fight him. After Kirby fights him the Squeaks appear and steal a chest from Dedede’s castle. Dedede throws Kirby at them and they all fall into a chasm. Later when Kirby manages to get the chest back from the Squeaks again, assuming his cake is in it, Meta Knight suddenly appears and takes it before he can open it. It is later revealed the chest contains Dark Nebula. So this raises a few questions: Why was the chest originally in Dedede’s castle? How did Meta Knight know it contained Dark Nebula? The first question could be answered by simply assuming Dedede being a king gathered treasures from across Dream Land and one happened to have Dark Nebula in it. However, this doesn’t explain how Meta Knight knew about a specific chest in Dedede’s castle housing an evil power in the first place.

What I like to think is this: Meta Knight finds this chest somewhere and learns of it’s dark power (like I said he seems to have knowledge on some ancient artifacts). Wanting to keep it safe so it’s power is not accidentally unleashed, he takes it to King Dedede’s castle and entrusts the King to protect it. This is his way of somewhat apologizing for the falling out they had in Ultra, by showing he trusts Dedede with this task. I’m not sure how long the chest remained there but eventually the Squeaks come along and take it, so Dedede informs Meta Knight about Kirby and the Squeaks falling into the chasm with the treasure. And this is why Meta Knight later appears in their location and takes the chest before Nebula is released.

Personally I like to think of Squeak Squad as a turning point for Kirby. Any way you look at it, Meta Knight and Dedede were not in the wrong in this game, but Kirby mistakenly assumed they were. Kirby’s always been very kind hearted, but recognizing that he may have made a mistake after the events of Squeak Squad could be another reason why in future games he is so willing to forgive.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Onward Since Bandana Dee has been absent for some time we can assume he has been training. He rejoins King Dedede as the spear wielding Bandana Dee we know and love just in time for RTDL, and Kirby, Meta Knight, Bandana Dee and King Dedede work together to help Magolor retrieve his ship pieces, but are then deceived and forced to fight him. After that Triple Deluxe happens. In terms of character development this game and Planet Robobot are very important. Based on what was discussed earlier, Dedede may still be figuring out what it really means to be a king rather than just having a glorified version of it in his head. In this game, Dedede gets to see the consequences a power hungry corrupted ruler has on her people first hand. And I believe due to seeing these consequences Dedede is even more motivated to become a true and good King for Dream Land. Similar to Triple Deluxe, Planet Robobot exposes the consequences individuals who believe they are bringing order to the planet has on Dream Land. This relates to Meta Knight’s earlier desire to end Dream Land’s lazy lifestyle. While I don’t think Meta Knight meant order in the way Susie and Haltmann regard it, it still shows how a group of people that view themselves as more civilized and advanced can harm the denizens of Popstar. Bandana Dee also appears in these games to assist Kirby. It is important to note that other than King Dedede and Meta Knight, he is one of the only other characters brave enough to actively work against the tyranny of these disruptive forces. Rainbow Curse also displays his courage as he teams up with Kirby to help restore color to Dream Land while Meta Knight and Dedede are unable, having been turned into statues. I believe thanks to these adventures, Bandana Dee further understands Kirby’s motives and sees him as a true hero. That is why he is willing to help Kirby best any foe, because he knows Kirby’s intentions are pure and that he only wishes to keep the peace and protect the denizens of Dream Land from corruption.

Kirby Fighters 2 Skipping to Kirby Fighters 2, King Dedede and Meta Knight working together makes a lot of sense. They both have a strong drive to prove themselves, similar to Bandana Dee. However, they also want to prove they can best Kirby (especially after both of their loses to the pink hero in the past). Kirby Fighters 2 from my perspective shows that Meta Knight now respects Dedede as the ruler of Dream Land. He has fought alongside Dedede in RTDL and Star Allies, and has seen that Dedede is no longer as selfish and greedy as he used to be and truly wants to be a fit ruler for his kingdom. They’ve also both been victim to a lot, in particular in Robobot they are both captured and used by Haltmann and Susie (Dedede is cloned, and Meta Knight is turned into Mecha Knight), and in Star Allies they are both corrupted by a Dark Jamba heart. By now it’s really more beneficial in the long run if they set their differences aside, to best face whatever may happen in the future. Dedede on the other hand I believe always had a great deal of respect for Meta Knight, but he’s still probably happy Meta Knight is willing to team up with him. By the end of the game I’m sure Meta Knight also grows to appreciate Dedede’s drive to not give up, and I believe this is why he is even willing to comfort him after their defeat. Bandana Dee is intended to be the buddy character for Kirby canonly in Fighters 2 based on the artwork in the game. While this could be seen as upsetting for Dedede, it could very well be the opposite. In one of Dedede’s Directory posts on Twitter, he mentions feeling proud of Como (little spider enemy) because he’s now able to fight as an ally and enemy in Star Allies. I’m sure his feelings on Bandana Dee growing into his own person have to be similar, even if he’s on the receiving end of his attacks. Okay… I think that’s everything! If you read this all the way through I want to thank you for taking the time out of your day to do so! Again, I might’ve forgotten a few things or misinterpreted something but I hope this made some sense heh.

[c-is-for-circinate]

It occurs to me that I promised y’all I’d tell you stories from the D&D campaign I’m running, and it’s now been a week since the first session, so I should definitely do some of that!  I can already tell it’s going to be a fun-as-shit campaign.  If nothing else, my party and I are collectively five variably-queer ladies who met at knitting group and range in age from “haven’t played D&D since 2e at GenCon in the 90′s” to “too young to remember fandom before AO3 existed”.  We’re real fucking cool.  I am going to have to explain, in detail, so many textiles and other interesting crafts.

I am a WORDY-ASS MOTHERFUCKER, so the whole tale will probably get pretty long in the telling, but: welcome to the continent of Nokomoris, on a world that probably has its own name but I haven’t decided on it yet because naming things is hard, dude.

[here’s where I will probably link game session posts in the future once they exist]

Hark, a backstory!  (And, our four players)

IF YOU RECOGNIZE THIS CAMPAIGN INFO BECAUSE YOU ARE PLAYING IT, CONSIDER YOURSELF UNDER DM ORDERS TO BACK OFF AND STOP READING.  I KNOW YOU FUCKERS ARE ON TUMBLR TOO, THERE IS A REASON I DIDN’T GIVE YOU MY HANDLE.  (I love you all very much and yes, there are spoilers in here.  Go away and text me now.)

Eastern Nokomoris, where our story takes place (or at least begins) is in a prosperous age of thriving city-states and collapsed kingdoms.  Most trade, culture, and even centralized government is based among the Nine Cities, massive metropolises located around the Attiks Sea and nearby lands.  Nearly a million people live in the nine cities, which are connected to each other via well-established sea and land trade routes, and also by what many are calling the most important technological/magical development of the modern age: a network of massive permanent teleportation circles, thirty feet in diameter.

The circle network is big enough to carry large trade wagons, livestock, huge parties of people, and even troops and war machines.  Sea and land trade has dropped by half between the Nine Cities in the past fifteen years, and continues to decline.  The cities themselves are thriving and prosperous, and it’s easier than ever to get beef and leather from Karna Vi, wool from Yefira, pottery from Celkan or metalwork from Tiers no matter where you live.

Outside of the cities, it’s another story.  Dozens of once-prosperous kingdoms, and even the whole of the Trava Empire, have fallen in the past seventy years: first during the Church Wars, and then in the yeas of chaos and rebuilding once the Wars were over.  Small towns everywhere that once paid taxes to a crown, and were protected in turn by royal troops and much-needed aid in times of hardship, have been left entirely to stand or fall on their own.  Some have thrived, becoming local centers of trade for whole coalitions of abandoned towns nearby.  Others have disappeared, died out, or simply faded into the wilderness, forgotten.  The great open plains of Highnorth where the Trava Empire once ruled, the endless golden sea of the Southgrass, the peaks and valleys of the Thavine Mountains, the deep many-colored forest of the Iris Peninsula--who knows what’s out there any more?

And in the Midlands, where the worst of the Church Wars took place...well, precious few towns even survived to rebuild in the first place.  Land that once held the most fertile farms in all Nokomoris is desolate now, scarred and cursed.  Most of the battlefield has been picked over by intrepid adventurers and out-of-work soldiers in the six decades since the Wars ended, already raided for magic and treasure.  The ruins remain, and the valleys where nothing will ever grow again, and the eternal shadow over the once-Holy City, and who knows what sorts of twisted things living in places people no longer go?

But it’s been sixty years since the Church Wars ended, and for most people, life is good.  Small-town farmers may no longer have the protection of any crown, but small technological advancements in plow design and crop rotation mean that they can produce more food than they need and sell the extra in the nearest city for coin.  More and more young people, freed from heavy labor on their parents’ farms, have learned reading, writing, history, and some amount of arcane talent.  The Grand Universities in the nine cities are thriving, full of scholars of all ages eager to learn and advance the course of knowledge everywhere.

Of course, there are ten times more scholars in the Grand Universities than there are professorships or other high-ranking positions to hire them to...and that is where our story begins.

.

Our intrepid party thus far includes:

Marion, a human paladin of indeterminate gender, whose human family stands among the nobles of the great city of Karna Vi, where our story begins.  Marion is an acolyte of the Church of Lost Things, which concerns itself with every god that does not easily fit within the purview of the other seven Churches, and also with every god that has been erased or forgotten by time (for all gods deserve worship, and all gods are capable of smiting those that neglect them, sooner or later).  They’re also a math major, largely because computer science hasn’t been invented yet.

Marion’s really hoping to be able to build and program a simple computing machine, a la Babbage’s Difference Engine (or Arthur C. Clarke’s The Nine Billion Names of God), to tabulate and generate all the possible names of every god ever to exist, which seems much more efficient than just combing piecemeal broken historical records trying to find them.  It has not been going well.  In a Church system where paladins are often more concerned with protecting people from the gods than for the gods, cracking this problem will let Marion figure out who the gods even are like nobody ever before.  But there are variables missing, and theomathematical constants they can’t even identify yet, let alone calculate--and they’re not going to find here.

Three interesting facts about Marion, as per their player: 

They once spent an entire week holed up in a lab over a holiday break and were declared missing-presumed-dead.  Police searches were involved.  It was a little bit of a scandal.

They are by far the most unremarkable and constantly forgotten member of their entire family.  (This perhaps says more about their family than about them.)

Everyone on campus is fairly sure they interfered with the campus clock tower specifically to give students more time on finals last semester.  This is false.  They were trying to run a different experiment entirely, messed with the clock tower by accident, and didn’t actually notice it was finals week even after it was over.

Kevin, an elf barbarian sportsball champion, hero of the university’s sportsball team for the past ten years straight.  Kevin is a foot and a half taller than any self-respecting elf ought to be, not to mention twice as broad.  He’s finally starting to acknowledge the fact that there is, in fact, no NFElf, and you can’t be a “professional sportsballer” within the Elven Ascendancy, and his bemused parents would really like him to do something with his life beyond playing those little games with the ball and all of those...non-elf people.

Kevin is also an art history student, mostly out of desire for an easy major that’ll make his parents happy while he happily spends most of his time out on the sportsball field.  He’s got high strength, basic middle intelligence, and negative wisdom.  He’s sat through more history classes than the entire rest of the party put together.  He understands approximately none of it.  Still--he can’t do sports forever, and art history makes his parents happy, and he might as well go on a quest to uncover lost art and artifacts and maybe prove he’s an actual adult sooner than later, right?

Three interesting facts about Kevin, as per his player:

Back in his home city playing little league sportsball, there were definite (and accurate) rumors about this wild elf that could and would straight-up squish opposing players.  That’s how the college recruiters found him in the first place.  It’s definitely why they wanted him.

He has so many groupies.  So many.  They come in so many different species and genders and Kevin is on board with every single one.  (On board?  On bed?  On convenient flat surface?  Does it particularly matter?  Not to Kevin!)

Kevin is covered in tattoos, and there are all sorts of rumors about what sort of eldritch magic they hold--like, that panther is probably a real panther bound by elven magic, right?  A pretty persistent rumor suggests that the tattoos all commemorate individual opposing team members he’s...either hospitalized or fucked, or both, literally nobody is sure.  (In point of fact, none of the above are true, and Kevin just has terrible taste in tattoos and a pretty stunning lack of both impulse control and supervision--but why quash the stories?)

Kou, a halfling bard whose girlfriend just left three weeks ago on a research expedition of her own, taking with her approximately 85% of Kou’s impulse control.  In theory, Kou is an alchemy major, studying science to make her scholar parents happy.  In practice, she probably spends more time sneaking into music seminars and/or busking on the street for spare change than actually doing alchemy, but her girlfriend was a Good Responsible Influence who made sure Kou didn’t get kicked out of the department, and to be fair, alchemy can blow things up sometimes so that’s always good.

Kou doesn’t so much have plans for the future as vague, contradictory aspirations, but that doesn’t mean she’s not smart.  She’s learned enough magic to use a set of recording stones to play, loop, and modulate beats or bits of music, thereby making her Nokomoris’s very first DJ, and she really wants to be a professional musician someday.  She just hasn’t figured out how to reconcile her dreams with her parents’ wishes, the lives they’ve worked so hard to create, or a halfling cultural legacy that has more to do with riding around snowfields covered in furs waving spears than it does with brightly-colored house parties.

Three interesting facts about Kou, as per her player:

Kou very definitely once spent a full day dressed up in halfling traditional garb, furs and all, including a very fuzzy fur hat.  It wasn’t until that evening that somebody saw the hat move and everyone realized she’d been wearing a curled-up live fox the whole time.

She once managed to create an incredibly destructive compound in alchemy lab out of ingredients that should not have actually been able to react that way.  She found out it was corrosive when she accidentally spilled it on six months’ worth of a different professor’s lab notes.  (She got an A anyway, because her lab professor hated the other guy, but that has more to do with Professors Ayanova and M’tiersi than Kou, really.)

She absolutely goes down to counter-protest every damn time those Family First assholes try to rally downtown in favor of child-producing (read: heterosexual, single-species) families.  Rumor says she once broke her guitar over a protester’s head, which horrifies her--Kou’s guitar is the most expensive thing she owns!  She used their own protest sign, like a sensible person.

Reigenleif, a mostly-female-probably gnome rogue known around campus as “Beer Run” for her skills at somehow always having access to better and cheaper beer than anyone else, and her general willingness to deliver to parties (for a small additional fee).  Reigenleif’s parents are small-time forgers who ended up mostly working for a local crime organization after a series of bad luck and political upheavals brought them to Karna Vi a few decades ago.  They really want their kids to go clean, avoid all the uncertainties and occasional jail sentences/executions that accompany a life of crime, and maybe make a little something of themselves.  Reigenleif, who has zero interest in staying on the right side of the law, mostly does odd jobs for a different, not-technically-rival criminal organization, and carefully does not tell her parents about it, ever.

Technically she’s an engineering major, and she’s more than got the brains for it, plus the accompanying curiosity about metallurgy and arcane artificing.  Still, she spends most of her time helpfully involving herself in other peoples’ projects rather than running her own.  (Her own projects have a lot more to do with figuring out new forging techniques and criminal tricks, and don’t look very good in the end-of-year department report.)  Enjoys causing trouble, not being in it.

Three interesting facts about Reigenleif, as per her player:

She absolutely owns a copy of the provost’s signet ring, which she can and has used to create documents allowing herself access to all sorts of University resources.  Like most things, she’ll share the use of it, quietly, for a price.  (She also owns a copy of Marion’s family signet ring, which is a much longer story that I as the DM do not know yet--can’t wait for that.)

Once captured and maneuvered a live swan into somebody’s office to cause as much chaos as possible so Reigenleif could get up to something somewhere else.  Is a little bit of a legend for it.

Aside from her not-actually-that-impressive family legacy of crime, Reigenleif’s spread a quiet rumor around school that she’s descended from the famous marauding pirate, Thrand Slender-Leg.  It’s possible that Thrand Slender-Leg never actually existed.  It’s possible that nobody had ever heard of him before Reigenleif made him up.  She’s certainly not telling.

[imhereformysciencefriends]

Pt 2

—

“Aw, Carm, this is a beauty,” Zack praised, running his hand affectionately over the dashboard. “Listen to her purr.”

“Why are all your cars girls?” Ivy asked disdainfully, hiding her pleasure at seeing Zack so excited again. So genuinely happy.

“Because I love women and I love cars—and I also love boats and planes, and trains, and motorcycles, and...”

“I’m glad you like it,” Carmen said, getting in. “We need a quiet car for quiet getaways. Can’t leave a noisy car running at the ready.”

“This is gonna be so great,” Zack said, hugging the steering wheel like a long lost lover, “This is already so great.”

Ivy rolled her eyes.

“So,” Carmen said, sitting next to Ivy in the backseat, immediately grabbing all of her attention and making the space seem so much smaller, “tell me about yourself, partner.”

Ivy felt her heart leap into her throat.

“Well, I’m from Boston,” she started, trying to make herself sound as casual and natural as if she were meeting a normal, regular human being, not the (muscle muscle muscle HOT GIRL muscle pretty) partner-in-crime of her dreams, “born and raised, haven’t gotten out much. Enrolled in the toughest undergraduates my college had to offer for my major last year and breezed through ‘em so fast I took nothing but graduate courses this last semester and a half.” She didn’t normally feel any particular need to brag, but, well, she really wanted to impress this woman who’d been raised from infancy to be a thief and special operative. “Make gadgets. Joined the white hat hackers for something to do and ended up gettin’ invested.”

“They’ve got a certain allure,” Carmen agreed, nodding. Ivy was too tongue tied to make any kind of slip about the other alluring component of her very current situation.

Underneath them, the car purred just a little louder, and Ivy realized that it had been accelerating smoothly, seamlessly, without her even noticing. The scenery was rocketing past them.

“Zack, I don’t think we should get caught by police this early in the game,” she said, just a tiny bit irritated.

“Relax, Ivy, we’re in the middle of nowhere! Where are the cops gonna be in the Midwest? Hiding in a corn field?”

“Most major cities in Midwestern America do have state patrols on the interstate not far out from city limits, precisely to catch people who share that mindset,” Carmen informed Zack, oozing that well-earned, deceptively simple confidence that Ivy knew was deserved. “And while it’s known for corn, a large number of farmers grow soybeans as well, which can be chocolate coated and eaten like candy, harvested for oil for biodiesel fuel, and can even be turned into crayons.”

Ivy stared at Carmen, rapt.

“The Midwest is often referred to as ‘tornado alley,’ or its more traditional moniker, ‘The Great Plains.’ The plainlands are notorious for their green, electric skies that foretell tornadoes, and also have some pretty stark shifts through seasonal changes. Though, no one ever seems to think that spring lasts long enough.”

“Well aren’t you just a walkin’ geography book,” Zack said, sounding about as stunned as Ivy felt, and the car slowed a little.

“Thanks. But Zack is also right. This far from the city, nobody with a badge is going to see us until we hit the next small town.”

There was a beat, and then Ivy heard the engine rev, climbing speeds with renewed vigor. “Awwww yeaaaah!” Zack crowed.

Carmen turned back to Ivy, and she kinda hoped she wasn’t blushing as hot as she felt like she was blushing. Carmen was an ocean. Ivy didn’t get to see much change on the surface, but there was a deep power and awe-inspiring quality to Carmen that lied just beneath, so close to the surface Ivy could practically feel it thrum. She wondered what it would be like to see Carmen storm.

She was staring, oops, uh, conversation, normal-people talk!

“So, tell me about you,” Ivy choked a little on the word, “partner.”

Carmen arched a single eyebrow and Ivy internally bemoaned how it wasn’t fair. She could never make her face do that! “I thought Player already debriefed you.”

“He gave me the basics,” Ivy nudged Carmen’s shin with her sneaker, like she would any other casual, regular-friend acquaintance. “I wanna hear from you.”

“It’s gonna have to wait,” Zack warned from the driver’s seat, “according to Player’s GPS, we’re gettin’ close.”

Far off, a semi truck was just becoming visible. Carmen nodded with determination, brown eyes locked on the distant figure.

“According to our intel, V.I.L.E. has probably already stolen the pipe. It’s an important relic that dates back centuries, and V.I.L.E. knows it’s a sacred part of Oglala Lakota culture. Plenty of shady museums are willing to pay a hefty price for the stolen artifacts of Native cultures. We’re going to make sure it gets back where it belongs.”

Ivy felt something electric in her pulse—and for once it wasn’t attraction to this pretty lady. It was something bigger, faster, far more exciting. Like the buzz of working with Zack to get into mischief, but amplified, nameless.

“Right,” she agreed, with a passion she was surprised to feel. They all activated their comms—tiny, closed-route devices Ivy made that linked them all to Player and each other—and got ready.

Zack slowed as they got to the semi, and Carmen leapt deftly through the open top of the car onto the hood. Zack kept a steady pace, bumper to bumper despite moving down the interstate, and Carmen fastened one of Ivy’s gadgets to the lock. The door of the truck swung open and—

Carmen had dodged and blocked before either of the twins had registered there were assailants inside. Deftly, competently, confidently, Carmen jumped into the metal cavity and punched an operative straight in the nose.

“Really, it’s like none of you remember to protect the face,” Carmen said as she dropped low to avoid a punch and then slammed the underside of her aggressor's chin. “Coach Brunt gives very good advice. You should listen.” Ivy distantly noted that the audio quality of their comms was perfect, exactly what she’d hoped.

Ivy watched Carmen move like Zack watched his video games. Utterly immersed, not wanting to even blink. There was fire in her gut, sparks inside her veins, a drumming noise inside her head that swelled in her lungs and threatened to burst from her ribcage.

Then someone got an arm around Carmen’s neck and Ivy knew, instinctively, in her very bones, what she needed to do. She pulled the grappling hook from her bag and leapt into the passenger seat, one foot propped on the rim of the windshield as she attacked the hook.

“What are—Ivy, Ivy you haven’t tested that yet!”

“Perfect time then, eh?” Ivy asked, barely hearing her brother over the thrum in her skull and veins. She aimed while one of the operatives picked himself up off the floor, grabbing a baton while Carmen struggled against the arm pressed to her windpipe.

“Not a perfect time! Now is not the—“

With a click and a woosh and a surge forward off the windshield, Ivy was airborne. She kicked her legs out hard and planted her feet right into the fellow with the baton, cushioning her landing but knocking him out cold. And maybe breaking a rib. Who knew—who cared?

“Hiya!” Ivy screamed as she rounded on the other man who—who was. Not standing anymore. Carmen stood, like she hadn’t been choked or bothered at all, and Ivy felt just a tiny bit silly for her shout but mostly she felt alight with something that could’ve been adrenaline.

“Nice gadget,” Carmen praised, and Ivy grinned, heady with their seeming victory.

A booming noise and blue light from the open door grabbed their attention, and the truck gained speed like it was a bullet train.

“That’s Dr. Bellum’s nitro,” Carmen informed swiftly, scooping Ivy up in her arms, “We’d better bounce.”

Carmen leapt, Ivy in her arms like a princess in the embrace of a valiant knight, from the semi’s open door into the open top of the car that was just barely still close enough for them to make the jump. Carmen shoved Ivy down as they landed, so that she bounced into the seat, head knocking against the headrest, and Ivy held onto Carmen, keeping her body from rocketing into the metal rim of the roof (or worse, toppling over it). Carmen and Ivy were both breathing hard, eyes locked as Carmen flopped into the seat, and they shared twin grins as Zack slowed the car and took off down a highway, branching from the interstate into the endless, gentle hills of the plains.

“That was great,” Carmen told Ivy as she pulled the pipe from her red coat, grinning triumphantly, “especially for a rookie.”

Ivy laughed and punched Carmen playfully in the shoulder, still high off whatever this was. “That was amazing. Zack, Zack, we are never going back to Boston.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Zack crowed as well, “I mean, unless there’s a caper there.”

“I will allow one excuse for Boston capers. Oh my god!” Ivy said, laughing again, flopping bonelessly in the backseat as the adrenaline crashed. “That was so cool.”

“Yeah,” Carmen said, sounding pleased.

—

<<Player you ain’t gonna BELIEVE what happened today!>>

<<Is it that Red swept you up in her arms and jumped from the back of a moving vehicle? Or that you discovered your passion for benevolent crime that was latent inside you all along?>>

<<SHE’S SO STRONG!>>

<<Yeah, Red already told me about it. Glad the first caper went well. It’s always nice to get off to a good start>>

<<She picked me up like it was NOTHIN’. Do I even weigh anythin’ to her?>>

<<It’s probably like lifting grapes or something>>

<<Player oh my god what have you done? How am I supposed to survive this?>>

<<You’re welcome>>

<<On a more serious note, yes I did discover my love of crime and theft and kicking dudes really really hard and you were absolutely right about me wantin’ to go on an adventure; how’d you know?>>

<<Eh, some wishful thinking and a lucky guess>>

<<I’m gonna go pass out now.>>

<<Make sure you hydrate>>

<<That goes double for you, cave goblin.>>

—

<<HER SKIN WAS SO SOFT>>

<<There there, Red>>

<<PLAYER SHE SMELLED SO GOOD>>

<<It’ll be okay; you’ll get through this>>

<<She hadn’t tested it yet! She risked her life specifically to come help me!>>

<<It was very cash money of her>>

<<Did I tell you about how she counterbalanced me so I didn’t crack a rib or go over the rim?>>

<<You did>>

<<She doesn’t have any training, Player. She just DID THAT! For me!>>

<Mmhhmm>>

<<Player I think I have a crush>>

<<I think so too>>

<<Help I‘ve never had a crush before>>

<<You liar>>

<<Well okay yeah I’ve had crushes before but never when I could actually DO anything about it! I was always ‘that island kid’ to all the people I had crushes on, and by the time I was finally old enough to maybe date one of the students there weren’t any options.>>

<<Mhm>>

<<El Topo and Le Chèvre have been an item since practically always, Mime Bomb was just… no, Tigress hated my guts, and Crackle was basically the brother I’d always wanted.>>

<<Yeah>>

<<Wait, what if that’s it? Ivy is the first real option I’ve ever had, so my brain is going haywire and overreacting.>>

<<What do you feel about Zack?>>

<<...>>

<<,’:)>>

<<I like him, and he’s attractive, in the way that humans are attractive, but he’s not very attractive to me.>>

<<Mhm>>

<<I have a crush on Ivy.>>

<<Yes>>

<<Player what do I do?>>

<<Well, my mom says all good relationships are built on the solid foundation of good friendships. Start there>>

<<So focus on being her friend and not the dumb complicated feelings that are dumb and complicated, got it.>>

<<I wouldn’t ignore them entirely. It’s normal to have crushes, and most people see them as a good thing. Just don’t let it be the ONLY thing, you know?>>

<<Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.>>

<<I always make sense, you should listen to me because I’m always right.>>

<<Haha>>

<<I am a font of wisdom, don’t play>>

<<Yeah. Hey, Player?>>

<<Red>>

<<Thanks. Talking to you always makes me feel grounded.>>

<<Hey, what are besties for?>>

Part 1 | Part 3

[nevertickleasleepingbadger]

Re-sorting the Weasleys

Ok first installment of a re-sorting series! One of the biggest weaknesses of the HP universe is the very flat, one sided sorting. Brave=Gryffindor, Smart=Ravenclaw, Kind=Hufflepuff, Cunning (Evil??)=Slytherin I understand that for some of the plot devices to work, certain characters had to be in certain houses, but it always came off as lazy to me that all the Weasleys were in Gryffindor (for decades???). I honestly never really understood whole families going into one house in general- considering how different all these people are, did the Sorting Hat just give up and assign all gingers to the red house? ANYWAY. Here’s my defense of where I think they should go, based on the fandom’s collective interpretations of the houses. And many thanks to @flockdynamics​, for your discussion and help!

Arthur Weasley- Ravenclaw

At first, Arthur comes off as this very goofy character. Which he is, no doubt, but this man is also a genius- his whole job is spent undoing charms and hexes on muggle objects which undoubtedly involves creativity and skill. He is constantly tinkering and coming up with really inventive adjustments and improvements on objects- objects that few wizards understand the workings of at all! I saw a Weasley appreciation post awhile back that mentioned Arthur’s obsession with batteries and how he could be looking into the possibility of storing magical energy and I 100% believe this to be true. He’s not just collecting these items because they look fun, he’s studying them and trying to figure out how they work and how he can incorporate magic into muggle inventions. And he goes through the effort to write loopholes into his own laws so that what he’s doing isn’t strictly illegal which just kills me. One of the true hallmarks of Ravenclaws, beyond just plain intelligence, is cleverness and ingenuity (and a constant desire to learn and push the boundaries of understanding). Ravenclaws aren’t just interested in things you can learn from books and they encourage out-of-the-box thinking. One of the first things he does when he meets anyone connected to muggles is to immediately start asking questions and learning. Also don’t forget that he wrote (co-wrote?) the Muggle Protection Act. His demeanor is jubilant and laid back and he certainly shows great bravery at times, but his baseline behavior is to be in the background, steady and confident and pushing the boundaries in his own way. He is a great source of comfort to his family and to Harry. He always takes Harry seriously and does his best to protect him in the ways he can. In the muggle world, he would totally be that spacey college professor whose office is a mess with random artifacts and weird comics pinned up everywhere, but when you talk to them you realize they are about 10x smarter than you. Molly Weasley- Hufflepuff Ah, Molly- the badger indeed. Loving and fiercely protective. We hardly ever get to see Molly outside of the context of motherhood, but I imagine we see the worst of her temper as she attempts to raise 7 children amidst two wars. I think the Molly underneath all the stress is strong, empathetic, and comforting. We see her unkindness towards Fleur do a 180 as soon as she realizes that Fleur isn’t someone she needs to protect Bill from. She might not get points for patience, but she is certainly stubborn! Overall, Molly is deeply emotional and she keeps her emotions close to the surface. She is soft (in a good way) and warm and just unbelievably capable. The intensity of her kindness towards Harry (knitting him a sweater his first year even though she had only once briefly met him because she guessed, presumably from Ron’s letters, that he needed a family). That’s the kind of person Molly is.  Bill Weasley- Ravenclaw I struggled a bit with Bill because the age gap between Harry and Bill might skew our perception of him a bit. Bill is certainly the cool, calm, and collected older brother. The hair, the earring, the swagger- I absolutely adore Bill. Bill always comes off as a bit reserved- not shy but just someone who doesn’t say more than they have to. But this could just be his age and maturity compared to his younger siblings. His family’s obvious disdain for his fiance, Fleur, seems to roll off his back and we rarely see him raise his voice or lose his cool. He is just an incredibly competent man and wizard. Skills with curse breaking and wards really scream Ravenclaw to me- these are skills that take perseverance and creativity to master- something that might not mesh well with the brute force and brashness of a Gryffindor. He is obviously someone who can work with Goblins, which tells me he is tactful and careful and must have paid attention in History of Magic. And how could I forget, Head Boy and 12 Outstanding OWLs. Slowclap for Bill Weasley, everyone. Charlie Weasley- Hufflepuff?? Who knows because it’s a crime we have almost nothing to go on with this fabulous character. A well built, quidditch playing, dragon wrangler?? Cmon JK Rowling- we need more Charlie Weasley. His love for Care of Magical Creatures automatically makes me gravitate towards Hufflepuff (Hagrid is my next big installment post, don’t worry) and the little we see of him shows us a popular, warm, and dedicated guy. But that’s all I can really say! Percy Weasley- Slytherin I know this one is going to be controversial so let me start out by saying this is partially based on a rejection of JKR’s version of Slytherin. I’m not sure if we are just supposed to blame Harry’s unreliable POV, but Slytherin is a mess. So if we strip away some of the ugliest caricatures of the house, Slytherins are crafty, resourceful, driven, and deeply protective of tradition. Percy is seriousssss. He’s a snob, absolutely. He sees everything as an opportunity and he feels he is fighting an uphill battle to separate himself from his family, who don’t share his commitment to self-betterment. He bleeds ambition and unfortunately, because of the political climate that he grows up in, he has the perfect personality to get swept up in government corruption. He realizes his mistakes, but he is prideful and it takes him awhile to face his family and own up to them. We see him full of regret but not yet able to apologize at Christmas during HBP, and of course his arc comes full circle at the Battle of Hogwarts. Tradition and correctness are very important to Percy and he needs constant validation that he is in control. He is in a bit of an awkward age gap with his siblings and I think often ends up as the odd man out and as such, he overcompensates by trying to rise above the chaos of his family and he isolates himself in the process. Percy is also bullied relentlessly by Fred and George, and this really hardens him and pushes him further away. I think it is probably good that he wasn’t sorted into Slytherin in canon, because the divide between Percy and the other Weasleys is already wide and it would have really hurt Percy in the long run. But that being said, JKR wrote the perfect Slytherin with Percy, she just didn’t act on it. He could never have survived as the odd man out in his family in Slytherin, but in a different universe, he fits. Fred & George- Gryffindor I struggled with them because in a way, I wanted to split them up because I think they really can encompass more than one house but I think that F&G are a FORCE together and need to stay as such. I was originally leaning towards Ravenclaw for them just based on the extreme wit and creativity they possess, but as @flockdynamics pointed out to me, I think their intentions are very important. Life is a joke for these two and it’s full of color and noise. They are whip smart and very ambitious and honestly would have thrived in any house- I don’t see them letting house boundaries define them (especially if we cast aside the Gryffindor ancestry of the Weasleys). But their inventions and ingenuity don’t stem from a desire to research and push the boundaries of wizard invention. They just want to make stuff and blow shit up and have a good time. And sure, they want to build a business and make the money they never had growing up, but making people happy and bringing humor into the world are their #1 goals. They are brave in the most foolhardy, Gryffindor way (U-No-Poo anyone?) and never back down from a challenge. They act before thinking and can be bullies (their treatment of Percy, Ron, and sometimes Hermione definitely comes off this way). They often don’t stop to consider emotional tact because they really just live in their own world where everything is fun.  Ron- Gryffindor In all her missteps with the houses, I think JKR spent a lot of time making the golden trio fit into her views of Gryffindor traits. Ron is often tactless and self-centered but he is also deeply empathetic (especially towards the end as he’s maturing). I think bravery is an oversimplification of Gryffindor- I think Gryffindor to me is more about being just. They definitely exhibit overt bravery by going off on adventures or putting themselves in danger for loved ones. But moreover, Gryffindors are motivated by an unerring sense of justice and sense of how things should be- they often can’t see the nuances or slow down to consider the best course of action before diving in. Ron’s relationship with Harry is one of the best teenage boy relationships I’ve seen. Ron is there for Harry and legit willing to fight by his side time and time again. He knows when to be supportive, when to give Harry space, when to argue, when to capitulate. His misgivings with Hermione are a different story of dumb teenage hormones and misunderstandings. Ron gives 100% and puts his life on the line for his friends. He really struggles with deep feelings of inadequacy compared to his brothers and struggles to find a place for himself being in Harry’s and their shadows. This really overshadows his underlying personality and makes him act out. I can actually see adult Ron acting much more like a Hufflepuff: stalwart, dependable, and caring but also fiercely protective of those he’s close to. But his personality growing up is definitely Gryffindor. Ginny- Slytherin?? But probably Gryffindor Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. man this one is hard. One look at my blog will probably tell you she is one of my favorite characters, but she is also one that suffers from Harry’s unreliable POV. She went through unimaginable trauma at the age of 11 and was saved by none other than her girlhood crush/brother’s best friend/famous quasi family member. It’s an odd position for her to be in. She is broken and deeply embarrassed and spends time rebuilding herself away from Harry. Which is completely understandable, but it means the audience suffers from not getting to know Ginny until much later and she keeps herself at arms length with Harry until their relationship begins. I think Ginny is largely misunderstood by the fandom and the complete obliteration of her character by the movies doesn’t help. BUT, damn if Ginny is not a BAMF. Sneaky, witty, sometimes harsh and sharp but also loving and bubbly and effervescent. She is the embodiment of “bitch, I won’t hesitate”. Growing up with 6 brothers really pushes Ginny to be rough, unapologetic, and outspoken and we see that side of her often- berating Fleur, hexing/crashing into Zacharias, tripping Ron, etc. Her friendship with Luna gives us glimpses into the softer sides of Ginny. As much as fans love Luna, it always strikes me as odd that they easily dismiss the person Luna seems closest to as boring and mean. Luna seems like an excellent judge of character and not one to seek out negative people (but I digress). I think Ginny is a complex character that the books barely scratch the surface of. By the end, Ginny really exudes confidence and she bravely takes on part of the role of running the DA during the darkest year at Hogwarts. In a world away from the blood purity nonsense, I would totally put her in Slytherin. Her tenacity, perseverance, and cunning really match up well with many of the things Slytherins claim to possess and she shows us time and time again she is willing to push social boundaries to make herself heard/seen. The prejudices associated with Slytherin muddy the waters so in canon, Gryffindor is a good place for her. 

[fishy12233]

Chronicles of Sturgia

Chapter 1, Part 1: “The Gorgeous Grove”

The only sound one could hear was the sound of chirping birds and running water. The gentle sunlight shone upon the peaceful cove, creating a grand rainbow among the waterfalls and reflecting off of the water with a brilliant light. This was the peaceful sanctuary that was Sunset Grove.

Seven years ago, Gabriella Reyes was banished into a forest ruined in the midst of war. She was left to die. However, through impossible odds, she managed to not only survive, but to also revive the forest into a grand sanctuary. It was a place of safety. Over seven years, it became a glimmer of hope among the shattered kingdom of Sturgia, especially now, when nowhere else was safe any longer. Gabby founded a quaint town of peace and happiness, hidden away from the dangers of the treacherous world. Many people came here so that they could be safe. They needed somewhere safe more than ever. Over seven years, Gabriella longed to see Samuel again. When the six children from Citrione City came out of that waterfall and into the cove below, the hope that the couple would be reunited began to glimmer once again.

The six children were wet, soggy and cold. But seeing the beautiful grove that they arrived in gave them strength.

When the six kids had crashed into the cove, they also crashed into two hapless villagers who were talking on top of large lily pads. These villagers were Dan Avidan and Arin Hanson in squirrel kigurumis. Before long, Gabriella Reyes and a large group of villagers showed up to help them. The kids introduced themselves and Gabby recognized Maddie and Susan as Samuel’s nieces, seeing it as a sign that Samuel was alive. They had grown so big since Gabby last saw them. She said that the kids were the second incident of someone coming in from the waterfall. The first incident was a girl from the kids’ school who somehow stumbled into the cave in Eagle Mountain and found herself in Sunset Grove. They also met Liana Culiseta, a wise and enigmatic woman who wore a long black dress that showed off her ankle. She also had seven very large, very wound up ponytails. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a large cackle. Everyone turned towards the large tree that stood in the middle of the forest. A bizarre girl stood on a branch.

“This scene is nice and all, but the queen wouldn’t like this. She ordered me, Robyn Avia, to burn down this forest. She can’t have people taking sanctuary here.”

The bizarre girl sent her phoenix down upon the villagers, frightening them. She resolved to burn down the forest, but she threw a tantrum when she realized that her fire attacks were being blocked by a hidden force coming from inside the large tree. Robyn flew away with her phoenix, vowing to find a way to stop the protective force. After the kids dried off, Liana told them to place the Diamond Step into a pedestal on a strange monument. It looked like some sort of large pavilion without a roof. There were eight pedestals, but Liana told them which one to put it on. Liana seemed extremely excited, but was trying to keep calm. Her eyes were always so squinty, but her excitement still showed through them. Once the shoes were on the pedestal, the world began to spin around the kids. A large flock of doves began flying around the pavilion as the world changed. Soon the kids entered another realm, and the pavilion changed into a large, circular stained glass window depicting Caroling Porter weeping by her husband, who lay comatose in bed. The surrounding forest had disappeared, leaving only darkness. The flock of doves flew away, and suddenly, Caroline Porter stood in front of them. She explained that the kids were now on a quest, a quest to find all eight items and stop the dark force that was controlling the queen. Caroline was one of the eight wizards who encountered this dark force nineteen years ago. The Diamond Step was a pair of shoes that belonged to Caroline’s life-sized porcelain doll. She couldn’t leave her house because her husband Gent was comatose due to the queen making an example of him at the royal parade seven years ago.

"The next artifact is the Canary Cornucopia," Caroline said. "It's a sunflower located within the large tree in the middle of the forest. The tree is actually an abandoned facility named Twilea Incorporated. Go there. The Cornucopia is what protects the forest. If it's returned to the monument with the Diamond Step, it'll remain safe."

When the kids returned to Sunset Grove, they told Gabby everything that Caroline told them. They decided to explore Sunset Grove and prepare before entering the strange facility. Suzy, one of the villagers, volunteered to give them a tour. She showed them around the orchard, which was one of the town’s main food sources. The town mainly survived on fruit, fish, and honey. They also used imports from other towns, but they were isolated by recent events, making trade impossible. Suzy showed them to the beach, where they could see an island covered in shadow. It was a heavy contrast to the bright and sunny forest they were in right now. The kids saw one of the villagers sitting contemplatively on a nearby bench. She was a monkey who held a strange orb in her hands. It looked broken. Suzy showed them around town, including town hall, the salon, and the bank. A cat villager was delightfully playing the fiddle in the town square. Another cat villager sat by the train station painting blue things. He painted blue houses, blue cows, blue people, etc. It looks like he had run out of other paint colors. The train station was also out of order due to recent events. The kids visited the fruit cafe, the most popular restaurant in town. Smefanye, the owner, was really nice. Apparently, Smef was a model who was really popular a couple of years ago.

Afterwards, the kids went to the local store to restock. Peter saw a really cool beetle backpack with more space, so he bought it. Then, the kids got to watch the local band play a song. They called themselves the Coffee Shop Hipsters. The song they sang was a song of peace. The lyrics we're hopeful and empowering. It was a soothing song that also evoked a sense of adventure. The kids loved it.

The tour took the kids back into the woods, which had trees whose leaves were already changing. Suzy explained that the woods to the east had been frozen over, and that a large ice wall prevented anyone from going to the town in the north. They entered the camp site, which had a food truck that Dan and Arin were running. For some reason, they only sold variations of mac and cheese, from lasagna to fettucini alfredo. There was also a troop of small scouts, which was run by Gabby’s dad. Their campsite had a lot of modern commodities in it, like a projector screen and a laptop. Annie really loved the campsite, not because of the commodities, but because it reminded her of camping trips she went on. She happily devoured the food that the scouts offered her. Mr. Reyes told the kids that the troop was working on making a guidebook like the one the kids made for Citrione City. Apparently, there were two siblings, Trixie and Wayne Brodeur, who were also making their own guidebook. He suggested that if the kids added stuff from Sunset Grove into their own guidebook that it would help everyone gain as much information about Sturgia as possible. There was a strange cabin nearby. It belonged to Trixie and Wayne Brodeur, the park rangers. Suzy explained that they were always so busy obsessing over a strange book series that they found one day. The kids looked inside, and Suzy’s words rang true. Trixie and Wayne were inside, putting together a huge conspiracy theory chart that covered the walls. Sure enough, they were frantically reading through the 12 strange journals that they found. As the tour continued, the kids entered a strange part of the forest. The trees turned into white mushrooms, and a strange purple mist lingered in the air. Suzy said that this place was once called "Beau Village". To their surprise, there was a crashed UFO in the ground. An alien that looked like the same species as Retro was talking to three villagers: a librarian owl, a girly bunny, and a strange boy. He was also holding a strange creature. Weirded out, the kids walked away from the scene. After shopping around for a while, the kids were ready to enter Twilea Inc. However, as they were about to enter, the banker, Mr. Sauer, stopped them. “What do you think yer doin’, laddies? This is my property!”

Mr. Sauer was a strange man. In fact, he wasn’t a man at all. He looked like some sort of dinosaur with tiny eyes and fluffy bird feet. However, no one, not even Mr. Sauer, knew what he really was.

“What do you mean? We're the ones who’ve been trying to restore it to working order!” Gabby retaliated.

“That place is dangerous!” said Mr. Sauer. “If you want to go in and risk bein’ attacked by that girl, you laddies need to defeat me and my pigeons!”

The kids groaned, but they had no choice. Mr. Sauer’s pigeons pecked at their eyes annoyingly. Luckily for Chris, his glasses protected him. It was an annoying battle, but they managed to defeat him. Tired, Mr. Sauer called his secretary. The kids recognized her as one of their classmates. Mr Sauer had her unlock the door so that they could go through, accepting that they were strong enough to take on Robyn.

The six kids entered Twilea Incorporated, ready to face what lay before them.

[suteshiro]

ALL for crown.

I LOVE YOU

If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?

Wouldn’t you want to know

Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life?

For now I can’t say for sure? From the ones he currently knows it’s hard to tell bc he trusts Love in a Personal Way but is lowkey convinced he’d sell him to Satan for a corn chip. And Gank seems p trustworthy in that regard but they have only briefly met each other

What are your character’s core moral beliefs?

No one gets to control or take away someone else’s autonomy

What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?

Parents? Hate ‘em. Siblings? H

Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?

Eeh, I don’t think so

What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?

Take a wild guess ksvjfnskjv 

He doesn’t think someone having authority is inherently bad but he hates every person in authority he’s ever known of so his opinion has been formed based on that

Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.

I’m lazy. You know what she looks like

What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?

Campaign hasn’t started yet so I can’t say anything about which locations visited she’s liked! She feels very comfortable at the spot we’re starting at tho

What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?

Caenrys babey. She’s a bit weirded out by people who dedicate themselves to organized religion but in general she doesn’t stick her nose in others’ religious business

If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?

Artisan’s tools: I think he’d like glassblowing! Woodworking is cool too

Game set: playing cards probably

I don’t think he’s rlly interested in music as something he himself might perform vkjfnfksjn

Learning how to use a poisoner’s kit could be fun

Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.

I’m not sitting next to anyone so I rolled for it and got Gank (@prophe-seer​‘s character)

Crown likes Gank a lot! They only met like, once but they rlly got along. She feels a bit bad for them bc they seemed to think she was rlly nice and instead of considering she Might genuinely be nice she jumped to “oh shit the bar is fucking underground for this guy” skvjfnksjfvn. So she’s surprisingly attached. She wants them to have an actual friend bc it seems like they need it

What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?

I’m headed straight for the castle

Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?

Currently, no. She has a lot of dangerous shit to do and is too caught up on being A Free Spirit That Actually Gets To See The World to like,, consider settling down. And she hasn’t given any thought to what life she’ll have after her goals have been fulfilled.

But I’ve actually given some thought to this and I think she wants to make a family one day. Idk if it’ll include children (probably adopting older “problem” children tbh) or a spouse but she definitely wants to settle down with at least one pet

Has your character ever been in love?

H,

What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?

Haven’t played yet!

If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?

Probably a fighter skjvfnskjfvn or a paladin

What is your character’s favorite season?

Autumn! Lovs the cronch. Loves to get to cool down after summer

What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?

I actually already made this decision ksjfnkvsjn she’s an Aries. I remember liveblogging my decision making to a friend regarding this but i cant remember what it was and im lazy

Where in the world does your character most want to visit?

Oh you know

What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?

Oh you know,

Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?

Probably not!

What animal best represents your character?

Wolf,

If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?

Oh you know,,,,

Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?

Not sure yet!

Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?

idk yet ksvfsjfv

What would your character say their best trait would be?

uuuh i dont think he thinks of himself in positive terms a lot skvnksjfvn

he’d probably name his strength or smth like that

What is your character’s greatest fear? Deep, irrational?

Oh, you know!

What is currently motivating your character to stay with the party?

I don’t know cause we don’t have the plot hook yet

What are your character’s hobbies and interests outside of their class?

he likes collecting small trinkets and going to festivals and thats. about it

What would most people think when they first see your character?

“Oh shit sexy”

What stereotypical group role does your character play in the party? (The Mom, the Mess, the Comic Relief, etc. Optionally: What role would your character play in the “Five Man Band” structure?)

Surprisingly, I think it’s The Mom skjvfnksnvksjnvf he seems to be really going in the “What The Fuck. Are You Okay. I Must Protect You”

But also he’s absolutely the mess

 In a five man band he’s the leader, lancer and big guy all at once. Probably the lancer tho

What is your character the most insecure about?

He’s completely unable to see himself as a kind person worthy of tenderness

What person does your character admire most?

Gaylia!!! He thinks she’s so strong and cool

What does your character admire and dislike the most about the player character sitting to your left?

Going for Love since I talked about Gank already. He bedrudgingly admires how cunning and People Smart Love can be. Absolutely hates how much of a Bastard he is and how hot he is

Why is your character’s lowest stat their lowest (the in-character reason, not “because there’s no reason for a wizard to have 16 strength, duh”)?

Both int and wis are at a -2!

Wisdom: he wasn’t uh. raised in a way where he rlly got to learn the ways of people’s minds, or do anything but repress his own feelings. and once he was out on his own he was so focused on being a reckless fool he never even tried to change that

Intelligence: He has big adhd and always had a hard time learning. Instead of being supported he was yelled at and punished for stupidity. He retaliated by refusing to keep trying. So now he’s dumb 

What would be your character’s theme song/favorite band/favorite genre of music?

I have an entire playlist for him please look at it I worked so hard on it-

I think most  relevant are Castle by Halsey and Emperor’s new clothes by p!atd. I think he would also associate those songs with himself and really like them. Royals by Lorde is also up there for sure. And Rise from League of Legends

What stereotypical role would your character play in a high school AU/if they attended a normal high school? (Nerd, jock, bully, goth, etc.)

Goth jock.

What treasure/item/artifact that your character has collected during the adventure is the most important to them?

Not particularly precious to him and not in the adventure since we haven’t played yet but he has Love’s broken antler skvjfnksjfv

Is there any particular weapon, item, etc. that your character longs to find?

Oh you know

Where does your character feel the most at home?

Gaylia’s place probably,

Does your character care about how they’re perceived by others? How do they change themselves to fit in with other people?

She’s built her entire identity around refusing to give a fuck, however in truth she probably actively tries to be seen as rebellious and maybe intimidating

What does your character think is the true meaning of life?

Bold of you to imply she thinks that much

What is your character’s scent? (Bonus points for a description that sounds like it could be from a bad [or awesome] fanfic.)

Roses, lilies and musk ( have no clue if those go well together)

Does your character think more with their heart or their brain?

Heart, absolutely

What is your character’s most recent or frequent nightmare?

haha,,,, ha,,,,,,, h

What opinion does your character have on [CERTAIN ESTABLISHED GROUPS/AUTHORITIES IN THE GAME WORLD]? (Dragonmarked Houses, royal crown, etc.)

Wouldn’t you like to know

How did your character spend their childhood? Where did they grow up/who were their childhood friends?

What aspect of your character’s future are they most curious about? (If they could know one thing about the future, what would it be?)

I will keep that to myself!

What colors are associated with your character?

Who in the party would your character prioritize rescuing, in dire circumstances?

Love,,

Is your character the most swayed by ethos, pathos, or logos?

Pathos

If your character was granted a single use of Wish, what would they use it for?

I will keep that to myself!

What is your character’s favorite spell? If they don’t use spells: what is their favorite personal weapon/combat maneuver/skill/etc.?

She has spells and enjoys using them (probably mostly eldritch blast) but nothing beats her good trusty zweihander

How does your character feel about keeping secrets from the rest of the party?

She has no qualms with it ksvjfnskfjv

What type of creature in the world is your character the most intrigued by?

Love I dunno, snakes? Snakes are weird

When they were a child, what did your character want to be, or think they were going to be, when they grew up?

I don’t think Crown thought she was gonna make it to her 20s

The player character to your left admits that they’re passionately in love with your character. How would your character respond?

I rolled and got Gank skfvnksjvfn

I think he’d be flustered and flattered and be like “oh! we can. certainly try dating! but I can’t say I return your feelings right now. uh. sorry,,,”

If somebody (an NPC, someone from their backstory, etc.) your character trusts/loves asked your character to do something against the party’s best interest, who would they side with?

Ah,,,

That’s a very complicated question that depends on many factors I’m afraid 

Does your character value their own best interest more than the party’s?

He wants to think he does, at least skvjnskvjf

What decision would the party have to make in order for your character to consider splitting off from the group?

Who knows!

How does your character imagine the way they will die?

Doing something stupid, completely alone

What is your character’s greatest achievement?

Making it to 25 honestly svkjnksfjnv

Is your character willing to risk the well-being of others in order to achieve their goal?

Depends on who those others are

What is your character’s opinion on killing others?

Sure why not let’s do it man

What is your character’s favorite food? Beverage?

Pizza and orange juice?

How generous is your character? Especially to those they don’t know?

Surprisingly generous! Maybe not so much with money but she’s always willing to lend a helping hand

What is your character the most envious about, regarding anyone in the party?

I don’t understand this question svknskjfv

The player character to your left and the player character to your right are both telling your character two different versions of the truth. Who does your character believe?

Again I keep choosing between Gank and Love bc they’re the only ones she knows kjfvnskjfvn I mean. it depends. if it’s on something Important I think she’ll side with Love but in general she’s more likely to believe Gank 

What is your character’s sexuality/relationship with sex?

Big bisexual, first of all!

She actually has a complicated relationship with sex! Being in any kind of Intimate Situation used to be very triggering for her. But she worked through it and now she’s. Horny

What is your character’s biggest pet peeve?

When people leave without paying their part.

Describe how your character feels about the party’s current situation/objective/etc.

Shit man I dunno we have no plan

Who in the party would your character trust the most to keep an important secret?

Love is the only one she’s known long enough to build any meaningful trust with svknskfv

If your character knew that they were going to die in a month, how would they spend the rest of their life?

Probably with his only genuine friend, trying to live life to the fullest kvjfnskfv,

What makes your character feel safe?

Being fully aware of his surroundings with easy access to his sword

If your character had the chance to rename the party/give the party a name, no questions asked, what would it be?

No party yet!

What memory does your character want to forget the most?

H,

If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so?

Fukinuh. Paladin? He rlly likes Caenrys and is like “fuck it let’s do another combat charisma-based thing”

What television/book/video game/etc. character would your character be best friends with? (Or: what media character is your character the most influenced by/similar to?

He was heavily influenced by a webcomic character but i will keep Who a secret just in case it makes people figure stuff out skvnskvn

What unusual talents does your character possess?

Really good at doing things without looking, apparently skfjvnsfv

How does your character feel about receiving/giving orders? Are they more of a leader, or a follower?

Giving orders is. Kinda hot

Receiving orders? Die

What does your character’s name represent to them? (Or: why as a player did you choose your character’s name?)

Among other things, Crown’s name represents her proclaiming herself as someone with full authority, if anything, over herself. She’s claiming at every moment a position of power and I think that’s very sexy of her

Is your character more of an introvert, or an extrovert?

Ambivert, probably! Loves people but may get overwhelmed being around them too much

How far is your character willing to go to pursue the “greater good”? Do they believe in a greater good at all?

In theory she doesn’t believe in the greater good but she lies to herself so who knows what she’d do when push comes to shove skjvfnksjfv

What does your character want to be remembered by?

It’s complicated and I’m too lazy to explain it, especially without spoiling anything

What would be your character’s major in college?

He’d shrivel and die in an academic setting pal

Does your character consider themselves a hero, villain, or something else?

It’s complicated,,

Let’s say hero and keep it there

What major arcana tarot card best represents your character?

I’m between The Fool and The Magician. Strength is also fun

Where does your character see themselves in 20 years?

Oh, you know!

What is your character’s relationship with magic? Are they scared of it, wish to know more about it, indifferent to it?

Magic is,,, kinda hot!

Who is your character’s biggest rival?

Love ksjvfnksjfvkjsfv

What is your character’s guiltiest pleasure?

Bold of you to imply he feels guilt over anything pleasurable

What does your character hope for the afterlife?

He doesn’t think about that

Who in the party does your character trust the least?

Just as he trusts Love the most he also trusts him the least. Shady bastard

What is your character’s biggest flaw?

-2 wisdom

How did your character learn the languages that they speak?

Uh. Growing up and being raised?

What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?

GREATSWORD AND EVOCATION BABY

What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?

Happiness

What advice would your character give to a younger version of themselves?

“There’s power in your anger. Take action before it gets worse”

Are there any social or political issues your character feels strongly about?

It’s hard to explain bc I don’t know Politics Words

What, currently, is your character the most curious about?

;)

[ivoryandbonerpg-blog]

                                       ♔ BILL WEASLEY ♔

( the basics. )

AGE: 28 LINEAGE: Pureblood SCHOOL / ALUMNI: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry HOUSE: Gryffindor ALLIANCE: The Order

( personality. )

✓ / ✗ : Level-headed, Knowledgeable, Persevering, Overprotective, Conspicuous, Calculating

( biography. )

• If curiosity killed the cat, then Bill must have gone through six of his nine lives already. The first of the Weasley siblings, William ‘Bill’ Weasley was born in a time of turmoil and chaos. It was the height of the First Wizarding War, and two of his uncles were fresh in their graves after a deadly clash with the Death Eaters. But his parents had done well to shelter him from the sense of fear at that time. For the most part, his childhood growing up consisted of summers climbing trees with Charlie, tossing gnomes out of the garden for his mother, tinkering with Muggle artifacts with his father, and helping to take care of the abundance of siblings who followed shortly after him. His interest in the world and exploring it seemed to be endless, as was his hunger for an understanding of how it all worked together. While he was sorted into Gryffindor, most thought him more suited to Ravenclaw. It was belief that stuck until he would do something reckless like jumping into the Black Lake just to see if the Giant Squid was as tame as everyone said it was. But antics aside, Bill was considered to be an exemplary student who had an excellent academic record and reputation among his classmates. His popularity ended up as a pleasant surprise in his seventh year, when he was awarded the position of Head Boy. It would be the first of many achievements from the Weasley siblings, but Bill had been humbled by the honor regardless.

• Following his time in Hogwarts, Bill moved to Egypt in order to examine the ancient tombs and vaults that were buried under its sands. Though he sometimes missed his family back at the Burrow, he wrote often and frequently. His work exploring the runes and deciphering the texts helped him to locate an abundance of artifacts, though they were laced with dangerous and old Dark magic. While a lesser wizard would have been wise to stay away, Bill found an engaging challenge in breaking the curses that guarded such treasures. Each one was a unique puzzle with its own methodology and history. Some took only moments to solve, while others took him across Africa to consult with the Uagadou School of Magic. One particular goblet required the assistance of a wizened centaur who lived in a remote forest deep in the Congo. Each day was an adventure fraught with danger and excitement, and his discoveries did not go unnoticed. Gringotts saw his talent for countering Dark magic as an ideal tool to gather wealth for themselves, and subsequently hired him as a Curse-Breaker. During his tenure there, he garnered a tentative friendship with the goblins, spent nights drinking with travelers from all around the world, and gained a unique understanding of some of the oldest and rarest magics in existence. There really wasn’t anything else a wizard could ask for, and Bill was happy.

• And then a certain French witch waltzed into his life and his entire perspective shifted.

• When he had first laid eyes on Fleur, Bill was certain that his heart had stopped. At the time, she probably hadn’t the faintest intention of looking his way, even if his eyes would trail along her slim silhouette as she passed by his desk every morning. While his instincts screamed at him otherwise, the wizard was careful about being too forward with her, treating her at a respectful distance and remaining the kind of gentleman that his mother would have been proud of. In his eyes, she was a lioness- tall and proud, but with an eager and noble heart. Months of assignments together had only confirmed his feelings and left him with a deep ache in more than one place during the lonely nights. Then one night, she propositioned him, intoxicated and high off of the sweet success of one of their missions. However, Bill did not take the chance she had offered him, because even if he had, it would have paled in comparison to what he wanted from her. From that night on, the two of them danced around one another. Each advance that she made was calculated and assessed, then retaliated with a move of his own. She excited him, thrilled him in a way that only a well-constructed curse could. But this particular spell she had over him was not one that he could, or would break. The magic she had over him was woven into her hair, in the way that she spoke, in the way she would glance away when she was flustered or embarrassed. And when she lowered her guard around him, and gave him that look that was solely for him, Merlin it was stronger than any Imperius Curse could have possibly been.

• Now the war, which hung above Bill and Fleur’s heads since the beginning of their relationship, is fully underway. With the lives of his family and the very fate of the Wizarding World at risk, Bill did not hesitate to return home in order to support the Order in whatever way possible. With the Shell Cottage as his base of operations, he serves as one of the liaisons to the Goblins as well as a Secret Keeper for numerous bases under their protection. The elder Weasley considers himself to be quite fortunate in his role, as his developed skills as a Curse-Breaker have been of paramount importance during raids on the Death Eaters. However, the imminent danger that such a role puts him into has put a strain on his relationship with Fleur. Though Bill believes firmly in the Order’s cause, he cannot help but fear the ever-growing possibility that the war will tear those he loves away from him for good. So long as his heart still beats in his chest, Bill will fight to make sure that never, ever happens.

( sexuality. )

up to player

( connections. )

⚔ Fleur Delacour : He might be a fool to say it so early on into their relationship, but Fleur is the love of Bill’s life. She is not only one of the most beautiful women to have ever walked into his life, but she is both strong-willed and compassionate to those that she holds dear to her. The two of them shared an undeniable attraction to one another from the very beginning, and it had taken every ounce of his inner strength not to give in so easily to her when she began to truly take an interest in him. But being the shrewd couple as they are, they had let the dance go on until the connection that bound them was so searing hot that they would have gone mad with their own desires. Fleur is the moon and he is the bold wizard chasing after her shadow. Always.

⚔ Charlie Weasley : Of all of his siblings, Bill is closest with Charlie. This had been in part because of the small age difference between the two of them, but also because they shared complimentary personalities. Both brothers share a love of adventure and an aversion to their mother’s sense of fashion. Where Bill was cool and collected, Charlie was out-going and loud. Head Boy and Quidditch Captain. Between the two of them, there was nothing that they could not conquer, and Bill would often rely on Charlie’s advice and occasional help while excavating the dangerous and occasionally dragon-guarded tombs of Egypt. It is with this in mind that Bill is proud to call Charlie his best friend.

⚔ Ginny Weasley : Ginny is the darling of the Weasley family, in Bill’s eyes. He was somewhat guilty of spoiling her when they still lived together, and as a result she has grown both attached and protective of him. While that would normally not be an issue, it has found an unlikely conflict in the form of Fleur Delacour. Neither of them will say it out loud, but Bill isn’t completely blind to the fact that his baby sister and his girlfriend are on bad terms with one another. And he supposes it makes sense, given how all the women in his life have a tendency to be both proud and stubborn. However he hopes that he can help Ginny to see just how incredible Fleur truly is while maintaining the rightful possession of his body parts.

the role of BILL WEASLEY is currently OPEN.